Epist â— ad Mâ—r ellinuÌ„ such souldiours such subiectes as our Religion requireth and Princes shall raigne securely and their kingdomes shall flouriâ—h more happilie then Platoes common vvelth And bicause ReligioÌ„ good or badde beareth a great svvay in the rule of mans life the Professours of the nevve Religion must needes be more prone to disobedience and rebellion then vvee bicause Religion vvhich serueth for a bridle to vs is a Spurre to them Vvherfore by Catholikes all your Predecessours haue been serued vvith great fidelitie both in vvarre and peace and your glorious Mother if she vvere liuing in Earth as she is better liuiÌ„g in Heauen vvould not lette to vvitness vvhat affectioÌ„ she hath found amongest the English Catholiques and vvould vvarraunt your Grace that they vvill neuer bee false to the Sonne vvho haue been so true to the Mother But if your Highnes doubte of our fidelitie vve vvill bynde our selues by corporall oathe to obey your lavves in all temporal causes and to defend your Roial Person your Deare Spouse our Gracious Queene and your tovvardlie Children our Noble Lordes vvith the laste droppe of our bloud and this our oathe vve shall be contented to diuulge to all the Princes of Europe yea all the Christian vvorlde And as your Grace may accounte of vs as of your surest so not of your fevvest nor vveakest subiectes for notvvithstanding this longe persequution vvee are so many Apalog c. 37. that as Tertulian sayed to the Paganes of the Christianes of his tyme vve fill your Courtes your Vniuersities your Cities your Tovvnes your Villages yea your prisons not for theftes or murders but for Religion only vvee haue lefte the Churches to the Ministers bicause in them is practised and preached a Religion vvhich our consciences can not brooke Yea a greater parte are vvee then any particuler secte in your Maiesties Realme and vvee are linked in Religion to all Catholique Princes and countries about you vvho vvill bee more louing neighbours if they see that vvee their bretherne synde this desired fauour at your Graces handes and the noblest and mightiest of them vvilbe more desirous to ioyne in mariadge vvith your Royall posteritie vvherby hovve your Kingdome shal be strengthned and your Dominions enlarged your Princely vvisdome easilie perceueth and you haue an example in the noble Hovvse of Austria Your Noble Brother of Fraunce that novv raigneth may be a president in this matter vvho though he vvas once an enemie to the Catholique Religion yet findeth more faythfull correspondence in his Catholique subiectes then in all the rest and by permitting bothe is serued of bothe and serueth him selfe of bothe Thirdly moste Gracious Soueraigne to admit the Catholique Religion or at least to permit it is your greatest safetie for your conscience For as you are a Prince so are you a Christian Prince and therefore a champion cap. 4.9 and as the Prophet Esaie sayeth a Foster-father of the Church and as the Kinges of Fraunce euen from Clodoueus the first Christian Kinge of that Realme haue beene called Christianissimi for their good offices tovvardes the Catholique Church Genebrar l s. Chron. Baron to 9. Annal. and the kinges of Spaine From Ferdinande yea from Alphonsus yea as some thinke from Recaredus for extirpating Arianisme and propagating the Christian faythe Geneb l. 4. Chron. Sleid l 3. Georg. Lilius in Chr. Angl. are surnamed Catholike so the Kinges of England froÌ„ King Henrie the Eight your Graces great vncle for his Catholike lerned booke writteÌ„ agaiÌ„st Luther other his most honourable seruices vvhich he perfourmed for the Catholike Church are called Defendours of the Faithe that is the Catholike faith Wherfore your Maiestie first bicause you are a Christian King Secondly bicause youâ— are a Defendour of the faithe are to see that the right vvorship of God and the true Christiane religion be practised in your Realme This the honour of God vnder vvhom you raigne this the good of his Church vvhose Champion you are this the saluation of your people vvhose King you are this the spiritual health of the body of your Realme vvhose head you are requireth For if in any couÌ„trie it be true that the inconstaunte people changeth vvithe the King in England it is moste true as vve haue seene by diuerse changes of religion in this Vnhappie age and so in your Maiestie it lyeth to saue or not to saue your people vvhich so admireth your authoritie and Princely vertues that your vvill is their lavve and your lavv their rule of religion And vvhere can your Grace finde a securer hauen for the Saluation of your selfe and your subiectes then the Catholike Church In vvhich soe many Martyrs haue dyed so many Doctours haue taught and preached so many virgins haue liued in flesh like Angells and so many sainctes haue vvrought so straunge and vvonderfull miracles by vvhich so many heresies haue been condemned so many Councels called so many Ecclesiasticall lavves enacted and such goodly order and discipline established For vv ch so many monasteries Churches Colledges Vniuersities and hospitalles haue beene builded fouÌ„ded In vv ch so many Emperours Kinges and Princes haue liued raigned dyed and as it is to bee hoped also haue beene saued and against vvhich so many cruel persequutours in vaine haue raysed forces and vsed tormeÌ„tes and so many heretikes haue raged and railed vvhich is descended froÌ„ the Apostles can proue a continuall succession of her pastours and religion from them vnto this daye Vvheras the nevv Church began but yesterdaye and her Preachers vvith her vvho also can not proue their mission nor distinguish them selues from false Prophets vvhose doctrine hath all the markes of heresie and is rather Antichristian then ChristiaÌ„ plucking at Christes Diuinitie spoiling him of many Honourable Titles to vvit Redeemer Spiritual Phifitian Lavv-giuer Aeternall Preest Iudge of the quicke and dead equalizing euery Christian vvith him making him an ignoraunt desperate and damned man vvhich hath nether Preest nor sacrifice nor in effect any sacrameÌ„t no prayer not so much as our Lords prayer no nor a sermon according to their doctrine nor any of the essential partes of Religion vvhich is blasphemous in many pointes against God iniurious to State and Authoritie fauourable to vice and bending to Atheisme all vvhich pointeâ— I haue proued in this booke But if youâ— Maiesties pleasure or leisure be not such as by perusing this booke to informe your selfe vvhich is moste likely to be the true Christian religion if it shall please your Highnes to commaund a conference or disputation vvhich hathe euer beeâ— the vsual meanes to determine coÌ„troueâ—sies as appeareth by the disputation oâ— Helias vvith Baals Prophetes â— Reg 18.10 8. Act. 7.9 17. 18 19. 20. Aug ep 47. Ruf. l. hist of Christ vvith the Ievves of Sainct Paule vvith levves and Gentils and of the ancieâ— doctours in Councels and out of Councels vvith Ethinkes and heretiques youâ— Maiestie shall finde diuers of your
him selfe vnto his creatures but that some tymes extraordinarilie he vvorketh by him selfe vvithout any concurrence of them as he did vvhen vvith a vvorde or touche he restored health vvhich ordinarilie he doth by phisitions and secoÌ„d causes so likvvise ordinarilie god sendeth pastours and preachers and giueth theÌ„ authoritie by others yet sometymes also extraordinarilie he sendeth them immediatlie from him selfe As for example Moyses and Aaron in the olde lavve vvere sent immediatlie froÌ„ god to recall his people out of Aegipt and to rule and gouerne them in matters of religion but the highe preestes vvhich succeded Aaron and vvere consecrated by him and his successours vvere sent by an ordinarie mission In like manner in the nevve lavve saint Peter and the rest of the Apostles vvere called and sent extraordinarilie immediatlie from Christ but they vvhich succeded the Apostles and vvere ordained by them by imposition of haÌ„des and other ceremonies vvere sent by an ordinarie mission bicause oure sauiour Christe vvhem he instituted his Apostles did also appointe a coÌ„tinuall order by vvhich others should succeed them in their offices vvhich vvas imposition of haÌ„des by a Bishop lavvfullie consecrated and so the Bishops vvhich novv are maie trulie affirme that they are sent from Christe to rule gouerne his churche bicause they are consecrated instituted by the order vvhich Christe hath appointed and they succeded the Apostles vvhom Christe immediatlie sent to preach teach and minister sacramentes Novv betvvixte these tvvoe missions this amongest others is one difference that an extraordinarie mission must be proued by miracles or plaine prophecies els euerie one maie bragge that he is sent extraordinarilie and noe man shall controlle him but an ordinarie mission needeth noe such proofe and therfore he vvhoe is sent by an ordinarie mission if he can shevve that he vvas instituted by the ordinarie meanes vvhich Christe hath lefte in his church and that he succedeth them vvhoe vvere counted lavvfull pastours and preachers he giueth sufficient testimonie of his ordinarie mission commission If then oure nevv preachers be sent by an ordinarie mission leâ—t them shevv their succession tell vs the pedegree of their predecessours that vve maie see vvhoe vvere bishops before them and vvhoe consecrated and instituted them and vvhoe gaue them commission and authoritie to entermeddle in the rule and gouerment of the church for so Christe ordinarilie sendeth preachers pastours to his churche â— prescr c. 38. Thus Turtullian vrged the heretikes of his tyme. Let them saieth he shevve vs the origen of their churches let them vnfolde the order of their bishopes vvhich by successours so ronneth on from the beginning that the first bishop haue for his autour and predecessour some one of the Apostles or apostolicall men vvhich liued in the Apostles tyme c. As the churche of the Smyrneans doth register Polycarpe placed by â—hon as the churche of the Romaines hathe Clement ordained by Peter c. To this proofe S. Augustine putteth the heretikes of his age eâ—n partem â—Donati nomber saieth he the preestes euen from Peters seate and looke vvhich to vvhich succeeded in the order of those ffathers And in an other place he saieth that this succession of preestes is the thing cont ep fundamenti c. 4. vvhich holdeth him in the catholike church bicause he knevve that there is the true Churche vvhere is true religion there true religioÌ„ vvhere true pastours to teach it and there true pastours vvhere one succedeth to another by an ordinarie succession And thus vve must vrge our nevve reformers to declare vnto vs the pedegres of their ancetours to shevve vvho be the predecessours to vvhom they bee successours if they vvill haue vs to admitte them as the ministers of God sent by an ordinarie mission But this they can never doe for vvhoe I praye yon vvas the immediate predecessour of Luther and Caluin or vvhoe vvas hee that made the first superintendent in Inglande I am sure and all the vvorlde yea they them selues vvill vvitnesse that they are noe successours to the catholike bislopes and pastours bicause they degenerate froÌ„ them altoge-ther and they vvere faine to contemne disobey them before they could open their mouthes in pulpites Yea our pastours vvere so farre from ordayning them or instituting them giuing them authoritie that they cried out against theÌ„ as nevve startuppes coÌ„demned them for heretikes Antipastours and nevve yea false Apostles Nether can they deriue theÌ„ selues from any other lavvfull pastours for before they them selues tooke vppon them the name and office of pastours there vvere none at the tyme of their rising but oure catholike pastours Yea as in the next booke is proued they cannot deâ—iue their descente from ancient heretikes bicause in all poyntes they agree not vvith anie of them and if they could yet vvere not that sufficiet for they vvere counted condeÌ„ned for arraÌ„t heretikes and intruded them selues as these men doe into the true pastours offices vvere theÌ„ selues as these men are the first of their familie succeding to noe predecessours Here they fynde theÌ„ selues much pressed knovve not I dare saie vvhat to ansvvere but yet they vvill playe smalle playe rather then sirte out and vvill make harde shifte rather then noe shifte and shape a mishapen ansvvere rather then noe ansvvere And vvhat is that They saie that the Apostles vvhich vvere the first bishops pastours had for a tyme â—heir lavvfull successours but at the lengthe the Churche failed and the pastours vvith it vvith them the succession decaied but yet aftervvard Luther Caluin reuiued this dead Churche againe restored the pastours And so saie they vve succeed the Apostles and their immediate successours but by interruption of manie hundred yeares But this God knovves is a poore shifte a stale shifte For this vvas the ansvvere of the heretikes of Tertullians tyme against vvhome he vseth noe other argumeÌ„t then the absurditie vvhich follovveth so absurde an ansvvere l. prese Then saieth he truth vvhich vvas imprisoned expected Marcionites her redeemers and in the meane tyme pastouts preached falsly and the christians belecued erroniouslie manie thousandes vvere vvronglie baptized so manie vvorkes of faithe ministred a misse so manie chrismes evillie vvrought so manie preest-hoodes and ministeres not rightlie done so manie martyrdoomes all invayne The like maie be saied against Luther Zuinglins Caluine and other nevve Apostles of this tyme If the Church failed before youre comming then she expected manie hundred yeares for you in particular then all ministerie in the Churche vvas all this vvhile vvronge preaching teaching vvas false they vvhoe boare the name of true pastours vvere not so that societie vvhich vvas dispersed throughout the vvorlde vvas counted the only christiaÌ„ Churche and vvas persecuted for the same by the deuill his ministers vvas a synagogue of the deuil established and vpholdeÌ„ by the deuill so one deuill psecuted another all martyrdomes in that
doth and all the Luthers in the vvorld can not proue that all the fathers held any one opinion against scripture but the question must be vvhether Luther or all the fathers did best vnderstand the scripture and therfore if Luther hold against the fathers in exposition of scripture he preferreth him selfe before them all As for example Luther alleageth scripture to disproue free vvill all the fathers alleage scripture to proue it and Luther expoundes scripture one vvay they another else they could not both alleage scripture for contrarie doctrine Vvherfore if Luther sayeth that he expoundeth scripture truly and therfor cares not for all the fathers he preferreth his ovvne iudgment before them all and so can not ansvvere that argument grounded in the fathers authoritie nor comfort him selfe vvith this that he forsooth hath the vvord of God vvhich is aboue theÌ„ all And so Luther must giue vs leaue to come vppon him vvith his ovvn argument vvhich he shall neuer ansvver The Church from the begiÌ„ning hathe taught and expounded scripture other vvise then thou doest so many Austines Ambroses Ciprianes Councells and ages haue preached other vvise Are they all deceiued hast thou only found out the truth What if thou rather arte deluded Thou art but one they are many thon art of late they of ancient standing thou a sinner they saintes thou some scholler but they vvere learned doctours thou hast a vvitte but all their vvittes vvere of a greater reach thou seest some thing but so many eyes must needs haue a greater insight Thou hast studyed scripture but they more thou hast vvatched at thy booke but they in night-studie haue spent more oyle then thou though thou peraduenture more vvine theÌ„ they thou alleagest scripture for thy doctrine they for the coÌ„trarie And so their iudgemeÌ„t must be preferred before thine coÌ„sequeÌ„ly theirs shal be the true doctrine they the true Pastours theirs the true Churche so ours novv is the true Christiane religion vvee the right Christianes vvho aggree vvith those fathers and the Church of vvhich they vvere pastours and preachers and Luther and the reformers vvho vvill haue noe parte vvith the fathers are no members of the true Churche bicause the ancient fathers and the true Churche vvere neuer yet separated but alvvayes vvent together The first point being proued vve vvill come to the secoÌ„d in vvhich I shall proue that in reiecting fathers they open the gapp to all heretiques vvho may say vvhat they vvill as the reformers do if that authoritie be contemned But first it shall not be amisse to declare vvhat authoritie the fathers haue vvhether they haue infaillible assistaunce of God to expound scriptures righthly for if they haue not nether are Catholiques assured of their fayth by their authoritie nether do the heretiques open the gappe to heresies by reiecting their authoritie vvhich if it be not infallible may it self also authorise and countenaunce heresie Ephes â— Sainct Paule sayeth that God hathe prouided vs of some Apostles some Prophets others Euangelists others Doctours Pastours to the consummation of saintes to the vvorke of the ministerie vnto the edifying of the body of Christ that if for the instruction of his Church Vvhere the first place is giuâ—n to Prophets Apostles and EuaÌ„gelistes vvho vvrote the scripture in the second place follovv doctours and pastours bicause their office is not to vvrite scripture but to interpret it And the reason is yeelded vvhy these doctours are giuen vnto vs least that vvee should vvauer like childrem and be caryed about vvith euery vvind of the doctrine of men Ibidem Novv if all the pastours and doctours vv ch vve call fathers should of could erre then vvere they not appointed to keepe their sheep from vvaÌ„dering rather should they be the cause of their errour for the sheepe must here the voice of their pastours and so if the pastours erre the sheepe must erre vvith them if they vvander the sheepe vvho knovv nothing but by their pastours can not keepe the right vvaye And if thou saye that in case of errour the people must leaue the pastours I demaund of thee hovv they shall knovv vvheÌ„ the pastours erre vvho knovve nothing but by the voice of their pastours And suppose they should leaue their pastours then is the frame of the body of Christes Church dissolued and the members are separated from the head and the Church is a headless body then do they leaue the salte by vvhich they should be salted and preserued from corruption in religion Mat. 5. Then do they leaue the ligt by vvhich they should be illuminated Mat. 2â— And hovv then is that true vppon Moyses chear sit the Scribes and Pharisies do those thinges vvhich they saye are the pastours of the Church of lesse authoritie then the pastours of the synagogue If they can erre then is it not true vvhich Christe sayed vvhoe heareth you heareth me vnless you vvill say that Christe allso may erre in them and vvith them But our heretiques vvill say that all the fathers are men I graunte it but they are men directed by the holy ghost and Christ vvas a man and yet not only as God but as man also he could not erre and the vvriters of scripture as Moyses and Salomon and the prophetes of the olde lavve and the Apostles and Euangelistes in the nevv lavve vvere men and yet they erred not nor could not erre vnlesse vve vvill call scripture in question But vvhere saye they read you that the fathers haue the infallible affistaunce in exposition of scripture Vvhere I read that they are light that they are salte that they are pastours to vvhom vvhen vvee harken vve harken to Christ Mat. â—â— Io. 21. Vvher I read that vve must doe vvhat they say vvhere I read that the Church caÌ„ not erre vvhich must follovve her pastours vvhere I read that the Church vvhich learneth all of her pastours is a piller of truthe 2. Tim. â— But some fathers haue erred I graunte it but neuer all aggreed in one errour together neuer all the fathers of all ages yea not all of one age for to these also vve must harken haue conspired in an vntrutrh And I demauÌ„de of our reformers Vvhether they bee not men also And I thinke they vvill not denye it If they be men I aske vvhether they can not erre in expounding scripture If they can then haue nether they nor others by them any assuraunce If they can not erre bicause euery one of them hathe the spirit Then say I that more probable it is that so many spirits of the fathers conspiring in one can not erre then that noe particuler and priuate spirit can erre especially seing that these priuate spirites are diuerse and contrarie and vve haue noe more assuraunce of one then another Iudge novv gentle reader vvhether that the Catholiques religion vvhich is conformable vnto the fathers and pastours of the Churche be the sincere christian religion or
able to hide or vvipe avvay this marke vntill they abiure and renounce euery one of the old heresies vvhich they haue renevved and imbrace vvholly and intierly the Catholike fay the vvhich they haue forsaken The fifth Chapter handleth another marke of an heretike vvhich is vvante of succession OVr aduersaries nether can nor vvill deny but that our Sauiour Christe and his Apostles once planted true religion and established a true Churche in the vvorld Ephes 4. in vvhich Pastours and Doctours vvere appointed to minister Sacraments to preach the vvord of God and to gouerne and rule in the Churche The Actes of the Apostles vvitness no less Act. Apost vvhich set before our eyes the beginning and progress of the primatiue Churche the beginning in Hierusalem the progress amongest the Gentils For vvhen Christ dyed the principall foundatioÌ„ and corner stone vvas layed vvheÌ„ the Apostles vvere created the building vvent on and vvhen they by preaching miracles augmeÌ„ted the nomber of the first Christianes then vvas the building of this Church perfited and brought to that splendour and perfection that the Scribes and Pharisies emulated and enuied the glorie therof and sought the meanes to ruine this vvorke of God Act. â— but in vayne for as Gamaliel told them the vvork of God no povver can dissolue Act 7. â— Against this Church the deuil raysed a tempest vvhich began vvith a storme of stones amongest the Ievves but by the Emperours and heretikes hathe continued vnto this day In this Churche vvas called a Councell in Ierusalem vvhere sainct Peter as the head pronounceth the sentence Act. 15. and sainct sames subscribeth The first pastours of this Church vvere the Apostles sainct Iames vvas Bishop of Ierusalem sainct Ihon of Ephesus sainct Marke of Alexandria Eus l. 2. â— 1â— saint Peter first of Antioche then of Rome vv ch vvere his particulers seates for he vvas supreme Bishop also of all the Christian vvorld Io. 21. And in Antioche Euodius succeeded to sainct Peter ep ad Antiâ— after him Ignatius In Rome after that he had exercised the function of a supreme pastour for the space of tvventie and fiue yeares departing not vvithstanding some tymes as busines or persecution enforced him before his deathe he appointed Clemens for his successour but he refusing Act. 1â— Gal. 2. Linus and Cletus sainct Peters coadiutours Epiph. har 27. succeeded him and after them sainct Clemens accepted of the charge Sand. pag. 256. The other Apostles in other places lefte their schollers to succeed them yea and placed others in other places vvhere them selues could not reside as sainct Ihon appointed Policarp at Smyrna Tert. l. praes â— 3â— To be breefe Ecclesiasticall histories from the Apostles deriuâ— a Christian Church and succession of pastours vnto these dayes So that a true Christian Church vvas once planted and established Vvhich if it be true then vndoubtedly that novv is the true Church they the true Christians those the true pastours that the true fay the vvhich from the first and primatiue Church by a continuall succession can be deduced for the Church is called apostolicall not only bicause is vvas once planted by the apostles but also bicause it is descended from them by succession And they must be heretikes and bastard Christians degenerating from their first institution vvho can not shevv this succession and their Church shall bee l. pras c. 20. not apostolicall but apostaticall This argument hand leth Tertulian in his booke of prescriptioÌ„s vvher he shevveth hovv all particuler Churches vvere first planted by the apostles and hovv other Churches from them re ceiued fayth and religion and say eth he if novv you vvill knovve vvhat religion is the true Christiane religion you must conferre it vvith some former Churche from vvhich it is descended bicause say ethe hee Omne genus ad suam originem censeatur necesse est It is necessary that euery kinde be valued and esteemed according vnto his source and origine If you vvill Iudge of vvater marke the fountain if you vvill knovv a maÌ„s gentrie looke hovv he descendeth from the first of his familie if you vvill informe your selfe of any mans title vnto a lord ship you must consider hovve the first lord entered in to possession and hovv he is descended from him And so if vve vvill discerne the true Christian from the heretike vvee must haue an eye vnto the roote and stock from vvhich he descendeth for so vvee shall knovv vvhether he be legitimate or bafe-borne For if he fetch his pedegree from any other then the Apostles or those vvhich by succession descended from them then is hee a bastard-Christian and caryeth the marke of an heretike The Romaine and Catholike Churche vvhich novv is can deriue her pastours religion and gouernement euen from the Apostles and those vvhoÌ„ they appointed Bishops and successours For if you ronne ouer Ecclesiasticall histories you shall finde our Church and the practise of our religion to haue florished from the begiÌ„ning vnto these dayes for they treat almost of nothing else but of the progresse of our Church of the persecution vvher vvith it vvas assayled of the heretikes by vvhom it vvas molested of our Bishops prelates â—â—artys virgins doctours of our general and prouinciall Councelles of the miracles vvhich vvere vvrought in confirmation of our fayth in so much that if our matters vvere not the historiographers should haue had no subiecte to vvorke or vvrite on â— â— c. 1. l. 2. cont Donatistas op 363. Ireneus reckeneth the Popes of Rome from sainct Peter vnto Eleutherius Optatus vnto Damasus sainct Austin vnto Anastasius Sand li de vi sib mon. others goe farther and doctour Sanders our countriman bringeth the succession of our Popes Bishops Ceremonies and religion vnto Pius Quintus tyme Genebrard hath doone the like vnto Gregorie the thirtenth his tyme Gen. in Chronol Baron in Annal. and Cardinal Baronius in nine tomes all-ready set forthe hathe most exactly set dovvne the practise of our religion vnto Ludouicus Pius of Fraunce And if our Church aggree vvith the primatiue Churche if our faythe vary not from the ancient faythe if our pastours be descended from the Apostles and their schollers as all histories and monuments do beare vvitnesse then must our Church needs be the true Church bicause it aggreeth vvith the originall and is conformable to the primatiue Church vvhich as it vvas neerest vnto Christe his disciples and vvas persequuted and honoured for the true Churche so vvas it likest to bee the true Churche vnlesse vve vvill saye that Christ and his Apostles neuer planted a true Church This succession vvas counted allvvayes a marke of the true Churche vvhich in our Creed vve profess Symb. 〈…〉 vvhen vve beleeue in the Apostolicall Churche to vvit that vvhich is by succession deriued from the Apostles plaÌ„ted by them and the vvant of it vvas allvvayes esteemed a note to knovve
Churche vvere in vaine all actes of religioÌ„ vvere superstitious all conncells vvhich vvere gathered in this Churche all pastours that ruled in it all doctours that vvrote tanght in it and for it deceiued vvere deceiued Happie then vvas the daie in vvhich Luther leaped out of his Monasterie disobeied the Pope Churche and hauing gotten a yoke fellovv out of a cloy ster of professed and vovved virgins deuised a nevve religion to cloake his villanie And could not Christe all that vvhile fynde out a man fitte to restore his Churche froÌ„ death to life vvas there noc Ambrose noe Austine noe Hierome noe Gregorie fitte for such a purpose and vvas Luther the only man vvhoe for learninge vertue thonghe he vvere an apostata vvas according to God his harte and likinge vvhome God vvished for expected so longe But if I demonstrate that the true Churche caÌ„not die nor decaie theÌ„ is their Churche a bastarde synagogue vvhich as they saie once florishing in the Apostles tyme and after their tyme also for some smalle tyme and astervvardes died for noe litle tyme but rather for some hundred yeares or elfe they must of necessitie shevve a succession of their Churche and Religion from age to age of their pastours from pastour to pastour and if they canot they are not sent by an ordinaire mission bicause they succeed to noe predecessours but are the first of their familie Chap. 5. This I haue demonstrated in the secoÌ„d booke as the reader maie see if he please to tourne oner a fevve leaues so heare I maie suppose it supposinge conclude that they are not seÌ„t by an ordinary missioÌ„ bicause they succeed to none But if this ansvverre vvill not serue as a blinde man maie see that iâ— doth not then they haue another in store and vvhat is that they saie forsooth that they are true successours to the Apostles and that they haue their predecessours vvhoe beleeued as they doe ruled the Church ministred receaued sacramentes but secretly inuisibly bicause their Churche it selfe vvas all that tyme inuisible And so if you demaunde of them vvhoe vvere their predecessours they vvill ansvverre that they had predecessours but they vvere inuisible This is another blinde shifte of theirs vvhich I shall refute in the next booke at large Heare onlie I demaunde vvhether this inuisible Churche vvas inuisible to them selues Chap 5. or to papistes only and paganes vvhoe vvere not of their religion If it vvere inuisible to them selues hovv canne they tell that ther vvas anie religion like to theirs before their tyme or that there vvere anie pastours of their kinde for that vvhich vvas inuisible vnto them coulde not be seene of them and so vvee are noe more to be leeue them in sayinge that they had a Churche pastours before Luthers tyme then a blynde man that vvill determine of coulours If they saie it vvas inuisible only to papistes pagaÌ„nes others vvhich vvere not of their Churche then as it is like Luther and Caluine vvhoe vvere members of that Churche knevv vvell the pastours to vvhome they succeeded of vvhome they receaued authoritie Lett them telle vs then vvhoe they vvere else vve cannot receiue them as ministers of God sent by an ordinarie mission bicause they can not shevve vs their predecessours to vvhom they succeeded Thus I haue plainlie proued that these men are not sent by an ordinarie missioÌ„ bicause they succeed to none vvhoe vvere their predecessours Vvhat novv can they saie vvhy vvee should not reiecte them as false prophetes vvhoe roÌ„ne before they be sent preache before they be called to that function They vvill saie as osten tymes they doe that they vvere sent immediatly from Christe by an extraordinarie missioÌ„ But then vve must put them also to the proofe of this their mission And first of all in sayinge that they are sent extraordinarilie they bevvraie theÌ„ selues to be those Apostles vvhich ronne vnsent bicause it is manifest in scripture that Christe appointing Apostles Ephes 4. ordained a succession of pastours to the ende For as he instituted a visible Churche vvhich is neuer to faile or falle as shall be in the next booke demonstrated so did he appoynte ê‘petuall gouernours pastours to gouerne rule this Church in a visible manner as there also shall be proued Chap 5. else should that visible goodlie misticall bodie of Christe haue bene lefte headlesse vvith out a visible head and bicause the same pastours could not alvvaies lyue to gouerne the Churche visiblie it follovveth that Christe instituted a succession of them consequently that Christe sendeth none to rule it his Churche but by succession to some others by vvhome they vvere ordained instituted therefore he that enters into the gouerment of the Churche and not by this entrie and dore of succession he is a theefe that seeketh vvindovves corners by-vvaies as them selues doe vvho bicause they meane noe good dare not enter into the house as honest men doe by the ordinarie vvaie Let not then the reformers bragge of their extraordinarie mission bicause Christe hauinge instituted a perpetuall succession of ordinarie pastours meaneth not to sende any extraordinarie preachers rather they maie be ashamed of their monstrouse natiuities for they are like vnto those heretikes of vvhom Optatus speaketh qui de se prodigiosè nasci voluerunt l 1. cont Paâ— Vvhich vvould be borne of them selues prodigiously vvithout any ffather or mother They are like to Victor the Donatiste vvhoe as Optatus affirmeth vvas a soÌ„ne vvithout a father l. 2. cont Par. a disciple vvithout a master They are not vnlike the Nouatianes vvhoe as saint Cipriane auerreth l. 1. ep â— Nemini succedentes à seipsis episcopiordinati sunt Succeding to noe man they vvere ordained bishops of them selues But lett vs giue them leaue to saie at least that they vvere sent extraordinarilie that so vve maie see better hovve they canne proue their extraordinarie mission and hovve vve can disproue the same First I demaunde of them vvhere they read in scripture that after Christe had established a succession of pastours to gouerne his Churche to the ende Ephes â— he vvould sende somtymes extraordinarie ministers to put them out of office to enter into the gouerment of the Churche to reforme all absurde abusesâ— for if they can not bring scripture for this they are not to be credited that by their ovvne confession But I knovve they can not alleage anie one lyne of scripture for that purpose and I am sure they are not ignorant Mat. â—â— that Christe saied he builded his Churche vppon a rocke so that it should not need the repairinge of these nevve masons established a kingdome and consequenly gouernours vvhich should continevv for euer and so should need noe innouation Second booke vvhich pointe hear after shall be more amplie proued chap 5. But suppose that our sauiour had foretolde the fall
and heresies PArricide and murder of parents in old tyme vvas deemed so hainous an offence so vnvvorthy a facte as being not only contrarie to reason but also repugnaunt vnto nature that Solon the famouse lavv-maker decreed no lavve against it not for that he thought it not vvorthy punishment but bicause â—ee counted it more barbarouse and inhumain then could be by man comitted And in deed mans nature so much abhorred this vn naturall fact that vntill six hundred yeares after Rome vvas built no man euer is read of so vnkiÌ„de as vvho could finde in his hart to imbrevv his haÌ„des in his pareÌ„tes bloud Cic. pro Roscio Lucius Ostius as some do think vvas the first vvho laying aside all humanitie against natures propension and naturall affection layed violent hands vppon his father depriued him of being of vvhom he had receiued being Vvhich facte vvas no sooner committed but nature abhorred it the Romaines then the most ciuill people to represent the enormitie of the offence diuised a punishmeÌ„t vvhich should not only be a iust payne but also an embleme of the fault Cic supra Iuuen Saâ—yr â— Plut. in vi â—a Ostij They decreed first of all that the murderer should be sevved vp in a lether sack SecoÌ„dly that sacked he should be cast into the vvater thirdly vvith him vvere included a cock a viper an ape and a dogge to acompanie him at his death vvhose natures he had imitated in his life he vvas inclosed in a sack and so cast into the riuer that so at one tyme he should lose the light of the sonne vvhich he could not see of the fyer vv ch he could not feele of the aire in vv ch he vvas not permitted to breath of the vvater in vv ch he svvimming vvas not refreshed of the earth vv ch he touched not and so he vvas depriued at one tyme of the benefit of the sonne and the fovvre elemeÌ„tes of vvhich all vvere produced bicause he had been vnkind and vnnaturall to him of vvhom he vvas begotten His companions at his death vvere a Cocke bicause as this byrd fighteth vvith his fire and treadeth the heÌ„ne vvhich hatched him so he hath been iniuriouse to him that begotte him A viper bicause as this beast eateth him selfe out of his damnes belly so he ruineth him vvho gaue him being an ape bicause as he imitateth man in his actions and some vvhat resembles him in forme of body yet is in deed no man but a beast so this vnnaturall murderer caryeth the shape of a man but in conditions is noe man bicause he hath cast of all humanitie And lastly a dogg that this creaturs faythfull seruice to his master vvho only feeds him may confound this monster and coÌ„demne his treacherie vvho hath been so false to his pareÌ„t vvho hath not only fedd him but begotten him This kinde of death in myne opinion vvere a punishment not vnfitly to be layed on heretikes especially the most mallicious for vvith theÌ„ vvho erre not of mallice I vvishe more geÌ„tle dealiÌ„g vvho are so vnnaturall children to Christ their father as shall appear in the third booke vvho so reuile miscall the ancieÌ„t fathers of vvhom they receiued fayth and religion and are so vnkind vnto the Catholique Church their mother vvhich by the Sacrament of Baptisme regenerated them and gaue them their spiritual being For they deserue to be depriued at one tyme of the heauens and elemeÌ„tes of vvhich all thiÌ„gs are in some sorte produced vvho coÌ„temne the Churche the councells the fathers and cheef pastours of vvhom and by vvhome they receiued their supernaturall being by vvhich they are Christianes They deserue a cock at their death bicause as the cocke fighteth often tymes vvith his sire and abuseth the henne that hatched him so they contend vvith ancient fathers and as much as in them lyeth deflovver their mother the Churche vv ch bare them spiritually a viper also ought to dye vvith them bicause like vipers by schismes and heresies they eare them selues out of the vvombe of the Church an ape must also suffer vvith them bicause as he resembleth man but is in deede a beast so they like apes imitate true Christians bearing the name of Christe as they do admitting certayne scriptures and Sacramentes as they do deuising superintendeÌ„tes for the bishops of the Church ministers for preestes tables for aultars a prophane Cene and supper for the sacred Eucharist and yet in deed are no true christianes but monstrouse infidells and vvorse then Ievves and Paganes Th. â— 2 q. 〈◊〉 ar 6. a dogge also to make vp the number they vvorthily deserue to put them in mynd that dogges may teach them fidelitie for dogges though they receiue some tymes blovves and neuer any greater benefit then crustes and bones yet are so faythfull to their masters that they vvill not leaue theÌ„ todeath vvheras the heretike is so vngratefull and vnfaythfull to Christe and his spouse the Churche that for no other cause then an itching humour of pride and self love hee vvill ronne after euery sectmaster that can only dropp a fevv textes of scripture interpreted by his ovvne spirit leauing the Churche ancieÌ„t fathers and consequently Christ him selfe bicause they ever vvent together and vvho heareth one heareth the other But least I condemne them to the punishmeÌ„t of parricides for conteÌ„pt of ancieÌ„t fathers before I proue them to bee guiltie of the fault I vvill sett dovvne vvord by voord their ovvne sayings and assertions by vvhich shall appear vvhat respect they beare and vvhat kindnes they shevv tovvards their ancient forfathers Ex Epiph. her Basilides an infamous heretike vaunted that he and his only knevve the truth and that all his forfathers vvere sues canes hogges and dogges not vvorthy of the margarites of his doctrine Lib. s.c. â—0 The Valentinians sayeth Ireneus if you vrge them vvith scriptures vvhich they can not ansvver vvill denye them if you prouoke them to be tryed by tradition deliuered vnto vs by a succession of preestes and fathers aduersantur traditioni dicentes se non solum presbyteris sed etiam apostolis existentes sapientiores sinceram inuenisse veritatem they oppose against tradition saying that they being vviser then the preests and apostles 〈◊〉 3. haue found out the sincere veritie Arius as before I haue rehearsed thought none of the fathers comparable vnto him Nestorius disdained to read their vvorks and our reformers of this age shevv by their vnreuerent and rayling speeches against the fathers that they are descended of the same race of parricides and reuilers of their ancient fathers To beginne therfore vvith the first patriarch of this nevv religion Martin Luther that man of God although by his ovvne confession he vvas so familiar vvith the deuill that he hathe eateÌ„ a bushell of salte vvith him in his book against the king of England hauing called him blokhead l. â— cont Reg. Axgl. fol. 348 beetlehead grossehead
of their ovvne kinges but of straungers also hamely by the kinges of Asia and that ther vvas neuer doubt of this till the Samaritanes made a schisme After that Andronicus had tolde this tale the proloquutours of the Samaritanes beganne to speake but being demaūded to shovv the like antiquitie and succession they could not but rather vvere enforced to bevvray their infancie and the reuolte vvhich longe after that God had beene vvorshipped in Hierusalem they made from the Ievves Vvherfore the king pronounceth sentence for the Ievves and declareth them to be the right vvorshippers the Temple to be the right place vvhere the Ievvish religion vvas to be exercised If in like manner before the like Iudge I for the ancient Catholique religion and some one of the ministerie for the nevv religion vvere appointed proloquutours for vvhom thinkest thou gentle reader vvould the sentence be pronounced If I should beginne to shevv a succession of our pastours and religion by all histories and monuments euen from the Apostles Iren. l. ◠c. 3. If I should shevve a catalogue out of Ireneus of all the Popes from sainct Peter to Eleutherius l. ◠cont Donatist Epist 16◠out of Optatus vnto Damasus out of sainct Austin vnto Anastasius out of Eusebius Genebrard and others euen vnto these dayes and that in this succession by noe Historiographer vvas euer noted any chaunge or falle in Church or religion If I should proue out of the same histories that this ancient catholike Church vvas that vvhich vvas persequuted by the euill Emperours and aftervvards enriched by Constantine and other good Kings and princes that for this Church Churches and monasteries vvere builded that in this Church all the generall Councells vvere holden that by this Church all heretikes vvere condemned that this Church vvas euen by paganes counted the only christiane Church that all anciēt fathers doctours Martyres Saintes vvere mēbers of this Church should I not incline the Iudge to my parte If vvhen I had doone some one of the Ministery should rise vp and beginne to tell his tale and saye that all the ancient Christians vvere deceiued and liued in errour and ignoraunce vntill that Luther or Zuinglius or Caluin like so many sonnes appeared in our horizont that the religion of these men is the reformed religion thoughe it vvas neuer hard of before And if being by me demaunded hovv their preachers proued their mission he could alleage no proofe at all or being asked hovve they proued their religion he should ansvvere by scripture sensed by his priuate spirit vvhich allvvayes hath been the proofe of all heresies and being commaunded by the Iudge to shevv if their Church bee Christian a succession of their bishopes preachers and practise of religion he should fly vnto an inuisible Churche or saye that the Churche Christian decayed quite after the Apostles tyme and yet could nether tell the tyme nor the occasion of so notoriouse a fall nor alleage one historiographer that vvriteth of so great a mutation in the vvorld If I should tell the first tale and he the second for I see not vvhat better ansvvere hee can make for him selfe thinkes not thou gentle reader that the iudge vvould ansvvere that although hee beleeued not at all in Christe or his religion yet that it seemed most probable that Catholikes are the true Christianes and that their Churche is the place of the practise of this religion as the Tēple of Hierusalem vvas of the Ievvishe seruice and vvorship of God If thē there be no probable reason by vvhich these Reformers can persuade vs to their reformatiō there is noe reasō vvhy vve should forsake our ancient pastours to follovv them vnless vve vvil byndeour selues also to harken vnto all false prophetes preach they neuer so absurde improbable doctrine and so open the gappe vnto all heretikes and heresies The Sixt Chapiter proveth that they haue noe Iudge in matters of religion and so do open the gappe to all heretikes vvho may preache vvhat they list if ther be noe iudge to contrelle them AS yet ther vvas neuer seen any societie vvell ordered vvere it great or litle but some gouernour or moderatour ruled and menaged the same for many men as they haue many heades so haue they diuers opinions and as they are of different complexions and constitutions so are they of diuerse conceipts and inclinations and therfor vvill neuer aggree in one vnless they be directed and commanded by one or at least by diuerse vvhich aggree in one Vvherfore vve see that every kingdom hath his king euery dukedome a duke euery common vvelth a magistrate euery Citie a Maiour or Baily euery army a Generall yea euery village allmoste hathe a constable euery familie a good man of the hovvse euery schole a scholemaister And shall not the Church of god the societie of his faythfull and chosen seruauntes haue a visible head to direct it and a Iudge to rule it by lavves and gouern it by authoritie Or shall vve think that he hath left that societie vv ch hee calleth his spouse vvhich he loued so dearly that he dyed for it as a kingdom vvith out a kinge a Citie vvith out a maiour an army vvith out a Generall a shipp vvith out a Pilot a fold vvith out a pastour or a body vvith out a head No no I vvarraunt you he that descended from heauen to earth to establish this spiritual kingdome and shedd his blood to enrich it hath vvell prouided for the gouernment of the same and so vvell that therby you shall perceiue the skill and vvisdome of the Gouernour And truly if by the effect vve may take a scantling of the cause the good ly order the firme peace and longe continuance of the Church vvill beare vvitnesse of a most prudent princes gouuernement For as diuerse stones in a building could neuer haue kept that order as to make a goodly pallace had not some intelligent vvorkeman disposed them so this goodly order Hierarchie in the Church could neuer haue beene established had not some prince and gouuernour put euery subiect in his roome and place And as many stringes or voices can neuer make one musicall harmonie vnless some coning musician tune the stringes and giue vnto euery voice his tone so shall many people of diuerse dispositions nations sexes conditions such as are in the Church neuer liue in peace free from iarres discords vnless ther be a Superiour to tune these diuerse natures a head to direct these diuerse membres of the body of the Church And as the Sheep vvhich vvant a Shep heard can not longe keep together but are like to vvander and to come in daunger of the vvolfe as an armie can not longe vvithstand the enemie vnless some Generall appoint and commannud euery souldiour to his standing and as the Shippe is neuer any longe tyme free from sandes or rockes vvhen the mariner is absent so could neuer the Church of Christ especially
after his resurrection he appointed saint Peter his vice-gerent in earth that still the Churche might haue a visible iudge to vvhom she might repayer in all her difficulties Io. 21. For after his resurrection he appeareth to his Apostles and singling out sainct Peter from the rest he demaundeth of him three tymes not only vvhether he loued him but also vvhether more then the rest and finding in deed that he did so and that consequeÌ„tly he vvas the fittest for the cheefest thing in a pastour is loue he maketh choise of him before the rest and comitetth vnto him the charge of his sheep in so ample manner that he excepteth none but giueth him authoritie ouer all both lambes and sheepe that is lesser and greater Christianes euen Apostles Bishops vvho all must acknovvledge Peter for their pastour if they vvill be the sheep of Christ For as sainct Bernard noteth l. de consid vvhere ther is no distinction there is no exception And seing that after sainct Peters death the Church hath noe lesse need of a visible pastour then before it had as Christe left him for his vicegerent soe in him did he appoint a coÌ„tinuall succession of his successours that the Church might allvvayes be prouided of a visible pastour And therfore as bishops are the successours of the other Apostles so some one must succeed sainct Peter and must haue that superioritie ouer other Bishops vvhich sainct Peter had ouer the Apostles And truly to omitt other proofes noe man more likely to be this man then the Bishop of Rome For in the Sea of Rome saint Peter did last of all reside there he dyed and there before his death he appointed Clemens vvho refusing Linus succeeded and after him Cletus after him Anacletus after him Clemens and so forth euen vnto ClemeÌ„t the eight vvho novv in Rome residing ruleth the Churche not only of Rome but of all the christian vvorld Vverfore the Bishops of this Sea vvere euer called the vicars of Christ and successours of sainct Peter they haue euer called generall Councells and confirmed the same they made generall lavves to vvhich all bishopsyea all Christians acknovvledged themselues bounde and obliged they haue excommunicated Bishops and Emperours vvhersoeuer they liued thinking none that are Christianes to bee out of their iurisdiction they haue taken appellations from all partes and shevved them selues in all these actioÌ„s supreme pastours not of Rome only but of all the vvorld and yet vvere neuer counted vsurpers and therfore sithence that saint Peter must haue a successour and that needs ther must be one visible Iudge vnder Christe to vvhom in all doubtes vve must repayr the Pope of Rome is likest to be hee or else if any one be more like then let the aduersarie name him And if they name any other but him I vvill auouch that the Church hathe been vvithout an head these 1600. yeares for all this vvhile neuer any executed that office but hee S. Hierom I ame suer tooke the Bishop of Rome to be the man for he in a doubte and controuersie of the highe mystery of the Trinity flyeth vnto Damasus Bishop of Rome Epistolâ— ad Dam. not that he vvas learneder then sainct Hierom but bicause he Knevv that for sainct Peter consequently for his successours Christe prayed that he might not erre Luc. 22. but rather confirm his bretheru A pastore sayeth he praesidium ouis flagito Of my pastour I demaund the helpe devv to a sheep Novv then let our nevv Christianes if they be the Church of Christ vvhich euer had a visible head tell vs vvho is their supreme Iudge and pastour They vvill saye peradueâ—tur that Christ him self is their Iudge and pastour and that they need no other bicause as he planted his Church so still he ruleth the same But this shifte vvill not serue the turne for Christe novve conuerseth not visibly amongest vs and so beside him the visible Church must haue a visible head as hether to she hath euerhad And altoughe Christe still remayneth our highe preest Io. 10. doctour and pastour yet he offerreth not sacrifices immediatly but only by his vnderpreestes nether doth he teach vs by his ovvne voice Ephes 4. or reuelations but by doctours vvhom Sainct Paule sayeth hee hath appointed nether doth he feed vs by his ovvne hand but by the hande of inferiour pastours vvho minister his Sacramentes vnto vs and deliuer his vvorde in the true meaning by vvhich the soule liueth Mat. 4. Vvherfore besids him the Church being a visible body must haue a visible head else vve may say of it as once Epaminondas sayed of a great armie vv ch vvanted a Generall Video pulcherimam bestiam sed sine capite I see a very fayre beast but vvithout a head And the reason herof is bicause a head and Iudge in the Church is necessary to decide controuersies in religion vvhich arise all most euery age yea â—ome tymes often tymes in the same age sith then vve can not novv haue accesse to Christ beside him vve must haue a visible Iudge vvhich Christe him selfe vvell knovveing presently after he had left vs appointed S. Peter as his vicegerent as is all ready proued I demaund then of all the professours of this nevv religion especially of them in Ingland vvho is their Iudge in controuerlies of religion They can not say that Scripture is this Iudge bicause scripture is but a vvritteÌ„ lavv vv ch can not speak nor interpret her selfe and therfore if the controuersie bee vvhich is scripture or vvhat is the meaning of it scripture can giue noe senteÌ„ce yea I haue demonstrated in the second Chapter that bare scripture is no sufficient Iudge in any matter of religion Suprâ— They can not alleage the spirit to bee this Iudge as is euidently proued in the third Chapter nether vvill they confess that the Pope fathers or councels are this Iudge and if they vvould all they vvould condemne them as is declared in the fourth Chapter Peraduenture they vvil be Iudged by their founders Luther Caluin and such others But first these aggreed not nether one vvith another nether vvith them selues for vvhat one affirmeth another denyeth and vvhat one of them taught one yeare he corrected the next but and if they had aggreed yet vvere they no sufficient Iudges bicause they can not proue their mission as is proued in the first Chapter and so are not to be admitted for lavvfull Iudges vnlesse vve vvill admitt also all false prophets Vvho theÌ„ is this Iudge to vvhom in controuersies they repayr and by vvhose iudgement they square out theyr religion They vvil say percâ—â—â—nce that the Prince is this Iudge But this is as vnlikely and as flatte against scripture and practise of the Churche as any thing can be And although her Maiestie of late memorie and her Father before her did chaleng as devv vnto them authoritie in cause Ecclesiasticall of vvhich I dispute not at this tyme
tyme bee all nouellaunts and nouellers vpstarts and of later standing arising many hundred yeares after the Romain Church vvhich vvas euer counted the only true Church for Luther the first of all this nevv frye and his religion is not yet an hundred yeares old it is as certaine that they are heretikes and their religion heresie as that Arius Nestorius Pelagius vvere heretikes and the same fathers and scriptures before alleaged vvhich haue condemned them for heretikes bicause of their late standing can not vvithout plaine partialitie free our reformers from the same sentence vvho vveare the same badge are noted vvith the same marke of an heretike vvhich is later standing The third Chapter noteth the Reformers vvith another mark of an heretike vvhich is a particuler name vvhich they take from their sectmaster THe hart of man is a secret closet Psal 7. Sap. 1. Hier. 11. Th. 〈◊〉 p q. 57. art 4. of vvhich God only Keepeth the Key it is a bottoÌ„lesse pit vvhich he only vvho searcheth the hart and reines can sound to the bottoÌ„ in so much that vnlesse God reueale or this hart of man vouchsafe to open it selfe nether deuill nor angell can discouer the hartes cogitations much lesse can one man tell vvhat another thinketh Vvherfore that men might impart their thoughts one to another God hath guien them a toungue as an Interpretour of the mynde and a messenger of the thoughts and a mouth also as a trompet vvherin the tounge soundeth forth by voice vvhat the hart thinketh And bicause the things vvhich vve vvould speak of can not by them selues immediately be brought into discourse the toungue frameth vvords and giueth names vvhich goe for the thiÌ„gs that so vvheÌ„ vve hear the sound of the vvord name vve may vnderstaÌ„d the thing vv ch is spoke of Vvherfore the nevv Christians of this tyme must not meruaill that by their name as by an infallyble marke I seck to discouer them for names are Symboles and signes of things by vvhich vve knovv the natures of things together vvith their proprieties But vvhat vvill you saye is this name by vvhich they are conuinced to bee heretikes it is the Surname vvhich they take from their Sect master by vvhich they vvere alvvayes more famouse then by their proper names At the first vvhen all Christianes vvere of one hart and lippe beleeuing and professing the same Act. 4. they vvere called all by the same names as Christianes of Christe brethren for their mutuall charitie faithfull in respect of one fayth but vvhen certain inconstaunte and deuising heads vvould vary from the rest of the faythfull in certain pointes of religion their names chaunged as they them selues vvere altered bicause they novv beganne to leaue the common receiued fayth vvhich Christe by him selfe and his Apostles and their successours had deliuered they vvere noe more called by the common name of Christiane but by the name by vvhich their autour vvas called vvho deuised their religion and so as in fayth they vvere separated from other Christians so in names also vvhich explicate the natures of things they vvere of necessitie seuered Simonians vvere named of Simon Magus the Ebionites of Ebion Marcionites of Marcion the Manichies of Manicheus the Arrians of Arrius Nestorians of Nestorius Eutichianes of Eutiches Pelagians of Pelagius Donatists of Donatus vvho not vvith standing before they varyed in religion and follovved nevv Masters vvere called only by the common names of Christians vvherfore the ancient fathers euer condemned them as heretikes vvho vvere marked vvith these particuler names Sainct Hierome pronounceth boldly this sentence li. contra Lucifer in fine Sicubi audÃeris eos qui dicuntur Christiani non à Domino Iesu Christo sed à quopiam alio nuncupari vâ—pote Marcionitas Valentinianos Montenses c. scito non Ecclesiam Christi sed Anti-christi esse Synagogam If any-vvhere thou here of them vvho are called Christians yet take their name not of Iesus Christ but of some other as for example of they be called Marcionits Valentinians Montanists c. Knovv thou that there is not the Churche of Christe but the Synagogue of Antichriste Iustinus Martyr discrieth heretikes by the same badge and marke Dial. cum Triphone There are sayeth he and euer vvere many vvhich come in the name of Iesus yet are called by diuers Surnames as Marcionits Valentinians Basilidians Saturninians euerie one Biorrovving a name of the first inuentour of their doctrine Of such kind of men this is sainct Ciprianes opinion They vvhich vvere once Christians Ep. ad Nouatum novv Nouatians are novv no more Christians bicause sayeth hee primam fidem vestram perfidia posteriori per nominis appellationem mutastis you haue chaunged your former fayth by a later infidelitie by the appellation of your name And the reason vvhy these father 's accounted allvvayes such nicknamed persons as heretikes is easilie seen Mat. 18. bicause such as leaue the Churche and vvill not here her voice vvere allvvayes esteemed as heretikes as the Greeke vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth vvhich signifieth election and separation Li. 2. contrâ— Faust c. 3. Cipr. l. 1. cp 6. and therfore S. Austin and sainct Ciprian put this difference betvvixte an heretike and a schismatike that although both doe separate them selues from the Church yet a schismatike only is diuided in vvill contumacie and breach of charitie an heretike also in fayth and opinioÌ„ and therfore seing that these diuerse names taken from diuerse autours argueth such a leparation for if they had still remained in that Church vvhich commonly vvas called Christian and had not follovved nevvmasters ther had needed noe distinction of names from other Christians it must needs follovv that all such as are distinguished thus in name from other Christians are diuided also from them in fayth and religion and so are noe true Christians but perfidiouse heretikes I demaund novv of our Lutheranes Zuinglianes Caluinistes Osiandrians Bezists Brovvnists Martinists and such like nevv named Christians of this age vvhether they dare stande to the sentence of Iustinus Martyr S. Ciprian and sainct Hierom in this point Truly I thinke they dare not and I thinke also that they haue good cause for if that they be heretikes vvhich are surnamed of particuler autours as they plainly affirme if our nevv Christianes be so surnamed as all the vvorld vvilbe vvitnesse that they are then must needs follovv this conclusion that they also are heretikes But to conclude more plainly that vvhich vvas intended This marke of an heretike can in noe vvise aggree vnto Catholikes but rather to them aggreeth the signe of the true Christians For as in the tyme of the Arians they vvere counted true Christians vvhich vvere called by generall names Christians and Catholikes and they vvere esteemed of as heretikes vvhich had particuler names deriued from the autour of their secte as Arians Aetians Eudoxians and such like so novv vve that are called by the same
names of Catholikes and Christians but by no name taken from any autour must needs be taken for true Christians vvho as they neuer chaunged name so neuer chaunged religion and the reformers vvho are called Lutheranes Caluinistes Zuinglians and such like of some particuler sectmaster or other must needs be condemned for heretikes And as before that the ancient heretikes forsooke the common receiued faith they vvent by the common names of Christians and Catholikes and neuer tooke vnto them particuler names before they follovved particuler maisters and imbraced particuler doctrines so before Luther and Caluin reuolted from the Church they vvent by the coÌ„mon name of Christians and neuer chaunged their names till they chaunged their religion nether vvere any Christians called Lutheranes Caluinistes or such like before they relyed vppon nevv and particuler masters And as the Arians bicause they could impose no name of any autour to the Catholike Christians vvere fayne to calle them Homoâ—usians of their doctrine as before them they vvere called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is carnall for defending second mariadges against Tertulian and the Montanistes so at this tyme our reformers are fayne to call Catholikes Papists for holding the supremacie of the Pope vvho is no nevv autour of any nevve religion but an ancient succesfour of sainct Peter and Vicare of Christ As for the names of Thomists and Scotists they are no names of autours of nevv religion bicause all held the same fayth but of autours of some other nevv opinions or manners of teaching in Philosophie and schoole pointes like vvise the names of Benedictins Dominicanes Iesuites are names deriued from autours of nevv states of life but not of nevv faithe or religion So that in vs vvhom they call Papistes is no name vvhich argueth vs to be heretikes in the reformers are perticuler names of perticuler authours of nevv pointes of religioÌ„ so they vveare the caracter of the beast and are infamous heretikes if Montanus Marcion Arius vvere vvorthily called heretikes The fourth chapter discouereth another marke of an heretike vvhich is a renouation allmost of all olde heresies vvhich argueth the reformers to be heretiques if euer any hertofore vvere iustly counted so MAny ther are in the vvorld vvho finding many absurdities in the nevv religion and yet some difficulties also in the old vvill nether hold altogether vvith the one nor the other but comfort them selues vvith a flattering opinioÌ„ that a Christian may be saued in all religions so that he retain the principalle articles of Christian beleef For say they if he be firmly grounded in a right fayth of the Incarnation Trinitie persuading him self that God is one in essence and three in persones and that Christ is one in persone yet subsisting in tvvoe natures that he suffred for mankind is the Messias and Sauiour of the vvorld he is a Christian good enough may be saued vvell enough vvhatsoeuer his opinion be in lesser matters as iustification merit Sacraments and such like vvhich to them be but petie matters not of such importaunce as that a mans saluation should depend theron But this opinion of theirs vvould they neuer so fayne that it vvere true is most vntrue and as false as flattering And the reason is bicause one only opinion in a matter of fayth obstinately defended against the Churches authoritie Th. â— â— q. s. a. s p. q. ◠〈…〉 is sufficient to dismember a Christian froÌ„ the mysticall body of Christ his holy Churche in that it depriueth him of infused fayth vvhich is the glevv yea the sâ— nevv vvhich vniteth the members of this body together And in deed as yet vvee neuer hard of an heretike but he professed some principall parts of Christiane faith as that Christ vvas God and man or the Redeemer of mankind or the autour of the lavv of grace or some such like for if he altogether denyed Christe he vvas rather an Apostata then an heretike For he is an heretike vvho professeth Christe in some sorte and him selfe also a Christian yet obstinatelie denyeth some parte of Christian religion and he is an Apostata vvho quite renounceth Christe and his religion Vvherfore vnless vve vvil graunt that all heretikes may be saued vve must needs confess that one heresie is sufficient to damne a man perpetually But in this matter least my censur seem to rigorous my sentence to seuere I vvill alleage scriptures vvhich can not deceiue vs if they be rightly vnderstood Our Sauiour Christ denounceth him to be like an ethnike an publicane vvhich vvill not heare the Churche Mat. 1â— and he sayeth not vvho vvill not giue credit vnto her in principall matters but absolutely he sayeth if he vvill not heare the Churche let him bee vnto theee as an ethnike and publicane that is shonne his company as the Ievves did all familiaritie vvith paganes and publicanes And again Christe threatneth that he Mar. 1â— vvho beleeueth not shâ—lbe damned To vvhich aggreeth sainct Paule saying that vvithout fayth Heb. 11. it is impossible to please God meaning no doubt a vvholle and intier fayth deuoid of all errours For else all heretikes may be saued vvho beleeue aright some parts of Christian beleef Gal. â—â— Vvherfore sainct Paule amongest the vvorkes of the flesh that is of a man vvhich follovveth not the spirit of God but his ovvn sensualitie and liking reckeneth not only fornication dronkennes murder and idolatrie but also dissensions sectes and heresies and against all these vvorkes he pronounceth the sentence of damnation I fortel you as I haue for told you that they vvhich do such thiÌ„gs shall not obtein the Kingdom of heauen vvhich sentence as he vvould haue pronounced agaiÌ„st one fornicatioÌ„ or murder so would he against one heresie To this aggreeth Athanasius in his creed saying that vnlesse a Christian Keep intierly and inuiolately the Catholike fayth Symb. Athâ— he can not be saued Vvhich to me seemeth a sufficient argument that one only heresie is a sufficient matter of coÌ„demnation And truly if vve vvill looke backe to ancient tymes and take a vevve of ecclesiasticall histories councells vve shall sinde that for some fevverrours yea sometymes for one only and that not in the principall points of our beleef many haue been accursed and condemned for heretiques Pelagius beleeued that ther vvere three diuine persons aequall coaequall and coÌ„substantiall he professed that Christe vvas God and man and the Sauiour of the vvorld and that by his grace vve might more easilie come to heauen yet bicause that he auerred that vvithout this grace vve might Keep the commaundements and vvith all that litle infants vvere nether conceiued nor born in originalle sinne hevvas by the common voice of the Church and Christian vvorld Posiid in viâ—â— Aug. condemned fora damnable heretike Vigilantius beleeud also rhe Trinitie and incarnation and yet for that he condemned and contemned reliques vigilles lighting of candels in the Churche prayer to saynts and
an heretike by Vvherfore Ireneus sayeth that by succession vve confound all heretikes Supra Sainct Austine sayeth that it is the thing Lib. cont ep fund c. 4 l. dâ— vtilit cred c. 17. vvhich holdeth him in the Catholike Church bicause sayeth he that Church in vvhich is this successioÌ„ is the rock against vvhich the gates of hell can not preuail If therfore our nevv Christianes vvill discharge them selues of this marke of an heretike vvhich is vvante of succession let them shevv vs as Tertulian demaunded of the heretikes of his tyme the catalogue of their Bishops and the origen of their Churche that if in the same vve finde them to be descended from the Apostles vve may acknovvledg them as true Christians if vve finde that they are not descended from so noble a race vve may hisse them out of the Church for heretikes But I ame sure they caÌ„ shevv noâ— succession bicause they are the first them selues and can as soone name their predecessours as they can finde out Lutheranes before Luther caluinistes before caluin I vvill not deny but that they can deriue some pointes of their doctrine froÌ„ Simon Magus and other ancient heretikes but this succession proueth them also to be heretikes as is before demonstrated but a succession from that Church vvhichvvas commonly counted Christian they can not shevv yea they can not shevv vs a succession of their doctrine from any ancient heretikes but are them selues the first of their familie succeeding to none but sent and ordayned by them selues See the first booke first chap. borne prodigiously of theÌ„ selues ChildreÌ„ vvith out fathers and schollers vvith out masters for although they borovv their heresies of other heretikes yet they iumpe vvith no heretikes in all points but ether adde or detracte so succeed in all poincts to none Vverfore though sometymes they vaunte that they succeed the Apostles and the primatiue Church yet some tymes the truthe breaketh from theÌ„ against their vvills as it doth from the deuil vvhen by coniuration he is compelled to tell the truth and then they confess them selues to be the first of their familie but this confession hangeth them Oecolampadius they call the first bishop of Basil and Caluin the first of Geneua Latimer the first Apostle of Ingland and knokes of Scotland And Martin Luther the most ancient of them all is not afrayed to saye that he vvas the first man that manifested the ghospell and the truthe vnto the vvorld In prafaâ— disp Lypsiâ— Audemus dicere sayeth hee à nobis primo diuulgatum esse Christum Vve dare saye that Christ vvas first by vs made knovvn vnto the vvorld He hathe piggs in his belly therfore he speakes in the plurall nuÌ„ber but he hath noe braynes in his head nor blood in his face to blush vvith all and therfore he dares be bold to say that he is the first man that promulgated the christian lavve Art thou the first thou vaunting compagnion modestie vvould yeeld at least to the Apostles So he vvill peraduenture but at least sayeth he I ame the first after them O monstrouse and Luciferian pride and novv not Luther but Lucifer Art thou the first after the Apostles Vvhere then vvas the Churche all this vvhile Vvhere vver ethe Pastours and Doctours of the same Vvhere vvere the Austines Ambroses Gregories Hieromes Vvas ther none all this vvhile to haue been imployed but God must needs expecte till an Apostata fryar leaped out of a Cloister and maryed vvith a Nonne notvvithstanding that bothe had promised chastitie before god and man by a solemne vovve But they haue a shifte or tvvoe by vvhich they thinke to auoyd this argument of succession The first is this our doctrine say they is Apostolicall and vve are the Apostles successours bicause vve preach conformable to that doctrine vvhich they haue left in the ghospells epistles by them vvritten But this shifte vvill not serue See the second chap. bicause this is to make bare scripture Iudge of their doctrine as all heretikes haue euer doon vv ch not notvvithstanding as is in the first booke demonstrated is noe certain rule to square fayth religion by Vvherfore they haue yet another ansvveare in store vv ch is this They graunte that the Apostles once plaÌ„ted a true church true religioÌ„ and established true pastours but soone after this Churche fayled degenerated froÌ„ that it vvas into the Synagogue of the deuil vv ch they call the Papisticall Churche and possessed the vvorld for many hundred yeares till at length Luther the man of god builded this Church agayne renevved the religion and appointed nevv pastours so say they vve succeed to that Church vvhich the Apostles founded not by a continuall succession but by an interruption of many hundred yeares But aske them vvhat yeare of our lord vnder vvhat Emperour or Pope vppon vvhat occasion this Church fayled then they can not giue you a resolute ansvver Luther in the Assembly at Wormatia publikely auouched that the Church fell in the tyme of the Councel of ConstaÌ„ce in vvhich Vvicleph vvas condeÌ„ned Tom. 9. l cont Papatum The same Martin not allvvayes myndfull of euery vvord vvhich he hath spoken in his book vvhich he vvrote against Papacie sayeth that this Church fayled a thousand yeares after Christe and his reason is biccause the Apocalips sayeth that Satan for a thousand yeares shal be tyed and so for six hundred years he hath been loose l. de Capt. Babyl In another place he sayeth that saint Gregorie vvas the last good pope and that since that tyme the Church and pastours are degenerated Yet the same man perceiuing hovv litle aggreemeÌ„t is betvvixte his religion and that vvhich vvas practised euen in the first age and tyme of the Apostles hovv vnlike his ministers are to those ancient preestes and fathers Act 15. he sayeth that the Apostles them selues erred in their Councel holdeÌ„ at Hierusalem or else sayeth he vve all sinne novv in eating blood-puddings vvhich they forbad not knovving absurde companion as he vvas or not acknovv-ledging that the precept vvas but for a tyme to coÌ„tent the Ievves As for the Councell of Nice vvhich vvas vvith in 300 yeares after Christe he auoucheth that the canons and articles of the same are but Stravv and Stubble â—â—prâ— vvhich epithetons he giues also vnto saint Iames his epistle Ep. â—d Sadol Caluin sayeth that Bonifacius the Pope vvas the first that vvas made suprem head of the Churche by Phocas the Emperour and so he thinketh that then the Churche first degenerated yet the same man in his preface to the king of Fraunce Prafat Inst. ad Regem Galliâ— in locis postreâ—â—â—â—ditu sayeth that the Church fell not till the tyme of the Councel of Basil Melancthon sayeth that Pope Zozimus vvas the first Anti-christ and that since ther vvas neuer any true Bishop of Rome But first this disagreement of the tyme
of this fall is a sufficient argument that the Churche neuer fell for if it had falleÌ„ it hauing been once so famous so glorious so coÌ„spicuous the fall therof vvith the tyme occasioÌ„ and other circuÌ„stauÌ„ces could not haue been coÌ„cealed as sone may the sonnes fall from heauen be vnknovven vnto the vvorld as the fall of the Churche Mat. 3. vvhich is sometymes called a citie on an hill Psal 1â— some tymes a tabernacle placed in the some Secondly if the Church fell then certes it vvas not builded vppon a rocke but on the sands Mat. 16. 2. Tim. 3. then is it not â— piller of truth Luâ— 22. then did Christ pray that Peters fayth might not fayle that his father vvould send his holy spirit to remain vvith the Apostles for euer that is in their successoures for vvith them in person he could not remain for euer and yet vvas not hard Mat. 28. Then did Christ promise that he vvould stay vvith them for euer but performed not vvhat he promised TheÌ„ vvas Christ an vnfaythfull spouse vvho betrothed him self to his Churche but separated him self froÌ„ her many hundred yeares c. 2. And then did Daniel foolishly coÌ„pare Christes Church vnto a Kingdom vvhich should neuer be ruined Ser. 2 in Psal 107. But as S. Austin vvel noteth it is the propertie of theÌ„ vvho are out of the Church to say that the Churche is not Sed illa Ecclesia sayth he in the person of the Donatists quae fuit omnium gentium iam non est perijt Hoâ— dicunt qui in illa non sunt O impudentem vocem illa non est quia tu in illa non es vide ne tu ideo non sis nam illa erit etiamsi tu non sis But that Churche vvhich consisted of all nations novv is not it is perished So they say vvho are not in it O impudent voice Is not that extant bicause thou art not in it Looke least thou therfore beest not for the Churche vvill be although thou be not Ser. â—â— in Cant. Vvherfor sainct Bernard vvho vvas one of this Church doubted not but that she should perseuer to the end Ita est tunc deinceps noÌ„ deficiet genus Christianum nec fides de terra nec charitas de Ecclesia venerunt flumina flauerunt venti impegerunt in eam non cecidit co quod fundata erat supra petram petra autem erat Christus So it is both then after vvard the ChristiaÌ„ race shall not fayle nether fayth froÌ„ the vvorld nor charitie froÌ„ the Churche fludds haue come vvindes haue blovvn haue beaten vppon her but the Churche fell not bicause it vvas founded vppon a rock vvhich rock vvas Christ Hom. 1. de Pent. The vvords of Christ must be verified sayth sainct Chrysostome bicause heauen and earth shall fayle before Christs vvords and vvhat are those vvords sayeth he euen those and no other Mat. 16. Thou art Peter and vppon this rock vvill I build my Churche This Churche sayeth he vvas impugned but could not be ouercome dartes vvere shotte against it but could not pearse engines of vvarre vvere vsed to ouerthrovv it but this tovver could not be beaten dovvn Consider sayeth he the tyraunts beasts svvords deaths dartes vvhich the deuil prepared against this Churche but all in vayne for the deuil hathe emptied his quiuer and shott all his arrovves but the Churche hath no hurte The persecutours are novv dead rotten and forgotten but the Churche florisheth Vvhere is novv Claudius vvhere is Augustus vvhere are Nero and Tiberius these are novv naked names for them selues are not extaunt Ser. post exilium And thinkest thou ô deuil sayth he that thou canst ouer throvv the Churche that art not able to encounter vvith a younge Agnes and tender Christian mayd vvho hath proued stronger then all thy force and instruments of tormeÌ„ts And if sayeth he thou couldest not ouercome the Church vvhen she vvas younge and had the Ievves and Gentils Kinges and Emperours against her thinkest thou novv to giue her the foyle or falle And truly he that sayeth that the Churche hath fayled must consequently say vvith the Atheists that it vvas the vvorke of men not of God deuised by men to Keepe fooles in avve for if the Church vvas established by God then by Gamaliel his rule Act. â— it could not by any force of man be dissolued This argument so presseth them that they dare not stand to this ansvver yet they vvill play small play rather theÌ„ staÌ„d out l. de notis Ecclesiae Luther therfore in his book of the notes of the Churche graunteth that the Church neuer quite decayed but only for the most parte and so sayeth he it decayed euen in the apostles tyme for as Christe sayeth he from the beginning had his Church so the deuil had his chappel vvhich vvas bigger then the Church so there hath been euer a succession of both but the chappel as it vvas euer bigger so vvas it most famouse And this chappell saieth he is the Church of the Papists vvhich is so famouse in Ecclesiasticall histories But this shifte is poore and ridiculouse For if the Church of the Papists degenerated from the beginning as Simon Magus did vvhy vver not vvee called by particuler names as all heretikes are Vvhy vvas not our autour named Vvhy is not the tyme and occasion registred If our Church vvas euer the greater then vvas theirs the chappel for it is against the nature of a chappel to be greater then the Church If our Church vvas the greater and most famouse then vvas ours that societie vvhich vvas commonly called the Christian Church then vvas our societie that vvhich condemned heresies and called Councels vvhich vvas persecuted by the persecutours and consequently vvas not the deuils chappel for he persecuteth not his ovvn and fauoured by Constantine and other Christian Emperours Kings Princes for vvhich monasteries vvere erected Churches builded in vvhich all the ancient doctours ministred sacrameÌ„tes preached teached ruled and gouerned And vvhere vvas then Luthers litle flock Vvhat Historiographer vvrote the progress of it Vvhat Emperours persecuted it Vvhat heretikes rayled against it Vvhat Churches vvere builded for it Vvhat ministers ruled it And vvhat vvas the manner of gouermeÌ„t in it If ther vver no such societâ—e noe other counted Christian but ours theÌ„ ether ours vvas the true Church or else the Church quite fayled so they must retourn to their first shifte vv ch yet vvill not serue their turne as is allready proued Vvherfore if all other fayle they haue yet another shifte and that is this Vve graunt say they that the Church neuer decayed but still stood immoueable vppon the rock vppon vvhich Christ founded it Mat. 16. but soone after the Apostles tyme or peraduenture before they vver all dead this Church became inuisible and appeared noe more openly but vvas preserued secretly in obscure
corners till at the length Luther vvhom God and his Church all that vvhile expected brought it to light again And all this vvhile bicause Ecclesiasticall histories conuince them they confess that ther vvas a Church commonly called Christian in vvhich Popes ruled and Kings and Princes vvere baptized but that say they vvas not the Church of Christ but the conuenticle of Papists and chappell of the deuill Io. â— and thus these euildoers fly the light This shifte serues them for tvvo purposes for first thus they vvill free them selues from all iudgemeÌ„t-seats for if you conuent them before Ecclesiasticall Iudges or the vvholle Church they vvill say that they are not lavvfull Iudges and that it is not the true Church vvhich summoneth them to appear and therfore they are not bound to stand to their sentence vvho haue all authoritie on their ovvn side And if you aske them from vvhome they had authoritie they vvill say that they had their predecessours to vvhom they succeed and their Church vvhose fayth they preach and that from them they haue authoritie if you then bid theÌ„ shevv some historie or ancieÌ„t monument of their Church they vvill ansvvere that it vvas inuisible and soe vvill say vvhat they liste and by noe Church paste or present shall you be able to controlle them for they haue a Gygas ring to goe inuisible by Secondly if the Church vvas inuisible you can not vrge them to shevv any continuall succession of it from the Apostles For they vvill say that their Church succeeded the Apostles and is the same vvhich they planted but after the Apostles tyme vvas neuer seen till Luther pulled avvay the bushell vvhich couered this light And truly I vvill easilie graunt that their Church before Luther vvas inuisible For that vvhich vvas not could not be seen but that the true Churche vvas at any tyme inuisible is altogegether improbable For vvhen hapned this darkeness I pray you Mat. 30 Psal â—â— The Church vvas once a citie vppon an hill and a tabernacle placed in the sonne hovv then could it on a sodain come to bee inuisible and noe man in the vvorld to note it Historiographers vvrite of earth-quakes and darknesses and all the vvorld noted the darkness vvhich hapned at Christes death and vvas ther no man to note this darkeness vvhich couered the vvholle face of the earth and hapned after so conspicuous a light Aristotle sayeth that the same sense iudgeth of the obiect and priuation as for example the eye vvhich beholdeth colours and light perceiueth also or at least giues occasion to the invvard sence called sensus communis to perceiue darkeness vvhen the light is gone vvhy then could not they vvhich had seen the Churche florish and shine conspicuously perceiue also vvhen first she lost her light And if they perceiued it hovve chaunceth it that none euer vvrote of so straung an accident But vvhat should I aske so many questioÌ„s vvhere I ame sure to finde noe reasonable ansvveres I vvill novv vvith one argument make all this darkeness of this erronious doctrine giue place to the light of the truth to vvit that the true Church can not be inuisible For Christ bidds vs vvhen our brother vvill not harken vnto our admonitions Mat. 18. to coÌ„playn on him to the Church Suppose theÌ„ that some heretike should preach false doctrine and being admonished to correct his errour vvould yet remain obstinate ther is no other remedie but to coÌ„playn on him to the Church and hovve shall this complaint be made if the Churche can not be found out as it can not if it bee inuisible Suppose again some Christian or infidell should beginne to doubt of his fayth and vvould fayne be instructed noe doubt his only remedie is to repayr vnto the Church for a resolution vvhere only truthe is taught and saluation is found but if the Churche be inuisible or decayed hovv shall he haue access to this Churche vvhich ether is not as they saye or at least is inuisible Truly if the Churche ether decayed or vvas inuisible then vvas the vvorld vvithout meanes of saluation for many hundred yeares But let me demaund of them hovv their Churche vvas inuisible vvhich consisteth of men and is gouerned by men and mainteined by visible gouerment visible Sacraments and audible preaching They liued not allvvayes in holes some tymes they came abroad and comming abroad and carying the name of Christians they vvere by Papists allvvayes enforced to frequent Masse and sacramentes and to professe their religion else had they been excommunicated and deliuered to seculare povver vvhence it must needs follovv that ether Luthers and Caluines Churche vvas neuer before them selues beganne to preach or that their Churche dissembled against conscience for fifteen hundred yeares But vvhat do I fight against shadovves and that vvhich neuer vvas or neuer vvas seen Let mee conclude novv that vv ch I intended The ghospellers can not deny but that the true Churche vvas once plaÌ„ted and that therfore novve that is the true Church vvhich can by succession be deriued from it for to say that the Church fayled or vvas inuisible is but a vayne imagination and seing that Catholikes can by all Histories and monuments shevv that their Church is descended from that vvhich vvas in the tyme of the Apostles theirs is the Church and they are the true Christians and seing that the reformers can not thus deriue their Church from the Apostles bicause before Luthers preaching it vvas neuer seen hard nor felt it follovveth that their Church is not Apostolicall but rather apostaticall and hereticall and they noe true Christianes but heretikes The sixt chapter handleth the sixt marke of an heretike vvhich is dissension in doctrine in vvhich chapter is proued that peace is a marke of the true Church and that the dissentious ghosppellers are heretikes if euer any vvere CIcero that famous oratour and Merchaunt of vvords Philippica 13. speaking of peace giues it this vvorthy commendation Pacis nomen dulce est res vero ipsa cum iucunda tum salutaris The name of peace is svveet but the thing it selfe is bothe pleasaunt and soueraine To vvhich opinion of his all men vvill easilie subscribe if they enter into consideratioÌ„ of the nature of peace For vvhat is more pleasaunt then that vvhich all things desire and vvhat more healthfull and souerayne then that vvhich preserueth all things So pleasaunt is peace that euen senseles creaturs seem vvholly to desire it The heauens moue all from the east to the vvest caryed vvith the svvay of the first heauen called primum mobile and yet by their proper motions at the same tyme they moue also from the vvest to the East some svviftly some slovvly yet vvith such vniformitie aggrement as though they desired nothing more then peace and feared nothing more then iarring and disagreeing in their motions The ElemeÌ„tes vvhen they are out of their naturall places do moue speedily and make great hast to get
to their home bicause there only they finde peace rest to vv ch their nature inclineth Brute beasts also of one kind coÌ„monly Keep together and follovve one head as it vvere vvith common consent bicause one easilier makes peaceble aggreement then many Li. de vaâ—â—â— Idolorum Bees follovv one king sayeth sainct CypriÌ„an and obey the huÌ„ming of one master-bee In all flocks of sheep ther is one Belvvether and in euery heard one is the ring leader yea sayeth sainct Hierome Cranes follovv one in a longe order vvhich they do for loue of peace for in follovving diuers heades they vvould be more diuided and lesse vnited lib. ciu c. 1â— Yea sayeth S. Austin no tigre is so cruel vvhich doth not licke and like her young ones noe Kite but loues her brood and seekes to conserue her familie in peace much more doth man vvho is indevved vvith reason couer and desire peace seem he othervvise barbarouse and deuoid of humanitie The Passionate man vvho fights coÌ„tinually against reason to satisfie his passions seekes to giue theÌ„ their desire vvithout contradiction of reason and consequently coueteth peace but this is an inordinate peace The reasonable vertuouse man vvho seeks to subdevv his passioÌ„s and to make them to yeeld to reason vvithout repugnance seeketh an attonement betvvixt passion and reason and this is an orderly peace The rebelliouse and mutinouse subiectes vvho rise in armes against their lavvful Prince are desirouse to enioy their ovvn vville to possess vvhat they desire vvithout resistaunce and consequently intend a peace but this is an iniust peace And all though by rebellion they breake coÌ„mon peace yet that is not bicause they hate peace but bicause they enioye not that peace vvhich they desire The iust Prince vvho maketh vvarre against iniust vsurpers Aug. ibidem euen then vvhen he biddeth vvarre aymeth at peace and intends not vvarre as vvarre but as a meane to come to peace and this is a iust peace Cacus that barbarouse fellovv vvho liued in caues as beastes doe fedd him selfe of the spoyles of others vvas desirouse to enioy his ovvn desires vvithout molestation and so desired peace but a brutish peace And aâ— peace is most pleasaunt and therfor desired of all so is it most soueraine and therfor preserueth all Peace betvvixt the humours and elementarie qualities in mans body is health peace betvvxit the tvvo repugnant partes in mans soule reason and sensualitie is vertu peace betvvixt God and man is Charitie betvvixt man and man is frendshipp peace and consorte in voices or instruments is musick peace and aggreement in colours is beautie peace in proportioÌ„s is good making peace in the heauens motions and in the Elementes qualities is the coÌ„seruation of all Peace is the maintenaunce of families the preseruation of cities the establisment of Colleges the strength of common vvelthes the force of Kingdomes and the felicitie of all societies Peace vpholdeth heauen Mar. 12. Marc. â— vvithout it hell could not stande bicause euery Kingdom vvhich is diuided in it selfe shal be made desolate Peace and vnitie sayth the Philosopher makes naturall causes to passe them selues in force and efficacie bicause force vnited is stronger then it selfe diuided You may breake a thousaunde arrovves one being taken from another but in a bundell or sheafe not so Diuide the greatest riuer vvhich is and a childe vvill passe it but vvhen the vvater is vnited you must haue a shippe or boate to sayle ouer Lay one cole in one corner of the hovvse and a nother in a nother and you may Stand in the middest and blovve your fingers for colde but vnite them together and they vvill vvarme the vvholle hovvse OxeÌ„ diuided can not dravv that vvaight vvhich they can vnited The greatest armie vv ch is if it be diuided is soone defeated but vvhen the forces are vnited it is inuincible To be breefe peace preserueth all thinges and giues streng the and force to all And contrarivvise dissension is the bane of all dissension or distemperature of humours in mans body is sicknes disagreement of reason and sensualitie in the soule is vice iarring of voices or instruments is vngratefull discord in colours it is deformitie in proportions mishape Diffension is the vndoing of families the dissolution of Colleges the vveakning of cities the ouerthrovv of armies the ruine of kingdomes the bane of all societies Vvhat Kingdomvvas more likely to haue stood then that of the Angells DissensioÌ„ vvhich Lucifer sovved had allmost quite ruined it Vvhat place better fenced more fertile and frutfull then paradise yet dissension betvvixt God and man yea betvvixte man and him selfe for vvhen man disagreed from god his fleshe beganne to resist his spirit and all creaturs before obedient to him began to rise in armes against him banished theÌ„ce the happy inhabitaunts and vvith theÌ„ all foelicitie Vvho more neare then Cain and Abell dissension vvas the death of the one and the reprobation of the other Vvho more likely to haue liued louingly together them Abraham and Lot Ioseph and his brethern dissension seuered and separated them Vvhat kingdomes more strong and poteÌ„t then those of the Medes Persians Chaldies and Romaines read histories and you shall see that dissension vvas the cheefest cause of their ruines If then the Maxime of the philosopher be true that one contrarie setteth forth another by the destroying nature of dissension you may easily perceiue hovv souerain a preseruatiue peace is and hovv iust cause all creaturs haue so vehemently to desire it This Ievvel Christ bequeathed vnto his deare spouse the Church vvhen sone after his resurrection standing in the midst of the apostles he sayed vnto them Io. 20. Pax vobis peace be vvith you Io. 14. Of this peace in another place he maketh meÌ„tioÌ„ vvher he sayeth Pacem relinquo vobis pacem meam do vobis I leaue peace vnto you I giue my peace vnto you Vvhere for a legacie he bestovveth on his Church not gold and siluer nor kingdomes nor possessious thoughe he permitteth kings to bestovve these things also vppon her but that vvhich is more vvorth then all the diadems and scepters in the vvorld to vvit peace vvith out the vvhich noe societie can endure This peace the prophet Esaie longe since forsavv and forthold Isâ— 81. 65. vvhen he sayed That the vvolfe and lamb shall dvvell to gether and the Lion Bear and Calfe liue peacebly one vvith another and that a litle boy shall driue them a feeld For his meaning is that in the Church shall be such agreemeÌ„t at least in matters of religion that they vvho before their conuersion vvere persequuting vvolues and Beares shall liue peacebly vvith the harmless lambs and Christians and that a litle boy Christe Iesus the autour of all this peace shall driue them a feeld that is shall rule and gouern them The same prophet by another metaphore describing the same peace â—bidem sayeth In those dayes the
infant from his mothers pappes shall delight disport him self ouer the Aspes hole vvithout receiuing harme That is such peace shall be in the Church that the children of Christes Church shall liue quietly vvith those vvho before they receiued Christian fayeth by heresies infidelitie or poysoning manners â— 2. like serpents infected others For as in the Arke of Noe those beasts vvhich vvere by nature sauage so long as they vvere in the Arke forgot all crueltie and liued vvith the rest most quietly so hovv soeuer men before their incorporation and admission into the Church of Christe vvere barbarouse in manners and mutinouse in opinions yet vvhen they are once made members of the peaceble kingdoÌ„ of Christs Church they lay a side all sectes and factions and liue quietly together at least in matters of fayth and religion Vvherby it plainly appeareth that in the Church of Christe is peace and vnitie in religion Vvhich the Apostle also insinuateth in those vvords 〈…〉 Being carrefall to keep vnitie of fayth in the band of peace as you are called in one hope of your vocation one body and one spirit one fayth one baptisme one god father of all By vvhich wordes vve are taught that as there is one God one heaueÌ„ one baptisme so is there but one faithe that they are the true chri stianes vv ch conspire in the same And the reason herof is bicause the truthe is one neuer disagreeing froÌ„ it selfe lyes are many mutable and contrarie and therfore seing that the Churche is the piller of truth 1. Tim. 3. it must needs follovv that vvhere the Church is ther is vnitie bicause the truth in vvhich the members of the Churche aggree is but one I vvill not deny but that the Church consisteth of diuers nations but yet they are so liÌ„ked in one fayth that in Christ Iesu there is no distinction betvvixte the Barbarous and Grecian Rom 10. nor betvvene Ievv and Gentile and although these diuers nations speake diuers languages yet as Ireneus noteth these diuers tongues profess one fayth l. 1. câ—nt her c. 3. I graunt also that in the Church there are diuers functions and dignities for there are Popes Patriarchs Primates Archbishops Bishops Eph. 4. and so forthe and from them the state of the laitie is distincte and subiect to them but these diuers orders make one Hierarchie I confess like vvise that in the Church there are diuers states and orders of religiouse as of Benedictins Dominicanes Austins Bernardins Franciscanes Iesuits yet these diuers members make one body all linked vnder one head Christ Iesus by one fayth and religion This vnitie peace and aggreement in one fayth and religion vvhich is to be seen in the Church militaunt in earth seemeth to me more admirable then that of the Church triumphaunt in heauen And the reason is bicause the inhabitaunts of that happy kingdome behold God face to face and see most euideÌ„tly that vvhich vvee beleeue only and see not at all and so their aggreement in vnderstanding is not so straunge bicause the euidence of the verities vvhich they see enclines them to one assent For as the philosopher sayeth the vnderstanding of it selfe is prone to giue asseÌ„t vnto veritie and truth vvhen it is euidently proposed vvhich is the cause vvhy in things vvhich are euident all men are of the same opinion and therfore to this propositioÌ„ The vvholle is greater then the halfe all men aggree but about the creation of the vvorld the immortalitie of the soule the felicitie of man the substaunce of the heauens and such like things vvhich are not so euideÌ„t there haue beene great disputes and contentions vvhence hath risen that diuersitie also of the sectes of Platonists Peripateticks Stoicks Epicureans and such like Vvherfore seing that the happy inhabitaunts of heauen doe see euidently the diuine nature all the mysteries vvhich vvee only beleeue I meruayle not that they all aggree in one opinion bicause the euidence of these things moues them to to one assent But that so many Christians of so diuerse countries and tymes so diuersly affected and disposed should aggree in one fayth and opinioÌ„ and thinke and beleeue the same of all the mysteries of Christian religion vvhich they see not this seemeth to me most admirable and so straung that I must needs saye Exod â— digitus Des hic The finger of God is in this matter and he it is that is the cause of this peace vnitie Scotus q. 2. prologi and aggreement For seing that the euidence of our mysteries causeth not this aggreement and that it can not be the deuill vvho thus linketh their vnderstandings bicause this religion in all points is repugnant to him and his designements it must needs be God vvho inspiring into these diuerse nations and natures one light of faythe makes them all to conspire in one beleef and opinion And therfore sayeth Tertulian Nullus inter multos euentus vnus est exitus l. praesc 28. errare non possunt qui ita in vnum conspirant Ther is not one end emongest many chaunces they can not erre vvho thus aggree in one Thus vve proue the translatioÌ„ of the septuagint to be of God Iustinus oraet paraen ad geÌ„t bicause those diuers vvriters being placed in diuers Celles and forbidden to conferr could neuer haue so aggreed in the translation of the Bible out of Hebrevv into Greeke as if all their translations had been copied out of one had nor God directed their vnderstandings and inspired them a like Sithe then amongest the Catholikes only this vnitie is to be found they only are the true Churche to vvhich Christe hath bequeathed this peace and vnitie and they only are conformable to the primatiue Churche planted by Christe and his Apostles Act. 4. for then the Christian vvorld vvas of one hart and mynde And for as much as amoÌ„gest the nevv Christians of this age there is nothing but vvrangling and dissension and that in principal matters of religion their Church is the Synagogue of Satan and they no members of Christs Church but heretikes apostataes and members cut of for by this marke of dissension the ancient heretikes vvere euer knovven and discried to be heretikes Simon Magus the first famous Arch-heretike beganne a secte but it remained not one for any tyme but by and by degenerated into many and from the Simonians proceeded the Menandrians Saturninians Basilidians CarpocratiaÌ„s and from them vvere descended the Gnosticks From Cerinthus spronge the vnappy branches of the Ebionits Marcionits Cerdonists and such like The Arians vvere no soner hatched but they vvere by and by diuided into Aetians Eudoxians EunomiaÌ„â— and diuers others So variable they vvere l. 2. c 12. that Socrates reporteth that they changed their Creed and forme of beleef noe less then nine tymes The Donatistes likevvise vvere by and by parted into Rogatists Maximinianists and CircumcellioÌ„s The Nestorians vvere seuered into
Tritheites Theopaschites Agnoetians Seuerites and such like The Eutychians into Monophysites Iacobites Acephalites and Theodosians Vvherfore the ancient fathers haue obserued that dissension is a marke inseparably fastened vnto heretikes l. praescr c. 42. I lie sayeth Tertulian if they vary not from their ovvn rules vvhilest euery one at his pleasur altereth and modifieth he sayeth tuneth those things vvhich he hath receiued euen as the first autour framed them at his ovvn arbitrement the increase declareth the nature of the beginning and origin The same is lavvfull for Valentinus and for the Marcionits vvhich vvas lavvfull for Marcion to vvitte to deuise nevv sects and opinions as their sect masters did before them As Donate sayeth sainct Austin endeuoured to deuide Christe that is the Church of Christe l. de agone Christ c. 29. soe him his ovvn Schollers by dayly hacking and māgling deuided into many peeces Novv that the nevv Christians of this our last age are in like manner diuided and consequētly of the same paste and kinde it is toe toe manifest Luther vvas the first man vvho in this last age beat his vvitte to deuise nevve faythes religiōs and for a tyme he vvas follovved by many but in tyme also his follovvers fell from him vvho perceiuing that they had as good authoritie to preach nevv doctrine as Luther had for they could say also that Christ sent them and they could alleage scripture for their opinions if they might interpret it by their priuat spirit as vvhy may they not as vvell as he they thought it more honourable to be follovved then to follovve and to be Masters then schollers and so leauing Luther in the lurche they deuised also nevv doctrines different from his and so became sect masters as vvell as he Zuinglius therfore being vveary of Luthers seruice vvhome he had courted to longe and perceiuing hovv vvillingly Luther vvould haue denyed the reall presence therby to haue preiudiced the Pope but that the vvords of Christ as he confessed seemed to plaine deuised a glosse for those vvords This is my body Mat. 26. and sayed that Christ called the bread his body not bicause it conteineth his body really as Luther affirmed but bicause it is a figure of his body And as Zuinglius delt vvith Luther so did others For novv the Lutheranes are deuided into seuere and moderate Lutheranes and some glorie in Illyricus Flaccus some adore Melancthon so that novv Luther is lefte of all his Schollers and not any one remaineth vvho aggreeth vvith him in all poincts And as Zuinglius delt vvith Luther so did others vvith him for from him are descended the Osiandrians Semiosiandrianes and Antiosiandriās Yea out of Zuinglius sprong that vnhappy branch Caluin vvho addeth to Zuinglius opiniō that although the Sacrament be but a figure of Christe yet vvith it vve receiue Christe verily really but by fayth vvhich doctrine hovv it can stand vvith it self In the least booke vve shall herafter in this vvorke discourse And novve these mens Schollers are diuided into Lutheranes double Lutheranes Zuinglianes Oecolāpadianes Caluinists Anabaptists Trinitarians Suenkfeldians Protestaunts Puritanes Brovvnists Martinists brethrē of the familie of loue and of the damned crevv and I knovv not hovv many And it is a vvorld to see vvith vvhat animositie these brethren vvrite one against another Luther vvrites seuerly agaīst the Zuingliās l. in Zuingl and Sacramentaries and a litle before his death in steed of a benedictiō vvhich this father should haue bestovved vpon these his children he curseth them to hell refusing all vvriting and communicatiō vvith them saying that in vayne they beleeue the Trinitie and Incarnation vnless they beleeue also the reall presence To vvhom the Tugurine Zuinglians Sur. an 〈◊〉 ansvvered that Luther sought his ovvn honour not the honour of Christ that he vvas obstinate and insolent and one vvho vseth to deliuer men vp to Satan that vvill not aggree to his opinion Apol. Eccl◠Anglia And yet our Sacramentaries in Ingland say that Luther vvas a man of God and Caluin sayeth that he taketh Luther for an Apostle by vvhose labour especially the truth vvas restored It vvere a tedious thing to recount their dissentions and it is a pitifull thing to behold in steed of one fayth in vvhich all the vvorld before Luthers preaching conspired so many faythes and religiōs Of this dissension Hilarius complained in these vvords l. cont Const It is dangerous and miserable that novv there are as many faythe 's as vvilles and as many doctrines as manners and as many causes of blasphemies as vices and that vvheras according as ther is one God one Lord and one Baptisme so one fayth also should bee vve fall from one faith and vvhilest many faithes are fayned noe fayth remaineth And as he thus complayneth of the Arians dissensions so may vve of the dissensions of this age of vvhich also the very autours of these garboils them selues complain most lamentably l. cont Zuing. Luther him selfe sayeth that ther is such dissensiō in the interpretation of scriptures that if the vvorld continevv vve must haue recourse again vnto the triall of Councells else vve shall neuer aggree Deprauat conf Aug. Cithreus cōplaineth that the Euangelicall Doctours hee meaneth ministers are at greater daggers dravving then any quarelling souldiours Ep. de Exoraismo Heshusius confesseth that vvhether soeuer he turneth his eyes nothing allmost occurreth but dissensions nevv increase of errours and falling of great Doctours from the veritie So that euen by their ovvn cōfessions there is nothing but vvrangling and dissension in religion amongest them and consequently their Church is not the Church of Christ in vvhich peace and vnitie florisheth vvhich hathe vpholden and shall still vphold Christes kingdom against the Tyranies of persequutours might and slight of the deuill and all his members vvheras the kingdom of heretikes must needs fall of it selfe by ciuill discord and dissension Vvherfore Epiphanius compares them to the vipers of diuers Kindes In Panarie vvhich the Aegyptians vsed to conclude in one place together vvithout ether meate vvith in or meanes to get out for as they vvhen they vvere allmost famished began vvith teeth to teare and deeuour one a nother till that all the rest being consumed the last hauing nothing lefte to exercise his teeth on dyeth for honger so heretikes ruine one a nother and one secte deuoureth a nother till at lenght the last dyeth of it self by her ovvn impietie Others compare them to the Cadmean brethren vvhich vvere novv sooner borne but they killed one a nother others say that they are like sampsons foxes vvhich are diuided in the heads that is in faythes but yet are linked in the tayles conspiring all in this intention to ruine the true Churche but in the mean tyme they ruine their ovvne beating them selues against the rocke of Christes Churche they do but breake them selues as vvaues doe Li.
4. contra Marcionem Var l. 3 d◠regist c 16. Epiph. har 44. Tertulian compares them vnto vvaspes vvhich as Varro vvitnesseth are like vnto bees and singe like bees but gather nether hony nor vvaxe and can only stinge and therfore are cast our of the hiue but being cast out they make their combes by them selues For so heretikes are baptised like true Christiās cary the name also of Christians and sing also like them euer hauing Christe in their mouthes the Lord and the vverd but they haue nether the hony of svveet doctrine nor the vvaxe of good vvorkes only they can stinge vvith their heresies blasphemies the right bees and Christians and therfore by the cheef Pastour and as it vvere the Master bee they are cast out of the good bees companye by the censure of excommunication and being cast out they make their combes that is sects a part vvhich they also fill not vvith vvaxe or hony but vvith the poison of heresie If therfore some one in Inglād as there are many such should doubt of his religiō I vvoulde fayne knovv to vv ch of all the Churches Sinagogues and sectes he should repair for a resolutiō If he demaund vvhere Christ is vvhere true expositiō of scripture is vvhere true fayth is to be founde the Protestaunts vvill say that it is to bee found amongest them the Puritanes vvill assure him that Christ is vvith them noe vvill the Brovvnists say he is vvith vs. And so the poore man shal be perplex and doubtfull to vvhich partie he shall adioine him selfe for vvhilest none af all these sectes and sect-Masters can proue their mission and euery one of them vvill alleage scripture and their priuate spirit and none can say more for his sect then another he shal be in doubte vvhich to follovve bicause one hathe noe more reason to induce him then another and yet hee can not follovve them all bicause their doctrines and faythes are contrarye Vvherfore he shall do vvell to giue eare to none of them but rather his best vvilbe to follovve the Counsail of Hilarius l. cont Const that is to imitate the mariners vvho after they haue lefte the hauen and are lanced into the maine Ocean if they finde stormes and tempestes return again to the hauen as the only place of securitie For so he hauing lefte the Catholique Churche and out of it finding nothinge but stormes tēpestes and contrarie vvindes of opinions should returne again to the same Churche as the only peaceble and quiet hauen vvhere is no dissension in fayth but all peace and aggreement But they vvill say that amongest vs also are great dissensions and diuers sects also of Thomists Scotists Nominalls Realls and such like To vvhich I ansvvere that this diuersitie of opinions is not in matters of fayth but only in certain subtilities of Philosophie or Quircks of Schoole diuinitie or other indifferēt points of doctrine not defined by the Churche but left to the free censure of euery man But yet these men as herin they shevv them selues men vvho commōly neuer aggree vvher any difficultie is so they shevv them selues Christiās vvho if the Pope or Churche define any opinion are then all ready to yeld and aggree and then you shall see hovv in Christe Iesus and his faith ther is nether Scotist nor Thomist but all good Christians Vvhich is the cause of the great vnitie in the Churche vvhich must needs be vvanting in the heretikes Synagogues vvho hauing lefte the Churche and refusing to stand to her censure haue nothing to make them aggree For nether is bare scripture nor the priuat spirit sufficiēt nether haue they any visible Iudge as is proued and so vvhilest amongest them euery man may beleeue as he liste they must needs haue almost as many opinions as heads Vvherfore to conclude seing that in the Catholike and Romain Churche is such peace and aggreement that all nations vvhich are members of the same professe the same fayth and aggree all in one religiō that must needs be the Churche to vvhich christe bequeathed his peace and for as much as emongest the ghospellers ther is nothing but daggers-dravving and vvrangling in religion that can not bee the Churche of Christ vvho is the autour of peace and concord but rather it is an hereticall Synagogue and they if euer ther vvere any must needs be heretikes vvhoe vvere euer noted for vvranglers in religion The seuenth chapter conteineth the seuenth marke of an heretike vvhich is to be of a particuler secte THe nature of good is not to contein it selfe vvith in it selfe but rather to imparte it self and to make it selfe common vnto others That goodly Planet celestiall body the Sonne vvhich is the light and eye of the vvorld and moderatour of tymes and seasons is not content to abound in him self vvith light but he bestovves the same bountifully on all partes of the vvorld and vvhere he can not be liberall in light he is bountifull in his influences vvhich reach euen to the bovvells of the earth and bottom of the Sea Fire vvill neuer be vvarme alone but heateth also the standers by the fountain vvill not only it self bee full but ronneth ouer to vvater the feeldes medovves and gardens The svveete balme or odoriferous ointmēt cōteines not it self vvith in itselfe no not vvith in the boxe but perfumeth all about To be breefe there is no good vvhich is not good to others And herin the riuers imitate their fountaine the effectes their cause the creatures rather resemble their creatour then attain vnto his perfection For he as he is the fountain of all goodness and goodness it self so dothe he most bountifully imparte this his goodness to others In the creatiō of the vvorld vvhat did he but impart him self by participation vnto all his creatures more or less according to their capacitie But aboue all in the Incarnatiō he hathe shevved him self most boūtifull by vv ch he hath communicated him selfe to our nature not by participation as he did in creation but by hypostaticall vniōo in substaunce and person And bicause in man as in a litle vvorld all things are conteined for mā hath being vvith inanimate creatures life vvth plants feeling vvith beasts and reason vvith angels he hath in man in some sorte imparted him felfe to all creaturs But especially to the humain nature of Christ he hath declared his bounty to vvhich hee hathe in such an admirall sorre vnited his diuine persō that the same man Christ Iesus is God and man omnipotent immense infinite and enriched vvith all the diuine attributs per communicationem idiomatum Wherfore since the tyme or Christes Incarnation in vvhich he so boūtifully bestovved him self God vvould no more be so sparing of his graces as to conclude faith and Saluation vvith in the Confines of Iudea Psal 75. but he vvould haue all saued vvould be knovvn to all by faith and honoured of all by religion And therfore novv he hath
called Ievv and gentile the Grecian and the barbarous and all natioÌ„s vnder the sonne vnto his faith Churche and religion Vvherfore this Church almost from the beginning euen vvhen it vvas confined vvith in Hierusalem Act. 2. coÌ„teined Parthians Medes Persians Mesopotamians and as the scripture sayeth allmost all nations vnder the sonne And vvhen the holy Spirit descended vppon the Apostles and Disciples in firie tongues Ibidem and gaue them the guifte also to speake all languages that vvas to signifie that the Church of Christ vvas not to speake Englishe only or Scotishe and Flemishe only but all languages Vvherfore God promised our Sauiour Christ that he vvould giue him not England only not Scotland Flanders and Germany only Psal 2. but all nations for his inheritaunce Psal 71. Psal 81. And he auoucheth that his Church shall rule from Sea to Sea and that all nations hall haue access vnto it Mat. 28. And so accordingly Christ gaue authoritie to his Apostles to preach vnto all nations Vvherby I gather that the Church of Christ is not to bee a particuler sect confined vvith in any straites and corners of the vvorld but rather an ample Kingdome reaching ouer all the vvorld Symb. Apost Niceph. And this vvee professe in our Creed vvhen vve say that vve beleeue the holy Catholike Church For Catholike is as much to say as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vniuersall l cont ep fundamenti c. â— Vvhich name sayeth S. Austin holdeth me in the Churche And vvhy bicause he knevv it to bee a signe of the true Christian Churche vvhich neuer yet aggreed to any hereticall sect Ibidem li de verae rel c â— l de vtil credendi c. 7. ether of the Manichies of vvhich once he vvas one or of the Donatistes or Pelagians or any other And this sayeth saint Austine is so manifest a marke of the true Churche that heretikes them selues ambitiously affecte the same but yet if you aske for the Catholike Churche they point to ours knovving in their conscience that ours only is in deed Catholike â—â— â— 2. l. 2. And so saint Austin and Optatus refuted the Churche of the Donatists by this argument especially bicause it vvas confined vvith in the limites of Africa And Pacianus saieth that so soone as certain singuler Sect-masters deuised nevve religions Ep. â— ad So. phr and vvere called by particuler names the true Christians to distinguishe them selues from particuler sectes tooke the name Catholique euen from the beginninge as appeareth by the Creed vv ch the Apostles made vvhich name soundeth nether of Marcion nor Cerdon nor Apelles nor ValeÌ„tinus nor Neâ—torius nor Arrius l. cont Iudeos c. 1â— nor Luther nor Caluin And Tertulian so longe as he remained Catholike him self confessed that the true Churche vvas that vvhich vvas diffused throughe out all the vvorld Yea he sayeth that in his tyme the true Christians not vvithstanding the violence of persecution filled the Paganes Cities Apol. c. 37. Ilands Castles Courts Senats and only lefte their temples to them selues but noe soner vvas this man become an heretike but he affirmed most absurdly that the Churche might consiste of three persons though they vvere of the laitie li de exhor cast c. 7 l. de pudic c. 21. Vvhich he did partely bicause he vvould make vp a Churche of Montanus Prisca and Maximilla to vvhom he had vnited him selfe partlie to deliuer in him selfe froÌ„ the name of an heretike to vvhich hee savve him selfe subiect bicause he vvas novve of a particuler sect So that it is sufficiently proued that the Churche of Christe is Catholike that is a Societie professing one fayth in all countries yea and ages also cap. â— according to that of Vincentius Lirinensis In Ecclesia Catholica tenenduÌ„ quod vbique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditum In the Catholike Churche that is to be holden vvhich euery vvhere alvvayes and of all hath been beleeued For that sayeth hee the name Catholique importeth Novve let vs see vvhether the Romain Church faythe or rather the Church of the reformers be the Catholike consequently the Christian Churche for these tvvoe Catholike ChristiaÌ„ euer vveÌ„t together And here I require noe diuines nor Philosophers to be Iudges in this matter only let me haue meÌ„ that haue eares or eyes I desire noe more For the eye vvill easilie Iudge vvhether of these tvvo Churches bee most like to bee Catholike The Romaine Churche vvhich the aduersary calleth Papisticall hath florished in all ages and in the most parte of the vvorld as all histories vvill testifie And novve at this daye our faythe and Churche one and the same is diffused throughe out Spaine Fraunce Italie Portugall and a great parte of Flanders and Germanie yea it reacheth euen to the Indianes and other nevv found countries conuerted by the Benedictines See the first booke first chap. Iesuites and other religious men And so it is Catholique bicause being one and the same it hathe euer possessed all ages countries and still dothe euen to this daye As for the reformers Church and faythe I see noe signe of a Catholike Church in it For first it began not an hundred yeares since In the fifte chapter as before is demonstrated Secondly it neuer yet possessed the vvholle vvorld nor any great part of it as the eye vvill beare vvitnesse only it hathe gotten entertaynmeÌ„t in certayne partes of the vvorld as England Scotland Holland and some Cantons of Germanie Thirdly it is not one Church nor faythe that possesseth all these places but many yea scarce one religion filleth one shire or citie Vvherfore allthoughe England vvere all the vvorld and this age all ages yet vvere not their religion Catholike bicause it is not one faythe and religion in all the shyres of England nor all the yeares of this age for in Englande are many sectes and religions and they also different from the nevve faythes of other countries for there is great difference betvvixte them and the Lutheranes in Germanie Hugonots in Fraunce and Gues in Flanders Nether is it sufficient for any of them to say that their faythe is Catholike bicause all are inuited to it and coÌ„maunded to accept of it for so euerie sectmaster may saye of his religion and I haue proued that the true Christian faythe Church and religion is Catholike in that it being one possesseth all ages and countries Vvherfore to conclude seing that the Church or rather Churches of the reformers neuer possessed all ages and countries yea neuer one and the same filled any one countrie it follovveth that their Church is not Catholike and consequently not the true Christian Church and so they are no true Christians but heretiques and singuler sectmasters if euer there vvere any bicause in that they are of particuler sectes they vveare the same Badge vvhich Donatistes Arians Nestorians and such like haue vvorne before them and for vvhich they
vvere euer counted and called heretikes The eight Chapter discourseth vppon the eight marke of an heretike vvhich is to be condemned for an heretike by that Church vvhich vvas commonly counted the true Christian Church AS vvhen the subiectes beginne to make rebellion the prince suppresseth them or cutteth them of and vvhen any sheep of the flocke are infected the good shepheard separateth them from the rest least they infect the vvholl flocke as the surgeon cutteth of the rotten member least it corrupt the vvholle body and the carefull Husbandman pluckes vp the vveedes least that they ouergrovv the good corne so the supreme pastour of the Church vvhen any rebellious heretikes rose vp in armes against the Church to vvhom they ought of right to be subiect assembled allvvayes his forces together that is called Generall Councels of his Bishops and by the censure of excommunication suppressed these rebelles least that by their ciuil vvarres they should molest the peace of Christe his Church and endeuoured to separate these infected sheepe least that they should infect the vvholle folde of Christ and to cut of these rotten and rotting members least they should corrupt the vvholl body to pluck vp these noysome vveeds least they might peraduenture ouergrovv the good corne of the Catholike Christians And although in the beginning by reason of persequution and vvant of habilitie the Church could not haue her Generall Councels yet euen then the pastours of the Church assembled them selues together in vvriting by vvhich they refuted their heresies and made the autours Knovvn that others might the better auoid them But after that the Church had gotten a Constantine for her champion and temporall princes for her Protectours then against Arius she gathered a Councell at Nice consisting of three hundred and eighteen Bishops Aâ—han ep ad Iou disp con Arian Socr l. 1. c. â— Gen. 14. by vv ch number as Abraham once subdevved fiue Kings so our Sauiour Christ by Pope Siluester his Vicare at Nice the citie of Victorie for so much the Greek vvord impotteth by Victor also and Vincentius vvhose names are victorious gotte the victorie of Arius and the Quartadecimanes and defined against the Arrians that the sonne vvas consubstantiall to the father and against the Quartadecimanes vvhat day Easter should be kept and obserued Vvhich being done the excommunication condemnation curses and anathems vvere thundred our against them and a Synodicall Epistle vvas vvritten to Pope Siluester vvho confirmed the Councels sentence in another Councel at Rome The Emperour Constantine reuerencing this sentence as the sentence of Christes church banished Arius commaunded his bookes to be burned and him and his to be taken for accursed heretikes and after a banquet to vvhich he inuited the holy Bishops he conueighed them home as honourably as he called them together So against Macedonius vvas gathered the second Synode at Constantinople by the authoritie of Pope Damasus for the defence of the holy ghosts diuinitie Against Nestorius a generall Councell vvas called at Ephesus by Pope Celestinê° vvherin vvas defined that in Christ is but one person At Chalcedon by the authoritie of Pope Leo the first in a generall Councell Eutyches vvas condemned for affirming but one nature in Christe And the like generall consent of the Church in condemnation of the Pelagians Berengarians Vviclephistes and such others I could easily alleage out of Ecclesiasticall histories and the Councells them selues But this may suffice to shevve that vvhensoeuer any preached nevv doctrine the Christian vvorld vvondered at theÌ„ the Churche admonished them and if they refused to obey her shee in Generall Councelles condemned them and the Emperours and Catholike Princes executed their lavves vppon them vvhich vvere enacted against heretikes and then all good Christians shunned them as infected and infecting persons l. con proph haeresum nouitates c. 1â— For as Vincentius Lyrinensis sayeth Annunciare aliquid Christianis Catholicis praeterid quod acceperunt nusquam licet nunquam licebit anathematizare eos qui annunciant aliquid praeterquam quod semel acceptum est nunquam non oportuit nusquam non oportet nunquam non oportebit To preach vnto Christians other doctrine then that vvhich they haue allready receiued noe vvhere is lavvfull and neuer shall be lavvfull and to accurse as heretikes those vvhich preach other doctrine then vvhich before hathe been accepted it vvas euer behoueable it is euery vvhere behoueable and euer shal be behoueable And vvhosoeuer readeth the Ecclesiasticall histories shall see hovv allvvayes they vvere taken for heretikes vvho vvere coÌ„demned by Generall Councells and holden so by that Church vvhich commonly vvas called Christian And good reason for he that vvill not obey the Churche muste be by Christes commaundement eschevved as an Ethnike and Publicane Mat. 18. Let novv the indifferent reader be Iudge vvhether this note and marke aggreeth not as properly to Luther Caluin their follovvers as euer it did to Arrius Macedonius Nestorius Eutiches and suche like vvho by their ovvn confession vvere infamous heretikes They taught strauÌ„ge doctrines neuer allovved by that Church vvhich vvas coÌ„monly counted Christian so did Luther and Caluin At them vvhen they began to preach the ChristiaÌ„ vvorld vvondered so did it vvhen these men began Vvhen they by the Churches admonition could not be reclaimed the Churche by a generall Councell in vvhich the Pope ruled by his Legates condemned them as heretikes so vvhen Luther begane to preach Leo the tenth Pope of that name vvarned him of it and sent Cardinall Caietane a larned and famouse diuine to conferre vvith him but he being protected by the Duke of Saxonie though some tymes he fayned that he vvould submit him self remained obstinate vvherfore a generall Councell vvas called at Trent vvherby the sentence of the learnedst grauest and vvisest Prelates of the vvorld for ther vvere present six Cardinalls fovve Legates three Patriarches thirty and tvvo Arch-bishops tvvo hundred and eight Bishops and fiue Abbors seuen Generalls of religions and Proâ—utatours of religions and other learned men very many Luther and all the heretikes and heresies of this age vvere condemned euen as Arrius and other heretikes in other Councels before had been But they say that it vvas not the true Churche vvhich condemned them And might not Arrius haue sayed the same And vvhen I pray you did the true Churche that once vvas and vvhich condemned Arrius degenerate Vnder vvhat Pope and Emperour In vvhat age in vvhat year of our Lord vppon vvhat occasion But this miserable refuge of theirs is already reiected At least that Churche vvhich vvhen Luther began to preach vvas commonly counted the only true Christian Church condemned them and so if euer ther vvere any heretikes these men also must be counted so else Arrius sentence vvhich that societie vvhich vvas coÌ„monly counted Christian pronounced against him must be reuersed or at least again examined To these markes may be added others as vvante of mission allegation of bare scripture bragging
vnlike a sacrament or holy signe callethe it a great Sacrament bicause it signifieth the coniunction of Christe vvith his Church As if he had sayed Matrimonie to a vvordly eye may seeme to haue litle sanctitie or mysterie in it but I say that in this respecte that it signifieth the Mariage of Christe vvith his Church it is a sacrament and a great sacrament The externall rite of this sacrament is the contracte vvhich by vvords or signes is made betvvixte man vvife and therfore S. Chrisostome and S. Hierome vppon this place affirme that sainct Paule called this contracte a great Sacrament The Institution vve haue in Christes ovvne vvords Mat. 19. vvhat God hath conioined let not man separate The promise of grace thus vve gather bicause Christe hathe made this sacrament indissoluble and consequently he must giue grace by it tobeare the burden of perpetuall vvedlocke easilie else had the lavve of matrimonie pressed more heauilie the necks of ChristiaÌ„s theÌ„ the lavve of the Ievves bicause they in case of fornication might leaue their olde vvife and take a nevv and so shake of the burden Secondly S. Paule sayeth that this SacrameÌ„t signifieth the Mariage of Christe vvith his Church vvhich Mariage vvas made not only by Incarnation but also by grace and therfore the Church is called Christes louing spouse â— Gâ—r 10. and sainct Paule biddeth men to loue their vviues as Christe loued his Church vvherfore vnlesse vve vvil saye that matrimonie is an idle signe vve muste saye that it hathe a promise of grace annexed by vvhich man and vvife maye loue one another and beare also more easily the heauy burden of Mariage Vvherfore sainct Austine sayeth in the mariages of Christians l. de beno coniug c 19 vide câ—â—am cap. 24. the sanctitie of the Sacrament is of more valevv then the frutefullues of the vvombe Laste of all that Extreme vnction is also a Sacrament it is plaine by the vvords of saincte Iames cap 5. Is any sicke amongest you let him bring in the Preests of the Church and let them pray vppon him anointing him vvith oyle in the name of our Lorde and the prayer of faith shall saue the sick-man and our lorde shall alleuiate him and if he be in sinnes they shal be forgiuen him In vvhich vvords vvho seeth not the externall rite to vvit prayer that is the forme of vvordes vsed in this Sacrament and the anointing vvith oile The promise is alleuiation and forgiueness of sinnes vvhich are neuer remitted vvithout grace The institution and commaundement is easilie deduced bicause an Apostle vvho may promulgate and minister SacrameÌ„tes but not institute them vvould neuer haue so bodly promised forgiuenes of sinnes by an externall rite and ceremonie had he not beene assured that Christe had instituted it to that effecte Vvherfore sainct Bernard in the life of sainct Malachias affirmeth that he anointed a vvoman knovving that in this Sacrament sinnes are forgiuen Ber in vita Ma Inno entius ep 1. ad Decentium c. â— And thus much for proofe of seuen Sacraments Novve let vs see vvhat sacrameÌ„tes the reformers haue Luther very peremptorilie auoucheth that he must denye seuen Sacramentes and allovv of three only for the tyme l. de cap. Bab. he sayeth for the tyme bicause he vvas not sure hovv longe he should remain in that mynde And vvhat are those three Sacramentes vvhich for a tyme he is contente to allovv vs Baptisme sayeth he penaunce and bread Zuinglius allovves allso of three but not the same vv ch his Master Luther admitteth l. de vera falsa rel c. de inatr l. 4. Inst c. 19. §. 31. vvhich are baptisme the supper and matrimonie Caluin admitteth also three SacrameÌ„tes but not the same vvhich Zuinglius grauntethe Baptisme the Supper and ordination Mel. in locis Melancton is more liberall for he affordethe vs fovvre to vvit Baptisme the supper penaunce and order The softer Lutheranes in their conuenticle at lipsia allovved of seuen SacrameÌ„tes l. 20. hist an â—8 for so Sledan the Historiographer relateth Out of this diuersitie of opinions I gather first that they haue amongest them denyed allmoste all the sacramentes and so can haue noe religion or a uery graceless religion bicause religion and sacramentes euer vvent together Secondly I gather that if any man vvill forsake the Catholique Churche and her beleefe of seuen Sacramentes that he hathe no morall nor probable assuraunce of any Sacramentes for seing that he hath noe more reason to credit Luther vvhen hee sayed once that ther vvas but one sacrament l. de cap. Baâ— initio another tyme that there vvere but tvvoe SacrameÌ„tes in fine then vvheÌ„ he admitted three for the tyme he is not to credit him at all And seing that he caÌ„ alleage noe more for him selfe theÌ„ others that is scripture interpreted as he pleasethe and they noe more then he noe man can haue iuste cause to beleeue any of them and so if hee leaue the Catholike Church he may doubte of all the Sacramentes Lastly seing that the reformers can not bring expresse scripture for any of the Sacramentes but Matrimonie vvhich not vvith standing allmost all of them denye and seing that by deduction as I haue declared vve may gather out of scripture as probably seueÌ„ Sacramentes as one if the reformers leaue the authoritie of the Church and fathers and truste only to their ovvne vvittes in gathering by deduction and consequence their SacrameÌ„tes out of scripture then as one distrusteth anothers deduction so may he distrust his ovvne and so they haue noe certaintie of any sacramentes at all consequeÌ„tly haue noe probable assuraunce of their religioÌ„ bicause sacrametes and religion goe together vvhich Luther him selfe vvill confesse l. de not Eccl. vvho affirmeth that consent in doctrine of the Sacramentes is a note of the true Church and religion The fourth Chapter shevveth of vvhat litle importaunce they make the Sacramentes to bee THe reformers as by the sormer chapter appeareth are very sparing in their Sacramentes some and the most of them not affording vs aboue tvvoe or three but these also they seem to graunte vs vvith an euill vvill bicause they so detracte from their dignitie and attribute so litle vnto them that they might as vvell vvith SueÌ„kfeldius haue denyed these also bicause as good neuer a vvhit as neuer the better For they deny vvith commoÌ„ voice that Sacramentes giue grace or effectuate any iotte of sanctification in our soules To vvhat purpose theÌ„ serue they or vvhat necessitie vvas ther of them Melancthon sayeth that they serue for badges to distinguis he vs from Infidels l. de loc c. de signiâ— but for this effect vvee needed no sacraments at all bicause the yellovv capp of the Ievv in Rome or some noble mans cognisaunce vvould haue been more fitting for this purpose For seing that Baptisme according to Melancthons opinion giueth no caracter after the childe is vvashed
that sainct Paule sayeth that a man is iustified by fayeth and not by the vvorkes of the lavve vvhich is all one as if hee had sayed that a man is iustified by faithe only and not by good vvorkes But to this I ansvvere that if sainct Paule had sayed that a man is iuste by faithe and not by vvorkes adding noe more then Luther had had some argument but hee sayeth not soe but only that a man is iuste by faites and not by the vvorkes of the lavve excluding only the Iudaicall sacramentes and ceremonies vvhich he calleth vvorkes of the lavve and vvhen in other places he excludeth vvorkes he meanethe the selfe same vvorkes Rom. 4. Gal. 2.3 or else those vvorkes vvhich proceed not from faithe and grace suche as vvere the vvorkes of the gentils Nether is faithe sayed to iustifie bicause that only iustifieth but bicause it is the beginning and ground vvorke of iustification or bicause it concurreth to iustification or bicause by that faithe vvhich iustifieth is vnderstood not a naked faithe but a faithe ioyned vvith charitie and good vvorkes such as saint Paule speaketh of vvhen vvriting to the Galathians hee excludeth the vvorkes of the lavve Gal. â— saying that in Christe Iesu nether Circumcision is of any vvorth nor the Prepuce but faythe vvhich vvorketh by charitie Vvherfore sainct Paule is so farre from thinking that only fayth iustifieth that hee auoucheth that if hee had all the fayth in the vvorld and so great a faithe that hee could moue mountaines 1. Cor. 33. yet if hee had not charitie hee vvere nothing And if Luther and Caluin bicause scripture sometymes sayeth that faithe iustifieth vvill therfore inferre that faith only iustifieth then bicause scripture sayeth that by hope vve are saued and that blessed is the man that hopeth in God Rom. â— Psal 83. I vvill inferre that only hope iustifieth and bicause scripture also affirmeth that the man is happie that feareth our lord Psal 111. I vvill conclude that feare only iustifieth Or if they vvill ansvvere that hope and feare are sayed to iustifie and to make man happie bicause they concurre to iustification and happines the same I vvill say of faithe to vvit that it is sayed to iustifie not bicause it only iustifieth but bicause vvith charitie it concurres to our iustification For to charitie allso is attributed our iustification and more then vnto faith For as Christe told saincte Marie Magdalen that her fayeth had saued her so he sayed that many sinnes vvere forgiuen her bicause she loued much Lue. â— and Scripture attributeth those effects to charitie vvhich are necessarilie linked vvith iustification As for example Mat. 22. Rom. 11. Col. â— 1. Tim. â— charitie is called the fullnes of the lavv the end of the lavve the obseruation of the lavv and the bond or knot of perfection Charitie also is sayed to make vs children of God â— 10 â— Rom. 3.1 Pet. â— 1. 10.4 by it the holy ghost is sayed to be diffused in our hartes charitie is sayed to hide and couer our sinnes and to make God to dvvell in our hartes Sainct Ihon pronounceth boldly that vvho loueth his brother by charitie is in the light 1. 10. â— and that vvee are translated from the darkenes that is of sinne to the light that is of iustification bicause vvee loue our bretherne Ibidem c 3. c. 4. yea hee sayeth that vvhoesoeuer loueth not remaineth in deathe And againe euerie one that loueth is borne of God By vvhich it is plaine that ether charitie is allvvayes ioyned vvith the grace of iustification as S. Th â— 2. q. 210. â— 1. â— Thomas sayeth or that it is all one vvith the sayed grace Sâ—â—t 2. d. 26. Our ibidem as others saye and so is the formall cause of iustification and then faith only concurrethe as a disposition as hope also and feare doe At least heÌ„ce it follovveth that only faith iustifieth not bicause hee that hath not Charitie as saint Ihon sayeth remaineth in death and if a man haue all the fayth in the vvorld as saint Paule sayeth vvithout charitie hee is so farre from being iuste that he is nothing and no body Supra Novv vvheras they saye that faithe only iustifieth but not vvithout charitie and good vvorkes bicause it can not bee vvithout them it is another absurde heresie â— Cor. â—â— For saint Paule vvhen hee sayeth that if he had all the faythe in the vvorld and yet haue no charitie hee is nothing supposeth that faithe may be separated from charitie 〈◊〉 2. And S. Iames supposing that it may be vvithout good vvorkes sayeth that faithe vvithout good vvorkes is dead and diuers parables as of the corne Mat. 1â— ibidem Mat. 22.25 and cockle in the same barne of good and bad fishes in the same nette of good and bad gestes at the same supper yea of the sheep and goates also argevve that men maye bee in the Churche by faithe and yet be badde Christians for vvant of charitie and good vvorkes vvhich the good Christians haue Yea reason teacheth that it is one thing to beleeue and to knovv our dutie by faithe and another thing to doe our dutie Yea if there vvere no other argument then the euil life of Lutheranes and Caluinistes vvho bragge that they haue true faithe and yet liue most viciously it vvould conuince them that faithe if there bee any in them may bee seuered from good vvorkes and ioyned vvith euil But to come to a conclusion if faith only iustifie then it follovveth that the gappe is opened vnto all vice and villanie For vvhen they come to the definition of this faithe vvhich only iustifieth Supra they say that it is an assurauÌ„ce by vvhich vvee are fully persuaded that Christes iustice is ours by vv ch faith also they saye Christes iustice is so applyed vnto vs that it is ours and couerethe our sinnes and maketh vs appear iuste in the sight of God Out of vvhich doctrine I deduce this argumente If faith only iustifie then if vvee retaine that faithe thoughe vve commit all the villanies in the vvorlde they can not hurte vs bicause so longe as vvee hold that faithe vvee are iuste and so the gappe is opened to all vice For if a man bee once persuaded that faithe only iustifiethe and that this faithe is noe other thinge but an apprehension that Christes iustice is ours if hee persuade him selfe that Christes iustice is his as hee must bicause Caluin and Luther affirme that euery man must beleeue so if hee vvilbe a Christian then needs hee only care to retaine that faithe and apprehension For if that only iustifie then retaining that hee is assured that he is still iuste though hee commit all the sinnes in the vvorld and so by this doctrine he hathe good leaue to sinne And for more confirmation of this argument it must be noted that Luther and Caluin affirme that Christes
is called the fullnes of tyme virgins vvere more frequent For after that the authour of this lavve Christe Iesus vvas borne a virgin of a virgin mother then all the vvorld seemed to bee inamoured vvith virginitie The Apostles vvhich vvere Christes first Preests and Bishops vvere ether virgins or liued chast like virgins after preesthood Sainct Philip had fovvre daughters vvhich liued and dyed virgins Act. 2â— S. Mathevve the Apostle in Aethiopia instituted an angelicall college of virgins Euseb l. 3. â—o 30. to vvhich hee appointed Iphegenia the Kings daÌ„ghter for the Abbesse In vita cius vv ch after vvards cost him his life but got him the crovvne of martydome I de vit contempt Philo the levve makes mention of diuers societies vvhich in the primatiue Churche liued chastly Apol 2. Iustinus martyr affirmeth that noe people vvas so giuen vnto chastitie as vvere the ChristiaÌ„s of his tyme vvhen as hee sayth bothe men and vvomen kept virginitie to the end and caryed it vvith them to their graue yea to heauen for a ievvell The like report giueth Tertullian of the Christians of his tyme S. Ignatius Apol. c. 9. Ep. adâ—hilad sainct Paules scholler in one of his epiâ—â—les Saluteth a College of virgins and a societie of vvidovves Ep ad Haronâ— and vvhen he vvas going to martvrdome the cogitation of his death and the lions vvhich vvere to deuour him could not put them out of his mynd but euen then hee commended them to his Deacon and successours as the precious Ievvels of Christe Ruff. l. 1 c. 8. Theod. l. 1. â— 1â— Ruffinus also and other Historiographers in commendation of Queen Helena Constantines mother and our countrie vvoman telleth hovve vvheÌ„ she came to Hierusalem she that vvas the Emperess of the vvorld vouchsaffed to serue the virgins at table as a vvayting maide l. 4. vitae CoÌ„st â— 28. And Eusebius puttes it amongest the prayses of Constintine her sonne that he caryed allvvayes a great respecte to virgins persuading him self that God him selfe dvvelled in such chaste myndes Nether caÌ„ our Reformers ansvvere vvith any probabilitie that this vvas the abuse and corruption of that tyme bicause it vvas the vse and custome of the prime Christians in vvhose memories the life vvorkes vvords and examples of Christe and his Apostles vvere freeshe and in vvhose harts the blood of Christe as yet vvas vvarme And if this vvere an abuse holy scripture is the cause of it vvhich in many places commendeth Chastitie and virginitie 〈…〉 The Prophere Isaie or rather God by his mouthe biddes Eunuches that is chaste virgins not to coÌ„plain that they haue noe posteritie in vvhich their name maye continevv for sayeth hee I vvill giue them a place in my hovvse and a better name then they could haue in sonnes and daughters for I vvill giue them an aeternall name vvhich shall neuer perishe Vvher hee can not meane Ennuches by nature bicause hee hathe no reasoÌ„ to promise more to them then to others bicause theyr chastitie is forced but hee must needes bee vnderstood of those Eunuches of vvhich Christe spoake Mat. â—â— vvhen hee sayed that there are some that haue gelded them selues that is haue depriued them â—elues of corporall pleasures by free electioÌ„ Sainct Paule also auoucheth Cor. 7â— that it is good not to touch a vvoeman And againe hee counsayleth them that are free from a vvife not to seeke a vvrfe Ibidem Yea sayeth hee I vvould haue all like my selfe that is chast and continent as all the Interpretours expound And allthough sayeth he I haue noe lavve yet I counsail all to be virgins Ibidem Yea reason also giueth chastitie the preccdeÌ„ce of matrimonie For first as I haue sayed allready in that vve are ashamed of all carnall copulatioÌ„ euen of that vvhich by mariage is made lavvfull it is an argument that Chastitie is more beseeming the nature of man Secondly man is reasonable and sensual spirituall and carnall by reason of his compound nature and by the reasonable parte hee aggreeth vvith angells by the sensuall parte vvith beastes and seing that the reasonable parte is the best and noblest portion in him abstinence from corporall pleasures makes him most like to him selfe yea to Angells bicause by that hee liueth a reasonable life yea and Angelicall and more then Angelicall vvhoe in fleshe and blood liueth chastly like an Angell Thirdly oure goods are diuided into three partes to vvit the goods of fortune vv ch are ritches honours offices and such like the goodes of the body vvhich are healthe and pleasure the goodes of the mynde vvhich are vertues and our ovvne vvilles and desires if then it bee a thing highly pleasing God vvhen by voluntarie pouertie or almesdeedes vvee despoile our selues of our goods of fortune for his sake or his meÌ„bers the poore if it pleaseth him also vvhen by obedience vvee resigne our vvilles and desires vvhich are the goods of our mynde into the handes of our Superiours and consequently into the handes of God from vvhom they haue their authoritie vvhy shall it not bee laudable to vveane our selues eueÌ„ in the flovvre of our yeares from those goods of the bodye vvhich are called pleasures but yet so are goods and pleasures of the body that coÌ„monly they doe the soule the greatest domages and displeasures Lastly if to vse moderation in eating and drinking bee a vertue called temperaunce vvhy shall not a moderation in pleasurs of the fleshe and sensualitie vvhich vvee call chastitie bee esteemed also as a vertue But our Epicurs vvill say that a moderation in pleasurs is good but yet as it is vnlavvfull to absteyne altogether from meare so is it a sinne to renounce all pleasurs of the body To this vvee haue an easy ansvvere to vvit that the first abstinence is vnlavvfull bicause it killeth the bodye vvhich can not liue vvithout meate but the second is lavvfull and laudable bicause corporall pleasures are not necessary for the bodyes maintenaunce and commonly are preiudiciall to the soule and sometymes to the body also But yet they haue not doone it is against nature as they saye preiudiciall to mankinde to liue chastly I ansvvere that chastitie is against the nature of the fleshe and sensualitie by vvhich vve aggree vvith beastes but it is most beseeming our reasonable nature vvhich is the principall parte of man and so is absolutely aggreable vnto man bicause the reasonable portion is that vvhich maketh him a man And althoughe if all men should liue chaste it vvoulde bee preiudiciall to mankind yet for some to bee chast it is not any vvise derogating and vvee need not feare least all men be chast bicause it is not a thing so easie but is an harde and heroicall vertue vvhose difficultie deterreth the most parte of men Such an obiection Vigilantius once made Hier l. â— contra Vigil If all be virgins sayed he mariadges shall not bee children shall not cry
can faine or imagin But I vvill bee so bold as to take this meanes from theÌ„ and then I vvill aske them hovv they knovve that the nevve and old testameÌ„t are not meere fables and fictioÌ„s as the Atheistes say that they are For they are of opinion that the Romaine Church maye deceue bee deceeued and therfore they vvill not beleeue her for the number of canonicall bookes nor for the meaning of scripture hovv then can they credit her vvhen shee defineth that the old and nevve testament are holy scripture her authoritie is one and the same in the affirmation of this and of other thiges if theÌ„ they beleeue her not in those thinges they caÌ„ not beleeue her in this For as if the Astrologer saye that to morrovv shall be rayne that vvith in three monethes ther shall bee rayne I caÌ„ not beleeue this to bee true for his assertion vnlesse I also beleeue that bicause his authoritie is the same and yet I maye beleeue rather that vvithin three monethes vvee shall hauerayne theÌ„ that to morrovv vvee shall haue rayne bicause that in it selfe is more likely so if vvee beleeue one thing vvhich the Romain Church affirmethe and not another vvee beleeue not any thing bicause shee sayeth so but ether for the probalitie of the thinge or for some other reason vvhich pleasethe vs. Vvherfore seing that out reformers beleeue not the Romain Church in all pointes it must neede follovve that they can not beleeue that the old and nevve testament are holy scriptures bicause shee sayeth so but for some other imaginations vv ch they haue for if they belecued this bicause shee sayeth so they vvould beleeue other thinges also vvhich shee auouchethe bicause her authoritie being the same deserueth the same credit in the one and in the other But let vs suppose that they beleeue that the old and nevv testament are holy scripture bicause the RomaiÌ„ Church sayeth so yet bicause they affirme that the Romaine Church maye lye and hathe also lyed loudly in many importaunt matters it follovveth that they haue herby no assuraunce of Scripture bicause as the Church in their opinion hathe erred in other thinges so may she in this if she may peraduenture she hathe erred and so they haue no assuraunce of scripture They vvill saye peraduentur that they are assured by tradition froÌ„ tyme out of mynde vnto this present that those bookes are holye Scripture bicause our forfathers euer esteemed them soe But nether can this bee a sufficient vvarrauut bicause they are vvont to saye that all thinges necessarie to bee beleeued are conteined in scripture and that therfore they vvill beleeue no traditions And if they beleeue that these bookes are holy scripture bicause by tradition so it is deliuered vnto them vvhy do they not beleeue the real presence and the Sacrifice of the Masse Vvhy coÌ„temne they the Fast of lent Images holy vvater the signe of the crosse such like vvhich vvee haue by the same tradition by vvhich vve haue the scriptures Yea seing that Tradition is nothing else but an opinioÌ„ or custome of the Churche not vvritten in holy vvritte but yet deliuered by the handes of the Churche from tyme to tyme and from Christians to ChristiaÌ„s euen vnto the last age and Christians if the Churche can erre she may allovv of euil traditions and so traditions also may bee erroneous coÌ„sequently can be noe sufficient vvarrant vnto the Reformers for the authoritie of holy scripture They vvill say peraduenture that they beleeue most voices and therfore seing that all the vvorld allovveth these bookes for holy scripture they vvill ioine vvith them in this opinion bicause the voice of the people is the voice of God but nether can this voice assure theÌ„ for ether they vnderstand by this commoÌ„ voice the voice of the vvholle vvorld or the voice of the Christian vvorld if they meane the voice of the vvholle vvorld theÌ„ haue they moe voices against them then for them bicause the greatest parte of the vvorld vvas euer Pagane if they meane the ChristiaÌ„ vvorld then in deed the most voices are for Scripture bicause the Catholike Church vvhich allovveth of scripture vvas is and shal be the greatest part of Christianitie but bicause they saye that this Church may erre they can haue no assuraunce of scripture by this voice They vvill saye peradueÌ„ture that they belceue that scâ—ipture is the vvord of God bicause their ovvn Churche vvhich is the true Churche affirmeth it to be so But nether vvill this shifte serue their turne Bicause first of all they caÌ„ not proue their Churche to bee the true Churche not their Pastours to be the true Pastours Bicause their Church hathe not the markes of the true Churche hauing nether succession from the Churche planted by the Apostles vvhich should make it Apostolique nether hauing euer possessed the greatest parte of the knovvn vvorld vv ch should make it Catholike and being so farre froÌ„ being one that it is diuided into coÌ„trarie sectes so farre also from being holy that it leadeth to all vice and Atheisme yea hauing all the Markes of heresie as my second booke demonstrateth As for their pastours they can not proue their mission as also is proued But if I should graunt them that their Church is the true Church yet by their Churches vvarraunt they can haue no assuraunce of Scripture bicause they are of opinioÌ„ that the true Church maye erre and consequeÌ„tly their Church also maye erre and if it maye erre in other thinges it may erre in this and if it may erre in this peradueÌ„ture it hath erred in this and so they haue no assuraunce of Scripture Vvherfore laying a side the Churches authoritie as insufficient in their opinion I demaund vvhat assuraunce they haue of scripture They can not alleage Scripture to proue scripture bicause no part of scripture affirmeth that the bookes called Scripture are the vvord of God dictated and indighted by his spirit And if Scripture did affirme it selfe to be holy Scripture yet vvere not that a sufficient vvarraunt for as I may doubt vvhether the bookes called Scripture be the vvord of God so may I doubte of that testimonie vvhich scripture giueth of her selfe vnlesse by some other meanes I bee assured that these vvritinges are the vvord of God They vvill say peraduenâ— that the very maiestie of the phrase of Scripture and the diuine matters and mysteries vvhich it conteinethe do argue that it is the vvord of God But this ansvvere is also insufficieÌ„t bicause to a vvordly man or Prophane Philosopher the stile of Scripture seemeth base and barbarous and the mysteries seeme to bee nothing else but dreames and imaginations the histories seeme tales and the matters seeme ether follies or impossibilities and so they vvould seeme vnto vs also vvere it not that vvee haue a reuerent conceite of them bicause vvee beleeue them to bee the vvord of God Vvherfore Iulian the Apostata Celsus Porphirius Apion
vvill vvith any reason persuade me to bee ether Turke or Ievve I may by authoritie bee of noe religion And thus Atheisme must needs follovv diuision in religion contempt of the Romaine Church The sixte Chapter shevveth hovv their vvant of a visible head giuethe a great aduantage to Atheistes and such as mocke at all religion IN the first booke and last chapter I haue declared at large hovve necessarie a visible head is in all societies and especially in the Church of Christe and I haue also demonstrated that ther is no suche visible head in the Synagogue of the reformers vvhence I haue inferred that amongest them it is lavvfull for euerye heretike to preach vvhat doctrine hee vvill and no man shall cōtrolle him Novve I ame to deduce another conclusion to vvit that thus also the gate and gapp is opened vnto Atheistes and godlesse and irreligious persons vvhich I can do easily and vvill doe in a vvord For if a visible head bee vvanting euery man may preach and imbrace vvhat religion hee vvill as in the alleaged place I haue proued and seing that if this head bee vvanting ther is noe certaintie for any religion but only the priuate spirite and bare scripture vvhich are altogether vncertaine In the first booke ch 2.3 as before is proued it vvill follovv that a man shall haue no more reason to imbrace one religion thē another yea hee shall haue noe probable reason to induce him to any religion at all and consequentlye he may take good leaue to bee of no religion And thus he may argue in forme and figure If ther be no visible head to determine by authoritie vvhat religion is to be imbraced euery man may be of vvhat religion he vvill and no man can controlle him and so I also may vse my libertie in choosing my religion as vvel as another And seing that if the authoritie of a visible head be layed a side I haue no more reason to bee of one religion then another bicause all religions alleage the same reason vvhich is no reason to vvit bare scripture sensed by the priuate spirite and I can not possibly be of all bicause they be contrarie to one another I may by good reason refuse to bee of any religion and noe man can controlle me for it if there bee no visible head vvho can proue that hee hathe authoritie to determine of religion And so he that forsaketh the Catholique Church vvhere only this visible head is to bee found hath leaue and licence to bee of vvhat religion hee vvill yea to be of no religion at all bicause leauing that hee hathe noe more reason to bee of one religion then another bicause hee hath no other reason then bare scripture sensed by a priuate spirite vvhich is not sufficient as is proued in my first booke and third chapter yea leauing the Catholike Churche he can not haue any probable reason to induce him to any of these nevv religions as I haue proued in my first booke and fifte chapter and seing that God nether can nor vvill commande him to bee of a religion for vvhich hee seeth no reason nor motiue vvhich is sufficient to induce a reasonable man as in the same place is proued hee maye vvith reason after hee hath lefte the Catholike Churche ioyne vvith Atheistes vvhoe are of noe religion The seuenth Chapter shevveth hovv the Reformers in denial of the real praesence do ruine Christian religion and call all the other mysteries of faithe in question SAcrifice is a thing so highly pleasing and acceptable vnto God that he vvill haue none to be pertakers vvith him in such honour but reserueth it as an homage devv only to him selfe and proper to a diuine maiestie 1. Reg. 15. Yet obedience is more gratefull vnto him then all the Hecatombs and Sacrifices in the vvorld bicause by sacrifice vve consecrate vnto his seruice the liues and substaunce of brute beastes but by obedience vvee make a burnt-offering and Holocaust of our ovvne soules resigning our desires and vvilles yea our ovvn selues vvholly vnto his vvill and pleasure But vvhilest this obedience resteth in the vvill thoughe it be very meritorious yet hath it not the full complement of perfection bicause so longe as the vvill hathe reason to persuade her the lesse thankes she deserueth for obeying but vvhen this vertue reachethe to the vnderstanding and maketh reason against sence and aboue reason to yeeld to more then reason can reach vnto then hath this vertue the topp of her perfection But this perfection shee hath not of her selfe bicause of her selfe she can only submitte the vvill vnto the commaundement of the Superiour but she is fayne to borrovv so much of the Theologicall vertue called Faithe vvhose propertie is to make the verie vnderstanding to stoupe vvithout any reason to yeeld to thinges for vvhich ther is noe reason bicause they are aboue reason Many such thinges ther are in Christian faithe vvhich seeme to sense senseless to reason vnreasonable and to humaine faithe incredible and as farre as mans reason can see euen to diuine povver impossible Emongest the vvhich three are the most principall and to humain reason most incredible to vvit the Trinitie in vv ch vvee beleeue that three are one that is that three persons are one God The incarnation in vv ch vvee cōfess that tvvoe are one that is tvvoe natures in Christe the one diuine the other humaine are one and the same person the blessed sacramēt of the altare in vvhich vve acknovvledge that bread and vvine by the vertue of Christes vvorde are changed into his body and bloud and that one body is not only in one but in diuers places at one and the selfe same tyme But as these three are the hardest to conceue of all the mysteries of Christian fayth so hath our blessed Sauiour giuen vs more plaine and euident testimonies of them in his holy vvritte then of any other vvhich are more easilie to be conceued For the blessed Trinitie vvhat more pregnaunt proofes can vve desire then vve haue in sainte Matthevv Going therfore teach you all nations in the name of the father cap. vlt. and of the sonne and of the holy ghost Vvhere the ancient fathers note that three are named to signifie three distinct persones and yet Christe biddeth his Apostles to baptise in the name not names of these three to signifie that these three are one God And that the father is God euery leafe almost of Scripture dothe testifie that the sōne is God many places most manifestlye do beare vvitnes Rom. 1.9 Tit. 2.3 Iuda 2. Mat. 1◠Act. ◠testimonie That the holy ghost is God S. Peter averreth vvho hauing demaunded of Ananias the reason vvhy hee vvould lye vnto the holy ghost auoucheth that he lyed not to mē but to God vvherfore S. Paule sayeth that vvee are the temple of the holy ghost and seing that to God only temples are erected if vvee bee his temple
Fourthly as in these alleaged cōuersions mutatiōs the afore named fathers make recourse vnto Gods omnipotēcie so do they in the mutatiō of this Sacrament prouinge that it vvas possible bicause God is omnipotent Sainct Ambrose sayeth li. de ijs qui initiātur c. 9. hee that of nothing could make something can hee not turne one thing Cipr. ser de Coena Domini into another And sainct Ciprian sayeth that by the omnipotencie of the vvord the bread is made flesh And vvere not these fathers madde to endeuour to explicate by so harde examples hovve God his omnipotencie vvas able to chaunge bread into Christes body and vvine into his bloud if the mutation vvere figuratiue only seing that the vintener vvithout omnipotencie can do the like in making an Iuie-bush of no signe a signe Fistly they admire herin our sauiours great charitie and bountie vvho is so liberall as to feast and feed vs vvith his ovvn flesh and bloud Ho 45. in 10. Vvhat shepheard sayeth saint Chrisostome feedeth his sheep vvith his ovvn blood And vvhat say I Shepheard many mother 's ther are vvhich vvill not bestovv their milke vppon their suckling babes but rather do put them forthe to nourcing but Christe dealeth not so niggardly but rather feedeth vs vvith his ovvn flesh and bloud and mingleth his substaunce vvith ours Novve if Christe hathe giuen vs only a bare signe of his flesh and bloud I see no such extraordinarie loue and charitie at least herin he shevveth no more yea not so much charitie as he shevved to the Ievves to vvhome he gaue manna from heauen in their extremitie vvhich vvas a more noble substaunce and a better figure then Caluins bread is Lastly the fathers note for a straunge thinge that Christe is eaten of vs in the blessed sacrament and yet nether diuided in vita apud Sur. nor diminished nor consumed This sainct Andrevv tolde Aegeas the Proconsul for a great miracle I sayeth he do offer dayly vnto the omnipotent God the Immaculate lambe of vvhom vvhen all the people haue eaten the lambe remaineth vvholle and intiere Ser de Coena Domini Hom 2. de Verb. Apost Sainct Cipriane calles this sacrament inconsumptibilem cibum meat inconsumptible Sainct Austine speaking of this Sacrament and of the murmuration of the Ievves vvho imagined that they should teare Christes flesh vvith their teeth sayeth thus sicreficeris vt non deficiat vnde reficeris so thou art refreshed that it is not deficient of vvhich thou arte refreshed And the reason is bicause Christes body is glorious and is receued vvholle of euery one and so is not deuided and vvhen the formes of bread and vvine perishe Christs body leaueth them and though one man receueth Christes body vvholle yet ther is neuer the lesse for another for hee also receueth it vvholle nether in this is there any greater difficultie then that 5000. Io. 6. men should bee fedd vvith fiue barly loaues tvoe fishes yet the reliques to bee as great or more thē vvas the feast novv if Christe be not really presēt in this Sacramēt but only as in a signe and figure it is no more meruaile that hee is not consumed then that the Kinges picture should bee burnt or broken and he receue no harme and if vvee eate him only spiritually by faithe vvhat vvonder is it that his substaunce is not diuided seing that faithe hathe no teeth to rent or teare him I could adde to these fathers vvho as I haue proued in the first booke ener vvent vvith the Churche Chap. 4. the practise of the Christian vvorld l. 1. de Eucharist c 20. vvhich for reuerence of this Sacrament as Cardinal Allen noteth hathe builded so goodly Churches errected so stately Aultars prepared so ritche vessels of gold and siluer to contein this Sacrament hathe caryed it in Procession and adored it vvhich honour and homage Christians vvould neuer haue giuen it had they thought that it vvere but bread and vvine or a bare signe or figure of Christes body So that if euer there vvere any truthe in the Churche this of the real presence is a truthe bicause the Scriptures are as plain for it as for any other mysteries of our faithe the fathers aggree in the exposition of the scripture for the real presence as they do in the exposition of scriptures against the Arrians for the defence of the Trinitie or against the Nestorians or Eutichians for the Incarnation the practise of the ancient Churche argueth noe lesse miracles vnlesse all bookes euen lately Printed lye vvere allvvayes as frequēt for this mysterie as for any the consent of all Christians conspireth in this article as vvell as in the Trinitie this the paganes knevv full vvel In Apol. c. 5.7 Pamel ibid. Euseb l 5 c. 1 vvho therfore called vs Anthropophagos and Infanticidas as vvitnessethe Tertulian And so if vvee haue any truthe of any article of our faithe this is an assured veritie and if euer ther vvere any heresie Caluins opinion vvhich denyeth this real presence is an heresie bicause the autours of this opinion vvere euer noted for heretikes as Berengarius Vvicleph and others before them and their follovvers had particular names as the Arians haue they vvere condemned by Councels and by that Church vvhich vvas commōly called Christian and they haue all other markes of heretikes set dovvne in the second booke as vvill easilie appeare by application of thē vnto Caluin and his follovvers Vvhen this opinion vvas taught the vvorlde vvondred at it and the Pastours and fathers of the Churche vvrote against it and they alleadged as plain scripture against this heresie as euer they did against Arianisme And so if euer there vvere any heresie in the vvorlde the denial of the real presence is an heresie Conferre novve gentle reader the testimonies vvhich Catholikes haue for the real presence vvith those vvhich the reformers alleage against it and tell mee vvhere is likest to bee the truthe Catholikes haue plainer scripture for it then they haue against it the fathers also vvho are interpretours of scripture stand for it the reformers stand against it Vvhich are to bee beleeued thinkest thou Vvhether all the fathers or all the Reformers yea or euery one of the Reformers bicause they aggree not and euery one vvilbe supreme Iudge by his priuate spirit They vvill say scripture must bee beleeued before ffathers but this is not the question for scripturs are plainer for the real presence then those are vvhich the reformers bring against it And fathers bringe scripturs to proue it as vvel as they do to disproue it so that the question is vvhether the fathers are liker to vnderstand the scripturs rightly rather then the reformers yea rather thē any one of the reformers in particuler But to dravv to my intended conclusion out of all this discourse I gather that vvee haue as plaine scripture for the real presence of Christes body and bloud in the blessed
Church for defect of a visible heade 151. 156. Three great inconueniences if Christ shoulde haue suffered the paynes of hell as Caluin diabolically contendeth that hee did 337. The institution of Preesthoode and Preestly function 366. Certaine interpretations of places impiouslie alleaged of heretikes to proue Christ ignoraut 313. That there is no sufficient Iudge of controuersies in religion in Englande or any other Church of the reformers 145. vsq ad 148. The large and supreme iurisdiction of the Popes of Rome accordinge to the vvhich they haue allvvayes practised 142. Imputed Iustice dothe not really heale the soule or sanctifie it 274. The heretikes imputed Iustice admitteth no augmentation or increase 305. it makethe euery man as iust as Christ himselfe K Christes Knovvledge 309. Adams Knovvledge 308. Salomons Knovvledge 308. L Hovv agreable labour is vnto man 603. The succession of gouernement in the Church euen in the lavve of nature 138. Recourse had to the highe Preist concerning all difficulties in religioÌ„ in the lavve vvritten 139. The lavve of grace requireth a visible heade 140 the excellencie therof aloue all others 275. it consisteth in beleeuing and obseruinge 276. To say that the lavves and coÌ„maundements of God bee impossible giueth occasion to all impie-570 the like dothe to saye that Christ hathe freed vs from all lavves 572. The libertie that Luther and Caluin giue all faythefull men to sinne 547. that they giue all men leaue to sinne in sayinge that all our actions are mortall sinnes 549. By vvhat Likelyhoode sentence vvould passe of the Catholicke parte if the matter vvere put to the hearinge of any indifferent person 130. Luthers presuÌ„pâ—ions proude vvordes against all fathers vvith his raylinge tearmes against king Henrie 8.24.86 his attempte vvith the success in dispossessinge of a deuill 25. Hee accusethe the councell holden at Hierusalem of eâ—rour 297. his reprochefull vvordes against the councell of Nice 198. against saint Iames his Epistles ibid. His litle flocke and inuisible Churche disproued 202. hee despoilethe Christ of the title of a lavv maker 280. hee reiecteth prayer 446. the opposition that is betvvixte his doctrine and S. Paules 623. betvvixt his and our sauiours 635. Luther admitterhe a pluralitie of vviues at once 624. his foure cases vvherein as hee sayethe it is lavvfull for a man to leaue his old vvife and 〈◊〉 take a nevve 625. his notorious infamous lyse 〈◊〉 deathe 122. his opinion of sacraments 408. of Baptisme vvherin he thinketh no forme of vvordes necessary 4.6 the reason vvhy a man is more ashamed of his lustes then other vices and Passions 61â— Hee thinketh no forme of vvordes necessary 41 M Tvvo maner of missions coÌ„cerning preachers 7. Extraordinarie mission require the extraordinarie signes and confirmations 20. tvvo vvayes Christ proued his mission 106. Marcious heresie concerning the creation of the vvorlde 30. Markâ—s of heretiks to make a breaehe out of the Churche 159. noueltie 166. a particuler name from their sectmaster 172. a renouation allmost of all olde heresies 179. vvant of succession 188. dissention in doctrine 208. to bee of a particulet sect 228. to bee coÌ„demned for an heretike by the Cath. Churche 236. many others 241. all vvith in their seuerall places aboue noted are seuereally proued to agree to the reformers of this tyme. Mennes to induce men to religion 115. a meane to distinguishe the true Churche from a bastarde and hereticall synagogue 191. The maner of refuting heresies before the tyme that generall councells could bee called 237. The different maner of prayer to Christ and to his Sainctes 354. Melancthon couertlie detracteth from Christ 247. Mans miserie and seruitude after sinne 254. Caluin could vvorke no miracles p. 25. N The nature of goodnes 229. The Nestorian heresie 32. The generall and ancient name of Christians and Catholikes argueth the trevve Catholike religion 177. Noueltie a marke of heretikes 166. Vvhat the name Catholike importeth 231. The number of prelates present at the councell of Trent 240. The necessitie of a visible heade ouer the Churche here in earthe 365. The rayling speaches and odious names that heretikes especially Caluin vvith greate contempt vse against all Saints 346. their reproche-full vsage of reliques and Saincts pictures 347. O The order that vvas taken to reclaime Luther 240. the maner of proceeding against his obstinacie ibid. his heresie condemned by the councell of Trent 240. The Catholike opinion of iustification vvith vvhat reason it is affirmed 261. The iust occasion vvee haue to suspect the reformers sincerity tovvards Christ 355. The distinction of holy orders and the maner of giuinge them proued out of the scriptures 367 The auncient opinion for the number of seuen sacraments 399. The diuersities of opinions amongest the reformers them selues for the number of the Sacraments 408. their erronious opinion for the forme of vvordes vsed in sacraments 427. The Epicures vvitles opinion concerninge the origin of the vvorlde 654. An obiection of our voluptuous heretikes against chastitie 619. the same ansvvered ibid. the obiect of religion 661. P Intolerable pryde in heretikes 73. 66. The probabilitie of the Catholike religion 102. Sainct Peters commission and preeminence aboue the rest 142. Pelagius his heresie 182. A propertie of heretikes vvhich sainct Austine obseruethe 199. The different maner of prayer to Christ and to his Saincts 354. The peace and agreement that is in the Catholike Churche 214. 228. that the same must needs proceede of God 218. The superabundant price of our redeÌ„ption 156. Christs passions or rather propassions 327. The chaunge of preesthood vvith the chaunge of the lavv 364. The coniunction or inseparabilitie of preisthood and religion 363. 369. Plaine proofes bothe by scripture and reason for the sacrifice of the mass 384. 389. Predestination 420. The excellencie of prayer 430. the continuall practise of it in the Churche 437. the contempt of it conformable to the reformers doctrine 438. prayer to Saincts 355. Vvhy the Pope can not erre in defining scriptures and their exposition 155. 677. Precepts of good life reduced to tvvoe heads 277. Parricide aggreing to heretikes 81. R The truthe and euidence of the Catholique Religion 105. The reason vvhy the Churche relyethe vpon the Popes sentence as infallible 155. that a visible heade in the Churche is necessarie 144. the reason of the dayly sacrifice in the Church 288. vvhy Christ is sayed to bee a preist after the order of Melchisedech 289. the reason that vvee maye suspect heretikes for false Prophetes 25 vvhy vvee giue a religious honour to sainctes and their reliques 341. vvhy vvee make intercession 353. The libertye of rebellion that Luther and Caluin giue to all their follovvers 485. Recourse had to the highe Preist about all difficulties of religion in the lavve vvritten 139. The certaintie that the reformers are heretikes 172. nothinge can excuse them from heresie but Apostasie 187. theire absurde doctrine of â—usâ—â—â—cation vvith their pernitious coÌ„sequences vvhich they inferre vpon the same 258. their doctrine hovv iniurious it is to Christ and Christian religion 633. 260. vsq ad 267. 318. to all ciuill gouernement 490. vsq ad 534. hovv it openethe the gapp to all vice and sensualitie 547. vsq ad 598. 621. vsq ad 727. it take the 579. avvaye all speculatiue sciences and morall vertues 550. all conscience 594. it directlye tendeth to atheisme 666. it bringethe into contempte all scriptures and religion 674. 689. vsq ad 696. The proude conceipts that the reformers haue of their sanctirie 206. they affirme that all our actions good and bad are mortall sinnes 300. that all sinnes are equall 301. that vvee haue no libertie nor freevvill in our actions ibid. that God is the autour of all sinnes 302. The libertie of rebellion that Luther and Caluin giue to all theire follovves 485. The reformers vppon necessitie beleeue in some thinges the Pope and Romaine Churche 679 they take avvay in effect all sacrameÌ„ts 12. 16. Examples out of scriptures for religious respect to reliques and images 356. S The custome of offringe sacrifice euen by the Apostles them selues 367. The necessitie of a dailie sacrifice in the nevv lavve for the vpholding of true religion 379. of a visible sacrifice heare in earthe 360. of a proper sacrifice not metaphoricall 383 ExaÌ„ples of selfloue and pryde in heretikes 66. The conuenience or rather necessitie of corporall and sensible Sacraments 391. the proofe of them seuerallye out of scripture 398. 402. the reformers haue no Sacraments at all 416. The only seruice of our heretikes a sermon 447. that also absurde according to their doctrine ibid. The difficultie of vnderstaÌ„dig scriptures 49.57 the bare letter vvithout the true sence no scripture 40. the reason thereof 45. hovv the scripture is sayed to be dependent of the Chut-che 44. 676. Arguments against the priuate Spirit 53. 65. Selffeloue a common disease to all heretikes 65. Thet insufficiency of resoluing all by a priuate Spirit in matters of religion 75. vsq 80. The force of Succession in Preisthoode 193. tvvo shiftes of heretikes disproued touching Succession 196. The Lords Supper according to Luther can not bee eaten 422. Caluins doctrine makes it a niggardlie Super. 424. T Tertullian complayneth of heretikes in his tyme 374. The reason that God can not giue testimonie of an vâ—â—truthe by miracles 106. Proofes of the blessed Trinitie 700. V Valentinus his heresie 30. The Lutherane vbiquetaries take avvaye Christes diuinitie 248. The commendation of virginitie 614. The right vnderstaÌ„ding of certaine places of the scripture vvhich seeme to impeach the freedome of the vvill 167. W Vvilliam Rodings foolishe fiction vvhich hee inuented to derogate froÌ„ the blessed virgin 347. A vvoemans complaint of Caluins doctrine as derogating to their sexe 690. The foure vvoundes vvhich vvee receiued in our soule by sinne 269. Z Zuinglius reiecteth fathers 87. His opinion of the number of Sacraments 408. Excuse this Table I vvas enforced to comit the making of it to a freinde vvho also had not leisure to make it exactely
of the priuate spirit contempte of fathers vvant of a visible Iudge of vvhich vvee haue spoken in the first booke for these vvere the properties of all heretikes and are as proper to our nevve reformers as euer they vvere to any ancient heretike as by the same chapters doth appear most euidently THE THIRD BOOKE CONTEINETH A SVRVEY of their doctrine concerning Christ in vvhich by many poinctes of their doctrine it is proued that they are Antichristians rather then Christians The first Chapter proueth that their doctrine despoileth Christe of his diuinitie and that they therfore are no sincere Christians EVERY man liketh and loueth that vvhich he professeth and vvill speake honourably of him vvhom he follovveth in that profession The Stoickes coÌ„mend Zeno the Platonistes prayse Plato the Peripatetickes Aristotle the Epicureans Epicure the Atheists Diagoras and euery one reuerenceth and respecteth him vvhose doctrine and professioÌ„ he embraceth If then the reformers be sincere and reall Christians as they vvill seem to bee they must thinke and speake of Christe very honourably and giue that homage to his parson vvhich his doctrine hath deserued And so in deed or rather in vvordes they seem to doe Luther vvhen he first began to preach against Indulgences merits satisfactioÌ„ good vvorkes Lut. in c 17. Gal. fol. 2â—â— and inherent iustice affirming that only to beleeue that Christs Iustice is ours is sufficient to saluation vsed this for a Cloke that forsooth hee gaue all to Christs iustice and nothing to our vvorkes Caluin also in his preface of his Institutions vv ch he vvrote to the King of Fraunce In prâ—f Inst ad Reg. Galâ— commendes his ovvn doctrine for this pointe especially that it giues all honour to Christe leaueth nothing to our ovvn force habilitie And vvhat doth better aggree vvith faith sayeth he then to acknovvledge our selues despoiled of all vertue that of God vve may be clothed deuoid of all good that of him vve may be filled bond-seruaunts of sinne that of him vve may be made free blinde that of him vve may be enlightened lame that of him vve may be made straight feeble that of him vve may be vpholden to take from our selues all matter of glorying that he alone may be gloriouse on hyghe and in him vve may glorie So that vvhilest they deny good vvorkes to bee necessarie affirme faythe only sufficient vvhilest they say that vve haue no inherent iustice but are the best of vs though apostles sinners before god that our best vvorkes are sinnes and that vvee haue noe other Iustice then the iustice of Christe apprehended by fayth and imputed only to vs vvhilest they deny that vvee caÌ„ obserue the coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„tes or haue the povver free vvill to do any good or resist any tentation they attribute forsooth all to Christe and leaue nothing to vs that hee only may be glorified But by this booke I hope to make knovvn vnto the vvorld their deep dissimulation vvho in vvordes seeme to giue all to Christ but by their doctrine doe robbe him and despoile him of all his honourable titles And first you shall see hovv sacrilegiously they plucke and pull at Christes diuinitie I vvill not here relate the blasphemies of Michael Seruet vvhoe yet vvas a brother of this religion bicause they vvill say that for such doctrine Caluine caused him to bee burned for he sayed plainly that God the sonne vvas not true God l. Trin. fo 7 34 35. l 2. fol 8 in dial not coaquall vvith his father yea he sayed that God the father only vvas God vvhich doctrine notvvithstaÌ„ding he gathered or might haue gathered out of Luthers and Caluins vvorkes Nether vvill I say any thing of the heretikes and nevv Arians of TraÌ„siluania vvho in this also aggree vvith Seruetus Luther the graund Patriarch and nevv Euangelist must not bee omitted vvho in his booke against Latomus sayeth that he can not abide that vvord Homousion These are his vvords anima mea odit vocabulum Homousion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My soule hateth the vvord consubstantiall So did the Arians hate the same vvord and called it exoticuÌ„ straunge and vnusuall But Athanasius gathereth this vvord out of scriptures ancient fathers Ep. Decr. Conc. Nâ—iâ— vvho in that they affirm that the sonne is begotten of his father coequall vnto him one vvth him affirm also that he is coÌ„substaÌ„tiall of the same substaunce vvith his father bicause nothing is equall and coequall to god the father but God and nothing is God vv ch is not the same substauÌ„ce vvith him bicause there are not many Gods And vvhy should Luther hate this vvord but for the signification for the sound is no more vngratefull then the sound of other vvords If he hate the signification then is he an Arian vvho beleeueth not that the sonne is coÌ„substaÌ„tiall and of the same substaunce vvith his father and consequently he thinks him not to be God or else he thinkes that ther are many Gods different in substaunce The same Luther as diuerse affirm in an edition of his commentaries vppon Genesis vvhich I haue not seen calles the sonne of God the instrument of his father by vv ch he created the vvorld in â— ca. Gen. vvhich manner of speech Arius also vsed And seing that the instrument is neuer of so noble a nature as the principall agent vvhat is this but to make the sonne of God inferiour to his father and consequently a creature And this testimonie as I haue read Seruetus alleaged against Luthers Scholers in the Albane disputation Luther also blotted out of the Germain prayer books those ancient vvords Sancta Trinitas vnus Deus miserere nobis Holy Trinitie one God haue mercy vppon vs. And vvhy for some spite belike vvhich he conceiued against Christ Iesus the second person in Trinitie For vvhy else did he in his Germain Bibles vvhen he came to the translation of those vvords of the ninth chapter of Esaie Deus fortis stronge God Leaue out God as though Christ vvere strong but not God Vvhy did he leaue out quite those vvords of saint Ihons epistle â— â—o â— Tres funt qui testimonium dant in caelo Pater Verbum Spiritus sanctus hi tres vnum sunt Ther are three vvhich giue testimonie in heauen the father the vvord and the holy ghost and these three are one The same Luther in his booke of Councels excuseth Eutyches l. de concil ◠〈◊〉 and Nestorius and accuseth S. Leo and sainct Cyrill as men vvhich vvere to eagre against them for sayeth he as Eutyches sayed so may it vvell be sayed that Christs diuinitie suffred O blasphemie did the diuinitie of Christ suffer then vvas it not true diuinitie and consequeÌ„tly Christ vvas not God bicause God as God can not suffer I may vse here Alamundarus vvitty ansvvere against Luther Niceph l. 16 hist c. â—â— Baron in Annal anno Christi 509. vv ch he vsed