supreme and generall of which we now speake should be able to compose all questionable matters The Scripture cannot determine this important point on our beliefe Whether the Ghospell of S. Iohn the Epistles of S. Paul or any other volume of holy Writ be the Canon of Scripture or no. If in these weightiest causes it is needfull to recurre to another Tribunall in matters of lesse moment wholy as needfull 9. The Iudge of Controuersyes ought to be so cleare and facile as all both learned and vnlearned might haue accesse vnto it easily vnderstand it the Scriptures are hard darke hidden Hidden not only to the illiterate Aug l 12. Confess c 14. Ambroseepist 44. and vulgar sort but to the great and deepest Clarkes Hidden to S. August who crieth out O the wonderfull depth of thy speaches c. O the wonderfull depth HiddeÌ„ to S. Ambrose calling it A sea contayning most profound senses the depth of Propheticall riddles Hidden to Clemens Alexandrinus to which Clemens Alex l. 6. strom Psal 13. Orig. hom 11. in Exo. Iraen l. 2. cap 47. Russiaus l. 11. List c. 9. Apoc. 5. v. â—â— Ezeeh. 2. v. 9. 2. Petâ—â—â—â—t v. 16. he elegantly applieth those words of the psaâ—me Darke is the water in the clouds of the ayre Hidden to Origen to Irenaus to S. Basill to S. Gregory Nazianzen who being both rarely accomplished in al humane literature after 13. yeares study heerin would not aduenture as Russinus testiâ—yeth to interpret the same but according to the rule and vniforme consent of their forefathers They knew it was that hidden and concealed booke which S. Iohn describeth to be clasped with seauen seales which Ezechiel tearmeth the enrolled volume written within and without They knew S. Peter auouched certayne thinges hard to vnderstand in the Epistles of S. Paul which the vnlearned deprane as other Scriptures to their owne perdition If certayne things in his Epistles how many in other bookes How many in the whole Scripture Notwithstanding our illuminated Adâ—ersaries VVhitak cont l. q. 3. cap. 3. Aug. l. 2. de doctrin Christ c. 6. epist â—â—9 de side oper c. 15. 16. Ambrâ—s epist 44. Hier. ep Vincent Liriâ—â— c. 2. to whome the holy Ghost hath disclosed all his heauenly secrets find no such difficulty no prouerbe in it Yet to smooth the Fathers speaches they answere That the mysteries therein treated are darke and obscure the discourse easy the text cleare the sentence plaine But S. Augustine as deeply enlightned as any of them affirmeth The stile manner of enduing to be hard the discourse places hard The sentences saith S. Ambrose hard The text sayth S. Hierome hath a shell to be broken before we can tast the sweetnes of the kernell The Hebrew phrase hard the Tropes and figures hard Hard and difficult by reason of sundry and manisold senses it begetteth For which cause alone Vincentius Lirinensis necessarily requireth some other Iudge demaunding in his Golden Treatise against the prophane nouelties of Heresies why to the Canon of Scripture which is perfect and of it selfe sufficient inough for all thinges it behoueth to adde the authority and explication of the Church Because sayth he all take not holy Scripture by reason of her depth in one and the self same sense but her speaches some interprete one way some another In so much as there may seeme to be puked out as many senses as men For Nonatus doth expound one way and Sabellius another way otherwise Donatus otherwise Arâ—â—s Eunomius Macedonius otherwise Photinus Apollinaris c. Therefore very necessary it is for Tertul. in praescript the manifold turnings and by-wayes of errours that the line of Propheticall and Apostolicall interpretation be leuelled according to the square of Ecclesiastic all and Catholike sense or vnderstanding Because Tertullian sayth The sense adulterated is a like perilous as the stile corrupted Yea much more perilous in that it may be more easily wrested more variously turned more hardly espyed But to proceed 10. The Iudge of Controuersyes ought so to determine and deliuer his mind in all ambiguous cases as the partyes in strife may euidently know when they heare his censure whether they be cast or quit condemned or assoyled in respect of his verdict But neither Scripture or the holy Ghost as he speaketh by Scripture is euer able to pronounce such sentence Or if it can as Gretser a famous Grets act colloq Ratisbon sess 2. fol. 110. writer of the Society of Iesus pithily vrged in the coÌ„ference at Ratisbone let it now speake and pronounce vs guilty Heere sayth he we Catholikes and Protestants both appeale to the high Tribunall of Scripture heere we stand in the sight of the sacred Bible in the presence of the holy Ghost If he be Iudge as he precisely speaketh by Scripture alone let it giue sentence let it say Thou Iames Gretser are cast in thy cause Thou * This was the name of the Heretike Respondent Hailbronner hast gotten the victory And I will presently yield vnto you But if it cannot execute this iudiciall act if by reading hearing or perusing his sentence we cannot perceaue whome he condemneth how can it challenge the high prerogaâ—iue and doome of Iudgment Which argument he confirmed with another a like inuincible as the former For wheras Grets in Act colloq Ratisbon sâ—ss to sol 120. Protestants mantaine that the voice of God as vttered in Scripture giueth plaine sentence of condemnation against heresyes and errours thus he disputeth on the contrary side No guilty persons repaire to that Iudge by whome they are euidently sufficiently condemned But all Heretikes are guilty persons yet boldly appeale to the sentence of holy Scripture Therefore the Scripture 〈◊〉 that Iudge by whom they are euidently sufficiently 〈◊〉 What reply could Hunnine the Aug. l. 2. cont Max. Aug. orat in ps 10. Mat. 15. v. 11. Responâ—â—â—â— make to this Not any Vnlesse which S. Augustine obiected against Maximinus the Arian By talking much and nothing to the purpose he might be counted able to answere who was not able to hold his 〈◊〉 11. In sine the Scripture though in it selfe most holy yetby reason of her sublimity depth and variety of senses hath bin partly through the weaknes partly through the malice pride and presumption of men the roote of strifes the spring of debates the occasion of many detestable and blasphemous errours rather then the stay attonement or subuersion of them Wherupon S. Augustine compareth Scripture to a cloud which often tymes out of the same words raineth showres of snares to the wicked showres of fortillty fruitfulites in the Lust. As he exemplifieth in that sentence of S. Mattheu which our ProtestaÌ„ts abuse to the liberty of their diet and breach of Ecclesiasticall fast Not that which entreth the mouth defileth a man but that which proceedeth out of the mouth The Sinneâ— sayth he heareth this and he
Traditions Both false depositions both wrongfully imposed crimes A wrongfull crime it is that we traduce the Scriptures as vnperfect We graunt with Vincentius Lyrinensis Vincen. Lyâ—â—nen cap. 2. that the Canon of Scripture is perfect a perfect light and lanterne to our feet a perfect rule and direction of sayth if as he noteth the line of Propheticall and Apostolical interpretation be leuelled according to the square of the Ecclesiastical and Catholike sense As great a wrong that we cleaue to humane and vncertaine Traditions We anker on such as are diuine certaine and infallible authentically warranted by the rules himselfe approueth to descend from Christ or the Church his holy and vndoubted Spouse 17. A like wrongfull crime M. Sparkes fastneth vpon Sparks p. 82. 83. vs when he sayth That we preferre the authority of the Church the wife before Christ the husband that we make the written word of God inferiour in authority to the Church and to haue his Canonicall credit from thence Sure you are as Salomon censureth a guilfull witnesse who furnish your cause Prouerb cap. 14. Testis fidelis non mentitur Profert mendaciâ—â— dolosus testis Io. 4 3. Reg. 3. with such shamefull lyes When many belieued in Christ induced by the speach of the Samaritan woman was her authority prefeâ—â—ed before Christ When King Salomon decreed the infant for which the two harlots contended to belong to her whose bowells were moued at the sentence of his death did he make her therby the mother of the child or declare her to be the mother who was the mother indeed So when we imbrace Gods written word by the externall approbation and testimony of the Church answerable to that of S. Augustine Ego Euangelio non crederem c. I would not belieue the Ghospell vnles the authority of the Church moued me thereunto we extoll not the Aug con ep Fund cap. 5. voice of the Spouse before the voyce of Christ. Nor the Church when it defyneth any booke to be Canonicall Scripture doth giue it thereby diuine and Canonicall credit Bils part 4. pag â—81 Rem cont 1. pag. 619 6â—9 Field l. 4 Stapleton cont 5. de poâ— Eccles quaest â— but commaundeth that to be receaued by others as Canonicall which hath in itselfe Canonicall authority 18. Lastly our Aduersaryes arme themselues with the weapons of the Fathers and M. Bilson marshalleth six togeather in a rancke S. Athanasius S. Chrysostome S. Cyrill S. Ambrose S. Augustine and Vincentius who conformably mantaine the sufficiency of Scripture in all necessary points of fayth Many other to the like purpose are alleadged by M. Reynolds and M. Field To all which I answere First that the Scripture is taught to containe all things necessary to saluation as the vniuersal ground Cyril l. 12. c. vltimo Chrys ho. 3. in 2. Thes 2. Vincent aduersus prophan hae nouit c. 2. Bafil ep 80 Cyril de rect fide ad Regi Hieron in Psal 86. Aug. l 3. con lit Petil Tert. lib. cont haer Athan. l. cont Gent. Aug. l. 2. cap. 9. Rein in his conf c. 2. diuis 2. Aug. l. 10. de Gen. ad lit c. 23. Bils 4. par p. 582. 583. Field in appen 2. p. §. 8. Aug. l. 4. c. 24. Dio. l. Eâ—c bier c. vlt. Orig. in 12. Leuit. bom 8. in cap. 6. epist ad Rom. seed or roote from which whatsoeuer we belieue may either mediately or immediatly be gatheted as S. Cyril and S. Chrysostome auouch Secondly as it teacheth and directeth vs to the authority of the Church and doctrine of her Pastours by which euery point is of may be particulerly and clearely explained Thus Vincentius and others are to be interpreted Thirdly it is affirmed to containe all thinges and that nothing besides the Scripture is to be admitted to wit no priuate customes or particuler Traditions not agreeable or repugnant to the writen word as S. Basil S. Cyrill S. Hierome S. Augustines meaning is in his booke against Petilian Fourthly the Fathers often acknowledge the sufficiency of Scripture to conclude euen in plaine and expresse wordes certaine maine principles of our fayth as that God created all thinges of nothing of which Tertullian against Hermogenes That Christ is the true God That Idolls are not God of which Athanasius writeth Or they teach it clearely comprehends the chiefe articles of our Creed and ten Commandments of which S. Augustine only speaketh in his booke of Christian doctrine so often quoted by M. Reynolds 19. Besides which many other things are necessary to be imbraced as by Fathers Reason and Scripture I haue already conuinced and therfore will close vp my whole discourse with one or two sentences of S. Augustine and Origen S. Augustine sayth The custome of the Church in baptizing Infants is not at all to be belieued vnles it were an Apostolicall Tradition M. Bilson and M. Field haue no other shift to trauerse the euidence of this place then by accusing it of some secret corruption But what was he corrupted also in his booke of Baptisme against the Donatists where he repeateth it againe Was Dionysius was Origen corrupted too who sayth The Church receaued a Tradition from the Apostles to minister Baptisme also to Infants Was this other passage of S. Augustine corrupted likewise Aug. de Bap. con Donat. l. 5â— c. 23. It is an article of faith to belieue this Baptisme to be valide Orig. in c. 3. ad Tit. teste Pamphilo in Apol. prâ— Orig. of the validity of Baptisme ministred by Heretikes The Apostles commanded nothing hereof yet the custome which was opposed herein against Cyprian is to bebelieued to proceed from their Tradition euen as many things be which the whole Church holdeth and are therfore well belieued to be commanded of the Apostles although they be not written I may then conclude with Origen He is an Heretike who professeth himself to beleiue in Christ yet belieueth otherwise of the truth of Christian fayth then the definition of Ecclesiastic all Tradition containeth 20. Notwithstanding to reproue our Aduersaries and satisfy all indifferent Readers that we fly not to the succour of Traditions for want of proofes out of holy writ I will vphold the right of our cause in euery ensuing Controuersy as I promised in my Preface by the irreprouable testimonies of Gods written word THE THIRD CONTROVERSY WHEREIN The Reall Presence is maintayned against D. Bilson and D. Sparkes CHAP. I. AS the vnspeakable riches of Gods infinite loue in no mystery of our fayth appeareth more bountâ—full then in the true and reall Fresence of Christs sacred Body conteyned in the holy Eucharist so the vnsatiable malice of our deadly enemy no where more hatefully bewrayeth it selfe then in seeking to abolish this most blessed dreadfull and admirable Sacrament For besids the Armenians Messalians Grecians and Aquarians Althons de Cast l. 9. adu haer v Eucharist Aug. de haer Epiph haer 26. whose errours
Alphonsus de Castro diligently reciteth and as learnedly disproueth some he suggested to prophane and defile it with most vile and execrable ceremonies as the Manichies the Pepuzians the Guostickes of whom S. Augustine and Epiphanius Others to mingle it with the terren earthly substance of bread wine as Berengarius who hauing recanted and abiured his former heresy against Bils in his booke of Christian SubiectioÌ„ 4. par p. 720 727 728. Sparkes in his answere to M. Ioan. Albines p. 114 115. 116. Aelius LaÌ„pridiuâ— de Anton. Heliogabalo Matt. 26 Melancth in l. de ver Corp. Christi in Sacra Reyn. in his conferenco with M. Hart. c. 2. diuis 2. p. 82. Cyr. l. â— in Ioan. â— 4. Beza in c. 17. Matt. in â—iew of those words hic est filiuâ— meus dilectus translaâ—â—th out of the â—reek hic est silius ille meus dilectus ille the Reall presence presently brake forth into this wicked Blasphemy imbraced fince by Luther and his followers Some others he excited to robbe and despoile it of all true vertue fruit and dignity as Wiclesse Caluin Beza with their suruiuing of-spring D. Bilson D. Sparkes and such like who only furnish this heauenly table with voyd and empty dishes of fayth conteining neyther the body nor bloud of our Sauiour Christ. But as Heliogabalus the Emperour inuiting the Roman Princes to a feast set painted and artificiall dainties before them which could neyther delight their tast nor satisfy their hungry appetites so our Aduersaries in this diuine banquet prepared by the hand of our B. Redecmer deuise figured and Metaphoricall meates vnworthy the maister therof vnworthy the Maiesty of God not answerable to his loue not agreable to the necessities of his inuited guests 2. Yea most dissonant to the words himselfe vsed at the institution of the same where he tooke bread as S. Matthew recordeth blessed brake gaue to his Disciples said This is my Body Which wordes seemed so forcible to Luther and his adherents as Melancthon one of his chiefest Scholers saith fulmina erunt they will be like thunderbolts against him that shall deny the receiued opinion of Christs true body in the Sacrament And not without cause For if we examine them euen by the rules our Aduersaries themselues prescribe in the interpreting of Scripture to wit By conference of places connexion of texts agreement of Translations they all notwithstanding open and vnfold the approued sense of the Catholike Church 3. To begin with the translations the Greeke hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this restraineth the nowne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 body to his determinate and proper signification as S Cyril in the like case learnedly noteth of the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Beza putteth great Emphasy in the same article in diuers places The Syriake or vulgar Hebrew of S. Mathew in which he first wrote readeth This is the substance S. Mark hath this particle reuerà in the Syriach tongue 1. Cor. 11. Mat. 16. Mar. 1 Luc. 2â— 4. Bils 4. par p. 754. 755. of my body The Syriake of S. Marke This truly is my body The connexion of the text recorded by S. Paul and the three Euangelists conuinceth it more plainly he speaking of the body This is my body which shal be delinered for you Where I demand how in what sense that Nowne Body is taken whether properly for Christs true body or improperly for the signe of his body Properly you will not say lest you accord with vs improperly you cannot say without hainous blasphemy For when S. Paul sayd This is my body to expresse what body he addeth which shal be deliuered for you 4. Therefore if a signe only called by the name of the thing signed as M. Bilson fayneth was then giuen a signe only bearing the name of the thing as the Manichees dreamed was after deliuered and crucifyed for vs seeing the same body was ministred to the Apostles at the supper which was afterward hanged and dyed on the Aug. in exposit Ps 33. Read him also in Psal 65. 93. con Faust l. 12. c. 10. l. 3. de trin c. 10. l. 6. confess cap. 1â— Chrys hâ—m 24. in 1 Cor c. 10. Dam. l 4. de fi ort c. 14. Crosse as the Euangelists likewise testify writing of the bloud This is my bloud of the new Testament which shall be shed for many into remission of sinnes For which cause S. Augustine greatly commended the goodnesse of God in that he giueth vs the same body to eate In quo tam muâ—â— a perpessus est In which he endured and suffered so much And his bloud to drinke which he affirmeth to be The same liquor which flowed from his pierced side In another place he teacheth the same victim or boly sacr fice to be dispensed from the Altar whereby the hand-writing is defaced which was contrary vnto vs. S. Iohn Chrysostome auerreth that to be in the Chalice Quod exlatere fluxit which issued from his side And the same body to be in the Eucharist which was whipped imbrued with bloud wounded with a speare and which the Sunne seeing crucifyed withdrew his beames S. Iohn Damascen writeth that Christ sayd not This bread is a figure of my body but This is Epiph. in Nic. Synodo 2. act 6. my body c. Epiphanius Theophilact and Euthymius haue almost the same words who because they vtterly reiect all figuratiue glozes M. Bilson so farre enrageth against them as he sayth Damascen minceth and strayneth the wordes of Christ Epiphanius that famous Proloquutour in the second Councell of Nice was a pratling Deacon of more tongue then Theop. Euthym. in Matt. 26. Bils 4. par pag. 752. 753. Conc. Nic. 2. act 6. wit more face then learning Theophilact and Enthymius he discardeth as yonger Writers To omit therefore these learned men and to insist vpon the ceremonyes Christ obserued at his last supper The blessing of bread the circumstances of tyme and place the matter of which he spake the persons to whome all thinges concurre to strengthen confirme this infallible truth of his Reall Presence 5. First our heauenly Bishop neuer blessed any earthly element in which he wrought not some admirable effect as his blessing of fiue loaues and two fishes in the 8. of S. Marke make manifest proofe And yet this action is heere performed in such speciall manner as the Sacrament often from it borroweth his name So it is Cyr. l. 4. in Ioan. c. 16. 19. Ambr. de â—js quiinitiantur ca 9. Greg. orat cate Bils 4. par p. 660. 661. 662. 663 1. Cor. 10. Cyp. de coena dom tearmed by S. Cyrill The blessing of the mistery the blessing of Christ or the mysticall blessing By S. Ambrose The blessing of the heauenly wordes And the same S. Ambrose with S. Gregory Nissen by vertue of this blessing affirme The sulstance of bread and
of that house is a prophane person And a little after He that gathereth not with you scattereth that is he that is not Christs is Antichrists To S. Augustine Number the Priests euen from Peters seate see who succeeded one another in that row of Fathers that is the Rocke which the proud gates of Hell do not ouercome And in another place That is it which hath obtained the top of authority Then he sayth The principality of the Apostolicall Chaire alwayes florished in the Roman Church Lastly The Bishop of that Sea hath the preheminence of higher roome in the pastorall watch-tower which is common to all Bishops For this cause the Church of Rome is tearmed The head of the world the head of all Churches by Prosper by Victor by Vincentius by the Emperour Iustinian and others To which Church as Irenaeus testifyeth for her more powerfull principality euery Church ought to repayre For this the Pope of Rome is worthily intituled The a Hiero. epist. 123. chiefe and highest Priest The b Ambr. com in 1. Tim. 3. ruler of the house of God The c Concil Chal. in epist ad Leonem act 1. head of the Church The d Synod Later sub Marâ—ino Papa secret 2. Prince Doctor of the orthodoxall and immaculate fayth The e Stephanus Archiepis Carthag ep ad Dam. Father of Fathers The f Bern. l. 2. de consid Vicar of Christ The g Bern. ibid. Pastour of all Pastours The h Concil Constant 5. act 1. pag. 74. giuer of Light and pillar of the Church The i Valent. epist. ad Theodosium quae habetur inter praeambula Conc. Chaleed Iustinian Nouell constit 123. in edit Haloand lib. 1. Cod. de summa Trinitate Liberatus in Breuiario cap. 12. Sozom. lib. 3. cap. 7. most Blessed Bishop of the Citty of Rome to whome amiquity hath giuen the principality of Priest-hood aboue all other These last be the wordes of Valentinian the Emperour whome Iustinian Chrys Ep. ad Innocent Theod. in Ep. ad Leonem Sulpitius Seuer l. 2. sacr hist Epiph haer 42. Cyp. l. 1. Ep. 4 Epiph. haeres 68. â—este Paulo Diaco Anact in Symmacho Sigeber in chronic Extainter Epi. Agapeti ToÌ„ 1. ep Rom. Pontif. habetur ep Euti tom 2. Conc. edit Colon. ann 1606. pag. 510. Apud Leonem epist 68. following maketh also a solemne decree That according to the Definition of the foure Holy Councells of Nice of Constantinople of Ephesus and of Chalcedon the Pope of Rome is the chiefe of all Priests And he addeth No man doubteth but that the top or principality of the highest Bishopricke resteth in Rome 11. Besides these authorityes which are all impregnable the continuall practise and consent of all Nations approue the supremacy of the Pope of Rome and therfore to him as to the supreme and highest Iudge vpon earth appeales haue beene made from all partes of the world To giue you a tast of some few examples To whose high tribunall did Flauianus the Partriarch of Constantinople appeale from the second Councell of Ephesus but to the tribunall of Leo Pope of Rome Whose ayd and succour did Athanasius the Bishop of Alexandria implore oppressed by the Arrians but the ayd of Iulius the Pope of Rome Vnder whose wings did S. Iohn Chrysostome flye deposed in a Councell of many Bishops of the East but vnder the wings of Innocentius the Pope of Rome To him Theodoret to him Saluianus and Priscillian rebells vnto God and enemyes of that Sea condemned in a Synod at Caesar-Augustum to him Marcion to him Basilides deposed from his Bishopricke was faine to appeale To him Valens and Vrsacius came to giue an account and craue pardon for their treachery against Athanasius To Symmachus Pope of Rome 220. or 225. Bishops as others report banished their seates by King Thrasimond fled for reliefe who honourably maintained them at his owne charges 82. To the Pope of Rome as to the anker of fayth oracle of truth the faythfull were wont to direct the Summe of their beliefe the greatest Clarkes their bookes and writings most famous Councells their Canons and decrees So Iustinian the Emperour sent the profession of his fayth to Agapetus the Pope Eutychius the Patriarch of Constantinople to Vigilius the Pope Proterius the Patriarch Aug. coÌ„t 2. ep â—ela lib. 1. cap. 1. Inter Ep. Hormis Tom. 1. Ep. Rom. Pontif. Hiero. in exp li. Sym. ad Dama Concil Chal. in relat sanct Synod ad Leo. Con. Mileu 10. 2. p. â—01 inter ep Aug. 92. c. Cyp. teste Hier. dialo adu â—ucif Bilsâ— pa. 1. p. 44. 45. 48. 49. Chrys Ep. 1. ad Inno. Tom. 5. Socrat. l. 2. cap. 15. Hier. in symb exp ad Damas Aug. con 2. Epis Pelag l. 1. c. 1. Theod Ep. ad LeoneÌ„ Commen eius in Paul praefix of Alexandria to Leo the Pope So S. Augustine sent his workes to Pope Boniface to be examined and amended Possessor a Bishop of Africa his commentaries vpon S. Paul to Hormisda S. Hierome his explication vpon the Creed to Damasus So the Councell of Chalcedon sent their Canons to Leo the Pope The Mileuitan Councell held in Numidia the cause of Pelagius to Pope Innocentius And S. Cyprian the Primate of Africa sent the decrees of the Councell of Carthage to Stephen the Pope Neyther were these thinges done as M. Bilson to obscure the truth and beguile his Reader craftily suggesteth for the common consent mutuall agreement publike liking of the Bishops in euery Prouince because then the like resorts should haue been made to other Primates as well as to the Pope but they were made to him as to the Vicar Generall of Christ and ruler of his whole Church who had power and authority to examine the causes punnish the faultes reforme the abuses approue the fayth condemne the heresies establish the decrees reuerse the sentences of all other Bishops as the Letters the Complaints the Suites the Embassages the Petitions the whole History of the former Appellants and other resorters vnto Rome beare witnesse 13. S. Iohn Chrysostomes letters were to request Innocentius To pronounce the proceedings of the Bishops of the East voyd and of no force to punish with Ecclesiasticall Censures the Authours of that disorder S. Athanasius his complaint was of the wrong offered him by the Emperor a great assembly of Easterne Bishops who wrongfully thrust him from his Bishopricke And Iulius the Pope of Rome as Socrates relateth by the prerogatiue of the Roman Sea wrote threatning letters in his behalfe and restored him to his place rebuking them who rashely deposed him S. Hieromes suite to Damasus was If any thing be here vnaduisedly set forth we entreate it may be amended by thee who holdest the fayth seat of Peter The like suite S. Augustine made to Bonifacus Theodorets supplication to Leo was this I humbly request beseech your Holynesse in this case to ayde me appealing
hier cap. 4. Concil Agâ—â—hens can 14. Aug. ser 19. de Sanctis Optatus lib. cont Parm. Peter Mart. in his com places in English pag. 227. Cartwrig in his 2. reply p. 264. Centurist Centur. 4. col 409. Centur. 3. cap. 4. colum 83. Greg. Nazi in ep 8. ad Simplician Fulke in his reioynder to Bristowes reply p. 28. Calu. in Haeb. c. 7. v. 9. pag. 9. 4. in tract theolog pag. 389. Neither M. Higgons nor any Catholike writer euer maintained any such intention of helping all The Patriarches Prophets and Martyrs are remembred and not desired to be holpen the damned who dye in mortall sin are neither holpen nor remeÌ„bred as you may often read in S. Augustine and generally in all the rest howbeit you guilfully misconstrue some of their sayings to be meant of the mitigation of their paines But there are some of a middle sort who depart this life neither deadlywounded nor perfectly recouered of the infirmityes of sinne these only they intended to relieue as M. Higgons proueth and you without iugling should haue laboured to disproue 15. Your answeres to his former two differences are as full fraught with vntruth as this with fraudulency and deceit For you reply to the first We haue Altars in the same sort the Fathers had c. To the second We admit the Eucharist to be rightly named a Sacrifice Both cunning escheats You haue spirituall Altars only they had corporall and externall By nature common stones by blessing Holy and immaculate S. Gregory Nissen On which we Sacrifice vnto one God which were consecrated with Chrisme and the signe of the Crosse S. Augustine S. Dionyse and the Councell of Agatho Which were seats and receptacles of the body bloud of Christ Optatus Sayings disliked by Peter Martyr M. Cartwright and the Centurists who also affirme That the Altars erected within the first 400. yeares after Christ from Iewish obseruation crept into the Church 16. Secondly they had true and proper Sacrifices vnbloudy victimes propitiatory Hosts as I haue largely demonstrated in the Controuersy of the Masse They had A Sacrifice offered to God the Father wherin the Priest supplyeth as S. Cyprian according to the Centurists superstitiously writeth the roome of Christ. They had a Sacrifice The name whereof as M. Fulke affirmeth they tooke of Iewes and Gentils and not from Scripture They as Caluin sayth forged a Sacrifice in the Lords supper without his Commandment and so adulterated the supper with adding of Sacrifice And in another treatise The ancients quoth he are not to be excused for it is apparent they haue heerein swarued from the pure and proper institution of Christ. 17. Now M. Field haue you I pray such Altars such Sacrifices as these Such Altars as Crept into your Church from the Iewish custome Such Sacrifices as were forged without our Lords Commandment Such as adulterated his supper Such as swarued from the pure and proper institution of Christ If you haue let your hart abhorre these villanous inuectlues pronounced against them by the principal Captaines of your sect If not let your Pen retract your former asseueratioÌ„ Let it disclaime from the Altars and Sacrifices of the Fathers and be content to haue no society with them in these as your men account Superstitious abuses 18. In fine the chiefe Ring-leaders of the Protestants Centu. loc citat profession do not only reiect the Altars condemne the Sacrifices but they controle also the very manner of prayer the Fathers vsed for the Dead Therefore they practised some other kind then those foure which M. Calu. l. 3. Inst c. 5. §. 10. Bulling Decad. 4. serm 10. Field his consortes allow Caluin sayth About one thousand three hundred years ago it was receaued as a coÌ„mon custom to vse Prayers for the dead c. But they were all I confesse beguiled with errour Bullinger writeth I know â—he Ancients prayed for the dead I know the excellent Doctour S. Augustine the eloquent S. Chrysostome and many other old and renowned men what they haue left written of this matter I know the Fathers affirme prayer for the dead to be a TraditioÌ„ of the Apostls And S. Augustine Aug. ser 32. de verb. Aposto Centu. 3. c. 5. col 138. Osiand Cent. 3. l. 1. c. 5. p. 10 Hosp in hist Sacr. pag. 167. Spark p. 371. 372. Fulke in c. 10. 1. ep ad Cor. sect 8. prope finem Fulke in his Confutation of Purgatory pag. 262. writeth It is obserued in the vniuersal Church that Sacrifice be offered for the dead I know Aerius was condemned because he disauowed these Prayers But I aske whether the Fathers did well heerin or no The Centurists and Osiander blame Tertullian because he approued Oblations for the Dead and Anniuersary-prayers in their Obite-dayes Hospinian affirmeth of S. Cyril He sayd indeed according to the preuailing custome of his tyme that the Sacrifice of the Altar is a great help to soules Of S. Augustine D. Sparkes He was both greatly carryed by the sway and opinions of the multitude in determining the auaylablenes of prayers for the dead Whereupon in the very next page he sayth I may lawfully discent from him in that case M. Fulke auerreth Prayer for the dead was the drosse of Augustine and Chrysostome Tertullian sayth he S. Cyprian S. Augustine S. Hierome and a great many more do witnesse That Sacrifice for the dead is the Tradition of the Apostles 19. Another where he sayth But of memories of the Dead and prayers for the dead also we will not striue but that they were vsed before the tyme of Bede Ephrem Ambrose but without warrant of Gods word or authorityes of Scripture Indeed Is this the cause you reproue a custome so general supported by the greatest Pillers both of the Greeke Latine Church because they want the testimonyes of holy Writ for such is your common excuse repeated in another place We must not belieue Chrysostome without Scripture affirming that mention of the dead in the celebration of the Lords supper was ordained by the Apostles Would not a man thinke this Ghospeller meant to imbrace S. Chrysostome and admit those ancient Writers if they countenanced their assertions with the authority of the Ghospell Would not a man thinke he would then submit his iudgement vnto theirs No other sense I wis can be picked from his wordes notwithstanding farre other is his meaning this is a veile to couer his shame a disguised glosse of speach to pretend the awe and reuerence of Gods word when as neither God nor man neither humane writing nor heauenly Oracles doth he regard vnles they sound very tuneable to his straine Which that you may not condemne as a forgery deuised by me read the sayings of these Fathers and confront with them his answeres 20. S. Augustine first proueth that prayer for the dead disagreeth not from Scripture Not from that of S. Paul We ought all to be summoned before the tribunall
as they ought to do which ignorance of theirs partly proceedeth from the weaknes of our Vnderstanding partly from the depth and sublimity of the misteryes proposed partly also from the vnsearchablenes of Gods wayes and secrecy of his vnacquainted motions of which Iob sayd If God come vnto me I shall not see him and if he depart away from me I shall not vnderstand it Wherfore Iob. 9. â—â— Field lib. 4. cap. 7. seeing No man as M. Field doth witnes proueth a thing doubtfull by that which is as much doubted of as it selfe No man can be assured of the true sense and signification of Scripture by the internal working of God in his hart which is as much to be doubted of and alike hard to be discerned as the very sense it selfe and meaning of the Scripture 23. Secondly we are counsailed Not to belieue euery 2â— Ioâ— 4. â— spirit but to proue the spirits if they be of God But if the spirits must be brought to the touch-stone of triall if they must be approued and iudged by some other well knowne vndoubted authority they are not themselues the triall and Iudge of our differences Nay suppose we were assured of the inspiration assured of the holy Ghost speaking in our harts yet that speach is inuisible that motion inuisible that iudgement inuisible it cannot heare the causes examine the arguments or pronounce any desinitiue VVhitaâ—â—â— adu Stâ—pl l. 2. â— 6. sentence at all by which the contentious may be silenced the innocent acquited the guilty condemned The testimony of the spirit sayth Whitaker being priuate and secret is vnfit to teach or refell others if vnfit to teach vnfit to refell then wholy vnfit wholy vnable to cleare doubts decide Controuersyes or end the quarrells of the paâ—tyes in strife 24. Thirdly The rule and guide of our beliefe ought to haue some neere affinity and connexion with that which it guideth The measure as the Philosophers teach must be alwayes proportionable to the thing measured But the inward inspiration hath no such affinity and proportion with our Catholike fayth because that is secret this publique that particuler this vniuersall that meerly interiour and working only in the hart this exteriour Hooker of Ecclesi Policy lib. 1. sect 14. lib. 2. sect 8. lib. 3. sect 8. pag. 149. 147. lib. 2. sect 7 pag. 116. VVhitak aduers Staplet lib. 2. c. 4. pag. 330. p. 29â— ZaÌ„cb in his confess cap. 1. Brent in prolegom Kemnit in exam Conc. Tri. Aug. l. con ep FuxdaÌ„ c. 5 de vtil cre â—en c. 14. also and professed by the word of mouth In so much as that cannot possibly be a competent rule or proportionable measure to mete or square out the misteryes of our sayth Fourthly M. Hooker a Protestant of no smal account constaÌ„tly auoucheth with whoÌ„ M. Whitak other sectaryes heerin agree that the outward letter sealed with the inward witnesse of the spirit is not a sufficient warrant for euery particuler man to iudg and approue the Scripture to be Canonicall the ghospel itself to be the ghospell of Christ but the authority of gods Church as he acknowledgeth is necessarily required therunto Therefore neither are they sufficient to iudge of the sense or meaning of the Scripture for that saith S. Augustin which we obey and belieue testifying this book to be the Ghospell the same must we belieue witnessing this to be the sense of the Ghospel because it were no lesse then madnes to repaire to the Catholike Church for the approbation of Gods word run to her rebells for the sense of his word to her publick censure for that their priuat iudgment for this yea a meer madnes to thinke that euery Sectary should be indued with a diuine spirit to interpret holy writ and that the whole Church of Christ all her pastours and doctors ioyntly vnited should be depriued of the same 25. Fyfthly The ordinary way by which God instructeth vs in matters of belief is by publik preaching Fayth saith S. Paul is by hearing it is to be receaued from the lipps of the preists from the mouth of Saints Ad Rom. 10. vers 17. Malae 2 Luc. 1. Ad Ephes 4. from the pastors and teachers whome Christ hath appoynted in his Church and not from priuate reading of Scripture ioyned with the secret inspiration For that noble man of Aethiopia the Eunuch disigeÌ„tly perused the oracles of God and wanted not without doubt the inward operation of the holy Ghost being so religious as he had bin on pilgrimage at Hierusalem to adore and Act. 8. v. 30. 3â— so deuout as he read the Scriptures riding in his chariot yet when S. Philip asked him Trowest thou that thou vnderstandest the things that thou readest he said And how can I vnlesse some man shew me Therfore besides the outward reading inward working a publike interpreter and expoundeâ— is necessary for the true vnderstanding of holy writ 26. Sixthly The standing to the Iudgment of the hidden Spirit is the very roote of dissention and fountaine of discord in the vain chalengers and boasters therof it affoardeth euery sectary his priuate weights his particuler forge to coyne and allow what doctrine he pleaseth it licenseth the members to controle their heads the schollers to contradict and chang their masters Tertul. de praescript cap. 420 principles which Tertullian reproueth in the Heretiks of his dayes saying That hath bin lawfull to the Valentinians which was lawfull for Valentinus that to the Marcionites which to Marcion of their own accord to alter and innouate their belief Of their owne accord he sayth because the teaching of the holy Ghost is vniforme and the same he could not be author of such chops and changes of such schismes diuisions And yet they al pretended as our Ghospellers August tract 4â— in Ioanâ— Laâ—â—h ep ad Antwerp tom 2. Germ. Ieâ— fol. 10â— do his heauenly illumination There are innumerable sayth S. Augustine who do not only boast that they are Videntes or Prophets but will seeme to be illuminated or enlightned by Christ but are Heretikes And Luther the ring-leader of Protestants conformably writeth There is no Asse in this tyme so soâ—rish and blockish but will haue the dreames of his owne head and his opinion accepted for the instinct of the Holy Ghost and himselfe esteemed as a Prophet Whence it commeth as he immediatly before complayneth That there be as many sects Osiand in confut Script Melancth contra ipsum edit l. cont Nicticor Aug. ep 222. ad CoÌ„sent and Religions among vs as there be men That such variances arise betweene the professours of the same Religion as Osiander a Protestant telleth vs That among the Confessionists only there were twenty different opinions concerning the formall cause of iustification and that euery one is affirmed to be deduced and proued out of the word of God by the holy Ghost surely as they imagined secretly
these hauty speaches in Leo and I thinke that the Mistery of iniquity so wrought through his ambitious adaduancing Peter that of the Egges which he cherished two of the most venemous Cockatrices were bred that euer poysoned the Church of Christ The one the Popes Supremacy c. The other the worshiping of Saints 31. What sayth he of Saint Hierome Hierome to Reyn. c. 4. diuis 3. fol. 134. Hieron ad Aug. ep 11. inter ep Aug. Reyn. c. 4. diuis 1. fol. 133. Rein. c. 4. diuis 1. fol. 116. 117. mayntaine his quarrell agaynst Augustine wrote of affection more what he fancied then of discretion what be thought And when we Catholikes alleadge that sentence of his Paul not had security of preaching the Ghospell vnlesse it had beene approued by the sentence of Peter c. Mayster Reynolds answereth That we discouer the nakednesse of the Fathers c. And prayse the beauty of their blemishes and thinke them best clad when they are naked most Thus of Saint Hierome What of Saint Chrysostome That which Peter might haue done as Chrysostome supposeth would infer a greater Primacy then Peter had if it were true but the Scripture sayth it not The Fathers write some thinges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of prayse and commendation c. Wherein if their words should be rigorously sifted Reyn. c. 4. diuis 3. fol. 132. cap. 4. diuis 2. fol. 123. Ibid. c. 7. diuis 9. fo 285. Bern. l. 2. de Conside the truth is somtymes ouerlashed Of Maximus of Isidore of Theodoret what Father Maximus did dote Isidore ouershot himselfe by slip of memory Theodoret serued his owne cause 32. Is Saint Gregory then Is Saint Bernard of more credit with him Gregory quoth he was somewhat troubled Gregory had a louing affection to Rome Will you giue me leaue to thinke of him as Christ of Peter That he knew not what he sayd That worthy passage is cited out of Saint Bernard vvriting of Eugenius Thou art the Prince of Bishops thou the Heyre of the Apostles Thou art for Primacy Reyn. c. 6. Diuis 4. fol. 226. Abel for gouernement Noe for Patriarch-ship Abraham for order Melchisedech for dignity Aaron for authority Moyses for Iudgement Samuel for power Peter for vnction Christ. Mayster Reynoldes answereth Your men esteeme this place of Bernard very highly and make a feast of it I maruell they are not ashamed to alleadge it For to call the Pope heyre of Saint Peter it were a great excesse of speach much greater to call him heyre of the Apostles But to call him Christ that is so great that any modest man who were Bernardes friend would rather lay his cloake vpon it then discouer it much lesse make boast of it Was euer heard a more audacious fellow who durst open his mouth agaynst heauen it it selfe and disgrace the vvritinges of so many Saints 33. And who art thou O Reynoldes that I should belieue thee before those Cyprians those Chrysostomes those Gregoryes those Bernardes whome thou reprouest Who art thou that I shold rather iudge the greatest faults in them then the least spot or blemish in thee Shall I deeme Leo ambitious Hierome naked Gregory troubled Cyprian to haue varyed from the word of God and only Reynoldes to haue vnderstood it aright Can any man be perswaded that Chrysostome ouerlashed Maximus doted Isidore ouershot himselfe Theodoret serued his own cause and Iohn Reynoldes spake sincerly that Bernards shame deserued a cloake and Reynoldes beauty was worthy to be displayed Can a man thinke so many godly Popes miscaryed with affection all Ecclesiasticall Hystories wide and only Reynoldes to hit the marke Truly he were eyther sottishly peruerse or frowardly blind whosoeuer would seeme so partiall on his side whosoeuer I say vpon the slanderous deposition of such a faythlesse witnesse should depriue the Pope of his soueraygne dignity ouer the whole Church which God and his Saintes haue imparted vnto him The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE THE TWELVTH CONTROVERSY FREETH The true worshippe of Saints of their Shrines and Reliques from Idolatry Agaynst D. Bilson D. Reynoldes and D. Fulke CHAP. 1. THE Prince of darknesse our professed enemy as he alwayes enuyed the glory of God and repined at the felicity and happynesse of man so he euer sought to impayre the honour of the one deface the dignity preheminence of the other To this end he leuied See Irae l. 1. c. 22. ler. in Catal Epip baer 68. his infernall forces first agaynst the Diuine Maiesty it selfe agaynst the first person in Trinity stying vp Simon Magus Basilides and others to deny the first article of our Creed That God the Father created beauen and earth Then agaynst the second person he banded Ebion Chrinthus Arius who robbed our Sauiour Christ of his Diuinity and Equality with his Father Agaynst the third he armed Concil 2. Constant cont Mac. Ambr. l. 1. de fide c. 1. 2. c. Macedonius who impiously impugned the Diuinity of the holy Ghost Agaynst them all iointly Sebellius who wickedly gainsayed the distinction of the Persons But when this diabolicall battery could no way preuayle he mounted his Ordinance agaynst the blessed Angels and Saintes of God He suggested Eustachius in the yeare of Basil in orat con Sabellium our Lord 300. Eunomius and Vigilantius about the same tyme to fight agaynst the honour the vniuersall Church exibited vnto the happy soules which raygne in heauen whose poyson Wicklisse after swallowed vp and is now disgorged by M. Caluin M. Bilson M. Reynoldes M. Fulke Calu. l. 1. Inst c. 11. §. 11. Bils 4. p. pag. 157. 561. 571. Rey. de ldol Rom. Eccl. 1. l. c. 8. Fulke in c. 14. Act. sect 2. in c. 19. Apoc. sect 4. Rey. ibid. c. 6. 8. and all moderne Protestants chiefly vpon this fond perswasion That there be only two sorts of honours Ciuill and Dixine the one proper to God the other peculiar to mortall men And seeing the seruants of God already departed cannot be reuerenced with Ciuill honour because they are absent nor with Diuine for feare of Idolatry no true worship but only as M. Reynoldes yieldeth an honest commemoration or decem burialt can belong vnto them This is the maine ground of M. Caluin of M. Fulke of whosoeuer which being once razed the Rampier of their defence and Fortresse of their folly is wholy ouerthrowne 2. First then I will deduce out of the cause it selfe and off-spring from whence honour ariseth out of Scriptures reasons vndeniable another kind of worship besides Ciuill and Godly which without danger of Idolatry may be allotted to Saintes Albeit Aristotle sayth Adoration and honour is in him that honoureth yet it hath for Etb 9. c. 2. his marke and obiect the excellency of the person worshipped in testimony whereof this signe of reuerence is submissiuely exhibited And therefore as there be three sortes of
who dyed in the peace of the Church few Field in the places cited aboue Casaubon in the page fornamed are ignorant c. This custome although the Church of England condemneth not in the first ages yet she thinketh not good to retaine it now c. Marke this opposition betwixt the Prince and his subiects writing M. Field denyeth that The Church generally intended to relieue soules c. King Iames auoucheth The Church did desire of God rest for the departed M. Field with his Sinagogue imbraceth all the common and lawful kinds of commemorating the dead the Ancients obserued excepting only two priuate and particuler errours K. Iames with his English Congregation Retaineth not an ancient custome the Church vsed in her publike prayers a custome which spronge from a vehement affect of Charity c. whereby she gaue testimony of the Resurrection to come a custome which he reserreth to the head of thinges profitable or lawfull c. So cleerely is M. Field condemned by the sentence of his Soueraigne who Bucer in his Script a Auglican pag. 450. Vrba Regius in par 1. operum in formula cauâ—â— loquendi f. 8. Ibidem in loc commu c. 8. de Purgat Idem part 1. de missae negotio f. 71. Idem in 1. par oper in loc commun c. 19. vbi supra Aug. ep 1â— Field in ap pend 1. p. pag. 2. was cast before by the iudgment of his Peeres 25. Next after K. Iames I must needes giue praise to some other of his sect who flatly coÌ„fesse with vs the same manner of Prayer for the dead which we require As Bucer once a Cambrigian Professour and Vrbanus Regius Luthers scholler who affirmeth the like of his Maister and proueth it by the testimony of al the most learned Fathers of credit and authority in the Church of God whose names I rehearsed aboue Who appointed also in his reformed Churches of Sueuia a prescript Prayer for the departed brother To the end that God of his mercy would pardon the faults and infirmity of his flesh Who concludeth at length To be sollicitous and carefull for the dead is both a worke of Charity fruit of fayth testifying our beliefe of the glorious Resurrection which no man contemneth but Epicureans and Sadduceans They because they deny the immortality of the soule these because they belieue not the resurrection of the flesh Wherefore if our English Protestants had any regard I will not say to the plaine texts of Scripture whose squire they preteÌ„d in all thinges to follow nor to the prescription of the Church whose vniuersall practise S. Augustine counteth Most insolent madnesse to call in question nor to the ancient Fathers whose generall doctrine M. Field iudgeth no lesse theÌ„ Barbarisme to attach of errour but if they had respect to their owne illuminated Ghospellers to the Scriptures they interprete to the reasons they alleadge they would neuer reiect as superstitious trumpery that which Bucer A man by the censure of the * See this in the letter of the Vniuersity extant in Bucers scipt Ang. p. 944. Fox in his Act. c. pag. 416. English Apolog par 4. c. 4. 2. Cor. 2. Fulke vpoÌ„ that chap. sect 1. 1. Cor. 3. Gal. 6. Rom. â— Apoc. 14. Fulke in enÌ„ loc ser 5 Eccl. 9. 5. 6 Eccl. c. 9. 10 Hier. in c. 6 ad Galat. Fulke obiecteth this place against prayer for the Dead in his confut of Parg. and prayer for soules departed pag 44â— Vniuersity of Cambridge most holy and plainly diuine which Luther Their Elias sent from God to lighten the world which Vrbanus Regius his faythfull and royall scholler constantly maintaine for Euangelical doctrine Nay which King Iames their supreme head and chiefest gouernour in causes Ecclesiasticall placeth in the ranke of thinges lawfull and profitable 26. Now let vs see what coulour they haue to contradict so cleare and manifest a truth M. Fulke and his confederates assemble many sentences out of Scripture which seeme to carry against it som shew of repugnance Out of S. Paul We must all be conuented before the tribunall seat of Christ that euery one may receaue the proper thinges of his body according as he hath done good or euill Then Euery one of vs shall giue an account for himselfe to God The thinges which euery one hath sowed those shall he reape Thou restorest to euery one according to his workes And not according to the works of others Againe Their workes follow them And not the workes of their friends who remaine behind Therefore they cannot be relieued by them Which is confirmed by King Salomon The dead know no more nor haue any further reward they haue no part in this world nor in the worke that is achieued vnder the heauens For which cause he counselleth vs heere Diligently to performe whatsoeuer our hand can worke Likewise by the authority of S. Hierome saying In this present world we know we may help one another either by our prayers or counsells but when we shall come before the tribunall of Christ neither Iob nor Daniel nor Noë can make suite for any but euery one must beare his owne burden These be the skarcrowes which terrify our Reformers from exercising their charity towardes the dead which notwithstanding we easily auoid three seuerall wayes 27. First I say most of the former places may be expounded of the Iudgment in which no help can be expected either from the workes or suffrages of others of this S. Hierome expresly meaneth But King Salomon in the first place seemeth to speake only of the temporall goods left behind them in this world of the benefits of this life in which the Dead haue no society with vs and not of the spirituall workes of Charity of Prayer Almes-deeds c. whereby their soules are benefitted Secondly they may be all interpreted as S. Augustine doth the first testimony cited out of the Apostle which he obiecteth 2. Cor. 5. vers 10. to himselfe That euery one may receaue according to his deserts in the body c. that is according as he merited heere he shall truly enioy in the next life both comfort to himselfe and profit by the charity of others For as S. Augustin profouÌ„dly Aug. in Enchir. c. 110. answereth heerunto In this life and before death he deserued this that these workes after his death might be profitable vnto him Thus his workes are sayd to follow him Or the workes of the liuing may be tearmed his that is dead because he deserued in this life the benefite of them and because they are applyed vnto him eyther by the intention of the worker or by the mercifull dispensation of the Treasurer of Gods Church Thirdly all these places may be vnderstood of the workes of merit not of satisfaction that is euery one shall giue an account for himselfe in the way of merit not in the way of satisfaction The works of one cannot auaile another in the way
Iraeneus the like of others But the authority it selfe of these Ancients the purity of that prime and perfect age is inough to quite them of that false accusatiō inough to cleare the truth of our cause that som thing goeth before the assent of our vnderstanding or act of fayth that we do not like beastes vnuoluntarily belieue but that we willingly prepare our selues and freely worke to the obtayning of Iustice Wherein how farre M. Field forsaketh his owne confederates and runneth in the same line with vs shall be discouered in the next Controuersy 7. As for M. Abbots argument to the contrary That Feild in his 3. booke of the Church c. 44. Abbot in his defence sect 20. fol. 467. as a dead carcasse cannot concurre to his resurrection no more can a man dead in sinne any way cooperate to the restoring of his life I answer that the parity haulteth in this maine ioynt or principall limme that the dead man hath no working power or ability at all to produce the actions of life But the sinner although he be wholy dead in respect of supernatural grace yet he liueth a naturall life hath a naturall and liuely faculty of free will which albeit by it selfe it be altogeather vnable to worke any good appertayning to saluation yet by the assistance and ayde of God it is quickened eleuated and inabled to cooperate with him vnto the workes of piety And it is a thing vsuall in the course of Nature to requite your natural cōparison with the like examples of nature for a dead senseles thing to cooperate if not actiuely as some do at least by way of disposition to the receauing of life for so the dead and corrupted graines of corne by the fertility moysture and warme bosome of the earth do according to some part of them not only dispose but also produce their vegetiue life yea the mortifyed dead matter which example euery way sitteth my purpose ministred by parents to the begetting of children doth truly concurre by way of disposition to their receauing of life to the creation of their breathing and reasonable soules If dead thinges haue this efficacy by the supply of dead senseles causes to concurre to naturall life why should not the liuely facultyes of our mind by the supernaturall succour of the supreme cause haue force and vigour also to dispose our soules to the supernaturall grace 8. But to graunt this sayth M. Abbot is to slyde into Abbot in his defence c. 4. f. 80. 459. the heresy of the Pelagians with whome he impiously consorteth both vs the sacred Councell of Trent in such malicious manner as when we assigne a substantiall difference betweene vs and them by houlding the precedent acts of Feare Hope Loue c. to proceed not Abbot ibidem c. 1. f. 104. 106. 107. Aug. con Pelag. Celest c. 2. 4. c. 31. 32. 33. 35. 37. from the force of nature not from our owne merits as they imagined but from the benefit of Gods grace he replyeth againe that we do but dally with the name of grace as Pelagius did who acknowledged also the necessity thereof as he goeth about to proue out of many places of S. Augustine out of his first booke against Pelagius and Celestius in sundry Chapters and out of his Epistles also But he willingly or cunningly passeth ouer the collusion or legier-du-maine of the Pelagians who to beguile the Bishops of the Easterne Church vsurped the name Grace as the same S. Augustine both in the aforesayd and in other places testifyeth in diuers senses most different from Sec Aug. ep 90. 95. 105. 106. 107. Vasq in 1. part dips 9◠c. 9. Molin item in 1. part disp 19. mem 5. Aug. tom 7. l. 1. 2. de grat Christ de peccat Origin vs. For first they sometyme tearmed the benefit of creatiō conseruation and free will it selfe by the name of grace because they be singular gifts by Gods gracious fauour bestowed vpon vs. We heere take Grace alwayes for that which aboue the course of nature through the merits of Christ is supernaturally imparted 2. They although they did after confesse a supernaturall grace yet they say it was only profitable to facilitate not necessary to accomplish fullfill the commandments which S. Augustine often reprehended in them or as Celestius Pelagius his scholler did temper qualify the roughnes of his Maisters speach it was necessary to perfect and consummate not to inchoate or begin the perfection of a good and pious worke witnes S. Augustine against the two Epistles of Pelagius We say it is absolutly necessary not only to consummate but also to beginne not only to facilitate but Augu. l. 2. cont 2. ep Pelag. ◠8◠Aug. l. 1. de grat Christ con Pelag. c. 4. 5. 25. 26. Phil. 2. v. 13. August l. de grat lib. arbit ◠16. Aug. l. 10. cont 2. ep Pelag. cap. 19. Aug. l. 1. de grat Christ c. 1. euen to performe or satisfy any part of the law as it ought to be pleasing and gratefull vnto God 3. They held that grace affoarded possibility only to the will not force efficacy to shun euill and imbrace good they thought that grace sayth S. Augustine doth not helpe vs to do but only that we might be willing able to do We teach with the Apostle that it is God who worketh in vs both to will and accomplish His grace say we with S. Augustine doth not only giue sufficient but vires efficacissimas voluntati most efficacious forces to the will to performe and effectuate whatsoeuer good it willeth 4. They affirme the grace of God to be giuen vs for our deserts and that it-followeth the determination of our will which S. Augustine auerreth reporting of Pelagius that man according to him is ayded in doing good Pro meritis viz. voluntatis bonae c. for the merits to wit of his good wil that grace deserued might be estored not vndeserued giuen And againe Whatsoeuer grace he alloweth he affirmeth it imparted to Christians according to their desert So the Semipelagians would haue the beginning of fayth to spring from our felues from the faculty of free-will as appeareth out of their ring-leader Faustus Regiensis But Faust Regien lib. de arbit c. 8. 15. Concil Araus 2. Can. 5. we say with the Arausican Councell that the beginning of fayth or pious affection by which we belieue is the guift of God We say that grace goeth before exciting our wil and is mercifully bestowed on vs for our Sauiour Christ his sake wholy vndeserued on our part 5. When the Pelagians admitted the necessity of grace to awake and stir vs vp they vnderstood it sayth S. Augustine of the law of the doctrine and of the examples of Christ outwardly preached Aug. l. 1. de grat Chri. c. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. ep 106 ad Paulin ◠107.
in his 5. conclusion fol. 656. still and stand in doubt of saluation wherwith M. Reynoldes slaundereth vs. For the probability or morall certainty which we acknowledge ought not to trouble the peace of our Consciences nor anxiously distract much lesse torment the quietnes of our mindes It is a probability intermixed with feare and nourished with such comfortable VVhitak l. 8. aduer Duraeum and stedfast hope with such filial loue as banisheth all combersome anxiety all wauering doubtfullnes all seruile base and troublesome solicitude That which Whitaker so eagerly presseth against Duraeus Try your owneselues if you be in the fayth proue your selues know you 2. Cor. 13. vers 5. Cornelius Cornelij à Lapide in eum locuÌ„ not that Christ Iesus is in you vnles perhaps you be reprobates is interpreted as Cornelius declareth out of Theophilact of Christs aboad not in euery particuler person by iustifying grace but in the Church of the Corinthians by power miracles conuersions and other externall gifts wrought by S. Paul and to the tryall of this his presence he exhorteth them by the remembrance and consideration of the workes acheiued among them and not to try their iustifying fayth vnles it be by some probable tokens 9. The obiections of the second kind which ascribe Ioan. 3. v. 36. â— Ioan. 5. v. 13. Rom. 10. v. 9. Rom. 9. v. 33. Ioan. 3. v. 15. 16. Ioan. 6. v. 35. the certainty of saluation to fayth are these He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath life euerlasting They that beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God are to know that they haue eternall life confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeue in thy hart that God raysed him from the dead thou shalt be safe He that beleeueth in Christ shall neuer be confounded nor perish but haue euerlasting life He that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst He that eateth this bread shall liue for euer To which I answere that these generall promises which assure life and saluation to the beleeuer are vnderstood conditionally if he beleeue as he ought with a true fayth working by charity and he is sayd to haue euerlasting life because by Cyril in Ioan. 3. fayth he hath entred the gate and way which leadeth thereunto or hath receaued the seed thereof the pledge right and title vnto it by the spirit of adoption or diuine filiation imparted vnto him He is promised also to be saued conditionally if he perseuere in that state to the end after which many other vniuersall sentences of Scripture Ioel. 2. v. 3â— Rom. 10. v. 13. Prou. 1. v. 28. Matth. 7. vers 8. Iac. 4. v. 3. are to be expounded It is written Whosoeuer shall inuocate the name of our Lord shall be saued and contrarywise Then shall they inuocate me and I will not heare them Christ sayth Whosoeuer doth aske shall receaue Contrarywise you aske and receaue not the reason he subioyneth because you aske amisse that you may consume it in your concupiscences Therefore these generall sentences whosoeuer inuocateth or beleeueth shall be saued are to be construed also with this promise If he inuocate and beleeue with true fayth sincere affection and purity of life as it behooueth him to do 10. Secondly whereas many causes concurre to the Hebr. 5. v. 9. Rom. 8. v. 24. Eccles 1. v. 27. Tob. 12. v. â— workes of Iustification or saluation the holy Scripture sometyme attributeth it to one sometyme to another To obedience He was made to all that obey him cause of eternall saluation To Hope By hope we are saued To Feare The feare of our Lord expelleth sinne To Almesdeeds Almes-deeds deliuereth from death because ech of them if nothing els be wanting is sufficient to saue vs and so fayth acheiueth our saluation if we be not defectiue in other things required thereunto or rather because it is the first supernaturall habit origen or roote of life which springeth and bringeth forth the liuely motions of all other vertues and for this cause our iustification is more often assigned to fayth then to any other vertue neuertheles if it fayle dye or be lost as in the next Controuersy I shall proue it may be it procureth not the health of our soules to which it was ordeyned 11. The last troupe of their misapplyed sentences which retyre vnder the standard of Gods care and protection Ioan. 10. v. 27. 28. VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum Abbot c 3. Ioan. 17. v. â—0 21. Matt. 24. v. 24. Rom. 8. v. 30. 1. Cor. 1. v. 8. for security of saluation are My sheep heare my voice c. and they shall not periâ—h for euer no man shall plucke them out of my hands Christ prayed for the faythfull that they might be all one with him and no doubt obtayned it affirmeth it impossible for the elect to be induced into errour Whom he hath predestinated he hath called and whome he hath called he hath iustifyed and glorifyed He confirmeth and strengthneth them vnto the end I answere heere is a new throng of witnesses but no euidence brought in our Protestants behalfe For they are all veryfied of the elect in generall that they shall not perish but be preserued and glorifyed in the end into their harts he striketh his feare with them he maketh his euerlasting couenant but heer is no word or syllable that this or that man in particuler is one of them he may be in the number of such as are outwardly Matt. 20. v. 16. Aug. ser 16. de verb. Apostol called For many are called but few elect He may be also inwardly iustifyed for a tyme which yet S. Augustine auoweth to be vnknown to him but that he is one of the happy band of those who are called according to the purpose and eternall election of God is an inscrutable mystery fit and expedient sayth the same S. Augustine to be Aug. tom 7. de corr gra c. 13. hidden in this place where elation and pride is so much to be decaded c. That all euen those who runne may feare whilest it is concealed who shall ariue to the goale 12. In like manner to answere the authorityes of the Fathers foure obseruations are carefully to be noted Nazian in orat conso in grand Ambros serm 5. Bernar. ser â— de annuÌ„ August tract 22. in Ioan. First that they auouch vs certaine of Gods grace as S. Gregory Nazianzen doth Certaine of saluation S. Ambrose Of remission of saluation S. Bernard Of finall perseuerance S. Augustine to wit conditionally if we keep the commandements if we striue manfully against vice euen to the end c. Secondly they speake sometyme of the certainty of hope and confidence not of the certainty of fayth or of the certainty only of humane fayth by probable coniectures not of diuine and supernaturall Thus S. Hierome S. Augustine S. Leo and S. Gregory in the places heere quoted Thirdly they say that we are infallibly
haue giuen him to will and to runne if contemning his vocation he had not become reprobate Iudas was 〈…〉 reprobate Origen notwithstanding Orig. l. 8. in ep ad Rom. Chrysost hom 16. in cap. 9. ad Rom. Chrysost hom 4 de laâ—d Paul ad fin Concil Arâ—usican â—ap 25. writeth of him that it was in his power if he wold to haue equalled in sanctitie S. Peter and S. Iohn Pharao was a reprobate of whome S. Chrysostome auerreth that God did what lay in him to saue him who if he were not saued the whole fault was his owne He also teacheth that euery one if he endeauour may arriue to the holines and perfection of S. Paul To which effect it is defined by the Arausican Councell that all the baptized Christ ayding and cooperating with them are able if they will labour faithfully and ought to fullfil the things that appeartaine to saluatioÌ„ 5. In like mannerâ— that the Predestinate may forfeit their saluation loose their grace and be damned we need not seeke any other proof then the testimonies of holy Writ For S. Paul an elect witnesseth of his owne person I chastise my body and bring it into seruitude least perhapes when I haue preached to others my selfe become a reprobate 1. Cor. 9. 27. Sap. 4. 11. Eccles c. 31. 10. Apocalyps 3. 11. 2. Pet. 1. 10. VVhitak cont 2. q. 6. cap. 3. Fulk in c. 6. ad Roman sect 2. 5. Of another it is testified he was taken away least malice might change his vnderstanding and fiction begiule his soule therfore he might haue bin altered and deceiued if he had not bin preuented by God Of a third it is said He could haue transgressed and transgressed not haue done euill and did not 〈◊〉 Iohn in the Apocalyps exhorteth the predestinate to perscuere coÌ„stant least they be frustrated of their hope Behold I come quickly hold that thou hast that no man receaue thy crowne And S. Peter Wherfore my brethren rather endeauour that by ' good works you may make sure your vocation and election But these thinges haue bin sufficiently proued heertofore in the 24. and 25. controuersies 6. The eight heresy falsly supposeth that Predestination according to the whole chaine and lincke of euery effect which followeth theron is altogether of God in so much as neither our iustification saluation nor any execution of his will in this kind dependeth of the sacraments of the Church or of our good Works as their instrumentall or meritorious causes but of Gods election as Whitaker auerreth of his promises and Christs merits And Fulke Neither Baptisme nor any works of Christian religion cause iustification but Baptisme is a seale good workes fruites therof Again the Elect work willingly to their saluation c. but they do not therby deserue their saluation for saluation dependeth vpon their election Howbeit the holy ghost in his sacred Word directly teacheth that by Baptisme and other Sacraments we are truly a Marc. vlt. v. 16. saued b Tit. 3. 5. regenerate c Ioa. 3. 5. new borne d Tit. 3. 7. iustified e 1. Corin. 10. 17. incorporated to Christ f Ioan. 6. 56. made one with him he with vs. That by g Act. 8. 18. theÌ„we receaue the holy Ghost h Act. 2. 38. obteine remission of our sinnes i 2. ad Tim. 1. 6. inhereÌ„t grace k Ioan. 3. 5. entrance to the kingdome of heauen l Tit. 3. 7. Aug. in ps 7â— are made heires of euerlasting life Therfore they are true causes of our iustice and instruments of our saluation To which Saint Augustine subscribeth setting downe the differeÌ„ce betwixt the sacrameÌ„ts of the old law and of the new in these words Some sacraments there are that giue saluation others that promise a Sauiour The Sacraments of the new Testament giue saluation the sacraments of the old Testament Gregor l. 6. c. 3. in prim Regum promised a Sauiour And S. Gregory Outwardly we receaue the sacraments that we may be inwardly replenished with the grace of the holy ghost 7. Likewise the execution of Gods predestination is often furthered and effected by the prayers of Saints or other holy men vpon earth as S. Augustine testifieth If Stephen had not prayed the Church had not enioyed Paul Besids Perchance there are some heere predestinate to be graunted by our prayers Moreouer he exhorteth vs to correct all sorts of Aug. ser 1. de sanct Aug. de bon perf 2. Timoth. 2. 10. 1. Timoth. 4. v. vlt. 2. Pet. 1. 10. 1. Corinth 9. Ther shold be noe iudgenunt at all sayth S. Augustin if men sinned by the will of God Aug. tom 7. ad artic sibi falso impositos artic 10. sinners because correction is a meane that the predestinate may obteine their designed glory The same is also taught by S. Gregory Prosper and others and is grounded on these words of Scripture I susteine all things for the elect that they also may obteine the saluation which is in Christ Iesus with heauenly glory For this doing thou shalt saue thy selfe others By good works make sure your vocation and election So runne that you may comprehend Therfore by running we do comprehend by running we winne the goale of eternall felicity Or if we do not if saluation dependeth of gods election and not of our good endeauous damnation dependeth in like sort of his reprobation and not of our misdeeds the doome pronounced by God against the accursed in the latter day is not for their sinnes as the causes of their perdition but the true cause therof is the will of God his eternalll will which in Protestants conceit vndeseruedly reiecteth and abandoneth them Let the Scriptures theÌ„ be false the generall iudgment peruerse the bookes of conscience brought foorth in vaine their euidences reiected the sentence of our iudge reuersed and called back by you as not deliuering the right cause of mans eternall torments in brief let heauen and earth faile and your phrensies only take place 8. The ninth heresy which springeth from that bastard Fulk in ca. 3. ad Rom. sect 4. root of making God the authour of mans destructioÌ„ setteth abroach the contrary wills which M. Fulke assigneth to God to wit his reuealed and secret will For either he supposeth they are two distinct wills allowing that sacrilegious disunion and diuorcement of affection in our true soueraigne God which Tullie disalloweth as the roote Tull. l. 2. de nat Deorum of dissention euen in his false and heathenish Gods and as he distinguisheth his will so he must deuide the vnity of his nature he must needs confesse one God abhorring sinnes the other approuing them with the viperous Manichees Or doth he meane there is but one wil which as reuealed detesteth sinne as secret and hidden liketh well of it then let him tel me how he liketh or decreeth those thinges with his secret purpose which he hath openly forbidden by
speaking to their harts By which All Heretikes according to S. Augustine who receaue the authority of the Scriptures perswade themselues they follow them whereas they rather follow their owne errours 27. Hence it also proceedeth that if no other ground or foundation be assigned no heretike could be noted or condemned of heresy nay as Suarez that great Suarez l. 1. defens fid cap. 11. Deuine heereupon inferreth No heretike should be or heresy at all no man ought to be compelled to the vnity of sayth and fellowship of one Religion to which the Scripture so often exhorteth and God requireth as necessary to saluation For if it be inough for euery one to appeale to the tribunall of his owne as he deemeth inspired conscience who can decline from the rule of Fayth Who can swarue from his owne particuler iudgment forsake that guide foundation of beliefe which himselfe broacheth and boldly vaunteth to come from God Who then can be an heretike or what heresy be vented If that be the square of fayth who ought to be compelled by forsaking that rule to conforme himselfe to another profession Euery one may safely remaine in his owne religion as long as they verily thinke which all men easily do that they haue receaued the riches of the spirit in as great measure as any other For this reason D. Whitguift alleadged why the Church of England need VVhitg in his defens against Cartâ—r not submit it selfe to the Church of Geneua The same reason may the Brownist alleadge why he should not yield to the Puritan the Puritan for not conforming himselfe to the Protestant and one Protestant why he should not subscribe to the iudgment of another Therefore besides the inward inspiration there must be some other outward vndeceauable and ouer-ruling Iudge or els God hath not sufficiently prouided for the necessityes of his Church not for her peace concord and stability not for her vnity in fayth certainty of beliefe not for the obedience and submission of her children not for the ending of quarrells decision of doubts and rooting out of errours But of this againe in the next chapter where my Aduersary might haue read this very obiection answered if he had not heere importunly vrged it out of due order time and place 28. The shew of reason which this Respondent Obiections The first bringeth to proue the iudgment of the secret spirit is to this effect First sayth he the Church receaueth from God inspiring her the right sense of Scripture he must first decide the coÌ„trouersy in her mind before she can exteriourly decide what they are bound to belieue therefore the spirit of God speaking in her hart is the supreme Iudge of Controuersyes euen in the opinion of vs Catholikes Secondly he proueth that the same spirit speaking The second in the diuine word to euery particuler man was likewise iudge in the law of Nature because at that tyme there were no other ordinations then such as did necessarily follow out of the eleuating of mankind to a supernaturall end but out of that it no way followes that al the faythfull were to obey one supreme Pastour Thirdly The third in the law written there was not one Gouernour the faythfull among the Iewes being without any subordination to any one among the Gentills And the Gentils had no subordination to the high Priest of the Iewes The fourth Fourthly it must be acknowledged sayth he by the aduerse part that the spirit of God as speaking in particular to euery man decideth which company of the professors of Christianity is the true Church and by consequence Answers To the first the same spirit determineth in the same manner all other controuersies Thus he To the first I answere that the motions inwardly inspired to the pastours of the church are no iudiciall sentences nor finall decisions of matters controuerted they are not any infallible rules neither to others to whom they are vnknowen nor to themselues to whome they are vncertaine vntill they be outwardly decreed and iointly subscribed vnto by the suffrages of all both head and members For vntill then they be not made one common voice one publik law one generall consent or definitiue sentence pronounced by them all they are not the last and highest Tribunal of the Church to which euery one is bound to submit himselfe without further appeale To the second I reply with D. Sanders other learned Deuines It is false that To the second Sander de visib Monar l. 4. c. 3. 4. there was no other ordinary Iudge in the law of Nature then Gods priuate instruction for Adam during his life was the chiefe head supreme directour of Gods people in points of fayth Then Seth after Enos c. And so in succeeding ages the first borne or eldest among the faithfull by the prerogatiue of his primogeniture or some other by Gods speciall election discharged that office which did also necessarily follow out of the eleuation of mankind to a supernaturall end supposing the sweetnes of diuine prouidence after mans fall and want of fayth To the third I answere that God himmselfe in the written To the third Deut. 17. vers 12. law appointed one high Priest and supreme Iudge among the Iewes He that shall be proude refusing to obey the Commandment of the Priest which at that tyme ministreth to our Lord thy God and the decree of the Iudge that man shall dye To whome notwithstanding the faithfull amongst the Gentils were not subiect because they had no such positiue precept imposed vpon them they were then separated and diuided from that chosen company by which the lineall and visible succession of the Church was propagated and continued Yet if they liued according to the prescript of reason and light of nature the necessary mysteryes of fayth were reuealed vnto them either by God himselfe or by an Angell or by some other inuiolable tradition Which being an extraordinary course can neither be a warrant for particular men to challeng the like nor preiudice the ordinary way which the diuine wisdome vseth in instructing his seruants especially now in the law of grace in which he hath subiected both Iew and Gentile to the obedience of one head supreme pastour according to that which our sauiour said Other sheepe I haue which are not of this fold them also must I bring and they shall heare my voice and there Ioan. 10. 16. shall be made one fold and one pastour Which cannot be vnderstood of Christ as he inuisibly feedeth and gouerneth his flocke for so there was alwayes one fold Cyprian l. 1. ep 6. ad Magnum and one pastour but of his visible headship and of his secondary also and visible pastour who now succeedeth him of whome S. Cyprian interpreteth those words 27. To the fourth I deny the Antecedent for that which first decideth what society of Christians is the To the Fourth true