of them Thomas of Aquin e Lect. 1. in 1. Tim. 6. saith The doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets is called canonicall because it is the rule of our vnderstanding And againe f 1. qu. art 8. Our faith resteth and stayeth it selfe vpon the reuelation giuen to the Apostles and Prophets which writ the canonicall bookes and not vpon reuelation if any such haue bene made to other Doctors Antoninus the Archbishop of Florence g Sum. part 3. tit 18. c. 3. §. 3. writeth expresly that God hath spoken but once that in the holy Scripture that so plentifully to meet with all temptations and all cases that may fall out and all good works that as Gregory in the two and twentieth booke of his Morals expounds it he needs no more speake vnto vs concerning any necessary matter seeing all things are found in the Scripture Gerson h Trithem catal Script eccl the great man of the Councell of Constance i De Commun sub vtraque specie saith the Scripture is the rule of our faith which being well vnderstood no authority of men is to be admitted against it Durand k Praefat. in Sentent saith that generally in the things that touch our faith we must speake to that which the scripture deliuereth lest any maÌ„ fall into that which the Apostle noteth 1. Cor. 8. If he thinke he knoweth something yet he knoweth nothing as he ought to know for the maner of our knowledge l Sacra Scriptura mensuram fidei exprimit must be not to exceed the measure of faith and the holy Scripture expresseth the measure of faith Alliaco the Cardinal m 1. Sent. q. 1. art 3.1 Coroll lit H. quoniam ad ipsas fit vltimata resolutio theologici discursus saith The verities themselues of the sacred Canon be the principles of Diuinitie the finall resolution of Theologicall discourse is made into theÌ„ and originally from them is drawne euery conclusion of Diuinitie Conradus Clingius n Locorum l. 3. cap. 29. pag. 298. Norma vlna Index saith The Scripture is the infallible rule of truth yea the measure and iudge of the truth o Iac. Peres à valdiu de ratio Con. l. 2. c. 19. Peresius the Diuinitie reader at Barcilona in Spain saith The authoritie of no Saint is of infallible truth for Saint Austin giues that honor onely to the sacred Scriptures That onely is the rule which is of infallible truth but the Scripture onely is of infallible truth therefore the Scripture onely is the rule Finally Bellarmine himselfe one of the two that haue wonne the garland saith p Biblioth select lib. 7. cap. 2 pag. 458. q De Verb. Dei l. 1. c. 2 Posseuinus acknowledgeth as much as I say against the Iesuites conclusion let his words be excused how they can for thus he q De verb. Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. writeth The rule of faith must be certaine and knowne for if it be not certaine it is no rule at all if it be not knowne it is no rule to vs but nothing is more certaine nothing better knowne then the sacred Scripture contained in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles * Sacr. Scriptura regula credeÌ„di certissima tutissimaque per corporales literas quas cerneremus legeremus erudire nos voluit Deus Wherefore the sacred Scripture is the rule of faith most certain and most safe and God hath taught vs by corporall letters which we might see and reade what he would haue vs beleeue concerning him This he writeth against Swinkfield and the Libertines relying vpon reuelations whereby you may freely iudge whether the truth haue not constrained him to renounce the Iesuits conclusion Shall the Libertines be recalled from their blind reuelations to the written text and shal not the Papists be reuoked from their vncertaine traditions to the same rule Is nothing more knowne nothing more infallible then the Scripture by the Iesuites owne confession and yet shall our Priests reiect it from being the rule as not sufficient to preserue from error not vniuersall enough not knowne enough not infallible enough I pray you consider well how far our aduersaries deale against their owne conscience in this point the same Iesuite saith r De notis Eccl. c. 2. in another place The Scripture is better knowne then the Church in some cases as namely where it is receiued and speaketh plainly and the question is of the Church Now we admit the Scriptures on all hands and all the questioÌ„ betweene vs is about the Church and therefore let them do vs iustice and allow vs the Scripture to be rule and iudge because it is better knowne then the Church let the Iesuit recant his conclusions and yeeld either to the euident testimonies of the text against him or to the iudgement of the Fathers or at the least to the confession of his owne Doctors whose testimonie he may not by Å¿ 2. q. 7. c. Si haereticus Sin auteÌ„ orthodoxus contra haereticum litiget pro orthodoxo quidem haeretici testimonium valeat contra orthodoxum autem solius orthodoxi testimonium valeat the law refuse because they are of his owne church or if he will not then the next booke that he writeth let him send vs word by whom he will be tried and he shall be prouided for Digression 4. containing the very cause why the Papists disable the Scripture so from being the rule 7 Secondly the causes why the Papists disable the Scriptures from being the rule and striue so for their Churches authoritie are especially two First that so they may make themselues iudges in their owne cause For who sees not that if the Church be the rule of faith and theirs be the Church which way the verdict wil go chiefly when they shal behold the Pope with his infallâ—ble iudgement mounted vpon the tribunall and made interpreter of all the euidence that shall be brought in when Scriptures Fathers Councels and Church must all be expounded by his iudgement For u Thom. opusc contra error GraecoruÌ„ Turrecre n. Sum. de eccl l. 3. c. 23. Sâ—mm Syluest verb. Fides nu 2. Aluaâ— Pelag. de planct eccl lib. 1. art 6. Bellarm de Christ l. 2. c. 28. Greg. de Valent. analys fidei this they require that so we might returne them Campians conceit x Ratio 2. apud Posseuin biblioth select lib. 7. c. 18. In fine so they order their matters that you shall haue no triall passe vnlesse you be resolued to stand to the award of themselues that are arraigned 8 Next for that they know and confesse the most and greatest points of their religion euen welnigh all wherein they dissent from vs haue no foundation on the Scriptures but as Andradius y Orthod explic l. 2. speaketh would reele and stagger if tradition supported them not whereupon z Can. locorum l. 3. c. 3. they
know which is the true Church of Christ can know it no wayes but onely by the Scriptures because all those things which belong to Christ in truth the heresies also haue in schisme Therefore if any man would know which is the true Church of Christ how shall he know it in so great confusion of likenesse but by the Scriptures onely For this cause the Lord knowing the confusion of things that should happen in the latter dayes commaundeth that such Christians as will receiue assurance of faith shall flie to no other thing but to the Scriptures else if they looke to other matters they shall be offended and they shall perish not knowing which is the true Church Againe vpon these words By their fruits ye shall know them a In c. 7. Math. he saith A mans fruite is the confession of faith and his workes are the conuersation of his life therefore if thou see a Christian man straightway consider that if his confession agree with the Scripture then he is a true Christian but if it be not as Christ commanded then is he a false Christian for Christ hath referred the triall of a Christian not to the name but to the confession c. Saint Austin hath left written an excellent booke against the Donatists who pretended as the Papists now do that the Church was onely among them wherein he handleth this question at large how the true Church may be knowne and by what markes Thus he writeth in b Liber con tâ— PetilianuÌ„ Donatist Epistol seu de vnitate Ecclesiae c. 2. that booke The question betweene vs and the Donatists is where is the Church What therfore shall we do shall we seeke it in our owne words or in the words of her head our Lord Iesu Christ I thinke we ought to seeke it rather in his words who is the truth and best knoweth his owne body c Cap. 3. Let not these speeches be heard among vs This I say and this thou saiest but let vs heare These things saith the Lord. There are certaine bookes of God vnto whose authoritie we both consent we both beleeue we both stand there let vs seeke the Church there let vs trie our cause Let those things therefore be remoued from vs which we bring one against another not out of the holy Canonicall bookes but aliunde Because I will not haue the holy Church demonstrated by mans teaching but by the holy oracles of God d Cap. 16. therefore setting aside all such matters let them shew foorth the Church if they can not by the speeches and rumors of the Africans not in the Councels of their Bishops not in the writings of euery disputer not in signes and false miracles because Gods word hath prepared and made vs readie against these things but let them declare it out of the prescript of the law the prediction of the Prophets the songs of the Psalmes the words of the Pastor himselfe I enquire the Church it selfe where it should be which hearing the words of Christ and doing them buildeth vpon the rocke let him then shew me the Church and let him so shew it that he say not this is true because I say it or because my fellowes haue said it or those our Bishops or this is true because Donatus or Pontius or some other hath done such or such miracles or because men pray and are heard at the monuments of our dead or because such and such things haue happened there or because such a brother or such a sister of ours hath seene such a vision or had such a dreame let these things be remoued either as the deuices of lyers or as no better then the miracles of deceitfull spirits for either they are not true which are reported or if heretickes haue any wonders done among them it standeth vs in hand to beware the more But whether they haue the Church or not let them declare onely by the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scriptures These be the instructions these be the foundations these be the supporters of our cause By all which discourse it appeareth that Austin thought the true faith was the note of the true Church or else to what purpose should he so earnestly reuoke the Donatists froÌ„ all other courses to the tryall of the canonicall Scriptures if he had not bene of mind that the faith alone consenting with them had bene the infallible signe of the Church as he speaketh also in e Epist 166. another place In the Scriptures haue we learned Christ in the Scriptures haue we learned the Church § 25. I proue it because by true faith either is meant true faith onely in some points or in all it is not a good marke to say that is the true Church which teacheth the true faith in some points onely for all heretickes teach truth in some points and though it be proper to the true Church to be so guided by the holy Ghost that it teach the infallible truth in all points as before hath bene proued yet this is not a good marke whereby all sorts of men may and ought to come to know which is the true Church of which if they will be saued they must needs learne an infallible faith The Answer 1 We do not think euery company to be the true Church that holdeth onely some points of the true faith for all heretickes teach the truth in some things and yet we deny them to be the Church of God but f Act. 4.12 1. Cor. 3.11 Eph. 2.19 it is requisite that the foundation be holden that is to say all such truths deliuered as are necessary for all mens saluation and such heresies auoyded as destroy the foundation which kind of teaching is an infallible note whereby all Churches and professions may be tryed and we meane it when we say the faith is a marke of the Church 2 Neither yet do we thinke as the Iesuite speaketh that any visible church teacheth this truth so infallibly that it erreth in nothing we thinke and g §. 14. 15. I haue shewed the contrary for this befalleth the Church that it may be ignorant of many truthes for a time it may hold the faith sometime more sometime lesse purely it may build hay and wood vpon the foundation it may be infected with the errors and heresies of some therein and some articles lying in the very foundation may be beleeued not so clearely as h Mark 16 14. Luc. 24 5.11.12.21.25.37 Ioh. 20.25 the resurrection of Christ was for a time not well vnderstood which things though they befall the Church the holy Ghost teaching it but by degrees yet is not the faith thereby taken from it but abideth â—ufficient to giue testimony of saluation to all that will follow it And this is confirmed by the confession of our aduersaries themselues who say i Bell. de Not. Eccl. c. 2. that to erre and yet to be ready to learne and when you haue learned to
5 when he said I would not beleeue the Gospell vnlesse the authoritie of the Church did moue me For though the testimonie of the Church by reason of mens infirmitie afore they beleeue be requisite to draw them on to consent to the Scriptures as children afore they can go hold themselues by the side of a stoole and so learne to go yet is not the credite of the Church or authority of men the thing whereby we know and distinguish the Scripture from other writings but the authoritie of Gods spirit is it that by the help of the Church worketh faith in vs. Digression 19. Touching the place of S. August cont epist. fundam cap. 5. and the matter which the Papists gather from it 4 The Papists haue a principle among them that the Scriptures receiue all their authoritie from the Church meaning thereby g Rhem. Gal. 6.2 that they are not knowne to be true neither are Christians bound to receiue them without the attestation of the Church h Ioan. de Turrecr suê‘ dist 9. Noli meis nu 4. Which testimonie declareth vnto vs which be the Scriptures and which not i Baron annal tom 1. an 53. nu 11. so that by the tradition of the Church all the Gospel receiueth his authority and is built therupon as vpon a foundatioÌ„ and cannot subsist without it Yea k Bosius de sign eccl tom 2 pag. 439. some of them write that the Scripture is not to be reckoned among such * Principia principles as before all things are to be credited but it is proued confirmed by the church * Quasi per quoddam principium as by a certain principle which hath autority to reiect allow Scripture And l D. Standish Treat of the Script c. 6. probat 3. a countriman of ours hath left written that in three points the authoritie of the Church is aboue the authoritie of the Scripture The second is for that the Church receiued the Gospel of Luke and Marke and did reiect the Gospels made by his high Apostles Thomas and Bartlemew The which speeches of theirs when the Papists haue expounded how they can yet this will be the vpshot that in all discourses concerning religion the last resolution of our faith shall be into the Churches authoritie 5 For confirmation whereof they bring you see this of Austine I would not haue beleeued the Gospel vnlesse the Churches authority moued me In which words he speaketh of the time past afore he was conuerted and according to the phrase of his countrey putteth the preterimperfect tense for the preterpluperfect tense meaning thus I had not now beleeued the Gospell and bene a Christian but that the Church by her reasons perswaded me thereunto speaking onely of the practise of Christians who by their perswasions conuert many to the Gospell And that he speaketh of the time pâ—st when he was an vnbeleeuer it is plain not onely by viewing the place but by the testimonie of a learned Papist m Can loc l. 2. c. 8. pag. 34. who saith Austine had to do with a Manichee who would haue a certaine Gospell of his owne without controuersie admitted therefore Austine asketh what they will do if they chance to meet with one * Qui ne Euangelio quidem credat which beleeueth not the Gospell and by what arguments they will draw him into their opinion n Certè se affirmat non aliter potuisse adduci vt Euangeliâ—m amplectâ—retâ—â— quà m Ecclesiae authoritate victum Verily he affirmeth that â—e for his part could not otherwise be drawne to embrace the Gospel but being ouercome with the authorie of the Church therefore he doth not teach that the credite of the Gospell is founded on the Churches authoritie Whereby it is plaine that Austine propoundeth himselfe as an instance of one that beleeueth not which he could not be when he wrote this but by speaking of the time past And though it were throughly proued that he spake of himselfe being a Christian and in that estate said he would not beleeue the Gospell vnlesse the authoritie of the Church moued him yet were it not proued hereby that he meant the present Church as it runneth from time to time or the Church of Rome or any other place as it now standeth For if some Papists misse it not he meant the Church which was in the Apostles times which saw Christs miracles and heard his preaching Durand o 3. d. 24. q. 1. in litera o. saith That which is spoken concerning the approbation of the Scripture by the Church is meant onely of that Church which was in the Apostles time Of the same mind are p Dried de var. dogm l. 4. c. 4. Gers de vita anima Occham dial l. 1. part 1. c 4. others whereby he may see that Austine giueth a kind of authoritie to the Church but it is not that Church which should serue his turne Neither is the authoritie giuen large enough to reach the Popish conceit or the Iesuites conclusion if we had not the testimony of the Church we could not be infallibly sure that there were any Gospell at all nor know these bookes to be Scripture for Canus a Doctor of his owne q Vbi supra confesseth I do not beleeue that the Euangelist saith true because the Church telleth me he saith true but because God hath reuealed it And r Triplicat incho 〈◊〉 uers Whitak in Admon Stapleton The inward testimonie of the spirit is so effectuall for the beleeuing of any point of faith that by it alone any matter may be beleeued though the Church hold her peace or be neuer heard And Å¿ Comment theol tom 3. pag. 31 Gregorie of Valence The reuelation of the Scripture is beleeued not vpon the credit of any other reuelation but for it selfe And t qâ—â— Sent. 1 q. 1. art 3. pag 50. liâ—eta C. â—â—ce Greg. Arimin prolog n sent q. 1. art 3. pag. 4. Cardinall Cameracensis The verities contained in the Canon of the Bible onely are the principles and foundation of Diuinitie and receiue not their authority by other things whereby they may be demonstrated And therefore this testimonie of Austine proueth not that he beleeued the Gospel through the Churches authoritie as by a Theologicall principle whereby the Gospel might be proued true but onely as it were by a cause mouing him to credite it as if he should say I would not beleeue the Gospell vnlesse the holinesse of the Church or Christs miracles did moue me In which saying though some cause of his beleeuing the Gosp ll be assigned yet u Compare this wâ—â— the place of Bozius alledged in the beginning of this Digress letter a. no former principle is touched whose credite might be the cause why the Gospell should be beleeued These speeches of our very aduersaries which the truth it selfe hath wroong from them deserue to be obserued the more because
haue him say so For t Ioh. 5.39 our Sauiour himselfe refused not to haue his doctrine tried though he were better then the Church neither is it vnpossible for a priuate man to espy an error in the teaching of the best Church that is in which case he may iudge the Church and his iudgement is to be preferred as u Panormit Gerson whose words you haue Digress 15. nu 10. some Papists themselues deny not And out of question I thinke the most learned and discreet Papists to be wholly of this mind in that many of them haue called in question againe things already determined by their Church thinking the same that we do that it is not sufficient to make an end of questiōs vnlesse we be also sure the end is good For it is an ordinarie thing with the Iesuites and schoolemen of these dayes to expound the decrees of their Councels cleane against the originall meaning thereof which sheweth they mislike that which was decreed and helpe themselues with the fauour of the glosse against the text So the Councels of Lateran and Trent haue determined against the communion in both kinds forbidding the cup yet Ouandus a late Frier x Breuiloqu in 4. d. 9. prop. 6. pag. 221. writeth that all things duely considered that may fall out it were better to permit the cup then deny it and more grace is giuen in both kinds then in one And y Refert Bel de iustifica l. 3. c. 3. Catharinus the Bishop of Compsa maintaineth against the Trent Councell that a man by faith may be assured of the pardon of his sinnes whereas that Councell z Sess 6. cap. 9. determined the contrary And Sixtus Senensis a great clearke a Bibl. l. 1. p. 33. hath reiected as Apocrypha the seuen last chapters of Hester b Sess 4. which the Councell of Trent approued for canonicall Which these men would neuer haue done if they had thought it any iniurie to their Church to examine her teaching 5 And whereas he obiecteth further that the Church is a company of men wise learned vertuous and guided by the spirit of God and therefore it is rashnesse to iudge of their teaching I answer that this ill befits him and his cause for c Digress 16. nu 4. I haue shewed that his Church consisteth rather in the Popes sole person thē in any great company and the definitions thereof follow not the learning or vertue of any company but the Popes bare will who by the confession of all learned Papists may both erre and be as vitious foolish and vnlearned as any other And therefore the Church with her prerogatiues can do a Papist no good vntill they be taken from the Pope and giuen the Church againe Next though the company which is the Church be wise and learned c. yet are they no wiser then Christ and his Apostles whose teaching was examined neither can we know them for such till we haue tryed their teaching For d Iob 32 6.9 wise men see not all things at all times and the child with reuerence may admonish euen his father And though our Sauiour haue promised the assistance of his spirit to his Church to leade it into all truth yet in what sence that is e §. 14. nu 4. 5. I haue declared alreadie and the Iesuite may know it is not in his sence by this signe that the very persons and particular Churches to whom Christ meant those words had their errors for all that But supposing the Churches doctrine by vertue of some such promise be indeed absolutely exempted from all error yet may the same be examined and iudged of because till that be done it cannot of vs be knowne to be so For no man saith we must proue things already certaine but that we must not beleeue them to be certaine till we haue proued them And if the true Church cannot erre in any point then it standeth all men in hand to examine which is the true Church that so they may betake themselues vnto it and let him giue you a sound distinction and say directly what presumption it is against the Church and why an iniury to examine her doctrine more then it is to trie her vnitie sanctitie antiquity and succession Or if it be no wrong to make triall of these things which yet she hath by vertue of Christs promises why should it be amisse to make triall of the former which he dareth not for his life say is hers any properlier or fullier then they § 31. But you may perhaps obiect that in Scripture we are willed not to beleeue euery spirit but to examine and trie the spirits whether they be of God or no and that therefore we must examine and trie the spirit of the Church I answer that S. Iohn doth not meane that it appertaineth to euerie man to trie all spirits but in generall would not haue the Church to accept of euery one that boasteth himselfe to haue the Spirit but willeth that they should trie those spirits not that euery simple man should take vpon him thus to trie them but that those of the Church should trie them to whom the office of trying the spirits doth appertaine to wit the Doctors and Pastors of the Church which almightie God hath put of purpose in the Church Vt non circumferamur omni vent◠doctrinae Ephes 4. and that we may not like little ones wauer with euery blast of those that boast they haue the Spirit So that this trying of spirits is onely meant of those spirits which men may doubt whether they be of God or no and then also this triall belongeth to the Pastors of the Church But when it is once certaine that the spirit is of God we neither neede nor ought doubtfully to examine nor presumptuously iudge or it any more but obediently submitting the iudgement of our owne sense and reason we must beleeue the teaching of it in euery point Now it is most certaine that the spirit of the true Church is of God as out of holy Scripture hath bene most euidently declared and therefore our onely care should be to seeke out those markes and properties by which all men may easily know which particular companie of men is the true Church which we ought not to examine and trie but in all points obediently beleeue The Answer 1 The words of the Apostle are Dearly beloued beleeue not euery spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God 1. Ioh. 4.1 Whence we gather that it is the dutie of euery man to examine the doctrine that is taught him But the Iesuite answereth two things first that Saint Iohn biddeth not euery man do this but onely the Pastors Whereto I answer the words are plaine enough that he speaketh indifferently to all men that euery man for himselfe though not by himselfe but by the rule of Gods word should try the spirits For he directeth his Epistle
faith The Answer 1 The Iesuite hauing immediatly before propounded the vnitie of his Romane Church affirming that therein onely the vnitie of faith and concord of the learned is to be found now proceedeth to proue it by shewing the meanes which they haue for the preuenting of discord which he thinketh so all-sufficient that it were impossible there should be any dissention among them The summe of that which he saith is briefly this They which acknowledge one chiefe Pastor to wit the Pope to whose definitiue sentence in all matters they submit themselues cannot possibly dissent But all Catholickes acknowledge this chiefe Pastor and submit themselues to his definitiue sentence Therefore how is it possible they should dissent The second proposition he assumeth as granted though indeed it be vntrue as I will shew the first he proueth thus They cannot dissent who submit themselues to him that hath authoritie and infallibilitie of iudgement But the Pope hath this authoritie and infallibilitie Therefore they which submit themselues to the Pope cannot dissent The second proposition he confirmeth thus We know that to S. Peter and his successors Christ promised the keyes and sayd vpon them as vpon a rocke he would build his Church praying for them that their faith should not faile and bidding them strengthen their brethren and feede his sheepe which importeth this authoritie in ruling and infallibilit it in iudging But the Pope is S. Peters successor The Pope therefore hath this authoritie and infallibilitie This being the summe of his discourse I answer first to that which he assumeth so confidently that all Catholicke men submit themselues to the Popes definitions acknowledging the same to be of infallible truth For whatsoeuer his authoritie and iudgement be yet the Catholickes do not so vniformly as the Iesuite pretendeth submit their opinions to him but contrariwise when occasion is offered they vtterly refuse both him and his definitions and this is so true that he which will denie it must be reputed ignorant of all sense and experience the which manifestly shew that not onely the Christian Catholicks of the Primitiue Church but the Popish Catholickes of the Romish Church this day themselues haue reiected his determinations and held opinion against him Digression 25. Wherein it is shewed that in the Primitiue Church the Popes determination was not thought an infallible truth neither did the Christians for the maintenance of vnitie submit themselues thereunto 2 For many Catholicke Bishops in those dayes dissenting from the Bishop of Rome and refusing his decrees were not thought therefore to breake any vnitie in the Church For Aeneas Syluius who was himselfe a Pope about seuen score yeares since a Epist 301. writeth that before the Councell of Nice euery man liued to himselfe and small respect was had to the Church of Rome b Sozom. l. 3. c. 8. The Bishops of the East withstood Iulius in the cause of Athanasius and charged him that he had done against the lawes of the Church c Theod l. 5. c. 23. Sozom l. 7. c. 11. Flauianus the Patriark of Antioch about his succeeding Meletius in that sea against Paulinus resisted foure Popes one after another when they would haue had him giue roome to Paulinus d Epi. ad Vrsac Valent. Germin apud Baron annal to 3. ann 357. nu 44. Liberius who was Pope in the yeare 360. confessed that Athanasius was separated from the communion of the Church of Rome Yea e Baron ibid. nu 43. 46. the Papists themselues acknowledge this Liberius condemned Athanasius and entred communion with the Arrians which sheweth against all exception that in those dayes the godly Christians did not thinke either that the Pope was the head of vnitie or that all were of the true Church that held communion with him for then the Arrians had bene good Catholickes and Athanasius with all that tooke part with him had bene hereticks which no man dareth say About the yeare 450. f Act. 16. the Councel of Chalcedon wherein were 630. Bishops withstood Leo then Pope of Rome in the question of his supremacie Concerning which matter g Concor Cathol l. 2. c. 20. pag 748. Cusanus a Cardinall beareth witnesse It is manifest saith he that Pope Leo would not in certaine points receiue the constitutions of the Chalcedon Councell specially that the Church of Constantinople should go before the Church of Alexandria but alwayes gainsaid them as some other Popes did after him and yet the decree of the Councell alwayes preuailed Which experience proueth that in those times the Bishops ouer all the world would as occasion serued refuse the Popes iudgement and yet they were counted good Catholickes for all that So likewise in the yeare 418. h Cap. 105. the sixt Councell of Carthage hauing in it 217. Bishops resisted three Popes one after another decreeing things contrary to the authoritie of the Church of Rome as i Contaré sum Concil magis illustr pag. 263. the Papists themselues expound the Councell whereof Cusanus k Vbi supra writeth thus The Councell of Affricke withstood Celestin in that he would do against the Councell of Nice and Celestin replied not that he might do it but alledged for himselfe the Councell though corrupted Which opposition made against the Pope is so apparent that many Papists indeed labour to excuse it but none denie it and l Sic vndique CarthagineÌ„ses patres constringuntur vt elabi nullo modo possint quis iam ferat crassissimae ignoâ—antiae illam vocem in tot tantis patribus vbi illa Augustini reliquorum prudentia Alan Cope dial pag 76. 77. the despitefull speeches of some Papists against S. Austine and the Bishops bewray that they discouer the same resistance made by the Councell against the Pope that I mention 3 Againe in the yeare 167. m Euseb hist l. 5. c. 23. inde Niceph. l. 4. c. 37. inde there arose a contention in the Church about the keeping of Easter whereby the Bishops of the East and West were deuided in which contention the Popes definitiue sentence was not receiued but refused without any offence against the vnitie of the Church For first Polycarpe coming to Anicetus that was Bishop of Rome in his time would not yeeld to him neither could Anicetus perswade Polycarpe to lay by his maner of obseruation n Euseb li. 5. c. 26. saith the story and yet both sides retained vnitie About thirtie yeares after the question was renewed o Cap. 25. and Victor the Bishop of Rome being earnest against the Easterne Bishops excommunicated them But this saith Eusebius pleased them not for they wrote vnto him reprouing him sharply and bitterly as namely Polycrates the bishop of Ephesus and Irenaeus the bishop of Lyons here in the West These had many on their side that stood against the Bishop of Rome and that which afterwards tooke vp the controuersie was not his
in Bonif. 3. Marian. Scot. an 608. Martin Polon an 607. Vrsperg in Phoca Naucler gener 21. in Bonif. 3. all Historiographers with one consent haue left written in these words Boniface with great ado obtained of the Emperour Phocas that he might be made the vniuersall Bishop of the world the which authoritie his successors not onely held fast euen with their teeth but also wonderfully increased The Reader by all this that I haue touched may soone discerne the Popes moderne authoritie exercised among his owne and claimed ouer all to be swolne farre bigger then it was in ancient times But after swelling cometh bursting whereof I reade his followers beware in time Digression 28. Shewing that the Pope is not of infallible iudgement but may erre and fall into heresie as any other man may 32 This point is certaine enough to vs who haue cast off both him and his teaching for no other cause but this that we are assured he is Antichrist and his faith heresie But it may be shewed in another sort also that the Papists themselues may not denie it by making demōstration of his errors in such cases as they allow to be the truth Which they skilfully foreseeing haue lately inuented the distinction vsed here by the Iesuite that he may fall into heresie but he cannot teach it è cathedra that is by way of definition to offer it the vniuersall Church he may erre in his owne person but not as Pope to define and teach error The which is a sensles ridiculous shift though the desperatenesse of their cause haue put them to it For they think their Pope to be a publick person and his whole office to teach the Church wherupon his priuate errors as they cal them cannot but go with him into the chaire and Consistory For he that erreth in iudgement must of necessitie erre also in his determinations because no man can determine otherwise then he thinketh Neither is it likely that God will put him in trust with the faith of his Church that cannot guide his own For the rule must not only make straight that which is crooked but be straight it selfe Therefore if the Popes faith cannot direct himselfe much lesse shall it be able to preserue others Besides n Tom. 2. de sign eccl l. 18. c. vlt. Bozius saith He may be an hereticke yea write teach and preach heresie Which is all one as if he had said he may erre iudicially è cathedra because these three writing teaching or preaching are iudicial exercises of the chaire directed and reaching themselues to the Church for this speciall end to informe men Againe they haue erred in Church canons dispensations Decretals and matters defined by them in Councels therefore they haue erred è cathedra The consequence is proued o D. 19. in Canonicis Et si Romanorum because all these tend to the teaching of the Church and are the meanes whereby he publisheth his iudgement Of his dispensations Franciscus Victoria p Relect. 4. nu 6 saith The Pope in dispensing against the decrees of Councels and former Popes may erre and grieuously sinne Would it were so that we might doubt of this conclusion but we see dayly such large and dissolute dispensations proceed from the court of Rome to the ruine of small and great that the world is not able to beare them Thus Pius Quartus q Sess 8. can 3. sub Pio 4. decreed at Trent that it should be lawful for him to allow those degrees to marry together which God in Leuiticus had forbidden and to forbid those which God had allowed This was an hereticall decree è cathedra and according to it diuers Popes haue taught their people to marrie against the faith r Sum. Angel verbo Papa nu 1. Martin the fift allowed one to marry his owne sister germaine Another allowed K. Henrie the eight to marrie his brothers wife ſ Osor de gest Eman. l. 2. A third taught Emanuel the King of Portugall to marry two sisters Touching decrees t Alphon. adue heres l. 1. c. 4. Celestin ordained for example the mariage to be void when either of the parties fall into heresie u Sigeber chro an 768. 902. Sigon de Reg. Ital. l. 6. an 896. Baron tom 10. an 897. nu 6. Stephen the sixt decreed in a Councell that such as were ordained Bishops by Formosus his predecessor were not ordained lawfully because Formosus was an euill man This is plaine Donatisme x De consecr d. 4. A quodam Pope Nicolas decreed that to baptize onely in the name of Christ is good baptisme contrary to the decrees of y Ibid. Hi vero Gregorie and z Ib. Multi sunt Pelagius a 32. q. 7. Quod proposuisti Pope Gregorie decreed that a man might take another wife in case his wife were so diseased that she could not yeeld him the debt of mariage the which b Ib. §. Sed illud Ambr. saith Gratian is altogether contrary both to the sacred Canons and to the doctrine of the Apostles and Euangelists But what need we be curious in reckoning vp instances when it is a thing granted c D. 4. Si Papa that he may be found negligent of his owne and his brethrens saluation drawing innumerable people by troupes with himselfe to be damned in hell For doth not he erre perniciously enough that may thereby damne himselfe and others or were it possible he should do thus if Christ had priuiledged him as the Papists fancie 33 Moreouer it is granted by the Papists themselues that he may erre in faith not in manners or opinions onely For Occham d Q. 1 de potes sum Pont. c. 9. saith and sheweth that many things are contained in the Decretals which sauour of heresie And Almaine e Qu. in Vesper that the power of not erring in the faith is not alway in the Pope And I haue shewed out of Bozius that he may write and preach heresie and heresie is in matter of faith whereupon it followeth that his iudgement cannot be infallible when he cometh to proceed in determining because the true faith wherein he erreth is it that should rectifie the determination The which consequence f Relect. cont 3 q. 4. concl 4. arg 4. Doctor Stapleton granteth yeelding that if he erre in faith the whole Church also should with him be led into error and so the vnitie of faith should be vncertaine But granting this he denieth that he can erre in faith which is contrary to that which all others confesse and dayly experience demonstrateth 34 The last reason to shew he may erre euen when he teacheth the Church is this that there may be diuers instances giuen when the Church refused to heare him yea cast him out and deposed him as an hereticke which was needlesse if there had not bin a purpose in him to seduce the Church and danger lest his teaching should
secreti regula Pastor erit Roma suis magna suis Brittannia normam Pandit in incertum ne rapiare caue Consilium Medici Pastoris consule vocem Iudicium certum PAGINA SACRA dabit Le. Asshaw ar A BRIEFE DISCOVRSE CONCERNING FAITH BY WHICH IS euidently declared how euery one that hath a desire to please God and a care to saue his soule the which should be the chiefe desire and care of euery Christian man ought to resolue and settle himselfe in all points questions and controuersies of faith The Answer IF the Discourse had performed what the Title promiseth you had bene beholding to the man that bestowed it on you the rather because the coÌ„trouersies of the present time haue changed the sweet Spring of our Church into a stormy Winter But seeing the author thereof vnder colour of directing you in the controuersies goeth about to make another Eue of you by seducing your minde from the simplicitie that is in Christ you haue little cause to thanke him and a Deut. 27.18 he lesse to reioyce in his labour For his reasons whereby he thinketh to declare his matter so euidently all tend to perswade you that the Pope of Rome b Gregorius decimus tertius filiorum ecclesiae pater amantissimus Camp rat 5. apud Posseu bibl l. 7. c. 21. his fast frieÌ„d c Nomine Ecclesiae intelligimus eius caput id est Romanum PontificeÌ„ Gregor de Valent. in Thom. tom 3. pag. 24. Venet. is this verie Rule that must resolue you in these points questions and controuersies of faith An vnreasonable position voyd of all indifferencie when common sense teacheth that he which is a partie cannot be iudge and d Niceph. Gregor hist lib 10. cap. vlt. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which it selfe is a thing wauering and inconstant cannot be the Rule to discerne the right by What father e Luc. 11.11 saith Christ if his sonne aske him bread will giue him a stone or if he aske a fish will giue him a serpent yet thus the Iesuite hath dealt with you But f Epicharm the heathen mans counsell is good Be sober and suspicious and g 1. Thes 5.21 the Apostles better Trie all things and sticke to that which is good Neither must you hope to learne truth in the schoole of lies for they that seeke Christ among heretickes shall lose him § 1. First it is to be suppoâ—ed and set downe for a certaine ground that there is but one faith which whosoeuer wanteth cannot possibly please God nor consequently be saued since none are saued which do not please God This is proued out of S. Paule who in one place saith Vna fides Ethes 4 and in another Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo Heb 11. The which two places make this sence in English Faith is but one and without faith it is impossible to please God Secondly this one faith without which we cannot please God must be infallible and most certaine because faith is the credite and inward assent of mind which we giue to the word of God the prime and first veritie which neither can deceiue nor be deceiued Fides saith the same S. Paule Rom. 10 ex auditu auditus per verbum Dei The sence of which words be that faith is bred in vs by hearing and yeelding assent to the word of Christ who is of God The Answer 1 Both these conclusions be true and you shall graunt them to be as himselfe calleth them certaine grounds wherein we all agree that there is but one faith wherein we can be saued and this faith must be infallible or certaine that is free from error and such as cannot deceiue vs beleeuing nothing that false is And this later is well proued Because faith is the assent of the mind that we giue to the word of God which word being the first truth neither can deceiue vs nor be deceiued it selfe This confirmation I say will serue meaning by the word of God the holy Scriptures for h Cyrill Hiero. fol. cat 4. the securitie of our faith ariseth from the demonstration of the diuine Scriptures i 1. Cor. 4.6 that no man presume aboue that which is written 2 But if by the word of God which cannot deceiue nor be deceiued he meane also the Constitutions of his Church and the Popes Decrees which they call Traditions then his confirmation is naught and we reiect it because the words thereof will be resolued into this sence That our faith or religion to this end that it may be infallible must be grounded partly on Traditions and partly on the Scriptures and the certaintie thereof dependeth no lesse on the former then on the later a point which no wise man will graunt considering that such Traditions are so farre from securing our faith that directly they leade it into a verie sea of errors and vncertainties and being once admitted euery Friers dreame and base custome of the Romish Church shall be thrust vpon you for an article of religion necessarie to eternall life And I dare vndertake the Iesuit in this place by the word of God of Christ meaneth these verie Traditions so farre that put him to it and before he wil forgo them or hazard the least of his Papall Decrees you shall see him k Vide as quaÌ„ti ponderis sit ipsa traditio vt ex ipsa noui testamenti scripta omnia authoritatem acceperint quam qui non admiâ—tunt ab ipsis etiam canonicis scriptis excidat necesse est Traditio est scripturarum fundamentum In eo scripturas excellunt quod illae nisi traditione firmentur non subsistant hae vero etiam sine scriptis suaÌ„ obtineant firmitatem Caes Baron annal tom 1. an 53. nu 11. verie strangely speake of the Scriptures as the l Demades Eras apop man of Athens that thought his countreymen should not by striuing for heauen in the meane time venter to lose the earth Digression 1. Prouing that the Papists grounding the doctrine of faith on Traditions make them equall to the written word 3 For the Trent Councell m Sess 4. decret 1. decreed they should be receiued with the same reuerence and affection wherewith we receiue the Scripture it selfe Canus n Loc. l. 3. c. 3. saith Many things belong to Christian faith which are contained in the Scripture neither openly nor obscurely o Confess Petric c. 92. Hosius saith the greatest part of the Gospell is come to vs by tradition very little of it is committed to writing p De Purgat cap. 11. Peltanus that many verities lye hidden in the Church which if she would reueale we were bound to beleeue with the same faith wherwith we beleeue the things reuealed in the Scriptures q Vaux Canisius English catech c. 1. The Popish Catechismes teach that Faith is a certaine light wherwith whosoeuer is enlightened he firmely agreeth to all such things as
are so iealous of him in things concerning manners beleeuing also he may write and preach heresie and g Bellar. de â—o Pont. lib 4 c. 1. saith this is the opinioÌ„ of Gâ—rson Almaine Alphonsus and Pope Adrian define it too vnlesse he vse a generall Councel h Can. loc l 6. c. 8. pag. 206. which Councell also may erre in the reasons and causes whereon he buildeth the definition i Bellar. vbi supra and by proceeding rashly without mature deliberation finally k Stapl. princip doctr l. 8. c. 14. the Pope in euery thing but the conclusion it selfe may misse it they I say which thus farre forth misdoubt him are not in their conscience free from a further conceit if they might freely vtter it and that is that both Pope and Councels may erre and in such cases their decrees bind no man And out of question this was the common opinion of all Papists till of late for Canus l Loc. lib. 6. c. 1. these are Gerson Almain AdriaÌ„ Waldensis Gratian Turrecremaia and Erasmusâ— vnto whom many more may be added reporteth of seuen renowned Papists that in their time they beleeued the Apostolicke seate might erre euen then when it iudged of a question of faith the which is farre from the new vpstart opinion of m Greg. de Val. Anal. fidei some moderne Iesuites that the Pope may define things of faith either with a Councell or without whether he take heed or not 7 And I do verily thinke that they which most pretend the Popes soueraigntie and are loudest in magnifying his authoritie are not in good earnest for there are examples where they repine at his definitions and she outright from them The Pope n In the Councels of Trent and Florence decreed the Apocrypha to be canonicall Scripture yet since that decree o De script dogm eccl l 1. c. vlt. Driedo p Comment in Seuer Sulpit. Sigonius and Sixtus Senensis haue called them in question and reiected them And marke the words of S xtus concerning the booke of Hester The Councell saith q Biblioth l 1. pag. 4â— he meant the true and naturall parts of the bookes not ragged and patched additions such as these last chapters of Hester are much like a theme made by a schoole lad See what a pleasant distinction he hath at hand to saue himselfe from the Popes commaund and yet be counted a Catholicke of the vnion too And r Loc. l. 2 c. 9. Canus saith notwithstaÌ„ding the same decree that he dareth not call it heresie to reiect the booke of Baruch out of the Canon though they will make a poore Protestant beleeue it is heresie to refuse any thing decreed by a generall Councell Yea * Bellar. de verbo Dei l. 1. c. 7. 10. they boast that these Apocryphaes were decreed to be Scripture long ago by the ancient Councels of Carthage and Laodicea yet Lyra Carthusianus Hugo Cardinalis * Post hanc Sacri CoÌ„cilij definitionem tam expressam non desunt qui in Ecclesia varijs pratexâ—ibus hanc editioneÌ„ vulgarem plurimis in locis corrigere veimt Dom. Bann in 1. part Tho. q 1 art 8 p. 67. queÌ„ vide vsque ad p. 73. Loc. l. 11. c. 5. Turâ—ecremata Caietan and others in their time would not acknowledge them So likewise the Pope in the Trent Councell Å¿ Sess 4. decret 2. decreed that the Latin vulgar translation of the Bible should be holden Authenticke and in all publicke readings disputations preachings and expositions vsed as such and that no man should dare or presume vnder what pretence soeuer to reiect it Yet what is more common with all Papists then vpon euery occasion to start from it extreme necessitie indeed compelling theÌ„ therunto Hereof take an example in Canus Thus t pag. 311. saith he our Latin edition hath it where those three words ipse est Artaxerxeâ— are no part of the Scripture but by I know not what expositor they were peraduenture foisted into the margent and thence by the errors of writers clapt into our text Another example take in Galatinus Here u De Arcan l. 10. c. 7 See another example touching Marc. 13.32 in B. Medin in 3. part Tho. qu. 10. art 2. ad 1. saith he our edition hath two great corruptions the Hebrew veritie hath it farre otherwise and more agreeable to the truth of our faith This corruption I cannot but ascribe to the author of our edition Againe the Pope x Sess 11. in the last Councell of Lateran is decreed to be aboue a Councell yet since that time y Contra. haer l. 1 c. 6. Alphonsus à Castro hath writ the contrary The Councell of Trent z Sess 6. teacheth iustification by inherent righteousnesse condemning those that beleeue the imputation of Christs righteousnesse yet a Controu 2. Pighius submitteth not himselfe to this decree but holdeth against it the very beliefe of the Protestants b Sess 21 can 3. Bellar. de Eucha l. 4. c. 23. §. Sit vltima The Pope in the Councell of Trent forbiddeth the communion vnder both kinds and teacheth that as much grace is giuen to the receiuer in one kind as in both but c Breuiloqu in 4. d. 9 pro. 6. 7 Ouandus and d Gasp Cassal lib. de coen l. 2. c. 25. some others thinke for all that It were better all things considered to minister in both kinds wherin more grace is giuen the receiuer theÌ„ in one Againe e Sess 6. the Pope decreed against the certaintie of grace saluation defining that no man should beleeue these things of himselfe yet Catharinus euen against the Trent Councell f Asser tract de certitud grat defended the contrary and wrote h Quilibet de sua gratia formidare timere potest Conc. Trid. Sess 6. cap. 9. that a man may haue the certainty of faith touching these things And when the authoritie of Trent was obiected against him he eluded it by diuers shifts and flight distinctions and constrained g Dom. à Soto apolog c. 2. Andr. Vega. defens Trid. l. 9. c. 46. them that dealt against him in effect to gainsay the Councell as much as himselfe saying A iust man may be as certaine that he standeth in grace as any man can be that Rome is yea certaine without all doubting and feare the which is expresly against h the words of the Pope but this is an ordinary practise of the Papists first in good termes to make profession of all obedience to any thing the Pope shal decree and theÌ„ when the decree runneth against their mind with subtle expositions and witty distinctions so to hammer it that it shall dance after their pipe whatsoeuer the tune be as we see in Senensis and Catharinus The which may be done the easilier and with more shew of obedience because these decrees specially the Trent
he vsed speeches of exhortations to the Bishops perswading them to concord and when many things were propounded on both sides and much controuersie in the beginning arose the Emperour heard them all with patience and leisurely receiued that they said by course he entertained the words of both sides quietly reconciling them in their iarres and mildly speaking to euery one and as for the Pope he onely sent two priests to p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodor. l. 1. c. 7. assent to the things concluded not to be Presidents in the Councell it being folly to thinke that simple priests should be Presidents ouer Patriarks and Bishops In the second generall Councell holden at Constantinople the case is cleare for q Bell. de conc c. 19. the Iesuiteâ— confesse the Pope was there neither in person nor by his Legates but Nectarius the Patriarke was President In the first Councell of Ephesus r Conc. Eph. â—â—â—c CoÌ„melin Scripâ— ad Thâ—od Valentin Cyril and Memnon were Presidents Å¿ Concil Calc act 1. Euagr. l. 1. c 10. In the second Dioscorus put in by the Emperour t Concil Sard. Theod. l. 3. c. 12 In the Sardican Councell Hosius the Bishop of Corduba and Protogenes the Bishop of Sardice I would reckon vp more particulars but that it is needlesse because the Presidentship was not a matter of power to rule the Councel or to conclude matters after his owne minde though the Councell were against him but as I touched euen now out of Duarenus of honor and order onely to haue the first place to propose things to gather voices to giue direction to publish the Councels definitiue sentence and therefore it concludeth no primacy for him that had it 30 Thirdly he was not reputed to be aboue Councels to ouer-rule and checke them as now he claimeth but contrariwise they iudged and commanded him as appeareth in the practise of the Councel of Chalcedon against Leo of Sinuessa against Marcellinus of the sixt seuenth eight generall councels against Honorius whereof I shall speake more particularly u Digress hereafter And I assure my selfe the most Papists beleeue this to be true because they defend that a Councell is aboue the Pope which they would neuer do but that they caÌ„not deny that so it was in ancient times Cusanus x Concord l. 2. c. 34. saith A generall Councell of the Catholicke Church in all matters is of highest power euen aboue the Pope himselfe y C. 20. And it is manifest that Pope Leo in certaine points would not receiue the constitutions of the Chalcedon Councell but alway disclaimed them and some other Popes after him and yet the decreee of the Councell waâ— of force Panormitan z De Elect. electi pot c. Significasti saith In things touching faith a Councell is aboue the Pope so that he cannot dispose of things against the determination of a Councell hence it is that a Councell may condemne the Pope for heresie For in things concerning faith the saying euen of one priuate man is to be preferred before the Popes iudgement if he haue better reasons authorities of the old and new TestameÌ„t Victoria a Relect. 4. de potest Papae prop 8. saith that Caietan holdeth the Pope may lawfully disanull the decrees neither of generall nor prouinciall Councels nor yet dispense against them but vpon good reason and that the decrees of a Councell binde the Pope in conscience and in this point he is to be beleeued Yea Bellarmine b De Concil l. 2. c. 14. confesseth that Alliaco and Cusanus Cardinals Gerson Almain Antoninus Tostatus and many others hold that a Councell is aboue the Pope yea the Councels of c Constant Sess 4. 5. Constance and d Bas Sess 2. Basil decreed that he should obey the Councell in all things pertaining to faith and reformation of the Church And that which cometh yet closer to the cause a generall Councell hath reuoked things decred by the Pope in a lawfull Synode whereof e Concord l. 2. â— 13. Cusanus giueth an example in the Councell of Chalcedon that examined Leo his proceedings against Dioscorus Vpon all which euidence I dare be bold to say it is manifestly false that the Iesuite affirmeth All Catholicke men haue alway acknowledged the Popes determination to be Gods ordinance for the maintaining of vnitie and if I and all Protestants should hold our peace yet the Iesuits owne fellowes would blabbe it out for f Cap. 12 Cusanus saith The Bishop of Rome by custome of mens obedience toward him hath gotten farre beyond the bounds of the ancient obseruatioÌ„s and g Part. 2. c. 18. Marsilius saith That vnlawfully and against the minde both of diuine and humane reasons he assumeth to himselfe this fulnesse of power both ouer Prince and community and any singular power 31 The last obseruation is the proceeding of Gregory the first a Pope in the later end of the 500. yeare against the Patriarke of Constantinople which was this h Sabel Eâ—nea 8. l. 5. Platin. in Greg. Sigon de regn Ital. l. 1. an 595. He the Patriarke assembled a Synode wherein he was desirous to make himself the vniuersall Bishop ouer all as the Pope now conceiteth himselfe and to this purpose he also laboured the Emperour Maurice to helpe the matter forward who writing to Gregory commanded him to obey the Patriark But Gregory withstood him and by many letters both to the Emperour and him sheweth that no man might be a vniuersall Bishop ouer the rest detesting the name and calling it vaine proud profane blasphemous mischieuous Antichristian against the commaundements of God and decrees of the councels and finally saith he is a follower of Satan and forerunne of Antichrist that assumeth it i See l. 4. ep 32 34. 38. 39. His writings are full of this discourse whereby it appeareth plainly he then had no such iurisdiction as now the Pope vsurpeth but detested it not onely in Iohn of Constantinople but euen in himselfe and calleth the name containing it a proud title and biddeth it be packing k D. 99. Ecce in when one in his letter stiled him with it as l Ib. Primae sedis the Councell of Affricke long before had decreed that not the Romane Bishop himselfe should be called vniuersall Notwithstanding about seuen yeares after Boniface the third of that name preuailed against the Patriarke by the friendship of the next Emperour which by a foule peece of seruice he purchased and obtained that himselfe which the Patriarke had striuen for and so this title with some part of the iurisdiction was first visibly brought into the sea of Rome as m Duaren de sacris eccl minist l. 1 c. 10. Otho Frising chro l. 5. c. 8. Paul Diacon de gest Longo l. 4. c. 11. Sabell Ennead 8. l. 6. Rhegi chro l. 1. Anast Biblioth Luitprand Albo Floriac Platina
him Secondly Christ saith Simon louest thou me more then these Why doth he examine him of his loue more then the rest but that he intended him more authoritie I answer to make him see his fault who hauing lately vndertooke more then all euen to die with him though all should forsake him yet when it came to triall performed lesse then any denying him thrise which none else did And possible also to let him know his sinne was pardoned x Luc. 7.47 because more is forgiuen to him that loueth more Thirdly he not onely examineth him of his loue but also thereby draweth out of him a feruent confession of it I answer this he did also in regard of his former sinne y Isid Pelusiot l. 1. Ep. 103. by a threefold confession to heale his threefold deniall and to assure his fellow disciples of his repentance and to shew by his example how deare the loue of Christ should be to them that meddle with feeding Christs flocke Fourthly he biddeth him Feed and feeding is Ruling with fulnesse of power I answer he biddeth him feed his sheepe and lambes which are the people and not the Apostles properly which proueth that feeding hath no such meaning Besides feeding signifieth ruling not euery way but in such maner as appertaineth to the persons that do feed And therefore in kings it is to rule with fulnesse of power but in Pastors with the word and discipline onely as appeareth by this that all Bishops and teachers are called z Eph 4.11 Pastors and bidden a Ier. 3.15 Ezec 34 Act. 20.28 1. Pet. 5.1 feede the flocke of Christ and yet no man thinketh they are made Popes thereby Lastly Peter is bidden Feed the sheepe the Apostles are a part of Christs sheep therefore he must feed them I answer this is granted but then feeding signifieth no more but edifying by word and example and so as Peter must feed the Apostles the Apostles must feed him againe by the same commandement of Christ b Marc. 16. that bade them preach the Gospell to euery creature as c Gal. 2. Paul fed him at Antioch by reproofe And whereas some vrge that the sheepe signifie the vniuersall Church because Christ saith not these are those sheepe in particular but my sheeepe in generall and so Peter is set ouer the vniuersall Church this is but a speculation for if the Church be strained into so wide a signification he could not feed it because he could feed no more then that part which was in his time or followed after him wherein the other Apostles fed in community with him and feeding was not Poping Thus we see that vnlesse the Papists may be allowed to racke the words of Scripture beyond all compasse of ordinary vnderstanding and bring to them the sence which they should fetch from them there is nothing in all the Bible sufficient to vphold any part of that wherein they are so confident § 37. So that this difference may be assigned betweene any sort of heretickes and the Romane Church that they are a companie not vnited among themselues by anie linke which is able to containe and continue them in the vnitie of faith whereas the Romane Church is as S. Cyprian speaketh Plebs sacerdoti adunata grex pastori suo adhaerens A people conioyned to their priest and a flocke cleauing to their chiefe Pastor Whom whilest it heareth as it is bound to do it is vnpossible but it should retaine vnitie of faith Like contrarie according to the saying of the same S. Cyprian lib. 1. epist 5. ad Cornel. contra Haeret. Non aliunde haereses obortae sunt aut nata schismata quà m inde quòd Sacerdoti non obtemperatur nec vnus in Ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos vnus iudex vice Christi cogitatur Nor from any other roote haue heresies and schismes sprong vp but from this that men do not obey the priest of God neither do they consider how that in the Church there is one Priest and one iudge for the time in stead of Christ The Answer 1 How well the Romane Church is linked together I haue said in the former section and therefore if the Iesuit will assigne a difference betweene it and heretickes which will be the same that is betweene fish and herrings he must do it by somthing else then by their vnitie wherunto Saint Cyprian giueth no testimony in the words alledged but that it pleased the Iesuite thereby to impose vpon his ignorant reader For first he speaketh not in any of both places concerning the Church of Rome but of euery part of the Church whersoeuer saith It is a company adhering to their Pastour c. Next by this one Pastor and iudge whereto the Church adhereth he meaneth not the Bishop of Rome ouer all the world for himselfe dissented from him in the cause of appeales and rebaptization but euery Bishop in his owne circuit Thirdly supposing he had conceited the Pope and by these words immediatly meant him yet what is that to the Pope now who is degenerate into another creature then at that time he was whereby it cometh to passe that many good things might be said of him then that cannot now and of his Church then which since that time are perished 2 But the truth is that saying the Church is a people cleauing to their Priest he meaneth it not of al Gods Church cleauing to the Pope but of euery particular Church obeying their Pastour according to Saint Pauls admonition a Heb. 13.17 Obey and submit your selues to such as haue the ouersight of you And the want hereof he saith is the roote of schisme not the dissenting from the Pope And this is proued to be his meaning because in b Lib. 4. Ep. 9. ad Florent another Epistle he hath the same words applying them to himselfe and complaining thereby that some had vnderhand refused him and communicated with others For the Nouatians at Carthage in a schisme had made them a Bishop of their owne and written to the Church of Rome falsly that he was lawfully elected the which being against the custome and peace of the Church moued him to vrge as you see the vnitie of one Bishop and to defend the Church-gouernment of that time c Hiero. comment in Tit c. 1. Chrysost hom 1 ad Philipp which was to haue but one Bishop in one citie Hence proceed his words touching euery Bishop in his owne place as the Iesuite hath alledged them Whereby you see how wel he proueth the vnitie of his Church and authoritie of his Pope euen as well as if a man should make that proper to the Bishop of Rome and his Church which appertaineth to euery Bishop and euery Church and expound that of the supremacie which importeth no more but ordinary gouernment vsed by Pastors in their owne charge This kinde of disputing is called inclosing of commons § 38. Secondly the Protestants Church is
the Iesuite holdeth you occupied with an argument that himselfe knoweth is nothing worth D. Harding g Confut. apol part 6. pag. 291. saith You know it is no good argument à moribus ad doctrinam who would not hisse and trample you out of schooles if ye make this argument The Papists liues be faultie ergo their teaching is false The Iesuite therefore must be hist at by Hardings censure Staphylus h Apolo part 1. saith Our faith must not be pinned to the life of the Clergie or preachers c. Bellarmine i De grat lib. arbit l. 5. c. 10. §. Hoc posito saith It is certaine the doctrine which men teach vs cannot be knowne by their works because their inward workes are not seene and their outward workes are common to both sides k Annal. tom 7. 2 n. 526. n. 58. Baronius calleth them an ignorant companie that measure Catholicke faith not by the sacred Scriptures which they know not but by the example of life Thus we see the Papists are vnwilling we should iudge of their faith by their liues and yet how peremptorie they are with vs about ours and how busie in smattering of our faults that will admit no disaduantage by their owne Besides they haue a position among them l Bellar. de Eccles mil. l. 3. c. 2. that no inward vertue is required to make one a part of the true Church but only the external profession of faith The which being so then what necessitie is there of holinesse either inward or outward to proue that a people are the true Church for they may be so without it if they do but professe it which a wicked person can do Digression 31. Containing many complaints made by the Papists themselues against their owne Church and people whereby it appeareth their liues are worse then can be said of the Protestants 4 But because they are m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Callistrat diuis in stat Narcissi Narcissus like so besotted with their owne beautie and the Iesuite will needs haue it tryed whether Papists or Protestants be of better life I am content it be a match and the comparison be made vpon condition that what I produce be alway remembred to be their owne confession not my report and therefore remaine with the Reader for a cooling card to still the Pharisee next time he cometh into the temple with n Luc. 18.11 God I thanke thee I am not like other men and ruffleth among his poore brethren o Esa 65.5 with stand apart come not nie me for I am holier then thou And out of question vpon what part of their Church soeuer we looke there is no cause why they should boast themselues against vs. Of their Popes and what Saints they haue bene I shall haue fiâ—ter occasion to speake p Digr 54. below Touching their Monkes and religious persons I referre my selfe likewise to q Digr 45. another place Concerning the people Ferus r In 1. Ioh. c. 2. saith that in their Church abuses of all sorts haue preuailed with diuers superstitions and euill manners euen to the highest degree And saith he the God of this world Mammon and Ambition hath so blinded our eyes that we cannot so much as see so great euils in our Church Not denying as the Iesuite doth the same vnholinesse to be among themselues that we are charged with but lamenting that such as he is haue no eyes to see it Niemensis a man in his time attending on the Pope Å¿ Per vim stulta parens quasi vipera deperis omnes Tu portentorum locus es conformis eorum Cum Nilo pottenta pari nutris crocodilos Iam cum portentis reor exterminia sentis Si quid in his possem facereÌ„ sterilescere matreÌ„ Theod. à Niem de schismat l. 3. c. 41. saith Rome was a place of monsters yea like Nilus breeding monsters and nourishing Crocodiles that it were to be wished it were more barren in yeelding such fruite of Vipers And because the Iesuite alledged somewhat against vs out of Luthers sermons I will quit him againe with another sermon for Cornelius Mus the Bishop of Bitonto thus preached some threescore yeares since in Saint Laurence Church in Rome t Concio euaÌ„g de Domin fest tom 1. fer 4 cinerum part 3. pag. 242. O my best beloued Rome if euer it stood any citie in hand to hasten her conuersion to God thou hast need to giue example to all other cities of this conuersion Thou which art wholly turned away ouerthrowne and peruerted Turned away by thine owne negligence ouerthrowne by the deceit of Satan and peruerted by thine old custome of sinning Seest thou not wretched citie how thou art become a stewes of lechery a fornace of couetousnes a hell of all other mortall sins Seest thou not how euery state and degree of men and euery order this feast time of Bacchus is departed from God and made a prey to the diuell They haue striuen among theÌ„selues who of all men shal be the worst in superfluous expences in dishonest attire in filthy words and mischieuous deeds Alas also religious men are become dissolute children are set to schoole to a thousand vices yong men are vnbridled virgins haue cast offshame Priests their gownes and Monkes their cowles wise men are become fooles and old men children To the same effect he also preached u Orat in Conc. Trid. in 3. Dom. Aduent Conci tom 3. at the Councell of Trent With what monsters of filthinesse with what sinks of vncleannesse with what pestiferous contagion is not both Priest and people defiled I make your selues iudges and begin at the sanctuary of God and see if there be any shamefastnesse any chastitie any hope or helpe for honest life if there be not vnbridled lust notorious boldnesse incredible wickednesse Edification is turned into destruction examples into offences custome to corruption regard of lawes to contempt thereof seueritie to slacknesse mercie to impunitie pietie to hypocrisie preaching to contention solemne dayes to filthy marts and that which is most vnhappie the sauour of life to the sauor of death Would God they were not fallen with one consent from religion to superstition from faith to infidelitie from Christ to Antichrist from God to Epicurisme saying with a wicked heart and shamelesse face There is no God The sacred name of Iesus Christ is made a iest and fable among the Iewes and Pagans by reason of vs whose wickednes with a shamefull report is bruted ouer all the world Thus we see how easie a matter it is to charge our aduersaries with sinne if we would walke that course and that euery iot of that we say of their peoples brutishnes is confirmed by their owne words 5 And touching their Clergie there is as much to be said to better purpose because being the best part of the Church the holinesse must be in them or no
mot 45. saith The truth is that some there haue bene in many ages in some points of the Protestants opinion in so much that scarce any peece or article there is of our whole faith but by one or other first or last it hath bene called in question and that with such liking for the time that they haue all in a manner drawne after them great heards of followers I know Bristo meaneth they were hereticks that in all ages did this but that can he neuer proue yet in the meane time belike he saw some that were of the Protestants faith before of late The second is Reynerius that liued three hundred yeares ago who discoursing of the Waldenses a people for substance of the Protestants religion e Refert Illyric catal tom 2. p. 543. saith They are in all the cities of Lombardy and Prouince and other countries and kingdomes They haue many followers and dispute publickely we haue numbred fortie Churches of theirs and ten schooles in Parish No sect hath continued so long some say it hath bene since the time of Syluester some since the Apostles and there is almost no country wherein it spreadeth not They haue great shew of pietie liuing vprightly before men and beleeuing all things aright concerning God and all the articles in the Creed onely they hate and blaspheme the Church of Rome c. In this testimonie of Reynerius you may see our Church was Catholicke both in place and persons and time and doctrine and that the Church of Rome was resisted and the religion thereof refused afore Luther The true cause why it was not so frequent and publicke as now it is either in place or persons was the persecution of the Pope and the generall corruption of the Papacie which as a leprosie infected and as a mist obscured welnigh all places and persons that sometimes not the true beleeuers themselues such I meane as are come to our knowledge were void of error in euery point though they firmly held the foundatiō as these Waldenses did And if it pleased God in processe of time to giue more libertie to the persons and more puritie to the doctrine what iust occasion is this to say we are not all one Church when the true faith of Christ is not alwayes alike visibly and purely professed Minutius Felix f Octau pa. 401. saith Why are we vnthankfull and why enuie we if the truth of God hath grown ripe in our age let vs enioy our good and let superstition be bridled and wickednes expiated and true religion maintained 2 The next point that our Church is but in few places of Christendome is both false and impertinent First impertinent for if it were so yet were it no hindrance to the note of vniuersalitie For Gods Church vnder the law was shut vp within the narrow bounds of Iudaea and g Digr 17. nu 31 the Papists say theirs in the dayes of their supposed Antichrist shall be openly seene but in few places and h Dried dogm eccl l. 4. c. 2 par 2. Bellar. not eccl c. 7. confesse it is not required to the vniuersalitie of the Church that of necessitie there be at all times in euery countrey some beleeuers it sufficeth if there be successiuely Whence it followeth that if only one prouince did retaine the true faith yet should it truly and properly be called the Catholicke Church as long as it might be shewed that it were the same which it was at other times in other places of the world the which we can shew of our Church how small soeuer the compasse thereof may fall out to be at some time Next it is false for there is no place in Christendome but there are some of our religion therein as not onely experience but our aduersaries owne reports beare witnesse wherein they i Boz sign eccl l. 19. c. 1. Bell. de Rom. Pont. praefat li. 3. c. 21. item de verb. Dei praefat habit in Gymn Rom. complaine how our heresie so heretickes style it possesseth many and large prouinces England Scotland Denmark Norwey Sweden Germanie Pole Boheme Hungary Prussia Lituania Liuonia whereto they may adde France and the Low countries yea Italy and Spaine it selfe where the barbarous Inquisition dayly findeth the profession of our religion euen at their doores 3 The third point that our Church is not Catholick in doctrine neither is as ill proued as the former For negatiue doctrine so farre as it is euil standeth not in denying some points which the fathers held but in denying that which they held according to the Scriptures and which they taught and maintained to be certain and necessary matter of faith deliuered in the Scriptures wherein neither we nor the Centuries euer refused them Neither haue we denied any one point which they held in all ages for the truth as our aduersaries haue For though the Centuries reiect this and that which the Father 's held yet they deny neither this nor that which was holden for the truth in all ages as appeareth by their historie wherein they shew the succession of our faith in all ages and note how it was many times corrupted and mistaken euen by some of the ancient Fathers which is all for substance that the Magdeburgenses can be charged with wherein they haue neither denied the doctrine of the Catholicke Church nor offered the Fathers any wrong to say they had some errors as all men haue and themselues confesse which gaue occasion to others to erre likewise which errors the Centuries sometimes more then was cause noting they did not thereby notwithstanding accuse the whole Church of error because euery thing was not the Churches doctrine that some particular men therein held and what they noted of some particular Fathers must not be stretched to be meant against them all as their censuring somtimes ouermuch of many together for some things written against the truth must not be expounded to be the deniall of all they held beside for if it be and the Centuries be thus censured let this Iesuite say directly without shrinking why doth k Cathar tract de concep virg Suar. to 2. disp 3 sect 6. the Church of Rome hold the virgin Marie was conceiued without sinne l Capreol 3. d. 3. Ban. par 1. p. 75. Paul Cortes in sent which all the Fathers with one consent deny Let them looke my demaund in the face that thinke it heresie to deny the Fathers yea all the fathers consenting in one Digression 47. Of the authoritie of the ancient Fathers in matters of our faith and religion Wherein it is shewed what we ascribe to them and how farre forth we depend vpon them And the practise of our aduersaries in contemning eluding and refusing both them and their owne writers is plainly discouered 4 But this is a point that must be further looked into and not suffered to passe away thus Our aduersaries neuer make an end of boasting of the Fathers and by
an 400. n. 42. Ruffin runneth ouer all things idly and in many things he saith not truly He putteth on the guise of heretiks he persisteth ioyning sottishnes with his fury which is peculiar to all heretickes k Bell. cleric c. 20 Socrates to omit the rest in the 21. chapter of his 5. booke maketh three notable lies Both he and Sozomen were heretickes l Bell. ib. de poenit l. 3. c. 14. Sozomens story is full of lies therefore S. Gregory reiecteth it m Baron an 56 n. 26. There is as much credit to be giuen Socrates reporting the fact of Nectarius putting downe penance as all other heretickes deserue when they handle their owne opinions And because it is certaine that Sozomen also maintained the same matter with the Nouatians it is easie to shew how manifestly both of them doted n Baron ann 325. n. 6. Nicephorus heapeth greater lies then these together o Baron ann 774. n. 10. 12. 13 Sigebert is to be called to account as touching a point of great weight and reader when thou hearest it it will constraine thee tragically to cry out ô villany ô fraud ô cousenage he lieth too shamefully The things he writeth are forgeries deseruing to be blowen away and execrated with their author p Bell. de Pont. Rom l. 2. c. 5. We contemne Fasciculus temporum and the Passionall two of their owne stories specially seeing Fasciculus followeth Marianus who manifestly contradicteth both himselfe and the truth q Baron ann 996. nu 54. Auentine a beast infected with the scab of heresie whom Onuphrius a Catholicke most vnworthily claweth with an iuory combe when he calleth him an eloquent man r Index expurgator Toletan pag. 121. Let this commendation of Auentine Iohn Auentine a man famous in the knowledge of things and a diligent writer c. be wiped out of Cuspinian Å¿ Posseuin bibl l. 12. c. 16. Photius and Balsamon and the imperiall Constitutions must be read warily t Baro. an 853. n. 61. Turpin is a shop of fables u Bellar. Pont. Rom. l. 4. c. 7. Benno the Cardinals booke is full of most impudent lies there is no credit to be giueÌ„ to him x Baron ann 1048. n. 1. His lies are more then his words He is not a Historiographer but a Satyrist weauing falsehoods and patching fables together He taketh libertie to himselfe to lie carpe detract and faine monstrous things of godly men y Baron ann 774. n. 13. Gratian by his leaue was too credulous and improuidently writ out in so many words Sigeberts imposture and as if it had bene some firme decree or canon writ it into his booke of Decrees when it deserued rather with the author haue to bene execrated z Erro artic Parrhis p. 140. Gratians worke in some part therof is erronious and so is the Master of the Sentences and Anselme and Hugo a Aquipontan de antich p. 72. Would ye well knew we make no more account of the Glosse vpon the canon Law then the Caluinists of Heidelberg do of Brentius Catechisme b Victo relect 4. p. 138. Gerson was an enemy to the Popes authoritie and infected many with his poison His opinioÌ„ differeth but litle froÌ„ schisme I will easily grant that somtime these authors whoÌ„ you see they cast off so coÌ„tumeliously giue cause indeed to be refused but why do not our aduersaries deal plainly then and beare with vs if we do the like and why do c Camp rat 5. 7. they muster vp the catologues of al the authors they can find and yet when they haue done fall out with them about some thing or other that they haue written and giue them this entertainment For they should boast of no more then they haue to stand vpon neither should they vse that as an argument against vs that they are guiltie of themselues 14 And as they vse the fathers and the ancient histories and their owne elder authors so you shal see they vse one another to this day I said before how greatly in words they magnifie their Thomas and Posseuine the Iesuit d Biblio select l. 1. c. 10. saith His doctrine is embraced in all their vniuersities yet when he fitteth not their turne they cast him off as lightly as any other e Erro articul vbi prius c. 3. The vniuersitie of Paris saith It cannot be proued that Thomas his doctrine is allowed in all things the Church hath not allowed it so that we are bound to beleeue there is no erronious or hereticall matter in it For there is some doctrine more approued then his which yet is erronious and hereticall in points of faith It must not be thought strange or any rashnesse if yonger doctors reprehend him when they shew he erreth in matter of faith Peter Lombard Gratian Anselm Hugo and others are more authenticall then he And therefore thus the Doctors of Paris conclude it is presumption to extoll his doctrine so as if we might not auerre that he erred in faith as well as others did And his canonization which some pretend for a great colour hindereth not this c. Haue ye seene a Saint of their own making thus entertained but it is ordinary with all the learned men they haue Turrecremata d De consecrat d. 4. Firmissime nu 11. p. 101. saith that almost all the Schoolmen hold the virgin Mary had originall sinne yea that it is the common opinion among the famousest of them and he hath collected a 100. of that minde and yet now the Iesuites hold the contrary who censure all that liued before them and * Confutatur opinio Bellar. Saith Carer pot Pon. l. 2. c. 5 are daily censured themselues by others Scot. Durand and Gabriel e De grat lib. arb l. 5. c 4. saith Bellarmine three of the chiefest Schoolemen dispute more freely for mans will then were fit and Ariminensis Capreolus and Marsilius three more ascribe too little to it f Posseuin bibl l. 2. c 8. the Diuines of the inquisition commanded somethings to be wiped out of Andreas Masius his commentaries vpon Iosua that sauored of heresie g Posse ib. c. 18. Some things in Iansenius vpon the Gospels are not approued of by learned men h Bell. â—c imag l. 2 c. 8. It is to be noted that Carranza erred i Baron ann 432. n. 36. Valla was but a GraÌ„marian altogether vnskilful in matters of the Church a dead flie that must be blowne away Thus contemptibly they speake one of another to quit that which they obiect against vs touching the dissention betweene the Lutherans and Caluinists and some hasty words that haue passed betweene them Alas k Relect. 1. p. 39 saith Victoria the Glosers of the Canon Law flattered the Pope because they were poore both in learning and substance And the haire of our head is scarse growne since Baronius and
Papists as deepe in breaking fasting daies as the Protestants ibid Fasting was an indifferent ceremonie in the Primitiue Church ibid. Lent fast was holden diuersly ibid. Fathers and Doctors are not the rule of faith 23.1 They may erre ibid. The Papists boast that the Fathers are on their side 44.4 They had their errors 44.5 We are not bound to euerie thing that they haue said but may sometime lawfully dissent from them 44.7 The Papists themselues do it ibid. The state of the question touching the authoritie of the Fathers 44.8 Who the Papists meane by the Fathers nu 9. What they meane by all the Fathers consenting in one nu 10. The Pope vshers the Fathers nu 11. The practise of the Papists in reiecting the Fathers nu 11. 12. Forefathers how farre forth to be followed 61.2 What is to be thought touching our forefathers that liued and died in the times of Papistrie 6â— 4 Freewill denied by Papists 35.20 All the questions touching freewil laid downe in order as they rise with their true states Digress 42. The want of freewill debarreth not consultation 40.48 How it is reconciled with Gods praedestination nu 45. What freewill is and wherein it standeth nu 54. Free-will in naturall and ciuil things expounded nu 55. No freewill in spirituall things till grace come nu 56. The Papists doctrine to the contrarie nu 57. Some learned men in the Church of Rome thinke freewil to be Pelagianisme nu 61. The will of man concurreth not with Gods grace in vprising from sinne nu 64. The Papists doctrine to the contrarie nu 64. The efficacie of grace dependeth not on our will ibid. What freewill man hath when he is regenerate nu 65. Frier how defined by Lincolniensis 50.32 G. GOd not the author of sinne 40.50 See Author of sinne Good works necessarie to saluation Digress 34. They are to be excluded out of our justification but not out of our sanctification ibid. They merit not Digress 35. The Protestants do not say Good works are sinne Digress 37. Grace The Papists meaning expounded when they say Mans wil without grace can do nothing 40.57 The Papists teach that a man of himselfe can do good before any grace come ibid. Man cannot dispose himselfe it is grace that doth it 40.63 What that is that maketh grace effectuall 40.64 A man may infallibly know if he be in grace Digress 43. Greeks They haue as good outward succession as the Romish Church hath 55.2 Gropper the Cardinall A storie of him 55.7 H. HIerome of Prague a good man Holinesse no note of the Church 43.1 The holinesse of the Romane Church disproued 38.1 The places of Luther and Smidelin answered that are obiected against the holinesse of the Protestant Churches 38.2 The holinesse of the Protestants doctrine is iustified 40. ad 49. What holinesse the Protestants lay they haue 41.1 Complaints made by Papists against the vnholinesse of their own Church Digress 31. A man may infallibly know if he be truly holy 41.3 and Digress 43. Honorius a Pope that was an heretick 36.34 In that cause of Honorius you haue an example how the Papists denie all authorities 44.15 I IGnorance in matters of faith is commended by the Papists 2.5 Images not allowed of in ancient times and their worship forbidden 47.5 They are a new deuice 35.13 The Papists are not at one among themselues touching the first that rejected Images 50.5 Images of the Trinitie when brought in 50.11 Image worship when it was first brought in 50 1â— 51.5 The Papists are deuided among themselues touching the adoration of Images 50. 16. They worship stocks stones as the Pagans did 51.6 Imputation of Christs righteousnesse for our iustification is acknowledged by Papists 35.20 What this imputation importeth 40.41 Indies not conuerted by the Iesuites 48.2 but vtterly rooted out by cruelties vnspeakable which are touched at large Digress 50. The Protestants religion was in India afore the Papists knew them 48.3 Iudge of controuersies is the Scripture Digress 3. Papists will be iudges in their owne cause 5.7 The Pope is made iudge who is a partie 5.8 The iudge of controuersies assigned by the Papists falleth into the â—ame difficulties that are layed against the scripture 34.2 The Papists will not stand to their owne iudges 30.4 35.15 Iustification is by faith and not by works 35.14 20. Digress 40. What iustification is and how it is distinguished from sanctification 40.38 K. KEeping the commaundements See Law of God Keies giuen to the rest of the Apostles as wel as to Peter 36.12 They import not the supremacie euinced by disputation 36.16 inde Digress 30. What the keyes of the Church meane 36.18 Knowledge very commendable in the people 2.7 Great among them of the Primitiue Church ibid By what meanes the elect know and are assured of their owne saluatioÌ„ 40.39 L. LAtin prayers and seruice misliked by some Papists 35.20 against antiquitie 47.2 Law of God No mans righteousnesse can satisfie it Digr 34. No man can keepe it Digress 36. Why giuen when no man can keepe it 40.21 The Papists say absurdly that the coÌ„mandements are easie to keepe and a man may liue without sin 40.19 Lay people ought to reade the Scriptures and to haue them translated See Scriptures and Translations Lay men haue bin made Bishops 5.11 LegeÌ„d The miracles recorded therin are of no credit 42.2 Nor the Legends themselues 42.7 Lent fast not holden in the Primitiue Church as now it is 40.4 Libertie Our faith is falsly charged to be a doctrine of libertie 43.2 Luther His calling is iustified 52.5 59.2 And his writings 57.3 And his life and death against the malicious reports of the Papists Digr 57. Those reports are touched ib. M. MAriage no sacrameÌ„t 35.20 The mariage of Priests not restrained in ancient times 47.4 When the restraint began 50.10 Marks of the Church See Church Virgine Mary The Papists say the Church was in her alone when Christ died 17.3 Masse not offered by Christ at his last supper 35.20 When it began 50.14 Merits renounced by Papists 35.20 and 40.15 Merit of workes none 40.12 and 14. When that opinion began 50.13 The Papists hold it and what they meane by it 40.13 The diuers opinions that are among the Papists touching merits 40.16 Merits of Christ how farre they go by the Papists doctrine 40.13.29 Merit of congruitie what and how holden in the Church of Rome 40 62. Miracles not now needfull 12.6 Their proper vse 42.4 The time when the Church had them and the end why 41.4 The miracles that the Papists stand vpon are of no certaine credit 42.5 inde The Gentiles had as good miracles as the Church of Rome hath 42.6 The Legendaries tainted for whetstone liers 42.7 Incredible reports in the Legends and some also in the ancient fathers 42.8 Morall works what 40.59 Touching naturall freewill in things morall ibid. Monkes of ancient time not like ours of this time 41.3 and
42.11 Mortall sinne Digress 38. See Sin Monasteries were first throwne down by Papists 42.10 Of vile report in their time 42.12 The testimonies of diuers old writers touching the liues of cloisterers Digress 45. A bragge that the Papists make touching the order of Bennet 42.13 N NEcessitie of good works expounded and handled Digress 34. Notes of the Church See Church O OBscuritie of the Scripture not so great as the Papists obiect Digress 8. Why they make folke beleeue they are so obscure Digress 9. See Scripture Occham the Schoolman 50.35 Onely faith See Faith onely Opinions Variable exceedingly among the Papists 35.21 The saying that they vary not in dogmaticall points answered 35.19 Originall sin No agreement among the Papists touching the nature of it 50.17 Originall text of the Bible is the Hebrew and Greeke which is free frō all corruption 6.11 and 35.3 P PAinter The Painters iest 38.6 Painting Christs armes for what vse 40.35 Papists famous for controlling reiecting censuring and purging one another 44.14 An example of their impudent deniall of all antiquitie 44.15 50.18 They wipe our names out of bookes 45.2 Papistry is a complete doctrine of liberty and a meere witty deuice for the maintenance of their ambition and pleasure 43.3 and Digress 46. A new religion 48.1 Pardons when and how they came in 50.8 They release all satisfaction 40.33 The treasury whence they rise nu 34. A view of long pardons granted for short seruice nu 35. Penance The Papists cannot tell whē it was ordained nor by what Scripture it is proued Digress 55. Peter receiued no more power ouer the Church then the other Disciples did disputed 36.12 inde The Papists are not agreed how his supremacie is proued or what it containeth 36.39 inde Pope made iudge of our faith 5.8 and ouer the Fathers 44.11 His iudgement was not receiued as the rule in the primitiue Church Digress 25. but be was resisted ibid The Papists themselues will not yeeld to his iudgement 36.8 Manie Popes deposed nu 8. What kind of men they commonly are nu 9. He was tyed to his owne prouince in the primitiue Church 36.26 He may erre See Erre He calleth him selfe S. Peter 36.38 Popes what kind of men how they haue bene chosen 55.9 Manie at once nu 10. The liues of some of them described 57.9 How the Popes sinne is excused 57.11 Popes succession He is not S. Peters successor Digress 29. If the Pope be not effectually proued to succeed S. Peter in the conceited primacie all Papistrie will fall 36.24 Prayer in Latine misliked by some Papists 35.20 Long pardons promised to short Prayers 40.35 Predestination Our doctrin touching this point is belyed by the Papists 40.43 The doctrine thereof layed down n. 44. It imposeth no naturall necessitie vpon the second causes ibid. The reconciliation of it and Free will nu 45 46. The Papists make the will of man as subiect to Gods decree as we do num 46 47. It is not for works foreseene num 49. Presidencie ouer Councels belonged not to the Pope of old 36.29 Priests power to remit sinne denied by learned Papists 35.20 This power handled Digress 55. Their mariage allowed in ancient times 47.4 The foulenesse of their liues noted in the Papacie 38.5 A sillie Priest that beleeued all was true that was printed 42.8 Purging of bookes the Papists practise 35.18 Puritanes That name doth properly belong to Papists 40.19 Q. QVestions of faith must be decided by the Scriptures Digres 3. No end of Questions among the Schoolemen 35.21 R. REading the Scriptures forbidden by the Papists 2.3 The lay people did reade them in ancient time 47.3 Rebaptization a point wherein there was much contention 36.4 Reprobation not for works foreseene 40.49 Religious men Orders See Monks Resolution of our faith See Faith Romane Church How the world in former times communicated with it 46.2 The Greeks refuse it ibid. How it increased 47.1 When the faith of the ancient Roman church began to be altered into that which now is therein 50.4 inde Resistance made against the change nu 5. One meanes whereby it may euidently be demōstrated that the Romane Church hath changed the old faith nu 15. A full demonstration of the resistance made in all ages against the Romane Churches alteration Digress 52. The obiections that are made against the catalogue are answered nu 40. The Romane Church altered the faith by little and little how it is meant 51.3 How the Fathers praised the Romane Church 56.1 How the faith of the Roman Church grew 58.1 The Papists absurdly call the Catholicke Church the Romane Church 13.3 Rule of faith is certaine 3.1 Such a rule is simply necessarie ibid. but not reuealed to all ibid. It hath fiue properties 4.1 The Scripture is it ibid. and the Papists cannot denie it 4.6 How we call the translated Scriptures the rule 6.1 The rule is easie though some meanes be needfull to learne it 7.2 and 8.10 How the doctrine or teaching of the Church may be called the rule 13.1 See Church S. SAcrament Seuē Sacraments merrily prooued in a Sermon at the Councell of Trent 8.15 How the Sacraments are a marke of the Church See Church Sacrament in one kind against antiquitie 35.11 and 47 7. In both kinds best 35.20 Our doctrine touching the Eucharist layed downe and how Christ is present therein 51.10 The Papists haue no certaintie of the presence of Christ in the Sacrament 47.9 Saints What kind of Saints the Protestants haue 39.1 and what kinde the Papists 39.2 41.1 Obiectiōs against the Popes canonizing of Saints 39.3 The Papists claime kindred of manie Saints that neuer knew the Popish religion 42.1 Saluation A man may be assured thereof 35.20 by what meanes 40.39 The Papists not able to denie this 41.10 Sanctification of life absolutely necessarie to saluation Digress 34. Satisfaction What kinde of Satisfaction we require and teach Digres 39. and what kind the Papists ibid. The true state of the question touching Satisfaction 40.28 Note what the Papists teach concerning the Satisfaction of our workes nu 30. Our workes satisfie not nu 31. The Papists play with their Satisfaction nu 33. Pardons release all Satisfaction num 30. A view of the Papists vncertainties and contradictions in this question of Satisfaction num 34. Scripture The people allowed to read it in ancient times 47.3 The Scripture is a letter sent from God to man 62.2 The Papists forbid the reading of them 2.3 and disputing of them num 4. The knowledge thereof needfull num 7. They are easie to such as haue the meanes 4.2 It onely is the rule of faith 4.1 and 10.1 and 34.1 The true cause why the Papists disable the Scripture from being the rule Digress 4 It must be Translated See Translations It is not obscure 7.2 Digress 8. but onely in two cases 8.1 How the sence thereof is attained 8.2 It containeth all things needfull nu 3. Why learned men varie
that time with the Patriarke of Rome in all things touching iurisdiction and he restrained within certaine bounds beyond the which he might not go And so others had allowed theÌ„ as ample authotie in their circuits as he had in his This appeareth by the expresse decrees of sixe Councels the first is the first generall Councell of Nice holden ann 325. wherin were 318. Bishops z Can. 6. The words are these Let the ancient customes continue in force that are in Aegypt Lybia and Pentapolis that the Bishop of Alexandria haue the gouernment of all these forsomuch as the Bishop of Rome also hath the like custome and so likewise throughout Antioch and in the other Prouinces let the Churches haue their prerogatiues vpholden them Where we see the Councell intending to confirme the preeminence of Alexandria against the Arrians that began to vexe it maketh the Popes gouernment in his Prouince a Ex cius forma quod Alexandrinae Ecclesiae tribuerit particulariter sumpsit exemplum Epist Nicol. ad Michael the forme of that gouernment which should be in the Prouince of Alexandria Which sheweth that the Popes gouernment reached but to his owne Prouince For had it stretched it selfe all ouer the world then would it haue bene no forme for Alexandria which was to abide in one Prouince and no more Besides the Councel saying the Bishop of Rome hath the like custome sheweth plainly he of Alâ—xandria was to be equall with him else it could not be the like For there is no b Parilis mos est paritie betweene an vniuersall Bishop and a prouinciall The second and third are the first generall Councels of c Can. 2. 3. Constantinople ann 381. of 150. Bishops and of d Cap 8. sentent super petit Cyprio Ephesus ann 431. of 200. Bishops in both which the prouinces of the world are distinguished and Patriarks restrained to their own circuits and he of Constantinople by name is made equall with the Pope in all Ecclesiasticall matters whatsoeuer All the difference was that he of Rome had the chiefe honour e Consistebat hic honor in hoc videlicet quod ad locum in sedendo primo post Rom. pontificem in responsionibus hâ—beâ—et secundam voceÌ„ in subscriptionibus Turrecrem d. 22. Constantinopolita which consisted not in iurisdiction but sitting in the first place and such like titles The fourth is the Councell of Chalcedon an 451 wherin were 630. Bishops the words wherof are these f Act. 16. Following the decrees and rules of the holy fathers and of those 150. Bishops assembled vnder Theodosius the elder of blessed memorie in the royal citie of Constantinople and acknowledging the same we also decree and ordaine the same things concerning the priueledges of the said Church of Constantinople which is new Rome For our fathers gaue the priuiledges to the seat of elder Rome because that citie had the Empire and the 150. Bishops moued with the same intent gaue the same priueledges to the most sacred throne of new Rome thinking it reason the citie which is honoured with the Empire and Senate should also haue equall priuiledges with elder Rome and in ecclesiasticall matters be aduanced alike with her being the next vnto her The fift is another Councell of Constantinople ann 686. where were 280. Bishops g Sext. Syn. in Trull Can. 36. who renewed and confirmed the former decree of Chalcedon repeating it in a manner verbatim as that had renewed and explaned the former Councels of Nice and Constantinople Whereby it expresly appeareth that Constantinople had as much authoritie in Church matters as Rome and that Rome first obtained the primacy of honour by reason it was the Imperiall Citie and this was the meaning of the first Nicen and Constantinopolitan Councels this the fathers would not haue said and done if they had thought Christ himselfe had giuen the Pope the Supremacy questioned Whereupon h Concord l. l. c. 13. Cusanus thinketh that what of right belongeth to him was giuen him by the Church and Marsilius i Defens part 2. c. 18. writeth That he hath no power ouer other Bishops and Churches either by God or mans law but such as was giuen him either absolutely or for a time by the Nicen Councell The Sixt is the Councell of Carthage ann 418. of 217. Bishops k c. 92. 105. In this Councell when Sozimus the Bishop of Rome had claimed a right to receiue appeales from all parts of the world and pretended a certaine canon of the Nicen Councell that should giue it him the Bishops thereof by the space of foure yeares debated the matter against him and Boniface and Celestin his successours and hauing searched the originall copyes of the Nicen Councell whereby the vntruth of his claime was discouered they wrote sharply to him that he should not meddle with the people of their prouinces nor admit into his fellowship such as they had excommunicated telling him that he had nothing to do in their causes either to bring them to Rome or to send Legates to heare them at home for this were against the Nicen Councell The euidence of this Councell is such against the Supremacy that no art of our aduersaries can auoid it and therefore they are driuen to vse such shifts for the answering thereof as it is pitie to see and I dare say griefe to themselues to be forced to them 27 The second experience to be obserued is touching appeales for the Church did alway constantly forbid the Bishops of Rome medling with meÌ„ or their appeals to him that were not of the Romane Patriarchy This is cleare by the practise of the sixt Councell of Carthage before mentioned the fathers whereof among many other things l C. 105. Ep. conc ad Celest write thus to Celestine The fathers of Nice did wisely see that all businesse should be determined in the places where they began and that the holy Ghost wonted not to be wanting to assist the Priests of Christ both in seeing and holding the right specially seeing it was free for euery man if he misliked the iudgement of the arbitratours to appeale to a CouÌ„cell either prouinciall or generall Where this is to be marked that by the Church-gouernment of that time a Councell was the last and highest iudge of all controuersies arising And before this when certaine persons being iudged in Affricke had fled to the Pope for reliefe marke what Cyprian m Lib. 1 Ep. 3. writeth to him Seeing it is rightly and iustly decreed vnto vs al that euery mans cause should be heard where the fault was committed and euery Pastor hath a portion of the flocke committed to him which he must gouern as he wil giue account of his deed to the Lord it behooueth truly such as are vnder our gouernment not to runne vp and downe and by their cunning rashnesse to breake the concord of Bishops but there to follow the cause
where the accusers and witnesses be vnlesse peraduenture a few desperate and gracelesse persons thinke the authoritie of the Bishops in Affricke that haue iudged theÌ„ to be lesse This which Cyprian saith was afterward decreed in Councels both general and prouincial which could not haue bene if the Pope had bene supreme iudge of all the Church and head of the vnity thereof nay Cyprian saith * Oportet vtique eos quibus prae sumus non circuÌ„cursare nec Episcoporum concordiaÌ„ cohaerentem sua temeritate col lidere The vnitie of Bishops is broken when men runne from their owne to the Bishop of Rome The eight generall Councell holden at Constantinople hath this n Can. 26. decree The order of appealing shall be this that he which thinketh himselfe wronged by his owne Bishop may appeale to his Metropolitan who shall call the matter before him But if Bishops thinke they are wronged by their Metropolitan be it lawfull for them to appeale to the Patriarke who shall end the strife that in no case a Metropolitan haue any power ouer his neighbour Metropolitan or a Bishop ouer his neighbour Bishop The like was decreed long before by the Councell of Chalcedon o Cap. 9. which expresly maketh the Patriarke of Constantinople the last and highest iudge vnder the Councell for all matters falling out in Greece And p C 22. the Councell of Mileuâ— excommunicateth all that would appeale to places out of Affricke Where then was the Popes supreme authoritie in these daies when the Councels and discipline thus hemmed men in that they should not come at him This some Papists see well enough and confesse Cusanus q Concord l. 2. c. 13. saith The Pope hath it not from the Church-rule that he may hurt the iurisdiction of other Bishops because this were to disturbe order Therfore we do not reade that the ancient Popes euer put themselues into such matters and peraduenture it would not haue bene suffered For the Councell of Affricke whereto S. Austin subscribed allowed no appeale from the Synode to the Pope because it was not found allowed in the Church canons but contrariwise the Nicen Councell decreed that a Synode should end euery cause where it was begun 28 The third experience is that he had no authoritie ouer generall Councels either of his owne power to call them or being called to be sole president or hauing decreed any thing to iudge or rule or countermand them all which he now vseth but then did none of theÌ„ For first the power of assembling Councels was in temporall magistrates so r L. 5. hist prâ—oem saith Socrates When once the Emperours begâ—n to be Chrstians from that time forward the Church affaires depended vpon theÌ„ and the greatest Councels were assembled and so still are at their appointment And this appeareth to be true by going through the particulars For let all the ancient Councels be read and there is not one of them but the very Actes and Titles thereof will shew the Prince called it which is so true that Pighius a learned Papist Å¿ Hier. l 6. c. 1. writeth The assembling of generall Councels was the inuention of Constantine The first general Councell was that of Nice t Gelas Cyzic pag. 67. Euseb vit Const l. 3. c. 6. Theod. l. 1. c. 7. Sozom. l. 1. c. 17. Nicet thesau l. 5. c. 5. assembled by the authoritie of Constantine the great The second was at Constantinople u Sozo l. 7. c. 7. Theod. l. 5. c. 7. Zon. to 3. p. 30. called by Theodosius the elder The third was at Ephesus x Concil Eph. graec Euagr. l. 1. c. 3. called by Theodosius the yonger The fourth was at Chalcedon y Concil Cale act 1. Zon. tom 3. pag. 39. called by Valentinian and Martian The fift was at Constantinople z Niceph. l. 17. c. 27. called by Iustinian The sixt was againe at Constantinople a Conc. gen 6. Act. 1. called by Constantinus Pogonatus The seuenth as the Papists reckon it was at Nice b Zon. tom 3. p. 95. Sigon de regn Ital. l. 4. called by the Empresse Irene The eight was againe at Constantinople c Zon. tom 3. pag. 134. Sigon ibid. l. 5. called by Basilius Macedo The Councell of Sardica was d Theod. l. 4. c. 4 called by Constantius the Councell of Syrmium against Photinus e Socr. l. 2 c. 29. Sozo l. 4. c. 6. by Constantine the great The CouÌ„cels of f Socr l 2 c. 36. Millan g Socr. l. 2. c. 37 Ariminum and h Carol. de imag Sigon de Reg. Ital. an 794. Frankford all assembled by the Emperours More particulars may be giuen but these are enow and i Ep. 9.23.24.26 the earnest suite that Leo maketh to the Emperor and Empresse both in his time for a Councell to be holden in Italy which yet he could not obtain maketh it out of question that al power of assembling councels was in the Emperor Yea the point is so cleare that k Aen. Sylu. de Gest conc Bas l. 1. Cusan conc l. 2 c 2. Marsil def part 2 c. 21. many Papists deny it not and l Fr. Victo relect 4. p. 162. some hold that at this day in certaine cases a generall Councell may be called against the Popes mind whether he will or no. 29 Next he was president in no Councell of a long time and when he was yet others were presidents as well as he the said office importing no such command ouer the Councell as now the Pope vsurpeth the which Duarenus a learned Papist confesseth m De sacris eccl benef minist p. 39. saying The office was no more but to call the rest together and to speake vnto them concerning the matters to be handled as the speaker in the Parliament calleth the assembly c. but hath no power ouer them yea the power of determining is in the court it selfe which may also command him Thus was it in times past saith he but now I know not how it cometh to passe that the chiefest gouernment ouer all Christians is giuen to him alone that he becometh free after the manner of Emperours from all Lawes and Councell decrees The which speech of this our aduersary is to be noted because the Iesuit would make you beleeue all Catholike men haue euermore receiued him from Christs own hands as the supreme iudge of all and the refusing of his will were the violating of the Churches vnitie But that which I haue said is easily confirmed for in the Nicen Councell Hosius the Bishop of Corduba Macarius the Patriarke of Ierusalem and Eustathius the Patriark of Antioch n Athan. Ep. ad Solit. Nicet the saur l. 5. c. 6. were presidents if not the Emperor himself also with theÌ„ for o Gelas Cyzic Act. conc Nic. c. 8 Socrat. l. 1. p. 174 gr the story saith That out of his chaire