praed sect 6. others that hold predestination to be ex praeuisis to deliuer it in the same maner Lessius a Iesuite among the rest hath one c 5. assert pag 367. n. 75. assertion that containes all this All the iustified are elected and predestinate to glorie but this election and predestination is not complete but requires a condition on our behalfe that it may be complete the which condition it is in our own power to accomplish or not to accomplish and therefore it is also in our owne power to make that our predestination may be complete Aureolus d 1. d. 41. art 1. pag. 490. edit Rom. sayes that all Schoole men which hold predestination ex praeuisis expound that God wils all men to be saued antecedently before their working but not consequently by his will following the foresight of their workes Which words make the doctrine of Gods antecedent and consequent will thus expounded to set the first act of Gods louing Iacob after the foresight of Iacobs good life and to make the foresight of mens good or ill deserts to be the cause of their election and reprobation The question then between the Iesuite and me touching predestination The state of the question touching Gods Anâ—ecedent will is this not whether God from all eternitie decreed to punish the reprobate eternally for their sinnes so that their sinnes should be the immediate cause of their damnation for this I denie not but the true state is touching the CAVSE OF THE DECREE IT SELF that is to say what is the cause why God foreseeing that all men should equally in Adam be sinners yet notwithstanding decreed to shew his mercy in forgiuing some electing them to life and to shew his iustice and wrath in other some by reiecting them from this election forsaking them in their sinnes that they might eternally be condemned I say there can no other cause of this decree be assigned then onely the free will of God whereas the Iesuite in his doctrine of antecedent and consequent will exemplified in this his comparison of an earthly King makes the reason of this decree to be works foreseene so that on the behalfe of the elect their foreseene grace should be the cause of their election and on the behalfe of the reprobate their foreseene sinne should be the cause of their reiection 11 The which doctrine of my aduersary how plaine soeuer he thinke it to iudicious wits whether predestination were in the corrupted masse of sinne or before and whether the foreseene workes be vnderstood to be of grace or of nature is false vpon fiue grounds First it seemes to be the very opinion of the Massilians who of all hands are holden to haue bene Semi-pelagians or the relicks of Pelagius Prosper e Epist ad August sayes This is their profession that euery man sinned in Adam and that no man is regenerate to saluation by his workes but by the grace of God neuerthelesse the propitiation which is in the mysterie of Christs bloud is propounded to all men without exception that whosoeuer will come to faith and baptisme may be saued but who would beleeue and who would perseuere in that faith which afterward should be holpen by Gods grace those God foreknew before the world was made and those he predestinate vnto his kingdome who he foresaw being freely called would be worthy of election and would depart this life well And Faustus that was a Bishop of that sect f De grat lib arb l. 2. c. 2. sayes What God may foresee or fore-ordaine touching vs concerning that which is to come that consists in our well or ill doing g Cap. 3. pag. 833. It is one thing for God to foreknow and another to predestinate praescience foresees what is to be done and then afterwards predestination appoints the rewards that foresees the merits this fore-ordaines the rewards when that hath pronounced a cause then this foretels the sentence and so vnlesse Gods praescience discouer something his predestination decrees nothing This is the selfe same that my aduersarie h Pag. 166. writes how God vpon the foresight and respect of mens liuing and dying well in the secret chamber of his diuine knowledge and will pronounces a particular sentence and decree of saluation to some and of damnation to others Which also is the doctrine whereinto this exposition of Gods antecedent and consequent will is resolued Againe if God predestinate no man to his end but vpon the foresight and respect of his workes then he hath no perfect or formall will to elect any but after the foresight of his good life nor to reprobate any but after the foresight of his euill life which being so I demaund whence it comes that the elect beleeue and the reprobate beleeue not and how it comes to passe that God foresees grace in the one and sinne in the other It must needs be answered either that it is Gods will the elect shall haue grace and the reprobate no grace giuen them or that they beleeue or not beleeue of their owne free will by the strength of nature without any working of God This latter is grosse Pelagianisme making nature the beginning of grace But if the former be granted that God foresees no grace but what himselfe predestinates to giue nor no sinne but what vpon the withholding of his grace the reprobate will freely worke then against all discourse this makes that the cause of predestination which is an effect ensuing on it for therefore God will and doth giue grace because first he hath elected and will giue no grace because he hath reprobated as I will shew by and by 12 Secondly it is a ground both in Diuinitie and nature that the will intends the end before the meanes hence it followes that God cannot haue this consequent will to saue vpon the foresight of grace For I reason thus * Quia volens ordinatè finem ea quae sunt ad finem prius vult fineÌ„ quam aliquod entium ad finem propter talem finem alia vult Ergo cum in toto processâ— quo creatura beatâ—ficabilis perducitur ad perfectum finem cum finis vltimus sit beatitudo perfecta Deus volens huic aliquid istius ordinis PRIMO VVLT HVIC CREATVRAE BEATIFICABILI FINEM ET QVASI POSTERIVS VVLT SIBI ALIA QVAE SVNT IN ORDINE ILLORVM QVAE PERTINENT AD FINEM scilicet Gratia Fides Meritum bonus vsus liberi arbitrij Omnia ista ad istum finem sunt ordinata licet quaedam remotiùs quaedam propinquiùs Ergo PRIMO ISTI VVLT DEVE BEATITVDINEM QVAM ALIQVID ISTORVM ET PRIVS VVLT â—I QVODCVNQVE ISTORVM QVAM PRAEVIDEAT IPSVM HABITVRVM quodcunque istorum Jgitur PROPTER NVLLVM ISTORVM PRAEVISVM VVLT EI BEATITVDINEM Scot. 1. d. 4. qu vnic §. Potest aliter Media vt media non possunt appeti nisi propter finem non igitur potuit Deus
velle dare certiâ— hominibus media infallibilia ad salutem nisi prius dare vellet ijsdem hominibus ipsam salutem Bellarm. de grat lib. arbiâ— l 2. c. 15. pag. 472 D. In the order of reason and causalitie the will of the end goes before the will of the meanes that brings to the end in that the meanes are not intended but for a certaine end and so the said end is entred the will and propounded by it before the meanes But Gods will to elect men to glorie is his will of the end because glorie is the end of faith and a good life and faith and a good life are the meanes because they bring to glorie o Deus nulli electorum ab aeterno ideo ordinauit dare finalem beatitudinem in patria quia praeordinauit dare ei gratiam iustitiam in via sed potiùs è conuerso ideo praeordinauit ab aeterno dare ei graetiam pro via quia gratis pure praedestinauit ei dare finalem beatitudinem pro patriae Andrae Castrens 1. d. 40. concl 5. Deus prius vult glorium Petro deinde gratiam c. Fra. Mayro 1. d. 41. qu. 4. §. Hoc autem declar Therefore Gods will to elect men to glorie goes before his will to giue them faith and grace therefore he elects not after or vpon the foresight of faith and grace therefore before hee see faith or grace in Iacob which he wil giue him he purposes to giue him life eternall therefore he purposes to giue faith and grace after his will to giue him eternall life and therefore he elects no man consequently vpon the foresight of his faith and good life nor antecedently wills the saluation of the reprobate from whom by his eternall purpose he decreed as the meanes to withhold his grace 13 Thirdly this antecedent and consequent will supposes that God elects none to glorie but for the grace and perseuerance he foresees in him nor reprobates or refuses any from glory but for the sinnes he foresees in him Thus my Aduersary sayes i Pag. 163. We must hold for certaine God did not effectually ordaine any to saluation or damnation without foresight of their good or ill desert k Pag. 164. God hath decreed in generall that all and onely those shall be effectually saued who by vsing the meanes of saluation and helpes of grace shall depart this life in good state and that those and onely those shall be damned who by neglecting grace depart this life in the state of sinne l Pag. 165. Leauing it to the libertie and free choise of men whether they will vse or not vse those helpes and meanes And so vpon this foresight and respect of mens liuing and dying well or ill pronounces the sentence of saluation and damnation Against this I reason thus He that neither elects nor reprobates any vpon the foresight of their good or ill vsing of grace and meanes offered by their owne freewill hath no such antecedent will to saue all nor consequent will to reprobate any onely vpon the foresight of their sin This is plaine because this antecedent and consequent will is defined by willing and not willing vpon foresight of that which man by his freewill will do and if the definition be not in God then neither is the thing defined But God neither elects nor reprobates any vpon the foresight of their good or ill vsing of grace and meanes offered by their owne freewill Ergo God hath no such antecedent will to saue all nor consequent will to reprobate any vpon the condition of their workes The second proposition I proue by reason and authoritie By reason for whatsoeuer he foresaw in any that himselfe purposed to worke If he foresaw grace and the good vse of freewill in Iacob he purposed to worke it by infusing it if he foresaw sin and the ill vse of freewill in Esaw he purposed m Rom. 9.18 Habemus ex doctrina Thomae quod diuina reprobatio est CAVSA de relictionis in peccato aeternae poenae Bann 1. p. pag. 665. e. to worke it by withholding grace and hardening and he not onely purposed to worke this which he foresaw but to worke and effect it as the meanes and as a subordinate second cause to bring man to the end appointed For grace freewill perseuerance and the rest are but causes leading to the end and therefore n Inter primam causam agenteÌ„ secundam est ordo quo vna necessario pendet ab altera Ergo secunda non agit nisi à prima ad agendum mota applicata ideo enim dici videtur causa secunda quia mouetur à prima alioqui enim solùm esset causa eum prima Azo instit moral tom 1. l. 1. cap. 21 ad 8. secondary and subordinate causes and therefore decreed and intended after the end and lesse principally then the end The o Suar. latè de praedest lib. 3. c. 2. inde Qâ—ic quid est in homine ordinans ipsam in salutem TOTVM coÌ„prehenditur sub effectu praedestinationis Capreol 1. d. 41. art 1. Fra. Mayron qu 4. D Thomâ—s vt Catholicus in doctrina Augustini conciliorum valde versatus considerat bonum vsum liberi arbitrij quo quis liberè vti ur auxilio Dei tanquam effectum gratiae diuinae praedestinationis praeordinatum praedefinitum à Deo Vnde colligit necessario quod ille bonus vsus non potest esse ratio praedestinationis cum ipsemet sit effectus praedestinationis praedefinitionis Dei Bann 1. pag. 632. e. Iesuites confesse not onely glory in the life to come but the first grace and iustification and all supernaturall workes and the cooperation of freewill and all the goodnes and strength of nature and perseuerance in this life to be the effects of predestination intended and effectually giuen of God to the elect for the bringing of them to glory This glory therefore could not be intended vpon the foresight of them but by the meanes of them and therefore Iacob could not be elected nor Esaw reprobated vpon the foresight of the good and ill vse of grace and freewill as any cause mouing God thereunto but the cause must be his owne will mouing it selfe in manner vnknowne to vs and Iacobs well vsing grace was the means intended by God to bring him to saluation and Esawes wickednes which God decreed to permit was the meanes intended by him to bring him to the condemnation whereunto the masse of sin would leade Secondly that neither election nor reprobation specially negatiue which alone containes the whole reason of reprobation q Odio habere non sonat solum priuationem dilectionis sed significat velle malum Caieta comm in Rom. 9.13 or his purpose not to saue or elect Esaw which is negatiue reprobation puts him into the state that he must be damned is vpon the foresight of works or vpon the condition of
A DEFENCE OF THE WAY TO THE TRVE CHVRCH against A. D. his Reply Wherein The MOTIVES leading to Papistry And QVESTIONS touching the RVLE of Faith The AVTHORITIE of the Church The SVCCESSION of the Truth and The BEGINNING of Romish Innouations are handled and fully disputed By IOHN WHITE Doctor of Diuinity sometime of Gunwell and Caius Coll. in Cambridge I intreate and desire you all that setting aside what this or that man thinkes touching these matters you will inquire what the Scripture saies concerning them Chrysost in 2. Cor. hom 13. LONDON Printed for WILLIAM BARRET dwelling in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the three Pigeons 1614. TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE IAMES BY THE grace of God King of great Brittaine France and Ireland defender of the Faith MOst dread and renowned Soueraigne may it please your excellent Maiestie Such is the power of true Religion and the hope that all men haue to be deliuered from error and their naturall miserie and to attaine supernaturall and eternall good thereby that they which haue tasted it cleaue vnto it more then to all the hopes of this life beside The law of thy mouth Psal 119. saith Dauid is better to me then thousands of gold and siluer This is the reason why the cause of religion and the state of our Church this day vnder your Highnesse most happy gouernement is so deare and acceptable to vs that the opposition and violence of our greatest enemies can neuer make vs weary of defending it but as the seruants of Isaac Gen. 26. when the Canaanites stopped their wels opened them againe and would neuer yeeld the inheritance of their master to the heards men of Gerar no more can we endure the truth of religion to be choaked with Popish heresies or the inheritance of our Lord to be taken from vs by the Swaines of Rome Nazianz orat 2. de Pace Gods blessed truth being of that value that in defence thereof his meekest seruants will stir and the mildest fight before it shall be indamaged by their forbearance Our assurance through Gods mercy of that we professe and the benefite of our faith and the certaine knowledge of our aduersaries vngodly and reprobate practises against it is such that no course of theirs can discourage vs no contention beate vs off no importunity make vs shrinke from that which we know to be the truth Aen. Sylu hist Bohem. When a certaine iester set on by others as it was thought in the presence of the king of Hungary spake to a Noble man of Prage touching his religion because he fancied not the Romish Seruice but was addicted to Rochezana a follower of Husse the Noble man gaue him this answer If thou speake of thy selfe thou art not the man thou conterfets and so I will answer thee as I would a wise man if by others setting on it is meete I satisfie them Heare me therefore Euery man vseth Church ceremonies agreeable to his faith and offers such sacrifices as he beleeues are acceptable with God it is not in our owne power to beleeue what we will THE MINDE OF MAN CONQVERED WITH POWERFVLL REASONS WILLING OR NILLING IS TAKEN CAPTIVE I am sufficiently resolued of the religiō I follow if I follow thine I may deceaue men but God that searches the hearts I cannot deceaue nor yet is it fit I should be like to thee one thing becomes a Iester and another thing a Nobleman this you may take to your selfe or report if you please to them that set you a worke This zeale of the truth and conscience surprised with the authority thereof is it which leades forward so many learned men of all sorts into contention with the Papists and constraines them both by vehement preaching and open writings to oppose them who neuer cease to corrupt the faith and poyson all sorts of people with discontent and violent hatred against their brethren and by the working of Iesuites and Seminaries much after the fashion of Antheninus the Mathematitian mentioned in Agathias to shake all the quarters of your kingdomes in which course through long practise and some conniuency and for want of straiter execution of the lawes against them the dangerous sequel whereof we will daily pray God to turne aside they are growne so vehement and fierie that scarce any part of our faith can please them no not the truthes that we hold in common with themselues nor any part of your Highnesse gouernment because it is not holdē in capite of the Pope Athenae The Stoikes beleeuing that none but a wise man could do any thing well concluded that therefore none but a wise man could make good pottage or season a messe of broth well and because in their conceite their master Zeno was the wisest of all men they concluded againe that the broth could not be good if it were not made after Zenoes direction whose vse was to prescribe to the twelfth part of a Coriander seed possible that he might haue primatum ollae or least the cookes of Lacedaemon should exempt themselues from his iurisdiction This Hildebrandine humor of ouerruling all things so possesseth our Aduersaries that now the Church of England hath neither God nor faith nor religion the King of England no crowne no dominion no subiects the state no iustice no lawes no gouernement because the Pope giues not the ingredients or confirmes them not I am the meanest person and least able of many and the best I can do falles short of that which these exquisite times require Theodor. de prouid l. 8. Theodorite saies The maiesty of things depends not a little vpon the manner of handling them and therefore such as meddle with any high argument haue neede of great power both of tongue and conceit because such as weigh the force of words more then the nature of things iudge of the things according to the weight or weakenesse of the words But the condition of the place where sometime I liued trāsported with much superstition and importuned with Romish Priests and their bookes and sometime their libelles set vpon our Church doores drew vpon me a necessity of doing what I was able when for diuers yeares I was inforced by priuate writings and conference to maintaine or expound what I preached openly The benefite whereof I found to be such both in stablishing my owne conscience and recouering the people and repelling such as seduced them that I was easily drawne forward to proceede and much of my time to bestow in dealing with the Seminaries vntill at the length it is now come to this that I am inforced in the open veiw of the world what I haue spoken in the eare Mat. 10.27 secretly that to publish on the house-top and now againe the second time to do that which I thought at the first to do but once My owne priuate condition is not such that I should greatly care what any man write against me all that
this worke and by your hand to dedicate it your most Christian MONITORY to the Emperor and Princes performed with admirable learning and inuincible spirit hath made the entrance and as it hath purchased your Highnes that reputation in Gods Church and honour with strangers and authority with aduersaries and admiration with all which few Princes since Constantine haue had before so shall it in time and by degrees Apoc. 18. awaken the Kings of the earth and declare it selfe to be the loud cry and mightie voice of the Angell which God hath sent to raise them vp and to call his people out of Babylon And although the Iesuites their complices by their busie writing would seeme to oppose it yet it so sticks in their crowne that from the Cardinall to the Friar they giue themselues no satisfaction in answering but still as one of them sallies foorth another followes him as if they meant openly in the field to bewray their weakenesse and crie for helpe and though they fight desperately yet is it as the Goth mentioned in Procopius with his enemies weapons stricken and sticking in the top of his pate whereof he died as soone as he returned out of the field And albeit their words be vile and all honest eares abhor so sacred Maiestie to be violated thereby yet the loue of your subiects and the seruice of Gods whole Church toward you for the same shall weigh them downe And God who hath called your Highnesse with Dauid and Constantinē to be reproached and threatned by such as Shemei Doeg Zosimus and Ennapius were will giue you the same honour in all generations to come that they haue had and when the Iesuites haue that opinion that their Lord the Pope is God vpon earth so far aboue Emperors and Kings no maruell if their burthen giue them courage and make them lustie Alchor For the Asse that bare Mahomet in his Nurses lap feeling the pretiousnesse of his loade prickt vp his eares and out went all the company and when some askt if this was the beast that yesterdaie was not able to stand on her legs but was faine to be lifted vp that now went so lustily she answered O that ye knew who I carrie on my backe It was the conceite she had of her burthen that gaue her this courage and lift vp her eares But leauing thē to their presumption who as Isidodorus Pelusiota speaketh beare themselues on their Priesthood as if they had a tyrannie when they haue wearied themselues with resisting the truth offered them are swallowed vp of their owne pride and turbulency your Highnesse throne shall be established and the soule of your enemies shal be cast out as out of the middest of a sling and all their followers of what sort soeuer which so vnthankefully haue bene content to reape the fruite of your peaceable gouernement and gracious fauour and bounty and clemency towards them but will not ioyne in the worshippe of God nor follow your Highnesse in the exercise of the word and Sacraments shall see their turpitude The rest by their praiers to God for your Highnesse safety and sacrifice of their best affection thereunto will make it appeare that your care of their peace and zeale for the truth hath not bene in vaine And let not your Highnesse doubt the good successe of your cause When Luther first began to stirre against the Popes pardons his friends cried he would neuer be able to preuaile Chemnit and bad him go to his Cell and pray Lord haue mercy on him for there was no dealing against the Pope But his fatall houre being come God shewed the contrary and throwing down the Tables of those money-changers made it soone appeare that there is no counsell or power against the Lord. Nazianzen saies that the Emperour Iouian taking the cause of Religion into his hand and labouring to haue the world consent therein which is your Highnesse most noble and proper indeauour thereby both strengthened religion and brought strength from religion to himselfe Your Maiestie in our late Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth hath obserued that no power of the enemie can hurt Gods annointed that honor him and such as haue heard your Princely speeches many times touching this matter can tell you haue fixed your confidence in him that will preserue his seruants when a thousand shall fall at their side and ten thousand at their right hand Psal 91. Your Highnesse is more then an ordinary man God hath set his owne image as it were vpon his gold in an eminent manner vpon you which he hath not done vpon other men your cause is Gods cause your zeale and constancy is for Gods truth they are Gods inheritance and peculiar people you defend it is your right you stand for and a blessed gouernement you maintaine Your enemies are Gods enemies and vphold themselues with the basest dishonesty foulest meanes and detestablest practises that euer were And therefore as God hath suffered you for the manifesting of his glory to be the obiect of their fury so he will make you the president of his mercy to al posteritie His promise made to Iosuah shall neuer faile you Iosh 1.5 Psal 46. I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee We wil not feare though the earth be mooued the mountaines fal into the middest of the sea Though the waters thereof rage and the mountaines shake at the surges of the same Yet is there a riuer whose streames shall make glad the City of God euen the Sanctuary of the Tabernacles of the most high God is in the middest of it and it shall not be mooued Our God shall relieue it early when the nations raged and the kingdomes were moued God gaue his voice and the earth melted the Lord of hoasts is with vs and the God of Iacob is our refuge Our enemies like Arians are ceased to be Christians Lucifer Caralitanus saies Cum sitis Ariani inhumani impij crudeles homicidae non amplius eritis Christiani And your people that obey and serue you Isid Pelusiot being a company holden together by true faith and the best policy are part of the Church of God for which Christ gaue himselfe to die Your Highnesse most happie gouernement is the fountaine of our weldoing when Princes maintaine religion and execute iustice punishing wicked men and rewarding the godly Psal 72. then they come downe like raine vpon the mowen grasse and as showers that water the earth One part of the King of Persia his Title in ancient time was that he did Rise with the Sun and giue eies to the blind night Theophy◠Simocat Lips pol. And the King of Mexicoes Crowne oath had wont to be I will minister iustice to all the Sunne I will make to shine and clouds to raine and the earth to be fruitfull the riuers will I store with fish and all things with plenty For godly Princes procure all these things from God to their people
more clearely declared and more strongly confirmed by A.D. student in Diuinitie Wherein I mislike diuers things First that he stiles it A REPLY which is nothing lesse when he replies neither to all nor in forme to any thing but onely repeating the conclusions and arguments of some part of the Treatise mentioned and without any order making choise of what he lists in my booke to confute he sets downe my answers imperfectly and skipping from one thing to another and dissembling or quite omitting the strength and substance of that I writ he replies to few things in comparison and most an end occupies himselfe in rehearsing things that he should haue defended This is a sorie kind of Replying and a We hold it VNWORTHY the title of an Answer wherein all the authors best reasons are dissembled and quite omitted Bâ—â—arl protest apol p 61 vnworthy the Title especially in these dayes when our Seminaries haue challenged to themselues such an opinion of substantiall dealing and going through-stitch with euery thing they take in hand and the poore Booke hauing bene so terribly threatned They haue had it now foure yeares to blow vpon and many heauie imputations haue bene layed vpon it by no meane persons of their sect that would seeme to haue skill and courage and is all now resolued into this poore REPLY If they thought it vnworthy the answering why would they meddle with it If they would needs be medling why haue they not done it sincerely and in forme I haue b Onus eccl p. 30. n. 13. read how not farre from Rome there hath bene heard in the aire as it were the noise of an armie and blowing of trumpets and going off of gunnes as if there had bene some great businesse towards and yet when men haue come neare to view they haue seene nothing but a heard of swine and the footings of certaine strange beasts vpon the ground this be like was to warne the Pope that the noise of his champions and clamouâ—s of his people was but a meteore that would end in a little gruntling and trampling 2 Next I mislike the concealing of his name and shrouding of himselfe vnder a couple of letters yet because the ordinary practise thereof seemes to haue legitimated it I will forbeare all other kinde of censuring and onely in the words of three of his owne side let him see what I might say of it The first is c Search p. 16. Walsingham When I came to view and peruse the booke and finding it to be without name of author hauing onely a most bitter intitulation I began first to maruell at that because I did see no reason why any Protestant writer should conceale his name in so worthy a matter as is the defence of his religion for which his labour and learned trauell he might assuredly hope for so great praise and commendation not onely from men but reward from God also whose truth and Gospell he should acquit from such and so great blemishes of falshood and vntruth as were by the aduersaries thereof obiected against it So he The second is Cardinall Bellarmine d Tract de potest sum Pont. adu Baâ—cl praefat Hee that set foorth Barklies booke neither put to his name nor the name of the Printer or place where it was printed he was afraid belike and not without cause either that he should be punished or discommended for it These are no signes of a good worke For he that euill doth hateth the light lest his workes be reproued whereas he that doth the truth comes to the light that his workes may be knowne to be of God Ioh. 3. The third is Iesuite Becane e Quaest Batav opusc tom 3. p. 140. Yea but you haue another name which you dissemble What 's the reason Your Hollanders will thinke one thing but I thinke another MY OPINION IS YOV DO IT THAT YOV MAY THE MORE SECVRELY LIE AND PLAY THE IMPOSTOR It is not said for nothing in the Gospell He that euill doth hateth the light and in the Epistle to the Thessalonians They that are drunke are drunke in the night And certainly IF YOV WERE A GOOD MAN YOV WOVLD NOT BE ASHAMED OF YOVR NAME to confesse who you are now when you do otherwise how can any man chuse but suspect you When you flie the light WHO WILL NOT TAKE YOV FOR A NIGHT-BIRD But Papists may do that which is not permitted vs. For f Poggh faceâ— the Pope was wont to haue his iester when he told him tales to make him sport to do it standing behind a cloth in a corner for being outfaced And it should seeme our Seminary-priests haue obtained the same fauour that standing out of fight behind the shreene they may be the bolder to vtter that which being bashfull they would be loath to speake bare faced If this be so I am satisfied good reason euery Order enioy his priuiledge 3 In the Title also hee calls vs Ministers g Such is the ordinarie and common ignominie and dishonor to be reputed a MINISTER in the English Church that I suppose very few or no Catholike Priests of that nation would change their HONOVR euen in England with so base and infamous a generation R. B. resolut relig p 54. Of which HONOVR of Popish Priests in the times past one writes Nam homines Ecclesiastics sua culâ—a ita profanarunt sâ— ordinem suum quod iam planè à magnis à paruâ—s in toto mundo habeantur despectui Ioh. Mar. Belg. de schism concil pag. 467. ex Alan Chartier in contempt But we haue the vantage of him for whereas he cannot shew one place in all the new Testament where the Preachers of the Gospell and Pastors of the Church are intitled Priests as he is albeit the name may be vsed well enough in his due sense by those that are the Ministers of Iesus Christ and not the vassals of Antichrist we can shew where they h Act. 13.2 20 24. 1. Cor. 4 1. 2. Cor. 3 6. 5.18 Eph. 3.7 4.12 6.21 Col. 1.7.23.27 4.7 1. Thess 3 2.1 Tim. 4.6 2. Tim 4.5.11 are called Ministers and their worke Ministerie and our contentment is that being called to the worke of this Ministerie we carie a Name that imports no more Whereas Masse-priests and Soulepriests Friars Iesuites and Seminaries not onely are the titles of those that weare Christs liuerie and do seruice to Antichrist but are become the names of the vnnaturallest monsters and wickedst persons that liue in the world as all the Churches and States thereof this day feele by experience and this kingdome can well testifie 4 Vnder the Title he writes this sentence of Scripture Ecclesia est columna firmamentum veritatis The Church is the pillar and firmament of truth 1. Tim. 3. He had read belike in i Rat. 3. Campian that the name of the Church would terrifie the Protestants and
others and deuide their kingdomes and diuers other things q Nu. 14. p. 26. If the Pope say that such a gouernment tends to the detriment of spirituall health or that such a law cannot be obserued without mortall sinne or that it is contrary to the law of God or that it maintaines sinne then we must stand to the Popes iudgement forsomuch as the King hath nothing to do to iudge of spirituall things Simancha Pacensis r De Cath. inst tit 23. n. 11. p. 98. If Kings or other Christian Princes become heretickes forthwith their subiects and vassals are freed from their gouernment Å¿ Tit. 45. nu 25. pag. 209. If any Prince be vnprofitable or make vniust lawes against religion or against good manners or do any such like thing to the detriment of spirituall things the Pope obseruing due circumstances may apply a fit remedie euen by depriuing such a King of his gouernment and iurisdiction if the cause require it D. Nicolas Sanders t Visib monar pag. 70. It is moreouer to be supplied that albeit the King when he was first made were a Christian Catholicke yet if afterward he become an Apostata or hereticke true reason requires that he be remoued from his gouernment u Pag. 71. The matter is now brought to this passe that it is fit an hereticall King be remoued from his kingdome w De clau Dau pag. 25. If any be so rauenous that of a lambe he become a wolfe deuouring the flocke stealing slaying and scattering the sheepe which the Pope will say euery Protestant Prince doth if any thing betide this man otherwise then well let him thanke himselfe that voluntarily runnes vpon the sword of the Church Gregorie of Valence x Tom. 3. pag. 444 c. If the crime of heresie or apostacie from the faith be notorious that it cannot be couered then euen before the sentence of the Iudge the aforesaid punishment of being depriued from his dominion and authoritie ouer his subiects is in part incurred that is to say so farre that the subiects may lawfully denie obedience to such a hereticall Lord. Mariana a Iesuite y Instit reg pag. 61. It is a wholesome meditation for Princes to perswade themselues that if they oppresse the common-wealth and grow intollerable through their vices they liue vpon those termes that they may be killed not onely lawfully but with glorie and commendations z Pag. 64. All this pestilent and deadly broode thus he speakes of such Kings as he calls tyrants which are all Protestant Princes it is a glorious thing to roote out of the societie of men it is therefore confessed that a tyrant may be slaine either by open force and armes or by making assault vpon his pallace and if they that haue killed him escape they are honored all their life after as great personages but if it fall out otherwise they die a sacrifice gratefull to God and men a Pag. 65. No difference whether ye kill him with sword or poison When Tyrone rebelled in Ireland in the yeare 1602 the schoole Doctors of Salamanca sent the Papists there this determination b Refert quaest bipart in M.G. Blackw p. 156. That the Bishop of Rome might by armes restraine such as opposed the Catholike religion Tyrones warre against the Queene was iust and by authoritie from the Pope and all Catholickes were bound to further him in the same and so doing their merit and hope of eternall reward should be no lesse then if they had warred against the Turke But all Catholickes had sinned mortally that had serued the English against Tyrone neither should they obtaine saluation or be absolued by any priest from their sinnes vnlesse they repented and forsooke the campe of the English The same thing was also to be deemed of such as in that warre had holpen the English with armes and munition or payed them the accustomed subsidies But such as were in Tyrones campe in no case were traitors nor had denied any due obedience or vniustly occupied the Queenes lands but rather had endeuoured themselues to set at libertie themselues and their countrey being oppressed with vniust and impious tyrannie and to their power defended the orthodoxe faith as Christians and Catholickes ought to do This was the resolution of the Popes Vniuersitie in Portugall for the confirmation of as vile and detestable a rebellion as euer any was The like was done in Desmonds rebellion D. Sanders being sent into Ireland to resolue and encourage the traitors * Quem virum magno lâ—teraruÌ„ incommodo dolenius defuâ—ctum non multo post in Hibernia duÌ„ in eam insulam veram religioneÌ„ restituere contendit Ioh Marian tract pro edit vulg c. 7. sub fin pag. 56. among whom by the iust iudgement of God he died in extremitie and misery In the yeare 1588 c Meteran Belgic hist l. 15. p. 473. when the Spanish fleete should inuade our nation for the promoting of that desseigne D. Allen was made a Cardinall and sent into Flanders with the whole administration of the English affaires committed to him by the Pope who among other his practises had the Popes declaration printed in English that should be published vpon the arriuall of the Fleete in which declaration the sentence of excommunication against the Queene was confirmed and she depriued of her kingdome honour and dignities and all men commanded to receiue the Prince of Parma The writings of this Allen Parsons Sanders and Creswell their Doleman Philopater and Rossaeus a booke canonized by the Pope in consistorie are so scandalous this way that I abhor to report the things they write Bellarmine hath taken vpoÌ„ him to be the principal patron of this doctrine in maintâ—nance thereof hath published diuers treatises There was neuer any d And there was a wicked man named Sheba the son of Bicri a man of Iemini and he blew the trumpet and said We haue no part in Dauid nor inheritance in the son of Ishai euery man to his tents ô Israel 2. Sam. 20.1 Sheba blew the truÌ„pet of rebellioÌ„ as he hath done His assertions are these e De Pont. l. 5. c. 6. The Pope as chiefe spirituall Prince may change kingdomes and take them away from one to giue to another if it be necessary for the sauing of soules as we wil proue It is a good rule that the Glosse giues when the Imperiall and Pontificiall lawes touching the same thing are found to be contrary if the matter of the law be a thing belonging to the danger of soules then the Imperiall law is abrogated by the Pontificiall f Cap. 7. If the Christians in times past deposed not Nero Dioclesian and Iulian and Valens the Arrian and such like that was because they wanted temporall strength For that they might lawfully haue done it appeares by the Apostle Besides to tolerate a King that is an hereticke or an vnbeleeuer labouring to draw men
Ouandus a late schooleman Å¿ 4. D. 13. prop. 30 p. 348. that sayes He that fails to make paiment sinnes not because the other mans heresie hath discharged him Debtors may excuse themselves by excepting against him his heresie that demands the debt Angelus Clauasinus t Sum. Angel v Heresim n. 15 the same is in sum Armil v. Heresis n. 11. Siluest v. Heresis 1. n. 14. §. vndecima saies whosoever they be that stand bound to heretickes by any obligation they are ipso facto discharged therefore if any man haue promised paiment to such heretickes or sworne it at a certaine day he is not bound to performe it u And note that euen in this our present corrupt time with scisme heresie Catholicks want not good means to pay their tithes duely to God being such a number of poore Catholike Priests without any liuings of the Church which were not ordained for Caluinisticall Ministers but for the prouision of Catholicke Priests to whom in case they now pay their tithes God will reward it Hopkins memor pag. 333. Their doctrine also that teaches the people of our country to cozen their Ministers of their tithes and pay them to the poore Catholicke Priests is not far from this Eightly they teach to murder the King This I haue shewed at large * Cap. 6. a little before When D. Parry came ouer to murther good Queene Elizabeth one of the Popes Cardinals writ this letter to him Sir the Holines of our Lord the Pope hath seene your letter with the credence inclosed and cannot but praise your good disposition and resolution which you write holdeth to the seruice benefit publike Wherin his Holines exhorteth you to continue and to bring to passe that which you promise And to the end you may be the more aided by that good spirit which hath induced you to this his Blessednes granteth you full pardon and forgiuenes of all your sinnes as you requested assuring you that besides the merits which you shall receiue in heauen his Holines will make himselfe a farther debtor to acknowledge your deseruings in the best manner that he may and so much the more because you vse so great modestie in not pretending any thing Put therefore in act your holy and honourable thoughts and looke to your safety And so I present my selfe heartilie to you and wish you all good and happie successe From Rome the 30 of Ianuarie 1584. Yours to dispose N. Cardinall of Como x Rod. Botter comment pag. 109. When Chastell that wounded the last French king was examined By whose teaching and persuasion he had learned to kill the King he answered that he had heard of many that the murder was lawfull because they called him a Tyrant being demanded againe whether the Iesuites vsed to saie it were lawfull to kill the King he answered he heard manie say that fact was lawfull because he was out of the Church and excommunicated There is y Fra. de Veron Constant apol pro Ioh. Castel pag. 133. a booke written by a Papist in maintenance of this Chastels deed In this booke he saies if Harmodius and Aristogiton Sceuola and Brutus onely for loue of their countrie hauing no other light to goe before them cast themselues into such danger by murdering Tyrants what thinke you ought a Christian and a French man and one that burnes with the zeale of Phinees Ehud and Elias to do for their Catholike Church for which Christ died and wherein men are sure of their saluation And agreeably to this z Amphith pag. 101. writes Bonarscius a Iesuite Hath the Pope no power against the King of France Shall Dyonisius Machanidas Aristotimus Tyrants Monsters of the world oppresse France and shall no Pope incourage up a Dion a Timoleon to dispatch them shall manie Monsters hold the Common-wealth in bands and shall no Thrasibulus mooue his hand shall there be no man to play the souldior vpon this beast the King of France And that we may know who were the authors of his death which not long after ensued a Pag. 258. Bellarm gaue better words Tort. p. 108 but this had more skill in prophecy thus Francis of Verone Chastells patrone prophecies Though the Prince of Orange scaped the first * With a pistoll at Antwerp whereof he scaped See Dinoth and Meteran blow giuen him in his cheeke yet the next hit whereof this was a presage as the blow giuen by Chastell shall be the forerunner of another blow to come hereafter 7 Ninthly the conspiracy for the blowing vp of the Parliament was allowed and ratified by Iesuites and Popish Priests Garnet Gerard Oldcorn Greenewell beside others whom we neuer yet saw b See Act. S. Garnet Mâ—teran rer Belg. tom 2 pag. 385 D. Eliens Tor. pag. 279. inde D. Abb. anti log c. 9. 10. 11. 12. Casaub ad Front First certaine lay Recusants Catesby Percy Winter Tresham Wright deuised the plot and then the Iesuites fell in with them GARNET imparted the Popes Breues to Catesby whereby he was stirred vp to deuise some way how to take away the King and when he had bethought himselfe of this powder plot first in generall tearms he breaks with Garnet a case What if in some case the innocent should be destroied with the guilty and Garnet affirmed they might so that it were for a good able to recompence the losse of those innocent persons Afterward the thing was plainely opened to him not in confession as it is said by Garnets Patrons and he concealed allowed and incouraged it whose authority was it that drew so many into it And this is manifest by his examinations confessions and his owne hand-writing and his priuate conference with Oldcorn in the Tower TESMOND plotted together with Garnet and when the villanie was discouered went vp and downe to raise open arms against the King OLD CORN alià s HALL defends the plot after it was discouered to his Catholicks and will not haue them let downe their courage for the ill successe which many times followed a good cause HAMMOND in Winters house absolued the traitors when the treason was reuealed and they all ready to take armes GERARD gaue them the sacrament to bind them to secrecie All these things with their circumstances are now laied open by the publike writings of our state and are cleared against the desperate cauils of our aduersaries out of the publike records Lastly that the Church of Rome dispenses with murther and whordome is plaine by that which I haue shewed touching the Popes dispensing with the murder of Princes and the Iesuites enterprising it But this is yet more fully to be seene in c Taxa Camerae cancell apost to be seene in Tractat. iur D D. tom 10. and in Recusat concil Trident. in 4. printed Angentor 1565. the Taxation of the Popes chamber and Chancery where there is no sinne so great but absolution and dispensation may be had for
Hallens Psalt Bonauent and yet to the Turkes they will deny this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ricold cont sect Mahum p. 122. 10. that manner that I set downe and the doctrine published touching her merits and mediation out of Dodechin Bozius Galatine and others whereby she is equalled with Christ and the monstrous impieties about friar Francis out of Bencius and Tursellin Iesuites the which stuffe and infinite other of the like nature is it we say giues example to the vulgar and which we thinke so odious that the Iesuite durst neither set it downe nor mention it in his booke least the world should see and abhorre it but onely occupying himselfe in defending the lawfulnesse of praying to the Virgin Mary as if I had obiected no more but that so he leaues in a manner euery thing vnanswered and touches not those fouler imputations that lie against him Neuertheles come we to that he sayes First he denies not but it were a grieuous accusation if it were true that in the Church of Rome the Saints are serued with the same seruice they giue to Christ the B. virgin Mary made an intercessour for sinne as if Christ were not the sole Mediatour and therefore he answers that in confuting M. Wottons vntruths he hath shewed that the making of Saints our intercessours hinders not Christ to be sole Mediatour a Pag. 14. of his Reply Because we do not hold Saints to be mediators of redemption but of intercession onely Meaning the ordinary distinction that is b Alexan. part 4. q. 92. in 1. art 4. Bellar. de Sancto beatit p. 718. 732. Grego à Valent tom 3 p. 1273. E. Rhem. on 1. Tim. 2.5 among them that Christ onely by nature being God and man and by office and merits reconciling God to man and needing no other to procure him grace with his Father is the first author of all the good we receiue from God but so that the Saints neuertheles pray for vs and as persons nearer God and more familiar with him then we commend our cause to him and so are mediators of intercession Whereto I reply two things First that more then this is ascribed to Saints in the formes that I alledge First God is inuocated by their merits and for them desired to giue eternall life yea the Mas booke hath a prayer c Breular Sarisbu fest S. Tho. Cantuar. that God by the blood of Tho. Becket would saue vs and bring vs to heauen When all effusion of blood and merit of worke whereby eternall life is obtained belongs to Redemption as well as to intercession and to no intercession but onely to Christs Next the holy Virgin is called our Life our Hope our Aduocate the mother of Grace our Sauiour our Redeemer Viega d Comment in apocal 12. pag. 584. ex Arnold Carnot sayes she is set aboue euery creature that whosoeuer bowes the knee to Christ should make supplication to his Mother also And I am of mind saith he alledging the words of another that the glory of the Sonne is not so much common with the glory of the Mother as it is the same and God hath in a sort giuen his mercy to his Mother and Spouse that reignes and so the B. Virgin hath the kingdome of God diuided betweene God and her These words import more then intercession Thirdly they say of her e These speeches are alledged in the praeface of the way that with her Sonne she disposes of rights With her Sonne she redeemed the world Her death was for the redemption of the world For her loue God made the world She is aboue Christ to command They are saued by her that cannot by Christ Francis the Friar is made equall to Christ All this is shewed at large in their words whereto the Iesuite replies nothing and it is * Macte Hyacinthe animo quicquid petiueris vnquam Me tribuente feres caelica virgo canit These verses are written in a medall of that sort that are drawne in papers and are common among Recusāts where Hyacinthus a Saint of Poland is portraied praying on his knees to the Virgin Mary and receiuing the answer from her that is contained in these two verses more then can be contained in simple intercession abstracting from redemption 2 If our aduersaries to these things would reply that they are the foolish deuotion of priuate persons which they maintaine not it were an end and we would charge them no longer herewith but they neither can nor will They cannot for the obiections are the practise of the whole Church set foorth in their publike Seruice bookes and open writings of the Iesuites and our ancestors in former times were trained vp in this deuotion Neither will they do it For first this Iesuite smoothes it vp and falls a distinguishing to defend it in generall which in particular for shame he durst not looke in the face Next all the bookes of their Church are full of these things f Printed at Venice Paris and Lipsia and now lately at Paris by Nicol. du Fosse ad insigne vasis aurei See Chemnit exam p. 595. inde Tilen syn tagm tom 2. p. 565. n. 24. Cassand cōsult pag. 156. and among other practises they haue transformed the whole Psalter of Dauid to the inuocation of Mary where euery thing that Dauid attributes to God is ascribed to her by putting his name out and hers in the roome In the end whereof all the other ordinary hymnes and readings of the Church are turned to her likewise And this booke was publikely vsed throughout the Church of Rome and beare this inscription The Psalter of the B. Virgin compiled by the Seraphicall Doctor S. Bonau the B. of Alba and Cardinall Priest of the Church of Rome 3 Secondly I answer that the mediation of intercession whereby our prayers are offered vp to God belongs to Christ alone And therefore the Church of Rome calling vpon Saints to pray for them and to commend their praiers to God if it did no more robs Iesus Christ of his office The antecedent that it belongs to Christ alone to make intercession offer our prayers to God is prooued for the Scripture sayes g Heb. 7.24 13.15 Let vs BY HIM offer the Sacrifice of praise ALWAIES to God Who hath an euerlasting Priesthood and therefore is able perfitly to saue them that come to God by him seeing he euer liues to make intercession for them h 1. Ioh. 2.1 If any man sin we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust and he is the propitiation for our sinnes in which words we see that all authority and power of intercession is immediately attributed to him that is the High Prist of the Church and that intercession is founded vpon the Priesthood and those merites that he cannot be intercessour to mediate betweene God and vs in any sort that is not such a priest Againe touching the offering
bad vnder pretence of aduancing the Gospell or the glory of God especially if they thinke that they may lawfully maintaine it by writing apparent and knowne vntruthes the better to defend it If I say there be any Protestant writers of such seared consciences I would wish they would plainely tell vs this their minds that so those poore soules who haue bene hitherto seduced may the better see how vnsound the Potestant Religion is which cannot be maintained but with apparent vntruths vttered by their writers either without due care of conscience or against their knowledge and conscience or with hauing such bad consciences as to thinke it lawfull to lie in this their cause pretended by them to be for the aduancement of Gods glory and of the Gospell or which is all one or worse to thinke one cannot lye too much in defence of this their Protestant cause or Gospell 5 This is a poore motion and proceeds from no great conceit yet I will satisfie it vpon condition he will rest satisfied with my answer Let this content you and beare not your selues in hand to the contrary we know our cause to be Gods owne truth which you haue corrupted with innumerable heresies patched thereunto and we not onely defend it as we do with a good conscience against you but wee would thinke it our greatest happines if the cause should so require to shed our blood in defence of it and it ioyes our hearts to see the weapons wherewith you fight against vs lying railing pride rage treason sedition fire and powder which is a signe that you are not of God this our cause we will maintaine with zeale and synceritie which shall be tried not by your calumnies but by the thing it selfe And I am so far from seduâ—ing any that I would giue my life for the reclaiming of those whom you haue seduced and bewitched with meere cozenage and impostures And as I hate lying to defend Gods truth so can I not but vpbraide them that run headily into Papistry afore they know how things stand betweene vs when vpon iust triall it will fall out that in the maine question betweene the Church of Rome and vs our aduersaries vphold themselues with meere imposture To the Reader HItherto reaches that which my Aduersary hath written against the Epistle and Preface of my booke now in the next place before he fall to replying vpon the booke it selfe he inserts an Introduction as he calles it containing a Declaration of the word Faith the which bebeginnes pag. 49. where his exceptions to the said Preface and epistle end And forasmuch as it is a new discourse intended * Since I see M. A Wotton to be either of so dull capacity of wit that he cannot conceiue or rather of so captious disposition of will that he will needes doubt and make a question what I meant by the word faith I haue thought good not onely to declare what I meant by the word but also by this action to set downe certaine points of doctrine pertaining to the thing signified by the word pag 49. of his Reply as it should seeme against M. Wotton and is no Reply to me but a superfluous and impertinent collection rudely and obscurely peeced together for the outfacing of that which he was not able formally to answer I would therefore cast away no time in medling with it but onely defend my selfe against such places thereof as touch my Booke because I will not be in his debt for a word Those places onely I haue here set downe in order as they lie in his Discourse with my Answer to them CHAP. XVI Touching assurance of Grace and Beleeuing a mans owne saluation 1. Perfection of the Scripture and necessitie of the Church Ministrie 2. 3. How the iustified conclude their saluation from the Scripture 4. The iustified haue the assurance of faith This is declared Full assurance voide of doubting taught by the most in the Church of Rome 5. Touching Perseuerance A. D. Now that it doth not at all appertaine to that kind of verities Pag. 57. which are to be beleeued by faith I proue out of the Protestants owne Principles to wit that * That this proofe must be by necessarie consequence without all authoritie of the Church is insinuated by White pag. 46 nothing is to be beleeued by faith but what is expressely set downe in Scripture or so contained that without all Church authoritie it may be euidently and by good consequence proued out of Scripture But the promise of Gods speciall mercie applied absolutely and in particular to Luther Caluine c. is neither expressed nor in manner aforesaid contained in Scripture Therefore it is not a verity to be beleeued by faith by the Protestants owne Principles 1 IN this Chapter where these words lye he discourses of the obiect of faith and inquires what the things are which belong to it and must be beleeued to no purpose intruding himselfe vpon an impertinent question touching the beleefe of a mans owne saluation and in this period he affirmes that it is against the Protestants owne Principles to beleeue it Because by their Principles nothing may be beleeued but what is set downe in Scripture either expressely or by good consequence which the saluation or remission of sinnes to Luther Caluine White or any particular man is not And to shew this to be our Principle he saies in the margent that M. White in such a place insinuats that nothing may be receiued as a point of faith vnlesse it can be proued by necessary consequence of Scripture without all authoritie of the Church meaning as I suppose that I require no Church authoritie to assure a man any thing but intend such things onely to be beleeued as may be proued at least by consequence of Scripture without the authoritie of the Church I answer 2. things First that in the place alleadged I deny no authority of the Church that is dâ—e vnto it but onely against them that charge the Scripture with insufficiency as if they wanted many things needfull to be beleeued which must be supplied by the Tradition and Authority of the Church I affirme that whatsoeuer is needfull to be knowne beleeued or done is contained in Scripture and by the same ALONE may absolutely be determined The meaning whereof is that what Ministrie and power soeuer the Church hath to teach and rule vs in the vse of the Scripture and points of faith which authority no Protestant will deny to belong to the true Church or to be needfull yet all things whatsoeuer belong to faith and the Church by any authoritie may propose vnto vs are contained in the Scripture and may be proued thereby alone the said Church authoritie being onely a requisite condition subordinate for the readier attaining to the sence and vse of the Scripture but no rule or principle either aboue or with the Scripture whereinto any mans faith in any point is resolued so that it
Theol. l. 1. pros 3. Soto in Rom. 9. tract de Praedestinat Caietan 1 p. qu. 23. art 3. in Rom. 9. whereof all are cleare for election and many also for reprobation by the best anciēt Schoolmen that I haue looked into so that if the matter were to be caried by nūber and voices Caluines doctrin z Reported by the Reply pag. 151. That God hath predestinated without any merit or demerit of their parts that are predestinated onely because it so pleased him must be acknowledged the truth and my Aduersaries doctrine transcribed and stolne out of Becanus a dozen leaues together must be awarded to containe a The poison of the most pestelent opinion which Caluine holdeth A.D. pag. 145. the poyson and the pestilence The Iesuits also and moderne Diuines of latter time in the Church of Rome follow the same conclusions and maintaine them though I do not deny that some by vertue of the vnity alway found in the Church of Rome dissent from them Henriquez a Iesuite touching election b Sum. de fin hom cap. 11. n. 3. sayes The true and common opinion of the Diuines supposes no motiue cause or condition no mans behalfe foreseene of God why he should by the immutable will of God be loued and predestinated to eternall life and to all the effectuall meanes thereof but all men that shall effectually be saued are freely chosen out of the masse of corruption and predestinate for the merit of Christ before the preuision of the course of their life and their vse of reason and so consequently before the preuision of their perseuerance in grace or any free worke worthy reward and loue and the whole reason is the free will of God Touching reprobation he holds otherwise Bellarmine c De Grat l. 2 c. 9. sayes there can no reason of our part be giuen of Gods predestination I say there cā no reason be assigned to exclud not only merits properly so called but also the good vse of freewill or grace foreseene d Cap. 15. ad 4. God reprobates before the foresight of workes in as much as he will not deliuer the partie reprobated out of the masse of sinne e Cap. 16. prop. 9. Reprobation which S. Austin calles Predestination to death comprehends two acts the one Negatiue whereby God will not saue them whereof there is no cause on the part of men The other positiue whereby he will damne them the cause whereof is the preuision of sinne f Dried concord part 1. c 3. Sixt. Sē l. 6. ann 251. Pomponat de praedest pag. 955. Tolet. in Ro 9. ann 19. 26. c. 11. ann 4. Peter select disp in Rom. 9. disp 5 Suar. de praedest l. 1. c 8. n. 32. l. 2. c 23. nu 14. 20. 27. Pezant 1. p. qu. 23. art 5. disp 6. p. 157. concl 4. Zumel disput vv part 3. pag. 343 345. 346. Rispol lib. 1. qu. 1. concl 3. the same is affirmed by othes though the most of them hold which I deny not that predestinatiō is in the masse of sinne and reprobation positiue which onely is Gods purpose to punish the reprobate is to punish them for workes foreseene yet that helpes not my aduersaries opinion who affirmes predestination in what state soeuer it were to be ex praeuisis and sayes that not onely positiue reprobation which is no more but Gods purpose to damne and to execute that which is called negatiue reprobation but election it selfe is for the preuision of workes done by our owne free will which the workes euen of the corrupt masse are not but are done by Adams will which all these confute Vasquez g Vasqu 1 p. disp 95. n 2. the same thing affirmed by Suar. de praedest l. 5. c. 3. n. 1. saies There be not a few Thomists that affirme God to haue kept the same order in reprobation that he did in election that before any foresight of their sinnes of his owne will alone he decreed to exclude some from the kingdome of heauen though he did not ordaine them to the punishment of sense and then that such as he would exclude he permitted to fall into sinne with that intent that he might exclude them from the kingdome of heauen as he had decreed in such sort as he calles effectually after election to glory And Cardinall Tolet speaking of reprobation seemes h In Rom. 9 annot 26. pag. 428. to say the same thing that our aduersaries so much obiect to M. Caluine that by the right of the dominion and power which God hath ouer man and euery creature God may without any iniustice do and exercise whatsoeuer it pleaseth him be it good or euill for if a man that is lord but of a little wood or stone may of the said wood or stone make what he list either a vile and base or an honorable worke or burne it much more may God do the same thing whose dominion is full and absolute and hereupon he concludes that if it were so that no man can resist Gods will but he hardens whom he will yet we might not pleade with him because all men are vnto God as the clay to the potter and so he may by his good right inflict his punishments shew his wrath and power according to his owne will I haue bene something curious in alleadging or citing these authors because I would make it manifest that neuer a one of my aduersaries assertions either that God elected to saluation vpon foresight of grace and good workes or left it to mans owne will whether he would vse the meanes offered well or ill or that the reprobate are reiected from election and saluation for their sinne foreseene or that the meanes of saluation are giuen alike to all is the doctrine of the Church of Rome but these assertions proceede from the ignorance and rashnesse of a few therein that care not what they say so they may be barking against Caluine And albeit many of these Authors hold all predestination to be in the masse of sinne yet for so much as out of the masse God first i Reprobat Deus ante praeuisionem operum quatenus nō vult aliquē ex massa peccati liberare Bellar. de grat lib. arb l. 2. c 15. quarta obiect p. 474. freely and then determinately and lastly absolutely elects whom he will hence it will follow necessarily that this foresight of the good and ill vse of freewill and this consequent will to saue and refuse vpon the preuision of after workes can haue no place because God once for all in a corrupted masse makes his decree absolute vpon the state of sinne wherein he findes Adam and his posteritie and not conditionall vpon the condition and foresight of that which they themselues shall also do hereafter their workes good or euill being subordinate meanes to bring them to their end but not any cause or condition whereupon God in
no such antecedent will at all 19 He replies secondly that they haue the meanes yea all aswell infants as others r Pag. 165. 171. at least in potentia remota Å¿ Pag. 170. 171. and mediatly whereby he might come to that which is sufficient Which I take to be the same that some say how God giues euen these sufficient helpe in actu primo which is some inspiration as a beginning which if men would obey they might successiuely and by degrees rise vp to faith and iustification as t THE WAY pag. 95. in the marg I noted out of Paul Windeck But this will hardly be maintained for I demand first touching these inspirations or motions that are said to be thus offered and stirred vp in the Gentiles are they supernaturall or naturall If supernaturall by what meanes are they wrought for the word of God to produce them they haue not and Gods Spirit doth neuer sufficiently inspire when it doth not sufficiently reueale it selfe to be his spirit Are they narurall arising onely from naturall knowledge then I demand againe whether being harkened vnto and pursued they may be able to bring him that hath them to iustifying grace if they be not they are insufficient if they be then this is u CoÌ„cil Diospol nu 10. 11. Pelagianisme that a man by naturall strength may eleuate himselfe and obtaine the grace of God Secondly I demand what he meanes by his potentia remota media for if the meaning be God giues meanes sufficient of themselues but no meanes to vse them * â—es in esse potentiali in causis secundis antequam sit in proprio genere est simpliciter non esse then he giues no sufficient meanes as I noted out of Vasquez If the meaning be that God prepares them for some no otherwise then the Physition * In the Reply vbi sup mentioned doth his physicke so as he neuer offers it them nor discouers himselfe or his arte to them what is this but to mocke the world with Sophistrie If the meaning be that God offers at the least such motions of nature and of grace that by degrees he may arise from knowledge to knowledge till he come to sufficient knowledge this is confuted before for motions of nature are not sufficient and motions of grace cannot be proued to be giuen infants and Barbarians as appeares by the difficulty of conuerting the wisest and ciuillest Philosopher or Barbarian that euer was or if they be yet they are not of that eleuation that they can fulfill the iust measure of sufficiency 20 Thus I haue shewed three sorts of people to be perpetually destitute of sufficient helpe in regard of all outward and ordinary meanes so far as we can perceiue yet it is certaine that some of these are saued and some reprobated their saluation therefore and reprobation neither beginnes in nor arises from the foresight of their good or ill vse of the meanes but from some higher will and purpose in God vnknowne to vs but iust and holy in himselfe else were there no such mysterie in the doctrine of predestination that the Apostle should neede to crie x Rom. 11.33 O altitudo O the depth of the riches wisedome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out nor say y Rom. 9.20 what art thou that pleadest with God z Rom. 9.18 he will haue mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth a Rom. 9.11 before the children were borne and when they had done neither good nor euill it was said I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau For my Aduersaries distinction of Gods willing euen the reprobate to be saued by his antecedent will and the rest of his doctrine of predestination leaue no rome for these sayings They say b Aug. ep 105. saith S. Austin that therefore God loued Iacob and hated Esau being yet vnborne because he foresaw their workes to come but who would not wonder that this sence so acute should be wanting to the Apostle for he saw not so much when the question being obiected to him he had not readie this so briefe so plaine so true and absolute answer as these men thinke this to be For when he had propounded a profound matter touching those that were not yet borne and had done neither good nor euill how it could rightly bee said that God loued the one and hated the other he obiects to himselfe a question What shall we say then saith he is their iniustice with God God forbid THIS THEREFORE WAS A PLACE WHERE HE SHOVLD SAY WHAT THESE MEN THINKE THAT GOD FORESAW THEIR FVTVRE WORKES when he said The greater shall serue the lesser but the Apostle sayes no such thing but rather least any man should glory in the merit of his workes he would haue that which he said to bee of force that the grace and glory of God might be commended for hauing said God forbid that there should be iniquity with God as if we should say how shew you this that there is no iniquity with God when you auouch that not of workes but of him that calleth it was said The elder shall serue the yonger He answereth because Moses saith I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy and will shew compassion on whom I will shew compassion therefore it is not in him that wills nor in him that runs but in God that shewes mercy WHERE NOW ARE MERITS * He excludes not onely the works of nature but of grace also WHERE ARE THESE WORKES EITHER PAST OR TO COME PERFORMED OR TO BE PERFORMED AS IT WERE BY THE STRENGTH OF FREEWILL Doth not the Apostle pronounce a plaine sentence touching the commendation of free grace that is to say of true grace Hath not God made the wisedome of Heretiques foolish 21 Lastly this exposition of Gods antecedent and consequent will is destroyed by the doctrine of Gods Predetermination which teacheth that the will of God as the highest and effectuallest cause predefines and determines the will of man to that it wills and applies it to the worke for whose will in all things God predetermines vnto one thing though not by way of necessitation by the influxe of his will their will is no condition or motiue of Gods will for then Gods will were passiue But mans will in all things God predetermines to one thing by the influxe of his owne will Ergo mans will is no condition or motiue of Gods will Therefore God predestinates none vpon the foresight of the good or ill vse of their free-will therefore there is no such antecedent and consequent will in God as my Aduersary maintaines The second proposition is denied by c Martinez de Auxil p. 134. inde Bellar. de Grat lib. arb l. 1 c. 12. §. Est igitur alia Quicquid electuri sumus vidit Deus intuitu aeterno cognitio necessitatem non affert
1. d. 39. qu. vnic Ioh. Bassol 1. d. 38. Dom. Bann 1. part ou 14. art 13. pag. 450. God foresees all contingent effects to come in his owne determination of the causes thereof and therefore foreseeing the contingent operation of our will he determines it to the effect Secondly Else there should be two seuerall beginnings of one and the same effect in asmuch as mans will should begin to worke as soone as God and concurre to the effect willed as principally as God Thirdly The will of man is but Gods x Quid dubitamus fateri nos miseras creaturas esse instrumenta Dei cum Deo per Deum operari sicut instrumentum operatur cum artifice per artificem à quo mouetur excitatur applicatur ad agendum Fra Sylu. expl p. 35. instrument whereby God works his owne pleasure but euery one that vses an instrument mooues applies and determines it to his owne will Fourthly And it is a secondary and subordinate cause vnder the first cause which is God and exceedes not the measure of second causes but if it were not determined by the first cause it should be all one with the first cause it selfe for first and second causes differ in their eleuation the second being alway mooued to their effect by the first and in their operation reduced to the motion of the vniuersall cause which is God Fiftly therefore the Scripture saies y Ier. 10.23 The way of man is not in himselfe neither is it in man to direct his own steps but z God giues a new heart x Ier. 31.33 32 39. Ezech. 11.19 36.26 and puts a new spirit into men and takes away their stony heart and giues them a heart of flesh and puts his Spirit into them and causes them to walke in his statutes and to keepe and do them a 1. Cor. 12.16 He workes all things in all men b Ph. 2.13 He workes in vs both the will and the deed c Pro. 21.1 The Kings heart is in the hands of God and he turnes it whither soeuer it pleaseth him d Exod. 7 3. 9.12 1 6. Rom. 9.17 He stirres vp Pharao hardens his heart for he hath mercie on whom he wil whō he wil he hardens The meaning wherof e Can. loc l. 2. c. 4. ad 7. Tolet in Ioh. 12 annot 22. Perer. select disp in Exod. 11. disp 6. 8. our aduersaries grant to be that God hardens the wicked partly by forsaking them withholding his grace whereby they should be preserued from hardening partly by working many things within thē and about them whereupon they become hardened and so consequently determines their will f Minimè periculosum iudico si PERMISSIONI NON NIHIL ADDAMVS quod nec actio propriè Dei sit nec sola permissio Can loc p. 24. further then by bare permitting it so that it may truly be said that mans minde and will g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Odyss Augustinus sententiam Homeri approbat Zum vv qq 3. p pag. 120. A. is such as it pleaseth God to giue him Whence I infer and so will end God is not mooued consequently by any thing which himselfe as a superior cause mooues and determines to the effect But God himselfe as a superiour cause mooues and determines the will of man to the effect or that which it wils whether good or ill Therefore God is not consequently mooued by the good or ill vse of the will of man Therefore the good vse of mans will foreseene mooued not God to elect him and the euill vse of mans will foreseene was not the cause that God reprobated him therefore God had no such antecedent will to saue the reprobate if they would by their freewill vse and receiue his grace aright Therefore Gods decree touching the saluation and reprobation of men is lastly and finally resolued into his owne pure will as into the first and highest cause thereof To the Reader WHatsoeuer followes in the Reply from this place to that wherewith I begin the next Chapter is but a continuance of the matter of Predestination transcribed out of Becanus his Enchiridion wherewith I haue nothing to do For albeit that which he quarrels in M. Caluine be no more then were easily defended and then many Schoolemen haue written long since yet I haue propounded to meddle with no more of the Booke then directly touches what I writ it being a taske for him that knowes not the price of time to stand answering euery thing that fals from a Seminarie especially when we plainely see them to be set a-worke onely with barking for I dare say themselues conceite no substance in their books to interrupt and detaine men from better duties then is the answering of their vnsauory writings farced with rudenesse and intemperance and vnworthy for their immodesty to beare the name of Christian Authors CHAP. XXVI 1. The properties of the rule of faith described 2. None follow priuate spirits more then our Aduersaries 3. How the rule must be vnpartiall and of Authority A. D. Pag. 173 Concerning the sixt Chapter hauing shewed in the former Chapter that Almighty God of his part hath prouided a meanes necessary and sufficient to the saluation of all sorts yea of all men and consequently that he hath prouided some rule and meanes sufficient to instruct men of all sorts in that one infallible entire faith which is necessary to saluation In this Chapter I did set downe certaine conditions of this rule and meanes by which men that seeke may be directed towards the finding of it My Aduersaries do not deny that the rule and meanes must in some sence haue these three properties which here I speake of For the first to wit infallibility M. White saith White pag. 10. that faith must be with full assurance and perswasion the which saith he we cannot obtaine vnlesse the rule giue it vs. Now it is certaine that the rule and meanes which here I speake of cannot giue infallible assurance if it selfe were not infallible and knowne or such as may bee knowne to be infallible For nothing can giue more then it selfe hath neither can it breed more certainety in our knowledge then it selfe is or may be knowne to haue For the second to wit easinesse to be knowne or vnderstood of all sorts M. Wootton interpreteth Wootton p. 74. that it must be such as may be knowne although with paines As for some paines I shall not gainesay For I did neuer dreame that one might attaine knowledge of matters of faith by onely dreaming as M. Wootton seemeth to interprete my meaning Onely I would not haue it so difficult or hard as that it should be morally impossible for any sort of men hauing sought found and attended to the rule and meanes without miraculous illumination or extraordinary and excessiue difficulty to vnderstand the determinate meaning of it In which M. White
say touching the inuisiblenesse of the Church 2 Their doctrine touching the time of Antichrists reigne 3 And the state of the Militant Church at some times 4 Arguments for the perpetuall visiblenesse of the Church answered 5 In whom the true Church consisted before Luthers times Pag. 242. A. D. For declaration of the truth Note first that although the Church of Christ at the beginning and infancy of it were little like a mustard seed Matthew 13. vers 31. Apoc. 20.1.4 Apoc. 20.1.4 August l. de ciuit cap. 11. and about the very end for the short reigne of Antichrist shall be much decaied both in the number of professors and the visiblenesse of the outward state of it as all things commonly are little in their beginning and do decay towards their end yet for all ages betwixt these two times as it did at first grow and increase and spread it selfe ouer the world notwithstanding the wonderfull opposition made against it by persecutions heresies schismes and sinfull liues of Christians so it is described in Scripture to be still a great multitude spread ouer the world August de vnit eccl as S. Augustine proueth at large against the Donatistes the which proofes of S. Augustine were nought worth if it might be answered as the Donatistes were forced to answer that the Church after a time did perish out of all nations White p. 87. or as M. White seemeth ready to answer that it came to be in all nations a small number For which imaginary smalnesse of the number betwixt the first beginning and the latter ending especially for so long time as Protestants are forced to plead inuisibility of their Church M. White will neuer be able to shew any Prophesie of Scripture sufficient to oppose against S. Austines proofes more then the Donatistes could for the Church her perishing out of all nations 1 HE grants the Church at the beginning and toward the end thereof may be like a little mustard seed and much decaied both in the number of Professors and in the visiblenesse of the outward state of it Hence it followes that it is true we say the Church sometimes is obscured and not alwaies so frequent and illustrious for when the externall state thereof consisting in the publicke administration of the word Sacraments and Ecclesiasticall discipline and in the profession of the faith begins to be corrupted in any high degree and the most and the greatest become the corruptest then it must also be saied that it is obscured and hidden from the world Hence it followes secondly that these assertions of our aduersaries the visible Church neuer failes and this God hath at all times a Church consisting not of a few people but a great multitude as conspicuous as any earthly kingdome and this the Church is visible and such as may be clearely seene and cannot be hidden are all false if they be meant of the purest part of the Church For to be decaied in such sense as the Repliar * If he wil confesse that which is granted by Saplet relect p. 41. §. Ecclesia quoad bene esse Grego Valent tom 3. p. 145. §. Animaduerti debet non sic accipiendum quod dicimus must confesse howsoeuer here to conceale the truth he speake reseruedly and to consist of a great multitude as conspicuous as any earthly kingdome cannot stand together forsomuch as the one is the corruption of the other Whence it followes thirdly that the true teaching and ministry of the Church is not alwaie so open and easie to be discerned as the Repliar saies all ouer his Booke for this teaching followes the state of the Church which being conspicuous the teaching also is conspicuous but the state of the Church being poisoned and ouer-whelmed with heresie the teaching must needes be hard to discerne and lesse conspicuous then the Scriptures 2 Secondly he notes that howsoeuer the Church may at the beginning be little and toward the ende for p That the raigne of Antichrist is so short he hath no assurance among his own writers diuers whereof say the contrary the short reigne of Antichrist be much decaied both in the number of Professors and visiblenesse of the outward state yet for all ages betwixt the beginning and the end it shall be a great multitude as S. Austine proues Whereto I answer graunting that many times the Church is and hath bene as large and visible as S. Austine saies and that we do not imagine it to be so small and obscured at all times betweene the beginning and the ende but onely at some times as for example in the 13. and 14. hundred yeares neither is there a word in all S. Austine whereby it may appeare his iudgement is against vs. That which the Iesuit thought good to alleadge I q §. 23. n 3. answered in THE WAY whereto it seemes he hath nothing to reply And graunting that it may be as obscure as we say in the time of Antichrist he were as good yeeld vp his cause for if his owne D.D. be not deceaued the time of Antichrist is not so short as he dreames our Iesuites though very waueringly indeed allow him but 3. yeares and a halfe But what saies r Indic de Apocal Antichr sub fin being a Preface before his translation of Arethas vpon the Apocal. in Oecumen O hers also allow Antichrist a longer time then 3. yeares and a halfe Quantum vero temporis in augenda stabiliendaque Monarchia ponere debeat non mihi constat quia neque ex praedictis locis satis colligitur neque videtur admodum verisimile breui tempore trium annorum cum dimidio haec omnia esse perfecturum Fra. Suar. tom 2. p. 641. defens fid Cathol l. 5. c 9. Quam diu simpliciter regnaturus sit Antichristus à nullo quod ego sciam traditur nulli opinor mortalium fuisse compertum Perer. in Dan. l. 15. in c. 12. p 730. and so others who thinke the height of his reigne shall containe onely 3. yeares and a halfe but the rest of his time much more Hentenius Others otherwise expound A TIME AND TIMES AND HALFE A TIME For it is not possible that in so small a time he should possesse so many kingdomes and prouinces If therefore M. White affirme the Church in regard of the sincerest faith at sometimes comes to be but a small number he affirmes nothing but what the Iesuite himselfe is inforced to yeeld at least in the times of Antichrist Here then is an issue betweene vs. The Church may be inuisible as the Protestants hold in the time of the reigne of Antichrist But the time of the Popes being for example in the 13. and 14. age was a part of the time of the reigne of Antichrist The Church therefore might be inuisible for the time of the Popes being in the 13. and 14. age If my aduersarie mislike the conclusion he must deny the minor
AND IN THE WRITINGS OF THESE MEN TOVCHING THE SCRIPTVRES SACRAMENTS CHVRCH POPE COVNCELS TRANSVBSTANTIATION IMAGES INVOCATION OF SAINTS IVSTIFICATION GOOD WORKS c. WAS THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHVRCH AND PROFESSED BY THE BISHOPS OF ROME FATHERS AND COVNCELS EXPRESSED IN THE FIRST 800 YEARES OF THIS CATALOGVE this is our obiection whereto the Replier answers that he can retort it more strongly against the Protestants c. But this is but wind and so let it passe and come we forward to the substance of his answer CHAP. XLIII 1. Whatsoeuer the Fathers of the Primitiue Church beleeued is expressed in their bookes 2. The Replier is driuen to say they held much of his religion onely implicitely What implicite faith is according to the Papists The death of Zeuxis The Fathers write that which cannot stand with Papistrie Pag. â—67 A. D. Secondly I answer that to say there be diuers points held by vs whereof no mention is made in those ancient Fathers is no good argument to proue that which we hold was not holden by them For this is Argumentum ab authoritate negatiua which argument is of no force to proue this point vnles it be first proued that those Fathers held nothing explicitè or implicitè which is not expresly to be fouÌ„d in their writings But this my aduersaries will neuer be able to proue Now on the contrary side we can shew good reasons or at least probable presumptions sufficient to proue first that they held more then is expressed in their writings Secondly that they held explicitè or implicitè the same in all points of doctrine which we hold First I say we haue reason to thinke that they held more then is expressed in their writings because since ordinarily the writings of these Fathers were not by them set out of purpose to expresse in particular euery thing that they held implicitè or explicitè concerning all matters of faith but rather were written vpon some speciall occasion it is to be thought that their writings contain only some parts of the doctrine to wit so much of it as was that requisite to be written vpon that special occasion The which is confirmed euen by experience of these our times in which although learned men do ordinarily set downe more expresly in Catechismes bookes of controuersies c what the Catholik faith is in diuers points then formerly it hath bin set downe as they haue more occasion by reason of more heresies daily arising then learned men of former ages when those heresies were not haue had Yet no learned man now adaies writeth euery thing which explicitè or implicitè he beleeueth to be the Catholick faith For euery Catholicke man beleeueth explicitè or implicitè all that is contained in Scriptures and traditions in that he beleeueth whatsoeuer was reuealed by God to the Apostles deliuered by them in word or writing to the Catholicke Church and which the Church in Scriptures and vnwritten traditions propoundeth and deliuereth to vs diuers particulars whereof are not necessary to be expresly knowne to or written by any particular learned man of any age but are alwaies preserued at least in the implicite or infolded faith of the Church the which infolded faith of the Church may and shall be vnfolded the holy Ghost still assisting and suggesting all the aforesaid reuealed truth as necessitie shall require that the truth should be in any point expresly declared which necessitie chiefly is when some new heresie ariseth oppugning particularly the truth of that point 1 HEre he sayes the Fathers named in his Catalogue might hold what the church of Rome holds though there be no mentioÌ„ therof in their writings because they might hold that which is not expresly in their writings We had thought vntil now that this had bin a plain demonstration The ancient Fathers in all their writings make no mention of diuers points of the Popish religion Ergo they held them not Or thus What religion the Fathers held that they mention in their writings But the Popish religion they mention not in their writings Ergo they held not the Popish religion But he hauing good experience that the second proposition is true denies the first and will shew either by good reasons or probable presumptions that they held more then they mention and expresse in their bookes Wherein at once he hath destroyed his Catalogue and laid his religion open to the scorne of women and children For if the Fathers in all their writings handled nothing but the cause of religion teaching expounding and defending it against Iewes Gentiles hereticks schismatickes whereby they could not but mention what they held and yet neuer mentioned diuers points of Poperie it is plaine they neuer held them But the Iesuite sayes this is Argumentum ab authoritate negatiua which is not good they might hold either explicitè or implicitè that which they haue not expressed Wherein you must marke his tergiuersation For to shew a visible Church in all ages professing openly his Romane faith that all men may see it he tenders this catalogue But when we bid him proue that the Fathers of the first 600 or 800 yeares beleeued and professed that part of his Romane faith which the Church of England reiects that it may appeare so to vs and we may see it he sayes he can shew good reasons and presumptions that they beleeued more then is expressed in their writings whereas he should shew by their WRITINGS that they held and beleeued as the Romish Church now doth because it is impossible to shew what they held but by their writings and himselfe sayes in another place We cannot haue any certaintie of things past but by the writings of those times And if he will haue his Church to be so visible in the Fathers time and those Fathers to be so eminent members thereof good reason men see it yet see it they cannot by presumptions but by their writings 2 But he sayes We haue reason to thinke that they held more then expressed in their writings forsomuch as no man writes euery thing which explicitè or implicitè he beleeues I answer though it be granted that both they and we in all our writings may omit some things not belonging to faith or religion yet many articles of faith such as our aduersaries say theirs are the deniall whereof they call schisme and damnable herersie and persecute with fire sword and gun-powder cannot but be expressed for so much as such articles are simply needfull vnto saluation and are the grounds and conclusions of all theologicall writing and discourse Secondly it is impertinent to the obiection which denies the Fathers of the first 600 yeares to haue done that which the Catalogue sayes they did professed VISIBLY as the Romane Church now doth which obiection is not satisfied by saying they might explicitè or implicitè professe that they neuer writ because no man writes all he beleeues but by shewing in their writings this
we refuse the church of Rome are nothing else but the corruptions and abuses that came in by the faction of some and were opposed by the sounder part of the Church as they grew and came in CHAP. XLIX 1.2 The ancient Church held the blessed Virgin to haue bene conceiued in sinne 3. The now Church of Rome holds the contrary Pag. 279. A. D. The fourth obiection Fourthly my aduersary M. White obiecteth eight points wherein as he saith the Church holdeth contrary to that which it hath formerly held to wit the conception of the virgin Marie Latin Seruice reading Scriptures Priests marriages Images Supremacie Communion in one kinde Transubstantiation To this I answer here onely briefly and in generall referring the Reader for more particulars to other Catholicke authors who ex professo write of these points First concerning the conception of the blessed virgin Marie it neuer was vniuersally held by the ancient Church as a point of faith that she was conceiued in sinne For if it had bene so held Saint Augustine would neuer haue pronounced so absolutely as he doth that when question is concerning sinne he would haue no mention of the blessed Virgin Neither is it now held by vs as a point of faith that she was not conceiued in sinne this being one of those points in which according to Saint Augustine an erring disputer is to be borne withall in regard the question is not diligently digested nor confirmed by full authoritie of the Church 1 THe Replier in his Treatise that I answered to proue his Romane church Catholicke a In THE WAY §. 46. 47. vsed this reason because it had still professed without change the same faith which hath bene continually since the Apostles without denying any point of doctrine which in former times was vniuersally receiued and bad vs prooue the contrary if we could To this I answered first generally and then in the 49 Digression particularly I obiected the eight points here mentioned shewing that the church of Rome holds therein contrary to that which formerly was holden Now he replies that his answer shall be but briefe and in generall referring the Reader to other Catholicke authors that purposely haue writ of these points But when he made his challenge I supposed he would haue tried them with me himselfe not by referring me to his Catholicke authors whose writings the reader hath no meanes to suruey but by bringing what he thought good out of them and letting the reader see what the issue would be betweene vs. But seeing he durst not put his cause to that kind of triall my answer shall be like his argument That I also referre the Reader to other learned men who ex professo haue answered whatsoeuer his authors haue written of these points And what himselfe hath said I will answer that the reader shall wel perceiue my instances were sufficient to shew that the church of Rome now holds contrary to that which formerly was holden and beleeued 2 First touching the conception of the blessed Virgin he sayes it was neuer vniuersally held by the ancient Church as a point of faith that she was conceiued in sinne nor is it now held in the Church of Rome as a point of faith that she was not conceiued in sinne Let vs make short worke Both these are false First it was held as a point of faith that is to say as a part of the religion and profession of those times that she was conceiued and borne in sinne as all others are This I proue by his owne authors Paulus Cortesius in his writing vpon the Sentences directed to Pope Iulius b 3. d. 4. pag. 65 sayes that one Vincentius produces 260 witnesses affirming her to be conceiued in sinne Cardinall Turrecremata c De consecr d. 4 Firmissimè â— 11. affirmes that all the Doctors in a manner hold it and that himselfe had gathered together the testimonies of three hundred to that effect noting the places and words wherein they affirme it Dominicus Bannes d 1 part qu. 1. dub 5. §. Arguitur secundo pag. 89. Venet. sayes It is the generall consent of the holy Doctors that she was conceiued in sinne and yet the contrarie opinion is holden in the Church to be not onely probable but verie godly This is plaine dealing He sayes that which is contrary to the vnanime consent of all the Fathers is now holden by the Church as the more profitable and godly opinion The like is confessed by e Bonan 3. d. 3. art 1. qu. 2. Arimin 2. d. 30. qu. 2. art 1. Capreol 3. d. 3. art 1. Caietan opusc de concept Cano loc l. 7. c. 1. others as fully To f De nat grat c 36. the place alledged out of Austin Gregorius Ariminensis g Art 3. ad 1. answers that he meanes it onely of actuall sinne In which doctrine Saint Austin is not constant neither for he sayes h De perfect iustit cont Celest sub sin elsewhere Whosoeuer he be that thinkes there haue bene or are any man or any men excepting onely the Mediator of God and men to whom the remission of their sinne was not necessarie he goes against the Scripture and the Apostles Romanes 5. And the Fathers mentioning the text of Iohn 2.4 Woman what haue I to do with thee affirme in effect that she was a sinner Saint Austin i Tulit admonitionem Filij expauescat Filij inuentutem de Symb. l. 2. c. 5. sayes Christ admonished her and bids her feare her Sonne Athanasius k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 orat 4. aduer Arian pag. 281. sayes he checkt her Euthymius l Corripuit eam in Ioh 2. pag. 320. he rebuked her Chrysostome m Asperiora hac verba indignatio hom 20. in Ioh. that he was angrie at her Irenaeus n Repelleni eius intempestinam festinationem l. 3. c. 18. that he repelled her vnseasonable hastinesse Theophylact o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Ioh. 2. that he child her not without cause Few of the ancient Fathers this is the confession p Comm. in Ioh. 2. nu 11. of Maldonat a Iesuite but either openly say or obscurely signifie that there was some fault or error in her They thought therefore she was a sinner actually which could not haue bin if originall sinne which is the fountaine of actuall had not bin in her 3 Next the Church of Rome now holds the contrarie whether as a point of faith or no the reader shall iudge presently 1 Below in the letters First it is holden expresly contrary to that which the Fathers held that she had no originall sinne 2 Can. Bâ—n vbi sup Next I presume no Papist will denie it to be defended in the Church as a godly opinion 3 Suar. tom 2. d. 3 s 6. pro. 1. Vasq 3 d. 1â—7 n. 148. Thirdly the Church may define it when she will 4 Vasq
worship stands not in rehearsing Latin words but when the people by those words learne to know Gods wil and their own duty and offer him vp the requisite motions of their hearts which in an vnknowne tong they cannot do And if secondly the Priest be to expound the meaning of that which is done in the Liturgy then they are bound to vse it in a knowne language both because they cannot giue the meaning without interpreting the language and that interpreting when it comes to execution and practise will proue farre more difficult and obnoxious to danger and inconuenience then the simple reading in a knowne language 7 Hitherto I haue stood to cleare the Apostles text that I alledged from the answers that Bellarmine hath made thereto But beside that text I shewed by a place in Origen a Cont. Cels l. 8 bidding euery man make his praier to God in a knowne language that it was the custome of the ancient Church to do seruice and pray in a knowne language And I produced the testimonies of Lyra Thomas of Aquine Caietan Erasmus and Cassander all of them great persons in the Church of Rome to the same effect and confessing also that it were better for the Churches edification to haue it so still What could I do more or what can an aduersary require more then by so sufficient witnesses to proceede in my assertion If I had said it vpon my owne word only by way of assertion he would haue bidden me proue it now I proue it by pregnant and full testimony he replies my authors disalow not our practise but he hath authors that shew it to be both lawfull and lawdable and referrs me againe to Bellarmine He had as good haue renounced his cause for these Authors first shew the custome in the Primitiue Church to haue bene to haue seruice in the common vulgar language that was best knowen whence it followes secondly that they affirme the Church of Rome to be swerued from it in this point as I said which is all I alledged them for Neuerthelesse because the Repliar thinkes to saue himselfe by saying they account not our practise vnlawfull let him consider well with himselfe why they should mention this alteration from the Primitiue Church if they had not in their iudgement disallowed it How can they say as they do b Lyr. Tho. Caiet Cassand Erasm cited in TEH WAY In the Primitiue Church it was otherwise By Saint Paules doctrine it were better for the Churches edification if the publike seruice of the Church were in a knowne language and not disallow the present practise if they durst haue spoken all they thought or could haue told how to helpe it I will adde two more testimonies and so end the point leauing the censure of my proceeding to the reader Isidore c De Eccl. offic l. 1. c. 10 pag. 3. The hearers are not a little edified by reading Therefore it behooues that when the singing is all sing * Oratio ipsa sit pinguiâ—r dum mens RECENTI LECTIONE SAGINATA PER DIVINARVM RERVM QVAS NVPER AVDIVIT IMAGINES CVRRIT and when praier is all pray and when the lesson is read it be indifferently heard of all and thinke not that it is a small profite that comes by hearing the reading for thy praier is made fatter when thy minde lately fed with reading runnes through the images or formes of those diuine things which it hath lately heard Where are these images of the things that he hath heard read who vnderstandes not the language Secondly I haue lying by me diuers ancient Liturgies intituled to Saint Peter Saint Basil Saint Marke Saint Iames Saint Chrysostome Clemens Gregory and others in all which it is set downe that the people shall answer the Priest at many periods which imports they vnderstood the language or else they could not answer Balsamon the Patriarch of Antioch a Ius GraecoruÌ„ l. 5. Respons 1. p. 365. interrog 5. to this question Whether the orthodoxe Syrians and Armenians and other faithfull men of other countries may without danger celebrate in their owne language or must be constrained to do seruice in the Greeke tongue which they vnderstand not answers The Apostle saies Is God onely the God of the Iewes is he not also the God of the Gentiles He is verily Let them therefore which hold the true faith in all things * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they be ignorant of the Greek tongue do their diuine seruice in their owne language By this it appeares it was the custome of the Greeke Church to haue seruice in the vulgar language as by Isidore it is manifest the same custome was in the Latine Church till tyranny and heresie remooued it Our b Bell. c. 16. l. 2. foule mouthed aduersaries may call them schismatickes and heretickes but when they haue done their testimonies will remaine for sufficient recordes what was done in Gods true Church for 800. yeares after Christ CHAP. LI. 1.2 The Church of Rome against all antiquitie forbiddes the lay people the vse of the Scripture in the vulgar language 3. The shifts vsed by the Papists against reading Spitefull speeches against it 4. Testimonies of antiquity for it 5. The Repliars reason against it answered Pag. 280. A. D. Thirdly touching forbidding the laity to reade Scriptures and to haue them in the mother tongue there is no such generall prohibition among vs. 1 1. Pet. 3. v. 16. All that we say is that the holy Scriptures should not promiscuously be permitted to all men at least in dangerous times when men may by rash misinterpreting fall easily into errour and heresie running thereby into their owne perdition but that care should be had that the parties disposition be such as is like to take benefit and not harme by them The which our practise is not condemned by our Sauiour Christ or by the ancient Church but is most conformable to our Sauiours saying 2 Mat. 7. v. 6. Giue not the holy things to DOGS nor cast not pearles before HOGS Now care being had that the parties disposition be such as may take benefit by reading or hearing and no harme by rash misinterpreting we do not prohibite but with due order permit and wish the Scriptures euen in the mother tongue to be read and heard both by laie men and women That sentence of our Sauiour 3 Ioh. 5. v. 39. Search the Scriptures which is so often vrged hy Protestants doth not proue a necessity for all men immediatly to read the Scriptures For first these words were not spoken to all in generall but to Pharisies and Princes of the people Besides they either containe no precept as S. Cyril expoundeth or no absolute but conditionall precept or rather licence that since they would not beleeue our Sauiour himselfe they should or might search the Scriptures which themselues did admit Lastly if it were an absolute precept