istum hominem Satan occupare conetur Caluin speaking of Luthers Heresyes (x) Instit l. 4. c 317. §. 〈◊〉 17. saith By the Lutherans Marcion is raised out of Hell and in one (y) Admonit 3. ad VVestphalum place Caluin thus further wryteth The Lutherans are forgers and Lyars Ioannes z Campanus a Sacramentary thus anathematizeth Luther (y) In colloq lat Luth. tom 2. cap. de Aduers As certaine as God is God so certaine it is that Luther was a diuellish lyar Finally for greater breuity occasioned rather throgh leauing much out of this subiect then contracting of all which can be said OecolaÌ„padius that (a) â—ial contra Melancth glittering Caluinist affirmes that the Lutherans bring forth only a colour and shadow of the word of God as Heretyks commonly are accustomed to do They bring not the Word of God and yet they will seeme to build vpon the Word of God of Luther in particular he thus saith Let (*) Oecol in resp ad confess Luther Luther take heed least being puffed vp with pride he be deceaued by Satan See with what full and intemperate tearmes the Caluinists do charge Luther from whom they first receaued the supposed splendour of their Gospell bearing their selues heerin as vngratefully as the Moone doth to the Sun which in enioying her greatest borrowed light showeth her greatest Opposition He taking that name as supposed to be according to the Etymology LaÌ„spas domus Dei Now as we haue seene the Lutherans condemning the Sacramentaryes and the Sacramentaryes them againe So neither of these two sâ—rtes doth absolutely approue such as are of their owne faction And first we fynd that Conradus Schlusselburg (b) In Catalog haeretic â—ostritemporis l. â— the foresaid Lutheran placeth six sorts of his owne Lutherans in the Catalogue of Heretyks And so through the disallowing of one anothers doctryne did first ryse the distinction of Molles and Rigidi Lutherani so as it is manifest euen out of their owne books and Inuectyues that they hould one another for Heretykes Touching the differences betweene the Caluinists amongst themselues they are these which follow to wit Concerning the Churches Visibility Christs suffering in soule the paynes of Hell his descending into Hell after death Baptisme of lay Persons in tyme of Necessity reprobation and Vniuersality of Grace whether in case of adultery the innocent party may marry againe whether Vsury be lawfull Whether Christs body be really and substantially present in the Sacrament to the mouth of fayth as D. Whitaker M. Hooker c. do hould or but Sacramentally only present as the Puritans maintayne whether Bishops be lawfull or Antichristian whether the signe of the Crosse in baptisme and the vse of the surplisse be lawfull whether the Ciuil Magistrate may be head of the Church and finally to omit many other doctrines controuerted among the Protestants whether God doth decree and will Sinne or but only decree to permit sinne All which pointes besides many more are seuerally mantayned by seuerall Protestants yea most of the points by those Protestants not being Lutherans which are aduerse to the Puritans To exemplify in one or two of the former Doth not (c) Lib. de Coena Domini l. 4. Instis c 15. § 1. Caluin condemne Zuinglius for teaching that the Sacraments are bare external signes And is not Caluin reciprocally condemned by Zuinglius (d) Epist ad quandaÌ„ Germaniae ciuitat fol 190. againe because he attributed more to the Sacramentes then externall signes Castalio a Sacramentary charging Caluin to be the authour of Sinne maketh a distinction of the true God and of Caluins God and among other thinges he thus sayth By (e) Lib. ad Caluâ— de praedestin this meanes not the Diuell but the God of Caluin is the Father of lyes but that God which the holy Scriptur teacheth is altogeather contrary to this God of Caluin And then after The true God came to destroy the works of the Caluinian God And these two Gods as they are by nature contrary one to another so they beget and bring jorth children of contrary disposition to wit that God of Caluin children without mercy proud c. Thus farre Castalio D. (f) In his Meditat. vpon 122. Psalm Willet a formall Protestant speaking of certaine doctrines mantayned by M Hooker D. Couell and others and thinking them to be erroneous thus wryteth From this fountaine haue sprung forth these and such other whirlepoints and bubles of new doctrine As for example that Christ is not originally God c. That Sacraments doe giue and confirme grace c. And reiecting diuers other points thus concludeth Thus haue some beene bould to teach and write who as some Schismatikes meaning the Puritans haue disturbed the peace of the Church one way in externall matters concerning discipline they haue troubled the Church another way by opposing themselues by new quirkes and deuises to the soundnes of doctrine amongst Protestants Thus D. Willet But now in this last place to come to the mutuall accusations of English Protestants only English Puritans only as most neerely concerning vs we find that the booke entituled Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiasticall printed anno 1604. by the appointement of the Bishops doth ipso facto excommunicate the Puritans for their mantayning of these positions following besides others as they are in that booke set downe The worshippe in the Church of England is corrupt superstitious vnlawfull repugnant to the Scriptures The articles of the Bishops Religion are erroneous their rites Antichristian c. The gouernement of the Church of England vnder his Maiesty by Archbishops Bishops and Deanes is Antichristian and repugnant to the word of God The Puritans in another (g) The mild defence of the silenced Ministers supplicatioÌ„ to the high Court of ParlameÌ„t of their bookes thus write Dowe vary from the sincere doctrine of the Scriptures Nay rather many of them meaning the Bishops their adherents do much swarue from the same touching generall grace and the death of Christ for euery particuler person c. Touching the manner of Christs presence in the Eucharist that the Pepe is not Antichrist concerning the necessity of Baptisme c. In another (h) Intituled A Christian and modest Offer p. 1â— of the Puritans bookes we thus find them to say If we be in errour and the Prelates on the contrary haue the truth we protest to all the world that the Pope and the Church of Rome and in them God and Christ Iesus haue great wrong and in dignity offered vnto them in that they are reiected c. But we will insist more particulerly in relating the Puritans dislike in two things the one concernes the Common prayer-prayer-booke the other our English Translations of the Bible Touching the first the Puritans in one (i) Iâ—titâ—led The petition of twenty two preachers in London of their bookes thus write Many things in the Communion booke are repugnant
as though the Sunne equally and indifferently shyned vpon vs all auerring with (d) D. â—e well in his Apology of the Church of England p. 101. sayth thus The ZuingliaÌ„s and Lutherans are good friends they vary not betweâ—ne themselves vpon the principles and foundatioÌ„s of our Religion but vpon only one questioÌ„ which is neither waighty nor great The like sayth D. VVhitakâ— in resp ad rationes Camp rat 8. p. 155. monstrous boldnes that the ProtestaÌ„t differ among themselues not in any mayne poynts of fayth but only in Ceremonyes and some few matters of Indifferency so making our pens and Controuersyes for our owne aduantage to partake of the nature of diaphanous and transparent bodyes which are equally capable of light darknes In lyke sort I cannot but obserue in the thronge of so many great differences among our selues the detriment we suffer particularly by our dissensions touching our Communion-Booke of Prayer and our English Translation of Scripture Since by the first we are not resolued how we ought to pray to God whether our prayers made for the remitting of our Sinnes be not an increase of our sinnes since wrongfully and with a false fayth to pray is but to offend God And thus do we depriue our selues of the cheife means of pacifying Gods wrath and indignation Seing Prayer is a secondary Mediatour betweene God and man by meanes of it God as I may say knoweth not that to wit our Sinnes which from all Etermity he did know nor remembers that which before the perpetrating thereof was firmely registed in the Booke of his Prescience Prayer indeed being the spirituall ayre which refrigerates the heat of our Passions Os (e) Psalm 1â—8 meum aperui attraxi spiritum In lyke sort we being at wars which is the true Word of God in our translations of Scripture we are in the meane tyme depriued euen by our owne grounds of the true Iudge for the appeasing determining of Controuersyes in Religion since granting the Scripture to be this Iudge yet this is to be vnderstoode of the Scripture as it is pure in it self and incontaminated not as it is abastarded with false Translations Besydes being vnresolued which is the true Word of God we know not which is that heauenly Kings true â—â—mbassadour bringing to mankynd the comfortable message of Saluation or rather which is the Great Seale of that most great God whereunto he hath set his hand obliging himself by promise to giue Pardon to all truly Penitent euery sentence thereof being indeed the Lyse of our Soule and Soule of our Life (f) Ioan. cap. 6. Verba quae ego locutus sum vobis spir tus vita sâ—nt But to conclude this Chapter since the Catholyks in respect of fayth enioy a perfect Vnity since the Protestants maintayne strange diuersityes of doctrine attended on with intestine simultyes and vnchristian Anathematizings And since I haue but one poore indiuisible soule not capable of seuerall wayes therefore I am resolued that this one soule of myne shall in her fayth according to her owne being and essence tread the path of Vnity not of multiplicious Contrariety and repugnancy in Religion THE XII MOTIVE That Saluation may be had in Catholyke Religion by the confession of Protestants PERVERSITAS fidei est probata non credere non probata prasumere saith the ancient and learned (a) Aduer Gâ—osticos Tertullian By which words we are taught that an indubious and and fully warranted Truth ought to ouerballance in matter of fayth all vncertaine iniustifiable fluctuations of a contrary iudgment Heere then the Question being in what fa th and Religion a man dying may be saued a primary and Cardinall poynt I fynd that the learneder sort of Protestants do conspiringly seach that a Catholyke or in our own phrase a Papist dying a Papist may be saued but I do not fynd the lyke fauorable censure of our learned Aduersaryes so vnanimously to passe vpon vs dying Protestants Thus the first poynt as being on all sydes approued I may securely beleiue the second as not granted I must apprehend at least as doubtfull The consideration of our owne Brethrens iudgments heere in the behalfe of our Aduersaryes I grant hath much swayed me For as some of vs do teach (b) Peter Martyr in his Comm. places parâ— 2 p. 319. Among all testimonyes that testimony is of greatest respect which is witnessed by the Enemy since such an authour by disprouing the truth most strongly approues it and by impugning propugnes it This poynt then to wit that the hope of Saluation belongeth to Papists dying Papists shall be demonstrated foure seuerall wayes euen from the ingenuous and plaine acknowledgment of those Protestants whose pennes and wrytings haue most stroÌ„gly inuaded the iudgment of their Readers First by showing that diuers of vs doe hould that the cheifest Articles of Catholyke Religion are but poynts of Iudifferency and compatible with Saluation and which is more by prouing that sundry learned Protestants haue actually and really beleiued the said Catholike Articles as true Secondly by manifesting euen from our owne wrytings that the Church of Rome is the true Church of Christ and that in that Church Saluation is to be obtayned Thirdly from our doctryne practize in baptizing the children of Catholyks Fourthly by insisting in diuers examples of particuler men which haue dyed in the Roman and Catholike Church and yet by vs Protestants are reputed for glorious Saints in heauen As touching the first I will rest for greater expedition in some few of the chiefest articls of the Roman fayth the which being accounted by vs as matters of indifferencyes may stand by our owne censures with saluation from whence we may inferre that then much more many other articles of the sayd Religion be reputed by vs to be of the like indifferency And first concerning the primacy of the Church Luther (c) In assert art 36. himselfe thus sayth The Popes supremacy is among those vnnecessary trifles wherin the Popes leuity and foolery is to be borne withall Melancthon (d) In his epist extant in the booke styled Centuria epist Theolog. epist 74. proceedeth more plainely saying An agreement may easily be established in the Article of the Popes Primacy if other articles could be agreed vpon The doctrine of the Primacy to wit that one must be chiefe in the Church of God is taught by (e) Vbi supra MelanctoÌ„ (f) So related by Hospinian hist p. 389. Iacobus Andreas (g) Luth. in loc com class c. 37 Luther and D. (h) D. Couell in his exam fol. 106. Couell who giueth this reason thereof saying If there were not one supreme head in the Church of God the Church should be worse then the meanest Commonwealth yea then any den of theeues Touching the reall presence D. Reynolds (i) In his conclus annexed to his conference pag. 722. so depresseth the weight thereof that he sayth
gaue me a Being by my Redemption a Well-being who suffered Deatiâ— to preuent death and whose wound care our wouds 〈◊〉 (m) Isa câ— â— â—â—us sanatcsimiâ—â—â— voucâ—saâ—e to sanctify me with thy soule â—o meâ—â—â—ate my intellectuall powers with thy bloud and to wash away all their ordure filth with the water of thy pierced side that so I poore despicable and miserable man seeing all my sinnes afore drowned in the gulfe of thy inexhausted Mercy may in the end enter into thy promised and my hoped for Canaan Ioan. Londinens THE CONTENTES OF THE SEVERALL MOTIVES OF THIS TREATISE THE 1. MOTIVE THAT the priuate spirit is the chiefe supporter of Protestancy Page 1. Motiue 2. That the Prophesyes of Scripture confirme the Catholike Religion and refute Protestancy pag 10. Motiue 3. That generall Councells confirming Catholike Religion are reiected by Protetestants pag. 33. Motiue 4. That the Fathers of the Primitiue Church as Patrons of Papistry are reiected by the Protestants pag 39. Motiue 5. That the articles of Protestancy are particulerly condemned for benesâ—es by the ancient Fathers And that all Protestants originally came out of the Catholike Church pag. 53. Motiue 6. That true Miracles haue beene wrought for proofe of the Catholike Religion but not any for Protestancy pag. 64. Motiue 7. Absurdityes in the Protestants Religion pag. 77. Motiue 8 Deceites and sleightes practised by Protestant VVryters pag. 93. Motiue 9. That the doctrine of Catholike Religion tendes directly to Vertue of Protestancy to Vice and Liberty pag 118. Motiue 10. That Luther and Caluin are chiefe Patrones of Arianisme and therefore in other points of faith are not to be followed p 131 Motiue 11. That there is vnity in Fayth in Catholike Religion disagreements in faith in Protestancy pag. 139. Motiue 12. That Saluation may be had in Catholike Religion by the confession of Protestants pag. 154. The Conclusion to my Dears and Reverend Brethren the Lords Arch bishops and Bishops of England pag. 168 THE BISHOP OF LONDON HIS LEGACY THE 1. MOTIVE That the priuate Spirit is the chiefe supporter of Protestancy THE affected strange and exorbitant course we Protestants hould I yet range my selfe with my former Brethren according to my accustomed dialect in determining of doubts in ReligioÌ„ is able to cause the learnedest of vs to fluctuate and wauer in our already ietled iudgmentes We all know it is our own head Theoreme that the Scripture alone but such as our selues admit for Canonicall is to iudge of all arising Controuersyes in fayth and the priuate spirit to iudge of the sense of the Scripture Which priuate spirit being but a meere intentionall and vnreall name our owne D. (a) In CoÌ„trou 1. q. â— c. 3. 11. Whitaker thus speciously entitles An inward perswasion of the truth from the Holy Ghost in the secret closes of the belieuers hart Thus by recurring to Scripture alone we reiect all Apostolicall Traditions all definitions of the Church and the most ancient practise thereof by erecting the priuat spirit we make our selues sole Lords of the Scripture A poore refuge God knowes discouering in a cleare and impartiall eye the feeblenes of our owne cause since in so doing we being but parties constitute our selues as Iudges daring in the closure of all to iudge euen our owne Iudges Thus for example if our Aduersaryes the Catholikes in iustifying the articles of their fayth doe vrge any passage of the Machabees Ecclesiasticus Toby c. acknowledged for Canonicall Scripture by S. Augustin (b) De doctrin Christian l. 2. c. â— the third Councell (c) Can. 47. of Carthage this Priuate spirit in lieu of further answere peremptorily discanoneth all these Bookes vnder the tecture that they were (d) Doctor VVhitak in his answer to M. Reynoldâ—â—efutation p. 22. 23. Calu. lib. 1. Instiâ— c. 7. §. 1. 2. not first written in Hebrew and that the Maiesty and voyce of God appeareth not in them Strangely inferred as though the Spirit of God ought seruily to be tyed to any one tongue or because in the silly weenings of this spirit the Maiesty voyce of God speaketh not in the sayd Books therefore they are indeed wholy depriued thereof If our Aduersaryes proceeding further do insist for proofe of any dogmaticall point in the plaine wordes of confessed Scripture as for proofe of Apostolicall Traditions whereby this phantasy of the Scripture being sole iudge is impugned in that passage (e) 2. Thes 2. of the Apostle Hold fast the traditions which you haue receaued siue per sermonem siue per Epistolâ—m nostram either by word or by our Epistle the Priuate spirit as it were with it Mercuryes rod heere chaseth away the most obuious and familiar construction obtruding this Scholia vpon the text That (f) Kemâ—â— in 〈◊〉 Conc. â—â—dent the Apostle first deliuered those things by speach which after he left written in his Epistle Absured since the disâ—unctiue particle siue implyeth an Antithesis or opposition of the things deliuered by speach and the thinges written If they fortify the plaine and literall sense of the forsayd Text with the answerable ConstitutioÌ„s and Canons of most ancient generall Councels as of that of the second of Nice Si (g) Act. â— â—om 4. quis traditioneÌ„ Ecclesiae siue scripto fiue consuetudine valentem non curauerit Anathema sit the Spirit spurneth heere at auerring that (h) So D. VVhâ—â—ak l. de Coâ—â—â—il conâ—â—a Bellarâ—â— q. â— generall Councells may erre And that as (i) So Peter Martyr l. de votis p. 476. longe as we insist in generall Councels so long we shall continue in the Papists errours Thus hoping that the splendour of the whole Church of Christ being once obscured it selfe may shyne forth with more lustre so the least starre discouereth it light through absence of a greater light If our Aduersaryes produce the testimonyes but of priuate Fathers in warrant of Traditions as of (k) Lib. contra Donat Quae vnâ—uersa tenet â—cclesia ab Apostâ—lis praecepta benè creduntur quanquà m scriptanon reperiantur Augustine (l) Lib. 2. epist â— Cypriâ—n and the like O what indignity is it to this all-controuling Spirit which euen dronke with a selfe coÌ„placency can with one puff of his breath blow away the force of all their authorityes by saying Gods (m) Luth. tom 2. cont Reg Angl fol. 344. word is aboue all the diuine Maiesty maketh for me in so much as I regard not if a thousand Augustines a thousand Cyprians stood against me vanting further of it selfe Non sinam ipsos Angelos de mea doctrina iudicare Lastly if they put vs in mind how it hath been euer the proper Scene of heretiks to enamel varnish the deformed face of their Heresyes with the misapplyed texts of Gods sacred Word Haereses (n) Aug iâ— hom 9. tract 18. in Ioan. sumunt originem quando Scripturae bonae intelliguntur non bene Thus
see D. Bancrofts suruey pag. 219. verbum Deiprouoco But to resume my former heads Since then this reuealing spirit is not afraid to expunge out of the sacred Canon of Scripture such bookes as Apocriphall wherin it owne Religion is euidently impugned since it alloweth only such expositions of confessed Scripture as best sort to the supporting of it owne errours since it betrampleth all authorityes of Councells and Fathers who expound Gods word differently from it Since it hath beene the custome of all Heretikes to withdraw themselues to the weake retyre of only Scripture and their owne spirit interpreting the Scripture thus making a circular motion where from point to point there is a true progression but from the first point no progression at all since this Spirit engēdreth contrarieties in doctrine in the enioyers of it through ech mans misconstruction of Scripture Since the Scripture it selfe is of that abstruse sublimity as that Man without Gods directing grace cannot lay any true leuell thereto To conclude since the exorbitancy pride and petulancy of this Spirit is such as it expecteth in the end that all men should receaue from it as from a second Moyses the tables of our Euangelicall Law Non * Tert. de Orat. agnosei poterit à Spiritu sancto spiritus inquinatus What then remaineth but that my selfe carefull of my saluation should for euer after become iealous of the truth of that Religion which I find to be seated vpon those groundes and only those grounds which euery heresy promiscuously challengeth to it selfe And that relying on Gods holy visible Church vpon which he hath (p) Matt. 18. ◠Tim. 3. entayled his spirit of Truth I may interpose her infallible authority as an Isthmos or firmeland to stop the entercourse of the two mayne Oceans I meane the Scriptures abysmall profoundity and this Priuate spirits floating and boundles vncertainty But inough of this subiect of which as potentially inuoluing all other Controuersyes within it selfe I haue drawne I confesse for my fuller satisfaction certaine notes in some few scattered Papers THE II. MOTIVE That the Prophesyes of Scripture confirme the Catholike Religion and refute Protestancy PROPHESYES are diuine and infallible Predictions of thinges future future in respect of vs who measure all actions with the yard of Tyme but present in the eyes of God with whome there is neither tyme past nor tyme to come both being confounded in the depth of his owne Eternity Infallible as proceeding only from him who by his power disposeth all thinges as shall best please him by his Prescience forseeth distinctly all things so disposed as things present in the cleare glasse of his own essence And by his Will vouchsafeth that men shall warrant the certainty of his foreknowledge Prescientia Dei (a) Tert. l. 2 contr Marcion tot habet testes quot fecit Prophetas Now of the Prophesyes recorded in the old Testament I will take into my consideratiō only two The inditers of which according to the iudgment of (b) In Psal 3◠conc 2. S. Augustine as foreseeing Controuersyes and doubts in fayth to come spake more clearely of the Church then of Christ himselfe The first shall concerne the propagation of the Church of Christ and the conuerting of Kinges heathen and kingdomes to it faith touching which I will insist in those places of Scripture whose true sense and interpretation is acknowledged for such both by the Catholikes and by our Protestants Priuate spirit the alleadging of which texts is the more forcible since the confessed sense of Scripture is the soule as it were which informeth the body of the Letter Of this first point the Prophet I say thus speaketh The (c) 60. Iles shall waite for thee meaning the Church their Kinges shall minister vnto thee and thy gates shal be continually open neither day nor night shall they be shut that men may bring to thee the riches of the Gentils c. And againe speaking of and to the Church he further thus sayth Thou (d) Ibid. shalt sucke the milke of the Gentils and the breasts of Kinges Kings shal be thy noursing Fathers and Queenes thy Mothers And further Enlarge (e) 54. the place of thy tents spread out the curtaines of thy habitation for thou shalt increase on the right hand and on the left thy seed shall possesse the Gentils and inhabite the desolate Cittyes To the truth of which conuersions of Heathen Kinges and Countreyes to the fayth of Christ the Kingly Prophet speaking in the person of God to the Church thus accordeth I (f) Psalm 2. will giue thee the Heathens for thy inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy pessession That these places besides diuers others are vnderstood of the enlargment of Christs Church and the conuersions of Kingdomes and Nations vnto it is warranted by the marginall annotations of our own English (g) Frinted in the yeare 1576. Bibles no lesse agreeable to the particuler iudgments of (h) Vpon Ieremy Oecolampadius that learned Protestant D. Whitguift (i) In his defence p. 466. late Archbishop of Canterbury D. (k) In his answere M. VVilliam Reynolds Whitaker and all other graue Writers The next point which heere presenteth it selfe to be wayghed is to consider whether the foresayd predictions of the dilatation of the fayth of Christ and conuerting to it Kinges and kingdomes haue beene accomplished in the Protestants Church or in the Catholike and Roman Church for the clearing of which point we will begin with the tymes from Luthers first change of Religion and so ascend by degrees to the age of the Apostles in the discouery whereof we are to recurre to Ecclesiasticall Writers And thus the ground of beliefe touching this point is heere remoued from Scripture to man yet man is heere belieued to wit in relating whether the true or false fayth was then taught and brought in by reason of the Scripture And first that these Conuersions propagation of the Church any tyme for the space of these last thousand yeares euen vp to the dayes of Boniface the third and Gregory Bishops of Rome were not performed in the Protestant Church is ouer euident from all Ecclesiasticall historyes and records and from the voluntary confessions of learned Protestants so as to find the cōtrary in any approued Authors we may wel make the subiect of our desire but not of our expectation And first for Historyes we Protestants cannot produce any one authenticall history or narration notwithstāding some late effectles attempts of our own Nation in that nature being still in labour of that which I feare will neuer be borne intimating so much And which is more the Protestant Ecclesiasticall Writers do euen particulerly set downe and relate the conuersion of many Countryes made by catholiks euen to their own mayn preiudice heerin But the better to enleuen our discourse with examples where I will omit the subiecting of many vast Countryes to
and writinges rarell out the tyme working with such improbity of libour and toyle theâ—pyders webb which is so easily swept away Laborâ—ose nihil agunt to say with Seneca The Pope and the Church thus far proceed They declare only what bookes be Scripture or not Scripture among many Apochriphal writings and which construction of true Scripture among many suggested senses thereof is the intended meaning of the Holy Ghost Thus they neither make nor vnmake Scripture nor impose any sense vpon it which afore it had not but only declare which afore it had And thus by this meanes they assume no more to themselues then any priuate Protestant practiseth by the help of his reuealing spirit But what Must it needes be inferred that the Pope and the Church for such their proceeding seeke to be aboue the Scripture Then may it be alike concluded that the Iudge is aboue the Law since he expresseth what is Law and which is the true meaning of the Law-giuer therein All that hence may be truely deduced is this viz. That the Pope and the Church is not aboue Scripture which with all reuerence they affect but aboue the Iudgments of priuate men expounding the Scripture But heere to make an end of the Catholiks mistaken doctrines I cannot but call to mind how I was seueral tyms accustomed to charge the Priests and others of their Religion appearing before me with the defence of the former absurdityes though I confesse I did then well know what their learned men did hold therein And I do assure the Reader that the Priestes being expostulated heereof did seeme halfe amazed at these my strange demandes Yea one of the Priestes a bold and resolute man thus answered me My Lord if you demand of me and others in earnest whether these senseles positions be our do Irines it seemes you know not what the Catholik Church teacheth heerein and then it is strang his Maiesty should place you in seate of iudgment against vs to punish vs for that ReligioÌ„ your selfe not knowing the doctrine which the sayd religion teacheth An answere blunt and without respect yet not much to be disliked since it is a wronge to truth to be outfaced and depressed with calumnyes Towards the Auncient Fathers we haue seuerall peculiar deportments first we stryue to breake through their authorityes with sleighty euasions this fayling next to breake downe their authorityes by open disclayminges Thus in the former manner we proceed diuers wayes First when any place of a Father is obiected against vs we endeauour so loath we are to make an absolut departure from them if possibly it could be auoyded to interprete the Fathers words in some other sense then they are vrged by our Aduersaryes or intended by the Fathers Thus where (r) Lib. 4. de Trinit cap. 〈◊〉 4. Augustin (s) Lib. 6. desacerd Chrysostome (t) In psal 38. Ambrose (u) Lib. 6. contra Parmenianum others do teach that the Sacrament of the Excharist contayneth in it selfe a true and proper sacrifice Our Brethren in answere heereto say these Fathers meaning only to be that the prayer powred out by the faythfull at the tyme of the Communion are Spirituall Sacrifices But this is but a shadow of an answeare since the Fathers affirme literally that the body and bloud of Christ without the least intimation of any prayers being offered vp in the celebration of the Eucharist is a proper and true sacrifice Quid gratiùs offervi saith (x) V bi supra Augustine aut suscipi possit quà m carâ— sacrificij nostri corpus effectum sacerdotis nostri Next if the place of the obiected Father be so perspicuous as that it will receaue no other tincture of Interpretation then what the naturall colour of the sentence will properly beare we then labour to oppose another Father against him in the said poynt or if possibly we can the said Father aginst himselfe by vrgiâ—g some seeming contrary sentence our of him all this to disualew in the Readers eye the authority of the said Father Thus where Basill is produced in defence of TraditioÌ„s D. (y) Lib. de sacra scriptura p. 670 Whitaker answereth thereto pretending some other contrary place out of Basill saying Basilius secumpugnat After the same manner D. Whitaker (z) V bi supra pag. 6.6 auoydeth S. Augustins authority touching Traditions saying Although Augustine in this place may seeme to fauour Traditions yet in other places he defendeth earnestly the â—erfection of the Scriptures An vnworthy aspersion vpon the Fathers as if they were of that wauering irresolution in their fayth as to mantayne meere contrary doctrynes at one and the same tyme. Another sleight vsed by vs is that if the Father vrged in defence of any Catholyke poynt can be deprehended to haue maintayned any one acknoledged errour then we vsually reiect the said Fathers authority in all poynts of Catholyke Religion This chiefly taketh place in the produced testimonyes of Cyprian Tertullian and Origen euery one of them mantayning their peculiar errour This euasion is most weake except we could proue that these Fathers are condemned by the ioynt consent of other Fathers for their houlding of Catholyke doctrynes which is impossible to proue as well as they were written against by other Fathers touching their acknowledged Errours Another of our Sleights or Subtiltyes toucheth Mission and Vocation of Ministers which the Scripture teacheth to be visible according to those words of the Apostle No (a) Hebr â— 5. man taketh to him the honour of Pryesthood but he that is called of God as Aaron was which calling in the Apostles tymes was only by Imposition (b) 2. Timâ— 1. of Bishops hands Now then when we are charged by our Aduersaries in the first planting of Protestancy to want this lawfull Vocation and Mission since no man did either send vs nor from any did we receaue this Imposition of hands we to extricate and free our selues out of this Labyrinth haue excogitated out of the delicacy of our wit or rather extreme Necessity a new kynd of calling honouring it with the title of an Extraordinary and immediate calling from God Without any authority of man therein And so our first broachers of Protestancy do challeng this to themselues besydes that our doctrine of the Inuisibility of the Church potentially implyeth the same Answerably heerto Caluin thus saith Quia (c) So alleadged to say by Lasciuius a protestaÌ„t in his book de Russarâ—â—Ì„ c. religiâ—nâ— p. 2â— Papa tyrannide c. Because through the tyranny of the Pope the true order of ordination was interrupted therefore in these dayes we haue neede of a new helpe and this guyft is altogeather extraordinary Likewyse D. Fulke (d) Againest Stapleton Martiall p. 2. The Protestants that first preached these last dayes had likewyse extraordinary calling A sleight inuented to free our selues from the authority of the visible Church of God examining this our
Duraeum pag. 480. with the first instituting of the fast of Lent being in his tyme negligently obserued the doctryne of which fast was so auncient that (m) Exam Coucil Trid part â— pag. 89. Kemnitius thus writeth heerof Ambrose Maximus Taurinensis Theophilus Ierome and others do affirme the fast of Lent to be an Apostolicall Tradition Now the Collusion heere vsed in these examples resteth in a willfull confounding of the first Institution of a thing with a renouation of the practise of the said thing Againe we sometymes obiect thereby to intimate an vncertainty of Catholike Religion some canon or sentence decreed afore by a lawfull Councell and true Pope and after impugned by another lawfull Councell and true Pope But this then which the vulgar doth not obserue doth concerne not matter of fayth and doctrine which neuer fuffereth any alteration by Popes or Councells but only matter of fact the sentence whereof though afore giuen may without any impeachment of the Churches authority vpon better and later information be altered Such were the alterable decrees of the Popes Formosus and Stephanus the seauenth in their seuerall Councells grounded principally vpon matter of fact vsually obiected by vs against our Aduersaryes of which point see Sigebert in his Chronicle Whereas our Aduersaryes as aboue is deliuered show that many of our Protestant doctrines were condemned for heresyes by Augustine Hierem Epiphanius others in those primitiue tymes Now we by way of recrimination do confidently auouch the same of diuers Catholike articles to wit that euen in those dayes they were condemned for heresyes by the sayd Fathers but how truely we auerre this good Reader obserue and if thou be a Protestant blush in thy brethrens behalfe Two examples shall serue for many Well then D. (o) In his Chalenge concerning the Roman Church p. 113. Sutcliffe and D. (p) In his answere to a counterfeit Cath. pag. 22. Fulke insimulate the Catholikes with the heresy of the Collyridans who according to Epiphanius were condemned as these men say for worshipping the Virgin Mary But let (q) Haeres 79. Epiphanius heere explaine himselfe his wordes are these Hi qui hoc docent qui sunt prae terquam mulieres Who teach this except they be women So as this fect consisted only of women of whome Epiphanius thus further writeth Sellam (r) Vbi supra quadratam ornantes panem proponunt offerunt in nomine Mariae c. that is These women adorning a square table do set bread thereupon and offer it in the name of Mary Thus their errour consisted in instituting a feminin Priesthood in sacrifying to Mary belieuing her to be a God And thereupon Epiphanius in the very same place thus censureth heerof Deo ab aeterâ—o nullatenus Mulier sacrificauit c. And againe Neq Deus est Maria c. nemo in nomine eius offerat How farre distant are the Catholikes from mantayning this Heresy either in their doctrine or practise Againe for a second example D. (s) In his answere to a Counterfeit Catâ— pag. 22. Fulke thus speaketh to the Catholikes Of the Heretikes Caiani you haue learned to calvpoÌ„ the Angels he alleadging Epiphanius for the same But Epiphanius wordes are these farre different from D. Fulkes application Non (t) Haeres 38. posse aiunt aliquos saluari nisi c. The heretiks Caiani taught none could be saued till they had gone through all sinnes and committing thereupon wicked thinges and actions they called vpon the name of such as were true Angells and of such as were by them vntruly tearmed Angells referrin to this Angell and that Angell proprian actionem their peculiar action saying when they committed their wickednes O tu Angele vtor tuo opere O Angell I now vse or execute thy worke c. Thus their errour consisted not in calling vpon the Angells but in calling both vpon true false Angells as making them Patrons of their wicked actions Would any man thinke we should wrong our owne reputation and honours in vsing these willfull and iniustifyable misapplications and forgeryes against the Catholikes We are scholars and should remember that as learning beautifyeth the mind so candor and integrity learning And therfore it is strange to see D. Willet in his Tetrastyson Papiseni D. Fulke and D. Sutcliffe in their afore alleadged bookes thus to bloâ— paper in labouring by these and other such like detortions of the Fathers words to perswade their Readers that many articles of Catholike Religion were condemned for heresyes in those ancient tymes But to proceed to other passages of this our Scene whereby we seeke thus to bleare the iudgementes of our credulous followers The better to grace our Religion with the venerable title of Antiquity some of vs (u) D Pulk in his answere to a counterfeit Catâ— passim M VVotion in his desence of D. Perkins pag. 500. touching â—ouâ—nian are not ashamed to insist in the former old registred heretiks of the primitiue church aboue rehearsed vrging them for Protestants But what gaine we heereby For first not any one of them did hould more then two or three points of Protestancy in all others being Catholike Againe such their points of Protestancy though first broached so long since were instantly condemned by the whole Church of God And who knoweth not that erring Antiquity is no better then late appearing Innouation I heere passe ouer our alleadging for these later ages as partly aboue touched of Waldo Wicklifse Husse Polydor Virgil Nilus Cassander and the like for members of the Protestant Church of which not any one was a perfect Protestant both because euery one of them euer belieued most articles of the Catholike Church dissenting from it only in two or three as also in that diuers of them mantayned sundry grosse (x) Whereof see their owâ— books yet extant and absurd doctrines both in our and the Catholikes iudgements and this with great stifnes and pertinancy of will which pertinacy euer consummates perfects an heresy And thus by this their obstinancy contemning the authority of Gods Church they became as I may tearme them formall and positiue heretikes though heresy be but a priuation To proue that Catholikes do disagree in matters of Fayth we obiect some differences among them but such if they be well obserued doe not rest in the Conclusion it selfe of the doctrine belieued but in the manner or some other circumstance of the Conclusion or article of faith which manner except it be defy ned by the Church may be disputed of and seuerally mantained without breach of fayth Thus they all conspyre and agree in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Schoolmen speake though not in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which later point is commonly reduced and tryed by scholasticall diuinity Thus for example when Christ descended into Lymbus Patrum to deliuer the soules of the Iust from thence some few Catholiks mantaine that he descended efficacioussy
4. to keep the vnity of spirit in the band of peace continuing (c) Philip. 1. 1. Petr. 3. in one spirit and one mind Which sacred and indeleble stampe of vnity is so proper to God euen in this secondary acceptance that therefore the (d) 1. â—or 14. Apostle styleth him the God not of dissention but of vnity Heere then it commeth to be examined to which Church this venerable title of Vnity may best seeme to be appropriated Touching the Catholik Church we find our own BrethreÌ„ though loath to ascribe to her greater perfections then she truly enioyeth for willingly Nolunt (e) Tert. coutra Gentes audire quod auditum damnare non possunt to confesse thus much Contentiones (f) D. VVhitak de Eccles cont Bellarm cont 2. q. 5. pag. 327. Papistarum sunt friuolae futiles de figmentis commentis sui cerebri meaning heereby that the Catholikes contentions strike not at the hart of their Religion but concerne thinges only of small moment so graunting their differences to be only about Indifferencyes But D. Fulke (g) Against Hesâ—ms Sanders c p. 295. acknowledgeth of this point more fully saying As for the consent and peace of the Popish Church it proueth nothing but that the Diuell had then all thinges at his will and therefore might sleep thus graunting an vnity of fayth in the Roman Church but falsly obtruding it vpon the enemy of Vnity But if now we looke backe vpon our selues it is cleare that D. Whitaker (h) Vbi supra had good reason to say Nostrae contentiones sunt propter fidem they shaking indeed the whole Systema and frame of Protestancy For we do nothing els but by our reciprocall writings one against another labour to reedify the tower of Babylon Such a tumultuous and confused heape and masse of dissentions in doctrine we haue raysed vp by our pennes and now raised cannot laye them we resembling heerin the Moone which is able to stir and moue the humours in mans body but not of force to dissipate and dispell them And first we disagree euen in the approuall or dispronall of Scripture since there are whole Churches (i) These bookes are denyeâ— by most Lutherans in Germany both beertofore particulerly by KeÌ„nitius in â—nchiâ—id p. 63. end in exam Conci Tri. part 1. p. 55. and at this day they not suffering these books to be printed in the same volume with other acknowledged Scripture in Germany and all professing Protestancy which at this day do reiect the Epistles of Iameâ— of Iude the second of Peter the second and third of Iohn the epistle to the Hebrewes and the Apocalips Secondly we disagree in our translating of confessed Scripture as heereafter shal be demonstrated Thirdly we disagree in the construction of that Scripture which we acknowledge to be Canonicall and truly translated as will more fully appeare heereafter in our mutuall accusations But to approach more neerely to this point the Reader is to conceaue that our interchangeable dissentions and condemnatious in matters of Religion are in seuerall sorts First the Lutherans with the Sacramentaryes I meane with the Zuingliaus and Calninists Secondly the Sacramentaryes condemning the Lutherans Thirdly the Lutherans among themselues Fourthly the Sacramentaryes among themselues vnder whome are comprehended the Protestants and Puritans heere in England And first to begin with the iudgment of the Lutherans passed vpon the Sacramentaryes Luther himselfe thus sayth We (k) Thes 21. contra Louaniens seriously iudge the Zuinglians Sacramentaryes to be heretiks and aliens from the Church of God And againe he sayth The (l) Epist ad IoanneÌ„ Heruag Typograp Argent Sacramentaryes began their opinion of the Sacrament with lyes and with lyes they end it And yet further We will (m) Tom. 7. in defâ—ns verbo Coenae Domini fol. 386. reproue and condemne them to wit the Sacramentaryes for Idolaters corrupters of Gods word blasâ—emers and deceauers and of them as of the enemyes of the Ghospell we will sustaine persecution and spoyle of our goods c. Thus much Luther himselfe Neither are Luthers Posthumi I meane the Lutherans whome by testimony of D (n) In his answere to F. Camp his 8. reason Whitaker the English Protestants imbrace as their deare brethren in Christ more mild in censuring the Sacramentaryes then their Father was For Luke (o) Enchi cont Calu. cap 7. Osiander a Lutheran speaking of certaine wicked assertions touching Christ sayth thus But heere gentle Reader beyond aboue those blasphemous things which in the discourse afore we haue heard against the Son of God out of the opinion of our Aduersaryes the â—aluinists there openeth it selfe a gulfe of hell of Caluinian doctrine in which God is sayd to be the Authour of sinne c. And hence of necessity must arise in the hartes of men manifest blasphemyes against God West halus a Lutheran auerreth (p) Apol. cont Calu. p. 430. c. 19. that all the Caluinian workes are stuffed with taunts curses and lyes And he further affirmeth That there are certaine pages of Caluins works of which euery one contayneth aboue twenty lyes tauÌ„ts (q) In his epist dedicatory to the coâ—â—utations of Caluins deprauatioÌ„s Hunnius a most remarkable Lutheran chargeth Caluin that he wresteth the Scriptures horribly from their true sense to the ouerthrow of himselfe and others Brentius (r) In recognit Prophetar sayth All the Zuinglians workes are full of deprauations cunnings deceits and slaunders Conradus (s) In praesat Theo. Caâ—uiâ— Schlusselourâ—e confidently auerreth That the Caluinists do nourish Arian and Turkish impietyes in their harts which doth not seldome at sit tymes openly disclose it selfe And thus passing ouer the censures which the Bookes Caluinus Iudaizans and Caluino-papismus both written by Lutherans do giue besides many other bookes written against him and the Sacramentaryes by the Lutherans this already set downe shall suffice concerning the Lutherans çondemnation of Caluin and other Sacramentaryes Next let vs obserue how the Sacramentaryes carry themselues towardes Luther And first Zuingliùs (t) Zuing. tom 2. in resp ad Luth. Confess fol. 4â—8 469. calleth Luther Marcion the old heretike further sayth that Luther is guilty of high blasphemy against the nature and essence of God in that he taught that Christ dyed according to his Diuinity He Further speaketh of Luther touching the same poynt saying This can be by no reason explayned or excused for Luther clearely and manifestly confesseth that he will not acknowledge Christ to be his Sauiour if only his Humanity had suffered Zuinglius also wryting in another place against (u) In resp ad Luther I. desacrament fol. 401. Luthers doctryne thus prouoketh Thou Luther shalt be forced either to denye the whole Scripturs of the new Testament or to acknowledg Marcions Heresy And in the same place fol. 478. Zuinglius saith of Luther thus En vt totum
to the word of God And again In the Communion-booke there be things of which there is nâ— reasonable sense there is contradiction in it euen in necessary and essentiall points of Religion the holy Scripture is disgraced in it c Others of them (k) In the Suruey p. 20. 24. say thus The Communion booke of England is not agreable to the word of God in many thinges A third (l) Certain confiderations printed anno 1605. fol. 10.11.12 thus censureth of it The Protestants Communion-booke and seruice iâ— naught it hath grosse and palpable repugnancy in it This dislike of the Puritans of the Communion-booke is so euident that D. Couell (m) In his exam pag. 179. their aduersary and allowing the Communion book thus setteth down their iudgement heerein The Communion-booke is boldly despised grosse errâ—urs and manifeâ—t impietyes meaning in their opinion are in the Communion-booke Thus much of the Communion-booke Touching our English translations of the Scripture we find the Puritans most violent headlong in condemning of them Answerably heerto diuers of (n) In the abridgmeÌ„t of a booke deliuered by certaine Ministers to the King pag 11. and 12. the Ministers with one consent thus write of the english Translation A translation that taketh away from the Text that addeth to the text and this somtymes to the changing or obscuring of the meaning of the Holy Ghost And againe A translation which is absurd and senseles peruerting in many places the meaning of the holy Ghost M. Burges (o) In his Apology sect 6. speakes in this sort of the English Translation How shall I approue vnder my hand a Translation which hath many omissions many additions which sometimes obscureth sometymes peruerteth the sense being sometymes senseles sometyms contrary M. (p) In his aduertisment to the Bishops Broughton the great Hebrician thus sayth The publike translation of the Scripture in English is such as it peruerteth the Text of the old Testament in eight hundred fourty and eight places and it causeth millions of millions to reiect the new Testament and to runne into eternall flames Thus he D. (q) In his answere to M. VVillam Reynolds pag. â—25 Whitaker though fauouring the English Translation of the Bible as much as possibly he may thus confesseth I haue not sayd otherwise but that somethings in the English translation might be amended To conclude this point we find that at the Conference at Hampton Court before the Kinges Maiesty D. Reynolds the foreman for the Puritans openly refused to subscribe to the Communion-book because sayd he it warranted a corrupt false translation of the Bible Thus far of this second point Now in the last place let vs take a short view how we that are moderate and Parlamentary Protestants doe censure of the Puritans M. (r) Powell in his considerations Powell censureth the Puritans to be notorious and minifest Schismatiks out off from the Church of God M. (s) In his enist dedic pag. 3. Parks auerreth thus The Puritans seeke to vndermine the fouÌ„dation of fayth And further he thus sayth The Creed it (t) Vbi supra selfe which alwayes hath beene the badge and cognizance whereby to discerne and know the faythfull from vnbelieuers c. is the maine point in question betweene vs and the Puritans D. Couell (u) Exam pag 71. speaking of certain hot and fyrebrand Ministers thus wryteth The first english Ministers so far dissented that some bookes and the greatest part of Christendome was filled with irreuerent vnholy and vnnaturall Contentions c. I will close this poynt with the testimony of a great (x) In the Suruey of the pretended discipime c. 5. c. 24. cap. 3â— Pillar of our church who thus chargeth the Puritans They peruert the true meaning of certaine places both of Scriptures and Fathers to serue their owne turnes And againe the said Authour saith of them The word of God is troubled with such choppers changers of it finally to leaue out diuers other such passages he further thus complayneth The Caterbrawls pittisull distractions and Confusions among the Puritans proceed of such intollerab e presumption as is vsed by peruerting and false interpretation of holy Scripture And thus far for some tast not setting downe thereof the hundred part of our recriminations vsed against the Puritans But before I come to the Catastrophe and end of this Scene I am to put the Reader in mynd that as auoyding prolixity vnwilling to launce deeper into our owne wounds I passe ouer first How the very names of Lutherans Caluinists Protestants and Puritans are not inuented by the Papists or out of malice by ech others Aduersaryes but euen of Necessity to distinguish the different doctrine of euery Professour as D. Whitakew (y) In his answere to to M. Reynalds prafat p. 44. and x Conradus Schlusselburge do acknowledge (z) In his catalog hâ—retic p. 866. Secondly I passe ouer the infinite bookes written by forraine Protestants one against another amounting to the number of foure hundred and aboue as is euident to any one who will peruse Iudocus Coccius his Thesaurus tom 2. Hospinan his historia Sacramentaria part altera and the yearly Catalogues of Bookes returned from Franekford Thirdly I pretermit to show how the Contentions of forraine Protestants only for matter of Religion haue beene so violent as that they haue prohibited (a) Vide Hospinan in historta Sacram. part altera fol. 393. sale of each others Bookes haue appointed (b) Hosp vbi supra Articles of Visitation concerning the apprehending of ech ones Aduersaryes and which is more not forbearing to (c) Hosp vbi supra fol. 395. Ofiander epitom cent 16. p. 7â—5 enter into open armes and hostility Lastly I passe ouer to mention the Books made by English Protestants one against another touching these questions following 1. Of Christs descending into Hell 2 Of Bishops and Ceremonyes 3. Concerning the sufficiency of our Redemption by our Sauiours bodily death vpoÌ„ the Crosse or whether that his further suffering in Soule the paynes of Hell was also needfull 4. Concerning Vniuersality of Grace 5 Concerning the lawfulnes or vnlawfulnes of Vsury 6. Touching the Innocent partyes marying againe in case of diuorce vpon Adultery besydes some others the number of all which will amount to seuerall scores All this I say I passe ouer but I cannot passe ouer but obserue and therat smyle the subtle deportments of vs Protestants in this matter of our Dissentions Since when we wryte one against another we with great intemperance of words do deepely charge our Aduersaryes other Protestants with obscuring the Gospell of Christ and laboring to maintayne their owne darknes of Ignorance eue in the fundamentall poynts of Christian fayth as is showed But when we Protestants are vpbrayded by our Aduersaryes the Catholyks for such our diuisions in matters of fayth then the Case is altered and we beare it out
the sweet yoake of Christ made in our owne dayes by the Iesuits whose very name to vs is vngrateful but Quis (l) Tertul. aduerjus gentes nominis reatus Quae vocabulerum accusatio Osiander a learned Protestant in his booke of Ecclesiasticall history faythfully relateth the Conuersions of many Countreyes Of which Of the (m) Cent. 9.10.11.12.13 14.15 Danes the Morauians the Polonians the Sclauonians the Bulgares the Hunnes the Normans the Bohemians the Swecians the Noruegians the Liuonians the Saxons the Rugy Tusanes By whome sayth he were they conuerted By the Bishops of Rome liuing in those seuerall ages To what fayth To the now Catholike or as he tearmes it papisticall fayth In like sort our Century writers (n) Cent. 8.9.10.11 discoursing vpon the same subiect affirm that the Countryes of Germany of the Vandals the Bulgarians Sclauonians Danes Morauians Hungarians Noruegians were first reduced to Christianity by the Church of Rome professing then by their owne acknowledgments the same religion which at this present it doth Thus hath Rome Christian subiected to it more Nations and Kingdome by a peaceable and sweet force of Religion then euer Rome Heathen did by warre And heere we are to note a consideration not to be neglected that as these and other Protestants do confesse that all the Conuersions of the foresayd Countryes were made by Papists D. (o) Lib. de Eccles contra Bellarm. §. 336 Whitaker therefore styling them impure and corrupt conuersions so not one of the sayd Protestants or any other though writing elaboratly of this subiect would euer ascribe the conuerting of any of these or any other one Heathen King or Nation to the Protestants labours But leauing these last thousands yeares let vs ascend higher to the next three hundred yeares ariuing from the tyme of Boniface the third vp vnto the dayes of Constantin the first Christian Emperour During the space of which three hundred years no Countryes or Kingdomes were conuerted at all to Christian religion either by Catholikes or by any others most Nations in respect of Religion lying then wholy wast and incultiuated The truth of which point is euen demonstrable seeing in these ages there were no Kinges who professed Christian religion the Emperours of the East West only excepted Among whome some were bastard Christians as being braÌ„ded with (p) ValeÌ„s Constantius Constans Arianisme others (q) Iulian. Apostata's so enioying but an abortiue fayth since it wombe became it graue Now concerning the tyme it selfe of Constantin it is so irrefragably true that neither himselfe nor any Countrey by his meanes was conuerted to our Protestant religion (r) Cent. 4 as that our Magdeburgenses recording the state of the Church in his tyme doe charge Constantine with all the Catholike pointes of religioÌ„ at this day professed by the Church of Rome styling them The errours of Constantine of hâ— age Lastly to rise higher in tymes to wit from the tymes of Constantine to that of Christ our Sauiour â—it is aboundantly testifyed by all Historiographers that the Church of God was so straitned and shut vp on all sides and in such violent persecutions though otherwise glad to sweat vnder such a burdeÌ„ as that it had no meanes to enlarge it selfe by conuerting to it Kinges and kingdomes and if it had at that tyme conuerted any yet the question would then follow whether such a Conuersion had beene made to the Protestant or to the Roman Church But the luculency of this former point appeareth both from the writings of the ProtestaÌ„t (Å¿) In the booke flyied Disputationes c. Deuines of Wittemberge from the testimony of our home-brother D. Barlow (t) In his defence of the articles of the Protestant religion p. 24 thus discoursing heereof In the primitiue nonage of the Church this promise of Kings allegiance thereunto was not so fully accomplished because in those dayes that Prophesy of our Sauiour was rather verifyed You shall be brought before Kinges for my names sake by them to be persecuted euen vnto death c. But now to reflect vpon this our Argument or Motiue Is the Protestant Church the true Church of Christ Then hath it conuerted many Kinges Kingdomes vnto the fayth of Christ Let any particularize if he can the Countreyes and Tymes which and when Hath not the Protestant Church conuerted any Kingdomes and Nations to the fayth of Christ Then it selfe is not the true Church of Christ since the Prophesyes of Gods sacred Write are infallible Non (u) Tert. aduers Gnost licuisset aliter euenire quà m edixit nec ipse aliter edixisset quà m euenire voluisset Which Prophesyes as being already actually accoÌ„plished by the Catholike Church in subiecting to it diuers true Kinges indeed so the full consideration of them hath much preuayled for his intended incorporating into the Church with one poore King in name To reply heere and say that these Prophesyes are to be full filled not before but after the preaching of Luthers Ghospell is controlled by the iudgment of all learned men and by experience it selfe since it is certaine I must confesse to the preiudice of our Ghospell that neither Luther nor his schollers nor his party haue as yet first conuerted any one Kingdome Nation Citty Village or House from heathnish insidelity to the fayth of Christ Therefore we must conclude with D. Whitaker (x) Lib. 7. contra Duraeum pag. 472. ingenuously thus confessing Whatsoeuer the ancient Prophets haue foretould of the enlargment amplitude and glory of the Church the same to haue beene already performed is most euident out of historyes so true is that Lex est Enangelium praedictum â—uangelium lex completa The other branch of Prophesyes wherein I heere will insist forâ—el that in the Church of Christ there shal alwayes be found Pastours and Doctours and a continuall administration of the Word and Sacraments the spirituall conduits whereby Gods grace is deriued into mans soule or the subordinate wheeles of his diuine Maiesty by which the soule is moued and directed to gaine it owne saluation To this effect are alleadged those wordes out of the (a) Ephes 4. Apostle a text which for it clearenes is able to coÌ„ment it Comment to wit that Christ hath placed in his Church Pastours and Doctours to the consumation of Saints till we all meet in the vnity of Fayth that is as our D. (b) In his answere to a counterfeit Catholike Fulke truely expoundeth for euer Caluin (c) Instit. 4. c 3.64 himselfe concluding from hence in these words The Church cannot at any tyme want Pastours and Doctours Now that these Pastours and Doctours must not in their offices and dutyes be silent is not only witnessed by the Holy (d) Isa 62. Ghost but also besides the nature of their function requiring it acknowledged by vs Protestants And therfore D. Fulke well sayth Truth (e) Vbi supra cannot be
the sayd Centurists (o) Cent. 2. c. 10. col 107. elswheresty le to be periculosa quasi errorum semina And thus farre for truth of the sacrifice of the Masse from the end of the first foure hundred years euen vp to the dayes of the Apostles though all such testimonyes be reiected by vs Protestants A truth so euident that Caluin (q) Lib. 4. instit c. 18. sect 〈…〉 thus confesseth Veteres illos video c. I doe see that the ancient Fathers did wrest the memory of the Lords supper otherwyse then was agreeing to the institution of the Lord. Since the Fathers supper did beare the show and face of a renewed oblation c. they imitating more neerely the Iewes manner of sacrifycing then either Christ did ordaine or the nature of the Ghospell would suffer Caluin (q) In omnes Pauli epist in Heb. c. 7. pag. â—2â— further charging them That they adulterated the supper of the Lord by adding sacrifice vnto it And Hospinian (r) Histor sacram l. 1. c. 6 p. 20. thus further acknowledgeth I am tum primo illo saculovi uentibus adhuc Apostolis c. Euen in the very first age the Apostles being aliue the Diuell endeauoured to deceaue more about this Sacrament then about Baptisme withdrawing men from the first forme therof To whom Sebastianus (s) Iu epist de abrogaÌ„dis in vniuers omnibus statut Ecclesiast Francus thus accordeth Statim post Apostolos omniae inuersa sunt c. Coena Domini in sacrificium transformatu est Thus farre of the Masse But if we proceed further in a more large ample manner touching the whole body of Catholike Religion taught by the Fathers in generall we shall rest amazed to see what a corrent and inundation of our Brethrens sharp censures do ouerflow the writings of all the Ancient Fathers Sortably heerto to omit the depressing speaches of Luther touching particuler Fathers saying Cyprian (a) Iâ— colloquijs mensal c. de Patribus Eccles lib. de serâ—o arbitrio is a weake Denine I hould Origen long since accursed Basil is of no Worth he is wholy a Monke In the Writinges of Hierome there is not one Word of true sayth in Christ and perfect Religion Tertullian is but superstitious other such base refuse of Inuectiues do we not find Luther (b) Luth. 〈…〉 supra to conclude thus against al the Fathers without exception The Apology of Philip Melancthon doth farre excell all the Doctours of the Church and exceed euen Augustine himselfe And yet further with greater acerbity in these wordes The Fathers (c) Luth. lib. de seruo at bitrio printed an 1â—â—1 pag. 434. of so many ages haue beene plainely blind and most iâ—norant in the Scriptures they haue erred alâ— their life tyme vnles they were amended before their deaths they were neither Saints nor pertayning to the Church See how Apostasy is the Daughter and Mother of Pryde But to proceed further the Archbishop of Canterbary though more mild yet most boldly thus censureth (d) In his defence of the answer to the admonition p 472. 473. the Fathers The doctrine taught and professed by our Bishops at this day is more perfect and sounder then it commonly was in any age after the Aposties c. With which sharp censure Bâ—â—â— (e) In ep theolog ep 1. thus iumpeth If we compa a our â—yâ—es with the tymes next to the Apostles my iudgment is that those tymes had plus conscientiae scientiae minus and we scientiae plus conscientiae minâ—â— Melancthon as loath to be flow in so charitable an act thus (f) In 1. Cor. c. 3. wryteth Presently from the beginning of the Church the ancient Fathers obscured the doctrine concerning Iustification of sayth increased Ceremonyes and deuised peculiar worships D. Humfrey chargeth D. Iewell with great inconsideration in appealing to the Fathers saying He (g) In vita lewel printed at LaÌ„don pag. 212. gaue the Papists too large a scope was iniurious to himselfe and in a manner spoyled himselfe and his Church I will conclude this Scene full of scurility and vn worthy criminations with Doctour Whitakers (h) Contra Durâ—â—um l. 6. pag. 413. saying Ex Patrum erroribus ille Pontificiae religionis cento consequutus est The religion of the Papists is a patched cloath of the Fathers errours sowed togeather Add for the close of all our owne doctryne of the inuisibility of the Church for many ages together euen in those Primitiue tymes for if the Protestant Church during those tymes by our owne frequent Confessions was latent and inuisible as aboue is showed then followeth it that the Fathers of those ages in their wrytings and Commentaryes mantayned not the Protestant but the Catholyke and Roman Religion But heere notwithstanding our absolute disclayming from the Fathers in generall I will annexe as an Appendix one obseruation concerning particulerly Origen Tertullian and Cyprian Fathers of great Antiquity learning and Iudgment It is this These three Fathers erred in certaine points Origen in teaching that the Deuills should in the end be saued Cyprian in Rebaptization Tetullian in denying second Mariages All these three were written against for these their errours by (i) See August against Origen in baeres 43. against Tertul. in haeres â—6 against Cyprian in tom 3. de Baptism l. 2. c. 7. Vide Hier. in l. contr IounianuÌ„ Vigil Vide Epiphan l. de haeresibus Augustine Ierome and other acknowledge mantayners of the Roman Religion Now heer Ivrge Augustine Ierome as is aboue showed are charged by our Brethren as Patrones of Papistry if then Origen Tertullian and Cyprian had dissented from Augustin Ierome and other Fathers in those Catholyke poynts wherewith wee truely charge them no doubt but Augustine and Ierome in their Catalogues of Heresyes would as well haue registed other their opinions for heresyes in which Origen Tertullian Cyprian dissented from them as they did register their three former Heresyes But no such censure or condemnation do we fynd in their wrytings from which we may infallibly conclude that what Articles of the present Roman and Catholike Religion were mantayned by Augustine Ierome and others of those ages wryting of the heresyes of their tymes the same were also taught by the foresaid Origen Tertullia Cyprian Thus much of these three Fathers in whom by the way we may glosse how dangerous it is to shut our sight against the radiant beames of the Churches authority so the eye suddenly comming out from a great light presently seeth worse And heere I am to certify the Reader that some few testimonyes among many others of our owne Brethren alleadged in this treatise I did fynd produced in certaine Catholyke Books but at the first reading of them I rested much doubtfull of the ingenuous playne and true alledging of them till by my owne perusall of our said Brethrens bookes I found them most sincerely vrged
translate the sayd wordes truely that is to be worthy and to be worthy indeed But alas is Gods holy word so little fauourable to our Protestant fayth that we must be forced thus to adulterate and corrupt it for the better sustayning of our cause The next sort of Collusions may be extended to our deceitfull setting downe the doctrine supposedly maintayned by Catholikes indeed obtruding vpon them certaine absurd Positions from which they vtterly disclaime And thus doe we no lesse charge them with belieuing of errours then with not belieuing of our presumed truth To instance this Touching the merit of works Do we not vsually affirme in our Sermons Books that the Papists doe so belieue to be saued by their owne workes without the passion of Christ as that we hould their doctrine therein to be dishonourable to his Passion We do And yet the Councell (i) Sess 6. of Trent wherein is contayned a summary of their fayth teacheth that al good workes which a Christian can do receaue their force valew and price from the Passion of our Sauiour for otherwise it houlds them as no good workes to which workes as proceeding only from the grace of God the Catholikes teach our Sauiour (k) Matt. 3 16. 10 hath promised his reward So confidently they affirme that it is of the grace of God that we concurre with the grace of God and worthily since as the soule informes the body so Grace informes the Soule Touching the Catholikes praying to Saints We charge them in great estuation and heate of wordes that thereby they dishonour Christ his Passion making the Saints in praying to them their Redeemers and Sauiours When God knoweth all that the Catholikes do is but to pray to them that so the Saints as being more gracious in the sight of God would intercede for them with no other intention then S. Paul requested the (l) Rom. â—s I befeech you c. striue with me by prayers to God for me Romans (m) 1. Thess 5. Brethren pray for me The like wordes he vseth to the Hebrews c â—5 Thessalonians and Hebrews in his Epistles that they would remember him in their prayers to God And from hence doth grow that most warrantable distinction of Mediatours to wit of Reaemption of which kind the Catholikes no lesse then we acknowledge no other then Christ alone and of Intercession of which sort euery vertuous and good man much more the Saints and Angells may be without any indignity to our Sauiour one for another since no prayers euen by the Catholiks owne doctrine are auailable but such as are founded in the beliefe in Christ and in the vertue and force of his most deare and precious Passion So willfully we mistake the doctrine of the Church of Rome heerein Concerning Indulgences How frequent are these and the like bold reproaches with vs That the Paprsts teach the Pope can giue aforehand pardon for any subiect to murther his King that he can absolue one from the sinne which heere after he is to comnit What fooleryes are these And how idly do we diuer berate the ayre in deliuering in our SermoÌ„s such improbable or rather senseles assertions they being indeed incompatible with common Reason Do not the Catholikes owne bookes show first that the Pope can no more forgiue aforhand any one sinne which heerafter is to be perpetrated then he can create a new world since the obiect of the Sacrament of Pennance is a sinne already committed Secondly that the Pope cannot remit the guilt of sinne I meane the punishment of damnation due to sinne by meanes of any Indulgences for it is their owne generall doctrine that no man can be partaker of any Indulgence but at the tyme of his receauing thereof he must be in state of grace to which state he is first brought by vertue of a sacramentall Confession or when that cannot be obtained by force of a true and perfect Contrition Thirdly and lastly that the guilt of eternall damnation being afore remitted as is sayd by the sacrament of Confession or in want thereof by perfect Contrition there remaines a temporal punishment for the sayd sinnes afore remitted for the satisfying of Gods iustice which temporall punishment as being the only obiect of Indulgences the Catholikes hould the Pope as Christs Vicar heere vpon earth and dispenser of his spirituall Treasure can either-lessen or wholy take away if so the party be capable thereof in being at that instant in state of Grace and performing the pennances enioyned vpon him by applying vnto him vpon iust occasions the superbundaÌ„cy of Christs passion In whose passioÌ„ for the more fully satisfying of all eternall much more temporall punishment the sheeding of one drop of bloud was sufficient to redeeme thousands of Worlds since then his Humanity being accompanyed with the Diuinity Innocency did suffer for sinne Iustice for offence Health for infirmity and finally God for Man Thus and no otherwise doe the Catholikes teach heerein as is euident out of their chiestest (n) Set heereof S. Thomas Aquinas 4. sent d. 10. art 5. Sotus 4. sent d. â—â— Caietan tom 1. Bellar lib. de indulg possim wryters Who notwithstanding their defence of the doctrine of Indulgences may I feare iustly charge vs Protestants with relying too much vpon a I lenary Indulgence as I may tearme it of a solifidian fayth The next point of this nature shal be concerning Images touching which our Eiconomachi or impugners of the lawfull vse of them do run into strange exhorbitancy of speaches accusing Catholikes that they place a kind of diuinity or deity in Images and that they pray to them so wonderfully doth preiudice of opinion transport mens mindes tongues When the Catholikes are charged heerewith yea the most silly and ignorant women on their side they answere that for the images themselues they know they are made of stone wood or such other matter and that in regard of their substances they account them no better then stone wood or the like They vse them they say not to pray to them since this were no better then a godles religion or a deuout impiety but only besides a peculiar respect giuen vnto them aboue other things made of like substances to supply the wants of their â—emory that so their corporall eye being fixed vpon them the eye of their vnderstanding during the tyme of their deuotions may be more intent vpon our Sauiours Passion or the Saints represented in them See heereof the second Councell of (o) Act. 7. Nice (p) Epist 119. S. Augustine (q) Lib. 7. epist 107. S. Gregory S. Thomas Suarez others Finally do we not diuulge that the Pope and his Church aduance themselus aboue the Scripture allowing for Scripture that which is not and altering at their pleasure the true sense of the scripture by obtruding vpon it any sense of their owne Good God! that men otherwise learned and witty should thus idly in their speaches
and vertually only others which is the more sound opinion that he descended in soule and really But all of them belieue that there was a true Lymbus Patrum which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or conclusion it selfe from whence Christ deliuered the soules of the Patriarks And I referre to any schollers iudgment this inference Some Papists do teach belieue that Christ did descend into Lymbus Patrum only vertually or efficaciously others and this with farre greater consent that he descended in soule and really Ergo some of them doe belieue there was not a Lymbus Patrum exorbitantly concluded To this Head may also be referred how our Protestant (y) D. Iewell in his Apology of the Church of England p. 96. D. Fulke in his answere to a counterfeit Catholike pag. 65. D. VVillet in his Synops p. 60. Doctours they are not ashamed to vrge it and yet I am halfe ashamed but to relate it for proofe of disagreements in Catholyke Religion haue obiected the diuers Religious Orders in the Church of Rome to wit that some are Bernardins other Franciscans and the lyke some goe in blacke other in graye or whyte these doe eate flesh those do not c. These argumentes as discouering our extreme penury of better stuff were far more conueniently forborne then insisted vpon fince they proue no contrariety at all in matters of fayth for they all beleiue the same articles of Catholyke Religion but only do show who were the first beginners of those Orders and that some members of the Catholyke Church do liue in a more gentle and remisse others in a more strict and seuere degree of deuotion and Vertue lyke the Centurion and Zachaeus who by different wayes honored Christ Neuertheles they all take the three essentiall Vowes I meane of Chastity Pouerty and Obedience necessary to euery Religious Order and by their first Institution do spend much tyme in Prayer which is the Winge of the Soule much tyme in fasting and other corporall chastisements the winges of Prayer good Men still mortifying both body and Soule their Will being indeed to deny their Will and their freedome consisting in restraint of Liberty comforting themselues with that sentence of Augustin Omnia inucnit an Deâ— qui propter Deum â—mnia relinquit And thus far hereof Concerning the Markes of the Church what stratagems of wit do we vse Do we (z) So teacheth D. VVhitguift in his defence of the answer p. 81. Calu. insti c. 1 sect â—â— D. VVhitaker cont Campian rat â— pag. 44. and others not mantayne as a Cardinall poynt of our Profession that the true preaching of the Word and administration of the Sacraments are the only signes of the true Church to distinguish it from all false Synagogues and hereticall Conuenticles To what end are these erected by vs for Notes To the end forsooth that our selues alone may be the sole iudges which is the true Church For we reiect all authority of Fathers Councells and practise of Gods Church in teaching when and where the Word is truly preached and the Sacraments duly ministred and in the closure of all we will suffer no other Iudgments then our owne to passe vpon these poyntes though euery registred Heretyke may and will with as great confidence in his owne Opinion challenge these Notes to his Church and Professours as we do And thus by these Meandrian wynding we reduce the knowing which is the true Church vnto the graue Appeale made to our owne Priuate Spirit aboue discouered within the vast Circumference whereof this particuler Collusion besydes many others is contayned I haue beene ouer longe in reuealing our owne blemishes and scarrs so Light discouereth Shame and indeed I greiue as tendring my Brethrens reputation that so vnworthy a subiect should so longe arrest my Pen. Therefore I will close vp in few words diuers other sophistications subtiltyes practized by vs both in impugning and answering our Aduersaryes As how we are accustomed to depraue either by adding to or concealing part of the sentence in the testimonyes of the Authors produced by vs I speake confidently for vpon my owne knowledge we Protestants rest inexcusable heerin As also how after the end of the authority produced in a different letter we begin with some few short words of our owne directly against Catholyke Religion causing them to be printed in the lyke different letter that so the Reader through diuersity of the letter may take them for the words of the for mer alledged Authour And if we be expostulated thereof we then ascrybe it to the Printers ouersight And for the better preuenting of all discouery thereof as also when we vrge some authorityes without corrupting the words yet insisted vpon by vs most differently from the Authours mynd we often allâ—adg the Authours name only but without any citation of the Booke where such words are to be found and if of the Booke yet without noting the chapter of solio or if with noting the folio yet not shewing what edition when their are diuers we do follow seeing the same sentence or authority in seuerall Editions is to be found in seuerall folios Also I briefly passe ouer how ambitiously and affectedly we fill the margents of our Bookes with numberles citations of Texts of Scripture meerely impertinent for proofe of the poynt questioned but seruing only to cast dust to the eyes of the ignorant How in refuting our Aduersaryes Booke when we seeme to answere to some obiected Authority or argument we often giue slip to the authority or point produced and either by degrees flye to the state of the Question as though afore it were not acknowledged or to the Scripture the accustomed Ocean of Heretyks wherein they may wander vp and downe at large or to some by-circumstance (a) Hier. in epist ad Paulinum Sola ScripturariÌ„â— ars est quam sibi passim omnes vendicantâ— bane garrutâ— anus hanc destrus Senex hane Sophista verbosus hanc vniuersi praesumuÌ„t lacerant docent â—n requam discunt meerely accessory to the doubt there controuerted or vse longe and extrauagant discourses ambages of Words and all this to entertayne the Reader therewith that so vnespyedly we may diuert the Readers eye and memory being thus fixed vpon our digressions from the Authority or Reason alleadged And finally how in our Answering we still set down in our books only such passages of our Aduersaryes wrytings whereunto we are able to giue best colour of answere concealing the most materiall and forcing proofes and arguments of our Aduersaryes said Books Or if pretending integrity we do reprint our Aduersaryes Books at large then we commonly make choyce of a very darke and litle Character or letter for it therby more easily to withdrawe the Readers eye from perusing it at full our owne answere thereto being set downe in a fayre large and pleasing letter or Print So cautelous and subtill we are in our proceedings heerin But inough of this
are not to be referred to one in respect of essence but rather in respect of consent And thus far of some few chiefest texts of all pretermitting diuers others (q) As in Genes c. 1. touching the word Eâ—oim and Genes c. 19. Psal 33. diâ—eâ— 3 other textes prouing the Blessed Trinity for breuity prouing the doctrine of the most B. Trinity yet otherwise depraued and misconstrued by Caluin Now that Caluin is charged by diuers Protestants for mantayning of Arianisme is no lesse euident For among others Aegidius Hunnius a most remarkable and learned Protestant writeth a book against Caluin euen of this subiect entituling it Caluinus Iudaizans Hoc est Iudaicae glossae corruptelae quibus Ioannes Caluinus illustrissima Scripturae sacrae loca testimonia de gloriosa Trinit ate c. aetestandum in modum corrumpere non exhorruit In like sort the sayd Author writeth a secoÌ„d book of the same subiect calling it Anti-paraeus Againe Conradus (r) In theolog Caluinist l. 2. fol. 38 39.4â— c. Schlusselburg a Protestant deeply and frequently chargeth Caluin with Arianisme Ioannes Matthaeus a Protestant writing against Caluin for teaching Arianisme entituleth his booke De cauendo Caluinistarum fermento c. Also Pelargus a Protestant thus passeth ouer Caluin and his schollars in these wordes Non (s) In his admenit de Arianis hic Caluinum Caluinianos in plurinis scripturae expositionibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laboriosè ostendam c. That is I heere pretermit to show how Caluin and the Caluinists in many expositions of sacred Scripture do play the Iewes and the Arians Lastly Stancarus a Caluinist in other poynts thus wryteth to Caeluin Conclusum (t) Contra ministâ—os Geâ—teuenses Tyguâ—inos est ô Caluine doctrinam tuam de filio Dei esse plane Arianam de qua resilias quaÌ„primum te â—ro atque obsecro that is O Caluin it is concluded that thy doctryne touching the Sonne of God is plainly Arian from which I beseech thee that thou wouldest presently depart Now to crosse these learned Mens iudgements passed vpon Caluin it is not sufficient to affirme that Caluin euer in his lyfe professed himselfe to beleiue the doctryne of the Trinity since such his profession can be but only externall and in words for how can he be presumed inwardly and vndoubtedly to beleiue that doctryne the greatest authorityes in proofe of which doctrine himselfe laboureth to ouerthrow at least to eneruate and weaken Touching the third poynt to wit that most of our new Arians at this day were afore earnest Caluinists is auerred by diuers learned Protestan s And first M. Hooker thus faith of this (u) In his Eccles policy l. 4. p. 183. The Arians in the reformed Churches of Poland meaning thereby the reformed Churches of the Caluinists there thinke the very beleife of the Trinity to be a part of AntichristiaÌ„ corruption And that the Popes triple crowne is a sensible marke whereby the world might know him to be that mysticaâ—l beast spoken of in the Reuelation in 〈◊〉 respect so much as in his doctryne of the Trinity Againe the afore alledged Stancarus (x) Contra Ministros Geâ—teuenses Tyguâ—mos fol. 94. thus peremptorily auerreth The reformed Churches of Geneua and Tigure are Arians Iacobus (y) â—â—â—n praefat refutat Apolog. Dauaei Andraeas a learned Proâ—estaÌ„t thus giueth his iudgment heerein Minimù mirandum est ex Caluinianis in Polania Transiluaâ—is Hâ—ungaria â—lyâ—que locis quamplurimos ad Arianismum accessisse c that is It is not to be woundred that very many Caluinists in Polonia Transiluania Hungary and other places do imbrace Arianisme c. to which impiety the doctryne of Caluin hath prepared way Thus Andraeas to whose sentence the learned (*) In his Antiparaeus p. 97 Hunnius subcribeth in these words Tot celebres Anti-trinitary ex Caluinianorum Scholis Ecclesijs prodierunt c. So many eminent Anti-trinitarians or enemyes to the doctrine of the Trinity haue issued out of the Schooies and Churches of the Caluinists c. But to seale vp the truth heerof with producing examples of particuler men who being Caluinists became Arians I will heere content my selfe with one testimony only Adam Neuserus a Caluinist of great note and once cheife Pastour of Heidelberge became an Arian and after a Turke and thereupon flying to Constantinople did wryte from thence to one Gerlachius a Protestant Minister in Iuly 2. anno 1574. in this sort None (a) This is related by Osiander in Epitom ceut 16. p. 208. is knowne to be in our tyme made an Arian who was not first a Caluinist as Seruetus Blandrata Paulus Alciatus Francis us Dauid Gentilis Gebraldus Siluanus others Therefore who feareth to fall into Arianisme let him take heed of Caluinisme Thus much Neuserus for example of himselfe and these other particuler Arians who first were Caluinists And thus far of this subiect where we fynd by seuerall kynds of proofs that Luther Caluin are Posthumi to Arius and that Mans Vnderstanding in these our tymes neuer receaueth the deepe and full dye of Arianisme except first as for a due preparation thereto it be drenched and steeped in the tincture of Caluinisme But now to turne backe vpon the Premisses and vpon my selfe What Reason can I probably haue that Luther Caluin and their ofspring thus maynly erring in the fundamentall poyntes of Christianity doth not also erre in other lesser principles of their owne religion Is it possible that the wronging of Christ in his Essence being honour should be a step or disposition to preach in other poynts the true fayth of Christ Or shall the supporters and reuiuers of Arius the designed enemy of my Sauiour be my instructors and guydes touching my beleife in my Sauiour No. Such Pseudochristians and their serpentine and hidden malice against thee sweet Iesus I loath and disclayme from who though not as the Lambe of God which taketh away the Sinne of the world yet as the Lyon of (b) Apoc. cap. 5. the Trybe of Iuda which confoundeth his enemyes will for thyne honours sake inflict iust punishments vpon them for these their perpetrated indignityes THE XI MOTIVE That there is vnity in Faith in Catholike Religion and disagreements in fayth in Protestancy AMONG other incommunicable Attributes of God it is ascribed vnto him that he is (a) Since his vnity is opposed to all multitude as his simplicity of nature is to all composition summè Vnus though this his vnity of Essence and Nature comprehendeth eminenter all multiplicity of perfections in creatures This Vnity by way of Analogy that so the spouse might be heerein like to her Brydegrome God hath imprinted vpon his Church as an inseparable marke or Character And this consisteth in that her members are to imbrace one fayth one Religion and according to the Apostles wordes endeauouring (b) Ephes
59. Muscuâ—uâ— and (b) in ep Paul ad Philipens Coless c. fol. 223. Zanchius But if bowing to the Name of Iesus being heard or read be lawfull then followeth it irrefragably that the honoring of Christs Image is lawfull since the name of Iesus is to the eare as his Image is to the eye And thus far of certaine mayne points of the Catholike ReligioÌ„ acknowledged but as matters of IndiffereÌ„cy by certaine Protestants and therefore not excluding in their Iudgments the beleiuers of them from Saluation and taught and beleiued for most true by other learned Protestants In this second place we will show that our learned Brethren do teach the Church of Rome notwithstanding her certaine supposed Errours to be the true Church of Christ and consequently her Professours to be not Analogical and half ChristiaÌ„s but true and perfect Christians and therefore not excluded euen by our owne mens iudgments from the hope of Saluation First then we do fynd our Brother (c) In his treatise of the kingdome of Israel and of the Church p. 24. D. Morton now Bishop of Couentry and Lichfyeld thus to wryte Papists are to be accounted the Church of God because they do hould the foundation of the Gospell which is fayth in Christ Iesus the Sonne of God and Sauiour of the World If then the Papists by the Church of God it followeth they are the true Church of God since to speake with S. Cyprian Adulterari (d) Lib de vnit Eccl. non potest sponsa Christi incorrupta est pudica In like sort M. (e) In his fift booke of Eccles policy pag. 188. Hooker giueth this honourable and worthy respect to the Church of Rome saying The Church of Rome is to be reputed a part of the house of God a limme of the visible Church of Christ we gladly acknowledge them to be of the family of Iesus Christ M. Bunny (f) In his treat tending to pacific p. 109 111. speaking of the Catholikes and I rotestants thus writeth Neither of vs may iustly account the other to be none of the Church of God we are no seuerall Church from them nor they from vs. D. Field thus writeth We (g) Of the Church l. 3. cap. 46. doubt not but that the Church in which the Bishop of Rome with more then Luciferlike pride exalted himselfe was notwithstanding the true Church of God that it held a sauing profession of the truth in Christ therefore in his iudgment those which dyed in this Church might be saued D. Some If (h) In his defence against Penry p. â—76 you thinke that all the popish sort which dyed in the Popish Church are damned you thinke absurdly and do dissent from the iudgment of all learned Protestants D. Barow I (i) In his 4. sermoÌ„s 2. questions disputed ad Clerum p. 448. dare not deny the name of Christians to the Romanists sith the learneder writers do acknowledge the Church of Rome to be the Church of God To be short leauing out the authorityes of many others D. (k) in his defence of M. Hook c. p. 77. Couell thus auerreth We affirme them of the Church of Rome to be paries of the Church of Christ and that those that liue and dye in that Church may notwithstanding be saued This Doctour further charging those that thinke the contrary with l ignorant zeale Thus we see how the Sphere of Catholike Religion euen according to the Theoryes of our best Euangelicall Mathematicians turneth vpon the Poles of Mans saluation A third way of prouing the former verity may be taken from the Protestants doctrine and practize touching the baptizing of Catholike children which baptisme we Protestants teach to be good and auaylable whether it be ministred by Catholike Priests or by Protestant Ministers and this as we (m) So teach the Deumes of Geneua in the propositions and principles disputed at Geneua p. 178. The same is taught by D. VVhigist in his defence p. 623. by M. Hooker in his Eccles policy l. 3. pag. 131. affirme because they are coÌ„prehended within the couenant of eternall life by meanes of the fayth of their parents Now when we Protestants baptize the children of Catholiks it is not sayth M. (n) Vbisupra Hooker very learnedly in regard of Gods promise which reacheth vnto a thousand generations since if it were so then saith he all the world might be baptized meaning the children of Iewes Turkes c. in so much as no man is a thousand descents remoued from Adam but it is by reason of the fayth of their Catholike parents And hence it is that D Some (o) In his defence against Penry cap. 22. affirmes That Infants children of West Indian Christians whose former Ancestours in regard of their late conuersion to Christianity neuer knew the Christian fayth being baptized by their Catholike Priests receaue true baptisme to vse his wordes are engrafted into Christ. But heere I vrge If the fayth of Catholyke Parents be auaylable for their Childrens Saluation much more then is it auaylable for their owne Saluation except we will imagine their fayth to participate of the nature of the Ayre which is a principall Cause why all other things may be seene and yet it selfe depriued of the benefit of being seene The fourth and last Medium which I will heere vse for the warranting of the foresaid Verity of Catholyks Saluation shall be to apply the former vniuersall Truth of Schooles learned Protestants to particuler Persons that is to set downe the iudgments of vs Protestants articulately and punctually passed vpon certaine men who by our owne Confessions dyed Catholyks whom neuerthelesse we affirme to be saued And first touching the Fathers in generall whom to haue lyued and dyed Papists as being reiected for their doctryne by vs is euident out of our former passages Now of them (p) In his reply in â—octor VVhirgif defence p. 82. M Cartwright thus charitably wryteth I doubt not but diuers Fathers of the Greek Church who were Patrones of Free will are saued The lyke iudgment D. Whitaker (q) Contra rat Camp pag. 78. vs supra giueth of the Fathers notwithstanding their doctryne touching Satisfaction and Merit of works And the same iudgment of vs is proued euen from the word and title of Saint which almost all the sober learned ProtestaÌ„ts commonly giue in their wrytings speaches to Augustin Ierome Ignatius and the rest of the Primitiue Church Now if we entitle them Saints then do we acknowledg they are saued except we would say there are some Saints which are not saued But to descend to more particuler examples Beda as Osiander (r) In epitom cent 8. l. 2. c. 3. witnesseth was wrapped in all popish errours wherein we at this day dissent from the Pope and yet he is acknowledged by D. (s) In â—esuâ—â—sme par 2. rat 3. Humfrey to be in the nuÌ„ber
of godly men to vse his words raysed vp by the Holy Ghost Againe Gregory the Great and Augustin who first planted in England Christian Religion are confessed by vs to haue beene Papists as aboue is showed and yet they are thus styled by vs That (t) M. Godwin in his Catal. of Bishops pag. 3. See the like coÌ„mendation giuen to them by D. Fulke against Heskins Sanders c p. 561. blessed and holy Fathers S. Gregory and S. Augustine our Apostle S. Bernard by our acknowledgment was so confessed a Papist as that he was an Abbot and (u) Osiand in epitom Cent. 12. p. 309. Authour of many Monasteryes in France and Flaunders and yet D. (x) Lib. de E cles p. 369. Whitaker thus writeth of him Ego quidem BernarduÌ„ verè suisse Sanctum existimo And Osiander (y) Cent. 12. p. 309. tearmeth him A very good man Of Bernard Francis others Tindall (z) Act. mon. pag. 1338. thus acknowledgeth I doubt not but S. Bernard Francis and many others like holy men erred as concerning Masse thus he confessing them to be men of Sanctity and holynes and consequently in state of saluation And touching the same point Luther (a) In col loq Germ. cap. de Missa thus saith Priuate Massse hath deceaued many Saints and carryed them away into errour from the tyme of Gregory for 800. yeares Of S. Dominicke who was the Authour of the Order of the Dominican Fryars (b) In Chronic. p. 200. Pantaleon a Protestant relateth much and speaking greatly of his piety and vertue concludeth thus Dominicus erat vir doctus bonus Praedicatorum Ordinem instituit His like confessed Holines is celebrated much at large by the (c) Cent. â—â— col 1179. Centurists To conclude of these three former Saints Luther thus confesseth Fateor c. I gâ—aunt that the guifts of God were not want ng to Francis Dominicke and Bernard and to others who were the first Authours of Colledges for Monks but these guifts are but personall But such guifts cannot stand without true vertue nor true vertue without hope of saluation And thus farre of this most certaine and vndeleble truth that Catholikes dying as Catholikâ— may be saved confessed in the cleare words of the most learned Protestants from whence we may be assured of their iudgments especially deliuered in the behalfe of their Aduersaryes answerable heerein to their writinges since wordes are the naturall shadow of the mind cast by the light of the Vnderstanding But heere do present vnto vs two Porismata or Resultancyes out of the Premisses of this Passage The first That all true Reason perswadeth me to implant and ingraft my self in that Church which I fynd to be acknowledged for the true church promising Saluation to her members euen by her Aduersaryes For if I dye Catholyke my lyfe being agreable thereto both Catholyks and Protestants warrant my Saluation But dying in the fayth of Protestancy the Protestant alone and this in honour of their owne Religion assure me of it For there is neuer a learned Catholyke wryter in the world an obseruation much to be weighed who granteth that a Protestant dying with a positiue setled and contumacious neglect of the Catholyke Church and fayth can be saued This then being thus shall I in so great a busines leaue a certainty for vncertainty God forbid We Protestants expect to be beleiued in other our Positions and doctrynes Why not then in this Since then the Protestants do teach that Catholyks so dying are in state of Saluation I am resolued my Brethrens wrytings shall haue that powerfull influence ouer me as what theÌ„selues doe heerin teach I will through Gods grace put in execution And so my Will shall become in this poynt a ready and seruiceable Handmayd to their Iudgments The second The Wronge which we Protestants commit in afflicting the Catholyks and in vnnaturally betrampling vpon their deiected estats only for matters of Religion Alas by our owne doctryne they are neither Babylonians nor Aegyptians both they and we being as we teach Isralits why then should Israel thus persecute Israel Are we not become the gaze of Christendome thus to fight without an enemy Thus for kynred to wound it owne kyndred yea often the Father the Sonne so turning our owne swords into our owne childrens breasts we still inciting his Maiesty to greater seuerity a Prince of his owne disposition of the most benigne mercifull and commiserating nature that the World at this day enioyes and all this for the Catholyks liuing in that fayth and Religion in which our selues teach they may be saued thus do we make the confessed hope of their saluation to be the sole cause of their pressures and calamityes Good God! who would thinke that Christians the cheifest articles of whose fayth are either reputed but as Indifferencyes or which is more beleiued for true doctrine by their Oppressours whose Church is acknowledged to be the d Dâ— Morton vbi supra Church of God houlding the foundation of the Gospell the (e) M. Hooker vbi supra family of Iesus Christ it being no seuerall (f) M. Bunny vbi supra Church from theirs nor theirs from it houlding (g) D. Field vbi supra a sauing Profession of the truth in Christ in which many (h) D. Couell with the other Doctours vbi supra dying are by their Aduersaries registred for most glorious Saints shold neuertheles be persecuted by other Christians of their owne Country yea their owne flesh for their only perseuering in the foresaid Church with confiscation of goods restraint of body and sometymes with sheeding of most innobloud suffering a cruel death Obstupescite (i) Hierem cap. 2. Cali super hoc portaecius desâ—lamini vehementer Heere now I will stay my penne making this last Motiue as a fitting Catastrophe for all Since that Closure and End is warrantable inough which euicteth from the ingenuous Confessions of the most learned Protestants that I may be saued in that Religion wherein I am resolued to dye THE CONCLVSION TO MY DEARE AND REVEREND BRETHREN THE LORDES ARCH-BISHOPS AND BISHOPS OF ENGLAND REVEREND and Learned Brethren the ouerlooking eyes of our Nation my Pen heere salutes your Lordships before it taketh it last pawse This smal Legacy I haue determined to leaue behind me primitiuely for the iustifying of my vnrepented reuolt from you in matter of Fayth for Non (a) Tert. suffundar errore quo caruisse delector Secondarily for the benefit of those whose weake Iudgments haue beene abused through their ouer-hasty swearing Fealty to their Protestant Maysters To your selues it is needles as already enioying the same other forcible demonstrations in the like behalf Diuers of you haue spent I know many yeares in seriously perusing the holy Scriptures the voluminous Commentaryes of the Lights of Gods Church the Ecclesiasticall Historyes of all ages the Oecumenicall Councells of the Primitiue Church
for a tast I will only passe them ouer with a gentle pen rather intimating them to the Reader then displaying them at large And first touching the actuall fayth for habituall with them is not sufficient which (b) So Luther teacheth lib. de captiu Babil c. de Baptis See further of this Artiâ—le agreing with Luther Kenmitiâ—â—â—n 2. part aâ—am Conâ—il Trid. ad Caâ—on 〈◊〉 and the Centurists Cent. â— c 4. col 63. and Cent. 5. c. â— col 517. Luther and others exact of infants at the tyme they are baptized and this by force and mediation of the words pronounced by the Minister Now what iudgement can giue assent heereto To wit that fayth can be wrought by certaine wordes and yet the party belieuing not to hear or vnderstaÌ„d the words fides ex auditu If Infants vnderstand the wordes of Baptisme why do they resist what they can their baptising by wayling and other motions of the body Or how can their vnwillingnes therof be excused from sacriledge And thus their Baptisme washeth not away but contracteth new blemishes Poore Innocents who know not whether they liue or no and yet they must be presumed actually to know the misteryes of fayth since otherwise in the cold seuerity of these our men they cannot be saued strange harse and incridible Not the late inuested soule departing from it body baptized is assured of it saluation since it is free from originall sinne as enioying the benesit of this sacred mistery where the ablution of the body is the abstersioÌ„ of the soule Caro (c) Tert. lâ—de resierrect carn abluitur vt anima emaculetur free from actuall as wanting reason wherby it otherwise might worke against reason In our doctrine of Iustification do we (d) Ita Luth in art 10.11 12. Melaâ—ct in locis titul de fide Caluiu in Antid Concil Trident. sess 6. Kemuit in exam Concil Trident. sess 6. not teach that sinne is remitted by a sole speciall fayth by the which a sinner thinketh himselfe to be iust Which graunting we graunt that the truth of the thing depends vpon the opinion though later had thereof and not the opinion as in reason it should vpon the truth of the matter Which is no lesse theÌ„ to grant that thinges subsequent in nature can exist in priority of being before thinges precedent in nature or that the effect still remayning the effect can produce it cause Further I doe heere vrge When I begin to belieue that I am iust Either I am thus Iust or not Iust If iust then I am not iustifyed by that fayth by the which I belieue I am iust because this fayth as is sayd is later then my iustice If vniust then this fayth of myne by which I belieue I am iust is false therefore it is no diuine and supernaturall fayth Finally if by this fayth of myne I am iust then doe I want all sinne If I haue no sinne I cannot without committing sinne repeate that sentence in our Lords prayer Dimitte nobis debita nostxa forgiue vs our sinnes For it is a sinne to aske remission of sinnes when it is certaine that I haue no sins to be remitted See what absurdityes Iustification by fayth engendreth Concerning that heathnish and impious doctrine which teacheth that God is the authour of sinne for howsoeuer we verbally disclaime from it yet do our positioÌ„s (e) Luther sayth God worketh the wicked worke in the wicked and againe Nulliest in maniâ—quippiam â—ogi tare mali aut boni fed â—â—mnia de necessi tate absoluta venitâ—nt In assertion bas damnat per Leonem art 36. Beza saith God exâ—yteth the wicked wil of one thâ—ef to kill another In his display of Popish practis p. 202. D. VVillet God not only permitteth but leadeth into temptation with an actiue power and not permissieuly In Synops papism pag. 〈…〉 â—â—â—ngiius sayth God moueth the thi fe to kill c. and the thief is enforrel to sinne Tom. 1. d prouidentia fol. 306. necessarily include the same Now what can be more dissonant from all probability of Truth or further from winning an assent in our vnderstanding then to belieue that who redeemed vs by death from sinne should thirst after our eternal death by forcibly incyting vs to sinne That who by his sacred Word most vehemently disswades vs from offending him by our wickednes should not withstanding such his perswasiue disswasions will vs to perseuere in our wickednes That who in this life temporally chastizeth vs thereby to draw vs from all enormous courses should most effectually worke in vs a resolution still to lye groueling in the mudd of such enormityes To be short that he whose nature is euen goodnes it selfe should be the fountaine from whence all euill impiety receaues it emanation and flowing thus most desiring that which he most hateth And heere when we are charged by our Adoersaryes with whole shot of Texts of (f) E cles 2 14 Toby â—â— Psal 3.943.36 7â— besides infinite others in both the old new Testament Scripture prohibiting sinne as the soule of all euill threatning most dreadfull punishments for the perpetrating thereof and promising most honourable and mutificent rewardes for the auoyding of the same then doe we labour to diuert the forces thereof by interposing an idle and intentionall distinction of a double (g) Of this double will in God Calu. instis l. 1. c. thus saith Non capimus quomodo fiers velis Deus quod facere vetat Will in God whereby indeed we distinguish God from Iustice and Mercy The one his secret and concealed Will the other his â—eâ—eaâ—ed Will in the Scriptur impugning his concealed will As if God were a deluder of men speaking one thing yet intending another thus profering his lip-fauours of grace and rewardes for the auoyding of sinne but inwardly resolued to impell man irresistably thereto and after to punish him eternally for the same so iniurious it is to God and repugnant to the naturall light of our Vnderstanding to aâ—â—ribe any other Will vnto him whose loue heere towardes man is increased through mans hate towards sinne thus Hate engendring Loue then an vnleauened and pure intention desirous only of our relinquishing of sinne and of our soules saluation Nolo (h) Ezech. 18. mortem peccatoris sed magis vt conuertatur vinat Since otherwise it would follow that by sinning against his Commandments a strange duty consisting in breach of dutye we performed his will and Commandement such exhorbitancyes in sense this our doctrine exhaleth forth Touching the Pope being Antichrist do we not mantaine that the Pope is that Antichrist which is foretould in Gods holy (i) 2. These 2. write And do we not withall confesse that during the tyme of his reigne till Luthers (k) Luther in epist ad Argentina Christum 〈◊〉 nobis primo vulgatum audeâ—â—â—is gloriâ—â— See the testimonyes aboue touching the inuisibility of the Church reuolt our Church was
altogeather vnknowne and latent so as further we acknowledge that for the space of many hundred years the Papacy (l) D. Field in his book of the Church l. â— c. 6. sayth The Church when Luther began was that apparent Church wherein Luther the rest wer baptized â—eceaued their Christianity ordination and power of Ministry osiander â—pâ—som â—ent 16. p. 1073. Ecclesia quae sub Papaâ—u fuit â—obuit ministerium Euangelij sacra biblia Baptismum Coenam Domini c. And Luther in loc comm class 1. sayth In medijs furoribus c. Euen in the middest of the furours of the Dragon and the Lyon there did remaine Baptisme the Eucharist the power of the Keyes holy Scripture c. Thus Luther alone enioyed the safe keeping of the Scriptures and an auaylable administration of the Sacraments Now heere I would demand of our Inuisibilists how these two assertions can stand togeather to wit the Pope is Antichrist the Pope so being preserued for so many ages the Scripturer incorrupted and administrated the Sacraments profitably Which if they can then can Israell be found in Babylon and participation be betweene Christ Belial then must Antichrist only preserue the means for the descryall of Antichrist and he who is falshood it selfe be by our owne inference columna firmamentum veritatis Then can heauenly musickâ— for at least in part the Pope expounded the Scriptures truly proceed from the Dragons voyce and medicinable phisicke be drunke out of that cup which shall inebriate the Kings of earth then must our soules saluation for without the vse of the Sacraments it cannot be obtayned be wrought by our soules chiefest enemy and Heauen be purchased by the mediation of the Man (m) 2. Thess vbi supra of sinne and sonne of pocalyps thus is Antichrist become Christs setuantes best supporter keep safe those records wherby those many hundred thousandes (n) Apocalyp 14. of Christs Virgins make their clayme to the inestimable reward allotted for their vowed chastity As easily may we belieue that the Arke and the Idol Dagon could be placed togeather or dreame with Copernicus that the heauens stand still and the earth moues Neither wil that extrauagant answere giuen by some of (o) Doctor VVhitak lide Eccles p 165. so sayth And Beza epist Theo. ep 1. Voluiâ— Deus in papatu seruare Ecclesiam et fi papatus noÌ„ est Ecciesia vs when we are demanded to reconeyle these points auayle vs at all The Church was in the Papacy the Papacy was in the Church and yet the Papacy was not the Church O Delphick and Aenigmatical or other childish idle and false since if we belieue S. Augustine Nihil prodest esse in Ecclesia nisi sis cum Ecclesia Lastly diuers of vs Protestants I do not say all do implye in our writings that a man may haue â—â—luation in any religion so he hould the fundamentall points of the Trinity the Incarnation that Christ suffered for vs c. This is euident from the testimonyes of such of our Protestant Brethren as acknowledge the Lutherans who dissent from them in the doctrine of the Reall presence and the Puriâ—â—ns differing also from them in seuerall articles of fayth for members of the Church Yea our Brother M. D. (p) In his treatise of the kingdoÌ„ of Israel and the Church p. 94. Morton I infinitly meruaile he would euer suffer such wordes to fall from his pen teacheth that the very Arians may be saued for â—â—us he writeth The Churches of the AriaÌ„s are to be accounted the Church of God because they hould the foundation of the Ghospell which is fayth in Iesus Christ the son of God Sauiour of the world where by the way I note that it is strange he should be so seuere towardes Catholiks if reports be true being so indulgent to the very Arians To this sentence D. (q) In his answere to a counterfeite Catholikâ— p â—9 Fulk seemeth well to agree saying The true Church vnder the Emperours Constantine Constans and Valens was greatly infected with the heresyes of Arius Thus in his iudgements an Arian is a member of the true Church and consequently in state of saluation But our foresayd D. (r) Vbisupra p. 91. Morton comprehendeth al sects and heresyes whatsoeuer within the compasse of Gods Church and consequently of saluation if so they belieue in Christ for thus he writeth Wheresoeuer a company of men do ioyntly and publikely by worshipping the true God in Christ professe the substance of Christian Religion which is fayth in Iesus Christ the son of God and Sauiour of the world there is a true Church notwithstanding any corruption whatsoeuer Where we are to note the last wordes notwithstanding any corruption whatsoeuer Good God! how different is this man as heereafter I will show from the iudgment of the ancient Fathers and practise of the Primitiue Church But to proceed this most pernicious yet plausible doctrine being the Prodromus and forerunner of Libertinisme originally springeth from the Priuate Spirit since this spirit giueth reynes to euery Man to beleiue what it selfe best suggesteth But since the Canker heereof is secretly spred into the harts of many men at this day I will therfore rest the longer in discouering the absurdity and falshood thereof by stirring a litle the earth about the roote of it it being indeed a fayth coÌ„sisting in a wast of fayth and a Religion resting in the denyall of the necessity of any one Religion And first it is certaine that without fayth a Man caÌ„not be saued sine (s) Hebr. 11. fide impossibile est placere Deo And again qui (t) Marc. 16. non crediderit condemnabitur Withall it is as certaine that this fayth according to that (u) Ephes 4. vna fides vnum baptisma ought to be One True and Supernatural for if it be not One and True it saueth not Man but seduceth him since Truth is One and Errour various and multiplicious Now heere I vrge that one fayth cannot be in seuerall Sects seeing these Sectes teach poynts not only in themselues disparate and different but contradictory and meerly repugnant Furthermore that that fayth which saueth man must be entyre and true in all poynts is confirmed by other two irrefragable Reasons The first altogether insisted vpon by S. Thomas (x) â—n â— distinct 23. 22 q. 5. art 5. and all cheife Schoolemen is this True Christian fayth as being a supernaturall and infused Vertue hath a necessary reference to two thinges the first is that which Deuynes heere call Prima Veritas reuelans which is God reuealing all truths of fayth to the Church the second the authority of the Church which God heere vseth as a meanes by the which he propouÌ„deth the said truths to be beleiued So as no true supernaturall fayth can be produced but where these two concurre The first of these is called by the Deuines Obiectum formale of fayth
as also of later tymes and all other authorityes whatsoeuer wherewith either Catholiks or ProtestaÌ„ts seek to support their cause Therefore open but the booke of your owne dispassionate retyred and secret iudgments giuen vpon all the foresayd authorityes and I doubt not but you may therein distinctly read the truth of Religion Heere I speake in sincerity I hould it morally most improbable that such of you as haue been much conuersant in the study of Controuersyes can in your soules giue an absolute allowance to your owne Religion since in so doing your owne reading telleth you that you are forced to breake with all authority both Diuine and Humane Giue me leaue to vnbreast the secrets of my thoughts to you The member daÌ„gerously affected in you is your Will It is Wife Children Honours Preferments and the like snares wherewith my selfe heeretofore haue been shackled but now with thankes to God Laqueus (b) Psalm 1â—3 contritus est nos liberati sumus which withould the learnedest of you from open professioÌ„ of the Catholike fayth O madnes He is a (c) Rom. 2. Iew who is allone with a Iew. Let the Theory in this art be coincident with the practise and incorporate your speculations in your selues Know but withall do and let your will be ready to execute the Arrests of your owne learned iudgmentes You are all as being in yeares posting to your graues and a Christian mans care ought to begin and end in the circle of himselfe Tu tibi primus vltimus Can Wife can ChÃldren can Honours or any other worldly blandishments free the body from the cold graue or an vnrepenting soule from hell-fire Why then will you suffer through an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or forgetfull insensible stupidity the noble substance of your soules to be thus immersed in these earthly benefits Which being giuen to you as meanes conducing to your endes you in a retrograde manner make them your sole ends Or why so long doe you thus struggle through ouer much solicitude and care touching flesh and bloud as if in the end you could command tyme and Repentance Therefore for the honour of God and good of our your own soules curbe your desires heerein and remember that Actions vnrestrained in tyme resolue to Habit Habit to Nature and Nature is hardly changed You are Christians beat then the children of Babylon I meane your affections against the stone which is Christ and let your Motte be Deus meus omnia Contemne all imaginary bug-bears of ensuing losses disgrace since he is both Rich and Honorable inough who gaineth Heauen Now then begin to espouse your Pens and Tongues to the Truth and be not ashamed to professe that faith openly which you find by your owne study and painefull disquisition to be the true fayth of Christ ponder well that Ore (d) Rom. 10. fit confessio adsalutem and loath that Ianus of dissimulation in Religion where the eye looketh one way the vnderstanding another still remembring that as long as your bodyes are in Aegypt I meane as long as you externally communicate with a false Religion so long your soules cannot participate of the benefits of Israel To conclude you are Bishops in Europe not of Asia staine not then your selues with the blemishes of those Asian Bishops so much reprehended by the beloued (e) Apoc. cap 1. 2. of our Sauiour But aboue all remember and let this still be riuetted in your thoughts the tyme will come when it will be sufficient for the best men to answere for themselues how heaâ—â—y then and in supportable will that burthen be for those who marst giue account at that most dreadfull day besides for their owne perpetrated sinnes for the losse of all those poore soules through want of true fayth damned in hell which themselues through false and subtile perswasions haue thus peruerted The inward conuulsions and secret grypings whereof my Selfe dayly feeleth But pardon me deare Brethren the bloudy Ruptures of my vlcered Soule wherein I glasse your dangers and my present languishments of body giue life vnto my speaches and emboulden me to powre wordes of oyle into the woundes of your Consciences I loue you in Christ no waters of paine or tribulation while I remaine in this poore ruinous carcasse shal be able to extinguish the fire of my Charity But still my prayers shal be that by redeeming the tyme past and true repentance which changeth the mind of him who is vnchangeable and shutteth vp his eyes who is euer vigilant you may whyle you liue heere vpon earth first expiate your errours committed and after become truely seruiceable to his diuine Maiesty that so after this our mortality is once put off we all meeting togeather in the heauenly Hierusalem to vse the wordes of one Doctour In lumine Dei lumen Deum videamus Your Lordships poore and louing Brother Ioan Londinens FINIS