Protestant Church hath euermore beene so visible as the Church of Christ ought to be Subsection 1. § 1. for it hath euermore taught the same doctrine which the Scriptures and the Fathers taught § 2. As appeares by Irenaeus Tertullian and the Creedes But § 3. The Romists Cannot alleadge the Fathers for their new Doctrines Now proue your Protestant Church to haue beene so visible in all Ages as the Church of Christ ought to be or else you haue said nothing Antiquissimus It might be sufficient according to your owne Valentinianus to shew that our Church was sometime in some few and them hidden as the woman in the Wildernesse Reuel 12.6 and vnknowne to the greatest part of the world which weighed not times and things wisely and was slandered by the persecutors thereof as a false Church But I will not take all aduantages but giue you a full visibility thereof at all times Subsection 1. First I say §. 1. our Church for the doctrine thereof is the same which the Primitiue Church of Christ was for many ages For neither it nor ours taught any other points of faith necessary to saluation then such as are contained in plain places of the Scripture or necessarily deducted from them by good consequence When the Fathers are vrged against Bâ—llarmine in this point he yeeldeth 1 De verbo De lib. 4 cap. 11. §. his notatis that whatsoeuer the Apostles publikely taught to the people which was necessary all that they wrote 2 De iustific lib. 3. cap. 8. §. prima ratio This I haue proued more fully cap. That nothing can be certaine to be beleeued with the certainty of faith but what is immediately contained in the Word of God or thence deducted by euident consequence Now it is our Generall course to examine all doctrines by the Scriptures holding the Scriptures the vndoubted Oracles of God for the ground of all our beleefe King Iames praemonition to all Christian Monarks pag. 35 36. as the Fathers did and holding the true sense of the Scriptures as it is deliuered for all fundamentall points in the three Creeds and in the foure first generall Councells and the vniforme consent of the ancient Fathers In which is contained the full instruction for saluation and the vnity of the Catholicke Church §. 2. Jrenaeus Bishop of Lions in France liuing within 200 yeeres of our Sauiour a disciple of those that heard Saint Iohn the Apostle writing against the Heretickes Valentinians Gnosticks and others layeth downe in his first booke and 2 chapter no other Articles of faith and grounds of Religion then our ordinary Catechisme teacheth and in his third chapter sheweth that in the vnity of that faith all the Churches of Germany France Spaine the East Egypt Libya and all the world were founded therein they sweetly accorded as if they all dwelt in one house had all but one soule one heart and one mouth and this ground he laies for the confutation of all Heresies 〈…〉 â—b â—e praescript aduersâ—s heretiâ—o folâ—o qâ—arto The like doth Tertullian liuâ—ng 200 yeeres after Christ He giues the funâ—amâ—ntall points of Religion gathered out of the Scriptures and deliuered by the Churches the same which our Church deliuereth and no other for the rule of faith See King Iames Pâ—aemonition pâ—g 35. The three famous Creeds named the Apostles Athanasius and the Nicene Creeds ordayned for rules of Christians beleefe and badges differencing them from Infidels and Hereticks we hold intirely and firmely and proclaime them ordinarily in our Churches And whatsoeuer the Fathers held vniformely and agreed vpon as necessary to be beleeued vnto saluation we doe with reuerence receiue But the particular or priuate opinions which any of them held different from other Fathers doe not binde vs now more then those other Fathers then or the Romans at this present The foure first generall Councels with reuerence we receiue as Orthodoxe See B. Andrew Ad Bellarmine Apologiam Responsio cap. 7. pag. 161. and so they are acknowledged by our Church and by our Acts of Parliament The following Councels are subiect to some exceptions We therfore holding the same points of faith which the Primitiue Fathers held vniformely to be necessary to saluation and holding no other points that doe any way crosse or weaken them may iustly challenge them for our predecessors and their Church and ours in point of doctrine to be all one Antiquus §. 3. We challenge the same Fathers to bee ours also and we deduce both our Bishops and doctrine by good succession from them which you cannot doe But I require not of you a discourse of those times which either of vs lay alike claime vnto but of the times nearer vnto Luther Shew mee any visible Church in the world that held Luthers doctrine for 500. yeeres next before Luthers time Antiquissimus You may challenge the Primitiue Fathers for the points wherein you and we agree as the Canonicall Scriptures the doctrine of the Trinity in Vnity Baptisme and such like But you cannot challenge them to be yours in those additions and corruptions which they neuer knew and which you haue brought into the Church in later times and which make the great difference betwixt you and vs as the worshipping of Images the Popes pardons priuate Masses or Communion without communicating halfe Communions without the Cup the Popes transcendent supremacy and such like §. 4. But in calling vs to these later times you are good disciples of the Poet Horace who in his Arte Poetica saith A witty Poet must vse this Art The point which he hath no hope to burnish faire and bright he must leaue vntouched Et quae desperat tractata nitescere posse relinquit This is good Poetry indeed in them but pitifull Diuinity in you to leaue the best times and purest patternes and draw vs to the worst But Sectionis 2. Subsectio 2. § 1. Propounding 1 the Easternt and Greeke Churches 2 the Waldenses c. And 3 the Roman Church it selfe misliking and groaning vnder the tyranny of the Papacy and desiring reformation § 2. The Greeke Church condemned by the Romish as Hereticall § 3. Js cleered by Scotus Lombard Aquinas and others Now presupposing you yeeld vs those best times wherein our Church was very gloriously visible wee follow you to the worst Wherein you propose vnto you first the spacious and famous Churches of Grecia D. Field of the Church booke 3. cap. 5. Armenia Aethiopia and Russia which holding the same rule of faith which we hold and beleeuing all points absolutely necessary to saluation as we beleeue and refusing the same corruptions of the Church of Rome which we refuse were the same with our Church true Churches of God notwithstanding some defects errours and diuisions among them which stayned their beauty and hindered their perfection but did not cut them off from possibility of saluation And so for ought I know they continue till this
the Eunuch who embraced the Old Testament Acts 8 28-35-37 c. And by Saint Peter to Cornelius and his company who had before receiued the Religion of the Iewes Acts. 10.2 22 35 43. And by Saint Paul Acts 13.14 16 -32 -38 39. c. The Apostles receiuing the Conuerts to Baptisme vpon adding to their former knowledge these few principles of true Faith in Christ Iesus and good life shewed that in their Iudgement they wanted no essentiall thing necessary for the making of them true members of the Church and perfect Christians or as our Catechisme calles them members of Christ Children of God and inheritors of the Kingdome of Heauen and that if God should take them out of this world in their first entrance into these principall grounds of saluation without further knowledge or practise yet vndoubtedly they should die sufficient Christans and in the state of Grace §. 6. Conformable to the Apostles practise the Christians of the Primitiue Church baptized those that were Catechized in the grounds of sauing doctrine as the essentiall points of Religion that constitute a Christian as appeareth by Irenaeus and Tertullian See Irenaeus and Tertullian cited before chap. 1. sect 2. sub 1. §. 2. whom I alleadged before and by the Creeds which were ordayned as Badges of Christians and differences of true beleeuers froÌ„ either vnbeleeuers or hereticks The Westerne Churches vsed in their Baptisme that short form of confession comoÌ„nlly called the Apostles Creed which in the more ancient times was breefer then now it is as our Learned Bishop Vsher hath punctually obserued B. Vsher serm at Wansted p. 28. The mention of the Fathers being Maker of Heauen and Earth the Sonnes death and descending into Hell and the Commuion of Saints being wholly omitted happily as not necessary for all men to know as Suarez saith or sufficiently implied in other articles or knowen by the light of reason and so not making difference betwixt Christians and heathen these reasons some for one point some for another But being in time made for better explication so full as it is now the whole Westerne Church hath long receiued as a badge of their Faith distinguishing the Beleeuer from the vnbeleeuer The Eastern Church vsed in Baptisme a larger Creed Vsher ib. p. 30. Euseb ep apud Socrat l. 1. hist cap. 8. al. 5. Theodoret. lib. 1. cap. 12. the same or very little different from that we call the Nicene Creed because the greatest part thereof was repeated and confirmed in the Nicene Councell to which it was presented by Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea with this Preamble As we haue receiued from the Bishops that were before vs both at our first Catechising and when we receiued Baptisme and as we haue learned from the holy scriptures and as we haue both beleeued and taught when we entred into the Ministery and in our Bishoprick it selfe so beleeuing at this present also we declare this our Faith vnto you To this the Nicene Fathers added a more cleare explication of the Deity of the Sonne against the Arrians which then troubled the Church professing him to be begotten not made and to be of one substance with the Father The second generall Councell assembled 56 yeares after at Constantinople approuing all the former added also something concerning the holy Ghost which then was oppugned by the Macedonian Heretickes The same Fathers also then added the Articles concerning the Catholicke Church and the priuiledges thereunto belonging The Roman Church after the dayes of Charles the Great added the Article of Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Sonne And the late Councell of Trent recommended it vnto vs Concil Trident. seff 3. as That principle in which all that professe the faith of Christ doe necessarily agree and the firme and onely foundation against which the gates of Hell shall neuer preuaile And by which alone our Fathers sometimes drew Infidels to the faith ouercame Heretickes and confirmed the faithfull Such are the words of the Trent Councell So that in this Creed they confesse That onely foundation and principle of faith is to be found in the vnity whereof all Christians must necessarilly agree Section 2. § 1. The rule enlarged and approued in this Age. § 2 By Azorius out of the School-diuines in 14 Articles § 3. Some obseruations and censures of those 14 Articles § 4. The rule set downe by Bellarmine more briefly § 5. By D. Field farre more sufficiently in 6 Articles with his iudgement of the deductions therefrom euident or obscure § 6. B. Vshers distinction of superstructions vpon the foundation § 7. Consequents of this doctrine §. 1. But because we see this foundation of faith hath from the Apostles times continually been enâ—â—ged by reason of errours and heresies arising in sâ—â—erall Ages let vs search a little further how the most Iudâ—cious men doâ— bound it in these our dayes §. 2. Azorius the Iesuite deliuers the vnanimous consent of all the Roman Diuines in 14 Articles Azorius Institu tionum moralium part 1. lib. 8. cap 5. § At iuxta ibid § tertio quaeritur seq whereof seuen concerne the Diuine nature and seuen concerne the humane all which are to be beleeued explicitè with distinct vnderstanding of all men Of the first seuen there is taught in the First That God is in Nature and Substance eternall infinite immense and in maiesty highest euery where not onely in power might and efficacy but also in deed and truely present who hath power of life and death is the supreme Lord of all things who can with his becke and at his pleasure doe all things which he will who knoweth seeth careth for and moderateth all things Secondly The first person in nature and diuine substance to wit The Father is the beginning of two diuine persons and therefore the begetter of the Sonne and breather of the Holy Spirit vnbegotten subsisting of himselfe and by himselfe not receiuing and hauing his essence of another Third The second person in the Diuine nature is true God begotten of the Father onely from all eternity the naturall Sonne of God consubstantiall and equall to him in all things the onely Word and expresse Image of the Father most perfectly representing and expressing him Fourth The third person in the diuine Nature the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne from all eternity is true God coaeternall to them both coâ—quall and consubstantiall and to be worshâ—pped with the same faith and with equall seruice and honour Fifth God is the creator of all things who by his onely becke and word out of nothing produced all things visible and inuisible or the whole frame of the worlâ— in the beginning of time and hauing produced them preserues directs cares for and gouernes them with great goodnesse and wisdome And as he is the creator of all things from whom all things be ng made of nothing did in time proceed so he is the end of all
to whom all things are referred Sixt. God is the giuer of all righteousnesse holines and grace He forgiueth sinnes and restoreth sinners by the grace of adoption to his fauour and friendship Seuenth God is the bestower of eternall glory and heauenly felâ—city in whom the highest happinesse of blessed soules consisteth Of the other seauen Articles concerning the humane Nature The First sheweth that the Sonne of God for our sakes debased himselfe from Heauâ—n to these inferior parts descended and assumed the humâ—ne Nature and coupled it to himselfe with a maruelous knot and bond in such sort that after that coniunction there was one person of both subsisting in two Natures diuine and humane and therefore in time he was conceiued without Father of an vncorrupt Virgin the power of the holy Ghost so working in her that the word was made flesh and God Man The Second sheweth the same Sonne of God taking humane Nature of the vndefiled Virgin was borne into the world in such sort that Many was at once the Mother of God and a pure V rgin The Third sheweth how Chriâ—â— our Lord did most excellently performe the office of teaching working miracles died and made his end vnder Pilate the Iudge and President and vnder him endured an vniust condemnation and suffered the most shamefull kinde of punishment of the crosse and sustayned the most bitter death for vs and refused not buriall offered vnto him in another Mans sepulcher The Fourth article teacheth how Christ after he had died vpon the crosse descended in his soule into * Or the lower parts inferoâ— hell both that he might shew himselfâ— conquerour of death and Diuells and also the dâ—liuerer of the Fathers there detayned and in his body he lay three dayes in the sepulcher The Fifth professeth that Christ the third day returning conquerâ—nâ— from the lower parts to lâ—fe immortall and full of glory by his owne force and power did rise from the dead The Sixt sheweth how Christ hauing performed the worke of Mans redemption the fortieth day after his resurrection by his owne power ascended into heauen that in his humane Nature he might be exalted aboue all things and he aboue all might be chiefly worshipped of all who sits in heauen at the right hand of the power of God and as God exercising equall power with the Father and shining with diuine Maiesty The Seuenth article setteth out the last Iudgement day when Christ in his humane Flesh shall descend againe from the highest heauen and performing the office of the terrible Iudge of the whole earth shall openly render vnto euery one according as he hath done in his body whether it be good or euill before whose tribunall all men both good and euill shall stand whether that day of Iudgement finde them yet aliue in the flesh or dead before These 14 articles I haue set downe at large and in the full wordes of Azorius not that I approue euery word and point therin but to shew what is the generall doctrine of the present Roman Church what and how much is necessary for euery man to know and to beleeue explicitè to his saluation Note he is said to beleeue explicitè who assenteth to any thing that is told him or which he conceiueth in his thought and hee beleeueth implicitè which beleeueth any thing in generality and in that thing beleeueth many other things which are contained in it as when a man beleeueth all things which the Church beleeueth Azor ib. cap. 6. in calce Thus saith Azorius out of Gabriel the Schoolman §. 3. Abundant in superfluis deficiunt in necessarijs Beâ—â— sâ—prâ— l tâ—k See â—ellar in thâ—t chapter at large First These Articles vpon due consideration will bee found to haue two faults they containe too much and too little Too much for all things in them are not taught in the Scriptures as namely that of the fourth Article of the Humanity that Christ descended into hell to deliuer the Fathers there detained as by Bellarmines confession and the ancient Fathers testimonies they should be Costerus â—uchir cap. 1. pag. 49. § Caterum Costerus the Iesuite saith also that the chiefe heads of faith necessary for all Christians to know and to beleeue vnto saluation are plainly enough contained in the Apostles writings Secondly these Articles also containe too little for here want somethings that are deliuered in the Apostles Creed which Creed was ordained for the necessary instruction of all Christians and called Symbolum a badge or signe to dâ—stinguish Christians from Infidels and wicked people Axor ib. cap. 5. § Postremo obâ—â—tes There were indeed three Symboles or Creedes receiued in the Church for briefe comprehensions of the publicke necessary doctrines thereof for all Christ ans to know and professe the Apostlâ—s Creed the Nâ—cene and Athanasius his Creed which three do not containe diuers doctrines but rather one and the same faith set forth more largely oâ— briefly â—n more or fewer words more cleerely and distinctly to confute heresies as they sprung vp in the Church In these Creedes we are taught that there is one holy Catholicke Church and Communion of Saints c. which in these fourteene Articles are not mentioned Thirdly Besides some other things which the Romanists account very necessary Articles of their faith as that of transubstantiation that of Purgatory that of the Popes supremacy which they haue wholly left out as they haue done also the worshipping of Images Inuocation of Saints Prayer for the dead and generally all other things almost which wee refuse shewing thereby and so much gratifying vs that in their own iudgement these things are not necessary for ordinary Christians to beleeue to saluation Fourthly and the view of these Articles may confirme any man in the sufficiency of the Protestants Religion because they stedfastly beleeue excepting that one clause of one of them all these Articles which the Romanists themselues say are sufficient for saluation Neither doe the Protestants hold any thing at all that crosseth them §. 4. But Bellarmine touching vpoÌ„ this point Bellar. De verbo Dei lib. 4. c. 11. initio in answering to Irenaeus and diuers other Fathers that say The Apostles wrote all that they preached saith more briefely There are some things simply necessary for all men to saluation as the knowledge of the Articles of the Apostles Creed and of the ten Commandements and of some Sacraments other things are not so necessary that without the manifest knowledge faith and profession of them a man cannot be saued if so be that hee haue a ready will to receiue and beleeue them when they shall be lawfully propounded vnto him by the Church And this distinction saith he is gathered from hence that without the knowledge and faith of the Mysteries of the first kinde no man of a ripe Age is admitted to Baptisme but without the knowledge and Faith at least explicit of the latter men were ordinarily
admitted Acts 2 after one sermon of Saint Peter wherin he had taught the principall heads of faith in Christ in one day 3000 men were baptized who whithout doubt knew nothing else but those necessary things And therefore it is added that after baptisme they perseuered in the Doctrine of the Apostles that is they learned what yet they had not heard of Christian Misteries c. B. Vsher Sermon at Wanstâ—d pag. 32. See also his booke De Christianarum eccles successu statu cap. 1. § 15. This our Bishop Vsher agreeth vnto alledging the Apostles sermons to that purpose which treated onely of the first principles of the Doctrine of Christ vpon the receiuing whereof as of sufficient doctrine to make them Christians men were baptized And this he further confirmeth by the writings of Irenaeus and Tertullian and the Creeds receiued by the Church the Apostles Creed the Creed of Athanasius The Creed of the East Church See before cap. 1. sect 2. subject 1. §. 2. recited and confirmed for the beleefe of the whole Church in the Councells of Nice and Constantinople and the late Councell of Trent Whereof I haue spoken already § 5. D. Field of the Church booke 3. chap 4. Our Doctor Field doth more fully and perfectly describe those things that so neerely touch the very life and being of Christian Faith and Religion that euery one is bound particulaâ—ly and expresly to know and beleeue them vpon paine of eternall damnation He reduceth them to sixe principall heades First concerning God whom to know is eternall life we must beleeue and acknowledge the vnity of an infinite incomprehensible and eternall essence full of righteousnesse goodnesse mercy and trueth The Trinity of persons subsisting in the same essence the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost coessentiall coeternall and coequall the Father not created nor begotten the Sonne not created but begotten the holy Ghost not created nor begotten but proceeding Secondly we must know and beleeue that God made all things of nothing that in them he might manifest his wisdome power and goodnesse that he made men and Angels capable of supernaturall blessednesse consisting in the vision and enioying of himselfe that he gaue them abilities to attaine thereunto and lawes to guide them in the wayes that lead vnto it that nothing was made euill in the beginning that all euill entred into the world by the voluntary aversion of men and Angels from God their Creator that the sinne of Angels was not generall but that some fell and other continued in their first estate that the sinne of those Angels that fell is irremissible and their fall irrevocable that these are become deuils and spirits of errour seeking the destruction of the sonnes of men that by the misperswasion of these lying spirits the first man that euer was in the world fell from God by sinnefull disobedience and apostacy that the sinne of the first man is deriued to all his posterity not by imitation onely but by propagation and descent subiecting all to curse and malediction yet not without possibility and hope of mercifull deliuerance Thirdly we must beleeue that for the working of this deliuerance the Sonne of God assumed the nature of man into the vnity of his Diuine person so that he subsisteth in the nature of God and Man without all corruption confusion or conuersion of one of them into another that in the nature of man thus assumed he suffered death but being God could not be holden of it but rose againe and triumphantly ascended into heauen that he satisfied the wrath of his Father obtained for vs remission of sinnes past the grace of repentant conuersion and a new conuersation ioyned with assured hope desire and expectation of eternall happinesse Fourthly we must constantly beleeue that God doth call and gather to himselfe out of the manifold confusions of erring ignorant and wretched men whom hee pleaseth to be partakers of these precious benefits of eternall saluation the happy number and ioyfull society of whom we name the Church of God whether they were before or since the manifestation of Christ the Sonne of God in our flesh For both had the same faith hope and spirit of adoption whereby they were sealed vnto eternall life though there be a great difference in the degree and measure of knowledge and the excellency of the meanes which God hath vouchsafed the one more then the other Fiftly we must know and beleeue that for the publishing of this ioyfull deliuerance and the communicating of the benefits of the same the Sonne of God committed to those his followers whom he chose to bee witnesses of all things he did or suffered not onely the word of Reconciliation but also the dispensation of sacred and sacramentall assurances of his loue set meanes of his gracious working that those first messengeâ—s whom he sent with immediate commission were infallibly led into all truth and left vnto posterities that summe of Christian Doctrine that must for euer be the rule of our faith that these blessed messengers of so good and happy tidings departing hence left the Ministery of Reconciliation to those whom they appointed to succeed them in the worke so happily began by them Lastly we must know and be assuredly perswaded that seeing the renouation of our spirits and mindes is not perfect and the redemption of our bodies still remaining corruptible is not yet therefore God hath appointed a time when Christ shall returne againe raise vp the dead and giue eternall life to all that with repentant sorrow turne from their euill and wicked wayes while it is yet the accepted time and day of saluation and contrary wayes cast out into vtter darkenesse and into the fire that neuer shall be quenched all those that neglect despise so great saluation All these things and these onely doe directly concerne the matter of eternall saluation saith Doctor Field These things saith he make the rule of faith whereof a man cannot be ignorant and bee saued By these all the holy Fathers Bishops and Pastors of the Church measured and made their Sermons Commentaries and interpretations of Scripture This rule is deliuered by Tertullian Irenaeus Tertull. de praescriptionibus adversus hareticos adversus Praxcam Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 3. See here before cap. 1. sect 2. subsect 1. §. 2. and other of the Fathers and with addition of conclusions most easily clearely and vnavoydably deduced hence by Theodoret in his Epitome Dogmatum For a second sort of things there are that attend on these first as consequents deduced from them or some way appertaining to them such as a man being perswaded of these will see the necessary consequence and deduction of them from these if they be propounded vnto him As that there are two wills in Christ that there is no saluation remission of sinnes or hope of eternall life out of the Church c. In such second things clearely deduced from the first principles if a man
vniuersall both in time and place §. 4. See Aug. in Psal 92. continued throughout all Ages and dispersed in all places in which sense onely the Church is Catholicke and one then it is a point of faâ—th and not of sight For it is visible totally at any one time or place to any mortall eyes Some part thereof being in Europe some in Asia some in Africa for place some part in heauen triumphant some on earth militant some not yet in the world for time We beleeue therefore that there is one Catholicke Church we see but a small part of it that is one vniuersall company of Christians spread ouer the whole earth and continuing from the Apostles times till the day of Iudgement part whereof is now in heauen part on earth and part yet to come called to be professors of Gods worship and partakers of his glory through Iesus Christ his sonne And though this whole company be neuer visible to men at once yet some parts thereof liuing vpon earth are alwayes visible to men by their persons and profession some at one time some at another some in one Countrey some in another as the Church of Jerusalem and of Antioch of Rome Corinth Galatia c. In the Apostles times the seuen Churches of Asia in S. Iohns time the Churches of England France and other Nations in our time §. 5. Secondly if you take the Church for the company of Christians liuing in any one particular Age and thereunto apply the propheticall promises you must admit a threefold distinction one of the parts of the Church another of the promises appliable to the seuerall parts and a third of the times wherein they are to be fulfilled For a D. VVhite Reply to Fisher pag. 52. most of the promises though in generall termes made to the Church in common to shew what the whole is in respect of Gods outward vocation or what the office and duty of the whole Church is yet doe appertaine formally and indeed onely to the better part of the common subiect As your owne Doctors teach b Cornel. de â—apide com Esa cap. 2. v. 4 Cum Deus aliquid Synagoga vel Ecclesiae permittit quamvis amplâ— vniuersal bus vâ—rbis â—â— tamen de bonis proba tantum qui saeâ—â—s amicitiam cum deo promittente paâ—iscente seruant intelligendum The Scriptures giue vs a distinction of the Called and Chosen saying Many be called but few chosen Mat. 20.16 The Called are the Professors and the Profâ—ssors saith your c Bellar. de Ecclesâ— militant lib. 3. cap. 2. §. nostra autem sententia Bellarmine are the members of the true Church though they be reprobi scelesti impij reprobates wicked and impious For saith he to be a member of the Church there is not necessarily required any inward vertues but onely outward profession But I hope you will not say that to this company in grosse these promises doe belong of purity vnspottednesse eternall life but onely to the better part thereof that is the Chosen that truely beleeue and holily liue according to Christs doctrine which company because who they are is onely knowne to God the discerner of the hearts and not to men who see onely their persons and profession but not their hearts may well be called in respect of men The invisible Church as visible to God onely The Holy Ghost describing the true members of the Church calls them such as should be saued Acts 2.47 The Lord added to the Church such as should be saued And this is the ordinary doctrine of d Aug. de Bapt. contra Donatisâ—as lib. 6. cap. 3. Auari raptores faencratores inuidi malevoli ad sanctam ecclesiam dei non pertinent quamvis esse videantur illa autem columba vnica pudica casta sponsa sine macula ruga hortus conclusus sons signatus paradisus cum fructu pomorum c. non intelligitur nisi de bonis sanctis iustis intimâ—m supereminentem spiritus sancti gratiam habentibus S. Augustine that true godly men such as shall be saued are the only heires of the promises the couetous rauenous vsurers enuious malevolous do not belong to the holy Church of God though they seeme to be in it That onely Doue that chaste and pure Spouse without spot or wrinkle that garden inclosed fountaine sealed paradise of Pomegranats c. is not vnderstood but of the good holy and iust such as haue the inward and supereminent grace of the holy spirit Thus Saint Augustine Againe e Aug. ib. lib. 7. cap. 51. he saith All things considered I thinke I shall not rashly say that some are so in the house of God that they are also the very house of God which is said to be built vpon a Rocke which is called his onely Doue his faire Spouse without spot or wrinckle c. for this is in the good faithfull The like De vnitate eccle cap. vlt. Epist 48. De Bapt. cort Donat. lib. 5. c. 27. in praesatione in Psal 47. De doctr Christiana lib. 3. cap. 22. In the rules of Tychonius De corpore Domini bipartito and holy seruants of God euery where dispersed and yet conioyned in spirituall vnity and in the same communion of the Sacraments whether they know one another by face or not And it is certaine that others are said so to be in the house that they belong not ad compagem domus to the frame of the house nor to the society of fruitfull peacefull righteousnesse but as the chaffe among the Corne c of whom it is said They departed from vs but they were not of vs. In many other places Saint Austen hath the like Insomuch as Bellarmine being ouerpressed with the Scriptures and Fathers and especially Saint Augustine §. 6. cannot but yeeld and saith in plaine tearmes f Bellar. de eccle milit lib 3 cap. 2. §. notaâ—dum autem that wicked men without any internall vertue are no otherwise members of the Church then our excrements and diseases are parts or members of our bodies as our hayres our nayles and euill humours in our bodies and elsewhere g Ib. cap. 9. §. Ad vltimum aâ—o malos non esse membra viva corporis Christi hoc significari illis scripturis obiectis He saith that euill men are no other then dead members of Christs body and hee citeth many learned Papists that say Malos non esse membra vera nec simpliciter corporis ecclesiae sed tantum secundum quid aequivocè That euill men are not true members nor simply of the body of the Church but onely after a sort and equiuocally His Authors alleadged there are Iohannes de Turrecremata Alexander de Ales Hugo B. Thomas Petrus à Soto Melchior Canus alij I will conclude this point with Saint Augustine who saith h Aug lib. 2. contra Creâ—conium
was driuen out Notwithstanding within a few dayes after to appeale the tumults of people he was recalled Socrates lib. 6. cap. 16. placed agâ—ine in his Bishopricke restored to preaching and so continued a while but not without tumults wherein many were wounded and many killed And when hee was banished againe the Cathedrall Church at Constantinople with the Senate hâ—use were set on fire and burned to the ground in the pursuit of reuenge Baronius beginning the story of this contention Baron tomo 5. anno 400. nu 51. saith thus I take in hand a great and lamentable narration of strife and direfull persecution not of Gentiles against Christians nor heretickes against Catholickes nor of wicked men against good and iust but which is monstrous and prodigious euen of Saints and holy men one against another Ninthly Socrates lib. 7. cap. 33. D. Fâ—eld church lib 5 cap 33. â—pâ—end 1 part pag 116 117 118. c D Hall Columbâ— Noe pag. 44. In the first Councell of Ephesus being the third generall Councell there arose great contâ—ntions bâ—twixt Cyril of Alexan ria and Iohn Bishop of Antioch two Patriarkes either of them thundring Anathematismes againâ—t other and depriuing each othâ—r of their Churches Theodores vnhappily thrust his sickle into Iohns haruest against whom at the â—nstigation of Euoptius Cyrillus grieuously inueighed Theodoret accused Cyrill of Apollinarisme and Cyrill accused Theodoret of N storianisme And this fury spred so farre that it drew almost the Christian world into sides So that when afterwards Theodoret would haue come into the Chalcedon Synod the Aegyptian and other reuerend Bishops cryed If we receiue Theodoret we cast out Cyril the Canons cast out Theodoret God abhorres him This was done in the first action of the Chalcedon Councell and againe in the eight action the Bishops crying out openly he is an Hereticke he is a Nâ—storiâ—n away with the Hereticke Yet when the matter was fully knowen and that Theodoret had willingly subscribed to the Orthodoxe Creedes and to Leo's Epistles The whole Synoâ— cryed with one vâ—yce Theodoret is worthy of his Ecclesiasticall Sea let the Church receiue her Catholike Pastor Antiquus Your discourse hath â— t me into a mixture of griefe and â—oâ— Griefe that any of the holy ancient Fathers haue held any errours at all and that there were such bitter contentions among them Ioy that seeing there were such they are not hid from me For that will make me more moderate in thinking of them though reuerently as holy men yet still as men subiect to humane infirmities and not in all things to make their sayings rules of my faith or their doings patâ—ernes of my life but altogether to make the most holy perfect infallible and vnstained word of God the guides of both and it shall make me also more wise in esteeming men now liuing reuerently for the graces of God which I see in them notwithstanding their humane fraâ—lties such as I perceiue the best Saints of God haue had But yet I see not any sufficient rule to leade mee to Iudge how you can challenge the Fathers to be of your Religion more then the Romans may challenge them to be of theirs I perceiue well they diffâ—red from both in many things wherein you both refuse them Antiquissimus You make that vse of my discourse that I wish For the Rule to direct your iudgement I haue pointed at it often and now I will briefely and as fully as I can lay it open vnto you CHAP. 4. Of the Rule to iudge the soundnesse and purity of all Christians and Churches by This Chapter hath foure Sections The first Section of the Rule vsed in the Primitiue Church The second of the Rule enlarged and approued in this Age The third of Obiections arising from the former discourses and their answeres The fourth of the necessity of Preaching still to them that hold the Rule The first Section § 1. The Rule in generall § 2. Opened by distinctions of the foundation of Religion § 3. A necessity to haue a short rule drawne out of the Scriptures § 4. This rule is described by Saint Paul § 5. The practise of it by the Apostles who onely deliuered the most necessary fundamentall points to the Iewes and then baptized them § 6. The like practise vsed by the following Primitiue Church to their Catechumeni before Baptisme §. 1. THe Rule to Iudge all Christians and Churches by is this They that hold the same fundamentall points of Christian Religion which doe sufficiently constitute the Church of Christ and hold no other opinions wittingly and obstinately that ouerthrow any of these fundamentall points they are vndoubtedly of the same true Church and Religion §. 2. For the vnderstanding of this Rule note 1 Saint Paul distinguisheth betwixt the foundation and that which is built vpon the foundation 1 Cor. 3.10 As a wise Master-builder I haue laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon The word Foundation is taken two wayes First for the principall thing which is to be beleeued and wherupon our saluation is builded that is Iesus Christ as Saint Paul saith there verse 11. Other foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Iesus Christ Acts 4.12 There is no saluation in any other there is none other name vnder heauen giuen among men whereby we must be saued 1 Tim. 3.16 This is the great mystery of godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh c. This was Saint Peters confession Matth. 16.16 Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Vpon which confession as Saint Augustine and Chrysostome expound it Christ said he would build his Church and the gates of Hell should not preuaile against it Secondly the word Foundation is taken for the Doctrine of the Scriptures which teach saluation onely by Iesus Christ as Ephes 2.20 The house that is the houshold or Church of God is built vpon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe the chiefe Corner stone And so the Apostles are called twelue foundations Reuel 21.14 to wit in respect of their doctrine whereby they laid the foundation of the Church and of mens saluation by Iesus Christ §. 3. 2 Although the whole Scripture and euery thing therein contained or from it necessarily deduced be a fit obiect for faith to apprehend Yet that all Christians should thorowly conceiue and vniformely professe them all is not to be hoped B. Vsher Serm. at Wansted pag 22. nor in any Age hath beene found As we haue manifestly proued * In the former Chapter Variety of Iudgements in some points of lesser moment which are not plainely deliuered in the Scriptures may be tollerated and must not dissolue the vnity which all must hold in the fundamentall principles Heauen was not prepared for deepe Clerkes onely which vnderstood all or for such as neuer differed in any opinion 1 Cor. 132 12. but euen for such also as knew but in part and saw through a
Purgatory Indulgence the doctrine of transubstantiation Communion of the Laity in one species priuate Masses and such like yet all this cannot proue yours to bee the true Church nor the Roman to bee false because yet you are defectiue in this That the Church being one onely true entire body of Iesus Christ you are seperate from it and will not be vnder the gouernment of that visible-hood which Christ hath appointed ouer it to wit the Bishop of Rome the successor of Saint Peter to whom is giuen the highest iurisdiction and gouernment of the whole Church vpon earth and the infallibility of iudgement to guide it right and keepe it from error so that they that are not vnder his gouernment and guidance are out of the Church in which saluation is to be found and no where else Neither can the things now vsed which were not vsed in the Primitiue Church any way nullifie or disgrace the Church since in the wisedome of him that is infallibly assisted by the holy Ghost for the guidance of the Church they are iudged profitable in these times which were not so necessary in former ages All inferiour and priuate spirits must submit to the iudgement of that Head whom Christ hath constituted ouer his Church and doth assist with his spirit that hee shall not erre That Saint Peter was made Prince and Head of the Apostles by our Sauiour Christ the Proofes are plaine in the Scriptures and Fathers Mat. 16.16 In the 16. of Saint Matthew when Saint Peter had confessed Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Christ answered Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it To thee will I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to open and shut to bind and loose In the 21 of S. Iohn Christ saith to Peter Ioh. 21.15 Since thou louest mee more then these the rest of the Apostles Feed my Sheepe Be thou the generall Pastor ouer my whole flocke euen ouer the rest of the Apostles In the 22. of Saint Luke Christ saith I will pray for thee Peter that thy faith shall not faile Luk. 22.32 and when thou art conuerted strengthen thy Brethren Conformable to these Scriptures the Fathers doe ordinarily giue vnto Saint Peter the Primacy of the Apostles call him the Mouth the Chiefe the Top the Highest the Prince the President of the Apostles the head and foundation of the Church all which laid together and well considered doe proue such a prerogariue in Saint Peter that the Church taught and guided by him and his Successors shall neuer erre in matters of Faith and good life but bee infallibly lead into all truth that bringeth to holinesse and happinesse And this is not promised to Saint Peters person or for his life onely but to all his Successors when Christ promiseth to bee with them to the end of the world Mat. 28. in the last words Whereupon these things will follow 1 That the Church of Rome See the Relation of the Religion in the West parts pag. 15. now gouerned by S. Peters Successors is vndoubtedly the true Church of God deliuering and practising the true meanes of saluation and hath the prerogatiue to keepe men from erring in matters of Faith and from falling from God hath the keyes of heauen in custody to admit in by indulgence such as shall be saued and shut out by excommunication such as shall bee condemned so that in it there is a happy facility and without it an vtter impossibility of saluation 2 And consequently It is of the necessity to saluation that all particular Churches and all men be subiect to the Bishop thereof Christs Vicar and the visible head of the Catholike Church vpon earth and whosoeuer or what Nation or people soeuer are not subiect to him in spirituall things are no part of the Catholike Church of Christ §. 3. Antiquis Were all this true and substantiall it were able to charme all the world to be of your Church and to make the Pope absolute Lord of all And you do politikely to keep this point for your last refuge and final ground of all controuersies betwixt vs for if you can euict this you need no more If your Popes bee Saint Peters successors in all those things which you ascribe vnto Saint Peter and thereby haue full iurisdiction ouer the whole Christian world and cannot erre all is yours Stapleton principio doctr lib 6. cap. 2. Sanders Rocke of the Church Bristow Motiue 47. c. See Bellarm. letter to Blackwell there is an end of all controuersie and disputation And therefore your Chieftaines haue great reason to fortifie this piece with all the art and artillery their wit learning and power can afford them thereby to cut off all particular controuersies wherein they finde we are too strong for them This Gorgons head alone is able to affright the simple that they shall not beleeue their owne eyes or see your palpable corruptions or beleeue that any thing can be amisse with you be it neuer so foule and and manifest But alas deare friend I shall shew you plainely that all this is but an Imaginary Castle built in the Ayre without ground or foundation and that all your men stretch the Scriptures and the sayings of the Fathers farre beyond their meaning B. Iewel B. Bilson B. Morton B White D. Rainolds D. Field c. To answere their bookes and arguments punctually would aske too great time and be a needlesse labour because our Learned men haue done it sufficiently and often already But for your satisfaction I will shew you first what dignity the ancient Church hath yeelded to the Bishop of Rome Secondly that the Supremacy now claymed cannot be proued to bee giuen to Saint Peter either by the Scriptures or thirdly by the Fathers but coÌ„trary that both the Scriptures and Fathers are against it Fourthly that the true primacy and Prerogatiues of Saint Peter aboue the rest of the Apostles were personall and did not descend to his successors §. 3. 1. For the first Aeneas Syluius who was afterterwards made Pope Aeneas Syluius epist 288. Ante conciliuÌ„ Nicenâ—â— qu sque sibi viuebat paruus respectus habebatur ad ecclesiam Romanam and called Pius Secundus saith plainly that before the Councell of Nice 327. yeeres after Christ little respect was had to the Church of Rome yet was Rome the chiefe City of the world by reason of the Antiquity Magnificence Dominion and the residence of the Emperours there at that time The Apostles vsed to plant Churches in the chiefest Cities from whence the Gospell might best be propagated into the Countries adioyning Cities therefore were first Christians the people dwelling in Country Pagis Villis in Pages and Villages being not conuerted See D. Field Church book 5. epist to the Reader cap. 27. 30 31. were called Pagans or Infidels But for their
for the Faith of Christ contra Northumbrot infideles as your histories tell vs n Galfrid Monum hist lib. 1. cap. 12 13. In these latter times our Aduersaries reckon examples enow o Azorius Iesuita Institut moral part 1. lib. 8. cap. 20. §. Decimo quar of Greekes Armenians Ruthenians Aegyptians Aethiopians and other remote parts of the world which doe not acknowledge the Pope to bee their superiour no more than the Protestants doe And yet your Azorius a choyce man deliuering the doctrine of the Roman Church dare not affirme them to be heretikes but excuseth their opinions different from the Romists and cals them onely Schismatikes because they refuse the Roman superiority To say nothing of the Protestants whereof there are innumerable in Germany France Britaine Pelonia Dauid Bohemia Hungaria Heluetia Suetiâ— Silesia Morana Transiluania and other parts which in this age make the greater part of Christendome which all reiect the Roman Hierarchy as contrary to the Apostles doctrine and the Primitiue Church for many ages It may seeme strange that any man that hath any dram of Christian Charity or come of Christian salt in his heart should perswade himselfe or force his heart to thinke that so many learned Bishops of old time and Christians suffering Martyrdome for Christs sake and such infinite store of people of all nations in these latter ages professing Iesus Christs religion holding all points necessary to saluation and for them suffering losse of goods imprisonment banishment death and depriâ—ation of all earthly comforts besides it should cease to be Christians and become damned creatures onely because they will not become subiects to the Pope of Rome as to their superiour who as they are verily perswaded sitteth as Anrichrist in the Church of God abrogating many of Gods Lawes and establishing his owne Or shall they that in tendernesse of Conscience haue reformed many grosse abuses in life and errors in doctrine which had crept into the Latine Church bee condemnâ—d for reforming them and not communicating with him in his continued abuses though they hold all good things with him and refuse nothing which the Scriptures and pure Antiquity hath deliuered No my friend Be you Antiquus if you will and sticke to Hildebrands dictates broached eleuen hundred yeeres after Christ when Satan was newly loosed or to Boniface the eights decree 200. yeeres after Hildebrand for that is your greatest Antiquity I will bee Antiquissimus and hold the old Religion which the Apostles taught which the first Churches held the East the South the West the middle Churches yea all Churches euen the Roman Church it self for many hundred yeeres next after Christ according to which patterns the Protestants haue reformed their Churches in these latter ages as neere as was possible for them and make no more doubt of saluation therein then of the holy Fathers Saints and Martyrs of former times which reiected the Popes superiority and soueraignty as we doe CHAP. 7. Of the Popes infallible iudgement in guiding the Church by true doctrine § 1. It cannot be proued by Scriptures or Fathers or by the Analogy to the chiefe Priests of the old Testament § 2. Neither is such infallibility now necessary in any man § 3. But if in any man most improbably in the Popes whereof some haue been children and many most wicked men and monsters of men § 4. And many Popes haue erred De facto in Iudgement § 5. Which the Romists distinctions and euasions cannot auoyd § 6. The manifold and manifest Iudgement of Antiquity ouerthroweâ— this supposed infallibility For § I. The Ancients euer accounted the Pope fallible § II. And neuer in their writings mentioned their Infallibility § III. But reiected often both their iurisdiction and Iudgement § IIII. Which if they had beene established and beleeued the Fathers studies and commentaries vpon the Scriptures had beene in vaine § V. And Councels had beene called to no purpose §. 1. Antiquus SVppose the Popes claymed-supreme-gouernment ouer the whole Church cannot bee proued by Scriptures nor Fathers yet if he haue infallibility of iudgment in all points of heauenly doctrine we are bound to submit vnto him Antiquissimus Proue that hee hath such infallibility and we wiil submit to his iudgement Antiq. It is proued by the text a Be lar de Rom Pont. lib. 4 cap. 3. Luk. 22.31 32. Simon Simon Behold Sathan hath desired to winnow you like wheat but I haue prayed for thee that thy Faith should not fayle and when thou art conuerted Strengthen thy brethren Antiquis These words are no way appliable to Peters successors except you will haue them first deny Christ outwardly though faith fayle not in their heart and secondly conuert and afterward strengthen their brethren Else these things are proper to Peter who indeed was so grieuously tempted by Sathan that in that triall through the extremity of feare he denied Christ and that with bitter imprecations but yet by vertue of Christs prayer he denied him not by infidelity the perswasion of his heart remayned the same it was before then repenting bitterly for his outward Apostacy and receiuing the sweetnesse of Gods mercy in forgiuing conuerting and strengthening him hee was able and fit to strengthen his brethren to preuent their like fals or restore them after their fals by hope of the like mercy Thus your Iesuite b Sa Iesuita schol in Luk. 22 id est sicut ego orando te prote i inquit interlinearis glassa ne deficeres sictu infiâ—miores sratres exemplo tuae poenitentiae consorta ne de veâ—ia desperent Seâ— Ar as Mortanus Aquinas Catena on this place Sa interprets this place truely alleadging the interlineall glosse for it And thus doth c Theophylact. vpon Luk. 22. Theophylact also attributing the confirmation of his brethren not to Peters constancy in the true Faith but to his sence of Gods tender mercy recalling and recouering him by which he was able to strengthen the weaâ—e to comfort the sorrowfull to confirme the doubtfull and to rayse them vnto assured hope of finding mercy that otherwise were ready to despaire For who will not be confirmed saith the same Theophylact by Peter in the comfortable perswasion of Gods gracious mercy to repentant sinners that seeth him whom Christ had so much hoâ—oured after so shamefull and execrable fault of Abnegation of his louing Master the Lord of life not onely receiued to mercy but restored to the dignity of the prime and chiefe Apostle Bellarmine bringeth some reasons and allegations to proue those words of Luk. 22 to make for Saint Peters and his successors infallibility but all farre too weake to proue his purpose See them fully examined and answered by D. Field d D. Field Church booke 5 chap. 42. who answers also the other allegations of Mat. 16.18 Vpon this Rocke I will build my Church and of Iohn 21.15 16 17. Feed my sheepe seed my lambes Vpon which the infallibility of the
Sacra Scriptura est Regula credendâ— certissima tutissimaque saith Bellarmine i Bellar. de verbo Dei l. 1. c. 2. § quare cuÌ„ The Scripture is the most certaine and safe rule of Faith and Spiritus dominatur in conscientijs fidelium The holy Spirit rules in the faithfuls consciences making them all to submit to the word of God and though disioyned in Nations Lawes and Languages yet still to consent in the substantiall points of reformed Religion and constantly to suffer for them in persecution which vnity is not wrought by any Kingdome inter nos among vs such as the Pope assumeth but by Christs Kingdome intra nos within vs ruling our hearts by his Word and Spirit which Kingdome hee saith is not of this world but meerely spirituall and diuine §. 3. But now as if Gods truth stood need of our shadowed lies to maintaine it or that humane policy could deuise better means for the gouernment of Gods Church then either he by his own prouidence hath prescribed or the Ancient Primitiue Church practised or else which is the truth because there are some newer doctrines and practises to be maintained neither imposed by God nor able to stand of themselues we forsooth must deuise to set vp a man as blinde and corrupt as our selues and attribute vnto him infallibility in iudgment and vnbounded iurisdiction in gouernment which neither Scripture Fathers nor any reason doth giue him and by him we must suffer our selues to bee ledde blindefold in a conceit of greater peace and vnity than the Truth and Gods Spirit at first afforded which is a meere dreame and not onely a carnall but a most deceiuable policy and no better than the Priests of Antichrist may plot in being content to yeeld themselues to the whole guiding of their wicked Master and attribute vnto him infallibility of iudgement without ground or reason §. 4. That the Popes infallibility and iurisdiction haue no ground in the Scriptures or Fathers I haue shewed before with many reasons against them both Now since you vrge the profit thereof I will shew you the vnprofitablenesse and the intollerable inconuenience thereof to the Church Princes and Common-wealthes Antâ—q If you can doe so you shall goe beyond my expectation Antiquis I haue done it in part already See before book 1. cap. 5. §. 3 5 c. when I shewed you how the Popes earthly kingdome erected and maintained by many vniustifiable practises and polices spoyleth Christs heauenly Kingdome and robbeth earthly kingdomes of wealth peace comfort and many other blessings as by exempting all the Clergy both their persons goods and lands from the gouernment right or maintenance of secular Princes and Magistrates By making the Pope superiour to Emperours and Kings to depose them and dispose of their Kingdomes to others if he thinke it good for the Church and to that end freeing subiects from their sworne fidelity and arming them against their Soueraignes A doctrine fruitfull of treasons and rebellions Ib. sect 7. By dispensing and dissoluing oathes couenants and leagues and all other bonds and sinewes of humane society peace and security Ib. sect 8 9. By dispensing with Gods Lawes in matrimoniall causes and in other matters of great moment Ib. cap. 6. per totum As also by many hurtfull policies to maintaine this power depriuing Gods people of Gods word and authorizing Monks and Friers to preach where they list without controule of Bishops corrupting diuinity by Schoolmens subtilties Iesuits Statists and Incendiaries and many other deuices to draw to their faction the Wealth and Soueraignty of the word Meditate and consider well of that which then I declared and you will be satisfied that a number of things in the Papacy practised are most vnprofitable to the Church and vntollerable to Princes and Common-wealths §. 5. But to satisfie the more thorowly I will shew you some examples Hildebrand who as Onuphrius saith first set vp the Popes princedome made himselfe Pope by help of the Diuell so he was accused by a Synod a Trithem chroÌ„ Hirsaugiens an 1081. Auentin annal Boior l. 5. Marian chroÌ„ l. 3. an 1081 c of 30. Bishops of Italy France and Germany and by the ayd of armed men with some few of the Clergy and furthered by the great riches of Maud a powerful Gentlewoman of Italy his familiar friend without either the b Carlt. iurisd cap. 7. §. 103. Benno Naucler generat 36. This story I collect out of those histories and our learned men K. Iames BB Iewel Morton Carlton Bilson Vshâ—â— c. Emperours consent or the Cardinals hee called his name Gregory the seuenth Being now warme in the Popes Chayre he cites the Emperour Henry the fourth anno 1076. to appeare and answere in a Synod at Rome to crimes obiected against him vpon paine of present deposition Henry cals a Synod at Wormes where all the Teutonick Bishops except the Saxons renounce Hildebrand from being Pope and to their decree the German and French Bishops and most of the Italian Bishops assembling at Papia subscribed taking their oathes neuer to obey him more as Pope With this decree Caesar sends his letters to Hildebrand renouncing him and pronouncing him deposed from the Popedome The letters and deposition were deliuered in a Synod at Rome whereupon Ioannes Portuensis episcopus rushed vp and cried out Capiatur let him bee taken at which word the Prefect of the City and souldiers were at point to take and slay him in the Church But he stoutly catching vp a sword and calling vpon the name of Peter Prince of the Apostles with solemne words cursed the Emperour depriued him of his Empire absolued all Christians from their oath of fidelity made vnto him and forbade them to obey him as King And this was the first time that euer any Emperour or King was pronounced deposed by the Pope and subiects set free from their Alleagiance as c See Onuphrius cited before Booke 1. cap. 4. §. 9 10. Vrspergens fol. 226. B. Carlton Iurisd c. 7. §. 105. Malmsburiensis hist in Willm primo Angl. Reg. Otho Frising in vita Henrici 4. l. 4. c. 31. B. Vsher De Eccles succes cap. 5. §. 6. Onuphrius and many other historians say This Emperor Henry saith Vrspergensis was valiant and fought 62. set battles in number surpassing M. Marcellus and Iulius Caesar of whom the one fought 30. the other 50. This fact of Hildebrand opened all mens mouthes with outcries against him calling him Antichrist and that by deuising fables corrupting histories abusing Scriptures through his headlong ambition hee sought the rule of the world vnder the title of Christ and played the rauening wolfe in sheepes cloathing spoyling all religious piety raysing warres seditions rapes murders periuries and all euils Thus cryed the world saith Auentine Meane season Hildebrand prosecuting the deposition of Henry stirred vp the Saxons against him offring to make them Kings of the whole West besides
Religion in this point Antiq. I must needs doe so and I doe not thinke them true Catholikes that hold and practise this point of Supremacy Papists they may bee as you terme them for so holding with the Pope but Catholikes they cannot be for this Doctrine is not Catholike §. 14. Antiquis Doe you not see also how greatly you shake the Popes authority by this meanes and ouerturne the foundation of his Supremacy for your Popes haue both claymed and practised this full authority as well in ciuill and temporall things as in Ecclesiasticall and vpon the same grounds And your learned Doctors thinke their grounds as firme for the one as for the other Your Great Bellarmine vpon whom you so much rely saith o Bellarm. de Pont. Rom l. 5. cap. 6. initio Although the Pope as Pope hath not any more temporall power which other Doctors say he hath yet so farre as it may make for the spirituall good he hath supreme power to dispose of the temporall things of all Christians And p Ib. cap. 7. hee labours to proue that the Pope may depose Princes and dispose of their kingdomes if he finde it good for the Church as a sheephard may deale with Wolues and vnruly Rammes and other sheepe And many of your Doctors haue the like as Eudaemon Ioannes Sidonius Suarez Becanus Mariana Grotzerus Costerus Baronius Sanders Allen and thousands more Antiq. I am very sorrowfull that so great learned men should hold such an opinion I hold them erroneous and euill Antiquis Then you must confesse that the Church of Rome may erre and that in a maine point both of doctrine and practise to the great hurt of the Catholike Church and many mens destruction both of body and soule in being traytors and rebels against their Soueraignes and murderers of people of which crimes your Popes and Doctors are guilty Antiq. I must needs grant that some haue erred in the Church but not the whole Church neither I hope hath any Pope taught this Ex Cathedra Antiquis This some is a large some the greatest part of your Church and I thinke the Pope teacheth it Ex Cathedra when hee decrees it out of his Pontificall iudgement and authority and sends out his iudiciall excommunications vnder seale against Princes to depose them as Pius 5. did against our Queene Elizabeth and Breefes to forbid his Catholikes to take the oath of ciuill Alleagiance as Paulus 5. did to our English Now consider well what you grant in effect that the greatest part of the Church yea the most conspicuous and eminent men in the Church and the Pope also may erre in some great and dangerous point and yet because some few inferiour and obscure persons hold the truth the true Church is still sufficiently visible and illustrious This you had not wont to yeeld to the Protestants See card Perons oration in the third inconuenience In K Iamâ—s his Remonstrance p. 183. 187. c. Cardinall Perone dare not grant it but saith this would proue the Church of Rome to be Antichristian and hereticall and to haue ceased to be the Spouse of Christ for a long time and to haue taught many points without authority as Transubstantiation auricular confession c. for these he ranketh with the Popes power to depose Kings and if the Scriptures yeeld no ground for the one no more doe they for the other These and diuerse other points which they hold different from vs haue no other ground but the authority of that Churâ—h which is found to erre in great and dangerous matters See this in B. Whites answer alleadged p. 87 Your owne learned Iesuite Mr Fisher vpon whose iudgement your English Roman Catholikes doe much relye saith Thâ—t if the Church could deliuer by consent of Ancestors together with truth some errors her Traditions euen about the truth were questionable and could not be beleeued vpon the warrant of her Tradition and this he proueth substantially Neither doe we receiue doctines vpon the Churches warrant only as Doctor White there largely learnedly sheweth but vpon their agreeing with the holy Scriptures Now we may assume The Church of Rome doth deliuer by consent of many Ancestors from Gregory 7. time to our times some errours as this concerning her power to depose Kings and dissolue oathes of Alleagiance c. Ergo her traditions or teaching are questionable and cannot be beleeued vpon the account of her Tradition Consequently all other her doctrines not grounded vpon Scripture are questionable and our subiection to her iudgement vnnecessary Antiq. Truly if I grant the former doctrine of her power to depose Kings c. to be erroneous as I must needs grant I know not how to auoyd this reason 1 Booke 1. cap 1. And therefore not to trouble you longer at this time Since you haue shewed me 1. that your Chuch differeth nothing from the Romish Church in the old true doctrine which it continueth but onely in some corruptions which it hath added and that 2. corruptions may in time come into any particular Church the Roman not excepted 2 cap. 2. but warned thereof by the Scriptures 3. 3 cap. 3. shewing also the time when they grew obseruable and notorious in the Roman Church 4 cap. 4. and 4 that they were opposed from time so time and reformation called for 5 cap. 5. shewing also 5. the principall points wherein the difference consists and that you hold all necessary doctrines 6 cap. 6. 6. misliking many policies by them vsed to maintaine their new corruptions And further haue shewed mee Booke 2. that this your Church for the substance of the doctrine thereof hath alwayes beene visible 7. as all one with the Primitiue Church 7 cap. 1. and the Greeke and Easterne Churches and the Waldenses that separated from the corruptions of the Papacy yea and with the Roman Church it selfe excepting the Papacy and the maintainers thereof although in some 8 8 cap. 2. ceremonies and priuate opinions both you and the Romish haue departed from fome Fathers wherin 9. 9 cap. 3 also there was difference among themselues as there is also still among the Roman Doctors And further you haue shewed mee 10. 10. cap 4. a Rule to iudge all Churches and Christians by By which Rule iudged right by the Roman Doctors you approue your selues to hold all things necessary to saluation and thereby to be the true Church of God and agreeing therein with all true Churches that are or euer were in the world yea and that 11. 11 cap 5. your Bishops and Ministers haue as good succession from the Apostles as any other in the world although 12. 12 cap. 6. 13. cap. 7. you admit not the B. of Romes Supremacy ouer al Churches and Christians in the world neither 13. his Infallibility both which you proue to be vnknowne and vnreceiued of the Ancients and 14. 14 cap. 8. both vnprofitable and
Tridentine faith is not so old as Luther neuer seene in the world of many yeares after his death CHAP. 2. Answering the vaine alleadging of some words and customes and corrupt alleadging of the Fathers words against Protestants § 1. Obiection None alleadged in the former chapter agree with Protestants in all things ergo are not of their Church or Religion 2 Answered It is no consequent For so also euery one of them differed from the present Romish Religion and yet are accounted theirs Protestants haue iustly abstained from some words and phrases of some Fathers 3 And also haue left off some ceremonies and customes 4 As the Church of Rome hath left many knowne to be ancient and thought to be Apostolicall 5 Which confutes the vanity of W.G. his booke and shewes his owne alleadged authors by his owne argument to bee none of his Church and Religion 6 By the same argument many Fathers for example Athanasius Ierom Gelasius Gregory Chrysostome Augustine are plentifully proued to be against the present Church and Religion of Rome 7 Foure seuerall wayes at the least the Romish make shew of the Fathers to be for them The first by alleadging counterfeit books falsely bearing the Fathers names Many examples hereof 8 The second by corrupting the bookes which the Fathers wrote putting words in or out and altering the text to speake contrary to their meaning 9 The third by blinding or perverting the sense of the Fathers sentences by glozes and interpretations 10 The fourth by citing the Fathers to proue that which is not in question §. 1. Antiquus NOw that you haue said what you can or will to shew that Protestants had a sufficient visible Church in all Ages since Christ I reply you neuer had any For neither the Fathers nor Greeke Church nor Waldenses nor the Church of Rome before Luthers time were of your Religion Campian Ratio 5. For the Fathers it was Mr. Campians fifth reason why he challenged combate with the Protestants because all the Fathers backed him Ad Patres si quando licebet accedere confectum est praelium If we may try it by the Fathers the fight is at an end For they are as sure ours as Pope Gregory the 13. These and the other three sorts euery one of them either in many points or at least in one or other differed from you As the Rhemists say in their Annotation vpon Rom. 11. ver 4. We will not put the Protestants to proue that there were 7000 of their sect when their new Elias Luther began but let them proue that there were seuen or any one his either then or in all Ages before him that was in all points of his beleefe Thus the Rhemists §. 2. Adrationes Campians G. Whitakeri responsio ad rationem 5. Antiquissimus The vanity of Campian you may see by D. Whitakers answer who shewes that euery one of the Fathers whom Campian picked out and named held points directly against him and for vs. Euen Dionysius Cyprian Athanasius Basil Nazianzin Ambrose Ierom Chrysostome Austen Gregory The vanity of your Rhomists and other lipellers following them is palpable in that they thinke euery smal point of doctrine or practice yea euery small rite or ceremony vsed by some and not vsed by others makes a difference of their Religion We doe not deny but that we haue left off and disused diuers traditions ceremonies and phrases which were vsed in the ancient Church but we constantly affirme we carefully and entirely hold all the substance of doctrine and all things necessary for saluation not onely for the essence but for the perfection beauty and ornament of the Church so that notwithstanding the things left off wee are wholy and fully of the Primitiue and ancient Religion Aâ—tiquus Why haue you left off any words and phrases of the ancient Fathers if you hold their doctrine why forsake you their words Antiquissimus Bellar. De cultu Sanctorum lib. 3 cap. 4. Ad testim patrum dico De Romano Pontif. lib. 3. cap. 13. §. Ratio autem cur Apostoli in Scripturis nunquam vocant sacerdotes Christianos sacerdotes sed solum episcopos presbyteros c. See Here. cap. 5 sect 9. See this matter handled aâ— large by B. Morton Appeal lib 2. cap. 7. B. Andreâ—es Ad Bellarmini Apologiam Responsio cap 8. pag. 184. Because those words are now taken to signifie such doctrines as then they intended not Their doctrine we hold though some of their words we doe not so frequently vse you vsurpe those words but refuse their doctrine Your Bellarmine tels vs truly that the Apostles and first Christians abstained from the words Temple and Priests vsing the words Ecclesiae Episcopi Presbyteri And thus Iustinus Ignatius and the other most ancient Fathers vsed to speake The reason was lest people might vnderstand them as if they meant that the Iewish ceremonies continued with the Temple of Salomon and the sacrificing Priests But afterwards in Tertulliâ—ns time when the danger of that misconceit was worne out Christians began to call Presbyters and Bishops by the name of Priests c. So that the words which the Apostles and first Fathers neuer vsed for feare of mistaking the following Fathers ordinarily vsed hoping after that long disusing they should not be mistaken they vsed the words Priests or Sacerdotes altars sacrifices oblations and such like not properly but by allusion to the Priests altars and sacrifices of the Iewes which were types figures and as it were foretokens or foreprophesies of Christs sacrifice offred once by himselfe for the sinnes of the whole world which was the Antitype verity of those of the Jewes and was continually to be remembred againe as oft as the blessed Sacrament of his Body and Blood was celebrated â—useb demonstr Evang. lib. 1. c. 10. Chrysost hom 17. in Hebr. Ambr. in Epist ad Hebr. 10. 〈◊〉 August in Psal 75. Jdem lib. 20. aduers Faustum Manichaeum cap. 21. tom 6. Thus the Fathers haue expressed their owne meanings Eusebius Christ hath offered a marvailous sacrifice for the saluation of vs all commanding vs to offer vnto God a memoriall instead of the sacrifice of his Body and Blood Chrysostome wee offer vp the same sacrifice which Christ offered or rather a remembrance thereof the like hath Ambrose Augustine saith when we doe not forget our Sauiours gift is not Christ daily offered for vs Christ was once offered for vs and by that memory he is so daily sacrificed for vs as if he daily renued vs. And more fully Sacrificij nostri vera caro caro Christi olim in veteri lege per victimas pollicebatur in passione vero Christi in cruce per veritatem reddebatur at hodie in nostre sacrificio per sacramentum memoriae celebratur Sententiarum lib. 4. distinctio 12. lit g. The Master of the Sentences asketh whether that which the Priest holdeth may be called properly a sacrifice or
glasse darkely Aug. epist 57. Regula Fidei pufillis magnisque communis And therefore beside that larger measure of knowledge whereof all are not capable there must be a rule of Faith common to great and small as Saint Augustine calls it And as there is a common saluation a Iude v. 3. whereof the meanest beleeuer is capable as well as the greatest Apostles b 2 Pet. 1.1 so there must be a common faith c Tit. 1.4 sufficient to conduct vs all vnto it §. 4. This Saint Paul calls The fourme of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 hold fast the forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and loue which is in Christ Iesus 1 It must be a forme frame or fashion body method Rule of Faith or of sound and sauing Doctrine fit for all Preachers to frame their Sermons by and all Christians to frame their faith and life by Timothy in preaching and the Ephesians in hearing and practizing 2 It must be not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as rom 6.17 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here a short forme or briefe method There must perspicuity for the vnderstanding and breuity for the memory of simple men 3 To these must be added certainty which thou hast heard of me learned of men inspired by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 2 Tim. 3 15 16 17. Bellar. De verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. § quare cum Sacra Scriptura est regula credendi certissima tutissimaque saith Bellarmine 4 Adde also sufficiency both for Credenda all things to be beleeued in Faith and for Facienda all things to be performed in Loue which is the fulfilling of the Law For true Faith and good life containe all things belonging to a Christian And all things appertaining to these that are necessary for all men to know are contained in the Scriptures saith Bell also * Idem ib. l. 4. c 11.9 His notatu Duo omnia illa scripta esse ab Apostolis qua sunt omnibus necessaria quae ipsi palam omnibus pradicaverant Costerus in Enchiridio c. 1. de sacra scriptura §. Caeterum Caeterum non insiciamur praecipna illa capita qua omnibus Christianis ad salutem necessaria perspicue satis essè Apostolicis scriptu comprehensa As Augustine also de doctr Christiana l. 2. c. 9 â—ellar de Iustif l. 3. c. 8. § prima ratio B. Vsher serm Wansted p. 42. Vincent Lirinen siâ— contra haeres c. 3. Jn ipsa catholica ecclesia magnopere curandum est vt id teneamus quod vbique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditum est hoc est enim verè proprinque catholicum Ioan. Serran in Apparat. ad fidem call â—l edit Paris 1607. pag. 172. Vsher ib. pag. 59. See S. August libr. de fi de operibus cap. 9. Yea and that plainly enough saith the Iesuite Costerus 5 And to these belong also that Antiquity Vniuersality and Vnity which are so much spoken of and are vsually but most falsly applyed to the new additioÌ„s of the Roman Church as well as to these fundameÌ„tall principles to which onely they belong Vincentius Lirinensis saith well That is truely and properly Catholicke and to be held in the Catholicke Church whâ—ch in all places in all times and of all Christians hath beene and is beleeued And this saith Serranus a late learned man who hath written a full discourse of this argument is that doctrine against which the gates of Hell shall neuer preuaile and which the Father of lies by all his deuises and attempts could neuer yet nor euer shall abolish or foote out of the hearts of men This Antiquity Vniuersality or Catholicisme and this Vnity or Generall consent of Christian doctrine will neuer be found any where but in the essentiall substantiall and fundamentall points thereof 6 Saint Paul yet addeth these words Which is in Christ Iesus because he is the deepest Foundation root Author and finisher of our Faith and Loue of our future saluation and of our present gracious conuersation Other Foundation can no man lay saith the same Saint Paul 1. cor 3.11 Not that there need no other principles of Faith then those that concerne his person onely and directly for the Articles concerning God the Father the Holy Ghost the forgiuenesse of sinnes resurrection of the dead the last Iudgement c. haue their place in the Foundation Hebr. 6.1 â— but because Christ is the most especiall obiect of our Faith and the primary Foundation of all the other for they haue all reference vnto him being such as concerne either His Father or His spirit or His incarnation or His office of mediation or His Church or the speciall benefits which he hath purchased for it And also all the Articles as they build vs vpon the Foundation and as they incorporate vs into the mysticall Body or as they are meanes of our Iustification and life they looke vpon the sonne of God and him onely Also we must not onely know the originall cause of our saluation but also our need therof by knowledge of our originall and actuall sinnes which deserue damnation and the meanes to communicate this saluation vnto vs the Church the Ministery preaching sacraments and the dueties which we must do For rom 10.14 how can we know God or pray to him without beleeuing or beleeue without hearing or heare without preaching or haue preaching except Preachers be sent from God by meanes of the Church or know our duties without Gods comandments Mat. 15.9 Faith is necessary Rom. 4.14 gal 2.21 hebr 11.6 so is new birth Joh. 3.5 2. cor 5.17 Ioh. 13.8 Repentance luc 13.3 Deniall of our selues luc 9.23.24 c. §. 5. But how farre these Fundamentall principles which are absolutely necessare to saluation must extend is a Question of some difficulty The Apostles contented themselues in conuerting the Jewes to Christian Religion to teach them that Christ Iesus was the Sauiour of the world and that Saluation was to be had onely by Repentance from Dead works and Faith in him For that he was the very Messias foretold by the Patriarks and Prophets had died for our sinnes and rose againe for our Iustification They mentioned not God the Father Creator and Preseruer of the world nor the doctrine of the Trinity and other things which the hearers knew before without any new teaching being Jewes and well acquainted with the Olde Testament but presupposing they were grounded in these points before they layd the foundation of the New Testament to wit Saluation by Iesus Christ onely B. Vsher in his Sermon at Wansted 1624 And Bellarmin also lib. 4. de verbo Dei cap. 11. alleadge these examples to this purpose which when the people receiued and beleeued they presently baptized them and receiued them into the Congregation of Christs flocke Thus did Sant Peter Acts 2. and Acts 3. and Acts. 4.10 11 12. The like course was vsed by Phillip to
and preaching the kingdome of God no man forbidding him He called them in his Epistle Beloued oâ— God Rom. 1.7 8. Saints and saith their Faith was spoken of throughout the whole world Rom. â—5 14 and that they were full of goodnesse filled with all knowledge able also to admonish one another And yet Saint Paul was faine to admonish the same Romans to marke them which caused diuisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which they had heard and learned and to auoid them For such serue not our Lord Iesus but their owne belly and by good words and fayre speaches deceiue the hearts of the simple Rom. 16.17 18 The same Saint Paul had planted a famous Church at Corinth continuing there a yeare and an halfe so famous that he said of it 1 Cor. 1.5 I thanke God that in euery thing ye are inriched by God in all vtterance and knowledge c. But that Church of Corinth which Paul had planted Acts 18.11 Apollo watered and God so encreased The Diuell and wicked men corrupted both in life 1 Cor. 5.1 to suffer such wickednesse as was not so much as named among the Gentils and in doctrine to embrace such points as made the Apostles preaching vaine 1 Cor. 15.14 19. and their faith vaine Yea and made Christians of all men most miserable Whâ—ch Saint Paul was faine laboriously to reforme by writing two large Epistles vnto them The Galations erred so dangerously about the doctrine of Iustification Gal. 5.2 4. that Saint Paul told them if they reformed it not they were fallen from grace and Christ profited them nothing The Philippians had among them dogs euill workers Phil. 3.2 18 19 enemies to the crosse of Christ whose God was their belly whose glory was in their shame whose end was damnation Of whome Saint Paul tels them weeping Saint Paul praised the Colossians Col. 1.3 4 6. Col. 2.8 16 21 22. yet he found it necessary to warne them of the danger of vaine philosophy traditions worshipping of Angels and other fruitlesse obseruations after the commandements and doctrines of men He praised the Thessalonians also 1 Thes 1.2 3. c. 2.13 14. ib. cap. 3.7 5. 2 Thes 2.2 3. Yet he found it fit to send Timothy to strengthen and comfort them least the tempter should by some meanes tempt them and frustrate his labour And by two Epistles he stirres them vp to continuance and stedfastnesse in the truth and giues them many good precepts of life As he doth also in all his other Epistles to other Churches The seuen Churches of Asia had their imperfections Reu. 2.4 5. their dangers and their need of helpes against them Ephesus fell from her first loue verse 7. Smyrna dwelt by the Synagogue of Sathan Pergamus by Satans seat verse 13. in danger of Balaams stumbling blocks and the Nicolaitans hatefull Doctrine Thyatyra tempted by Iezabels fornication and Idols verse 20. Sardis had a name to liue and was dead Reu. 3.1 Philadelphia had but little strength verse 8. verse 15. Laodicea was neither hot nor colde thought all well and knew not she was wretched miserable poore blinde and naked These Churches to which it may be presumed all other may in some sort more or lesse be resembled and ranked had the foundation well layed in them but yet they stood in need of continual renewed instructioÌ„s excitations exhortations consolations armour against temptations physicke against diseases and food against faintings and consequently of the Word of God which is all these to dwell plentifully among them and duely and daily to be ministred vnto them I verely thinke the want of frequenting our Sermons is the cause that so many fall away to the Romish It is the policy of your seducers to keepe them by all meanes from hearing and knowing the truth 2. Thes 2.10 11 12. Otherwise they could neuer be so blinded to beleeue lies to take Nouelty for Antiquity Idolatry for Gods worship treasons and massacres for holy acts to take pleasure in vnrighteousnesse and be carried away with such other strong delusions and withall deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse to their owne perdidition and not rather receiue the loue of the truth that they might be saued Psal 58.4 â— These deafe Adders might be charmed if they did not willfully stop their eares against the voice of the Charmer Heb. 4.12 2 cor 10.4 5. charme he neuer so wisely For the word of God iâ— quick and powerfull and sharper then any two-edged sword piercing euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the Ioints and marow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart The fruit whereof you may see where it is plentifull and graceously preached obseruing how religious deuout iust and truely honest the people become how temperate sober charitable vpright dealing and blessed people abhorring all sinne desirous and diligent to practise all good duties that tend to the honor of God and the good of men I doe not thinke but if your backsliders would carefully heare many of our Preachers they would be as Saint Paul saith conuinced of all 2 Cor. 14.24 25. and iudged of all the very secrets of their hearts made manifest and so falling downe on their faces would worship God and report that God is in the Preachers of a truth Antiquus Oh Sir so we thinke of our Priests wee reuerence them as Gods Angels we heare them as sent from God as God himselfe or as men sent and endued with power from God to teach vs the true way to heauen to absolue vs from our sinnes to offer vp the reall sacrifice of Christs body and blood for vs and to giue vs the true naturall body of Christ himselfe into our moothes to our eternall saluation Which priuiledges your titulary Ministers haue not They are no Priests they are meere secular men without any power and authority from God to doe any of these things And therefore we haue no reason to heare them or to reuerence them otherwise then we doe other ordinary men for their personall honesty or ciuility not for their offices You haue therefore offered mee iust occasion to proceed and vrge this thing as CHAP. 5. Of the succession of the Protestants Bishops and Ministers from the Apostles Section 1. The necessity thereof vrged without which there can be no such Church 2. This succession is clamourously denyed to Protestants 3. But manifestly proued and the slanders confuted 4. Particularly in Cranmer our first Archbishop 5. Jn other Bishops of King Henry 8 his time 6. And of Edward 6. and of Queene Maries time 7. And of Queene Elizabeths time 8. The false reports hereof doe alienate many from the Reformed Religion 9. A proofe of the sufficient ordination of Ministers in forraigne Reformed Churches 10. Which is further confirmed by the Doctrine and practise of the Romish Section 1. Antiquus ANother
vntollerable in the Church of God Since all this you haue deliuered with such plentifull and pregnant proofes as I haue nothing for the present to say against them I must needs thankfully confesse that they sway much with me yet will I not be rash to resolue vpon a sudden without further meditation and consultation with men of better iudgement than my selfe but I promise you if you at our next meeting can as well satisfie me in the particular points of Doctrine as you haue now presently in these generall obiections I shall be very inclinable with all due reuerence to returne vnto your Church Antiquis Deare friend I pray God blesse your meditations and consultations I haue told you the truth from my heart so farre as my reading and iudgement could direct me Quaere doctiores Inuenies praesumptiores Seeke more learned you shall haply finde them that will presume more of their learning as Saint Augustine said such as will seeke rather the victory than the Truth I am old past my climactericall yeere as they call the yeere 63. other men may haue death at their backes I haue him alwayes before my face I was neuer dissembler and least of all now hauing one foot in the graue Meditate vpon that I haue said and especially reade the holy Scriptures the Cloud and Pillar to guide you to the land of Promise the Light and Lanterne to your feet quicke and liuely in operation to moue your heart And when you are either to reade meditate or conferre first shut your selfe in your Closet or priuate Chamber there fall downe humbly vpon your knees and pray the most gracious God to illuminate your minde and make pliable your heart for true diuine faith For all your reading and conference study and meditation can worke no more than humane faith builded vpoÌ„ humane testimonies which may prepare good entrance and introduction to diuine faith which must afterwards bee fully wrought confirmed and sealed by the holy Ghost all our planting and watring is nothing without this The testimony of the Church of histories of former ages which yet onely the Romish pretend to relie vpon and call vs thereunto and wherein we proue our selues superiors and which are the greatest assurances that mans wit or humane meanes can afford yet are farre short of begetting the Faith that assureth of the Truth and saueth either them or vs without the diuine working and assurance of the holy Ghost whose guidance and heauenly influence seeke for by seruent and diligent prayer And so I commend you to Gods grace FINIS An Appendix Christian Reader after J had sent this booke to the Printer there came to my hands a worthy learned booke of Doctor Morton Bishop of Couentry and Liechfield entituled The grand Imposture of the now Church of Rome which J commend vnto thy diligent reading for thy yet-fuller satisfaction in that main point There thou shalt see many of those Histories which I haue alledged briefly especially in my later Chapters more largely discoursed thorowly vrged against all possibility of contradiction And now for a peroration or conclusion beside my former proofes J offer vnto thee these three waighty considerations to meditate vpon I. Of the excellent benefit of pure Primitiue Religion II. Of the euils of false or corrupted Religion III. Of the great blessings of the Reformation thereof Thinke not thy time lost nor thy labour long in reading them CHristian Religion I. Of the excellent benefit of pure Primitiue Religion when the excellency of it was once knowne was embraced as the greatest benefit that euer came vnto Mankind because it not onely brought men out of darkenesse into light to the knowledge of the true God and of themselues and of the most comfortable meanes of their saluation but also because it trained vp men in all things profitable for this present life and made a second heauen vpon earth That City Countrey and Nation was found to prosper in wealth peace honesty diligence in euery Calling faithfulnesse among men sobriety in themselues obedience to Magistrates and all kind of goodnesse where it was receiued and where both people and Gouernours feared God and serued him as he had prescribed â—â—â—y 11.6 For it wrought a wonderfull blessed change in all true beleeuers hearts farre beyond all Lawes and Ordinances of Man Of Wolues they became Lambes of Vultures Doues of Leopards Kids of Aspes and Cockatrices Innocents and Children of Barbarous Sauage and rude people they became ciuill deuout iust cleane peaceable and holy All vices rooted out all vertues planted in their hearts and practised in their liues Whereupon followed peace loue vnity prosperity and felicity in the Christian world Pliny lib. 10. Epist 97. citat à Baronio anno 1â—4 num 3. Pliny certified the Emperour that vpon his thorow-search and full knowledge of Christians he found them strongly bound together by Sacraments or oathes not to do any wicked thing But not to commit these robberies murders deceit or deny any things committed to their trust or keeping c. Baron tom 2. an 195. nu 21. Euseb Praeparat Evangel lib. 6. cap. â— Baronius cites Bardezanus Syrus giuing this testimony to the Christians that in whatsoeuer City or Countrey they liued Persia Media Parthia Aegypt or other barbarous Nations they quite changed the nature and qualities of men to forsake and abandon theit old wilde vniust beastly customes and become iust chaste honest charitable suffering people And although some Emperours and Princes for a time persecuted Christians vpon misinformation that they were enemies to their state and dignity and a rebellious kinde of people yet in time they found the contrary and fauoured them aboue all others Tertul. ad Scapulam liber pag. 162 163. Tertullian writing to Scapula the President tels him A Christian is no mans enemy much lesse enemy to the Emperour whom Christians know to be ordayned by their God and they are compelled by their Religion to loue reuerence and honor him and to seeke his safety with the safety of the whole Empire And therfore they professe say Colimus Jmperatorem sic quomodo nobis licet ipsi expedit vt homineÌ„ à deo secundum quicquid est a deo consequutum solo deo minorem We honour and obey the Emperour so farre as is lawfull for vs and needfull for him that is as a man next vnder God and hauing obtained of God whatsoeuer he is being inferiour to God alone Origen testifies that the Church of God was euer calme and quiet at Athens though the Athenians were turbulent and seditious So also at Corinth Alexandria Origen contra Celsum lib. 3. Baron tom 2. an 1â—5 n. 2. and euery where the Church was farre more excellent then the best composed Common-wealth Gregory the great Bishop of Rome Greg lib. 7. epist 8 cited by Kâ—ng Iames Remonstr pag. 137. Apolog. for the oath of Allegiance pag. 94. 600 yeares after Christs birth professeth that