gaue me a Being by my Redemption a Well-being who suffered Deatiâ— to preuent death and whose wound care our wouds 〈◊〉 (m) Isa câ— â— â—â—us sanatcsimiâ—â—â— voucâ—saâ—e to sanctify me with thy soule â—o meâ—â—â—ate my intellectuall powers with thy bloud and to wash away all their ordure filth with the water of thy pierced side that so I poore despicable and miserable man seeing all my sinnes afore drowned in the gulfe of thy inexhausted Mercy may in the end enter into thy promised and my hoped for Canaan Ioan. Londinens THE CONTENTES OF THE SEVERALL MOTIVES OF THIS TREATISE THE 1. MOTIVE THAT the priuate spirit is the chiefe supporter of Protestancy Page 1. Motiue 2. That the Prophesyes of Scripture confirme the Catholike Religion and refute Protestancy pag 10. Motiue 3. That generall Councells confirming Catholike Religion are reiected by Protetestants pag. 33. Motiue 4. That the Fathers of the Primitiue Church as Patrons of Papistry are reiected by the Protestants pag 39. Motiue 5. That the articles of Protestancy are particulerly condemned for benesâ—es by the ancient Fathers And that all Protestants originally came out of the Catholike Church pag. 53. Motiue 6. That true Miracles haue beene wrought for proofe of the Catholike Religion but not any for Protestancy pag. 64. Motiue 7. Absurdityes in the Protestants Religion pag. 77. Motiue 8 Deceites and sleightes practised by Protestant VVryters pag. 93. Motiue 9. That the doctrine of Catholike Religion tendes directly to Vertue of Protestancy to Vice and Liberty pag 118. Motiue 10. That Luther and Caluin are chiefe Patrones of Arianisme and therefore in other points of faith are not to be followed p 131 Motiue 11. That there is vnity in Fayth in Catholike Religion disagreements in faith in Protestancy pag. 139. Motiue 12. That Saluation may be had in Catholike Religion by the confession of Protestants pag. 154. The Conclusion to my Dears and Reverend Brethren the Lords Arch bishops and Bishops of England pag. 168 THE BISHOP OF LONDON HIS LEGACY THE 1. MOTIVE That the priuate Spirit is the chiefe supporter of Protestancy THE affected strange and exorbitant course we Protestants hould I yet range my selfe with my former Brethren according to my accustomed dialect in determining of doubts in ReligioÌ„ is able to cause the learnedest of vs to fluctuate and wauer in our already ietled iudgmentes We all know it is our own head Theoreme that the Scripture alone but such as our selues admit for Canonicall is to iudge of all arising Controuersyes in fayth and the priuate spirit to iudge of the sense of the Scripture Which priuate spirit being but a meere intentionall and vnreall name our owne D. (a) In CoÌ„trou 1. q. â— c. 3. 11. Whitaker thus speciously entitles An inward perswasion of the truth from the Holy Ghost in the secret closes of the belieuers hart Thus by recurring to Scripture alone we reiect all Apostolicall Traditions all definitions of the Church and the most ancient practise thereof by erecting the priuat spirit we make our selues sole Lords of the Scripture A poore refuge God knowes discouering in a cleare and impartiall eye the feeblenes of our owne cause since in so doing we being but parties constitute our selues as Iudges daring in the closure of all to iudge euen our owne Iudges Thus for example if our Aduersaryes the Catholikes in iustifying the articles of their fayth doe vrge any passage of the Machabees Ecclesiasticus Toby c. acknowledged for Canonicall Scripture by S. Augustin (b) De doctrin Christian l. 2. c. â— the third Councell (c) Can. 47. of Carthage this Priuate spirit in lieu of further answere peremptorily discanoneth all these Bookes vnder the tecture that they were (d) Doctor VVhitak in his answer to M. Reynoldâ—â—efutation p. 22. 23. Calu. lib. 1. Instiâ— c. 7. §. 1. 2. not first written in Hebrew and that the Maiesty and voyce of God appeareth not in them Strangely inferred as though the Spirit of God ought seruily to be tyed to any one tongue or because in the silly weenings of this spirit the Maiesty voyce of God speaketh not in the sayd Books therefore they are indeed wholy depriued thereof If our Aduersaryes proceeding further do insist for proofe of any dogmaticall point in the plaine wordes of confessed Scripture as for proofe of Apostolicall Traditions whereby this phantasy of the Scripture being sole iudge is impugned in that passage (e) 2. Thes 2. of the Apostle Hold fast the traditions which you haue receaued siue per sermonem siue per Epistolâ—m nostram either by word or by our Epistle the Priuate spirit as it were with it Mercuryes rod heere chaseth away the most obuious and familiar construction obtruding this Scholia vpon the text That (f) Kemâ—â— in 〈◊〉 Conc. â—â—dent the Apostle first deliuered those things by speach which after he left written in his Epistle Absured since the disâ—unctiue particle siue implyeth an Antithesis or opposition of the things deliuered by speach and the thinges written If they fortify the plaine and literall sense of the forsayd Text with the answerable ConstitutioÌ„s and Canons of most ancient generall Councels as of that of the second of Nice Si (g) Act. â— â—om 4. quis traditioneÌ„ Ecclesiae siue scripto fiue consuetudine valentem non curauerit Anathema sit the Spirit spurneth heere at auerring that (h) So D. VVhâ—â—ak l. de Coâ—â—â—il conâ—â—a Bellarâ—â— q. â— generall Councells may erre And that as (i) So Peter Martyr l. de votis p. 476. longe as we insist in generall Councels so long we shall continue in the Papists errours Thus hoping that the splendour of the whole Church of Christ being once obscured it selfe may shyne forth with more lustre so the least starre discouereth it light through absence of a greater light If our Aduersaryes produce the testimonyes but of priuate Fathers in warrant of Traditions as of (k) Lib. contra Donat Quae vnâ—uersa tenet â—cclesia ab Apostâ—lis praecepta benè creduntur quanquà m scriptanon reperiantur Augustine (l) Lib. 2. epist â— Cypriâ—n and the like O what indignity is it to this all-controuling Spirit which euen dronke with a selfe coÌ„placency can with one puff of his breath blow away the force of all their authorityes by saying Gods (m) Luth. tom 2. cont Reg Angl fol. 344. word is aboue all the diuine Maiesty maketh for me in so much as I regard not if a thousand Augustines a thousand Cyprians stood against me vanting further of it selfe Non sinam ipsos Angelos de mea doctrina iudicare Lastly if they put vs in mind how it hath been euer the proper Scene of heretiks to enamel varnish the deformed face of their Heresyes with the misapplyed texts of Gods sacred Word Haereses (n) Aug iâ— hom 9. tract 18. in Ioan. sumunt originem quando Scripturae bonae intelliguntur non bene Thus
Duraeum pag. 480. with the first instituting of the fast of Lent being in his tyme negligently obserued the doctryne of which fast was so auncient that (m) Exam Coucil Trid part â— pag. 89. Kemnitius thus writeth heerof Ambrose Maximus Taurinensis Theophilus Ierome and others do affirme the fast of Lent to be an Apostolicall Tradition Now the Collusion heere vsed in these examples resteth in a willfull confounding of the first Institution of a thing with a renouation of the practise of the said thing Againe we sometymes obiect thereby to intimate an vncertainty of Catholike Religion some canon or sentence decreed afore by a lawfull Councell and true Pope and after impugned by another lawfull Councell and true Pope But this then which the vulgar doth not obserue doth concerne not matter of fayth and doctrine which neuer fuffereth any alteration by Popes or Councells but only matter of fact the sentence whereof though afore giuen may without any impeachment of the Churches authority vpon better and later information be altered Such were the alterable decrees of the Popes Formosus and Stephanus the seauenth in their seuerall Councells grounded principally vpon matter of fact vsually obiected by vs against our Aduersaryes of which point see Sigebert in his Chronicle Whereas our Aduersaryes as aboue is deliuered show that many of our Protestant doctrines were condemned for heresyes by Augustine Hierem Epiphanius others in those primitiue tymes Now we by way of recrimination do confidently auouch the same of diuers Catholike articles to wit that euen in those dayes they were condemned for heresyes by the sayd Fathers but how truely we auerre this good Reader obserue and if thou be a Protestant blush in thy brethrens behalfe Two examples shall serue for many Well then D. (o) In his Chalenge concerning the Roman Church p. 113. Sutcliffe and D. (p) In his answere to a counterfeit Cath. pag. 22. Fulke insimulate the Catholikes with the heresy of the Collyridans who according to Epiphanius were condemned as these men say for worshipping the Virgin Mary But let (q) Haeres 79. Epiphanius heere explaine himselfe his wordes are these Hi qui hoc docent qui sunt prae terquam mulieres Who teach this except they be women So as this fect consisted only of women of whome Epiphanius thus further writeth Sellam (r) Vbi supra quadratam ornantes panem proponunt offerunt in nomine Mariae c. that is These women adorning a square table do set bread thereupon and offer it in the name of Mary Thus their errour consisted in instituting a feminin Priesthood in sacrifying to Mary belieuing her to be a God And thereupon Epiphanius in the very same place thus censureth heerof Deo ab aeterâ—o nullatenus Mulier sacrificauit c. And againe Neq Deus est Maria c. nemo in nomine eius offerat How farre distant are the Catholikes from mantayning this Heresy either in their doctrine or practise Againe for a second example D. (s) In his answere to a Counterfeit Catâ— pag. 22. Fulke thus speaketh to the Catholikes Of the Heretikes Caiani you haue learned to calvpoÌ„ the Angels he alleadging Epiphanius for the same But Epiphanius wordes are these farre different from D. Fulkes application Non (t) Haeres 38. posse aiunt aliquos saluari nisi c. The heretiks Caiani taught none could be saued till they had gone through all sinnes and committing thereupon wicked thinges and actions they called vpon the name of such as were true Angells and of such as were by them vntruly tearmed Angells referrin to this Angell and that Angell proprian actionem their peculiar action saying when they committed their wickednes O tu Angele vtor tuo opere O Angell I now vse or execute thy worke c. Thus their errour consisted not in calling vpon the Angells but in calling both vpon true false Angells as making them Patrons of their wicked actions Would any man thinke we should wrong our owne reputation and honours in vsing these willfull and iniustifyable misapplications and forgeryes against the Catholikes We are scholars and should remember that as learning beautifyeth the mind so candor and integrity learning And therfore it is strange to see D. Willet in his Tetrastyson Papiseni D. Fulke and D. Sutcliffe in their afore alleadged bookes thus to bloâ— paper in labouring by these and other such like detortions of the Fathers words to perswade their Readers that many articles of Catholike Religion were condemned for heresyes in those ancient tymes But to proceed to other passages of this our Scene whereby we seeke thus to bleare the iudgementes of our credulous followers The better to grace our Religion with the venerable title of Antiquity some of vs (u) D Pulk in his answere to a counterfeit Catâ— passim M VVotion in his desence of D. Perkins pag. 500. touching â—ouâ—nian are not ashamed to insist in the former old registred heretiks of the primitiue church aboue rehearsed vrging them for Protestants But what gaine we heereby For first not any one of them did hould more then two or three points of Protestancy in all others being Catholike Againe such their points of Protestancy though first broached so long since were instantly condemned by the whole Church of God And who knoweth not that erring Antiquity is no better then late appearing Innouation I heere passe ouer our alleadging for these later ages as partly aboue touched of Waldo Wicklifse Husse Polydor Virgil Nilus Cassander and the like for members of the Protestant Church of which not any one was a perfect Protestant both because euery one of them euer belieued most articles of the Catholike Church dissenting from it only in two or three as also in that diuers of them mantayned sundry grosse (x) Whereof see their owâ— books yet extant and absurd doctrines both in our and the Catholikes iudgements and this with great stifnes and pertinancy of will which pertinacy euer consummates perfects an heresy And thus by this their obstinancy contemning the authority of Gods Church they became as I may tearme them formall and positiue heretikes though heresy be but a priuation To proue that Catholikes do disagree in matters of Fayth we obiect some differences among them but such if they be well obserued doe not rest in the Conclusion it selfe of the doctrine belieued but in the manner or some other circumstance of the Conclusion or article of faith which manner except it be defy ned by the Church may be disputed of and seuerally mantained without breach of fayth Thus they all conspyre and agree in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Schoolmen speake though not in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which later point is commonly reduced and tryed by scholasticall diuinity Thus for example when Christ descended into Lymbus Patrum to deliuer the soules of the Iust from thence some few Catholiks mantaine that he descended efficacioussy
as though the Sunne equally and indifferently shyned vpon vs all auerring with (d) D. â—e well in his Apology of the Church of England p. 101. sayth thus The ZuingliaÌ„s and Lutherans are good friends they vary not betweâ—ne themselves vpon the principles and foundatioÌ„s of our Religion but vpon only one questioÌ„ which is neither waighty nor great The like sayth D. VVhitakâ— in resp ad rationes Camp rat 8. p. 155. monstrous boldnes that the ProtestaÌ„t differ among themselues not in any mayne poynts of fayth but only in Ceremonyes and some few matters of Indifferency so making our pens and Controuersyes for our owne aduantage to partake of the nature of diaphanous and transparent bodyes which are equally capable of light darknes In lyke sort I cannot but obserue in the thronge of so many great differences among our selues the detriment we suffer particularly by our dissensions touching our Communion-Booke of Prayer and our English Translation of Scripture Since by the first we are not resolued how we ought to pray to God whether our prayers made for the remitting of our Sinnes be not an increase of our sinnes since wrongfully and with a false fayth to pray is but to offend God And thus do we depriue our selues of the cheife means of pacifying Gods wrath and indignation Seing Prayer is a secondary Mediatour betweene God and man by meanes of it God as I may say knoweth not that to wit our Sinnes which from all Etermity he did know nor remembers that which before the perpetrating thereof was firmely registed in the Booke of his Prescience Prayer indeed being the spirituall ayre which refrigerates the heat of our Passions Os (e) Psalm 1â—8 meum aperui attraxi spiritum In lyke sort we being at wars which is the true Word of God in our translations of Scripture we are in the meane tyme depriued euen by our owne grounds of the true Iudge for the appeasing determining of Controuersyes in Religion since granting the Scripture to be this Iudge yet this is to be vnderstoode of the Scripture as it is pure in it self and incontaminated not as it is abastarded with false Translations Besydes being vnresolued which is the true Word of God we know not which is that heauenly Kings true â—â—mbassadour bringing to mankynd the comfortable message of Saluation or rather which is the Great Seale of that most great God whereunto he hath set his hand obliging himself by promise to giue Pardon to all truly Penitent euery sentence thereof being indeed the Lyse of our Soule and Soule of our Life (f) Ioan. cap. 6. Verba quae ego locutus sum vobis spir tus vita sâ—nt But to conclude this Chapter since the Catholyks in respect of fayth enioy a perfect Vnity since the Protestants maintayne strange diuersityes of doctrine attended on with intestine simultyes and vnchristian Anathematizings And since I haue but one poore indiuisible soule not capable of seuerall wayes therefore I am resolued that this one soule of myne shall in her fayth according to her owne being and essence tread the path of Vnity not of multiplicious Contrariety and repugnancy in Religion THE XII MOTIVE That Saluation may be had in Catholyke Religion by the confession of Protestants PERVERSITAS fidei est probata non credere non probata prasumere saith the ancient and learned (a) Aduer Gâ—osticos Tertullian By which words we are taught that an indubious and and fully warranted Truth ought to ouerballance in matter of fayth all vncertaine iniustifiable fluctuations of a contrary iudgment Heere then the Question being in what fa th and Religion a man dying may be saued a primary and Cardinall poynt I fynd that the learneder sort of Protestants do conspiringly seach that a Catholyke or in our own phrase a Papist dying a Papist may be saued but I do not fynd the lyke fauorable censure of our learned Aduersaryes so vnanimously to passe vpon vs dying Protestants Thus the first poynt as being on all sydes approued I may securely beleiue the second as not granted I must apprehend at least as doubtfull The consideration of our owne Brethrens iudgments heere in the behalfe of our Aduersaryes I grant hath much swayed me For as some of vs do teach (b) Peter Martyr in his Comm. places parâ— 2 p. 319. Among all testimonyes that testimony is of greatest respect which is witnessed by the Enemy since such an authour by disprouing the truth most strongly approues it and by impugning propugnes it This poynt then to wit that the hope of Saluation belongeth to Papists dying Papists shall be demonstrated foure seuerall wayes euen from the ingenuous and plaine acknowledgment of those Protestants whose pennes and wrytings haue most stroÌ„gly inuaded the iudgment of their Readers First by showing that diuers of vs doe hould that the cheifest Articles of Catholyke Religion are but poynts of Iudifferency and compatible with Saluation and which is more by prouing that sundry learned Protestants haue actually and really beleiued the said Catholike Articles as true Secondly by manifesting euen from our owne wrytings that the Church of Rome is the true Church of Christ and that in that Church Saluation is to be obtayned Thirdly from our doctryne practize in baptizing the children of Catholyks Fourthly by insisting in diuers examples of particuler men which haue dyed in the Roman and Catholike Church and yet by vs Protestants are reputed for glorious Saints in heauen As touching the first I will rest for greater expedition in some few of the chiefest articls of the Roman fayth the which being accounted by vs as matters of indifferencyes may stand by our owne censures with saluation from whence we may inferre that then much more many other articles of the sayd Religion be reputed by vs to be of the like indifferency And first concerning the primacy of the Church Luther (c) In assert art 36. himselfe thus sayth The Popes supremacy is among those vnnecessary trifles wherin the Popes leuity and foolery is to be borne withall Melancthon (d) In his epist extant in the booke styled Centuria epist Theolog. epist 74. proceedeth more plainely saying An agreement may easily be established in the Article of the Popes Primacy if other articles could be agreed vpon The doctrine of the Primacy to wit that one must be chiefe in the Church of God is taught by (e) Vbi supra MelanctoÌ„ (f) So related by Hospinian hist p. 389. Iacobus Andreas (g) Luth. in loc com class c. 37 Luther and D. (h) D. Couell in his exam fol. 106. Couell who giueth this reason thereof saying If there were not one supreme head in the Church of God the Church should be worse then the meanest Commonwealth yea then any den of theeues Touching the reall presence D. Reynolds (i) In his conclus annexed to his conference pag. 722. so depresseth the weight thereof that he sayth
the sweet yoake of Christ made in our owne dayes by the Iesuits whose very name to vs is vngrateful but Quis (l) Tertul. aduerjus gentes nominis reatus Quae vocabulerum accusatio Osiander a learned Protestant in his booke of Ecclesiasticall history faythfully relateth the Conuersions of many Countreyes Of which Of the (m) Cent. 9.10.11.12.13 14.15 Danes the Morauians the Polonians the Sclauonians the Bulgares the Hunnes the Normans the Bohemians the Swecians the Noruegians the Liuonians the Saxons the Rugy Tusanes By whome sayth he were they conuerted By the Bishops of Rome liuing in those seuerall ages To what fayth To the now Catholike or as he tearmes it papisticall fayth In like sort our Century writers (n) Cent. 8.9.10.11 discoursing vpon the same subiect affirm that the Countryes of Germany of the Vandals the Bulgarians Sclauonians Danes Morauians Hungarians Noruegians were first reduced to Christianity by the Church of Rome professing then by their owne acknowledgments the same religion which at this present it doth Thus hath Rome Christian subiected to it more Nations and Kingdome by a peaceable and sweet force of Religion then euer Rome Heathen did by warre And heere we are to note a consideration not to be neglected that as these and other Protestants do confesse that all the Conuersions of the foresayd Countryes were made by Papists D. (o) Lib. de Eccles contra Bellarm. §. 336 Whitaker therefore styling them impure and corrupt conuersions so not one of the sayd Protestants or any other though writing elaboratly of this subiect would euer ascribe the conuerting of any of these or any other one Heathen King or Nation to the Protestants labours But leauing these last thousands yeares let vs ascend higher to the next three hundred yeares ariuing from the tyme of Boniface the third vp vnto the dayes of Constantin the first Christian Emperour During the space of which three hundred years no Countryes or Kingdomes were conuerted at all to Christian religion either by Catholikes or by any others most Nations in respect of Religion lying then wholy wast and incultiuated The truth of which point is euen demonstrable seeing in these ages there were no Kinges who professed Christian religion the Emperours of the East West only excepted Among whome some were bastard Christians as being braÌ„ded with (p) ValeÌ„s Constantius Constans Arianisme others (q) Iulian. Apostata's so enioying but an abortiue fayth since it wombe became it graue Now concerning the tyme it selfe of Constantin it is so irrefragably true that neither himselfe nor any Countrey by his meanes was conuerted to our Protestant religion (r) Cent. 4 as that our Magdeburgenses recording the state of the Church in his tyme doe charge Constantine with all the Catholike pointes of religioÌ„ at this day professed by the Church of Rome styling them The errours of Constantine of hâ— age Lastly to rise higher in tymes to wit from the tymes of Constantine to that of Christ our Sauiour â—it is aboundantly testifyed by all Historiographers that the Church of God was so straitned and shut vp on all sides and in such violent persecutions though otherwise glad to sweat vnder such a burdeÌ„ as that it had no meanes to enlarge it selfe by conuerting to it Kinges and kingdomes and if it had at that tyme conuerted any yet the question would then follow whether such a Conuersion had beene made to the Protestant or to the Roman Church But the luculency of this former point appeareth both from the writings of the ProtestaÌ„t (Å¿) In the booke flyied Disputationes c. Deuines of Wittemberge from the testimony of our home-brother D. Barlow (t) In his defence of the articles of the Protestant religion p. 24 thus discoursing heereof In the primitiue nonage of the Church this promise of Kings allegiance thereunto was not so fully accomplished because in those dayes that Prophesy of our Sauiour was rather verifyed You shall be brought before Kinges for my names sake by them to be persecuted euen vnto death c. But now to reflect vpon this our Argument or Motiue Is the Protestant Church the true Church of Christ Then hath it conuerted many Kinges Kingdomes vnto the fayth of Christ Let any particularize if he can the Countreyes and Tymes which and when Hath not the Protestant Church conuerted any Kingdomes and Nations to the fayth of Christ Then it selfe is not the true Church of Christ since the Prophesyes of Gods sacred Write are infallible Non (u) Tert. aduers Gnost licuisset aliter euenire quà m edixit nec ipse aliter edixisset quà m euenire voluisset Which Prophesyes as being already actually accoÌ„plished by the Catholike Church in subiecting to it diuers true Kinges indeed so the full consideration of them hath much preuayled for his intended incorporating into the Church with one poore King in name To reply heere and say that these Prophesyes are to be full filled not before but after the preaching of Luthers Ghospell is controlled by the iudgment of all learned men and by experience it selfe since it is certaine I must confesse to the preiudice of our Ghospell that neither Luther nor his schollers nor his party haue as yet first conuerted any one Kingdome Nation Citty Village or House from heathnish insidelity to the fayth of Christ Therefore we must conclude with D. Whitaker (x) Lib. 7. contra Duraeum pag. 472. ingenuously thus confessing Whatsoeuer the ancient Prophets haue foretould of the enlargment amplitude and glory of the Church the same to haue beene already performed is most euident out of historyes so true is that Lex est Enangelium praedictum â—uangelium lex completa The other branch of Prophesyes wherein I heere will insist forâ—el that in the Church of Christ there shal alwayes be found Pastours and Doctours and a continuall administration of the Word and Sacraments the spirituall conduits whereby Gods grace is deriued into mans soule or the subordinate wheeles of his diuine Maiesty by which the soule is moued and directed to gaine it owne saluation To this effect are alleadged those wordes out of the (a) Ephes 4. Apostle a text which for it clearenes is able to coÌ„ment it Comment to wit that Christ hath placed in his Church Pastours and Doctours to the consumation of Saints till we all meet in the vnity of Fayth that is as our D. (b) In his answere to a counterfeit Catholike Fulke truely expoundeth for euer Caluin (c) Instit. 4. c 3.64 himselfe concluding from hence in these words The Church cannot at any tyme want Pastours and Doctours Now that these Pastours and Doctours must not in their offices and dutyes be silent is not only witnessed by the Holy (d) Isa 62. Ghost but also besides the nature of their function requiring it acknowledged by vs Protestants And therfore D. Fulke well sayth Truth (e) Vbi supra cannot be
ministred Touching the doctrine of the inuisiblity of the Protestant Church for many ages we do find our Brother D. Parkins (l) In his exposition of the Creed And Lut. ep ad Argentin sayth Christum à nobis primò vulgatum audemus gloriari thus to write During the space of nine hundred yeares the Popish heresy hath spred it selfe ouer the whole earth And further For many hundred yeares our Church was not visible to the world an vniuersall apostasy ouerspreading the whole face of the earth With whome accordeth D. (m) In his answere to a counterfeit Catholik pag. 16. Fulke saying From the tyme of Boniface the third which was Anno Domini 607. the Church became inuisible and fled into the wildernes there to remaine a long season But M. Napper (n) In his treatise vpon the ReuelatioÌ„ pag. â—8 ryseth higher teaching That between the years of Christ 300. and 316. the Antichristian and Papisticall raigue began raigning â—niuersally without any debatable contradiction one thousand two hundred sixty yeares M. Brocard (o) Vpon the Reuelation p. 110. affirmeth that during the second and third age after Christ the true temple of God and light of the Ghospell was obscured by the Roman Antichrist himselfe But Sebastianus (p) In epistola de abrogandis in vniuersuÌ„ on nibus statutis Ecclesiasticis Francus otherwise a learned Protestant stretcheth farre further saying For certaine through this worke of Antichrist the externall Church togeather with the fayth and Sacraments vanished away presently after the Apostles departure and that for these fourteene hundred yeares the Church hath not beene external and visible with whom conspireth D. (q) In his answere to a counterfeit Catholike p. â—5 Fulke in these wordes The true Church decayed immediatly after the Apostles tyme. A strange and inconsiderate assertion thus to insimulate and charge the tymes next to the Apostles since besides the Scripture (r) Isa 2 Miche as 4 Psalm 19. Matth. 5. witnessing in many places a continuall visibility of the Church and true fayth at all tymes it was Gods good pleasure that his Church concerning true fayth and doctrine should contrary to the course of other things enioy her greatest strength and force in her greatest infancy But to the point From all these testimonyes may be inferred that if the Protestants Church was for so many ages inuisible and that the true fayth and Sacraments thereof were vanished away for so long a tyme then during the length of so many ages there were no Doctours to preach the Protestants fayth nor Pastours to minister their Sacramentes though the same euer to haue beene in the Catholik Church the Protestants forsayd testimonyes do necessarily and implicitely witnes and consequently that the aboue alleadged Prophesy touching the continuance of Pastours Doctours in the Church of Christ at all tymes till the end of the world is not accomplished in the Protestant Church Thus farre heerof only for greater perspicuity I will wind vp the two different parts of all the foresayd Prophesyes in this ensuing argument Then thus It is prophesyed of the true Church of Christ that she must conuert heathen Kinges Kingdomes and Nations vnto her fayth and Religion Aâ— also that she must in all tymes and ages without interruption entoy aflours and Doctours and an administration of the word and Sacraments But by the confessions of our learned Brethren the Protestants the Protestant Church hath neuer as yet conuerted to it any one Heathen King kingdome Nation for many ages togeather by the ProtestaÌ„ts like acknowledgments it hath wanted Doctours and Pastours â—â—preach the Protestants fayth and to minisâ—er the word and Sacraments Therefore the Protestant Church is not that true Church of Christ which is figured out in those foresayd Prophesyes The inference I vrge this I presse in this I make my station It is drawne from acknowledged Scripture on all sides and from the acknowledged sense of the sayd Scripture on all sides Let any learned Protestant or all the learned Protestants liuing sincerely and plainely without subtile euading and declyning the point vrged giue any satisfactory answere heereto and I will indisputably become recreant in my fayth The demonstration is vnauoydable such as that seueral markable ProtestaÌ„ts one way not coÌ„fessing out of their implacable hatred the former Prophesies to be fullfilled in the Catholike Church another seeing by al proofe of historyes whatsoeuer that they haue not beene performed in the ProtestaÌ„t Church 1. s Dauid George Professour at Basil did from hence conclude a thought horrible to be entertained that the Christian Religion as wanting the accomplishments of the foresaid Prophesyes was a false Religion 2. Beruardin Ochine a man highly commeÌ„ded by caliâ—â—n l. de scandalis pag. 111. ouâ— Sauiour a seducer and themselues thereupon sinally became s Iewes I execrate a Iew therefore seeing there is no other Medium I will dye heerein a Roman Catholike 3. Neuserus chiefe Pastour of â—eideâ—hergc 4. Almanus a Zuinglion all which throught the reasons aboue touched forsooke the Christian fayth See of these some others Conradus Schluffelburg in his Theolog. Calu. and Osiander Cent. THE III. MOTIVE That generall Councells confirming Catholike Religion are reiected by Protestants IT is certaine that the spirituall Enemy of mans soule though hating Order yet in impugning the Truth obserueth order For after his reiecting of Canonicall Scripture and expounding falsly by his Ministers confessed scripture he next maketh violent incursions vpon sacred Oecumenicall Councels they being in matters of fayth the highest Iudgements vpon earth whose semences are aboue all appeale and whose testimonyes I hould as so many sealing arguments Therefore I much grieued to find the first and chiefest of our Religion peremptorily to sindicate and censure next to that of the Apostles the first and chiefest generall Councell I meane Luther the Nicen styling it (a) â—uth l. de Concil decrees fâ—enum stramen ligna stipula c. But no meruaile since so long as we continue in condemning the articles of Catholike religion so long are we forced to breake with those Primitiue generall Synods To exemplify in some few for the truths sake though it be more hard to erect a truth by proofes then to confute an errour Who is so Alphabeticall yong a Controuersist but he knoweth that the doctrine of Peters Primacy and his successours is confirmed in the Canons of the second generall (b) Epist ad Damal quae exstat apud Theodor Councell of Constantinople and the third of (c) Apud Eugagrium lib. hist c. 4. Ephesus In the one by plainely acknowledging the doctrine in the other by deposing Nestorius by the authority of the Sea of Rome That Apostolicall traditions are warranted by the first second Nicen Councel the first condeÌ„ning the (d) In actis eiusdem Concii heresy of Arius besydes by Scripture euen by force of Traditions the other (e) Epst.
perceaue how Satan was president in their assemblyes or Councels Thus Beza of the Councells euen of the Primitiue Church that many vertuous and learned men gathered togeather for the disquisition of Truth must necessarily erre one sole one lateborne obscure illiterate irreligious Scripturist cannot erre O (x) Galat. c. 3â— insensati Galatae quis vos fascinauit c. THE IIII. MOTIVE That the Fathers of the Primitiue Church as Patrons of Papistry are reiected by the Protestants INTERROGA generationem pristinam diligenter inuestiga patrum memoriam hesterni quippe sumus saith the Mirrour (a) Ioc. 〈◊〉 8. of Patience To which words old Vincentius Lyrinensis (b) Aduer baeres twelue hundred yeares since thus subscribeth If any new question do arise we are to recurre to the iudgments of the holy Fathers Which rule if it were strong in those Primitiue tymes how much more forcible should it be though the accession of so many hundreds of yeares since passed with vs who are but Hodierni The ancient Fathers we know haue diuersly trauelled in the subiect of Christian Religion some of them in their Commentaryes others in their Homilyes Sermons and Catechismes Others againe in their Catalogue of condemned Heresyes and their Epistles and some in all these making the intended sense of the holy Ghost in the Scripture the doctrine thence deduced the Center or quiescent Poynt in all their Motions or Labours Their Laborious Industry herein our Brethren at the first seeme to prize granting that in the mynes of the Fathers wrytings there is to be found much golden Ore yet such as must after be purged and refyned in the fyar of their owne priuate iudgments from all drosse of supposed Errours before it can receaue the print and stampe they say of true Euangedical doctryne yea of Innouation and Nouellisme Thus do we teach that their wrytings may be profitably tasted of if so they be taken with the true Correctiue of our owne contronling liberty But if our Brethren be further vrged whether they will humbly imbrace such peculiar doctryns as the Fathers did ioyntly teach then they more openly dismaske themselues disclayming from them as from mantayners of Papistry To manifest this in all Articles controuerted at this present Breuitye preuents foure of the cheifest shall serue for instance And those foure fathers of the Church which haue obtayned by a priuiledge and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that title I meane Ambrose Ierome â—ugustin Gregory shall be therein cheifly produced teaching the said doctrynes euen by the acknowledgment of vs Protestants And first to begin with the doctryne of Prayer for the dead to retaile heer some particular coÌ„fessions of our own do I not find D. Fulke (c) In his confutaâ—ioÌ„ of purgatory p. 78. to vse his owne words thus speaking Ambrose allowed prayer for the dead and further (d) Ibidem p. 104. Ierome allowed prayer for the dead And yet further (e) Vbi supra pag. â—49 Augustin blyndly defended it And which is more our said Doctour Fulke thus further verbally saith (f) Ibidem pag. 362. Augustin Ierome and agreat many more do witnes that Sacrifice for the dead is a Tradition of the Apostles To be short (g) in exam part 3. pag. 9â— 107. Kemnitius accordeth with D. Fulk heerin affirming that prayer for the dead was taught besydes by others by Ambrose Ierome and Augustin Touching the reall Presence in the which Vocatur (h) Aug. tract 26. in Iom caro quod non capit caro and it being a true Sacrifice Antony de Adamo no obscure Protestant thus (i) In his Anatomy of the Maâ— fol. 221. writeth The booke of Sacraments ascrybed to Ambrose affirmes the opinion of Christs bodily presence in the Sacrament The like we find auerred of Ambrose by our Brethren the (k) Câ—nt 4. c. 4. col 205. Centurists Kemnitius speaking of certaine sentences of Ambrose Augustine and other contayning the adoration of the Sacrament which necessarily includeth the Reall Presence thus sayth In (l) Exam. part 2. p. 91. my iudgement they containe the adoration of the Sacrament Againe Ierome with many other Fathers is repreheÌ„ded for teaching the reseruation of the Sacrament by (m) Ibid. pag. 102. Kemnitius and by (n) Lib. against Heskins Sanders c. p. 458. D. Fulke to vse the Doctours wordes for giuing admonition to marryed persons before the tyme of Communion to abstaine from company of their wyues who tearmeth it popish diuinity both which points in regard of the reuerence therein exhibited probably imply the doctrine of the Reall presence Caluin (o) Lib. de vera Eccle. reformat Extat in tract theolog Calu. giueth this Theta or marke of condemnation vpon the writings of Augustin Ambrose and others in these wordes They forged a sacrifice in the Lords supper without his commandment and so adulterated the supper by adding of Sacrifice They also expounded the sacrifice of Malachy (p) Lib. de abrogand in vniuers statut Ecclestast and the oblation of Melchisedech to be a figure of the sacrifice of the Masse Finally the doctrine of the Real presence was so coÌ„mon to al the Fathers of the Primitiue Church that Sebastianus Francus thus writeth Presently after the Apostles dayes all thinges were strangely turned the supper of the Lord being transformed into a sacrifice And Adamus Francisci another of our censuring Lynx-eyed brethren thus plainely confesseth (q) In Margarita Theolog. pag. 236. Papistarum Commentum c. The Papists inuention touching Transubstantiation crept earely into the Church Concerning Prayer â—o Saints D Fulke with an irreparable preiudice to his cause thus sayth l (r) In his Reioynder to Brâ—flow pag. 5. confesse that Ambrose Augustine and Hierome held inuocation of Saints to be lawfull And the same doth (s) Exam. part 3. p. 200. Kemnitius acknowledge of these three forsayd Fathers a point so euident that D. Whiâ—guift thus writeth Almost (t) In his defence against the reply of Cartwright all the Bishops and Writers of the Greeke Church and Latin also were spotted with the doctrines of inuocation of Saints merit of workes c and such like and the like sentence doth D. Couel giue both of the Greeke and Latin Fathers touching the innocation of Saints and the other foresayd doctrines so agreeing heereto is another such confession of D. Fulke saying Many (u) Against the Rhemist Testament in 2. 1. of the ancient Fathers held that Saints departed pray for vs. Lastly touching the doctrine or Vowes inuâ—suing within it selfe the doctrine of â—uangelicall Councells Kemnitius (x) Exam. part 3. p. 41. allead geth the seuerall sentences of Augustin â—mbrose and Hierome iustifying the sayd doctrine and then he after reiecteth them all thus concluding of the Fathers in generall Non ignoramus c. We wel know that the Fathers allowed the vowes of perpetuall Chastity and that they acknowledged them to be oblegatory
Now touching the Authority of S. Gregory in all the foresaid Poynts we haue reserued the confessions of them to this last place both because he liued many years after the other fathers as also in that his iudgment in all the said Articles is made manifest by two acknowledgments the one of D. HuÌ„frey the other of the Centurists D. Humfrey (y) In Iesuitis p. 2. rat 5. p. â— speaking of the sayth first planted in our Countrey by Gregory and Augustin whom he sent thus answereth himselfe In Ecclesiam quid inuâ—exerun Gregarius Augustinus intulerun onus Caeremoniaâ—uÌ„ c purgetorium c. oblationeÌ„ salutaris hostiae preces pro mortuis Transubstantiationem c. The Century (z) See the alphabeticall table of the fixt Century at the word Gregory Wryters agreeing heereto witnes that Gregory preached in England by the sending of Augustine hither the doctrynes of prayer for the dead the Reall Presence Inuocation of Saintes the vowes of Chastity besydes al the other Articles of the Roman Religion mantayned at this day Thus far cheifly of these foure poynts of the Catholyke Religion taught besydes by others by the former foure pillars of Gods Church euen by the free and vncoacted acknowledgmeÌ„ts of such of our Brethren as are of no vulgar note or ranke but most accomplished with all good literaâ—â—re And heere though my intended breuity suffereth me only to run ouer some few points taught by the Fathers who are reiected by vs yet I will somewhat enlarge my selfe in the Article of the Sacrifice of the Masse as being one of the cheifest poynts controuerted betwene our Aduersaryes vs and contayning in it selfe the dayly worship of God And heere it is manifest that throughout all the ages of the Primitiue Church without exception of any it was generally taught by the Fathers of euery such age yet are those Fathers for this very doctrine reiected by vs Protestants And to begin at the end of the first fiue hundred yeares and so to ascend for after that tyme â—ill Luthers dayes it is graÌ„ted by most Protestants that the Masse reygned in all the Churches of the West part of the World which point is further proued from our owne acknowledged doctrine of the inuisibility of the Protestant Church during all that tyme. First then Anno Domini 501. Symmachus (a) Cent. 6. c. 10. câ— 664. was Bishop of Rome of whome our Centurists thus speake Notas Antichristi Symmachus habâ—is MissaÌ„ enim in forman redegit that is Symâ—â—â—â—â—â— had the notes of Antichrist for he reduced the Masse into a forme Before Symmachus was the Councell of Carâ—hage whereat S. Augustine was present of which CouÌ„cell Pelargus a Protestant thus speaketh Haec (b) In his schola sidei tract de Concil p. 3. Synodus carthaginensis intercessioneÌ„ Missam pro defunctis iniunxit This Synod of Carthage did ordaine intercession of prayers and Masse for the dead Ambrose liued in the yeare 370. of whome the (c) Cent. 4. cap. 4. col 295. Centurists thus Ambrosius locutionibus vtitur quibus ante cum ex Patribus nemo vsus est vt Missam facere offerre Sacrificium Ambrose did vse certaine speaches the which no Father before him did vse as to say Masse to offer vp Sacrifice Gregory Nissen in the yeare 340. whome Andreas (d) Lib. 1. de opisie Missâ— sect 104. Crastâ—uius a Protestant thus reprehendeth Nyssenus ille ait cùm dedit Christus discipulis suis corpus suum ad comedendum c. iam latenter ineffa biliter inuisibiliter corpus immolatum erat Gregory Nissen sayth That when Christ gaue to his disciples his body to eate c. that then his body was immolated and offerd vp latently ineffably and inuisibly Cyrill of Hierusalem one of the Greeke Church liued Anno 320. whome (e) Histor Sacram. p. 167. Hospinianus a Protestant thus speketh of Quoad Cyrillum Hierosolymitanum attinet dicit ille quidem pro sui temporis consuâ—tuâ—â—ine sacrificium Altaris maximum iuuamen esse animarum Concerning Cyrill of Hierusalem he sayth indeed according to the vse of his tyme that the sacrificé of the Altar is a great help to soules Cyprian liued Anno 240. him the (f) Cent. 30. c. 4 Col. 33. Magdeburgenses or Centurists thus charge Sacerdotem Cyprianus inquit vice Christi fungi Deo Patri sacrificium offerri and heereupon they reproue (g) In the alphabeti table of the third entury vnder the letter S Cyprian of superstition In like sort D. (h) Against Heskins Sâ—nders p. 10â— Fulke thus confesseth of Cyprian It is granted that Cyprian thought the bread and wyne brought forth by Melchisedech to be a sigure of the Sacrament and that heerein Melchisdech resembled the Priesthood of Christ. Terfullian liued Anno 220. whom thus Luke (i) Cent. 3. l. c. 9. Osiander accuseth Teâ—tullianus approbauiâ— oblationes prodefunctis Tertullian aid allow of oblations for the dead meaning the oblation of the sacrifice of Masse who also for this his sayd doctrine is with other Fathers thus reprehended by D. (k) In his confutatioÌ„ of Purgatory p. 302. Vide p. 103. â—3 Fulke Tertullian Cyprian Augustine Hierome and a great many more doe witnesse that sacrifice for the dead is a Tradition of the Apostles Irenaeus liued in the yeare 170. whom the Centurists thus censure De (l) Cent 〈◊〉 c 4. col â—3 oblatione Irenaeus l. 4. cap. 23. satis videtur lequi incommode cùm ait Nouâ— Testamenti nouam Christus docuit oblationem quam Ecclesia ab Apostolis accipiens in vntuersomundo offers Deo Irenaeus in lib. 4. cap. 23. sâ—â—meth to speake in conueniently inough of oblation or sacrifice when he sayth that Christ hath taught a new oblation in the new Testament the which the Church receauing from the Apostles offereth to God throughout the whole world Of this Father (m) De vera Eccles resorm exâ—ant in tract theolog p 389 Caluin thus writeth Obijciunt locum Malachia de missae sacrificio ab Irenae exponi breuiter responsum est ita ridiculè vt nos dissentire cogat ratio verit as The Papists doe obiect to vs that the place of Malachy is expounded by Irenaeus of the sacrifice of the Masse but the answere is at hand to wit it is so ridiculously expounded as that all reason and truth force vs to dissent from him Ignatius the Apostles scholler liued Anno whome the Centurists thus censure (n) Cent. 2 c 4. col 63. QuaedaÌ„ ambigua incommodè dicta in quibusdam occurruntâ— vt in epistola â—gnatij ad Smirnenses non licet inquit Ignatius sine Episcopo neq offerre neque sacrificium immâ—lare There are certaine doubtfull and inconuenient sayings which do occurre in diuers places as in Ignatius his epistle ad Smirnenses where he sayth it is not lawfull without a Bishop to immolate or offer vp Sacrifice which very wordes of Ignatius
Which serious disquisition search of myne I grant first inuited me to spend the more tyme and labour after in the reading of all our Protestant Wryters of any eminency And therefore what authorityes of Protestants are in these Motiues insisted vpon by me I except not one I do iustify them not as borrowed from any Catholike wryter for I hould that course vnworthy a Man of my Place but as from my owne most diligent and laborious reading of the Protestant Bookes themselues But to returne We haue aboue euidently proued that the auncient Fathers were supporters and defenders of the Roman Religion and that in their writings they do transmit and commend ouer the same to all posterity Can we thinke they iustifyed a false fayth they being the Churches Sentinells in those times Vpon thy walls (k) Isa 6â— O Ierusaâ—em I haue set watches for euer Or shall we dreame the Church of Christ being then in her greatest purity that vpon her Altar the Arke of Truth could be compatible with the Dagon of Heresy It is repugnant to Gods Prouidence repugnant to his (l) Matth. 16. Promise And doubtlesse if the Fathers fayth were false and Protestancy the true Fayth I may iustly say all collaterall respects weighed that heere Falshood is much honored with probabilityes and Truth discountenanced with Vnlykely hoods But for my selfe in particular my body daily hasting to it graue through it languishing sicknes the question is Whether during this short remnant of Tyme I should longer consociate my selfe in fayth and Religion with my former Brethren the Protestants or subscrybe to the Cristalline and cleare iudgments heerein of the Auncient Fathers But the election is already made And in these few leaues so my leaues shall not be without fruit that is my desyres without effect I do protest to God and the world that I haue and do renounce all Innouation of doctryne heeretofore imbraced by me and do with all resignation of mynd submit my iudgment to the iudgments of those Primitiue reuerend vertuous and learned Fathers whose voluminous Wrytings I grant for some yeares past haue had an influence and soueraignty ouer my Vnderstanding THE V. MOTIVE That the articles of Protestancy are particulerly condemned for Heresyes by the auncient Fathers And that all Protestants originally came out of the Catholyke Church IALLOVV well the proceeding of Theodosius (a) Sozomen l. 7. histor cap. 12. the Emperour who for his better suppressing of the arrising Heresyes of his dayes was accustomed to demaund of their cheife Patrones whether they thought the auncient Fathers liuing and sterning Gods Church before those new doctrines first appeared were orthodoxall in their fayth or no To which question when they gaue their assent by reputing the said Fathers for such he thus concluded Examinemus ergo doxtrinam vestram ad illorum scripta si cum illis consenserit retineamus sin winus abijciatur The lyke course I hould to be obserued in triall of our Protestant doctrin But I much feare the euent this for two different reasons The one in that I fynd as aboue is showed our owne brethren openly to breake with the cheifest Fathers of the primitiue Church reputing them as so many supporters of Papistry The other because many articles of our Protestant religion newly springing vp in those tymes thus the Gospell d teacheth vs (b) Matt. 13. that the Cokcle was presently sowne after the good seede haue beene condemned for Heresyes by Irenaeus Ierome â—piphanius Augustine and other Fathers in their Catalogues of Heresyes and other their wrytings I do not speake this of euery article of Protestancy since I grant some haue taken their first being from out owne sensuality lyke vnto certayne weeds which grow rather out of the Lust of the earth then from any formal seed Now these Fathers since they were learned could not but know since they were pious and godly would not but confesse the said then arysing doctrines to be crosse to the generall professed Religion of their owne and former tymes And it cannot be as yet nor hath beene by way of retaliation answered that any one of them were euer reprehended for ranging that opinion in the Catalogue of heresyes which was not then generally accepted for heresy Let vs exemplify in some The Arians besides their greater blasphemyes taught that all vnwritten (c) Lib. 1. c. a. contra Matrimin l. vlc Traditions were to be reiected they further perpetrated many sacriledges (d) Atha in apoleg pro fuga against the Sacraments Altars Priests and religious or professed persons And do not we Protestants bring them vpon the stage againe acting their parts in our writings and deportments The Aeriâ—ns to vse S. (e) â—ib de Haeres c. 33. Augustines wordes thought it vnlawfull orare vel offerre promortuis to pray or offer vp sacrifice for the dead or to obserue set dayes of fast and heereupon they were condemned for eating flesh in Lent See how we Caluinists are lineally proseminated sprung from the loines of Aerius so fully we do reintegrate his heresyes The heretike (f) Hier. l. 1. 2. contr Iouinian Aug. lib. de haeres cap. 82. Iouinian taught that Fasting was not meritorious that Virginity was not to be preferred before Wedlocke and that a man once hauing true fayth could not sinne Either we Caluinists are heerein Posthumi to Iouinian or Iouinian by preuention of tyme was an anti-dated Caluinist the difference is but small The o Eunomians maintayned (g) Aug. l. de haeres cap. 54. that no sinne could be hurtfull to one hauing fayth Wil you haue this doctrine deliuered in Luthers (h) Lib. de capt Babilon c. de Euchar. wordes Tam diues est Christianus vt non possit perire etiamsi velit quamtumq malè viuat nisi nolit credere so conspiringly we iumpe togeather in imbracing this confident presumption which as I may tearme it is no better then Hope out of it wits The Manichees depriued man of freewill according to that of S. Augustine Peccatorum (i) Lib de haeres c. 46. origineÌ„ non tribuunt Manichaei libero arbitrio Now Luther and (k) Lib. de seruo arbit Caluin (l) Lib. 2. Insiâ—t c. 2.3 4. are so precipitate and headlong in this doctrine that neither of them can brooks the name or sound of the word Freewill yet heerin they dissent from the Manichees in that they by taking away freewill ascribed all sins wickednes to that God which they tearmed an euill God as to the first cause whereas our men will needes impute the perpetrating of the greatest sinnes whatsoeuer to that God which they acknowledge for good The Donatists (m) Aug. l. 1. contra Petilian cap 51. 61. l. 3. cap. 40. most implacably hated the Bishop of Rome calling his feate Cathedram pestilentiae the very dialect of vs Protestants they most cruelly persecuted Monkes and Religious men
altogeather vnknowne and latent so as further we acknowledge that for the space of many hundred years the Papacy (l) D. Field in his book of the Church l. â— c. 6. sayth The Church when Luther began was that apparent Church wherein Luther the rest wer baptized â—eceaued their Christianity ordination and power of Ministry osiander â—pâ—som â—ent 16. p. 1073. Ecclesia quae sub Papaâ—u fuit â—obuit ministerium Euangelij sacra biblia Baptismum Coenam Domini c. And Luther in loc comm class 1. sayth In medijs furoribus c. Euen in the middest of the furours of the Dragon and the Lyon there did remaine Baptisme the Eucharist the power of the Keyes holy Scripture c. Thus Luther alone enioyed the safe keeping of the Scriptures and an auaylable administration of the Sacraments Now heere I would demand of our Inuisibilists how these two assertions can stand togeather to wit the Pope is Antichrist the Pope so being preserued for so many ages the Scripturer incorrupted and administrated the Sacraments profitably Which if they can then can Israell be found in Babylon and participation be betweene Christ Belial then must Antichrist only preserue the means for the descryall of Antichrist and he who is falshood it selfe be by our owne inference columna firmamentum veritatis Then can heauenly musickâ— for at least in part the Pope expounded the Scriptures truly proceed from the Dragons voyce and medicinable phisicke be drunke out of that cup which shall inebriate the Kings of earth then must our soules saluation for without the vse of the Sacraments it cannot be obtayned be wrought by our soules chiefest enemy and Heauen be purchased by the mediation of the Man (m) 2. Thess vbi supra of sinne and sonne of pocalyps thus is Antichrist become Christs setuantes best supporter keep safe those records wherby those many hundred thousandes (n) Apocalyp 14. of Christs Virgins make their clayme to the inestimable reward allotted for their vowed chastity As easily may we belieue that the Arke and the Idol Dagon could be placed togeather or dreame with Copernicus that the heauens stand still and the earth moues Neither wil that extrauagant answere giuen by some of (o) Doctor VVhitak lide Eccles p 165. so sayth And Beza epist Theo. ep 1. Voluiâ— Deus in papatu seruare Ecclesiam et fi papatus noÌ„ est Ecciesia vs when we are demanded to reconeyle these points auayle vs at all The Church was in the Papacy the Papacy was in the Church and yet the Papacy was not the Church O Delphick and Aenigmatical or other childish idle and false since if we belieue S. Augustine Nihil prodest esse in Ecclesia nisi sis cum Ecclesia Lastly diuers of vs Protestants I do not say all do implye in our writings that a man may haue â—â—luation in any religion so he hould the fundamentall points of the Trinity the Incarnation that Christ suffered for vs c. This is euident from the testimonyes of such of our Protestant Brethren as acknowledge the Lutherans who dissent from them in the doctrine of the Reall presence and the Puriâ—â—ns differing also from them in seuerall articles of fayth for members of the Church Yea our Brother M. D. (p) In his treatise of the kingdoÌ„ of Israel and the Church p. 94. Morton I infinitly meruaile he would euer suffer such wordes to fall from his pen teacheth that the very Arians may be saued for â—â—us he writeth The Churches of the AriaÌ„s are to be accounted the Church of God because they hould the foundation of the Ghospell which is fayth in Iesus Christ the son of God Sauiour of the world where by the way I note that it is strange he should be so seuere towardes Catholiks if reports be true being so indulgent to the very Arians To this sentence D. (q) In his answere to a counterfeite Catholikâ— p â—9 Fulk seemeth well to agree saying The true Church vnder the Emperours Constantine Constans and Valens was greatly infected with the heresyes of Arius Thus in his iudgements an Arian is a member of the true Church and consequently in state of saluation But our foresayd D. (r) Vbisupra p. 91. Morton comprehendeth al sects and heresyes whatsoeuer within the compasse of Gods Church and consequently of saluation if so they belieue in Christ for thus he writeth Wheresoeuer a company of men do ioyntly and publikely by worshipping the true God in Christ professe the substance of Christian Religion which is fayth in Iesus Christ the son of God and Sauiour of the world there is a true Church notwithstanding any corruption whatsoeuer Where we are to note the last wordes notwithstanding any corruption whatsoeuer Good God! how different is this man as heereafter I will show from the iudgment of the ancient Fathers and practise of the Primitiue Church But to proceed this most pernicious yet plausible doctrine being the Prodromus and forerunner of Libertinisme originally springeth from the Priuate Spirit since this spirit giueth reynes to euery Man to beleiue what it selfe best suggesteth But since the Canker heereof is secretly spred into the harts of many men at this day I will therfore rest the longer in discouering the absurdity and falshood thereof by stirring a litle the earth about the roote of it it being indeed a fayth coÌ„sisting in a wast of fayth and a Religion resting in the denyall of the necessity of any one Religion And first it is certaine that without fayth a Man caÌ„not be saued sine (s) Hebr. 11. fide impossibile est placere Deo And again qui (t) Marc. 16. non crediderit condemnabitur Withall it is as certaine that this fayth according to that (u) Ephes 4. vna fides vnum baptisma ought to be One True and Supernatural for if it be not One and True it saueth not Man but seduceth him since Truth is One and Errour various and multiplicious Now heere I vrge that one fayth cannot be in seuerall Sects seeing these Sectes teach poynts not only in themselues disparate and different but contradictory and meerly repugnant Furthermore that that fayth which saueth man must be entyre and true in all poynts is confirmed by other two irrefragable Reasons The first altogether insisted vpon by S. Thomas (x) â—n â— distinct 23. 22 q. 5. art 5. and all cheife Schoolemen is this True Christian fayth as being a supernaturall and infused Vertue hath a necessary reference to two thinges the first is that which Deuynes heere call Prima Veritas reuelans which is God reuealing all truths of fayth to the Church the second the authority of the Church which God heere vseth as a meanes by the which he propouÌ„deth the said truths to be beleiued So as no true supernaturall fayth can be produced but where these two concurre The first of these is called by the Deuines Obiectum formale of fayth
the second Amussis Regula or the Propounder of the articles of fayth Now from hence it proceedeth that whosoeuer denyeth any one Truth propounded by the Church to whom God reuealeth it doth not beleiue any other Article with a true fayth Since the authority of the Church doth indifferently and alyke propound all Articles to be beleiued Therefore who beleiueth the Article of the Trinity or the Resurrection of the body through the Authority of the Church propounding them to be beleiued will also beleiue Freewill Prayer to Saints c. and any other poynt seeing these are no lesse propounded by the Church to be beleiued as reuealed by God then the former are Thus it is euident that who beleiueth one article of true Christian fayth and beleiueth not another this Man beleiueth not any one article by reason of the authority of Gods Church and consequently hath no true supernaturall fayth at all which is auaileable to Saluation but beleiueth it in regard only of the probability of the point in his Iudgment and thus it is not Beleife but Opinion only in such a Man For seeing the same credit and affiance is euer to be giuen in all things to the same authority whosoeuer doth not beleiue the said authority in any one poynt doth not as is said beleiue it in any other from whence it followeth that the authority of God his Church is equally contemned in the denyall of the smallest articles as of praying to Saints Purgatory c. as in the greatest articles of the Trinity Incarnation or any other sublime and high mystery The second Reason It is peculiar to Vertues Theologicall and Infused to be obliterated and extinguished by one only contrary Act. Thus for example one mortall Sinne wholy taketh away Charity and Grace One act of desperation the vertue of Hope the same may be exemplifyed in the vertues of PeÌ„nance Religion and others Now heere by the same reason I inferre that one Heresy I meane an obstinate maÌ„tayning of any one errour in fayth how small soeuer against the authority of Gods Church depriueth a man of true fayth which as other Vertues aboue are is supernaturall theologicall and infused In this next place we will see how the iudgments of auncient Fathers do approue the former doctryne Two or three for instance shall serue And first that light of the Latin Church I meane S. Augustine (y) Lib. 18. de ciuil Dei c. 91. doth thus pensill forth an Heretyke Qui in Ecclesia Christi aliquid prauuns sapiunt si correpti vt sanum rectumque sapiant resistant contu naciter Haeretici fiunt foras exeuntes habentur in exercentibus Haereticis That is Who beleiueth any wronge or false thing in the Church of God and being admonished to beleiue the truth do resist contumaciously they become Heretyks and departing out of the Church they are reputed for open and willfull Heretyks S. Ambrose thus answerably wryteth (z0 Lib. â— in Luc. 〈◊〉 9. Negat ChristuÌ„ qui non omnia quae Christi sunt coÌ„fitetur he denyeth Christ who beleiueth not all poynts or articles concerning Christ. Thus who denyeth Lymbus Patrum denieth that Christ descended therinto and consequenly he denyeth Christ Finally S. Gregory (a) Orat. â—7 Nazianzene thus elegantly conspireth heerto Vnum vnicohaeret ex ijs quaedam verè aurea salutaris fit catena ideo si vel vnum dogma auferatur aut reddatur incertum tota catena disrumpetur That is One Article of fayth is so cohering with another that of them all there is made a goalden and healthfull chayne of fayth so as if but one article be taken away or made but doubtfull the whole chayne becommeth broken See the lyke agreeing testimonyes in (b) Apud Theod. l. 4. hist. c. 19. Basil (c) Lib. â— Apolog. contr Ruf. Ierome (d) Lib. 1. epist 6. ad Magnum Cyprian and (e) In Sym. Athanasius The auncient Fathers mynd in this poynt is manifested besydes by their particular Sentences from the practize of the Primitiue Church against Heretikes I meane from the perusall of the Catalogues of heeresyes written by them as is euident out of the Catalogues of heresyes and other such wrytings composed by Irenaeus Hierome Epiphanius Augustine Theodoret Philastrius and others in all which we shall find diuers condemned and branded for expresse Heretickes for their willfull maintayning in our iudgments but small errours though otherwise they belieued al the chiefe points of Christian fayth as the Trinity the Incarnation and the like For proofe wherof I will heere alleadg the wordes of S. Austine against the Pelagians whom he absolutly resolutly condemneth for Heretikes for their belieuing that man could keep the law of God only by force of nature without the force of Gods grace His words are these Nec (f) Epist 120. c. 37. tales sunt Pelagiani c. Neither are the Pelagians such men as thou shouldest easily contemne them for they liue continently are laudable in good works they beleiue not in a false Christ as the Manichees do c. yet because they are ignorant of the iustice of God endeauouring to make it their owne they are Heretyks and cast out of the Church And thus far for a touch of the practize of the ancient Church and the Fathers lyke conspyring testimonyes heerein where I may remit the Reader to what hath beene aboue alleadged touching the condeminatioÌ„ by the Primitiue Fathers of our Protestant doctrynes Which auncient Fathers as being learned and vertuous neither would nor durst register any for Heretyks but those who by the whole Church of God were reputed for Heretyks as afore I haue â—â—ted which point is made more euident in that we do not fynd any one of the said Fathers among so many to be contradicted by any other orthodoxall Father for such his proceeding But to leaue humane authority and to come to diuyne if we looke into Gods sacred Word it is cleare that who maintayneth any one Heresy the same hath no more true hope of his saluation then a Heathen or a Publican for we fynd our Sauiour to vse this commination Qui (g) Matt. 18. Ecclesiam non audiâ—â—it c. He that will not heare the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen or Publican Where we may obserue that Christ said not Who will not heare the Church in all things but absolutely pronounced Who will not heare the Church If then a Sectary or Heretyke will not heare the authority of the Church proposing such and such poynts for example of Freewill Indulgences Prayer for the dead c. to be beleiued how shall he escape the Anathema heere threatned And though these wordes immediatly be intended of fraternall correction yet à fortiori they are to be vnderstood of him who reiects the authority of the Church in matters of fayth Since this mans conteÌ„pt towards the Church is farre greater lesse pardonable For who refusetâ— to
obey the Church in one poynt doth as aboue is said wholy and absolutely contemne all the authority of the Church Againe we fynd the Apostle speaking of the works of the flesh meaning those workes which are committed by wicked men without the assistaÌ„ce of the Holy Ghost thus to wryte (h) Galat. â— The works of the flesh are Adultery Fornication c. Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Debate Emulations Wrath Contentions Seditions Heresyes c. they which do such things shall not inherit the kyngdome of God where we fynd the word Heresy particulerly set down in our English Bibles though the latin word being Sectae is more remisse and therefore increaseth heere the force of our illation Now from hence I thus argue As the Apostle doth in this place pronounce sentence of condemnation against the Sinne of fornication though but once committed so also against but one sect or Heresy Since he heere maketh no mention of the plurality of tymes in committing any Sinne nor of the number of Heresyes before the workers and defendours of them can deserue damnation And thus farre of our Adiaphorists or Neutralls in fayth for I can tearme them no better who though they beleiue some articles that are true yet beleiue those truths falsly as not relying vpon the grounds of beleife to wit God reuealing and the Church propounding And indeed such men if they be punctually examined are found to beleiue nothing but their Sense at most their Iudgment So they giue credit to the matter but not to the Authour and so much euery man affoards to a discredited and blemished witnes Away then among Christians with this tepidity or cold indifferency in fayth which is of that charitable disposition forsooth as to promise that to all others I meane Saluation of which it selfe is not capable Therefore to conclude my last Arrest and sentence heerin it that indifferently to allow all Religion is to take away all Religion and that Neutralisme in fayth finally discargeth it selfe into Libertinisme in maners I will heere stay my Pen passing ouer many other Positions of like nature breathing such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and impossibilityes which we mantayne Only I say as aboue I touched that if we ballance them with the most abstruse difficultyes to be found in the Catholyke Religion yea with those in the doctryne of the Reall Presence we may conclude that those more easely may become the Obiect of our beleife and so to be beleiued then these and other such lyke exorbitant grosse and absurd Assertions or Connexions of ours Since those former only transcend Reason these manifestly impugne Reason By beleiuing the first we forbeare to be Heathens by beleiuing these other we cease to be Men Those do aduance and magnify in Man the power of God these obliterate and deface in him by giuing assent thereto the Image of God To be short those may be apprehended by the light of fayth these are euen incompatible with the light of our Vnderstanding THE VIII MOTIVE Deceites and sleights practised by Protestant VVryters I HAVE euer beene of mind that matters of Religion are to be proceeded in with a fearefull and innocent pen and that who approacheth thereto ought with (a) Exod. cap. 3. Moyses to put their shooes off their feet the place wherin they stand being holy ground that is ought to cast off al imperfections of intended calumnyes impostures and other fraudes in regard of the venerable subiect to be intreated of I would to God I could not iustly charge my owne brethren with faultines heerein so exempting them out of the number of those who to vse the Prophets phrase Dolosam (b) Ose 12. calumniam diligunt But it falleth out far otherwise to their dishonour and my griefe since if tryall be made we shall find many Babylonians to dwell in our supposed Hierusalem Our owne fraudulent deportements in this great busines of Religion great in that it concerns our soules interminable weale or woe haue much disedifyed me begetting at the first in me a staggering opinion whether that can be Truth which needeth such supporters of deceite and collusion I will exemplify in diuers And to omit our pretence of the Priuate spirit for the auoyding of all authorityes as already discouered aboue The first kind of these shall concerne the English translation of our Bibles The sleight consisteth in translating such texts as mention Traditions and merit of Workes I will heer forbeare to show how the Scripture (c) Ioan. â—ic 1. Thess 2. commandeth vs not to relye only vpon Scripture or how our men haue borrowed our fayth heerein from the old Heretikes Nestorius (d) Vt habetur in sexto Synodo act 1. and Dioscorus so as we receaue by Tradition to reiect Traditions The imposture only in translating it is wherein I now dwell Whereas then the new Testament maketh relation of good traditions and bad wicked and Iewish traditions expressing them both by one and the same greeke word to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifyeth Traditio Now our English translations in such (e) 1. Cor. 2. I pray you Brethren that you be mindfud of mâ— and as I haue deliuered vnto you you kâ—ep my OrdinaÌ„ces The lâ—ke translating of the word Ordinances is in 2. Thess 2. texts wherein are vnderstood good and profitable Traditions doe translate insteed of the word Traditions the word Ordinances But where the texts speake of wicked (f) Matth. 15 VVhy doe you transgresse the CommandmeÌ„ts of God by your Traditions and friuolous Traditions there they remember precisely to set downe in their translations the right word Traditions and not the word Ordinances or any other word in lieu of it as may be seene in these Textes quoted But this I feare was done in dislike of Apostolical traditions that so the ignorant Reader should neuer find the word tradition in Scripture in a good sense but alwayes in a bad and disallowed Though now in our last translation but not in any former for the better plaistering of the matter we put in the margent of such texts speaking of godly Traditions the word Traditions The like course we take in translaring the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying dignus in english worthy and the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be made worthy for in those Texts (g) Luc. 21. watch at alâ—ryâ—as praying that you may be accounted worthy to stand befor the sonne of God The like iâ— done in the Greeke verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Luc. 20. 2. Thess 1. which concerne merit of workes wherein these forsayd wordes are vsed we translate them to seeme to be worthy and to seeme only to be made worthy therby to weaken such texts for the prouing of merit of Workes But in other Texts (h) O how much forer punishment shall he be worthy which tredeth vnder foot the son of God not touching the doctrine of merit we can be content to
Vocation and Mission and yet withall most vncertaine in it selfe since euery Heretyke stamping any new blasphemyes whatsoeuer may with the lyke indifferency and freedome assume to himself this extraordinary Calling or Mission to preach his said blasphemyes And thus far heerof where we see that without any example since the Apostles tymes till the dayes of Luther we reduce the warraÌ„tablenes of our owne Callinge to the Ministery to our owne bate and naked iustifying of it as at other tymes we presume to recall the authority of the Scripture the exposition of confessed Scripture the testimonyes of the Fathers and the continuall practise of the whole Church to the ballance and examination of our owne priuate Spirit Such a Fastus Magistrality we do take to our selues in laying the first fundamentall stones of Protestancy But in the last place when all other shews of answers are wanting rhen we flatly peremptorily reiect their authorityes pronouncing them to be absolute maÌ„tayners of Papistry Touching our sharp seuere condemnations passed vpon them both in particular and in generall I referre the Reader to the former chapter concerning our reiecting of the Fathers But euen heer we show our selues not impoliticke and thus we varnish ouer our bad cause with this borrowed colour When our Aduersaryes charge vs for reiecting the Fathers testimonyes in proofe of the present Roman Religion our accustomed shift is to turne the question controuerted from the authority of the Father alleadged to the authority of the Scripture saying in such and such a doctrine the Papists relye vpon the Fathers men subiect to errour whereas we (a) Answerabey heereto Beza thus sayth If any shal oppose against me the authority of the encient Fathers I do appeale to the word of God So related by D. Bancroft in his Suruey p. 219. Protestants in the same poynts rest vpon Scripture thus subtilly making an Antithesis opposition between the Scripture and the Fathers And we appeale to all learned men say they whether the Scripture is not to be preferred before the Fathers This reason in a cleare eye is transparent for the Question heere is not whether the Scripture is to be preferred before the Fathers since the Catholyks grant that the Scripture as being most diuyne certaine and infallible is to ouerballance by infinite degrees all other wrytings whatsoeuer but the touch of the point heere controuerted is whether the auncient Fathers vrging the Scripture are to be preferred before the Protestants vrging the Scripture that is whether the expositions of the Fathers giuen vpon places of scripture in proofe of the Papists religion as we call them are to ouersway the contrary expositions of the same texts giuen by our nouellizing Brethren And heere the question resteth But I will close this poynt touching the Fathers with a cautelous and pregnant obseruation of our Brethren Whereas we reiect the Fathers for maintayning the Papists religion the articles of the same religion as they are beleiued by our Aduersaryes we (b) This different apâ—ellation is precisely obserued by Illyriâ—us and the other Century wryters by D. VVhitak and by diuers other ProtestaÌ„ts vsually tearme Heresyes Idolatry blasphemyes c. therby to show that the Papists are no members of Christs Church the which very articles being taught by the Fathers we gently style them in the Fathers naeuos naeniae and at the most eâ—rores sears blemishes and errours to the end to intimate that we do not separate our selues from that Church in which the Fathers are Deceitfully and withall vnlearnedly either Heresyes in all or but blemishes and errours in all since it is the doctryne which denominates and giues appellation to the Man not the Man to the doctryne Hitherto we haue taken in part a view of the seuerall sleights practized in our answeres to the Catholyks authorityes Next we will call to mynde our lyke carriage houlden by vs in impugning our Aduersaryes and their doctryne And first touching Councells or Definitions of the Pope When we make show to produce either of these authorityes against the Catholykes we commonly vrge some Prouinciall or Nationall Councell vnder the name of a generall Councell the difference wherein an ignorant Reader doth not easily discouer Or els we produce some one or other Councell which for number of Bishops assembled may be tearmed Generall yet Schismaticall that is a Councell not celebrated and allowed by the cheife Pastours of Gods Church and thus we vrge the Councell of Constantinople assembled against the doctrine touching Images Anno Dom. 730. it being very numerous but celebrated without the authority of the Pope or any Patriarch the Patriarch of Constantinople only excepted who for assenting to the Councell was depriued of his Patriarchship Sometymes againe we insist in the authority of a lawfull generall Councell to proue the beginning of som poynt of our Aduersaryes doctrin but then our vrging of it is commonly attended on with a wilfull mistaking for the Councell doth but only first impose the name of the article the doctryne it self being beleiued many ages before Thus doth D. (c) Lib 7. contra Duraeum pag 480. Whitaker besyds diuers others of vs alleadg the Councell of Lateran for bringing first in the doctrine of Transubstantion Whereas this Councell only imposed the name of Transubtantiation as the Councell of Nice did the name of Trâ—nity the doctryne being receaued longe afore the doctryne of Transubstantiation being generally many ages afore beleiued and taught by Cyrill (d) Peter Martyr contra Gardiner part 4. p. 724. Cyprian (e) The treatise attributed to Vrsinus called Commonefactio cuiâ—sdaÌ„ Theologi de sancta Coena p. 2.1 Eusebius (f) Centurists Ceut 4. col 10. pag. 980. Emissenus (g) Centurists Cent. 5. col 517. Chrysostome (h) D. Humfrey Iesuit sm part 2 â—at 5. Gregory the great euen by our owne Confessions When we obiect the Decree of any Pope thereby to shew the first Institution of such a Catholyke poynt we often make choyce of some Catholyke articles where the Decree of the Pope toucheth only the execution or practise of the doctrine afore partly intermitted through negligence and not the doctryne it self In this sort we fynd D Whitaker who hath much dishonored his good parts by these vnworthy proceedings to alledge Innocentius the third Pope of that name saying (i) Contrâ— Duraeum l. 7. p. 490. Innocentius the third was the first that instituted anâ—icular Confession for necessary Whereunto our Aduersaryes doe answere that this Innocentius commanded that the practise of Confession should be better and more often obserued they further prouing euen by the confession of our owne Centurists that Tertullian and Cyprian who liued longe before Innocentius the third did teach to vse the Centurists (k) Cent. 3. c. 6. c. 27. words Confession euen of thoughts and lesser Sinnes With the same fraud doth e D. Whitaker charge Pope Calixius (l) Lib 7. centra
and vertually only others which is the more sound opinion that he descended in soule and really But all of them belieue that there was a true Lymbus Patrum which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or conclusion it selfe from whence Christ deliuered the soules of the Patriarks And I referre to any schollers iudgment this inference Some Papists do teach belieue that Christ did descend into Lymbus Patrum only vertually or efficaciously others and this with farre greater consent that he descended in soule and really Ergo some of them doe belieue there was not a Lymbus Patrum exorbitantly concluded To this Head may also be referred how our Protestant (y) D. Iewell in his Apology of the Church of England p. 96. D. Fulke in his answere to a counterfeit Catholike pag. 65. D. VVillet in his Synops p. 60. Doctours they are not ashamed to vrge it and yet I am halfe ashamed but to relate it for proofe of disagreements in Catholyke Religion haue obiected the diuers Religious Orders in the Church of Rome to wit that some are Bernardins other Franciscans and the lyke some goe in blacke other in graye or whyte these doe eate flesh those do not c. These argumentes as discouering our extreme penury of better stuff were far more conueniently forborne then insisted vpon fince they proue no contrariety at all in matters of fayth for they all beleiue the same articles of Catholyke Religion but only do show who were the first beginners of those Orders and that some members of the Catholyke Church do liue in a more gentle and remisse others in a more strict and seuere degree of deuotion and Vertue lyke the Centurion and Zachaeus who by different wayes honored Christ Neuertheles they all take the three essentiall Vowes I meane of Chastity Pouerty and Obedience necessary to euery Religious Order and by their first Institution do spend much tyme in Prayer which is the Winge of the Soule much tyme in fasting and other corporall chastisements the winges of Prayer good Men still mortifying both body and Soule their Will being indeed to deny their Will and their freedome consisting in restraint of Liberty comforting themselues with that sentence of Augustin Omnia inucnit an Deâ— qui propter Deum â—mnia relinquit And thus far hereof Concerning the Markes of the Church what stratagems of wit do we vse Do we (z) So teacheth D. VVhitguift in his defence of the answer p. 81. Calu. insti c. 1 sect â—â— D. VVhitaker cont Campian rat â— pag. 44. and others not mantayne as a Cardinall poynt of our Profession that the true preaching of the Word and administration of the Sacraments are the only signes of the true Church to distinguish it from all false Synagogues and hereticall Conuenticles To what end are these erected by vs for Notes To the end forsooth that our selues alone may be the sole iudges which is the true Church For we reiect all authority of Fathers Councells and practise of Gods Church in teaching when and where the Word is truly preached and the Sacraments duly ministred and in the closure of all we will suffer no other Iudgments then our owne to passe vpon these poyntes though euery registred Heretyke may and will with as great confidence in his owne Opinion challenge these Notes to his Church and Professours as we do And thus by these Meandrian wynding we reduce the knowing which is the true Church vnto the graue Appeale made to our owne Priuate Spirit aboue discouered within the vast Circumference whereof this particuler Collusion besydes many others is contayned I haue beene ouer longe in reuealing our owne blemishes and scarrs so Light discouereth Shame and indeed I greiue as tendring my Brethrens reputation that so vnworthy a subiect should so longe arrest my Pen. Therefore I will close vp in few words diuers other sophistications subtiltyes practized by vs both in impugning and answering our Aduersaryes As how we are accustomed to depraue either by adding to or concealing part of the sentence in the testimonyes of the Authors produced by vs I speake confidently for vpon my owne knowledge we Protestants rest inexcusable heerin As also how after the end of the authority produced in a different letter we begin with some few short words of our owne directly against Catholyke Religion causing them to be printed in the lyke different letter that so the Reader through diuersity of the letter may take them for the words of the for mer alledged Authour And if we be expostulated thereof we then ascrybe it to the Printers ouersight And for the better preuenting of all discouery thereof as also when we vrge some authorityes without corrupting the words yet insisted vpon by vs most differently from the Authours mynd we often allâ—adg the Authours name only but without any citation of the Booke where such words are to be found and if of the Booke yet without noting the chapter of solio or if with noting the folio yet not shewing what edition when their are diuers we do follow seeing the same sentence or authority in seuerall Editions is to be found in seuerall folios Also I briefly passe ouer how ambitiously and affectedly we fill the margents of our Bookes with numberles citations of Texts of Scripture meerely impertinent for proofe of the poynt questioned but seruing only to cast dust to the eyes of the ignorant How in refuting our Aduersaryes Booke when we seeme to answere to some obiected Authority or argument we often giue slip to the authority or point produced and either by degrees flye to the state of the Question as though afore it were not acknowledged or to the Scripture the accustomed Ocean of Heretyks wherein they may wander vp and downe at large or to some by-circumstance (a) Hier. in epist ad Paulinum Sola ScripturariÌ„â— ars est quam sibi passim omnes vendicantâ— bane garrutâ— anus hanc destrus Senex hane Sophista verbosus hanc vniuersi praesumuÌ„t lacerant docent â—n requam discunt meerely accessory to the doubt there controuerted or vse longe and extrauagant discourses ambages of Words and all this to entertayne the Reader therewith that so vnespyedly we may diuert the Readers eye and memory being thus fixed vpon our digressions from the Authority or Reason alleadged And finally how in our Answering we still set down in our books only such passages of our Aduersaryes wrytings whereunto we are able to giue best colour of answere concealing the most materiall and forcing proofes and arguments of our Aduersaryes said Books Or if pretending integrity we do reprint our Aduersaryes Books at large then we commonly make choyce of a very darke and litle Character or letter for it therby more easily to withdrawe the Readers eye from perusing it at full our owne answere thereto being set downe in a fayre large and pleasing letter or Print So cautelous and subtill we are in our proceedings heerin But inough of this
istum hominem Satan occupare conetur Caluin speaking of Luthers Heresyes (x) Instit l. 4. c 317. §. 〈◊〉 17. saith By the Lutherans Marcion is raised out of Hell and in one (y) Admonit 3. ad VVestphalum place Caluin thus further wryteth The Lutherans are forgers and Lyars Ioannes z Campanus a Sacramentary thus anathematizeth Luther (y) In colloq lat Luth. tom 2. cap. de Aduers As certaine as God is God so certaine it is that Luther was a diuellish lyar Finally for greater breuity occasioned rather throgh leauing much out of this subiect then contracting of all which can be said OecolaÌ„padius that (a) â—ial contra Melancth glittering Caluinist affirmes that the Lutherans bring forth only a colour and shadow of the word of God as Heretyks commonly are accustomed to do They bring not the Word of God and yet they will seeme to build vpon the Word of God of Luther in particular he thus saith Let (*) Oecol in resp ad confess Luther Luther take heed least being puffed vp with pride he be deceaued by Satan See with what full and intemperate tearmes the Caluinists do charge Luther from whom they first receaued the supposed splendour of their Gospell bearing their selues heerin as vngratefully as the Moone doth to the Sun which in enioying her greatest borrowed light showeth her greatest Opposition He taking that name as supposed to be according to the Etymology LaÌ„spas domus Dei Now as we haue seene the Lutherans condemning the Sacramentaryes and the Sacramentaryes them againe So neither of these two sâ—rtes doth absolutely approue such as are of their owne faction And first we fynd that Conradus Schlusselburg (b) In Catalog haeretic â—ostritemporis l. â— the foresaid Lutheran placeth six sorts of his owne Lutherans in the Catalogue of Heretyks And so through the disallowing of one anothers doctryne did first ryse the distinction of Molles and Rigidi Lutherani so as it is manifest euen out of their owne books and Inuectyues that they hould one another for Heretykes Touching the differences betweene the Caluinists amongst themselues they are these which follow to wit Concerning the Churches Visibility Christs suffering in soule the paynes of Hell his descending into Hell after death Baptisme of lay Persons in tyme of Necessity reprobation and Vniuersality of Grace whether in case of adultery the innocent party may marry againe whether Vsury be lawfull Whether Christs body be really and substantially present in the Sacrament to the mouth of fayth as D. Whitaker M. Hooker c. do hould or but Sacramentally only present as the Puritans maintayne whether Bishops be lawfull or Antichristian whether the signe of the Crosse in baptisme and the vse of the surplisse be lawfull whether the Ciuil Magistrate may be head of the Church and finally to omit many other doctrines controuerted among the Protestants whether God doth decree and will Sinne or but only decree to permit sinne All which pointes besides many more are seuerally mantayned by seuerall Protestants yea most of the points by those Protestants not being Lutherans which are aduerse to the Puritans To exemplify in one or two of the former Doth not (c) Lib. de Coena Domini l. 4. Instis c 15. § 1. Caluin condemne Zuinglius for teaching that the Sacraments are bare external signes And is not Caluin reciprocally condemned by Zuinglius (d) Epist ad quandaÌ„ Germaniae ciuitat fol 190. againe because he attributed more to the Sacramentes then externall signes Castalio a Sacramentary charging Caluin to be the authour of Sinne maketh a distinction of the true God and of Caluins God and among other thinges he thus sayth By (e) Lib. ad Caluâ— de praedestin this meanes not the Diuell but the God of Caluin is the Father of lyes but that God which the holy Scriptur teacheth is altogeather contrary to this God of Caluin And then after The true God came to destroy the works of the Caluinian God And these two Gods as they are by nature contrary one to another so they beget and bring jorth children of contrary disposition to wit that God of Caluin children without mercy proud c. Thus farre Castalio D. (f) In his Meditat. vpon 122. Psalm Willet a formall Protestant speaking of certaine doctrines mantayned by M Hooker D. Couell and others and thinking them to be erroneous thus wryteth From this fountaine haue sprung forth these and such other whirlepoints and bubles of new doctrine As for example that Christ is not originally God c. That Sacraments doe giue and confirme grace c. And reiecting diuers other points thus concludeth Thus haue some beene bould to teach and write who as some Schismatikes meaning the Puritans haue disturbed the peace of the Church one way in externall matters concerning discipline they haue troubled the Church another way by opposing themselues by new quirkes and deuises to the soundnes of doctrine amongst Protestants Thus D. Willet But now in this last place to come to the mutuall accusations of English Protestants only English Puritans only as most neerely concerning vs we find that the booke entituled Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiasticall printed anno 1604. by the appointement of the Bishops doth ipso facto excommunicate the Puritans for their mantayning of these positions following besides others as they are in that booke set downe The worshippe in the Church of England is corrupt superstitious vnlawfull repugnant to the Scriptures The articles of the Bishops Religion are erroneous their rites Antichristian c. The gouernement of the Church of England vnder his Maiesty by Archbishops Bishops and Deanes is Antichristian and repugnant to the word of God The Puritans in another (g) The mild defence of the silenced Ministers supplicatioÌ„ to the high Court of ParlameÌ„t of their bookes thus write Dowe vary from the sincere doctrine of the Scriptures Nay rather many of them meaning the Bishops their adherents do much swarue from the same touching generall grace and the death of Christ for euery particuler person c. Touching the manner of Christs presence in the Eucharist that the Pepe is not Antichrist concerning the necessity of Baptisme c. In another (h) Intituled A Christian and modest Offer p. 1â— of the Puritans bookes we thus find them to say If we be in errour and the Prelates on the contrary haue the truth we protest to all the world that the Pope and the Church of Rome and in them God and Christ Iesus haue great wrong and in dignity offered vnto them in that they are reiected c. But we will insist more particulerly in relating the Puritans dislike in two things the one concernes the Common prayer-booke the other our English Translations of the Bible Touching the first the Puritans in one (i) Iâ—titâ—led The petition of twenty two preachers in London of their bookes thus write Many things in the Communion booke are repugnant
to the word of God And again In the Communion-booke there be things of which there is nâ— reasonable sense there is contradiction in it euen in necessary and essentiall points of Religion the holy Scripture is disgraced in it c Others of them (k) In the Suruey p. 20. 24. say thus The Communion booke of England is not agreable to the word of God in many thinges A third (l) Certain confiderations printed anno 1605. fol. 10.11.12 thus censureth of it The Protestants Communion-booke and seruice iâ— naught it hath grosse and palpable repugnancy in it This dislike of the Puritans of the Communion-booke is so euident that D. Couell (m) In his exam pag. 179. their aduersary and allowing the Communion book thus setteth down their iudgement heerein The Communion-booke is boldly despised grosse errâ—urs and manifeâ—t impietyes meaning in their opinion are in the Communion-booke Thus much of the Communion-booke Touching our English translations of the Scripture we find the Puritans most violent headlong in condemning of them Answerably heerto diuers of (n) In the abridgmeÌ„t of a booke deliuered by certaine Ministers to the King pag 11. and 12. the Ministers with one consent thus write of the english Translation A translation that taketh away from the Text that addeth to the text and this somtymes to the changing or obscuring of the meaning of the Holy Ghost And againe A translation which is absurd and senseles peruerting in many places the meaning of the holy Ghost M. Burges (o) In his Apology sect 6. speakes in this sort of the English Translation How shall I approue vnder my hand a Translation which hath many omissions many additions which sometimes obscureth sometymes peruerteth the sense being sometymes senseles sometyms contrary M. (p) In his aduertisment to the Bishops Broughton the great Hebrician thus sayth The publike translation of the Scripture in English is such as it peruerteth the Text of the old Testament in eight hundred fourty and eight places and it causeth millions of millions to reiect the new Testament and to runne into eternall flames Thus he D. (q) In his answere to M. VVillam Reynolds pag. â—25 Whitaker though fauouring the English Translation of the Bible as much as possibly he may thus confesseth I haue not sayd otherwise but that somethings in the English translation might be amended To conclude this point we find that at the Conference at Hampton Court before the Kinges Maiesty D. Reynolds the foreman for the Puritans openly refused to subscribe to the Communion-book because sayd he it warranted a corrupt false translation of the Bible Thus far of this second point Now in the last place let vs take a short view how we that are moderate and Parlamentary Protestants doe censure of the Puritans M. (r) Powell in his considerations Powell censureth the Puritans to be notorious and minifest Schismatiks out off from the Church of God M. (s) In his enist dedic pag. 3. Parks auerreth thus The Puritans seeke to vndermine the fouÌ„dation of fayth And further he thus sayth The Creed it (t) Vbi supra selfe which alwayes hath beene the badge and cognizance whereby to discerne and know the faythfull from vnbelieuers c. is the maine point in question betweene vs and the Puritans D. Couell (u) Exam pag 71. speaking of certain hot and fyrebrand Ministers thus wryteth The first english Ministers so far dissented that some bookes and the greatest part of Christendome was filled with irreuerent vnholy and vnnaturall Contentions c. I will close this poynt with the testimony of a great (x) In the Suruey of the pretended discipime c. 5. c. 24. cap. 3â— Pillar of our church who thus chargeth the Puritans They peruert the true meaning of certaine places both of Scriptures and Fathers to serue their owne turnes And againe the said Authour saith of them The word of God is troubled with such choppers changers of it finally to leaue out diuers other such passages he further thus complayneth The Caterbrawls pittisull distractions and Confusions among the Puritans proceed of such intollerab e presumption as is vsed by peruerting and false interpretation of holy Scripture And thus far for some tast not setting downe thereof the hundred part of our recriminations vsed against the Puritans But before I come to the Catastrophe and end of this Scene I am to put the Reader in mynd that as auoyding prolixity vnwilling to launce deeper into our owne wounds I passe ouer first How the very names of Lutherans Caluinists Protestants and Puritans are not inuented by the Papists or out of malice by ech others Aduersaryes but euen of Necessity to distinguish the different doctrine of euery Professour as D. Whitakew (y) In his answere to to M. Reynalds prafat p. 44. and x Conradus Schlusselburge do acknowledge (z) In his catalog hâ—retic p. 866. Secondly I passe ouer the infinite bookes written by forraine Protestants one against another amounting to the number of foure hundred and aboue as is euident to any one who will peruse Iudocus Coccius his Thesaurus tom 2. Hospinan his historia Sacramentaria part altera and the yearly Catalogues of Bookes returned from Franekford Thirdly I pretermit to show how the Contentions of forraine Protestants only for matter of Religion haue beene so violent as that they haue prohibited (a) Vide Hospinan in historta Sacram. part altera fol. 393. sale of each others Bookes haue appointed (b) Hosp vbi supra Articles of Visitation concerning the apprehending of ech ones Aduersaryes and which is more not forbearing to (c) Hosp vbi supra fol. 395. Ofiander epitom cent 16. p. 7â—5 enter into open armes and hostility Lastly I passe ouer to mention the Books made by English Protestants one against another touching these questions following 1. Of Christs descending into Hell 2 Of Bishops and Ceremonyes 3. Concerning the sufficiency of our Redemption by our Sauiours bodily death vpoÌ„ the Crosse or whether that his further suffering in Soule the paynes of Hell was also needfull 4. Concerning Vniuersality of Grace 5 Concerning the lawfulnes or vnlawfulnes of Vsury 6. Touching the Innocent partyes marying againe in case of diuorce vpon Adultery besydes some others the number of all which will amount to seuerall scores All this I say I passe ouer but I cannot passe ouer but obserue and therat smyle the subtle deportments of vs Protestants in this matter of our Dissentions Since when we wryte one against another we with great intemperance of words do deepely charge our Aduersaryes other Protestants with obscuring the Gospell of Christ and laboring to maintayne their owne darknes of Ignorance eue in the fundamentall poynts of Christian fayth as is showed But when we Protestants are vpbrayded by our Aduersaryes the Catholyks for such our diuisions in matters of fayth then the Case is altered and we beare it out
The Reall presence is but as the grudging of a little ague if otherwise the party hould the Christian fayth Iacobus Acontius a (k) In lib. stratagem Satan pag. 135. learned Protestant accordeth with D. Reynolds saying It is euident concerning as well those who hould the reall presence of Christs body in the bread as those others which deny it that although of necessity the one part do erre yet both are in way of saluation if in other thinges they be obedient vnto God The like iudgment giueth (l) As he is cyted by Amandus Polanus in his Syllog Thes Theolog. pag. 464. Luther of Transubstantiation Now the doctrine touching Communion vnder one or both kindes is of that indifferency with Luther (m) Ineâ— ad Bohem. that thus he sayth therof Quamuis pulchrum c. Though it were very good to vse both kinds in the Eucharist and that Christ commanded heerein nothing as necessary yet it were better heerin to seeke after peace then to contend touching the shecies or kindes Now that the doctrine of the Reall presence is true besides that it is defended by Luther and all the Lutherans that Christs body is really giuen in the Sacrament to the bodily mouth it is further raught that not only the efficacy of Christs body as the Sacramentaryes do hould but that the body it selfe after a wonderfull and incomprehensible manner is giuen to the mouth of the faythful And this is acknowledged for true though with great dislike of other Sacramentaryes by (n) In script Anglican pag 548. Bucer (o) Contra Duraeum pag 119. D. Whitaker (p) Eccles policy l. 5. sect 67. M Hooker In like manner the indifferency of one or both kinds is defended by Luther saying Si ineris c If thou shalt go to a place where they vse to communicate in one kind communicate thou also in one kind in like sort by (r) In cent epist theo pag. 2â—1 Melancthon q De va traque specie Sacram. and by others alleadged by D. (s) In his reply pag. 110. Iewell who were as I may say but of halfe-bloud to Luther in the doctrine of the Sacrament Concerning Prayer for the dead the indifferency of it as not being necessary to saluation is taught by M. Cartwright thus writing The doctrins of prayer for the dead freewill t So cyted by M. VVhitgift in his defence p. 82 and a number of other as necessary doctrines are such wherin men being nuzzeled haue notwithstanding beene saued The same is likewise taught by D. (u) In his confut of Purgatory pag. 3.6 Fulke and M. (x) In his answere to Iohn d'Albins pag. 382. Sparkes Now the doctrine of prayer for the dead is taught and belieued by (y) As witnâ—sseth Vrbanus Regius in prima parte operum in formula cautè loquendi c. desanctoruÌ„ cultu Luther (z) Vrbanus Regius vbi supra Vrbanus Regius (a) In script Anglic. p. 450. Bucer and the (b) Printed anno 1649. Communion-booke in King Edwards tyme. The doctrine of Free-will is taught as a point not necessary by M. (c) In M. VVhitgif defence vbi supra Cartwright in these words If you meane by matters of fayth those without which a man cannot be saued then the doctrine which teacheth there is no freewill or prayer for the dead is not within your compasse By M. (d) In his â—â—osition of the â—reed pag. 402. Parkins who thus wryteth A weakning errour is that the houlding whereof doth not ouerturne any point in the foundation of saluation as the errour of free-will and sundry such like The doctrine of Free-will is taught for true by the two Protestants Secanus and Hemingius as witnesseth D. (e) In his sinops printed 1600. pag. 808. Willet and by diuers other Protestants mentioned by M. (f) Act. mon. pag. 1533. Fox Of the doctrine of satisfaction merit of works D. Whitak thus discourseth The (g) Contra Camp pag. 73. and the like in his answere to Maister Reynoldes p. 135. Fathers thought by their externall discipline of life to pay the paines due for sinne c. which though it be an errour yet were they notwithstanding good men and holy Fathers Happy soules with whome to feare wisely was to free theÌ„ from fire they being indeed more truely confident of their saluation then we Protestants can be through our vncertaine certainty Now the doctrine of the necessity of workes to saluation is affirmed by D. (h) Against the Rhemish Testament in 2. Pet. 2. Fulke and D. (i) In his 〈…〉 pag 90â— Willet though contradicted by (k) In praefat ad Roman Illirycus for new papistry to vse his owne wordes as pernicious as the old In like sort voluntary Pouerty Chastity and Obedience are taught by M. (l) In his Eccles â—ist l. 2. p. 102. Hooker and D. (m) In his defence of M. Hook art 8 pag. â—2 Couell Concerning Inuocation of Saints D. (n) In the tower disp with â—a Camp the 2. dayes conference argum 8. R. 11 R. 111. Fulke and D. Goad affirme that this article doth not exclud men from being members of the Church of Christ In like manner for honouring of Saints Reliques M. (o) In his answere to Ichn d'Albins pag. 382. Sparkes thus sayth We are not so hasty to pronounce sentence of condemnation of any for such errours as that either we thinke all must be saued that hould one way or all condemned that hould another way The doctrine of Inuocation of Saints is taught and belieued by (p) â—n purgat quorumdam articul as also in epist ad Georgium Spalatinum Luther who thus writeth De intercessione Diuorum c. Touching the intercession of Saints I belieue and iudge with the whole Christian Church that is That Saints are to be honoured and inuoked by (q) In orat 1. Chrysost de Iuuentio Maximo Oecolampadius by (r) Act. mon. pag. 462. Bilney a Protestant and by (s) Act. mon. pag. 1312. Latimer Finally the worshipping of Images is held a point indifferent by M. (t) In his treatise tending to pacification pag. 104. Bunny who thus sayth of this article of the Conception of our Blessed Lady and some others In these or such like articles whosoeuer will condemne all those to be none of the Church that are not fully perswaded as we are therein c. committeth an vncharitable part towardes those his Brethren The doctrine it selfe of worshipping Images is defended as true by Thomas (u) Act. mon. pag. 462. Bilney aboue alleadged and by certaine Protestants of Germany as Bezi (x) In his â—isp ad acta â—loq montisbolgar parte altera pag. 23. relates In lyke sort reuerence and bowing downe at the name of Iesus is affirmed and commanded by Q Elizabeths (y) Act. 92.3 IniunctioÌ„s by D. (z) In his defence p. 742. Whitguyft (a) In loc com p.
of godly men to vse his words raysed vp by the Holy Ghost Againe Gregory the Great and Augustin who first planted in England Christian Religion are confessed by vs to haue beene Papists as aboue is showed and yet they are thus styled by vs That (t) M. Godwin in his Catal. of Bishops pag. 3. See the like coÌ„mendation giuen to them by D. Fulke against Heskins Sanders c p. 561. blessed and holy Fathers S. Gregory and S. Augustine our Apostle S. Bernard by our acknowledgment was so confessed a Papist as that he was an Abbot and (u) Osiand in epitom Cent. 12. p. 309. Authour of many Monasteryes in France and Flaunders and yet D. (x) Lib. de E cles p. 369. Whitaker thus writeth of him Ego quidem BernarduÌ„ verè suisse Sanctum existimo And Osiander (y) Cent. 12. p. 309. tearmeth him A very good man Of Bernard Francis others Tindall (z) Act. mon. pag. 1338. thus acknowledgeth I doubt not but S. Bernard Francis and many others like holy men erred as concerning Masse thus he confessing them to be men of Sanctity and holynes and consequently in state of saluation And touching the same point Luther (a) In col loq Germ. cap. de Missa thus saith Priuate Massse hath deceaued many Saints and carryed them away into errour from the tyme of Gregory for 800. yeares Of S. Dominicke who was the Authour of the Order of the Dominican Fryars (b) In Chronic. p. 200. Pantaleon a Protestant relateth much and speaking greatly of his piety and vertue concludeth thus Dominicus erat vir doctus bonus Praedicatorum Ordinem instituit His like confessed Holines is celebrated much at large by the (c) Cent. â—â— col 1179. Centurists To conclude of these three former Saints Luther thus confesseth Fateor c. I gâ—aunt that the guifts of God were not want ng to Francis Dominicke and Bernard and to others who were the first Authours of Colledges for Monks but these guifts are but personall But such guifts cannot stand without true vertue nor true vertue without hope of saluation And thus farre of this most certaine and vndeleble truth that Catholikes dying as Catholikâ— may be saved confessed in the cleare words of the most learned Protestants from whence we may be assured of their iudgments especially deliuered in the behalfe of their Aduersaryes answerable heerein to their writinges since wordes are the naturall shadow of the mind cast by the light of the Vnderstanding But heere do present vnto vs two Porismata or Resultancyes out of the Premisses of this Passage The first That all true Reason perswadeth me to implant and ingraft my self in that Church which I fynd to be acknowledged for the true church promising Saluation to her members euen by her Aduersaryes For if I dye Catholyke my lyfe being agreable thereto both Catholyks and Protestants warrant my Saluation But dying in the fayth of Protestancy the Protestant alone and this in honour of their owne Religion assure me of it For there is neuer a learned Catholyke wryter in the world an obseruation much to be weighed who granteth that a Protestant dying with a positiue setled and contumacious neglect of the Catholyke Church and fayth can be saued This then being thus shall I in so great a busines leaue a certainty for vncertainty God forbid We Protestants expect to be beleiued in other our Positions and doctrynes Why not then in this Since then the Protestants do teach that Catholyks so dying are in state of Saluation I am resolued my Brethrens wrytings shall haue that powerfull influence ouer me as what theÌ„selues doe heerin teach I will through Gods grace put in execution And so my Will shall become in this poynt a ready and seruiceable Handmayd to their Iudgments The second The Wronge which we Protestants commit in afflicting the Catholyks and in vnnaturally betrampling vpon their deiected estats only for matters of Religion Alas by our owne doctryne they are neither Babylonians nor Aegyptians both they and we being as we teach Isralits why then should Israel thus persecute Israel Are we not become the gaze of Christendome thus to fight without an enemy Thus for kynred to wound it owne kyndred yea often the Father the Sonne so turning our owne swords into our owne childrens breasts we still inciting his Maiesty to greater seuerity a Prince of his owne disposition of the most benigne mercifull and commiserating nature that the World at this day enioyes and all this for the Catholyks liuing in that fayth and Religion in which our selues teach they may be saued thus do we make the confessed hope of their saluation to be the sole cause of their pressures and calamityes Good God! who would thinke that Christians the cheifest articles of whose fayth are either reputed but as Indifferencyes or which is more beleiued for true doctrine by their Oppressours whose Church is acknowledged to be the d Dâ— Morton vbi supra Church of God houlding the foundation of the Gospell the (e) M. Hooker vbi supra family of Iesus Christ it being no seuerall (f) M. Bunny vbi supra Church from theirs nor theirs from it houlding (g) D. Field vbi supra a sauing Profession of the truth in Christ in which many (h) D. Couell with the other Doctours vbi supra dying are by their Aduersaries registred for most glorious Saints shold neuertheles be persecuted by other Christians of their owne Country yea their owne flesh for their only perseuering in the foresaid Church with confiscation of goods restraint of body and sometymes with sheeding of most innobloud suffering a cruel death Obstupescite (i) Hierem cap. 2. Cali super hoc portaecius desâ—lamini vehementer Heere now I will stay my penne making this last Motiue as a fitting Catastrophe for all Since that Closure and End is warrantable inough which euicteth from the ingenuous Confessions of the most learned Protestants that I may be saued in that Religion wherein I am resolued to dye THE CONCLVSION TO MY DEARE AND REVEREND BRETHREN THE LORDES ARCH-BISHOPS AND BISHOPS OF ENGLAND REVEREND and Learned Brethren the ouerlooking eyes of our Nation my Pen heere salutes your Lordships before it taketh it last pawse This smal Legacy I haue determined to leaue behind me primitiuely for the iustifying of my vnrepented reuolt from you in matter of Fayth for Non (a) Tert. suffundar errore quo caruisse delector Secondarily for the benefit of those whose weake Iudgments haue beene abused through their ouer-hasty swearing Fealty to their Protestant Maysters To your selues it is needles as already enioying the same other forcible demonstrations in the like behalf Diuers of you haue spent I know many yeares in seriously perusing the holy Scriptures the voluminous Commentaryes of the Lights of Gods Church the Ecclesiasticall Historyes of all ages the Oecumenicall Councells of the Primitiue Church