left certaine direction for farre lesser things then these mens gouernment is supposed to be That the gouernment of these supposed Lay-elders is not bounded in the Scripture or Fathers it is most euident neither can any man liuing shew vs any such bounding of the same in either of them The gouernment of the Church is in respect of two sorts of men the Cleargie and the Laytie Touching the former they are to be tryed and approued for their life and learning they are to be ordained with solemne imposition of hands and if they deserue it they are to be suspended from the execution of their office or vtterly depriued and degraded Shall Lay-elders haue as much to doe in all these actions as they to whom the Ministerie of the Word and Sacraments is committed are they competent Iudges of mens learning and aptnesse to teach that neither are Teachers nor learned Can they giue the sacred power of holy ministery to others that haue it not themselues Or is it not a certaine Axiome on the contrary side that the lesser is blessed of the greater Surely they that in England sought to bring in the gouernment of the Church by Lay-elders were of opinion that they ought to haue interest in all these things as well as the Pastours of the Church And indeede admit them to the gouernment of the Church by force of certain doubtfull words of Scripture mentioning gouernment without any distinction or limitation and there is no reason to straighten them but that they should haue their sway in all parts of it But they of Geneva France and other parts exclude these Elders from intermedling in ordination and leaue the power to trye examine approue and ordaine to the Pastours onely Likewise as I thinke they referre the deciding of doubts in matters of Faith and Religion to the Pastours onely and not to the suffrages of Lay-men by multitude of voyces ouer-ruling them Touching the other sort of them of whom the Church consisteth which are Lay-men who are to bee admonished corrected put from the Sacraments yea from the communion of the Church for impiety disobedience and wickednesse and vpon repentance and submission to bee receiued againe doth not the ordering of these men in this sort come within the compasse of the power of the Keyes and of binding and loosing Did Christ leaue these to his Apostles as speciall fauours and are they now transferred from their Successours the Bishops and Pastours of the Church to Lay-men that haue neither part nor fellowship in the worke of the Ministerie Hath GOD committed the dispensation of his Sacraments to the Pastours of the Church Is it on the perill of their soules that they duely giue them or with-holde them as cause shall require And shall there bee in others that are not trusted with them as great a power to direct the vse of this Ministeriall authoritie as in them nay greater the other being more in number and their voyces more to carry any thing that shall bee brought into deliberation Besides all this which hath beene saide there are many more doubts touching the authoritie of these men wherein I feare there wil be none found amongst the friends and fauourers of these Lay-elders that will be able to giue vs any satisfaction For first I would gladly know whether these ruling Elders must bee in euery Congregation with power of ordination and deprivation suspension excommunication and absolution or whether this power bee onely in the Ministers and Elders of diuerse Churches concurring Surely in Geneva there are Elders in the Congregations that are abroad in agro that is in the Country but these haue no power of excommunication much lesse of ordination or deprivation They may onely complaine to the Consistorie of the Cittie Nay they that are in the Congregations within the Cittie haue no separate power with their owne Ministers but a joynt proceeding with the rest of the Ministers and Elders of the other Churches and Congregations all which concurring make but one Consistorie Secondly let them tell vs whether these offices be perpetuall as the offices of Bishops and Pastours or annuall and but for a certaine time But to leaue them in these vncertainties the fourth reason that moueth vs to reject the conceipt of these Lay-elders is because the founders of this new gouernment fetch the patterne of it from the Sanedrim of the Iewes the platforme whereof they suppose Christ meant to bring into his Church when hee said Tell the Church Whereas it is most cleare that that Court was as a ciuill court and had power to banish to imprison yea and to take away life till by the Romanes the Iewes were restrained which made them say in the case of Christ that it was not lawfull for them to put any man to death Our fift and last reason is for that all Fathers and Councels mentioning elders or Presbyters place them betweene Bishops and Deacons and make them to bee Cleargy-men and that in the Acts where the Apostles are said to haue constituted Elders in euery Church Pastours and Ministers are meant and not Lay-men is strongly confirmed by that in the twentieth of Acts where the Elders of the Church of Ephesus conuented before Paul are commanded to feede the flock of Christ ouer which they were appointed ouerseers whence it followeth ineuitably that they were pastours The places of Scripture brought to proue this kinde of gouernment by Lay-elders are specially three The first is that to Timothie Let the Elders that rule well bee esteemed worthy of double honour especially they that labour in the word and doctrine The second is that in the Epistle to the Romanes He that ruleth let him doe it with diligence The third is that to the Corinthians where Gouernours or Gouernments are mentioned The two later allegations are too too weake to proue the thing in question For will any man that knoweth what it is to reason reason à genere ad speciem affirmatiuè that is from the generall to the particular and speciall affirmatiuely Or will euer any man of common sense bee perswaded that this consequence is good There were gouernours in the Primitiue Church mentioned by the Apostles and required by them to rule with diligence therefore they were Lay-gouernours Surely I thinke not Wherefore let vs see if the first place alledged by them yeelde any better proofe Touching this place some interprete it in this sort The Guides of the Church are worthy of double honour both in respect of gouerning and teaching but specially for their paines in teaching so noting two parts or duties of Presbyteriall offices not two sorts of Presbyters Some in this sort Amongst the Elders and Guides of Gods Church and people some laboured principally in gouerning and ministring the Sacraments some in preaching and teaching So Paul sheweth that hee preached and laboured more then all the Apostles but baptized few or none leauing that to bee performed by others
and the two first kindes thereof 432. Chap. 14. Of the third kind of communication of properties and the first degree thereof 434. Chap. 15. Of the third kind of communication of properties and the second degree thereof 438. Chap. 16. Of the worke of Mediation performed by Christ in our nature 441. Chap. 17. Of the things which Christ suffered for vs to procure our reconciliation with God 445. Chap 18. Of the nature and quality of the passion and suffering of Christ. 450. Chap. 19. Of the descending of Christ into hell 453. Chap. 20. Of the merit of Christ of his not meriting for himselfe his meriting for vs. 464. Chap. 21. Of the benefites which we receiue from Christ. 469. Chap. 22. Of the Ministery of them to whom Christ committed the publishing of the reconciliation between God and men procured by him 471. Chap. 23. Of the Primacie of power imagined by our Aduersaries to haue beene in Peter and their defence of the same 479. Chap. 24. Of the preeminence that Peter had amongst the Apostles and the reason why Christ directed his speeches specially to him 486. Chap. 25. Of the distinction of them to whom the Apostles dying left the managing of Church-affaires and particularly of them that are to performe the meaner seruices in the Church 488. Chap. 26. Of the orders and degrees of them that are trusted with the Ministery of the word and Sacraments and the gogouernment of Gods people and particularly of Lay-elders falsely by some supposed to bee Gouernours of the Church 493. Chap. 27. Of the distinction of the power of Order and Iurisdiction and the preeminence of one amongst the Presbyters of each Church who is named a Bishop 497. Chap. 28. Of the diuision of the lesser titles and smaller Congregations or Churches out of those Churches of so large extent founded and constituted by the Apostles 501. Chap. 29. Of Chorepiscopi or Rurall Bishops forbidden by old Canons to encroach vpon the Episcopall office and of the institution necessary vse of Archpresbyters or Deanes 504. Chap. 30. Of the forme of the gouernement of the Church and the institution and authority of Metropolitanes and Patriarches 510. Chap. 31. Of Patriarches who they were and the reason why they were preferred before other Bishops 515. Chap. 32. How the Pope succeedeth Peter what of right belongeth to him and what it is that he vniustly claimeth 518. Chap. 33. Of the proofes brought by the Romanists for confirmation of the vniuersality of the Popes iurisdiction and power 521. Chap. 34. Of the pretended proofes of the Popes vniuersall iurisdiction taken out of the decretall Epistles of Popes 524. Chap. 35. Of the pretended proofes of the Popes Supremacie produced and brought out of the writinges of the Greeke Fathers 533. Chap. 36. Of the pretended proofes of the Popes Supremacie taken out of the writings of the Latine Fathers 539. Chap. 37. Of the pretended proofes of the Popes vniuersall power taken from his intermedling in ancient times in confirming deposing or restoring Bishops deposed 550. Chap. 38. Of the weakenesse of such proofes of the supreame power of Popes as are taken from their lawes Censures dispensations and the Vicegerents they had in places farre remote from them 556. Chap. 39. Of Appeales to Rome 561. Chap. 40. Of the Popes supposed exemption from all humane iudgment as beeing reserued to the iudgement of Christ onely 571. Chap. 41. Of the titles giuen to the Pope and the insufficiencie of the proofes of his illimited power and iurisdiction taken from them 582. Chap. 42. Of the second supposed priuiledge of the Romane Bishops which is infallibility of iudgement 585. Chap. 43. Of such Popes as are charged with heresie and how the Romanists seeke to cleare them from that imputation 593. Chap. 44. Of the Popes vniust claime of temporall dominion ouer the whole world 602. Chap. 45. Of the Popes vniust claime to intermedle with the affaires of Princes and their States if not as Soueraign Lord ouer all yet at least in ordine ad Spiritualia and in case of Princes failing to do their duties 609. Chap. 46. Of the examples of Church-men deposing Princes brought by the Romanists 618. Chap. 47. Of the ciuill dominion which the Popes haue by the gift of Princes 632. Chap. 48. Of generall Councels and of the end vse and necessity of them 642. Chap. 49. Of the persons that may be present in generall Councels and who they are of whom generall Councels do consist 645. Chap. 50. Of the President of generall Councels 649. Chap. 51. Of the assurance of finding out the truth which the Bishops assembled in generall Councels haue 660. Chap. 52. Of the calling of Councels and to whom that right pertaineth 667. Chap. 53. Of the power and authority exercised by the ancient Emperours in generall Councels and of the Supremacie of Christian Princes in causes and ouer persons Ecclesiasticall 677. Chap. 54. Of the calling of Ministers and the persons to whom it pertaineth to elect and ordaine them 686. Chap. 55. Of the Popes disordered intermedling with elections of Bishops and other Ministers of the Church their vsurpation intrusion and preiudicing the right and liberty of others 696. Chap. 56. Of the ordinations of Bishops and Ministers 702. Chap. 57. Of the things required in such as are to be ordained Ministers and of the lawfulnesse of their Marriage 704. Chap. 58. Of Digamie and what kind of it it is that debarreth men from entring into the Ministerie 727. Chap. 59. Of the maintenance of Ministers 733. What things are Occasionally handled in the Appendix to the fifth Booke THat Protestants admit triall by the Fathers 749. Of Purgatory and Prayer for the dead 750. 764. 776. 783. 787. 792. Whether generall Councels may erre 761. The opinion of the Greekes concerning Purgatory 764. Of Transubstantiation 770. The opinion of some of the Schoolemen thinking that finall Grace purgeth out all sinfulnesse out of the soule in the moment of dissolution 772. Of the heresie of Aerius 789. Nothing constantly resolued on concerning Purgatory in the Romane Church at Luthers appearing 790. Abuses in the Romane Church disliked by Gerson 795. Grosthead opposing the Pope 809. The agreement of diuers before Luther with that which Protestants now teach 813. Of the difference betweene the German Diuines and vs concerning the Vbiquitary presence and the Sacrament 819. The differences of former times amongst the Fathers and of the Papists at this day compared with the differences that are found amongst Protestants 823. Of the Rule whereby all controuersies are to be ended 827. That the Elect neuer fall totally from grace once receiued 833. What manner of faith is found in infants that are baptised 837. Of the saying of Augustine that hee would not beleeue the Gospell if the authority of the Church did not moue him 841. Of the last resolution of our faith 844. 856. Of the sufficiency of the Scripture 847. Of Traditions 849. 892. Of the merit of works
it selfe the note of Antiquitie because it hath long continued and beene before others in the profession of Christianitie but besides it is required that it haue aunciently and ever holden the doctrine of trueth This is specially to be noted against old heresies whereof some began in the Apostles times And hee saith of the Churches of Greece Aethiopia and Armenia that though their Antiquitie did reach as high as the Apostles times yet notwithstanding propter doctrinae novitates postea inuentas veram antiquitatem non habent because they haue brought in newe doctrine they haue no true Antiquitie CHAP. 6 Of Succession HItherto we haue spoken of Antiquitie which they make the first note of the Church It followeth in the next place that wee speake of Succession The ministerie of pastours and teachers is absolutely and essentially necessary to the being of the Church For how should there be a Church gathered guided and gouerned without a ministerie Therefore the ministery of those whom God sanctified to himselfe to teach instruct and gouerne his people is an essentiall marke and note of the Church as wee haue already shewed Now because the Church is not to last onely for some short time so to cease but to continue to the end of the world this ministery must continue likewise which because it cannot continue in the same persons all being subiect to death it is necessary that when some faile others possesse the places they formerly held which is to Succeede Neither is this Succeeding of one into the place of another necessary onely by reason of that failing which is by death but because the places of sacred ministery must not be vnfurnished if either the wickednesse of them that are in place cast them out or their weakenesse cause a voluntary relinquishment of their office and standing others must succeede Lawfull and holy ministery therefore is an inseparable and perpetuall note of a true Church for no Church can be without it but Succession not so For the Churches in the first establishment in the Apostles time had it not and many Churches which in sundry ages since haue beene founded had none their Bishops being the first and succeeding none in those episcopall chaires wherein they sate If therefore we should cauill against them as they doe against vs wee might deny Succession to bee a note of the Church because there haue beene and may be true Churches without it as all at the first in the beginning of Christianity and all others since newly founded in their first beginnings But because wee knowe they make not Succession of pastours and Bishoppes a note of the Church absolutely considered but of that which being formerly established is still to bee continued by multitudes of men and people continually succeeding and comming into the places of others that went before them in the same profession of Christianity Let vs see whether Succession of Bishops and pastours may truely be sayd to be a note of the Church Absolutely and without limitation doubtlesse it is not For there may bee a continued Succession of Bishoppes where there is no true Church as at this day amongst the Grecians Armenians and Aethiopians which yet are not the true Churches of GOD in the opinion of them that plead for succession Bellarmine therefore sayth that Succession is inseparable so that there can bee no Church without it but that it is not proper so that wheresoeuer it is found we may assure our selues that there is the Church so forgetting himselfe who requireth in the notes that they be proper and rejecteth our note of purity of doctrine free from pertinacious errour because it may be found among schismatickes though it be inseparable and the true Church cannot be without it But Stapleton handleth this point of Succession much better For hee saith that Succession is an inseparable and proper note of the true Church but not euery Succession but that which is true and lawfull Let vs therefore see what hee requireth to make a true and lawfull Succession First there must be a place voide by resignation deprivation or death Secondly they that succeede must haue election and ordination from them to whom it appertaineth to elect and ordaine Thirdly they must not depart from the faith that was formerly holden by them that went before vnlesse any of them did first decline and goe aside from the way of the first and most auncient that held those places before and therefore in the catalogue of Bishops succeeding one another in each seuerall See wheresoeuer any first began to teach any new and strange doctrine different from that which was formerly deliuered the thread and line of succession was by him either wholly broken or some-what endaungered according to the quality of the errour and the manner of defending and maintaining the same So that this is all which Stapleton saith that wheresoeuer wee finde a Church once established vnder a lawfull ministery in the vndoubted profession of the trueth if afterwards there be a Succession of Pastours and Bishoppes in the same place and that none of them depart from the faith of the former that so it may be evident that what faith was first holden is still holden by them that presently are in place there wee may assure our selues to find the true Church Thus still wee see that truth of doctrine is a necessary note whereby the Church must be knowen and discerned and not ministery or Succession or any thing else without it But saith he the people must not judge which is true doctrine and which is false by the particular consideration of the things themselues but onely by the newnesse strangenesse contrarietie it hath with that which they haue learned of their pastours guides forefathers He alloweth then a kind of judgement to the vulgar sort who must discerne which is the true doctrine which is the false though not by particular consideration of the things themselues that are taught yet by the newnesse strangenesse of them Touching the judgement the people of God ought to haue of the doctrine of Christianity I will speake when I come to the fourth part of my first and generall diuision In the meane while it sufficeth that not bare naked Succession but true lawfull wherein no new or strange doctrine is brought into the Church but the auncient religiously preserved is a marke note or character of the true Church CHAP. 7. Of the third note assigned by them which is Vnitie THe third note of the Church assigned by them is Vnity There are many sorts degrees of Vnity found in the Church The first in respect of the same beginning and originall cause which is GOD that hath called vs to the fellowshippe of his Sonne and to the hope of eternall life 10. 6. No man commeth vnto me vnlesse my father draw him The 2d in respect of the same last end wherevnto all they that are of the Church doe
vs see how they prooue that they say That they who ordained our Ministers in the beginning of the alteration of Religion had no power so to doe thus they prooue No Bishop may be esteemed and taken as lawfully ordained vnlesse he be ordained of three Bishops at the least and they such as haue beene ordained in like sort and so ascending till we come to the first whom the Apostles did constitute by their Apostolike authority receiued immediatly from Christ the Sonne of God whom the Father sent into the world But the Pastors and Bishops of the reformed Churches had no such ordination therefore they wanted that calling which should make them lawfull Bishops and Pastours It is true that the auncient Canons regularly admit no ordination as lawfull wherein three Bishops at the least doe not concurre But Bellarmine and his fellowes doe not thinke this number of Bishops imposing hands to bee absolutely and essentially necessary For they confesse that by dispensation growing out of due and just consideration of the present occasions and state of things one Bishop alone may ordain assisted with Abbots which are but Presbyters and no Bishops nay which by the course of their profession and originall of their order are lesse interessed in the government of the Church than the meanest Presbyter hauing care of soules Monachus plangentis non docentis officium habet A Monke is a mourner hee is no teacher in the Church of GOD. The Romanists thinking therefore that in some cases the ordination which is made by one Bishoppe alone assisted with Presbyters is lawfull and good cannot generally except against the ordination of the Bishops and Pastours of all reformed Churches For in England Denmarke and some other places they which had beene Bishoppes in the former corrupt state of the Church did ordaine Bishops and Ministers though perhaps precisely three did not alwayes concurre in euery particular ordination But they will say whatsoeuer may bee thought of these places wherein Bishoppes did ordaine yet in many other none but Presbyters did impose handes all which ordinations are clearely voyde and so by consequent many of the pretended reformed Churches as namely those of France and others haue no ministerie at all The next thing therefore to be examined is whether the power of ordination bee so essentially annexed to the order of Bishops that none but Bishops may in any case ordaine For the clearing whereof we must obserue that the whole Ecclesiasticall power is aptly divided into the power of order and jurisdiction Ordo est rerum parium dispariumque vnicuique sua loca tribuens congrua dispositio that is Order is an apt disposing of things whereof some are greater and some lesser some better and some meaner sorting them accordingly into their seuerall ranckes and places First therefore order doth signifie that mutuall reference or relation that things sorted into their seuerall ranckes and places haue betweene themselues Secondly that standing which each thing obtaineth in that it is better or worse greater or lesser then another and so accordingly sorted and placed aboue or below other in the orderly disposition of things The power of holy or Ecclesiasticall order is nothing else but that power which is specially giuen to men sanctified and set apart from others to performe certaine sacred supernaturall and eminent actions which others of another rancke may not at all or not ordinarily meddle with As to preach the word administer the Sacraments and the like The next kind of Ecclesiasticall power is that of Iurisdiction For the more distinct and full vnderstanding whereof wee must note that three things are implyed in the calling of Ecclesiasticall Ministers First an election choyce or designement of persons fitte for so high and excellent imployment Secondly the consecrating of them and giuing them power and authority to intermeddle with things pertaining to the seruice of God to performe eminent actes of gracious efficacie and admirable force tending to the procuring of the eternall good of the sonnes of men and to yeeld vnto them whome Christ hath redeemed with his most precious blood all the comfortable meanes assurances and helpes that may set forward their eternall saluation Thirdly the assigning and diuiding out to each man thus sanctified to so excellent a worke that portion of Gods people which hee is to take care of who must be directed by him in things that pertaine to the hope of eternall saluation This particular assignation giueth to them that had only the power of order before the power of Iurisdiction also ouer the persons of men Thus then it is necessary that the people of God bee sorted into seuerall portions and the sheepe of Christ diuided into seuerall flockes for the more orderly guiding of them yeelding to them the meanes assurances and helpes that may set them forward in the way of eternall life and that seuerall men bee seuerally and specially assigned to take the care and ouersight of seuerall flocks and portions of Gods people The Apostles of Christ and their successours when they planted the Churches so diuided the people of God conuerted by their minsterie into particular Churches that each Citty and the places neere adioyning did make but one Church Now because the vnity and peace of each particular Chuch of God and flock of his sheepe dependeth on the vnity of the Pastour and yet the necessities of the many duties that are to bee performed in Churches of so large extent require more Ecclesiasticall Ministers then one therefore though there bee many Presbyters that is many fatherly guides of one Church yet there is one amongst the rest that is specially Pastor of the place who for distinction sake is named a Bishop to whom an eminent and peerelesse power is giuen for the avoiding of Schismes and factions and the râ—…st are but his assistants and coadiutours and named by the generali name of Presbyters So that in the performance of the acts of Ecclesiasticall Ministry when he is present and will do them himselfe they must giue place and in his absence or when being present hee needeth assistance they may doe nothing without his consent and liking Yea so farre for orders sake is he preferred before the rest that some things are specially reserued to him onely as the ordaining of such as should assist him in the worke of his ministerie the reconciling of Penitents confirmation of such as were baptised by imposition of hands dedication of Churches and such like These being the diuerse sorts and kinds of Ecclesiasticall power it will easily appeare to all them that enter into the due consideration thereof that the power of Ecclesiasticall or sacred order that is the power and authority to intâ—…ddle with things pertaining to the seruice of God and to performe emiâ—…t actes of gracious efficacie tending to the procuring of the eternall good of thâ—… sonnâ—…s of men is equall and the same in all those whom we call Presbyters
people that adhered to the Catholique verity who haue power to choose their Pastour to admitte the worthy and refuse the vnworthy did forsake the former that were wolues and not Pastours and submitted themselues to those of a better spirit Of the three first kindes of voidance there can bee no question of this fourth there may and therefore I will proue it by sufficient authoritie and strength of reason Cyprian Cecilius Polycarpus and other Bishoppes writing to the Cleargie and people of the Churches in Spaine whereof Basilides and Martialis were Bishoppes who fell in time of persecution denyed the fayth defiled themselues with Idolatry perswade them to separate themselues from those Bishoppes assuring them that the people beeing holy religious fearing God and obeying his lawes may and ought to separate themselues from impious and wicked Bishoppes and not to communicate with them in the matters of Gods service quando ipsa plebs maximè habeat potestatem vel eligendi dignos sacerdotes vel indignos recusandi that is seeing the people hath authority to choose the worthy and to refuse the vnworthy And Occam to the same purpose sayth on this sorte Si Papa maximè celebres episcopi incidant in haeresin ad Catholicos deuoluta est potestas omnis iudicandi If the Pope the principall Bishoppes of the Christian world doe fall into heresie the power of all Ecclesiasticall iudgement is deuolued to the inferiour Cleargie and people remaining Catholique This opinion of Cyprian and the rest if our aduersaries shall dislike or except against may easily be confirmed by demonstration of reason For if it do fall out that the Bishoppes and a great part of the people fall into errour heresie and superstition I thinke our aduersaries will not deny but that the rest are bound to maintaine and vphold the auncient veritie who being not so many nor so mighty as to bee able to eiect those wicked ones by a formall course of iudiciall proceeding what other thing is there left vnto them but either to consent to their impieties which they may not doe or to seperate themselues which is the thing our aduersaries except against in the people of our time Now hauing separated themselues from their former supposed and pretended Pastours what remaineth but that they make choise of new to bee ordained and set ouer them if not by the concurrence of such and so many as the strictnesse of the Canon doth ordinarily require to concurre in ordinations yet by such as in cases of necessity by all rules of equity are warranted to performe the same CHAP. 40. Of Succession and the proofe of the trueth of their doctrine by it THus hauing examined the allegation of the Papists endeuouring to prooue against vs that wee haue not the true Church amongst vs because as they falsely suppose wee lacke the visible Succession of Pastours and Bishops let vs see what they can conclude from this note of Succession for themselues In this part Bellarmine sheweth himselfe to be a notable trifler For first hee sayth that if there bee no Church where there is no succession then where there is succession continued the true Church doth remaine still Secondly being pressed with the example of the Graecians amongst whom a continuall succession of Bishops hath euer beene found hee answereth that succession doth not proue affirmatiuely that to bee the true Church where it is found but negatiuely that not to bee the true Church where it is wanting contrary to himselfe who requireth in the notes of the Church amongst which he reckoneth succession to be one of the prinpall that they be not only inseparable without which the true Church cannot bee but proper also and such as cannot be found in any other society but that which is the true Church of God Thirdly againe forgetting himselfe hee maketh succession proper to the true Church and such a note as may proue all those societies of Christians true Churches which haue it disliketh Calvin for saying that more is required to finde out the true Church than personall succession and that the Fathers did not demonstrate the Church barely by personall succession but by shewing that they that succeeded held the faith of those that went before them Thus he sheweth plainely that he knoweth not what he writeth This matter of succession Stapleton hath much more aptly delivered than Bellarmine confessing that not bare and personall succession but lawfull succession is a note of the true Church And defineth that to be lawfull succession when not only the latter succeede into the voide roomes of those that went before them being lawfully called therevnto but also hold the faith their predecessours did In this sort the Fathers were wont to reason from succession in the controuersies of Religion First they reckoned vp the successions of Bishops from the Apostles times then shewed that none of them taught any such thing as was then called in question but the contrary and consequently that the Apostles deliuered no such thing but the contrary To Bellarmines disiunction that either the Fathers made it appeare to Catholickes or to Heretickes that the succeeding Bishops held the same faith the former did we answere They made it appeare to both For so doth Irenaeus proue the tradition of the Apostles to be for him and against the Heretickes he refuteth because he can number all the Bishops in the principall Churches from the Apostles times downeward none of which euer taught any such thing as those heretiques dreamed but the contrary That which Bellarmine addeth that if it had appeared to heretiques that the true faith had beene kept by succeeding Bishops they would haue yeelded to it is as little to the purpose as the rest For we do not say it did apeare vnto them they held the truth but that they held the same faith their predecessours held Now though the Fathers made this appeare vnto them yet they feared not to oppose themselues as the same Irenaeus witnesseth affirming that when it was prooued against the heretiques of those times that in the succession of Bishoppes those that succeeded held the same faith the former did without any alteration and consequently the Apostles doctrine was still continued in their Churches they thought themselues wiser then the Apostles thēselues affirming that they mingled the Law and the Gospell together taking exceptions of ignorance and imperfection against them and their doctrine Thus then wee see the Fathers did not reason barely from personall sucession but by shewing affirmatiuely the faith they defended to haue beene receiued by all those Bishops whose succession they vrged against their aduersaries and negatiuely by proouing that none of them euer beleeued any such things as their adversaries dreamed If the Romanists wil dispute against vs in this sort and demonstrate that the Fathers successiuely held those opinions they do and that none of them were of that iudgment in matter of faith that
wee are of wee will most willingly listen vnto them But this they doe not and therefore their talking of the Fathers reasoning from succession when they dare not reason as the fathers did is most vaine and idle CHAP. 41. Of Vnity the kindes of it and that Communion with the Romane Bishoppe is not alwayes a note of true and Catholike profession THe next note of the Church assigned by them is Vnity The Vnity of the Church consisteth principally in three things First in obseruing and holding the Rule of faith once deliuered to the Saints Secondly in the subiection of the people to their Pastours and thirdly in the due connexion of many Pastours and the flockes depending on them among themselues All these kinds and sorts of vnity wee thinke necessarily required in some degree in all those societies of Christians that will demonstrate themselues to bee the true Churches of God and deny not but that vnity in this sort expressed and conceiued is a most apt note of the true Church The papists suppose that besides these kinds and sorts of vnity before expressed there is also required another kind of vnity to the being of the Church namely subiection to and vnion with that visible head which as they thinke Christ hath left in his steade to gouerne the whole body of the Church and to rule both Pastors and people This head as they suppose is the Bishoppe of Rome from whose communion sith wee are fallen they inferre that wee are diuided from the vnity of the true Church This last kinde of vnity deuised by the Papists wee deny to bee necessarily required to the beeing of the true Church First therefore let vs see what may bee said for or against the necessity of this kinde of vnitie and in the next place consider what our aduersaries can conclude for themselues or against vs from that kind of vnity which wee acknowledge to be necessarily required to the being of the true Church If the vnion of all Christians with this supposed visible head which is the Bishop of Rome were necessarily required as a perpetuall dutie then was there no true Church in the time of the Anti-Popes when the wisest knew not who were the true Popes and who were vsurpers If they shall reply that it is necessary to hold Communion with the true if hee may bee knowne this hath no more warrant of reason than the former seeing the best learned amongst thēselues thinke that not only the Pope but also the whole cleargy people of Rome may erre and fall into damnable heresies in which case it is the part of euery true Christian to disclaime all communion with them and to oppose himselfe against them and all their hereticall impieties That it is possible for the Pope to erre and become an heretique so many great Divines in the Church of Rome haue at all times most constantly defended that the greatest patrons of the infallibility of the Popes judgement at this day are forced to confesse it is not necessary to beleeue that the Pope cannot erre but that it is onely a matter of probable dispute Thus then it is evident to all that will not wilfully oppose themselues against the truth that consent with the Romane Bishoppe cannot bee made a perpetuall and sure note of the true Church Nay the Grecians most constantly affirme that the Popes taking all to himselfe and challenging to bee head of the vniversall Church hath beene the cause of the Churches division But because Bellarmine is so excellent a Sophister that he is able to proue any thing to bee true though neuer so false and absurde Let vs see how hee proueth that consent with the Bishop of Rome is a note of the true Church in such sorte that whosoeuer holdeth Communion with him is a Catholike and contrarily whosoeuer forsaketh his Communion is an Heretique or Schismatique This hee endeavoureth to make good by the testimonies of sundry of the auncient Fathers wrested against their knowne meanings and vndoubted resolutions in other parts of their workes and writings His first allegation is out of Irenaeus in his third booke and third Chapter against heresies But if wee consider the circumstances of the place and the occasion of the wordes ci◅d by Bellarmine wee shall easily see they proue no such thing as hee laboureth to enforce For Irenaeus in that place sheweth how all heresies may bee refuted by opposing against them the tradition of the Apostles which hee saith wee may easily finde out and discerne how contrary it is to the franticke conceites of heretiques by taking a view of them which were ordained Bishoppes by the Apostles in the Churches of Christ and their successours to this present time which neuer taught nor knew any such thing as these men dreame Now because it would bee tedious to reckon all the successions of Bishoppes succeeding one another in euery Church therefore he produceth the succession of the Bishops in the Romane Church in steede of all because that being the most famous and renowned Church of the world constituted and founded by the two most principall and glorious Apostles Peter and Paul whatsoeuer was successiuely taught and receiued in that Church and consequently deliuered vnto it by those blessed Apostles must needes be the doctrine and tradition of the rest of the Apostles deliuered to all other Churches of the World For what was there hidden from these Apostles that was revealed vnto any of the rest and what would they hide from this principall Church that was any way necessary to bee knowne Therefore saith Irenaeus the producing of the Romane succession is in stead of all For it must needes bee that what this most principall Church receiued from these great Apostles that nothing else the other did receiue from their Apostles first preachers which he expresseth in these words Ad hanc Ecclesiam propter potentiorē principalitatē necesse est omnem convenire Ecclesiā hoc est cos qui sunt vndique fideles Bellarmines sense of these words that all Churches must frame themselues to beleeue what the Church of Rome beleeueth and prescribeth to others to bee beleeued no way standeth with the drift of Irenaeus in this place as may appeare by that which hath beene sayd and therefore this allegation might haue beene spared His next authorities are out of Cyprians Epistles in the first of which Epistles we shall finde that there were certaine Schismatikes that fled from their owne lawfull Bishop and superiours with complaints to other Bishops and Churches and amongst the rest to the Church and Bishop of Rome not knowing sayth Cyprian or at least not considering that the Romanes are such as will not giue entertainement to such perfidious companions nor listen to lying and false reports For that is the meaning of those words Ad quos perfidia non possit habere accessum But Bellarmine wresteth the words to another sense to wit that infidelitie and
devout as to desire to communicate euery Sunday and some other dayes also So that there wanted not of the people in former times that desired to communicate aswell as to be present nor of the guides that encouraged them so to doe and therefore hitherto nothing can be proued against my assertion Wherefore let vs come to the Masse it selfe Amongst all the Sacraments of the Church that is the principall saith Durandus that is celebrated vpon the table of the most holy Altar representing that Feast banquet of the Church wherein the father vpon the returne of his lost sonne caused the fatlings to be slaine setteth out the bread of life the wine which wisedome hath mixed for her friends louers These mysteries this holy Sacrament Christ then instituted when he made his new and last testament disposing to his heires a kingdome as his father had disposed to him that vpon his Table they might eat drinke in his kingdome that which the Church hath consecrated for as they were at supper Iesus tooke bread and when he had giuen thanks blessed it brake it gaue it to his Disciples saying take eat this is my body which shal be giuen for you doe this in the remembrance of me The Apostles following this institution began to celebrate these mysteries for the same end that Christ had expressed keeping the same forme in words and vsing the same matter of bread wine that he did as the Apostle witnesseth to the Corinthians where he saith what I haue receiued of the Lord I haue deliuered vnto you who the same night that hee was betrayed tooke bread c. and added to the forme of wordes vsed by Christ the Lords prayer And S. Peter is said in this sort to haue celebrated first of all in the East parts Wherefore in the beginnings of the Church these mysteries were celebrated in another sort then since they haue bin Afterwards the reading of some parts of sacred scripture particularly of the Epist. Gospell was added Pope Celestinus instituted the introitus other things were added at other times by others Howsoeuer this is certain there were are at this day diuers formes of celebrating this mystery For the formes of the East Churches are different from those of the West it appeareth that aunciently in France Spain sundry parts of Italy they had other formes then now are vsed more like to those of the East which being in some things enlarged and perfitted by S. Ambrose were called the Ambrosian forms of divine seruice These cōtinued till the time of Charles the great For thogh Gregory as Io. Diaconus tels vs taking the forms of celebrating masse which Gelasius had cōposed adding somethings detracting others changing others brought in a new forme which the Church of Rome followed yet the other churches of the west retained the old forms which they had receiued frō their ancesters And to this purpose it is that Berno Augiensis testifieth that amongst the monuments of his Abbey there was found an olde ◅all much different from those of Rome But Charles the great sought to bring the Provinces subiect to his Empire to receiue the Romane forme by threats punishment We read saith Durandus in the life of blessed Eugenius that while the forme of divine seruice which was named the Ambrosian forme was more followed obserued by the Church then that of Gregory Adrian the Pope called a councell in which it was ordered that the Gregorian forme should euerywhere be obserued To the obseruation whereof Charles the Emperour by threats and punishments forced the Cleargie in sundry Provinces burning the olde Ambrosian bookes And further hee addeth that Saint Eugenius comming to a certaine councell called about this businesse finding that the Bishoppes were gone and the councell ended three dayes before his comming induced the Pop◅ to call the Bishoppes backe againe which hee did and the councell being againe renued it was agreed on by common consent that both the missals both that of Saint Ambrose and the other of Saint Gregorie should be layed on the altar of Saint Peter the Apostle that the doores of the Church should be fast locked and sealed with the seale of sundry Bishops and that then they should spend the whole night in prayer beseeching God that he would shew by some signe which of these hee would haue to be obserued in his Church and in the morning entering they found that of Gregory torne in peeces and scattered all ouer the Church the other opened but yet still lying entire and whole on the altar of which accident they made this construction that that of Gregorie was to be vsed euery where thorough the world the other only at Millain in S. Ambroses owne Church and so saith Durand it is vsed vnto this day For by the helpe of Charles the great that of Ambrose was disused in many Churches that other brought in place Onely the Christians of Spaine admitted not this alteration notwithstanding all these endeauours till the time of Gregorie the seauenth what time they were constrained by Alphonsus the sixt to giue way which they did most vnwillingly and not without teares Rodericus reporteth that when this alteration was vrged by the Popes legate and the king there being an assembly of all the states the Clergie Nobilitie and people resisted mainely against it whereupon in the end it was resolued that that matter should be tried by cumbate and one being chosen for the newe and another for defense of the old he that vndertooke the defense of the old preuailed which caused a great reioycing among the people But the king not regarding this triall nor thinking it to bee any sufficient clearing of the matter questioned it was agreed that both the bookes should be cast into the fire that that which should bee preserued in the fire might bee allowed as best which accordingly being done the booke of the old forme came forth vntouched and the other was consumed yet would not the king be perswaded to desist but threatning death and vtter confusion to all gainesayers made this innouation in his Church and kingdome all his subiects weeping and sorrowing and then began the prouerbe Quo volunt reges vadunt leges So that wee see howsoeuer our aduersaries would make the simple beleeue that things were euer as now they are yet there haue beene great alterations in the forme of diuine seruice and it is not to be doubted but that the auncient formes as different from the latter were more pure and sincere then they that are now vsed They that haue diligently looked into the monuments of antiquity sayth Rhenanus vpon Tertullians booke de corona militis do thinke that aunciently the masse began when the priest did say The lord be with you immediately after Lift vp your harts and Let vs giue thankes to our Lord God and againe It is very meete right and our
head and spouse and thirdly because it is led by the spirit of trueth These reasons will be found exceeding weake if we examine them Let vs therefore take a particular view of them First the Apostle say they calleth the Church the Pillar and ground of trueth therefore it cannot erre These wordes cannot proue that for confirmation whereof our aduersaries alleage them seeing hee speaketh in this place of a particular Church to wit the Church of the Ephesians in which hee left Timotheus when he departed from it Now that particular Churches may erre in matter of fayth and become hereticall our adversaries make no question That the Apostle speaketh of the Church of Ephesus and calleth it The pillar and ground of trueth it appeareth by all circumstances of the place These things haue I written sayth hee hoping to come shortly vnto thee but if I tarrie longer that thou mayest know how to behaue thy selfe in the house of God That house of God in which Paul left Timothie in which he directeth him how to behaue himselfe till hee come he calleth The Church of God and Pillar of truth that Timothie might bethinke him the better how to demeane himselfe in the government of it The Church of God is named the Pillar of trueth not as if the truth did depend on the Church or as if God could not otherwise man fest it than by her Ministery or that our fayth should be built on the authority of it or that we should thinke it absolutely free from all ignorance and errour but because it doth strongly hold and maintaine the sauing profession of the truth notwithstanding all the violence of wicked and cruell enemies as both the Ordinary glosse and that of Lyra doe interpret it and for that by instructions admonitions and comforts it strengtheneth stayeth and supporteth such as otherwise would fall as the Interlineall glosse seemeth to expresse it So then the Church is The pillar of trueth not because it is absolutely free from all errour or that our faith should be builded vpon the infallibility of it but because it alway retayneth a saving profession of heauenly trueth and by strength of reasons force of perswasions timelinesse of admonitions comforts of Sacraments and other meanes of sauing grace The powerfull force whereof the sonnes of God doe feele it strengtheneth and stayeth the weakenesse of all them that depend vpon it This is it that Calvine meaneth when hee sayth the Church is called The pillar of trueth because it firmely holdeth the profession of it and strengtheneth others by the knowledge of it Bellarmines cavill that if this were all the Church might more fitly be compared to a chest than a Pillar is not worth the answering for it doth not onely preserue the trueth as a hidden treasure but by publique profession notwithstanding all forces endeavouring to shake it publisheth it vnto the world stayeth the weakenesse of others by the knowledge of it in which respect it is fitly compared to a Pillar and not vnto an Arke or chest The second reason is much more weake than the former For thus they argue The Church is governed by Christ as by her head and spouse and by the spirit as by the soule and fountaine of her life therefore if shee erre her errour must be imputed vnto Christ and to the spirit of trueth This their consequence is blasphemous and impious For who knoweth not that particular men companies of men and Churches are governed by Christ as by their head and spouse by the spirit of trueth as being the fountaine of their spirituall life as the Churches of Corinth Galatia and the Churches mentioned in the Revelation of S. Iohn called golden Candle stickes in the midst whereof the Sonne of God did walke yet had they their dangerous and grievous errours and defaults for which they were blamed so that by the argument of our adversaries men may blame the spirit of trueth for their errours That which the Iesuite addeth that Christ the husband of the Church is bound to free it from all errour in matter of faith whence any great euill may ensue is as childish an argument as may be devised For if great and grievous euils may be found in the Church then notwithstanding this argument errours also Now that the Church is subject to great grieuous euils he that maketh any questiō seemeth to know nothing at all As therfore God giueth that grace whereby the children of the Church may avoyde great and grievous euils and neuer with-draweth the same but for punishment of former sinne and contempt of grace so he giueth the gracious meanes of illumination and neuer withdraweth the meanes of knowledge but when the contempt of the light of knowledge and the abusing of it procure the same So that the sinnes and errours of the children of the Church proceede from themselues and not from any defect or want of Christ the husband of the Church The third reason is he that heareth not the Church must bee holden for an Ethnike therefore it cannot erre But they should know that Christ speaketh in that place of the Sanedrim of the Iewes which whosoeuer refused to obey they held him as an Ethnicke Yet was not that great Councell of State among the Iewes free from danger of erring If these wordes of our Saviour be applyed to the Church as they are ordinarily by the Fathers they must be vnderstood by the censures of the Church which are not alwayes just and righteous as Augustine sheweth and not of her doctrinall determination But saith Bellarmine the Councels were wont to denounce Anathema to all that obey not their decrees therefore they thought they could not erre To this we answere that they denounce Anathema not because they thinke euery one that disobeyeth the decree of the Councell to bee accursed but because they are perswaded in particular that this is the eternall truth of God which they propose therefore they accurse them that obstinately shall resist as Paul willeth euery Christian man to Anathematize an Angell comming from Heauen if he shall teach him any other doctrine then he hath already learned yet is not euery particular Christian free from possibility of erring The other argument that because the Church is holy and her profession holy therefore shee cannot erre will proue as well that particular Churches cannot erre as the vniversall If they say the vniversall Church is holy and the profession of it holy in such adegree as freeth it from error it is petitio principii Their next argument is that if the Church be not free generally from erring but only from erring in things necessary to saluation many Catholike verities may be called in question doubted of for that there are many things that pertaine to faith which are not necessary to saluation This argument holdeth not for though the Church which comprehendeth onely the number of beleeuers that are at one time in the world may
PETERS being a Pastor which is the onely thing they canne alleage to proue that what hee had was pastorall and perpetuall proueth it not and the proofe of the necessitie of the continuance of any preeminence found in Peter and the rest of the Apostles sheweth that such a preeminence must continue but not in what person or persons it must continue But let vs see whether infallibility of judgment and vniversality of Iurisdiction bee amongst the things that were proper to the beginnings of Christianity or amongst those that are perpetually necessary Surely touching the first Bellarmine seemeth to confesse that the being taught immediately of GOD and the being absolutely free from errour soe that their writings and sayings were Canonicall were temporarie in the Apostles as necessary onely in those first beginnings of Christianity and whether hee confesse it or not it is most vndoubtedly true that that absolute infallibility that was in Peter for whose faith Christ prayed that it might not faile was temporary and not to bee communicated to any after-commers for hee was so lead into all trueth that hee could not erre in any of his writings and preachings whereas all confesse that euen Popes may erre in both these and that they are free from errour onely when they determine those things wherein the whole Church seeketh their resolution Touching the second which is vniuersality of jurisdiction the same Cardinall hath these words Fuit in illis Ecclesiae primordijs necessarium ad fidem in toto orbe terrarum disseminandam vt primis praedicatoribus Ecclesiarum fundatoribus summa potestas libertas concederetur That is in those first beginnings of the Church it was necessary for the quicke dispersing of the Faith throughout the whole world that the first Preachers and founders of Churches should haue a most ample power and free commission without that streightning and limitation of the same that is in their after-commers that soe euery one of them might truely vse those words of the Apostle Instantia mea quotidiana sollicitudo omnium Ecclesiarum that is my dayly instance is the carefulnesse of all Churches or as some other translate it I am cumbred dayly and haue the care of all Churches And therefore howsoeuer the Apostles diuided amongst themselues the seuerall parts of the world to which each one of them should more specially preach the word of the Lord yet did they not shut vp and inclose their cares within the bounds and compasse of any one prouince but euery one of them did soe take care of the whole Church as if that care had pertained vnto him alone Thus farre Bellarmine clearely confessing that the illimited comission of the Apostles was fitted to those first beginnings of Christianity and the condition of those first times soe that the same reason that excludeth the other dignities and preeminencies of the Apostles as namely their being fitted to the first beginnings excludeth both these from being perpetuall likewise But let vs let this aduantage go and take a view of those proofes which they bring of the power of Peters Successours aboue other Bishops whereas Peter himselfe had noe power more then any of the rest It is true say they that Peter had noe power which the rest had not but he had that amplitude of Ecclesiasticall power as an ordinary Pastour which they had onely as Apostles and Delegates by speciall fauour and personall priviledge Against this distinction few of our Diuines say any thing many of them confessing they vnderstand it not so deepe is the learning of our Adversaries that euery Man cannot bee so happie as to vnderstand what they write Which is the lesse to be marvailed at seeing many of them scarce vnderstand themselues and yet contemne vs as if we were silly idiots But if without offence wee may conjecture what the meaning of this their riddle is surely vnder correction I thinke this it is The rest of the Apostles had as great authoritie and power and as large a commission as Peter had but they had it onely for terme of life and could leaue none to succeed them in the same He had it for himselfe and such as hee would leaue it vnto Besides he was first invested with all the plenitude of Ecclesiasticall power jurisdiction so that none could haue any thing to doe in this businesse but such as should receiue commission from him saue onely that Christ reserued power to himselfe to giue commission to such as by speciall fauour hee should be pleased to honour as were the Apostles separated to the worke of the Ministerie by his owne immediate designement without receiuing any thing from Peter but afterwards all were either to receiue of him or of them to whom hee should leaue his office and charge This their conceipt they illustrate by a similitude A Bishop say they hath authoritie to preach in his Diocese as Pastour of the place and whosoeuer succeedeth him in his Bishoplie office succeedeth him in the same power likewise A Fryer by speciall fauour from the Pope may preach in the same Diocese wheresoeuer the Bishop may and cannot be silenced or restrained by him because hee receiued nothing from him but his superiour the Pope but another desiring to succeed the Fryer not so fauoured and priviledged by the Pope must fetch his commission and allowance from the Bishop and be subject to him in the performance and execution thereof So heere Peter was first constituted Pastour of all the World the Apostles were by speciall fauour authorized immediately by Christ to preach in Peters charge and to gouerne the Church whereof he was Bishop as well as he but yet so that all they that were to follow after were to deriue their commission from Peter or his Successour if they would meddle in the Church which was his charge Many things are said by Caietan Bellarmine Stapleton and others to this purpose but this is the substance of all Wherfore let vs see how they proue that they say Touching the first of these two points thus they proue it Peter was a Pastour and had that amplitude of illimited commission before described as a Pastour but the office of a Pastour is of perpetuall necessitie and vse and therefore this his illimited power and commission was to be perpetually continued That Peter was a Pastour they proue because Christ said vnto him expressely Feede my Sheepe Feed my Lambes This is the frame of their whole building which may very easily be throwne to the ground if any man will put his hand vnto it First because it is certaine the other Apostles were Pastours also so that if Peters being a Pastour proue the necessitie of the continuance of those ample preheminences hee had and that hee might leaue them to whom he pleased it would follow that the rest of the Apostles also had their preheminences which were equall with those of Peter not as things temporarie but perpetuall and such as they might
leaue to whom they pleased That the other Apostles were Pastours first the Hymne of the Church wherein they are expressely saide to haue bin constituted Pastours by Christ proueth Secondly the confession of Bellarmine acknowledging that what was giuen to Peter by those wordes Feede my sheepe was giuen vnto all by those other wordes As my Father sent me so send I you confirmeth the same And thirdly the enumeration of the seuerall kindes of feeding euery of which the Diuines doe shew to agree to the rest as well as to Peter demonstrateth that they were all Pastours Secondly whereas they say that the office of a Pastour is a thing of perpetuall vse and necessitie and consequently perpetuall and that the amplitude of power which was in Peter agreed vnto him in that hee was a Pastor and as a Pastor they bewray notable ignorance and folly For it is true indeed that the office of a Pastor is of perpetuall vse and necessity and soe to continue for euer but the amplitude of power and jurisdiction and the great preëminences that were in Peter did not agree vnto him as to a Pastour or in that hee was a Pastor For if they had then must they agree to euery Pastor so euery Bishop must haue the same not the Pope only For as whatsoever agreeth to a man in that he is a man agreeth to every man so whatsoeuer agreeth to a Pastor in that he is a Pastor agreeth to euery one that is a Pastor If they shall say that the great and ample preëminences that were in Peter did not agree vnto him as a Pastor but in some other respect then his beeing a Pastor which is an office of perpetuall necessity vse and continuance will not proue the same perpetuall no more then other things which this Pastour had in that he was an Apostle If they shall say these things agreed vnto him not in that he was a Pastor but in that he was such a Pastor as was to feed the flocke of Christ and people of God by deliuering vnto them the doctrine of truth without all mixture of any the least errour to confirme the same by miracles following to giue the visible gifts of the holy Spirit by the only imposition of his hands it is true that they say but such a Pastour they confesse is necessary onely in the beginnings of the Christian Church and not afterwards and therefore from hence it cannot be concluded that the ample preëminences that were in Peter as his infallibility of judgement and illimited Commission were to be passed ouer from him to his Successors and after-commers Their second conceipt is more fond then the first For if Peter were by Christ constituted sole supreme Pastour and Bishoppe of the whole vniuersall world and yet his meaning was that others should likewise receiue immediatly from himselfe power to doe as much in the governing of the Church as Peter he meant to giue him something and presently to take it from him againe For as if the Pope shall make a man Bishop of such a cittie or countrey and thereby giue vnto him that supreme direction that nothing shall be done within that compasse without his authoritie and consent and shall presently send another with full authority to doe any thing that the former may do and no way to bee subiect to his controule or restraint in the performance thereof or accomptant for it hee reuoketh and maketh voyde his first graunt so here if Christ make Peter supreme Bishoppe and Pastour of the whole Christian world and presently constitute eleuen other Apostles with power and commission to doe any thing that Peter may doe in all parts of the world and towards all persons which as they haue not from him so he cannot take it from them or limit them in the vse of it hee absolutely voideth his first graunt made to Peter But they will say perhaps that Christ meant little fauour to Peter more then to one of the rest of the Apostles but that all his care was for the good of the Pope whom hee meant to make a great man in the world and that therefore he constituted the other Apostles immediatly as well as Peter put them into equall commission with him and would not haue them beholding to him for any honour or power they had but appointed that all other Bishops should receiue their mission calling commission and authority from Peter during the short time of his life and after his departure in all succeeding ages to the end of the world from his Successours the Bishoppes of Rome This truly is well said in fauour of the Pope if it were as truly said as it is kindly meant but we shall find that there is no truth in that they say For it is cleare and evident that each Apostle by his commission hee had from Christ without being any way beholding to Peter for it had authority to preach the Gospell to such as neuer heard of it before to plant Churches and ordaine constitute in them Pastours and Bishops and out of his more large and ample commission to make other though somewhat more restrained and limited whence it will follow that they whom any of the other Apostles ordained and constituted Pastours and Bishoppes which were innumerable in all parts of the world receiued nothing from Peter nor his pretended Successour Now they whom the Apostles thus constituted and ordained might constitute and ordaine other by vertue of their office and calling they had from the Apostles and those other other againe to succeede them so that none of these to the end of the world one succeeding another should euer receiue any thing frō Peter or his pretended Successor And therefore it is absurd that Bellarmine saith that the Apostles receiued all their jurisdiction immediately from Christ that yet notwithstanding all Bishops receiue the same frō the Pope And those Papists are better aduised that say that the Bishops of other Churches receiue not their jurisdiction from the Pope but from Christ by those Apostles that constituted their Churches and planted their predecessours in the same setting them the bounds of their Bishop-like charge whence it will follow as Bellarmine wisely foresaw and therefore declined this opinion that the Pope cannot either take away or diminish their authority vnlesse any man can shew where Christ gaue him power to limite restraine or take away that power from men which they haue from himselfe by the hands of the other Apostles and their after-commers without being any way beholding to Peter for the same Wherefore they haue yet one more strange conceipt behind to helpe the matter then any of those we haue hitherto heard which is that Peter being not onely an Apostle but supreme Pastour and Bishop of the whole world constituted by Christ made the other Apostles Bishops and Pastours and that they ordained Bishops not by vertue of their Apostolique power which they receiued immediately from
Christ without being beholding to Peter for it or inferiour to him in it but by vertue of their Bishoply authority and offīce which they receiued from Peter Alioqui enim sayth Bellarmine cum omnes Apostoli plurimos Episcopos in varijs locis constituerint si Apostoli ipsi non sint facti Episcopi à Petro certè maxima pars Episcoporum nondeducit originem suam à Petro that is For otherwise seeing all the Apostles constituted exceeding many Bishops in diuerse places if the Apostles themselues were not made Bishops by Peter certainely the greatest part of Bishoppes will not fetch their originall from Peter This his fancie of Peters making the other Apostles Bishoppes immediately after as his manner is like an honest man hee contradicteth confessing that the Apostles were all Bishops and the first Bishops of the Church in that they were Apostles without any such ordination Omnes Apostoli sayth he fuerunt Episcopi imò etiam primi Episcopi Ecclesiae tametsi non sunt ordinati that is All the Apostles were Bishops nay which more is the first Bishops of the Church without any other or new ordination besides their Apostolique mission and calling And in another place he pronoūceth perēptorily that by vertue of these words As my Father sēt me so sēd I you the Apostles were made Vicars of Christ nay that they receiued the very offīce authority of Christ and that in the Apostolique power all Ecclesiasticall power is contained and though in the former place he sayd expressely Non eo ipso quòd aliquis est Apostolus est Episcopus that is A man is not therefore a Bishop because an Apostle for the twelue were Apostles before they were either Bishops or Priests yet in the later place hee sayth it is not to be maruailed at that they were Apostles before the passīon of Christ and yet neither Priests nor Bishops for that the Lord at diuerse times gaue the Apostles diuerse kindes and degrees of power but especiallie in the twentith of Iohn perfected that hee beganne before his passīon Soe that an Apostle perfectly constituted and authorised hath both Priestlie and Episcopall dignitic and power though in the beginning when the Apostles were rather designed then fully constituted not hauing receiued their full Commissīon they vvere neither Priests nor Bishoppes But to leaue BELLARMINE lost in these mazes it is most easie demonstratiuely to proue that the Apostles in that they were Apostles perfectly and fully constituted had both Priestlie and Bishoply dignity and power in most eminent sort For did not CHRIST giue the Apostles power to doe any Ecclesiasticall act that a Bishoppe can doe Did hee not giue them power to preach and baptize vvhen hee sayd vnto them Go teach all nations Baptizing them c to minister the holy Eucharist vvhen hee sayd Doe this as est as ye shall doe it in remembrance of mee Did hee not giue them the power of the Keyes of binding loosing of remitting retaining sinnes consequently all that commeth within the compasse of Ecclesiasticall office and Ministerie doubtlesse hee did Neither is there any that dareth to deny any part of that which hath beene saide And therefore it is an idle fansie that Peter made the rest of his fellowes Bishops the Apostolique power implying in it eminently Episcopall as the greater the lesser But they will say Peter made Iames the lesser Bishop of Hierusalem Indeed Baronius falsifieth Chrysostome and maketh him say that the Doctour of the world made Iames Bishop of Hierusalem whereas hee saith no such thing but asking the question why Peter whom Christ so much fauoured was not preferred to bee Bishop of Hierusalem answereth that Christ made him Doctour of the world which was a greater honour then to haue beene fastened to the Church of Hierusalem to haue beene set in the Episcopall Throne there But it is cleare by the testimonies of Antiquity that Peter Iames the greater Iohn ordained Iames Bishop of Hierusalem So saith Anacletus in his second Epistie if any credit be to be giuen vnto it where hee hath these words A Bishop must be ordained of three Bishops as Peter Iames the greater and Iohn ordained Iames the lesser Bishop of Hierusalem Clemens Alexandrinus also as we reade in Eusebius saith the very same and Hierome de viris illustribus attributeth the ordaining of Iames not to Peter alone but to the Apostles His words are Iacobus statim post passionem Domini ab Apostolis Hierosolymorum Episcopus ordinatur that is Iames presently after the passion of the Lord is ordained Bishop of Hierusalem by the Apostles If any man aske how the Apostles did ordaine or make Iames being an Apostle a Bishop if the Apostolique office imply in it the office and dignitie of a Bishop as the greater the lesser we answere that a Bishop differing from an Apostle as in other things so in this that he is fixed to some certaine place whereof specially hee taketh the care whereas the care imployment of an Apostle is more at large When the Apostles after the conversion of Nations and people began to retire themselues to certaine places there to rest and specially to take care thereof they were in that respect rather Bishops then Apostles and in this sort Iames the lesser being appointed by the Apostles to make his principall abode at Hierusalem a chiefe city of the world whence the faith spread it selfe into all other parts and more specially to take care thereof is rightly said to haue beene constituted Bishop of that place by them not as if they had giuen him any new power and authority that he had not before or not in so perfect sort but that they limited and restrained him more specially to one certaine place where he should vse the same The place in the Acts maketh nothing for the confirmation of the Popish errour for Paul and Barnabas formerly designed by Christ to be Apostles were againe by the ministerie of Prophets revealing the will and pleasure of Almighty GOD separated more specially to bee Apostles of the Gentiles and put forth into that employment with fasting prayer and imposition of hands not thereby receiuing any new power but a speciall limitation and assignation of those parts of the world wherein principally they should be employed Besides these were not Apostles but Prophets such as Agabus was that are mentioned in this place inferiour in degree to Apostles and such as might not make an Apostle to be a Bishop but did onely signifie and reueale what the will of God was and whither he meant to send these worthy Apostles and so with prayer and fasting commended them to the grace of God and therefore this place maketh nothing for proofe of Peters ordaining and appointing the rest of the Apostles to be Bishops CHAP. 24. Of the preeminence that Peter had amongst the Apostles and the reason why Christ directed his speeches specially
proued and all confesse but that what hee gaue to others it did so passe vnto them as that in the first place it was giuen to Peter and hee thereby set in order and honour before the rest put in the same commission with him so that Peter receiued not a different or more large commission from Christ then the other Apostles but onely a kinde of honourable precedence preëminence and priority such as the Duke of Venice hath amongst the great Lords of that state to whom all Embassies and messages are directed from forreine Princes and in whose name all letters warrants and mandates are sent out as representing the whole State yet can hee doe nothing without the rest nor crosse the consenting resolution of those noble Senators And in this sense it is that Augustine saith of Peter that he was by nature one particular man by grace a christian man by more ample and abundant grace a chiefe Apostle but that when hee receiued the Keyes hee represented the whole vniuersall Church not as a legate that representeth the person of his Prince and receiueth honours dignities and titles for him and not for himselfe but as chiefe of the company of the Apostles receiuing for himselfe in the first place that which in him and together with him was intended to them all This primacie of honour and order found in blessed Peter who is therevpon named by the Fathers Prince and head of the Apostles is the originall of all that superiority that Metropolitanes haue ouer the Bishops of their prouinces and Primates and Patriarches ouer Metropolitanes and in a word of all that order that is in the Church and amongst her guides whereby vnitie is preserued CHAP. 25. Of the distinction of them to whom the Apostles dying left the managing of Church affaires and particularly of them that are to performe the meaner seruices in the Church HAuing spoken of the Apostles power and office and the largenesse of that commission it remaineth that wee come to speake of them to whom they recommended the managing of Church affaires and the ministerie of holy things when they left the world They to whom they recommended the care of these things when hauing finished their course they were called hence to receiue the Crowne laid vp for them in Heauen were of two sorts first such as they trusted with the ministerie of the Word and Sacraments and government of Gods people and secondly such other as they appointed to be assistant to them and to performe the meaner seruices though necessary also The former sort are all comprehended vnder one common name of Presbyters that is fatherly guides of Gods Church and people the latter are Deacons and such other inferiour Ministers as attend the necessities of the Saints and assist the principal Guides of the Church In the ordination of a Presbyter saith Durandus there is a certaine power conferred on him and assigning of him to an employment whereby after his ordination hee may doe something which hee could not haue done before etiam quoad genus facti no not in the kinde and nature of the thing it selfe as hee that is ordained a Presbyter may consecrate the Lords Body and absolue in the Court of Penitencie neither of which things without such ordination can be done but to them that are in the inferiour orders there is no power giuen neither haue they any assignement to doe any thing which they could not doe before and without such ordination but to doe such things as they could not lawfully doe nay in many of them there is no designement of them that are so ordained to the performance of any thing but that which according to the vse of the vniuersall Church men without such ordination may lawfully doe So that the ordination of men to the performance of such things and the execution of such offices seemeth to haue proceeded from the institution of the Church for the greater solemnitie of Diuine worship and seruice and therefore such inferiour orders are neither simply orders order being a sacred signe or character by vertue whereof a power is giuen to the ordained not onely to doe that hee could not otherwise lawfully doe but to doe that which otherwise hee could not doe at all neither are they Sacraments but Sacramentall solemnities onely seeing the Church can institute no Sacraments Hitherto Durandus These being the sorts of them to whom the Apostles recommended the managing of Church affaires and this the difference of their orders I will first speak of the diuers orders degrees of them that performe the meaner seruices in the Church and then come to speake of them that haue the gouernement of the Church The Master of Sentences saith that the order of Subdeacons and other minor orders below the degree of Deacons as Acoluthes Exorcists Lectors Ostiaries were brought in by the Church and that they were not in the Apostles times and Thomas Aquinas and other are of the same minde Notwithstanding there is no question but these minor orders and degrees were very ancient For Cyprian maketh mention of one Mettius a Subdeacon and Nicephorus an Acoluthe In another place hee writeth that he had ordained Aurelius and Celerinus Lectors and in a third place hee mentioneth Exorcists and Lectors Cornelius Bishop of Rome in his Epistle recorded by Eusebius describing the Clergie of the Romane Church in his time sheweth that there were in the same 46 Presbyters 7 Deacons 7 Subdeacōs 42 Acoluthes 52 Exorcists Lectors Ostiaries Widowes with distressed people more then 1500. Ignatius in his Epistle to the Antiochians omitting Acoluthes reckoneth the rest as Subdeacons Lectors Ostiaries and Exorcists adding to them Cantores and Laborantes or Copiatae whose imployment was to bury the dead of whom also Epiphanius speaketh Whereupon Bishop Lindan sayth that howsoeuer in these times they make or account but seauen orders yet in the Primitiue Church there were more now scarce knowen But let vs see what the office employment and manner of the admission of these men was in former times Touching Ostiaries the Councell of Carthage ordayneth thus Let the Ostiary after he hath beene instructed by the Arch-deacon how to behaue himselfe in the house of God at the suggestion of the Arch-deacon be ordained and let the Bishop take the Keyes frō the Altar and giue them to him saying So demeane thy selfe as being to giue an accoūt to God for the things that these Keyes locke vp The Lectors were to reade in the Church whatsoeuer was to be read out of the old or new Testament whereupon Cyprian hauing ordained Aurelius the confessour a Lector giueth a reason why he had so done Quia nihil magis congruit voci quae Dominum gloriosa praedicatione confessa est quam celebrandis diuinis Lectionibus personare that is Because nothing doth more fitte or better beseeme the voyce that by a glorious publique testimony hath
to listen and heare what the Lord will speake vnto vs. Great and glorious are these dignities of the Deacons yet the councell of Carthage maketh them Ministers not of the Bishop alone but of the Presbyters also soe that they might not sit in the presence of the Bishop or Presbyters And when some went about to preferre them before Presbyters Hierome with great violence opposed himselfe against the same saying Quid patitur mensarum viduarum minister vt supra eos se tumidus efferat ad quorum preces Christi corpus sanguisque conficitur that is What passion is this that thus transporteth the Minister of the Tables and Widowes that swelling in pride hee should lift vp himselfe aboue them at whose prayers the body and blood of Christ is consecrated And obiecting to himselfe the custome of the Romane Church where a Presbyter is ordained vpon the testimony of a Deacon hee passionately breaketh into these words Quid mihi profers vnius vrbis consuetudinem Diaconos paucitas honorabiles Presbyteros turba contemptibiles facit Caeterum etiam in Ecclesiâ Romae Presbyteri sedent stant Diaconi licet paulatim increbresentibus vitijs inter Presbyteros absente Episcopo sedere Diaconum viderim that is why dost thou vrge me with the custome of one Citie the fewnesse of Deacons maketh them honorable and the number of Presbyters make theÌ„ to be lesse esteemed Yet eueÌ„ in the Church of Rome Presbyters do sit and Deacons stand although things growing worse and worse by degrees and many things growing out of order I haue seene a Deacon in the absence of the Bishop sit amongst the Presbyters Out of the society and company of the Deacons in each Church there was one chosen who not only was to performe the things pertaining to the Deacons office but also to prescribe vnto others what they should doe The institution of these is not new but very ancient as it appeareth by Hierome who vrging the necessity of order and gouernment sheweth that the heardes of cattel haue their leaders which they follow that Bees haue their King that the Cranes flye after one that leadeth them the way that there is one Emperour and one Iudge of each prouince that Rome could not haue two brethren to reigne in her as Kings but was dedicated in parricide that â—…sau and Iacob were at warre in the wombe of Rebeccah that euery Church hath her Bishop euery company of Presbyters and Deacons their Arch-presbyter and Arch-deacon These chiefe Deacons or Arch-deacons were in processe of time notwithstanding all Canons to the contrary and the violent opposition of Hierome and other Worthies of those times lifted vp not onely aboue the Presbyters but the Arch-presbyters also The reason of which their aduancement was first because the number of Presbyters made them little esteemed and the paucity and fewnesse of Deacons made them honourable as I noted before out of Hierome Secondly because they were busied about money-matters and had the charge of the treasure of the Church which kind of imployments are vsually much set by Thirdly because being Ministers vnto the Bishop they were vsed by him for the viewing of such parts of his Diocese as he could not conueniently come vnto himselfe the dispatch of thinges for him and in the end for the reformation of the lesser and smaller faults which vpon such view they should find Whereupon at the last they obtained a kind of jurisdiction power of correction by prescriptioÌ„ custome whereof I shall haue occasion to speake more hereafter Thus haue we spoken of the inferiour degrees of Ministery by which men were wont to ascend to the higher being trained vp for a certaine space in the lower that they might thereby be fitted for the higher according to that of Hierome touching Nepotian Fit Clericus per solitos gradus Presbyter ordinatur that is Hee is made a Clergie-man and passing through the ordinary degrees he is ordained a Presbyter CHAP. 26. Of the orders and degrees of them that are trusted with the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments and the gouernment of Gods people and particularly of Lay-Elders falsly by some supposed to be Gouernours of the Church NOW it remaineth that we speake of them that are trusted with the ministery of the Word and Sacraments and the gouernment of Gods people comprehended vnder one common name of Presbyters that is Fatherly Guides of Gods Church and people Touching these Presbyters or fatherly Guides of Gods Church some in our time haue a new and strange conceipt making them to be of two sorts whereof some haue charge of gouernment onely and some together therewith the ministery of the Word and Sacraments the one sort Lay-men and the other Clergie-men the one sort gouerning only the other sort preaching teaching ministring Sacraments and gouerning also Touching these newly supposed gouerning Elders that are not Mininisters of the Word and Sacraments I will first set downe the reasons that moue vs to thinke there neuer were any such in the Church and secondly I will shew the weakenesse of their reasons that are induced to thinke there were The first reason that moueth vs to thinke there neuer were any such is because Bishops Presbyters that preach and minister Sacraments and Deacons that assist them howsoeuer they much degenerated in later times yet all still remained in all Christian Churches throughout the world though in many things exceedingly different as Greeke Latine Aethiopian and Armenian in their names and offices also in some sort But of these Lay-elders there are noe foot-steps to be found in any Christian Church in the world nor were not for many hundred yeares whereas there would haue beene some remaines of these as well as of the other had they euer had any institution from Christ and his Apostles as the other had Our second reason is for that S. Paul prescribing Timothy how he should establish the Church and appoint her Pastours and shewing who should be Bishops and Ministers who Deacons yea who Widowes passeth immediately from describing the qualitie of such as were to be Bishops and Ministers of the Word and Sacraments to the Deacons omitting these Lay-elders that are supposed to lye in the midst betweene them no way describing vnto vs of what quality they must bee which in reason hee neither might nor would haue omitted if there had beene any such Our third reason is for that neither Scripture nor practice of the Church bounding the gouernment of such Gouernours nor giuing any direction how farre they may goe in the same and where they must stay lest they meddle with that they haue nothing to doe with men should be left to a most dangerous vncertainty in an office and employment of so great consequence either of not doing that their office and place requireth or presuming beyond that they should which is not to be conceiued seeing Christ our gracious Sauiour by himselfe or his Apostles
and when Paul and Barnabas were companions and their trauels were equall yet Paul is noted to haue beene the chiefe speaker so that though both were worthy of double honour yet Paul especially Some interprete the words in this sort There were some that remained in some certaine places for the guiding and gouerning of such as were already wonne by the preaching of the Gospell other that travayled with great labour and paines from place to place to spread the knowledge of God into all parts and to preach Christ crucified to such as had neuer heard of him before Both these were worthy of double honour but the later that builded not vpon another mans foundation more especially then the former that did but keepe that which others had gotten and governe those that others had gained Thus wee see that these words may haue a very good and true sense without pressing of them to confirme the late conceipt of some few men touching Lay-elders Which construction wee haue no reason to admitte seeing the circumstances of the place doe not enforce it nor no Ecclesiasticall writer did euer so interprete the words before our age So that to conclude this point the name of Presbyter one place onely in the first of Timothy and the fifth excepted where it is a name of age and not of office in the writings of the Apostles doth euer note out vnto vs a Minister of the Word and Sacraments The reason why the Apostles chose this word rather then the name of Sacerdos which wee commonly translate Priest though the English word Priest come of Presbyter was lest there should be a confusion of the Ministers of the old Testament who were to offer sacrifices vnto God figuring the comming of Christ with those of the new and to shew that none should be appointed Ministers but men of ripe age and confirmed judgment But some man will say the auncient Writers mention Seniours without whose advice nothing was done an Ecclesiasticall Senate and a Presbytery or company of Presbyters which gouerned the Church together with the Bishop therefore the matter is not so cleare against Lay-elders as some would make it Wee deny not but that there were Presbyters in the primitiue Church constituted and ordained by the Apostles and their Successours not onely to preach and minister Sacraments but to gouerne direct and guide the people of God also but that they were Lay-men it cannot bee proued The Bishops in the greater Churches and in the Citties had a great number of Clergy-men seruing in diuers sorts as it appeareth by Cyprian and the whole Ecclesiasticall history but out of the whole Clergie at large the Presbytery or company of Presbyters was called forth to the weightiest deliberations and to assist the Bishop for the preseruation of discipline Admonitos nos instructos sciatis dignatione diuinâ sayth Cyprian vt Numidicus Presbyter ascribatur Presbyterorum Carthaginensium numero nobiscum sedeat in Clero that is Know yee that we haue beene admonished and directed by God himselfe to choose Numidicus and to make him one of the company of the Presbyters of Carthage that he may sit together with vs as a Clergy-man by which words it appeareth that there was in Cyprians time a Colledge of Presbyters or Elders in the Church of Carthage which sate together with the Bishop for the hearing and determining of the causes of the Church but that these Elders were Clergie-men and not such Lay-seniours as some would haue Cornelius Bishop of Rome writing to Cyprian se totum Presbyterium contraxisse that is that hee drew together the whole Presbytery or companie of Presbyters for the reconciling of certaine Schismatiques to the Church and that hee called together fiue Bishops also and by common consent ended the whole matter Of this Senate and company of Presbyters Tertullian speaketh in his Apologie when he sayth with vs the most approued Seniours do sit as praesidents to censure offendours and to exercise discipline And of these likewise is it that Hierome sayth writing vpon Esay We also in the Church haue our Senate the company of Presbyters And vpon Titus The Churches were gouerned by the common aduice and councell of the Presbyters For to put it out of doubt that he meaneth not Lay-elders hee sayth in the same place Idem est ergo Presbyter qui Episcopus that is Therefore a Presbyter and Bishop are all one There is onely one place in Ambrose that hath some shew of proofe for Lay-elders His words are The Iewish Synogogue and after the Church had Seniours or Elders without whose councell nothing was done in the Church which by what negligence it grew out I know not vnlesse it were by the sloth or pride of the Teachers whilest they alone would seeme to be something Here is mention of Elders without whose aduice nothing was done but it is not sayd they were Lay-men But some man perhaps will reply that the Elders which Ambrose speaketh of ceased before his time which cannot be vnderstood of Clergie-men therefore they were Lay-men To this we say that Ambrose doth not say the elders without whose councell nothing was to be done ceased before his time and were no more but that the aduising and consulting with them ceased whilest some would doe all themselues If it be sayd that they who thus assumed more then was fitte and excluded those Seniours without whose councell anciently nothing was done are not said to haue bin Bishops but Doctours and that therefore Ambrose speaketh not of Bishops excluding other Ministers of the Word and Sacraments from their consultations but of Clergie-men refusing the aduice of Lay Seniours we answere that Ambrose by the name of Teachers whose sloath or pride hee condemneth in this place might fitly vnderstand the Bishops seeing none but bishops haue power to preach in their owne right and other but only by permission from them Hereupon it is that Possidonius in the life of Augustine saith that Valerius Bishop of Hippo gaue S. Augustine his Presbyter leaue to preach because being a Grecian hee could not very well expresse himselfe in Latine In the Councell of Vase leaue is giuen by the Councell of Bishops to Presbyters for to preach But because this question touching Lay-elders is excellently handled by sundry of our Diuines I will not trouble the Reader with any farther discourse of this matter CHAP. 27. Of the distinction of the Power of Order and Iurisdiction and the preheminence of one amongst the Presbyters of each Church who is named a Bishop CEasing to speake of supposed Lay-elders which the Church of God knoweth not let vs come to the other that were appointed to teach and gouerne the people of GOD. Where first wee are to speake of the diuerse degrees of honour and preheminence found amongst them Secondly of their calling and appointing to the same And thirdly of their maintenance For the clearing of the former of these three
things the Schoole-men note that there is a two-folde power found in the Ministers of the Church of GOD the one of Order the other of Iurisdiction The power of Order is that whereby they are sanctified and enabled to the performance of such sacred acts as other men neither may nor can doe as is the preaching of the Word and ministration of the holy Sacraments This power is to bee exercised orderly and the acts of it to bee performed in such sort that one disturbe not another Whereupon the Apostles the first Ministers of CHRIST IESVS though equall in the power of Order and Iurisdiction yet for the better and more orderly dispatch of the great worke of converting the world which they had in hand and that they might not hinder one another divided amongst themselues the parts and Provinces of the World but when for the assisting of them while they liued and succeeding them dying they were to passe ouer part of their power to other they so gaue authoritie to such as they made choyce of for this worke to preach baptize and doe other acts of sacred Ministery which are to bee performed by vertue of the power of order that before they invested them with this power they divided the parts of the world converted to Christianity into seuerall Churches and when they ordained them assigned each of them to that particular Church wherein he should preach and minister Sacraments So that these successours of the Apostles had not an illimited commission but were confined within certaine bounds that they were not to preach nor minister Sacraments but onely within the limits and compasse of those places which were assigned vnto them vnlesse it were with the consent desire and liking of other willing to draw them at sometimes for speciall causes to performe such sacred acts within the limites and bounds of their charge This assigning of men hauing the power of order the persons to whom they were to minister holy things and of whom they were to take the care and the subjecting of such persons vnto thē gaue them the power of jurisdiction which they had not before And thus was the vse of the power of order which is not included within any certain boūds limited in those the Apostles ordained their power of Iurisdictiō included within certain bounds so that the one of these kinds of power they haue not at all without the extēt of their own limits nor the lawful vse of the other Hence is that resolutiō of the Diuines that if a Bishop adventure to do any act of Iurisdictiō out of his own Diocese as to excōmunicate absolue or the like all such acts are vtterly voide of no force but if hee shall doe any act of the power of order in another mans charge as preach or minister Sacraments though he cannot be excused as not offending if he doe these things without his consent yet are the Sacraments thus ministred truly Sacraments and of force When the Apostles first founded Churches and assigned to such as they ordained to the worke of the ministery the seuerall parts of the flocke of Christ and people of GOD of which they appointed them to take care and charge they so sorted divided out particular Churches that a Cittie and the places neere adioyning made but one Church Wherevpon wee shall finde in the holy Scriptures that to ordaine Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in euery Church and in euery Citty are all one Now because Churches of so large extent required many Ministers of the Word and Sacraments and yet of one Church there must be but one Pastour the Apostles in setling the state of these Churches did so constitute in them many Presbyters with power to teach instruct and direct the people of God that yet they appointed one onely to be chiefe Pastour of the place ordaining that the rest should be but his assistants not presuming to doe any thing without him so that though they were all equall in the power of order yet were the rest inferior vnto him in the government of that Church whereof hee was Pastour and they but his assistants onely As another of my ranke cannot haue that Iurisdiction within my Church as I haue but if hee will haue any thing to doe there he must be inferiour in degree vnto me So wee reade in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn of the Angell of the Church of Ephesus to whom the Spirit of God directeth letters from heauen as to the Pastour of that Church It is not to be doubted but that there were many Presbyters that is Ministers of the Word and Sacraments in so large a Church as that of Ephesus was nay wee reade expressely in the Acts that there were many in that Church that fed the flocke of Christ and consequently were admitted into some part of pastorall office employment yet was there one amongst the rest to whom onely the Lord did write from heauen to whom an eminent power was giuen who was trusted with the government of that Church and people in more speciall sort then any of the rest and therefore challenged by name by Almighty God for the thinges there found to bee amisse the rest being passed ouer in silence The like wee reade of the rest of the seven Churches of Asia compared to seuen golden candlestickes in the midst whereof the Sonne of God did walke hauing in his hand seuen starres interpreted to haue beene the seuen Angels of those seuen Churches Neither was this orderly superiority of one amongst the Presbyters of the Church found onely in the seuen Churches of Asia but in other Churches also For Saint Hierome testifieth that in the Church of Alexandria from the time of Marke the Evangelist there was euer one whom the Presbyters of that Church chose out of themselues to be ouer the rest Neither was this proper to the Church of Alexandria but wee can shew the successions of Bishops in all the famous Churches of the world euen from the Apostles times and therefore all admitte and allow a kinde of preëminence of one aboue the rest in each Church Heresies haue sprung saith Cyprian and schismes risen from no other fountaine then this that Gods Priest is not obeyed nor one Priest in the Church acknowledged for the time to bee Iudge in Christs steed If one saith Hierome in each Church be not aboue and before the rest of the Presbyters there will be as many Schismes as Priests and the best learned in our age that affect presbyteriall government ingenuously confesse it to be an essentiall perpetuall part of Gods ordinance for each presbytery to haue a chiefe amongst them the necessity whereof wee may learne from all Societies both of men indued with reason and of other thinges also to which God hath denied the light of vnderstanding The dumbe beasts saith Hierome and wilde Heards haue their
one should beebefore and aboue the rest without whom the rest should do nothing and to whom some things should bee peculiarly reserued as the dedicating of Churches reconciling of penitents confirming of the baptized and the ordination of such as are to serue in the worke of the Ministerie Of which the three former were reserued to the Bishop alone Potiùs ad honorem Sacerdotii quam ad legis necessitatem that is rather to honour his priestly and Bishoply place then for that these things at all may not be done by any other And therefore wee reade that at some times and in some cases of necessitie Presbyters did reconcile penitents and by imposition of hands confirme the baptized But the ordaining of men to serue in the worke of the Ministerie is more properly reserued to them For seeing none are to be ordained at randome but to serue in some Church and none haue Churches but Bishops all other being but assistants to them in their Churches none may ordaine but they onely vnlesse it bee in cases of extreme necessitie as when all Bishops are extinguished by death or fallen into heresie obstinately refuse to ordaine men to preach the Gospell of Christ sincerely And then as the care and charge of the Church is devolued to the Presbyters remaining Catholique so likewise the ordaining of men to assist them and succeede them in the worke of the Ministery But hereof I haue spoken at large elsewhere Wherefore to conclude this point we see that the best learned amongst the Schoolemen are of opinion that Bishops are no greater then presbyters in the power of consecration or order but onely in the exercise of it and in the power of Iurisdiction with whom Stapleton seemeth to agree saying expressely that Quoad ordinem Sacerdotalem ea quae sunt ordinis that is In respect of Sacerdotall order and the things that pertaine to order they are equall and that therefore in all administration of Sacraments which depend of order they are all equall potestate though not exercitio that is in power though not in the execution of things to be done by vertue of that power whence it will follow that ordination being a kinde of Sacrament and so depending of the power of order in the judgement of our Adversaries might bee ministred by presbyters but that for the avoyding of such horrible confusions scandals and schismes as would follow vpon such promiscuous ordinations they are restrained by the decree of the Apostles and none permitted to doe any such thing except it bee in case of extreme necessitie but Bishops who haue the power of order in common together with presbyters but yet so as that they excell them in the execution of things to bee done by vertue of that power and in the power of Iurisdiction also But Bellarmine sayth the Catholique Church acknowledgeth and teacheth that the degree of Bishops is greater then that of Presbyters by Gods Law as well in the power of order as jurisdiction addeth that the Schoole-men vpon the fourth of the Sentences defend the same and Thomas in his Summe which yet elsewhere he confesseth to be vntrue This his opinion he endeauoureth to confirme because none but Bishoppes doe ordaine and if they doe their ordinations are judged voyde which they could not be by the Churches prohibition or decree of the Apostles if they were equall in the power of order to Bishops Hereunto I haue answered elsewhere shewing that ordinations at large or sine titulo and ordinations in another mans charge by bishops who by the character of their order may ordaine are likewise pronounced to be voide by the ancient canons and that therefore the prohibition of the Church and decree of the Apostles for the auoyding of confusion and schisme reseruing the honour of ordaining to Bishops onely vnlesse it were in the case of extreame necessitie might make the ordinations of all other to be void though equall with them in the power of order CHAP. 28. Of the diuision of the lesser Titles and smaller Congregations or Churches out of those Churches of so large extent founded and constituted by the Apostles HItherto wee haue seene how the Apostles diuiding the Churches in such sort that a whole citty and the places adioyning made but one Church set ouer the same one Bishop as Pastour of the place diuers Presbyters as assistants vnto him But in processe of time we shall find certaine portions of these greater flockes of Christ and Churches of God to haue beene deuided out and distinctly assigned to seuerall Presbyters that were to take the care and charge thereof yet with limitations and reseruations of sundry preeminences to the Bishop as remaining still Pastour of those smaller particular congregations though in a sort deuided and distinguished from that greater Church wherein especially hee made his abode Two words wee find in Antiquie vsed to expresse the flockes of Christ and Churches of God thus deuided for more conuenience and yet still depending on that care of one Pastour or Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is parish and Diocese The former contained the cittizens and all such borderers as dwelt neare and repaired to any chiefe church or citie though now we vse the word Parish to signifie another thing namely some particular smaller and lesse congregation diuided out from the Mother Church the later which is Diocese both then and now importeth the villages and Churches dispersed in diuers places vnder the regiment of one Bishop The first that began thus to deuide out smaller Churches and congregations out of those great ones first founded and to assigne Presbyters distinctly to take care of thē was Euaristus Bishop of Rome whose example others did follow in al parts of the world These parts of Gods Church thus deuided assigned to the care of seuerall Presbyters were called Tituli that is Titles because God was intituled vnto them did specially claime them as the lot of his inheritance These Titles or smaller Churches and congregations were of diuerse sorts for some were more principall wherein Baptisme might be administred and the like things performed which were thereupon named Baptismall Churches and in respect of meaner in time growing out of them and depending of them Mother Churches also Other there were not hauing so great liberties To such of these Churches as he pleased the Bishop himselfe went and preached one day in one of them and another in another carrying great cōpanies with him drawing great multitudes to him which solemne assēblies meetings were named stations from their standing at prayers vsed in those times and were like the mighty armies of God keeping their watches and standing ready to encounter their furious and dangerous enemies In this sort Gregory the Great went and preached in such Churches in Rome as he thought fit whose Homilies and Sermons then preached are yet extant with the names of
of pride to preferre thy selfe before them what else doest thou say but I will ascend into heauen and exalt my seate aboue the Starres of heauen Are not all the Bishoppes of the Church cloudes who by the wordes of their preaching powre downe the graces of GOD like showers of raine and shine through the light of good workes whom whiles your brotherhood despising seeketh to bring vnder it selfe what other thing doth it say but this which is said of the old enemy I will ascend aboue the heighth of the cloudes And a little after the same Gregory addeth Surely Peter the Apostle was the first member of the holy and vniuersall Church Paul Andrew and Iohn what other thing are they but heads of particular parts of the people and Church of God and yet notwithstanding they are all members of the Church vnder one head Thus doth this holy man and worthy Bishop dislike that any amongst the Bishops of the Christian Church should bee so proud and insolent as to seeke to bee ouer all and subiect to none to subiect vnto himselfe all the members of Christ as to a head and to challenge vnto himselfe to bee vniuersall Bishoppe for that if any such bee if hee fall into errour or heresie hee draweth all other with him and ouerthroweth the state of the whole church Yet doe the Romane Bishoppes at this day take all these thinges vnto themselues for they subiect all Christs members to themselues as to Heads of the vniuersall church vpon perill of euerlasting damnation they will bee subiect to none or haue any to bee ouer them so that all depends of them their standing is the stay of all and their fall the ruine of all and if they erre all erre But perhaps it will be said that the name of vniuersall Bishop is not simply euill nor these claimes simply to be disliked but when they are made by them to whom it pertaineth not to make them such as the Bishops of Constantinople were Surely this evasion will not serue the turne For Gregory saith in the same place that no Bishop of Rome euer assumed this title ne dum priuatum aliquid darétur vni honore debito Sacerdotes priuarentur vniuersi that is Lest while some singular thing were giuen to one all Bishops should be depriued of their due honour thereby shewing that this title and the claimes accompanying it are simply to bee disliked as preiudiciall to the state of the whole Church the honour dignity of all other Bishops by whomsoeuer they be made Some man perhaps will be desirous to know how our Aduersaries seeke to decline the evidence of this cleare testimony of so great a Romane Bishoppe witnessing against them in a matter of so great consequence I will therefore set downe briefly in this place what I find any where said by any of them in answere to this authority The credit of the Author is such that they dare take no exception a-against him and the generality of his speech is such that what he disliketh in the Constantinopolitane Bishop he confesseth to be euill in any other and particularly in the Bishop of Rome And therefore the onely thing that they can deuise whereby to darken the cleare light of truth is this that the Bishop of Constantinople did so and in such sence challenge to be vniuersall Bishop that hee onely would haue beene a Bishop and there should haue beene no more then which nothing could be more absurdly sayd For the thing that the Romane Bishops disliked in those of Constantinople was not the putting of all other from being Bishops but the preferring themselues before other the subjecting of other to themselues the incroching vpon the priuileges and rights of other and the challenging of the power of ordination and confirmation of them whom it pertained not to them to ordaine or confirme as appeareth by the Epistles of Leo blaming Anotolius for subjecting all vnto himselfe for depriuing other Metropolitanes of their due honour by encroaching vpon their rights and for taking vpon him to ordaine the Bishop of Antioch who was one of the Patriarches That the Bishops of Constantinople sought not so to be vniuer all Bishops that there should be no other Bishops but they only is most euident by the Epistles of Leo and Gregorie in that they ordained Bishops themselues and are blamed by them for presuming to ordaine such as they should not haue ordained Wherefore the most that they can be conceiued to haue desired and sought in assuming the title of vniuersality is no more but the inuesting of the fulnesse of all power and jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall originally in themselues and thereby the subjecting of all other to a necessity of deriuing ministeriall power and authority from them of seeking ordination at their hands and being in all things pertaining to Episcopall office subiect to them all which things are challenged by the Bishop of Rome For the Romanists at this day teach that the fulnesse of all power and jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall is originally in the Pope that he communicateth a part thereof vnto others with such limitations as seemeth best vnto himselfe that all other Bishops receiue their jurisdiction from him that all the Bishops of the world cannot iudge him that hee may dispose of all the kingdomes of the world that his standing is the stay of all that his fall would be the ruine of all and that therefore we must perswade our selues hee cannot erre And hence indeed it followeth that he onely is Bishop in truth and that there are no other For if the Pope may take from any Bishop so often as he seeth cause as many as he pleaseth of them that are subject to him if hee may reserue vnto himselfe what cases he will and inhibite Bishops to meddle with them if hee may giue leaue to preach minister Sacraments and to do all other Ecclesiasticall duties to whom he will within any Diocese of the world if in generall councels where the power of jurisdiction is principally exercised where the great affaires of the Church are treated of where doubts are resolued controuersies determined articles of faith defined and lawes made that bind the whole Church he haue so absolute power that he is neither bound to follow the greater nor the lesser part of Bishops there present but may determine what hee pleaseth when they haue all done sayd what they can If the assurance of finding out the truth and decreeing that which is good behoofefull rest not partly in him partly in them but only in him as our Aduersaries teach then are Bishops indeed no Bishops no judges of controuersies but counsellers only to aduise the Pope no Law-giuers to the Church but such as must receiue lawes from the Pope no commaunders in their own right in the Church in any degree but meere Lieuetenantes or to speake more truly and properly vassals to the Pope CHAP. 33. Of the proofes brought by
Paulus Andreas Iacobus quid aliud quà m singularum plebium sunt capita omnes tamen sub uno capite membra Ecclesiae sunt that is Peter is the first and in honour the chiefest member of the holy and vniversall Church Paul Andrew Iames what other thing are they then heads of seuerall parts of Gods people Yet so that all notwithstanding are members of the Church vnder one Head So that a Head of the Church besides Christ must not be acknowledged because no one hath an vniversall commaunding power ouer all but hee onely Yet in a certaine sense the Romane Church is named the Head of all Churches that is the first and chiefest of all Churches as the city of London may bee named the Head of all cities in this state kingdome though it hath not a commaunding authority ouer them neither is the chiefe Magistrate thereof head ouer all other Magistrates in the kingdome The authority of the Florentine Councell naming the Bishop of Rome Father and teacher of all Christians and the Councell of Lyons naming him the bridegroome of the Church is not so great that wee should neede much to insist vpon any thing that is alleadged out of them And touching the latter title wee know Saint Bernard in his Epistles wisheth the Pope not to take it on him as being proper to Christ but to thinke it honour enough to be a friend of the bridegroome And yet if we should yeelde it vnto him wee know what Gerson hath written to shew how this bridegroome may bee taken away from the Church the spouse of Christ and yet the Church remaine entire and perfect The next glorious title of the Romane Bishop is Bishop of an Apostolique See But this is common to him with many others as some of the rest also are For as not only the Romane Church but the Churches of Ephesus Antioch Hierusalem and Alexandria which the Apostles founded and in which they sate as Bishops are named Apostolicall Churches so the Bishoppes of all these are named Bishops of Apostolique Sees Neither doe men know which of the Apostolicke Churches is expressed by the name of the Apostolique See or which of the Bishops by the name of the Bishop of the Apostolique See vnlesse by some circumstance the same be specified As when Augustine said there were relations made from the Councell of Carthage and Mileuis to the Apostolique See all men vnderstood what Apostolique See he meant because it was knowne to what Apostolique Church they vsed to make such relations Neither doth the principalitie of the Apostolique chaire which Augustine affirmeth to haue euer flourished in Rome argue the supremacie of the Pope seeing the principality or chieftie of the Apostolique chaire mentioned by Saint Augustine may seeme to import the chieftie that the Apostolike chaire hath aboue those that are not Apostolique or in which blessed Peter the chiefe of the Apostles did not sit For though the chaires of the Apostles were in diverse places yet Peters chaire was esteemed the principall of all the rest which being the See and chaire of one yet was in three places and three Bishops did sit in it Namely the Bishops of Rome Alexandria and Antioche as I haue shewed before out of Gregory yet was the principalitie or chieftie of this chaire of Peter more specially in Rome then in the other places and the Bishop of Rome in order and honour the first and greatest of the three The last title brought to proue the supremacie of the Pope is that of Vniuersall Bishoâ—… which though it be not giuen to Leo Bishop of Rome by the whole Councell of Câ—…alcedon yet is it giuen to him in the Epistles of three seuerall Grecians writing to hâ—… as wee may read in the third action of that Councell and Saint Gregory saith it â—…s offered to his predecessours in that Councell and that they refused it This title â—…ill proue the supremacy of the Pope no better then the rest being common vnto oâ—…er with him and therefore no way arguing any thing peculiarly found in him alone â—…or wee shall finde that the Bishops of Constantinople are named vniuersall Bishops â—…nd Oecumenicall Patriarches as well as the Bishoppe of Rome and that not by one or two particular men but by whole Councels by Emperours and Popes and though Saint Gregorie justly disliked this name or title as profane and prejudiciall to the dignitie of all other Bishoppes and Patriarches when it importeth an vniuersalitie of jurisdiction and generall commanding authoritie ouer all yet might any one of the Patriarches be named an vniversall Bishoppe as being one of those fiue principall Bishoppes to whom all the Bishops and Metropolitanes in the world were subject CHAP. 42. Of the second supposed priuiledge of the Romane Bishops which is infallibilitie of judgment SEEING our Aduersaries cannot proue the vniversall and illimitted power and jurisdiction of their Popes but the contrary is most clearely deposed by those witnesses which they produce to speake for them affirmed by those Diuines whom they cannot but acknowledge to be Catholique and inferred out of their owne principles let vs proceed to see whether they haue any better proofes of the infallibility of their judgment which is the next supposed priuiledge of the Romane Bishops Touching this point I finde foure opinions in the Church of Rome The first is that the Pope is so led into all truth that hee cannot erre in such sort as to become an hereticke And of this opinion was Albertus Pighius The second leaueth it doubtfull whether he may be an hereticke or not but pronounceth confidently that whether hee may or not yet hee cannot define and decree any thing that is hereticall And this is the opinion of almost all Papists at this day The third that the Pope not onely as a particular Doctour but euen as Pope may bee an heretique and teach heresie if he define without a generall Councell This was the opinion of Gerson Almayne and other Parisians of Alfonsus à Castro Pope Adrian the sixth Cardinall Cameracensis Cusanus Occam Durandus the Fathers of the Councels of Constance and Basill and many moe The fourth that hee may erre and define for heresie though he be assisted with a generall Councell Of this opinion was Waldensis and sundry other as appeareth by Picus Mirandula in his Theorems So that it is not true that Bellarmine saith that all Catholiques consent that the Pope with a generall Councell cannot erre For these teach that onely the resolutions of the vniuersall Church which is the multitude of beleeuers that are and haue beene are to be receiued without any farther question or examination as vndoubtedly true These are the differences of opinions found among them that brag so much of vnity and make the ground thereof to be the submitting of their iudgments to the Pope But because in so great vncertainty and contrariety of judgments almost
the better to perswade vs of the same our Adversaries bring the sayings of some great Divines who conceiued that some such thing may be inferred out of the wordes as they dreame of as Lucius Felix and Marke ancient Bishops of Rome and great Lights of the world in their times If they could indeede bring vs the judgement and resolution of these ancient Bishops they would doubtlesse greatly prevaile with vs. But seeing vnder these names they bring forth vnto vs the Authours of shamelesse forgeries wee are thereby induced more to dislike their conceits then before Now that they who masked vnder the names and titles of ancient Romane Bishops magnifie the greatnesse of the Romane Church and pleade for the not erring of the Bishoppes thereof are nothing else but ignorant authors of absurd and shamelesse forgeries it will easily appeare out of that which I haue elsewhere largely discoursed to shew that the Epistles attributed to the ancient Popes are forged and counterfeit not onely by the judgements and opinions of the best learned on both sides so censuring them but by many reasons inducing vs so to thinke among which one is the likenesse of the stile found in these Epistles arguing that they came all out of the same mint and were not written by those different Popes liuing at diuerse times to whom they are attributed Which similitude of stile will bee found in these Epistles that our Adversaries alleadge to proue that the Pope cannot erre as much or more then in any other For in these wee shall finde the very same words The agreeing of witnesses in the same substance of matter with some difference of wordes argueth that they speake truely but their precise agreement in words and formes of speaking argueth rather a compact and agreement to speake the same things then a desire to vtter the trueth So here the precise vsing of the very same words by all these Popes liuing at diuers times argueth that it was one man that taught them all to speake But they will say Pope Leo in his third Sermon of his Assumption to the Popedome saith as much as they doe and that therefore wee may not discredite their testimony Surely if they can proue that Leo saith any such thing as the former Popes are taught to say wee will most willingly listen vnto them For wee acknowledge Leo to haue beene a most worthy Bishop and the things that goe vnder his name to bee his indubitate workes Let vs heare therefore what he saith His wordes in the place cited by the Cardinall are these Christ tooke speciall care of Peter and prayed specially for him because the state of the rest is more secure when the minde of him that is chiefe is not ouercome In Peter therefore the strength of all is surely established and God doth so dispence the helpe of his diuine grace that the same firmenesse that he giueth to Peter is by Peter conferred and bestowed on all Here is nothing to proue that the pope cannot erre which is that our Adversaries vndertake to demonstrate nor that the Romane church cannot erre which is that the former Popes affirme in their coūterfeit Epistles but that the state of the rest is more secure when he that is chiefe is not ouercome which no man euer doubted of and that Christ gaue or at least promised to giue that assistance of his grace to Peter which he meant to the rest and to passe it by him vnto them so as they should receiue it after him but not from him For thus the words of Leo must be vnderstood seeing it is most certaine which thing also Bellarmine himselfe confesseth that the Apostles receiued their infallibility of judgment and their commission or authority immediately from Christ and not from Peter From Leo they passe to Agatho who in his Epistle to Constantine the Emperour read and approued in the sixth generall Councell sayth that by the grace of God such hath beene the felicity and happinesse of the Romane Church that it can neuer be proued to haue erred from the path of the Apostolicall tradition nor to haue fallen being depraued with hereticall nouelties but the same faith it receiued at first it holdeth still according to Christs promise which he made to Peter willing him to confirme his brethren Which thing saith Agatho my predecessors haue euer done as is well knowne to all These words of Agatho are not so farre to be vrged as if simply neuer any of his predecessors had failed to defend the truth and confirme his brethren but that the Romane Church was euer so preserued from heresie that howsoeuer some fewe in it for a time might neglect to do their duty yet neither soe long nor in such sort but that that Church and the Bishops of it were alwaies a stay to the rest in all the dangerous tryals that fell out in ancient times euen as in the question concerning the two wils of Christ about which the Councell was called it was wherein though Honorius failed yet the rest that gouerned the Apostolicall throne with him did not and Agatho who soone after succeded shewed himselfe an orthodoxe and right beleeuer For that all the predecessors of Agatho did not alwaies confirme their brethren in the true faith of Christ it is most euident in that Marcellinus sacrificed vnto Idols if we may beleeue the Romish stories and was forced being conuicted thereof to professe himselfe vnworthy of the Papall office and dignity in a Synod of Bishops in that Liberius and Felix communicated with heretiques and subscribed to the vnjust condemnation of worthy Athanasius which was not to confirme the brethren but to discourage disharten and weaken them and in that Agatho himselfe doth anathematize his predecessor Honorius as a Monothelite with whom Leo the second concurreth in his Epistle to Constantine the Emperour who anathematizing Theodorus Syrus Sergius Pyrrhus Paulus and other Monothelites addeth to them Honorius Bishop of Rome his predecessor saying we accurse also Honorius who did not lighten this Apostolicall Church with the doctrine deliuered by the Apostles but sought to subuert the vndefiled faith by prophane perfidiousnesse With whom also Pope Adrian agreeth who in the Synode of Rome called about the businesse of Photius of Constantinople saith that the Romane Bishop hath judged of the Bishops of all Churches but that wee reade not of any one that hath iudged him For though Honorius were accursed after his death by those of the East yet it was because he was accused of heresie in which only case the lesser may iudge the greater yet euen there it had not beene lawfull for any of them to giue sentence against him had not the consent of the first See gone before So that wee see the Epistle of Agatho doth not sufficiently proue that the Popes cannot erre Let vs therefore consider whether they haue any better proofes Nicholas the first saith Bellarmine in
himselfe was no temporall or earthly king and therefore much lesse Peter or the Pope that pretendeth to be Christs Vicar and Peters successour Notwithstanding they that are otherwise minded endevour to proue that Christ was a temporall king and that hee left a kingly power to Peter and his successours First out of Scripture strangely wrested Secondly out of the testimonies of Popes For better authorities they haue none The principall text of Scripture which they alleage is in the Gospell of Saint Matthew where our Sauiour saith All power is given me in heauen and in earth But Bellarmine telleth them and the best Diuines agree with him that that place is not to bee vnderstood of a temporall power such as earthly kings haue but either of a spirituall whereby Christ so raigneth in earth in the hearts of men by faith as hee doth in heaven in the presence of his glorie among the Angels or a diuine power ouer all creatures not communicable to mortall men The former of these interpretations the Authour of the Interlineall Glosse followeth the later Lyra vpon this place his words are Licèt Christus quantum ad diuinitatem ab aeterno haberet hanc potestatem in quantum homo ab instanti conceptionis haberet potestatem in coelo in terra authoritativè tamen executivè non habuit ante resurrectionem suam sed voluit esse passibilitati subiectus propter nostram redemptionem that is Although Christ in that he was God had this power from all eternity and in that hee was man had power both in heauen and in earth from the first moment of his conception in respect of authority yet in respect of the execution and performance of the acts of it he had it not before his resurrection but was pleased to bee subiect to passibilitie for our redemption Let vs come therefore from the Scripture to the testimonies of later Popes for Fathers auncient Councells or auncient Bishops of Rome they haue none to speake for them The first Pope that they alleage is Pope Nicholas in a certaine Epistle of his where he saith as they tell vs that Christ committed and gaue vnto blessed Peter the Key-bearer of eternall life the rights both of the earthly and heauenly Empire To this authority first wee answere that Pope Nicholas hath no such words in any Epistle howsoeuer Gratian who citeth them as the words of Nicholas mistooke the matter Secondly that supposing the words to be the words of Nicholas his meaning may bee that the spirituall power of binding and loosing which Christ left to Peter is not onely of force in earth but in heauen also that being bound in heauen that is bound on earth and they beeing repulsed from the throne of grace in heauen and excluded from Gods fauours that are reiected from the holy Altars and put from the Sacraments of the Church Wherevpon Chrysostome saith that the power of the church directeth and commaundeth the very Tribunall of heauen and addeth that heauen taketh authority of judging from the earth For that the Iudge sitteth on earth and the Lord followeth the sentence of his servants according to that of Christ Whatsoeuer you shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen Others expound the supposed words of Pope Nicholas of the spirituall power of Peter ouer the good and bad in the visible church the good being named the kingdome of heauen and the bad an earthly kingdome or company But howsoeuer it is most certaine that Pope Nicholas in his Epistle to Michael the Emperour hath the cleane contrary to that which some would charge him with For there hee sheweth that howsoeuer before Christ some were both kings and priests as was Melchisedeck and as likewise some other among the Pagans were yet after Christ none were so Neither did the Emperour take vnto him the rights of the chiefe Priesthood nor the chiefe Priest the name of the Emperour Sed mediator Dei hominum homo Christus sic actibus propriis dignitatibus distinctis officia potestatis vtriusque discreuit vt Christiani Imperatores pro aeterna vita pontificibus indigerent Pontifices pro cursu temporalium tantummodò rerum Imperialibus legibus vterentur that is But the Mediatour of God and men the man Christ did so distinguish and seuer the duties and offices of either of these kinds of power by their proper actions distinct dignities that both Christian Emperours should stand in neede of Bishops for the attaining of eternall life and that Bishoppes should vse the lawes of Emperours for the course of temporall things onely that so both the spirituall action and employment might be free from carnall turmoyles and that he who goeth on warfare vnto God might not at all bee entangled with secular businesses and that on the other side he might not seeme to bee set ouer the things that are Diuine whom the businesses of this world should possesse that both the modestie of each of these orders and degrees might bee preserued and that also no one hauing both these kindes of power should be lifted vp too high The next authoritie is that of Bonifacius the eighth who hath these words speaking of the Church which is one and whereof he supposeth the Bishop of Rome to be the head Wee are instructed by the Evangelicall sayings that in this Church and in the power of it there are two swords to wit a spirituall and a temporall For when the Apostles said Beholde heere are two swords to wit in the Church because they were the Apostles that spake the Lord did not answere that it was too much but that it was enough and therefore surely whosoeuer denyeth the temporall sword to be in the power of Peter seemeth not well to consider the word of the Lord commaunding him to sheathe his sword The answer vnto this authority is easie For Bonifacius as Duarenus noteth was a vaine busie turbulent arrogant and proud man presuming aboue that which was fit and challenging that which no way pertained vnto him and therefore we may justly reject both him and his sayings But for the words of our Sauiour it is euident that they proue no such thing as this Pope would inforce out of them Some saith Maldonatus frō these words would proue that the Church hath two swords the one spirituall the other temporall which whether it haue or haue not cannot be proued out of this place where other swords are meant then either of Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall authority Our Sauiour telleth his Disciples the times approaching will be such as that a man had neede for his owne defence to sell his coate to buy a sword Whereupon the Disciples supposing they should vse materiall swords in their owne defence answere that they haue two swords To whom Christ replyeth that it is enough not confirming their erring opinion but answering them Ironically as Theophylact and Euthymius thinke Or otherwise letting them vnderstand that
detestable Beast of pride hath crept vp euen to the seate of Peter Prouide alwayes well for the peace of the Church and fare you alwayes well Thus wee see how the popes not contenting themselues with the fulnesse of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction though they had no just title vnto it proceeded yet further partly by the fauour of Christian princes and partly by fraud and violence got to be great princes in the world stayed not till they made challēge to be ouer the mightiest Emperors to dispose of their crowns dignities So shewing thēselues to haue the perfect marke and character of him of whom the Apostle speaketh Who sitteth in the temple of God as God and is lifted vp aboue all that is called God Yet could they not so prevaile in these their hellish practises nor so carry away the truth of GOD and the liberty of his Church into captiuity but that there were euer found both Christian Emperours and learned Diuines to resist them in their vniust claimes CHAP. 48. Of generall Councels and of the end vse and necessity of them HAuing examined what may be said for proofe of the Vniuersality of the Bishop of Romes power and iurisdiction first we finde that the Sonne of GOD gaue him no power in the common-wealth but a Father-hood onely in the Church Secondly that in the Church hee neither gaue him an illimited power of commaunding nor infallible iudgement in discerning but that the greatest thing that either hee canne challenge or wee yeeld vnto him is to be the prime Bishop in order and honour the first and not of himselfe alone or out of the fulnesse of his owne power but with the joynt concurrence of others equall in commission with him to manage the great affaires of Almighty God and to gouerne the Christian Church so that the fulnesse of Ecclesiasticall power and iurisdiction is in the companies assemblies and Synodes of Bishoppes and Pastors and not in any one man alone I shewed before that in the churches founded and established by the Apostles contayning whole Citties and places adjoyning though there were many ministers of the word and sacraments yet one was so the Pastour of each of these Churches that the rest were but his assistants and might doe nothing without him and that therefore there was an inequality established euen from the beginning not of order onely but of degree also betweene such as are Pastours of Churches are named Bishops and such as are but their assistants named by the common name of Presbyters yet is the power of him that excelleth the rest in degree in each Church fatherly not Princely for things were so ordered in the beginning that as the Presbyters could do nothing without the Bishoppe so the Bishop in matters of moment might doe nothing without his Presbyters and thereupon the Councell of Carthage decreeth that the Bishoppe shall not presume to heare and sententiate any mans cause without the presence of his Clergie And though it bee said that the Bishop alone may heare and determine the causes of such Cleargy men as are below the degree of Presbyters Deacons yet that alone excludeth not his Cleargy but the concurrence of other Bishops which in the causes of Presbyters Deacons is necessarily required For without the presence and concurrence of his Cleargy the Bishop may proceede to no sentence at all If any difference grew betweene the Bishop and his Cleargy or if consenting any one found himselfe grieued with their proceedings there was a prouinciall Synode holdentwise euery yeare in which the acts of Episcopall Synodes might be re-ëxamined These prouinciall Synodes were subordinate to Nationall Patriarchicall Synodes wherein the Primate of a Nation or Kingdome or one of the Patriarches sat as President And in these Nationall or Patriarchicall Synodes the acts of prouinciall Synodes might bee re-ëxamined and reuersed Of all which I haue spoken before in due place and vpon fit occasion haue shewed at large of whom these Synodes doe consist So that it is euident that the power of Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction resteth not in Bishoppes alone but in Presbyters also beeing admitted to Prouinciall and Nationall Synodes and hauing decisiue voyces in them as well as Bishops nor in any one Metropolitane Primate or Patriarch within their seuerall precincts and diuisions but in these and their fellow Bishops joyntly and that much lesse there is any one in whom the fulnesse of all Ecclesiasticall power and the right to command the whole Church doth rest So that this fulnesse of power is found only in the generall assembly of Pastors called a generall Councell Wherefore now it remaineth that wee speake of Generall Councels Wherein first wee are to consider the vtility and necessity of such Synodall assemblies and meetings Secondly of whom they must consist Thirdly what assurance they haue of diuine assistance direction and Fourthly who must call them Toucing the first the causes why generall Councels are called are three The first is the suppressing of new heresies formerly not condemned The second a generall vniforme reformation of abuses crept into the Church The third the taking away of Schismes growing in Patriarchicall Churches about the election of their Pastors the reiecting of intruders violently and disorderly possessing themselues of those Patriarchicall Thrones And so wee finde that the Councell of Nice was called by Constantine for the suppressing of the damnable heresie of the Arrians the eight generall Councell by Basilius for the ending of the difference that was growne in the Church of Constantinople about Ignatius and Photius contending for the Episcopall chaire and that all Generall Councels intended and sought the reformation of abuses there being scarce any one wherein Canons were not made for the reformation of disorders in so much that the Fathers of the sixth Generall Councell hauing only condemned the Heresie of the Monothelites and made no Canons met afterwards againe many of them and made those Canons that are now extant and are the chiefe directiō of the Greeke Church vnto this day These being the causes for which Councels are called it is euident that the holding of them is not absolutely and simply necessary but in a sort onely For Heresies may bee suppressed by the concurrence of Prouinciall Synodes holden in the seuerall parts of the world as they were in the first 300. yeares when there were no Generall Councells But one part of the Christian Church seeking the helpe of another in common dangers and one part readily concurring with another as for the extinguishing of a dangerous fire threatning all or the repressing repelling of a common enemy by mutuall intelligence passing from one to another they abandoned Heresies newly springing vp and preserued the vnity of the common faith Neither was this course holden onely in the time of persecution during the first 300. yeares but afterwards also in the time of the Churches peace wee finde the same course to
subscribed in this sort First Eutychius Bishop of Constantinople then Apollinarius of Alexandria after him Domninus of Antioch and last of all the Legates of Eustochius of Ierusalem for the Bishop of Rome was not there in person nor by his Legates In the sixth the Emperour sate in the highest place in the middest His great men and the Consuls sate by him on the left side the Legates of the Bishop of Rome the Vicars of the Bishop of Ierusalem the Bishops that were present out of the Romane Synode On the right side sate first the Bishop of Constantinople next him the Bishop of Antioche then hee that supplied the place of the Bishoppe of Alexandria and so in order the Bishoppes subiect to them yet in subscribing the Bishop of Rome was first Constantinople second Alexandria third Antioch fourth and Ierusalem last In the seauenth the Legates of Adrian Bishop of Rome had the first place and subscribed first after them the Bishop of Constantinople Tharassius and then they that supplyed the roomes of the other three Patriarchicall Thrones But Tharassius rather performed the duty of a President Moderator then the Legates of Rome as I shewed before These are all the Generall Councels that the Greeke and Latine Churches jointly acknowledge by this view which we haue taken of them wee may see how diuersly things haue beene carried both concerning the Presidentship in Generall Councels and the preheminences of the chiefest Bishops in the same Yet as the Graecians were content in the Councell of Florence that the Bishoppe of Rome should haue all such preheminences againe as hee had before the division of the Churches if other matters might bee agreed on So if the Bishoppe of Rome would disclaime his claime of vniuersall jurisdiction of infallible judgement and power to dispose at his pleasure the Kingdomes of the World and would content himself with that all Antiquity gaue him which is to bee in order and honour the first among Bishoppes wee would easily grant him to bee in such sort President of Generall Councels as to sit and speake first in such meetings but to bee an absolute commaunder wee cannot yeeld vnto him Cardinall Turrecremata rightly noteth that the Presidentship of Councels whereof men doe speake is of two sorts the one of honour the other of power Presidentship of honouris to haue preheminence in place to propose things to bee debated to direct the actions and to giue definitiue sentence according to the voyces and judgement of the Councell Presidentshippe of power is to haue the right not onely of directing but of ruling their doings also that are assembled in Councell and to conclude of matters after his owne judgement though the greater part of the Councell like it not yea though no part like it A Presidentshippe of the former sort Antiquity yeelded to the Bishop of Rome when hee was not wanting to himselfe And if there were no other differences betweene vs and him wee also would yeeld it him But the latter kinde of presidentshippe wee cannot yeeld vnlesse wee ouerthrow the whole course of Councels and goe against the streame of all Antiquity This seemeth saith Duarenus to bee consonant vnto the Law of GOD that the Church which the Synode doth represent should haue the fulnesse of all power and that the Pope should acknowledge himselfe subject vnto it For Christ did not giue the power of binding and loosing to Peter alone whose successor the pope is said to bee but to the whole church Although I doe not deny but that hee was set before the rest of the Apostles yet so often as any one was to bee ordained either Bishoppe or Deacon or any thing to bee decreed that concerned the church Peter neuer tooke it to himselfe but referred it to the whole church But heerein did his preheminence stand and consist that as prince of the Apostles it pertained to him to call the rest together and to propose vnto them the things that were to bee handled as with vs at this day the president of the court of parliament calleth together the whole Senate and when occasion requireth beginneth first to speake and doth many other things which easily shew the greatnesse of the person which he sustaineth and yet notwithstanding hee is not greater or superiour to the whole court neither hath hee power ouer all the Senatours neither may hee decree any thing contrary to their judgements But the judgement of all controversies pertaineth to the court it selfe whose Head the president is said to be nay which is more the court commaundeth judgeth and punisheth the president as well as any other if there be cause so to doe And these things truely were likewise in the Ecclesiasticall state heretofore but I know not by what meanes it is now brought about that supreme power ouer all Christians is giuen to one and that hee is set free from all Lawes and canons after the example of the Emperours This is the judgement of the learned and worthy Duarenus yet the Iesuites and Iesuited papists at this day will needs haue the pope to be president of General councels in such sort that hee may conclude of matters after his owne judgement and liking though the greater part of the councell like it not yea though no part like it But this their conceit is easily refuted first by reason then by the practise of the church from the beginning For first either Bishops are assembled in Generall Councels onely as the Popes Counsellers to giue him aduise or they are in joynt Commission with him and sitte as his fellow Iudges of all matters of faith and discipline If onely as Counsellers to aduise him Councels should not consist only or principally of Bishops For as they say commonly that many a doting old woman may be more deuout and many a poore begging Frier more learned thē the Pope himself so there is no questiō but that many other may be as learned and iudicious as Bishops Though saith Austine according to the titles of honour which the custome of the Church giueth men Austine a Bishop be greater then Hierome a Presbyter yet Hierome in worth and merite is greater then Austine In the late Councell of Trent there is no question but that Andradius Vega and other Doctors that were there were euery way comparable with the greatest Bishop or Cardinall yet Bishoppes onely as of ordinary right and some few other by speciall priuiledge gaue decisiue voyces in that Councell other how learned soeuer being admitted onely to discusse and debate matters and thereby to prepare and ripen them that the Bishops might more easily iudge of them and therefore the current of most Papists is against that conceit of making Bishops to bee but the Popes Counsellers onely as appeareth by Andradius Canus Bellarmine and many moe That Bishops saith Melchior Canus are not Counsellers onely to advise but Iudges to determine all matters doubtfull touching
Bishoppe For say they hee doth not reject the second mariage who hath often commaunded that it should be vsed For a woman sayth he is bound by the Law so long as her husband liueth but if her husband be dead she is free that she may marry with whom shee will onely in the Lord c. For if he haue thrust away his Wife and be joyned to another hee is worthie to bee reprehended and is justly subject to accusation but if force of death haue disjoyned his first Wife and Nature vrging haue compelled him to bee joyned to a second Wife his second mariage is proceeded not of his will but of casualty These things considered saith Theodoret I admit the interpretation of those which haue so vnderstood the place Neither doe Chrysostome and Theodoret only thus interpret the wordes of the Apostle but Theophylact also The Apostle saith he prescribeth that he who is to bee chosen a Bishop must bee the husband of one Wife because of the Iewes to whom Polygamy was permitted that is to joyne mariage with many together And Hierome maketh mention of this Interpretation The Apostle saith he was of the Iewes and the first Church of Christ was gathered out of the remaines of Israell He knew it was permitted by the Law and ordinary among the people by the example of the Patriarches and Moses to begette children of many Wiues vvhich thing also vvas permitted vnto the Priests and therefore hee commaunded that the Priests of the Church should not take vnto themselues the like liberty nor haue tvvo or three vviues at once but that they should haue one only vvife at one time And though he rather incline to another interpretation yet in his Commentary vpon Titus hee mentioneth this againe vvithout any signification of dislike and saith We must not thinke that euery one that hath beene but once maried is better then hee that hath beene tvvice maried but that indeed hee may better exhort to one onely mariage and continencie that can bring forth his ovvne example in teaching For other vvise if a young man marry a vvife shee dye vvithin a little vvhile after after her he marry a second vvhich vvithin a short time hee looseth also and then continue continent hee is to be preferred before him that liueth vvith one vvife till his olde age So that often-times if he that hath beene but once maried be preferred before him that hath beene tvvice maried his happinesse is chosen rather then his vvill And as sundry great and vvorthie Divines did soe interprete the Apostles vvords as to condemne Polygamie and not to exclude from the Ministery mentvvice maried so the practise vvas according there-vnto For hovv-soeuer many vrged the other Construction of the Apostles vvordes and excluded men tvvice maried from the holy Ministery yet others did not so And therefore Tertullian vvho vvas a Montanist and condemned second mariage in his booke of Monogamie interpreting the Apostles vvords of such as had maried the second vvife speaking bitterly against the Catholikes of those times saith the Holy Ghost fore-savv there should come some that should affirme all things to be lawfull for Bishops For sayth he how many are there among you that gouerne the Church which haue maried the second time insulting against the Apostles and not blushing when these vvords are read vnder them Hierome vvas of opinion that men twice maried might bee chosen to be Bishops or Presbyters if they maried both or one of their vviues before they vvere baptized Which vvas the case of very manie in those times seeing besides those who vvere conuerted from Paganisme manie that were borne of Christian parents put off their baptisme along time So that some were elected Bishops before they were baptized as we read of Ambrose Hereupon he saith the nūber of such as had bin twice maried yet vvere admitted into the holy Ministerie vvas exceeding great His vvords are these All the world is full of these Ordinations I speake not of Presbyters nor those of inferiour degrees I come to Bishops whom if I shall go about particularly to name I shall muster together soe great a nūber as will exceed the multitudes of them that were at the Councell of Ariminum And it appeareth by the Epistle of Innocentius to the Bishops of Macedonia that they thought as Hierome did that such as vvere not twice maried after Baptisme might be admited into the Ministery hovv often soeuer they had beene maried before It is true that Innocentius vvas of another minde and Austine likewise But Hierome vvho is vvont to spare no man that crosseth his conceipt calleth them Hypocrites and telleth them that they are like the Scribes and Pharizees that did straine at a Gnat and swallow a Camell that tithed Mint and Annis-seede but let passe the weightier things of the Lawe because they admitted such into the Ministery as had kept Harlots before their Baptisme and yet reiected such as had beene maried for that sinne is washed away in Baptisme and nothing else Rem nouam audio sayth hee quia peccatum non non fuit in peccatum reputabitur That is it is a new and strange thing that I heare because it was no sinne to haue a vvife therefore it shall be reputed for a fault and sin Whoredome Impiety against God parricide incest and the sin against Nature are purged and washed away in the Baptisme of Christ but this that a man hath had a vvife sticketh fast vnto him still So are the filthy stewes preferred before the honourable and vndefiled mariage-bed Let the Pagans heare vvhat the Haruestes of the Church are out of which our Barnes are filled Let the Cathecumens who are not yet baptized heare likewise and let them take heed they marry no wiues before baptisme neither enter into the state of honest mariage but let them giue themselues to all impurities only let them take heed of the name of mariage least after they shall beleeue in Christ this may prejudice them that sometimes they had not concubines nor Harlots but lawfull vviues Zonaras in his exposition of the Canons of the Apostles followeth the Opinion of Hierome and so doth Sedulius Scotus and Anselme as Sixtus Senensis reporteth And this opinion vvas very generall as it appeareth by Ambrose who though he disliketh it yet saith exceeding many did approue it So that to resolue this point wee see some vnderstood the words of the Apostle as ment against Polygamie only or the hauing of many wiues at once and not successiuely and that accordingly many were permitted to gouerne the Church that hadbin twice maried that of them that vnderstood the words of the Apostle as ment of the not hauing of more wiues then one successiuely some excluded only such as had more thē one wife after baptisme others all that had bin twice maried either before or after But we shall find that they who generally excluded all them that
be found out that all thinges might bee brought to an agreement without persisting in a peremptory proofe of the same article against them for that men disposed to resist would hardly euer bee conuinced in this point And further hee wisheth men to thinke vpon it whether as some determinations of doubtes and questions passed and agreed on in Paris are saide to binde none but those that are within the Diocesse of Paris so it may not bee said in like sort that the determinations of the Latine Church binde the Latines onely and secondly whether that which is defined and holden as an article of faith â—…ay not bee made to bee no article by bringing thinges to the same state they were in before any determination passed Which thing he exemplifieth in a Decree of Bonifacius voyded by one of his successours To what purpose Master Higgons alleadgeth the opinion of Gerson touching the not erring of Generall Councels I cannot tell for I am well assured neuer any such Councell as yet approued Purgatorie and Prayer to deliuer men out of it nor I thinke euer will But whatsoeuer we thinke of Councells there is no question to bee made but that the Church is free from damnable errour as master Higgons in the title of his chapter vndertaketh to proue But whether it be free from all ignorance and errour as he seemeth in the discourse following to inforce it is not so cleere neitheir doth that text of Saint Paul touching the House of God which is the Church of the liuing GOD the pillar and ground of trueth nor any other authority or reason brought to that purpose proue the same and particularly touching that place of Saint Paul to Timothie it is euident the Apostles wordes are to bee originally vnderstood of the Church of Ephesus and that he maketh the glorious title of pillar and ground of truth common to that particular Church with that which is vniuersall and consequently that this title proueth not euery Church or society of Christians to which it agreeth to bee free from errour vnlesse wee will priuiledge all particular Churches from danger of erring If any man doubt whether the Apostle giue the title of pillar ground of trueth to the Church of Ephesus it is easily proued by vnanswerable reasons For as Lyra writing vpon the wordes of the Apostle rightly noteth The Apostle writeth to Timothy and giueth him directions that hee may know how to behaue himselfe in the Church of God that is how to order and gouerne it Now the Church which Timothy was to order and gouerne was not the vniuersall Church but the Church of Ephesus therefore the Church wherein he was wisely to behaue himself was but a particular Church and the same Church in which the Apostle directeth him how to behaue himself he calleth the Church of the liuing God the pillar ground of trueth therefore he giueth this title to a particular Church though hee restraine it not to it as master Higgons vntruly saith I doe so that I haue not eluded the grauity of this testimony as hee is pleased vniustly to charge me but I giue the right sence of it whence it followeth that seeing particular Churches may bee said to bee pillars of trueth this title doth not proue that society of Christian men to which it agreeth to bee free from all errour From the reprehension of our opinion in that wee thinke the Church subiect to some kinde of errour hee falleth into a discourse touching the confusions of Protestants admitting innumerable sectaries into one vast and incongruous Church which hee saith is a meere Chymera thrust together and fashioned in specificall disproportions and hence he saith it is that I laying the foundation of my Babell feare not to say that the Churches of Russia Armenia Syria Aethiopia and Greece are and continue partes of the true Catholique Church For answere whereunto I say that wee doe not admitte any Sectaries into the Communion of the true Catholicke Church much lesse innumerable Sectaries for wee admitte none into the Communion of our Churches but such as receiue all the lawfull Generall Councells that euer were holden touching any question of faith the three Creedes of the Apostles of Nice and Athanasius and whatsoeuer is found to haue beene beleeued and practised by all not noted for singularity and nouelty at all times and in all places So reiecting Arrians Zuenchfeldians Anabaptistes Familistes and all other like monsters Touching the differences betweene the Churches of England Denmarke Zueden Germany France c. They are not specificall as this bad Logician fancieth but imaginary or meerely accidentall And for the Churches of Greece Russia Armenia Syria Aethiopia agreeing in all the thinges before mentioned it is most strange that this Schismaticall fugitiue should dare vtterly to reiect them from the vnity of the Catholicke Church and to cast into hell so many millions of soules of poore distressed Christians for so many hundred yeares enduring so many bitter things for Christs sake in the midst of the proudest enemies that euer the name of Christ had That all these admitte the Doctrine of faith agreed on in all the lawfull generall councels that euer were holden the three Creeds and the whole forme of Christian doctrine catholickely consented on and that they reiect and condemne all the heresies condemned by Augustine and Epiphanius it shall be proued if Higgons or any other smatterer of that side shall goe about to improue it It is true indeede that the Armenians refused to admitte the Councell of Chalcedon but it was vpon a false suggestion as I haue else-where shewed And it is most certaine that they condemne the heresie of Eutiches as likewise those other that were condemned in the Fift and Sixt councells and though the Grecians seeke to avoide the euidence of that part of Athanasius Creede touching the proceeding of the holy Ghost yet doe they not deny the Creed it selfe and my Gerson as Master Higgons is pleased to call him thinketh it were better to desist from the strict vrging of the allowance of thaâ—… determination of the Latines touching the proceeding of the holy Ghost that both the Churches might bee reduced to vnity then peremptorily to insist vpon the proofe of it seeing men disposed to resist will very hardly euer bee conuinced so that hee doth not thinke as Master Higgons doth that the not admitting of this Article as defined and determined by Athanasius casteth men into hell for then Saint Iohn Damascene should bee damned who denieth the proceeding of the holy Ghost from the Father and the Sonne after the publishing of Athanasius Creed Thus doe wee moderate our censures not daring to cast all into hell that dissent from vs in some particular points not fundamentall as the Romanists doe yet doe wee not thinke that euery one may bee saued in his owne sect and errour whatsoeuer it bee for wee exclude all such out of the communion of
parts of this Church and Catholiques that thinke the Pope may iudicially erre vnlesse a generall Councell concurre with him which in their opinion is an error and neare to heresie Yea the same Bellarmine sayth that the particular Romane Church that is the cleargy and people of Rome subiect to the Pope cannot erre because though some of them may yet all cannot It is true therefore which I haue deliuered not withstanding any thinge the Treatiser can say to the contrary that the Church including all the faithfull that are and haue beene since the Apostles may be sayd to bee free from error because in respect of her totall vniuersality she is so it being impossible that any errour should bee found in all her parts at all times though in respect of her seuerall parts shee be not For sometimes and in some parts she hath erred and in this sense can no more be sayd to be free from error then a man may be sayd to bee free from sicknesse that in some parts is ill affected But as a man that hath not beene alwaies nor in all parts ill may bee said to be free from perpetuall and vniuersall sicknesse so the Church is free from perpetuall and vniuersall error This the Treatiser saith is a weake priuiledge and not answerable to the great and ample promises made by Christ whereas the Fathers knew no other whatsoeuer this good man imagineth For Vincentius Lyrinensis confesseth that error may infect some parts of the Church yea that it may sometimes infect almost the whole Church so that he freeth it only from vniuersall perpetuall error But sayth the Treatiser what are poore Christians the nearer for this priuiledge how shall such a Church be the director of their faith and how shall they know what faith was preached by the Apostles what parts taught true doctrine and when and which erred in subsequent ages Surely this question is easily answered For they may know what the Apostles taught by their writings and they may know what parts of the Church teach true doctrine by comparing the doctrine each part teacheth with the written word of God and by obseruing who they are that bring in priuate and strange opinions contrary to the resolution of the rest But if happily some new contagion endeauour to commaculate the whole Church together they must looke vp into Antiquity and if in Antiquity they finde that some followed priuate and strange opinions they must carefully obserue what all not noted for singularity or heresie in diuerse places and times constantly deliuered as vndoubtedly true and receiued from such as went before them This course Vincentius Lyrinensis prescribeth But the Treatiser disclaimeth it not liking that all should be brought to the letter of holy Scripture and the workes of Antiquity which setting aside the authority of the present Church he thinketh yeeld no certaine and diuine argument So that according to his conceipt wee must rest on the bare censure and iudgement of the Pope for he is the present Church Antiquity is to be contēued as little or nothing worth Hauing iustified the distinctiō of the diuerse cōsiderations of the Church impugned by the Treatiser that which he hath touching the two assertions annexed to it will easily bee answered For the one of them is most true his addition of not erring being taken away and the other is but his idle imagination for wee neuer deliuered any such thing §. 3. IN the third place he excepteth against Mee because I say the words of the Apostle in the Epistle to Timothy touching the house and Church of God are originally vnderstood of the Church of Ephesus wherein Paul directeth Tymothy how to demeane and behaue himselfe but because I haue cleared this exception in my answere to Higgons I will say nothing to him in this place but referre him thither §. 4. FRom the Apostle the Treatiser passeth to Saint Augustine and chargeth Me th I wrest his words when he sayth he would not beleeue the Gospell if the authority of the Church did not moue him to a sense neuer meant by him These words of S. Augustin are vsually alleadged by the Papists to proue that the authority of the Church is the ground of our faith reason of beleeuing in answere whereunto I shew that the Diuines giue two explications of them For Ockam and some other vnderstand them not of the multitude of beleeuers that now are in the world but of the whole number of them that are and haue beene since Christ appeared in the flesh so including the Apostles and in this sense they confesse that the Church because it includeth the writers of the bookes of the new Testament is of greater authority then the books themselues Other vnderstand by the name of the Church onely the multitude of beleeuers liuing in the world at one time and thinke the meaning of Augustine is that the authority of this Church was an introduction vnto him but not the ground of his faith and principall or sole reason of beleeuing The former of these explications this graue censurer pronounceth to be friuolous First because if wee may beleeue him Saint Augustine neuer vsed these words Catholique Church after this sort in that sense Secondly because he speaketh of that Church which commanded him not to beleeue Manicheus which vndoubtedly was the present Church Thirdly because as he supposeth I can alleadge no Diuine that so interpreted the words of Augustine that which I cite out of Ockam being impertinent To euery of these reasons I will briefly answere And first that Augustine doth vse the words Catholique Church in the sense specified by Me it is euident For writing against Manicheus he hath these words Palám est quantū in re dubia ad fidem certitudinem valent Catholicae Ecclesiae authoritas quae ab ipsis fundatissimis sedibus Apostolorū vsque ad hodiernū diem succedētibus sibimet Episcopis tot populorū cōsensione firmatur that is it is apparant what great force the authority of that Church hath to settle the perswasion of faith cause certainty in things doubtfull that from the most surely established seats of the Apostles by succession of Bishops euen till this present cōsent of people is most firmely setled To the second reason wee answere that the Church including the Apostles and all faithfull ones that haue beene since comprehendeth in it the present Church and so might commaund Augustine not to listen to Manicheus So that this commaunding proueth not that he speaketh precisely of the present Church To the third I say that the Treatiser is either strangely ignorant or strangely impudent when hee affirmeth that I can alledge no Diuine that vnderstandeth the words of Augustine of the Church including in it the Apostles such as liued in their times For first Durandus vnderstandeth them of the Primitiue Church including the Apostles Secondly Gerson will tell him that when
Augustine saith he would not beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie of the Church did not moue him hee vnderstandeth by the name of the Church the Primitiue congregation of those Faithful ones which saw heard Christ and were his witnesses Thirdly Driedo writeth thus when Augustine saith hee would not beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie of the Church did not moue him hee vnderstandeth that Church which hath beene euer since the beginning of the Christian Faith hauing her Bishops in orderly sort succeeding one another and growing and increasing till our times which Church truly comprehendeth in it the blessed company of the Holy Apostles who hauing seene Christ his miracles and learned from his mouth the Doctrine of Faith deliuered vnto vs the Evangelicall Scriptures And againe the same ◠Driedo saith that the authority of the Scripture is greater then the authoritie of the Church that now is in the world in it selfe considered But if wee speake of the vniversal Church including all Faithfull ones that are and haue beene the authority of the Church is in a sort greater then the Scripture and in a sort equall For explication whereof he addeth that as touching things that cannot bee seené nor knowne by vs we beleeue the sayings writings of men not as if they had in them in themselues considered a sufficient force to moue vs to beleeue but because by some reasons we are perswaded of them who deliuer such things vnto vs thinke them worthie to be beleeued So S. Augustine might rightly say hee would not beleeue the bookes of the Gospel if the authority of the Church did not moue him vnderstanding the vniuersal Church of which he speaketh against Manicheus which including the Apostles hath had in it an orderly course of succession of Bishops till our time For the faithfulnes trueth credit of this Church was more evident then the Trueth of the books of the New Testament which are therefore receiued as sacred true because written by those Apostles to whō Christ so many waies gaue testimony both by word and worke and the Scriptures are to be proued by the authority of that Church which included the Apostles but in the Church that now is or that includeth only such as are now liuing God doth not so manifest himselfe as hee formerly did so that this Church must demōstrat herself to be Orthodox by prouing her faith out of the Scripture With Driedo Ockam cōcurreth his words are these sometimes the name of the Church cōprehendeth not only the whole cōgregation of Catholiques liuing but the Faithful departed also in this sense blessed Augustine vseth the name of the Church in his book against the Manichees cited in the Decrees 2. dist c. palà m where the Catholique Church importeth the Bishops that haue succeeded one another frō the Apostles times the people subiect to thē And in the same sense Augustine vseth the name of the Church when he saith he would not beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie of the Church did not moue him for this Church comprehendeth in it the Writers of the bookes of the Gospell and all the Apostles so that from the authoritie of Augustine rightly vnderstood it cannot be inferred that the Pope the maker of the Canons is rather more to be beleeued then the Gospel yet it may be granted that wee must more rather beleeue the Church which hath beene from the times of the Prophets Apostles till now then the Gospel not for that men may any way doubt of the Gospell but because the whole is greater then the part So that the Church which is of greater authoritie then the Gospel is that whereof the Writer of the Gospel is a part Neither is it strange that the whole should bee of more authority then the parts These are the words of Ockam in the place cited by me Wherfore let the Reader judge whether that I cite out of Ockam be impertinent as the Treatiser saith or not To Durandus Gerson Driedo Ockam we may adde Waldensis who fully agrees with thē shewing at large that it pertayned to the Church onely in her first best and primitiue state age to deliuer a perfect direction touching the Canon of the Scripture so that shee hath no power or authority now to adde any more bookes to the Canon already receiued as out of her owne immediate knowledge But it sufficeth to the magnifying of her authority in her present estate that euen now no other bookes may bee receiued but such only as in her first and best estate shee proposed Farther adding that the saying of Augustine that hee would not beleeue the Gospell if the authority of the Church did not moue him is to bee vnderstood of the Church including the primitiue Fathers and Pastors the Apostles Scholers By this which hath bin sayd it is euident as I thinke that the former of those two constructions which I make of Augustines words hath bin approued by far better men then this Treatiser And that therefore he sheweth himself more bold then wise when he pronounceth it to be frivolous And surely if we consider well the discourse of S. Augustine I thinke it may be proued vnanswerably out of the circumstances of the fame that hee speaketh not precisely of the present Church For it is that authority of the catholicke church hee vrgeth that was begun by miracles nourished by hope increased by charity confirmed strengthned by long continuance And of that Church he speaketh wherin there had bin a succession of Bishops from Peter till that present time So that he must needs meane the Church including not onely such faythfull ones as were then liuing when hee wrote but all that either then were or had bin from the Apostles times Wherefore let vs passe to the other construction of Augustines words which is that the authority of the present church was the ground reason of an acquisit fayth an introduction leading him to a more sure stay but not the reason or ground of that faith whereby principally he did beleeue This constructiō the Treatiser sayth cannot stand because Aug saith if the authority he speaketh of be weakned hee will beleeue no longer Whence it seemeth to be consequent that it was the cause of all thē perswasion of fayth that he had then when he wrote not only of an acquisit fayth preparing fitting him to a stronger more excellent farther degree or kind of faith For the clearing of this poynt we must note that there are 3. sorts of such mē as beleeue for there are some that beleeue out of piety onely not discerning by reason whether the things they beleeue be to be beleeued as true or not the 2d. haue a light of diuine reason shining in them causing an approbation of that they beleeue the 3d. sort hauing a pure heart conscience begin already inwardly to taste that which hereafter
world carried away with the sway of time fell from the soundnesse of the faith onely Athanasius excepted and some few confessors that sub Athanasii nomine exâ—…labant as Hierome noteth writing against the Luciferians Ingemuit totus orbis miratus est se factum esse Arrianum The world powred foorth sighes maruailing how it was become an Arrian At that time it was when Hilarius writing against Auxentius Bishop of Millaine complained that the Arrian faction had confounded all and therefore admonished all men to take heede how they suffered themselues to be led with outward appearances Malè vos parietum amor cepit malè ecclesiam Dei in tectis aedificiisque veneramini malè sub his pacis nomen ingeritis anne ambiguâ—…m est inijs Antichristum esse sessurum montes mihi syluae lacus carceres voragines sunt tutiores in his enim Prophetae manentes aut demersi prophet abant It is not well saith he that you are in loue with walls that you esteeme the Church in respect of houses and buildings and in and vnder those shewes and outward appearances pretend and vrge the name of peace Is there any doubt of Antichristes sitting in these places The Mountaines the Woods the Lakes the prisons the deepe pittes and deuouring gulfes seeme to me more safe For in these the Prophets either remaining abiding making them their dwelling places or as it were drowned and ouerwhelmed in them prophesied in old time And to this purpose it is that Augustine writeth most aptly distinguishing betweene the starres of heauen and the sands of the sea according to the number whereof God promised Abraham that his seed should be Ecclesia aliquandò obscuratur tanquam obnubilatur multitudine scandalorum sed etiam tunc insuis firmissimis eminet qui sunt quasi stellae coeli in semine Abrahae at multitudo illa carnalium infirmorum fidelium quae quasi arena maris est aliquandò tranquillitate temporis libera quieta apparet aliquandò autem tribulationum tentationum fluctibus operitur atque turbatur The Church of God saith he sometimes is obscured darkened and as it were ouer-shadowed with the multitude of offences and scandals that are found in it yet euen then doth it appeare and shew it self in those worthies of most strong and constant resolution which are as the starres of heauen among those of Abrahams seede and posterity but for the multitude of weake and carnall Christians which is like to the sand on the sea shore in peaceable times they are free and quiet but in dangerous times troubled couered and hidden with the waters and raging waues of tribulation and temptation This and no other thing our Divines meant that affirmed the Church to bee sometimes invisible and therefore it is most true that Bellarmine noteth that many of his companions haue taken much needlesse paine in proouing against vs the perpetuity of the Church which as he confesseth none of vs euer denied but it is as true that he also laboureth in vaine in proouing that there is and alwayes hath beene a visible Church and that not consisting of some few scattered Christians without order of Ministery or vse of Sacraments for all this we doe most willingly yeeld vnto howsoeuer perhaps some few haue been of opinion that though all others failing from the Faith the trueth of GOD should remaine onely in some few of the Laitie yet the promise of Christ concerning the perpetuitie of his Church might still be verified This question was disputed by Occham and Cameracensis long before our times who knoweth not that Cardinall Turrecremata and other great Divines haue beene of opinion that during the time that Christ was touching his body in the graue all the Apostles being fallen from the Faith the same continued in the blessed Virgin alone but these disputes wee leaue to them that are delighted in them resting in the assured and vndoubted perswasion of the truth of these things which wee haue deliuered touching the visibility and invisibility of the Church by which it may easily appeare in what sense the Church may be said to be sometimes invisible and how the same Church is at the same time both visible and invisible in diuers respects CHAP. 11. Of the divers titles of the Church and how they are verified of it HAuing thus declared the diuerse considerations of the Church of God and the different conditions of them that are of it for our better directions left we mistake and misapply those things that are spoken of it we must further obserue that the names and titles giuen vnto it are of two sorts for there are some that are verified of it in respect of the whole considered generally and as it comrehendeth all those that concurre in the same intire profession of heauenly verities and outward meanes of saluation though they be of very divers different and contrary condition so it is named a great house wherein there are vessels of honour and dishonour in which there are that walke according to the rule of Christianity and worthy of God and others that walke inordinately It is named a field in which is wheate mingled with tares It is a floore in which there is wheate and chaffe It is a company of Virgins attending the comming of the bridegrome whereof some are wise hauing oyle in their lampes others foolish hauing none It is a net cast into the sea that gathereth into it good fishes and bad Other names and titles there are which are not verified of the Church considered generally in all her parts but onely in respect of some parts and those the best and principall so it is named the spouse of Christ and the wife of the Lambe a royall Priesthood an holy nation and a peculiar people the Loue of Christ all faire vndefiled and without spot the onely Doâ—… an orchard inclosed a Well sealed vp a fountaine of liuing water a Paradise with all precious delectable and desireable fruit and that nothing may be added to the honour of it It is the mysticall body of Christ which he doth animate formalize and quicken with his owne spirit of this body the wicked are not members though they bee members of the body of the Church generally considered It is therefore 〈◊〉 vaine dispute betweene them that say they are members of the mysticall body of Christ though not liuing members and them that say they are parts but not members For they are neither parts nor members of the mysticall body of Christ though they be both in respect of the body of the Church considered generally And it is false that Bellarmine affirmeth that we require inward qualities to make a man to be of the Church thereby making it vnknowen who are that Church to whose authoritie and direction the Lord commandeth vs to submit our selues For we doe not
Hee proposeth the sacramentall demaunds and wordes of holy stipulation whose mouth wordes send forth a canker He giueth the faith that is himselfe an infidell Hee giueth remission of sinnes that is himselfe most wicked and sinfull Antichrist baptizeth in the name of Christ he blesseth that is himselfe accursed of God hee promiseth life that is himselfe dead he giueth peace that is himselfe an enimy to peace he calleth on the name of God that is a blasphemer of God he administreth and executeth the holy office of Priesthood that is profane he prepareth furnisheth and attendeth the Altar of God that is a sacrilegious person All which objections howsoeuer carrying a faire shew at the first sight and view yet are most easily answered if wee consider that heretikes notwithstanding their heresies doe in some sort still pertaine to the Church and so consequently haue that degree order office ministerie and calling which is holy by vertue whereof they doe administer the holy Sacraments euen as in the true and Catholique Church many wicked ones are found that are no lesse the vassals of Sathan and possessed of the diuell dead in sinne accursed of God profane sacrilegious and enemies of peace than heretikes and â—…hismatikes who yet for that they haue that order office and degree of ministerie which is holy doe no lesse nor with lesse effect administer the holy Sacraments than they that are the samplers of all sanctitie pietie and vertue Whereupon the schoolemen rightly note that there are foure sorts of Ministers to wit good secretly bad openly and apparantly wicked but not put from their office and place nor cast out of the Church and lastly such as are depriued of their office and dignitie and remoued from the happie fellowship of right beleeuers The first administer the Sacraments with benefite profit and good to themselues others The second with benefit to others but not to theÌ„selues The third with hurt to themselues and scandall to others but yet to the euelasting good of them that receiue them if the fault be not in themselues The fourth administer those Sacraments that are holy in their owne nature the meanes pledges assurances of saluation but without any benefit to theÌ„selues or others because they are in diuision and schisme Whereas nothing though neuer so good excellent is aualeable to their good that are out of the vnitie the people of God should haue among themselues If I giue my body to be burned and haue not charitie it profiteth me nothing saith the Apostle CHAP. 15. Of them whom the Church casteth out by excommunication HItherto we haue treated of such as being once of the Church of themselues goe out from the companie of right beleeuers by schisme or heresie Now it remaineth to speake of them whom the Church casteth out by excommunication Excommunication is that sentence of the Church whereby shee ejecteth and casteth out wicked sinners out of her communion Which communion what it is and wherein it consisteth that we may the better vnderstand wee must obserue that communion is sometimes taken for hauing the same things in common and sometimes for mutuall doing and receiuing good to and from each other In the former sense the communion of the Church is of two sorts outward and inward The outward consisteth in those things which all they that are of the Church haue in common as the profession of the trueth reuealed in Christ and the Character of Baptisme which as a note distinctiue separateth Christians from Infidels and vnbeleeuers The inward consisteth in those things which only the best parts of the Church haue in common as faith hope loue and the like The Communion of the Church in the later sense consisteth in a mutuall and enterchangeable course of action whereby the parts thereof doe and receiue good to and from one another one supplying the want and defect of another This is of two sorts Publike and private The publike consisteth first in the prayers which the Church powreth foorth for euerie the least and most contemptible member thereof thereby obtayning of God the giuing supply and continuance of all necessary good ioyned with a most happie protection keeping them from falling into those evils they are subiect vnto Secondly in the dispensation of Sacraments by the hands of her Ministers Private in mutuall conuersation of one man with another Excommunication doth not depriue the Excommunicate of the former kinde of communion For euerie sentence of excommunication is either iust or vniust If it be vniust they may still retaine all those things which the best parts of the Church haue inward or outward as sometimes it falleth out through the prevailing of factious seditious and turbulent men that the best men are vniustly and vndeseruedly cast out of the true Church as Austine noteth who though they neuer be permitted to returne againe and reenter yet if they continue without gathering any conuenticles or broaching of heresies and still loue professe and seeke to promote what in them lyeth the trueth of God which is holden and professed in the Church of God from the assemblies whereof they are vniustly excluded and banished who dare denie them to be of the Church And therefore Bellarmine himselfe though he make shew as if he meant to proue that excommunicate persons are not of the Church as he endeuoureth to doe that Heretikes and Schismatikes are not yet hee altereth the matter cleane and saith only they are not in the Church corpore externâ communicatione as if hee would only proue that they are excluded from the meetings and assemblies of the Church and conuersing with the people of God There is therefore no doubt but that they are of the Church and that if they patiently endure these indignities iniuries and wrongs they shall be highly rewarded of Almighty GOD but saith Bellarmine they are not of the Church corporally and in outward Communion then which what could be more friuolously spoken For who maketh any doubt but that they are thrust out of the assemblies so that they may not be bodily present when the people of God doe meete together to performe the acts of diuine worship but that therefore they are not properly of the visible Church who that advisedly considereth what he saith would ever say Seeing they haue still the communion which onely is essentiall and maketh a man to be of the Church in that they haue all those things both inward outward which the best among them that remaine not eiected haue as faith hope loue and profession of the whole truth of God the character of baptisme obedient and humble submission to their lawfull superiors which things and no other are required to make a man to be of the Church For the performance of holy duties is an action of them that are already of the Church and doth not make a man to be of the Church Yea the performance of these duties is a thing of that
nature that by violence and the vniust courses holden by wicked men wee may be hindred from it without any fault of ours If the sentence of excommunication be iust yet it doth not cut the excommunicate off from the mysticall body of Christ but doth presuppose that they haue already cut off themselues or that if this sentence being duely and aduisedly pronounced make th◅ not relent but that still they hold out against it they will cut off themselues and depriue themselues of all inward grace and vertue From the visible Church of Christ it doth not wholly cut them off for they may and often doe retaine the entire profession of sauing trueth together with the Character of Baptisme which is the marke of Christianitie and so farre forth notwithstanding their disobedience still acknowledge them to be their lawfull pastours and guides by whose sentence they are excommunicate that they would rather endure and suffer any thing thē schismatically ioyne themselues to any other communion It doth therefore onely cut them off from communicating with the Church in the performance of holy duties and depriue them of those comforts which by communicating in the sacraments c. they might haue enioyed This excōmunicatiō is of two sorts the greater and the lesser The greater putteth the excōmunicate frō the sacrament of the Lords body blood depriueth them of all that cōfort and strength of grace which from it they might receiue it denieth to thē the benefit of the Churches publick prayers so leaueth thē to thēselues as forelorn miserable wretches without that assistāce presence protection which frō God she obtaineth for her obedient children Whence it is that they are said to be deliuered vnto Sathan because they are left naked void of all meanes to make resistance vnto his will pleasure as if this were not enough they are denied that solace which they might finde in the company and conversation of the people of God who now doe no lesse flye from them than in olde time they did from the Lepers who cryed I am vncleane I am vncleane The lesser excommunication excludeth onely from the Sacramentall pledges and assurances of Gods loue which when it is pronounced against them that stubbornely stand out and will not yeeld themselues to the Churches direction disposition is properly named excommunication but when it is pronounced against them that yeeld when they haue offended and seeke the blessed remedies of the euils they haue committed it is not so properly named excommunication but it is an act of the discipline of repentance and of that power and authority which Christ left vnto his Church whereby shee imposeth and prescribeth to her obedient children when they haue offended such courses of penitency whereby they may obtaine remission of their sinnes and recouer the former estate from which they are fallen CHAP. 16. Of the errours that are and haue beene touching the vse of the discipline of the Church in punishing offenders TOuching this discipline of repentance and power of the Church in ordering offenders and the vse thereof there are and haue beene sundry both errours and heresies The first of the Pelagians in former times the Anabaptists in our times who for euery the least imperfectiō cast men out of their societies denying that any are or can be in or of the Church in whom the least imperfection is found Which if it were true there should be no Church in the world all men being subject to sinne and sinfull imperfection that either are or haue beene For it is a vaine dispute of the Pelagians whether a man may be without sinne or not whereof see that which Augustine and Hierom haue written against the madnesse and folly of those men For confirmation of their errour touching absolute perfection they alleage that of the Canticles Thou art all faire my Loue and there is no spot in thee And that of the Apostle to the Ephesians that Christ gaue himselfe for his Church that he might make it to himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle but that it should be holy and without blame For answere wherevnto first we must remember that which formerly was obserued to wit that sundry glorious titles are giuen to the Church which agree not to the whole totally considered but to some parts onely so it is said to be faire glorious and without spot or wrinkle not for that all or the most part of them that are of the Church are so but because the best and principall parts are so and for that the end intent and purpose of the gift of grace giuen to the Church is to make all to be so if the fault be not in themselues Secondly we must obserue that there is a double perfection purity and beauty of the Church without spot or wrinkle to wit absolute and according to the state of this life The first is not found in any among the sonnes of men while they are clothed with the body of death And therefore if we speake of that absolute purity and perfection the Church is said to be pure all faire and to haue no spot or wrinkle not for that actually and presently it is so but for that it is prepared to be so hereafter as Augustine fitly ◅teth The second kinde of purity which is not absolute but according to the state of this life consisteth herein that all sinnes are avoyded or repented of and in Christ forgiuen and his righteousnesse imputed In this sense the Church is now presently pure and vndefiled and yet not free from all sinfull imperfection as the Pelagians and Anabaptists vainely and fondly imagine contrary to all experience and the wordes of the Apostle If wee say wee haue no sin we deceiue our selues and there is no trueth in vs. The second errour touching the power of the Church in the ordering of sinners and the vse thereof was that of the Novatians who refused to reconcile and restore to the Churches peace such as grievously offended but left them to the iudgment of God without all that comfort which the sacraments of grace might yeeld vnto them and if any fell in time of persecution and denied the faith how great and vnfained soever their repentance seemed to bee they suffered them not to haue any place in the Church of God The third of certaine of whom Cyprian speaketh that would not reconcile nor restore to the Churches peace such as foradultery were cast out The fourth of the Donatistes who would not receiue into the lap bosome of the Church such as hauing in time of persecution to saue their owne liues deliuered the bookes and other holy things into the hands of the persecutors did afterwards repent of that they had done and with teares of repentant greefe seeke to recouer their former standing in the Church of God againe yea they proceeded so farre in this their violent and
passionate zeale that they abandoned the societie of them that did held them not Christians and rebaptised them which came from them to their pretended purer societies The fift of the Luciferians who received men returning from heresie to the Catholique faith without rebaptization and enioyned them penitence gaue them imposition of hands But Bishops that had beene drawne into heresie they would not admitte vnlesse they forsooke their office and ministerie against these Hierom writeth his booke against the Luciferians All these did erre vrging overmuch the Church discipline in casting off the wicked and not admitting the vnworthy to her happie fellowshippe CHAP. 17. Of the considerations moouing the Church to vse indulgence towardes offenders BVt the true Church admitteth and receiveth all that with sorrowfull repentance returne and seeke reconciliation how great soever their offences haue beene not forgetting to vse due severitie which yet shee sometime remitteth either vpon due consideration or of negligence The due and iust consideration moouing the Church to remitte something of her wonted severitie is either priuate or publique perill Private as when the partie beeing of a tender timorous and relenting disposition if hee bee proceeded with rigorously is in daunger to fall into despaire or to bee swallowed vppe with ouermuch sorrow In this case the Apostle hauing excommunicated the incestuous Corinthian writeth to the Church of Corinth speedily to receiue him againe least hee should be swallowed vp with overmuch griefe and in this sorte the auncient Bishoppes were wont to cut off great parts of enioyned penance which remission and relaxation was called an indulgence Out of the not vnderstanding whereof grew the popish pardons and indulgences Publike perill is then when the multitude authority and prevailing of the offenders is so great as that if they be cut off and separated from the rest a schisme may iustly bee feared without hope of any good to be effected thereby in this case there is iust cause why the Church forbeareth to proceede to excommunication For whereas the end of excommunication is that evill doers being put from the company of right beleeuing Christians and forsaken of all may be made ashamed of their evill doing and so brought to repentance this cannot be looked for when the multitude of offenders hath taken away all shame These are the due and iust motiues which cause the Church sometimes to forbeare to punish with that extremitie which the qualitie and condition of the offenders fault may seeme to require But sometimes of negligence not led by any of these considerations shee omitteth the due correction of such as haue offended God and scandalized his people So the Corinthians before the Apostles Letter written vnto them suffered an incestuous person seemed not much to be mooued with so vile a scandall And the like negligence is often found in the Churches of God which notwithstanding their fault in this behalfe continue the true Churches of God still and priuate men may communicate with them that through the Churches negligence are thus tolerated and suffered and that both in publique actes of religion and priuate conuersation without being partakers of their sinnes if they neither doe the same things nor approue like and applaud them that doe and if they neglect not by all good meanes to seeke their correction and amendment CHAP. 18. Of their damnable pride who condemne all those Churches wherein want of due execution of discipline and imperfections of men are found THere are and haue beene alwayes some who possessed with a false opinion of absolute sanctitie and spotlesse righteousnesse reiect the societies and companies of them in whom any imperfection may be found which was the furious zeale of the Pelagians in old time and the Anabaptists in our time Others there are which though they proceede not so farre yet denie those societies of Christians to be the true Churches of God wherein the seueritie of discipline is so farre neglected that wicked men are suffered and tolerated without due and condigne punishment These while they seeme to hate the wicked and flie from their companie for feare of contagion doe schismatically rent and inconsiderately diuide themselues from the bodie of Gods Church and forsake the fellowship of the good through immoderate hate of the wicked Both these doe dangerously and damnably erre the first in that they dreame of heauenly perfection to be found amongst men on earth whē as contrariwise the Prophet Esay pronounceth that all our righteousnesse is like the polluted and filthy ragges of a menstruous woman And b David desireth of Almighty God that he will not enter into iudgement with him for that in his sight no flesh shall be iustified And Augustine denounceth a woe against our greatest perfections if God doe straitly looke vpon them The later though they doe not require absolute and spotlesse perfection in them that are in and of the Church yet thinke it not possible that any wicked ones should bee found in so happie blessed a societie not remembring that the Church of God is compared to a Nette that gathereth into it all sorts of fishes great and small good and badde which are not separated one from another till they be cast out vpon the shore that it is like a field sowen with good seede wherein the enuious man soweth tares like a floore wherein wheate and chaffe are mingled together like the Arke of Noah wherein cursed CHAM was aswell preserued from drowning as blessed SEM. But they will say there may be Hypocrits who for that their wickednes is not knowne cannot be separated from them who in sincerity serue and worship God but if their wickednesse breake foorth that men may take notice of it either they are presently reformed or by the censures of the Church cut off from the rest which course if it be not so holden but that wicked ones without due punishment be suffered in the middest of Gods people those societies wherein so great negligence is found cease to bee the true Churches of God and wee may and must diuide our selues from them This was the errour of the Donatistes in former times and is the errour of certain proud arrogant Sectaries in our time But if the Church of God remained in Corinth where there were diuisions sects emulations contentions and quarrels and going to law one with another for every trifle end that vnder the infidels where that wickednesse was tolerated and winked at which is execrable to the very heathens where Paules name and credite was despitefully called in question whom they should haue honoured as a father where the resurrection of the dead which is the life of Christianity was with greate scorne denied who dare deny those societies to bee the Churches of God wherein the tenth part of these horrible evills and abuses is not to be found We see then the difference betweene the turbulent disposition
of these men and the milde affection of the Apostle of Christ who writing to the Corinthians and well knowing to how many evils and faults they were subiect yet doth not thunder out against them the dreadfull sentence of Anathema exclude them from the kingdome of Christ or make a diuision separation froÌ„ them but calleth them the Church of Christ and society of Saints What would these men haue done if they had liued amongst the Galathians who so far adulterated the Gospell of Christ that the Apostle pronounceth that they were bewitched and if they still persisted to ioyne circumcision and the workes of the law with Christ they were fallen from grace and Christ could profite them nothing whom yet the Apostle acknowledgeth to be the Church of God writing to the Church which is at Galathia Excellent to this purpose is the counsaile of Augustine in his third book against Parmenian second chapter which he giueth to all that are of a godly peaceable disposition vt misericorditer corripiant quod possunt quod non possunt patienter ferant cum dilectione gemant lugeant donec aut emendet Deus ac corrigat aut in messe eradicet zizania paleas ventilet That with mercifull affection they should dislike reproue correct asmuch as in them lyeth what they find to bee amisse what they cannot amend that they should patiently endure suffer and in louing sort bewaile lament till either God doe here in this world correct and amend it or otherwise in that great harvest in the end of the world plucke vp all tares and comming with his fanne in his hand purge the wheate from the chaffe Thus then we haue hitherto shewed who are of the Church the definition of it the meaning of such sayings of our Diuines as haue bin by our adversaries mistaken or perverted together with all such errours heresies as are or haue bin concerning the nature being of the Church THE SECOND BOOKE CONCERNING THE NOTES OF THE CHVRCH CHAP. 1. Of the nature of notes of difference and their severall kindes NOw it remaineth that wee come to the second part of our principall and generall division to find out the notes wherby the true Church may be knowen and discerned from all other companies and societies of men in the world A note marke or character is that whereby one thing may be knowen and differenced from another The Philosophers obserue that of things not the same there are two sorts some wholly diverse which haue no common condition of nature wherein they agree 〈◊〉 are the same These cannot be apprehendâ—… 〈◊〉 vs but the diuersitie of nature and condition found in them must of necessity be conceiued and knowen likewise so that no man hauing any apprehension of the nature of a voice or sound enquireth wherein it differeth from a circle or line not finding any thing wherein they are the same These need not any notes or markes of difference whereby to be knowen one from another Other things there are which haue many things in common wherein they agree and are the same and some other which are so found in one of them that not in another These are not properly said to be wholy diverse as the former hauing many things in common wherein they agree and are the same but to differ one from another in that some thing is so found in one of them that it is not in another The distinction of these things thus differing cannot be known by any other meanes but by observing what is peculiarly found in each of them neither is there any thing proper or peculiar to any ofthem which may not serue for a note or marke of distinction to discerne one of them from another That which is proper to a thing and peculiarly found in it alone is of two sortes For either it is saide to be proper and peculiar respectiuely and at some one time onely or absolutely and euer Respectiuely that is proper to a thing which though it be not found in it alone but in sundry other yet if we take view of it and onely some certaine and definite things besides is so in it that in none of them and serueth for a sufficient note of distinction to know it from any of them So if wee seeke to difference and discerne the nature of man onely from those things that are voide of life sense and motion serue for notes of difference and distinction and are proper to man for that they are not found in any thing voide of life But if wee seeke to difference the nature of man from all other things whatsoeuer we must finde out that which is in man and in 〈◊〉 thing else in which sort also a thing may bee proper and peculiar at some oâ—… time that is not perpetually and euer so as weeâ—…ng laughing and the like which though not alwayes found in a man for sometimes he neither weepeth nor laugheth yet when they are they be notes of difference distinguing man from all other things for that nothing else is at any time capable of any of these Perpetually and absolutely that is proper to a thing which is inseparable and incommunicable as neuer being not found in that to which it is proper nor euer being found in any thing else Those things which are thus and in this sort proper to a thing either are of the effence of that to which they are proper or that is of the essence of them by both these a thing may be knowen from all other whatsoeuer but more specially by them that are of the essence of that which we desire to know These things thus generally obserued touching the nature of the notes of difference whereby one thing may bee discerned and knowen from another if we apply particularly to the Church wee shall easily know which are the true certaine and infallible notes thereof about which our adversaries so tediously contend and iangle deliuering them confusedly without order and doubtfully without all certainty Wherefore seeing by that wee haue already obserued it is euident that there is nothing not proper that may nor proper that may not serue as a note of difference to distinguish one thing from another Seeing likewise of things proper and peculiar there are two sorts some respectiuely and some absolutely and of these againe some not perpetually but at some one time only and some perpetually and euer and these either essentiall to that to which they are peculâ—…ar or essentially depending of it and flowing from it Let vs first see what things are proper to the Church respectiuely considered and secondly what without such respectiue consideration absolutely generally and perpetually which onely are perfect notes of difference whereby the true Church may bee perpetually and infallibly knâ—…en from all other societies of men professions of religion and diversities oâ—…ine worship that are in the world and thirdly suchas are generally and absolutely but not
hee findeth it professed and taught hee may know that society that so professeth as he now knoweth the trueth in Christ to bee is the true Church of God Euen as if one aske of vs how hee may know such a noble mans servants in the Princes Court we satisfie him if wee tell him they are clothed with scarlet if none other but they onely bee so clothed But if he know not scarlet and so aske of vs in the second place which is scarlet and who they are that weare it wee will not tell him they that weare it but shew him how hee may know it that so when hee seeth it he may assure himselfe he hath found the men he enquired after CHAP. 5. Of their notes of the Church and first of antiquitie THus hauing answered the reasons brought by our aduersaries against the notes of the Church assigned by vs let vs proceede to take a view of such as are allowed by them and see if they bee not the very same in substance with ours The notes that they propose vnto vs are Antiquity Succession Vnity Vniversality and the very name and title of Catholicke expressing the Vniversality Antiquity is of two sortes primary and secondary Primary is proper vnto God who is eternall whose being is from everlasting who is absolutely the first before whom nothing was from whom all things receiue being when as before they were not This kind of antiquity is a most certaine proofe and demonstration of trueth and goodnes Of this they speake not who make Antiquity a note of the Church Wherefore letting this passe let vs come to the other which for distinction sake we name secondary Antiquity This is of two sortes The first wee attribute to all those things which began to bee long agoe and since whose first beginning there hath beene a long tract of time This is no note or proofe of trueth or goodnesse For the divell was both a lyer a murtherer long agoe even immediatly after the beginning And there are many errours and superstitions which began long since yea before the name of Christians was once named in the world and sundry heresies that were coaetaneall and as auncient as the Apostles times and that began before the most famous Churches in the world were planted This kinde of Antiquity it is that Cyprian speaketh of Non debemus attendere quid alius ante nos fecerit aut faciendum putauerit sed quid qui ante omnes est Christus prior fecerit Neque enim hominis consuetudinem sequi oportet sed dei veritatem Et alibi Non est de consuetudine praescribendum sed ratione vincendum Et ad Pompeium Consuetudo sine veritate vetustas erroris est Wee must not regard what any other did before vs or thought fit to be done but what Christ did who was before all Neither must wee follow the customes of men but the trueth of God And in another place Wee must not prescribe vpon custome but perswade by reason And writing to Pompeius Custome without trueth is nothing else but inueterate errour There is therefore another kind of Antiquity which is not long continuance or the being before many other but the prime first and originall being of each thing this is a sure proofe of goodnesse and perfection For all defects found in things are swaruings deelinings and departures from their originall and first estate For trueth is before falshood and good before evill and the habit before privation Veritas saith Tertullian in omnibus imaginem antecedit postremò similitudo succedit The trueth is before any counterfeite similitude on representation the trueth is first and then afterwards there are imitations That therefore that is first in any kind or sort of things is truest and best and consequently that Church that hath prime and absolute Antiquity is vndoubtedly the true Church This Antiquity a Church may be sayd to haue three wayes either onely because the first constitution of it was most auncient as taking beginning from the first publishers of heauenly knowledge the Apostles of Christ the immediate indubitate and prime witnesses of the trueth of God whatsoever her declinings haue beene since Or because as her first constitution was most auncient in that shee receiued the faith from the Apostles or such as shee knew vndoubtedly to hold communion with them so she is not since gone from it in whole or in part but still hath the same being shee first had or thirdly because the profession it holdeth is the same that was deliuered by the prime immediate and indubitate witnesses and publishers of the trueth of God though it began to be a Church but yesterday The Antiquity of the first constitution of a Church is no sufficient proofe or note of the trueth or soundnesse of it Neither doe they that plead most for Antiquity thinke it a good proofe for any company or society of Christians to demonstrate themselues to bee the true Church of God because they haue had the profession of Christianity euer since the Apostles times by whose meanes they were first converted to the faith established in the profession of the same For then the Church of Ephesus might at this day proue it selfe a true Church of God yea many Churches in Aethiopia are yet remaining which haue continued in the profession of Christianity euer since the Apostles times But this is all they say that if any Church founded by the Apostles or their coadiutors left by them in the true profession as were the Churches of Rome Antioche Ephesus the like can demonstrate that they haue not since departed from their first and originall estate they thereby doe proue themselues to bee the true Churches of God And if any other that began since as innumerable did can shew that they haue the faith first delivered to the Saints they therby proue themselues no lesse to be the true Church of God then the former which had their beginning from the Apostles themselues and haue continued in a state of Christianity ever since Doe we not see thē that it is truth of doctrine whereby the Church is to be found out euen in the judgement of them that seeme most to say the contrary they admitte no plea of Antiquitie on the behalfe of any Churches whatsoeuer though established by the Apostles vnlesse they can proue that they haue not left their first faith So that this is still the triall if they may be found to haue the trueth of profession c. Wherevpon Stapleton saith Ad notam Antiquitatis sibi vendicandam non satis est quòd aliqua societas sub titulo Ecclesiae diu perdurauerit aut prior extiterit sed praetereà necesse est quòd sanam doctrinam semper priùs retinuerit Hoc autem contra veteres haereses maximè ipsis Apostolis coetaneas notandum est It is not a sufficient reason for a societie of Christians to chalenge to
if they die without Baptisme dare not pronounce of them as the Romanists do 7 They deny confirmation extream vnction to be sacraments 8 Touching the Eucharist they consecrate ordinarily in leauened bread but on Maundy Thursday in vnleavened bread and in wine or the juice of raisons moistened in water and so pressed out They minister the Communion in both kinds to all both Clergie men and Lay-men The priest ministereth the bread and the Deacon the wine in a spoone They giue this Sacrment to infants when they are baptized in this sort The priest dippeth his finger into the consecrated wine and putteth it into the mouth of the child They haue neither eleuation nor reservation nor circumgestation as the Roman Church hath They all Communicate twice every weeke but the Sacrament is neuer ministred in private houses no not to the Patriarch or Emperour him selfe 9 Touching purgatorie they beleeue that soules after death are detained in a certaine place named in their tongue Mecan aaraft id est locus alleviationis that is a place of refreshing in which the soules of such as die not hauing repented of their former sinnes in such full and perfect sort as was sitting are detained and so whether the soules of good men doe enioy the vision of God before the resurrection they resolue not 10 They say no masses for the dead they bury them with crosses and prayers but specially they vse the beginning of St Iohns Gospell The day following they giue almes and so a certaine number of dayes and make feasts also 11 They grant no indulgences 12 They haue no cases reserued 13 They beleeue that the Saints do intercede for vs they pray vnto them they haue painted images but none molten or carued they much esteeme them in respect of those holy ones they represent and make sweete perfumes before them 14 Their Priests receiue no tithes but they haue lands on which they liue 15 Their Bishops and Priests are married but may not marry a second wife and continue in those degrees and orders vnlesse the Patriarch dispence with them 16 They thinke it vnlawfull to fast on Saturdaie or Sundaie and vrge to that purpose the Canon of the Apostles 17 They keepe Saturday holy as well as Sunday following the Auncient Custome of the East Church they eate flesh on that day throughout the whole yeare except only in Lent and in some Provinces they eate flesh on that day euen in the Lent also 18 They fast Wednesdaies and Saturdaies till the Sunne setting and celebrate not on those dayes till the euening 19 Betweene Easter and Whitsontide they eate flesh freely on those daies 20 They abstaine from things strangled and blood observing the Canon of the Apostles in so doing as they suppose and besides forbeare to eate of such kinds of meate as were forbidden by Moses Law 21 The Emperour hath a supreame authority in all causes aswell Ecclesiasticall as Civill though the Patriarch also exercise a spirituall iurisdiction 22 They deny the supremacy of the Roman Bish. But they yeeld a primacie vnto him acknowledging him to be the first amongst Bishops Hauing spoken of the Grecians Assyrians and supposed Monophysites it remaineth that wee come in the last place to treate of the Maronites Touching the name ◠Baronius sheweth that it was not from any heretick named Maron but that there was a holy man so named and that in honour of him a certaine monastery was founded which was named the monastery of St Maron that all the monkes of that monastery were named Maronites These in time as it may be thought ioyned them selues to the Monophysites formerly described though happily not without some litle difference And hence all the Christians that professed to beleeue so as these did were named Maronites They haue a Patriarch of their own who claimeth to be Patriarch of Antioch He resideth in a monasterie some 25 miles from Tripolis in Syria He hath vnder him some 8 or 9 suffragan Bishops These Maronites inhabit mount Libanus and some of them in Damascus Aleppo and some parts of Cyprus Mount Libanus is of such extent that it is in compasse 7 hundred miles It hath no cities but villages which are neither few nor small Within this compasse none inhabite but Christians though vnder the Turke For they redeeme it at a high rate and pay an intollerable tribute to liue without mixture of Mahumetans The particulars of their Religion are these First they beleeue that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father onely 2 They blesse consecrate the water so often as any are to be baptized And not as in the Roman Church on the Saturday before Easter only for the whole yeare The reason of which observation is for that at Easter and at Whitsontide onely in the Primitiue Church they ministred Baptisme which they did because in baptisme men are mortified to sin quickned in the life of grace by vertue of Christs death resurrection and giuing of the spirit All which things were cōmemorated in these solemnities 3 They neuer baptize males and females together lest they should contract a kind of affinity 4 None baptizeth with them in what necessity soeuer but a Priest or Deacon 5 They require not the intention of the Minister but thinke the faith of the Church sufficeth 6 They baptize not a male till the 40th day nor a female till the 80th in respect of the impurity of the mother which they thinke continueth so long 7 They seeke no confirmation from the Bishop nor haue any other anointing then that which is vsed in baptisme 8 They consecrat the Eucharist in vnleauened bread in a massie loafe out of which they giue a peece to euery cōmunicant 9 They giue the Sacraments to Lay men in both kinds 10 They celebrat but once in one day vpon one the same altar 11 They think the Person of the Holy Ghost to be in the holy oile in such sort as the Person of Christ is in the Eucharist 12 They thinke that the Eucharist receiued into the mouth goeth not into the stomack but presently diffuseth it selfe through all the members of the body 13 On fasting-dayes they celebrate not till the euening which custome Tho à Iesu saith is not to be altered affirming that it was most auncient in the Church of God the Councell of Cabilon related in the decrees prescribing that they should celebrate the Sacrament in the Ember fasts in the euening on the saturday before Easter in the beginning of the night And although saith he the Church yeelding to our infirmity permit the Latines to doe otherwise yet where the old custome may be kept it is not only not to be takē away but much to be cōmended that men when they fast may put it off as long as may be before they eat any thing In former times they did not eat in Lent till the euening as appeareth by the Councell formerly mentioned Which custom continued till
nescientes that is there are some that are wittingly heretikes some vnwittingly For though no man do or can wittingly erre or be deceiued yet a man may wittingly be an heriticke and though no man thinke that to be true which he knoweth to be false or that to be false which he knoweth to be true which were wittingly to erre yet a man may forsake that which he knoweth to be the profession of Christians iudge it erronious false and impious choose some other kind of religion which is wittingly to be an heriticke Such are Apostates which depart from that which they know to be the Christian faith Heretickes vnwittingly are such as thinke that they do most firmely cleaue to the doctrine of Christ his blessed Apostles and holy Church and will not be induced to thinke the whole profession of Christians to be false and erronious as do Apostates yet doe erre in many particulars that pertaine to the faith and thinke that to be the onely true Christian profession which indeede is not as did the Marcionites Manichees and the rest of that sort The things that pertaine to the Christian faith and religion are of two sorts for there are some things explicitè some things implicite credenda that is there are some things that must be particularly and expressly knowne and beleeued as that the father is God the sonne is God and the holy Ghost God and that yet they are not three Gods but one God And some other which though all men at all times be not bound vpon the perill of damnation to know and beleeue expressely yet whosoever will be saued must beleeue them at least implicitè in generality as that IOSEPH MARIE IESVSâ—…edde â—…edde into Egypt Men are bound to know and beleeue things particularly and expressely either in respect of their office and standing in the Church of God in which consideration the pastors guides of the Church who are to teach others are bound to know many things which others of more private condition are not or else for that they are particularly offered to their consideration and so a Lay-man finding it written in the Scripture that Onesimus was a fugitiue seruant and recommended to Philemon his master by Paul is bound particularly to beleeue it which a great Bishop not obseruing or not remembring is not or lastly because they doe essentially and directly concerne the matter of our saluation Hee that erreth in those things which euery one is bound particularly to beleeue because they doe essentially and directly concerne the matter of our salvation is without any farther enquirie to bee pronounced an Hereticke Neither neede we to aske whether he joyne obstinacie to his errour for the very errour it selfe is damnable as if a man shall deny Christ to be the Son of GOD coessentiall coequall and coeternall with his Father or that we haue remission of sinnes by the effusion of his bloud But other things that doe not so neerely and directly touch the substance of Christian faith and which a man is not bound vpon the perill of damnation expressely to know and beleeue but it sufficeth if he beleeue them implicité and in praeparatione animi that is if he carry a minde prepared and ready to yeeld assent vnto them if once it shall appeare that they are included in and by necessarie consequence to be deduced from those things which expressely he doth and must beleeue as that Moses saw the promised land but entred not into it or that the Queene of the South came from the vttermost endes of the world to heare the wisedome of Salomon A man may bee ignorant of and bee deceiued in them and yet without all touch of heresie or perill of damnation vnlesse hee adde pertinacie vnto errour Neither doth euery pertinacie joyned with errours in this kinde make them Heresies For all they are in some degree to bee judged pertinacious that neglect the censure and judgment of them whom they should reverence and regard and stand in defence of those errours which if they had vsed that carefull diligence which they should in searching out the truth they had not fallen into but that onely when men erring in things of this kinde they are so strongly carried with the streames of misperswasion that rather than they will alter their opinion or disclaime their error they will deny some part of that which euery one that will be saued must know and beleeue So in the beginning Nestorius did not erre touching the vnitie of Christs person in the diuersitie of the natures of GOD and man but only disliked that Mary should be called the Mother of GOD which forme of speaking when some demonstrated to be very fitting and vnavoidable if Christ were GOD and Man in the vnitie of the same person he chose rather to deny the vnitie of Christs person then to acknowledge his temeritie and rashnesse in reprouing that forme of speech which the vse of the Church had anciently receiued and allowed CHAP. 4. Of those things which euery one is bound expressely to know and beleeue and wherein no man can erre without note of heresie SEeing then the things which Christian men are bound to beleeue are of so different sort and kinde let vs see which are those that doe so neerely touch the very life and being of the Christian faith and religion that euery one is bound particularly and expressely to know and beleeue them vpon perill of eternall damnation They may most aptly be reduced to these principal â—…heads First concerning God whom to know is eternall life wee must beleeue and acknowledge the vnity of an infinite incomprehensible and eternall essence full of righteousnesse goodnesse mercie and trueth The trinitie of persons subsisting in the same essence the Father Sonne and holy Ghost coessentiall coeternall and coequall the Father not created nor begotten the Sonne not created but begotten the holy Ghost not created nor begotten but proceeding Secondly wee must know and beleeue that God made all things of nothing that in them hee might manîfest his wisedome power and goodnesse that hee made men and Angels capable of supernaturall blessednesse consisting in the vision and enjoying of himselfe that hee gaue them abilities to attaine therevnto and lawes to guide them in the wayes that leade vnto it that nothing was made euill in the beginning that all euill entred into the world by the voluntary aversion of men and Angels from God their Creator that the sinne of Angels was not generall but that some fell and others continued in their first estate that the sinne of those Angels that fell is irremissible and their fall irrecouerable that these are become diuels and spirits of errour seeking the destruction of the sonnes of men that by the misperswasion of these lying spirits the first man that euer was in the world fell from God by sinfull disobedience and apostasie that the sinne of the first man is deriued to all his
Iesabel which called her selfe a Prophetesse to deceiue the people of God make thē cōmit fornication eate things sacrificed vnto Idols c. yet it is not to be thought that all that were of these Churches with one consent denied the resurrection fell into al the errours euils aboue mentioned For then doubtlesse these societies had ceased to be the true and Catholicke Churches of God so though sundrie dangerous and damnable errours were broached in the midst of the Church and house of God in the dayes of our Fathers which did fret as a canker as Gerson confesseth yet were they not with full approbation generally receiued but doubted of contradicted refuted and rejected as vncertaine dangerous damnable and hereticall And as in the reformation of those Churches of Corinth Galatia Pergamus and Thyatira if some had still persisted in the maintenance of those errours and abuses reproued by the Spirit of God and the blessed Apostles of our Sauiour Christ whiles other moued by the admonition of the Spirit of God and the wordes of the holy Apostles reformed themselues and so a diuision or separation had growen it had beene a vaine challenge for the stiffe maintainers of errours and abuses to challenge the reformed part for noueltie to aske of them where their Church was before this reformation began seeing it was euen the same wherein in one communion they formerly liued together with toleration of all those euills which the one part still retained and the other justly rejected So when many Princes Prelates and great States of the Christian world haue in our dayes shaken off that yoke of miserable bondage whereof our fathers complayned remooued those superstitious abuses they disliked condemned those errours in matters of doctrine which they acknowledged to bee daungerous and damnable fretting as a canker and insnaring the consciences of many It is no lesse vaine and friuolous for the Patrons of errour to aske vs which and where our Church was before the reformation beganne for it was that wherein all our Fathers liued longing to see things brought backe to their first beginnings againe in which their predecessours as a daungerous and wicked faction tyrannized ouer mens consciences and peruerted all things to the endlesse destruction of themselues and many others with whom they prevayled If they shall further reply that that Church wherein our fathers liued was not ours because there were many things found in it which wee haue not who seeth not that this reason stands as strong against them as against vs For there are many errours and superstitions which they haue reiected and doe not retaine at this day which were in being in the dayes of our Fathers And besides this obiection would haue serued the Patrons of errour in the Church of Corinth Galatia and the rest For they might haue sayd after those Churches were reformed that they were new and not the same that were before For that in the former the resurrection of the dead was denied circumcision vrged and practised discipline neglected and the Apostles of Christ contemned which things afterwards were not found in them As therefore this had beene a shamelesse objection of those erring miscreants against the godly and well-affected in those times so it is in ours And as those errours were not generall in those Churches so were not they which we haue condemned in the Churches wherein our Fathers liued As those errours and heresies were not the doctrines of the Churches of Corinth Galatia and the rest but the lewde assertions of some perverting and adulterating the doctrine of the Churches so likewise the errours which wee condemne at this day whereupon the difference groweth betweene the Romish faction and vs were neuer generally receiued nor constantly deliuered as the doctrines of the Church but vncertainly and doubtfully disputed and proposed as the opinions of some men in the Church not as the resolued determinations of the whole Church CHAP. 7. Of the seuerall points of difference betweene vs and our adversaries wherein some in the Church erred but not the whole Church FOr neither did that Church wherein our Fathers liued and died holde that Canon of Scripture which the Romanists now vrge nor that insufficiencie they now charge it with nor corruption of the originals nor necessitie of following the vulgar translation nor the heresies touching mans creation brought into the Church by certaine barbarous Schoolemen as that there are three different estates of men the first of pure nature without addition of grace or sinne and two other the one of grace the other of sinne That all those euils that are found in the nature of man since his fall as ignorance concupiscence contrariety betweene the better and meaner faculties of the soule difficulty to doe well and pronenesse to doe euill were all naturall the conditions of pure nature that is of nature as considered in it self it would come foorth from God That these euils are not sinfull nor had their beginnings from sinne that they were the consequents of Nature in the state of creation but restrained by addition of supernaturall grace without which the integrity of nature was full and perfect That men in the state of pure nature that is as they might haue beene created of GOD in the integritie of Nature without addition of grace and in the estate of originall sinne differ no otherwise but as they that neuer had and they that haue lost rich and precious cloathing so that originall sinne is but the losse of that without which natures integrity may stand that no euils are brought in by the fall but Nature left to her selfe to feele that which was before but not felt nor discerned while the addition of grace bettered Nature None of these errours touching the estate of mans creation were the doctrines of the Church but the private fancies and conceits of men So likewise touching originall sinne there were that taught that it is not inherent in each particular man borne of Adam but that Adams personall sinne is imputed onely that the propagation of sinne is not generall Mary being conceiued without originall sinne That the punishment of it is not any sensible smart or positiue euill but privatiue onely and that therefore there is a third place neither hell nor heauen named Limbus puerorum which is a place where as some thinke they who are condemned thither though they bee excluded from the kingdome of Heauen and all possibility of euer comming thither yet are in a state of naturall happinesse and doe enioy the sweet content of eternall life These Pelagian heresies were taught in the Church of God but they were not the doctrines of the Church being condemned rejected and refuted as contrary to the Christian verity by many worthy members and guides of the Church who as they neuer receiued these parts of false doctrine so likewise the Church wherein they liued neither knew nor approved that distinction and difference of veniall and mortall sinnes
which the Romanists now teach nor power of nature to doe the workes of the Lawe according to the substance of the things commanded though not according to the intention of the Law-giuer to loue God aboue all and to do actions morally good or not sinfull without concurrence of speciall grace nor election and reprobation depending on the foresight of some thing in vs positiue or priuatiue nor merit of congruence and condignity nor workes of supererogation nor counsels of perfection as they now teach nor iustification by perfection of inherent qualities nor vncertainty of grace nor seaven Sacraments properly so named nor locall presence nor Transubstantiation nor orall manducation of the body of Christ nor reall sacrificing of it for the quick the dead nor remission of sinnes after this life nor tormenting of the soules of men dying in the state of saluation in a part of hell hundred of yeares by divels in corporall fire out of which prayer should deliver them nor that the Saints heare our prayers know or are acquainted with our particular wants nor the grosse Idolatry in those times committed and intollerable abuses found in the number fashion and worship of their images nor their absolution as now they define it nor treasure of the Church growing out of the superfluitie of Saints merits not rewardable in themselues to be disposed by the Pope for supplie of other mens wants to release them out of Purgatorie by way of indulgence nor the infallibility of the Popes iudgment and plenitude of his power such and so great that he may depose Princes and dispose of their crownes and dignities and that whatsoeuer he doth he may not be brought into order or deposed by authority of the whole Christian world in a generall Councell These are the errours which wee condemne and our adversaries maintaine and defend these wee are well assured were not the doctrines of that Church wherein our Fathers liued and dyed though wee do not deny but they were taught by some in that Church All these we offer to proue to be errour in matter of our Christian faith and that seeing wee could no longer haue peace with our adversaries but by approuing these impieties wee had iust cause to divide our selues from them or to speake more properly to suffer our selues to be accursed anathematized and rejected by them rather than to subscribe to so many errours and heresies contrary to the Christian and Catholike verity CHAP. 8. Of the true Church which and where it was before Luthers time THus then it appeareth which wee thinke to haue beene the true Church of God before Luther or others of that sort were heard of in the world namely that wherein all our Fathers liued and died wherein none of the errours reproued by Luther ever found generall vniforme and full approbation in which all the abuses remoued by him were long before by all good men complained off and a reformation desired And therefore though wee accknowledge Wickliffe Husse Hierome of Prague and the like who with great magnanimity opposed them selues against the Tyranny of the See of Rome and the impiety of those who withheld the trueth of God in vnrighteousnesse who being named Christians serued Antichrist as Bernard complained of some in his time to haue beene the worthy servants of God and holy martyrs and confessours suffering in the cause of Christ against Antichrist yet doe wee not thinke that the Church of God was found onely in them or that there was no other appearance of succession of Church and ministerie as Stapleton and other of that faction falsely impute vnto vs. For wee most firmely beleeue all the Churches in the world wherein our Fathers liued and died to haue beene the true Churches of God in which vndoubtedly salvation was to be found and that they which taught embraced and beleeued those damnable errors which the Romanists now defend against vs were a faction only in the Churches as were they that denied the resurrection vrged circumcision and despised the Apostles of Christ in the Churches of Corinth and Galatia If any of our men deny these Churches to haue beene the true Churches of of God their meaning is limitted in respect of the prevailing faction that was in the Church and including them and all the wicked impieties by any of them defended in which sense their negatiue is to bee vnderstood For howsoever the Church which is not to be charged with the errours and faults of all that in the midst of her did amisse held a sauing profession of the trueth of God yet there were many and they carrying the greatest shew of the Church that erred damnably and held not a sauing profession of diuine trueth wherevpon Gerson sayth that before the councell of Constance the false opinions touching the power of the Pope did fret like a Canker preuailed so far that he would hardly haue escaped the note of heresie that had said but halfe so much as was defined in the Councell of Constance by the vniuersall consent of the whole Christian world Gregorius Ariminensis sheweth that touching the power of nature to doe things morrally good and to fulfill the law without concurrence of speciall grace touching the workes of infidels predestination reprobation and punishments of originall sinne the heresies of Pelagius were taught in the Church and that not by a few or contemptible men but so manie and of soe great place that he almost feared to follow the doctrine of the Fathers and oppose himselfe against them therein The same doth Gerson report concerning sundry lewd assertions preiudiciall to the states of Kings and Princes which the Councell of Constance could not bee induced to condemne by reason of a mighty faction that preuailed in it though many great ones much urged it and though they made no stay to condemne the positions of Wicklife and Hus seeming to derogate from the state of the Clergie though many of them might carry a good and Catholike sense if they might haue found a fauourable construction Whereupon he breaketh into a bitter complaint of the partialities and vnequall courses holden in the Church and protesteth that he hath no hope of a reformation by a councell things standing as they then did The like complaint did Contarenus make in our time that if any man did debase the nature of man deiect the pride of sinnefull flesh magnifie the riches of the grace of God and vrge the necessity of it hee was iudged a Lutheran and pronounced an Hereticke though they that gloried in the name of Catholikes were themselues Pelagian heretickes if not worse then Pelagians Alas saith Occam the time is come the blessed Apostle Saint Paule 2. Timoth. 4 prophecied of When men will not suffer wholesome doctrine but hauing their eares itching after their owne lustes get them a heape of Teachers turning their eares from the trueth and being giuen vnto fables This Prophecie is altogether fullfilled in our
daies For behold there are many that peruert the holy Scriptures and deny the sayings of the holy Fathers reiecte the Canons of the Church and ciuill constitutions of the Emperours which molest persecute bring into bondage and without mercy torment and afflict euen vnto death them that defend the trueth And that I may conclude many things in fewe words with harlâ—…ttes foreheades and execrable boldnesse doe endeavour to subuert imperiall and regall power and to ouerthrow all lawes both of GOD and man Neither are these young men or vnlearned but they are the elders of the people High Priests Scribes Pharises and Doctours of the Law as they were that crucified Christ so that wee may rightly say of our times that which Daniel long since pronounced in his 13 Chapter Iniquity is gone out from Babylon from the elders and iudges which seemed to governe and rule the people For many that should bee pillars in the Church of God and defend the truth euen vnto bloud doe cast themselues headlong into the pit of heresies Thus spake he in his time of the corrupt 〈◊〉 of the Church wherein so damnable a faction prevailed daungerously pervâ—…ting all things that in the end he submitteth all his writings to the judgment correction of the true and Catholicke Church but not of the Church of malignant miscreants heretickes schismatickes and their favourers CHAP. 9. Of an Apostasie of some in the Church THus then we thinke with Lira that as there was an Apostasie or revolt of many kingdomes from the Romane Empire and of many Churches from the communion of the Romane Church so there hath beene an Apostasie from the Catholick faith in the midst of the Church not for that all at any time did forsake the true faith but for that many fell from the sinceritie of the faith according to the saying of our Sauiour a when the time of Antichrist draweth on iniquity shall abound and the charity of many shall waxe cold and that 1 Timoth. 4 In the last times some shall depart from the faith attending to spirits of errour and 2 Timoth. 3. In the last dayes there shall bee perilous times men shall be louers of themselues men of corrupt mindes reprobâ—…e concerning the faith This hee speaketh of an Apostasie in the middest of the Church it selfe answerably to that of â— Nazianzen who saith that as when one taketh water into his hand not onely that which hee taketh not vp but that also which runneth forth and findeth passage betweene his fingers is divided and separated from that which he holdeth inclosed in his hand so not onely the open and professed enemies of the Catholicke verity but they also that seeme to bee her best and greatest friends are sometimes divided one from another There is no cause then why it should seeme so strange to our Adversaries that our Divines affirme there hath beene an Apostasie from the Faith not of the whole Church but of many in the Church dangerously erring and adulterating the Doctrine of Faith deliuered by Christ and his blessed Apostles And that some say this Apostasie began sooner some later For if wee speake of those grossest illusions wherewith men were abused in these latter ages surely that degree of Apostasie did not enter into the Church in former times For there was no thought in any Christian man liuing sixe hundred yeares agoe that the Pope could dispense the merits of the Saints and giue pardons that hee might depose Princes for supposed heresie that the Sacrament not receiued but elevated gazed on and adored is a sacrifice propitiatorie for the quicke and the dead that Mary was conceiued without originall sinne that the people are to be partakers of the Sacrament but onely in one kinde and sundry other things of like nature But if we speake of a declination from the sincerity of the Christian Faith it is certaine it began long agoe euen in the first ages of the Church Of this sorte was the errour that the soules of the iust are in some part of hell till the last day as Tertullian Irenaeus and sundry other of the auncient did imagine that they see not God nor enjoy not heauens happines till the generall resurrection which was the opinion of many of the Fathers That all Catholicke Christians how wickedly soeuer they liue yet holding the foundation of true Christian profession shall in the end after great torments endured in the world to come be saued as it were by fire This was the errour of sundry of the auncient who durst not say as Origen that the Angels that fell shall in the end be restored nor as some other mollifying the hardnesse of Origens opinion that all men whether Christians or Infidells nor as a third sorte that all Christians how damnably soeuer erring in matter of faith shall in the end be saued but thought it most reasonable that all right beleeuing Christians should find mercy whatsoeuer their wickednesse were This opinion was so generall in Augustines time that very fearefully he opposed himselfe against it and not daring wholly to impugne that which he found to haue so great and reuerend authours he qualified it what he could and so doubtingly broached that opinion which gaue occasion to the Papists of their heresie touching Purgatory For saith he if they would onely haue vs thinke that the soules of men liuing wickedly heere in this World may through the goodnesse of God and the prayers of the liuing find some mitigation of their paines in hell or haue their punishments suspended and differred for a time yet so that they be confessed to be eternall I would not striue with them yea saith he it may be that men for some lighter sinnes and imperfections cleauing to them while they are here may finde pardon remission in the world to come and be saued as by fire which whether it be so or whether there be no other purging but in this life by the fire of tribulation he professeth he knoweth not nor dareth not pronounce Of this sorte was the opinion of a double resurrection the first of the good who should liue in all happinesse on the earth a thousand yeares before the wicked should be awaked out of the sleepe of death and another after the thousand yeares expired when the wicked also should rise and goe into euerlasting fire and the good into euerlasting life which they supposed to bee the second resurrection How generally this errour spread it selfe in the true Church they that haue but looked into the writings of the fathers and monuments of antiquitie cannot bee ignorant The opinioÌ„ of the necessity of infants receiuing the sacrament of the Lords body and blood as well as Baptisme did possesse the mindes of many in the Church for certaine hundreds of yeares as appeareth by that Augustine writeth of it in his time and Hugo de sancto victore so
many hundred yeares after him yea the Greeke and Aethiopian Churches continue that errour and the practise of communicating infants assoone as they are baptized euen vnto this day Touching predestination how many obscurities vncertainties and contrarieties shall we finde Surely before Augustines time many great worthy prelates and doctors of the Church not hauing occasion to enter into the exact handling of that part of Christian doctrine did teach that men are predestinate for the foresight of some thing in thēselues And Aug himselfe in the beginning of his conflicts with the Pelagians was of opinion that at the least for the foresight of faith men are elected to eternall life which afterwards he disclaimed as false and erronious and taught that mans saluation dependeth on the efficacie of that grace which God giueth and not his purpose of sauing vpon the vncertainty of mans will This doctrine of Augustine was received and confirmed in the Church against the Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians And Bellarmine professeth that Augustines doctrine in this case is the doctrine of the Church yet so that many followed the former conceipt as wee may easily see by the writings of the Schoole men many of which do teach that men are elected for the foresight of some thing positiue or priuatiue in themselues Howe farre some did Montanise in the matter of second marriage so farre disliking it that they would not haue it blessed in the Church but imposed penance on them that married a second wife after the death of the first Hierome against Iouinian certaine auncient provinciall Councells are proofes more then sufficient Touching the state of Saints departed their generality of presence in all places their vniversall knowledge of all things and admirable working every where where their memories are solemnized are not more confidently affirmed by Hierome and Gregory than they are modestly denyed and doubted of by Augustine Hugó de sancto victore the Author of the glosse and others That there were superstitions and abuses in the primitiue Churches wee haue such witnesses as the Romanists dare not except against Doth not Hierome confesse that the burning of lights at noone day vsed in some Churches was an act of zeale but not according to knowledge Did not a Councell forbid those pernoctations in the cemeteries and places ef the martyrs buriall which when Vigilantius reproued Hierome with such fiercenesse and rage as cannot well be excused traduced him as the vilest monster the earth did beare Are not these vigils long since abolished Doth not Augustine confesse there were certaine adoratores sepulchrorum et picturarum worshippers of Tumbes and Pictures in the Church in his time It is therefore much to be maruailed at that our aduersaries charge us with I know not what impiety for that wee say there hath beene a defection not only of heretickes from the Church and faith but also in the Church of her owne children from the sincerity of the heauenly trueth sometimes more and sometimes lesse in some things by some and in some other by others That this defection began long agoe but found greater and stronger opposition in the first six hundred yeares then after there being in later times a great decay of the auncient piety whence it came that many moe and worse errours then euer before were broached and they which were in some beginnings before were augmented and more dangerously defended In which sence some of our men haue said that Gregory was the last of the Good Bishops and the first of the bad For that all things since his time haue greatly decayed and the state of the Church beene much corrupted CHAP. 10. Of their errour who say nothing can be amisse in the Church either in respect of doctrine or discipline IT is vaine saith Gerson that some object the Church is founded on a Rocke and therefore nothing can be amisse either in the doctrine or discipline of it nothing that should neede any reformation If it be so saith he then where is the observation of that Canon that Clarks goe not into Innes or Tavernes that Monkes in their owne places attend onely prayer and fasting without intermedling with Ecclesiasticall or secular busines whence is the superfluous pompe and Princely state of Cardinals and Bishops making them forget that they are men what say they to that abhomination that one man holdeth two hundred or three hundred Ecclesiasticall benefices That the sword of excommunication is so easily drawne out against the poore for euery trifle as for debts and that the Lords of the Clergie vse it for the maintenance of their owne temporall states That strangers are appointed by the Pope to haue cure of soules not vnderstanding the language of them ouer whom they are set nor liuing amongst them Open your eyes saith he and see if the houses of Nuns be not stewes of filthy harlots if the consecrated Monasteries be not Faires Markets and Innes Cathedrall Churches dennes of theeues and robbers Priests vnder pretence of maides keepe harlots consider whether so great variety of pictures and images be fit and whether it occasion not Idolatrie in the simple Looke vpon the number variety of religious orders the canonising of new Saints though there be too many already as Briget of Suetia Charles of Britaine the feasts of new Saints being more religiously kept than of the blessed Apostles Enquire if there be not Apocryphall Scriptures hymnes and prayers in processe of time either of purpose or of ignorance brought into the Church to the great hurt of the Christian faith Consider the diversities of opinions as of the conception of Mary and sundry other things See if there be not intollerable superstition in the worshipping of Saints innumerable observations without all ground of reason vaine credulity in beleeuing things concerning the Saints reported in the vncertaine Legends of their liues superstitious opinions of obtaining pardon and remission of sins by saying so many Pater nosters in such a Church before such an Image as if in the Scriptures and authenticall writings of holy men there were not sufficient direction for all acts of piety devotion without these fabulous and frivolous additaments nay which is yet worse see if these observations in many Countries and Kingdomes of the World bee not more vrged than the Lawes of God euen as wee shall finde in the decrees and decretals a Monke more seuerely punished for going without his coule then for committing adulterie or sacriledge CHAP. 11. Of the causes of the manifold confusions and euils formerly found in the Church THese are the euils deformities and sores of the Church which this worthy man in his time cōplained of The causes where of he thought to be principally two First the neglecting of the Lawes of GOD and direction of the Scriptures following humane inventions Secondly the ambition pride couetousnesse
of the Bishop of Rome Touching the first which is the neglect of divine lawes infinite multiplying of humane inuentions he pronounceth confidently there can be no generall reformation of the Church without the abolishing of sundry canons and statutes which neither are nor reasonably can be obserued in these times which doe nothing else but insnare the consciences of men to their endlesse perdition That no tongue is able sufficiently to expresse what euill what danger what confusion the contempt of holy Scripture which doubtlesse is sufficient for the gouernment of the Church for otherwise Christ had beene an vnperfect lawgiuer and the following of humane inuentions hath brought into the Church For proofe hereof saith he let vs consider the state of the clergie to which heauenly wisedome should haue beene espoused but they haue committed whoredome with that filthy harlot earthly carnall and diuelish wisedome so that the state of the Church is become meerely brutish monstrous heauen is below and the earth aboue the spirit obeyeth and the flesh commaundeth the principall is esteemed but as accessary and the accessary as principall yet some shame not to say that the Church is better gouerned by humane inuentions than by the diuine law and the law of the Gospell of Christ which assertion is most blasphemous For the Euangelicall doctrine by the professours of it did enlarge the bounds of the Church and lifted her vp to heauen which these sonnes of Hagar seeking out that wisedome which is from the earth haue cast downe to the dunghill And that it is not wholly fallen and vtterly overthrowne and extinct it is the great mercy of our God and Sauiour Touching the second cause of the Churches ruine which is the ambition pride and couetousnes of the Bishop and Court of Rome he boldly affirmeth that whereas the Bishoppes of Rome challenging the greatest place in the Church should haue sought the good of Gods people they contrarily sought onely to aduance themselues ad imitationem Luciferi adorari volunt vt dij neque reputant se subditos esse cuiquam sicut filij Belial sine iugo nec sibi posse dici cur ita facis nec Deum timent nec homines reuerentur In imitation of Lucifer they will bee adored and worshipped as Gods Neither doe they thinke themselues subiect to any but are as the sonnes of Beliall that haue cast off the yoke not enduring whatsoeuer they doe that any one should aske them why they doe so They neither feare God nor reuerence men Wherevpon hee feareth not to deliuer the opinion of many good and worthy men in his time That there beeing a Schisme in the Church by reason of the contention of the three Popes which continued for a long time in that age wherein hee liued it were good to take the aduantage of the time and neuer to restore to any Pope againe that vniversall administration of the temporalities of the Church and swaying the jurisdiction of the same but that it were best that all things were brought backe to that state they were in the times of the Apostles or at least in the times of Syluester and Gregorie when each prelate in his owne iurisdiction was permitted to gouerne them committed to his charge and dispose of the temporalities belonging to the Church without so many reseruations exactions as haue beene since brought in The Popes in time getting all into their owne hands with so many abuses fraudes and Simonies all seruing to maintaine the state of the Romish Court and of that head thereof which long since grew too heauie for the body to beare Neither was this the priuate opinion conceipt of Gerson only but Petrus de Aliaco Cardinalis Cusanus Picus Mirandula innumerable more of the best wisest and holiest men the Church had saw those abuses errours vncertainties and barbarismes wherewith the glory of the Church was greatly blemished and almost quite defaced and wished and expected a reformation Yea nothing was more certainely looked for a long time before Luther was borne than the ruine of that pompous state of the Church the staying of the furious couetous and tyranous proceedings of the Court and Bishop of Rome and the freeing of the Church from that Aegypticall bondage wherein it was holden CHAP. 12. Of the desire and expectation of a reformation of the corrupt state of the Church and that the alteration which hath beene is a reformation WHen the Pope resolued to accurse Anathematise and excommunicate Grostead the renowned Bishop of Lincolne because he contemned his papall Bulles and Letters who was therefore in his time named Romanorum malleus contemptor The Cardinalls opposed themselues saying hee was a right good man and holier then any of them the things he charged the Pope with most true and that therefore it was not safe thus to proceede least some tumult should follow especially say they seeing it is knowne there must be a departure from vs and a forsaking of the Romane See The same Grosteade a little before his death complayning of the wicked courses holden by the Romanists whose scourge he was said the Church should neuer finde any ease from the oppressiue burdens laid vpon her nor be deliuered from the Aegyptiacall bondage shee was holden in till her deliuerance were wrought in ore gladij cruentandi in the mouth of the sword all bathed in bloud Sauanorola holden by many for a Prophet surely a renowned man for pietie and learning tould the French King Charles the eight hee should haue great prosperity in his voyage into Italy and that God would giue the sword into his hand and all this to the end hee should reforme the corrupt state of the Church which if hee did not performe he should returne home againe with dishonour and God would reserue the honour of this worke for some other and so it fell out At that time when Luther began to reprooue the abuses of the Church of Rome things were in so bad state that not onely the blood of Christ was prophaned the power of the keyes by abuse made contemptible and the redemption of soules out of purgatory set as a stake at dice by the pardon-sellers to bee played for but so many grieuances there were besides that all the world sighed vnder the burden of them and wished that some man of heroicall magnanimitie would oppose himselfe When God had stirred vp so worthy an Instrument what did the Pope and his adherents Surely as Guicciardin reports there were that yeere many meetings in Rome to consult what was best to bee done The more wise and moderate sorte wished the Pope to reforme things apparantly amisse and not to persecute Luther least continuing those intollerable disorders abuses and villanies whereof all good men complayned and persecuting him that reprooued them with so great applause of the whole Christian world men should thinke innocencie vertue and piety in him to be
persecuted and oppressed and so be incensed against so pertinacious and stiffe maintainers of the Churches confusions This counsaile would not be followed whence ensued this alteration of things wee now see resisted by the Pope and Papists set forward by many Christian Countries kingdomes and States and long before wished for and foretold before it came to passe For what is now done in this reformation which Cameracensis Picus Sauanorola Gerson and innumerable other worthy guides of Gods Church long before thought not necessarie to be done as appeareth by that wee haue already deliuered touching that matter Thus then it being evident that the number of lawes canons and customes formerly in vse and by vs taken away was a burthen to the Church and an insnaring of mens consciences That in the feasts fasts holy-dayes worship of God and honour of his Saints there were abuses in that very kinde which wee haue reprehended and that a reformation was wished for and the Popes were so farre from setting it forward that when they saw the States of the world ready to accomplish it euen with division of themselues from them they would in no sort consent vnto it though the wisest about them perswaded them to it as the likeliest way to keepe all in quietnesse seeing it was necessary for the good of the Church to free it selfe from that bondage it was formerly holden in vnder the Pope taking all into his owne hands by innumerable sleights and treading downe vnder his feete the Crownes of Kings and jurisdictions of Bishops as hath beene shewed and proued out of Authors not to bee excepted against seeing in matters of doctrine wherein we dissent from them we found vncertainty contradiction and contrarietie some saying that we now say and others that which they defend and the things they defend not hauiug the consenting testimony of other Churches in the world as of Armenia Grecia Aethiopia c. nor the certaine approbation of antiquity and the places of Scripture on which they were grounded being most apparantly mistaken as now in this light of the world themselues are forced to confesse seeing it is certaine there was great ignorance of tongues and all parts of good learning neglect of the studie of Scripture mixture without all judgment of things profane with divine seeing innumerable errours superstitions barbarismes and tautologies were crept into the prayers of the Church seeing there was great corruption ignorant mistaking and shamelesse forgeries of the monuments of antiquitie writings of Ecclesiasticall Authours in favour of errours then maintained which haue beene detected in this age wherein learning is revived and with and out of learning the purity of Religion seeing it was long before resolued the Church must be reformed that this reformation was neuer likely to be obtained in a generall Councell and that therefore seuerall kingdomes were to reforme themselues seeing it was then feared the proceeding in this reformation thus seuerally without generall consent would breed too great difference in the courses that would be taken as wee see it hath now fallen out to the great griefe of all well affected who mourne for the breaches of Sion seeing notwithstanding this disadvantage in that one part of Christendome knew not what another did in this worke of reformation nor consulted with other that so they might proceede in the same in one and the same sort yet it so fell out by the happy providence of God that there is no essentiall fundamentall or materiall difference among those of the reformed Religion whose confessions of faith are published to the view of the world howsoeuer the heate ignorant mistaking inconsiderate writings of some particular men the diversity of ceremonies rites obseruations make shew of a greater division than indeed there is it is most vndoubtfully cleare and evident if wee be not wilfully blinded that this alteration of things in our times was a reformation not as our adversaries blasphemously traduce it an heretical innovation CHAP. 13. Of the first reason brought to prooue that the Church of Rome holdeth the faith first deliuered because the precise time wherein errours began in it cannot be noted NOtwithstanding to stop the mouths of our adversaries whom a spirit of contradiction hath possessed and to satisfie all such as bee any way doubtfull I will by application of the notes of the Church formerly agreed vpon examine the matter of doubt and answere all such reasons as from thence are taken and by them vrged against vs either for proofe of their profession faith and the soundnesse of their owne Church or reproofe of ours The first note assigned by them is Antiquity by which they vnderstand not simply absolutely long continuance in the profession of Christianity but the retaining and hauing that faith which was first delivered to the Saints by the Apostles the immediate and prime witnesses of the trueth which is in Christ. Let us therefore see how they indeavour to make proofe that they now hold that auncient profession This they indeauour to demonstrate three wayes First it being confessed the Church of Rome was the true Church established in the faith by the blessed Apostles and the faith thereof commended and renowned throughout the world they thinke they can prooue there hath beene no change alteration or departure from that sincerity which some times was found in it Secondly they offer to shew the consent and agreement of that forme of doctrine they now teach and that the Fathers of the Primitiue Church did teach in their times and commended to posterity in their writings Thirdly they presume they can shew that our doctrine who dissent from them is nothing else but the renewing of old heresies long since condemned in the best times of the Church by consent of the whole Christian world If they could as easily proue these things as they confidently vndertake it there were no resisting against them But seeing they faile therein so much that very children may discerne their weakenesse therefore I will propose whatsoeuer I find alleaged by any of them in this kind that carrieth any shew of probability that all men may see how weakely their perswasion is grounded in these things which are of greatest consequence First therefore let vs see how they proue there hath been no change in the doctrine discipline profession and state of the Romane Church since the Apostles times In every great and notable mutation say they may bee obserued the author the time place beginnings increasings and resistance made against it But the protestants are not able to note these circumstances in that mutation in matters of religion which they suppose hath been in the Church of Rome Therefore it is evidently convinced there hath beene no such mutation For the more full answering of this obiection wee must obserue that there are 4 kinds of mutation or change in matters of religion The first when the whole essence
of him in these senselesse fooleries CHAP. 18. Of the Fathers strictnes in admitting men into the ministerie of single life and of their seuerity in the discipline of repentance THat which followeth is altogether of the same kinde Calvin saith the Fathers were too seuere in that they required more in them that were to be ordained to serue in the holy ministery of the Church than the blessed Apostle Saint Paule doth require Therefore saith Bellarmine hee dissenteth from all Antiquity and confesseth the Romish doctrine and practice to bee most auncient This consequence is very weake For the Romanists retaine nothing of that auncient seuerity but breake all the Canons of discipline that the Fathers obserued by their ordinary dispensations or rather dissipations of all order and neglect of all rules of orderly government For where is that Canon obserued that no man attaine to the order and degree of a Presbiter till he be thirty yeares of age that no man bee ordained loosely or at randome but to bee imployed in some certaine charge of ministery that one man haue no title interest and liuing in two Churches whereas in the Church of Rome one man hath two hundred or three hundred ecclesiasticall liuings that men ambitiously and couetously goe not from one Church because it is meaner to another because it is greater Caluin therefore was not so ignorant as to thinke the Romanists to bee too seuere in the obseruation of discipline and therein to be like the primitiue Fathers hee saith therefore the cleane contrary to that which Bellarmine imputeth vnto him that in the choise of such as were to be admitted into the holy Ministery the Fathers of the Primitiue Church followed the prescription of Saint Paule and the examples of the blessed Apostles that they proceeded therein with very great and religious reuerence and inuocation of the name of God that they had a set forme of triall and examination according to which they made inquirie both into the life and doctrine of them that were to be chosen but that contrariwise in the Church of Rome there haue beene very few found to bee chosen for the space of an hundred yeares last past that the old Canons reiect not as wholly vnworthy of ecclesiasticall honour imployment as Drunkardes Adulterers Sodomites and the like Monsters to passe by lesse matters as that boyes of tenne yeares of age by the Popes dispensations haue beene admitted to Bishoprickes The Church of Rome then by her pactise condemneth the whole course of proceeding in former times which Caluin reuerenceth as most religious and wisheth that things were brought backe to that auncient order againe Onely he saith that the Fathers of those times may seeme a little to haue exceeded in too much seuerity in that they required more things in them that were to bee elected then the blessed Apostle Saint Paul doth This censure neede not seeme so strange vnto vs if wee remember that such as had beene baptized by heretickes or when they were in feare and danger of death which were named Clinici in those times might not vnlesse their conuersation learning and deserts afterwards were very highly approoued be admitted into the ministery that he which had married a widow though he were now free she being dead might not enter into the degree and order of Ministery that hee which had one wife yea though it were before hee became a Christian or were baptized and after his being a Christian his first wife beeing dead married another was iudged vncapable of Ministeriall order against which Ierome declaimeth in his Epistle to Oceanus Behold sayth he Men suppose Adulteries whoredomes Incests Sodomitries Paricides impieties against God and whatsoeuer things are so wicked that they are not to be named are washed away in Baptisme and that after all these horrible crimes a man may bee admitted to the Ministery as being washed from them in the lauer of new birth but if a man had a wife before which was no crime and after his Baptisme shee being dead marry another he may not Thus saith he these hypocrites for so in the heate of his passion he calles them doe straine at a gnat and swallow a Camell For this Ruffinus challengeth him as a contemner of the constitutions and decrees of the Fathers though he shew that innumerable not onely Presbyters but Bishops were in all the parts of the world admitted contrary to the prescript of these pretended Canons That which Calvine addeth that in processe of time they forbade marriage and forced all them that would enter into the holy Ministery to liue single was neuer generall nor in one sort In the Councell of Nice Paphnutius disswaded the Bishops from putting those of the Clergie from the matrimoniall societie of their wiues affirming that marriage is honourable among all men and the bed vndefiled and that the forcing of single life would bring many euils into the Church This Counsell and perswasion of Paphnutius was not onely yeelded vnto by the Fathers of that Councell but in the sixt generall Councell the Fathers there assembled condemned the practice of the Romane Church in forbidding marriage not onely as hard iniurious and being an occasion of many euils but as contrary to the Canons of the Apostles of Christ from whence it is that all the Churches of the world the Church of Rome onely excepted admit married men continuing in the state of marriage into the holy ministery as the Churches of Armenia Graecia Syria Aethiopia Russia and whatsoeuer Christians there are in any part of the world How long it was before this decree of forced single life prevailed in the Latine Church and what resistance there was made against Pope Hildebrand for the same by the whole Cleargie of Christendome calling him heretike monster and enemie of mankinde author of all mischiefe impurity and confusion the histories of those times report affirming that vpon the publishing of that his decree there followed such disturbance of the peace of the Church such confusions indignities contempts and profanations of all holy things as that the Church was neuer so grievously and daungerously afflicted in any of her most bloody persecutions vnder the Heathen Emperours nor in her greatest conflicts with heretickes What good successe this decree had after it prevailed and what a pure and holy Clergie it represented to the world let Gerson report who acknowledgeth that the places of holy Ministery were possessed by adulterers wantons Sodomites and such like monsters that the number of the offenders in this kinde was so great as that there was no proceeding against them that the canons against Concubinaries notorioussie so knowne requiring all men to refraine from communicating with them could not now bee continued that it were best to permit them to keepe harlots fot the avoyding of greater euils and to tolerate their wickednesse in that kinde as the stewes are permitted Thus then I hope it
a more sound and sincere profession of Christian verity than the Romanists doe It is true indeede that many of the famous Churches of the world haue beene swallowed vp of Mahometisme and Barbarisme but to attribute that their fall to their separation from the Church of Rome is vpon as good ground as to attribute the cause of Goodwin-sands to Tenterton-steeple That which he addeth that none of the Churches divided from Rome had euer any learned men after their separation sheweth plainely that his impudencie is greater than his learning For what will he say of Oecumenius Theophylactus Damascenus Zonaras Cedrenus Elias Cretensis Nilus Carbasilas and innumerable more liuing in the Greeke Churches after their separation from the Church of Rome Surely these were more than matchable with the greatest Rabbines of the Romish Synagogue But saith hee they could neuer hold any Councell since their separation If hee meane generall it is not to bee marvailed at seing they are but a part of the Christian Church If Nationall or Provinciall it is most childish and by sundry instances to be reprooued CHAP. 42. That nothing can bee concluded for them or against vs from the note of Vnitie or division opposite vnto it THus hauing cleared that which Bellarmine objecteth to prooue that subjection to and vnion with the Bishop of Rome is implyed in that vnity which is required to the being of the Church Let vs come to the other part and see whether any thing may bee concluded from that vnity which wee confesse to bee required to the being of the true Church either against vs or for them First therefore the Iesuite reasoneth against vs in this sort All they that are of the true Church must hold the vnity of the faith once deliuered to the Saints but there are sundry Heretikes erring damnably in matters of faith as Zuincheldians Anabaptists Trinitarians and the like gone out of the reformed Churches therefore they are not the true Churches of God If this kinde of reasoning were good hee might proue that those Churches wherein the Apostles liued were not the Churches of God because out of them proceeded sundry heretikes as Hymenaeus Philetus Nicolaus Simon Magus and the like But sayth he there be two differences betweene the Apostolike Churches and the reformed Churches in this respect the first that the doctrine of the reformed Churches it selfe and of it owne nature breedeth dissention the second that when there is difference growne they haue no rule by direction whereof to make an end of controversies But the divisions that grow from the Catholike Church proceede meerely from the malice of Sathan and haue no foundation in the doctrine of it and if any difference doe arise it hath a mâ—…anes to end all controversies by which is the determination of a Councell or the chiefe Pastour Both these differences we deny for neither doth our doctrine of it selfe breed dissention and diversitie of opinions neither are wee without meanes of composing controversies if they arise If Bellarmine will proue that our doctrine of it selfe breedeth division hee must shew that the grounds and principles of it are vncertaine and such as may occasion errour contrariety and vncertaintie of judgment which he neither doth nor can doe For the ground of all our doctrine is the written word of God interpreted according to the rule of faith the practise of the Saints from the beginning the conference of places and all light of direction that either the knowledge of â—…gues or any part of good learning may yeeld This surely is the rule to end all controversies by and not the authoritie of a Councell or the chiefe Pastour as Bellarmine fondly imagineth For they both must follow the direction of this rule in all their determinations Whereupon the Booke of God and monuments of Antiquity were alwayes wont to be brought into the Councels whereby the Fathers might examine all matters controversed or any way doubted of Now as wee want not a most certaine rule whereby to iudge of all matters of controversie and difference so in examining things by the direction of this rule wee require that Christian moderation in all men that euer was found in the seruants of God that no man presume of his owne wisdome iudgment and vnderstanding nor hastily pronounce before conference with others â— For the spirits of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets and God is the God of order and not of confusion It is therefore a vile calumniation of Bellarmine when hee sayth that with vs euery one preferreth himselfe before others and euery one taketh on him peremptory iudgment of another For contrariwise wee teach all men to submit their priuate opinions to the examination of others the meaner to respect those of greater place and quality the fewer the more and those men which pertinaciously contradict the doctrine agreed vpon by consent of all that are in authority or the greater part wee reiect from the communion of our Churches and so with vs an end is made of all controversies The rule then with vs is most certaine and infallible knowen to all to wit the scripture or the written word of God expounded according to the rule of faith practice of the Saints and the due comparing of one part of it with another in the publike confessions of faith published by the Churches of our communion In all which there is a full consent whatsoeuer our malicious adversaries clamourously pretend to the contrary and all those that stubbornely resist against this rule or any thing therein contained and refuse to bee ordered by it wee reiect as factious and seditious schimatickes Thus doe wee disclaime all Anabaptists Familists Zuinchfeldians Trinitarians and all other Sectaries whatsoeuer But sayth Bellarmine how is it then that there are soe many diuisions not only from your Churches but also in your Churches and amongst them that you take for your brethren and men of your owne communion as Lutherans Caluinists Flaccians Melancthonists Hosiandrines and the like To this wee answere that this diuersity is to be imputed wholly to our aduersaries For when there was a reformation to be made of abuses and disorders in matters of practice and manifold corruptions in very many parts of Christian doctrine in a Councell by generall consent it could not be hoped for as Gerson long before out of his owne experience saw and professed by reason of the preuailing faction of the Popes flatterers but this was necessarily to be assayd seuerally in the particular kingdomes of the world it was not possible but that some diversity should grow while one knew not nor expected to know what another did Yet it so fell out by the happy prouidence of God and force of that maine trueth they all sought to aduance that there was no materiall or essentiall difference amongst them but such as vpon equall scanning will bee found rather to consist in the diuerse maner of expressing one
vncertainety of finding out the trueth by that meanes Thirdly whereas they say wee haue no miracles and therefore not the true faith and Religion wee deny both the antecedent and the consequent For first the restoring of the purity of religion in our age hath not beene without wonderfull demonstration of the power of God to confirme the trueth of our doctrine and the equity of our cause as may appeare by that which is reported by Illyricus the English Martyrologue and other histories of better credite than those out of which they report their miracles And besides we say though we had no miracles wee are not thereby conuinced of errour For the vse of miracles was specially if not onely in respect of infidels as Caietane sheweth in the place aboue mentioned out of 1 Corinthians 11. and the authority of Gregorie in his tenth Homily and serued to make the mysteries of God seeme credible to such as were wholly auerse from them So that now the faith being already generally planted receiued in the world and confirmed by the miracles done by Christ and his Apostles and nothing being taught by vs but the same which was deliuered by them in the beginning nothing contrary to the confirmed and receiued doctrine of the Church of God then in the world when those differences betweene vs and our aduersaries began there is no reason they should vrge vs to confirme our doctrine by miracles If they require vs to confirme our calling and Ministery as being extraordinary wee say it is not extraordinary as hath beene sufficiently cleared in the note of succession That which Bellarmine addeth that Luther and Calvine attempted to doe miracles but could doe none is but the lying reporte of his owne companions their sworne enemies whose testimony in this case is not to be regarded CHAP. 49. Of Propheticall Prediction THe next note of the Church vrged by them is Propheticall prediction The certaine foreknowledge of future contingent things is proper vnto God and therefore none can foretell such things before they come to passe but they to whom God reuealeth them but that this kind of reuelation is made only to them that are of the true Church I thinke Bellarmine will not say For then what shall wee thinke of Balaam and the Sybils so that prediction of future things is no certaine nor proper note of the true Church But if it were it would not helpe them not hurt vs. For those men they speake of that liued in the dayes of our fathers prophesied of things to come were of the true Church and many of them did most certainely foresee foretell the ruine of the Pope his estate and the alteration reformation of the Church in our time gaue most cleare testimony vnto that which we haue done Neither is there any better proofe of the goodnesse of our cause than that that which we haue done in the reformation of the Church was before wished for expected foretold by the best men that liued in former times in the corrupt state of the Church That which Bellarmine scornefully reporteth of Luthers false lying prophesie that if he continued but two yeares in preaching the Gospell the kingdome of the Pope should be ouerthrowen shall wee doubt not bee found true to the confusion of the enemies of Gods trueth Religion notwithstanding all the indeuours of the Iesuites to make vp the breaches of Babylon which must be throwen downe till not a stone be left vpou a stone But that Luther foretold many things before they came to passe wherein his predictions were found most true wee haue the testimony of Melancthon Illyricus diuers others CHAP. 50. Of the felicity of them that professe the trueth THe next note of the true Church assigned by Bellarmine is the temporall felicity of them that are of it It was but his priuate fantasie that mooued him to assigne this note of the Church For his fellowes the Diuines of Rhemes in their annotations vpon the fift of Matthew doe vtterly disclaime it saying in expresse precise wordes Wee see then that the temporall prosperity of persons and countreys is no signe of better men or truer Religion But let vs suppose these pettie Diuines are deceiued in this their iudgement though if they bee wee must condemne all the Primitiue Christians that were in the times of the ten bloody persecutions and let vs grant that the Cardinall sayth truely that temporall felicity and prosperity is a note of the true Church and Religion what doeth hee gaine by it surely nothing at all for he is most blind that seeth not the prosperity of all those Countries of Germany Denmarke England Scotland and the like where the reformed Religion is maintained and the long life happy Reigne of those Princes that haue most favoured and sought to advance the same as of great ELIZABETH of famous memory late Empresse of England c. who as she was the great glorieus protectour of the Reformed Churches so was she the wonder of the world in respect of the happy successe shee had in all things she tooke in hand and the perpetuall course of felicity and prosperity that euer attended her notwithstanding the daungerous attempts of bloody miscreants the hired slaues of the sonne of perdition How the professours of this Religion though fewer in number forsaken destitute of all worldly assurances and being by the falshood treachery of their bloody enemies oftentimes brought as it were to nothing in France other places haue yet strangely and indeed miraculously lifted vp their heads againe to the terrour and confusion of their proudest enimies hee that seeth not is a stranger in the world Wherefore I I will leaue the consideration of this note to the indifferent Reader not fearing any great preiudice that can grow from thence against our cause CHAP. 51. Of the miserable endes of the enemies of the trueth THe next is the miserable end of such as are enemies of Gods true Religion It is true that God hath oftentimes shewed his iudgements most clearely against the wicked enemies of his trueth and glory so that in the end the impiety of their former courses was made to appeare as wee see in Herode Arrius Nestorius and others but that any such thing fell out to Luther Caluine or any of those worthy men Bellarmine is pleased in this place to slander we vtterly deny And to the lewd and lying reports of Coclaeus Bolsecus we oppose the testimony of Iunius Melancthon and others And surely it was the worlds wonder that Luther opposing himself against the bloody Romanists against whom no King nor Emperour in later times resisted but he wrought his owne ouerthrow should notwithstanding liue so long die so peaceably and be buried so honourably as few of his ranke haue euer beene Touching Caluine there were many witnesses of the manner of his sicknesse but of his death none but the
they desire to be tryed AN APPENDIX WHEREIN IT IS CLEARELY PROVED THAT THE LATINE OR WEST CHVRCH IN WHICH THE POPE TYRANNIZED VV AS AND CONTINVED A TRVEORTHODOXE AND PROTESTANT CHVRCH AND THAT THE DEVISERS AND MAINTAINERS OF ROMISH ERROVRS and superstitious abuses were onely a faction in the same at the time when Luther not without the applause of all good men published his propositions against the prophane abuse of Papall indulgences To the Reader THis Appendix when first published by the Author contained only some briefe quotations vpon seuerall points of difference betweene us and the Papistes showing that the nowe Romish faith was neuer generally receiued in the VVesterne or Latine Church in the dayes of our Fathers no not then when the darke mist of Poperie seemed to haue ouershadowed all things The Author not long before he died intended an inlargment of it in the seuerall particulars but being preuented by death liued not to finish what hee had begun So much as was finished of it comming to my hands I thought my selfe bound in duty not to depriue the world of I haue therefore so farre aduentured to hazard the credit of the Author as to make it publique though something imperfect and wanting that lustre and beauty which it might haue receiued from the last hand of the Author if God had lent him longer life As it is it may serue if for no other vse yet for this as a platforme to shew what might be done in this kind and what the Author intended I make no question but a fauourable Reader will looke on it as wee vse to looke on the foundations of stately buildings the finishing whereof hath beene hindred by some fatall accident the very ruines whereof breede in us astonishment and amazement while we consider not what they are but what they might haue beene The twelue first chapters of this Appendix are enlarged the rest remaine as they were formerly set forth The quotations contained in that part which hath beene added I haue compared and amended if any where they differed from the Originalls whence they were taken and the truth of them I am able to iustifie If the world shall reape any benifit by the worke or if I may be thought by my paines bestowed on it to haue performed that duty wich I owe vnto the memorie of a deare father I haue my desire and so I rest Yours in all due respect NATHANIEL FIELD AN ANSWER TO Mr Brerelyes obiection concerning the Masse publiquelie vsed in all Churches at LVTHERS appearing WHereas to silence our adversaries who neuer cease challenging vs for departing from the faith of our Fathers and the doctrine of the Church wherein they liued and died I affirmed in my 3◠Booke that none of those erroneous positions which at this day they of the Romish faction doe defend and wee impugne were euer constantly receiued in the dayes of our Fathers as the doctrine of that Church wherein they liued and died but onely doubtfully disputed of as things not clearely resolued or broached onely as the priuate fancies and conceipts of particular men and for proofe heereof heeretofore added an Appendix wherein I produced the testimonies of sundry worthy Pastours and guides of the Church in euery age teaching as we doe touching the points now controversed It hath pleased some of the adverse faction to take exceptions to the same my assertion I will first therefore set downe such objections as they haue made and answere the same and then enlarge my former proofes that all that will not be wilfully blinde may see the trueth of that which I affirmed The principall man that shewed himselfe in this kinde is M ◠Brerelie the Author of the booke entitled the Protestant Apologie And after him the author of the answer to Mr D Whites way to the Church M Brerelie in the first tract pag. 139 hath these words It is beyond beleefe and very wonderment that D Field a man otherwise graue and learned should not be abashed by his publique writing so confidently to averre of our so many Christian Catholique Churches dispersed thorough the world at Luthers first appearing that they were all of them the true Protestant Churches of God And that they which then beleeued those damnable errours which the Romanists now defend were a particular faction onely contrary to the confession of so many learned Protestants And in his 2 tract cap. 2. sect 2 pag. 329. hee hath these words In this vndue sort doth Illyricus place in his catalogue of Protestant witnesses Gerson Aquinas and sundry of our Schoolemen all of them vndoubtedly knowne Catholiques and we could giue like farther example of S. Bernard Erasmus Mirandula and sundry other knowne Catholique Writers whom our adversaries in like manner doe vnjustly claime to bee of their Church D Field a prime adversarie and for such was together with the Bishops and Deanes summoned to the conference before his Majestie in Ianuarie 1603 as appeareth by the said conference forbeareth not in these straits to inforce the like vndue and intollerable bold claime to the many Catholiques a particular faction of them onely excepted dispersed thorough the world at and next before Luthers first appearing And in his third Booke of the Church cap. 12. pag. 85 saith nothing is done in the Protestant reformation which Camaracensis Picus Savanarola Gerson and innumerable other worthy guides of Gods Church long before thought 〈◊〉 fit to bee done And pag. 330 Mr Brerelie addeth these wordes D. Feild of the Church l. 3. c. 6. sayth it is most fond friuolous that some demaund where our Church was before Luther began For we say it was where now it is and that it was the knowne apparant Church in the world where all our Fathers liued died And most exceeding boldly hee there farther sayth none of the poynts of false doctrine errour which the Romanists now maintaine we condemne were the doctrines of that Church constantly deliuered or generally receiued but doubtfully broached and factiously defended by some certaine only And booke the third cap. 8. pag. 76 he proceedeth yet farther with like incredible boldnesse saying we must farther beleeue that all the Churches in the world wherein our Fathers liued died were the true Churches of God that they that taught the errours the Romanists now defend against vs were a faction only as they that denied the resurrection vrged circumcision despised the Apostles of Christ were in the Churches of Corinth Galatia Who can without amazement and wonder behold this incredible boldnesse For was not the Masse wherein are comprehended so many cheife points of our Religion the publique liturgie solemnly celebrated in all Churches at Luthers first appearing Was then the externall face of religion any other then our now professed Catholique faith Was Protestancie then so much as in beeing No marvaile then if our aduersaries doubt not to make vndue and pretended claime to the auncient Fathers seeing they blush
Christian Churches throughout the world as well those of the East as of the West doe euer did though they doe not so certainely resolue what their state is that are departed hence what is yet wanting vnto them or wherein or how far forth they may bee benefitted by our prayers but the Romish conceipt of Purgatorie and their praying to deliuer thence none of the Easterne Churches admit neither doe wee This is that which our Aduersaries must finde in the Canon of the Masse if they will say any thing against vs for the proofe of the Romish religion out of the canon Let vs heare therefore what the forme of the prayer for the dead is which is found in the canon of the Masse The words of it are Remember Lord thy servants and thine handmaides N. or N. which are gone before vs with the badge of faith and doe sleepe in the sleepe of peace O Lord wee pray thee to graunt to them and to all that are at rest in Christ a place of refreshing of light and peace That this prayer hath no respect to Purgatorie or to the deliuerance thence it is evident For how doe they sleepe in peace that are tormented in Purgatorie and whose paines are no lesse than those of hell though they bee not eternall Or who is so voyde of sense as to thinke that all that are at rest in Christ are tormented in Purgatorie and that to all these God is entreated in this prayer to graunt a place of refreshing of light peace So that first it is euident that a place of refreshing light and peace is wished to such as are not in Purgatorie For it is wished to all that are at rest in the Lord. But all that are at rest in the Lord are not in Purgatorie whence it will further follow that the Church prayeth for them that shee doth not thinke to bee in Purgatorie and consequently that prayer for the dead proueth not Purgatorie as they would make the world beleeue that it doth And secondly that the Church at that time when this forme of prayer was first composed did not beleeue or thinke that there is any Purgatory For if shee had had any such perswasion shee would not haue forgotten to recommend to God the wofull estate of men so afflicted as they are supposed to bee that are there That this prayer can haue no reference to the state of men in Purgatorie paines it is so cleere that Iohn the 22 who supposed as many of the auncient also did long before him and the Easterne Christians still doe that the soules of the iust are so at rest in Christ that yet they remaine vnder the altar that is vnder the protection and comfort of the humanity of Christ in a state place of happines foretasted but not fully enioyed and that they shall not bee lifted vp aboue to the view of the deitie of Christ as it is in it selfe the vision of God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost till the judgement produceth this prayer for confirmation of his opinion supposing that seeing a place of refreshing peace is here wished to them that are at rest in Christ which cannot in any sense be vnderstood of such as are in purgatory therefore there is some state of men free from paine punishment wherein they are expect the accomplishment of happines To which though Ockam so answere that hee would haue this prayer to haue reference to the estate of distressed soules in Purgatory yet in the end hee sayth it may bee vnderstood of the soules of holy men that are in heaven the meaning of it is that the soules of such men as sleepe in the sleepe of peace hauing resumed their bodies may enter into that place of refreshing light peace that includeth the highest essentiall accidentall degree of eternall peace which they cannot haue till the resurrection And Florus that liued in the time of Carolus Calvus in his exposition of the Masse saith it is most cleare that the soules of perfect iust men so soone as they are loosed from the body are receiued into heauen but this is to bee vnderstood of the soules of Apostles Martyrs and confessours and men of great perfection of life For the soules of certaine just men are not presently admitted into the heavenly kingdome but though they bee in blessed rest yet are stayed in certaine mansions by which their stay and not enjoying presently what they most desire it appeareth they come short of perfect righteousnesse Besides these he thinketh there is a third sort of such as are in Purgatorie Bernard as it appeareth in the place of Ockams dialogues aboue cited maketh three estates of the soule the first in corpore corruptibili the second in requie the third in beatitudine consummatâ the first in the body subject to death corruption the second in rest the third in consummate happinesse The second excludeth all punishment affliction the third all desire of having any higher perfection or attayning any farther good A man of great place worth that hath written not long since feareth not to deliuer his opinion that the soules of the iust are so in rest peace and in heauenly mansions immediatly after their departure hence that yet they come not into the highest heaven place of greatest felicity till the resurrection Which of these opinions the authour of this forme of prayer followed it doth not certainely appeare But sure it is hee thought those who are there commended to God to bee in a state of rest farre from paine torment and so desired the perfecting of whatsoeuer is yet wanting vnto them without any reference to purgatory or the deliuering of any thence From this of prayer for the dead let vs come to the other objection touching the commemoration of the blessed Apostles other Saints holy Martyrs by through whose intercession for whose merits the priest people desireth God to graunt that they may in all things be kept safe strongly defended by the help of diuine protection That the Saints doe pray for vs in genere desiring God to bee mercifull to vs and to doe vnto vs whatsoeuer in any kind he knoweth needfull for our good there is no question made by vs and therefore this prayer wherein the Church desireth God to bee gracious to her to graunt the things shee desireth the rather for that the Saints in heauen also are suppliants for her will not be found to containe any poynt of Romish doctrine disliked by vs. But they will say there is mention made in this prayer of the merits of those holy Apostles Martyrs and the Church desireth God to graunt her petitions for those merits which is contrary to the doctrine of Protestants that deny all merit properly so named and therefore cannot but condemne the opinion of one mans meriting for another For answere herevnto wee must obserue as Cassander
earnestly to thirst after these waters when hee sayth Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnes but the vngodly having tasted of the wine of mundane joy and temporall riches hate dislike and put from them this water and therefore the Lord sayth well of them by the Prophet Esay 8. Because this people haue refused the waters of Siloe that runne softly and without noyse and haue taken rather Rasin and the sonne of Romelia I will bring upon them the mighty waters of of the floud Siloe is interpreted sent and it signifieth the doctrine of the diuine Law sent vnto vs by Christ the Apostles and other faithfull ones which doctrine the Pastors of the Church are bound vnder the paine of damnation to know and teach whereupon Isidore saith de summo bono lib. 3. c. 46. The Priests shall bee damned for the iniquity of the people if either they neglect to teach them being ignorant or to reproue them when they offend the Lord hauing said by the Prophet I haue set thee as a watch-man ouer the house of Israel and if thou shalt not tell the wicked of his wickednes that hee forsake his euill way he shall dye in his iniquitie but I will require his bloud at thy hand Notwithstanding all this many of the moderne Priests cast from them this learning and say we will none of it because it is not de pane lucrando that is it serueth not to bring in gaine and profite and giue themselues to the study of humane lawes which are not so necessary for the sauing of soules as the law of God because as Odo saith here vpon the Gospell sermone 39. If Christ had knowne that we might more easily attaine saluation by the Lawes of Iustinian he would surely haue taught them vs with his own mouth and haue let that alone which he taught vs and deliuered vnto vs et in quâ continetur implicitè vel explicitè omnis scientia ad salutem necessario requisita and in which is contained expressely or implicitely all knowledge necessarily required to saluation according to that of S. Augustine 2. de doctrinâ Christianâ in fine Whatsoeuer a man learneth without and beside the holy Scripture if it be hurtfull it is there condemned if it bee profitable it may there be found But many Church-men leaue this learning and take vnto them Rasin and the sonne of Romelia Rasin signifieth a picture and Romelia high and mighty thunder so that by Rasin and the sonne of Romelia wee may vnderstand painted and glorious wordes and that wordy thunder of humane lawes which kindes of learning many Ecclesiastical persons assume that they may be by such profession exalted in the courts of great Lords and for this cause as the Prophet addeth the Lord shall bring vpon them the mighty and great waters of the floud that is infernall punishments so saith Odo Hitherto hee hath alleadged the words of Grosthead and Odo In another place he saith concerning them that so contemne the word of God that the Lord complaineth of such by the Prophet Ierem. 2. saying My people hath done two euils they haue forsaken me the fountaine of liuing water and haue digged to themselues broken cisterns to which as Gulielmus Parisiensis saith the decree or canon law may fitly be compared which is a broken cisterne that cannot hold water which though it haue water to day shall haue none to morrow because it shall bee abrogated whereas touching the Law of God it is otherwise and therefore the Psalmist saith thy righteousnesse O Lord is an euerlasting righteousnesse and thy law is trueth Yet is the holy Scripture much contemned by the profession of the Canonists so that the knowledge of holy Scripture and profession of Divinity may say to an ill Advocate or Lawyer as Sara said to Abraham in the 16 of Genesis Thou dealest ill with me I gaue thee my handmaid into thy bosome who seeing that she had conceiued despised me for as Gulielmus Parisiensis saith de vitiis part 4. cap. 6. The profession of Canonists contemneth the profession of Divines and science of holy Scripture because they are not so gainefull as it is When Ismael and Isaack played together Ismael mocked Isaack so that Sarâ—… was forced to intreate Abraham to cast out the bondwoman and her sonne So happily it were behoofefull and profitable for the Church that this Science in a great part should be cast out because it not only contemneth the diuine Science and Law of God but blasphemeth it and in so doing contemneth and blaspheameth God himselfe who is the lawgiuer Here wee haue the opinion of three worthy men touching the sufficiencie of the Scripture and the dangers confusions and horrible euils that followed vppon the multiplying of humane inuentions Many more might be alleadged to the same purpose but these may suffice to let us know what the doctrine of the Church was in the dayes of our Fathers for they deliuer not their priuate conceipts but tel vs what all good and iudicious men conceiued of these things in their times But some men will say wee find often mention of traditions in the writers of former ages soe that it seemeth they did not thinke the Scriptures to containe all things necessary to saluation For the clearing of this doubt wee must obserue that by the name of tradition sometimes all the doctrine of Christ and his blessed Apostles is meant that was first deliuered by liuely voice and afterwards written Sometimes the deliuering of the diuine and canonicall bookes from hand to hand as receiued from the Apostles is named a tradition Sometimes the summe of Christian religion contained in the Apostles creed which the Church receiueth as a rule of her faith is named a tradition but euery one of those articles is found in the Scripture as Waldensis rightly noteth though not together nor in the same forme so that this colection may rightly be named a tradition as hauing beene deliuered from hand to hand in this forme for the direction of the Churches children and yet the Scriptures be sufficient Sometimes by the name of traditions the Fathers vnderstand certaine rites and auncient obseruations And that the Apostles delivered some things in this kind by word and liuely voyce that they wrote not wee easily grant but which they were it can hardly now be knowne as Waldensis rightly noteth But this proueth not the insufficiencie of the Scripture for none of those Fathers speake of points of doctrine that are to be belieued without and besides the Scripture or that cannot be proued from thence though sometimes in a generall sort they name all those points of religion traditions that are not found expressely and in precise tearmes in Scripture and yet may necessarily be deduced from things there expressed Lastly by the name of tradition is vnderstood the sense and meaning of the Scripture receiued from the Apostles and deliuered from hand to hand together with the bookes There are
wordes When a Lay man saith the Lords prayer or any other devoutly his affection is lifted vp toGod reficitur affectus non intellectus sed quandò intelligit reficitur affectus intellectus and this the Apostle sheweth to be true in respect of the publique prayers because if the people vnderstand the prayer or blessing of the Priest melius reducitur in deum devotius respondet Amen And then proceeding to those words If thou blesse c. hath these words What shall hee doe that supplieth the place of the vnlearned Which words import as much as what doth it profite the simple people that vnderstand not as if he should say litle or nothing because they know not how to conforme themselues to him that is the minister of the Church by answering Amen and that for this cause in the Primitiue Church the blessings and all other things pertaining to the publique seruice of God were in the vulgar tongue but after that people were multiplyed and increased and they had now learned to conforme themselues to the Priest by standing when the Gospel is reade and by adoring the Eucharist the seruice was in Latine and that it sufficeth now that the Clearke doth answere for the whole people Here is confession that the people profiteth litle or nothing when the praiers and blessings are in a tongue they vnderstand not that therefore the Primitiue Church had the seruice in the vulgar that while it is in Latine they cannot themselues but another must answere Amen for them and that yet now they haue learned by standing or kneeling differently to conforme themselues to the Priest according to the different things he doth which a deafe man that neuer heard word may doe by obseruation of the eye it is well enough But Cardinall Caietan vpon the same place hath these words Out of this doctrine of the Apostle Paul it may be gathered that it were better more for the edification of the Church to haue the publique prayers that are reade in the hearing of the people pronounced in a tongue common to the cleargy and people and vnderstood of them both then in Latine And when hee was challenged by the Parisians for saying it were better to haue the prayers said in the Church in the vulgar rather then in the Latine tongue his answere was that they recited not his words fully for he had not said it were better but it were better for edification nor that the prayers should be said but that the publique prayers should be said in the vulgar tongue and this his assertion hee said was grounded vpon the authoritie of the Apostle Cardinall Contarenus proposing the question what is to bee thought of such prayers as ignorant men make without vnderstanding answereth that it is to be conceiued that they are of force in respect of the affection of the mind and intention they haue to pray vnto God though they know not what they desire or pray for but that they want the fruit which they should haue if they vnderstood those prayers that they vtter with their mouthes for then they would direct the intention of their mindes and their desires to God for the obtaining in particular of such things as with the mouth they pray for and they would bee more edified by the pious sense and vnderstanding of their prayers And he concludeth that they pray not in vaine but that they would pray better if they vnderstood the meaning of their prayers And to the same purpose Harding against Bishop Iuell saith it were better the people should say their prayers in their owne tongue that they might the better vnderstand them Innocentius the 3d seemeth to haue had due consideration hereof therfore he prescribeth that because in sundry parts there are mixed within the same city or diocesse people of different languages hauing in the vnity of the same faith different rites and manners the Bishops of such Cities or Diocesses shall prouide fit men to celebrate divine service according to the diversities of their rites and languages to minister the sacraments of the Church vnto them instructing them both by word and example Some restraine the words of Innocentius to the Greeke and Latin tongues only as if he had only allowed the hauing of the seruice in different tongues in those citties and places where Greeks and Latines met But I see not why these words should be thus restrained seeing there is no question but this Pope would allow that which Iohn the 8◠his predecessour others had don in permitting nay in cōmanding the seruice to be in the Slauonian tongue And besides how he could say that the Greeks in some parts of the world agreed with the Latines in the faith whom he so bitterly reproueth for very maine differences in religion and who as Thomas à Iesu testifieth most stiffely hold their owne religion though they liue vnder Princes of the Roman profession I know not Wherefore to grow to a conclusion it appeareth that anciently all Churches that euer most of the Christian Churches had their seruice in a tongue vulgarly vndestood that if any had not it was either because they knew not how to write any thing in their owne tongue or because that which was their naturall tongue ceased to be so after they first had the seruice in it that many had soe in the West Church when Luther first shewed his dislike of Romish errors abuses that there neuer wanted worthy diuines Bs Praelates of great esteem who vrged the vnfitnesse of hauing it in a tongue not vndestood the necessity of the vulgar that all in whom there was any sparke of grace sought to haue it vnderstood And therefore as I noted before out of Iohn Billet sundry Churches though they had their seruice in Latine yet caused the same things that they read in Latine to be expounded in the vulgar others as the Bs in the third councel of Tours that such things should be read to the people in the vulgar as might informe instruct them in all points of Christian faith religion their words are these We all with vnanimous cōsent haue thought fit to ordain that euery B. shall prouide and haue homilies containing necessary admonitions that so they that are vnder him may be taught our meaning is that these homilies shall containe instructions touching the catholike faith according to their capacities concerning the euerlasting rewards of the good eternall damnation of the wicked the resurrection last iudgment such works course of life whereby men may attain or whereby they are sure to be excluded from eternall life And we ordaine that euery B. take care to translate the same homilies plainely and perspicuously into the vulgar Roman or German tongue that all may the more easily vnderstand the things that are vttered vnto them Among other articles proposed in the councell of Trent by the Embassadors of Ferdinand
the Emperor cōcerning the necessary reformation of the Church one was that Happily it were to be permitted that in some places prayers faithfully translated into the vulgar tongue might be intermingled with those things that are sung in latine Likewise in the articles of reformation exhibited to the councell of Trent by Charles the 9◠In sacrificio paraecialibus Euangelium apertè dilucidè pro populi captu copiose ex suggestu exponatur quo in loco quae plebano praeeunte fient preces linguâ fiant vernaculâ peractâ autem re diuinâ latine mysticis precibus lingua etiam vernacula publicae ad Deum preces fiant ibidem plura Which thing if it had bin granted by the councell no new nor strang thing had bin brought in for as Hosius testifieth the Church neuer forbad to sing in the Churches in the vulgar tongue in time and place It were to be wished sayth Erasmus that the whole service of God might be celebrated and performed in a tongue vnderstood of the whole people as in auncient times it was wont to bee and that all things should bee soe plainely and distinctly sounded out that they might bee vnderstood of all that list to attend And Cassander fully agreeing with Erasmus and alleadging to this purpose the Popes permitting of it to the Slauonians vpon the hearing of a voice frō heauen the authority of Caietan sayth It were to be desired that according to the mandate of the Apostle and the auncient custome of the Church consideration might be had of the people in the publike praiers of the Church and in the hymnes and lessons which are there read and sung for the peoples sake and that the ordinary and vulgar sort of beleeuers might not for ever bee wholly excluded from all communion of prayers and diuine readings and hee addeth that vnlesse there bee a reformation in this and other things there is no hope of any durable peace or consent of the Church and professeth hee cannot see but that they to whom the government of the Church is committed shall one day giue an account why they suffered the Church to bee thus miserably disquieted and rent in sunder and neglected to take away the causes whence heresies schismes do spring as in duety they should haue done So that in this poynt as in the former we see the Church wherein our Fathers liued and died was a true Protestant Church CHAP. 5. Of the three supposed different estates of meere nature grace and sinne the difference betweene a man in the state of pure and meere nature and in the state of sinne and of originall sinne THey of the Church of Rome at this day imagine that God might haue created a man in the state of pure nature or nature onely aswell without grace as sinne and that in this state of pure or meere nature without any addition of grace hee might haue loued God aboue all and haue kept all the commaundements of God collectiuely so as to breake none of them at the least for a short time though happily hee could not haue holden on constantly so to keepe them all as neuer to breake any of them seeing there would haue beene a contrariety betweene reason and that appetite that followeth the apprehension of sense in that state of pure or meere nature So that according to this conceipt grace was added not to inable man to loue God aboue all to keepe the severall cōmaundements which hee hath giuen to doe the workes of morall vertue For all these hee might haue beene able to performe out of the power of nature without any such addition but to make him able constantly to keepe all the commaundements of God collectiuely so as neuer to breake any one of them and to keepe them so as to merit eternall happines in heauen Hence they inferre diverse things First that the losse of grace or originall righteousnes that was given to Adam doth not depriue those of his posterity of the power of louing God their Creator aboue all of keeping his commaundements divisiuely and doing the seuerall workes of morall vertue though happily not with that facilitie that in the state of grace hee might haue done them Secondly That Infidels and such as haue no fellowship with the Saints people of God nor any part in his grace may decline sinne and doe the workes of morall vertue Thirdly That all the contrariety that is found in the powers of the soule the rebellion of the inferiour faculties against the superiour the pronenesse to euill and difficultie to doe good would haue beene the conditions of meere nature without addition of grace or sinne and consequently that they are not sinne in the state wherein wee are that these evills are not newly brought into the nature of man by the fall that as man would haue beene mortall in the state of meere nature because compounded of contraries so out of the contrariety of sensitiue and rationall desire hee would haue found a rebellion in himselfe of the inferiour faculties against the superiour that as a heauy thing falleth not downeward while it is stayed but falleth so soone as the stay is taken away by reason of the same nature it had while it was stayed and as a ship that lay quietly while it was stayed with an anchor vpon the remouing of the same is driuen with the windes yet in no other sort then it would haue beene before if it had not beene stayed so all these contrarieties differences and pronenesse to desire things contrary to the prescript of right reason would haue beene in meere nature as the conditions of it would haue shewed themselues if grace had not hindered them and that there is no other difference betweene a man in the state of pure or meere nature and in the state of originall sinne then there is betweene a man that neuer had any cloathing and him that had but by his owne fault and folly is stript out of all betweene whom there is no difference in the nature of nakednesse but all the difference standeth in this that the one is in fault for not hauing cloathes the other not so For they suppose man would haue beene carried as strongly to the desire of sinfull things in the state of pure nature as now that freewill is not made more weake then in that state it would haue beene nor the flesh become more rebellious then it would haue beene without grace before the entrance of sinne This opinion ◠Bellarmin followeth and professeth that though some of excellent learning thinke that both Thomas and the best and most approued of the schoolmen were of a contrary iudgment yet they are deceiued in so thinking and that this is the opinion of them all Against these erroneous conceipts that are indeede the ground of all the points of difference betweene them and vs touching originall sinne freewill the power of nature the workes
was revealed to her as the Arch-bishop of Florence reporteth in his summe And Caietan saith if miracles be pretended for proofe great caution is to bee vsed both in respect of the strange workes and in respect of the illusions that may fall out in things of this kinde In respect of the strange workes that are done because the Angell of Satan transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light and can doe many great and strange things which wee would thinke to bee true miracles and such things as God onely can doe as the workes of healing strange mutations in the Elements and the like Whence it is that it is said Antichrist shall doe so many miracles in the sight of men that if it were possible the very elect should bee deceiued Moreouer as the Apostle testifieth 1 Cor. 14 and blessed Gregory in his tenth Homilie miracles were giuen to Infidels not to beleeuers but to the Church as faithfull and not faithlesse the propheticall and Apostolicall revelation was giuen for her direction So that though that course of proofe that is by miracles was appointed by Christ Marke the last in respect of Infidels and though it bee allowed by the Church to make good the personall condition of some man as when one pretendeth to bee sent extraordinarily of God yet vnlesse most clearely a true and vndoubted not wonder but miracle were done in the sight of the Gouernours of the Romane Church expressely to testifie that this particular is true the Roman Bishops ought not to determine any doubtfull thing in matter of faith vpon the doing of a miracle And the reason is because God hath appointed an ordinary course for the resoluing of points of faith so that if an Angell from Heauen should say vnto vs any thing contrary to this way wee were not to beleeue him as the Apostle saith in the first to the Galathians Adde hereunto that the miracles which the Church admitteth in the canonization of Saints which yet are most authenticall are not altogether certaine seeing the credite of them dependeth vpon the testimonie of men and euery man is a lyar And hee concludeth that these things being so wise men thinke that pretended miracles and revelations in this kinde contrary to so many Saints and auncient Doctours argue rather that the Angell of Satan is transformed into an Angell of light and that whatsoeuer things are alleadged in this kinde are meere fancies and counterfeite stuffe then that they prooue the trueth of this conceipt and that proofes in this kinde are fitter for silly women then councels to take notice of It appeareth by Saint Bernard that in his time they of Lyons in France out of a superstitious conceipt as he rightly censureth it beganne to celebrate the Feast of the Conception of the blessed Virgin supposing that she was conceiued without sinne but he opposeth himselfe against this innovation and saith the observation of the Church hath no such thing reason inferreth it not nor ancient tradition commendeth it that wee are not more learned devout then our Fathers that in like sort others may bring in the Feast of her parents Conception that patriae non exilii frequentia haec gaudiorum numerositas festivitatum cives non exules decet That whereas some brought out a certaine pretended writing of divine revelation it was not to be regarded and that another might bring forth the like writing wherein the holy Virgin might bee found to commaund the same thing to be done in honour of her parents according to the commaund of the Lord Honour thy father and thy mother so did hee shew his dislike Yet after this many Churches receiued the same obseruation and in processe of time all were brought to keepe the same day holy yet so that many of them professed that they would keepe it holy not in respect of her preseruation but of her sanctification from sinne So that wee see that this poynt of Romish superstition was neuer admitted by the Church but protested against by all the most worthy members of it which thing besides that which hath already beene alleadged the reader may finde farther confirmed by Ariminensis who not only contradicteth this fancie himself but produceth many authorities for the reproof of it So that herein also the Church wherein our Fathers liued and died is found to haue beene a Protestant Church as in the former But some man will say many of those that we produce for witnesses that she was conceiued in sinne yet thinke that shee was sanctified in the wombe and borne without sinne For answere herevnto we must obserue that which Gregorius Ariminensis hath that many thought shee was sanctified in the wombe and borne without originall sinne as sinne and making guilty of condemnation but not without concupiscence inclining to euill which was wholly taken away or so restrained by the superabundance of grace when the holy spirit overshadowed her that shee might be the mother of God that it should neuer be an occasion of sinne this opinion the master of sentences followeth and this opinion the Schoolemen followe for the most part But August sayth Ista sanctificatio quâ efficimur singuli templa Dei in vnum omnes templum Dei non est nisi renatorum quod nisi nati homines esse non possunt Si homo regenerari per gratiam spiritus in vtero potest quoniam restat illi adhuc nasci renascitur ergo antequam nascitur quod fieri nullo modo potest Seeing therefore none can be sanctified before hee bee borne neither canne any man be cleansed from originall sinne before his birth in asmuch as that is not taken away but by the infusion of grace And the glosse vpon the eigth to the Romans saith Christ was the first that was borne without sinne And Anselme in his second booke cur Deus homo hath these wordes Though Christs conception were pure and without the sinne of carnall delight yet the virgine her selfe of whom he tooke flesh was conceiued in iniquity and her mother conceiued her in sinne and shee was borne with originall sin because shee also sinned in Adam in whom all sinned And diverse of the Fathers feared not to make her subject to actuall sin Origen writing vpon Luke insisting vpon those wordes of Simeon to Mary a sword shall pierce thorough thy soule hath these wordes What is this sword that pierced the heart not only of others but of Mary also It is plainly written that in the time of his passion all the Apostles were scandalized as the Lord himselfe had sayd you shall all be scandalized this night they were all therefore so scandalized that even Peter the prince of the Apostles denyed him thrice What shall we thinke that when the Apostles were scandalized the mother of our Lord was free from being scandalized Surely if shee suffered no scandall in the time of the Lords passion Christ dyed not for her sins but
the more ancient for we intend not to accuse the just but to shew the infirmitie of man and the mercie of GOD vpon and towardes all Enoch as Ecclesiasticus testifieth pleased GOD and was translated into paradise but in that it is written in Genesis hee pleased GOD after he begat Methusalem Basil doth not without cause collect that hee formerly did not so please GOD and the same Basil saith that that great Father of the faithfull is found to haue beene some-where vnfaithfull and not without cause for when God first promised Isaak vnto him though he fell on his face yet he laughed in his heart saying thinkest thou that a sonne shall bee borne to him that is an hundred yeares old and that Sarah who is ninety yeares old shall bring forth Wherevpon Hierome speaketh of Sarah and him in this sort they are reproved for laughing and the very cogitation and thought is reprehended as a part of infidelity yet are they not condemned of infidelity in that they laughed but they receiued the garland of righteousnes in that afterwards they beleeued Besides these the Scripture giueth ample testimony to Noah Daniel Iob who onely in Ezechiel it saith may escape the anger of God ready to come on men yet Noah fell into drâ—…nkennes which is a sinne and Daniel professeth he prayed vnto the Lord and confessed his owne sinne and the sin of his people Iob also is commended in the Scripture and of God himselfe as being a sincere man righteous fearing God and departing from euill and that not in an ordinary sort but so as that none of the most righteous then in the world might be compared vnto him as St Austine rightly collecteth out of the words of God vnto Satan This man though hee were a singular example of innocencie patience and all holines and though hee indured with admirable patience horrible tribulations and trials not for his sinnes but for the manifestation of the righteousnes of God yet as Augustine and Gregorie who as loud sounding trumpets set forth his prayses freely confesse hee was not without veniall sinne Which thing is strongly confirmed in that the same most sincere louer of righteousnes confesseth of himselfe saying I haue sinned what shall I doe vnto thee ô thou â—…eeper of men And being reproued by the Lord and in a most mild sort willed to say what hee could for himselfe hee answered without any circuition that he had spoken foolishly and therefore the Scripture as it were carefully declining the giuing occasion to any one to attribute so great innocencie to Iob as to make him sinles sayd not that he sinned not but that hee sinned not in all those things that hee suffered before that time when he answered his wife if wee haue receiued good things of the hand of the Lord why should we not patiently suffer the evils he bringeth vpon vs Moses beloued of God men and the most meeke of all the inhabitants of the earth doubted something of the promise of the Lord when hee stroke the rocke twise with the rodde to bring out water for the people being distressed for want of water and that his doubting displeased the Lord God and hee let him know so much both by reprouing him and punishing him and therefore presently he sayd to him Aaron because yee beleeued mee not to sanctifie mee before the children of Israel you shall not bring in this people into the land which I will giue them The Scripture also highly commendeth Samuell but as August noteth that neither hee nor Moses nor Aaron were without sin David sufficiently declared when he said thou wast mercifull vnto them and didst punish all their inventions for as August noteth he punisheth them that are appointed to condemnation in his wrath the children of grace in mercy but there is no punishment no correction nor no rod of God due but to sinne Zacharie and Elizabeth are renowmed for eminent righteousnes for they are both sayd to haue beene iust before God walking in all his commandements without reproofe but that Zacharie himselfe was not without fault sinne Gabriel shewed when hee sayd vnto him behold thou shalt be silent and not able to speake And the same may be proved out of Paul who sayth that Christ onely needed not daily as the priests of the law to offer sacrifice first for their owne sinnes and then for the sinnes of the people And it is one thing as the fathers of the councell of Mileuis haue well noted in their epistle to Innocentius to walke without sinne another thing to walke without reproofe for he that walketh so that no man can iustly complaine of him or reprehend him may bee said to walke without reproofe though sometimes thorough humane frailety some lighter sinnes doe seize vpon him because men doe not reproue nor complaine but onely of the more greivous sinnes And to what end should wee runne thorough other examples of the Saints Whereas the lights of the world and salt of the earth the Apostles of Christ that receiued the first fruits of the spirit confessed of themselues that in many things they offended and sinned And therefore the Church taught this euer with great consent Tertullian Quis hominum sine delicto Cyprian proveth by Iob Dauid and Iohn that no man is without sinne and defiling Hilarie vpon those words thou hast despised all them that depart from thy righteousnes If God should despise sinners he should despise all for there is none without sinne Hierome shewing that the Ninivites vpon good ground and for good cause commaunded all to fast both old and young writeth thus The elder age beginneth but the youngger also followeth in the same course for there is none without sinne whether he liue but one day or many yeares for if the starres be not cleane in the sight of God how much lesse a worme rottennes and they that are holden guilty of the sinne of Adam that offended against God And in another place wee follow the authority of the Scripture that no man is without sinne And Saint Augustine whosoeuer are commended in Scripture as hauing a good heart and doing righteously and whosoeuer such after them either now are or shall be hereafter they are all truely great iust and praise worthy but they are not without some sinne nor no one of them is so arrogantly mad as to thinke he hath no need to say the Lords prayer and to aske forgiuenes of his sinnes And in his 31 sermon de verbis Apostoli he hath these words Haehetici Pelagiani Coelestiani dicunt iustos in hac vitâ nullum habere peccatum redi haeretice ad orationem si obsurduisti contra veram fidei rationem Dimitte nobis debita nostra dicis an non dicis Si non dicis etsi praesens fueris corpore foris tamen es ab ecclesiâ Ecclesiae enim oratio est vox est de
disposing the affaires of Princes their States there were euer many worthy men that opposed themselues against his vnjust and Antichristian claimes There are some sayth Waldensis that erre supposing that the roote of all terrene power dependeth in such sort of the Pope that it is deriued vnto Princes by commission from him and that if they abuse the same hee may take the disposing of such affaires as belong vnto them into his own hands This they indeauour to proue because the Ecclesiasticall power is more eminent and excellent than the power of Princes but this their proofe is too weake for let vt runne through all examples of things which are different in degree of excellencie and one of them more worthy than another wee shall see that the Sunne is better than the Moone yet the power and vertue of moystening that is in the Moone is not imparted to it from the Sunne the soule is more excellent than the body yet the body was before the soule came into it and in it many workes of sense are performed which the spirit by it selfe cannot performe gold is better then leade yet doth it not giue being vnto it so that though it were granted that Episcopall dignity is more high and eminent then the authority of Princes yet the first spring of Regall power is in the King from God and not from the Pope There is sayth Waldensis one doctor Adam a Cardinall who in a dialogue betweene a Bishoppe and a King indeauoureth altogether to deriue the authority of Kings from the Papall power both in the being and excercise of it and reserueth onely a power of execution to Princes at the commaund of the high bishop this errour hee condemneth and sayth that howsoeuer the solemnities of the oath vnction crowning and the like are performed to Kings by Bishoppes yet hath not kingly dignity her beginning from Priesthood but by the ministery of Priests Kings receiue it from God and are put in possession of it Fawning and deceitfull flattery sayth Gerson whispereth in the eares of Ecclesiasticall persons especially of the Pope in shamelesse manner saying vnto them O sacred Clergie how great how great is the height and sublimity of thy Ecclesiasticall power how is all secular authority compared thereunto altogether nothing For as all power in heauen and earth was giuen to Christ soe Christ left it all to Peter and his Successours soe that Constantine the Emperour gaue nothing to Pope Syluester that was not his before but onely restored that which had bin vnjustly detayned besides as there is no power but of God so is there none whether Temporall or Ecclesiasticall Imperiall or Regall but from the Pope in whose thigh CHRIST hath written King of Kings and Lord of Lords of whose power to dispute is sacrilegious boldnesse to whom no man may say Sir why doe you so though he alter over-turne waste and confound all States Rules Dominions and Possessions of men whether Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall let me be judged a Lyar saith he if these things bee not found written by them that seeme wise in their owne eyes and if some Popes haue not giuen credit to such lying and flattering wordes Nay I am greatly deceiued if before the holding of the sacred Synode of Constance this tradition did not so farre forth possesse the mindes of very many men rather literall then literate that whosoeuer should haue taught the contrary should haue beene noted and condemned for heresie THE FOVRTH BOOK OF THE PRIVILEDGES OF THE CHVRCH CHAP. 1. Of the divers kindes of the priviledges of the Church and of the different acceptions of the name of the Church NOw it remayneth that wee proceede to the other parts of our first generall diuision to wit the priviledges that pertaine to the Church the diverse and different degrees orders and callings of them to whom the gouernement of it is committed The priviledges that pertaine to the Church are of two sorts The first proper to the best and most essentiall parts of it to wit the elect and chosen of God as are the promises and assurances of euerlasting loue and happinesse the second such as are communicable vnto others not partaking in that highest degree of vnitie the partes of the Church haue amongst themselues or with Christ their head These are specially foure the first the possession of the rich treasure of heauenly trueth whence it is called by Irenaeus Depositoriū diues by the Apostle the pillar and ground of truth The second is the office of teaching and witnessing the same truth The third the authority to iudge of such differences as arise amongst men concerning any part of it The fourth is power to make lawes for the better guiding gouerning of them that professe this truth Touching the first that wee may the better vnderstand in what degree and sort and vpon what assurances the Church is possessed of the knowledge and profession of the truth reuealed in Christ wee must obserue the diverse acceptions of the name of Church for accordingly more or lesse in this kinde is attributed to it and verified of it The Romanistes make the Church to bee of three sorts For there is as they say Ecclesia virtualis repraesentativa essentialis By the name of virtuall Church they vnderstand the Bishoppe of Rome who being by Christes appointment as they suppose chiefe Pastor of the whole Church hath in himselfe eminently and virtually as great certainty of truth infallibility of iudgement as is in the whole Church vpon whom dependeth all that certainety of truth that is found in it By the name of representatiue Church they vnderstand the assembly of Bishops in a generall Councell representing the whole body of the Church from the seuerall parts whereof they come By the name of the essentiall Church they vnderstand the whole multitude of the beleeuers This essentiall Church either comprehendeth all the faithfull that are and haue beene since CHRIST appeared in the flesh or all that are and haue beene since the Apostles time or onely those that now presently liue in the world CHAP. 2. Of the different degrees of infallibility found in the Church IF we speake of the Church as it comprehendeth the whole number of beleeuers that are and haue beene since CHRIST appeared in the flesh it is absolutely free from all errour and ignorance of Diuine things that are to be knowne by revelation Quid enim latuit Petrum c. For as Tertullian sayth rightly and aptly to this purpose What was hidden and concealed from Peter vpon whom Christ promised to build his Church and to whom hee gaue the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen from Iohn the Disciple hee so dearely loued which leaned on his breast at the mysticall Supper and the rest of that blessed company that should after bee manifested to succeeding generations so that touching the Church taken in this sort there is no question but it is absolutely led
into the knowledge of all truth without any mixture of ignorance errour or danger of being deceiued Let vs come therefore to the second acception of the name of the Church as it comprehendeth onely all those beleeuers that are and haue beene since the Apostles time The whole Church taken in this sort may bee ignorant in sundry things which though they bee contained within the compasse of revealed truth yet are not of necessitie to be expressely knowne by all that will be saued but that the whole Church in this sort conceiued should erre in any thing of this nature it is impossible seeing errour which is an aberration declining or swaruing from the truth once deliuered necessarily implyeth a kinde of particularity and novelty Neither onely is the whole Church comprehending all the beleeuers that are and haue beene since the Apostles time freed from errour in matter of faith But wee thinke it impossible also that any errour whatsoeuer should be found in all the Pastors and guides of the Church thus generally taken Secondly though there may be some question whether any errour may be found in all them whose writings now remaine yet because they haue all written of nothing but that which is absolutely necessary to bee knowne for the attayning of euerlasting saluation and that was euer generally receiued it is not possible they should all be convinced of errour Thirdly though all whose writings remaine haue not written of a thing yet if all that mention it doe constantly consent in it and their consent be strengthened by vniuersall practise wee dare not charge them with errour Yea though their consent be not strengthened by such practise if it be concerning things expressed in the Word of trueth or by necessary and evident deduction to be demonstrated from thence we thinke no errour can be found in all them that speake of things of that nature if in euery age of the Church some be found to haue written of them But in things that cannot be clearely deduced from the rule of faith and word of diuine and heauenly trueth wee thinke it possible that all that haue written of such things might erre and be deceiued This matter is excellently handled by Pererius Augustinus Eugubinus Cornelius Iansenius Hieronymus ab Oleastro who hold it probable that Paradise doth not remaine in originall beauty notwithstanding the consent of all the auncient that haue written of that matter to the contrary Soe likewise Caietaine and Andradius professe they dare goe against the torrent of all the Doctours and dissent from them in the interpretation of some parts of Scripture Bellarmine blameth Pererius Eugubinus and the rest for that they durst imbrace an opinion contrary to the iudgment of antiquity yet doth hee not fasten vpon them any note of heresie or sauouring of heresie Touching the Church as it coÌ„prehendeth only the belieuers that now are presently liue in the world it is most certaine agreed vpon that in things necessary to be known belieued expressely and distinctly it neuer is ignorant much lesse doth erre Yea in things that are not absolutely necessary to be knowen belieued expressely distinctly we coÌ„stantly belieue that this Church can neuer erre nor doubt pertinaciously but that there shall euer be some found ready to imbrace the truth if it be manifested vnto them and such as shall not wholly neglect the search and inquiry after it as times and meanes giue leaue As therefore wee hold it impossible the Church should euer by Apostasie and missebeliefe wholly depart from God in prouing whereof Bellarmine confesseth his fellowes haue taken much needlesse paines seeing no man of our profession thinketh any such thing so we hold that it neuer falleth into any heresie so that he is as much to be blamed for idle needeles busying himselfe in prouing that the visible Church never falleth into heresie which we most willingly grant CHAP 3. Of the meaning of certaine speeches of Caluine touching the erring of the Church THat which he alleageth out of Caluine and others as if they supposed the true Church to be sometimes altogether inuisible and that the outward profession of the trueth doth sometimes wholly faile is to no purpose for they meane not that it is wholly inuisible at any time but that it is not alwayes to be esteemed by outward appearance that sometimes the state of things is such that the greatest in place of Ministery in the Church peruert all things that they that defend the truth make theÌ„selues a reproach To this purpose Occam hath diuerse excellent things out of Hierome and Vincentius Lirinensis sheweth that the poisoned doctrine of the Arians did infect not onely a part but almost the whole Church soe that almost all the Bishops of the Latine Church were misseled and fewe found to defend and maintaine the truth as beseemed them There are therefore foure things which Caluin sayth The first that the Church may not so farre presume of the assistance of the spirit of truth as that she may deuise newe articles of faith and without the certaine direction of the word of God proceede in the determination of doubts in matters of religion The second that she must not relie vpon traditions a pretended vnwritten word but must coÌ„tain her selfe within the compasse of that heauenly doctrine which is comprehended in the scripture The 3d that so containing her selfe she connot erre The 4th that we haue no assurance that Church shall alwaies so precisely follow the directions of the word of truth as that she shall neuer erre but soe farrefoorth only that she shall euer be free from all errour in things necessary to saluation and such things that men cannot be ignorant of to erre in without pertinacy or ouer-grosse and damnable negligence yea that shee is secured from erring in any thing with hereticall pertinacy This last part of Calvins speach it is that the Iesuite disliketh that he sayth The Church is not absolutely freed from errour but from some kinde of errour onely Yet Melchior Canus confesseth that sundry great Diuines seeme to be of this opinion as the Authour of the Interlineall glosse Thomas Aquinas Cardinall Turricremata and Alfonsus á Castro Yea Picus Mirandâ—…la in his theoremes is of the same opinion confirming it by the authority of Aquinas who thinketh that the Church may erre in Canonizing of Saints and proposing such to be honoured whom God rejecteth from his presence as vessels of his wrath Notwithstanding the Romanists at this day seeme to hold that the whole Church that presently is in the world cannot erre in any thing that either concerneth faith or manners which they endevour to proue by these reasons CHAP. 4. Of their reasons who thinke the present Church free from all errour in matters of faith FIrst for that it is the pillar and ground of trueth secondly for that it is guided by Christ her
erre yet haue men other meanes to finde out the truth as namely the Scriptures and resolutions of former times which whosoeuer findeth is bound to beleeue though the rest of the Church not finding them may in the mercies of God be saued That which is alleaged out of the Fathers is to no purpose for they speake of the Church as it comprehendeth the faithfull that are and haue been which we confesse cannot erre in matters of faith CHAP. 5. Of the promises made vnto the Church how it is secured from errour and of the different degrees of the obedience we owe vnto it THe right vnderstanding of the promisses made and due consideration of the parties to whom they are made will leade vs to the right vnderstanding of the Churches infallibility and assurance of truth For seeing though they be made to all the faithfull generally and to the particular Churches as well as to the whole yet they are vnderstood to bee performed proportionably according to the measure and degree of each part but to the whole Church wholly and entirely the Church being particular not onely in respect of place but also of time the whole is not necessary to be performed to the Church of one time vnlesse wee speake of the Primitiue wherein the whole was originally but to the Church that comprehendeth the whole number of beleeuers that are and haue beene in which sense that promise is to bee vnderstood that the spirit shall leade the Church into all trueth Hither wee may refer those different degrees of obedience which wee must yeeld to them that commaund and teach vs in the Church of God excellently described and set downe by Waldensis We must sayth he reuerence and respect the authority of all Catholike Doctours whose doctrine and writings the Church alloweth wee must more regard the authority of Catholicke Bishops more then these the authority of the Apostolicke Churches amongst them more specially the Church of Rome of a generall Councell more thē all these yet we must not listen so to the determinations of these nor so certainly assent vnto thē as to the things cōtained in the Scripture or beleeued by the whole vniuersall Church that hath bin euer since the Apostles time but as to the instructiōs of our Elders fatherly admonitiōs We must sayth he obey without scrupulous questioning with all modesty of minde and reuerence of body with all good allowance acceptation and repose in the words of them that teach us vnlesse they teach us any thing which the authority of the higher and superiour controlleth yet so as then the humble and obedient children of the Church must not insolently insult vpon them from whom they are forced to dissent but must dissent with a reuerent childe-like and respectfull shamefastnesse Thus hee prooueth out of Augustine Tom 7. lib. 2. De baptismo contra Donatistas Who knoweth not sayth S. Augustine that the sacred and Canonicall Scriptures of the old and new Testaments are contained within their set certaine boundes and that they are so in such sort set in a higher degree of authority then any of the writings of the succeding Bishops that of them we may not doubt nor make any question whether it be true or right that is there contained but the writings of the Bishops of the Church which either haue beene published since the perfecting of the Canon of Scripture or which shall be hereafter may be censured and reproued by the wiser judgment of any that are skilfull in the same things whereof they write or by the grauer authority of other Bishops and the wisdome of them that are learned themselues and able to teach others and by the determinations of Councels if happily they haue gone aside from the truth And the Councels themselues which are holden in seuerall Countries and Prouinces must giue place to the authority of generall councels gathered assembled out of the whole Christian World of plenary Councels oftentimes the former are to be corrected by the later when by experience more perfect knowledge of things that which was shut is opened and that knowne which was hidden before Euery of these must be content to yeeld one to another without the puffe of sacrilegious pride without swelling arrogancie without euious contending with all holy humility with all Catholike peaceable disposition and Christian charity Thus then we thinke that particular men and Churches may erre damnably because notwithstanding others may worship God aright but that the whole Church at one time cannot so erre for that then the Church should cease vtterly for a time and so not be Catholicke being not at all times and Christ should somtimes be without a Church yet that errours not preiudicing the saluation of them that erre may be found in the Church that is at one time in the world we make no doubt only the whole symbolicall and catholike Church which is and was beeing wholly free from errour Thus touching the possession of the rich treasures of heauenly truth I haue sufficiently cleared our iudgment which is the same that all wise and learned men haue euer beene of to wit that the Church which comprehendeth the whole number of belieuers that are and haue beene since Christ appeared in the flesh so including the Apostles can neither erre in nor be ignorant of any thing that was to be reuealed by Christ the eternall Word and Angell of the great Couenant of God Secondly that the Church that comprehendeth all the faithfull that are and haue beene since the Apostles may be ignorant of some things which in processe of time shall be known but cannot erre in any thing Thirdly that all the Pastours of this Church cannot erre Fourthly that all the Pastors that haue committed the treasure of their wisdome learning to writing cannot erre in any thing wherein they consent in their writings because it is not possible that they should all haue writen of any thing but such as touch the very life of the Christian faith generally receiued in all their times Fiftly that it is not possible that all that doe speake of a thing consenting together should erre if it be a matter of substance and if in euery age some haue written of it though many that haue written be silent and say nothing of it Sixtly that the most famous renowned in all ages consenting in any thing that toucheth the substance of the Christian faith no man dissenting from them without note of nouelty singularity may not without intolerable rashnesse be charged with errour Seuenthly that though the writings of the auncient may be much corrupted so that the cōsent of antiquity cānot alwaies be easily known yet there will be euer some meanes to find it out to discry the errours and frauds of the corruptors so I vnderstād that of Vincentius Lirinensis that the iudgmēt of antiquity is to be sought out at the very first rising of heresies not
proue the old to him that is perswaded of the new and doubteth of the old but to him that doubteth of both we must not alledge the authority of either of these but some other thing so likewise we may proue the authority of the Scripture by the Church to him that is already perswaded of the Church of the Church by the Scripture to him that is perswaded of the Scripture but to him that doubteth of both we must bring other reasons For no man proveth a thing doubtfull by that which is as much doubted of as it selfe So that to proue the authority infallibility of the Church by the testimony and authoritie of the Church which is the thing doubted of is as if one taking vpon him to be a Lawgiuer whose authority is doubted of should first make a law and publish his proclamation and by vertue there of giue himselfe power to make lawes his authority of making the first lawe being as much doubted of as the second Thus then it being cleare and euident that it is one of the things that are to bee beleeued that the Church is guided by the spirit if Stapleton be asked why he beleeueeth it to bee soe guided hee sayth hee soe beleeueth because the spirit mooueth him so to beleeue But he should knowe that three things concurre to make us beleeue that whereof we are doubtfull The light of Diuine vnderstanding as that whereby wee apprehend the things of God The spirit as the author of this illumination and the reasons and motiues by force whereof the spirit induceth mooueth and perswadeth vs. Euen as in the apprehension of things within the compasse of the light of nature when wee are to be perswaded of a thing seeming doubtfull unto vs not only the actiō of him that perswadeth vs and the light of naturall vnderstanding are required to the effecting of it but also the force of reasons winning vs to assent to that we are to be perswaded of Wee therefore demand not of Stapleton who it is that perswadeth vs to belieue or what that light of vnderstanding is that maketh him capable of such perswasion but what those reasons or motiues are by force whereof the spirit settleth his minde in the perswasion of the truth of those things he formerly doubted of Surely he sayth the highest and last reason that moueth a man to beleeu the things that partaine to faith is the authority of the Church Let vs suppose it to be so touching all other things yet can it not be so in respect of those things we are to beleeue touching the authority of the Church it selfe What is the motiue then whereby the spirit moueth vs to beleeue that the Church hath diuine authority Hee sayth because it is so contained in the Scripture and in the Articles of the Creed See then if he be not forced to runne round in a circle He beleeueth other matters of faith because contained in the Scripture and the Scripture because it is the word of God and that it is the word of God because the Church deliuereth it to be so and the Church because it is ledde by the spirit and that it is ledde by the spirit because it is so contained in the Scripture and the Creede This kind of circulation Campian reckoneth amongst the Sophismes he wrongfully imputeth vnto vs but it will euer be found true that the Prophet pronounceth of the wicked Impij ambulant in circuitu The wicked runne round till they be giddie and are in the end where they were when they began Out of this maze Stapleton cannot get himselfe vnlesse hee flye to humane motiues and inducements and make them the highest and last reason of his faith and soe indeede hee doth For fearing that hee hath not sayd well in saying he beleeueth the Church is guided by the spirit because it is contained in the Scripture hee addeth another reason why hee so beleeueth because it is the generall opinion and conceipt of all Christian men that it is so guided and so indeed his perswasion stayeth it selfe vpon humane grounds though hee bee vnwilling that men should so thinke and conceiue Th◅se mazes and labyrinths other Papists seeking to avoyd runne without any such shewe of feare as Stapleton bewrayeth into most grosse absurdities some thinking that the authority of the Church is the reason moouing vs to beleeue all other things and that we beleeue that the Church is ledde and guided by the spirit and that the truth of God which the Church teacheth vs moued thereunto by humane motiues namely for that that must needes be the truth which so many miracles haue confirmed which a few weake and silly men contemptible in the eyes of the world haue wonne all the world to belieue haue holden out the defence of it against all the furies of enemies whatsoeuer which they could not haue done had not the spirit and power of the most high beene with them making them more then conquerours This is the opinion of Durandus who maketh humane motiues and inducements the highest and last reason of his faith to which also Stapleton flyeth though vnwillingly Others thinke that wee beleeue by the sole and absolute commaund of the will either finding nothing or nothing of sufficient force to perswade vs. Both these conceipts are to be examined by vs. Concerning the first wee are to obserue that the Schoolemen make two kindes of faith calling the one fidem infusam an infused faith wrought in vs by the inlightning spirit of God and staying it selfe vpon the truth of God the other fidem acquisitam a humane and naturall faith grounding it selfe vpon humane authoritie and wrought by humane motiues and perswasions So that according to the opinion of these men we beleeue the Articles of our Christian faith and whatsoeuer is contayned in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles because wee are perswaded that they were revealed by Almighty God and this pertaineth to infused faith as they thinke but that they were reuealed there is nothing that perswadeth vs but the authority of the Church and because wee haue so learned receiued of our forefathers and this pertaineth to humane faith and is meerely a naturall and humane perswasion like that the Saracens haue touching the superstition of Mahomet who therefore beleeue them because their Auncestors haue deliuered them vnto them If this opinion were true as Melchior Canus rightly noteth the finall stay of our infused faith and the first reason moouing vs so to beleeue should not be the truth of God but humane authority For wee should beleeue the Articles of our faith because they were revealed and beleeue they were revealed because our Auncestours so deliuered vnto vs and the Church so beleeueth And from hence it would farther follow that seeing the assent yeelded to the conclusion can be no greater nor more certaine then that which is yeelded to the premisses whence it is deduced inferred
that are already wise and exercised in things that are diuine and therfore they must begin with authority Hugo de Sancto Victore maketh three sorts of beleeuers for there are sayth he qui solâ pietate credere eligunt qui vtrùm credendum sit vel non credendum ratione non comprehendunt alii ratione approbant quod fide credunt alii puritate cordis mundâ conscientiâ interius iam gustare incipiunt quod fide crediderunt The first are moued to beleeue out of piety finding the Maiesty of God to present it selfe vnto them in the word of truth and happy communion of the people professing the same challenging their attention and readinesse to bee taught by him In the second the light of diuine reason causeth approbation of that they belieue In the third sort the purity of diuine vnderstanding apprehendeth most certainely the things belieued and causeth a foretasting of those things that hereafter more fully shall be enjoied They that are thus established in the faith do now already begin to foretast that which they long in heaueÌ„ distinctly to know and enjoy and begin already to haue God present with them by force of diuine contemplation so that if all the world should be turned into miracles they could not remoue them from the certainety of their perswasion Hence it is that Pycus sayth in his Conclusions that as faith which is but a bare credulity is in degree of perfection lesse then Science soe true faith is greater and more certaine then any science gotten by demonstration Thus then we may easily discerue what is the formall reason of our faith or inducing vs to beleeue In things that are therefore belieued because knowne as in the principles conclusions of naturall knowledge the euidence of things appearing to vs is the formall reason of our beleefe and perswasion In things first belieued and afterwards known the euidence of the things appearing vnto vs being inlightned by the light of grace In things only belieued and not knowne the authority of God himselfe whom wee do most certainly discerne to speake in the worde of Faith which is preached vnto vs. Si puros oculos integros sensus illuc afferamus sayth Caluin statim occurret Dei majestas quae subactâ reclamandi audaciâ nos sibi parere cogat If we bring pure eyes and perfect senses the Majesty of God presently presenteth it selfe vnto us in the diuine Scripture and beating down al thoughts of contradicting or doubting of things so heauenly forceth vs to obey For Non dubium vim numinis illic vigere spirare sentimus quâ ad parendum scientes quidem ac volentes viuidiùs tamen efficaciùs quà m pro humana aut voluntate aut scientia trahimur ac accendimur We find a greater light of vnderstanding shining vnto vs in this doctrine of faith then is found within the compasse of nature a satisfaction touching many things in which humane reason could not satisfie vs in a joy exultation of the heart such and so great as groweth not out of nature This maketh vs assure our selues the doctrine which thus affecteth vs is reuealed from God that they are the only people of God and haue the meanes of happinesse where this treasure of heauenly wisdome is found that those bookes are the richest jewell that the world possesseth and ought to be the Canon of our faith which this people deliuereth unto vs as receiued from them to whom these things were first of all made knowne and reuealed So then that God speaketh in the Scripture and is the Author of it we know more certainely than any thing that is knowne by naturall light of reason and thereupon wee beleeue all things therein contained though many of them are such as can neuer be knowne of vs as those that are historicall and other such as are not knowne at first though after we haue belieued we begin to vnderstand and know them Herevnto agree the best learned and most deuout and religious amongst the Schoole-men For the greater part of them were giuen to curious disputes but voyd of all deuotion as Gerson complaineth Alexander of Hales sayth there is a certainty of speculation and a certainetie of experience a certainty in respect of the vnderstanding and a certainetie in respect of the affection a certainty in respect of the spirituall man and a certainety in respect of the naturall man and pronounceth that the things apprehended by vs in diuine knowledge are more certainely discerned by such as are spirituall in the certainty of experience in the certainety which is in respect of affection and by way of spirituall taste and feeling than anie thing is discerned in the light of naturall vnderstanding Quà m dulcia faucibus meis eloquia tua sayth the Prophet Dauid How sweete are thy wordes O Lord vnto my mouth They are sweeter than the hony and the hony combe And again I haue knowne long since that thou hast established them for euer Thus then it is true that the authority of Gods Church prepareth vs vnto the faith and serueth as an introduction to bring vs to the discerning and perfect apprehension of diuine things but is not the ground of our faith and reason of beleeuing And that doubtlesse is the meaning of those wordes of Augustine that hee would not beleeue the Gospell if the authority of the Church did not moue him thereunto CHAP. 9. Of the meaning of those wordes of Augustine that he would not beleeue thâ—… Gospell if the authority of the Church did not moue him THe Diuines giue two explications of these wordes of Augustine For Occam and some others say the Church whereof hee speaketh is not the multitude of beleeuers that now are in the World but the whole number of them that are and haue beene since Christ appeared in the flesh so including the Apostles in which sense they confesse the Church comprehending in it the Apostles and writers of the whole Scripture of the new Testament is of greater authority then the bookes of the Gospell written by them and deliuered to posterities Others taking the name of the Church to signifie onely the beleeuers that now presently are in the world say the meaning of Augustine is that he had neuer beleeued the Gospell if the authoritie of the Church had not beene an introduction vnto him Not that his faith rested vpon it as a finall stay but that it caused him so farre to respect the word of the Gospell to listen vnto it and with a kinde of acquisite and humane faith to beleeue it that hee was thereby fitted to a better illumination by force whereof hee might more certainely know and beleeue it to be of God To which purpose Waldensis out of Thomas Aquinas obserueth that as the Samaritans beleeued that Christ was the promised Sauiour vpon the report of the woman that talked with him made vnto them but afterwardes hauing
seene him and talked with him they professed that they beleeved not for her saying any longer for themselues had heard him speake and did know that hee was the Saviour of the world indeed So men at the first beginne to beleeue moued so to doe by the authority of the Church but rest not in it but in the infallible assurance of diuine trueth Vpon the mistaking of this saying of S. Augustine and an erroneous conceit that our faith stayeth wholly vpon the authority and testimony of the Church hath growne that opinion that the authority of the Church is greater than the authority of the Scriptures CHAP. 10. Of the Papistes preferring the Churches authority before the Scripture TOuching which odious comparison I find some shew of difference amongst the Papistes but none indeede Some affirme that the authorities of the Church and of the Scripture being in divers kindes may in diverse sorts and respects either of them be sayd to be greater then the other to wit the one in nature of an euidence the other of a Iudge and that therefore the comparing of them in authority is vnfit and superfluous Others say that the Church is greater then Scriptures The Rhemists seeme to be of the first sort seeking to conceale that which indeede they thinke because they would not incurre the dislike and ill opinion of men naturally abhorring from so odious a comparison Yet in the same place they doe make the comparison and preferre the Church before the Scriptures 1. In respect of antiquity in that it was before them 2. In excellencie of nature in that the Church is the spouse of Christ the Temple of God the proper subject of God and his graces for which the Scriptures were and not the Church for the Scriptures 3. In power of judging of doubts and controversies the Church hauing judiciall power the Scripture not being capable of it 4. In euidence the definition of the Church being more cleare and evident then those of the Scriptures Stapleton sayth the comparison may be made and the Church preferred before the Scriptures foure wayes 1. So as if the Church might define contrary to the Scriptures as shee may contrary to the writings of particular men how great soeuer In this sense they of the Church of Rome make not the comparison neither doe we charge them with any such thing though Stapleton be pleased to say so of vs. 2. So as the Church may define though not contrary to yet beside the Scripture or written Word of God This comparison is not made properly touching the preheminence of one aboue another in authority but the extent of one beyond the other as Stapleton rightly noteth In this sense the Romanists make the Church greater in authority than the Scriptures that is the extent of the Churches authority larger than of the Scriptures to bring in their traditions but this wee deny and will in due place improue their errour herein Thirdly in the obedience they both challenge of vs where they all say that we are bound with as great affection of piety to obey and submit our selues vnto the determinations of the Church as of the Scriptures both being infallible of diuine and heauenly authority against which no man may resist and that it is a matter of faith so to thinke Yea some of them as Stapleton in the same place are not ashamed to say that wee are bound with greater certaintie of faith to subscribe vnto the determinations of the Church than of the Scriptures and that it is the authority of the Church that maketh vs accept embrace and beleeue the Scriptures Fourthly in the nature of the things themselues in which respect they preferre the Church before the Scriptures as being in it selfe more excellent then the Scriptures as the subject by which the spirit worketh is more excellent then the thing hee worketh by it CHAP. 11. Of the refutation of their errour who preferre the authority of the Church before the Scripture THat wee may the better discerne what is to bee resolued touching these two latter comparisons betweene the Church and the Scriptures wee must remember that which I haue before noted touching them both For first the name of the Church sometimes comprehendeth onely the beleeuers that now presently are liuing in the world Sometimes not onely these but all them also that haue beene since the Apostles times Sometimes all that are and haue beene since Christ appeared in the flesh If the comparison bee made betweene the Church consisting onely of the faithfull that now are and the Scripture wee absolutely deny the equality of their authority and say it is impiety to thinke that both may challenge an equall degree of obedience and faith to bee yeelded to them for it cannot bee proued that the Church thus taken is free from errour nay themselues with one consent confesse that generall Councels representing this Church may erre though not in matters of substance which they purposely meete to determine yet in other passages and in the reasons and motiues leading to such determinations and consequently the whole Church may erre in the same things the one in their opinion being no more infallible than the other Yea some of them feare not to pronounce that Popes and generall Councells may erre damnably and that the Church itselfe may erre in matters not fundamentall though without pertinacy as Picus in his theoremes and Waldensis who freeth only the vniuersall Church consisting of the faithfull that are and haue beene from errour and not the present Church as I shewed before We are so farre then from preferring the Church thus taken as Stapleton in the place aboue mentioned professeth he taketh it in authority before the Scripture that we thinke it impiety to imagine it to be equall That the authority of the Church maketh vs to beleeue with an humane and acquisite faith we deny not but that it maketh vs to beleeue with a diuine faith we deny as before If the comparison be made between the Church consisting of all the faithfull that haue bin since besides the Apostles writers of the holy Scriptures though we think the Church thus taken to be free from any error yet dare we not make it equall to the Scripture For that the Scripture is infallibly true as inspired immediatly frō the spirit of truth securing the writers of it from errour The Church not in respect of the condition of the men of whom it consisteth or the manner of the guiding of the spirit each particular man being subject vnto errour but in respect of the generality and vniversality of it in euery part whereof in every time no errour could possibly be found And for that whatsoeuer is vniuersally deliuered by it is thereby prooued to be from the Apostles of whose faith wee are secure Thus then the whole Church thus taken is subiect to the Scripture in all her parts and hath her infallibility from it and therefore in her
manner of hauing the truth is inferiour vnto it neither are we bound to receiue her doctrines as the sacred Scriptures Besides though the Church taken in this sort be free from errour yet not from ignorance of many things wherein we may be instructed by the scripture So that it is possible for a man to vnderstand the naturall literall sense of some parts of Scripture and from thence some things that were not in such sort knowne and deliuered by any that went before as Andradius and Caietanus do proue at large If the comparison be made betweene the Church consisting of all the belieuers that are and haue beene since Christ appeared in the flesh so including the Apostles and their blessed assistants the Euangelists we deny not but that the Church is of greater authority antiquity and excellencie than the Scripture of the new Testament as the witnesse is better then his testimonie and the Lawgiuer greater then the Lawes made by him as Stapleton alleageth But he is to proue the present Church greater in authority than the Scripture which hee vndertaketh but performeth not His reason that the Scripture was giuen for the good of the Church and that therefore the Church is better than the Scripture proueth not the thing intended For as the people are more excellent in degree of being and nature of things than the lawes that be made for their good yet are the lawes of more authority and must ouer-rule and direct the people so though the Scriptures being but significations declarations and manifestations of diuine truth be not better in degree of things than the Church yet in power of prescribing directing and ouer-ruling our faith they are incomparably greater That which the Rhemists adde to shew the greatnesse of the Church aboue the Scripture because the Church hath judiciall power to determine doubts and controuersies whereof as they suppose the Scripture is not capable I will examine in the next part when I come to speake of the power of judging which the Church hath This errour of the Romanists imagining the authority of the Church to bee greater than the Scripture all the best learned in the Church of Rome euer resisted as Waldensis Occam Gerson and sundry others CHAP. 12. Of their errour who thinke the Church may make new articles of faith VNto this errour is joyned and out of this hath growne another not vnlike that the Church may make new articles of faith which though Stapleton and some other of our time seeme to disclaime yet do they indeede fall into it For the better vnderstanding whereof we must obserue as Occam fitly noteth that an Article of faith is sometimes strictly taken onely for one of those diuine verities which are contained in the creede of the Apostles sometimes generally for any Catholike verity This question is not meant of articles of faith in the first sense but in the second and so the meaning of the question is whether the Church that now is may by her approbation make those assertions and propositions to be Catholike verities that were not before or those hereticall that were not A Catholike vetity is a diuine truth which euery Christian is bound to beleeue The things which Christian men are bound to beleeue are of two sorts and consequently there are two sorts of Catholike verities to wit some so neerely touching the matter of eternall saluation that a man cannot be saued vnlesse hee expressely knowe and beleeue them others farther remooued which if a man beleeue implicitè and in praeparatione animi it sufficeth These must bee beleeued expressely and distinctly if their coherence with or dependance on the former do appeare vnto vs so that the manifest deduction of them from the former will make them such as must be expressely beleeued Our aduersaries confesse that the approbation and determination of the Church cannot make that a truth which was not nor that a Diuine or Catholike truth that was not so before but they thinke that the Church by her bare and sole determination may make that verity to be in such sort Catholike that euery one vnderstanding of such determination must expressely beleeue it that was not so and in such degree Catholike before But wee thinke that it is not the authority of the Church but the cleare deduction from the things which we are bound expressely to beleeue that maketh things of that sort that they must be particularly and distinctly known beleeued that were not necessarily so to bee beleeued before and therefore before and without such determination men seeing cleerely the deduction of things of this nature from the former and refusing to beleeue them are condemned of hereticall pertinacy and men not seeing that deduction after the decree of a Councell hath passed vpon them may still doubt and refuse to beleeue without hereticall pertinacy We cannot therefore condemne the Grecians as heretickes as the Romanists doe because wee cannot perswade our selues of them generally that they see that which they deny touching the proceeding of the holy Ghost deduced from the indubitate principles of our Christian faith or that they impiously neglect the search of the trueth What is it then will some men say that the decree of a Councell doth effect Surely nothing else but the rejecting of such as are otherwise minded from the societies of those men and Churches with whom the decree of the Councell doth prevaile and with all wise men the more wary and fearefull pronouncing any thing of those matters concerning which so graue authority hath passed her sentence The Papists proceed further and thinke it hereticall pertinacie to gainsay the decrees of a Councell though they finde the reasons by which they of the Councell were mooued so to thinke and determine to bee too weake and not to conclude the thing intended as in the matter of Transubstantiation they thinke it heresie to gainesay the decrees of those Councels that haue defined it and yet many of them judge all the reasons alleaged to proue it too weake to proue it In deed if it were certaine as they suppose that a generall Councell could not erre this were a sufficient deduction These things are decreede in a generall Councell Therefore ture because it is consequent that that is true which is affirmed by him that cannot erre Thus wee see what it is to bee thought touching this question whether the Church may make new Articles of faith onely one thing must be added for the further clearing hereof The Papistes thinke that the Church may adde to the Canon of the Scripture bookes not yet admitted as the bookes of Hermas the Scholler of Paul intituled Pastor and the constitutions of Clement which if it should doe we were to receiue them with no lesse respect then the Epistle of Iames and other bookes of the New Testament This we thinke to be a most grosse heresie and contrrry to their owne principles who making the number
mâ—…ch with many declamations against priuate interpretations and interpretations of private spirits and make the world beleeue that wee follow no other rule of interpretation but each mans private fancie For answere herevnto we say with Stapleton that interpretations of Scripture may be sayd to be private and the spirits whence they proceede named priuate either Ratione personae modi or finis That is in respect of the person who interpreteth the manner of his proceeding in interpreting or the end of his interpretation A priuate interpretation proceeding from a priuate spirit in the first sense is euery interpretation deliuered by men of priuate condition In the second sense is that which men of what condition soeuer deliuer contemning and neglecting those publike meanes which are knowen to all and are to be vsed by all that desire to finde the trueth In the third sense that which proceeding from men of priuate condition is not so proposed and vrged by them as if they would binde all other to receiue and imbrace it but is intended onely to their owne satisfaction The first kind of interpretation proceeding from a private spirit is not to be disliked if the parties so interpreting neither neglect the common rules meanes of attayning the right sense of that they interpret contemne the judgement of other men nor presumptuously take vpon them to teach others and enforce them to beleeue that which they apprehend for trueth without any authority so to doe But priuate spirits in the second sense that is men of such dispositions as will follow their owne fancies and neglect the common rules of direction as Enthusiasts and trust to their owne sense without conference and due respect to other mens judgements wee accurse This is all we say touching this matter wherein I would faine know what our aduersaries dislike Surely nothing at all as it will appeare to euery one that shall but looke into the place aboue alledged out of Stapleton But say they there must bee some authenticall interpretation of Scripture which euery one must bee bound to stand vnto or else there will be no end of quarrels and contentions The interpretation of Scripture is nothing else but the explication and clearing of the meaning of it This is either true or false The true interpretation of the Scripture is of two sorts For there is an interpretation which deliuereth that which is true and contayned in the Scripture or from thence to bee concluded though not meant in that place which is expounded This is not absolutely and perfectly a true interpretation because though it truely deliuereth such doctrine as is contayned in the Scripture and nothing contrarie to the place interpreted yet it doth not expresse that that is particularly meant in the place expounded There is therefore another kind of true interpretations when not onely that is deliuered which is contayned in the Scripture but that which is meant in the particular places expounded Likewise false interpretations are of two sorts some deliuering that which is vtterly false and contrary to the Scripture some others onely fayling in this that they attaine not the true sense of the particular places expounded An example of the former is that interpretation of that place of Genesis The sonnes of God saw the daughters of men c. which some of the Fathers haue deliuered vnderstanding by the sonnes of God the Angels of Heauen whose fall they suppose proceeded from the loue of women Which errour they confirme by that of the Apostle that women must come vayled into the Church for the Angels that is as they interpret least the Angels should fall in loue with them A false interpretation of the later kind Andradius sheweth some thinke that exposition of the wordes of the Prophet Esaie Quis enarrabit generationem eius Who shall declare his generation deliuered by many of the Fathers vnderstanding thereby the eternall generation of the son of God which no man shall declare Whereas by the name of generation the Prophet meaneth that multitude that shall beleeue in Christ which shall be so great as cannot be expressed An authenticall interpretation is that which is not only true but so clearely and in such sort that euery one is bound to imbrace and to receiue it As before we made 3 kinds of judgment the one of discretion common to all the other of direction common to the Pastors of the Church and a third of jurisdiction proper to them that haue supreame power in the Church so likewise wee make three kindes of interpretation the first private and so euery one may interpret the Scripture that is privately with himselfe conceiue or deliuer to other what hee thinketh the meaning of it to bee the second of publike direction and so the Pastors of the Church may publikely propose what they conceiue of it and the third of jurisdiction and so they that haue supreme power that is the Bishops assembled in a generall Councell may interpret the Scripture and by their authority suppresse all them that shall gainesay such interpretations and subject euery man that shall disobey such determinations as they consent vpon to excommunication and censures of like nature But for authenticall interpretation of Scriptures which every mans conscience is bound to yeeld vnto it is of an higher nature neither doe wee thinke any of these to be such as proceeding from any of those before named specified to whom wee graunt a power of interpretation Touching the interpretations which the Fathers haue deliuered we receiue them as vndoubtedly true in the generall doctrine they consent in and so farre forth esteeme them as authenticall yet doe wee thinke that holding the faith of the Fathers it is lawfull to dissent from that interpretation of some particular places which the greater part of them haue deliuered or perhaps all that haue written of them and to find out some other not mentioned by any of the Auncient CHAP. 17. Of the interpretation of the Fathers and how farre wee are bound to admit it THe Fathers sayth Andradius especially they of the Greeke Church being ignorant of the Hebrew tongue following Origen did rather striue with all their wit and learning to devise Allegories and to frame the manners of men then to cleare the hard places of the law and the Prophets Nay euen Hierome himselfe who more diligently then any of the rest sought out the meaning and sense of the Propheticall and diuine Oracles yet often to avoyde the obscurities of their words betaketh himselfe to Allegories In this sense it is that Cardinall Caietan saith hee will not feare to goe against the torrent of all the Doctors for which saying Andradius sheweth that Canus and others doe vnjustly blame him For though wee may not goe from the faith of the Fathers nor from the maine trueth of doctrine which they deliuer in different interpretations yet may wee interpret some parts of the Scripture otherwise then any
pollution of originall sin and if perhaps any did sometimes vse any forme or rite it was rather a matter of priuate voluntary deuotion than of necessitie For whereas parents stand bound by the generall law of God and nature with all thankefull acknowledgment to receiue their children as a great and speciall benefit from God this their faith pietie and thankefullnesse joyned with desire of and prayer for their Good prosperous and happy estate was accepted and found fauour with God on the behalfe of their children Whereupon Gregory pronounceth that the faith of the parents was of the same force with them of the old time that the Baptisme of water is with vs. And whereas Augustine sayth it is not likely that the people of God before the institution of Circumcision had noe Sacrament wherewith to present their children to GOD though the Scripture haue not expressed it it is not to bee vnderstood sayth Andradius of any outward ceremonies necessary for the sanctification of those Infants but of any rite offering them to GOD whether mentall onely or outwardly object to the eye and sense That which Andradius addeth that it could not be knowne but by tradition onely that the faith of the parents was in stead of circumcision before circumcision was instituted and after the institution of it to them that might not lawfully or could not possibly be circumcised is frivolous for men knew it concluded it out of the generall and common rules of reason and equity Touching the state of the people of God since the comming of Christ our adversaries make no doubt but they can easily proue that the writings which the Church that now is hath are defectiue and imperfect This they endeauour to proue First because the Scriptures of the New Testament were written vpon particular occasions offered and not of purpose to containe a perfect rule of faith Secondly because they were written by the Apostles and other Apostolique men out of their owne motions and not by commandement from Christ the Sonne of GOD. But vnto both these Arguments alleadged by our Adversaries we answere that they containe matter of very grosse errour For first who seeth not plainly that the Evangelistes writing the historie of Christs life and death Saint Luke in the booke of the Acts of the Apostles describing the comming of the Holy Ghost the admirable gifts of grace powred vpon the Apostles and the Churches established and ordered by them and the blessed Apostle Saint Iohn writing the Revelations which hee saw concerning the future state of things to the end of the world meant to deliuer a perfect summe of Christian doctrine and direction of Christian faith It is true indeed that the Epistles of the Apostles directed to the Christian Churches that then were were occasionally written yet so as by the providence of God all such things as the Church beleeueth not being found in the other parts of Scripture purposely writtē are most clearely at large deliuered in these Epistles Secondly touching the other part of their Argument which they bring to convince the Scripture of imperfection because they that wrote it had no commaundement to write wee thinke it needeth no refutation for the absurditie of it is evident and cleare of it selfe For who knoweth not that the Scriptures are not of any priuate motion but that the holy men of God were moued impelled and carried by the spirit of truth to the performance of this worke doing nothing without the instinct of the Spirit which was vnto them a Commandement The imperfection defect supposed to be foundin the Scripture our adversaries endeavour to supply by addition of traditions The name of Tradition sometimes signifieth euery Christian doctrine deliuered frō one to another either by liuely voyce only or by writing as Exod. 17. Scribe hoc ob monumentum in libro trade in auribus Iosuae Write this for a remembrance in a Booke and deliuer it in the eares of Iosuah Act. 6. 14. The written Law of Moses is called a Tradition Audivimus eum dicentem quoniam Iesus destruet locum istum mutabit traditiones quas tradidit nobis Moses We heard him say that Iesus shall destroy this place and change the traditions which Moses deliuered vnto vs. Sometimes the name of tradition signifieth that which is deliuered by liuely voyce onely and not written That which I receiued of the Lord saith the Apostle that I deliuered vnto you In this question by tradition we vnderstand such parts of Christian doctrine or discipline as were not written by them by whom they were first deliuered For thus our Adversaries vnderstand Traditions which they diuide into divers kindes First in respect of the Authors so making them of three sorts Divine Apostolicall Ecclesiasticall Secondly in respect of the matter they concerne in which respect they make them to be of tvvo sorts for either they cōcerne matters of faith or matters of manners and these latter againe either temporall or perpetuall vniuersall or particular All these in their seuerall kindes they make equall with the wordes precepts and doctrines of Christ the Apostles Pastors of the Church left vnto vs in writing Neither is there any reason why they should not so doe if they could proue any such vnwritten verities For it is not the writing that giueth things their authoritie but the worth credite of him that deliuereth them though but by word and liuely voyce onely The only doubt is whether there be any such vnwritten traditions or not Much contention there hath beene about Traditions some vrging the necessity of them and other rejecting them For the clearing whereof we must obserue that though we reiect the vncertaine and vaine traditions of the Papists yet wee reiect not all For first wee receiue the number and names of the authors of bookes Diuine Canonicall as deliuered by tradition This tradition we admitte for that though the bookes of Scripture haue not their authority from the Approbation of the Church but winne credite of themselues and yeeld sufficient satisfaction to all men of their Diuine truth whence wee judge the Church that receiueth them to bee led by the spirit of God yet the number Authors and integrity of the parts of these bookes wee receiue as deliuered by tradition The second kinde of tradition which wee admitte is that summarie comprehension of the cheefe heads of Christian doctrine contayned in the Creed of the Apostles which was deliuered to the Church as a rule of her faith For though euery part thereof be contayned in the Scripture yet the orderly connexion distinct explication of these principall articles gathered into an Epitome wherein are implyed and whence are inferred all conclusions theologicall is rightly named a tradition The 3d is that forme of Christian doctrine and explication of the seuerall parts thereof which the first Christians receiuing of the same Apostles that deliuered to them the Scriptures commended
to posterities This may rightly be named a tradition not as if we were to beleeue any thing without the warrant and authority of the Scripture but for that wee neede a plaine and distinct explication of many things which are somewhat obscurely contayned in the Scripture which being explicated the Scriptures which otherwise we should not so easily haue vnderstood yeeld vs satisfaction that they are so indeede as the Church deliuereth them vnto vs. The fourth kind of tradition is the continued practise of such things as neither are contayned in the Scripture expressely nor the examples of such practise expressely there deliuered though the grounds reasons and causes of the necessity of such practise be there contayned and the benefit or good that followeth of it Of this sort is the Baptisme of Infantes which is therefore named a tradition because it is not expressely deliuered in Scripture That the Apostles did baptize infants nor any expresse precept there found that they should so doe Yet is not this so receiued by bare and naked tradition but that wee find the Scripture to deliuer vnto vs the grounds of it The fift kind of traditions comprehendeth such observations as in particular are not commanded in Scripture nor the necessity of them from thence concluded though in generall without limitation of times and other circumstances such things be there commanded Of this sort many thinke the observation of the lent fast to be the fast of the fourth and the sixt dayes of the weeke and some other That the Apostles deliuered by liuely voyce many obseruations dispensable and alterable according to the circumstances of times and persons we make no question Onely this we say that they are confounded with Ecclesiasticall traditions so that which they are doth hardly appeare and that they doe not necessarily binde posterities The custome of standing at prayer on the Lords day and betweene Easter and Whitsontinde was generally receiued as deliuered by Apostolique tradition and when some beganne to breake it is was confirmed by the Councell of Nice yet is it not thought necessary to be obserued in our time Out of this which hath beene sayd wee may easily resolue what is to bee thought touching traditions For first the Canon of scripture being admitted as deliuered by Tradition though the diuine truth of it be in it selfe cleare and euident vnto vs not depending of the Churches authority there is noe matter of faith deliuered by bare and onely tradition as the Romanists seeme to Imagine Yea this is so cleare that therein they contrary themselues indeauouring to proue by scripture the same things they pretend to hold by tradition as wee shall finde if wee run through the things questioned betweene them and vs. The onely cleare instance they seeme to giue is touching the perpetuall virginity of Mary which they say cannot be proued by scripture and yet is necessary to be beleeued But they should know that this is no point of Christian faith That shee was a Virgin before in and after the birth of Christ wee are bound to beleeue as an article of our faith and so much is deliuered in scripture and in the Apostles Creede but that shee continued so euer after is a seemely truth deliuered vnto vs by the Church of God fitting the sanctity of the blessed Virgin and the honour due to soe sanctified a vessell of Christs incarnation as her body was and soe is de pietate but not de necessitate fidei as the Schoole-men vse to speake Neither was Heluidius condemned of Heresie for the deniall hereof but because pertinaciously hee vrged the deniall of it vpon misconstruction of scripture as if the deniall of it had beene a matter of faith Touching this Allegation of our Aduersaries concerning Maries perpetuall Virginity wee must know that howsoeuer they pretend to hold it onely by tradition yet the Fathers that defend it against Heluidius endeauour to proue it by the Scripture Their instance of Childrens Baptisme is most apparantly against themselues for they confesse it may be proued by scripture Bellarmine proueth it by three reasons taken from the scripture The first is from the proportion betweene Baptisme and Circumcision the Circumcision of Children then and the Baptisme of them now This argument he saith as they propose it cannot be auoyded The second from these two places Iohn 3. Except a man be borne a new of water and of the spirit hee cannot enter into the kingdome of Heauen And that other Suffer little children to come vnto mee for vnto such belongeth the Kingdome of Heauen This Argument he sayth is strong effectuall and pregnant to proue the necessity of the Baptisme of Infants The third is taken from the Baptizing of whole families by the Apostles in which by all likelihood there were infants Surely in this point of traditions our aduersaries bewray their great folly inconstancie making it euident to the whole world they know not what they say Bellarmine sayth that many things touching the matter and forme of sacraments are holden by tradition as not being contained in scripture and yet in the particulars there is nothing defined in the Church of Rome touching these things which he indeauoureth not to proue by scripture Some alleage for proofe of tradition the consubstantiality of the sonne of God with the Father and the proceeding of the holy Ghost from them both Others constantly affirme that these things are proued by scripture Some of them say Pugatory is holden by tradition others thinke it may bee proued by scripture g Melchior Canus endeauouring to proue the necessity of traditions produceth sundry things as not written as inuocation of Saints worshipping of images the Priests consecrating and partaking in both parts of the sacrament That ordination and confirmation are to bee conferred and giuen but onely once which when hee hath alleaged hee dareth not say the scripture doth not deliuer them for feare of gainesaying the truth in some of them and his owne fellowes in other And therefore hee sayth These things perhaps the scripture hath not deliuered For Bellarmine thinketh the Scripture doeth strongly proue the Invocation and worship of Saints and Angels and who is so impudent to deny that the Ministers of the Church are bound by the commaundement of Christ contayned in the Scripture to consecrate and participate in both parts of the Sacrament That confirmation and ordination once conferred are not to be reiterated may be concluded out of the nature of them described vnto vs in the Scripture So that for matters of faith wee may conclude according to the judgement of the best and most learned of our adversaries themselues that there is nothing to be beleeued which is not either expressely contayned in Scripture or at least by necessary consequence from thence and other things evident in the light of nature or in the matter of fact to bee concluded That there were many speeches and diuine sayings of our
Sauiour Christ which though they were neuer written by the Evangelists the Apostles and others conversant with him in the dayes of his flesh knew and faithfully preserued and kept as Mary did all things which she heard him speake and saw him doe of which sort was that alleadged by the Apostle It is more blessed to giue then to receiue wee make no question but that there are any of those vnwritten speeches or Actions necessary to bee knowne for our salvation or containing any other matter of diuine knowledge then is written or that are certainely knowne vnto the Church now we vtterly deny All the historicall things saith Bishop Lindan which are reported concerning Christ not contained in Scripture are fabulous or vncertaine Which doubtlesse was the reason why more errours were found in the writings of the first Fathers of the Primitiue Church then in those that were further remoued from those first beginnings because they were abused by the false and vncertaine reports of traditions which in those times men greedily hearkened after as liuing with thē which had beene conversant with the Apostles or their Schollers as wee shall finde by that is reported of Papias and it appeareth by the writings of others Thus hauing made it cleare and evident that it is not safe to relye vpon traditions in things concerning the faith let vs come to those traditions which concerne the manners and conversation of men That the Apostles deliuered many things of this nature to the Churches some by way of precept some by way of Councell and advice onely some to particular Churches and some to all some to continue but for a time and some to continue for euer we make no doubt Of this sort is the observation of the Lords day the precept whereof is not found in Scripture though the practice be and so may be named a tradition And sundry other things there are which doubtlesse the Apostles deliuered by tradition but they are confounded with Ecclesiasticall traditions as Waldensis aptly noteth that wee might the more reuerence the constitutions of the Church and are dispensable by the guides of the Church because the Apostles and Apostolike men that deliuered them did not deliuer them as reporting the immediate precepts of Christ himselfe but by vertue of their Pastorall power and office and so it little concerneth vs exactly to know whether they were deliuered by the Apostles themselues or their next after-commers For if they were deliuered by the Apostles yet are they dispensable by the authority of the Church and if not by them but by others they may not be dispensed with nor altered but by the same authority CHAP. 21. Of the rules whereby true Traditions may be knowen from counterfaite THus hauing set downe the kindes and sorts of traditions it remaineth to examine by what meanes wee may come to discerne and by what rules wee may judge which are true and indubitate traditions The first rule is deliuered by Augustine Quod vniuersa tenet ecclesia nec conciliis institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi auctoritate Apostolicâ traditum rectissimè creditur Whatsoeuer the whole Church holdeth not being decreed by the authority of Councelles but hauing been euer holden may rightly be thought to haue proceeded from Apostolike authority The second rule is whatsoeuer all or the most famous and renowmed in all ages or at the least in diuerse ages haue constantly deliuered as receiued from them that went before them no man contradicting or doubting of it may bee thought to be an Apostolicall tradition The third rule is the constant Testimony of the Pastors of an Apostolike Church successiuely deliuered to which some adde the present testimony of any Apostolike Church whose declinings when they beganne we cannot precisely tell But none of the Fathers admitte this rule For when they vrge the authority and testimony of Apostolike Churches for the proofe or reproofe of true or pretended traditions they stand vpon the consenting voyce or silence of the Pastors of such Churches successiuely in diverse ages concerning such things Some adde the testimony of the present Church but we enquire after the rule whereby the present Church may know true traditions from false and besides though the whole multitude of beleeuers at one time in the world cannot erre pertinaciously and damnably in embracing false traditions in stead of true yet they that most sway things in the Church may yea euen the greater part of a generall councell so that this can be no sure rule for men to iudge of traditions by And therefore Canus reasoneth foolishly that whatsoeuer the Church of Rome practiceth which shee may not doe without speciall warrant from God and yet hath no warrant in Scripture so to doe the same things and the practise of them shee hath receiued by tradition Hee giueth example in the present practice of the Romish Church in dispensing with remitting vowes and oathes and in dissoluing marriages not consummate by carnall knowledge by admitting men into orders of Religion But this practice of the Romish Church wee condemne as wicked and Antichristian CHAP. 22. Of the difference of bookes Canonicall and Apocriphall THus hauing answered our aduersaries obiections touching the obscuritie and imperfections of the scripture which wee affirme to be the rule of our faith it remayneth that in particular wee consider which are the bookes of this Scripture contayning the rule of our faith and where the indubitate and certaine verity of them is to be found whether in the originals or in the Translations The bookes which Moses the Prophets and Apostles deliuered to the world containe the Canon that is the rule of piety faith and religion which the sonnes of men receiued by Reuelation from heauen and therefore are rightly named Canonicall The matter of these bookes wee beleeue to haue beene inspired from the holy Ghost for our instruction whose authoritie is so great that no man may doubt of them The writers of these bookes were in such sort guided and directed by the spirit of trueth in composing of them that not to beleeue them were impious Wherevpon Augustine writing to Hierome saith Ego solis eis scriptoribus qui Canonici appellantur didici hunc timorem honoremque deferre vt nullum eorum scribendo errasse firmissimè teneam at si quod in iis invenero quod videatur contrarium veritati nihil aliud existimem quà m mendosum esse codicem vel non esse assecutum interpretem quod dictum est vel me minimè intellexisse non ambigam alios autem ita lego vt quantalibet sanctitate doctrinâve polleant non ideo verum putem quia ita senserunt sed quia mihi per illos auctores canonicos vel probabiles rationes quod à vero non abhorreat persuadere potuerunt That is I haue learned to yeelde that reuerence and honour to those writers onely that are called Canonicall to thinke that
none of them could erre in writing but if in them I find any thing that may seeme contrary to the trueth I perswade my selfe that either the Copie is corrupt or the interpreter defectiue and faultie or that the fault is in my not vnderstanding of it but other authors I so read that how great soeuer their learning sanctitie bee I doe not therefore thinke any thing to bee true because they haue so thought but because they perswade me that it is true by the authority of the Canonicall authors or the probability of Reason Besides the indubitate writings of those Canonicall Authours there are other bookes written of the same argument which because the credite and authority of the authors of them is not knowen are named Apocryphall Bookes are named Apocryphall first because the authour of them is not knowen and in this sense some of the Bookes of Canonicall Scripture as the bookes of Chronicles of Hester and a great part of the Psalmes may be named Apocryphall though vnproperly and vnfitly The authority of the authors of them not being doubted of though their names and other personall conditions be not knowen And therefore Andradius reprehendeth the Glosse which defineth those things to be Apocryphall quae incerto authore prodita sunt the author and publisher whereof is not knowen Secondly bookes are therefore named Apocryphall because the authority and credite of them is called in question it being doubted whether they proceeded from the inspiration of the holy spirit so that they cannot serue for the confirmation of any thing that is called in question In this seuse Hierome calleth the bookes of the Macchabees and the rest of that kinde Apocryphall though they were read privately and publikely for the edification of the people and the information of manners Thirdly such bookes are named Apocryphall as are meerely fabulous and full of impiety and therefore interdicted and forbidden to bee read or regarded at all The auncientest of the Fathers name these onely Apocryphall and so doth Hierome sometimes calling those of the second ranke Hagiographall though this name be sometimes giuen to those Canonicall bookes which pertaine not to the Lawe nor the Prophets as the booke of Iob the Psalmes the bookes of Salomon Esdras the Chronicles c. so diuiding the whole Canon of the Scripture of the old Testament into the Law the Prophets and the Hagiographall bookes that is those which not hauing any proper name of difference retaine and are knowen by the common name of holy writ CHAP. 23. Of the Canonicall and Apocryphall bookes of Scripture THe bookes of the old Testament were committed to the Church of the Iewes wherevpon that is one of the things in respect whereof the Apostle preferreth them before the Gentiles that to them were committed the Oracles of God This Church of the Iewes admitted but onely 22 bookes as deliuered vnto them from God to bee the Canon of their faith according to the nūber of the letters of their Alphabet as Iosephus sheweth For though they sometimes reckon foure and twenty and somtimes seuen and twenty yet they adde no more in one of these accounts than in the other For repeating Iod thrice for honour of the Name of GOD and so the number of the letters rising to foure and twenty they number the bookes of Canonicall Scripture to be foure and twenty dividing the booke of Ruth from the Iudges and the Lamentations from the Prophecies of Ieremy and reckoning them by themselues which in the former account they joyned with them These bookes thus numbred Hierome fitly compareth to the foure and twenty Elders mentioned in the Revelation Qui adorabant prostratis vultibus offerebant coronas suas Which prostrating themselues adored and worshipped the Lambe acknowledging that they receiued their Crownes of him Stantibus coram quatuor animalibus oculatis antè retrò in praeteritum futurum respicientibus Those foure admirable liuing creatures hauing eyes before and behind looking to things past and to come standing before him And because fiue of the Hebrew letters are double they sometimes reckon the bookes of the holy Canon so as that they make them rise to the number of seuen and twenty reckoning the first and second of Samuel of Kings of Chronicles and of Esdras by themselues seuerally which in the first accompt were numbred together two of euery of these being accompted but as one booke and dividing Ruth from the Iudges These onely did the auncient Church of the Iewes receiue as Divine and Canonicall That other bookes were added vnto these whose authority not being certain and knowne are named Apocryphall fell out on this sort The Iewes in their latter times before and at the comming of Christ were of two sorts some properly and for distinctions sake named Hebrewes commorant at Hierusalem and in the holy Land others named Helenists that is Iewes of the dispersion mingled with the Grecians These had written sundry bookes in Greeke which they made vse of together with other parts of the Old Testament which they had of the Translation of the Septuagint but the Hebrewes receiued onely the two and twenty bookes before mentioned Hence it came that the Iewes deliuered a double Canon of the Scripture to the Christian Churches the one pure indubitate and divine which is the Hebrew Canon the other in Greeke enriched with or rather adulterated by the addition of certain bookes written in those times when God raised vp no more Prophets among his people This volume thus mixed of diuers sorts of bookes the Christians receiued of the Iewes These bookes joyned in one volume were translated out of Greeke into Latine and read by them of the Latine Church in that Translation for there was no Catholique Christian that euer translated the Scriptures of the old Testament out of Hebrew into Latine before Hieromes time nor none after him till our age Hence it came that the Fathers of the Greeke Church hauing Origen and sundry other learned in the Hebrew tongue and making search into the antiquities and originals of the Iewes receiued as Canonicall onely the two and twenty bookes written in the Hebrew and did account all those books which were added in the Greeke to bee Apocryphall The Latines receiuing them both in one Translation and bound vp in one volume vsed sundry parts of the Apocryphall bookes in their prayers and readings together with the other and cited them in their writings yet did none of them make any Catalogue of Canonicall and Apocryphall bookes and number them amongst the Canonicall before the third Councell of Carthage wherein Augustine was present at which time also Innocentius liued which Fathers seeme to adde to the Canon diuers bookes which the Hebrewes receiue not Hierome translating the Scriptures out of the Hebrew and most exactly learning what was the Hebrew Canon rejected all besides the two and twenty Hebrew bookes as the Grecians did before
the time of his innocencie had but one commaundement which yet vnhappily he brake and that therefore they seeme to haue no sense of mans miserable wretched condition nor any way to compassionate his infirmitie that charge him with so many precepts besides those of God and Nature Whereupon he grauely and wisely concludeth that he supposeth that the wisest and best amongst the guides of Gods Church had not so ill a meaning as to haue all their constitutions ordinances taken for lawes properly so named much lesse strictly binding the conscience but for threatnings admonitions counsailes and directions onely And that when there groweth a generall neglect they seeme to consent to the abolishing of them againe For seeing lex instituitur cùm promulgatur vigorem habet cum moribus vtentium approbatur Lawes are made when they are published by such as haue authoritie but haue life force and vigour when the manners of men receiuing and obeying them giue them allowance Generall long continued disuse is and justly may be thought an abolishing and abrogating of humane lawes Whereas contrarywise against the Lawes of God and Nature no prescription or contrary vse doth euer prevaile but euery such contrary custome or practise is rightly judged a corruption and fault THE FIFTH BOOKE OF THE CHVRCH TOGETHER WITH AN APPENDIX CONTAINING A DEFENCE OF SVCH PARTES AND PASSAGES OF THE FORMER BOOKES AS HAVE BEENE EITHER EXCEPTED AGAINST OR WRESTED TO THE MAINtenance of Romish errours By RICHARD FIELD Doctour of Diuinity OXFORD Printed by WILLIAM TVRNER Printer to the famous Vniuersitie Ann. Dom. 1628. The Epistle to the Reader AS in the dayes of Noe they all perished in the waters that entred not into the Arke prepared by Gods owne appointment for the preseruation of such as should escape that fearefull and almost vniversall destruction So is it a most certaine and vndoubted truth good Christian Reader that none can flie from the wrath to come and attaine desired happinesse but such as enter into that society of men which we call the Church which is the chosen multitude of them whom God hath seperated from the rest of the world and to whom he hath in more speciall sort manifested himselfe by the knowledge of reuealed truth then to any other So that nothing is more necessary to be sought out and knowne then which and where this happy society of holy ones is that so wee may joyne our selues to the same and inherit the promises made vnto it according to that of the holy Patriarch Noe Blessed be the God of Sem and let Chanaan be his seruant the Lord perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Sem. The consideration whereof moued me when I was to enter into the controuersies of these times first and before all other things carefully to seeke out the nature and being of this Church the notes whereby it may be knowne which it is amongst all the societies of men in the world and what the priuiledges are that doe belong vnto it of all which things I haue treated in those foure Bookes of that argument which not long since I offered to thy viewe and censure Now it remaineth that in this insueing Booke then promised I shew in what sort almighty God who sitteth betweene the Cherubins in this his holy Temple reuealeth himselfe from off the mercy seate to such as by the calling of grace he hath caused to approach draw neare vnto himselfe and how he guideth and directeth them to the attaining of eternall felicity Many sundry waies did God reueale himselfe in ancient times as it is in the Epistle to the Hebrewes For sometimes he manifested himselfe to men waking by visions sometimes to men sleeping by dreames sometimes he appeared in a piller of a cloud sometimes in flaming fire sometimes he came walking a soft pace among the trees of the garden in the coole of the day sometimes he rent the rockes and claue the mountaines in sunder sometimes he spake with a still and soft voyce sometimes his thunders shooke the pillars of heauen and made the earth to tremble as in the giuing of the lawe when he came downe vpon Mount Sinai what time the people by Moses direction went forth to meete him but when they heard the thunders and the sound of the trumpet and saw the lightnings and the mountaine smoaking they fled stood a farre off sayd vnto Moses Talke thou with vs and we will heare thee but let not God talke with us lest we die This their petition Almighty God mercifully granted and knowing whereof they were made resolued no more to speake vnto them in soe terrible and fearefull manner but rather to put heauenly treasures into earthen vessels that is to enlighten the vnderstandings and to sanctifie the mouthes tongues of some amongst themselues and by them to make knowen his will pleasure to the rest In this sort after the giuing of the law he imployed the Priests Levites in a set and ordinary course appoynting that the people should seeke the knowledge of the same at their mouthes and in case of great confusion and generall defects of these ordinary guides raised vp Prophets as well to denounce his judgements against offenders and to reforme abuses as also to foreshew the future state of things and more more to raise in men a desire hope and expectation of the comming of the promised Messias whom in the fulnesse of time he sent into the world as the happiest Messenger of glad tidings that euer came vnto the sonnes of men and the Angell of the great couenant of peace causing this proclamation to be made before him This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him In him were hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge so that as it was sayd of him Hee hath done all things well so likewise that Neuer man spake as he spake But because he came not into this lower world to make his abode here perpetually but to cary vp with him into heaven our desires first and then our selues after he had wrought all righteousnesse and performed the worke for which hee came he returned backe to God that sent him Choosing out some of them that had been conuersant with him in the dayes of his flesh that had heard the words of his diuine wisedom were eye-witnesses of all the things he did suffered sending them as his father sent him who were therefore named Apostles These had many excellent preeminences proper to those beginnings and fit for the founding of Christian Churches as immediate calling infallibility of judgement generall commission the vnderstanding and knowledge of all tongues power to confirme their doctrine by signes and wonders and to conferre the miraculous gifts of the spirit vpon other also by the imposition of their hands In which things when they had finished their course they left none to succeede them yet out of their more large ample and immediate
commissions they authorized others to preach the Gospell administer Sacraments to binde and loose and to performe other like pastorall duties sanctifying and ordayning them to this worke by the imposition of hands These they honoured with the glorious title of Presbyters that is fatherly guides of Gods Church and people and knowing the weight of the burden they layd on their shoulders added vnto them as assistantes other of an inferiour degree and rancke whom they named Deacons or Ministers Amongst these fatherly guides of Gods Church and people for the preuenting of dissention the avoyding of confusion and the more orderly managing of the important affaires of Almighty God they established a most excellent diuine and heavenly order giuing vnto one amongst the Presbyters of each Church an eminent fatherly power so that the rest might doe nothing without him whom for distinctions sake and to expresse the honour of his degree and place afore and aboue other wee name a Bishoppe And farther by a most wise disposition provided that amongst Bishoppes all should not challenge all things vnto themselues but that there should be in seuerall provinces seuerall Bishops who should be first and chiefe amongst the brethren and againe constituted and placed certaine other in greater cities who might take care of more then the former The former of these were named Metropolitanes the later were knowen by the name of Patriarchs or chiefe Fathers who also in order and honour were one before and after another By meanes of this order established by the Apostles of Christ among the guides of Gods people and receiued and allowed by the first and Primitiue Christians vnity was preserued the parts of the Church holden fast together in a band of concordant agreement questions determined doubtes cleared differences composed and causes aduisedly deliberately heard with all indifferencie and equity Fow how could there bee any breach in the Christian Churches when none were ordained Presbyters in any Church but by the Bishop the rest of the Presbyters imposing their hands on them together with him None admitted to the degree and order of a Bishop but by the Metropolitane and other Bishops of the Prouince sufficiently approuing that they did to the people ouer which they set him None receiued as a Metropolitane vnlesse being ordained by the Bishops of the Province vpon notice giuen of their orderly proceeding the sincerity of his faith and profession he were confirmed by the Patriarch Nor none taken for a Patriarch though ordained by many neighbour Bishops till making knowne the soundnesse of his profession and the lawfulnesse of his election and ordination to the rest of the Patriarches hee were allowed receiued by them as one of their ranke and order Or what feare could there be of any wrong injustice or sinister proceedings in the hearing of causes and determining of controversies vnlesse there were in a sort a generall failing When if there grew a diffence betweene a Bishop and his Presbyters or if either Presbyter Deacon or inferiour Cleargy-man disliked the proceedings of his Bishop there lay an appeale to the Metropolitane who had power to re-examine the matter in a Synode and to see they were not wronged And if either Clearke or Bishop had ought against the Metropolitane it was lawfull for them to appeale to the Primate or Patriarch who in a greater and more honourable Synode was to heare the matter and to make a finall end When if any variance rose between any of the Patriarchs and their Bishops or amongst themselues it was lawfull for the Patriarchs that were aboue and before them in order and honour to interpose themselues and with their Synods to judge of such differences and in such cases as could not so be ended or that cōcerned the faith the state of the whole vniuersall Church there remained the judgment and resolution of a generall Councell wherein the Bishop of the first See was to sit as President and Moderatour and the other Bishops of the Christian world as his fellow Iudges and in the same commission with him This order continued in the Church from the Apostles times and wrought excellent effects till the Bishop of Constantinople first sought and after him the Bishop of Rome obtained to be not only in order and honour before the rest as anciently he had beene but to haue an absolute and vniuersall commaunding power ouer all that either by fraud or violence he could bring into subjection Whence followed horrible confusion in the Christian Church and almost the vtter ruine and desolation of the same For after that this childe of pride had in this Lucifer-like sort advanced himselfe aboue his brethren hee thrust his sickle into other mens haruests hee encroached vpon their bounds and limits hee pretended a right to confer all dignities whether electiue or presentatiue to receiue appeales of all sorts of men out of all parts of the world nay without appeale or complaint immediatly to take notice of all causes in the Diocesses of all other Bishops so ouerthrowing their jurisdiction and seizing it in his owne hands Hee exempted Presbyters from the jurisdiction of their Bishops Bishops of their Metropolitans and Metropolitanes of their Primates and Patriarches and leauing vnto the rest nothing but a naked and empty title tooke vpon him to determine all doubts and questions of himselfe alone as out of the infallibility of his judgment to excommunicate degrade depose againe to absolue reconcile and restore to heare and judge of all causes as out of the fulnesse of his power Neither did he there stay but hauing subjected vnto him as much as in him lay all the members of Christs body and trampled vnderneath his feete the honour dignity of all his brethren and collegues hee went forward and challenged a right to dispose of all the kingdomes of the world as being Lord of Lords and King of Kings To this height he raised himselfe by innumerable sleights and cunning devices taking the advantage of the ignorance superstition negligence and base disposition which hee found to be in many of the guides of the Church in those dayes and by their helpe and concurrence preuailing against the rest that were of another spirit Neither did he demeane himselfe any better after he had attained to this his desired greatnesse for such was his pride insolencie and tyrannie and such soe many and vnsupportable were the burthens he layd on the shoulders of them that were noe way able to beare them that the voyces of complaint and murmuring were euery where heard and the mindes of all men filled with discontentment and desire of alteration which after many longing desires of our ancestours hath beene effected in our time God at the last hearing the cryes of his people and stirring vp the heroicall spirits of his chosen seruants to worke our deliuerance to take the burthens from our shoulders the yoake from our necke and to bring vs out of that Babylon wherein
loosing the Church was equally builded on them all These things I will particularly confirme and proue and first that all the Apostles had the same commission of feeding the flocke of Christ that Peter had it is euident For whereas there are but foure kindes of feeding Vitâ exemplari subsidio corporali doctrinâ salutari disciplinâ regulari that is By exemplary conversation by ministring things necessary for the entertainment of this present life by wholesome doctrine and by regular discipline and gouernement all these waies the rest of the Apostles stood bound to feede the flocke of Christ as well as Peter For they were all the Lights of the world and their Light was so to shine before men that they seeing their good workes might glorifie their Father in Heauen they were all to take care of the poore and needie they had all power to preach and minister Sacraments by Christs owne warrant saying vnto them all Goe teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost and to gouerne and guide the Church and people of God as well as Peter Christ sending them as his Father sent him and assuring them that whose sinnes they remit they are remitted and whose sinnes they retaine they are retained Neither can this bee doubted of seeing Bellarmine himselfe confesseth in the place before alleadged that in the Apostolique power all power and Jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall as well inward as outward was contained so that that which Bellarmine and other Papistes insist vpon that Christ commended all his Sheepe vnto Peters care and charge in that hee saide vnto him Feed my sheepe without any limitation or distinction as if in this respect they would shew vs some singular thing in Peters feeding of the flocke of Christ not found in others is too silly For who knoweth not that euery Apostle had generall commission and that howsoeuer for the better dispatch of the worke they had in hand they diuided amongst them the seuerall prouinces of the world yet this was as Bellarâ—… himselfe confesseth Prouinciarum non iurisdictionis diuisio that is a diuision of prouinces not of Iurisdiction for there was not any of them but had power to preach minister Sacraments and exercise discipline wheresoeuer they would one of them no way hindering the employment of another but all with joynt care seeking to set forward the worke they had in hand Yea this is so cleare that the Cardinall ingenuously confesseth it to be so saying in expresse words that the rest of the Apostles were heads Rulers and Pastours of the vniuersall Church Touching the power of the Keyes promised to Peter and the power of binding and loosing it will easily appeare that no singular thing was either promised or giuen vnto him but that which was common to him with the rest Thomas Aquinis fitly obserueth that in corporall things the Key is an instrument that openeth the doore and giueth entrance to him that formerly was excluded Now the doore of the kingdome of heauen is shut against vs by sinne both in respect of the staine of it and the guilt of punishment whence it commeth as hee aptly noteth that the power by which this stoppe impediment is taken away is named the Key This power is in the diuine Trinity principally and by way of authority in that God onely taketh away sinne dimittendo quae facta sunt adiuvando ne fiant perducendo ad vitam vbi omnino fieri non possunt that is By forgiuing the sinne that is past by helping the sinner that he doth not the like againe and by bringing him to that life where hee can sinne no more And therefore the blessed Trinity is said to haue the Key of Authority Christ had power to remoue this stoppe and hinderance by the merite of his passion by instituting Sacraments and making them effectuall instruments of the communication of his grace for the taking away of sinne and therefore he is said to haue the Key of Excellency In men there is a ministeriall Power to remoue the impediment of sinne that hindereth from entring into Heauen and therefore they are rightly said to haue a key of Ministery which is two-fold of Science and of Iurisdiction Of Science remouendo ignorantiam inducendo ad conuersionem that is by remouing the blindnesse of heart that is found in men and inducing them to conuert and turne to God Of Iurisdiction in receiuing men into the society of holy ones and in admitting those that they thinke meete worthy to the participation of the holy Sacraments in which the efficacy of Christs passion communicateth it selfe as also in reiectâ—…ng the vnholy and vncleane The Iurisdiction of the Church is rightly signified Metaphorically by the name of a Key because the chiefe command in a house or Citty is in him to whom the keyes of that house or Citty are committed hee that hath the keyes hath thereby power to admit and receiue into the house or Citty whom he will to exclude and shut out whoÌ„ he pleaseth And therefore when Princes enter into their Cities Towns the Citizens are wont to offer vnto theÌ„ the keyes thereof thereby acknowledging that the chiefe power command of those places doth rest in them Wherevpon when the Lord promised to Eliacim sonne of Hilkiah servant of King Hezekiah chiefe authority in the Kings Court and in the Citty of Ierusalem he said by his Prophet I will giue the keye of the house of Dauid vpon his shoulders Hee shall open and no man shall shut hee shall shut and no man shall open In which sense also it is said in the Reuelation of Christ that He hath the key of Dauid that he openeth and no man shutteth that hee shutteth and no man openeth that is hath all fulnesse of power in his Fathers house and kingdome Thus then the key of Ministery being onely the power of teaching instructing admonishing comforting gouerning and yeelding sacramentall assurances of Gods mercy grace by dispensing the Sacraments Christ hath instituted and this power being the same in Peter the rest it is cleare that the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen were equally committed vnto them all The force of these keyes is not onely expressed by the acts of opening shutting but of binding loosing also thereby to shew that they are no materiall keyes but Metaphorically vnderstood and spirituall and that heauen is then opened vnto men that they may enter into it when they are loosed from their sins that hindered them from entring in thither and hereupon it is that Christ hauing promised the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to blessed Peter telleth him likewise that what hee shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and what he shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen The bonds wherewith men are bound on earth are of foure sorts First of Lawes obliging
and tying them to the performance of certaine duties Secondly of sinnes Thirdly of punishments to be inflicted by Almighty God and Fourthly of punishments to be inflicted by men The bond of Lawes is of two sorts For there are diuine lawes and there are humane Lawes God bindeth men to the doing of what hee pleaseth and Men that are in authority either Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall to such things as they thinke fit Touching these bonds none haue power to loose but they that haue power to binde so that what God by precept bindeth vs to doe none but God can free vs from the necessity duty of doing it and what the Church or Magistrate binde vs to no inferiour power can loose vs or free vs from Loosing in this sense opposed to binding by law and precept is in two sorts By Reuocation and by Dispensation Reuocation is an absolute Abrogation of a Law in respect of all places times persons and conditions and that either by expresse and direct Repeale or by generall neglect and long continued disuse Dispensation is in respect of certaine persons times places and conditions of Men thinges so that a dispensation permitting the Law to retaine her wonted authority onely freeth some particular person or persons at some times in some places and in some condition of thinges from the necessity of doing or leauing vndone that which vnlesse it be in consideration of such particular circumstances the Law-giuer meant should be obserued but in such cases not so Heere the question is moued by occasion of that kinde of loosing which is by reuersing Lawes formerly in force whether God the giuer of the morall Law may revoke the same and dispense with men for the not doing of things there prescribed of the doing of things there forbidden The answere is that these Lawes are imposed vpon men by the very condition of their nature and creation as the very condition and nature of a man created by GOD requireth that he should honour loue feare and reuerence him that made him and therefore touching the precepts of the first Table that concerning the Sabaoth excepted it is cleare and euident that they cannot be altered nor Man by God himselfe discharged from the duty of honouring loving and fearing God so long as he hath any beeing Touching the precepts of the second Table it is resolued that GOD cannot dispense with man or giue him leaue to doe the thinges therein forbidden as to steale murther or lie For all these imply and involue in them that which is simply euill and to bee disliked but by some alteration in the doer or matter of action he may make that not to bee euill that otherwise would bee euill and consequently not forbidden as namely that to bee no theft or murther which otherwise would be as when hee commanded the Israelites to spoyle the Aegyptians they did not commit the act of robbery for robbery is the taking away of a thing from the owner against his will but these thinges which the Israelites tooke away were the Aegyptians no longer after God the supreme Lord had spoyled them of the title they had therevnto and assigned the same to the Israelites So likewise for one man to take away the life of another hauing no authority so to doe is murther and no man can be dispensed with lawfully to doe any such act but for a Magistrate to take away the life of an offender is a lawfull act and no act of murther and so if Abraham had slaine his sonne Isaac it had not beene murther being authorized so to doe by God who hath supreme authority in the world and may justly as a Iudge for sinne found in men take away the liues of whom he pleaseth and as supreme and absolute Lord bring all to nothing that for his wills sake he made of nothing though there were no sinne nor fault at all But touching Ceremoniall Iudiciall and Positiue Lawes of God concerning Sacraments and obseruations of what kinde soeuer seeing they are imposed after vpon the being of nature wee thinke that God may alter them at his pleasure so that at one time it may bee lawfull to doe that was forbidden at another The Gouernours that God hath set ouer his Church and people by commission from him may interprete what is doubtfull in these Lawes of God or in those of the other sort but yet according to the Law but they may not abrogate or dispense with any Law of God either naturall and morall or positiue established concerning the vse of Sacraments and things pertaining to Gods worship and seruice But concerning those Lawes that were made by the Apostles and Primitiue Fathers touching matters of outward obseruation the succeeding Guides of the Church may either dispense with them or reverse them vpon the due consideration of the difference of times Men and things And so wee see to whom it pertaineth to binde men with their lawes and to loose them from the bonds thereof The bond of sin which is the second kinde of those bonds I mentioned is two-fold for there is Vinculum captivitatis and Vinculum servitutis that is a man that is a sinner is so bound that hee can neither returne to doe good nor leaue off to doe euill for sinne holdeth him in a bond of captivitie that hee shall not returne to doe good and with a bond of seruitude that he shall not cease to doe euill And though God hath so ordered the nature of Man that hee who will doe euill shall thus bee entangled yet it is man that thus entangleth wrappeth and bindeth himselfe and not God But for the bond of eternall condemnation and the punishments following euill doers which is the third kinde of those bonds wherewith I shewed that men are tyed and bound it is of GOD. From these bonds of sin and punishment inflicted by GOD none but hee alone can free men by his fauour and the worke of his grace as the supreme and highest cause none but Christ by Merite Satisfaction The Ministers of the Church by the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments may convert Men to God instrumentally making them partakers of his graces bringing thē into such an estate wherein they shall be sure for Christs sake to finde mercie with GOD for the remission taking away of their sinnes They may pray for them and out of the knowledge of their estate assure them of remission But other power to vnloose and vntie these direfull horrible bonds of sinne and punishment they haue none only the punishments which they haue power to inflict they haue authoritie to diminish lessen or take away so that whom they bind with the bonds of Ecclesiasticall censures punishments those by the same authoritie they may vnloose For as the Guides of Gods Church may prescribe enjoyne and impose certaine actions of Mortification and penitentiall conversion vnto GOD so when they see cause they may release from the same as by
excommunication they may restraine from vse of Sacraments societie of Beleeuers and benefite of the Churches praiers so by Absolution they may free from all these bonds againe Neither is this kinde of binding and loosing lightly to bee esteemed of or little regarded for he that for his contempt and disobedience is debarred from the vfe of the Sacraments from enjoying the societie of the beleeuers and partaking in the benefite of the Churches prayers is vndoubtedly excluded from all accesse to the Throne of grace in Heauen all acceptation there so consequently no lesse bound in Heauen then in Earth and he that is vnloosed from these bonds on Earth is vnloosed and set free in Heauen that without all restraint he may goe boldly to the Throne of Grace to seeke helpe in the time of neede Thus wee see the diuerse kindes of binding and loosing that the Guides of Gods Church haue power and authority by Lawes and precepts censures and punishments to binde those that are committed to their care and trust and when they see cause by reuersing such Lawes and precepts wholly or in part and by diminishing releasing taking away such censures and punishments to vnty them and set them free againe The bond of Diuine Lawes they may no otherwise meddle with then by letting them know who are so bound how straightly they are tyed The bonds of sinne and punishments by Diuine Iustice to be inflicted they haue no power and authoritie to vnloose but they concurre as helpers to the vnloosing of them by the Ministery of the Word vvinning and persvvading men to convert vnto God to cast their sinnes from them and by the Sacraments instrumentally communicating vnto them the grace of repentant conversion and the assurance of remission and pardon In all these kindes of binding and loosing the Apostles were equall seeing our Aduersaries themselues confessing they had the same power of Order and jurisdiction in like extent within the compasse whereof all these kinds of binding and loosing are confined Wherefore let vs proceede to speake of the power of remitting and retaining sinnes giuen to the Apostles by Christ our Sauiour To remit sinne properly is nothing else but to resolue not to punish sinne and therefore hee onely may properly be sayd to remit sinne that hath power to punish it Now as sinne is committed against the prescript of God our Conscience and Men in authority soe GOD the conscience of the Sinner and the Magistrate and Minister haue power to punish sinne GOD with punishments temporall and eternall of this life and that which is to come the Conscience with remorse the Magistrate with death banishment Confiscation of goods imprisonment and the like and the guides of the Church with suspension excommunication degradation and such other censures Hence it followeth that GOD onely is sayd properly to remitte the punishments that his justice doth inflict that the conscience onely vpon repentance canne take away that bitter and aflictiue punishment of remorse wherewith shee is wont to torment and disquiet the minde of the offendour and that the Magistrate and Minister onely haue power to take away those punishments that in their seuerall courses they may and doe inflict Notwithstanding the Minister by the Word perswading men to repentance procuring remission and out of his prudent obseruation of the parties conuersion vnto GOD assuring him that it will goe well vvith him as also by the Sacrament instrumentally communicating to him as well the grace of repentant conuersion as of free remission that soe hee may heare the very sound and voyce of GOD in mercy saying to the heart and spirit of the repentant Sinner I am thy Saluation may bee sayd in a sort to remitte sinne euen in that it is an offence against GOD not by way of authority and power but by winning and perswading the sinner to that conuersion which obtaineth remission from GOD and by the Sacrament instrumentally making him partaker as well of the grace of remission of sinne from GOD as of conuersion from sinne to GOD. There are but foure things in the hand of the Minister the Word Prayer Sacraments and Discipline By the word of Doctrine hee frameth winneth and perswadeth the sinner to repentant conuersion seeking and procuring remission from God By Prayer he seeketh and obtaineth it for the sinner By Sacraments he instrumentally maketh him partaker as well of the grace of remission as conuersion And by the power of Discipline he doth by way of authority punish euill doings and remit or diminish the punishments he inflicteth according as the condition of the party may seeme to require By that which hath beene sayd it appeareth that to bind and loose to remit to retaine sins are equiualent the same saue that to bind and loose is of more ample large extent in that it implyeth in it the binding by precepts lawes the loosing which is by reversing or dispensing with the same And therefore hauing shewed that the Apostles were equall in the power ofbinding and loosing we need ad no farther proofe that they were equall in power of remitting retaining sins Wherefore let vs proceede to the promise of Christ made to Peter that vpon the Rocke mentioned by him he would build his Church and let vs see whether any peculiar thing were promised vnto Peter in that behalfe The Church of God we know is compared in Scripture to a City an House and a Temple and therefore the beginning proceeding and increasing of the same is rightly compared to building Now in building there must be a foundation vpon which all may rest and stay that is put into the same building and the foundation must be sure firme immoueable for otherwise it wall faile and so alll other parts of the building wanting their stay will fall to the ground Now nothing is so firme sure and immoueable as a Rocke and consequently no building so strōg as that which is raised vpon a rockie foundation wherevpon our Sauiour sheweth that a House builded on the sand is easily ruinated soone shaken to pieces but that an House builded vpon a rocke standeth firme notwithstanding the furie and violence of the flouds winds and tempests and compareth a Man rightly grounded and established in his perswasion and resolution to an house so built By a Rocke therefore in this place is meant a sure foundation that will not faile nor be moued or shaken how great a weight soeuer be laid vpon it In a foundation there are three things required The first is that it bee the first thing in the building the second that it beare vp all the other parts of the building the third that it be firme and immoueable For as Christ saith If the eye that is the light of the bodie be darknesse how great is that Darknesse So if that which is to support and beare vp all doe faile shrinke all must needs be shaken and fall a
sunder These being the things required in a foundation simply and absolutely in respect of all times persons and things Christ onely is that foundation vpon which the spirituall building of the Church is raised because he onely is that beginning whence all spirituall good originally floweth and commeth vpon whom all the perswasion of the truth of things revealed staieth it selfe as being the Angell of the great Couenant and that eternall Word that was with God in the beginning vpon whom all our hope confidence and expectation of any good groundeth it selfe all the promises of God being in him yea and Amen And in this sense the Apostle Saint Paul saith Other Foundation canne no man lay then that which is layd which is Iesus Christ. And S. Augustine and other of the Fathers vnderstand by that rocke vpon which our Sauiour promised Peter to build his Church the rocke that Peter confessed which rocke was Christ vpon which foundation euen Peter himselfe was builded for that other Foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Iesus Christ. But in respect of some particular times persons and things and in some particular and speciall considerations there are other things that may rightly bee named foundations also in respect of the spirituall building of the Church So in respect of the frame fabrique of vertue and weldoing raised in this building the first vertue namely Faith vpon which all other vertues doe stay themselues and from which they take the first direction that any vertue can giue is rightly named a foundation In respect of the forme of Christian doctrine the first principles of heauenly knowledge are rightly named a foundation Not laying againe saith the Apostle the foundation of faith and of repentance from dead workes of the doctrine of Baptismes of the imposition of hands of the resurrection of the dead and ofeternall iudgement let vs be led forward vnto perfection These first principles of heauenly knowledge are named a foundation because they are the first things that are knowen before which nothing can be knowen and because vpon the knowledge of these things all other parts of heavenly knowledge doe depend In respect of the confession of the true faith concerning Christ the first cleare expresse and perfect forme of confession that euer was made concerning the same may rightly be named a foundation and in this sense Peters faith and confession is by diuerse of the Fathers named the Churches foundation But they vnderstand not by the faith and confession of Peter either the vertue and quality of faith abiding in his heart and mind or the outward act of confessing but the forme of confession made by him when he said Thou art the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God vpon which forme as being the rule of all right beleeuing the Church of God is builded In respect of the supernaturall knowledge of God in Christ the first immediate reuelation made to the Apostles from whom all other were to learne and by whose Ministerie accompanied with all things that might winne credit they were to be gained vnto God may very rightly and justly be named a foundation vpon which the faith of all after-commers is to stay it selfe and from which in all doubts they must seeke resolution And in this sort Bellarmine saith truely that the Apostles may be named Foundations of the Church according to that description in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn of the wall of the citie of God that had 12. foundation-stones vpon which it was raised and in them written the names of the Lambes twelue Apostles and that of S. Paul that wee are builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Christ Iesus being the Head corner-stone And this in three respects First because the Apostles were the first that founded Churches and conuerted vnbeleeuers to the faith Secondly because their doctrine which they receiued immediatly from God by most vndoubted revelation without mixture of errour or danger of being deceiued is the rule of the faith of all aftercommers and that sure immoueable and rockie foundation vpon which the perswasion of all succeeding generations and posterities may and doth most securely stay and ground it selfe Thirdly because they were Heads Guides and Pastors of the whole vniuersall Church hauing not onely supreme but prime and originall gouernment of the same out of whose most large and ample commission all Ecclesiasticall power and authoritie of after-commers was in an inferiour degree and sort to bee deriued and taken In all these respects all the Apostles were that strong rocke and those strong rockie foundation-stones on which the Church is builded though in a peculiar sense Christ alone bee the Rocke and in all these respects as S. Hierome saith Super omnes ex aequo Ecclesiae fortitudo solidatur that is the strength and firmenesse of the Church doth equally indifferently stay it selfe vpon them all and consequently no more vpon Peter then any of the rest Hitherto we finde nothing peculiar to Peter and not common to all the Apostles so that all the allegations of our Adversaries touching the feeding of the Sheep of Christ committed to Peter the power of the keyes of binding and loosing of remitting and retaining sinnes and the promise that on him as on a rockie foundation-stone elect and precious Christ would build his Church are to no purpose seeing they are forced to confesse that all these things were likewise either by direct words or by intendment bestowed on all the rest Wherefore let vs see how notwithstanding this their confession they can make good that there was a primacie of power in Peter and how they goe about to confirme the same CHAP. 23. Of the primacie of power imagined by our Adversaries to haue beene in Peter and their defence of the same FOr the avoyding of the cleare evidence of the truth of all that which hath beene said touching the equalitie of the Apostles of Christ amongst thēselues which our Adversaries cannot but see acknowledge they haue two shifts The first that the Apostles were equall towards the people but not amongst themselues The second that they were equall in the Apostolique power but that Peter had that amplitude of power which the rest had as Apostles by speciall fauour and onely in for their own persons as an ordinary Pastour and in such sort that he might leaue the same to his Successors These their silly shifts evasions we will examine that so the truth of that which hath bin said be more fully cleared that all men may see perceiue that nothing can be substātially objected against it nor no evasiō foūd to avoid it Touching the first thing that they say it is an Axiome as I thinke that may not bee doubted of that whatsoeuer things are equall in respect of a third thing are in the same sort fo farre for equall amongst themselues So
that if the Apostles were equall in the respect they had to the people as gouernours of the same they were so far forth in that respect equall amongst thēselues But they will say perhaps that the Apostles were indeed equall amongst themselues in the power office of teaching directing guiding gouerning the Christian World but that yet amongst themselues there was an inequality one was superior had power ouer the rest not in respect of the acts of their office of teaching gouerning the world but in respect of their personall actions This surely is one of the strangest paradoxes that euer was heard of For who can imagine that God would trust the Apostles with the managing of the weightiest affaires of his Church the gouernment of the whole world without being any way accountant in respect thereof vnto any one amongst thē as superiour that he would appoint an head chief subject them to his censure in their personall actions Nay this is impossible cannot be For if in their office of teaching gouerning the rest of the Church they were equall could not therein be limited or restrained one by another then was there none amongst them that could put any of the rest from his office dignity and imployment Now it is most cleare and certaine that he who hath not power to suspend another from the execution of his office in the Church hath no power to suspend him frō the Sacraments or to excōmunicate him whatsoeuer his personall misdemeanours be For as to be a Minister of the Church presupposeth to bee a member of it soe to be put from being a member of the Church implyeth and presupposeth a putting from all office and dignity in the Church soe that there neither was nor could bee any amongst the Apostles that had power to put any of the rest out of the Church or to suspend them from the vse of the Sacraments seeing there was none found amongst them that had authority to limit restraine or debarre any of the rest from the execution of his office and therefore all that any one of them could do in respect of another was but to admonish him vpon his rejecting of such admonitions to refuse to communicate with him which thing any one may doe in an absolute equality as well as when one is superiour to another as we see by the example of Paul reprouing Peter and resisting him to his face and likewise by that of Paul and Barnabas parting the one from the other vpon such dislikes and differences as grew betweene them Wherefore I suppose our Aduersaries will not much insist vpon this their first shift and evasion Let vs see therefore if their second be any better It is true say they that all power Ecclesiasticall and all degrees of the same are included and implyed in the Apostolique office and dignity that the Apostles as Apostles were all equall and consequently that there was no one amongst the Apostles but in his time had as much to doe in gouerning of the Church as Peter without receiuing any thing from him or being any way subiect to his controule and to be restrained limited or directed by him But this amplitude of power whicch all the Apostles had in common the rest had onely for themselues and as a personall priuiledge that was to end with them but Peter had the same in such sort that he might leaue it to to his Successours Soe that that power which in the rest was Apostolique and temporary and to end with them was ordinary Pastorall and perpetuall in Peter and to be deriued from him to his Successours and after-commers Surely this second evasion will be found much worse then the first for it is absurd to say that Peter left all the dignity and Ecclesiasticall power he had in common with the rest of the Apostles to his successours for then all Popes should be immediately chosen by God not by the Cardinals then should they all be consecrated and ordained immediately by Christ not by Bishops then should they all see Christ in the flesh then should they all haue power to write bookes of Canonicall Scripture and be free from danger of erring whensoeuer they either preach or write for so the Apostles were yea then should they confirme their doctrine by miracles and giue the Holy Ghost by imposition of their Hands Whereas yet noe Pope dareth challenge any one of these preeminences If they say that all the dignity and power that was in the Apostles vvas not ordinary Pastorall and perpetuall in Peter and soe to be passed ouer to his Successours but some part of it onely it is just nothing they say For then this is all that they affirme that some part of that dignity and power that was in Peter is in Peters Successours and so there is in the silliest Priest in the world But they will say immediate vocation the seeing of Christ in the flesh infallibility of judgment power to write Canonicall bookes of Scripture and the confirmation of doctrine by miracles together with the giuing of the holy Ghost by imposition of hands were fitting to the first beginnings of Christianity and not of perpetuall necessity and vse and therefore to cease after things were established but that vniversality of jurisdiction and a kind of infallibility of judgment are perpetually necessarie and therefore these were to passe from Peter to others though the rest of the Apostolique preeminences were not Thus then first they amplifie the excellent dignities of Peter as if the rest had not had the like but being conuinced that hee had nothing the rest had not they make shew as if they would proue that the Apostle S. Peter had all those things in such sort that hee might leaue them to his Successours which the rest had as personall priuilidges onely because hee is described to be a Pastour of the Church in that CHRIST sayth vnto him Feed my sheepe and the office of a Pastour is of perpetuall necessity But being vrged that there are many excellent dignities found in Peter and the rest that are not communicable to any other as immediate vocation seeing of CHRIST in the flesh absolute infallibilitie in word and writing speaking in diuerse tongues power to doe miracles and power to giue the visible giftes of the holy Ghost by the imposition of hands they confesse that precisely Peters being a Pastour of the Christian Church will not proue that anie dignitie of his mentioned in the Scripture is perpetuall pastorall and to continue for euer vnlesse the necessity of the perpetuity of it bee made to appeare otherwise Whence it will follow that they cannot proue that any speciall preeminences in Peter which hee had in common with the rest as namely infallibility of judgment and vniuersality of Iurisdiction were Pastorall and perpetuall in him and to bee passed from him to his after-commers and thereby entitle the Pope vnto them For
to him THAT there was no more power and authoritie in Peter then in any of the rest I hope it appeareth by that which hath beene said and therefore it remaineth that now wee examine what was the reason why so many thinges were specially spoken to him why so many wayes hee may seeme to haue beene preferred before the rest and what in trueth and in deede his preeminence and primacie was Touching the speeches of Christ for the most part specially directed to Peter it is most certaine by that which hath beene said that they did giue no singular and speciall power to Peter that was not giuen to euery of the rest And therefore the Diuines doe obserue the difference of the speeches of Christ and note that Christ sometimes directed his speech to particular men precisely in their owne persons as in the remission of sinnes healing the sicke and raising the dead sometimes in the person of all or many others as when he saith Goe and sinne no more which hee is intended to haue done so often as there is the same reason of speaking a thing to one and to others as when a man is induced to doe or not to doe a thing to beleeue or not to beleeue a thing which other in like sort are bound to doe or not to doe to beleeue or not to beleeue as well as hee So it being as necessary for one to watch as another Christ saith That I say vnto you I say vnto all Watch. And so here seeing it is confessed and proued by our Aduersaries themselues that there was nothing promised or performed to Peter that was not in like sort intended vnto and bestowed on euery of the rest it must be graunted that what he spake to him he meant to all and would haue his words so vnderstood and taken The reason why more specially notwithstanding this his generall intendment he directed his speech to Peter then to any of the rest was either because he was more auncient and more ardent in charitie then the rest thereby to signifie what manner of men they should be that should be chosen Pastours of the Church namely men of ripe age and confirmed judgement and full of charitie or lest hee might seeme to bee despised for his deniall of Christ which the Glosse seemeth to import when it saith Trinae negationi redditur trina confessio ne minus amori lingua seruiat quám timori that is Therefore he was induced by Christ thrice solemnly to protest and professe his loue vnto him as he had thrice denied him that his tongue might shew it selfe no lesse seruiceable vnto loue that rested in him then it had done vnto feare or else because he first confessed Christ to bee the Sonne of the liuing God consubstantiall with his Father because he was much conuersant with Christ and acquainted with his secrets counsels or lastly because Christ meant there should bee a certaine order amongst the guides of his Church and some to whom the rest in all places should resort in all matters of importance as to such as are more honourable then other of the same ranke degree who are first to be consulted from whom all actions must take their beginning therefore he so specially spake to Peter whom hee meant in this sort to set before the rest Thus then there is a primacie of power when one hath power to doe that act of ministerie another hath not or not without his consent and when one may by himselfe limite restraine or hinder another in the performance of the acts of ministery and such primacie wee haue shewed not to haue beene in Peter But there is another of order honour which he had whereby he had the first place the first and best employment the calling together of the rest in cases where a concurrence of many was required as for the better sorting out of the worke they had in hand the ioynt decreeing of things to be euery where alike beleeued and practised and in these assemblies thus called the sitting speaking first the moderation and direction of each mans speaking and the publishing and pronouncing of the conclusion agreed vpon if so he pleased In this sense Cyprian saith Erant vtique caeteri Apostoli quod fuit Petrus pari consortio praediti honoris potestatis fed exordium ab vnitate proficiscitur that is The other Apostles doubtlesse were that which Peter was hauing the same fellowship both of power and honour but the beginning proceedeth from vnity that the Church may be shewed to be one And in the same sense Hierome saith against Iouinian Thou wilt say the Church is founded vpon Peter it is true it is so and yet in another place the same frame of the Church is raised vpon all the Apostles and all receiue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and the firmenesse of the Church stayeth it selfe equally vpon them all but therefore doth Christ more specially promise to build his Church vpon Peter that hee being constituted and appointed head chiefe amongst them all occasion of Schisme might bee taken away To the same purpose it is that Leo writeth to Anastasius where hee saith Inter beatissimos Apostolos in similitudine honor is fuit quaedam discretio potestatis cum omnium par esset electio vni tamen datum est vt caeteris preemineret that is Amongst the most blessed Apostles like in honour there was a certaine difference of power and when all were equally elected yet it was giuen to one to haue a preeminence amongst the rest In which saying of Leo that it bee not contrary to that of Cyprian who saith that the Apostles were companions and consorts equall both in honour power wee must not vnderstand that one Apostle had more power then another or that power another had not but that in the same power one was so before the rest that hee was the partie to whom they were to resort and without consulting whom first and before all other they might attempt nothing generally concerning the state of the whole Church by vertue of this power In which sense he saith in another place Petro praecaeteris soluendi ligandi tradita est potestas that is The power of binding and loosing was so giuen to Peter that therein hee was before the rest and againe Siquid cum eo commune caeteris Christus voluit esse principibus nunquam nisi per ipsum Petrum dedit quicquidaliis non negavit that is If Christ would haue any thing to be common to the rest of the Princes that is Apostles with Peter he neuer gaue that which he vouchsafed vnto them any otherwise then as by Peter which words must not so bee vnderstood as if Peter had first receiued the fulnesse of power and others from him for all the Apostles receiued their power and commission immediatly from Christ not from Peter as I haue largely
contrary side there are so many examples proposed that it ought not so to be done With Clemens Alexandrinus and Optatus Hierome agreeth who vpon the 44. of Ezekiel saith in expresse words that Priests must neither nourish their haire nor be shaued but so polled that their skinne may still remaine hid and couered and Bellarmine himselfe confesseth that Dionysius Epiphanius Hierome Athanafius Palladius Augustine Isidore Bede and the Councels of Carthage Toledo doe speake of tonsure onely and neuer mention rasure and that the Epistle of Anicetus the Pope alledged for rasure is not indubitate What then will the Cardinall bring for defence of the contrary custome now prevayling in the Church of Rome and what will he answer to these authorities of the ancient We reprehend not saith he the customes of those times neither do they of those times condemne our obseruation For howsoeuer tonsure and not rasure was anciently vsed yet were not they of the Clergie forbidden to vse rasure or to shaue their heads A strange answer of so great a Rabbi and contrary to that he knoweth to be vndoubtedly true For Optatus directly condemneth rasure as wee haue heard and Hierome writing vpon the 44 of Ezekiel hath these words Quod autem sequitur Caput autem suū non radent neque comam nutrient sed tondentes attondebunt capita sua perspicuè demonstratur nec rasis capitibus sicut Sacerdotes cultoresque Isidis atque Serapis nos esse debere nec rursum comam dimittere quod propriè luxuriosorum est barbarorumque militantium c. That is that which followeth They shall not shaue their heads nor let their haire grow long but polling they shall polle their heads doeth clearely demonstrate that wee should neither shaue our heads like the Priests and worshippers of Isis and Serapis nor on the other side let our haire grow long as wantons barbarous men and Souldiers are wont to doe that that which is fitting honest and seemely may appeare in the faces of the Priests The Septnagint reade the wordes of the Prophet somewhat otherwise in this sort They shall not shaue their heads nor cut their haire too neere sed operientes operient capitasua that is but hiding they shall hide their heads whereby wee learne that wee must neither make our selues bald by shauing nor cut the haire of our heads so neere as if wee were shauen but let our haire grow so that the skinne may be hid couered These are the words of Hierome whereby it appeareth that the absurd and ridiculous ceremony of the Romanists in shauing the heads of those of their Clergie is condemned by the Fathers and that Bellarmine speaketh against his owne conscience when hee sayth the contrary Wherefore ceasing any longer to insist vpon the refutation of the absurditie of so ridiculous a ceromonie and leauing those inferiour orders and degrees of Ministerie in the Church of God wherein men in auncient times were trained vp vnder the rules of strict and seuere gouernment discipline and fitted for higher and greater employments let vs come to the office of the Deacons The office of Bishops Presbyters was from Christs owne immediate institution but the institution of Deacons was from the Apostles as Cyprian deliuereth These the Bishop alone may ordaine neither is it necessarie that other impose their hands with him as in the ordination of Presbyters seeing they are consecrated onely to bee assistants to the Bishop Presbyters not admitted into the fellowship of the same power and order with them The Deacons according to the intendment of their first institution were to take care of the poore and the treasure of the Church and therevpon Chrysostome and after him the Fathers of the sixth generall Councell doe thinke they were not the same wee now haue ours being busied in other affaires of the Church But I am of opinion that they were the same and that the end of their first institution being principally to ease the Apostles of the care of prouiding for the poore and to take the charge of the Church-treasure when the treasure of the Church encreasing was committed to certaine Stewards and the poore otherwise provided for they were more specially vsed for the assisting of the Bishoppe and Presbyters in things pertaining to Gods seruice and worship Whereupon wee shall finde in some cases they might baptize reconcile penitents preach and doe sundry other things pertaining to the office of the Bishop and Presbyters That in some cases they might baptize u Tertullian witnesseth That they might reconcile penitents wee haue the authoritie of Saint Cyprian That they might preach wee haue the testimony of Saint z Gregory And that they assisted the Bishops and Presbyters in ministring the Sacrament of the Lords body and bloud and ministred the cup it appeareth by Cyprian And hereupon Hierome amplifieth the dignity of them exceedingly shewing that for avoyding presumption the Presbyters may not take the cup of the Lord from the holy Table vnlesse it be deliuered vnto them by the Deacons These are they saith hee of whom we reade in the Revelation Septem Angeli Ecclesiarum hi sunt septem candelabra aurea hi sunt voces tonitruorum virtutum operatione praeclari humilitate praediti quieti Euangelizantes pacem annunciantes bona dissentiones rixas scandala resecare docentes soli Deo colloquentes in templo nihil penitus de mundo cogitantes dicentes Patri Matri non noui vos filios suos non agnoscentes Sine his Sacerdos nomen non habet ortum non habet officium non habet that is These are the seauen Angels of the Churches these are the seauen golden Candlestickes these are the voyces of the thunders these are renowned for the operation of vertues humble quiet preaching peace publishing good things teaching how to cut away dissentions brawles and scandals communing with God alone in his holy temple hauing no thought of the world saying to Father and Mother I know you not and not acknowledging their own sons without these the priest hath not the name not the beginning not the office of a Priest And a litle after he addeth Sacerdotibus etiam propter praesumptionem non licet de mensa Domini calicem tollere nisi eis traditus fuerit à Diaconis Leuitae componunt mensam Domini Leuitae Sacerdotibus cum Sacramenta benedicunt assistunt Leuitae ante Sacerdotes orant vt aures habeamus ad Dominum Diaconus acclamat that is Euen the Priests themselues for the auoiding of presumption must not take the holy cup from off the Table of the Lord vnlesse it be deliuered to them by the Deacons The Deacons or Leuites prepare the Table of the Lord and make all things ready on the same The Leuites assist the Priests when they blesse and sanctifie the sacramentall elements The Leuites pray before the Priests The Deacon crieth out aloud vnto vs to open our eares and
leaders which they follow the Bees haue their King the Cranes fly after one in order like an Alphabet of letters there is but one Emperour one Iudge of a Prouince Rome newly built could not endure two brethren to bee Kings together and therefore was dedicated in parricide Esau Iacob were at warre in the wombe of Rebeccah euery Church hath her owne Bishop her owne Arch-presbyter her owne chiefe Deacon and all Ecclesiasticall order consisteth herein that some doe rule and direct the rest In a shippe there is but one that directeth the helme In a house or family there is but one master And to conclude in an armie if it be neuer so great yet the direction of one Generall is expected Thus then all confesse that there alwayes hath beene and must be in each Church a preëminence of one aboue the rest of the Presbyters of the same but some thinke this preëminence should be onely a priority of order in sitting before in propounding things to be thought of and in moderating the whole action of deliberation and that all things should be swayed by voyces the President or Bishop hauing no voyce negatiue or affirmatiue but as the maior part shall direct him Likewise this presidencie they thinke should bee but annuall or to end with the action about which they meete whether it be to determine a doubt to ordaine a Minister or to doe any other such like thing This new conceipt wee cannot approue of because wee finde no patterne of any such Bishop or President in all antiquity But the Fathers describe vnto vs such a Bishop as hath eminent and peerelesse power without whose consent the Presbyters canne doe nothing Hence haue heresies sprung and schismes arisen sayth Cyprian because one Priest in the Church is not acknowledged for the time to bee Iudge in Christs steed to whom if all the brethren would be subiect according to the diuine directions no man would after the diuine iudgements after the suffrages of the people after the consent of other Bishops make himselfe Iudge not of the Bishop but of God Let the Presbyter saith Ignatius doe nothing without the Bishop The Bishop saith Hierome must haue an eminent and peerelesse power or else there will be as many schismes in the Church as there are Priests And Tertullian sheweth that without the Bishops leaue and consent no Presbyter may baptize minister any Sacrament or doe any ministeriall act So that it is most cleare and euident that the Bishop in each Church is aboue and before the rest of the Presbyters of the same not in order onely but in degree also and power of Iurisdiction Yet on the other side we make not the power of Bishops to be Princely as Bellarmine doth but Fatherly so that as the Presbyters may doe nothing without the Bishop so he may doe nothing in matters of greatest moment and consequence without their presence and aduice Wherevpon the Councell of Carthage voideth all sentences of Bishops which the presence of their Clergie confirmeth not and euen vnto this day they haue no power to alienate lands and to doe some such like things without the concurrence and consent of the Presbyters of the Cathedrall and great Church It is therefore most false that Bellarmine hath that Presbyters haue no power of Iurisdiction and the proofe he bringeth of this his assertion most weake when he alledgeth that all Councels both generall and prouinciall wherein Iurisdiction is most properly exercised were celebrated and holden by Bishops as if Presbyters had had nothing to doe therein For it is most cleare and euident that in all prouinciall Synodes Presbyters did sit giue voyce and subscribe as well as Bishops And howsoeuer in generall councels none did giue voyce but Bishops alone yet those Bishops that were present bringing the resolution and consent of the prouinciall Synodes of those Churches from whence they came in which Synodes Presbyters had their voyces they had a kinde of consent to the decrees of generall Councells also and nothing was passed in them without their concurrence Thus were things moderated in the primitiue ages of the Church and though Bishops had power ouer Presbyters yet was it so limited that there was nothing bitter or grieuous in it nothing but that which was full of sweetnesse and content For if any difference grew betweene the Bishop and his Presbyters the Presbyters might not iudge their Bishop whom they were to acknowledge to be a Iudge in Christs stead but an appeale lay vnto a prouinciall Synode to which not onely the Bishops of the prouinces were to come but a certaine number of Presbyters also out of each Church to sit as Iudges of such differences Neither might the Bishop of himselfe alone depriue degrade or put from their office and dignity the Presbyters and Deacons of his Church but if there were any matter concerning a Presbyter he was to joyne vnto him fiue other Bishops of the prouince and if any matter concerning a Deacon two other Bishops before he might proceede to giue sentence against Presbyter or Deacon The causes of other inferiour Cleargie-men the Bishop might heare and determine himselfe alone without the concurrence and presence of other Bishops but not without the concurrence of his owne Cleargie without whose presence no sentence of the Bishop was of force but judged and pronounced voide by the canon Touching the preheminence of Bishops aboue Presbyters there is some difference among the Schoole-Diuines For the best learned amongst them are of opinion that Bishops are not greater then Presbyters in the power of consecration or order but only in the exercise of it and in the power of Iurisdiction seeing Presbyters may preach and minister the greatest of all Sacraments by vertue of their consecration and order as well as Bishops Touching the power of consecration or order saith Durandus it is much doubted of among Diuines whether any be greater therein then an ordinarie Presbyter For Hierome seemeth to haue beene of opinion that the highest power of consecration or order is the power of a Priest or elder so that euery Priest in respect of his priestly power may minister all Sacraments confirme the baptized giue all orders all blessings and consecrations but that for the avoiding of the perill of schisme it was ordained that one should be chosen who should bee named a Bishop to whom the rest should obey and to whom it was reserued to giue orders and to doe some such other things as none but Bishops doe And afterwards hee saith that Hierome is clearely of this opinion not making the distinction of Bishops from Presbyters a meere humane invention or a thing not necessary as Aerius did but thinking that amongst them who are equall in the power of order and equally enabled to doe any sacred act the Apostles for the avoyding of schisme and confusion and the preseruation of vnity peace and order ordained that in each Church
same resistance yet they were forced in the end to giue way to the exaltation of the Constantinopolitane Church so that after the time of Iustinian the Emperour they neuer made any more words about this matter Whereby we see that to be true of Hierome Orbis maior est vrbe that is The world is greater then any one city of the world though Rome it selfe The Church of Hierusalem as being the place of Christs passion whence the preaching of the Gospell tooke beginning was euer much honoured yet was it not so much as a Metropolitane Church at the first but the B Clergy there of were subiect to the Bishop of Caesarea as their Metropolitane the Bishop of Antioch as their Patriarch as Hierome writing to Pammachius against Iohn of Hierusalem testifieth And thereupon Leo writing to Maximus Bishop of Antioch blameth Iuuenall Bishop of Hierusalem for seeking to subiect Palaestina to himselfe chargeth him with insolent boldnesse for that attempt But the Fathers of the fifth generall Councell thought good to honour the Church of Hierusalem where Christ suffered and rose againe from death and therefore whereas the Bishoppe thereof had formerly but a bare title and a preeminence in sitting before other they made him a Patriarch in order the fifth and that hee might haue Metropolitanes subject vnto him they tooke some parts of the Diocese of Alexandria and Antioche from the Bishops of those Churches and put them vnder him So that now we haue fiue Patriarches of the Christian Church Touching these the eighth generall Councell taketh order that no man shall offer any indignity to any of them To these they were wont to wish all prosperitie and long life in the conclusion of their Councels Without these no Councell was holden to bee full and perfect These might convocate the Metropolitanes of their seuerall divisions and holde a Patriarchicall Councell which was of greater authoritie then either those in the seuerall provinces or of a whole Nation formerly mentioned because it consisted of more and more honourable Bishops yet had the Patriarches no greater authoritie ouer the Metropolitanes within their larger circuites then the Metropolitanes within their lesser compasse These were by the order of the eighth generall Councell to confirme the Metropolitanes subject vnto them either by imposition of hands or giuing the Pall but inferiour Bishops they might not meddle with but were to leaue them to the ordering of their Metropolitanes CHAP. 32. How the Pope succeedeth Peter what of right belongeth to him and what it is that he vniustly claimeth VVE deny not but that blessed Peter had a kinde of primacie of honour and order that in respect thereof as all Metropolitanes doe suceede him as being greater then other Bishops in honour and place so the Patriarches yet more specially and amongst them the Romane Bishops in the first place We will not therefore put our Adversaries to so much paines as some other haue done to proue that Peter was at Rome that he dyed there and that the Bishop of Rome succeedeth him But this is it which we say that he succeeded him in the Bishopricke of that Citie and in the honour of being one of the prime Bishops of the world as the Bishops of Alexandria and Antioche likewise did but not in the condition of being vniversall Bishop that is such a one in whom all Episcopall power and authority is originally invested from whom it is deriued to others and who may limite and restraine the vse of it in other as seemeth good vnto himselfe Por Peter was not such an Apostle but had only a joint commission with the rest who were put into it immediatly by Christ as well as he though hee were in some sort the first man in it We deny not therefore to the Romane Bishop his due place among the prime Bishops of the World if therewith he will rest contented but vniuersall Bishop in sort before expressed we dare by no meanes admit him to be knowing right well that euery Bishop hath in his place and keeping his owne standing power and authority immediatly from Christ which is not to be restrained or limited by any but by the company of Bishops wherein though one be chiefe for order sake and to preserue vnity in such sort that all things must take their beginning from him yet he can do nothing without them The Bishop of Constantinople as I haue alreadie noted in the time of the second generall Councell obtained to be one of the foure Patriarches by reason of the greatnes of his Church and citie and in the fourth holden at Chalcedon to haue equall priviledges with the Bishop of Rome but not contenting himselfe long with this equality soone after he sought to be aboue him and would be called vniversall Bishop seeking thereby to subiect to himselfe all other Bishops and Churches in which proud claime he was resisted by Gregory the 1 who professeth that whosoeuer assumeth this title ouerthroweth the dignity honour of all other Bishops in his pride is like Lucifer may rightly be thought to be a fore-runner of Antichrist Paul the Apostle saith Greg. when he heard certain men say I am of Paul I am of Apollo I of Cephas trembling quaking exceedingly to heare and see this tearing and renting asunder of the Lords body through which his members joyned themselues in companies factiously vnto other heads cryed out aloud saying Was Paul crucified for you or were yee baptized in the name of Paul In such sort therefore did hee decline the particular subiecting of the members of the Lords body to certaine Heads as it were besides Christ yea though they were the Apostles themselues And what wilt thou be able to answere to Christ the Head of the vniuersall Church in the tryall of the last Iudgement which goest about by assuming the title of vniuersall Bishoppe to put vnder thy selfe all the members of his mysticall body Who is it I pray thee whom thou proposest to thy selfe for imitation in taking to thee so perverse a title but hee who despising the Legions of Angells joyned with him in society as companions sought to climbe vp aboue them to the heighth of singularity that neither hee might seeme to bee vnder any nor any might bee found ouer whom hee was not who also said I will ascend into heauen I will exalt my throne aboue the Starres of heauen I will sit in the mountaine of the testament in the sides of the North I will ascend aboue the heighth of the cloudes and will bee like vnto the most high For what are thy brethren all the Bishoppes of the vniuersall Church but the starres of Heauen whose life and tongue or speech doe shine in the midst of the sinnes and errours of men as it were in the midst of the darkenesse of the night whose name and honour while thou seemest to trample vnder thy feete in that thou seekest by this title
in brotherly sort wished the Bishop of Antioch to resist heretiques and to let him vnderstand of the state of the Churches and to be a consort of the Apostolique See in this care to see that the priuiledges of the third See were not deminished by any mans ambition assuring him that whensoeuer he will do any thing for the aduancing of the dignity of the See of Antioch he also will be ready to concurre with him In all which passages betweene Leo and the Bishop of Antioch there is nothing found that hath any shew of proofe of the Popes supremacie Fourthly we say that Cyrill the Patriarch of Alexandria besought Leo to giue noe consent to the attempts of Iuuenall Bishop of Hierusalem seeking to prejudice the Church of Antioch to subject Palaestina to himselfe but that he besought Leo not to permit nor suffer Palaestina to be taken from Antioch and subjected to the Church of Hierusalem as if the whole power of permitting or hindring this thing had rested in Leo is but the false report of the Cardinall according to his wonted manner of misse-alleaging authors for the the aduantage of his cause So that the disposition of this matter rested not wholly in Leo but his concurrence with the Bishops of Antioch and Alexandria was necessary for the withstanding of the attempts of Iuuenall which his concurrence and helpe hee promised the Bishop of Antioch as we haue already heard and was euer ready to yeeld the same vnto him Fiftly we say that Leo did not command Dioscorus the Patriarch of Alexandria but whereas the manner was when the Patriarches were first elected ordained that they should mutually consent one to another and that hee who was newly ordained should send vnto the rest his Synodall letters and testimonies of his lawfull election and ordination Dioscorus being newly elected appointed Patriarch of Alexandria sendeth his Synodall letters to Leo Bishop of Rome that so he might giue his consent receiue embrace him as his fellow Patriarch Leo that these beginnings of Dioscorus might be more sure and firme nothing wanting to perfection fatherly as more ancient and brotherly as of the same ranke with him putting him in mind of some differences betweene their two Churches about the time of the ordination of Ministers and for that it seemed not likely vnto him that Marke the scholler of Peter tooke any other order in this behalfe then Peter did saith vnto him Wee will haue you to obserue that which our Fathers euer obserued making this a condition of the allowance consent he was to yeeld vnto him and vrging the practice of the Apostles sayth hee shall do well if obeying these Apostolicall institutions he shall cause that forme of ordination to be kept in the Churches ouer which God hath set him which is obserued in the Churches of the West that Ministers of the Church may be ordained onely on the Lords day on which day the creation of the world was begun in which Christ rose in which death was destroyed and life after which there is no death tooke beginning in which the Apostles receaued frō the Lord the trūpet of preaching the Gospel the ministration of the Sacrament of regeneration Sixtly we say that Leo intermedleth in the Churches of Africa and requireth some ordained contrary to the Canons to be put from their places tollerateth others and willeth the cause of Lupicinus a Bishop who had appealed vnto him to be heard there because he was Patriarch of the West and these parts of Africa were within his Patriarchship and that yet this his intermedling in so particular sort with the affaires of the Africane Churches was not very pleasing vnto those of Africa as shall appeare by that which followeth Lastly we say that the Church of Rome was the head of all Churches in the sence before expressed and had a presidence of order and honour amongst them and had in that sort as Leo truly saith more subject to it then euer were vnder the Romane Empire but vnder any absolute supreme commanding power of the Church of Rome they were not But saith Bellarmine if the former testimonies of Leo be auoided there is one more yet behind so cleare and full for the supremacie of the Pope that nothing can be sayd in answere vnto it in his Epistle to Anastasius Bishop of Thessalonica His words are these Amongst the most blessed Apostles like in honour there was a certaine difference and distinction of power and whereas they were equally chosen yet notwithstanding it was giuen to one of them to haue a preeminence amongst the rest from which forme the distinctiō and difference that is amongst Bishops hath taken beginning and by a most wise disposition it hath beene prouided that all without difference shall not challenge all vnto thēselues but that there should be in seuerall prouinces seuerall Bishops whose sentence judgment should be first and chiefe amongst the brethren and againe certaine other constituted and placed in greater cities who might take the care of more then the former by whom the care of the whole Church might flow vnto that one seate of Peter and nothing any where might dissent from the head These words truely make a goodly shew and may seeme most strongly to proue the supremacie that the Popes now challenge but in very deede they most powerfully ouerthrow it For the Bishops of Rome will neuer be perswaded in proportionable sort as is expressed in the words of Leo to challenge no more in respect of the whole Church then the Metropolitane Bishops doe in respect of their Provinces and the Patriarches in respect of their Churches of a larger extent For then they must doe nothing but accordingly as they shall bee swayed by the major part of the voyces of the Bishops of the Christian Church For the Metropolitane may doe nothing in his province nor the Patriarch in his larger extent but as they shall be directed swayed by the major part of the voices of their Bishops and yet surely the meaning of Leo was not to giue so much to the Bishop of Rome in respect of all Christian Bishops as pertaineth to the Metropolitanes and Patriarches in respect of their Bishops For the Metropolitane is to ordaine the Bishops of the Province and the Patriarch to ordaine and confirme the Metropolitanes by imposition of hands or mission of the Pall but the Pope neuer had any such power in respect of the Patriarches who were onely to send their Synodall Epistles to him testifying their faith as he likewise to them without expecting any other confirmation then that mutuall consent whereby one of them assured of the right faith and lawfull ordination of another receiued and embraced each other as fellowes and colleagues So that that care of the vniversall Church which Leo saith floweth together and commeth vp to that one chaire of Peter is to be vnderstood only in respect of things concerning the common faith
haue bin attempted sought by the Bishops of Constantinople that liued in his time But granting that Gregory did so write that Eusebius a B. of Constantinople did acknowledge his Church to be subject to the See of Rome yet he meant nothing else thereby but that it was an inferiour See and so subject in such sort as I haue declared the inferiour Sees to be subject to the superiour which subjection will no way proue the supremacie that the Popes now claime Fourthly that Gregory doth not say that the Bishop of Constantinople acknowledged himselfe subject to the Bishop of Rome For it was not Primas Byzanzenus the Primate of Byzantium that Gregory reporteth to haue confest himselfe subject to the Bishop of Rome and whose cause the Emperour commanded Gregory to heare but Primas Byzanzenus that is the Primate of the Byzazene prouince of Africa So that this confession of the Primate mentioned by Gregory brought to proue that the Bishop of Rome had a commanding power ouer the Bishop of Constantinople is meerly mistaken by Bellarmine as it was before him by Gratian. But some man wil say howsoeuer there be a mistaking of this allegation yet it is strong and forcible to proue the thing intended For Gregory saith expressely that howsoeuer all Bishops in respect of humility be equall yet there is no Bishop but if he be found faulty is subject to the See of Rome That this saying of Gregory may be foūd true certaine limitations must be added vnto it For the Bishop of Rome might not immediatly punish euery Bishop that he found to offend nor vpon appeale take notice of the faults and misdemeanours of all Bishops but the Councell of Chalcedon ordereth that if any inferiour Clergy-man haue ought against another inferiour Clerke the matter shall be heard and determined by the Bishop or such as with the liking of the Bishop shall by the parties be chosen arbitratours and if he go against their determination hee shall be punished If a Clerke haue ought against his owne or another Bishop it shall be inquired of in the audience of the Synode of the Prouince If either Clerke or Bishoppe haue ought against the Metropolitane of the prouince hee shall goe to the Primate of the Diocese or to the throne and See of the Regall citty of Constantinople This Canon of the great Councell of Chalcedon was confirmed by the decree of Iustinian the Emperour If any man sayth the Emperour accuse a Bishop for whatsoeuer cause let the cause be judged by the Metropolitane and if any man gainsay the Metropolitane let the matter be referred to the Arch-bishop and Patriarch of that Diocese and let him end it according to the canons and Lawes So that wee see the Bishops of Rome might not intermedle in judging inferiour Bishops subject to other Patriarches neither immediatly nor vpon complaint and appeale whatsoeuer their faults be but they haue other supreme Iudges who haue power finally to determine such matters and from whom there lyeth noe appeale This canon of the Councell of Chalcedon and the Emperours decree confirming the same Gregorie alleageth and alloweth onely adding that if there be no Metropolitane or Patriarch such things as otherwise should be finally determined and ended by them are to be brought to the Bishop of Rome Wherefore it seemeth that Gregory speaketh of the Bishops within his owne Patriarchship whom sometimes he calleth his own Bishops when he sayth there is no Bishop but if he be found faulty is subject to the See of Rome Of these hee speaketh when he sayth I impute it to my sinnes that my owne Bishops should thus despise me And againe if the causes of bishops committed to mee be thus dealt with alas what shall I doe And in this sense he willeth Iohn of Palermo to whom hee sendeth a Pall not to suffer the reuerence of the Apostolique See to be troubled by any mans presumption for that the state of the members is then entire and safe when the canons are kept and no iniurie hurteth the head of the faith not naming the Church of Rome the head of the Faith for that the Bishop of Rome hath an infallible iudgment and absolute command in matters of faith vpon which all the world must depend as some ignorantly construe him but because it was the head that is the beginning and wel-spring whence the doctrine of Faith the knowledge of GOD and all Christian institution flowed to sundry other Churches which therefore are in a sort to depend on it to haue recourse to it and to hold conformity with it No other faith Innocentius established and founded the Churches of Italy France Germany Spaine Africke and the Isles that lye betweene but Peter and his Successours and therefore the Bishoppes of these Churches must keepe such obseruations as the Romane Church from which they tooke their beginnning receiued from the Apostles ne caput institutionum omittere videantur that is Lest they seeme to forsake the Head well-spring of all the institutions and ordinances they haue This is the reason why the Churches of these parts haue beene so subiect to the Church of Rome namely for that from thence they receiued the light of Christian knowledge but to all Churches it is not an head in this sort seeing they receiued the faith not from Rome but from some other Apostolicall Church as Antioche or Alexandria CHAP. 35. Of the pretended proofes of the Popes supremacie produced and brought out of the writings of the Greeke Fathers HAuing examined the proofes they bring for confirmation of the Popes supremacie out of Councels and the writings of ancient Bishops of Rome let vs come to the testimonies of the Fathers Greeke and Latine The first that they produce amongst the Greeke Fathers is Ignatius who writeth to the Holy Church which hath the presidence in the Region of the Romans or sitteth before other in the Region of the Romans from which wordes nothing can be inferred that wee euer doubted of For wee most willingly confesse the Romane Church to haue beene in order and honour the first and chiefest of all Churches and he saith nothing out of which any other thing may be concluded The next is Irenaeus who being to shew against Heretiques that the Tradition of the Church is against them and for him and thinking it very tedious to run through the successions of all Churches saith he will content himselfe with that which is the greatest ancientest best knowne to all founded by the two most glorious Apostles Peter and Paul at Rome for that the whole Church that is the company of all faithfull ones that are euery-where in which the Tradition hath beene euer preserued must of necessity agree in her tradition with this propter potentiorem principalitatem that is For that it is the principall of all other This testimony of Irenaeus no way proueth the thing in question For heere is
Cornelius The fourth in the eighth Epistle of the first booke ad plebem vniversam Out of the first of these places they will proue that hee maketh Peter Head of the whole Church Out of the second that there is one High Priest one supreme Iudge in the Church whom all men are bound to obey Out of the third that Cornelius was Head of all Catholiques Out of the fourth that there is one singular Chaire in the Church wherein he sitteth that must teach all To euery of these allegations I will answere in order and make it most cleare and evident that none of the things imagined by the Cardinall can possibly bee concluded out of any of the fore-named places For to beginne with the first whosoeuer will but reade ouer Cyprians booke of the vnity of the Church shall most certainely and vndoubtedly finde that hee speaketh not in that book of Peters headship of the vniuersall Church as the Iesuite fansieth but of the head originall and first beginning of Pastorall commission Which that it may the better appeare I will as briefely as possibly I can lay downe the most principall and materiall circumstances of the whole discourse of that booke written vpon occasion of the Schisme of the Nouatians The first thing that occurreth in the whole discourse of the booke is the authors obseruation of the endlesse malice of Satan who when he found the Idols of the Gentiles wherein he was wont to be worshipped to be forsaken his Seates Temples deserted almost all professing to belieue in Christ Haereses inuenit Schismata quibus subuerteret fidem veritatem corrumperet scinderet vnitatem that is Found out Heresies and Schismes by which he might subvert the Faith corrupt the verity and cut in sunder the vnity so that Quos detinere non potest in viae veteris coecitate circumscribit decipit noui itineris errore that is Whom he cannot hold in the blindnesse and darkenes of the old way those he circumuenteth and beguileth by making them erre goe aside and not hold on the right course of their journey in the new way that leadeth to life In the second place he sheweth that this so falleth out and that men are soe beguiled and misse-led into Schismes Heresies because they returne not backe to the first origine of truth because they seeke not the head nor keepe the doctrine of the heauenly Maister which if a man would consider and thinke of he should not neede to seeke out many arguments nor fetch any great compasse about but the truth would easily without any great search offer it selfe vnto him For therefore did Christ when hee was to lay the foundations of the Christian Church say specially to Peter Thou art Peter vpon this Rocke will I build my Church I will giue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and againe after his resurrection Feede my sheepe because though rising againe from the dead he gaue like power to all the Apostles when he sayd As my Father sent me so send I you whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained yet he would by speaking specially to one by appointing one chaire shew what vnity should be in the Church The rest of the Apostles sayth Cypriā were vndoubtedly the same that Peter was equall in honour power but therefore did Christ in the first place giue or at least promise to giue specially particularly to one that Apostolique cōmissiō which he meant also to giueto the rest that hee might thereby shew that the Church must be one and that there must be but one Episcopall chaire in the world All the Apostles say the Cyprian are Pastours but the flock of Christ is but one which they are to feed with vnanimous cōsent There is but one body of the Church one spirit one hope of our calling one Lord one Faith one baptisme one God This vnity all men must endeauour to keepe especially Bishops that they may make it appeare that there is but one Bishoply commission in the Christian Church Cuius a singulis in solidum pars tenetur that is Whereof euery one indifferently and in equall sort hath his part Here is nothing that proueth the vniuersality of the Papall power or that Peter was by Christ made head of the whole Church But this place most mainely ouerthroweth that supposed Headship For Cyprian teacheth that Christ meant to giue equall power and authority to all his Apostles and that the reason why intending no more to one then to the rest yet he more specially directed his speech to one then to the rest was onely to shew that there must be an vnity in the Church which he settled in that beginning with one from him he proceeded to the rest not meaning that the rest should receiue any thing from him but that from himselfe immediately they should receiue that in the second place which he had first and that they should receiue the same commission together with him into which he was first put that they might know him to be the first of their company In this sense Innocentius sayth A Petro ipse Episcopatus tota authoritas nominis huius emersit that is The Bishoply office and the whole authority of this name and title tooke beginning from Peter whom he sayth all Bishops must respect as Sui nominis honoris authorem that is as the first and originall of their name and honour And Leo in like sort Huius muner is sacramentum ita Dominus ad omnium Apostolorum officium voluit pertinere vt in beatissimo Petro Apostolorū omnium summo principaliter collocaret v◅ ab ipso quasi quodam capite dona sua velut in corpus omne diffunderet that is The Lords will was that the mystery of this heauenly gift commission and imployment should so pertaine to the ministery office of all the Apostles that yet he would first and principally place it in most blessed Peter the greatest of all the Apostles that soe beginning with him as the head and first hee might proceede from him to poure forth his gifts into all the body But sayth Bellarmine Cyprian speaketh of another head of the Church besides Christ and maketh the Church that so enlargeth it selfe and hath so many parts yet to be one in this roote and head as the beames are many but the light is one as the boughes are many but the tree is one the riuers are many but the fountaine is one It is strange that a man of his learning and judgement should so mis-conceiue things as he seemeth to doe For it is most euident to any one that will but take the paines to peruse the place that Cyprian speaketh not of a distinct head of the Church different from Christ and appointed by him to gouerne the Church but of the originall first beginning and head of the commission the Pastours of the Church haue
Which commission Christ so gaue to all the Apostles that yet first hee gaue it or at least first promised to giue it to one and directed his speech specially to him to shew that none can be Pastors of the Church but such as without intrusion are consented on by them that hauing this power in vnity amongst themselues may communicate it to others Neither doth he say as the Iesuite fansieth that the many parts of the Church are one in subjection to one head distinct from Christ as the beames of the sunne are one in the same light but in the vnity of the same maine body For euen as sayth Cyprian the beames of the sunne are one in the same light and the boughes of the tree are one in the same tree so all Churches must deriue thēselues frō the first Church all Pastors their cōmission from the first cōmission which Christ gaue to all his Apostles yet so that he put one first into it directed his speeches specially vnto one thereby to setle thē in an orderly vnity amongst thēselues This is vndoubtedly the meaning of Cyprian For it can no way stād either with truth with the opinion of Cyprian or with the opinion of our Aduersaries themselues that rest of the Apostles receiued their Ministeriall power from Peter and were subject to him as to an head and absolute commander ouer them seing hee sayth expressely that they were the same that Peter was equall to him both in honour and power and besides both in this booke and in many other places hee is wont to deriue the originall of schismes and heresies frō the intrusion of men into places already full ar at least into void places without due admittance and allowance of them that in a kind of coherent concord rule and gouerne the Church neuer frō the resistance against one supreme cōmander set ouer all So in his Epistle to Antonianus he proueth Cornelius Bishop of Rome to be a true and lawfull Bishop because hauing the testimony of the Clergie and voyces of the people the place of Fabianus being voyd he was ordained to succeede him by many Bishops then at Rome who sent their letters abroad making honourable report of his due and right comming to the place and the whole number of Bishops throughout the world with great vnanimity consented and by the want of these things proueth his factious opposites to be schismatiques In the second allegation the Cardinall bewrayeth very grosse ignorance For it was not a difference betweene Cornelius and the Nouatians refusing to acknowledge him to be Bishop that gaue occasion of writing that Epistle as he vntruely saith but the calumniations of Faelicissimus and Fortunatus against Cyprian himselfe Which factious companions being put from the communion by Cyprian and many of his colleagues flying to Rome were there rejected and thereupon fell to threatning These threatnings Cyprian despiseth pronounceth them to be murtherers sheweth that they shall not escape the judgment of God and that nothing is to be remitted of the seuerity of Church-discipline for feare of these wicked ones that are enemies of Priests and rebels against Gods Church whom God will vndoubtedly much more seuerely punish then they were who in the time of the law of Moses despised the high Priest and other Priests and rulers of the people who yet answered such their contempts with their bloud and then addeth the words cited by Bellarmine that hence all heresies and schismes doe arise for that the Priest of God is not obeyed nor one Priest in the Church for the time one Iudge in Christs stead for the time acknowledged whom if men would obey according to the divine instructions no man would attempt any thing against the Colledge of Priests no man after the judgement of God the voices of the people the consent of fellow-Bishops would make himselfe a Iudge not so much of the Bishops as of God himself no man pleasing himself would bring in any new heresie or schisme to the renting dividing of the Church as if when a sparrow falleth not to the ground without the will of our Father it were possible that hee who is ordained a Bishop in the Church should bee ordained without the will of God Surely saith he I speake it provoked I speake it grieued constrained when a Bishop is placed in the roome of one that is dead chosen in peace by all the people protected by diuine helpe in the time of persecution faithfully conjoined with all his colleagues approued to his people foure years in his Bishoply office in the time of peace keeping the rules of discipline proscribed in the times of trouble so often euen with addition of the title of Bishop called for to bee cast to the Lyon euen in these very dayes wherein I write vnto thee called for again to the Lyon if such a one be impugned by a few desperate wicked ones it will easily appeare who they are that so impugne him All these things are spoken by Cyprian of his own case as most clearly appeareth by his 69 epistle therfore the words are strangely wrested by Bellarmine to proue the Papacie when Cyprian speaketh of the respect that is due to the B. of euery particular Church by application thereof to himself sheweth Cornel. how little he had bin respected how grievously he hath bin wronged But the Cardinall will proue that he speaketh of the Pope when he speaketh of one Pastour of one Iudge in the Church for the time not of euery Bishop or Pastour in his own particular Church First because in the book De vnitate Ecclesiae he maketh Peter Head Commander of all the Church and saith heresies spring from the not seeking to this Head then which nothing is more vntrue For Cyprian doth not make Peter Head commander ouer the whole Church as I haue alreadie shewed in answer to the former allegation Secondly for that when he speaketh of one Iudge in the Church in stead of Christ he must of necessitie by the name of the Church vnderstand the vniversall Church and not each particular Church because in his Epistle he speaketh of Cornelius A strange kinde of proofe such as I thinke can neuer be made good For first the consequence doth not hold seeing he might speak of Cornelius yet vnderstand by the name of the Church the diocese of Rome and not the vniversall Church and secondly it is vntrue that hee saith hee speaketh of Cornelius For it is as cleare as the Sun at noone day that throughout the whole Epistle hee complaineth of contempts indignities wrongs offered to himselfe by Faelicissimus and Fortunatus not to Cornelius But that Cyprian neuer acknowledged the supremacie of power which the Roman Bishops at this day claime no better proof can be desired then this Epistle will yeeld For these miscreants Faelicissimus Fortunatus their adherents fled to Cornelius complaining
will in the administration of the Church being to giue an account of his actions vnto the Lord. Here wee see Cyprian speaketh in the very same sort in the case between him and Stephen as he did in the Councell of Carthage and that generally hee maketh all Bishops equall and no one subject to the judgment of another but to the judgement of God only and the company of their fellow Bishops And that he did not thinke the Bishop of Rome to haue an infallibility of judgment or a commanding authority ouer other Bishops it appeareth in that writing to Pompeius of Stephens answere to his letters and sending him a copy of the same answere he telleth him that by reading it hee may more and more note his errour in maintaining the cause of heretiques against Christians and the Church of God and feareth not to pronounce of him that he writeth many things proudly impertinently vnskilfully improuidently and contrary to himselfe and which more is contemning his prescription that heretiques should not be rebaptized but bee receiued with the imposition of hands onely hee chargeth him with hard stiffe and inflexible obstinacie Firmilianus with the Bishops of Phrygia Galatia Cilicia and other regions neere adioyning assembled in a Synode at Iconium consented with Cyprian and Firmilianus writing to him telleth him of their resolution and chargeth Stephen with folly who bragging of the place of his Bishoprique and pretending to succeed Peter on whom the Church was founded yet bringeth in many other rockes and new buildings of many Churches in that hee supposed heretiques to be truly baptized who are out of the communion of the true Church whereas the Church was specially promised to be builded on Peter to shew that it must be but one And in great dislike and reprehension of Stephen he saith he was not ashamed in fauour of heretiques to deuide the brotherhood and to call Cyprian the worthy seruant of God a false Christ a false Apostle and a deceiptfull and guilefull workeman whereas all these things might much more truly bee sayd of him and therefore guilty to himselfe Praeuenit vt alteri ea per mendacium objiceret quae ipse ex merito audire deberet that is By way of preuention hee falsely and lyingly obiected those things to another which himselfe truly and deseruedly might haue had objected to him by others Such and so great were the oppositions of Cyprian and his consorts against Stephen and his adherents in the matter of rebaptization whereupon Bellarmine saith it seemeth that Cyprian sinned mortally in that hee obeyed not the commandement of Stephen nor submitted his judgement to the judgement of his superiour That hee erred in the matter of rebaptization we willingly confesse but that he knew not the power authority and commission of the Bishoppe of Rome or that he would euer haue dissented from him or opposed himselfe against him in a question of faith if hee had thought his power to bee vniuersall and his iudgment infallible we vtterly deny For then hee should not onely haue erred in the matter of rebaptization but haue beene a damnable heretique and and haue perished euerlastingly whereas yet the Church of God hath euer reputed him a holy Bishop and a blessed Martyr Thus hauing examined the testimonies of Cyprian vsually alleaged for and against the supremacy of the Pope let vs proceed to the rest of Bellarmines witnesses The next that followeth is Optatus out of whom it is alleaged that there was one Episcopall Chaire in the whole Church appointed by Christ. But because this is the same which was formerly alleaged out of Cyprian already answered in the answers to the allegations brought out of him therefore without farther troubling of the Reader I referre him to that which went before The next vnto Optatus is Ambrose out of whom three seuerall places are produced in the first his words are these as Bellarmine citeth them Though the whole world bee Gods yet the Church onely is called his house the Gouernour whereof at this day is Damasus For answer hereunto we say that this testimony rather witnesseth their forgery then confirmeth their errour For the Commentaries attributed to Ambrose wherein these words are are not his and besides this addition the gouernour whereof at this day is Damasus may be thought to haue beene put in in fauour of their fancie touching the Papall vniversalitie of jurisdiction it is so sudden causelesse and abrupt In the second place Ambrose reporteth of Satyrus that before he would receiue the Sacrament of the Lords body he asked of the Bishop by whose hands hee was to receiue it whether he held communion with the Catholick Bishops and namely with the Romane Church To the inference of our Adversaries and the conclusion they seek to deriue draw from these words in fauour of the Papacie I haue answered elsewhere whither I referre the Reader Wherefore let vs come to the third and last place of Ambrose His words are Wee follow the type and forme of the Romane Church in all things and againe I desire to follow the Romane Church in all things Surely this place of all other most clearely confuteth the errour of the Romanists touching the infallibility of the judgement of the Roman Church and Bishop and the necessitie of absolute conformity with the same For in this place Saint Ambrose sheweth that in the Church of Millaine whereof he was Bishop the manner in his time was that the Bishop girding himselfe about with a towell in imitation of Christ did wash the feete of such as were newly baptized and after great commendation of the same custome objecting to himselfe that the Romane Church had it not first he saith that perhaps the Church of Rome omitted this washing because of the difficultie and great labour in performing it by reason of the multitude of those that were baptized Secondly whereas some said in defence and excuse of the omission of this washing in the Romane Church that it is not to be vsed as a mysticall right in the regeneration of them that are new borne in Christ but in the ciuill entertainment of strangers the offices of humilitie and ciuill courtesie being very farre different from the mysteries and sacred rights of sanctification he reproueth them for so saying and endeauoureth to shew that this kinde of washing is a sacred and mysticall right tending to the sanctification of them that are newly baptized and that out of the words of Christ to Peter Vnlesse I wash thee thou shalt haue no part in me and then addeth the wordes alleaged by Bellarmine I desire in all things to follow the Romane Church but notwithstanding we also are men and haue our sense and iudgment and therefore what we finde to be rightly obserued any where else we also rightly obserue keepe we follow the Apostle Peter wee cleaue fast vnto his devotion and hereunto what can the Church of Rome answer Whereby wee
may see with what conscience these men alleage the testimonies of the Fathers Ambrose saith Other men haue judgement to discerne what is fit to be done as well as the Romanes that if any where else they finde better obseruations then in the Church of Rome they may lawfully embrace them that S. Peter Bishop of Rome was authour of his assertion and that the Church of Rome hath nothing to answer in her own defence or whereby to justifie her omitting of this sacred washing and they produce his testimonie to proue that he thought it necessary to be like in all things to the Church of Rome Neither doth Bellarmines answer that he thought it necessary to follow the Church of Rome in all things necessary to saluation though he dissented in this observation satisfie vs seeing he thought this obseruation necessary to the perfect regeneration of the baptized consequently to saluation as appeareth in the place it selfe Wherefore when Ambrose saith of himselfe and those of Millaine that they follow in all things the type forme of the Romane Church it is not to be vnderstood without all limitatiō but that as other daughter-Churches do follow the custome of their mother-churches so the church of Millaine conformeth her selfe to the church of Rome in all things so farre forth as shee can perswade her selfe it is fitte and right so to doe otherwise out of her judgement and discretion receiuing from other churches that which they haue in better sort then shee euenas Gregorie Bishop of Rome professed that he was not ashamed to learne of those churches that were meaner then his owne From Ambrose the Cardinall passeth to Hierome out of whose writings he produceth two testimonies The first out of his Epistle to Ageruchia de Monogamiâ the other out of his Epistle to Damasus touching the vse of the word Hypostasis The first of these two testimonies might well haue beene spared For what canne any man inferre from this that Hierome saith hee did helpe Damasus in writing answeres to the Synodall consultations of the East and West was there euer any man that doubted of the consulting of the Bishop of Rome and his Bishops by the Synodes of the East and West in matters concerning the faith and state of the vniuersall Church Or may it bee concluded from hence that the Pope hath an absolute supreme power in the Church Surely I thinke not Wherefore let vs passe to the second testimonie Ego saith Hierome to Damasus nullum primum nisi Christum sequens beatitudini tuae idest Cathedrae Petri communione consocior super illampetram aedificatam Ecclesiam scio Quicunque extra hanc domum agnum commederit profanus est Si quis in arcâ Noae non fuerit peribit regnante diluuio that is I following no first and chiefe but Christ am ioyned in communion to your blessednesse that is to Peters chaire Vpon that rocke I know the Church to bee builded whosoeuer shall eate the Paschall Lambe out of this house he is a profane person If any man shall be out of Noahs arke hee shall vndoubtedly perish when the floud prevaileth and drowneth all It is true that Cyprian hath obserued in his Epistle to Stephen Bishop of Rome that therefore almighty God appointed a great number companie of Bishops ioyned together by the glew and bond of vnity that if some fall into heresie and seeke to wast the flocke of Christ the rest may gather the dispersed sheepe into the fold againe and therefore euen as if one hauen be dangerous they that saile will seeke to another more safe and if one Inne vpon the way be possessed by theeues and wicked persons wayfaring men will turne into another so in the Church when the Pastours of one part of it are infected with errour and heresie men must flie to them that are right-beleeuers in other parts This was the case of Hierome as it appeareth by this his Epistle Hee liued at the time of the writing of it in the East parts where Arrianisme had strangely and dangerously prevailed but the West churches were sound Hee was vrged to confesse and acknowledge that there are three Hypostases or subsistences in the Godhead This forme of speaking he suspected as fearing some ill meaning especially because he suspected them that tendered it to him and therefore flieth for direction to Damasus and the Westerne Bishops For it appeareth that hee sought the resolution of them all though the manner was to write onely to the chiefe amongst them Let vs heare therefore what it is that he saith and what the Iesuite inferreth from his saying He admitteth saith Bellarmine no originall teacher but Christ yet is ioyned in communion with Damasus that is with Peters chaire and professeth that vpon that rocke the Church was builded Therefore he acknowledgeth the vniuersality of Papall power and iurisdiction This argument of the Cardinall is too weake to proue the intended conclusion For though there bee no question but that in a true sense the Church may be said to haue beene builded on Peters chaire that is vpon his office and Ministery yet it will not follow that they who succeed him in that chaire haue vniversality of power and iurisdiction seeing Hierome himselfe teacheth that the Church is builded as well vpon the rest of the Apostles as vpon Peter consequently that their chaires are that rocke vpon which the Church is builded as well as Peters And yet besides all this Gregory sheweth that Peters chaire being but one is in three seuerall places and three Bishops doe sit in it For Peters chaire is at Alexandria where he taught and ruled by Marke his scholler at Antioch where he remained for a time and at Rome where in his body he yet still abideth expecting the second comming of Christ. Vpon this chaire as on a rocke the Church is builded But this chaire and throne implieth not onely the office and ministery of them who most specially succeed Peter as the Bishops of Rome Alexandria and Antioch but of such other also as in ioynt commission with them gouerne the Church Wherevpon according to the phrase of Antiquity the iudgement of the Romane See and the iudgement of the Bishop of Rome with his fellow Bishops of the West is all one But some man will say that Hierome pronounceth him to be a profane person that eateth the lambe out of this house speaking of the Church of Rome therefore hee thinketh all men and Churches bound for euer to hold communion with the Romane Church For answere to this obiection first we say it may very probably be thought that by the house he speaketh of out of which the Lambe may not be eaten he meaneth not particularly the Romane Church but the true Catholique Church of Christ which is equally builded vpon all the Apostles in respect of the same firmenesse found in them all but more specially vpon Peter as in order and honour the chiefest of them
doubt not of all indifferent Readers And therefore there remaineth but onely one allegation of Bellarmine touching appeales to be examined Gregory the first saith he put Iohn the Bishop of Iustiniana the first from the communion for that he presumed to iudge the Bishop of Thebes hauing appealed to Rome The case was this The Bishop of Thebes wronged by his fellow-Bishops made his appeale to Rome Hereupon Iohn Bishop of Iustiniana the first who was the Bishop of Romes Vicegerent for certaine Prouinces neare adioyning was appointed by the Emperour to heare the cause which he did accordingly But without all indifferencie and in sort contrarie to the Canons and though vpon the discerning of his vniust and partiall proceeding an appeale were tendered to him yet gaue he sentence against the poore distressed Bishop Gregory hearing hereof putteth him from the communion for thirty dayes space inioyning him to bewaile his fault with sorrowfull repentance and teares Truely this allegation maketh a very faire shew at the first sight But if wee remember that the Bishop of Iustiniana the first and the distressed Bishop of Thebes wronged by him were within the Patriarchship of Rome as Cusanus sheweth they were you shall finde it was no more that the B of Rome did then any other Patriarch in like case might haue done within his owne precincts and limits Neither can the Cardinall euer proue that the Bishop of Rome had any such Vicegerent as the Bishop of Iustiniana the first was but onely within the compasse of his owne Patriarchship But saith hee it was a Greeke Bishop that Gregory thus proceeded against It is true it was so But what will hee inferre from thence Is it not knowne that many Greeke Bishops were subiect to the Bishop of Rome as Patriarch of the West was not the Bishoppe of Thessalonica a Greeke Bishop and yet I thinke no man doubteth but that hee was within the compasse of the Patriarchship of Rome as many other also were howsoeuer in time they fell from it adhered to the Church of Constantinople after the diuision of the Greeke and Latine Churches CHAP. 40. Of the Popes supposed exemption from all humane Iudgement as being reserued to the Iudgement of Christ onely OVR Adversaries finding their proofes of the Popes illimited power taken from such appeales as were wont in auncient times to bee made to Rome to bee too weake flie to another wherein they put more confidence which is his exemption from all humane Iudgement Christ whose Vicar he is having reserued him to his owne iudgement onely If this exemption could bee as strongly proued as it is confidently affirmed it would be an vnanswerable proofe of the thing in question But the proofe hereof will be more hard then of the principall thing in controuersie betweene vs. Touching this point I finde great contrarietie of opinions among Papists as men at their wits ends not knowing what to affirme nor what to denie For first there are some among them that thinke that the Pope though hee violate all lawes diuine and humane though hee become publickly scandalous and therein shew himselfe incorrigible yea though hee be a professed and damnable hereticke yet neither is deposed ipso facto by the sentence of the canon nor may be deposed by all the men in the world Which opinion if we admit to bee true the condition of the church the beloued spouse of Christ and mother of vs all is most woefull and miserable in that hereby shee is forced to acknowledge a denouring wolfe making hauocke of the sheepe of Christ redeemed with his precious bloud to be her Pastor and guide Secondly some are of opinion that the Pope if hee become an open and professed hereticke is deposed ipso facto by the sentence of the canon and that the church may declare that he is so deposed Thirdly there are that thinke that an hereticall Pope is not deposed ipso facto but that he may be deposed by the church Fourthly many worthy Diuines in the Romane church heretofore haue beene of opinion that the Church or generall Councell may depose the Pope not onely for heresie but also for other enormous crimes Of this opinion was Cardinall Cusanus Cardinall Cameracensis Gerson Chauncellour of Paris Almaine and all the Parisians with all the worthy Bishops Diuines in the Councels of Constance and Basill Yet the Papists at this day for the most part dislike and condemne this opinion and acknowledge no deposition of any Pope how ill soeuer vnlesse it be for heresie And Bellarmine to make all sure telleth vs farther that the church doth not by any authoritie depose an hereticall Pope but whereas he is deposed ipso facto in that hee falleth into heresie onely declareth the same and thereupon largely refuteth the opinion of Cardinall Caietane who thinketh that the Pope when he falleth into heresie is not deposed ipso facto but that deseruing to bee deposed the Church doth truely and out of her authority depose him First because as he saith if the Church or Councell may depose the Pope from his Papall dignity against his will for what cause soeuer it will follow that the Church is aboue the Pope which yet Caietane denieth For as it will follow that the Pope is aboue other Bishops and of more authority then they if he may depose them so if the councell of Bishops may depose the Pope they are greater then hee Secondly he saith to be put from the Papacie vnwillingly is a punishment so that if the Church may depose the Pope though vnwilling to leaue his place it may punish him and consequently is aboue him For hee that hath power to punish hath the place of a Superiour and Iudge Thirdly he that may restraine and limit a man in the vse and exercise of his ministerie and office is in authority aboue him therefore much more he that may put him from it By these reasons it is clearely demonstrated and proued that if the Church or generall Councell haue authority in case of heresie to depose the Pope at least in some sort it is of greater authority then the Pope And therefore to avoide this consequence as Gerson rightly noteth they that too much magnifie the greatnesse and amplitude of Papall power say that an hereticall Pope in that he is an Hereticke ceaseth to be Pope and is deposed by Almighty God So that the Church doth not by vertue of her authority and jurisdiction depose him but onely denounce and declare that he is so deposed by God to be taken for such a one by men and not to be obeyed This they endeauour to proue because all Heretickes are condemned by their owne iudgment as the Apostle saith and stay not as other euill doers till the Church cast them out but voluntarily depart of themselues from the fellowship of Gods people and cut themselues off from the vnity of the Body of the Church
thereby ceasing to be members of it and consequently losing all authority commaund they formerly had For the clearing of this point wee are to obserue that there are some who runne into errours so directly contrary to all Christianity the sense and judgment of all Christians that by the very proposing thereof they abandon and driue from them all such as dissent and are abandoned of all Secondly there are some that runne not into errours so directly contrary to the sense and judgement of all Christians as the former but with such fury madnes pertinacy that they vtterly reject forsake and depart from all such as doe dissent or are otherwise minded Thirdly there are some who though they be not carried with such violent fury into errour as to condemne reject and depart from all that dissent yet they runne into olde heresies formerly condemned and so by force of the former condemnation are rejected put out of the lap and bosome of the Church Fourthly there are some who fall into hereticall and dangerous errours but neither directly contrary to the common sense of all right beleeuing Christians nor formerly condemned by the consenting voice of the whole Church of God nor with such pertinacy as either to refuse to communicate with them that think otherwise or to seeke to depriue depose degrade or otherwise violently vexe and molest them that are vnder them for not consenting to them in their errour The three former sorts of men falling into errour and heresie voluntarily cut themselues off from the vnity of the Body of the Church depart from the fellowship of Gods people and ipso facto cease to bee members of the Church and lose all authority and commaund they formerly had So that they neede not the Churches censure or sentence to cast them out departing of themselues but it sufficeth that their breaches and divisions from the maine body of the Christian Church be published and made knowne that so they may be avoided So Caelestinus in his Epistle to Iohn of Antioch saith that if any one haue beene excommunicated or depriued by Nestorius or any of his adherents since the time they first began to publish their impieties he still continueth in the cōmunion of his Churches neither doth he judge him to be remoued from his place and the like hee hath in his Epistle to the Clergy of Constantinople But the fourth sort of men erring doe not cease to be members of the Church nor lose their places by so erring till both the point of doctrine wherein they are deceiued be tryed and examined and by lawfull highest authority be found faultie and their pertinacie such as rather to suffer themselues to be rejected and put from the communion of all that are otherwise minded then to alter their judgements Cyprian fell into an hereticall opinion that the Baptisme of Heretiques is voyde and that all that haue beene baptized by Heretiques are to be rebaptized Yet because this point was not examined and condemned in a generall Councell nor his pertinacie therein vpon such examination and condemnation found such as rather to suffer himselfe to bee reiected from the communion of all them that thought otherwise then to giue way and alter his iudgment hee was no hereticke neither did he lose his place of ministery in the Church of God The question therefore is whether if the Pope fell into such an errour as that of Cyprian by which he doth not actually and ipso facto divide and cut off himselfe the Church may examine it and judge him to be rejected and put from the communion if he alter not his iudgement If they say it may then hath the Church power to iudge a Pope that is not an Heretique For he is not an Hereticke till after such determination he chooseth rather to be reiected from the cōmunion of the faithfull then to alter his iudgement If it may not iudge the Pope so erring then might the Popes in former times haue taught rebaptization with Cyprian the errour of the Chiliastes with sundry of the Fathers that all right beleeuers how wickedly soeuer they liue shall in the end be saued with some of the Ancient that the just shall not see God till the resurrection and the like and yet the Church haue had noe power to force them to forsake and condemne such errours or to cease from perswading and inducing men both by doctrine example to erre in like sort And then we may runne into their errour who thinke that though the Pope be an hereticke yet hee is neither deposed ipso facto nor may be deposed but that the Church must acknowledge a deuouring wolfe making hauock of the flocke of Christ to be her Pastor which Bellarmine himselfe thinketh to be very absurd Thus then we see that all who fall into heresies do not cut off themselues from the vnity of the body of the Church nor lose the iurisdiction and authority they formerly had ipso facto as the Papists to auoid the deposing of Popes by the authority of the Church seeme to imagine but that many doe soe fall into heresies that they goe not out of themselues till they be rejected and cast out But howsoeuer our Aduersaries must not defend that Popes falling into heresies are deposed ipso facto for if they do they ouerthrow the whole building and fabricke of Popery The constant opinion of almost all later Papists is that howsoeuer the Pope may personally erre and fall into heresie or become an Hereticke yet the prouidence of God ouer him is such because he is Christs Vicar Peters Successour heire of the Apostles and head of the vniuersall Church that hee cannot define or decree any heresie or prescribe vnto all Christians to belieue amisse Which conceipt cannot stand but falleth to the ground is clearely ouerthrowne if the Pope by becōming an hereticke be deposed ipso facto For doubtlesse if the Pope becomming an hereticke ipso facto cease to bee Pope and to be soe much as a member of the Church then doth not the prayer of Christ for the not failing of Peters faith extend to him any longer neither is hee any longer any way priuiledged by vertue of his succeeding blessed Peter but that hee may runne into all extremities in most damnable sort seeke to subuert the faith to force all to belieue as he doth and define and determine that all shall professe the same doctrine of Diuels that himselfe doth seeing when God forsaketh him and putteth him out of his protection the Diuell entreth into him as he did into Iudas the traytor And how violent and strange the mouings of the euill spirit are wee are not ignorant for sometimes he casteth them that are possessed by him into the fire and sometimes into the water sometimes into one extremity and sometimes into another Wherefore either the Papists must confesse that the Pope may define for heresie then all their religion is ouerthrown
his Epistle to Michael the Emperour pronounceth that the priuiledges of the See of Rome are perpetuall rooted and planted by Almighty God in such sort that men may stumble at them but cannot remoue them may pull at them but cannot pull them vp therefore he thinketh the Pope cannot erre which is a very bad consequence For the infallibility of iudgment in the Pope is not mentioned among the inuiolable priuiledges of the Church of Rome and therefore the priuiledges of that Church may be inuiolable and yet the Pope subiect to errour neither hath Nicolas one word of the Popes not erring The testimonies of Leo the ninth and Innocentius the third as being late and partiall in their own cause may iustly be excepted against yet do they not proue the thing in question For they speake of the See and throne of Peter in which the faith may continue without failing though the Popes erre and seeke to subuert the same so long as any other that are to gouerne the throne with them perseuere in the true faith Wherefore from the prayer of Christ made for Peter that his faith should not faile they descend to other proofes taken from the promise made to Peter by Christ that vpon him he would build his Church and his mandate requiring him to feede his sheepe and to feede his Lambes which are too weake to perswade vs that the Pope cannot erre or is more priuiledged then other Bishops in this respect First because it is most cleare and euident and confessed by our aduersaries themselues that the Church was builded vpon all the Apostles as well as vpon Peter and there is no kind of feeding of Christs sheepe and flocke that commeth not within the compasse of that office and commission which the other Apostles had in common with him as I haue elsewhere shewed at large Secondly because Peter and his colleagues were foundation stones vppon which the Church was builded in that their doctrine was receiued by immediate and vndoubted reuelation without mixture of errour vpon which the faith of all after-commers was to stay it selfe none of which things agree to the Romane Bishop So that it is no way necessary that there should be the same infallibility of judgment in him that was in Peter and in his colleagues Thirdly because we know and all that are in their right wits do acknowledge that a man may be a Pastor in the Church of God and yet subject to errour and that therefore Christs requiring Peter to do the duty of a Pastor will not proue that the Pope cannot erre Wherefore from the Scriptures they passe to the Fathers and among them first they produce Theodoret who in his Epistle to Renatus a Presbyter saith that among other things the reason why the Romane Church hath a kind of chiefety among other Churches is because it hath euer remained free from heresie From whence I thinke hardly any good proofe can be drawne of the Popes not erring For how will this consequence euer be made good There are many things that make the See of Rome great as the greatnesse of the city the Empire the sepulchers of those common Fathers and Doctors of truth Peter and Paule those two great lights that rose in the East cast forth their beames into all parts of the world but set in the West and sundry other things and among them the felicity and happinesse of it that till the time of Theodoret no heresie euer preuailed in it therefore the Bishop of Rome can neuer erre Seeing Theodoret doth not dispute what may be but sheweth only what by the happy prouidence of God had beene and besides speaketh not precisely of the Bishop of Rome but of the Romane See including the whole company of the Bishops of the West adhering to him which was a great part of the whole Christian Church and more glorious then the rest for that it was more free from hereticall novelties in those times then they To Theodoret they adde Saint Augustine who saith the succession of Bishops from Peters chaire to his time is that rocke against the which the proud gates of hell cannot preuaile His meaning is that what all those Bishops haue constantly and successiuely taught as true must needes be true and what they haue impugned as false must needes be false seeing it is impossible that any errour or the impugning of any trueth should haue bin found successiuely in all the Bishops of that or any other Apostolicall Church whatsoeuer But what is this to the Popes not erring Surely as litle as that of Gelasius in his Epistle to Anastasius the Emperour that the glorious confession of the Apostle Peter thou art the Christ the Son of the liuing God is the roote of all the faith and piety of the whole world that therefore the Apostolique See carefully looketh vnto it that no chinke be made in it that it be not spotted with any contagion for that if it should there were no meanes of resisting any errour But because this maketh not for them the Cardinall helpeth the matter with an vntruth saying that Gelasius proueth that the See of Rome cannot erre because the confession of it is the roote of al the faith piety that is in the world whereas he neither goeth about to proue the one nor speaketh any word of the other but of the excellencie of the confession that Peter made the necessity of preseruing it inuiolable and the care of the See of Rome in and before his time for the safe keeping of the same Wherefore let vs come to the places that are cited to this purpose out of Gregories Epistles which shew plainly they are past shame that manage the Popes affaires defend his cause For whereas Gregory saith that if he that claimeth to be vniuersal B doe fall all the whole Church is ouerthrowne and that therefore there must bee no such vniversall Bishop and particularly sheweth by the grieuous heresies that prevailed in the Church of Constantinople how ill it would haue beene for the Churches of God if the Bishops thereof had beene vniversall Bishops as they sought to be they bring this place to proue that the Pope cannot erre whereas they should haue brought it to shew how dangerous it is that there should bee any one vniversall Bishop such as their Pope desireth to be and that therefore as Cyprian obserueth Almighty God wisely foreseeing what euils might follow such vniversality of power and jurisdiction in one man ordained that there should bee a great number of Bishops joyned in equall commission that so if some fell the rest might stand and keepe the people from a generall downefall The next allegation is out of the Epistle to Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria whereby the Reader may see with what conscience these Iesuited Papists doe cite the writings of the Fathers The wordes of Gregory are these Your most sweete Holinesse hath
Catholicarum quam plurimum scripturarum solertissimus indagator authoritatem sequatur inter quas fanè illae sunt quas Apostolica sedes habere ab eâ alij meruerunt accipere epistolas So that whereas Saint Augustine saith that in reckoning the Canonicall bookes of Scripture a man must follow the authority of the greater number of Catholique Churches and among them especially such as either had Apostolicall seates as Hierusalem and the like or receiued Epistles from some of the Apostles as did the Churches of Corinth and Galatia Gratian maketh him say that the Epistles which the Apostolicall See receiued or other receiued of it are to be reckoned among Canonicall Scriptures This ouersight of Gratian Picus Mirandula long since obserued and after him Alfonsus a Castro whereby wee may see how easie it was for men in former times to runne into most grosse errors before the reuiuing of learning in these latter times while the blinde did lead the blinde For Gratian was the man out of whom the greatest Diuines of former times tooke all their authorities of Fathers and Councles as appeareth by their marginall quotations And how ignorantly and negligently he mistooke them mis-alleaged thē this one example is proof sufficient But whatsoeuer we think of Gratian we shall find that not only our Diuines but the best learned among our aduersaries also put a greatdifference between the sacred scriptures of the holy Canon and the Decrees of Councels For first they say the Scripture is the word of God reuealed immediately and written in a sort from his owne mouth according to that of S. Peter the holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holie Ghost And that of S. Paul All Scripture is by diuine inspiration which is not so to be vnderstood as if alwaies the holy Writers had had new reuelations and had alwayes written that which before they were ignorant of for it is certaine that the Euangelists Mathew and Iohn wrote those things which they saw and Marke and Luke those things they heard from others as Luke himselfe confesseth in the beginning of his Gospel But the holy writers are therefore said to haue had immediate reuelation and to haue written the words of God himselfe because either some new things and not knowne before were reuealed to them by God or because God immediately inspired and moued the Writers to write those things which they had seene and heard and directed them that they should not any way erre in writing whereas Councels neither haue nor write immediate reuelations or words of God but only declare which is that word of God vttered formerly to the Prophets and Apostles how it is to bee vnderstood and what conclusions may bee deduced from it by discourse of reason Secondly the holy Writers performed that which they did without any further labour or trauell then that in writing and calling to minde what they had seene and heard but in Councels the Bishoppes and Fathers with great paine and trauell seeke out the trueth by discourse conference reading and deepe meditation and therefore the holy Writers are wont to attribute all to God onely and the Prophets were wont often to repeate The Lord sayth Thirdly in the Scriptures not onethe whole sentences but euery word pertaineth to Faith for no word is therein vaine or ill placed But in Councels there are many disputations going before resolution many reasons brought for confirmation of things resolued on many things added for explication and illustration many things vttered obiter and in passage that men are not bound to admitte as true and right nay many things are defined in Councels that men are not bound to stand vnto For it is the manner of Councels sometimes to define a thing as certainely and vndoubtedly true pronouncing them Heretiques that thinke otherwise and subiecting them to curse Anathema and sometimes as probable onely and not certaine as the Councell of Vienna decreed that it is more probable that both grace and vertues accompanying grace are infused into Infants when they are baptized then that they are not and yet is this no matter faith in the Church of Rome Fourthly in the scripture all things as well concerning particular persons as in generality are vndoubtedly true For it is as certaine that Peter and Paul had the spirit of God as that no man can be saued without the illumination and sanctification of the spirit but in the determinations and decrees of Bishoppes assembled in a generall councell it is not so for they may erre in iudging of the persons of men and therefore there is no absolute certainty in the canonization of Saints as both Thomas and Canus do confesse Fiftly in Scriptures there are no precepts touching manners either concerning the whole church or any part of it that are not right equall and just But councels may erre if not in prescribing things euill in stead of good yet in prescribing things not fitting nor expedient if not to the whole church yet to some particular part of it as not knowing the cōdition of things therein Yea some there are that think it not hereticall to beleeue that generall councels may prescribe some lawes to the whole church that are not right profitable and iust as to honour such a one for a Saint who indeed is no Saint to admit such orders of Religious men as are not profitable to receiue the communion onely in one kinde and the like And there are many that confidently pronounce that generall councells may decree such things as may breed inconuenience and may sauour of too great seuerity and austerity which the guides of the church in the execution of the same must bee forced to qualifie and temper So that the onely question is whether a generall councell may certainely define any thing to bee true in matter of faith that is false or command the doing of any act as good and an act of vertue that indeed and in trueth is an act of sinne Touching this point there are that say that all interpretations of holy Scriptures agreed on in generall councels and all resolutions of doubtes concerning things therein contained proceed from the same Spirit from which the holy Scriptures were inspired and that therefore generall councels cannot erre either in the interpretation of Scriptures or resoluing of things doubtfull concerning the faith But these men should know that though the interpretations and resolutions of Bishops in generall councels proceed from the same Sperit from which the Scriptures were inspired yet not in the same sort nor with like assurance of beeing free from mixture of errour For the Fathers assembled in generall councels doe not rely vppon immediate reuelation in all their particular resolutions and determinations as the Writers of the Bookes of holy Scripture did but on their owne meditation search and study the generall assistance of Diuine grace concurring with them That the Fathers
wils nor to force them to yeeld obedience and maintenance to any without their liking And therefore anciently as LEO sheweth the custome was that hee should bee chosen of all that was to bee ouer all that the wishes and desires of the Cittizens should bee expected the Testimonies of the people should be sought the will and liking of the noble and honourable should be knowne and the Cleargy should choose All which thinges are wont to be obserued and kept in ordinations by them that know the rules of the Fathers that the rule of the Apostle may be followed in all things who prescribeth that hee who is to be ouer the Church should not onely haue the allowance of the faithfull giuing witnesse vnto him but the testimony also of them that are without and that no occasiō of any scandall may be left while he who is to be the Doctor ofpeace is ordained in peace and concord pleasing vnto God with the agreeing and consenting desires of all And in the same Epistle hee addeth Teneatur subscriptio Clericorum honoratorum testimonium ordinis consensus Plebis That is Let the subscription of the Cleargy be had the testimony of the honourable and the consent of the order and people Cyprian to the same purpose writeth thus The people beeing obedient to the precepts of the Lord and fearing God ought to seperate themselues from a sinnefull and wicked Ruler and not intermingle themselues or to haue any thing to do with the sacrifices of a sacrilegious Priest especially seeing they haue power eyther to chuse such Priestes as are worthy or to refuse such as are vnworthy And a little after in the same Epistle hee hath these words For which cause it is diligently to bee obserued and kept as from the tradition of God and the Apostles which thing also is obserued and kept with vs and almost throughout all Prouinces that for the due performance of the worke of Ordination when any Ruler and Gouernour is to be ordained the Bishops of the same Prouince which are nearest should come together vnto that people ouer whom he is to be sette and that the Bishoppe should be chosen in the presence of the people which most fully and perfectly knoweth the life of euery one and hath perceiued by their conuersation what kind of workes they are wont to do Which thing also we see to haue bin don in the Ordination of Sabinus our Colleague to wit that vpon the voyces of the whole brotherhood and the judgment of the Bishops which came together which sent their letters expressing their opiniō of him the Episcopall dignity was cōferred vpon him with the imposition of hands he was ordained into the voyd roome of Basilides That in the time of Chrysostome the people had interest in chusing their Pastors it is euident out of his booke of Priest-hood The Fathes of the Nicene Councell as wee finde in Theodoret write to the Church of Alexandria and to the beloued brethren of Egypt Lybia and Pent◅polis in this sort If haply any Bishop of the Church de fall asleepe let it be lawfull for such of the sect of Meletius as haue beene not long since restored to the Communion of the Church to succeede into the place of him that is dead if so be that they shall seeme to bee worthy and the people shall chuse them yet so notwithstanding that the voyce and consent of the Bishop of the Church of Alexandria bee added to seale and confirme the same And touching the election of Nectarius the Bishoppes of the first councell of Constantinople write thus Wee haue ordained the most reverend and beloued of God Nectarius Bishop before the whole Councell with all consent and agreement in the presence of Theodosius the Emperour beloued of God and of the whole cleargy the whole city likewise with vnanimous consentagreeing thereunto And Leo provideth and taketh order what shall bee done when they that should elect agree not His words are these When ye goe about the election of the chiefe Priest or Bishop let him be advanced before all vpon whom the consenting desires of the Cleargy and People concurre with one accord and if their voyces be divided betwixt twaine let him be preferred before the other in the iudgment of the Metropolitane which hath more voyces and merits but let none be ordained against their wils and petitions least the people despise or hate the Bishoppe which they neuer affected and lesse care for religion when their desires are not satisfied And Grego◅y the Bishoppe of Rome long after allowing the election by the people hath these wordes If it be true that the Bishop of Salona bee dead hasten to admonish the cleargy and people of that city to choose a Bishoppe with one consent that may bee ordained for them And to Magnus about the election of the Bishoppe of Millaine hee saith Warne the Cleargy and people that they dissent not in choosing their Priest but that with one accord they elect some one that may bee consecrated their Bishoppe By all which testimonies wee see what interest aunciently the people had in the choyce of their Bishops and how carefull good Bishops were that they should haue none thrust vpon them against their wills that they should proceede to election with one accord if it might bee or otherwise that such should be ordained as were desired by the greater part and that all things might be done peaceably and without tumult But how much in time they abused this their power it is too evident For Nazianzene reporting the choyce of Eusebius to bee Bishoppe of Caesarea sayth the Citty of Caesarea was in a tumult and the people divided about the choyce of their Bishoppe and the sedition was sharpe and hardly to bee appeased and that as men distracted in many mindes some proposing one and some another as is often seene in such cases at length the whole people agreeing on one of good calling among them commended for his life but not yet baptized tooke him against his will and with the helpe of a band of souldiers that was then come to the Citty placed him in the Bishops chaire and offered him to the Bishoppes present mixing threates with perswasions required to haue him ordained and pronounced their Bishop Likewise at Antioch as Eusebius reporteth there was raised a grieuous sedition about the deposing of Eustathius and after when another was to be chosen the flame therof so increased that it was like to haue consumed the whole city For the people being diuided into two parts the Magistrates of the citie supported the sides and bandes of souldiers were mustered as against an enemy and the matter had vndoubtedly beene tryed by the sword if God and the feare of the Emperour writing to them had not asswaged the rage of the multitude But howsoeuer such was the dissention that eight whole yeares the place was without a Bishop When
or consent to them that so doe the care of the church is devolued to the Presbyters remaining Catholicke and as in the case of necessity they may doe all other things regularly reserued to Bishops only as Ambrose sheweth that the Presbyters of Egypt were permitted in some cases to confirme the baptized which thing also Gregory after him durst not condemne So in case of Generall defect of the Bishops of a whole countrey refusing to ordaine any but such as shall consent to their Heresies when there appeareth no hope of remedy or helpe from other parts of the Church the Presbyters may chuse out one among themselues to be chiefe and so adde other to their numbers by the imposition of his and their hands This I haue proued in my third booke out of the authorities of Armachanus and sundry other of whom Alexander of Hales speaketh To which wee may adde that which Durandus hath where he saith That Hierome seemeth to haue beene of opinion that the highest power of consecration or order is the power of a Priest or Elder So that euery Priest in respect of his Priestly power may minister all Sacraments confirme the baptized and giue all Orders howsoeuer for the avoydiug of the perill of Schisme it was ordained that one should bee chosen to haue a preheminence aboue the rest who was named a Bishop and to whom it was peculiarly reserued to giue Orders and to doe some such other things And afterwards he saith that Hierome is clearely of this opinion Neither can the Romanists deny this justifie their owne practise For their Chorepiscopi or Titular Bishops are no Bishops as I haue proued at large out of Damasus not disputing or giuing his private opiniō but resoluing the point and prescribing to other what they must beleeue practise yet doe they of the Church of Rome permit these to ordaine not onely Sub-deacons and other inferiour Cleargy-men but Priests and Deacons also and holde their Ordinations to be good and of force If any man haply say that 〈◊〉 Bishop when he is old and weake or otherwise imployed may haue a Coadiutor and consequently that it is no such absurdity to admit these Suffragan and Titular Bishops and that therefore they may haue power to ordaine as being truely Bishops and yet Presbyters in no case bee permitted so to doe for answer herevnto let him reade what I haue written in the 29. chapter of this booke concerning this matter CHAP. 57. Of the things required in such as are to be ordained Ministers and of the lawfulnesse of their Marriage FRom the election and ordination of Ministers we are to proceede to the things required in them that are to be chosen and ordayned If any man saith the Apostle desire the office of a Bishop he desireth a worthy worke A Bishop therefore must be vnreproueable the husband of one wife watching sober modest harberous apt to teach not giuen to wine no striker not giuen to filthy lucre but gentle no fighter not couetous no young scholler but well reported of euen of those that are without The canons of the church require the same things and adde some other as that no man may be chosen and ordained a Minister of the Word and Sacraments till he be thirty yeares of age nor none that was baptized in his bed and the like The Papists proceed further and not contenting themselues with the moderation of the Apostle and the Primitiue Fathers admit none into the holy Ministery but those that are vnmarried or being married promise to liue frō their wiues yet not so neither if either they haue beene twice married or if they married with a widow Wherefore letting passe the things the Apostle prescribeth and those other which the Canons adde of which there is no question let vs come to the marriage of them that are to bee admitted into the holy Ministery of the Church It is clearely confessed by the best learned in the Romane Church that Bishops Presbyters and other Cleargy-men are not forbidden to marry or being married before they enter into the Ministery to continue in matrimoniall society with their wiues by any law of God and therefore there is little feare of offending against God eyther by admitting such into the Ministery as will not liue single or by entring into it with purpose of marriage Non est essentialiter annexum debitum continentiae ordini sacro sayth Aquinas sed ex statuto Ecclesiae vnde uidetur quod per Ecclesiam possit dispensari in voto continentiae solemnizato per susceptionem sacri ordinis that is It is not essentially annexed vnto holy order that men should containe and liue single that enter into the Ministry but by the Decree of the Church onely So that it seemeth that the Church may dispence in the vow of continency though made solemne by taking holy orders And in another place hee sayth that it is from the Churches constitution that they who are entred into the holy orders of the Church may not marry which yet is not the same among the Graecians that it is among the Latines For the Graecians make no vow and do liue with their wiues that they married before they entred into orders of the same opinion is Bonauentura who acknowledgeth that in the Primitiue Church it was otherwise touching this matter then now it is in the Church of Rome and endeauoureth to giue reasons of the difference Scotus and Occam are of the same iudgement and all the rest of the Schoole men of note agree with them And Caietane a great learned Diuine and a Cardinall in our time pronounceth confidently that it cannot be proued either by reason or authority setting aside the Lawes that are positiue and vowes which men make to the contrary that a Priest doth sinne in contracting marriage And that therefore the Pope with good conscience may dispense with such a one and giue him leaue to marry though there be no inducement of publike profit or benefit leading him so to do And addeth that reason seemeth to bee strong on the contrary side for the lawfulnesse of such dispensation because as it appeareth by Peter Lombard in the fourth of the Sentences neyther Order in that it is Order nor holy Order in that it is holy crosseth or hindereth marriage And as it is in the Decrees Deacons in auncient times might marry euen in the West Church and as it is in the same Decrees they of the East Church are ioyned in marriage euen after they are entered into holy Orders Neither is that glosse to bee admitted which expoundeth their coupling or ioyning in marriage of the liuing in marriage formerly contracted Seeing the whole course coherence of the Text speaketh of the Contract of Marriage as by the opposition of the practise of the West Church the Priests whereof are saide not to marry it may bee confirmed These are the wordes of
Nice decreed nothing touching this point but left it as they found it The like may bee saide of Hierome For Hierome writing against Vigilantius speaketh of certaine Bishoppes which would ordaine no Deacons vnlesse they marryed wiues thinking that no single men liue chastly who surely if any such were found in those times are not to bee excused But if they onely demaunded first of them that were to bee ordayned before they ordayned them whether they would liue continently or not and if they answered that they would not willed them to marry before they ordained them as Zonaras writing on the Canons of the Apostles sheweth that they doe in the Greeke Church they were not to be blamed Seeing the councell of Ancyra permitted Deacons protesting when they were ordained that they would not liue single to marry after they were entered into Orders But Hierome in opposition to the practise of these men asketh what the Churches of the East of Egypt and of the Apostolicke See shall doe which admit into the Cleargy virgines or such as contayne or such as if they had wiues yet cease to bee husbands whereby it may seeme that this Canon of Bishoppes liuing from their wiues was admitted generally which is contrary to the narration of Socrates But they that vrge these wordes of Hierome should consider first that hee doth not say that these Churches mentioned by him admitted none to the Ministery but such as were single or hauing wiues resolued to liue no longer with them in matrimoniall society but that they admitted such as had neuer beene maryed or hauing had wiues ceased to bee husbands contrary to their practise that would admit none as hee sayth vnlesse they saw their wiues to haue great bellies or heard the children crying in their mothers armes Secondly supposing that these Churches mentioned by Hierome admitted none but such as had neuer beene maryed or hauing beene maryed ceased to bee husbandes hee plainely sheweth by the particular mention of these Churches that there was no such thing generally prevayling and so no way contrarieth the report of Socrates and the rest Wherefore seeing neither Epiphanius nor Hierome will by their contradiction eleuate the authority of Socrates Zozomen and the rest the Cardinall will improue their narration by another meanes The councell of Nice hee sayth forbiddeth Bishoppes Presbyters and Deacons to haue any woman in their houses besides their Mother Sister or Aunt whence hee thinketh it may bee inferred that it did forbid euery of these to haue any Wife dwelling with them in the same house seeing if they might haue wiues they might vndoubtedly haue handmaides to attend them This proofe is no better then the former for in the canons of the Nicene councell translated out of the Arabian tongue and put into the sirst Tome of councels by Binnius out of Alphonsus Pisanus in which as Francis Turrian professeth in his Proeme before the same canons there is nothing but that which is approued and worthy that great Synode of Nice the Decree of the councell is conceiued and expressed in such wordes that it is evident it was neuer meant to bee extended to such Bishoppes Presbyters or Deacons as haue wiues but to such onely as neuer were married or are widowers The wordes are these We decree that Bishoppes dwell not with women neither any Presbyter that is a widower the same is decreed touching euery Presbyter that is vnmarried and the Deacons which haue no wiues and that Priests might liue with their wiues in those times the 78. of those Canons maketh it most cleare for it layeth a more heauy punishment vpon him that hath a wife liuing and liuing with him if hee committe adultery then vpon him that neuer was married or is a widower Wherefore let vs passe from the Councell of Nice to the Councell of Gangra Socrates sheweth that Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia in Armenia so farre disliked marriage that hee perswaded many women to forsake their husbands that hee contemned married Presbyters condemned the prayers and blessings of Presbyters hauing wiues which they married while they were Lay-men Now it is not to bee imagined that hee would haue despised them if they had put away their wiues for he perswaded to that and many women hearkning vnto him departed from their husbands but because they retayned them still yet did the Councell of Gangra condemne him adding that if any one contrary to the Apostolicall Canons shall presume to put any one of them that haue taken holy orders as Presbyters or Deacons from companying with their wiues he shall be deposed To this we may adde the Sixth Generall Councell holden in Trullo wherein a Decree was passed that such as doe enter into the Ministery being married shall bee permitted to liue with their wiues The wordes of the Councell are these Because wee haue vnderstood that it hath beene deliuered to the Church of Rome for a Canon that Deacons or Presbyters who shall bee thought worthy to be ordained shall professe and promise to company no more with their wiues wee keeping the ancient Canon of Apostolicall perfection and order will and decree that the marriages of such men as are in holy orders hence-forth and from this moment of time shall bee firme and stable no way dissoluing their coniunction with their wiues nor debarring them from companying with them at conuenient times Wherefore if any man be found worthy to bee ordained a Subdeacon Deacon or Presbyter Let him by no meanes bee debarred from entring into such a degree because hee liueth with his lawfull wife neither let it bee required of him at the time of his ordination to promise to refraine from the lawfull companying with his wife least by so doing wee bee forced to doe wrong to marriage ordained of God and blessed by his presence The Evangelicall voyce crying out alowde the thinges which GOD hath ioyned let no man sunder And the Apostle teaching that Marriage is honourable and the bed vndefiled And againe saying Art thou bound to a wife seeke not to bee loosed c. Thus doe the Fathers and Bishoppes assembled in this Councell forbidde and condemne the putting of Presbyters Deacons and Subdeacons from the society with their wiues alleadging the ancient Canon vse and custome and many excellent authorities and reasons out of the Scriptures and word of God shewing that no such thing canne bee done without great iniury to the state of Marriage and without separating those whom God hath joyned together and yet sodainely forgetting themselues they forbidde Bishoppes to liue with their wiues so ouerthrowing the auncient custome and Canon and separating those that God hath ioyned together Whereby that which had beene free from the Apostles times as Zonaras noteth was forbidden the Canon of the Apostles repealed Yet did these Fathers as wee see most carefully prouide that Presbyters and Deacons should not bee restrayned And indeede this liberty hath continued according
to say That they had no doubt reason to leade them so to doe that forbade the Marriage of Cleargy-men but that there were much greater reason now to leaue it free againe Baptista Mantuanus saith that many thought the Lawes against mariage to bee euill that they which made those Lawes had not sufficiently considered what the nature of man can beare that CHRIST neuer put so vnpleasant a Yoake vpon the neckes of men that this burden too heavie for the shoulders of men to beare hath brought forth many monstrous effects that it was a shew of Piety but indeede too great boldnesse that laide this burthen vpon the shoulders of men that it had beene more safe to haue gone that way wherein the divine Law directeth vs and to haue trode in the steppes of the Auncient Fathers whose life was better in marriage then ours that is single Ioannes Antonius saith in the time of the Primitiue Church it was lawfull for Presbyters and such as were entered into holy Orders to haue wiues so that they refrained from companying with them vpon the dayes wherein they celebrated that afterwardes in the Westerne Church they that were entred into holy Orders were commaunded to containe which commaundement hee sayth yeelded matter to ensnare the soules of many men and therefore hee verily beleeueth that as the Church brought in this precept of continencie so the time will come when the same Church will reverse and revoke it againe which revocation shall be agreeable to that of the Apostle who sayth Concerning Virgins I haue no commaundement but I giue advice With Antonius agreeth Panormitanus who proposing the question whether the Church may giue leaue to Presbyters to cōtract mariage or to liue in mariage as the Graecians doe aunswereth that hee beleeueth it may that he is assured it may in respect of them who are not tyed by vow implyed or expressed Which hee proueth because continencie in secular Cleargy-men is not of the substance of order nor prescribed by the Law of GOD. For that otherwise the Graecians should sinne and no custome could excuse them seeing no custome is of force against the Law of GOD. Neither doth hee onely thinke that the Church hath power thus to doe but professeth hee thinketh it were behoouefull and for the good and saluation of the soules of men that such as are willing to containe and to lead a life of higher perfection should be left to their owne will and that such as are not willing to containe should by the Decree of the Church be set free to contract marriage Alfonsus Veruecius as Andreas Frisius telleth vs discoursing of the words of Paul For the auoyding of fornication let euery one haue his owne wife sayth they containe no precept but a concession or graunt and affirmeth that by vertue of this grant euery one that cannot otherwise auoyde fornication may marry a wife And after certaine remedies prescribed to be obserued vsed by Presbyters that they may auoyde fornication at last confidently giueth counsell to him who hauing tryed all those meanes cannot containe rather to marry a wife and soe to prouide for his owne saluation then to commit fornication and so cast himselfe head-long into eternall death but yet perswadeth such a one to doe nothing without seeking the Popes consent hopeing that he will dispense in such a case seeing the power hee hath was giuen him for edification not for destruction I dare confidently say sayth Polydere Virgill that it hath beene soe farre from beeing true that this inforced Chastity hath excelled that which is in marriage that no sinfull crime hath brought greater disgrace to the order of the Ministery more euill to religion or made a greater and deeper impression of sorrowe in all good men then the staine of the impure lust of Priests And therefore haply it were behoouefull for the Christian common-wealth and for the good of them that are of that sacred order and ranke that at the last a publicke Lawe might bee made to giue leaue to Priestes to contract mariage Wherein rather they might liue honestly and holily without infamy then in most filthy manner defile themselues with this sinne of Nature And Bishoppe Lindan sayth Surely euen at this day it is lawfull to take chast and honest married men into the order of Priesthood which in my judgment might much better bee done in some prouinces of Germany then to set ouer them certaine most impure companions or any longer to endure and tollerate Knaues Apostataes and sacralegious Pastours With these agreeth Erasmus affirming that in his conceipt hee should not ill deserue nor take the worst course for the furthering of humane affaires the right informing of the manners of men which should procure liberty of mariage if it might bee both for Priestes and Monkes And therefore Sigismund the Emperour a lttle before the Councell of Basill began published a reformation of the Cleargy in which among other things this was one that forasmuch as more euill commeth by the forbidding of mariage then good it were better and more safe to permit Cleargy-men to liue in the state of mariage according to the custome of the Orientall Churches then to forbid them so to do In the Councell of Trent the Orator of Bauaria moued to the same purpose And Chemnitius reporteth from George the Prince of Anhault that Adolphus Bishoppe of Mersbergh his vncle would often say before euer Luther began to stirre that if there were a Councell hee would bee a perswader that Cleargy-men might be permitted to marry and professed that hee knew that many for the quiet of their consciences secretly contracted mariage with those women which they kept vnder the name of Concubines And surely euen the Popes themselues were content to winke at things in this kinde Georgius Cassander a man of infinite reading excellent iudgment and singular piety and sincerity and therefore soe much respected and honoured by Ferdinand and Maximilian the second that they held him the fittest man in the world to compose the controuersies in religion sent for him to come vnto them for the same purpose is clearely of opinion that howsoeuer some in ancient times forbad the marriage of Cleargy-men yet now it were fit and necessary that that lawe were abrogated first because it is found by wofull experience to bee the cause of many grieuous euils secondly for that the seuerity of Discipline and strictnesse in all courses of life that was in vse when this Lawe began first to bee vrged is cleane gone or much decayed euen in the opinion of all Soe that that which was fitte in those times may now bee most vnfitte Thirdly for that many godlie and learned men are thereby discouraged from entring into the Ministerie refusing to binde themselues to the obseruation of this lawe of single life whereby the Church looseth the benefitte of their labours fewe young men
The councell of Laodicea provideth in this sort touching them that marry the second time Concerning them that according to the Ecclesiasticall Rule are freely and lawfully joyned in the second mariage and haue not secretly so joyned them-selues It is fit that for some short time they giue them-selues to prayer and fasting which being past by a kinde of Indulgence they may be restored to the Communion The Author of the vnperfect worke that goeth vnder the name of Chrysostome proceedeth a little farther in this sort The Apostles saith he commanded to enter into the second mariage for the avoyding of fornication For according to the precept of the Apostle it is lawfull to take a second wife but according to the rule and prescription of Trueth it is indeed Fornication This conceipt grew so farre that the Councel of Nice was forced to make a Canon that the Catharists should not be receiued into the fellowship of the Church vnlesse they would communicate with such as fell in the time of persecution with such as had beene twice maryed whereby it appeareth that some rejected them as though they might not haue beene receiued into the Church no not after Penance So that to conclude this point touching Digamie it is not the hauing of more wiues than one successiuely that the Apostle condemneth but the hauing of more wiues at once Three reasons are brought by our Adversaries to proue the contrary but they will be found too weake if we examine them The first is that Polygamie or the hauing of many wiues at once was not in vse in the Apostles time that therfore the Apostle had no reason to forbid it but this may easily be refuted by good authorities Your Masters saith Iustine Martyr speaking to the Iewes euen to this day suffer euery one of you to haue foure or fiue wiues in his Apologie he vnderstandeth by Digamie the hauing of more wiues then one at one time not successiuely for hee saith they which according to mans Law doe enter into Digamie or second mariages are sinners according to the Doctrine of our Teacher and Master And Theodoret sayth In former times both Iewes and Gentiles tooke vnto them in mariage many wiues Their second reason is this The Apostle requireth that a widdow must haue beene the wife of one husband and his meaning must needes bee that she must not haue had more husbands then one successiuely Therefore when hee prescribeth that a Bishop must be the husband of one wife his meaning is that hee must not haue had more then one wife successiuely the forme of speach being the same That when he speaketh of widdowes hee meaneth that they must not haue had more husbands then one successiuely they proue because howsoeuer Men haue sometimes had more wiues then one at the same time yet Women neuer had more husbands and hereupon they charge vs with intollerable impudencie violent wresting of the Scriptures and bringing such an interpretation of the Apostles words as neuer came into any wisemans cogitation before when wee say hee repelleth such from entering into the order of widdowes as haue had two husbands at once and not such as haue beene twice maried But if it please them to giue vs leaue wee will shew them that they are too violent and say they know not what For wee thinke nay we know it hath bene heard of that a woman should haue two husbands at one time yea that both amongst Iewes and Gentiles in former times women forsaking their husbands or forsaken of them without iust cause haue married againe which the Apostle might iustly condemne and debarre such as had so done from entring into the order and ranke of sacred Widdowes Neither is it hard to shew that our interpretation hath beene thought of and approued more then a thousand yeares agoe by men of as great wisedome as our great maisters that thus insult ouer vs. For Theodoret vpon these very words of the Apostle writeth thus Hereof also it is manifest that he reiecteth not second mariages but decreeth that they liue chastly in matrimony for hee which before hath established the secōd mariage by law hath not here forbidden her which hath bin twice married to obtaine bodily reliefe And Theophilact likewise sayth The Apostle requireth Monogamie of her that is to be admitted into the company of widdowes that is that shee haue beene coupled but to one husband at once as a signe of honesty chastity and good manners Concerning these Widdowes two things are to be considered First hovv and in what sort they were imployed by the Church Secondly how farre fortth they were tyed not to leaue the Church-seruice and to marryagaine Touching their seruice it was first and principally about women that were to be baptized for their instruction and the addressing of them-selues to that Sacrament and the sacred Rites of the Church accompanying the same as appeareth by the Constitutions of Clemens it being more fitte for them to haue priuate and often accesse vnto them then for men Which thing also Epiphanius sheweth calling them by the name of Diaconesses Secondly the attending and taking care of the sicke and impotent Touching the second point wee suppose that these widdowes being of great Age destitute of all outward supportes seeking reliefe of the Church and dedicating themselues to the seruice thereof did by this very act professe and make knowne their purpose of continuing in that estate of Widdowhood and performing such seruice as to them any way appertained And therefore the Apostle condemneth them that after such profession made waxed wanton against Christ sought to put themselues out of the holy Ministery seruice they had dedicated themselues vnto to returne to Secular courses of life againe These according to the iudgment of Epiphanius were subiect to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is just dislike and blame and were to be condemned for their leuity and inconstancie but not to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to the condemnation of eternall death and destruction if declining adultery and other like vncleanenesse they choose rather to marrie then to defile themselues with such impurities And Augustine resolueth that their marriage notwithhanding any profession they seeme to haue made to the contrary is not to be condemned as euill or to be dissolued but that onely their breach of promise made to God and his Church and their falling from their purpose is to bee disliked and condemned Thus do these learned and holy Fathers resolue touching such widdowes as the Apostle speaketh of And Peter Lumbard vpon these words of the Apostle in like sort adding that they breake their first faith euen that they professed in baptisme in that violating so solemne a promise and turning away so scandalously from the calling they had voluntarily put themselues into they seeme to forget and cast from them the very faith and profession of Christians Soe
Pope and other Bishoppes to haue them Tithe-free The Councell of Lateran vnder Alexander the Third ordayneth That religious men shall pay no Tithes out of such their landes as they tille themselues But if they shall rent any they shall pay Tithe as other doe and likewise if they let any landes out vnto Countrey-men to be tilled they shall pay Tithes out of them yea if they shall get new landes after their foundation and confirmation of their Priuiledges they shall pay Tithes though they keepe them in their owne handes But this exemption of Religious men though very preiudiciall to the Church staid not heere but preuayled yet further to the great hurt of the Church and therefore wee reade that some sought to exempt their Farmers also from paying Tithes which the Bishoppes assembled in the Councell of Cabilon disliked and commaunded that both Bishops and Abbots should permit their Tenants to pay Tithes in the places where they receiued the Sacraments and that they should keepe the Tithes of such fieldes and Vineyardes as they held in their owne occupation to themselues Thus we shall finde that this Monkish generation first robbed the parochiall Churches within the boundes whereof their houses and possessions were of a great portion of Tithes due vnto them by their priuiledges and exemptions and that after they had tasted the sweetnesse of this robbery they went forward till they had subiected those Ministers and their Churches to themselues to whose Iurisdiction they were formerly subiect And got the Tithes that others payed to parochiall Churches to bee appropriated to themselues that at first by priuiledge exempted themselues from paying Tithes forgetting that of Saint Hierome Alia Monachorum est causa alia Clericorum Clerici pascunt oues ego pascor illi de Altari vivunt mihi quasi infructuosae arbori securis ponitur ad radicem si munus ad Altare non defero nec possum obtendere paupertatem cum in Evangelio anum viduam duo quae sola sibi supererant aera mittentem laudauerit Dominus mihi ante Presbyterum sedere non licet illi si peccauero licet tradere me Satanae in interitum carnis vt Spiritus salvus sit That is the condition of Monkes and the condition of Cleargy-men differ very much Cleargy-men feede the Sheepe of CHRIST but I am fedde they liue by the Altar but if I bring not my gift to the Altar the Axe is laid vnto mee as to an vnfruitfull Tree neither ◅nne I pretend Pouerty seing the Lord in the Gospell praysed the Widow that cast in two Mites which was all that shee had I may not sitte in the presence of a Presbyter but if I offend he may deliuer me to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saued But as these idle bellies and euill beasts by the fauour of Popes and Prelates got into their hands the portion which God appointed for his seruants the Ministers of his Churches so in the end growing odious to the world for that professing mortification and a voluntary penitentiall course of life they abounded in wealth surfetted vpon pleasures more then any secular men in the world they were deuoured of others who seazed vpon their houses tooke from them their reuenewes and together with their other liuings led captiue that portion of tithes they found in their possessions and hold it in sort as the former vsurpers did euen to this day So that wee may truely pronounce that the Cloisters of Monks are guilty of all that horrible Sacriledge that hath layed wast so many Churches spoyled so many Christians of the comfort of Godly Pastors that otherwise they might haue enioyed brought the Cleargy into that meane estate that now it is come vnto For it is not to be imagined that euer any Lay-man would once haue entertayned a thought of receiuing tithes that as consecrated things to God and holy vnto him were to bee put into the Store-house of his Temple if they had not found them who by the originall of their order and institution were to pay and not to receiue tithes possessed of them and spending them in most vile and shamefull manner Neither shall we euer finde as I thinke that Lay-men inherited this portion of the Lord in sort as now they doe till the suppressing of the houses of these irreligious Monkes which were become cages of vncleane Birdes and dens of theeues and robbers It is true indeed that Duarenus hath that the right of receiuing sacred tithe Clientela titulo was by certaine Princes with the consent of the whole Cleargy made ouer to Knights and Marshall men for defending the Church and people of CHRIST against the enemies of Religion But this was for the good and benefite of the Cleargy and in their right and not as now it is by absolute Title of Inheritance and Fee-simple or Freehold The beginner of this kinde of assignation of tithes to Lay-men for defence of the Church was Charles Martell as Duarenus saith and the third Councell of Laterane reversed and voydedit more then foure hundred yeares since From tithes which the Lord God possessor of Heauen and earth appropriated to himselfe as his owne particular portion from the beginning though all were his let vs proceede to see what the devotion of men gaue vnto him since the appearing of CHRIST his Son in the world Touching which point first we shall find in the sacred story of the Evangelists that many ministred vnto CHRIST out of their substance and that hee had a Bagge wherein he kept the things which the faithfull ministred vnto him and out of the same supplyed his owne necessities and the wants of others as Saint Augustine obserueth So that he did not liue so as to haue nothing or to begge as some here-tofore haue thought whose errour Pope Iohn the two and twentieth long since condemned Heere was the first patterne of Church-goods and treasure as Augustine noteth After the death resurrection and returne of CHRIST into Heauen such was the devotion of the beleeuers in the beginning that many of thē solde their possessions and brought the price thereof and laid it down at the Apostles feet Which communication of the goods of the first Christians though it extended to the benefite of all yet was there a speciall respect therein had to the Apostles to whom they would haue nothing to be wanting and to whose disposition all was committed The reason why they rather solde their possessions and turned their lands into money then gaue them to the Apostles for the reliefe and maintenance of themselues others was as some thinke for that the Church was soone after to bee remooued from those parts and to be dispersed amongst the Gentiles which made them little regard to haue lands and possessions in Iudaea But after these times when the Christians were dispersed throughout the world Churches established amongst the Gentiles they thought
Canons prouided that Bishops and other Cleargy-men might make their last Will and Testament and giue to whom they pleased that which came to them by inheritance the gift of their friendes or which they gained vppon the same But that which they gayned vpon their Church-liuings they should leaue to their Churches But the Church of England had a different custome neither were these Canons euer of force in our Church And therefore her Bishops and Ministers might euer at their pleasure bequeath to whom they would whatsoeuer they had gained either vpon their Church liuings or otherwise And surely there was great reason it should be so for seeing The labourer is worthy of his hire why should not they haue power to giue that which was yeelded vnto them as due recompence and reward of their labours to whom they please And how can it bee excused from iniustice and wrong that men spending a great part of their owne Patrimonie in fitting themselues for the Ministery of the Church which conuerted to the best aduantage and benefitte might greatly haue enriched them should not haue right and power to dispose of such thinges as they haue lawfully gayned out of those liuings which are assigned to thē as the due reward of their worthy paines Yet are there some that are much more iniurious to the holy Ministery For Waldensis out of a Monkish humour thinketh that Cleargy-men are bound to giue away whatsoeuer commeth to thē by inheritan ce or by any other meanes that they ought not to possesse any thing in priuate and as their owne And alleageth to this purpose the saying of Origen Hierome and Bernard that the Cleargy-man that hath any part or portion on earth cannot haue the Lord for his portion nor any part in heauen But Cardinall Bellarmine answereth to these authorities That these Fathers speake of such as content not themselues with that which is sufficient but immoderately seeke the things of this world and proueth that Cleargy-men may haue and keepe lands and possessions as their owne First because the Apostle prescribeth that such a one should be chosena Bishop As gouerneth his owne house well and hath children in Obedience which presupposeth that he hath something in priuate and that is his owne Secondly hee cofirmeth the same by the Canons of the Apostles the Councell of Agatha Martinus Bracharensis in his Decrees and the first Councell of Hispalis and further addeth that a man hauing Lands Possessions and Inheritance of his owne may spare his owne liuing and receiue maintenance from the Church for proofe whereof he alleageth the Glosse and Iohn de Turrecremata a Cardinall in his time of great esteeme and confirmeth the same by that saying of Christ The Labourer is worthy of his hyre and that of the Apostle Saint Paul Who goeth to warfare at any time at his owne charge FINIS AN APPENDIX CONTAYNING A DEFENSE OF SVCH PARTES AND PASSAGES OF THE FORMER foure bookes as haue bin either excepted against or wrested to the maintenance of Romish errours Diuided into three partes THE EPISTLE TO THE READER SINCE the time I presumed good Christian Reader to offer to thy view what I had long before for my priuate satisfaction obserued touching certaine points concerning the nature definition notes visibility and authority of the Church much questioned in our times first there came forth a Pamphlet intituled The first part of Protestant proofes for Catholique Religion and recusancie After that a larger discourse bearing the name of A Treatise of the grounds of the old and new religion thirdly the first motiue of one Theophilus Higgons lately minister to suspect the integrity of his Religion The Author of the first of these worthy workes vndertaketh to proue out of the writings of Protestant Diuines published since the beginning of his Maiesties raigne ouer this Kingdome that his Romish faith and profession is Catholique The second endeauoureth to make the world belieue that Protestants haue no sure grounds of Religion And the third hauing made shipwracke of the faith and forsaken his calling laboureth to iustifie and make good that he hath done Euery of these hath beene pleased for the aduantage of the Romish cause amonst the Workes of many worthy men to make vse of that which I haue written the first seeking to draw mee into the defence of that hee knoweth I impugne and the other two taking exceptions to certaine parts and passages scattered here and there Such is the insufficiencie and weakenesse of the idle and emptie discourses of these men that I almost resolued to take no notice of them But finding that the last of these good Authors fronteth his booke with an odious title of Detection of falshood in Doctor Humfrey Doctor Field and other learned Protestants and addeth an Appendix wherein hee vndertaketh to discouer some notable vntruethes of Doctor Field and D. Morton pretending that the consideration thereof moued him to be come a Papist I thought it not amisse to take a little paynes in shewing the folly of these vaine men who care not what they write so they write something and are in hope that no man wil trouble himselfe so much as once to examine what they say yet not intending to answere all that euery of these hath said for who would mispend his time and weary himselfe in so fruitlesse a labour but that which concerneth my selfe against whom they bend themselues in more speciall sort then any other as it seemeth because I haue treatised as Maister Higgons speaketh of that subiect which is the center and circumference in all religious disputes And b◅cause Mr Higgons is pleased to let vs know his name whereas the other cōceale theirs it being no small comfort for a man to know his Aduersary I will do him all the kindnesse I can first begin with him though he shewed himselfe last and from him proceed to the rest What it is that maketh him so much offended with me I cannot tell but sure it is he hath a good vvill to offend me for hee chargeth mee vvith trifeling egregious falshood collusion vnfaithfull dealing abusing the holy Fathers and I knowe not what else But such is the shamelesse and apparant vntrueth of these horrible imputations that it is altogether needelesse to spend time bestow labour in the refutation of them Yet because in the suspicion of heresie falsehood and vfaithfull dealing in matters of faith religion no man ought to be patient I will briefely take a view of his whole booke And though his beginning bee abrupt and absurd his whole discourse confused and perplexed and all that he doth without order or method yet to giue satisfaction to all I will follow him the same way hee goeth I was vnwilling good Christian Reader to trouble thee with such discourses but the restlesse importunity of our aduersaries setting euery one a worke to say something against vs forceth mee thereunto Read
tenthes and such like extraordinary taxes vppon the poore Cleargy And as if nothing would suffice ouerthrew all the iurisdiction of other Bishops brought all matters of suite to the Court of Rome and thereby also filled their coffers and that nothing might bee wanting to make the Church most miserable the proud spirits of Cardinalls the Popes Assessors their swelling words and their insolent gestures were such that if a man would draw a perfit picture of pride the best way to expresse the same were to paint a Cardinall For though these men at the first were but of the inferiour Cleargy yet in time they so enlarged their Phylacteries that they do not onely despise Bishops whom in contempt they call Episcopellos but also Patriarches Primates and Arch-bishops as their inferiors and almost suffer themselues to be adored of them Yea they think themselues to be Kinges fellowes neyther did they content them-selues thus proudly and insolently to aduance themselues aboue these vnder whom they should haue bin but to maintaine their state the vnmeasurable and inextricable gulfe of their couetousnes was such that no words can expresse it For they got diuerse kindes of liuings that do not well stand together they became Monkes and Canons Regulars and Seculars and vnder one habit possessed the liuings of all religious orders and professions not 2. or 3. 10. or 20. but a hundred 2. hundred yea sometimes 4. hundred or more and those not small and poore but the best and fattest that could be gotten Gerson speaking of the incroaching of the Court of Rome writeth in this sort In processe of time the Pope drew many things to himselfe so that in the end vppon occasion giuen and taken which it is not needfull heere to rehearse almost the whole collation of liuings and iurisdiction of the Church rested in the Pope and his Court in such sort that scarce was there any Prelate found that had power to giue any the least benefice Together with these thinges concurred many fold exactions to maintaine the state of the Pope and Cardinals and whether there were not many fraudes abuses and symonies committed I referre to the iudgment of such as are of experience These things I haue therefore insisted vppon because happily it may seeme to some more expedient for the Vniuersall Church that all thinges should be brought backe to their auncient estate wherein they were in that Church that was in the Apostles times as much as conueniently might be the greater part of these iurisdictions being reiected which haue made the Church meerely brutish and carnall sauouring almost nothing of the things that concerne the saluation of soules not of them-selues but thorough the fault of such as abuse them or at the least that things should be brought to the state they were in in the time of Syluester or Gregory when euery Prelate was left to him-selfe in his owne jurisdiction and that part of the Church that was committed to his charge and the Pope held that which was his owne without soe many reseruations and so many great exactions for the maintenance of that Court and Head growing happily too great for the other states and parts of the body to beare So that as there were worthy men that conspiring with vs in matter of faith opposed themselues against errors and false opinions soe there wanted not that disliked and reproued the Popes incroaching tending to the dissoluing of the whole frame of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie and the ouerthrow of the forme of gouernment setled by Christ which is no lesse hurtfull then the bringing in of heresie and false Doctrine And this is that Babylonicall captiuity of which Grosthead complained and in respect of these confusions and not onely in respect of ill life as Maister Higgons vntruly telleth vs Bernard and other complained that the seruants of Christ serued Antichrist From the tyranny and vsurpations of the Pope soe much complayned of in the dayes of our Fathers let vs come to abuses and superstitious obseruations remoued by vs and see whether they that went before vs will not giue testimonie to that which wee haue done And first to begin with the Sacrament of the Lords body and bloud the first abuse in the celebration of that Sacrament disliked by vs is the mangling of it and giuing it to the Lay people onely in one kinde Touching the ministration of the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist it is euident sayth Cassander that all other Churches of the World euen vnto this day and that the Roman or West Church for more then a thousand yeares in the solemne publike and ordinary dispensation of this Sacrament gaue both kindes to all the members of the Church The same doth Rhenanus proue at large writing vppon Tertullian and sheweth that for feare of shedding the Challices wherein the consecrated wine was and out of which the people were to drinke the bloud of CHRIST had certaine pipes of siluer Afterwards in processe of time the consecrated breade was dipped into the wine and soe giuen to the people that they might receiue the whole Sacrament But this kinde of dipping Micrologus sayth Ordo Romanus condemneth and therefore prescribeth that on Good fryday when there is no consecrating but a receiuing of the mysticall breade that was consecrated the day before they should by saying the Lords Prayer and dipping the body of our Lord into Wine not consecrated consecrate the same that soe the people might bee partakers of the whole Communion which thinge were superfluous if the body of our Lord kept from the day before and soe dipped might suffice for a full and entire Communion and he sheweth that Iulius the Pope writing to the Bishoppes of Aegypt condemned this kind of dipping and commaunded them to giue the bread and wine apart as Christ did institute yet in time they proceeded farther and gaue the Sacrament onely in one kinde to the people which custome when some condemned the Councels of Constance and Basill thought good to confirme and allow yet so that the Bohemians vppon certaine agreements were permitted to haue the communion in both kindes and it is reported of Pope Martin chosen in the Councell of Constance that hee went home from the Councell and ministred the communion in both kindes to diuerse not of the Cleargy onely but of the Laitie also VValdensis also testifieth that heere in England some deuout men of the Laitie were permitted to communicate in both kindes in his time and Cassander assureth vs that all the best men that professed them-selues to bee Catholiques especially such as were conuersant in reading the ancient writers and monuments of antiquity vppon great reason desired to haue the Communion in both kindes The next abuse was that of priuate Masses I haue shewed already that the name of Masse was giuen to the holy Sacrament for that all non-communicants were dismissed and all that staid were to communicate And as Cassander fitly noteth
the Trueth whom hee giueth vp into a reprobate sence Secondly in opposition to that which I alleadge hee vndertaketh to proue there were no such differences betweene the Ancient as those betweene the followers of Luther and Zuinglius but demeaneth himselfe like a false gamester for whereas I place the differences and conflictes betweene Epiphanius and Chrysostome in the front as hottest and most violent the one of them refusing to pray with the other the one challenging the other for manifold breaches of Canons and the one professing he hoped the other should neuer die a Bishop the other that he should neuer returne to his country aliue both which things fell out according to their vncharitable wishes desires Epiphanius dying by the way as he was returning home and Chrysostome being cast out of his Bishopricke and dying in banishment he scarce taketh any notice hereof but saith only the differences betweene Luther and Zuinglius exceeded the conflicts betweene Chrysostome and Epiphanius which yet I thinke hee will hardly proue Touching Ruffinus and Hierome it is certaine the one of them charged the other with heresie and vsed most bitter speaches one against another to the great scandall of the world The differences betweene Augustine and Hierome were carried more temperately neither doe I say they exceeded in passion as Luther and Zuinglius did yet did Augustine charge Hierome with taking on him the Patronage of lying and affirming that the Authours of Canonicall Scriptures lyed in some passages of the same the consequence whereof he thinketh to bee most dangerous and damnable Besides this they differed about the ceasing of the legall obseruations so that their differences were greater then those of Luther and Zuinglius if they had rightly vnderstood one another Yet will Master Higgons shew a great difference betweene the differences of the Auncient and those of Luther and Zuinglius First because Chrysostome and Epiphanius Hierome and Ruffinus had an ordinary vocation whereas Luther and Zuinglius are supposed to haue beene raysed vppe extraordinarily Secondly for that they quarrelled onely about the bookes of Origen and the improbation thereof but the differences betweene Luther and Zuinglius were founded originally in matters of faith pertaining to the necssity of saluation Thirdly in respect of extent in that their differences were not the differences of whole Churches as these are and of duration in that their divisions were soone extinguished but these are propagated in succession and increased with continuall addition To euery of these pretended differences I will briefly answere first to the first that we neuer thought that Luther and Zuinglius had an extraordinary calling as the Apostles other sent immediatly of God had but that God stirred and moued them extraordinarily with Heroicall resolution to vse that ordinary ministeriall power which they had receiued in the corrupt state of the Church for the reprehending and reforming abuses in the same and therefore they might be subiect to errours and infirmity as Chrysostome and Epiphanius were notwithstanding any thing wee say or conceiue of them To the second wee say Master Higgons sheweth himselfe in it either faithlesse or ignorant For we know Epiphanius was an Anthropomorphite that hee was willing for that cause to condemne the bookes of Origen wherein this grosse errour is condemned besides took part with Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria who though hee were of another minde yet fained himselfe to be an Anthropomorphite to condemne the bookes of Origen as contrary to that conceipt deposed Chrysostome for which his temerity hee was anathematized by the Church of Rome if we may beleeue Nicephorus Neither were these the priuate differences of particular men but of the greatest Churches of the world as Chrysostome confesseth in his Epistle to the Bishop of Rome saying that all the Churches euery-where by reason heereof were brought vpon their knees Touching Ruffinus it is evident that he was challenged for fauouring the heresies of Origen whose workes he translated so that it was no matter of circumstance but of substance in highest degree about which Hierome he calumniated one the other for proof heereof Anastasius Bishop of Rome writing to the Bishop of Hierusalem touching Ruffinus saith he had so translated the books of Origen out of Greek into Latin as that he approued the errors contained in them was like a man that consenteth to the vices faults of other men Yea Hierome feared not directly to pronounce him to be an Hereticke and more blinde then a Mole We reade that in the time of the first Councell of Ephesus called for the suppressing of the heresie of Nestorius there grew most bitter contentions betweene Cyrill of Alexandria and Iohn of Antioch so that the Churches subiect to them were deuided one from another in such sort that they Anathematised one the other imputing heresie each to other yet were they in truth and indeede of the same judgment and in the end it was found that these contentions grew out of dislikes mistakings and mis-constructions of things well meant but not so taken The like may be sayd of Theodoret who notwithstanding all the conflicts betweene him and Cyrill and the condemnation passed vppon him as if hee had beene an Hereticke was in the end found to be an Orthodox by Leo and the Bishoppes of the West and vppon a full and cleare declaration and profession of his faith receiued as a Catholicke Bishoppe into the Councell of Chalcedon Gregory Nazianzen in his oration made in the praise of Athanasius sheweth that there was a maine diuision of the Christians of the East and the Romanes or those of the West the one part suspecting the other of heresie vpon a meere not vnderstanding one another the Romans professed to beleeue that there are three persons in the blessed Trinity but could not bee induced to acknowledge three Hypostases whence the Orientall Christians thought them to bee Sabellians who thought that there is but one person in the Godhead called by three names on the otherside the orientall Christians professed that they beleeued three Hypostases in the God-head but would not admitte three persons whence they of Rome thought them to bee Arrians who beleeued that there are three distinct substances in the God-heade the word Hypostasis in the Schooles of secular learning importing substance as Hierome noteth but Athanasius perceiuing that they differed not in iudgment and that the Greekes meant the same by their Hypostases that the Latines did by their name of Persons left them free for the manner and forme of speech and made a peace betweene them by letting them know they all meant one thing though they expressed the same differently whereas otherwise it was to bee feared they would haue beene diuided with endlesse diuisions about these fewe Syllables About this matter Hierome liuing in the East parts wrote to Damasus Bishoppe of Rome his wordes are these They vrge vs to acknowledge
in a sort ouer them who though they giue not the name of Bishops nor so much authority to these Presidents as Antiquity did yet is not their errour in this point matchable with the errours that are amongst Papists contradicting one another touching the Pope and his gouernment in things most essentially concerning the power and authority of that supposed Ministeriall head of the Church Wherefore let vs come to my last allegation excepted against by Master Higgons which is that we want not a most certaine rule to end all controversies by which is the written word of God interpreted according to the rule of faith the practise of the Saints from the beginning the conference of places and all light of direction that either knowledge of tongues or any parts of good learning can yeeld In excepting against this rule Master Higgons sheweth the weakenesse of his braine for what if Luther Zuinglius and other complained against such as they thought to bee opposite to them in opinion touching some particular points that they had not due regard to this rule or that they vsed it not aright What if all bee not presently of one minde and judgement in all things will that improue the rule of judging which wee propose and not rather argue the imperfection of such as should judge according to it But hee craueth leaue to except against the rule proposed by Mee for three respects first because the principles of our religion exclude the meanes of reconciliation to wit the gravity of Councels the dignity of Fathers and the authority of the Church For answer wherevnto wee say that wee exclude not the gravity of Councels for wee absolutely without all restriction receiue all the lawfull Generall Councells that euer were holden touching matters of faith and though wee make God speaking in his word to bee the onely judge authentically defining and prescribing what men shall beleeue vnder paine of condemnation yet wee thinke Councells haue a judgement of jurisdiction and that they may subject all gaine-sayers to excommunication and like censures Neither doth it any way derogate from the authority of Bishoppes assembled in Councels that we make them iudges to determine according to the word of God the resolutions of the Church from the beginning not the rule it selfe for what man in his right wits will attribute any more vnto them and make them iudges at liberty tied to the following of no rule of direction or like God that is a rule to himselfe in all his actions and hath no Law prescribed to him by any other Yet because Master Higgons willeth the reader to compare Campians fourth reason with my assertion I will likewise intreat him to see a worthy discourse of Clemangis wherein he proueth at large that Bishoppes assembled in Generall Councels must proue and confirme their determinations by other arguments then by their own authority and giueth many reasons by which a man may reasonably perswade himselfe that such Councels are not absolutely generally free from danger of erring whence it followeth that they neither are the rule that is to be followed in determining controuersies nor after they are determined Touching the dignity of Fathers authority of the Church wee esteeme them both as beseemeth vs for whatsoeuer the Fathers generally with one consent deliuer in matters of faith we admit receiue as true without father examination as likewise whatsoeuer the Church consisting of all Christians not noted for heresie or singularity that are and haue beene since the Apostles times but of particular Fathers parts of the Church we iudge according to the rule of Gods word and the generall resolution of the Fathers and the whole Church that hath beene since the Apostles times His next exception against our rule is because wee admitte not the Pope to bee iudge of all controuersies in CHRISTS steed which hee must frame in this sort The Pope is supreame iudge of controuersies in religion therefore the Word of GOD interpreted in sorte before expressed is not the rule that is to bee followed in determining thinges doubtfull and then the consequence will be naught and the antecedent false for though we should grant the Pope to be appointed judge of controuersies in Christs stead yet I hope his Holinesse is bound to follow some rule of direction in iudging and if any what other then that mentioned by Mee I cannot conceiue But whatsoeuer become of the consequence the antecedent is false for he shall neuer proue while his name is Higgons that the Pope is supreame iudge of cōtrouersies And the ignorance or impudencie of the man deserueth iust reproofe in that hee feareth not to abuse the authority of Cyprian to that purpose who was so far frō taking the Pope for his iudge that he freely disséted frō him and professed that one Bishop is not to judge another but that they are to be iudged of God onely and the whole company of Bishoppes neyther doth the place produced by him out of Cyprians Epistles proue any such thing as hee would enforce for it is most euidēt that Cyprian speaketh of one Bishop in each Diocesse not of one Bishop in the whole Christian Church when he sayth Heresies arise from no other cause then that the Priest of God is not obeyed and that men think not of one Priest iudge in Christs steed as it will easily appeare to any one that will take the paines to see the place But saith Higgons the Lutherans seeke to predominate and the Caluinistes will not obey therefore there must be an vmpier betweene them and consequently the Pope must end the quarell Whereunto I answere in a word that howsoeuer the violent humors of some men make a rent in the Church yet there is no difference in iudgement amongst those whom he calleth Lutherans and Caluinists in any matter of faith and therefore the mediation of moderate men interposing themselues or the authority of Princes professing the reformed Religion may in that good time that God shall think fitte easily make an end of these contentions without seeking to the Romish Babilonicall Monarch His third exception is a meere begging of that which is in controuersie which shal neuer be graunted him For I say confidently as before that the matters wherein the followers of Luther and the rest professing the reformed religion seeme to differ are neyther many in number reall in euidence nor substantiall in waight as he vainely braggeth hee can proue out of Luther Hunnius and Conradus on the one part and Zuinglius Sturmius Clebitius c. on the other part And therefore here is noe reproofe of that I haue sayd of the reconciling of these differences but a proofe of his vanity in bragging of that which hee will neuer be able to performe That which I haue written touching the reconciling of these men in shew so opposite in the matter of the Vbiquitary presence and the
of actions of vertue formerly done remaine still in the elect and chosen called according to purpose when they fall into grieuous sinnes tyrannizing ouer them though during the time of their being in such grieuous sins the actuall claime to the benefit of these things and the enioying of them be suspended which vpon their repentance for those particular sinnes that caused such suspension is reuiued and set afoote againe in such sort that the repentance past sufficeth for remission of former sinnes and the good actions past shall haue their rewards So that a man elect and chosen of God and called according to purpose that hath done good vertuous actions though they be deaded in him for the present by some grieuous Sinne yet still they remaine in diuine acceptation and he still retaineth the right title he had to the reward of eternall life promised to those workes of vertue done by him though he can make no actuall claime to the same while he remaineth in such an estate of sinne but after that such sinne shall cease and bee repented of hee recouereth not a nâ—…w right or title but a new claime by vertue of the old title Wherefore if it bee demaunded whether Dauid and 〈◊〉 â—…hen they fell into those grieuous sinnes of vncleanesse and abnegation of Christ continued in a state of iustification We answer that they did in respect of the remission of their sinnes and the title they goâ—… to eternall life in their first conuersion which they lost not by those their sinnes committed afterwardes For the remission of all their former sinnes whereof before they had repented remained still and Gods acceptation of them to eternall life notwithstanding these sinnes vpon the condition of leauing them together with his purpose of rewarding their well-doings but in respect of the actuall claime to eternall good things they were not as men once iustified are notwithstanding lesser sinnes wâ—…h though they cause a dislike yet neither extinguish the right nor suspend the claime to eternall life Thus hauing runne through all those passages of Master Higgons his booke that any way concerne Mee I leaue him to be-thinke himsâ—…fe whether hee had any reason to traducâ—… Mee in such sort as hee hath done and remitte the wrongs he hath done Mee without cause to the righteous iudgement of God to whom hee must stand or fall The end of the first part THE SECOND PART Concerning the Authour of the Treatise of the grounds of the Olde and Nevv Religion and such exceptions as haue beene taken by him against the former Bookes HAuing answered the frivolous objections of Master Higgons I will leaue him and passe from him to his friend and collegue the Author of the Treatise of the grounds of the Olde and New Religion who also is pleased in his idle discourses to take some exceptioÌ„s against that which I haue writteÌ„ But because hee is a very obscure Author such a one as the world taketh little notice of I will not much trouble my selfe about him nor take so much pains in discouering his weaknesse as I haue done in dismasking the new convert a man as it seemeth of more esteeme Yet that the world may see what goodly stuffe it is that these namelesse and Apocryphall Booke-makers dayly vent amongst our seduced countrymen I will briefly and cursorily take a view of all such passages ofhis Treatise as any way concerne me Amongâ—… which the first that offereth it selfe to our view is in his Preface to the Reader where hee citeth with great allowance and approbation that which I haue in my Epistle Dedicatory That all men must carefully seeke out which is the true Church that so they may embrace her communion follow her directions and rest in her judgement but presently chargeth Mee that in my fourth Booke following I bereaue her of almost all such prerogatiues as I formerly yeelded vnto her so that men may not safely follow her directions nor rest in her judgement in that I say that Generall Councels may erre in matters of greatest consequence and free the Church her selfe from errour onely in certaine principall points and Articles of Christian Religion and not generally in all This is a bad beginning being a most shamelesse vntruth For in the places cited by him I lay downe these propositions First that the Church including in it all faithfull ones since CHRIST appeared in the flesh is absolutely free from all errour and ignorance of diuine things Secondly that the Church including all those beleeuers that are hauebeene since the Apostles times is simply free from all errour though happily not from all ignorance Thirdly that the Church including onely the beleeuers liuing at one time in the world is free not onely froÌ„ error in such things as men are precisely bound expressely to know beleeue but froÌ„ pertinaciously erring in any thing that any way pertaineth to Christian faith and religion Fourthly that wee must simply and absolutely without all doubt or question follow the directions and rest in the iudgment of the Church in eyther of the two former senses Fifthly that we must listen to the determinations of the present Church as to the instructions of our Elders and fatherly admonitions and directions but not so as to the things contained in Scripture or beleeued by the whole Vniuersal Church that hath bin euer since the Apostles times Because as Waldensis noteth the Church whose faith neuer faileth is not any particular Church as that of Africa or Rome but the Vniuersall Church neyther that Vniuersall Church which may bee gathered together in a generall Councell which is found sometimes to haue erred but that which dispersed through the world from the Baptisme of Iohn continueth to our times Sixtly that in the iudgment of Waldensis the fathers successiuely are more certaine iudges in matters of faith then a generall Councell of Bishops though it be in a sort the highest Court of the Church as the Treatiser sayth All these propositions are fouÌ„d in Waldensis who wrote with good allowance of Pope Martin the Fift and the whole consistory of Cardinals so that the Treatiser cannot charge Me with any wrong offered to the Church in bereauing her of her due prerogatiues but he must condemn him also and blame the Pope and his Cardinals for commending the writings of such a man to the world as good profitable and containing nothing contrary to the Catholike verity that forgotte himselfe so farre as to bereaue the Church of almost all her prerogatiues which he cannot doe but he must condemne Vincentius Lyrinensts likewise a man beyond all exception who absolutely concurreth in iudgement with Waldensis touching these points assuring vs that the state of the present Church at sometimes may be such as that we must be forced to flye to the iudgment of Antiquity if we desire to find any certaiue direction A iudgement of right discerning sayth OckaÌ„ there is euer fouÌ„d in the Church
not precisely in that they were Apostles as they reported the precepts of CHRIST deliuered the Doctrine of faith but by vertue of their pastorall power in generall common to them with other Pastors of the Church though in that they were no ordinarie Pastors but Apostles they had absolute infallibilitie could make no lawes or constitutions but good profitable in which respect no other are equall to them So that the Pastors of the Church now haue that power by which the Apostles made their Ecclesiasticall constitutions touching order comelinesse but not with like assurance of not erring in making or reversing such lawes therefore the Treatiser cannot from hence inferre that the present Church the guides of it haue infallible iudgement touching matters of faith or ceremonies §. 2 IN the next place first he produceth my distinction of the Church considered as it comprehendeth all the faithfull that are haue beene since Christ appeared in the flesh or onelie such as are haue beene since the Apostles times or such alone as are at one time in the world Secondly an assertion that the present Church may be said at all times to be the pillar of truth not to erre because it euer retaineth a sauing profession of heauenlie truth that is true doctrine concerning all such principall points as are of the substance of Faith and needfull to bee knowne and beleeued expresly by euery man Thirdly he addeth that we deny so much as the virtuall beleefe of other things to be necessary which he pronounceth to be an absurd opinion For the confutation of my distinction of the Church considered in those three different sorts hee asketh if there be now presently any Church in the world including in it all the faithfull that are and haue beene since CHRIST appeared in the flesh or at least since the Apostles times which is a most childish senselesse demaund For it will easily bee answered that the Church that includeth in it all these faithfull ones is now extant in the world as he is pleased to speake in that some of her parts betweene which and the rest there is a connexion are now in the world though all be not as time whereof the parts are present past to come is now though all parts of it be not now But his inference vpon supposall of our answer is more strange then the question For if it bee granted that the Church including in it all these holy ones hath not all her parts in the world at one time he inferreth from thence that the promises of Christ cannot be verified of it As if Christs promises were verified of the church only in respect of those parts that it hath in the world at one time whereas Bellarmine himself teacheth that the promise of the churches being in all parts of the world is not verified of it at one time but successiuely in that though it be not in all parts Provinces of the world at one time yet at one time or other it spreadeth it selfe into euery part of it And Stapleton defineth the church according to the state of the New Testament to be a collectiue multitude of men professing the name of Christ beginning at Hierusalem frō thence dispersed throughout the world increasing spreading it self through all nations alwaies visible manifest mixt of good bad elect reprobate in respect of faith Sacraments holy in respect of origin successiō Apostolique in extent catholique in cōnexion order of parts one in duratiō continuance perpetuall expressing vnto vs that church that includeth all faithful ones since Christ till now nay till the end of the world Which is no doubt a reall body hath many excellent promises made vnto it though all the parts of it be not in the world at one time But let vs goe forward and wee shall see how this silly Treatiser forgetteth himselfe For first hee confesseth that the diuerse considerations of the church proposed by mee may bee in our vnderstanding and yet presently addeth that wee cannot distinguish them really one from another which hee goeth about to proue because the Church in the first consideration includeth in it the same Church as it is taken in the second and third but the proofe is to weake for euery child will tell him that these considerations may be really distinguished one from another because though the former includeth the latter yet the latter includeth not the former For as euery man is a liuing thing but euery liuing thing is not a man soe the Church consisting of all faithfull ones that are and haue beene since Christ appeared in the flesh includeth in it all those that now presently are in the world but the Church consisting of those onely that are at one time includeth not the other but is included in it as a part in the whole and consequently cannot challenge all the priuiledges belonging to it more then the part of a thing may challenge all that pertaineth to the whole soe that the Church in the former consideration may bee free from error though not in the latter But the Treatiser will proue it cannot seeing if the Church including in it all faithfull ones that are or haue beene since Christ be free from error euery part of it must be free and consequently the present Church as a man cannot be sayd to bee free from sicknesse vnlesse euery part of him be free For answere where-vnto wee say that the Church being a collectiue body may be sayd to be free from error in another sort then a man is said to be free from sicknesse for a man cannot be sayd to be free from sicknesse vnlesse euery part be free but the Church may rightly be sayd to be free from error if all her parts erre not though some doe for otherwise I would aske of this Treatiser whether the Church were free frō error in the daies of Athanasius when as Vincentius Lyrinensis sayth almost all the Bishops of the Latine Church were misled by force or fraud and when Liberius Bishop of Rome subscribed to heresie as Athanasius and Hierome testifie If the Church were not free from errour at that time where is the priuiledge of neuer erring If it were it was but in respect of some few partes whence it will follow that the Church may be sayd to bee free from errour though many partes bee not if any continue sound for here the greater and more principall partes did erre But that the Church may be sayd to be free from errour though all parts be not it is euident in that they who most stifly maintaine the not erring of the present Church yet confesse that some parts of it do erre For Stapleton and Bellarmine who both thinke the present Roman Church to be free from error yet deny that she is free in all her parts and tell vs there are some who are
more fully shall be enioyed Resting in the first degree as the authority of the Church moueth vs to beleeue so if it be weakned that kind degree of faith that stayeth on it falleth to the ground hauing no other sufficient stay But if we speake of fayth in respect of her two other degrees shee hath a more sure and firme ground stay to rest vpon And therefore August affirmeth that the truth clearly manifesting it selfe vnto vs is to be preferred before all those things that commend vnto vs the authority of the church that there are certaine spiritually minded men who in this life attaine to the knowledge of heauenly truth sincere wisdome without all doubt discerning it though but in part weakly in that they are men Of which number there is no question but that Aug was one so that the authority of the Church could not be the sole or principall motiue or reason at that time when hee wrote of his present perswasion of the truth of heauenly mysteries contayned in the Gospell of Christ as the Treatiser would make vs beleeue but hauing to do with the Manichees who promised the evident and cleere knowledge of trueth but fayling to performe that they promised vrged him to beleeue that which they could not make him know to bee true he professeth that if he must beleeue without discerning the truth of that he beleeueth he must rest on the authority of the catholicke church For the Manichees had no authority sufficient to moue a man to beleeue in this sort Now the Catholicke Church commanded him not to listen to Manicheus in which behalfe if they would could weaken the authority thereof he professeth hee neither can nor will beleeue any more with such a kind of faith as they vrged him to which is without all discerning of the truth of the things that are to be beleeued Thus we see the discourse of S. Augustine no way proueth that the authority of the Church was the fole or principall ground of the highest degree or kind of faith he had but it is most euident out of the same that it serued onely as an introduction to lead to a more sure perswasion then it selfe could cause §. 5. 6. THe next thing the Treatiser hath that concerneth Mee is that I acknowledge in the Church a rule of faith descending by tradition from the Apostles according to which the Scriptures are to be expounded Whereunto I briefly answere that indeede I admit such a rule so descending vnto vs but that the rule I speake of is nothing else but a summary comprehension of the chiefe heads of Christian doctrine euery part whereof is found in Scripture and from them easily to bee collected and proued deliuered vnto vs by the guides of the Church from hand to hand as from the Apostles So that my words make nothing for proofe of the papists supposed vnwritten traditions wherefore let vs passe to that which followeth which is the Sophisticall circulation which I say Papists runne into in that they beleeue that the Church is infallibly lead into all truth because it is soe contained in the Scripture and that the Scripture is the word of God because the Church infallibly led into all truth telleth them it is In this passage he sayth I wrong Stapleton in that I charge him that in his triplication against Whitaker he affirmeth other matters to be beleeued because they are contained in Scripture and the Scripture because it is the word of God and that it is the word of God because the Church deliuereth it to be so and the Church because it is lead by the spirit and that it is lead by the spirit because it is so contained in the Scripture and the Creed For that as he saith Stapleton in the last place maketh no mention of the Scripture but of the Creed only Wherefore let vs heare Stapleton himselfe speake Whereas D. Whitaker obiecteth that Papists according to Stapletons opiniō beleeue whatsoeuer they beleeue not only by but for the Church that ingenuously he had cōfessed so much he answereth that indeed he had so professed that he euer would so professe and in another place whereas D. Whitaker saith Papistes beleeue the Church because God commaundeth them to do soe and that God doth so commaund them because the Church whose authority is sacred telleth them so he answereth that they doe not beleeue that God commaundeth them to beleeue the Church either properly or onely because the Church telleth them soe but partly because of the most manifest authorities of Scriptures sending men to the Church to bee taught by it partly moued so to doe by the Creede of the Apostles wherein we professe that wee beleeue the Catholique Church that is not only that there is such a Church but that we are members of it and that God doth teach vs by it Is here noe mention of the Scripture but of the Creed onely Doubtlesse the Treatiser hath a very hard fore-head for otherwise he could not but blush and acknowledge that hee wrongeth Mee and not I Stapleton But to make good that which I haue written that Papists either fall into a Sophisticall circulation or resolue the perswasion of their faith finally into humane motiues and inducements first it is to be obserued that noe man perswadeth himselfe of the truth of any thing but because it is euident unto him in it selfe to be as he perswadeth himselfe either in abstractiue knowledge or intuitiue intellectuall or experimentall or of affection or else because it is soe deliuered to bee by some such as hee is well perswaded of both in respect of their vnderstanding discerning aright and will to deliuer nothing but that they apprehend to be true In the former kind the inducement motiue or formall cause of mens assent to such propositions as they assent vnto is the euidence of them in themselues which either they haue originally as the first principles or by necessary deduction from things so euident as conclusions thence inferred In the latter the authority and credit of the reporter The former kind of assent is named assensus euidens the latter ineuidens of which latter sort faith is which is named a firme assent without euidence because many of the things which we are to beleeue are not nor cannot be euident vnto vs originally in themselues as the first principles of humane knowledge nor by deduction from and out of things so evident in such sort as conclusions in sciences are Yet is not this assent without all evidence For though the things beleeued be not euident in themselues yet the medium by vertue whereof we beleeue them must be evident the proofe of them by vertue of that medium Now the medium by vertue whereof we beleeue things no way evident vnto vs in themselues can be nothing else but the report of another neither is euery report of another a sufficient medium
not onely a condition but a cause of that perswasion of fayth which they haue yea the authority of the Church is the formall cause of all that faith seduced Papists haue And therefore the distinction of a cause and condition helpeth them not It is true indeed that the Ministerie of the Church proposing to men thinges to bee beleeued is onely a condition requisite to the producing of a supernaturall act of fayth in respect of them that haue some other thing to perswade them that that is true which the Church proposeth besides the authority of the Church but in respect of such as haue no other proofe of the trueth thereof it is a formall cause Now this is the condition of all Papists For let them tell Mee whether they beleeue the Scripture to be the Word of God without any motiue at all or not and if they doe not as it is most certaine they doe not whether besides such as are humane they haue any other then the authority of the Church if they haue not as doubtlesse they haue not they make the authority of the Church the formall cause of their faith and fall into that sophisticall circulation they are charged with For they beleeue the articles of religion because reuealed and that they were reuealed because it is so contayned in the Scripture and the Scripture because it is the Word of God that it is the Word of God because the Church telleth them it is and the Church because it is guided by the spirit and that it is so guided because it is so contayned in the Scripture this is such a maze as no wise man will willingly enter into and yet the Treatiser commendeth the treading of these intricate pathes and telleth vs that two causes may bee causes one of another That the cause may bee proued by the effect and the effect by the cause and that such a kinde of argumentation is not a circulation but a demonstratiue regresse that two causes may be causes either of other in diuerse respects we make no question For the end of each thing as it is desired setteth the efficient cause a worke and the efficient causeth the same to bee actually enjoyed Likewise we doubt not but that the cause may be proued by the effect and the effect by the cause in a demonstratiue regresse For the effect as better known vnto vs then the cause may make vs know the cause and the cause being found out by vs may make vs more perfitly and in a better sort to knowe the effect then before not onely that and what it is but why it is also So the death of little infants proueth them sinners and their being sinners proueth them mortall The bignesse of the footstep in the dust or sand sheweth the bignesse of his foote that made that impression And the bignesse of his foote will shew how bigge the impression is that he maketh but this maketh nothing for the justifying of the Romish circulations For heere the effect being knowne in a sort in itselfe maketh vs know the cause and the cause being found out and knowne maketh vs more perfectly to knowe the effect then at first wee did but the case is otherwise with the Papists for with them the Scripture which in it selfe hath no credit with them but such onely as it is to receiue from the Church giueth the Church credit and the Church which hath no credit but such as it is to receiue from the Scripture giueth the Scripture credit by her testimony And they endeauour to proue the infallibility of the Churches judgment out of the Scripture and the trueth of the Scripture out of the determination and judgement of the Church Much like as if when question is made touching the quality condition of two men vtterly vnknowne a man to commend them to such as doubt of them should bring no other testimony of their good and honest disposition but the testimony of each of them of the other It is true then which I haue said that to a man admitting the Old Testament and doubting of the New a man may vrge the authority of the Old and to a man doubting of the Old and admitting the New the authority of the New but to him that doubteth of both a man must alledge neither of them but must bring some other authority or proofe so likewise to him that admitteth the Scripture and doubteth of the Church a man may vrge the authority of the Scripture but to him that doubteth of both as all doe when they begin to beleeue a man must alledge some other proofe or else hee shall cause him to runne round in a Circle for euer and neuer to finde any way out Wherefore to conclude this poynt let our Aduersaries know that wee admitte and require humane motiues and inducements and amongst them a good opinion of them that teach vs as preparing fitting vs to fayth Secondly that wee require a supernaturall ayde light and habit for the producing of an act of faith Thirdly that we require some diuine motiue inducement Fourthly that this cannot be the authority of the Church seeing the authority of the Church is one of the things wee are to bee induced to beleeue Fiftly that wee require the ministery of the Church as a propounder of all heauenly trueth though her authority can be no proofe in generall of all such truth Sixtly that the Church though not as it includeth onely the beleeuers that are in the world at one time yet as it comprehendeth all that are or haue beene is an infallible propounder of heauenly truth and so acknowledged to bee by such as are assured of the trueth of the doctrine of Christianity in generall Seauenthly that the authority of this Church is a sufficient proofe of the trueth of particular things proposed by her to such as already are by other diuine motiues assured of her infallibility §. 7. FRom the authority of the Scripture which he would faine make to bee wholy dependant on the Church the Treatiser passeth to the fulnesse and sufficiency of it seeking amongst other his discourses to weaken those proofes which are brought by Mee for confirmation thereof Affirming that though I make shew as if it were a plaine matter that the Euangelists in their Gospels Saint Luke in the Actes of the Apostles and Saint Iohn in the Apocalyps meant to deliuer a perfect summe of Christian doctrine and direction of faith yet I bring no reason of any moment to proue it Whereas yet in the place cited by him I haue these wordes contayning in them as I suppose a strong proofe of the thing questioned Who seeth not that the Evangelists writing the history of CHRISTS life and death St Luke in the booke of the Acts of the Apostles describing the comming of the Holy Ghost the admirable gifts and graces powred vpon the Apostles and the churches founded and ordered by them and Saint Iohn writing the Revelations
which he had concerning the future state of things to the end of the world meant to deliuer a perfect summe of Christian doctrine if the proof contained in these words be not sufficiēt for my part I know not what may be for what can be necessary to bee knowne of Christians ouer and aboue that which is found in the olde Testament besides the Incarnation of Christ his words actions sufferings the manner of the establishment of churches in the faith of Christ and the ordaining and appointing of fit guides to take care of the government of the same and the future state of things to the end of the world But he saith no one of the Evangelists intended to set downe all that Christ did and suffered as it appeareth in that no one of them hath so done that it cannot be said that all jointly haue so done seeing that could not proceed but from some common deliberation or the disposition and inspiration of the holy Ghost mouing them to write neither of which can be said For that there was no such deliberation he saith it is evident in that no man mentioneth any such thing in that it is knowne they wrote in diuers countries at diuers times vpon diuers occasions that the inspiration of the holy spirit did not direct them to the writing of all things necessary hee saith it is likewise most cleare in that I confesse there are some things wanting in their bookes which the church beleeueth which could not be if the spirit had moued them to write all This obiection will soone be answered For first it is certain that some one of the Evangelists intended to write all things which Christ did and spake S. Luke professing that he had so done Which yet is not to be vnderstood of all things simply but such onely as he did spake in that time within the compasse whereof he confined his narration Neither doth this prejudice the fulnesse of the Evangelicall history For as Baronius noteth the later Evangelists taking a view of that the former had written for the most part added what things they found omitted by them So Marke Luke write of the ascension of Christ not mentioned by S. Mathew because he ended his story before he came to it And Iohn finding as Hierome saith that the other three had written onely the history of one yeare after Iohn the Baptist was cast into prison wherein Christ suffered approued that which they had written as true omitting that yeare because the things that fell out in it were reported by thē recorded such things as fell out before the imprisonment of the Baptist which they had not written as not fetching the beginning of their narration so farre off If it be said by this Treatiser that many things that Christ did are so omitted that they are found in none of the Evangelists for that Iohn who wrote last of all knew well what the rest had written hath these words Many other signes also Iesus wrought in the sight of his Disciples which are not written in this booke but these things are written that you may beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the son of God and that beleeuing you may haue euerlasting life through his Name And againe there are also many other things which Iesus did which if they should be written euery one I suppose the world would not be able to containe the Bookes which should be written Baronius will tell him that the Evangelists when they tooke in hand the writing of the sacred stories intended not to write all the things generally that Christ did but such so many only as might serue to confirme the Faith and to demonstrate that IESVS is the Son of GOD that the things which they haue written are sufficient to saluation that men beleeuing may haue eternall life So that though there were no commō deliberation or consultation amongst the Evangelists though they wrote at diuers times in diuers places yet by the sweet disposition of the holy Spirit that moued them to write it might and did so fall out in that one saw what another had written that the later added such things as they foūd omitted by the former so left vnto vs a perfect full narration concerning Christ his incarnation life death resurrectiō ascension as also the things he did and spake during the time of his conversing amōgst men So that the Treatiser is not able to proue that the Evangelicall historie is imperfect but there is one thing wherein hee gloryeth as if hee had gotten some great aduantage which is that I confesse that there are somethings found in the Epistles of the Apostles occasionally writtē beleeued by the Church that are not found in the history of the Euangelists the book of all the Acts of the Apostles nor the Reuelation of Saint Iohn whence hee thinketh hee may inferre that eyther the Authors of th◅se books meant not to deliuer a perfect summe directiō of Christian faith as I affirme or that they missed of their purpose which may not bee graunted But lette him know that there is no consequence of any such absurdity as hee imagineth from any thing I haue written For the things beleeued by the Church and not found in the former bookes but in the Epistles of the Apostles are nothing else but distinct and cleare determinations of doubts arising touching matters of faith or manners out of and according to the summe of Christian Doctrine found in the former bookes or historicall narrations of such thinges as passed betweene the Apostles themselues or between them and the Churches founded by them or some particular persons in them not mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles or lastly Apostolicall prescriptions of things pertaining to decencie order and comelinesse in the performance of the acts of Gods worship and seruice Now I thinke it will not follow that if there be found in the Apostolicall Epistles some more distinct cleere resolutiōs determinations of doubtes out of the forme and direction of Christian Doctrine found in the former bookes then are there found or a prescription of some outward obseruations that the former bookes containe not a perfect summe and direction of Christian faith much lesse will it be consequent that these bookes containe not a perfect direction of Christian faith because some historicall narrations not found in them are beleeued in the Church as that Paul left his cloake at Troas that hee mediated for Onesimus and sought to reconcile him to his Maister and the like The Treatiser therefore passeth from this exception and asketh how I will proue that all thinges beleeued by the Church not contained in the former books are found in the Epistles of the Apostles to whom I answere that when hee shall giue any instance of things beleeued by the Church not foūd in the former books either it shal be proued
that they are not beleiued by the Church or they shal be shewed him in those Epistles Wherfore let vs see what he hath more to say One of the Apostolicall Epistles he saith is lost namely that which Paul wrote to the Laodiceans in which there might be something necessarily to be beleeued that is not fouÌ„d in any other book of the New Testament Therefore it may be thought that there is some want imperfection in the books of the New Testament This truly is a very idle and and silly obiection for though there was a certaine Epistle to the Laodiceans carried about and read by some in auncient times yet as Hierome testifieth it was exploded by all and Chrysostome and Theodoret are of opinion that Paul neuer wrote any Epistle to the Laodiceans but that the Epistle hee speaketh of was written from Laodicea or by the Laodiceans to informe him of the state of things amongst themselues or amongst the Colossians by whom hee would haue it read And Cardinall Baronius himselfe approueth their opinion rather then the other That which he hath of my admitting traditions I will answere when I come to examine his next section §. 8. IN his next section he hath these words Barlow and Field two famous English Protestants admitte certaine Apostolicall traditions And farther hee addeth that I allow of certaine rules for the discerning of Apostolicke traditions from such as are not such Whereunto wee answere that wee admit sundry kindes of tradition and yet deny that any thing concerning fayth or the necessary direction and information of mens manners is to bee beleeued and receiued that is not written For we say nothing was deliuered by tradition but the bookes of Scripture thinges in some sort therein contayned and thence deduced and certaine dispensable obseruations not at all or hardly to be discerned from Ecclesiasticall constitutions Neither is it new or strange that wee should admit some kinds of traditions For Kemnitiuâ—… acknowledgeth all those kinds that I meÌ„tion which will no way help the Papists For the question between theÌ„ vs is not whether there be any traditions or not For it is most certaine that the bookes of Scripture are deliuered by tradition But it beeing â—…upposed that the holy men of God taught immediately by Christ his Sonne â—…ded certaine bookes to posterities and agreed on which those bookes are whâ—…her they containe all thinges necessary to bee knowne and practised by Christian â—…en for the attayning of euerlasting life and saluation Wee say they doe they deny it Yet will the Treatiser proue from hence contrary to my assertions that according to my owne grounds tradition is the very foundation of my faith For if Protestantes receiue the number names of the Authours and integrity of the parts of bookes divine and canonicall as deliuered by tradition as I say they doe and if without tradition wee cannot know such diuine bookes hee thinketh it consequent that tradition is the ground of our faith But indeede there is no such consequence as hee imagineth For it is one thing to require the tradition of the church as a necessary meaâ—…s whereby the bookes of Scripture may be deliuered vnto vs and made known another to make the same tradition the ground of our faith seeing in the judgment of the Treatiser himselfe euery thing is not the ground of our saith builded vpon Scripture without which we cannot know the Canonicall bookes of Scripture from such as are not of that ranke As it is euident in that he distinguisheth the groâ—…d of our faith reason of our beleeuing from the condition required to the producing of such an act of fayth denying the churches proposing of things to bee beleeued to be the ground of our faith and yet requiring it as a necessary condition without which ordinarily men cannot beleeue So that though we know the names of the writers of the books of holy Scripture by tradition and that there were no more bookes nor no more partes of bookes of this kinde left to posterities by the Apostles but such as the church deliuereth to vs yet it is not consequent that wee haue no other ground of our perswasion that the bookes deliuered to vs and the parts thereof are canonicall but tradition for the euidence of diuine power and majesty shewing it selfe in them more then in all humane compoÌ„sitions whatsoeuer proueth them to haue proceeded from the immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost breathing in them nothing but heauenly grace The words of holy Scripture sayth Picus Mirandula are rude and plaine but full of life and soule they haue their sting they pierce and enter in euen to the most secret spirit and strangely transforme him that with due respect readeth them and meditateth on them And besides there are sundry diuine and conuincing reasons that the summe of Christian doctrine contayned in these bookes is nothing else but heauenly truth and being without the compasse of that wee naturally vnderstand reuealed trueth So that the Treatiser doth greatly forget himselfe when hee pronounceth it to bee false that I say that the Scriptures winne credit of themselues and yeelde sufficient satisfaction to all men of their diuine truth This is the summe of all that hee hath of traditions For where hee saith I affirme that without the Creed of the Apostles wee cannot know the Scriptures to bee of God hee sheweth himselfe to care little whether that hee writeth bee true or false For I no where haue any such thing but where hee saith I affirme that Papists make traditions Ecclesiasticall equall with the written word of God and that this is one of my ordinary vntruths hee deserueth a sharper censure For if the Reader be pleased to peruse the place cited by him hee shall finde that I say no such thing nor any thing that the Pope himselfe can possibly dislike For deliuering the opinion of Papists touching traditions their diuerse kindes and the credit that is to bee giuen vnto them I shew that they make diuine traditions equall with the words precepts and doctrines of Christ left vnto vs in writing apostolicall with the written precepts of the Apostles and ecclesiasticall with the written precepts of the Pastours of the Church confessing that there is no reason why they should not so doe if they could proue any such vnwritten traditions Is this to say that Papists make Ecclesiasticall traditions equall with the written Word of God Is this one of my ordinary vntruthes or rather is not this a bewraying of an extraordinary impudency in him that so saith Surely I feare the Reader will haue a very ill conceipt of him vpon the discerning of this his bad dealing Yet hee goeth forward charging Mee that I make the baptisme of Infants to be an vnwritten tradition whereas yet he knoweth right well that howsoeuer I grant it may be named a tradition in that there is no expresse precept or
Apostles and in many places we finde the same to haue beene done rather for the honour of Priest-hood then the necessity of any Law otherwise if the Spirit descend not but onely at the prayer of the Bishop they are to be lamented who in villages castles and remote places baptized by Priests or Deacons dye before they are visited by the Bishop and then follovve these words The safety of the Church depends on the dignity of the chiefe Priest to whom if an eminent power be not giuen there will bee as many schismes in the Church as there are Priests So that this is that which he saith that it is rather for the honour of the Bishop or chiefe Priest of each Church that the imposition of hands vpon the baptized is reserued vnto him alone then the necessity of any law because if he had no such preeminences things peculiarly reserued vnto him in respect whereof he might be greater then the rest of the Priests Ministers in the Church there would be as many schismes as Priests and hence he saith it commeth that without the command of the Bishop or chiefe Priest neither Priest nor Deacon haue right to baptize So that it is manifest the chiefe Priest he speaketh of whose power is eminent peerelesse is so named in respect of other Priests in the same church that may not so much as baptize without his mandate not in respect of the pastors of the whole vniuersall church Wherefore if this pamphleter would haue dealt truly honestly he should haue said VVhereas heretofore some vnchristian Sermons books termed the Bishop of Rome the great Antichrist we shal now receiue a better doctrine more religious answer that there must be one chiefe Priest or Bishop in euery Diocesse hauing a more eminent authority then the rest then whereas men now detest his falshood they would but onely haue laughed at his folly But let vs come to his second allegation and see if there be any more truth in that then in this His wordes are these Doctor Field telleth vs from Scripture that Christ promised to build his Church vpon Saint Peter then no Christian will doubt vnlesse he will doubt of Christs truth and promises but it was so performed Let the reader peruse the place and hee shal find that I doe not tell them from Scripture that CHRIST promised to builde his Church vpon Peter as this man adding one falshood to another most vntruely sayth I doe but onely cite a place of Tertullian to proue that nothing was hid from the Apostles that was to be reuealed to after-commers where hee hath these words What was hidden and concealed from Peter vpon whom Christ promised to build his Church from Iohn the Disciple hee so dearely loued that leaned on his breast at the mysticall supper and the rest of that blessed company that should be after manifested to succeeding generations But he will say that I approue the saying of Tertullian and therefore thinke the Church was built vpon Peter Truly so I doe but I thinke also as Hierome doth that it was built no more vpon him then vpon all the rest and therefore the supremacy of Peters pretended successour will not bee concluded from thence Dicis saith Hierome super Petrum fundatur Ecclesia licet idipsum in alio loco super omnes Apostolos fiat Super omnes ex aequo Ecclesiae fortitudo solidatur that is Thou wilt say the Church was built vpon Peter It is true it was so but we shall find in another place that it was builded vpon all the Apostles Surely the firmenesse of the Church doth equally stay and settle it selfe vpon them all This is so cleare and evident that Bellarmine himselfe confesseth that all the Apostles may be said to haue beene foundations of the Church and that the Church may bee truely said to haue beene built vpon them all First because they preached Christ to such as had not heard of him before and were the first that founded Christian Churches Secondly in respect of their doctrine which they learned by immediate reuelation from the Sonne of God in which the Church is to rest as in the ground and rule of her faith Thirdly in respect of gouernmēt in that they were all heads rulers of the vniuersal Church Thus wee see if I had told them out of Scripture that Christ promised to build his Church on Peter our Aduersaries could not from thence haue inferred the supremacie of the Pope his pretended Successour Wherefore let vs come to his next allegation His words are Doctor Field and the rest doe ordinarily yeelde that the Romane Church continued the true Church of God till the yeare of Christ sixe hundreth and seauen when Bonifacius the Pope there claimed as they say supremacie first in the Church This is a meere imagination of his own for I no where speake of the Churchcōtinuing till the time of Bonifacius the Pope or till the yeare sixe hundred and seauen as if it had then ceased and therefore hee doth not here cite any page of my booke as in other places but citeth it at large But saith hee Doctor Field plainly acknowledgeth that the supremacy belonged to the Popes of Rome before the first Nicene Councell and then by the rules which hee giueth to knowe true traditions custome of the Church consent of Fathers or an Apostolicall Churches testimony this must needes bee of that first kinde and then of equall authority with Scripture as hee acknowledgeth of such traditions Such is the intollerable impudency of this man that I protest I canne scarce beleeue mine owne eyes or perswade my selfe that hee writeth that which I see hee doth For doe I any where acknowledge the supremacy belonged to the Popes of Rome before the Nicene Councell Nay doe I not in the place cited by him say that before the Nicene Councell there were three principall Bishoppes or Patriarches of the Christian Church to witte the Bishoppes of Rome Alexandria and Antioche as appeareth by the actes of the Councell limiting their bounds Had these their bounds limited and set vnto them and was there one of them an vniuersall commander If hee say I acknowledge the Bishop of Rome was in order and honour the first amongst the Patriarches before the Nicene Councell and thereupon inferre that I acknowledge his supremacie and commaunding power ouer the rest hee may as well inferre that I giue to the Bishop of Alexandria a commanding authority ouer the Bishoppe of Antioche because before the Nicene Councell he was before him in order and honour That which hee addeth as a Corollary that by the rules I giue to know true traditions this must bee of that kinde and cōsequently of equall authority with Scripture argueth in him a greater desire of saying something then care what he saith For first it no way appeareth out of any thing that I haue said touching the primacy of the Pope before the
time of the Nicene Coūcell that either custome of the Church consent of Fathers or the testimony of an Apostolical Church giue the supremacie to the Popes 2ly It is false that hee saith that I make custome of the Church or the testimony of an Apostolicall Church rules whereby to finde out which are true traditions and which are not For first I doe not say that custome of the church obseruing a thing is a proofe that that thing which is so obserued was deliuered frō the Apostles but such a custome whereby a thing hath beene obserued from the beginning So that though the Popes had beene supreame in power and commaund before the Nicene Councell which all the Papists and diuells in hell shall neuer proue yet would it not follow that this their supremacy were by tradition from the Apostles Secondly I doe not make the testimony of an Apostolicall church to be a rule whereby to know true traditions from false as hee is pleased to bely me but I disclaime it in the very place cited by him My words are these The third rule whereby true traditions may bee knowne from false is the constant testimony of the Pastours of an Apostolicall church successiuely deliuered to which some adde the present testimonie of any Apostolicall Church but this none of the Fathers admit neither doe I The Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Rome are Apostolicall Churches whatsoeuer their Pastors haue successiuely deliuered as receiued from the Apostles is vndoubtedly Apostolicall but not euery thing that the Pastours of those Churches that now presently are shall so deliuer seeing they are contrary the one to the other in things of great importance Thirdly whereas he saith I acknowledge vnwritten traditions to bee of equall authority with the Scriptures he is like himselfe For I neuer acknowledge that there is any matter of faith of which nature the Popes supremacy is supposed to be deliuered by bare tradition and not written but say onely if any thing may be proued to haue beene deliuered by liuely voyce by them that wrot the Scriptures there is no reason but it should be of as great authority as if it had beene written Two more allegations there are yet behind in this chapter that concerne mee The first that I say and Protestants generally agree with mee that the Regiment of the West Churches among which this nation is belonged to the Pope of Rome It seemeth this man hath a great desire I should say so and some hope I will say so But I protest as yet I neuer wrote any such thing and therefore here againe hee referreth his Reader to no page of my Booke as in other places but citeth it at large wherein he sheweth more wit then honesty for it is good to put a man to seeke farre for that which can no where be found But what if I had said the Bishop of Rome was Patriarch of the West would that proue an vniuersall power ouer the whole Church or such a kind of absolute authority ouer the Churches of the West as in latter times by vsurpation hee exercised ouer them Surely I thinke not But saith hee Doctour Downame saith before the grant of Phocas the Church of Rome had the superioritie and preeminence ouer all other Churches excepting that of Constantinople and Doctour Field telleth him absolutely that the title of Constantinople was but intruded and vsurped and when the first Nicene Councell gaue such honour to the Romane Church there was not so much as the name of Constantinople This is the last allegation that concerneth mee in this chapter The place that hee citeth is neither to bee found in the first booke of the Church quoted by him nor any where else For I no where euer say that the councell of Nice gaue supreame commaunding authority ouer all the Churches to the Bishop of Rome but only that it confirmed the distinct iurisdictions of the three Patriarches of Rome Alexandria and Antioche And touching the title of Constantinople where of he speaketh if hee meane the title of being vniuersall Bishop it is most true that it was intruded and vsurped as also the like is at this day by the Bishops of Rome which Gregorie their predecessour disclaimed thinking it intollerable that one man should subiect to himselfe all the members of the body of Christ which is his Church But if hee meane the title of being a Patriarch in order the second hauing equall priuiledges with the Bishop of Rome farre be it from me to thinke it was intruded or vsurped or to condemne the acts of the Councels of Constantinople and Chalcedon two of those foure which Saint Gregorie receiued as the foure Gospels as the Romanists doe because they gaue priuiledges to the Bishop of Constantinople equall to those of the Bishop of Rome Nay hereby it appeareth to be true that S. Hierome was wont to say Orbis maior est vrbe For after that Constantinople before named Byzantium was enlarged by Constantine named after his name and made the seate of the Emperours though the very name of it was not at all heard of in the time of the Nicene Councell yet in the second generall Councell holden at Constantinople the Bishop thereof was made a Patriarch and set in order and degree of honour before the other two of Alexandria and Antioche and in the great Councell of Chalcedon where there were more then 600 Bishops assembled he was again confirmed in the dignity of a Patriarch and to haue equall priviledges with the Bishop of Rome Against this decree they that supplyed the place of Leo in the councell resisted and Leo himselfe would by no meanes admit that the Bishops of Alexandria and Antioche claiming from Peter the one because Marke was there placed by him the other for that in person he abode there for a time should be put lower and the Bishop of Constantinople who had not like pretence to sit aboue them Yet the Fathers of the councell not so much respecting the claime from Peter as the greatnesse of the city and thinking it was the greatnesse of the city of Rome during the Emperours presence there that caused the Fathers formerly to giue honour to the Bishop of that city supposed they might now for the same cause giue like honour to the Bishop of Constantinople being become equall in state and magnificence to olde Rome and named new Rome as euery way matching it and howsoeuer the succeeding Bishops of Rome stroue a long while about this matter yet in the end they were forced to yeeld and to take the Bishops of Constantinople for Patriarches in degree of honour set before the other two CHAP. 4. IN this chapter hee endeavoureth to proue by testimonies of Protestants that all bookes receiued for Scripture by the Romane church are canonicall and herein are two things that concerne me The first that the Romane church being the spouse of Christ his true church and pillar of
truth whose communion we must embrace follow her directions rest in her iudgement liuing and dying therein to haue eternall life men might here by my censure and advice confine themselues and wade no further in so many intricate controversies of religion the second that I am or must bee of opinion that all those bookes which the church of Rome receiued for canonicall are indeede canonicall For answere to the former of these allegations First I professe before God men and Angels that I neither do nor euer did thinke the present Romane church to be the true church whose communion wee are bound to embrace but an hereticall church with which we may not communicate Secondly I professe in like sort that though I did and doe acknowledge the church wherein our Fathers liued before Luthers time to haue beene the true church of God in respect of the best and indeede the principall parts thereof which held a sauing profession of the truth in Christ howsoeuer many and they greatly prevailing erred damnably yet I neuer thought it to be that church in whose iudgement we are to rest without any farther doubt or question nor that it was safe to follow the greater part of the guides and rulers of it but the church in whose iudgement wee must absolutely and finally rest is that whole and entire societie of Holy ones which beginning at Hierusalem and filling the world continueth vnto this day To refuse the iudgement of this church or to resist against any thing deliuered ab omnibus ubique semper in all places at all times by all Christian pastors and people not noted for heresie or singularitie were extreame folly and madnesse so that as I noted in answer to the first chapter out of Waldensis it is not any particular church as the church of Africa nor the particular Romane church but the vniuersall church not gathered together in a generall councell which hath sometimes erred but the whole catholique church dispersed through the world from the baptisme of Christ vnto our times which doth vndoubtedly holde the true faith and faithfull testimony of IESVS and in whose iudgement we must absolutely rest without any farther question oâ—… doubting and hereunto agreeth t Vincentius Lirinensis prescribing this course to bee followed in matters questioned touching faith and religion If errour creepe into one part of the Church we must looke vnto other that still are sound and pure if into almost the whole present church we must looke vp higher into former times and the resolutions of them that haue beene since the Apostles times Thus I hope the Reader will easily perceiue that this first allegation is friuolous For I doe not thinke the present Church of Rome to be the true church of God whose communion we must embrace nor that the particular Romane church when it was at the best was that church in the judgement whereof we are absolutely to rest and therefore let no man confine himselfe here without farther wading into particular controuersies but let euery man as he tendreth the saluation of his owne soule looke to the judgement of other churches also and to the resolutions of former times Now let vs proceede to his second allegation concerning canonicall and apocryphall bookes of Scripture His words are The Protestant surueyor of the Communion-booke affirmeth plainely that the Protestants of England must approue for Canonicall all those bookes which the Romane Church doth and Doctour Field is of the same opinion or must be for thus he writeth The ancient and true-beleeuing Iewes before the comming of Christ especially such as liued in Greece and nations out of Iury commonly called Hellenists receiued those bookes for canonicall Scripture It is well hee saith not absolutely that I am of that opinion but that I am or must be for he is well assured I am not but he knoweth how to force me to bee whether I will or not by falsly reporting my wordes and making me say that I neuer thought nor said For doe I any where say the ancient and true â—…euing Iewes before the comming of Christ receiued those bookes for canonicall especially such as were dispersed among the Gentiles No surely but the contrary namely that the ancient church of the Iewes did receiue those only as diuine and canonicall which we doe and not those other in question I am verily perswaded these men thinke lying to be no sinne for otherwise it were not likely that bragging so much of their good workes and trusting to the merit thereof they would wittingly runne so often into such a sinne as we silly men thinke it to be and as the spirit of God assureth vs it is being of the number of those that shut men out of the kingdome of God and Christ according to that in the Reuelation Without shall be dogges and inchanters and whore-mongers and murtherers idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies But let vs see if hee deale not better in that which followeth Surely no hee is constant and euer like himselfe for hee saith Doctour Field writeth thus The ancient and true-beleeuing Iewes before the comming of Christ especially such as liued in Greece and nations out of Iury commonly called Hellenists receiued those bookes for canonicall Scripture and to vse his owne wordes Hence it came that the Iewes deliuered a double canon of Scripture to the Christian Churches Surely this is not to vse but to abuse my words For I was not so senselesse as to say the auncient and true-beleeuing Iewes receiued the bookes in question for Canonicall and that thence it came that they deliuered a double Canon of Scripture to the Christian Churches For if the Iewes generally had receiued all these bookes for canonicall but especially the Hellenists then they could not haue deliuered a double canon of Scripture but one onely Wherefore my words are not as hee reporteth them but hauing spoken of the 22 bookes of the old Testament I adde These onely did the auncient Church of the Iewes receiue as diuine Canonicall and that other bookes were added vnto these whose authoritie not being certaine and knowne are named Apocryphall fèll out in this sort The Iewes in their latter times before and at the comming of Christ were of two sorts some properly named Hebrewes commorant at Hierusalem in the holy land other named Hellenists Iewes of the dispersion mingled with the Grecians these had written sundry bookes in Greeke which they made vse of together with other parts of the old Testament which they had of the translation of the Septuagint but the Hebrewes receiued onely the 22 bookes before mentioned Hence it came that the Iewes deliuered a double Canon of the Scripture to the Christian Church the one pure indubitate diuine which is the Hebrew Canon the other in Greeke inriched with or rather adulterated by the addition of certaine other bookes written in those dayes when God raised vp no more Prophets among his people So that the
and so much to be desired yet if they cannot bee had the truth may be found out by other meanes yea haue not the Fathers in factious times complained that they neuer saw good end of any councell and yet were resolued in matters of the faith and able to settle others also CHAP. 7. IN this chapter wherein he indeauoureth to shew that traditions are of equall authoritie with Scripture and yet proue the Romane Religion he hath these wordes The dignity and authority of vnwritten and Apostolicall traditions being lawfully proued was euer esteemed such that M. Wootton affirmeth out of all question we are bound to keep them and telleth that M. Perkins was of the same minde This is an ill beginning for whereas he should proue that the Apostles deliuered some matters of faith by bare tradition without writing hee bringeth forth some that say if it could be proued that any thing was so deliuered it were to bee receiued with no lesse regard then if it had beene written which is as if a man should vndertake to proue out of Paules Epistles that the Angels in Heauen and the Apostles of CHRIST are to bee anathematized and accursed because hee saith If wee or an Angell from heauen preach any other doctrine then that yee haue receiued holde him accursed Wherefore to helpe the matter and to make some shew at the least whereas wee say If any thing could bee proued to haue beene deliuered by the Apostles by tradition it were no lesse to be esteemed then things of the same nature written by them hee citeth our words as if we confessed there were certaine vnwritten Apostolicall traditions which were euer esteemed equall with the Scripture but not before they were proued to bee such D. Field saith he speaketh of such traditions in these words There is no reason but these should be equall with Scripture for it is not the writing that giueth these things their authoritie but the worth and credite of him that deliuereth thē though but by word and liuely voice onely In this allegation he wrongeth me no lesse then in other before for these are not my words as he vntruely affirmeth against his owne knowledge but speaking of the diuerse kindes of vnwritten traditions imagined by the Papists I say All these in their seuerall kindes they make equal with the words precepts doctrines of Christ the Apostles and Pastors of the Church left vnto vs in writing neither is there any reason why they should not doe so if they could proue any such vnwritten verities for it is not the writing that giueth things their authoritie but the worth and credite of him that deliuereth them The onely doubt is whether there be any such traditions or not Is this to acknowledge that there are vnwritten traditions of equall authoritie with the Scriptures If one of his fellowes should tell him if he were Pope he could not erre would he inferre his fellow were so mad to thinke he could not erre that doth nothing else but erre and mistake all that he citeth But he saith I adde that the perpetuall virginity of our Lady was a tradition only receiued by such authority so do other Protestants that both they I acknowledge Heluidius was condemned of heresie iustly for denyall thereof which could not be except to deny the doctrine of true traditions were to deny the word of God in their iudgements This is an other notable and shamelesse falsification For I neither say the perpetuall virginity of our Lady was a tradition nor that Heluidius was condemned and that iustly for the deniall thereof but my wordes are The Canon of Scripture being admitted as deliuered by tradition though the Diuine trueth of it bee in it selfe cleare not depending of the Churches authority there is no matter of Faith deliuered by bare and onely tradition as the Romanists imagine The onely cleare instance they seeme to giue is touching the perpetuall virginity of Mary which they say cannot be proued by Scripture and yet is necessary to bee beleeued But they should knowe that this is no poynt of Christian faith That shee was a virgine before in and after the birth of Christ wee are bound to beleeue as an article of our faith and so much is deliuered in Scripture and in the Apostles Creede but that shee continued so euer after is a seemely trueth fitting the sanctitie of the blessed virgine and is de pietate but not de necessitate fidei Neither was Heluidius condemned of heresie for the deniall hereof but by such as thought it might bee proued out of Scripture or by such as detested and condemned his madnesse and desperate singularity in pertinaciously vrging the deniall of it vpon mis-construction of Scripture as if the deniall of it had beene a matter of faith And surely whatsoeuer this man thinke to the contrary Melchior Canus is of opinion that the perpetuall virginity of Marie the mother of our Lord is not beleeued onely or principally as deliuered by tradition but that the very consideration of the respect that was due to so sanctified a vessell of the incarnation of the Sonne of God as was her body would make vs perswade our selues shee neuer knew man after she was so much honoured as to be the mother of God This consideration no doubt moued the Fathers to be of this opinion rather then any tradition In the next place hee setteth downe my discourse and diuision of traditions approued by Protestants in the twentieth chapter of my fourth booke of the Church leaving out diuerse thinges in setting downe the same for his most aduantage as the Reader will easily perceiue if hee peruse the place But to what purpose hee produceth this discourse diuision of mine I know not For first if he thinke that I now yeeld more vnto thē in the matter of traditions thē our Diuines heretofore haue done as he seemeth to doe in that he saith though vntruly that I preuent and confute the vsuall objections of Protestants about the doctrine of traditions he is greatly deceiued For Chemnitius in his Examen of the Tridentine Councell admitteth all those kinds of traditions which I haue deliuered I will set down his discourse in his own words that the reader may see he saith fully as much as I haue done Primum genus traditionum est quòd Apostoli tradiderunt doctrinam viuâ voce sed illa postea in scriptura literis consignata est Secundum genus traditionum est quòd Libri Scripturae sacrae non interrupt â serie temporum sicut Augustinus loquitur certa connexionis successione ab Ecclesia custoditi fideliter ad posteros transmissi nobisque quasi per manus traditi sunt Tertium genus traditionum constituimus illud de quo loquuntur Irenaeus lib. 3. Tertullianus de Praescript Recitant autem quid sit illud quod ex traditione probant sunt illi ipsi articuli fidei
quos symbolum Apostolicum complectitur Illos autem in scriptura multis manifestis testimonijs tradi nullum est dubium Quartum genus traditionum est de expositione vero sensu seu natiuâ sententiâ scripturae Quintum genus traditionum constituimus illud quod Patres aliquando ita vocant illa dogmata quae non totidem literis syllabis in scripturâ ponuntur sed bonâ certâ firmâ manifestâ Ratiocinatione ex perspicuis scripturae testimoniis colliguntur Sextum genus traditionum constituimus illud quod de Catholico Patrum consensu dicitur Septimum genus traditionum est quod vbi Veteres mentionē faciunt traditionū non scriptarum propriè non intelligunt dogmata fidei extra praeter Scripturam recipienda etiamsi nullo Scripturae testimonio probare possunt sed de ritibus consuetudinibus quibusdam vetustis loquuntur quos propter antiquitatem ad Apostolos retulerunt Verisimile est quosdam etiam alios externos ritus qui in scripturâ annotati non sunt ab Apostolis traditos esse nullis quidem certis firmis documentis probari potest qui sunt ritus certò ab Apostolis traditi qui ex Scriptura ostendi non possunt These are the words of Chemnitius wherby it appeareth that he admitteth all those kinds of tradition which I doe and yet reiecteth the imagined traditions of Papists D. Whitakers likewise acknowledgeth that the Apostles of Christ ordained appointed in the Churches certaine rites and obseruations for order comelinesse which they did not commit to writing because they were not of necessity to bee perpetually obserued in one and the same sort but dispenseable according to the circumstance of times and places This hee proueth out of the first to the Corinthians the 11 and 14 chapters Secondly if hee thinke their erronious opinion touching traditions may be inferred from any thing that I acknowledge he seemeth to bee too weake in vnderstanding and not to know what the state of the question is betweene them and vs for the question is not whether there be any traditions or not but whether it being first supposed that the Prophets Apostles and other holy men of God left vnto posterities diuine and sacred bookes and it being agreed vpon which they ate they containe all things necessary to be knowne and practised by Christian men for the attaining of euer lasting life and saluation We say they doe Neither can he proue the contrary out of any thing written by me For I acknowledge nothing to haue beene deliuered by tradition but the bookes of Scripture things therein in some sort contained and certaine dispenseable obseruations not at all or hardly to be discerned from Ecclesiasticall constitutions Let vs see therefore what hee can conclude out of any thing that I haue written for the confirmation of the Romish errour To make saith hee a short reflexion vpon his doctrine by his first rule of traditions he must graunt vnto vs which I haue proued before at large that all those bookes which the Romane church approueth for Scripture together with the speciall doctrines of prayer for the dead to Angels c. are traditions For Doctour Field and his rules doe so assure vs. It seemeth my case is harder then I was ware of my danger greater then I supposed it had beene But what are those rules assigned by mee which assure vs that all the bookes approued by the Romane church are canonicall Haue they beene euer holden to bee so Haue the most famous in all ages or at the least in diverse ages constantly deliuered them vnto vs as receiued by them from those that went before thē no man doubting of them Did the Pastors of any Apostolicall church in the world successiuely deliuer them as canonicall to their after-commers He knoweth they did not For as I haue else-where proued Melito Bishop of Sardis Origen Athanasius Hilary Nazianzene Cyrill Epiphanius the Councell of Laodicea Ruffinus Hierome Gregory Damascene Hugo de sancto Victore Richardus de Sancto Victore Petrus Cluniacensis Lyranus Dionysius Carthusianus Hugo Cardinalis Thomas Aquinas Occham Picus Mirandula Waldensis Armachanus Driedo Caietane and all the most famous Diuines in all ages reiect them saue onely Augustine the third Councell of Carthage some few other who yet as Caietane thinketh receiued them not as absolutely canonicall but in a sort onely in that they containe a convenient good direction of manners The Reader I doubt not will easily see his folly in this point But it may bee the speciall doctrines of prayer for the dead and to Angels whereof hee speaketh will bee found Apostolicall traditions by those rules that I allow of Surely no for howsoeuer it was a most auncient and laudable custome of the church to remember the names of the dead at the holy Altar and Table of the Lord with desire of their and our finall consummation and publique acquitall in the day of CHRIST and some particular men doubtfuly extended the same practise and custome farther to the mitigating suspending or totall remouing and taking away of the punishments of Christian men dying in the state of mortall sinne yet the Popish opinion of Purgatory and prayer to deliuer men from thence were not once heard of in the Primitiue Church nor are yet receiued by the greatest part of the Christian world Touching prayer to Angels it was condemned by the Apostle Saint Paul the councell of Laodicea Augustine Theodoret but that the church did invocate Angels from the beginning that the most famous in all ages did teach men so to doe or the Pastors of any Apostolicall church successiuely one after another which are my rules he speaketh of neither hee nor any Papist liuing can euer proue The second thing he would inferre out of my words is that wee must of necessitie resort to the Romish church to know and learne the forme of Christian doctrine the explication of the seuerall parts thereof and the obscurities of Scripture for that I say the Apostles deliuered the forme of Christian doctrine as a tradition to posterities no posterity of Protestants can be of this posterity because both their priorities posterities deny traditions Thus then the good Author reasoneth The Protestants are none of those posterities to which the forme of Christian doctrine hath been deriued frō the Apostles by the line of succession therefore we must resort to the Roman church to know it The antecedent of this argument he proueth because as hee saith both priorities posterities of Protestants deny all traditions Surely the man cōmitteth so many faults in this one silly argument that I know not well what first to except against For neither is it consequent that if Protestants be not of that posterity to which the forme of Christian doctrine was commended and deliuered from the Apostles that we must of necessitie seeke to the Romane church to learne it Neither doe Protestants deny
Christ in the world are of two sorts for some were planted by the Apostles themselues or their coadiutors the Euangelists by their directions which are named Apostolicall churches and some other there are that receiued not the faith immediately from the Apostles or their coadiutors but from the Churches which the Apostles had planted The former of these were euer esteemed to be mother churches in respect of the latter So the churches of Alexandria Antioche Ephesus and the like were mother churches to many famous churches in those parts of the world and so the Romane church is a mother church to many churches of the West that receiued their Christianity and faith from her neither may the daughter churches as his Maiesty excellently obserued depart farther from those mother churches from which they receiued the faith then they are departed from themselues in their best estate first establishment but as the Romanists thinke it lawfull for the daughter churches of the East to depart from those their mother churches from which they receiued their faith because as they suppose they are gone from their first faith so wee thinke with his Maiesty that we may iustly depart from our mother church of Rome because shee hath forsaken her first faith commended by the Apostle and is so farre changed that a man may seeke Rome in Rome and not finde it That which he addeth that no rules can leade vs to the finding out of any traditions that aduantage vs is most vntrue For the certaine and indubitate tradition whereby the Scriptures are deliuered vnto vs from the Apostles of Christ doth aduantage vs so much that thereby the Papacy is almost shaken to peeces and besides the forme of Christian doctrine and catholicke interpretation of Scripture brought downe vnto vs from the Apostles discouereth vnto vs the nouelties and singularities of the Romanists to our great aduantage and confirmation in the truth of our profession Hauing thus in his fancie engrossed all traditions appropriated them to the present Romane church hee goeth forward and inferreth out of my admitting some kinde of traditions and assigning rules to know them that diuers particular thinges which hee specifieth are traditions The two first instances that hee giueth are the signe of the crosse and the mingling of water with wine in the holy Sacrament whereof I haue spoken before The third is the reuerence of Images which hee saith is by my rules proued to be an Apostolicall tradition It is well he dareth not say the worshipping of Images is proued to bee Apostolicall for that by Saint Gregory and the Fathers it will be proued to be rather a Diabolicall then an Apostolicall tradition Wherefore let vs see what those rules are that proue the reuerence of Images to be Apostolicall seeing it is euident the church had them not at all for a long time and Eusebius assureth vs the making and hauing of them was by imitation of Heathenish custome The rules saith hee that proue this are the Pastors of the Apostolicall Churches in the second Nicene Councell and old custome but these are no rules assigned by me For I neuer admit the iudgement of the present Pastors of Apostolicall churches or custome to bee rules to know true traditions by and therefore much lesse make the Bishops in the second Councell of Nice to bee rules of this sort but the consenting profession of the Pastours of an Apostolicall Church successiuely from the beginning and the generall and perpetuall obseruation of a thing from the time that Christianity was first known in the world by neither of which he shal euer proue either the worshipping or reuerencing of Images to be Apostolicall The fourth thing that he saith by my rules is found to bee an Apostolicall tradition is sacrifice and prayer for the dead but herein he is deceiued or goeth about to deceiue others as in the rest For it is true indeede that the offering of the sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing the naming of the dead and prayer for their and our ioynt consummation and publicke acquitall in the day of CHRIST is such an Apostolicall tradition as hath ground in Scripture but he can neuer proue that the offering of a propitiatory sacrifice for the dead or prayer to deliuer them out of Purgatory paines was deliuered as a tradition from the Apostles by any of my rules to wit consent of Fathers from the beginning or continued practise from the Apostles times The like I say of his fifth instance for hee cannot proue the vow of single life in Priests to haue beene from the beginning but I haue largely proued the contrary in my fifth booke of the Church So that the vow of single life is not proued out of any of the rules set downe by mee to bee an Apostolicall tradition Wherefore let vs proceede to the rest of his instances He telleth vs in the next place that we may resolue with the ancient Fathers that Reliques are to bee reverenced is a tradition because M. Willet telleth vs Vigilantius was condemned of heresie for denying it Surely it is greatly to bee doubted that he is not a sound and perfect Romish Catholique for that hee dareth not to say the worshipping of Images and Reliques is a tradition but minseth the matter and saith onely the reverencing of them is a tradition For touching the reverence of Reliques if hee meane nothing else thereby but the reverent and honourable laying vp of such parts of the bodies of Gods Saints as come to our hands it is a Christian duty that we stand bound vnto so that not onely M. Willet but we all think Vigilantius was iustly condemned if he either despised or contemptuously vsed the dead bodies of the Saints Neither neede we flye to vnwritten tradition to seeke proofes for the necessitie of this duty for they are plentiously found in Scripture but if he meane by the reverencing of Reliques the shewing of them to be touched and adored we think it impiety and know it was forbidden by S Gregory who condemneth the bringing forth of any parts of the bodies of Gods Saints departed into the sight of men to bee seene or handled of them That particular and personall absolution from sinne after confession is an Apostolicall and godly ordinance which is his next instance we make no doubt but deny that it is an vnwritten ordinance neither can this good man proue it so to bee For doth Christ in Scripture giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to the Apostles and their successors with power to binde and power to loose with power to remit and power to retaine sinnes and is it not a written veritie that particular absolution is necessary His Maiestie on whom he fathereth this tradition did most learnedly and excellently distinguish in the conference he mentioneth three kindes of absolution from sinne making the first to bee the freeing of men from such punishments of Almighty God as sinne subiecteth them vnto
groūded vpon it is ouerthrown If this be all I hope the worst is past for if I should grant as he maketh me absurdly to doe that we haue neither Scripture nor tradition but by tradition yet cannot those rules I assigne to know true traditions by propose vnto vs false Scriptures or traditions For what are they but the constant practise of the whole Christian church from the beginning the consent of the most famous learned in all ages or at least in diuerse ages no man contradicting or doubting and the constant testimony of the pastors of Apostolicall churches from their first establishment successiuely witnessing the same things Indeed if these rules could propose vnto vs false traditions false Scriptures or expositions of the difficulties thereof our faith could not be certaine all religion were ouerthrowne but neither he nor all the Diuels in hell shall euer force vs to acknowledge any such thing neither is there any point of Romish superstition proued by any such traditions as are found to bee true traditions by these rules But will some man say doth he make no shew of proofe that we acknowledge these rules may propose vnto vs false traditions false Scriptures expositions of the difficulties in them Doubtlesse he doth For thus he concludeth very terribly against vs. The testimony and iudgment of the Patriarches or Bishops of Apostolicall Sees is one of the rules assigned to know true traditions by but wee acknowledge that the Patriarches of Apostolicke Sees did erre in the Councell of Florence propose vnto vs false expositions of Scripture therefore we must confesse whether we will or not that the rules we assigne may propose vnto vs false Scriptures false expositions of Scripture Vnto this concluding argument wherein the force of the whole chapter lieth we answere briefly and peremptorily First that the maior proposition is most false as hee well knoweth for I neuer make the judgement and opinion of the present Bishops of Apostolicall churches to be the rule to know true traditions by but deny it and professe the contrary against the Papists and make onely the testimony of the Pastours of Apostolicall churches successiuely from the beginning witnessing the same things to bee a rule in this kinde Secondly that the Patriarches of the Apostolicke Sees hee speaketh of were not at the councell of Florence in their owne persons but had others to supply their places whose proceedings they disclaimed and voyded whatsoeuer they did in their names because they presumed to discusse and determine diuers matters of controuersie without directions and instructions from them But howsoeuer we thinke of the proceedings in this Councell yet he sayth no Protestant church can shew any such authority for their cause as that of the Councels of Florence Constance and Trent It had beene well if hee had beene better aduised before hee had so much disenabled vs for he shall finde that we can and will shew farre greater authority for our cause then the late Councels of Florence Constance and Trent and that in the weightiest points of all other For did not the Bishops in the great Councell of Chalcedon professe openly that the reason why the Fathers gaue the preëminence to the Bishoppe of Rome was the greatnesse of his city being the seate of the Emperours and that they thought it fit to giue equall priuiledges to the Bishop of Constantinople for the same cause seeing it was become the seate of the Emperors and named new Rome Did not the 6. generall Councell in Trullo confirme the same parity of the B. of Constantinople with the B. of Rome and doe not the decrees of these two Councells shake in peeces the whole frame fabricke of the Papacy Did not the second fourth and sixth Councels c. make the B. of Constantinople a patriarch and set him in degree of honour before the other two of Alexandria and Antioche notwithstanding the resistance of the Romane Bishops their claime from Peter Did not the sixth generall Councell blame the Church of Rome for sundry things and particularly among other for forcing married mē entring into the orders of ministery to forsake the matrimoniall society of their wiues Did not the Councell of Nice referre both Bishops and other inferiour clergy-men to be ordered by their owne Metropolitanes and the Councels of Africa therevpon condemne appeales to Rome Did not the Councell of Eliberis forbid the lighting of tapers in the Coemiteries or places of buriall to the disquieting of the spirits of the Saintes departed and did it not abolish those pernoctations in the places of buriall which Hierome vrged so violently against Vigilantius and forbid the hauing of any pictures in churches Ne quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus depingatur Doth not the Canon of the Apostles prescribe that all the faithfull that come together in the Church and communicate not in the Sacrament shall be excommunicate which also the Councell of Antioche reuiveth and confirmeth Doth not Gelasius command all them to bee excommunicated that receiuing the Sacrament of the Lords body abstaine from the participation of the cuppe Did not the church of Rome thinke it so farre necessary that the people should communicate in both kindes that Ordo Romanus prescribeth on good Friday when they consecrate not but receiue that which was reserued being consecrated the day before they should take wine consecrate it by putting or dipping the body of the Lord into it with pronouncing the Lords prayer that so the people might receiue the whole Sacrament and yet now the halfe communion is sufficient Did not the Mileuitane and Arausicane Councels condemne those errours touching the strength of nature and power of free-will to performe the workes of vertue without assistance of speciall grace which since haue beene receiued in the Romane Schooles as if they had beene catholicke verities The like might bee shewed in many other particulars but these may suffice Wherefore let vs proceed to his eigth chapter CHAP. 8. IN this chapter first hee sheweth that generall Councels are of highest authority in the Church of God and secondly laboureth to proue that they testifie for Romish Religion To proue that Councels are of highest authority in the Church of God which no man denyeth he produceth the testimonies of the Bishop of Winchester Doctour Morton the Protestant Relator of Religion and Doctour Sutcliffe And lastly addeth that I am clearely of the same opinion assuring all men that the interpretations of Scripture proposed by priuate men are not so proposed and vrged by them as if they would binde all others to receiue them and that none but Bishops assembled in a Generall Councell may interprete Scriptures in such sort as by their authority to suppresse all them that gaine-say such interpretations For so are my words which hee hath altered to make men thinke I allow none in any sort to interprete Scriptures but generall Councels wherein he wrongeth me as he well knoweth seeing I
the Bishop of Rome without any breach of the Canon alleaged I haue shewed my opinion in the fifth Booke of the Church And therefore seeing the Authour of these proofes proceedeth no farther in alleaging any thing out of that which I haue written I will here leaue him not doubting but others whom he hath wronged will make him know hee hath dealt no better with them then he hath with me and that therefore the plausible conclusion hee maketh in the end of it selfe falleth to the ground the premises vpon which it should stay it selfe being taken away For we neither acknowledge thrt Papists holding the infallibility of the popes iudgement the vniversalitie of his iurisdiction and power to dispose the kingdomes of the world beleeuing free-will to performe do the actions of vertue without assistance of speciall grace perfection of inherent righteousnesse satisfactions merit of condignitie propitiatorie sacrifice of the Masse and the like can euer be saued so liuing dying nor that the present Roman Church is the true church of Christ nor that the preeminence they now giue to the Pope was either claimed or practised ouer the whole church from S. Peter to these our dayes as this namelesse and shamelesse Author saith we doe nor that all the bookes which the Romane church now receiueth for canonicall Scriptures were deliuered for such by the Apostles or receiued for such by the church nor that the true and best translations of holy Scripture with the lawfull supreme binding exposition of them together with Apostolicall traditions generall Councels or primitiue Fathers giue any testimony that the present Romane church is that company of holy ones that houshold of faith that Spouse of Christ and church of the liuing God which is so diligently to be sought after whose communion wee must embrace whose directions we must follow and in whose judgement wee must rest but contrariwise we are well assured all these doe witnesse against her that shee is an erring hereticall and apostaticall church that shee hath forsaken her first faith departed from her primitiue sincerity plunged those that adhere vnto her into many grosse and damnable errours and defiled her selfe with intolerable superstition and idolatrie so that as well in respect of her errours in faith superstition and idolatry in diuine worship as of her slanderous treacherous bloudy and most horrible hellish practises to ouerthrow and destrow all that doe but open their mouthes against her abominations wee may justly account her to bee the Synagogue of Sathan the faction of Antichrist and that Babylon out of which wee must flie vnlesse wee will be partakers of her plagues FINIS a Exod. 3. 14. and 6. 3. b Reve. 1. 8. c Revel 5. 1â—… 4. 11. d Gasper Contarenus lib. 7. primae Philosophiae e Quis fecisti nos â—…d te inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te Aug. lib. 1. Confess in â—…tio f Contarenus lib. de libero Arbitrio a Virtus naturae ordinat actâ—…â—…um in bonum per naturam quia non est supra naturam ideo potest in illum ordinem sine dispositione nova ferre adâ—…ocum Actus rationaliâ—… creaturae meritorius oportet quòd oâ—…dmetur ad bonum quod est suprâ—… ipsam quod est summum bonum infinitum Quia ergo non 〈◊〉 possibilis extensio rationals creaturae supra seipsam ideo non est ei possibile per naturam vt ordinet suum actum siue perveniat in suum finem ideo necesse est vt invetur gratia Et post Duplex est cognitio de Deo Vna per effectus suâ—… haec est fine gratia alia per praesentiam sui apud animam haec est peâ—… gâ—…atiam Praesenâ—… autem est in quantum pâ—…sentat seu pâ—…sentemfacit beatitudinem quae est in ipso in habitu tantum vt in parâ—…ulis in affectu tantum vt in adultis in habitu affectu intellectu vt in beatis Alex. de Hâ—…es part 3. â—…61 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. b Oftendam tibi oâ—…e bonâ—… Exo. 33. 19. c Ioan Picus Heptapli l. 7. in proâ—…mio d Iohn 6. 44. d August de Civitate Dei lib. 12. c. 8. e August de libero Arbitrio lib. 3. cap. 15. a Ierem. 8. 4. b Alex. de Hales part 3. q. 1. memb 2. c Damasc. lib. 2. Orthodoxae fidei cap. 4. d 1. Tim. 〈◊〉 21. et Iude verse 6. e Maior libertas est necessaria adversus tot tantas tentationes quae in Paradiso non fuerunt dono perseverantiae munita et firmata vt cuÌ„ omnibus amoribus terroribus erroribus suis vincatur hic mundus Hoc Sanctorum martyria docuerunt denique ille Adam terrente nullo insuper contra Dei terrentis imperium libero vsus arbitrio non stetit in tanta felicitate in tanta non peccandi facilitate Isti autem non dico terrente mundo sed saeuiente ne starent steterunt in fide cum videret ille bona praesentia quae erat relicturus isti futuâ—…a quae acceptuti fuerunt non viderent vnde illud Nisi donante illo c. Aug. de Correp gratia Cap. 12. a Wisd. 10. 1. b Gen. 3. 9. c Gen. 3. 1 5. d Gen. 4. 4. e Gen. 4. 8. f Gen. 4. 25. g Gen. 6. h Gen. 7. i Gen. 10. 21. k Hieron in Epist ad Evagrium 1. Gen. 9. 26. l Gen 12. 1. m Gen 15. 5. n Gen. 12. 3. o Gen. 17. 9. p Gen. 15. 4. 17. 21. 2. 3. q Gen. 25. 23. r Malac. 1. 2. 3. s Gen. 32. 28. 〈◊〉 Gen. 49. 8. 10 u Rom. 3. 2. x Rom. 9. 4. 5. y Luke 2. 32. a Philip. 2. 9. 10 b Nazianz. Orat 4. de filio 〈◊〉 c Iohn 4. 23. a Mat. 28. 19. 20. b Luke 24. 45. 46. 47. 48. c Acts 1. 4. d Acts 2. 1. e Catech. Trident in explicatione Symboli f Quimvâ—… proprie dicatur synâ—…ga Iudâ—…corum Ecclesia verò Christianorum quia Congregatio magis pecâ—…um Convocatio magis hominum intelligi solet taâ—…en illam dictam invenimus Ecclesiam nobis fortassis magis convenit dicere Salva noâ—… Domine noster congrega noâ—… de Gentibus ut consiteâ—…mur nomini sancto tuoâ—…neque dedignari noâ—… oportet imo gratias incffabiles agere quia famous oves 〈◊〉 eius quas praevidebat cum dicereâ—… Habeo alias over Aug. in Psal. 77. g Synagoga dicitur populus Israel cum vtique quamvis vero Deo mancipâ—…us viderâ—…tur pro magnis tamen sumâ—…is bonis ab illo carâ—…lia 〈◊〉 temporalia requirâ—…bat Aug. in Psal. 8â—… Sed in Psal. 72. ostendit vtâ—…que multi animadertentes quae promiserit Deus populo sito â—…empe 〈◊〉 â—…sum terrenâ—… patriam pâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…errenam non considerantes in his omnibus figurâ—… esse 〈◊〉 intelligentes quid ibi laterer paâ—…rent non habere Deum melius quod
adipisci dupliciter possunt res creatae aut in seipsis aut in ipso nam in seipso hoc bonum est super omnia exaltatum suae inhabitans diuinitatis abyssos per omnia diffusum in omnibus inuenitur vmbâ—…a potius foelicitatis quà m vera foelicitas est attingere Deum in creatura non in ipso Deo quemadmodâ—… creatura non summabonitas sed summae bonitatis id est diuinae tenuis vmbra est Vnde vera consummata foelicitas ad Deâ—… faciem contuendam quae est omne bonum vt ipse dixit ad perfectam cum illo principio à quo emanauimus v â—…em nos reuâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…dducit ad hanc â—…licitatem sola religio Christiana nos dirigit impellit Pi cus Heptaplâ—… lâ—… 7. in prooemio b Contra profanas haeret novitates c The Apostles wrote to them they had formerly taught more at large neither can the scriptures be vnderstood now but onely by such as will â—…ee taught by the successors of the Apostles and guides of the Church though being so taught they may finde assuredly by the scriptures themselues that they doe vnderstand them aright a Cont. 5. q. 4. art 2. explicat 〈◊〉 b Genesis 6. 2. c Tertul. de ivelandis Virg nibus Debet adumbrari facies tam periculosa quae vsque ad coelum scandola iâ—…culata est c. Iustinus Martyr Clemens Gen. 6. Dei filios qui hominum filias conspexerunt Angelos interpretanâ—… Andrad de script traditionum authoritate l. 2. fol. 262. d Andrad ib fol. 257. e Esay 53. a Andradius defens c. l. 2. fol. 257. et 260. b Caietan prooemio comment in Gen. c Iâ—… praefat in Novi Testamenti Syriaci Latinam interpret d Comment in Ioh. c. 1. a Iohn 10. 16. b Galat. 4. 22. c Illyrycus in claue Ser pturae de multiplici sacraâ—…um literarum sensu haec doctissimè tradit collecta ex varijs authoribus d 1. Sam. 17. 50. e Deut 25 4. 1 Cor. 9. 9. f Psal. 95 8. Hebr 4. 1. g Sixtus Sennens Bibliothecae l. 3. de vsu vtilitate historicae mysticae expopositionis h Intellectus sacri eloquij inter textum mysterium magna est libratione pensandus Multae enim eius sententiae tantâ allegoriarum conceptione sunt gravidae vt quisquis eas adsolam tenere historiam nititur earum noticiá per suam incuriam priuetur nonnulli verò ita exterioribus inseruiunt â—…t si quis eas subtilius penetrare desiderat intus quidem nihil inueniat sed etiam sibi quod foris loquuntur abscondat Greg. moral l 21. in cap. 31. cap. 1. i Iansenius in concordiam Evangel c. 52. fol. 402. k Math. â—…7 3. l Iudicum c. 9. m Cap. 14. n Revel 〈◊〉 o Occam l. 3. 〈◊〉 tract part 3. c. 19. p Not from ehe mysticall or spirituall senses aboue mentioned q Revel 1. 20. r Iohn 2. 19. 22. s Math. 24. 15 t In epist. ad Gal. in cap. 1. a Stapl. cont 6. q. 7. exp art b De causis difficultatis scripturae remedijs remed 2. a Iob. 19. 24. b Bellar. l. 4. c. 8. de verbo non scripto Non deâ—…unt inquit aliqui Catholicorum qui negant vllam fuisse traditionem non scriptam apud Iudaeos c Andrad defen l. 2. fo 125. d Moral l. 4. c. 2. e Aug. lib. 1. de consensu Evangelistaâ—…um cap. ult quicquid il le de suis factis et dictis nos legere voluit hoc scribendum illis tanquam suis manibus imperauit f 2 Pet. 1. 20. 21. g 1 Cor. 11. 23 h Illa verba quae audiuistiâ—… per diuinas Scripturas sparsa sunt inde collecta ad vnum redacta c. Aug. ad catechumenos lib. 1. de symbolo cap. 1. i Waldensiâ—… tom 3. titulo 7. cap. 63. traditiones apostolicas à purè ecclesiasticis iam temporis vastitate nescimus discernere k Concilium Nicen. can 20. The custome of ministring baptisme only at Easter and Whitsontide except in case of necessity was very general whereupon Leo reprehendeth the Bishops â—…f Sicilia for that contemning this tradition of the auncient they did baptise on the day of Epiphany l They proued it out of the 44. of Ezechiel 2. as Hiero. sheweth in his comment vpon this place Index biblicus in regijs biblijs vacabulo Maria multis scripturae locis significari perpetuam virginitatem Mariae ostendit m Bellar. de sacra baptis lib. 1. cap. 8. n We shall finde an vncertaintie touching the forme and words of forme of all those pretended Sacraments of mariage penance vnction and confirmation which in scripture are not 〈◊〉 vnto vs as sacraments o Canus lib. 3. c. 3. fundamentum 3. p L. 1. de sanct beatit l. 2. c. 12. de sanctorum imaginibus probat testimoniis scripturae imagines esse colendas q Lucae 2. 19. r Acts 20. 35 s Panopl l. 4. c. 20. t Tertul. Iraen Arnobius Papias Lactantius c. u Euseb. l. 3. c. 35. Pererius in Genesin l. 3. q. 5. ait errorem Chiliastarum quo multi veterum fuerunt implicati ab Asiae presbyteris esse proseminatum Iraeneus l. 3 advers haereses c. 39. persuadere studet Christum dominum annos prope 50 in terris vixisse idque probat vel eo potissimum argumento quod presbyteri Asiae Apostolorum discipuli id sibi ab Apostolis traditum docuerunt x Tom. 3. tit 7. c. 63. a Lib. 4. contra Donatistas c. 23. b De traditionibus l. 3. c. 4. a Aug Hieronym a De lib. canonicis l. 3. fo 287 b In prologo Galiato c Lib. Apocryphi appellantur non quòd habendi sint in aliqua auctoritate secreta sed quia nulla testificationis luce de nescio quo secreto nescio quorum praesumptione prolati sunt Aug. contra Faustum Manichaeum l. 11. cap. 2. d Andrad de lib. canonicis fol. 286. a Rom. 3. 1 2. b Cont. Appianum l. 1. Eusebius l. 3. c. 10 c Prefat in lib. Reg. d Damascen l. 4 orthodoxae fid c. 18 e Acts 6. 1. f Glossa ordinatia g Lyrani in eundem locum h Iudaeus Aquila Symachus Theodosion Iudaizantes haeretici sunt recepti Hier. praef in lib. Iobi i Concilium Carth. 3. can 47 k Innocentius Eâ—…uperio ep 5. cap. ult l Aug Hieron epist. 10. m De praedestinatione Sanctorum c. 14. n Bibliothecae sanctae l. 1. pag. 20. q In Synopsi o Eusebius l. 4. cap. 25. p Eusebius 6. c. 24. r In prolog explanat Psalmorum s De genuinis scripturae libris cygneorum carminum lib ad Seleucum de recta educatione t 4. Catechesision u Contra Epicur haeres 8. de mensuris ponderibus x In expositione Symboli y In prolog Galiato z In Iob. li. 19. cap. 17. a Eusebius li. 3. cap. 10. b De
and then there is no question but all men are bound for euer to adhere to this church and to eate the Lambe within the wals of this house That this is the meaning of Hierome the very forme of his words doe perswade vs. I am ioyned saith hee to Peters chaire vpon that rocke the Church is builded out of this house of the Church doubtlesse the Lambe may not be eaten Now by the name of the Church immediatly going before is meant the vniuersall Church therefore by this house we must vnderstand that great house within the wals whereof the whole houshold of faith is contained Secondly we say that if he speake of the Romane or West Church particularly he may be thought to meane not that hee shall perpetually and alwayes bee iudged a profane person that eateth the Lambe without the wals of that house but things so standing as they did when he wrote no other partes of the Church being sound safe and free from heresies but the Westerne parts onely Which made him say hee knew not Paulinus who was then Bishop of Antioch within the compasse of whose Patriarchship he liued because there was question as well of his faith as of the lawfulnesse of his ordination For otherwise hee ought to haue knowne him sought to him and respected him Thirdly wee say it is more then probable that the whole West Church shall neuer lose or forsake the true profession and that therefore hee may rightly be iudged a profane person that eateth the paschall Lambe out of the communion of the same though sometimes the Bishop of Rome in person be an heretique other of his colleagues continuing faithfull And that Hierome was of opinion that the Bishop of Rome may become an heretique it is most cleare and euident in that he saith that both Liberius and Felix were Arrian Heretickes Thus haue we answered whatsoeuer may be alledged out of Hierome for the Papacie and shewed the weakenesse of those allegations Now let vs see what authorities may be brought out of his writings against the absolute supreme power of Popes First he saith if wee seeke authority Orbis maior est vrbe The world is greater then the greatest citty in the world and the whole Church is of greater authority then the particular Church of Rome And thereupon reprehendeth the negligence or errour of the church of Rome in permitting contrary to the manner of other churches Deacons to grow so insolent as to dare to sit in the presence of the Presbyters when the Bishoppe was away as also in ordaining Presbyters vpon the commendation of Deacons So that hee blamed not the Deacons onely as Bellarmine vntruely saith but the Romane Bishop to whom the ordaining of Presbyters pertained Neither will it followe that the insolencie of the Deacons presuming to sitte in the presence of Presbyters was vnknowne to the Bishop or not allowed by the Church as Bellarmine collecteth because they are said so to haue done when the Bishop was away For that circumstance rather insinuateth that though they had not cast off all respect to the Bishop yet they had forgotten their duty towards the Presbyters then that this their presuming was vnknowne to the Bishop Secondly he pronounceth that wheresoeuer a Bishop bee whether at Rome or Eugubium at Constantinople or Rhegium at Alexandria or Tanais hee is of the same merit and the same Priesthood the power of riches and the humility of poore estate not making a Bishop higher or lower To this place Bellarmine answereth that all Bishops are equall in the power of order but not of jurisdiction But it is certaine Hierome thought all Bishops equall not only in the power of order but of jurisdiction also For Metropolitanes in his time though in order and honour greater then the rest were bound to follow what the greater part of the Bishops of the Province consented on and might doe nothing but as the greater part should resolue howsoeuer in processe of time by positiue constitution the Metropolitanes limited and directed by Canons were trusted with the doing of many things by themselues alone rather then the Bishops would bee troubled with often meeting in Councels But saith Bellarmine it cannot bee that Hierome should thinke all Bishops equall in the power of jurisdiction seeing without all question the Bishop of Alexandria hauing vnder him three great Provinces was greater in jurisdiction then the Bishop of Tanais who had vnder him onely one poore little city For answer hereunto we say that Patriarches haue no more power ouer the Metropolitanes subject to them then the Metropolitanes haue ouer the Bishops of the Province and that therefore howsoeuer the extent of their power reach farther yet proportionably it is no greater then the power of the Metropolitanes within their narrower precincts and compasse that the Metropolitan originally is not greater in the power of jurisdictiō then any other Bishop of the Province howsoeuer he haue a preheminence of honour and sit as a President among the Bishops meeting to performe the acts of jurisdiction and by cōmon consent to manage the affaires of the Province so that notwithstanding any thing the Cardinall can say to the contrary the testimonies and authorities of Hierome stand good against the Popes proud claime of vniversall power Wherefore leauing Hierome who witnesseth not for them but against them let vs heare whether Augustine will say any thing for them Out of Augustine sundry things are alleadged as first that hee saith The principality and chiefetie of the Apostolicall chaire did euer flourish in the Romane Church and secondly that to Bonifacius he saith Thou disdainest not to be a friend of the humble and those of the meane sort and though thou sit in higher place yet thou art not high minded And againe The watch tower is common to vs all that are Bishops although thou hast a higher roome in the same Surely it is strange to what purpose these places of Augustine are alleaged For wee neuer denied a principality or chieftie of order and honour to haue belonged anciently to the Bishops of Rome whilest they rested contented therewith and sought not to bring all vnder them by claime of vniversall power and this is all that can be collected out of Augustine But saith Bellarmine In his Epistle to Optatus speaking of a meeting of Bishops at Caesarea he saith an Ecclesiasticall necessitie laid vpon them by the reverend Pope Zozimus Bishop of the Apostolicall See drew them thither therefore he thought the Bishop of Rome superiour vnto other Bishops not in order honour onely but in power of commaunding also For answer hereunto first wee say that a great part of Africa was within the precincts of the Pat◅archship of Rome and that therefore the Bishop of Rome might call the Bishops of those parts to a Synodall meeting as euery Patriarch may doe the Bishops vnder him though hee had no commaunding power ouer all the world Secondly
to their Decree in this behalfe passed euer since in all the East Churches of the world For first touching the Greeke Church which is principally directed by the Canons of this Councell it is euident by the censure of the Orientall Church vpon the Confession of Auspurge translated out of Greeke into Latine and published by Stanislaus Socolouius Secondly the Sixth Generall Councell testifieth that the Armenians were so farre from disliking the marriage of their Cleargy-men that they ranne into the other extreame For they confined the Election of Church-men within the stocke of Church-men as the Priesthood was confined in the time of Moses law and contained within the tribe of Leui. And thirdly Damianus a Goes witnesseth that among the Aethiopian Christians Cleargy-men are married and that by dispensation of the Patriarche after the death of the first wife their priestes and Ministers may marry the second though without such dispensation they may marry but once The Armenians Aethiopians I suppose haue not restrained their Bishops from liuing in matrimoniall society with their wiues more then their Presbyters and Deacons seeing they take no notice of the prescriptions of the Sixth Generall Councell wherein this restraint began The Armenians receiuing but only the three first and the Aethiopians only the first foure Generall Councels Thus hauing taken a view of the course of things in the Church from the beginning and made it euident that generally there neuer preuailed any restraint of Cleargy-men from companying with their wiues which they married while they were but yet Lay-men or in the inferiour orders and degrees of Ministery and that the greatest part of the Christian world hath euer from the beginning euen vnto this day enjoyed the liberty which some vniustly sought to impeache let vs see where it was restrained or taken away and by whom Of the restraint in Thessalia whereof Heliodorus was Author as likewise in Thessalonica Macedonia and Hellas and of the endeauours of Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia in Armenia resisted by the Bishops in the Councell of Gangra I haue spoken sufficiently already and haue shewed that this restraint could not preuaile nor continue in those partes all these Churches holding their liberty in this matter euen vnto this day Therefore I will proceede to speake of the restraint that some sought to bring into the West Church The first restraint of Bishoppes Presbyters and Deacons from companying with their wiues that I do finde in the West Church was in the Prouinciall Councell of Elliberis in Spaine holden in the yeare three hundred and fiue twenty yeares before the Councell of Nice consisting of nineteene Bishoppes But I hope our Aduersaries will not much presse vs with the authority of this Councell seeing themselues make so little account of it as they doe There are some most excellently learned sayth Binnius in his notes vpon this Councell that thinke it erroneous and of no authority and that it is to be contemned as rejected by the Church for fauouring the heresie of Nouatus the conceit of Vigilantius and their opinion that would haue no pictures in Churches Melchior Canus sayth the thirty sixth Canon of it is erroneous and Bellarmine sayth it was but Prouinciall not confirmed and that it erred in many things namely in not admitting to the Communion of the Church vpon their repentance such as in the time of persecution denyed the faith or otherwise ranne into grieuous and enormous crimes and sinnes And Cardinall Baronius howsoeuer varying in his opinion touching this Councell yet confesseth there is no mention of it among the Ancient as of others and that it was vtterly suppressed as if it had neuer beene because it was ill thought of as fauouring Nouatianisme And therefore contrary to this Councell the Councell of Ancyra nine yeares after decreed that they that fell in the time of persecution and denied the faith after condigne penance should bee receiued to the Sacraments of the Church againe and that Deacons protesting at the time of their ordination that they cannot nor are not resolued to containe but that they purpose and desire to marry shall remaine in the Ministery though they marry after their ordination This councell was confirmed by Leo the fourth and by the Councell of Nice as it is in the Councell of Florence So that hitherto no restraint of Cleargy-men from companying with their wiues preuailed But almost foure hundred yeares after Christ Syricius Bishoppe of Rome writing to the Bishoppe of Tarracon by whom he vnderstood that very many Priests and Deacons in those parts after their ordination liued with their wiues which they had formerly married and begat children of them as before and iustified their soe dooing by the example of the Priests of the Law excusing that which was done as proceeding from ignorance if they would acknowledge themselues in fault and refraine for the time to come commanded that no such thing should be any longer permitted Whereupon the second Prouinciall Coūcell of Arle holden in the time of this Syricius decreed that no maried man should bee admitted to the degree of Priest-hood vnlesse hee would promise to refraine from the company of his wife and yet permitted him to haue her liuing in house with him Innocentius the first who beganne his Popedome about the yeare of our Lord foure hundred and two insisted in the steppes of Syricius his Predecessor and drew some particular Bishops to concurre with him So that in some particular councels the lawfull society and companying of Cleargie-men with their wiues beganne to bee restrained In the second councell of Carthage as it is vsually reckoned but indeed the last the Legate of the Bishop of Rome being present procured the Bishoppes to passe a Decree that Bishoppes Presbyters and Deacons should refraine from the company of their wiues falsely affirming that the Apostles did teach so and Antiquity practise so contrary to that which I haue before alleadged out of the canons of the Apostles the councell of Gangra the speeches of Paphnutius in the councell of Nice the report of Socrates the Historian and the Decree of the sixth Generall councel affirming the leauing of Cleargy-men to their liberty in this behalfe to bee Apostolicall and Auncient The first councell of Toledo holden in the yeare of our Lord foure hundred decreed that Deacons which had liued with their wiues should not bee preferred to bee Presbyters nor Presbyters to bee Bishoppes though they had so done before the restraint made by the Bishoppes that were before them but laide no other punishment on them The Councell of Agatha holden in the yeare fiue hundred and sixe sheweth plainly that at that time many Prouinces tooke no knowledge of the Decree of Syricius and Innocentius but that their Presbyters and Deacons liued with their wiues still and excuseth them in respect of their not knowing of any restraint and continueth them in
seeing there are alwaies some right-beleeuers but a right iudgment of men by their power of iurisdiction maintaining truth suppressing error may be wanting Nay that somtimes there was no such iudgmēt in the Church it is most euident For Vincentius Lyrinensis sayth the Arian heresie infected not some part onely but almost the whole Christian world soe that almost all the Bishoppes of the Latine Church were misled by force or fraud Yea Athanasius and Hierome report that Liberius Bishoppe of ROME was carryed away in that tempestuous whirlewinde and subscribed to heresie soe that there was noe sette Tribunall on earth in those dayes to the determinations whereof it was safe to stand §. 2. IN the next place the Treatiler chargeth Mee that whereas Luther defendeth that infants in Baptisme actually beleeue I endeauour to wrest his words to habituall faith which sence he sayth Luthers discourses will not admit and for proofe hereof referreth the reader to certaine places in Luther and to the positions of his followers but as Festus sayd vnto Paul thou hast appealed to Caesar to Caesar shalt thou goe so seeing this Treatiser referreth the Reader to Luthers discourses and the doctrine of his Disciples to these I will send him which will turne greatly to the Treatisers disaduantage For the reader cannot but finde by Luthers discourses and the doctrine of his Schollers that I haue rightly deliuered his opinion to bee that infants are filled with habituall fayth when they are regenerate and not that they haue any such acts of faith or knowledge of God as men of yeares haue Let vs therefore heare what Luther himselfe will say some men saith hee will obiect against that which I haue said touching the necessity of faith in such as are to receiue the Sacramērs with profit that infants haue no faith nor apprehension of Gods mercies that therefore either faith is not so necessarily required to the due receiuing of the sacramēt or that infants are Baptised in vaine Here I say that which all say that other mens faith euen the faith of such as present thē to Baptisme steedeth litle children For as the word of God is mightie when the sound therof is heard euen to the changing of the heart of a wicked man which is no lesse vnapt to heare the voyce of God to listen vnto it thē any litle babe so by the prayer of the Church which out of faith to which all thinges are possible presenteth it to baptisme the child is changed cleansed and renued by the infusion of faith or by faith which is infused and powred into it Thus doth Luther expresse his owne meaning touching this poynt Now let vs heare what his followers will say It was agreed vpon saith Chemnitius amongst the followers of Luther that when we say infants beleeue or haue faith wee must not imagine that they do vnderstand or feele the motions of faith But their errour is rejected who suppose that infants baptized please God and are saued without any operation or working of the holy spirit in them whereas Christ pronounceth that vnlesse a man bee borne a new of water and of the spirit hee cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen So that this is all that Luther and the rest meant that children cannot be made partakers of those benefits that God offereth to men in Baptisme nor inherit eternall life by vertue of the faith of the Church without some change wrought in them by the spirit fitting them to be joyned to God which change or alteration in them they call faith not meaning to attribute vnto them an actuall apprehension of Gods mercies for they constantly deny that they feele any such motions of faith but a kinde of habituall faith onely there being nothing in faith but such an act of beleeuing as they deny or the seede roote and habit whence actual motions in due time do flow With whom Calvine agreeth for whereas the Anabaptists obiect against him defending that infants are capable of regeneration that the Scripture mentioneth no regeneration but by the incorruptible seed of the word of God which infants cannot heare he answereth that God by his diuine power may renue and change them by some other meanes Secondly hee addeth that it is not absurde to thinke that God doth shine into the hearts of those infants which in infancie hee calleth out of this world to himselfe and that hee doth make himselfe knowne vnto them in some sorte seeing they are presently after to be receiued and admitted to the cleare and open view and sight of his glorious face and countenance and yet saith he will not rashly affirme that they are indued with the same faith which wee finde in our selues or that they haue knowledge like vnto that of faith And in the next section speaking more generally and not restraining himselfe to such as die in infancy hee saith that they are Baptized into future repentance and faith which vertues though they bee not presently formed in them yet a seede of either of them lieth hid in them The Papists are distracted into contrary opinions touching this point For some thinke that grace the roote of faith and other vertues is infused into children in Baptisme but not faith other that not onely grace but the habit of faith hope and charity is powred into them likewise which opinion as more probable was admitted in the Councell of Vienna and is embraced by vs as true Wherefore let the Reader judge whether I haue wrested the words of Luther or the Treatiser wronged Mee SECT 3. IN the third place hee laboureth to demonstrate and proue that there is a contradiction betweene the reuerend Bishop of Lincolne and Doctour Morton my selfe touching the power of ordination which that learned Bishoppe appropriateth vnto Bishops and we communicate in some cases to Presbyters But this silly obiection is easily answered for his meaning is that none but Bishoppes regularly may ordaine which we confesse to be true as likewise none but they onely may confirme the baptized by imposition of hands and yet thinke that in case of necessity Presbyters may performe both these things though of ordinary right belonging to Bishops only Part. 1. Sect. 1. LEt vs passe therefore from the preface to the booke it selfe the first thing that he objecteth in the booke it selfe is that I giue Apostolicke power to the present Church whence he thinketh it may be inferred that the Church cannot erre in matters of faith or ceremonies That I giue Apostolique power to the present church he endeavoureth to proue because I say She hath authority to dispense with some constitutions of the Apostles touching order and comelinesse which he thinketh She might not doe if she had not the same Authority by force whereof they were made but he could not but know that this proofe is too weake if he were not very weake in vnderstanding For the Apostles made these constitutions