of God beene long abused and the Church in greevous errour And elswhere againe he sayth the Church hath not certainely resolued that it is Canonicall and that it yeeldeth no certaine cleare and indubitate proofe in matters of faith Driedo denyeth it to be canonicall saith Cyprian Ambrose and others of the Fathers cited the Booke of Baruch as also the third and fourth of Esdras not as Canonicall but as containing matter of good instruction not contrary but consonant to the faith The additions of the booke of Hester Sixtus absolutely rejecteth as vaine and foolish contrary to the judgements of the Papists yet admitteth the additions to Daniel These also Driedo rejecteth notwithstanding the decree of the Tridentine Councell as the author of the booke De mirabilibus Scripturae did long before calling the story of Bell and the Dragon a fable Melchior Canus professeth he dareth not pronounce it hereticall to deny any or all of the controversed bookes of the Old Testament and yet confidently pronounceth it hereticall to deny any of the bookes of the New Testament which were sometimes doubted of so that it seemeth a man may dissent from a generall Councell and not be an Hereticke and that the Councell of Trent proceeded not vpon so good grounds of reason in approouing the one as the other contrary to their judgment who say we may as well doubt of the Bookes of the New Testament whereof some doubted in former times as of these of the Olde But it is easie to shew their errour who so thinke and to confirme the opinion of Canus that there is not so great reason why we should doubt of the one as the other For first the Bookes of the New Testament were neuer doubted of but by some few in comparison of them that receiued and approued them the most and most renowned for piety learning and right judgement euer receiuing them For to begin with those of which there hath beene most doubt The Epistle to the Hebrewes and the booke of the Revelation of S Iohn Hierome witnesseth that they neuer wanted the approbation of the worthiest and greatest parts of Gods Church Illud sayth he nostris dicendum est hanc epistolam quae inscribitur ad Hebraeos non solum ab Ecclesiis Orientis sed ab omnibus retrò Ecclesiasticis scriptoribus quasi Pauli Epistolam suscipi licèt eam plerique vel Barnabae vel Clementis arbitrentur esse c. Let our men know that the Epistle to the Hebrewes is not onely receiued and approued by all the Churches of the East that now presently are but by all Ecclesiasticall writers of the Greeke Churches that haue beene heretofore as the Epistle of Paul though many thinke it rather to haue beene written by Barnabas or Clemens and that it skilleth not who wrote it seeing it was written by an Authour approued in the Church ofGod and is dayly read in the same If the custome of the Latines receiue it not among the Canonicall Scriptures no more doe the Greeke Churches admit the Revelation of Saint Iohn and yet we following the authority of the Auncient receiue them both Secondly the Churches of the Gentiles to which the Bookes of the New Testament were deliuered were in parts of the world farre remote one from another and did not immediatly all of them receiue all the parts of these diuine bookes from the Authors of them but from those particular Churches to which they were specially directed or in the middest whereof the writers of them remained at the time of the writing of them And therefore it is not to bee marvailed at if being deliuered and transmitted from one to another some receiued them sooner and some later But the Bookes of the Olde Testament were deliuered to one nationall Church only and yet these now controversed were neuer receiued by it Thirdly these Bookes of the New Testament whereof some informer times did doubt were written in the Apostles times whom GOD honoured with the first immediate and vndoubted revelation of Divine trueth these after the succession of the Prophets were ceased Fourthly the bookes of the Olde Testament now controversed were not written in the Hebrew but in Greeke by such of the Iewes as were of the dispersion and therefore neuer receiued by the Hebrewes nor counted amongst the sacred Bookes of the Canon which they diuided into the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes to which Christ giueth testimony in the Gospell Lastly the reason mouing some to doubt of the bookes of the new Testament was the vncertainty of the names of the authors or something mistaken misconstrued or not understood in the bookes which in time was cleared and they afterward generally receiued But the Apochryphall bookes of the old Testament were rejected as being written when there was no more vndoubted succession of Prophets by the whole Church of the Hebrewes and euer after by the best and worthiest guides of the Christian Churches That the bookes of the newe Testament called in question by some were doubted of vpon such weake reasons as hath beene sayd will easily appeare The Epistle to the Hebrewes was therefore doubted of by some because the difference and diuersity of the style made them thinke it not to be Pauls whose name it carried and by others because the author of it seemed to them to fauour the errour of the Nouatians in denying the reconciliation of such as fall after baptisme The second Epistle of Peter some doubted of because of the diuersity of the style which Hierome rejecteth The Epistle of Iames because of the vncertainty of the author it being doubtfull which Iames was the author of it The Epistle of Iude because the author of it alleageth the authoritie of an Apochryphall booke of Enoch as they imagined The second and third of Iohn because they are sayd to haue beene written by Iohn the elder some denyed to bee the Epistles of Iohn the Apostle ascribing them to another Iohn The Reuelation was doubted of first because of the doubtfullnesse of the Title of Iohn the Diuine secondly because of the difficultie and obscuritie of the words of this Prophecie or Reuelation and lastly because the author of this booke seemeth to fauour the heresie of the Millenaries But the Latine Church receiued this booke as Canonicall as also the best and most learned of the Greekes as Dionysius Alexandrinus though hee deny it to haue beene written by Iohn the Euangelist Epiphanius condemneth the Alogi as heretickes because they denie the Gospell and Reuelation of Saint Iohn Tertullian reckoneth it among the errours of Cerdon that hee rejected the bookes of the Actes and the Reuelation and writing against Marcion hee sheweth that hee also did denie the same booke Irenaeus sayth this Reuelation was manifested vnto Iohn and seene of him but a little before his time Iustinus Martyr doth attribute this booke to Iohn and doth account it a
Diuine Reuelation Origen in his Preface before the Gospell of Iohn sayth that Iohn the sonne of Zebedee saw in the Reuelation an Angell flying thorow the middest of heauen hauing the eternall Gospell The Councell of Ancyra pronounceth it to bee sacred and that Iohn was the author of it Thus then I hope it doth appeare that there is not so much reason to doubt of the bookes of the newe Testament called sometimes in question as of those of the old seeing the former were neuer doubted of but by some fewe vpon reasons friuolous the weakenesse whereof being discouered all Catholike Christians with one consent receiued them accounting them no better than Heretickes which either doubted of them or denied them whereas the later were rejected by the whole Church of the Iewes by all antiquity and the whole current of Gods Church some fewe onely excepted being ignorant of the tongues and not exactly looking into the monuments of antiquity and diuided amongst themselues some admitting more and some not all those which our aduersaries now receiue Wherefore as wee cannot but condemne the inconsiderate rashnesse of such either of the Romish or reformed Churches as in our time make question of any of the bookes of the newe Testament that are and haue beene long read in the Churches of GOD as Canonicall throughout the whole world so likewise wee thinke their boldnesse inexcusable who in these last ages make those bookes Canonicall which neuer were so esteemed by Gods Church before and goe about to binde all mens consciences soe to receiue them against the current of antiquity and the iudgement of the best learned in euery age euen to our times CHAP 25. Of the diuers editions of the Scripture and in what tongue it was originally written THus hauing shewed that the Scripture containeth a perfect rule of our faith and hauing likewise made it appeare what bookes they are which are canonicall and containe this rule of our Christian faith and Religion it remaineth that wee search out what editions there are of these Scriptures and which are authenticall and of indubitate authority and credit The whole Scripture of the old Testament was written in Hebrewe saue that some fewe things were translated into the bookes of Esdras and Daniel out of the publike recordes and monuments of the Chaldees in that tongue as the copies of letters and publike actes and proceedings all things which the spirit of God did absolutely deliuer being expressed vnto vs in the same bookes in Hebrewe The opinion of some hath beene that the whole Scripture of the old Testament perished and was lost in the time of the captiuity of Babylon and that it was newly composed by Esdras To which purpose they alleage the authority of Basil who seemeth to say some such thing and likewise the testimony of the author of the fourth booke of Esdras where it is sayd that the bookes of the lawe being burnt God sent the holy Ghost into Esdras separated him from the people for the space of fortie daies caused him to prouide boxe tables and men writing swiftly and that in forty dayes they wrote twoe hundred and foure bookes but this booke being Apochryphall full of Cabalisticall vanity doth rather weaken then strengthen this opinion That which is alledged out of the second of Esdras and the eight doth not proue that Esdras did newely compose the bookes of Scripture but only that he brought them forth which implyeth that they were not vtterly lost nor did wholly perish Neither indeed is it likely though that Scripture which was kept in the Temple was burnt that Ezechiell Daniell Ieremie Haggai Zacharie Mardocheus and Esdras himselfe were so negligent as not to preserue the bookes of the Scripture So that all that Esdras did was nothing else but the bringing together and putting into order the scattered partes of this scripture and the correcting of such faults as in time by the negligence of the writers were crept into the seuerall Copies of it This point is handled at large by Bellarmine and excellently cleared by him and therefore it is needlesse to insist vpon it longer So then the same scripture which Moses and the Prophets deliuered Esdras sought out and religiously commended vnto the people Onely Hierome is of opinion that hee found out newe Hebrewe letters and left the old to the Samaritans which Bellarmine out of Hierome confirmeth because the last letter of the Hebrewe Alphabet was like the Greeke T and had a similitude of the Crosse as that of the Samaritanes now hath but that now hath no similitude with it Picus Mirandula professeth that hauing conferred with sundry Iewes about this matter they all constantly denyed this alteration of letters And to what purpose should Esdras alter the forme of letters which MOSES and the Prophets had vsed Neither doth Hierome in the place cited by Bellarmine speake of the Greeke T but sayth onely that the last of the auncient Hebrew letters had a similitude of the Crosse as now that of the Samaritans hath But this being a matter of no great moment let euery man judge as he thinketh best This then we constantly hold that as the whole Scripture of the Olde Testament was written in Hebrew so the same neuer perished wholly in any of the captiuities of the Iewes but was religiously preserued euen the same which Moses and the Prophets deliuered to the people of God After the returne of the people from Babylon their tongue language was mixed of the Hebrew Chaldee and named the Syriacke tongue from the Region or Countrey vvhere it was vsed in which Christ made all his Sermons to the people as being best vnderstood of them Yet were not the bookes of the New Testament written in this Language but in Greeke because they were to be made common to the Churches of the Gentiles among which the Greeke tongue was most generally vnderstood There are three tongues most famous in the world as Hugo de Sancto Victore noteth the Latine Greeke and Hebrew propter regnum sapientiam legem the first because of the Monarchy of the Romanes who as they subjected the people which they did conquere to their lawes customes so they did force them to learne their language the second because in it the great Philosophers and Wise men of the world left the monuments of their wisedome learning to posterities the third because in it God deliuered his Law the interpretation of it by Moses and the Prophets to the people of Israell his chosen Amongst all these the Greeke was most generally vnderstood by the learned of all Nations because in it all the renowned wise men of the world had written all that were studious learned it that they might vnderstand their writings Hence it came that the books of the New testament were written in Greek because God would not honour one Nation of the world more then another nor
Sauiour Christ which though they were neuer written by the Evangelists the Apostles and others conversant with him in the dayes of his flesh knew and faithfully preserued and kept as Mary did all things which she heard him speake and saw him doe of which sort was that alleadged by the Apostle It is more blessed to giue then to receiue wee make no question but that there are any of those vnwritten speeches or Actions necessary to bee knowne for our salvation or containing any other matter of diuine knowledge then is written or that are certainely knowne vnto the Church now we vtterly deny All the historicall things saith Bishop Lindan which are reported concerning Christ not contained in Scripture are fabulous or vncertaine Which doubtlesse was the reason why more errours were found in the writings of the first Fathers of the Primitiue Church then in those that were further remoued from those first beginnings because they were abused by the false and vncertaine reports of traditions which in those times men greedily hearkened after as liuing with thē which had beene conversant with the Apostles or their Schollers as wee shall finde by that is reported of Papias and it appeareth by the writings of others Thus hauing made it cleare and evident that it is not safe to relye vpon traditions in things concerning the faith let vs come to those traditions which concerne the manners and conversation of men That the Apostles deliuered many things of this nature to the Churches some by way of precept some by way of Councell and advice onely some to particular Churches and some to all some to continue but for a time and some to continue for euer we make no doubt Of this sort is the observation of the Lords day the precept whereof is not found in Scripture though the practice be and so may be named a tradition And sundry other things there are which doubtlesse the Apostles deliuered by tradition but they are confounded with Ecclesiasticall traditions as Waldensis aptly noteth that wee might the more reuerence the constitutions of the Church and are dispensable by the guides of the Church because the Apostles and Apostolike men that deliuered them did not deliuer them as reporting the immediate precepts of Christ himselfe but by vertue of their Pastorall power and office and so it little concerneth vs exactly to know whether they were deliuered by the Apostles themselues or their next after-commers For if they were deliuered by the Apostles yet are they dispensable by the authority of the Church and if not by them but by others they may not be dispensed with nor altered but by the same authority CHAP. 21. Of the rules whereby true Traditions may be knowen from counterfaite THus hauing set downe the kindes and sorts of traditions it remaineth to examine by what meanes wee may come to discerne and by what rules wee may judge which are true and indubitate traditions The first rule is deliuered by Augustine Quod vniuersa tenet ecclesia nec conciliis institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi auctoritate Apostolicâ traditum rectissimè creditur Whatsoeuer the whole Church holdeth not being decreed by the authority of Councelles but hauing been euer holden may rightly be thought to haue proceeded from Apostolike authority The second rule is whatsoeuer all or the most famous and renowmed in all ages or at the least in diuerse ages haue constantly deliuered as receiued from them that went before them no man contradicting or doubting of it may bee thought to be an Apostolicall tradition The third rule is the constant Testimony of the Pastors of an Apostolike Church successiuely deliuered to which some adde the present testimony of any Apostolike Church whose declinings when they beganne we cannot precisely tell But none of the Fathers admitte this rule For when they vrge the authority and testimony of Apostolike Churches for the proofe or reproofe of true or pretended traditions they stand vpon the consenting voyce or silence of the Pastors of such Churches successiuely in diverse ages concerning such things Some adde the testimony of the present Church but we enquire after the rule whereby the present Church may know true traditions from false and besides though the whole multitude of beleeuers at one time in the world cannot erre pertinaciously and damnably in embracing false traditions in stead of true yet they that most sway things in the Church may yea euen the greater part of a generall councell so that this can be no sure rule for men to iudge of traditions by And therefore Canus reasoneth foolishly that whatsoeuer the Church of Rome practiceth which shee may not doe without speciall warrant from God and yet hath no warrant in Scripture so to doe the same things and the practise of them shee hath receiued by tradition Hee giueth example in the present practice of the Romish Church in dispensing with remitting vowes and oathes and in dissoluing marriages not consummate by carnall knowledge by admitting men into orders of Religion But this practice of the Romish Church wee condemne as wicked and Antichristian CHAP. 22. Of the difference of bookes Canonicall and Apocriphall THus hauing answered our aduersaries obiections touching the obscuritie and imperfections of the scripture which wee affirme to be the rule of our faith it remayneth that in particular wee consider which are the bookes of this Scripture contayning the rule of our faith and where the indubitate and certaine verity of them is to be found whether in the originals or in the Translations The bookes which Moses the Prophets and Apostles deliuered to the world containe the Canon that is the rule of piety faith and religion which the sonnes of men receiued by Reuelation from heauen and therefore are rightly named Canonicall The matter of these bookes wee beleeue to haue beene inspired from the holy Ghost for our instruction whose authoritie is so great that no man may doubt of them The writers of these bookes were in such sort guided and directed by the spirit of trueth in composing of them that not to beleeue them were impious Wherevpon Augustine writing to Hierome saith Ego solis eis scriptoribus qui Canonici appellantur didici hunc timorem honoremque deferre vt nullum eorum scribendo errasse firmissimè teneam at si quod in iis invenero quod videatur contrarium veritati nihil aliud existimem quà m mendosum esse codicem vel non esse assecutum interpretem quod dictum est vel me minimè intellexisse non ambigam alios autem ita lego vt quantalibet sanctitate doctrinâve polleant non ideo verum putem quia ita senserunt sed quia mihi per illos auctores canonicos vel probabiles rationes quod à vero non abhorreat persuadere potuerunt That is I haue learned to yeelde that reuerence and honour to those writers onely that are called Canonicall to thinke that
Emperours charges But there are many things that bewray it to be a mere counterfeit For first it hath a sencelesse title for it is named another Romane Councell vnder Syluester the first whereas no man can tell of any besides this Secondly it is fronted with a briefe Epilogue in steed of a Preface Thirdly there is scarce any sence to bee made of any one sentence throughout the whole Fourthly it is sayd to consist of 139 Bishops out of the citty of Rome or not farre from it and the rest out of Greece whereas all men know the citty of Rome had but one Bishop so that it was sencelesse to say there were in that Councell 139 Bishops out of the citty of Rome or not farre from it And besides all men see how silly a thing it was to muster so many names of Bishops without specifying the places whereof they were Bishops Fiftly whereas it is said to haue consisted of 284 Bishops out of the citty of Rome and places neere to it and out of Greece as if it had beene a generall Councell it is strange that the Histories reporting farre meaner Councels then this is supposed to haue beene should neuer make any mention of this nor the occasion of calling it Sixtly whereas the supposed Fathers of this Councel do condemne though in very sencelesse manner certaine vnknowne heretickes it is strange they should make no mention of the Arrians who were famous and at that time troubled all the East Seuenthly the end why these supposed Fathers met was ridiculous For thus it is expressed i Vt Ecclesiae regia non vatieinentur sed sit fiâ—…ma claudat ostium propter persecutorem Or as another Edition hath it Vt Ecclesia regia non vacilletur sed sit firma claudat ostium propter persecutorem For why should these good men forbid the kingly Churches to prophecie or why should they feare the shaking or tottering of them or shut the doore for feare of the persecutor after Constantine was become a Christian baptized by Syluester and in requitall of his kindnesse had giuen him all the Empire of the West Lastly whereas the manner of Councels was that the Bishops sate round in a compasse the Presbyters sate behind them and the Deacons stood before them the Councell of Carthage forbiddeth a Bishop to sit suffer a Presbyter to stand Hierome sheweth that euen in Rome the manner was that Presbyters did sit and Deacons stand here it is noted that none sate but Bishops These things being obserued touching the credit of this Councel let vs come to the Decrees of it by which the Pope would exempt himselfe from all iudgment of men whatsoeuer villanyes he should chance to commit Thus then the Decrees of this sacred Synode are passed in fauour of the Pope First it is decreed that no Presbyter à die onus Presbyterij latine fitter for Hog-heards then Bishops shall marry and that if he do hee shall loose his honour for 12. yeares Secondly it is ordered thus That if any one shall do against this present hand-writing hee shall be condemned for euer For let no man iudge the first See for neither shall the Iudge be iudged of Augustus nor of all the Clergy nor of Kings nor People These sencelesse Decrees of a fained ridiculous Synode our aduersaries such is their pouerty in this cause bring forth as good authorities for the Pope But I thinke the reader will not much be moued with them vnlesse it be to pitty those that liued before vs who were abused with such fooleries and shamelesse forgeries and to giue thankes to God that hath giuen vs meanes to descry the cozening deuices of Satans Agents Neither doth it any thing assure vs of the truth of this Councel that Pope Nicholas was coÌ„tent to make vse of it in his Epistle to Michael the Emperor of Constantinople seeing he citeth also in the same Epistle the Romane Synode vnder Sixtus the third in the cause of Polychronius Bishop of Hierusalem whereas yet not withstanding Binnius saith confidently that euery learned man wil pronounce the acts of it to be counterfeit if he attend the names of the Consuls in whose times it is supposed to haue bin holden the name of him that was accused and other things described in those supposed pretended acts To these they adde another authority as it may seeme of the same stamp out of the Councell of Rome vnder Sixtus the third which they endeuour to strengthen with certaine sayings out of a booke of one Euodius a Deacon admitted and allowed in the fifth Councell vnder Symmachus The Romane Councell vnder Sixtus was called to examine a very foule fact wherewith Sixtus was charged which was the abusing of one Chrysogonet a professed and consecrated virgin In this Councell Sixtus presented himselfe and professed that it was in his power choice either to submit himselfe to the iudgment of the Councell or to refuse it yet voluntarily referred his cause to be there heard whence our Auersaries suppose they may inferre that all the world may not iudge the Pope against his will The Barbarismes manifold senceles absurdities that are found in this Councell may iustly make us suspect it of forgery But admitting it to haue bin a lawfull Synode no such thing can be concluded out of it as our aduersaries dreame of For it was but a Diocesan Synode there was neuer a Bishop in it besides Sixtus whom they went about to iudge And therefore it was not to be maruailed at if Sixtus said it was in his power and choice whether hee would be iudged by the Presbyters Deacons of his owne Church or not seeing no Bishop be he neuer so meane may be judged by the Clergy of his own Church but by the Synode of the Bishops of the prouince and therefore I greatly feare they wil hardly draw a good argument froÌ„ hence to proue that the Pope may not at all be iudged For I think it will not follow Maximus the exconsul said it was not lawful for those Lay-men inferiour Clergy-men theÌ„ assembled to giue sentence against the B of Rome the B himselfe protested that he might chuse whether he would be judged by them or not therefore the whole Christian world may not judge the Pope Wherefore let vs come to the sayings of Euodius see whether they confirme the Romish conceipt any better The occasioÌ„ of the writing of this booke of Euodius was this Symmachus the Bishop of Rome being charged with certaine grieuous crimes was to bee judged in a Synode called by Theodoricus the King not without his own coÌ„sent To this Councel he was willing to come and to submit him selfe to the judgement of it onely hee desired restitution of such things as had beene taken from him till he were convicted which he could not obtaine and yet presented himselfe in the Synode But such was the
tend signified by that pennie given to every one of the labourers Matth. 20. The third is in respect of the same meanes of saluation as are faith sacraments holy lawes and precepts according to that Ephesians 4. One faith one Baptisme c. The fourth in respect of the same spirit which doeth animate the whole body of the Church There are diversities of graces but the same spirit 1. Cor. 12. The fift in respect of the same head Christ and guides appointed by him who though they are many yet are all holden in a sweete coherence and connexion amongst themselues as if there were but one episcopall chaire and office in the world Which Vnitie of Pastours and Bishops though they be many and ioyned in equall commission without dependance one of another Christ signified by directing his words specially to Peter Feede my sheepe feede my lambes as Cyprian most aptly noteth The sixt is in respect of the connexion which all they of the Church haue amongst themselues and with Christ and those whom he hath appointed in his stead to take care of their soules Rom. 12. Wee are one body and members one of another These being the diuers kindes and sortes of Vnitie in the Church let vs see what Vnitie it is which they make a note of the Church The Vnitie which they make a note of the Church is first in respect of the rule of faith and vse of the sacraments of saluation secondly in respect of the coherence and connexion of the Pastours and Bishops amongst themselues thirdly in the due and submissiue obedience of the people to their Pastours This is it then which they say that wheresoeuer any company and society of Christians is found in orderly subiection to their lawfull Pastours not erring from the rule of faith nor schismatically rent from the other parts of the Christian world by factious causelesse and impious diuision that societie of men is vndoubtedly the true and not offending Church of God This note thus delivered is the very same with those assigned by vs. But if any of them shall imagine that any Vnitie and agreement whatsoeuer of Christian people amongst themselues doth prooue them to bee the Church of God wee vtterly denie it For the Armenians Aethiopians and Christians of Muscovia and Russia haue euery of them an agreement amongst themselues though diuided each from other more perfect than they of the Church of Rome haue which yet in the judgement of the Romanists are not the true Churches of God CHAP. 8. Of Vniversalitie THe next note assigned by them is Vniuersalitie Concerning Vniversalitie Bellarmine obserueth three things First that to the Vniversalitie of the Church is required that it exclude no times places nor sorts of men in which consideration the Christian Church differeth from the Synagogue which was a particular Church tied to one time being to continue but to the comming of Christ to a certaine place to wit the Temple at Hierusalem out of which they could not sacrifice and to one family the sonnes of Iacob Secondly he noteth out of Augustine that to the Vniversalitie of the Christiā Church it is not required that all the men of the world should be of the Church but that at the least there should be some in all provinces of the world that should giue their names to Christ. For till this be performed the day of the Lord shall not come Mat. 24. Thirdly he noteth out of Dried◅ in his fourth booke chap. 2. part 2. de Ecclesiasticis dogmatibus that it is not required that this should be all at once so that at one time necessarily there must be some Christians in all places of the world For it is enough if it bee successiuely Whence sayth hee it followeth that though but onely one Province of the world should retaine the true faith it might truely and properly be named the Catholicke Church if it could clearely demonstrate it selfe to be one with the Church and company of beleeuers which if not at one time yet at diuers times hath filled the whole world This it cannot demonstrate but by making it appeare that it hath neither brought in any new and strange doctrine in matter of faith nor schismatically rent it selfe from the rest of the christian world This note of Vniversality thus vnderstood wee willingly admitte For it is the same with those we assigne For wee say what Church soeuer can proue it selfe to hold the faith once deliuered to the saints and generally published to the world without hereticall innouation or schismaticall violation and breach of the peace and vnitie of the Christian world is vndoubtedly the true Church of God But out of this which Bellarmine hath thus truely wisely fitly obserued touching Vniversalitie we may deduce many corrolaries of great consequence in this controversie touching the Church The first that it may be the true and Catholike Church which neither presently is nor euer hereafter shall bee in all or the most parts of the world if it can continuate it selfe and prooue it selfe one with that Church which formerly at some time or times hath beene in the most parts thereof From whence it is easie to discerne the vanitie of that their sillie obiection against vs who say our Church began not at Hierusalem in the feast of Pentecost but at Wittenberg or Geneva in this last age of the world that it is not likely beginning so late that euer it will so farre enlarge it selfe as to fill all the whole world so become Catholicke or Vniuersall For wee doe not imagine that the Church began at Wittenberg or Geneua but that in these and sundry other places of the Christian world it pleased God to vse the ministerie of his worthy seruants for the necessary reformation of abuses in some parts of that Catholicke Church which beginning at Hierusalem spread it selfe into all the world though not at all times nor all places in like degree of puritie and sincerity So that though the reformed Churches neither presently be nor perhaps hereafter shall be in all or the most parts of the world yet are they catholicke for that they doe continuate themselues with that Church which hath beene is or shall bee in all places of the world before the comming of Christ and vndoubtedly already hath beene in the most parts thereof The second that the true Church is not necessarily alwayes of greater extent nor the multitude of them that are of it greater than of any one company of Heretickes or mis-beleeuers The third that the true Church cannot bee at all times infallibly knowen from the factions of heretickes by multitude and largenesse of extent The fourth that this contrarieth not the sayings of Augustine and others of the Fathers who vrge the ample extent of the Church as a proofe of the trueth thereof For that they liued and wrote in those times when the Church was in her growth and wee are
proue he must reason thus The custome of praying to deliuer the soules of men out of the paines of Purgatory is the custome and practise which the Romane Church defendeth and Calvin impugneth but this custome Calvine confesseth to haue beene in vse more then a thousand and three hundred of yeares since therefore he acknowledgeth the doctrine and practise of the Romane Church to be most ancient and to haue beene receiued a thousand three hundred yeares agoe The Minor proposition of this reason is false and Calvin in the place cited by Bellarmine protesteth against it most constantly affirming that the Fathers knew nothing of Purgatorie and therefore much lesse of prayer to deliuer men from thence But Bellarmine will reply that the custome of praying for the dead was most auncient We answere The custome of remembring the departed naming their names at the holy Table in the time of the holy mysteries offering the Eucharist that is the sacrifice of praise for them was a most ancient and godly custome neither is it any way disliked by vs. And surely it appeares this was the cause that Aerius was condemned of hereticall rashnesse in that he durst condemne this laudable and auncient custome of the commemoration of the dead In this sort they did most religiously obserue and keepe at the Lords Table the commemoration of all the Patriarches Prophets Apostles Evangelists Martyrs confessours yea of Mary the Mother of our Lord to whom it cannot be conceiued that by prayer they did wish deliuerance out of Purgatorie sith no man euer thought them to be there but if they wished any thing it was the deliuerance from the power of death which as yet tyranniseth ouer one part of them the speedy destroying of the last enemy which is death the hastning of their resurrection and joyfull publique acquitall of them in that great day wherein they shall stand to bee judged before the Iudge of the quicke and dead This was the practise of the whole church and this the meaning of their commemorations and prayers which was good and no way to be disliked Notwithstanding it is most certaine that many particular men extended the meaning of these prayers farther and out of their owne private errours and fancies vsed such prayers for the dead as the Romanists themselues I thinke dare not justifie and so it is true that Calvin saith that many of the Fathers were led into errour in this matter of prayer for the dead and not that all as if the whole Church had fallen from the truth as Bellarmine falsely imputeth vnto Calvin who saith no such thing First therefore it was an opinion of many of the Fathers that there is no judgment to passe vpon men till the last day that all men are holden either in some place vnder the earth or else in some other place appointed for that purpose so that they come not into heauen nor receiue the reward of their labours till the generall iudgement Out of this conceipt grew that prayer in Iames his Liturgie that God would remember all the faithfull that are fallen asleepe in the sloepe of death since Abell the iust till this present day that he would place them in the land of the liuing c. And the like are found in the masse booke Of this opinion was Iustin Martyr Tertullian Clemens Romanus Lactantius Victorinus Martyr Ambrose Iohannes Romanus Pontifex and sundry other The second opinion was that men may be deliuered from the punishments of sinne after this life if they die in the profession of the true faith how vvickedly soeuer they liued or at least if the punishment of such bee eternall and cannot be ended yet it may be deferred or mitigated How many of the Fathers were in this errour and made prayers for the dead vpon this false perswasion that all Christians how wickedly soeuer they liued may find mercy at Gods hands in the world to come at the entreatie of the liuing they that haue read any thing can soone report Thirdly whereas there are three estates of the soules of men the first in the body the second when they are seuered from the body and stand before God immediately and instantly vpon the dissolution and the third after they haue receiued their particular iudgement the godly doe not onely recommend them vnto God while they are yet in their bodies but when departing thence they goe to stand before the iudgement seate of God they accompany them with their prayers and best good wishes euen to the presence of the Lord. Hence were all those prayers that were vsed on the dayes of the obites of the Saints conceiued respectiuely to their passage out of this world and the dangers they doe by the goodnesse of God escape in that fearefull houre of their dissolution which prayers were againe repeated in the anniuersarie remembrances of their obites Of this sorte was that prayer in the Masse booke Libera Domine animas omnium fidelium defunctorum de poenis inferni de profundo lacis libera eas de ore leonus ne absorbeat eas tartarus ne cadant in obscurum c. Deliuer O Lord the soules of all faithfull ones departed from the paines of hell and the deepe Lake deliuer them from the month of the Lion that hell swallow them not up and that they fall not into the dungeons of vtter darkenesse How hard this was to vse these prayers in a set course in the dayes wherein they did only commemorate and represent the dayes of mens departure hence and so to pray for them long after their death as if they were but euen then in the passage and so in daunger of falling into the hands of their ghostly enimies and not yet secure and assured of their eternall future state which yet Bellarmine confesseth is the best construction can be made of them I leaue to the consideration of the wise These are the seuerall kindes of praying for the dead all which I hope Bellarmine dareth not justifie but for the Romish manner of praying for the dead it hath no certaine testimony of Antiquitie no man euer thinking of Purgatorie till Augustine to avoide a worse errour did doubtingly run into it after whom many in the Latine Church embraced the same opinion but the Greeke Church neuer receiued it to this day Thus then we see how vniustly Calvin is traduced by Bellarmine in this matter of prayer for the dead and how weakely he prooues that it is confessed that their opinion and the doctrine of Antiquitie is the same His next challenge is scarce worth the mentioning much lesse the refuting Caluin saith the Fathers were farre from the popish errour touching merites and that yet they vsed the word whence men haue since taken occasion of errour Therefore hee dissenteth from all Antiquity and acknowledgeth the Romane faith to bee the auncient faith and religion Truely I am weary in following
they desire to be tryed AN APPENDIX WHEREIN IT IS CLEARELY PROVED THAT THE LATINE OR WEST CHVRCH IN WHICH THE POPE TYRANNIZED VV AS AND CONTINVED A TRVEORTHODOXE AND PROTESTANT CHVRCH AND THAT THE DEVISERS AND MAINTAINERS OF ROMISH ERROVRS and superstitious abuses were onely a faction in the same at the time when Luther not without the applause of all good men published his propositions against the prophane abuse of Papall indulgences To the Reader THis Appendix when first published by the Author contained only some briefe quotations vpon seuerall points of difference betweene us and the Papistes showing that the nowe Romish faith was neuer generally receiued in the VVesterne or Latine Church in the dayes of our Fathers no not then when the darke mist of Poperie seemed to haue ouershadowed all things The Author not long before he died intended an inlargment of it in the seuerall particulars but being preuented by death liued not to finish what hee had begun So much as was finished of it comming to my hands I thought my selfe bound in duty not to depriue the world of I haue therefore so farre aduentured to hazard the credit of the Author as to make it publique though something imperfect and wanting that lustre and beauty which it might haue receiued from the last hand of the Author if God had lent him longer life As it is it may serue if for no other vse yet for this as a platforme to shew what might be done in this kind and what the Author intended I make no question but a fauourable Reader will looke on it as wee vse to looke on the foundations of stately buildings the finishing whereof hath beene hindred by some fatall accident the very ruines whereof breede in us astonishment and amazement while we consider not what they are but what they might haue beene The twelue first chapters of this Appendix are enlarged the rest remaine as they were formerly set forth The quotations contained in that part which hath beene added I haue compared and amended if any where they differed from the Originalls whence they were taken and the truth of them I am able to iustifie If the world shall reape any benifit by the worke or if I may be thought by my paines bestowed on it to haue performed that duty wich I owe vnto the memorie of a deare father I haue my desire and so I rest Yours in all due respect NATHANIEL FIELD AN ANSWER TO Mr Brerelyes obiection concerning the Masse publiquelie vsed in all Churches at LVTHERS appearing WHereas to silence our adversaries who neuer cease challenging vs for departing from the faith of our Fathers and the doctrine of the Church wherein they liued and died I affirmed in my 3◠Booke that none of those erroneous positions which at this day they of the Romish faction doe defend and wee impugne were euer constantly receiued in the dayes of our Fathers as the doctrine of that Church wherein they liued and died but onely doubtfully disputed of as things not clearely resolued or broached onely as the priuate fancies and conceipts of particular men and for proofe heereof heeretofore added an Appendix wherein I produced the testimonies of sundry worthy Pastours and guides of the Church in euery age teaching as we doe touching the points now controversed It hath pleased some of the adverse faction to take exceptions to the same my assertion I will first therefore set downe such objections as they haue made and answere the same and then enlarge my former proofes that all that will not be wilfully blinde may see the trueth of that which I affirmed The principall man that shewed himselfe in this kinde is M ◠Brerelie the Author of the booke entitled the Protestant Apologie And after him the author of the answer to Mr D Whites way to the Church M Brerelie in the first tract pag. 139 hath these words It is beyond beleefe and very wonderment that D Field a man otherwise graue and learned should not be abashed by his publique writing so confidently to averre of our so many Christian Catholique Churches dispersed thorough the world at Luthers first appearing that they were all of them the true Protestant Churches of God And that they which then beleeued those damnable errours which the Romanists now defend were a particular faction onely contrary to the confession of so many learned Protestants And in his 2 tract cap. 2. sect 2 pag. 329. hee hath these words In this vndue sort doth Illyricus place in his catalogue of Protestant witnesses Gerson Aquinas and sundry of our Schoolemen all of them vndoubtedly knowne Catholiques and we could giue like farther example of S. Bernard Erasmus Mirandula and sundry other knowne Catholique Writers whom our adversaries in like manner doe vnjustly claime to bee of their Church D Field a prime adversarie and for such was together with the Bishops and Deanes summoned to the conference before his Majestie in Ianuarie 1603 as appeareth by the said conference forbeareth not in these straits to inforce the like vndue and intollerable bold claime to the many Catholiques a particular faction of them onely excepted dispersed thorough the world at and next before Luthers first appearing And in his third Booke of the Church cap. 12. pag. 85 saith nothing is done in the Protestant reformation which Camaracensis Picus Savanarola Gerson and innumerable other worthy guides of Gods Church long before thought 〈◊〉 fit to bee done And pag. 330 Mr Brerelie addeth these wordes D. Feild of the Church l. 3. c. 6. sayth it is most fond friuolous that some demaund where our Church was before Luther began For we say it was where now it is and that it was the knowne apparant Church in the world where all our Fathers liued died And most exceeding boldly hee there farther sayth none of the poynts of false doctrine errour which the Romanists now maintaine we condemne were the doctrines of that Church constantly deliuered or generally receiued but doubtfully broached and factiously defended by some certaine only And booke the third cap. 8. pag. 76 he proceedeth yet farther with like incredible boldnesse saying we must farther beleeue that all the Churches in the world wherein our Fathers liued died were the true Churches of God that they that taught the errours the Romanists now defend against vs were a faction only as they that denied the resurrection vrged circumcision despised the Apostles of Christ were in the Churches of Corinth Galatia Who can without amazement and wonder behold this incredible boldnesse For was not the Masse wherein are comprehended so many cheife points of our Religion the publique liturgie solemnly celebrated in all Churches at Luthers first appearing Was then the externall face of religion any other then our now professed Catholique faith Was Protestancie then so much as in beeing No marvaile then if our aduersaries doubt not to make vndue and pretended claime to the auncient Fathers seeing they blush
rightly noteth that there is no merit properly so named to bee attributed to mortall miserable men and that though the ecclesiasticall writers vse the word merit and when they speake of holy mens workes call them merits yet they thinke them not to bee properly so but doe so name the good actions of holy men that proceed from faith and the working of the holy Ghost because Almighty God though they bee his gifts and joyned in them by whom they are wrought with defect imperfection yet is so pleased to accept of them out of his goodnesse that he not onely rewardeth the doers of them with ample great rewards in their owne persons but so as to doe good to others for their sakes So God sayd to Abraham if there were but fifty righteous in the city hee would spare the whole city for their sakes Neither onely doth hee good for their sakes whose workes hee thus rewardeth while they liue but euen after they à re dead also And therefore God promiseth that hee will protect Hierusalem for his owne sake and for Dauid his seruant which he must be vnderstood to doe not onely in respect of the promise made vnto him but with respect had to his vertue according to the which we read 1 Reg. 15. 3. that God left a little light in Hierusalem to Abiam the sonne of Roboam King of Iudah for Dauids sake who did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. This Dauid saith Chrysostome did not only please God while he was in the body but he is found to haue yeelded great comfort after his death to such as he left behinde him aliue The Prophet Esay commeth to Hezekiah and saith vnto him I will defend this city for mine own sake and for Dauid my seruants sake David is dead but his vertues that pleased God do still liue O strange thing O ineffable clemencie a man long since dead patronizeth him that liueth In this sense then it is that the Church desireth God to be gratious vnto her in graunting her petitions for the merit of those his holiest Ones that she remembreth no way derogating from the merites of Christ but putting a great difference betweene them and those of the Saints for Christs merite is the onely price of our redemption by which onely we are redeemed from sinne eternall death and being reconciled to God are adopted to bee sonnes and heires of eternall life but the merites of the Saints here mentioned are nothing but those imperfect good workes which they did while they liued here which God was pleased so to accept that hee promised not onely to reward them with great and ample rewards in their owne persons but to doe good for their sakes that did them to others also Bucer speaking of the publique prayers of the Church which wee call Collects in which the intercession and merites of Saints are commemorated hath these words Seeing in these prayers whatsoeuer is attributed to the intercession and merites of Saints all that is asked not of the Saints but of our mercifull God through Iesus Christ they that so pray doe thereby professe and testifie that they acknowledge that those things which they aske of God by the intercession and for the merites of the Saints are the free gifts of God c And a little after Wee willingly acknowledge and publiquely professe that GOD doth reward the workes of his Saints not onely in their owne persons but in those also that pertaine vnto them and for whom they intercede for hee hath promised to doe good to a thousand generations to them that loue him and study to keepe his Commaundements hence it was that hee would not heale those of the house of Abimelech till Abraham interceded and intreated for them and hence it was that God graunted and gaue the deliuerance and saluation of all the people to Moses when he intreated for the same These are the wordes of Bucer which not being contradicted by any of our profession it is evident that no part of Romish Religion disliked by vs can bee prooued out of this part of the Canon of the Masse Thus hauing cleared that great objection of Mr Brerelie touching the publique Liturgie vsed in the Church in the dayes of our Fathers and made it appeare that the vsing thereof is no proofe that the Church that then was was not a Protestant Church and hauing made it cleare and evident that both the Liturgie it selfe and the profession of such as vsed it shew plainely that the Church that then was neuer allowed any Romish errour howsoeuer some did in the midst of her it remaineth that I now proceed to shew in the particulars that the outward face of Religion at and before Luthers appearing was not as M ◠Brerelie telleth vs the now professed Romane Religion and that whatsoeuer wee haue done in the reformation of the Church was long before wished for and desired by the best men amongst the guides of the Church CHAP. 1. Of the Canon of the Scriptures THat the Church did not admit the Canon of Scripture which the Romanists now doe nor euer accounted those bookes Canonicall which we thinke to be Apocryphall it will easily appeare in that all the most famous Divines from the beginning of the Christian World euen till the time of Luther did reject those bookes as Apocryphall that wee doe The Church of the Iewes to whom as S. Paul saith the oracles of God were committed admitted but onely 22 Bookes as deliuered to them from God to be the Canon of their faith as Iosephus witnesseth Neither did the Christian Church euer admit any more Melito Bishop of Sardis being desired by Onesimus to send him a catalogue of the bookes of the old and new Testament writeth thus vnto him Hauing diligently sought out the bookes of the old Testament and put them in order I haue sent them vnto you the names whereof are these the 5 bookes of Moses Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numbers Deuteronomie then Iesus the sonne of Naue Iudges Ruth the 4 bookes of Kings two bookes of Chronicles the Psalmes of Dauid the Prouerbes which is also called the Wisdome of Salomon Ecclesiastes the Canticles Iob the Prophets Esay Hieremie one booke of the twelue Prophets Daniel Ezechiel Esdras Some soe translate the words of Melito as if hee reckoned the wisdome of Salomon as a seperate booke and so meant the booke that is commonly called the Wisdome of Salomon and is by vs accounted to be apocryphall but Ruffinus translateth as wee doe and that wee haue rightly expressed the meaning of this worthy Bishoppe and that hee onely added this as a glorious title to the booke of Salomons Prouerbs which as Eusebius saith the auncients vsually called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reader will soone be satisfied if he peruse that which D. Raynolds hath touching this point in his prelections Eusebius she weth that Iosephus according to the auncient
information of manners yet is their authority thought to bee too weake to proue things that are in controversie And writing vpon the first of Esdras 1. c. he saith that though the bookes of Tobias Iudith and the Macchabees bee historicall bookes yet he intendeth to pasle them ouer because they are not in the Canon neither with the Iewes nor with the Christians Tostatus Bishop of Abulen approueth the judgment of Lyra. Ximenius that was made a Cardinall in the time of Leo the 10â— put forth the Bibles called Biblia Complutensia and in the Preface before the same treating of the bookes by vs thought to bee Apocryphall hee sayth they are not in the Canon and that the Church readeth them rather for edification of the people then to confirme any doubtfull points of doctrine and that therefore they are not Canonicall Dionysius Carthusianus in his Prologues before the bookes of Ecclesiasticus and Tobias denyeth them to bee Canonicall as also the booke of Iudith and writing vpon the first Chapter of Macchabees hee denieth it to bee Canonicall Ludovicus Vives treating of History sacred and prophane now come in sayth hee the bookes of Kings and the Chronicles the Apocryphall bookes of Hester Tobias and Iudith Esdras which being divided into foure bookes the two first are accounted Canonicall by the Hebrewes the two latter are Apocryphall And in another place speaking of the History of Susanna and Bell he putteth them amongst the Apocrypha With these accordeth Driedo To these may bee added the Glosses The ordinary Glosse was begun by Alcuinus as Antoninus Florentinus Gaguinus doe thinke or by Strabus Fuldensis as Trithemius Sixtus Senensis thinke but it was afterwards inlarged by diuerse which gathered sundry sentences and sayings out of the writings of the Fathers and put them into it This Glosse grew to bee in great request and vsed in all Churches of the West In the preface thereof are these words There are some bookes canonicall some not canonicall betweene which there is as great difference as there is betweene that which is certaine and that which is doubtfull For the canonicall bookes were composed by the immediate direction and suggestion of the holy spirit they that are not canonicall are very good and profitable but their authoritie is not reputed sufficient to proue the things that are questionable This the authour thinketh so cleere that hee fastneth the note of ignorance vpon all such as thinke otherwise and professeth that therefore he held it necessarie to prefixe this preface because there are many who not giuing themselues much to the study of holy Scripture suppose that all those bookes that are bound vp together in the Bible are to bee in like sorte honoured and esteemed not knowing how to put a difference betweene bookes canonicall and not canonicall which the Hebrewes separate from the canon and the Greekes account apocryphall and so oftentimes make themselues ridiculous to them that are learned Hee citeth the authority of Origen Hierome and Ruffinus rejecting the six bookes questioned and though hee knew the opinion of Augustine yet doth hee not follow it onely hee sayth that amongst the bookes not canonicall they that are reiected by Augustine as Baruch and the third and fourth of Esdras are lesse to bee esteemed then those that hee alloweth And immediately after this preface followeth Hieromes epistle to Paulinus and afterwards his prologus galeatus and his prologue before the bookes of Solomon And the glosse every where inculcateth when it commeth to these six bookes that they are not canonicall Incipit liber Tobiae c. Heere beginnes the booke of Tobias which is not canonicall c. In the edition of the Bibles with the Glosses there is found an exposition of the prologues of Hierome written and composed by Brito more auncient then Lyra for hee is cited by him and honoured with the title of a famous and worthy man who professeth that the bookes questioned are not canonicall Gratian in the decree maketh no mention of the opinion of Gelasius touching the canonicall Scriptures disliking as it seemeth his opinion and yet not willing to oppose against it But the Glosse vpon the next distinction saith there are certaine apocryphall bookes that is without authour as the Wisedome of Solomon the booke of Iesus the sonne of Sirach called Ecclesiasticus the booke of Iudith the booke of Tobias and the bookes of the Macchabees these bookes are sayd to bee apocryphall and yet they are read but happily not generally Driedo citeth this place of the glosse and reprehendeth the authour of it as not giving the true reason why these bookes are called apocryphall but yet thinketh as hee doth that they are apocryphall Sanctes Pagninus in his epitome of historicall bookes that are canonicall prefixed before the Bible translated by him into Latine accounteth all those that Hierome doth to be canonicall the rest hagiographall Bruciolus in the preface of his commentaries vpon the Bible translated by him into Italian saith he hath commented vpon all the bookes of the old testament yet hee hath not commented vpon the six bookes that are questioned In the Bibles put out at Antwerpe by Arias Montanus with the interlineall translation all those bookes are omitted In the edition of the Bible printed at Antwerpe by Birkmannus that very yeare that the councell of Trent was holden to determine this point touching the Canonicall and Apocryphall Scriptures and the like the author suppressing his name prefixeth a preface before the same his edition and in it reiecteth all the bookes now questioned in more peremptory sort then many of the former did Here wee see a cloud of witnesses in all ages and in all parts of the world witnessing to the truth of that wee affirme touching the canon of the Scripture and reiecting those bookes as Apocryphall or not Canonicall which wee reiect euen till and after the time of Luther soe that the Church wherein our Fathers liued and died is found as I sayd to bee in this point a Protestant Church wherefore let vs proceed to other particular points of controversie CHAP. 2. Of the sufficiencie of the Scripture THat the Church formerly did not deny the sufficiencie of the Scripture for the direction of Christian men in matters of faith and religion as the Romanists now doe but acknowledged and taught that it containeth all things necessary to salvation accordingly as wee now professe it appeareth by the testimonies of these diuines Gregorius Ariminensis sometimes Prior generall of the friars Heremites of the order of Saint Augustine writing vpon the sentences hath these words That is properly a theologicall discourse that consisteth of sayings or propositions contained in the holy scripture or of such as are deduced thence or at the least of such as are consequent and to bee deduced from one of these this sayth hee is proued ex communi omnium conceptione nam omnes arbitrantur
that are already wise and exercised in things that are diuine and therfore they must begin with authority Hugo de Sancto Victore maketh three sorts of beleeuers for there are sayth he qui solâ pietate credere eligunt qui vtrùm credendum sit vel non credendum ratione non comprehendunt alii ratione approbant quod fide credunt alii puritate cordis mundâ conscientiâ interius iam gustare incipiunt quod fide crediderunt The first are moued to beleeue out of piety finding the Maiesty of God to present it selfe vnto them in the word of truth and happy communion of the people professing the same challenging their attention and readinesse to bee taught by him In the second the light of diuine reason causeth approbation of that they belieue In the third sort the purity of diuine vnderstanding apprehendeth most certainely the things belieued and causeth a foretasting of those things that hereafter more fully shall be enjoied They that are thus established in the faith do now already begin to foretast that which they long in heaueÌ„ distinctly to know and enjoy and begin already to haue God present with them by force of diuine contemplation so that if all the world should be turned into miracles they could not remoue them from the certainety of their perswasion Hence it is that Pycus sayth in his Conclusions that as faith which is but a bare credulity is in degree of perfection lesse then Science soe true faith is greater and more certaine then any science gotten by demonstration Thus then we may easily discerue what is the formall reason of our faith or inducing vs to beleeue In things that are therefore belieued because knowne as in the principles conclusions of naturall knowledge the euidence of things appearing to vs is the formall reason of our beleefe and perswasion In things first belieued and afterwards known the euidence of the things appearing vnto vs being inlightned by the light of grace In things only belieued and not knowne the authority of God himselfe whom wee do most certainly discerne to speake in the worde of Faith which is preached vnto vs. Si puros oculos integros sensus illuc afferamus sayth Caluin statim occurret Dei majestas quae subactâ reclamandi audaciâ nos sibi parere cogat If we bring pure eyes and perfect senses the Majesty of God presently presenteth it selfe vnto us in the diuine Scripture and beating down al thoughts of contradicting or doubting of things so heauenly forceth vs to obey For Non dubium vim numinis illic vigere spirare sentimus quâ ad parendum scientes quidem ac volentes viuidiùs tamen efficaciùs quà m pro humana aut voluntate aut scientia trahimur ac accendimur We find a greater light of vnderstanding shining vnto vs in this doctrine of faith then is found within the compasse of nature a satisfaction touching many things in which humane reason could not satisfie vs in a joy exultation of the heart such and so great as groweth not out of nature This maketh vs assure our selues the doctrine which thus affecteth vs is reuealed from God that they are the only people of God and haue the meanes of happinesse where this treasure of heauenly wisdome is found that those bookes are the richest jewell that the world possesseth and ought to be the Canon of our faith which this people deliuereth unto vs as receiued from them to whom these things were first of all made knowne and reuealed So then that God speaketh in the Scripture and is the Author of it we know more certainely than any thing that is knowne by naturall light of reason and thereupon wee beleeue all things therein contained though many of them are such as can neuer be knowne of vs as those that are historicall and other such as are not knowne at first though after we haue belieued we begin to vnderstand and know them Herevnto agree the best learned and most deuout and religious amongst the Schoole-men For the greater part of them were giuen to curious disputes but voyd of all deuotion as Gerson complaineth Alexander of Hales sayth there is a certainty of speculation and a certainetie of experience a certainty in respect of the vnderstanding and a certainetie in respect of the affection a certainty in respect of the spirituall man and a certainety in respect of the naturall man and pronounceth that the things apprehended by vs in diuine knowledge are more certainely discerned by such as are spirituall in the certainty of experience in the certainety which is in respect of affection and by way of spirituall taste and feeling than anie thing is discerned in the light of naturall vnderstanding Quà m dulcia faucibus meis eloquia tua sayth the Prophet Dauid How sweete are thy wordes O Lord vnto my mouth They are sweeter than the hony and the hony combe And again I haue knowne long since that thou hast established them for euer Thus then it is true that the authority of Gods Church prepareth vs vnto the faith and serueth as an introduction to bring vs to the discerning and perfect apprehension of diuine things but is not the ground of our faith and reason of beleeuing And that doubtlesse is the meaning of those wordes of Augustine that hee would not beleeue the Gospell if the authority of the Church did not moue him thereunto CHAP. 9. Of the meaning of those wordes of Augustine that he would not beleeue thâ—… Gospell if the authority of the Church did not moue him THe Diuines giue two explications of these wordes of Augustine For Occam and some others say the Church whereof hee speaketh is not the multitude of beleeuers that now are in the World but the whole number of them that are and haue beene since Christ appeared in the flesh so including the Apostles in which sense they confesse the Church comprehending in it the Apostles and writers of the whole Scripture of the new Testament is of greater authority then the bookes of the Gospell written by them and deliuered to posterities Others taking the name of the Church to signifie onely the beleeuers that now presently are in the world say the meaning of Augustine is that he had neuer beleeued the Gospell if the authoritie of the Church had not beene an introduction vnto him Not that his faith rested vpon it as a finall stay but that it caused him so farre to respect the word of the Gospell to listen vnto it and with a kinde of acquisite and humane faith to beleeue it that hee was thereby fitted to a better illumination by force whereof hee might more certainely know and beleeue it to be of God To which purpose Waldensis out of Thomas Aquinas obserueth that as the Samaritans beleeued that Christ was the promised Sauiour vpon the report of the woman that talked with him made vnto them but afterwardes hauing
and as after him all men of note in the Latine Church did There was great exception taken to Hierome for aduenturing to translate the scripture out of Hebrew and among others Augustine and the Africans seemed not much to like it They therefore reckon the bookes of Scripture according as they found them in vse in the Latine Church not exactly noting the difference of the one from the other yet not denying but that the Hebrew Canon consisted only of two and twenty bookes and that many tooke exceptions to them when they alleaged any testimonies out of those bookes the Hebrewes admit not Against which exceptions Augustine no otherwise iustifieth himselfe but by the vse of the Church in reading them Which proofe is too weake to proue them Canonicall seeing the prayer of Manasses confessed by our aduersaries to be Apocryphall the third and fourth of Esdras the booke called Pastor and some other were likewise read by them of the Church cited by them in their writings and many things translated out of them into the publike prayers and Liturgies of the Church Thus then these Father 's not looking carefully into the originals name all those bookes Canonicall which the vse of Gods Church approoued as profitable and containing matter of good instruction and so numbred the bookes of Wisdome the rest with the Canonicall Whose opinion yet as Caietane thinketh was not that they were absolutely Canonicall but in a sort in that they containe a good direction of mens manners These the Greeke Fathers rejected from the Canon admitting only those which the reformed Churches at this day admitte as also almost all the diuines of the Latine Church after Hierome doe That some of the Greeke Fathers rejected the booke of Hester it was as Sixtus Senensis rightly noteth by reason of those Apocryphall additions which they not being skilfull in the Hebrew tongue did not discerne from the true parts of it which errour made them to reject the whole booke as Apocryphall This was also the reason why they admitted those Apochryphall additaments joyned to the booke of Daniel Howsoeuer it appeareth that all they which diligently looked into these things did admit all those bookes which we admitte and reject all those which we reject Neither is there any one amongst all the auncient before the third Councell of Carthage that clearely and of set purpose numbreth the bookes controuersed betweene vs and our aduersaries with the bookes of the Canon Melito then Bishop of Sardis going purposely into the East parts of the world that he might diligently search out the monuments and sacred bookes of diuine knowledge reckoneth those only Canonicall which we do saue that he addeth the booke of Wisdome Origen admitteth and acknowledgeth onely two and twenty bookes of the old Testament Athanasius likewise numbreth the books of the Canon in the same sort and addeth There are also certaine other bookes which are read only to the Catechumens and nouices Hilarius sayth the law of the old Couenant is contained in two and twenty bookes answerable to the number of the Hebrew letters Nazianzene also is of the same opinion and Cyrillus Bishop of Hierusalem onely he addeth the booke of Baruch thinking it to be a part of Ieremies Prophecies but suffereth not any others to be added saying The Apostles and first Bishops which deliuered these only were wiser and much more to be esteemed than such as now goe about to adde others Of the same judgment are Epiphanius Ruffinus Hierome and Gregory And Iosephus confirmeth the opinion of these Fathers saying that from the time of Artaxerxes till the age wherein he liued all things were cōmitted to writing which concerned the state of Gods people and Religion but that they were not of equall authority with those which were formerly written because after that time the indubitate succession of the Prophets ceased Vnto these authorities of the Fathers some of our aduersaries as Andradius and others doe answere that they speake of the Canon of the Hebrewes and not of the Canon of the Church so not denying absolutely these bookes to bee canonicall but that they are not so esteemed by the Iewes but this aunswere the wordes of Hierome doe most clearely refute As sayth hee the Church not the Synagogue of the Iewes readeth the bookes of Iudeth Tobias and the Maccabees but receiueth them not as Canonicall Scriptures so likewise it may reade these two bookes of Wisedome and Ecclesiasticus for the edification of the people but not for confirmation of doubtfull poynts of doctrine And therefore Bellarmine Sixtus Senensis and others clearely confesse that this answere of Andradius is insufficient They therefore adde another to wit that the Canon was not perfectly knowen and confirmed in the time of those Fathers Wee aske them when it was confirmed If they say in the Councell of Nice which as Hierome sayth some report receiued the booke of Iudeth as Canonicall though Lindan say it is not likely it did and that Hierome did not say it did so but that some reported so wee aske how it came to passe that so many Catholike Diuines after the Nicene Councell reiected these bookes as they did before If they say they were confirmed in the Councell of Cartharge that was but a prouinciall Councell as was that of Laodicea in which they are not mentioned If they say the Councell of Carthage was confirmed in the sixt generall Councell holden at Trullo wee answere first that it was no more confirmed there than that of Laodicea and as Canus noteth the sixt Councell doeth not expressely name the third Councell of Carthage but onely speaketh of Canons agreed vpon in new Carthage Secondly wee say that those Canons of the sixt Councell wherein this pretended confirmation is found are of no credit with the Romanists so that it is cleare that neither the Nicene Councell nor this other did confirme the authoritie of the bookes questioned as appeareth by the consent of almost all the worthiest Diuines in the Church after those Councells till our age as Gregory Damascenus Hugo de Sancto Victore Ricardus de sancto Victore Petrus Cluniacensis Lyranus Dionysius Carthusianus Hugo Cardinalis Thomas Aquinas Occam Picus Mirandula Waldensis Armacanus Driedo Caietane and others CHAP. 24. Of the vncertainty and contrariety found amongst Papists touching bookes Canonicall and Apocryphall now controversed BVt let vs come particularly to the bookes controversed and see how sweetely our aduersaries agree with themselues in admitting or reiecting them First touching the booke of Baruch though the Councell of Florence and Trent haue confirmed it to be Canonicall yet Melchior Canus sayth it is doubtfull whether it be or not and yet sayth if it bee not Canonicall the Councels of Florence Trent haue erred and the people
force his people to borrow the bookes of Scripture one from another Onely some doubt there is touching the Gospel of Mathew the Epistle to the Hebrewes which are supposed to haue been written in Hebrew and the Gospell of Marke written as some say in Latine That the Gospell of Mathew was written in Hebrew Hierome others affirme Guido Fabritius sayth it was written in Hebrew but in vulgar Hebrew which is the Syriacke that they of Hierusalem did speake which opinion others seeme to incline vnto the Gospell in Hebrew which some bring forth being of no credit The Epistle to the Hebrewes some say was written in Hebrew translated by Luke or Barnab as into Greeke The Syrians say the Gospell of Marke was first written in Latine that afterward hee translated both it and the whole New Testament beside into Syriacke which they say they haue preserued to this day This Syriacke Translation of the New Testament was not knowne in these parts of the world till our age as Fabritius Boderianus noteth who thereupon breaketh out into the praises of our times if the men of this generation either knew the happinesse thereof or how to vse it Howbeit that Marke was Authour of this Syriacke translation which the Syrians in this age haue deliuered vnto vs wee cannot perswade our selues because none of the Fathers that liued in Syria and Egypt as Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Eusebius Athanasius Theophilus Epiphanius Hierome Cyrill Theodoret and Damascen make any mention of it besides it is apparantly defectiue in diuerse things as the learned note So then the indubitate originals of these parts of the New Testament in Hebrew or Syriacke if they were written at first in these tongues being lost and the Church depriued of them the Greeke is holden to bee Originall in respect of all the bookes of the New Testament For that either they were all written in it or translated into it by the Apostles or Apostolike men CHAP. 26. Of the translations of the old Testament out of Hebrew into Greeke THus hauing deliuered in what tongues the Scriptures and bookes of God were written it remayneth that we enquire what the principall translations of them haue beene and whether the indubitate verity of them be in the originals or in the translations There was as some suppose a translation of the old Testament out of Hebrew into Greeke before the time of Alexander the great but the first that was in note and remayned long in esteeme in the world was that of the Septuagint in the time of Ptolomaeus Philadelphus Who intending to furnish a Librarie at Alexandria with all the choisest bookes the world would affoord amongst other places sent to Hierusalem to the rulers guides of the people there who sent vnto him the bookes of Moses and the Prophets written in Hebrewe in letters of gold Which hee not vnderstanding sent the second time for interpreters and they sent vnto him 72 in imitation of Moses who when hee went vp to the Mount to receiue the Law being commaunded to take with him 70 of the Elders of Israell added two to the number prescribed lest taking six out of some Tribes and but fiue out of other some dislike might haue grown amongst them These in 70 dayes translated the whole old Testament out of Hebrew into Greeke For though Iosephus and the Iewes say they translated onely the bookes of Moses yet the consenting voyce of all the Fathers affirming that they translated the whole mooueth vs rather to thinke the whole was translated by them then onely the bookes of Moses vnlesse wee say with Iunius for the reconciling of this difference that onely the bookes of Moses were translated by the first 72. sent to Ptolomee and the rest afterwards by 72 also though not the same That which some report that they were shutte vp in severall celles which long after were to be seene at Alexandria Hierome rejecteth as a fable shewing that no such thing is reported by Aristaeus that was present at the businesse and that no remaynder of any such celles was to bee found at Alexandria but that they met in one place and conferring together euery day till the ninth houre in 70 dayes perfected the whole worke and Augustine leaueth it doubtfull This fable is vrged by some to proue that these translatours were guided by a propheticall spirite and so could not erre which false and absurd conceite Hierome condemneth likewise The second translation of the old Testament out of Hebrew into Greeke was that of Aquila in the time of Adrian the Emperour the 3. of Theodotion in the time of Commodus The fourth of Symachus in the time of Seuerus The fift without name of author was found in the City of Hiericho in the time of Antonius Caracalla The sixt in Nicopolis in the dayes of Alexander the son of Mammca The seaventh of Origen who translated not but corrected the translation of the Septuagint adding some things out of Theodotions translation which additions he noted with the marke of a shining starre detracting other thinges which he pearced through with a spitte The eight of Lucian the Martyr was not a translation but a correction only of such faults as were crept into the translation of the Septuagint This was found at Nicomedia in the time of Constantine Lucian being martyred long before in the dayes of Dioclesian the Emperour The ninth of Hesichius was likewise but a correction of such things as were amisse in the vulgar editions of the Septuagint It appeareth by Hierome in his preface before the bookes of Chronicles that they of Alexandria Egypt vsed that edition of the Septuagint which Hesichius corrected they of Constantinople that of Lucian the Martyr and they of the Prouinces and Countries lying betweene these that which Origen corrected The Greeke translation found to neede correction and corrected by these as it seemeth was called by the name of the common edition not as being a different translation from that of the Septuagint but as being that which was common in all mens hands and much altered and corrupted from the originall purity which these worthy men endeauoured to restore it to againe And was so named because there was another preserued in greater purity in that worthy worke of Origen that filled all the famous libraries in the world in those times in which first diuiding euery page into sixe columnes or pillars in the first he put the Hebrewe in the Hebrewe Characters in the second in Greeke in the third the interpretation of Aquila in the fourth of Symmachus in the fift of the Septuagint in the sixt of Theodotion and named the volumes thus disposed in respect of the foure translations Tetrapla a foure fould worke in respect of these translations and the Hebrewe in two kind of Characters placed in two seuerall pillars or Columnes Hexapla a
sibi abstulisse veritatem that while they were vnwilling that we should haue any authoritie for confirmation of our faith in their Scriptures they would depriue themselues of the truth of them which they euer held the richest treasure in the world Especially seeing it hath euer beene thought by the wisest in Gods Church that God in his prouidence hath therefore preserued these forlorne and forsaken Creatures and dispersed them into the seuerall Nations and kingdomes of the World that they might giue testimony to the truth of our faith by those monuments of Moses and the Prophets which they honour and embrace as receiued from God himselfe Thus then we are perswaded that there is no great nor generall corruption of the Hebrew text of Scripture and that the faults which by negligence in time crept into it are but few and such as by helpe of the Mazzoreth may easily be amended But because Andradius Bellarmine and other of our aduersaries haue vndertaken the defence of the truth and confutation of their fellowes error in this poynt I will no longer insist vpon it let vs come therefore to the new Testament CHAP. 29 Of the supposed Corruptions of the Greeke text of Scripture IN the new testament sayth Sixtus Senensis out of Hierome if any question arise amongst them that reade the Scriptures in Latine and there appeare difference variety amongst the translations we must haue recourse to the Greeke as to the fountaine assuring our selues that there were euer some incorrupt and true Copies of the new Testament found amongst them that read the same in Greeke out of which the Latine might be corrected and that if some faults be found in the Greeke Copies by the negligence or mistaking of them that wrote them out they may easily be discerned by laying together sundry Copies casually corrupted it so falling out that what in one booke is depraued by the fault of the writers in another is found right Now sayth he whereas certaine heretikes did say that either Hierome did not translate the same Greeke that now is or that he translated it very ill it is to be aunswered that the Greeke is the same which all Christians read translated before and after Hierome but that he translated it not but onely in some things corrected the old translation he found in vse before and that yet notwithstanding that vulgar and old translation is not wholly to bee abandoned and reiected for that though it doe not exactly agree with the Greeke which is the originall yet it omitteth nothing in matter of faith or truth of story nor hath any thing contrary to the trueth of religion The Romanists to proue that the Greeke text of the new Testament is corrupted and consequently that it is not safe to correct the Latine translations by it alledge certaine places which they presume they can easily demonstrate to bee corrupted Bellarmine giueth instance in these that follow In the 1 Cor 15. the Greeke that now is hath in all Copies The first man was of the earth earthly the second man is the Lord from heaven the later part of this sentence Tertullian supposeth to haue beene corrupted and altered by the Marcionites instead of that the Latine text hath The second man was from heauen heauenly as Ambrose Hierome and many of the Fathers read also Touching this place wee aunswere that not onely the Greeke Copies now extant haue it as we read and translate but the Syriacke Arabicke also and that Damascene de Orthodoxa fide readeth in the same sort Notwithstanding because many of the Fathers both Greeke and Latine follow the other reading we thinke it very doubtfull which is the originall verity This difference of the reading of the Apostles words is a matter of no great moment seeing neither of them contayne any thing contrary to the rule of faith or verity of Christian religion The second place they produce is 1 Iohn 4. 3. Where the Greeke hath Euery spirit that confesseth not c. but the Latine euery spirit that dissolueth Iesus It is true that Socrates in his history sayth that the auncient Greeke Copies had as the Latine now hath and that these words were put out by such as diuided the person of Christ yet seeing not onely all copies of the Greeke text but the Syriacke translation also hath Euery spirit that confesseth not c. and Cyprian so citeth the place and Augustine readeth and interpreteth both wee thinke it likewise very doubtfull which is the originall verity The next place is the 1. Cor 7. where in the vulgar Latine wee reade in this sort He that is with a wife is carefull for the things of the World how hee may please his wife and is diuided that is distracted with many cares but in the Greeke it is thus Hee that hath a wife is carefull for the thinges of the world how to please his wife there is a difference betweene a wife and a virgine or they are divided one from another That the former is the true reading of the Apostles words Bellarmine proueth because Hierome against Iouinian affirmeth it to be so and some other of the Fathers follow the same But he should know that not onely the most part of all the Greeke Copies haue as wee translate but the Syriacke and Arabicke translations also Besides Basil the Greeke Scholiast Theophylact and Hierome himselfe against Heluidius and to Eustochium de Custodia Virginitatis So that this proofe of the corruption of the Originalls prooueth too weake The next allegation concerning the 12. to the Romanes of serving the Lord and seruing the time is much weaker For Beza sheweth that some Greeke Copies haue as the vulgar hath and as Bellarmine sayth the truth is seruing the Lord. That the story of the Adulteresse in the 8 of Iohn is not found in many Greeke Copies doth not proue the generall corruption of the Greeke text which is the thing our aduersaries vndertake to proue For if it did the Latine also should bee reiected as corrupted and false For as Hierome witnesseth many of the Latine Copies wanted this story as well as the Greeke Some of the auncient were of opinion that this story was first found in the Apocryphall Gospell according to the Hebrewes But whatsoeuer wee thinke of it it maketh nothing against the authority of the Greeke text seeing it was euer found in some Greeke Copies though not in all The Rhemists to disgrace the Greeke alledge sundry places where they say our translators choose rather to follow the vulgar Latine then the Greeke thereby acknowledging that it is corrupt But if wee examine the particulars wee shall finde that this their allegation is nothing else but a lying and false report For they euer follow some and those the best and most incorrupt Greeke Copies as Beza sheweth Wherefore fayling in this allegation they betake
the time of his innocencie had but one commaundement which yet vnhappily he brake and that therefore they seeme to haue no sense of mans miserable wretched condition nor any way to compassionate his infirmitie that charge him with so many precepts besides those of God and Nature Whereupon he grauely and wisely concludeth that he supposeth that the wisest and best amongst the guides of Gods Church had not so ill a meaning as to haue all their constitutions ordinances taken for lawes properly so named much lesse strictly binding the conscience but for threatnings admonitions counsailes and directions onely And that when there groweth a generall neglect they seeme to consent to the abolishing of them againe For seeing lex instituitur cùm promulgatur vigorem habet cum moribus vtentium approbatur Lawes are made when they are published by such as haue authoritie but haue life force and vigour when the manners of men receiuing and obeying them giue them allowance Generall long continued disuse is and justly may be thought an abolishing and abrogating of humane lawes Whereas contrarywise against the Lawes of God and Nature no prescription or contrary vse doth euer prevaile but euery such contrary custome or practise is rightly judged a corruption and fault THE FIFTH BOOKE OF THE CHVRCH TOGETHER WITH AN APPENDIX CONTAINING A DEFENCE OF SVCH PARTES AND PASSAGES OF THE FORMER BOOKES AS HAVE BEENE EITHER EXCEPTED AGAINST OR WRESTED TO THE MAINtenance of Romish errours By RICHARD FIELD Doctour of Diuinity OXFORD Printed by WILLIAM TVRNER Printer to the famous Vniuersitie Ann. Dom. 1628. The Epistle to the Reader AS in the dayes of Noe they all perished in the waters that entred not into the Arke prepared by Gods owne appointment for the preseruation of such as should escape that fearefull and almost vniversall destruction So is it a most certaine and vndoubted truth good Christian Reader that none can flie from the wrath to come and attaine desired happinesse but such as enter into that society of men which we call the Church which is the chosen multitude of them whom God hath seperated from the rest of the world and to whom he hath in more speciall sort manifested himselfe by the knowledge of reuealed truth then to any other So that nothing is more necessary to be sought out and knowne then which and where this happy society of holy ones is that so wee may joyne our selues to the same and inherit the promises made vnto it according to that of the holy Patriarch Noe Blessed be the God of Sem and let Chanaan be his seruant the Lord perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Sem. The consideration whereof moued me when I was to enter into the controuersies of these times first and before all other things carefully to seeke out the nature and being of this Church the notes whereby it may be knowne which it is amongst all the societies of men in the world and what the priuiledges are that doe belong vnto it of all which things I haue treated in those foure Bookes of that argument which not long since I offered to thy viewe and censure Now it remaineth that in this insueing Booke then promised I shew in what sort almighty God who sitteth betweene the Cherubins in this his holy Temple reuealeth himselfe from off the mercy seate to such as by the calling of grace he hath caused to approach draw neare vnto himselfe and how he guideth and directeth them to the attaining of eternall felicity Many sundry waies did God reueale himselfe in ancient times as it is in the Epistle to the Hebrewes For sometimes he manifested himselfe to men waking by visions sometimes to men sleeping by dreames sometimes he appeared in a piller of a cloud sometimes in flaming fire sometimes he came walking a soft pace among the trees of the garden in the coole of the day sometimes he rent the rockes and claue the mountaines in sunder sometimes he spake with a still and soft voyce sometimes his thunders shooke the pillars of heauen and made the earth to tremble as in the giuing of the lawe when he came downe vpon Mount Sinai what time the people by Moses direction went forth to meete him but when they heard the thunders and the sound of the trumpet and saw the lightnings and the mountaine smoaking they fled stood a farre off sayd vnto Moses Talke thou with vs and we will heare thee but let not God talke with us lest we die This their petition Almighty God mercifully granted and knowing whereof they were made resolued no more to speake vnto them in soe terrible and fearefull manner but rather to put heauenly treasures into earthen vessels that is to enlighten the vnderstandings and to sanctifie the mouthes tongues of some amongst themselues and by them to make knowen his will pleasure to the rest In this sort after the giuing of the law he imployed the Priests Levites in a set and ordinary course appoynting that the people should seeke the knowledge of the same at their mouthes and in case of great confusion and generall defects of these ordinary guides raised vp Prophets as well to denounce his judgements against offenders and to reforme abuses as also to foreshew the future state of things and more more to raise in men a desire hope and expectation of the comming of the promised Messias whom in the fulnesse of time he sent into the world as the happiest Messenger of glad tidings that euer came vnto the sonnes of men and the Angell of the great couenant of peace causing this proclamation to be made before him This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him In him were hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge so that as it was sayd of him Hee hath done all things well so likewise that Neuer man spake as he spake But because he came not into this lower world to make his abode here perpetually but to cary vp with him into heaven our desires first and then our selues after he had wrought all righteousnesse and performed the worke for which hee came he returned backe to God that sent him Choosing out some of them that had been conuersant with him in the dayes of his flesh that had heard the words of his diuine wisedom were eye-witnesses of all the things he did suffered sending them as his father sent him who were therefore named Apostles These had many excellent preeminences proper to those beginnings and fit for the founding of Christian Churches as immediate calling infallibility of judgement generall commission the vnderstanding and knowledge of all tongues power to confirme their doctrine by signes and wonders and to conferre the miraculous gifts of the spirit vpon other also by the imposition of their hands In which things when they had finished their course they left none to succeede them yet out of their more large ample and immediate
that if the Apostles were equall in the respect they had to the people as gouernours of the same they were so far forth in that respect equall amongst thēselues But they will say perhaps that the Apostles were indeed equall amongst themselues in the power office of teaching directing guiding gouerning the Christian World but that yet amongst themselues there was an inequality one was superior had power ouer the rest not in respect of the acts of their office of teaching gouerning the world but in respect of their personall actions This surely is one of the strangest paradoxes that euer was heard of For who can imagine that God would trust the Apostles with the managing of the weightiest affaires of his Church the gouernment of the whole world without being any way accountant in respect thereof vnto any one amongst thē as superiour that he would appoint an head chief subject them to his censure in their personall actions Nay this is impossible cannot be For if in their office of teaching gouerning the rest of the Church they were equall could not therein be limited or restrained one by another then was there none amongst them that could put any of the rest from his office dignity and imployment Now it is most cleare and certaine that he who hath not power to suspend another from the execution of his office in the Church hath no power to suspend him frō the Sacraments or to excōmunicate him whatsoeuer his personall misdemeanours be For as to be a Minister of the Church presupposeth to bee a member of it soe to be put from being a member of the Church implyeth and presupposeth a putting from all office and dignity in the Church soe that there neither was nor could bee any amongst the Apostles that had power to put any of the rest out of the Church or to suspend them from the vse of the Sacraments seeing there was none found amongst them that had authority to limit restraine or debarre any of the rest from the execution of his office and therefore all that any one of them could do in respect of another was but to admonish him vpon his rejecting of such admonitions to refuse to communicate with him which thing any one may doe in an absolute equality as well as when one is superiour to another as we see by the example of Paul reprouing Peter and resisting him to his face and likewise by that of Paul and Barnabas parting the one from the other vpon such dislikes and differences as grew betweene them Wherefore I suppose our Aduersaries will not much insist vpon this their first shift and evasion Let vs see therefore if their second be any better It is true say they that all power Ecclesiasticall and all degrees of the same are included and implyed in the Apostolique office and dignity that the Apostles as Apostles were all equall and consequently that there was no one amongst the Apostles but in his time had as much to doe in gouerning of the Church as Peter without receiuing any thing from him or being any way subiect to his controule and to be restrained limited or directed by him But this amplitude of power whicch all the Apostles had in common the rest had onely for themselues and as a personall priuiledge that was to end with them but Peter had the same in such sort that he might leaue it to to his Successours Soe that that power which in the rest was Apostolique and temporary and to end with them was ordinary Pastorall and perpetuall in Peter and to be deriued from him to his Successours and after-commers Surely this second evasion will be found much worse then the first for it is absurd to say that Peter left all the dignity and Ecclesiasticall power he had in common with the rest of the Apostles to his successours for then all Popes should be immediately chosen by God not by the Cardinals then should they all be consecrated and ordained immediately by Christ not by Bishops then should they all see Christ in the flesh then should they all haue power to write bookes of Canonicall Scripture and be free from danger of erring whensoeuer they either preach or write for so the Apostles were yea then should they confirme their doctrine by miracles and giue the Holy Ghost by imposition of their Hands Whereas yet noe Pope dareth challenge any one of these preeminences If they say that all the dignity and power that was in the Apostles vvas not ordinary Pastorall and perpetuall in Peter and soe to be passed ouer to his Successours but some part of it onely it is just nothing they say For then this is all that they affirme that some part of that dignity and power that was in Peter is in Peters Successours and so there is in the silliest Priest in the world But they will say immediate vocation the seeing of Christ in the flesh infallibility of judgment power to write Canonicall bookes of Scripture and the confirmation of doctrine by miracles together with the giuing of the holy Ghost by imposition of hands were fitting to the first beginnings of Christianity and not of perpetuall necessity and vse and therefore to cease after things were established but that vniversality of jurisdiction and a kind of infallibility of judgment are perpetually necessarie and therefore these were to passe from Peter to others though the rest of the Apostolique preeminences were not Thus then first they amplifie the excellent dignities of Peter as if the rest had not had the like but being conuinced that hee had nothing the rest had not they make shew as if they would proue that the Apostle S. Peter had all those things in such sort that hee might leaue them to his Successours which the rest had as personall priuilidges onely because hee is described to be a Pastour of the Church in that CHRIST sayth vnto him Feed my sheepe and the office of a Pastour is of perpetuall necessity But being vrged that there are many excellent dignities found in Peter and the rest that are not communicable to any other as immediate vocation seeing of CHRIST in the flesh absolute infallibilitie in word and writing speaking in diuerse tongues power to doe miracles and power to giue the visible giftes of the holy Ghost by the imposition of hands they confesse that precisely Peters being a Pastour of the Christian Church will not proue that anie dignitie of his mentioned in the Scripture is perpetuall pastorall and to continue for euer vnlesse the necessity of the perpetuity of it bee made to appeare otherwise Whence it will follow that they cannot proue that any speciall preeminences in Peter which hee had in common with the rest as namely infallibility of judgment and vniuersality of Iurisdiction were Pastorall and perpetuall in him and to bee passed from him to his after-commers and thereby entitle the Pope vnto them For
Ambrose vpon Luke that the words of Almighty God which we read in Hieremie are to be vnderstood of a temporall kingdome and the words of the Angell of a spirituall and eternall kingdome That Christ was not a temporall King by right of election hee proueth by that of Christ himselfe when he saith O man who hath made me a judge or a diuider among you And by that of S. Iohn where he saith that When Christ knew they meant to come take him make him a King he fled againe himselfe alone into a mountaine So that he neither was chosen nor would haue accepted of any such choise That by right of conquest and victory hee was not a temporall King it appeareth in that his warre was not with mortall Kings to depriue them of their kingdomes but with the prince of darkenesse according to that of the Apostle To this purpose did the Sonne of God appeare that he might dissolue the workes of the Diuell And that againe Now is the Prince of this world cast out And that of Saint Paule who speaking of Christ sayth That spoyling principalities and powers hee made a shew of them openly triumphing ouer them in himselfe So that his warrefare was not by carnall weapons to get himselfe an earthly kingdome but by spirituall weapons mightie through God to get a spirituall kingdome that hee might reigne in the hearts of men by faith and grace where Sathan reigned before by infidelity disobedience and sinne Lastly that he was no temporall king by any speciall gift of God his Father it is euident out of his owne words when he saith My kingdome is not hence For as the Fathers note vpon these words Christ meant by so saying to put Pilate out of doubt that he affected no temporall kingdome And therefore the sence of his words must needes be this I am a King but not in such sort as Caesar and Herod My kingdome is not of this world that is The supports of it are not things of this world it doth not consist in honour riches and power of this world This thing the Cardinall farther proueth to be true because he came to minister and not to be ministred vnto to be judged and not to judge and by his whole course of conuersation shewed the same neuer taking vpon him to do any kingly act For whereas hee cast out the buyers and sellers out of the Temple it rather pertained to the Priestes office then the kings according to that which wee read in the old Testament that the Priest draue the king himselfe out of the Temple when disorderly he presumed to do things not pertaining to him and yet he did it not by any Priestly or kingly authority but after the manner of Prophets by a kind of diuine zeale like that wherewith Phinchees was moued to kill the adulterer and adulteresse and Elias to slay the Prophets of Baal This most true opinion of the Cardinall that Christ was no temporall king is farther confirmed in that such a kind of kingdome had not beene necessary Nay it had beene an hinderance to the worke he had in hand which was to perswade to the contempt of glorie honour riches pleasures and all such other earthly things wherewith the Kings of the earth abound and by suffering death to ouercome him that had the power of death and to reconcile the world vnto God And besides in that all the places where any mention is made of the kingdome of Christ are necessarily vnderstood of a spirituall and eternall kingdome So in the Psalme I am apointed of him a King to preach his commandement And againe in the booke of Daniel In their dayes shall God raise vp a kingdome which shall not be destroyed for euer And of his kingdome there shall be no end Whereas the kingdomes of men continue but for a time and therefore if Christ had beene a King in such sort while he was vpon the earth as men are he had ceased to be so when hee left the earth And then it could not haue beene true that of his kingdome there should be none end Nay seeing the kingdome of the Iewes was possessed by the Romanes at or immediately after the time of the departure of Christ out of the world and afterwards by the Saracens and Turkes how could that of Daniel haue beene fulfilled that his kingdome shall not be giuen to another people if his kingdome had beene like the kingdomes of men So it is true that Christ came into the world to be a king and that GOD gaue him the seate of Dauid his father But this kingdome was diuine spirituall eternall and proper vnto him in that hee was the Sonne of God and in that he was God and Man But a temporall kingdome such as the sonnes of men haue he had not And heereupon Saint Augustine bringeth in Christ speaking in this sort Audite Iudaej Gentes audi circumcisio audi praeputium audite omnia regnae terrena non impedio dominationem vestram in hoc mundo c. that is Heare O Iewes and Gentiles heare circumcision and vncircumcision heare all ye kingdomes of the earth I hinder not your dominion and rule in this world because my kingdome is not of this world Feare not therefore with that most vaine and causelesse feare wherewith Herod feared and slew so many innocent babes being cruell rather out of feare then anger and so forward shewing that the Kingdome of Christ is meerely spirituall and such as no way prejudiceth the kingdomes of men Which the Glosse confirmeth noting that Christ while hee was yet to liue longer in this world when the multitudes came to make him a King refused it but that when hee was ready to suffer he no way reproued but willingly accepted the hymnes of them that receiued him in triumphant manner and welcommed him to Hierusalem honouring him as a King because hee was a King not hauing a temporall and earthly kingdome but an heauenly Whereunto Leo agreeth shewing that Herod when hee heard a Prince was borne to the Iewes feared a successour but that his feare was vaine and causelesse saying O caeca stultae aemulationis impietas quae perturbandum putas divinum tuo furore consilium Dominus mundi temporale non quaerit regnumqui praestat aeternum that is Oblinde impietie of foolish emulation which thinkest to trouble and hinder the Counsels of God by thy furie The Lord of the World who giueth an eternall Kingdome came not into the World to seeke a temporall kingdome And Fulgentius accordeth with him saying The golde which the Sages offered to Christ shewed him to bee a King but not such a King as will haue his Image and superscription in the coyne but such an one as seeketh his image in the sonnes of men Whence it followeth he was no temporall or mundane King seeing they haue their images and superscriptions in their
to the whole Church of God to aske forgiuenesse for him because he saw the end of his life was neare at hand And besides all this in great haste put on him an Angelicall vesture or robe and released brake in sunder the bands of all those bitter curses whereunto hee had subiected the Emperour These were the turbulent proceedings of this cursed Hildebrand indeede a brand taken out of the very fire of hell to set on fire the course of nature and to put the whole world into a combustion whereof if this report mentioned by Sigebertus be true it repented him not a little before his death But howsoeuer it is most certaine that his best friends in the end beganne wholy to dislike him when they saw whither his violent and furious passions carried him and what wofull effects followed the same Gerochus saith Auentinus then whom no man was found more earnestly to defend Hildebrand by bookes written to iustifie his proceedings and who published to the world diuers crimes obiected to the Emperour mentioned by no other writer at the last constrained by the force of trueth taxed the pertinacy if not the tyranny of the Pope his adherents in this sort Romani inquit sibi diuinum vsurpant honorem rationem actorum reddere nolunt nec sibi dici aequo animo ferunt cur ita agis Illud Satyricum inculcant Sic volo sic iubeo sit pro ratione voluntas that is The Romanes take vnto themselues the honour that is proper vnto God they will giue no account for any thing they doe they will be subiect to no controll neither canne they endure with any patience that any man should say to any of them sir why doe you so That Satyricall saying they haue often in their mouthes so I will haue it so I command it to bee Let my will stand for a reason for so it shall Thus we see how ill a beginning the Popes made of deposing Emperours and how bad successe they had Which is not to bee maruailed at seeing in these attempts and practises they were contrary to Christ and his Apostles For these as Auentinus noteth acknowledged the Emperours as also all the holy Fathers did to be in the second place and ranke after God and before all mortall men giuen appointed and chosen by the immortall God and honoured them as hauing the crowne set vpon their heads by God himselfe they prayed daily for their prosperity they paid tribute vnto them and proclaimed them rebels against God that refused to bee subiect to them After this bad beginning some two or three other Popes succeeding attempted in like sort as Hildebrand had done to depose such Emperours as they were offended with Concerning whose attempts and practises let the Reader consider the censure of Cardinall Cusanus His words are these Let it suffice the Pope that he excelleth the Emperor as much as the Sun doth the Moone and the soule the body and let him not challenge that which pertaineth not to him neither let him affirme that the Empire is not but by him and in dependance on him and if haply the deposing of some kings Emperours the translation of the Empire moue him so presumptuously for to thinke let him know that if the respect of religion and due consideration of humility hindered not it were easie to answere all those thinges truly most clearely and so that haply these things should no way argue so great a power in the Pope as Pope without the consent or willing acceptation of the parties contending as is imagined For there wanted not in ancient times men to defend Henry the fourth crowned at Basil by the Legates of Rome from the excommunication of Gregory or Hildebrand Yea such there were that were Cardinals at that time and a certaine Councell holden at Rome nay which more is the Generall Councell at Basil holden at that time did the same things concerning the chusing of Honorius Pope for which Henry the Emperour was pronounced excommunicate And in like sort there are found things excellently and strongly written in defence of Fredericke the second a most valiant man and a most constant defender of the Faith as also in defence of other Emperours How much the Popes proceedings against Fredericke the second hindered the course of the sacred warre vndertaken at that time against the Infidels how many things the Pope charged him with which hee vtterly disclaimed how much all Christian Princes in the end beganne to dislike the pride of the Romane Court the Histories of those times do sufficiently make knowne vnto vs. Wherefore to conclude this point touching the Popes pretended power of deposing Princes seeing the first that euer attempted to exercise the same was that brand of hell Gregory the 7. seeing he had so ill successe in this his proud attempt and caused such confusions in the Christian world as the like had seldome or neuer bin before seeing the best learned about those times since condēned the opinion of thē that thinke the Pope may depose Princes as new strange if not hereticall we may safely resolue that the Pope taking vpon him to giue and take away kingdomes which is proper to God is that Antichrist that sitteth in the temple of God as if he were God CHAP. 47. Of the Ciuill dominion which the Popes haue by the gift of Princes HAuing proued that the Popes neither directly nor indirectly haue power ouer Princes the Kingdomes of the world or any thing to do in the managing and disposing of ciuill affaires by vertue of any grant from Christ let vs proceed to see what temporall dominion and ciuill power they haue by the grant of Princes It is the resolued opinion almost of all men saith Cusanus that Constantine the Emperour gaue the whole Empire of the West to Sylvester Bishop of Rome and to his successours for euer so that there can bee no Emperour of the West but such a one as must wholly depend of the Pope and acknowledge that hee holdeth the Imperiall Crowne of him Neither were there many found in auncient times that durst make question of this donation of Constantine yet doth this great Cardinall worthy Diuine professe that hauing sought diligently to find out the original of this supposed grant the certainty of it presupposing that Constantine might make such a grant which yet will neuer be proued he greatly wōdereth if euer there were any such thing For that there is no such thing to be foūd in authenticall bookes approued Histories I haue read ouer saith he againe and againe all the Acts of Popes and Emperours that by any meanes I could meete with the Histories of Saint Hierome who was most diligent in collecting all things the workes of Augustine Ambrose and other learned Fathers and the Acts of Generall Councels which haue beene since the Councell of Nice and can finde no such thing as this supposed donation nor
any thing that may import that euer there was any such donatiō neither can it stand with the course of things reported vnto vs by the auncient Historians and writers Damasus at the request of Hierome wrote the liues actions of his Predecessors yet in the life of Syluester reporteth no such thing He addeth further that hauing diligently perused the Charter of this grant hee found in it most euident arguments of forgery and falshood and therefore saith hee thinketh these things concerning Constantines donation to be Apocryphall as some other large writings attributed to Clemens Anacletus the Popes For first the Epistle of Melchiades touching the Primitiue Church the bounty of Constantine is proued coūterfeit in that he speaketh of the Councell of Nice holden after his death and of Constantines donation supposed to haue been granted in the time of Sylvester who succeeded him Besides this in the Charter of donation Constantine professeth that he was a Leper that hee was freed from the same by Sylvesters meanes by whom hee was baptized and that hee was first instructed in Christianity by him Whereas it is a meere fable that is reported of Constantines leprosie and it is most certaine that hee was a Christian before Syluester was Bishop of Rome I no where euer read saith Melchior Canus in any good and approued authors that Constantine was a Leper But another of that name surnamed Copronymus whence haply through ambiguity of the name this error might spring vnlesse this rumor concerning the Leprosie of Constantine may seeme to haue sprung from that we finde reported of him that he went out of the Citty of Byzantium to certaine hot bathes for his healthes sake Thomas Aquinas in his summe mentioneth this vulgar history of Constantines Leprosie and as it seemeth approueth the same but Caietane doth not so writing vpon Thomas neither wanteth hee good authors to induce him to reiect this fabulous report for hee hath Platina in the life of Marke Ludouicus Viues in his booke de corruptis disciplinis and Alciat all flatly denying and reiecting this report and hee hath all ancient writers of that age passing it ouer in silence who would neuer haue omitted it if they had knowne of any such thing and would vndoubtedly haue knowne it if there had beene any such thing Touching his Baptisme all the ancient Historians Hierome Eusebius Socrates Theodoritus Zozomen Cassiodorus Pomponius Laetus and other of that ranke affirme that he was baptized by Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia a little before his death and not by Syluester The author of the Pontificall who is full of fables the fained Charter of Constantines donation and some late writers deceiued by these late forgeries affirme that he was first conuerted to Christianity by Syluester Bishop of Rome and by him baptized which by no meanes can be true it being most certaine he was a Christian in the time of Melchiades Syluesters predecessor It is most certainely true sayth Cusanus that Constantine the Emperour was a Christian in the time of Melchiades the Pope as it appeareth by Austine in diuers places especially in his Epistle to Glorius and Eleusius These are proofes more then sufficient that the Edict of donation attributed to Constantine is counterfeit and forged and therefore Melchior Canus writeth thus of it The Lawyers do sufficiently shew that that forme of donation which is attributed to Constantine and commonly carried about is faigned and counterfeit in that they brand it with the disgraceful inscription of chaffe Eusebius Ruffinus Theodoret Socrates Zozomen Eutropius Victor and the other approued authors who most diligently wrote all the acts of Constantine do not onely passe by this supposed donation without making any mention of it but also deliuer that Constantine by his last will and testament so deuided the Prouinces subiect to the Romane Empire among his three sonnes that all Italy fell to the lot of one of them which being so religious a Prince hee would not haue done if he had formerly giuen Italy and all the Westerne part of the Empire to the Pope Ammianus Marcellinus reporteth that Constantine held the Soueraignty of Rome and appointed Leontius to be his Leiuetenant there all Historians do report that sundry Emperours long after the time of Constantines supposed donation ruled raigned as soueraigne Lords in Italy and euen in Rome it selfe Pope Agatho writing to Constantine that called the sixth Generall Councell acknowledgeth that Rome is Imperatoris seruilis vrbs that is the Emperours cittie in all humble and submissiue subiection and it is most euident that in the time of Gregory the first the Emperour held the citty of Rome and gouerned it by a Lord Deputy But some man perhaps will say that the acts of Syluester in which this donation is found are approued by Gelasius and a Synode of Bishoppes and that therefore wee may not doubt of it This allegation is easily answered For as Cusanus rightly noteth it is a very weake and slender confirmation of the actes of Pope Syluester that is found in Gelasius and the Synode of Bishoppes holden by him For Gelasius sayth onely the author of these actes is not knowne and that yet they are read by some Catholikes in the Church of Rome and many Churches by ancient vse imitate the same The writings also sayth hee concerning the inuention of the holy crosse of our Lord and some other writings concerning the inuention of the head of Saint Iohn Baptist are truely but nouell and late reuelations and yet some Catholiques read them But when writings of this kinde shall come into the hands of Catholikes let that sentence of blessed Paul the Apostle be before them Proue all things and hold that which is good Touching Gratian in whom this Charter of Donation is now found Antoninus Arch-bishop of Florence noteth that in the old bookes it was not found And therefore it is rightly noted and distinguished from other things of more credit by the inscription of Pale◅ that is chaffe because there is no good corne in it as Platina obserueth in the life of Iohn the seauenth with whom Contius the authour of a Preface before the Decrees agreeth affirming that those things that are so noted were at the first put into the margent onely and so after crept into the text and that many of them are not found in the most ancient bookes of Decrees And in his Annotations vpon that part of the Decrees where this fayned charter of Constantine is found insinuateth that this Chaffe is not in all bookes of Decrees Touching Isidore the Magdeburgians testifie that in old copyes there is nothing found concerning this supposed donation and the like may be thought of Iuo so that there is no Author of any credit that giueth testimony to this donation and they that doe speake of it speake so differently and vncertainely that from
and prouisions Touching the first Matthew Paris noteth that about the yeare of our Lord 1246 the Preaching Fryers obtained great priuiledges from the Pope to preach to heare confessions and to do other ministeriall acts euery where disgracing the ordinary Pastors as ignorant and insufficient to gouerne the people of God This new found order of Fryers he sayth seemed to many discreet and wise men to tend to the ouerthrow of the order of Pastors and Bishops setled by the blessed Apostles and holy Doctors and that not hauing beene aboue thirty yeares in England they were growne more out of order then the Monkes of S. Austine and Benedictes order were in many ages For such was their impudent and shameles boldnesse that they came to the Synodes of Bishops Prelates Arch-deacons sitting as Presidents in the middest of their Deanes Rectors and other worthy men requiring their letters of commission and priuiledge to be read and themselues to be admitted and commended to preach in their Synodes and Parish Churches as Embassadors and Angels of God with all honour In this insolent sort went they vp and downe from place to place and asked of euery man though of a religious profession to whom he confessed himselfe and if any one answered that hee made his confession to his owne Priest they asked againe what Ideot that was they told him hee was neuer hearer of Diuinity that hee neuer studied the Decrees and that he was not able to discusse any one cōtrouersy adding that such Priests wereblind guides of the blind willed all men to come vnto thē as to men knowing to discern betweene Leprosie and Leprosie to whom the hard and obscure things were knowne and the secrets of God reuealed whereupon many especially Noble-men and Noblewomen betooke themselues to these contemning their owne Pastors soe that the ordinary Ministers grew into great contempt which grieued them not a little nor without cause But of these Fryerly people no man hath written better then Armachanus who excellently deciphereth their intollerable hypocrisie iniustice and couetousnesse joyned with all cunning and coozening practises and deuises Their hypocrisie he discouereth in that though they pretended pouerty yet they had houses like the stately pallaces of Princes Churches more costly then any Cathedrall Churches more and richer Ornaments then all the Prelates of the world more and better bookes then all the Doctors and great learned men of the world cloysters and walking places so sumptuous stately and large that men of armes might fight on horsebacke and encounter one another with their speares in them and their apparell richer then the greatest and most reuerend prelates Their iniustice he sheweth in their iniurious intruding into other mens Churches charges depriuing thē of their authority honor maintenāce their couetousnes in that they sought only to do those things that might bring gaine and insinuated themselues into the fauour and liking of the great ones of the world little regarding those of meane condition Whereupon hee warneth all men to take heede of them as wicked seducers that enter into houses and lead captiue simple women laden with sinnes bringing in sectes of perdition and in couetousnesse making merchandise of men by crafty and fained words of flattery This is that vnprofitable and most dangerous and damnable generation of disguised and masked hypocrites which like Locusts are come out of the bottomlesse pitte in these last ages of the world eating vp and deuouring whatsoeuer is greene and flourishing vpon the earth The Monkes in their beginning were a people of a farre other sort For they tooke not on them to preach or minister Sacraments but were a kind of voluntary penitents according to that of Saint Hierome Monachus Plangentis non Docentis officium habet that is a Monke is a mourner hee is no teacher And againe Alia Monachorum est causa alia Clericorum Clerici pascunt ones Ego pascor Illi de Altari viuunt mihi quasi infructuosae arbor◅ securis ponitur ad radicem si munus ad Altare non defere that is The condition of Monkes and of Clearkes is very different Clearkes feede the sheepe but I am fedde they liue by the Altar but if I bring not my gift to the Altar the Axe is lifted vp against mee and layd as to the roote of an vnfruitfull tree And therefore as Duarenus noteth in ancient times Monkes were meere Lay-men neyther were there any Priestes or Clearkes found in Monasteries but they came all as other of the people did to the common Temples and Churches to bee taught to pray and to receiue the Sacraments Which thing hee sayth Iustinian the Emperour plainely enough expresseth and with him agreeth Bishoppe Lindan who sayth that in ancient time all Monkes were Lay-men and that they were all excluded and shut out of the Quire when they came into the Temple and house of God sometimes they did send for a Priest to do Ministeriall actes among them and in the end some of them were ordained Priests that soe they might haue the Ministration of Sacraments among them and make as it were a certaine Church among themselues and so neither be forced to go to other Churches nor to borrow Priests from other And to the same purpose Hugo de Sancto Victore sayth that by speciall fauour and indulgence the diuine orders of Ministery are granted to Monkes that they might liue more quietly within themselues not that they should exercise Prelacie in the people of God but that they might celebrate the communion of God within their owne priuate retiring places which yet they say in the beginning was not so For Monkes and men dwelling in the wildernesse are sayd to haue had Priests assigned vnto them But as Duarenus noteth hereby the passage was opened and all Monkes began to bee ordained Priestes though they had no gouernement of the Church that they might procure the more dignity to themselues the order and degree of Cleargy-men being more high and honourable then that of Monkes Neyther did they long containe themselues within these bounds after they had attained to be Priestes but gotte authority and iurisdiction ouer Churches abroad eyther because they were founded within their lands or for that it pleased the Pope to take them from Bishops and subiect them to these Monkes At the first as the same Duarenus noteth they liued apart in certaine abiding places which they had in the mountaines and deserts whence they were called not onely Monkes but Heremites and Anchorites though at certaine houres and sette times they mette Afterwards they beganne to liue together and the places where they liued were called Caenobia of the communion of life And when certaine Ecclesiasticall persons remaining in cities and places of resort and teaching the people tyed themselues to like obseruations though haply not altogether so strict as these had done they were called Canonici that is
are falne asleepe in the sleepe of death is an Apostolicall tradition and so proued by the rule of Saint Augustine and that other added by mee as likewise prayer made respectiuely to the passage hence and enterance into the other World and hereof there is no controuersie betweene vs and our Aduersaries But prayer to ease mittigate suspend or wholy take away the paines of any of them that are in hell or to deliuer men out of the supposed Purgatorie of Papists hath no proofe from either of these rules as shall appeare by that which followeth and therefore this poore nouice hath not yet learned his lesson aright nor knoweth what it is he is to proue But if he will be content to be enformed by me the thing he must proue if he desire to gratifie his new masters to maintaine the Romish cause is that all the Fathers or the most famous amongst them from the beginning of Christianity did in the seuerall Ages wherein they lived teach men to pray for the deliuerance of their friends and brethren out of the paines of purgatory which if hee will vndertake to doe hee must bring some better proofes then such as are taken from the mutuall dependance and coniunction of Purgatory and prayer for the dead which yet principally hee seemeth to vrge For many Catholicke Christians whom this Gentleman must not condemne made prayers for such as they neuer deemed to bee in Purgatory Neither did the ancient Catholicke Church as he fondly imagineth in her prayers and oblations for the dead intend to releeue soules temporally afflicted in a penall estate but in her generall intention whatsoeuer priuate conceites particular men had desired onely the resurrection publicke acquitall and perfect consummation and blessednesse of the departed and respectiuely to the passage hence and entrance into the other world the vtter deletion and full remission of their sinnes the perfect purging out of sinne being in or immediately vpon the dissolution in the last instant of this life and the first of the next and not while the soule and body remaine conioyned This is strongly proued because the most auncient amongst the Fathers make but two sortes of men dying and departing out of this world the one sinners the other righteous the one prophane the other holy so Dionysius in his Hierarchie so Epiphanius against Aerius so Ambrose in his booke De bono mortis and Cyrill of Hierusalem in his Catechisme all of them teach that the soules of the Iust are in a joyfull happie and good estate and present with God in an excellent sort immediatly vpon their dissolution ◅nimā departure hence Obdormitio sanctorum saith Dionysius est in laetitia spe immobili quia peruenerunt ad finem certaminum norunt se totos percepturos Christi-formem requiem that is The falling a sleepe of the holy ones is in ioy gladnesse and immoueable hope because they are come to the end of their combates and againe they know they shall altogether bee partakers of the rest of Christ beeing come to the end and bound of this life so that they are filled with holy ioy and gladnesse and with great delight and pleasure enter the way of the most happy regeneration Wherevpon the friends and kinsmen of any faithfull man departed when they carry him to his bedde of rest pronounce him blessed as indeede hee is hauing obtayned the wished end of victory and send forth Hymnes of gratulation to GOD that hath made him a conquerour and praying that they also may be admitted into the like rest carry him to the Bishoppe to be crowned with garlandes who prayseth the departed as beeing in a most happy condition and amongst other the party presently dead as beeing a companion of Saints and partaker of like happinesse with them After this his body is layde vp with other already fallen a sleepe in the Lord comfortable places of Scripture are read touching the resurrection and blessed hope of the iust and the Bishoppe prayeth GGD to forgiue vnto him all his sinnes committed through humane infirmitie and to place him in the land of the liuing in the bosomes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob Thus doth Dionysius teach that the soules of all faithfull ones are at rest with GOD immediatly vpon their departure hence and yet sheweth that the Bishoppe was wont to pray for the departed at the time hee was brought to his bed of rest which thinges seeming not well to agree together hee demaundeth what good the prayer of the Bishoppe doth the dead seeing euery one shall receiue the rewardes of the things he did in this life whether good or bad and prayers haue no force to put any man after death into any other estate then that hee is worthy of when he dieth Whereunto he answereth that by desiring wishing that good to the departed which GOD hath promised and of his mercy vndoubtedly will doe vnto them he accompanieth them to the presence of GOD and the place of rest which hee hath appointed for them solemnely convaying them thither with his desires and as hauing the power of binding and loosing and discerning betweene the holy and prophane separateth in a sort by the solemne good wishes hee sendeth after them such as GOD hath adjudged to eternall happinesse from other not partakers of like pretious hope with them admitting the one as deare vnto GOD by way of declaration and convoy into their resting place and rejecting the other So that the prayers Dionysius speaketh of were made respectiuely to the departure hence and first enterance into the other world were nothing else but an accōpanying of the faithfull departed to the Throne of God with desire of that vtter deletion of sinne and full remission of the same which is not to bee found but in the dissolution of soule and body and in the first enterance into the other world but of any relieuing men temporally afflicted in a penall estate after this life hee neuer dreamed Irenaeus is of opinion that the soules of the faithfull goe into a certaine invisible place and are there stayed till the Resurrection but of Purgatory as Erasmus noteth hee maketh no mention Iustine Martyr teacheth that after the departure out of the body there is presently a separation made betweene the soules of the just and the vnjust and that they are carryed into places worthy of them and fitte for them that is to say the soules of the just into Paradise where they enjoy the company of Angels and Archangels as also the sight of our Saviour IESVS CHRIST but those of the vnjust and wicked into infernall places Tertullian sayth There is a place whether the soules of good and euill men are carryed and where they haue a kinde of fore-judging and discerning of that which shall be adjudged to them in the last judgement And againe hee sayth That euery soule immediatly vpon the departure hence is in this appointed invisible place hauing
there either paine or ease and refreshing that there the rich man is in paine and the poore in a comfortable estate for sayth hee why should wee not thinke that the soules are tormented or refreshed in this invisible place appoynted for them in expectation of the future Iudgement In quadam vsurpatione candida eius The Iudgement doubtlesse is begunne there So that neither is good altogether wanting to the innocent nor the sence and freling of euill to the nocent Heere wee see Tertullian maketh but two sorts of men departing hence and that hee thinketh that presently after their departure hence the good are in a kinde of imperfect possession or enioying of that good they looke for hereafter and the euill and wicked in a kinde of state wherein they already beginne to taste of those euerlasting miseries that shall swallowe them vppe in the daie of judgement So that according to his opinion there is no Purgatorie nor state of temporall paine and affliction after this life out of which there is hope of escape or deliuerance Gregory Nazianzen in his Oration made in the praise of Caesarius after many comforts against the sorrowes conceiued for the losse of so worthy a man addeth this as the chiefest of all other Verbis sapientum adducor vt credam generosam omnem Deoque charam animam posteaquam corporis vinculis soluta hinc excesserit protinus bonum quod eam manet persentientem contemplantem vtpote eo quod mentem caligine obducebat vel purgato vel abiecto vel quo verbo eares appellanda sit nescio mirabili quadam voluptate affici exultare atque hac vita veluti gra◅issimo quodam ergastulo relicta excussisque compedibus quibus animi penna deprimi solebat hilarem ad Dominum suum conuolare beatitudinem recondita Imaginatione quadam iam percipere That is I am induced and inoued by the sayings of the wise to beleeue that euery generous soule and such as is beloued of GOD presently after the loosing from the bonds of the body and departure hence that which darkened the minde beeing either purged out or cast from it or done away in what sort I cannot well expresse beginneth sensibly to discerne and behold that good which remaineth for it to bee filled with wonderfull delights and to leape for ioy and that leauing this life as a most grieuous prison and hauing cast off those fetters that depressed and held her downe desiring to mount vpon high with her siluer wings shee flieth ioy fully to her Lord and presently in a certaine apprehension beginneth to tast of that hidden happinesse that shall be reuealed Epiphanius speaking of the Godly departed remembred in the praiers of the Church sayth they are and liue with God Ambrose is more full to this purpose then any of the former for in his booke de bono mortis first he sayth all soules remaine in certaine habitations till the day of Iudgment whence they shall be called forth in that great day of resurrection Secondly that till the fulnesse of time appointed they all are holden in an expectation of the reward due vnto them are not in full possession of it Thirdly that in the meane time neither the soules of the wicked are without some present sence of euill nor the other without some enioying of good The ioy of the good and righteous he sheweth to bee in respect of the victory which they haue obtained ouer the flesh the deuine testimony which they haue in their consciences of their former walking in the waies of God making them not to feare the future iudgment their escape out of the prison of the body of death the liberty they are come to and the possessing of the promised inheritance c. Heare we see plainely that Ambrose maketh but two sorts of men two sorts of soules separated from the body and two estates assuring vs that all good faithfull-ones ordained to eternall life are presently after their seperation in a state of happinesse boldly hastening to the view and and sight of that God whom they haue so carefully serued to which purpose he alleageth that of the Prophet to the Angell shall there be giuen a time to soules after they are seperated that they may see the thing thou hast spoken of and the Angells answer Seauen daies shall their liberty endure that in those seauen daies they may see the things that haue beene spoken and after they shall bee gathered into their dwelling places out of which as I noted before he thinketh they shall not bee called till the resurrection so that according to the opinion of Saint Ambrose there is no place of temporall paine and punishment after this life appointed for the soules of men dying in state of Grace Neither was this the opinion of Dionysius Irenaeus Iustin Martyr Tertullian Nazianzen Epiphanius and Ambrose only but all the auncient were of the same judgment touching the state of the faithfull departed and therefore neuer any of them made any praiers for the deliuering of them out of temporall paine and punishment but as it hath beene before obserued they made prayers for them respectiuely to their passage out of this world and the entrance into the other as also for their resurrection publike acquitall in the day of judgment and perfit consummation This the mass-Masse-booke and all the prayers that are found in any auncient bookes of Ecclesiasticall prayers doe clearely shew George Cassander hath published a booke of Ecclesiasticall prayers gathered out of the old Liturgies and Bookes of diuine seruice that hee could meete with amongst which there are many pro commendatione animae some few of them I will produce for example The first We beseech thy clemency O God mercifully to receiue the soule of thy seruant returning vnto thee Let Michaell the Angell of thy couenant be present with it and vouchsafe to place it amongst thy Saints and holy ones in the bosome of Abraham Isaacke and Iacob that beeing freed and deliuered from the Princes of darkenesse and the places of punishment he may be confounded with no errors of his first birth of ignorance or of his owne iniquity frailty but that rather he may bee acknowledged of thine and enioy the rest of holy blessednesse and that when the day of the great Iudgment shall come being raised vp amongst thy Saints and chosen ones hee may be satisfied with the glory of the cleere beholding of thee The 2d Vouchsafe O Lord to giue to thy seruant a lightsome place a place of refreshing and quiet Let him passe by the gates of hel the punishments of darkenesse let him remaine in the mansions of the Saints and in holy light which of old thou promisedst to Abrahā to his seede let his spirit sustaine no hurt but when the great day of resurrectiō reward shal come vouchsafe to raise him together with thy Saints chosen ones blot out doe away his sins euen to the
parts of this Church and Catholiques that thinke the Pope may iudicially erre vnlesse a generall Councell concurre with him which in their opinion is an error and neare to heresie Yea the same Bellarmine sayth that the particular Romane Church that is the cleargy and people of Rome subiect to the Pope cannot erre because though some of them may yet all cannot It is true therefore which I haue deliuered not withstanding any thinge the Treatiser can say to the contrary that the Church including all the faithfull that are and haue beene since the Apostles may be sayd to bee free from error because in respect of her totall vniuersality she is so it being impossible that any errour should bee found in all her parts at all times though in respect of her seuerall parts shee be not For sometimes and in some parts she hath erred and in this sense can no more be sayd to be free from error then a man may be sayd to bee free from sicknesse that in some parts is ill affected But as a man that hath not beene alwaies nor in all parts ill may bee said to be free from perpetuall and vniuersall sicknesse so the Church is free from perpetuall and vniuersall error This the Treatiser saith is a weake priuiledge and not answerable to the great and ample promises made by Christ whereas the Fathers knew no other whatsoeuer this good man imagineth For Vincentius Lyrinensis confesseth that error may infect some parts of the Church yea that it may sometimes infect almost the whole Church so that he freeth it only from vniuersall perpetuall error But sayth the Treatiser what are poore Christians the nearer for this priuiledge how shall such a Church be the director of their faith and how shall they know what faith was preached by the Apostles what parts taught true doctrine and when and which erred in subsequent ages Surely this question is easily answered For they may know what the Apostles taught by their writings and they may know what parts of the Church teach true doctrine by comparing the doctrine each part teacheth with the written word of God and by obseruing who they are that bring in priuate and strange opinions contrary to the resolution of the rest But if happily some new contagion endeauour to commaculate the whole Church together they must looke vp into Antiquity and if in Antiquity they finde that some followed priuate and strange opinions they must carefully obserue what all not noted for singularity or heresie in diuerse places and times constantly deliuered as vndoubtedly true and receiued from such as went before them This course Vincentius Lyrinensis prescribeth But the Treatiser disclaimeth it not liking that all should be brought to the letter of holy Scripture and the workes of Antiquity which setting aside the authority of the present Church he thinketh yeeld no certaine and diuine argument So that according to his conceipt wee must rest on the bare censure and iudgement of the Pope for he is the present Church Antiquity is to be contēued as little or nothing worth Hauing iustified the distinctiō of the diuerse cōsiderations of the Church impugned by the Treatiser that which he hath touching the two assertions annexed to it will easily bee answered For the one of them is most true his addition of not erring being taken away and the other is but his idle imagination for wee neuer deliuered any such thing §. 3. IN the third place he excepteth against Mee because I say the words of the Apostle in the Epistle to Timothy touching the house and Church of God are originally vnderstood of the Church of Ephesus wherein Paul directeth Tymothy how to demeane and behaue himselfe but because I haue cleared this exception in my answere to Higgons I will say nothing to him in this place but referre him thither §. 4. FRom the Apostle the Treatiser passeth to Saint Augustine and chargeth Me th I wrest his words when he sayth he would not beleeue the Gospell if the authority of the Church did not moue him to a sense neuer meant by him These words of S. Augustin are vsually alleadged by the Papists to proue that the authority of the Church is the ground of our faith reason of beleeuing in answere whereunto I shew that the Diuines giue two explications of them For Ockam and some other vnderstand them not of the multitude of beleeuers that now are in the world but of the whole number of them that are and haue beene since Christ appeared in the flesh so including the Apostles and in this sense they confesse that the Church because it includeth the writers of the bookes of the new Testament is of greater authority then the books themselues Other vnderstand by the name of the Church onely the multitude of beleeuers liuing in the world at one time and thinke the meaning of Augustine is that the authority of this Church was an introduction vnto him but not the ground of his faith and principall or sole reason of beleeuing The former of these explications this graue censurer pronounceth to be friuolous First because if wee may beleeue him Saint Augustine neuer vsed these words Catholique Church after this sort in that sense Secondly because he speaketh of that Church which commanded him not to beleeue Manicheus which vndoubtedly was the present Church Thirdly because as he supposeth I can alleadge no Diuine that so interpreted the words of Augustine that which I cite out of Ockam being impertinent To euery of these reasons I will briefly answere And first that Augustine doth vse the words Catholique Church in the sense specified by Me it is euident For writing against Manicheus he hath these words Palám est quantū in re dubia ad fidem certitudinem valent Catholicae Ecclesiae authoritas quae ab ipsis fundatissimis sedibus Apostolorū vsque ad hodiernū diem succedētibus sibimet Episcopis tot populorū cōsensione firmatur that is it is apparant what great force the authority of that Church hath to settle the perswasion of faith cause certainty in things doubtfull that from the most surely established seats of the Apostles by succession of Bishops euen till this present cōsent of people is most firmely setled To the second reason wee answere that the Church including the Apostles and all faithfull ones that haue beene since comprehendeth in it the present Church and so might commaund Augustine not to listen to Manicheus So that this commaunding proueth not that he speaketh precisely of the present Church To the third I say that the Treatiser is either strangely ignorant or strangely impudent when hee affirmeth that I can alledge no Diuine that vnderstandeth the words of Augustine of the Church including in it the Apostles such as liued in their times For first Durandus vnderstandeth them of the Primitiue Church including the Apostles Secondly Gerson will tell him that when
which he had concerning the future state of things to the end of the world meant to deliuer a perfect summe of Christian doctrine if the proof contained in these words be not sufficiēt for my part I know not what may be for what can be necessary to bee knowne of Christians ouer and aboue that which is found in the olde Testament besides the Incarnation of Christ his words actions sufferings the manner of the establishment of churches in the faith of Christ and the ordaining and appointing of fit guides to take care of the government of the same and the future state of things to the end of the world But he saith no one of the Evangelists intended to set downe all that Christ did and suffered as it appeareth in that no one of them hath so done that it cannot be said that all jointly haue so done seeing that could not proceed but from some common deliberation or the disposition and inspiration of the holy Ghost mouing them to write neither of which can be said For that there was no such deliberation he saith it is evident in that no man mentioneth any such thing in that it is knowne they wrote in diuers countries at diuers times vpon diuers occasions that the inspiration of the holy spirit did not direct them to the writing of all things necessary hee saith it is likewise most cleare in that I confesse there are some things wanting in their bookes which the church beleeueth which could not be if the spirit had moued them to write all This obiection will soone be answered For first it is certain that some one of the Evangelists intended to write all things which Christ did and spake S. Luke professing that he had so done Which yet is not to be vnderstood of all things simply but such onely as he did spake in that time within the compasse whereof he confined his narration Neither doth this prejudice the fulnesse of the Evangelicall history For as Baronius noteth the later Evangelists taking a view of that the former had written for the most part added what things they found omitted by them So Marke Luke write of the ascension of Christ not mentioned by S. Mathew because he ended his story before he came to it And Iohn finding as Hierome saith that the other three had written onely the history of one yeare after Iohn the Baptist was cast into prison wherein Christ suffered approued that which they had written as true omitting that yeare because the things that fell out in it were reported by thē recorded such things as fell out before the imprisonment of the Baptist which they had not written as not fetching the beginning of their narration so farre off If it be said by this Treatiser that many things that Christ did are so omitted that they are found in none of the Evangelists for that Iohn who wrote last of all knew well what the rest had written hath these words Many other signes also Iesus wrought in the sight of his Disciples which are not written in this booke but these things are written that you may beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the son of God and that beleeuing you may haue euerlasting life through his Name And againe there are also many other things which Iesus did which if they should be written euery one I suppose the world would not be able to containe the Bookes which should be written Baronius will tell him that the Evangelists when they tooke in hand the writing of the sacred stories intended not to write all the things generally that Christ did but such so many only as might serue to confirme the Faith and to demonstrate that IESVS is the Son of GOD that the things which they haue written are sufficient to saluation that men beleeuing may haue eternall life So that though there were no commō deliberation or consultation amongst the Evangelists though they wrote at diuers times in diuers places yet by the sweet disposition of the holy Spirit that moued them to write it might and did so fall out in that one saw what another had written that the later added such things as they foūd omitted by the former so left vnto vs a perfect full narration concerning Christ his incarnation life death resurrectiō ascension as also the things he did and spake during the time of his conversing amōgst men So that the Treatiser is not able to proue that the Evangelicall historie is imperfect but there is one thing wherein hee gloryeth as if hee had gotten some great aduantage which is that I confesse that there are somethings found in the Epistles of the Apostles occasionally writtē beleeued by the Church that are not found in the history of the Euangelists the book of all the Acts of the Apostles nor the Reuelation of Saint Iohn whence hee thinketh hee may inferre that eyther the Authors of th◅se books meant not to deliuer a perfect summe directiō of Christian faith as I affirme or that they missed of their purpose which may not bee graunted But lette him know that there is no consequence of any such absurdity as hee imagineth from any thing I haue written For the things beleeued by the Church and not found in the former bookes but in the Epistles of the Apostles are nothing else but distinct and cleare determinations of doubts arising touching matters of faith or manners out of and according to the summe of Christian Doctrine found in the former bookes or historicall narrations of such thinges as passed betweene the Apostles themselues or between them and the Churches founded by them or some particular persons in them not mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles or lastly Apostolicall prescriptions of things pertaining to decencie order and comelinesse in the performance of the acts of Gods worship and seruice Now I thinke it will not follow that if there be found in the Apostolicall Epistles some more distinct cleere resolutiōs determinations of doubtes out of the forme and direction of Christian Doctrine found in the former bookes then are there found or a prescription of some outward obseruations that the former bookes containe not a perfect summe and direction of Christian faith much lesse will it be consequent that these bookes containe not a perfect direction of Christian faith because some historicall narrations not found in them are beleeued in the Church as that Paul left his cloake at Troas that hee mediated for Onesimus and sought to reconcile him to his Maister and the like The Treatiser therefore passeth from this exception and asketh how I will proue that all thinges beleeued by the Church not contained in the former books are found in the Epistles of the Apostles to whom I answere that when hee shall giue any instance of things beleeued by the Church not foūd in the former books either it shal be proued
Faith and Religion His meaning it seemeth is that all Protestantes acknowledging Puritanes to bee of one Church with them are Puritanes and therefore hee would haue all to know that howsoeuer hee make shew of blaming Puritanes onely or principally yet in truth hee equally condemneth all and that therefore hee doth but dissemble or say hee knoweth not what But do all these Protestant writers named by him teach that there is no materiall difference betweene protestants and Puritanes Surely no. For touching my selfe I neuer wrote any such thing neither in the place cited by him nor any where else so that hee beginneth with a manifest and shamelesse vntruth But I doe the more willingly pardon him this fault for that it seemeth hee doth not consider what he writeth For in the title of his booke hee professeth that hee will take the proofes of his Catholique religion and Recusancy onely from the writings of such Protestant Diuines as haue beene published since the raigne of his Maiesty ouer this kingdome for that as hee sayth they often change their opinions at the least at the comming of euery new Prince And yet page 30. hee citeth the Bishop of Winchesters booke written many yeares agoe and Doctor Couell his booke in defence of Master Hooker as often as any other which yet was written in her late Maiesties time But what if I had written that howsoeuer there are some materiall differences betweene Protestants and Puritanes as it pleaseth him to stile them yet not so essentiall or substantiall but that they may bee of one Church faith and religion What absurdity would haue followed Would it be consequent from hence as he inferreth that it is not materiall with vs whether men be of a true or false religion of any or none at all Haue there not beene nay are there not greater differences betwixt Papists who yet will be angry if they be not esteemed to be all of one Church faith and religion Did not Pope Iohn the two and twentith thinke that the soules of the just shall not see God till the generall resurrection and did not the French King that then was with the whole vniuersity of Paris condemne the same opinion as hereticall with sound of trumpet Did not Ambrosius Catharinus teach that a man may be certaine with the certainty of faith that he is in state of grace and Soto the contrary Did not Pighius Contarenus and the Authors of the booke called Antididagma Coloniense defend imputatiue justice and other Papists reiect it Did not some amongst them teach the merit of condignity doe not others moued with a sober moderation thinke there is no such merit Doe not some thinke the Pope is vniuersall Bishop others that he is not but prime Bishop onely Doe not some teach that all Bishops receiue their jurisdiction from the Pope others the contrary Doe not some thinke the Pope may papally erre and others that he cannot Doe not some of them thinke he is temporall Lord of all the world and others the contrary Doe not so 〈◊〉 them thinke he may depose Princes and others that he may not is there not a very materiall point of difference amongst Papists touching predestination Let them shew vs if they can so many and materiall differences betweene Protestants and Puritanes And yet these were all of one Church in their judgement yea Pope Stephen who reuersed all the actes of Formosus his predecessour pronounced the ordinations of all those to bee voide whom he had ordained brought his dead body out of the graue into the Councell stript it out of the Papall vesture put vpon it a lay habit and cutting off two fingers of his right hand cast it into Tyber Pope Iohn his successour who called a Councell of 74. Bishops to confirme the ordinations of Formosus the Arch-bishoppes of France and the King being present at Rauenna burned the acts of the Synod which Stephen had called to condemne Formosus and Sergius who againe condemned Formosus and pronounced all his ordinations to be voide reuersing the acts of Pope Iohn and his Synode were all of one Church of one communion faith and religion Nay which is more strange when there were three Anti-popes sitting in diuerse places accursing one another with all their Adherents and that for many yeares yet still they were of one Church of one communion faith and religion Yet may not wee inferre from hence against them as they doe against vs that it is not materiall with them whether men be of a true or false religion of any or none at all Surely they are more priuiledged then other men for some of them may take the Oath of Allegeance disclaime the Popes power and right to intermeddle with Princes states and other refuse it and yet still be Catholicke brethren in the communion of the same Church Yea a Priest may like of this Oath and perswade others to take it and afterwards goe ouer the Sea and alter his iudgement and returning choose rather to suffer death then to take it againe yet no man must take notice of it But if a Minister subscribe and afterwards vpon ill aduice refuse to doe the same againe then all the courses of our Religion are such that by no outward signes communion profession protestation or subscription a man can tell who is of what religion amongst vs. But let vs passe from the Epistle to the booke it selfe CHAP. I. IN the first chapter which is of the supreame and most preeminent authority of the true church and how necessary it is to finde it follow the directions and rest in the iudgement of it he hath these words Doctor Field a late Protestant writer beginneth his Dedicatory Epistle to the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie before his Bookes of the church in this manner There is no part of heauenly doctrine more necessary in these dayes of so many intricate controversies of Religion then diligently to search out which amongst all the societies of men in the world is that blessed company of holy ones that household of Faith that spouse of Christ and church of the liuing God which is the pillar and ground of truth that so we may embrace her communion follow her directions and rest in her iudgement And after some other things cited out of others he addeth the ioyning with the true church is so needfull a thing that D. Field concludeth There is no saluation remission of sinnes or hope of eternall life out of the church To what purpose this allegation serueth I cannot conceiue for there is nothing in any of these speeches of mine that euer any protestant doubted of or from which any thing may bee concluded against vs or for the papists The church of God saith Master Caluine is named the Mother of the Faithfull neither is there any entrance into eternall life vnlesse shee conceiue vs in her wombe vnlesse shee
5. a Doctrinal fid lib. 2. art 2. cap. 19. b Contra Hâ—… nouat cap. 6. c Dialog lib. 5. part 1. cap. 28. d Athanas. in Epist. ad solitar vit agent Hier. in Catal. script Ecclesiast in Fortunatiano e Act. 25. 1â—… f De captiuit Bab. cap. de baptismo g Chem in exam Conc Trident de Baptis can 13 h Form concord inter Theolog Sax superior German i Instit li 4 cap 16 sect 17 19 Pag 22 23 Pag 50 51 Pag 52. a Bell. Tom. 〈◊〉 contro 4. l. 4 c. 7. b Relect. contro 1. de Eccl. in se q. 4. art 5. Pag. 53. 54. Pag. 54. 55. c Aduersus Prophanas here seon nouationâ—… cap. 6. d Epist ad solitariam vitam agentes e Catal. script Eccles. in Fortunatiano f Relect. con 3. quaest 4. g De Roman Pontif. lib. 4. cap. 4. h Contr. haeres cap. 6. Part 1. 56. Pag. â—…6 Pag. 6â—… Pag. 66. a Contra Faustum Maâ—…chaeum lib. 11. ca. 2. b Part. 3. lect 〈◊〉 de vita spirituali animae corol 7. c De dogmatibus extra canonem Scripturae constit l. 4. c. 4. d De via investigandae verae intelligentiae sacrae scripturae l. 2. c. 7. e Dial. l. 1. part 2. c. 4. f Doctrin fid l. 2. art 2. c. 21 g Contra epist. Manichei ca 4. h Hugo de sancto victore in sententiis i Vbi supra Pag. 78. Pag. 81. a Triplication pag. 188. b Pag. 179. Pag. 88. 89. a Act. 1. Luke 2. b Annal. tom 1. 34. 223. c Catal. scriptor in Iohanne Baron Annal. tom 〈◊〉 99. 5. d Cap. 20. 30. 31. e Cap. 24. 25 f Annal. tom 1. 34. 223. Pag. 89. h In Epist. ad Colos. Homil. 12. i In Epist. ad Colos. in princ citat à Baroâ—… Annal. Tom. 1. 60. 13. g Catal. script Ecclesiast in Paulo k Ibid. Pag. 94. a In examin Conciliâ—… Tridentini decrer priâ—… seâ—… 4. Part. 1. pag. 83. seqq b Epist ad Nepotem Pag. 96. Booke 4 cap. 20. Pag. 96. c De Genesi ad literam l. 10. c. 23. d Bell. de sacr bapt l. 1. c. 8. Pag. 9â—… a Leo ep 2â—… pag. 106. b 2. Sam. 10. 4. Pag. 73â—… a Synodus Chalcedon actio 16. b De primatu Papae lib. 2. Pag. 123. c In notis in conc Chalced. d Novella 100. Pag. 1â—…9 Pag 1â—…9 a De Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 2. b Relect. contr 〈◊〉 q. 4. Part. 1. 56. Pag. 35. a De vera religione cap 6. Pag. 40. b Contra prophanas haereseon nouationes cap. 39. c In Genes lib. 7. quaest 7. d Cap. 6. Pag. 54. Pag. 5 a In sententiiâ—… b Summae theol memb 4. art 2. c Psalm 11â—… d Erudit theolog de sacramentis fidei li 1. part 3. ca. 1. 2. Pag. 55. Pag. 56. Pag. 56. Pag. 61. Pag. 65. Pag. 66 Pag. 66. Pag. 67 Luth. praefat in dissert art a Leone 10. damnatorum Pag. 82. pag. 109. Pag. 110. a Consultâ—…i art 6. Vide Antididag Colâ—…n de iustificatione causis per quas iustificamur Pag. 113. Pag. 8â—… Pag. 114. Chap. 19 Pag. 149. Pag. 151. Ibidem Pag. 152. Pag. 152. Contra proph haeres novationes c. 6. Pag. 152. Lib. 4. desens rid 1 〈◊〉 theol l 2 Pag. 153 Pag. 153. 154. Pag. 155. Pag. 156. Pag. 166. Pag. 181 Pag. 182 a Instir. l. 4. c. 17 16. 17 b Vide disput Vinaraehabitam inter Illyricum Victorinum c Illyricus de voce re fidei part 3. pag. 61. 62. d Decr. synod Isnatensis anno 1556. celebrat Epist. Menii ad Melancthonem de absurditate Maiorismi e Treatis part 2. cap. 1. pag. 10. f Quarundam impiarum sententiarum resutatio pag. 133. De essentia imaginis Dei diaboli pag. 313. 318. g Quorundam thematum originalem iustitiam iniustitiam simul beneficia Christi extenuantium refutatio p. 99 Article 36. Luther in visit Saxon. Pag. 186. 187. Pag. 22â—… * In that Watson Clerke and the hellish contriuers of the powder treason with some few of their adherents haue suffered death and others haue not beene permitted to warme themselues at the fires in Smithfield as they were wont to doe * The difference c. edit anno 1â—…86 a Gerson Serm. in festo Paschae b Soto contra Ambros. c Pighius de iustificat d Contaren de iustificatione e Answer to Bell his downefall c. Vega. quaest 5. de meritis gloriae ex coÌ„digno f Cusan concord Cathol li. 2. c. 13. g Bellar. lib. 4. de Roman Pontif. ca. 22. h Stapleton relect controu 3. de prim subiect pot Eccles. q. 4. i Bell. de Rom. Pont. l. 5. c. 1. k Walden doct fid li 2. art 3. quaest 78. Gerson de Pot. Eccles. consid 12. Sigebert in Chronic. anno 1088. l Idem in ChroÌ„ m Example of Blackvvell n Dâ—…y o Calv. instit l. 4. c. 1. sect 4 p Wald. doct fid l. 2. art 2. c. 27. q Ibid. praefat Concil r Lib. contra Anabaptist s Calu. Instit. l. 4. c. 2. sect 11. t Bez. quaest u Morn of the Church c. 9. x Lect. 23. in 5. ad Heb. y Cameracens quaest vesperiarum z Illyr in Catal. testium veritatis Carolus Miltitius being sent from Pope Leo to Fredericke prosessed that all the way as he came hauing sounded mens affections he found three to fauour Luther for one that fauoured the Pope and Luther professeth that the applause of the world did support him much all men being weary of the frauds extortiâ—…ns and wicked practises of the Romanists Praefat. oper Lutheri a Contra prof haeres novitat b See the Appendix to the third Booke of the Church and the 12 Chapter of the same booke c Serm. 33. in Cantica d Morn of the Church cap. 2. e Aug. de Baptism li 7. c. 51. f See the Appendix to the third booke of the Church g Aug. de Baptism contra Donatist li 1. ca 8 10. h Hier. contra Luciferianos i Page 344 k Hier. li. 1. contra Iouinian l Lib. 1. de Pont Rom. c. 11. m Lib. 3. cap. 1 n Greg. l. 4. Epi. 38. o Greg. li. 1. epist 24. p Concil Chalced act 16. q Hieromy ad Enagrium r Leo ep 53. 54. s Onuph annot in vit Bonif. 3. apud Platinam u 〈◊〉 Contra prof haeret novitat u Reuel 22. 15. x Page 380. y Pag. 3â—… z Pag. 372. a Pag. 566 b Orat. de caus dissens Eccles. apud Nilum c Gerson part 4 serm de pace vnitate Graecorum d Turecrem lib. 2. de eccles c. 93. Bellar. de Pont. Rom. lib. 4. cap. 11. e August de vera Relig. c. 6 f Lib. 1. de concil c. 10. g Gal. 1. h Pag 3. 75. i Pag. 376. k Loc. Theolog. lib. 12. fol. 445. l De tradit ex 1. decreto 4. sessionis m Whitâ—… disp de sacra script quaest 6. controu 2. cap. 6. n Page 381. 382. of the 4. book of the Church o Aug. de vera relig c. 55. p Theod. in ep ad Col. cit Synod Laod. q Revel 1. 10 r Tertul. de corona militis s Basil. de Spiritu Sancto c. 27. t Leo epist. 4. vniuers Episc. per Siciliam u Hieronym ad Marcell aduers. Montan. x In concord Evang ca 15. Greg. l. 1. epist. 41. z Hier. ad Lucinium a Greg. l. 〈◊〉 cp 9. b August in Ps. 11â—… c Euseb. l. 7. histor cap. 17. p Greg. l. 30. ep 30. q Appendix to â—…e 3. booke of the Church cap. 24 r Hieron contra Luciferian s Chap. 6. t Hier. vbi suprà u Acts. 2. x Bellar. de Sacram in genere y Acts. 20. z Reuel 2. a Vega. defens trident deer de justif l. 9. c. 7. b Ibid. cap. 46. c Ibid. ca. 8. d Bellar. de Concil c. 7. e Andrad de Script trad authorit lib. 2. f Cit. ab Andrad ibid. h Conci Carthag 6. 7. cap. 105. epist. Concil ad Celestinum i Concord cathol l. 2. c. 15 k Defens fidei Trid. l. 2. l De Concil Ecclesia l. 1. c. 17. In concil 2. 3. nulli suerunt ex occidente sed Damasus Caelestinus concilia illa confirmârunt nomine suo aliorum Episcoporum quos ipsi Romae collegeraÌ„t Constantinus pro 6. Concil scribit ad Agathonem ut mittat tres personas de sua Ecclesia 12 Metropolitanos de suo concilio Agatho rescribit cum uniuersis Synodis â—…biacentibus Concilio Apostolicae Sedis