maketh mention of S. Peter For euery where he putteth the Apostles in the first place and all Christians knew well inough that S. Peter was chiefe of all the Apostles according to that of S. Matthew the first Simon who was called Peter Heerupon saith S. Augustin who knoweth not thaâ— S. Peter was the chiefe of the Apostles 14. Finally the Apostle himselfe doth not indeed speake in these places of the ordinary Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy but of those extraordinary giftes which were giuen to the members of the primitiue Church For the recounteth there also the Euangelists Prophets the grace of doyng cures or helpes kindes of tongues c. which are certaynely extrordinary gyftes as S. Chrysostome Theophilactus Oecumemus and others expounding these wordes of the Apostle haue well noted 15. The sixt argument Many of the Byshops of Rome were wicked bad men and giuen to many kindes of synnes as all euen Catholike writers do testify As therfore they haue grieuously erred in manners so they might also erre in faith and doctrine I answere that this was in tymes past the argument of the Donatists agaynst Catholikes wherunto S. Augustine hath often answered For there is a great difference betwixt their conuersation and doctrine because an error committed in our manner of conuersation only hurteth him which erreth but an error in doctrine is also hurtfull to many others yea euen to the whole Church of God Hence proceeded that admonition of Christ all thinges therefore whatsoeuer they shall say to you obserue yee and doe yee but according to their workes do ye not Caluin also refuteth this argumeÌ„t of our Aduersaries more at length as the foolish inuention or dreame of the Anabaptistes for he knew very well that among his Ministers there were many most wicked vngodly men Wherfore it is very strange that his followers will repeate and inculcate this argument so often 16. Our Aduersaries haue many other arguments besides these which need no confutation for they are not taken out of the word of God but all do rely and are grounded vpon lyes and meere fables forged by auncient Heretickes or Schismatickes or at the leaste by such as were no fauourits nor welwillers to the Church of Rome the which Doctor SaÌ„ders and Cardinall Baronius prosecute particulerly throughout all ages Wherfore that saying of the Apostle doth very well agree to our Aduersaries And from the truth certes they will auerse their hearing and to fables they will be conuerted 17. We will heere alledge one most certaine example of those Slaunders the which our Aduersaries cast against the Church of Rome And that we may also omit that Caluin in few wordes hath no lesse then fiue manifest lyes of one only Byshop of Rome Iohn 22. as Bellarmine clearly proueth the same Caluin truly hath forged three most famous and markable lyes against the whole Church of Rome for he saith that these are the three principle articles of that Diuinity which is taught by the Byshops and Cardinalls of Rome First that there is no God The second that all thinges which are written taught concerning Christ are lyes and fables The third that there is no lyse after this 18. But that one answere which S. Augustine gaue the Donatists slaundering wrongfully Catholikes in tymes past may suffice to confute all these reproachfull and iniurious lyes of our present Aduersaries Let vs not heare saith he what this or that man saith but what our Lord saith let vs not heere this say I thus sayest thou but thus saith our Lord and what the holy Scriptures say vnto vs concerning the Church 19. Moreouer that which in general the same holy Father in another place saith against the lyes of the Donatists may now very well be applyed in this manner to the Roman Church I know saith he what is written in the holy and Canonicall Scriptures concerning the Church of Rome and the saith therof I know not what you say of her Apostacy or falling from her fayth Truly as we do reade in bookes the which you also do honour reuereÌ„ce of the Roman Church and faith therof so also reade you vnto vs out of bookes the which we also do honour and reuerence how she forsooke and lost her faith Doth it please you that we should belieue euery slaunderous reproach of men vpon what occasion soeuer it was vttered and obiected against the Roman Church the which the holy Ghost hath both deliuered coÌ„meÌ„ded vnto vs by his holy Scriptures this indeed is pleasing to you but whom also it should more iustly please you see well inough but you being ouercome by obstinacy will not yield to the truth And a little after Lo hâ—ere the Roman Church with whome I communicate where I reade thee her name there finde thou me her faultes if thou canst but if thou cryest and rehearsest them from some other place we following the voyce of our Pastour euidently declared vnto vs by the mouth of the Apostle S. Paul do not admit belieue or heare your wordes My sheepe saith our heauenly Pastour heare my voice and follow me His testimony of the Roman Church is not obscure but very cleare and manifest VVhosoeuer will not go a stray or wander from his flock let him heare him let him follow him Hitherto S. Augustine 20. Finally it is heere diligently to be noted that our Aduersaries neuer durst be so bould as to affirme so strange and absurd things of the Church of Rome so auncient in it selfe and so commended by all the auncient holy Fathers yea and by the Apostle S. Paul himselfe but that they falsely perswade themselues that she hath lost and forsaken the true doctrine of Christ. Heerupon they say that Rome is Babylon and they are not ashamed to affirme the Pope to be Antichrist But if it were once proued manifestly that the Roman Church teacheth nothing which is not very agreable to the word of God all our Aduersaries weapons against the Church of Rome will easily be blunted and ouerthrowne and also they wil be forced to confesse with Caluin that the breach from this Church is the denyall of God and Christ or that there cannot be imagined any fault more heynous But this God willing shal be more euidently hereafter declared in euery Controuersy CHAP. IX Of the Adoration of the Pope of Rome of the kissing of his feete AMongst other Crimes wherewith the Roman Church is charged by our Aduersaries one at which many take offence is the adoration of the Pope and the kissing of his feete We will therefore in this Chapter say somewhat in iustification therof for if it shall appeare that nothing is done therein which is not warranted by the written word it will appeare how little reasoÌ„ they haue to tearme that impious Idolatry which is nothing els indeed but Religious piety 2. Howbeit we are first to forwarne the Reader to the end he be not deceaued by
of fayth with the Romane Church and haue acknowledged alwayes the Bishop of Rome to be the chiefe head and Pastor of all the whole militant Church as may appeare by that which Coccius hath set downe in his Catalogue to this purpose 10. Furthermore the Prophet Ieremy thus describeth the future Kingdome of Christ. This sayth our Lord If my couenant can be broken and made voide with the day and my couenant with the night soe that there be neyther day nor night in their due tymes then my couenant can be broken with my seruant Dauid that there shall not be a sonne of his raigning in his throne and the Leuits and Priests my ministers as the starres of the heauens cannot be numbred nor the sands of the sea measured so will I multiply the seede of my seruant Dauid and the Leuits my Ministers Thus sayth God by his Prophet of the Kingdome of Christ his sonne and of the Leuits and Priests ministring vnto our Lord and of the infinit number of them which is manifest to haue byne fullfilled hitherto in the Roman Church 11. Fourthly the Church is the Inheritance of Christ to wit that which according to the oracles of the Prophets extendeth herself to the very bouÌ„ds and limits of the whole earth which is in the eyes of all Nations the which all the corners of the earth shall see lastly which is exteÌ„ded from the east to the west But in the Roman Church there hath alwayes byn such an inheritaunce of Christ. 12. Hereupon are those famous words of S. Leo to the Citty of Rome These are they who haue exalted thee to this glory that being a holy Nation a chosen people a priestly and princely Citty by the holy seate of S. Peter made the heade of the world should haue a more large command by the meanes of diuine Religion then euer thou hadst by forraine domination For albeit thou being â—amous renowned for many victories hast extended the limits of thy Empyre both by sea and land yet notwithâ—tanding it is lesse which thy warlike labour hath subdued then that which the Râ—ligion of Christ hath made subiect vnto thee Hitherto S. Leo. 13. Moreouâ—r S. Prosper the great glory of Aquitania and dearly beloued friend of S. Augustine and who defended egregiously his doctrine against the Pelagians in a certayne booke written in verse agâ—inst the same Pelagians speaking of their heresies writeth thus VVhen this infectious pestilence arose Rome Peters seate first gaue it deadly blowes VVhich made the heade os pastorall dignity VVhereto the whole world should obedient be Houlde more now subiect by Religions law then her fierce armies erst could keep in awe Thus wrote he a 1200. yeares agoe 14. But in this our age the fayth of the Romane Church is propâ—gated and preached in the most remote countries of the East and VVest Yea euen vnto the furthest parts of the world in so much that the children of the Church of Rome come often tymes from the East to the VVest according to that of the Prophet Malachy to wit sroÌ„ the East Indies to the VVest and they coÌ„pas the whole globe of the earth to the end they may preach the fayth of the Roman Church euery where Wherefore the fayth of the Roman Church is preached receiued in this our age in many more remote places of the world theÌ„ euer it was in the Apostles tyme the which is most assuredly testifyed by the letters and bookes euen of them who write what themselues haue seene 15. Fiftly the Church is the Citty of Christ placed vpon a mountaine which cannot be hidden so the Church of Rome hath alwayes byne visible euer since the Apostles tyme neither can it euer be hidden By these it appeareth that all the true properties of the Church of Christ agree to the Church of Rome 16. But that they cannot agree with any other it appeareth sufficieÌ„tly by that our Aduersaries can no church assigne which can haue these properties Wherfore it is necessary that they confesse the Church of Rome to be the true Church of Christ or truly which is most absurd that Christ hath wanted and beene depriued of his spouse now for the space of a thousand yeares and more as also to haue wanted his body Citty Kingdome and Inheritance CHAP. IIII. That the Church of Rome is the true Church of Christ is proued by the offices of the true Church IN the precedent Chapter we haue proued that the Romane Church is the true Church of Christ by the properties of the same now it remayneth that we proue it by the peculiar offices and functions of the true Church many reasoÌ„s may by deduced out of these but we will briefly touch only the chiefest 2. The first reason is taken from those very signes which our Aduersaries assigne that is to say the true and sincere preaching of the word of God and the lawfull administration of the SacrameÌ„ts which are indeed offices and not signes of the Church as we haue sayd before but whether they be signes or offices by them it is euidently proued that the Romane Church and no other is the true Church of Christ. But for the space of a thousand yeares last past the Sacraments were noâ— where lawfully administred nor the word of God sincerely preached but in the Church of Rome For our Aduerâ—aries cannot name any Church wherein these things haue beene done â—herefore eythâ—r thâ— Romane is the true Church or els Christ hath had no Church for the space oâ— a thousand yeares and more 3. Neyther must our Aduersaries answere vs with Caluin and Beza that their Church indeed remained in the Popedome for they cannot find it any where els yet halfe destroied and filthely corrupâ—ed and defaced with many errors For heere we inquire after the true Church of Christ and not such a prophane and filthy Church which Caluin describeth wherein Christ as it were lyeth halfe dead and burâ—eâ— the Ghospel ouerthrowne piety banished the worship of God almost quite abolished for â—uch a Church is not indeed the true Church of Christ but a dâ—nne of Diuells 4. Moreouer they must not heere run to any inuisible Church altogeather vnknowen both to themselues and vs. the which our Aduersaries seeme to establish For we haue sufficiently declared before that the true Church of Christ hath bene alwayes visible Wherefore it is necessary they shew vs some other visible besides the Roman Church wherin for a thouâ—and yeares past the Gospell hath byn publikely preached in the same maÌ„ner they preach it now and the Sacraments publikly administred as they are now and that continually also without interruption Or truely they muâ—â— confesse that the Roman Church is the tâ—ue Church of Christ. For in this the old and new testament hath alwayes byn publikly preached without any inteâ—â—ission and all the Sacraments publikely adminiâ—â—red and that sincerâ—ly and lawfully according
we say somewhat of the auncient holy Fathers and of their writinges both because they were in tymes past the chiefest members of the true Church of Christ euen by the confession of our Aduersaries as also because in the particuler controuersies we shall often vse the testimonies and authorities of the holy Fathers 2. We know indeed well inough that they were men and that they might haue erred but neyther are they Gods nor Angells who accuse them of their errors We know also that one or more of the sayd holy Fathers haue sometymes erred when they left the more common opinion of others 3. But we affirme this constantly that the auncient holy Fathers receiued by the Church of God haue neuer written any thing with a common and vnanime consent that is eyther contrary to the holy Scripture or to any point of fayth 4. Moreouer out of the writings of the holy Fathers in foure diuers manners some forcible and conuincing argumeÌ„ts may be taken 5. First out of the common consent of all or at the least of the most part without any contradiction at all For if they had all erred in a necessary point of saluation the whole auncient Church should also haue erred the which euen our Aduersaries acknowledge to be false as we haue declared before 6. Secondly that promise of Christ wherby he assecured vs that he would be alwayes preseÌ„t with his Church was properly made to the Pastors and Doctors of the same for he promised that he would be present with those whom he sent to baptize and preach to wit the Pastors of the Church 7. Thirdly Pastors and Doctors were ordained by God in his Church as the Apostle witnesseth to the end that we be not carried about with euery wind of Doctrine but that we may continue in the vnity of fayth till we all meet with Christ in the lâ—st day But if all the Pastors and Doctors of the Church could erre we might easily be carried away with many blastes of strange doctrines neyther could the vâ—iâ—y of fayth alwayes continue and in this manner God should haue prouided very badly for his Church that it should neuer erre 8. Finally if all the Pastors and Doctors of the Church should teach any doctrine contrary to fayth there should no sincere and true preaching of the word of God remayne in the Church seeing that only Pastors and Doctors are lawfully called to the preaching of the true fayth of God But without the sincere preaching of the word of God it is impossible that the Church of Christ should consist as euen our Aduersaries confesse and as we haue declared before 9. Secondly we take arguments out of the auncientholy fathers as out of most faythfull and true witnesses of that fayth which in their tymes was preached in the Catholike Church For our Aduersaries acknowledge that in their tyme the true and sincere fayth of Christ was preached We therefore alledge them as witnesses of that fayth for if we do not belieue them who liued at that time whoÌ„ will we belieue but they were both eye witnesses and nothing suspected of falshood as S. Augustine declareth very well disputing against the Pelagians 10. Thirdly we take arguments out of the holy Fathers as out of those Doctors whose writings haue byn receiued and approued by the auncieÌ„t Church of God For it was wont to impugne and coÌ„deÌ„ne those writâ—rs who wrote any thing contrary to the true fayth least their writings might be hurtfull to the future Church and on the other side it approued their writings who taught the true fayth there is yâ—t extant a Decree of the Roman Councell set forth almost a thousand two hundred yeares agoe concerning these writings They therefore who haue beene appâ—oued by the auncient Church are most worthily to be belieued because the primitiue Church as our Aduersaries confesse hath neuer erred in iudgement concerning matters of fayth 11. Fourthly we take arguments out of the holy Fathers as out of the most holy and learned men and Blessed Saints of God For eyther they had the sincere true fayth and if it be so we should imbrace the same or they had it not and if it be so they were not Saynts of God nor could they be acceptable vnto him as the Apostle testifyeth 12. By this very argument the Catholiks in tymes past ouercame the Arians for they vrged them to receiue the holy Fathers who wrote before Arius his tyme or they should excommunicate them as Socrates and Sozomenus do testify 13. And to this purpose serue very fitly those words of S. Augustine wherein he declareth what was the iudgment of the primitiue Church concerning this matter For thus speaketh S. Augustine to the heretiks of his time whiles he vrgeth them with the testimony and authority of the auncient Fathers who were before him They had saith he no regard eyther to our friendship or to yours neyther were they enemies to either of vs they are neyther angry with you nor with vs they were not moued with pitty and compassion on eyther side what they found in the Church that they held what they had learned that they taught they deliuered to their Children that which they had receiued from their owne Fathers we pleaded in our cause against you before these iudges and yet by them our cause was ended long since neyther we nor you were so much knowne to them and yet we bring forth their sentences giuen in our sauour agaynst you VVe had not as yet begunne any combat with you and yet so long agoe they proclaymed our victory So farre S. Augustine 14. Finally S. Vincentius Lyrinensis a French man who liued at the same tyme with S. Augustine proueth the same very well by many reasons and examples throughout all that most learned booke the which he wrote against the prophane Nouelties of all heresies And we will concâ—ude and end this Chapter of the authority of holy Fathers and this our whole disputation of the Church of God with the same words wherewith he ended that his golden booke For thus he writeth in the end of it If neyther the Apostolicall definitions nor ecclesiasticall decreeâ— be to be violated wâ—â—rby according to the most holy and vnisorme consent of all antiquity all heretikes and lastly Pelagius Celesiâ—us and Nestorius for these were the last Heretiks that liued in S. Vincentius his tyme haue byn alwayes most iustly condemned it is necessary in much that all these Catholikes who will heereafter proue and shew themselues to be the true and lawfull children of our holy mother the Catholike Church should adhere and vnite themselues stedfastely as also dy in the prosession of that sacred faith of those holy Fathers lastly that they sâ—ould abhorre detest banish and persecute all the prophane nouelties of all most wicked Heretikes Hitherto S. Vincentius FINIS Calu. l. 4. Inst. c. 7. sect 9. 10. Beza in sua confess c.
all euen by naturall reason For a good tree bringeth forth good fruit And contrariwise a bad tree bringeth forth ill fruite Moreouer wicked doctrine which is eyther against the Law of Nature or good manners cannot be of God of the other siâ—e the doctrine which is agreable to the â—aw of nâ—ture and good manners is of God Finally true miracles do conuince that there is the true Church of Christ where such miracles are done seing that true miracles can only be done by the power of God for euen as God alone hath made and ordayned all thinges so God only can change at his pleasure the Natures of thinges and the naturall order therof according to that saying of the Prophet Dauid Blessed be our Lord God of Israell who can only worke miracles But God who is goodnesse it selfe cannot testify or approue any false doctrine by miracles 10. The third signe of the true Church is that it is Catholike or Vniuersall and that two waies First because it continueth alwaies as we haue proued already Secondly it is also Catholike or vniuersall because since the comming of Christ it is dilated and propagated ouer all the whole world 11. S. Augustine vseth this argument most of all against the Donatists to shew the true Church For first God promised Abraham that all Nations should be blessed in his seed and afterward he confirmed the same with an Oath So God the Father said vnto Christ Aske of me and I will giue thee Nations for thy inheritance the limites of the earth for thy possession Many such like places are in the Psalmes and in the new Testament 12. And this signe is also visible because that which is euery where and at all tymes may be seene of all men when it is a thing that can be seene as this is 13. Moreouer this signe is very certaine euen by the light of nature For naturall reason teacheth vs that the prouidence of God extendeth it selfe very carefully ouer all those which are his and that falsity cannot alwaies continue but must needes be ouercome by truth and that God is of greater power and able to do more then the Diuell Yea the beginning and progresse of all false religions as Bellarmine well noteth are certainly knowne Finally the worke and counsell of men but not of God is quickely dissolued as Gamaliel saith in S. Luke 14. The fourth signe of the true Church of Christ is that it is Apostolicall to wit founded by the Apostles of Christ and that she hath continued euer since their tyme till these our dayes by a continuall succession For this signe as also the former is the proper marke of the Church of the new Testament for of it is all our Controuersie But that the Church of Christ was founded by the Apostles appeareth eâ—idently by those wordes of S. Paul built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets And we haue already proued the continuall succession of the Church by many testimonyes of Scripture â—he same also the Prophets do testify in many places 15. Moreouer seeing that there are as the Apostle sayth alwayes Pastors and Doctors in the Church without whom she cannot consist and continue as our Aduerâ—aries confesâ—e it necessarily followeth as we haue declared before that there hath alwaies beene a contiâ—â—all succession of these Pastors and Doctors in the true Church of God 16. But that which many do say is both foolish and friuolous to wit that there hath beene alwayes a conâ—inuall succâ—ssion of doctrine in the Church but not of persons For seeing that true doctrine must needes proceed from some persons aâ—d those of men for not Angells but men doe teach now adayes if the true doctrine continueth it is also necessary that the men which teach this doctrine continue still and such also as are lawfully called to this office as we haue proued before 17. This continuall sucession is also a visible sigâ—e because in some parts or persones thereof it may be seene at all tymes as sucâ—ssiue and transistory things are wont to be seene for in this manner only can a riuer for example sake tyme it selfe be seene 18. Finally this signe is also certaine and euidently well knowne among the Infidells for vnlesse this sucession be continuall the true Church of God shall altogeather perish and decay all honor worship of the true God wil be ouerthrowne and there will remayne no way for men to their eternall saluation But of the other side where there is a coÌ„tinuall successioÌ„ and a neuer interrupted continuance of the same Religion there appeareth sufficiently a great prouidence and a singular assistance of Almighty God towards men 19. Furthermore that which we haue hitherto sayd of these sower signes might suffice but that the pertinacy and inconstancy of our Aduersaries is so very admirable and great For albeit in one place they acknowledge themselues to receiue the Nicen Creed wherein these fower signes of the Church are expresly conteined yet notwithstanding elswhere when they see themselues manifestly conuinced by these signes of perfidious dealing they do vtterly reiect theÌ„ For Beza in his booke of the true visible signes of true Catholike Church wherin notwithstanding he goeth about nothing els but to establish those his inuisible markes of the Church albeit he affirmeth that his followers doe acknowledge all those Creedes which haue beene alwayes approued by the common consent of the whole Church to wit that of the Apostles the Nicene that of S. Athanâ—sius the Constantinopolitane and the Calcedon yet for all this he impugneth these markes of the Church of which he knoweth that he and his are altogether destitute and especially the fourth which is deduced from the Apostolicall succession 20. He therefore obiecteth these signes that they are not proper vnto the Church quarto modo as Poâ—phyrius and other Logicians define proprium quarto modo because they doe not agree to the true Church only For vnity and succession may also be found amongst wicked men as appeareth by the Iewes and Mahomets But these are easily answered For these signes are not alledged as properties quarto modo as Beza thinketh but rather as it were accidents by the collection wherof Indiuidua are distinguished one from another as the same Porphyrius teacheth for those accidents whereby Indiuidua are distinguished may be found separated one from another in diuers substances but not all gathered togeather in one 21. Wherfore seeing that the Church is one singular and indiuisible we must not only alledge the properties thereof but also other signes as it were qualities and accidents wherby this true Church may be distinguished from all others For albeit some one or other of these signes may be found in some other things yet they cannot all fower togeather be found any where but in the true Church 22. Therefore any one of these signes considered by it selfe separateth the true Church
to the Doctrine of Châ—ist and his Apostles as we will herafter dâ—clare in the Controuersyes concerning the Sacraments 5. The Eutherans that they might auoide this argument fled to the Grecian Church where they affirmed the true Church of Christ remayned But they were presently reiected and condemnâ—d by them as may be sâ—ene in the answere of Ieremy the Patriarch of Constanâ—iâ—ople to the Germanes written in Greeke in the yeare 1576. Neyther do the Grecians disagree from the Roman Church in those pointes which are now adayes in Controuersy but in that one article of faith wherin they affirme that the holy Ghost doth only proceed from the Father and not the Sonne The which error euen all our Aduersaries which follow Luther and Caluin do condemne aswell as we 6. The which when tâ—e lâ—ter Sectaries well perceaued they were forced at length to fly to those Heretikes which were in tymes past condemned by the whole Church amongst whome they seeke for their Church VVhere we are to consider three thinges against the great boldnesse of these men 7. The first is that the true Church hath alwaies continued as we haue declared before out of the Scriptures But these men can neuer shew a continuall succession of Heretikes of what religion soeuer they were but only an interrupted continuance and that sometymes for a great space togeather The which may easily be vnderstood by Genebrard Coccius and all other Ecclesiasticall writers of what religion soeuer they be 8. The second Our Aduersaries cannot proue all their pointes out of any one ancient heretike but they borrow one heresy condemned in tymes past of one and another of some other as Lindanus and Coccius very well declare at large 9. The third is that our Aduersaries must needes conâ—esse that those of whome they haue begged and borrowed their doctrine did erre fouly in many pointes of faith and therfore there could be no true Church among them Yea euen those ancient heretikes haue firmely and constantly belieued many points with vs against our Aduersaries as Doctor Sanders Gabriel Prateolus and Coccius do maniâ—estly declare 10. The second reason The office of the true Church is to bring forth children to God that is to say to conuert Infidels and Gentills from their Idolatry to the Catholike faith This the Roman Church hath performed not only in the first fiue or six hundred yeares after Christ as our Aduersaries confesse but in euery age afterward she hath done the same For since the fixt hundred yeare all these Nations were conuerted to the faith of Christ by the children of the Roman Church the Germanes the Francones Bauarians VVandalls Bulgarians Slauonians Polonians Danes Morauians Hungarians Noruegians Frisones Normans Sueutans VVisigothes LituaniaÌ„s as not only Catholike writers do testify which Baronius alleadgeth but euen our Aduersaries also in their Ecclesiasticall histories And in this our age how many haue byn conuerted from Idolatry to the faith of Christ in the East and VVest Indies by the preachers of the Roman Church only none is ignorant 11. This office of the Church in tymes past Tertullian obserued VVhatâ— shall I speake of the preaching and administration of the word of God seing that this office and busines belongeth not vnto them he speaketh of heretikes who do not conuert Infidells but ouerthrowe and peruert Christians 12. And S. Augustine for the same cause saith that Heretikes are compared to a Partridge by the Prophet Ieremy where it is said That a Partridge nourisheth and gathereth togeather those which she hath not brought forth For S. Augustine affirmeth that Heretikes go about to seduce and deceyue Christians whom they see borne againe to God by the Ghospelll of Christ. 13. The third reason The proper office of the Church is to preuaile against all persecutors The gates of hell saith our Lord shall not preuaile against my Church hereupon saith S. Hilary This is the propertie of the Church that she then preuaileth most when she is persecuted then she is vnderstood when she is reprehended then she getteth the victory when she is as it were forsaken But the Roman Church hath susteyned hitherto many persecutions contradictions assaultes and false slaunders but she hath euer gotten the victory both of the Gentills Heretikes bad ChristiaÌ„s persecuting the Church of God as all Ecclesiasticall histories experience also doth testify For euen to this day for the space of almost a thousand and six hundred yeares she is still constant immoueable and inuincible in despite of all her Aduersaries 14. Our Aduersaries indeed in diuers bookes published against the Pope of Rome heape vp togeather many in diuers ages who haue opposed themselues against him but they can find none who haue at any tyme quite ouerthrowne the Roman Church VVe know very well that wicked men are neuer wanting who vehemently oppose themselues against the deuoute seruants of God but at the last they are all ouercome by the Church and they shall neuer get the victory against her For Christ did not say that the gates of hell should not oppugne his Church but that they should neuer preuaile against her 15. Finally looke how many oppugners and persecutors of the Roman Church our Aduersaries heape togeather so many famous monumets vnawares do they erect by which the triumphes of the Roman Church are commended to posterity against their wills But there cannot be â—â—amous victory vnlesse some conflict went before so we see truly fullfilled in the Church of Rome that which loÌ„g bâ—fore was foretold by the Prophet Dauid in the person of the true Church of Gâ—d They haue often oppugned me euen from my youth but they could not preuaile the which is better expressed in the Hebrew text as may be seene in the Latin Edition 16. This continuall victory of the Romane Church againâ—t her enemies S. Paul foretold very clearly when he wrote in this manner to the same Church the God of peace wil crush SataÌ„ vnder your feete quickly To this very place appertaineth that which S. Hierome writeth to wit that the Roman fayth being confirmed by the authority of S. Paul cannot be changed albeit an Angell should teach the contrary to that which was once preached And before him S. Cyprian when he sayth that the Romans are those vnto whom falshood or infidelity can haue noe accesse 17. The fourth reason The osfice of the true Church is to keepe and preserue alwayse fayth sound and without any stayne of heresy which then she performeth when she discouereth and condemneth all hereticall and erroneous opinions and when she explicateth and declareth all doubtfull and obscure points of fayth Moreouer she commaundeth obstinate and wilfull persones to hold their peace Fnally she ceÌ„sureth all erroneous and daungerous books lest Catholikes be indomaged therby eyther in fayth or in good manners All these things the Roman Church and no other as appeareth by all historiographers hath
lawfully assembled and seeme to proceede orderly the definitions notwithstanding thereof will not be altogeather certayne according to the opinion of many Catholikes vnlesse they haue their approbation from the Bishop of Rome if he be not present at the Councell The reason is because before that the Councell be approued and allowed of by the Pope it is as yet an vnperfect body of Christ without any visible head and such a body may stumble fall 11. And hence it is that the Councell of Trent demanded her confirmation from Pius 4. who solemnely afterward confirmed it The which also the other auncient Councells demaunded yea euen those which our Aduersaries do admit as for example the first Nicene Councell that of Calcedon the sixt Synod to omit other later Councells 12. The first is that we affirme a Generall Councell approued by the Pope cannot erre in fayth The reason is because it is altogeather necessary that there be some supreme iudgmeÌ„t in the Church of God wherunto all should submit themselues and belieue assuredly in all matters in CoÌ„trouersy as we haue proued before but there can be no other supreme iudgment but this 13. Moreouer we see that euen froÌ„ the beginning of the Church till now all heresies and controuersies concerning matters of faith haue byn still ended taken away by the generall Councels Wherfore they who deny this do open make way for all old Heresies The which when our Aduersaries had learned by experience in the Anti-trinitarians Anabaptistes Vbiquitarians and such other sectes they were forced to admit those six more auncient Councels as we sayd before but the authority of all Generall Councells is alike and equall 14. Finally our Aduersaries themselues acknowledge that there is no better or surer remedy to roote out and take away all herâ—sies therfore eyther this is a certaine remedy or els there is none at all the which to affirme were to deny the prouidence of God and his loue of his Church 15. Moreouer that which our Aduersaries say to wit that the later Councels are not lawfull Assemblies because they haue not obserued due manner and forme is a false lye first because it doth not become euery priuate man to be iudge in this matter but it belongeth to the whole Church who hauing receyued for so many yeâ—res all these as lawfull Councells we must not call them any more in question 16. And seing that our Aduersaries do imbrace and approue the six first Councels the lawfull forme to be obserued in Councells is to be fetched from them the which is exactly obserued in the later Councells as Baronius sheweth euidently in euery one of the first six Councells But Caluin acknowledgeth no lawfull manner of any synodicall assembly nor any such to be gathered togeather in the name of Christ but where all things are proued by Scripture only reiecting all Ecclesiasticall traditions but we haue already proued that the Traditions of the Church of God are as a principall and chiefest part of the word of God 17. Yea euen this was the only cause why S. Cyprian and so many other holy Byshops erred in the African Councells when they determined that all those who were christned by Heretikes should be baptized againe for they confirmed this their opinion very probably by many places of holy Scripture but they reiected the auncient tradition of the Church the which they knew very well was opposite to this error as though it had byn contrary to the holy Scriptures as S. Vincentius Lyrinensis declareth very well and before him S. Augustine in many places 18. And that which is more S. Augustine manifestly writeth that he had byn of S. Cyprians opinion by reason of those probable reasons which were deduced out of holy Scripture but that the whole Catholike Church had defined the contrary And as the same holy Father teacheth at large they most of all oppugne the custome of the Church which were in the same error with S. Cyprian obiecting among other thinges that place of the holy Scripture the which our Aduersaries now adayes obiect against vs. God saith I am the truth he doth not say I am the custome Vnto whome S. Augustine answereth very well that the custome of the Church is not opposite to truth but it is euen truth it selfe 19. Our Aduersaries arguments are of small account or moment Caluin bringeth in the example of Caiphas and of the Iewish Councell wherin Christ waâ— condemned the same argument Beza also alledgeth But who doth not know that this was neyther a generall Councell whereunto Christ was not called nor any other true belieuer nor lawfull in it selfe seing that it was not assembled in the name and authority of Christ who was then the supreme head of the visible and militant Church as also because it was called togeather against the true Church of God by the wicked and cursed Synagogue of the Iewes For that was the true Church which adhered vnto Christ and belieued in him but that other which was altogeather depriued had lost the true faith of Christ was rather a fit Church for Saâ—han and other infernall spirits And I meruaile truly that Caluin â—nd Bezâ— do alledge that Councell as true and lawfull which was assembled against Christ himselfe as also by those who were not true belieuers in Christ yea who were filthily stayned with the most heynous synne of infidelity as Christ himselfe witnesseth but we willingly leaue such a Church and Councell to our Aduersaries 20. It was also manifestly foretould by the Prophet that Christ should not be receyued by the Iewes and that the Synagogue of the Iewes should then fall from her faith But the holy Scriptures teach the plaine contrary of the true Church of Christ to wit that Christ and his spirit shall remayne with her for euer 21. But neyther is that other argument which Caluin and Beza vse any better to wit that S. Augustine would not vrge the authority of the Councell of Nice against Maximinus the Arian For neyther can we vrge the authority of the new testament against the Iewes not because we haue any doubt thereof but because the Iewes do not admit the new Testament In the same manner when that Arian would not admit the Councell of Nice but did plainly reiâ—ct it S. Augustine should in vayne haue vrged the authority therof for otherwise it is well knowne that S. Augustine neuer had any doubt of the fayth explicated in the Councell of Nice the which euen our Aduersaries imbrace as the most true word of God 22. Such as desire to see any more concerning this controuersy of the Generall Councells let them read Bellarmine in his first second booke of the Church militant and Coccius in his first Tome the seauenth booke the 21. 22. article CHAP. XI Of the Authority of the auncient Holy Fathers NOvv it remayneth