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
decree how reconciled together 40. 45. Touching Freewil and the determination thâ—reof by Gods prouidence 40. 46 Predestination not for works foreseene 40. 49. God is not the author of sinne The Papists in this point go as far as the Protestants 40. 50. Againe touching Freewil at large shewing all the questions in that point 40. 52. inde Wherein true holinesse standeth 41. 1. How good works become an infallible signe of true holinesse 41. Touching the certaintie of grace and saluation the point explicated 41. 5. The miracles of the ancient Church do the Papists at this day no good 42. 1. The ancient Monks were not like the moderne 42. 3. Touching miracles obiected by the Papists an answer 42. 4. inde Incredible miracles and ridiculous reported 42. 8. The abuses of Monks and Monasteries detected 42. 10. A proofe that the Protestants doctrine excludeth libertie of the flesh 43. 2. The Roman doctrine is an occasion of their sinfull liues 43. 3. Some points of Papistry named that inuite men to libertie 43. 5. inde The Roman faith a meere deuice inuented to maintaine ambition and couetousnesse 43. 7. The vniuersalitie of the Protestants Church is shewed and expounded 44. 1. inde Touching the ancient Fathers their authoritie and vsage with vs and the Papists compared 44. 4. inde Who are Fathers with the Papists and who All the Fathers 44. 9. The Pope vshers the Fathers 44. 11. The Papists are notorious for contemning all the ancient writers exemplified 44. 12. inde The Protestants answer to them that bid them shew their Church in all ages 45. 1. inde The Papists haue not the Church Catholicke either in time or place 46. The Romane Church hath forsaken her ancient faith 47. inde Transubstantiation a late deuice 47. 8. 9. The present Romane Church hath conuerted no countries to the true faith 48. 1. inde The Indies knew the true faith afore the Papists came there 48. 3. Touching the conuersion of England by Austin the Monke 49. How the Roman Church hath conuerted the Indies Spanish massacres 49. 5. inde The question When did the faith faile in the Roman Church answered and disputed 50. 4. inde The time maner of the coming in of some points in Papistry 50. 8. inde The resistance made in former times against the Papacy with a catalogue 50 18. inde An answer to some things obiected against the former catalogue 50. 40. Papistry came in secretly and by little and little expounded 51. 2. 3. Images notoriously resisted when they came in 51. 5. The Papists worship stocks and stones as well as the Gentiles 51. 6. inde Touching adoration of the Sacrament 51. 9. The maner of Christs presence in the Sacrament explicated as we hold it 51. 10. The Papists haue written most spitefully against the honour of the blessed Sacrament 51. 11. Succession is in our Church and of what kind it is 52. 1. The callings of Luther and our Bishops iustified and declared 52. 5. The Fathers commending the succession of the Roman church in their time doth not helpe it now 53. The places produced out of them are answered 53. 5. Ephes 4.11 alledged to proue outward succession answered 54. 2. 3. Externall succession of persons in one place is neither onely in the Romane Church nor there at all 55. 2. Seuen things obiected against the succession of Popes to shew it hath bene grosly interrupted 55. 4. inde Touching the credit of Anastasius booke of the Popes liues 55. 7. It is not knowne who succeeded Peter 55. 5. The sea of Rome hath bene long voide 55. 6. A woman was Pope 55. 7. Hereticks haue bene Popes and intruders and boyes 55. 8. 9. Popes haue bin made and cast out again at the willl of famous whores 55. 9. Popes for wickednesse more then monstrous 55. 9. Many Popes at one time and the right Pope not knowne 55. 10. The Fathers commendation of the Romane Church expounded 56. Imputations layd vpon the Protestants as if they had forsaken the Church answered 57. 1 2. Luther defended touching his departure from the Pope his writings his life his mariage and his death 57. 3. inde Monsters of lies deuised against Luther 57. 7. Luther an honester man then any Pope in his time and many more 57. 9. Againe the calling of our Ministers is defended 58. Touching the power of a Priest in remitting sinne and the sacrament of Penance 58. 4. inde Miracles not concurring with all extraordinary calling 59. 1. Extraordinary callings distinguished 59. 2. Luther needed no miracles and why 59. 3. All men haue not bene in loue with Papistry 60. The obiection that Luther made to himselfe when he departed from the Pope 61. 1. The Protestants haue not forsaken the high-beaten-way of the Catholicke Church 61. 2. Touching the saluation of our ancestors vnder the Papacie 61. 4. The Scriptuies are surer tokens of the truth then the Popish miracles 62. A briefe exhortation of the Author to his countrimen 63. A Table of the Digressions contained in this Booke with their Titles The number set before signifieth the number of the Digression The number following signifieth the §. vnder which it standeth 1. PRouing that the Papists grounding the doctrine of faith on traditions make them equall to the written word 1. 2. Shewing the infolded faith of the Papists and confuting the same as not entire 2. 3. Wherein by the Scriptures Fathers and reason and the Papists owne confession it is shewed that the Scripture is the rule of faith 5. 4. Containing the very cause why the Papists disable the Scripture so from being the rule 5. 5. Wherein against the Iesuits conceit secretly implied in his first conclusion it is shewed that the Scriptures ought to be translated into the mother tong and so read indifferently by the lay people of all sorts 5. 6. Declaring how the assurance of our faith is not built on the Churches authoritie but on the illumination of Gods Spirit shining in the Scripture it selfe 6. 7. Wherein the Trent-vulgar-Latine and our English translation are briefly compared together 6. 8. Shewing that the Scriptures are not so obscure but that they plainly determine all appoints of faith 7. 9. Declaring that the Papists haue reason to hold the Scriptures be obscure because the articles of their religion be hardly or not at all to be found therein 7. 10. Assigning the true cause of mens errors in expounding the Scriptures 8. 11. Prouing that the Scripture it selfe hath that outward authoritie wherupon our faith is built and not the Church 8. 12. Wherein it is shewed that the Scripture proueth it self to be the very word of God and receiueth not authoritie from the Church 9. 13. Shewing against the Iesuits assumption that all substantiall points of our faith are sufficiently determined in the Scriptures and the reason why the Papist call so fast for the authoritie of the Church 9. 14.
be as ready to obey is one thing but neither to be willing to learne nor when you heare the truth to be satisfied therewith is another The first of these may befall the particular Church c. § 26. Because a marke whereby a thing may and must be knowne must be more apparent and easie to be knowne to all those men which should by that marke seeke out and find that thing then the thing it selfe otherwise there should come no helpe by the marke to the knowledge of the thing But to know which is the true faith in all points at least to some sorts of men to wit the vnlearned is more hard then to know and assigne which companie of men be the true Church For to know which is the true faith in all particular points requireth learning whereby one may vnderstand the termes and state of the question besides iudgement to discusse and weigh prudently the sufficiencie of the authorities and reasons oâ— both parts that vpon this pondering of reasons they may prudently conclude which is the better part Moreouer they must haue a supernaturall light of God his Spirit whereby they may discerne and see those things which be aboue all naturall rules and reasons Ad haec quis idoneus Who can say that he is sufficiently furnished with these helpes or who can be infallibly sure that he hath all these in such sort as is requisite for obtaining by his owne industrie an infallible faith in al points And as for the vnlearned they must needes confesse that in diuerse mysteries of faith they do not so much as vnderstand the termes and state of the question and much lesse are they able sufficiently to examine the worth of euery reason neither are all such as can perswade themselues that they are singularly illuminated immediatly taught of God his Spirit neither if they did thus perswade themselues could they be infallibly sure that in this their perswasion they were not deceiued since it is certaine that some that most strongly in their owne conceit perswade themselues to be thus enlightened are in this their perswasion deceiued Now for to know which is the true Church and by giuing credite to it consequently which is the true faith there are not so many things required nor anie great difficultie as shall be declared For this is the direct way which Esay as did foretell cap. 35. should be in the time of Messias which he said should be so direct that euen fooles to wit simple and vnlearned men should not erre in it Haec erit vobis directa via saith he ita vt stulti non errent per eam The Answer 1 This is his first argument the summe whereof is concluded in this Syllogisme That which is the marke whereby to know a thing must be more apparent and easier to be knowne then the thing it selfe otherwise it helpeth vs not in finding out the thing But the true faith is not more apparent or easier to be knowne then the Church but contrary the Church is easier to be knowne then the true faith for to know the true faith there is required learning iudgement and supernaturall illumination which no man sufficiently hath but to know which is the true Church these things are not required for the Church is the direct way Esa 35.8 Therefore the true faith is not the marke of the Church To this I answer denying the second proposition and the confirmation thereof that it is harder to know which is the true faith then to assigne which company of men be the Church For faith is the cause of the Church that is to say this is the thing that maketh a people to be the Church of God when they beleeue the word of God and euery cause as it goeth before his effect so is it more apparent to our vnderstanding and better knowne to our iudgement then the effect Aristotle saith a Analy Poste cap. 2. Causes are both before their effects and better knowne and b Ibid. Metaph l. 1. c. 2. l. 2. c. 2. Plato in Thraet the true knowledge of things ariseth from the knowledge of their causes yea those things are simply first and best knowne which are furthest from our sence and nearest our vnderstanding and so the doctrine and beliefe of the Church must needes be easier to know then the Church it selfe because it cometh first to my vnderstanding and of necessitie I must see it afore I can tell whether the Church be there or not For though that company which is offered to me as the Church be more apparent to my sence yet haue I no certaintie that it is the Church or a companie so qualified vntil I know the faith thereof to be true I see indeed a company of men and heare much of their greatnesse but I am not sure they are the Church vnlesse I know they hold the true faith and so the knowledge of this leadeth me to the knowledge of that and the faith is easilier discerned then the Church 2 The Papists themselues haue a saying which if this Iesuite would receiue might determine this matter We see indeed that companie of men which is the Church c Lib. 3. de eccl c. 15. saith Bellarmine but we do not see that this companie is the true Church of Christ we beleeue it For that is the true Church which prâ—fesseth the faith of Christ but who doth euidently know this faith to be the faith of Christ we rather beleeue this by a firme and most assured faith In which words this Iesuites assumption is thus disproued That whereupon I beleeue the Church so to be is more apparent and easier to be knowne sooner to be seene then the church it selfe But vpon knowledge of the Churches faith I beleeue it to be the Church therefore the Churches faith is more apparent and sooner knowne then the Church it selfe Againe By faith we beleeue this to be the true Church and the profession thereof to be the truth but d Rom. 10.17 all faith cometh by hearing the word of God therefore by the meanes of hearing Gods word I beleeue this to be the true Church and so consequently the knowledge of Gods word cometh sooner and easilier to my vnderstanding then the knowledge of the Church 3 And though it were granted that in some cases the Church were easier to know then the faith yet as things depend betweene the Papists and vs the faith is easier to know then the Church for the question betweene them and vs is who hath the true Church In which triall it is the greatest folly in the world for either of vs to offer our selues to the world as the true Churches of Christ till first we haue proued our selues so to be by the doctrine that we professe and in vaine shall we attempt this if as the case standeth this doctrine be not easier and plainer then the Church This is the confession of the Iesuites
e Bellar. de nâ—â— eccl c. 2. When the question is concerning the Church which it is and the Scripture is admitted on both hands then the Scripture is more apparent and easier to know then the Church So that the Papists do but spend time and mocke the world in obiecting to vs the authoritie and dignitie of their Church they may do it as they list one to another but in their controuersies with vs they may not not onely because we reiect it but principally for as much as the doctrine of the Scripture by their owne verdict is easier and plainer 4 Neither are the Iesuites reasons to the contrary of any value For I grant that to the finding out of the true faith we haue need of learning iudgement and illumination as the meanes Yea the doctrine hereof is so hard to natural men as we are all till God haue regenerate vs f Ioh. 7.17 8.31.43 14 17. 1 Cor. 2.14 2. Cor. 3.14 Mat. 16.17 Iob 32.8 that it goeth beyond the capacity of flesh and bloud But he should haue remembred the ministery of the Church and light of Gods spirit helpeth our infirmities the doctrine it selfe is a light shining through all these incumbrances These meanes are not such but the simple may attaine to a sufficient portion thereof and his Ad haec quis idoneus with that which followeth is denied as an idle conceit and g §. 7. 8. alreadie confuted And let the impediments be what they will yet shall the Iesuite finde them in the way of his owne Church and let him if he can free his owne notes from them For is his Catholicke Romane which so eagerly he putteth to his friend such a Church as needeth neither learning nor iudgement nor the light of heauen to discerne it If it be I am content he enioy it himselfe neither will I euer perswade my friends to communicate with that companie which is so famous that the very wind wil blow a man into it And yet h Staple relect controu 1. q. 3. Greg de ValeÌ„t commen theol tom 3. pag. 145. some of the Iesuites owne side will say sometime that they had need both of wisedome and skill that shall alwayes discerne the Church 5 The text of Esay speaketh of the ministery of the Gospell and it meaneth that it shall infallibly guide the meanest people that liue therein to eternall life which it doth by propounding to them the word of God that thereby they may know it to be the true Church and be drawne to walke in the paths thereof And though the Prophet call it a direct way yet I am sure he meaneth not that any can walke in it till he haue found it or any can finde it i Esa 35.5 till his eyes be opened k Ioh. 12.40 Act. 26.18 2. Cor. 4.4 which is done no way but by the doctrine of the Church Or if he think the way of the Church so easie because the holy Prophet calleth it a direct way that fooles may walke in it let him say vnfainedly if his affection to the Romane Helena haue not blinded h s eyes l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theocr. Bucoliast as louers are blind and besotted his conscience that he cannot see the doctrine of the Scriptures to be as easie seeing it is called m Psal 19.8 Pro. 1.4 a sure law giuing wisedome to the simple and light to the eyes sharpening the wit of the simple and giuing knowledge and discretion to children And Austine saith n Enar. in psa 8. The Scripture is bowed downe to the capacitie of babes and sucklings And Chrysostome affirmeth o Hom. 1. in Mat. They are so easie to vnderstand that the capacitie of euery seruant plow-man widow and boy may reach vnto them p Hom. 3. de Laz. yea the most simple that is of himselfe onely by reading may vnderstand them In which sayings we see as much affirmed of the doctrine of the Scripture as the Iesuite can say is affirmed in the place of Esay concerning the Church and yet possible he will turne him in a narrow roome afore he will yeeld and keepe possession still in his Church-porch against all the pulpits in England that speake for the Scriptures § 27. Secondly I proue the same because when we seeke for the true Church we seeke for it principally for this end that by it as a necessarie and infallible meanes we may heare and learne and perfectly know the true faith in all points which otherwise is in it selfe hidden obscure and vnknowne to vs according to that of S. Paul Animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt Spiriritus Dei 1. Cor. 2. For as no man by the onely power of nature can attaine this supernaturall knowledge of diuine mysteries which we beleeue by our faith so neither doth the Spirit of God who doth as the principall cause infuse this gift of faith into our soules ordinarily instruct anie man in the knowledge of true faith immediatly by himselfe alone but requireth as a necessary condition the preaching and expounding of matters of faith to be made by the true Church according as S. Paul saith Rom. 10. Quomodo credent ei queÌ„ non audierunt quomodo audient sine praedicante quomodo vero praedicabunt nisi mittantur Therefore the true Church is rather a marke whereby we must know the true faith then contrarie the true faith to know the true Church The Answer 1 This is the second argument and is concluded in this Syllogisme That is no marke or meanes to know the Church by which it self is vnknowne to vs till the Church teach it and is learned by the meanes and ministery of the Church But such is the true faith that we cannot know it til the Church teach it vs and it selfe is learned by the meanes and ministerie of the Church for God instructeth no man immediatly but by the preaching of the Church as Saint Paul saith Rom. 10. Therefore the true faith is not a sufficient marke to finde the Church by For answer to this argument it will easily be granted that the ministery of the Church is the ordinary meanes whereby we learne the faith of Christ and that no man of himselfe can attaine to the knowledge thereof but as the Church teacheth him This I say is granted so it be well vnderstood For the spirit of God in the Scripture is the principall schoolemaster from whom all truth cometh and which openeth the heart to beleeue and the Church is it which by her ministery holdeth this truth before vs and therefore except in some extraordinary cases the preaching thereof is required as a necessary condition as the text of Saint Paul speaketh 2 But hence it followeth not that therefore the Church is rather a marke of the faith then the faith a marke of the Church for these two the true Church and the true faith are like relatiues inseparably vnited together by a
not holy because not onely most of their men be euidently more wicked then in old time before their coming as those can tell that haue seene both and is confessed by Luther himselfe who in Postill super Euangel Dom. primae Aduentus saith thus Sunt nunc homines magis vindictae cupidi magis auari magis ab omni misericordia remoti magis immodesti indisciplinati multoque deteriores quà m fuerunt in Papatu Men are now more reuengefull more couetous more vnmercifull more immodest and vnruly and much worse then when they were Papists The like testimonie is giuen by Smidelinus another of their Doctors Conc. 4. super cap. 21. Lucae which for breuitie I omit The Answer 1 For answer to this the Protestants haue two things to say First that it is false their men be more wicked then the Papists in old time were the which is proued by comparing them together and let that comparison giue the triall in the next Digression And whereas the Iesuite saith They can tell that haue seene both I answer this is true and therefore let vs referre our selues to their reports which by and by shal be set downe And in the meane time it is probable the Papists in old time were such as they be now which if they were I am contented our liues be layed together and compared For the present experience that we haue this day in England touching Papists and their conuersations will acquit vs though their outrage and confusion be such and haue wrought vs that sorow that we can take small pleasure in recounting it Their treasons against the State more then montâ—â—us practising the very desolation of the kingdome by strange conspiracies vnnaturall inuasions barbarous murders vnutterable mischiefes we make account were wickednesse enough to depriue them of the name and reputation of holinesse but this is not all they that liue in these parts among people popishly addicted liue in the middest of Sodome And let it be obserued if all disorders be not rifest in those parts among vs where the people is most Pope-holy other parishes where the Gospell hath bene taught being reduced to ciuilitie and the rest that swarme with Priests and Recusants remaining sauage and barbarous that no Christian man may endure their manners And for mine owne part hauing spent much of my time among them this I haue found that in all excesse of sinne Papists haue bene the ringleaders in riotous companies in drunken meetings in seditious assemblies and practises in profaning the Sabboth in quarels and braules in stage-playes greenes ales and all heathenish customes the common people of that sort generally buried in sinne swearing more then can be expressed vncleannesse drunkennesse perfidiousnesse vile and odious their families vntaught and dissolute their behauiour fierce and full of all contumely iniurie inhumanitie full of slanderous reports wilde lookes and all vnchristian vsage towards any not of their owne religion that I dare be bold to say we may all cast our caps at them for atheisme and all that naught is the which I would not haue touched because some wil mislike it but that the Iesuits words They can tell that haue seene both vrge me to it and hauing seen it with mine owne eyes and smarted a long time vnder it I thought it would be to the glory of God and confusion of Papistrie to let the truth be knowne and to admonish the Priests lurking in the countrey if they will needs make the world Romane Catholicke yet that they teach it more ciuilitie withall 2 His next reason to proue our Church vnholy is the confession of Luther and Smideline And do not the Prophets and Apostles complaine as much against the Church in their times which yet was the true Church of God What age or people or Church was euer yet so holy but the preachers thereof found matter of reproofe in it I but Luther saith Men are now much worse then when they were Papists he saith so indeed but he addeth withall that the cause hereof is for that men receiue not the doctrine of Christ therefore God in his anger giueth them vp to their owne sinnes wherein he chargeth not the true beleeuers of our faith but onely such hypocrites as made a shew without sinceritie The very like complaint is in Chrysostome of the Church in his time But now saith a Op. impers in Math. hom 49. he Christians are become either such as heretickes and Pagans be or worse yea and their conuersation of life though it be in schisme is with more continencie from sinne then among the Christians Here Chrysostome saith the Christians are worse then Pagans as Luther saith they are worse then Papists and yet the Iesuite dareth not conclude that therefore the Pagans and not the Christians were the true Church For hypocrites are alway mingled with the Saints as chaffe is with the wheate and by their sinne bring a shew of euill vpon the whole Church and is imputed vnto it But Saint Augustine answereth this obiection better then I can which if our aduersaries would marke this complaint of our vnholinesse were soone at an end And now b Epist 161. saith he the faults of euill men are cast in our teeth not ours neither but other mens and they also in part vnknowne the which if we did see to be true and present before our eyes and sparing the cockle for the wheate sake did tolerate in regard of vnitie he would thinke vs not onely worthy of no reproofe but of great praise And Ierome is of minde the sinnes of the Church are no vantage to heretickes thus he saith c Ep. 78. Are you therefore no heretickes if some vpon your report haue thought vs sinners The same thing we answer the Papists 3 Secondly we say that if all were true which is obiected and we as bad as the Iesuite conceiteth yet were not this sufficient to proue vs the false Church For what d De praescrip saith Tertullian Do men vse to try the faith by the persons or the persons by the faith And Saint Augustine hath a whole e Epist 137. Epistle written of purpose to confute them that laboured to make the Church odious by obiecting the faults of such as liued therein In that Epâ—stle he hath these words Obiect nothing against heretickes but onely that they are not Catholicke lest ye be like vnto them who hauing nothing wherewithall to defend their cause fall to gathering vp the faults of men that when they cannot charge the truth it selfe they may yet bring into hatred those that preach it And what Catholicke man f Apol. contra Ruâ—fin l. 3. saith Ierome in the disputation of sects did euer obiect the faults of life against his aduersary with whom he disputed Yea the Papists themselues being pinched with this kinde of reasoning and tasting the inconuenience thereof by reason their owne liues are worse then any begin to disclaime it that you may see
according to the spirit Neither when we say faith onely do we thinke that the faith whereby we are iustified is alone and without loue and works any more then he that saith the heate onely of the fire burneth meaneth thereby that the heate is without light but we hold that iustifying faith is alway accompanied with workes as the Sunne is with his light and trees with their fruite and causes with their effects though the workes themselues iustifie not but being the effects of iustification haue their proper vse to sanctifie vs which is a condition in his due time and order necessarily required to saue vs as well as iustification because as I said God bringeth no man to glory by iustifying him alone but by sanctifying him also for whom he electeth them he calleth and iustifieth and sanctifieth both 41 And this is it we meane by saying our sinnes are not imputed or we are iustified by faith onely whereat as often as our aduersaries wonder they should be put in mind of that which Erasmus told them long since This word Only which now adayes they shout at so in Luther is reuerently heard and read in the writings of the Fathers For Saint Ambrose t Comment 1. Cor. 1. saith This is the worke of God that he which beleeueth in Christ should be saued WITHOVT WORKES FREELY BY GRACE ONELY receiuing the pardon of his sinnes Chrysostome u Hom. 7. Rom. 3. saith But what is the law of faith Euen to be saued by grace here the Apostle sheweth the goodnesse of God who not onely saueth vs but also iustifieth and glorifieth vs vsing no workes hereunto but requiring FAITH ONELY Basil x Hom. de humil saith This is true and perfect reioycing in God when a man is not lifted vp with his owne righteousnesse but knoweth himselfe to be void of true righteousnesse and to be iustified by FAITH ONELY in Christ Comment 2. Eph. Theodoret y saith We haue not beleeued of our owne accord but being called we came and being come he exacteth not puritie and innocencie of life at our hands but by FAITH ONELY he forgaue our sinnes Bernard z Cant. ser 22. saith Whosoeuer is touched with his sinnes and hungreth after righteousnesse let him beleeue in God that iustifieth sinners and being iustified by FAITH ONELY he shall haue peace with God Thus the Fathers in their time spake according to a Rom. 3.28 4 5. Gal. 2.16 the Scriptures whereupon we ground our selues whose words can no way be so wrested but they will yeeld our very opinion and plainly shew that in this point they held the same thing that we do 42 And out of all question our aduersaries themselues in times past haue thought it the truth For Aquinas hath left b Rom. 3. lect 4. Gal. 3. lect 4. written that workes be not the cause why a man is iust before God but rather they are the execution and manifestation of his iustice for no man is iustified by workes but by the HABIT OF FAITH infused yea IVSTIFICATION IS DONE BY FAITH ONLY And c Iac. 2. the ordinary Glosse Abraham was not iustified by the workes he did but by FAITH ONELY his oblation being a worke of his faith and a testimonie of his righteousnesse But Gropper with the Diuines of Colen d Antididagm pag. 29. speake more fully that By the faith of Gods word working in vs contrition and repentance and other workes of preuenting grace we are iustified as by a certaine preparatiue and disposing cause but by faith whereby without doubt we firmly beleeue our sins to be forgiuen for Christ we are IVSTIFIED AS BY THE APPREHENDING CAVSE So God iustifieth vs by a double righteousnesse as by formall and essentiall causes whereof one and the chiefe is the perfect righteousnes of Christ not as it is out of vs in him but as and when the same being apprehended by faith is imputed to vs for righteousnesse And this imputed iustice of Christ is the chiefe and speciall cause of our iustification whereunto we are principally to rely and trust 43 And thus we see the Protestants doctrine of onely faith and the not imputing our sinnes vnto vs was thought sound diuinitie among our aduersaries themselues till within these threescore yeares that the Trent Councell began to looke asquint at it which was no maruel for it is an ordinary thing that a man marrying a latter wife looketh strangely on his owne children had by a former yea giueth his land from them to their yonger brethren though once the time were when he was of another mind And so no wonder if the Church of Rome now begin to turne away her louing countenance from her former faith when she hath about her so many brats of latter opinions begotten by the Friers and Iesuites her new louers that would haue no nay Otherwise faith onely is a doctrine that might haue inherited her mothers lands euen this day in Rome had she not in her widowhood played the wanton And yet seeing in auncient times it was holden in the dayes of the Church of Romes first husband our aduersaries for reuerence of their schooles and credit of the Doctors should handle the matter as gently as might be and not so intemperatly reuile their mothers elder sonne calling it as this Iesuit doth a doctrine drawing men to leudnesse or as e Rom. 3.22 the Rhemists do a new no-iustice a fantasticall apprehension nor as f Whright art 9. another doth a Solifidian portion nor as g Apolog. ep sect 8. another doth a desolation of order a doctrine against a common wealth because such foule words as these will touch the Scripture it selfe and all the ancient Fathers and many Romane Catholickes as well as vs and they that are so lauish of their tongue in vsing them if they take not good heed may chance to haue his hap that threw a stone at a dog and vnawares hit his step-mother Digression 41. Intreating of Predestination and Free-will as the Protestants hold them and shewing that their doctrine concerning these points doth neither make God the author of sinne nor leade men to be carelesse of their liues nor inferre any absolute necessitie constraining vs that we cannot do otherwise then we do 43 In the last place he mentioneth our doctrine touching Predestination and Freewill as if thereby we led men to be carelesse in their actions because as this Iesuit vrgeth it God hauing predestinate all things mans free will is lost thereby that he cannot do otherwise then he doth but God himselfe is the author of sinne Wherein he sheweth his vnsatiable desire of contention and that besides h Pâ—â— 30.15 the graue the barren wombe the earth and the fire which neuer say I haue enough there is a fifth thing as vnsatiable as they the contentious spirit of an aduersarie neuer satisfied with lying and contradiction For let them say directly what is the point they mislike
God hath set forth by his Church to be learnâ—d of vs whether they be written or not written Doctor Standish in r Cap. 6. probat 3. his booke against English Bibles crieth out Take from them the English damnable translations and let them learne the mysteries of God reuerently by heart and learne to giue as much credit to that which is not expressed as to that which is expressed in the Scripture Å¿ D. 40. Si Papa in Annot. margin The Canon law newly set out by Pope Gregorie the thirteenth saith that Men do with such reuerence respect the Apostolicall seate of Rome that they rather desire to know the ancient institution of Christian religion from the Popes mouth then from the holy Scripture and they onely inquire what is his pleasure and according to it they order their life and conuersation So that you see howsoeuer the Iesuite say our faith cannot apprehend a falshood because it assenteth onely to the word of God yet by the word of God he meaneth Romish Traditions as well as the Scripture and so maketh those things of equall truth with it and then beareth you in hand that the certaintie of your faith and religion dependeth on their infallibility as much as on the infallibilitie of the Scripture a point which I would easily graunt him if the question were of the Romish faith for I confesse it dependeth vpon Traditions more then on the written word so farre forth that as t Andrad Orthodox explicat lib. 2. quam traditionum authoritatem si tollas nutare iam vacillare videbuntur pag 80. a Doctor of his owne side speaketh Many points therof would reele and totter if they were not supported with the helpe of Traditions But against this let the iudgement of u Regul contract 95. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 502. Basil be noted by the way It is necessary and consonant to reason that euery man learne that which is needfull out of the Scriptures both for the fulnesse of godlinesse and lest they inure themselues to humane Traditions § 2. Thirdly the one and infallible faith without which we cannot please God must be also entire whole and sound in all points and it is not sufficient to saluation to beleeue stedfastly some points and not other some So saith Athanasius his Creed receiued of all Quicunque vult saluus esse c. Whosoeuer will be saued before all things it is needful that he hold the catholike faith which vnlesse euery one keepe entire and inuiolate without doubt he shall perish euerlastingly Againe to beleeue some points of faith and to denie others is heresie as not to beleeue anie point of faith at all is absolute infidelitie But it is certain euen out of Scripture that neither infidell nor heretick shall be saued For our Sauiour hath absolutely pronounced Qui non crediderit condemnabitur Marc. 16. And the Apostle S. Paule Gal. 5. putteth heresies among the workes of the flesh saying Manifesta sunt opera carnis quae sunt fornicatio fictae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in English heresies of all which he saith Qui talia agunt regnum Dei non consequentur Moreouer the reason why anie one point of faith is vnder paine of damnation to be beleeued by Christian diuine and infallible faith is because God almightie hath reuealed it and by his Church hath proposed it vnto vs and commanded it to be beleeued for otherwise they be not points of faith but of opinion or of some other kinde of knowledge Therefore all points of faith are vnder paine of damnation to be beleeued The Answer 1 This third conclusion toucheth a second propertie required in sauing faith and it must be granted him with the confirmation thereof in a true sence namely that we are bound to beleeue the points of saluation by obtaining a particular distinct knowledge of the same in our selues and so assenting to them that our faith may include an apprehension also and knowledge of the things beleeued as well as an assent to the proposition thereof If this be the Iesuites meaning in this place then I embrace it as the truth 2 But peraduenture his mind runs vpon a further matter which his Church teacheth about infolded faith and then you may note the grosse heresie that he thrusts vpon you in his smooth words For x Implicita fâ—des est credere secuÌ„dùm quod ecclesia credit Vnde noÌ„ omnis Christianus teneturillos articulos fidei scire explicitè sed tantùm clerici Iacob de Graf decis lib. 2. ca. 8. nu 16. the Iesuites and Schoolemen teach how the lay-people are not bound to know what the matters of their faith be y Fides meliùs per ignorantiaÌ„ quà m per notitiam definitur Bellar. de iust l. 1. c. 7. ignorance is better it sufficeth if they consent to the Churches faith whatsoeuer it be assuring themselues it beleeueth and knoweth all things necessary but what those things are they need not enquire thus excluding knowledge from the nature of religion and placing it in assent onely as sufficient to make it whole and entire This being a sottish conceit deuised for the nonce to suppresse knowledge yet marke how boldly these men presse it on vs with the style of an entire faith which I manifest further in the Digression following Digression 2. Shewing the infolded faith of the Papists and confuting the same as not entire 3 For howsoeuer the Church of Rome pretend this whole complete faith yet when the matter cometh to scanning she vtterly refuseth knowledge sendeth her children to schoole to the Collier of him to learne to beleeue as the Church beleeueth For first whereas z Mat. 22.29 Chrys ho 3. in Laz. prol hom in Rom. the ignorance of the Scriptures is the roote of all error and the cause of vnbeleefe a Index lib. prohib Reg. 4. the Church of Rome forbiddeth the reading of them among the people b Franc. Ouan Mogol breuilo in 4. sent D. 13. prop. 3. pretending the vulgar translations to be one principal cause of heresies and therefore c Linwood in constitut prouinc l. 5. titul de magistris cap. Quia when the law was in their owne hand they vtterly forbad them d Mart. Peres de trad pag. 44. One of them saith he thinketh verily it was the diuels inuention to permit the people to reade the Bible e Thyâ—rae de Demoniac cap. 21. th 257. Another writeth that he knew certaine men to be possessed of a diuell because being but husbandmen they were able to discourse of the Scriptures Thus theeues put out the candle that discouers them 4 Next f Nauarr. Manual cap. 11. nu 16. Iacob de Graff decis l. 4. cap. 24 nu 23. they make it heresie for a lay man to dispute in a point of faith and g Magin Geograph pag. 104. Linwood lib. 5. tit de Magist c. periculosa suffer no
them Therefore the Scripture is too obscure to be the rule wherto I answer three things according to the three parts of his argument First I grant certaine things are required as necessary conditions to the vnderstanding of the Scriptures but those things are alway present in the Church and the children of God partake them The spirit of God is necessary y Ioh. 3.8 which breatheth where it listeth and the ordinary meanes of learning and diligence be necessary but proueth not the obscurity pretended For the Mathematicks be the rule of measures proportions and numbers and yet many things are required to vnderstand them And the Iesuite thinketh his Church is the rule yet z Relect. contro 1. qu. 3. pa. 30. Stapleton writeth that sometime it is not seene so easily but onely by such as are very circumspect and skilfull 11 Secondly though more gifts of learning and art be needfull to such as teach others yet that is rather to search out and vtter the sence which the Scripture it selfe yeeldeth then to bring any to it which was not there afore And is not the touchstone it whereby we trie gold though some labour be needfull to find it out And yet they want no gifts for the vnderstanding of the text that haue and vse the text it selfe in that all exposition is to be setched out of it which inuincibly proueth it to be the rule and I haue often shewed that whatsoeuer the rule be yet of necessitie there must be certaine conditions obserued for the vsing it and this necessitie argueth it not of obscuritie 12 Lastly I say they which haue the meanes to vnderstand the Scripture know infallibly both that they haue them and that they vse them right in the same manner that a Arist de anima l. 3. c 2. the Philosopher proueth that with the same sense we see and are assured we see For supposing I haue the meanes that bringeth vnderstanding it were a most absurd thing to imagine those very meanes could not assure my conscience of the function or vse of them Digression 10. Assigning the true cause of mens errors in expounding the Scriptures 13 The Scripture in it selfe is a light as it is euery where called but men do not alway rightly vnderstand it by reason of some defect in themselues that hindereth them from comprehending so great maiestie For who is able to behold the Sunne in his brightnesse but his eyes will dazle yet that is the chiefe light whereby we see it selfe and all things else The means wherby we attain to the vnderstanding is inwardly the spirit of God opening our iudgment outwardly the Scripture it selfe which in plainer places openeth the obscurer giueth light to that which is more difficult The want of which means is the true cause that men run into error not vnderstanding the Scriptures 14 Our Sauiour saith b Io. 8.3 c. 3.2 we cannot know the truth till we continue in his words and the Apostle c 1. Pet. 2.1 for our growing vp in the word of God requireth that first we lay by all affection and then as new borne babes desire the sincere milke thereof that we may liue and grow thereby He is the best reader saith d De Trinit lib. 1. Hilary who rather expecteth the vnderstanding of things from the things themselues then from himselfe imposeth it vpon them who taketh the exposition from thence rather then bringeth it thither inforceth not the sence vpon the words which before his reading he presumed Epiphanius e Haer. 69 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith All things in the Scripture be manifest to such as repaire to them with a religious minde Oecumenius f Vpon 2 Cor. 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith If many beleeue not this is not our fault neither is it the obscuritie of the Gospell but the cause is their owne blindnesse and condemnation The cause of this dissention saith g De causis disâ—enâ— Eccles p. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nilus is not the sublimitie of the matter as if it exceeded the capacitie of mans minde and much lesse is the speech of the Scripture the cause as if it were so concise that it spake nothing plainly of the points in question for it is all one to accuse God and to chalenge the Scriptures Saint Austin in a h Epist 3. ad Volus certaine epistle sheweth what is plaine and what obscure and the reason why that the Iesuite may see there is no place left for his shifts thus he writeth The manner of speaking whereby the Scripture is knit together wherto all may approch though few can enter i En quae aperta continet quasi amicus familiaris sine fuco ad corloquitur indoctorum atque doctorum Ea vero quae in mysterijs occul tar nec ipsa eloquio supeâ—ho eâ—â—it quo non aude ataccedere meÌ„s tâ—t diuscula incruditâ— quasi pauper addiuitem sed inuitat omnes humili sermone quos noÌ„ soluÌ„ manifesta pascat sed etiaÌ„ secreta exeâ—ceat veritate hoc in promptis quod in reconditis habens like a familiar friend speaketh those plain things which it containeth without glozing to the heart of learned vnlearned And as for those which it hideth in mysteries it lifteth them not vp with stately speech that a dull and vnlearned minde should not presume to come neare as a poore man to a rich but with lowly speech it inuiteth all men that it may not onely feed them with manifest but also excercise them with obscure truth hauing the same in manifest that it hath in obscure places But lest manifest things should be loathed the same againe are obscurely spoken that they may be desired and being desired may after a certaine manner be renewed and being renewed they may be delightfully intimated to vs. Herby both froward wits are wholesomely corrected and weake wits cherished and great wits delighted 15 So that to expound figuratiuely that which should be meant literally or contrary argueth no such obscuritie in the text but ignorance or leuity or partialitie in the man as when k Anton. 3. par tit 18. c. 5. §. 3. the Popish Doctors teach all texts in preaching may be turned to Allegories wherof l Inno. Gentillet Exam. Concil Trident. lib. 4. nu 26. sess 22. we haue a pleasant example in the Councell of Trent it selfe where Tyrabosco the Patriarcke of Venice preaching on the miracle of the loaues fishes would proue the seuen Sacraments thereby The creation of the world saith he was ended the seuenth day and Christ satisfied the people with fiue loaues and two fishes which make seuen But how shall the Councell haue bread that the people may eate and be filled euen by appointing seuen sacraments for that which Philip said two hundred pennyworth of bread will not suffice hath this meaning that all the mysteries of the old and new testament are not enough
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
tying vs to repentance and amendment and patient bearing of the crosse though we do not thinke the doing hereof is it that answereth and explateth the iudgement of God due to our sinne but onely serueth as a condition subordinately required that we may be partakers of Christs satisfaction Thus the Papists themselues o Sum. Rosell v. satisfactio somtime describe satisfaction p De dogni c. cl c. 54. out of Austin to be the cutting off the causes of sin and the stopping of the wayes that suggest them and q Bavus de indulg c. vlt. sticke not to grant there is but one satisfaction onely to God euen that of Christ and we do not properly satisfie but only do some thing in respect whereof Christs satisfaction is applied to vs. Satisfaction to God thus described we confesse and thinke our selues blamelesse though we admit no more because we haue some Papists on our side herein And touching offences against our brethren we thinke it necessary that we satisfie such as we haue offended by confession restitution suffering punishment as the case shall require yea we beleeue r Iob. 36 8. Act 1â— 22 liâ— 2â— Heb. 12.6 that God in this life by temporall afflictions punisheth not onely the reprobate but euen his owne children whose sinnes he hath remitted thereby to humble and mortifie them and exercise their faith and whole sanctification by opening their eyes This is it we hold touching satisfaction wherein we acknowledge an absolute condition of working and suffering but deny the merit of the worke so done and beleeue no vertue therein ordained to expiate our sinne 29 Now compare this with that which themselues say and so you shall see the point they quarell at Å¿ Sess 4. sub lui c. 8 Câ—tâ—ch Râ—m traâ—â—â—â—e â—â—â—isfacâ—ione The Councell of Trent defineth that when God forgiueth a sinner yet he forgiueth not all the punishment but leaueth the party by his owne workes to satisfie till it be washed away t Greg de Valent tom 4. disp 7 q. 14 punct 3. Bell. de poenit l. 4. c 6. Herinq Sum. l. 5 c. 19. n. 8. The workes whereby this satisfaction is to be made are said to be all good actions proceeding from vertue either inward or outward all penance enioyned by the Priest at confession as praier almes and fasting and al the sufferings that befall men either in this life or in Purgatory The things which by these workes we are supposed to satisfie God for are holden to be u Bellar. coÌ„muâ—â—ter oâ—â—es the temporall punishment x Câ—nciâ— Tâ—â—d Catech. Ro. vbi sâ—pr the relickes of sinne y Tâ—â—peâ— expl art Loâ—â—aâ—â— 6 Vega 〈◊〉 c. 36. the fault it selfe yea z Tâ—â—â—h â—e poenit 4. c. 1. Caâ—â—t 1. qu. 4. de contâ—â—t the same punishment that should be suffered in hell excepting the eternitie Caietan a 21. qq Quoli quâ—â—â—â— saith The canonicall punishment enioyned by the Priest for satisfaction includeth the punishment which is due to sinne before the presence of Gods iustice And Gregory of Valence b Vbi 1. â—â—a punâ— 1. § Quod si vero writeth The recompence made by satisfaction respecteth not only the temporall punishment that is to be paied but some part of the offence also and the wrath of God which by the said recompence must be turnâ—d away The thing that giueth the workes their condition to be satisfactory c Rhem. Col. 1.24 they say is Christs grace but they adde that the passion of Christ and they together make but one masse of passions our sufrings applying the medicine of his merits to vs. d Bell. de purg l. 1. c. 1◠§. Tertius tamen Not that his satisfaction it selfe taketh away the punishment due to vs but in that it remoueth it so farre forth as we haue grace from thence to make our owne satisfaction of power The plaine meaning whereof may be knowne by two other speeches of theirs The first is e 3 d. 19. art 2. concl 5. Biels Though the passion of Christ be the principall merit for which the grace of God and the opening of heauen and the glorie thereof be giuen yet it is neuer the sole nor totall meritorious cause but alwaies there concurreth some worke of him that receiueth the grace The second is f De purgat l. 1 c. 14. Bellarmines That a righteous man hath right to the same glorie by a twofold title one of the merits of Christ by grace communicated to him and another of his owne merits Which he could not haue said but that he thought our owne workes to be satisfactory and effectuall as Christs are and able to do the same that his death can 30 So then the Papists condemne vs in this point because we beleeue not the merit of our workes and their vnion with Christs sufferings for the satisfying of Gods iustice due to our sinnes but thinke Christ satisfied for all both sinne and punishment and our owne workes are no more but dispositions or conditions whereunto God hath tied vs vpon other termes And what they thinke more then this that I haue touched the Lord knoweth but they speake desperatly g Soto Palud Caiet Ruard nonnulli ex recentioribus quos refert Suar tom 1. d. 4. l 9. That a sinner by the grace of God may satisfie for his sinne condignly and equally and by that satisfaction obtaine pardon Caietan h In 3. Tho. q. 1 art 2. ad 4. dub saith For so much as Christ the head and we the members make one mysticall person therefore my satisfaction being conioyned with Christs satisfaction is made simply equall as it is the satisfaction of a mysticall person yea sometime it is greater then the fault i Tom. 1. disp 41 sect 3. §. Vltimo tandem Suarez saith When the soules in purgatory obtaine remission of punishment not by pardons or suffrages * Quae potius est solutio quaÌ„ remissio poenae quia fit per coÌ„dignam satispassionem for so much as then it is by a condigne suffering of the whole punishment there is no reason why it should be an effect of Christs merits because there the man hath paid God as much suffering as he oweth him There be finally k Scot. Duran Biel. quos refert Suar. tom 1 disp 4. sect 11. some that hold a man by the power of nature without grace may be able to satisfie for veniall sins expell them These meÌ„ in their ordinary books made for the people to reade l Hopk memor tract of satisfact â— 1. sometime no doubt to conceale their impietie speake bitterly of vs for saying they teach a man may satisfie by his owne naturall power and in the state of sinne and for the fault of sinne and the eternall punishment as well as for the temporall paine which satisfaction is equall to Gods iustice and vnited with
could not haue bin without it Now our aduersaries say otherwise 4 Secondly the Fathers insisted on the succession of other Churches as well as the Church of Rome which proueth manifestly that the succession which they assumed proueth not the Church of Rome to be the Church of God because it proueth not other Churches so to be Our aduersaries haue e Posseuin noc verbi Dei pag. 329. written that the ancient Fathers reckoned not vp the successors of other Bishops alike as they did the successors of the Romane chaire but this is an vntruth proceeding of desperation for Irenaeus in the chapter alledged mentioneth the Churches of Smyrna Ephesus Asia and in f L. 1. c. 3. another place the Churches of Germany Spaine France Egypt Lybia and others And Tertullian g Praescript referreth vs to Corinth Philippi Thessalonica Ephesus Rome Whereby it is plaine that if Rome be now the true Church because the Fathers mention the succession thereof then the Churches of Greece must be granted to be the true Church also because the Fathers mention their succession also which in Constantinople and Alexandria is preserued to this day But in that they reckon vp the succession of other Churches as well as of Rome it appeareth that they thought it was tied no more to Rome then to others 5 Out of all this that I haue said I answer to the places alledged And first to Irenaeus that he saith not simply he conuinced heretiks by shewing succession but by shewing the faith which successiuely had continued to his time and we are contented the Iesuite conuince vs so too if he can Tertullian biddeth hereticks if they can deduce the succession of their Churches and sectmasters which he might wel do although it would not follow thereupon that wheresoeuer outward succession were there should be also true doctrine And he had reason to make them this challenge for though euery company be not the true Church that hath outward succession yet they pretend themselues so to be therefore he prouoketh them to put the succession in triall and shew if they can that the first author of their sect was an Apostles successor This was a good trial then but now it is not when not onely new seas are erected but the successors in ancient thrones are corrupted Austine saith the succession of Bishops retained him in the Church of Rome And good reason when they succeded in faith as well as in sea If he were now aliue he would say otherwise when the succession such as it is remaineth without the faith it was not the succession alone that retained him but other motiues ioyned with it and mentioned in the same place which now are wanting So likewise h Ep. 165. in his epistle to Generosus he reckoneth vp the Bishops of Rome that had bin till his time not vsing their succession as an argument to proue it the true Church but naming those that had succeeded therein and perseuered in the truth which he then well might do but the Iesuit now cannot in as much as the Popes following declined from the faith of their ancestors Optatus mentioneth the Romane succession as Austin doth reckoning vp a catalogue of the Bishops that had bin in that sea till Siritius time to shew the Donatists that the Church was in other places as well as in Affrick and to admonish them that their Churches wanted succession also and not the true faith onely This is no aduantage to the Iesuites cause For as some hereticks want succession so all that haue it are not proued thereby to be true Catholicks for any thing that Austin or Optatus say That which Cyprian saith receiueth the same answer that I haue giuen to the rest § 54. The which to be conioyned may euidently be proued out of S. Paul himselfe Ephes 4. who saith that our Sauiour Dedit pastores doctores ad consummationem sanctorum in opus ministerij in edificationem corporis Christi donec occurramus omnes in vnitatem fidei agnitionis filij Dei in virum perfectum in mensuram aetatis plenitudinis Christi c. Signifying that Christ appointed these outward functions of Pastors in the Church to continue for the edification and perfection thereof vntill the worlds end especially for this purpose as is said in the same place vt non simus paruidi fluctuantes non circumferamur omni vento doctrinae that we may not be little ones wauering and caried away with euery wind of doctrine Therefore that this ordinance and intention of our Sauiour might haue the purposed effect he must prouide so to assist and direct these Pastours in teaching the true faith that the people their flocke may alwayes by hearing them be preserued from wauering in the ancient faith and from error of new doctrine the which cannot be vnlesse with succession of the Pastors lawfully succeeding be conioyned true doctrine in such sort that all true Pastors shall neuer vniuersally erre or faile to teach the ancient and Apostolicke doctrine For if they should thus vniuersally erre then all the people who do and ought like sheepe follow the voyce of their Pastors should also generally wauer and erre from true faith and be caried about with the wind of new doctrine contrarie to this purpose of almightie God expressed in this place by S. Paule Yea the whole Church which according to S. Gregorie Nazianzene orat de moderat in disput habend consisteth of sheepe and Pastors should vniuersally erre contrarie to diuerse expresse promises of our Sauiour Christ of which I haue spoken somewhat before Since therefore these promises cannot be false nor the purpose of almightie God faile it followeth that the people hearing their Pastors may also infallibly alway learne and continue in the true Apostolike faith consequently that these ordinary Pastors appointed by almightie God of purpose to instruct and confirme the people in true faith shall neuer at least vniuersally faile to teach the true faith And therefore the succession of this externall function of ordinarie Pastors must needs be conioyned with the succession of one and the same true holy Catholike and Apostolike faith The Answer 1 The Iesuite hauing said immediatly before that with the outward successiō was alway infallibly conioyned the true faith now proceedeth to proue it wherin you may easily conceiue he taketh a hard taske in hand because his owne Bellarmine confesseth the contrary a Not. eccl c. ◠It is not necessarily gathered that there is alway the Church where there is succession and the Greek Church at this day proueth it inuincibly against our aduersaries For they haue the succession as entire as Rome it selfe and yet b Bell. ib. §. Dico secundo argum Can. loc l. 4. c. vlt. the Papists thinke them not the Church of God because among diuerse errors they will not submit themselues to the Popes authoritie The Iesuit therefore hath vndertaken to proue that which the learnedst