contr haeres cap. 9. yet would hee by no meanes allowe that euery Pope had Infallibilitie in a right line of succession from Peter For admit saith hee that we are bound to beleeue out of Faith that the true successor of Peter is the supreame Pastor of the Vniuersall Church yet we are not bound to beleeue with the same faith that Leo or Clemens is the true Successour of Peter because we are not bound to beleeue it as a point of faith that either of them had a right and Canonicall election The reason as I conceiue why this Succession in person is become so doubtfull and vncertaine amongst themselues is partly grounded vpon their owne Councels and their Popes Decrees Conc. Flor. in Decret Eugen. for the Councell of Florence declared that the intention of the Priest did ordeine the Sacraments and consequently if his intention did faile at the time of Consecration the Sacrament of Orders was vtterly voyd and the Priests Ordination and Succession for want of intention was of no effect and as touching the Popes Decrees Iulius the second aboue 120 yeres since published and declared by his Bull which all Cardinalls at the entrance of the Conclaue are sworne to obserue That if it happen the election of the newe Pope bee made and done Bulla Iulij 2. in lib. Constit Pont. Constit 1. Novus Homo either by him that is chosen or by any other of the Colledge of Cardinals by the heresie of Simonicall contracts giuing promising or receiuing any goods of any kind or by making of any other promise or obligation of what kind soeuer whether it bee done by themselues or others by a few or by many that not onely the election or assumption so made shal bee from the very moment void and of none effect but that safely and lawfully they may hold esteeme and eschew him as a Magician an Ethnicke a Publican and an arch-heretique Now if any man make a question whether the Pope can commit any Simonie or no let him take his answere from the Popes creature Thomas Aquinas tells vs Papa potest incurrere vitium Simoniae sicut et quilibet alius 2. 2. q. 100. that the Pope may incurre the sinne of Simonie as well as any other Besides the Popes Bull would neuer haue said If any Pope happen to bee chosen Simoniacally if they had not beleeued that the Pope might commit Simony On the other side if it bee demanded what Pope in these latter times is guilty of that crime their owne Treatise intituled Novus Homo The new Man doth plainely manifest that Sixtus Quintus did climbe into the Chaire by foule Simony and that since the death of Gregorie the thirteenth his predecessour there hath not been any true Pope rightly and Canonically elected He who was sometimes a Pope proclaimed to the world by his publike Writings Aeneas Syl. de Gost Conc. Basil lib. 1. Of the Popes of Rome we might shew foorth very many examples that they haue beene found either heretikes or else defiled with other vices But it shall suffice for a conclusion of this poynt the ground of Peters succession is doubtfull the Popes Infallibilitie deriued from Peter is vncertaine and consequently the Romanists haue but a Morall coniecturall knowledge for their Rule of faith I call Bellarmine himselfe to witnes the truth of this assertion Ius successionis Pontificum Romanorum in eo fundatur qd Petrê° Romae sedeÌ„ suam c. Bellar de Pont. lib. 2. cap. 1. Ratio successionis ex facto Petri. Ibid. c. 12. First the right of Succession in the Popes of Rome is founded in this saith the Cardinall that Peter by Christs appointment placed his Seat at Rome and there remained till his death So that the reason of Succession hath his beginning from the fact of Peter From hence there will arise two questions the one whether the Lord did command Peter to make his Sea at Rome the other whether the Pope did rightly succeed Peter Non est improbabile DominuÌ„ apertè iussisse vt Petrê° sedeÌ„ suaÌ„ Romae figeret Bell. de Pont. lib. 2. c. 12. Non est de fide divino et immutabili praecepto Romae sedeÌ„ Petri esse constitutaÌ„ est tamen probatissimum et piè credendum Bel. de PoÌ„t lib 4 c. 4. Fortè noÌ„ est de iure diuino RomanuÌ„ Pontificem Petro succedere Idem ibid. §. Observandum if hee were at Rome For resolution of these points the Cardinall makes these seuerall answers First It is not improbable that our Lord did plainely commaund Peter to make his Seate at Rome yet this is no matter of Faith nor yet of a diuine and vnchangeable precept but it is most probable and it is piously to bee beleeued To the second he answereth Peraduenture it is not De Iure divino from diuine right and authoritie that the Pope succeedeth Peter yet it doth appertaine to the Catholike Roman Faith Thus by Bellarmines confession it is but probable and piously to be beleeued that Peter was at Rome and made his Seate there and therefore at the best it can bee but probable that the Pope should succeed Peter in that Sea Besides there is no necessitie to beleeue it for saith hee it is no point of Faith and withall if Christ gaue any such precept yet it may be changed Againe if the Pope doe succeed Peter it is but with a Peraduenture it may be so and it may not bee so for saith hee it is not of any Diuine right or command although it belong to the Catholique Romane faith Adde to these the vncertaintie of their pastors Intention in the ordination of their Priests the vncertaintie of their Simoniacall contracts which make void their election the knowne and condemned heresies of Popes in the Roman Sea with the vncertaintie of Peters being at Rome on which all the succession of person and doctrine doth depend and tell me if the Popes infallibilitie which is grouÌ„ded wholly vpon probabilities can bee the Rule of faith tell me whether the Pope or his predecessors haue had an vndoubted succession in doctrine and person tell mee whether to neglect the most safe and sure rule of Scriptures and to follow this morall and coniecturall faith bee not Via dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way and Vid Deuia a wandring and By-way SECT XXI The Infallibilitie of the Popes Iudgement which is made the Rule of Faith to determine all Controuersies is not yet determined by the learned Romanists amongst themselues TO lay a sure Foundation that this Papall building may be strong and immoueable Hostiensis Papa Christus faciunt vnum ConsistoriuÌ„ c. Extr. de Translat Prael C. Quanto Ab. by way of preuention giues vs to vnderstand that the Pope and Christ make but one Consistory so that sinne excepted to which the Pope is subiect the Pope in a manner can do all that God can doe He might more truely haue added
of the holy Ghost were wholly at the Popes command to breath onely where hee will haue him It is confessed on both sides that Christ is the Way and Trueth and by his word he hath prescribed a sure an infallible rule to find out the truth If the Scripture were but a partiall rule yet by Bellarmines owne confession it is the most certaine Scriptura â—egula credendi cerrissima tutissimaque est Bell. de Verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. and most safe rule of faith Now â—et vs see what is the most certaine rule of the Roman â—aith and on what assured meanes their proselytes may â—est satisfied and infallibly â—nstructed for the saluation â—f their soules Suarez the â—esuite tells vs It is the Catholike truth Veritas Catholica est Pontificem definientem ex Cathedrâ esse RegulaÌ„ Fidei quae errare non potest quaÌ„do aliquid authenticè proponit vniuersa Ecclesia tanquaÌ„ de fide c. Suarez de Tripl virt Theol. Sect. 8. disp 5. de reg pag. 214. Censeo esse rem de fide ceâ—taÌ„ Suar. ibid p. 214. that the Pope defining in his Chaire is the rule of Faith which cannot erre that is wheÌ„ he doth propose any thing authentically to the vniuersall Church to be beleeued 〈◊〉 a diuine faith and thus saith he all Catholike Doctors teach in these dayes and I thinke it 〈◊〉 be a thing certainly to be beleeued This Iesuit maintainâ—â— the Infallibility of the Pope yet speakes but as he thinks and withall tells vs It is thâ— Catholike doctrine of these times when as hee should haue prooued it by ancient Records that it was the Catholike doctrine of all ages For there is no man liuing let him be Papist oâ— Protestant if hee be a man of â—nderstanding but will holâ— it most requisite and absolutely necessary that the rule of faith should be declared by Christ and his Apostles by Catholike Traditions by Generall Councels by the consent of Fathers and the whole Christian world and certainly if the Popes Decrees conclusions be that rule of faith they ought to be confirmed by al those testimonies since on his judgment both Councels Bishops do depend but especially since the error of the Pope is adiudged to be the error of the Vniversall Church Againe he that deliuered what hee thought was the Catholike doctrine of these times touching the Popes Infallibility in generall tels vs of an other point at that time questionable viz. Whether it was to bee beleeued as an Article of faith Idem ibid. pag. 218. that the or that particular Pope were 〈◊〉 true Pope This doctrine saith he I taught at Rome affirmatiuely in the yeere 1585 but withall professeth that many at that time thought otherwise He that proclaimed it to the world that the Popes definitiue sentence in his chaire was the rule of Faith withall professeth that within these few yeeres it was not resolued whether this or that particular Pope might erre or no. And as it was obserued by a judicious and religious Gentleman M Noy of L. Inne for I shall gladly acknowledge any thing that I receiued froÌ„ any man this later question produced a new Quaere viz If the Pope were not a true Pope and Canonically elected then that person which worshipped a Saint canonized by that Pope commits flat Idolatry by reason the Saint wants his right Canonization for want of the Popes true and Canonicall election Many such doubts said he were mooued touching this Rule of Faith which neither the Iesuite was able to resolue nor the Church had as yet determined Hee that can but spell and put these things together would feare and tremble to think he hath no better assurance of his saluation then a doubtfull vncertaine questionable and vrresolued way to guide him into the paths of sauing knowledge And that the world may know the Rule of Faith which ought generally to bee receiued De Fide of all the faithfull is altogether doubtfull in the Roman church I haue summoned 12 of the Popes disciples to deliuer their seuerall opinions concerning the Popes Infallibilitie but how they concurre in witnessing the trueth of this Doctrine I leaue it to bee iudged Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 6. 1. Bellarmine It is probable that the Pope not onely as Pope cannot erre but as a priuate man cannot fall into Heresie or hold any obstinate opinion contrary to the Faith 2. Albertus Pigghius Piggh. de Eccle. Hier. lib. 6. c. 13. The Iudgement of the Pope is more certaine then the Iudgement of a Generall Councell or else the whole world 3. Hosius Hos lib. 2. cont Brent Bee the wickednesse of Popes neuer so great it can neuer hinder but that this promise of God shall euer be true The Popes shall shew thee the truth of Iudgement 4. Iohannes de Turrecremata Ioh. sum de Eccles lib. 2. cap. 112. It is better to rest vpon the sentence of the Pope which hee deliuers out of Iudgement then the opinions of whatsoeuer wise men in matters of Scripture for euen Caiphas was a High Priest and although hee was wicked yet hee prophecied truely 5. Siluester Prierias Whosoeuer leaneth not to the Doctrine of the Romane Church I'tier contr Lutherum and Bishop of Rome as vnto he Infallible rule of God of which doctrine the holy Scripture hath taken force and authoritie hee is an heretike Episc Bitont Conc. ex Rom. 1. cap 14. Romae habit 6. Cornelius Mus I must ingenuously confesse I would giue more credit to one Pope in matters of faith then to a thousand Augustines Hieromes or Gregories c. For I beleeue and know the chiefe Bishop in matters of faith cannot erre because the authoritie of the Church in determination of things belonging to faith is resident in that Bishop and so the errour of that Bishop should come to be the errour of the vniuersall Church Thus the great Mountaines were in labour and at last appeares Ridiculus Mus This man cares neither for Fathers nor Councells he knowes the Pope cannot erre and he is a man of experience You may beleeue him for hee was a Preacher at twelue yeeres old saith Sixtus Senensis but there are six more of the Popes sworne seruants they are Legales homines and craue audience hauing the said power and iurisdiction with the rest onely they say they cannot flatter they must and will speake the trueth in this howsoeuer the rest bee diuided from them and first concerning the first of the second ranke 7. Alphonsus de Castro We doubt not Non dubitamus an hareticum esse et Papam esse coire in vnuÌ„ possint Non enim credo esse aliquem adeò impudentem Papae assertatoreÌ„ vt ei tribuere hac velit vt nec errare nec interpretatione sacraruÌ„ literarum hallucinari possit cum constet plures Papas adeò illiteratos esse vt Grammaticam penitus ignorent qui fit vt
his heauenly Angels to witnes that notwithstanding you obtrude the invisibility of our church as a stumbling blocke to the ignorant notwithstaÌ„ding your great brags of an outward face of an eminent and glorious Romane Church yet your Trent faith and doctrine vvas far froÌ„ the knovvledge of Christ his Apostles nay more if any Iesuite or all the Iesuites aliue can proue your Roman Faith had Antiquity Vniuersalitie and Succession in al ages and that your Trent Articles were plainly commonly and continually taught receiued de Fide as Articles of Faith before Luther let all the Anathema's in your Trent Councel fall vpon my head And as touching the great noise and rumors of your Catholike Church if you wil consider and vveigh it vvith wisdom and moderation you shall find it wholly depends vpon tvvo doubtfull and vncertain coÌ„clusions viz. The Infallibilitie of the Pope and the Intention of the Priest These are but tvvo slender threds to vphold the Vniuersall faith of all Christians and therfore blame not vs if such things seeme harsh and vntunable in our eares that many millions of soules shold depend vpon the Infallibility of one man that man by your own supposall may draw vvith him innumerable soules to hell That man vvho hath the name and nature of Antichrist in his person in the one as he is against Christ and his doctrine in the other as he claimes to be Christs Vicar sit in his stead for the very name of Antichrist imports both Anti-Christ signifies Against Christ and to be in the place of Christ That man vpon vvhose forehead by the testimonies of learned Authors the vvord Mysterie Dr. Iames in his Epist Dedicatory of the Corruption of the Fathers c. the very mark of the Beast was sometimes writteÌ„ That man who is pointed at by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be that Antichrist by his habitation seated vpon seuen hills Reuel 17. That man who hath the character of the man of sin 2. Thess 2.4 which aduaÌ„ceth himselfe aboue all that are called Gods I haue said you are Gods Psal 82.6 viz the Kings and Princes of the earth That man who hath published the doctrine of Deuils 1. Tim 4. by forbidding of meats and Marriage vnto Priestes Lastly that man whose Infallibility Conc. Flor. in Decret Eugenij whose Succession whose Orders whose Baptisme and Christianitie it selfe depends vpon the Intention of a silly Priest Bell de Iustif li 3. â— 8 of whose Intention none can be assured by your owne confessions It is not the great souÌ„d of a visible Church that must outface the truth for the emptiest vessels make the greatest souÌ„d neither is it the name of Catholike which you wholly appropriate to your selues sufficient to proue your Church Catholike nay more your pretences of Scriptures of Traditions of Fathers of Councels of an Infallible Church are but figge-leaues to couer the nakednesse of your nevv borne faith for it shall appeare by this small Treatise that your chiefest scriptures on which you build your Trent doctrine are Apocryphal your Traditions which you haue equalled to the Scriptures are Apostaticall your Fathers which you assume for Interpreters of the Scriptures are spurious and counterfet your Councels which depend vpoÌ„ the Infallibilitie of the Popes iudgment are erronious doubtful and your preteÌ„ded Catholike Church which is made the onely rule of Faith is neither a whole nor yet a sound member of the Catholike and Vniuersall Body This way therefore which you take is a cloke colour to darken truth by outward shewes and specious pretences and therefore Via Deuia a vvandring and By-way Neither is it your bitternesse and inuectiues against a Lay man shall make me silent in Gods cause for I say with Moses Num. 12.29 Would God al the Lords people could prophecie and I hope there will neuer be wanting a Mildab a Medab to assist Moses and Aaron that may bee able to vindicate Gods Honor and Truth ease our painful Pastors and Ministers which most laboriously performe the work of an Euangelist and conuert soules by preaching which yours peruert by Controuersies of Disputations I hope I say there wil be alwaies some who wil publish to the shame of your Romish Pastors the palpable ignorance of the Laitie who with an implicite faith inuolued obedience resigne vp their sight and senses to blind guides Let the Trueth of God and his Church flourish no rayling accusation of an Aduersary shall deterre mee from my seruice to his cause In the meane time I will appeale to your own consciences whether it bee Catholike doctrine or sauour of Christian Charitie which your Iesuites teach viz. Haereticos non magis audiendos esse etiamsi vera et sacris literis coÌ„sentanea dicant aut doceant quaÌ„ Diobolum Mald. in Math. 16.6 That the Reformed Churches are no more to be heard then the deuill himselfe although they speake trueth and agreeable to the Scriptures nay more I speak it with shame and griefe Discept Tâ—â—ol Sect. 2. the Pope at this day allowes the Talmud of the Iewes and yet prohibites the Books of Protestants Giue mee leaue therefore to speake to you as somtime S. Austen spake to the Donatists Aug. contr Petâ—l lib. 3. cap. 59. If you will be wise vnderstand the trueth it is well if otherwise it shall not grieue mee that I haue taken this paines for you for though your hearts returne not to the peace of the Church yet my peace shall returne to mee in the Church The cause is Gods the labour is mine if you wil reade it impartially and can shew me any error clearely faithfully and moderately I wil make a work of Retractations and professe openly with righteous Iob Iob 31.35 36. O that mine aduersary would write a Booke against mee I would take it vpon my shoulder and bind it as a Crowne vnto me H. L. The Contents Sect. 1. THe safest and onely infallible way to finde out the true Church is by the Scriptures Pag. 1. Sect. 2. Our Aduersaries pretences from the obscuritie of Scriptures and inconueniences of the Lay peoples reading them answered p. 16. Sect. 3. The Scripture according to the Iudgement of the ancient Fathers is the sole Iudge of Controuersies and Interpreter of it selfe p. 43. Sect. 4. Our Aduersaries howsoeuer they pretend by taking an oath to make the Fathers Interpreters of the Scriptures yet indeed they make themselues sole Interpreters of Scriptures and Fathers p. 58 Sect. 5. The intire Canon of Scriptures which wee professe without the Apocryphall additions is confirmed by pregnant testimonies in all ages and most of them acknowledged by the Romanists themselues p. 86 Sect. 6. Our Aduersaries pretences from the Authorities of Fathers and Councels to proue the Apocryphall Bookes Canonicall answered p. 122 Sect. 7. The Romanists in poynt of Traditions contradict the truth and themselues grounding
most of their erronious Doctrine vpon vnwritten Traditions and yet frequently alledge the written Word for them p. 144 Sect. 8. The most generall pretended Traditions of the Romane Church were vtterly vnknown to the Greeke Church and want Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession the proper markes of true Traditions in the Roman Church p. 167 Sect. 9. The Scriptures are a certaine safe and euident direction to the right way of Saluation and consequently to ground Faith vpon vnwritten Traditions is an obscure vncertaine and dangerous By way p. 245 Sect. 10. Our Aduersaries make great boast of the Testimonies of the ancient Fathers in generall yet when they come to fifting particular poynts either by secret evasion they decline them or openly reiect them p. 280 Sect. 11. The most substantiall poynts of Romaine Faith and Doctrine as they are now taught and receiued in the Church of Rome were neuer taught by the Primitiue Church nor receiued by the ancient Fathers p. 307 Sect. 12. Saint Augustine in particular is much disparaged by the Romanists and for instance in many seuerall poynts of moment wherein hee professedly concurreth with vs is expressely reiected by them p. 335 Sect. 13. Saint Gregorie pretended to be the Founder of the Romane Religion in England by sending Austen the Monke for conversion of this nation in his vndoubted writings directly opposeth the Romish Faith in the maine poynts thereof p. 347 Sect. 14. Councels which are so highly extold and opposed against vs were neither called by lawfull authoritie or to the right ends as is confessed by the ingenuous Romanists p. 370 Sect. 15. Councells which our Aduersaries pretend as a chiefe Bulwark of their faith giue no support at all to the Romish Religion as it is proued by particular obiections made against seuerall Councels in all ages by the Romanists themselues p. 386 Sect. 16. The Councell of Trent which is the maine Pillar and last resolution of the Roman faith is of small or no credit at all because it was neither lawfully called nor free nor generall nor generally receiued by the Romanists themselues p. 420 Sect. 17. In the Roman Church which our aduersaries so highly extoll aboue the Scriptures there is neither safetie nor certaintie whether they vnderstand the Essentiall or Representatiue or the Virtuall or the Consistoriall Church p. 452 Sect. 18. The most common Plea of the Romanists drawne from the Infallibilitie Authoritie and Title of the Catholike Church is proued to bee false vaine and friuolous p. 468 Sect. 19. The Church which our Aduersaries so much magnifie among themselues is finally resolued into the Pope whom they make both the Husband and the Spouse the Head and the Body of the Church p. 496 Sect. 20. The Church is finally resolued into the Pope who wants both Personall and Doctrinall succession as appeares by seuerall instances and exceptions both in matters of Fact and matters of Faith p. 513 Sect. 21. The infallibilitie of the Popes Iudgement which is made the Rule of Faith to determine all Controuersies is not yet determined by the learned Romanistes amongst themselues p. 545 Sect. 22. The Church vpon which the learned Romanists ground their Faith is no other then the Pope and the Church vpon which the vnlearned Romanists doe relie is no other then their Parish Priest p. 572 Sect. 23. Eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie is no certaine Note of the true Church but the contrary rather as it is prooued by instances from Adam to Christ p. 592 Sect 24. The Latencie and obscuritie of the true Church is pâ—ooued by pregnant testimonies of such who complained of corruptions and abuses and withall decreed a Reformation in all ages from the time of Christ and his Apostles to the dayes of Luther p. 610 Sect. 25. The aforenamed corruptions and most remarkable declination of the Church of Rome in the later ages was foretold by Christ and his Apostles in the first Age. p. 666 Sect. 26. The Conclusion of this Treatise shewing in sundrie particulars the certaintie and safetie of the Protestant and the vncertaintie and danger of the Romish Way p. 675 VIA DEVIA THE BY-VVAY SECT I. The safest and onely infallible way to finde out the true Church is by the Scripture WHen the Donatists in the most flourishing times of Christian Religion arrogantly and presumptuously appropriated the Catholique and Vniuersall Church to their haereticall and particular faction St. Austen encountring them Quaestio est vbi sit Ecclesia quid ergo facturi sumus an inverbis nostris eaÌ„ qua situri an in verbis capitis sui Dom. nostri Iesu Christi Puto quod in illius potius verbis eam quaerere debemus quia veritas est nouit corpus suuÌ„ Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 2. states the poynt of Controuersie in this maner The question is where the Church should bee what then shall we doe shall wee seeke it in our owne wordes or in the words of our Lord Iesus In my iudgement we ought rather to seeke the Church in his owne words for that he is the truth and knoweth his owne body You haue heard the question propounded and answered by the Oracle of that age Such is the difference at this day betwixt the Church of Rome and vs and I heartily wish wee might ioine issue with them vpon the like tearmes and both agree with one vnanimous consent to seeke the Church of God in the word of God then should wee be gathered as sheep to one sheep-fold and the weake in faith should be receiued not to doubtfull disputations but to the reading of the Scriptures and they that now question the Visibilitie of our Church before Luther would first examine the infallibilitie of their owne by the Touchstone of the Gospell and the rather because it is agreed on both sides that whatsoeuer Church professeth that faith and doctrine which Christ and his Apostles taught in the first age the same Church and doctrine hath continued more or lesse visible in all ages But to returne to the Donatists Cant. 1.7 When Christ in the Canticles demanded of his Spouse where she rested Meridie at Noone-day the Donatists concluded Christs question with their owne answere that the Church did rest Meridie and that was in the South from this ground excluded all other Churches but their owne in the South of Africk The Donatists claime was seemingly deriued from the authoritie of the Scriptures for Donatus and Austen heretique and Catholique both vrge the Scriptures but obserue the difference Saint Austen puts the whole issue of his cause vpon the Scripture the Donatists claimed their doctrine by the publique voyces of the Africans they assumed to themselues the title of the Catholike Church they magnified the Councels of their Bishops they gloried in their frequent though fained miracles these were the principall grounds of their Church Remotis ergo omnibus talibus Ecclesiam suaÌ„ demonstrant si possunt non in sermonibus rumoribus Afrorum
Bell de verbo Dei lib. 4. c 2. do signifie that doctrine which is not written by the first Author in any Apostolique Booke either for want of a continued succession in their Traditions or to make the ignorant beleeue the Scripture makes in all poynts for them I say for those very points which they terme Traditions vnwritten they produce the Word written See the Gag of the Gospell as for instance Purgatory is termed an vnwritten Tradition and therefore by Bellarmines testimony is not to bee found in any Apostolike Author yet the Cardinall Bel. de Purgatorio for this very poynt cites twentie seuerall places in the written Word to prooue it Invocation of Saints is a Tradition vnwritten and therefore not to bee found in Scripture yet the Cardinall prooues it out of the Word written Bell. de sancta Bâ—at l. 1. c. 20. Goe to my seruant Iob and he will pray for thee The Communion in one kind is a Tradition vnwritten and therefore not to be found in any Apostolique Author yet Fisher Bishop of Rochester proues it out of the Word written Roffen advers Luth. Aâ—t 16. Giue vs this day our daily bread Prayer and Seruice in an vnknowne tongue is a Tradition vnwritten and therefore not to bee found in Scripture Ledes de diuin scrip quauis linâ—uâ non legendâ c. 22. yet Ledesma the Iesuite prooues it strongly out of the Word written Our Sauiour opened the booke of the Prophet Esay and afterwards closed it How poore and weake are these and the like authorities deduced from the Scriptures I leaue to euery mans iudgement but sure I am the number of their Traditions is vncertaine and the nature of them is destroyed by their owne Tenets when they confound the written word with their vnwritten Doctrines It was the ancient rule of Vincentius Lyrinensis In ipsâ Catholicâ Ecclesia magnopere curandum est vt id teneamus qd vbique qd semper quod ab omnibê° credituÌ„ hóc est enim verè proprieque Catholicum qd ipsa vis nominis raticque declarat VinceÌ„t Lyrin c. 3. In the Catholique Church we ought to bee carefull to hold that which hath been beleeued in all places at all times and of all persons for that is truely and properly Catholique which the force and reason of the name doth declare Those men therefore which assume the name of Catholique and accurse all those who receiue not Traditions with equall reuerence and authoritie with the Scriptures let them proue that their doctrinall Traditions before named haue been euer held and beleeued at all times in all places and of all persons let them proue they were receiued with the vniforme consent of Fathers let them proue they were decreed in a constant succession from age to age from Christians to Christians throughout the whol vniuersal Church These are requisite conditions and ancient characters of Apostolique Traditions But that there are any such or euer were in the Chuch of Rome excepting those onely which are expressely or by necessary consequence deduced from the word of God although they are daily pretended by them yet to this day were neuer proued And hence it is that for want of sure footing and foundation in the Scriptures many Rituall Traditions and Obseruations of the ancient Church are changed and many doctrinall Traditions and Constitutions of the Roman Church are newly brought in which are pretended to be ancient Touching Rituall Traditions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bass de Spirit sanct ca. 27. Saint Basil tels vs It was not lawfull for any man to kneele in the Church vpon the Sunday and this Traditionn saith he was giuen vnto vs in secret charge by the Apostles of Christ Yet this Tradition is altered St. Austen saith Betweene Easter and Whitsuntide it was not lawfull for any man to fast Aug. ad Casulanum by the Tradition of the Apostles yet this Tradition is abrogated Sententiae haec infantibê° Eucharistiam esse necessariam cercitèr sexentos annos viguit in Ecclesia Mald. Com. in Iohn 6. The giuing of the Eucharist to Infants was an ancient Tradition continued in the Church six hundred yeeres after Christ saith Maldonat yet this Tradition is abolished And as touching the doctrinall Traditions and Constitutions of their Church which are made of equall authoritie with the Scripture you shall scarcely find any of them I say confidently you shall finde none of them to haue been receiued de Fide as Articles of faith with the Vniuersalitie of Churches the consent of Fathers and continued succession of the now receiued doctrine in all ages That this may the more plainely apeare I will examine the Tenets of the Papall Traditions ab Initio and see what the Romane Church in generall and the Greeke Church in particular which for many hundred yeeres communicated in the same Faith with the Romane hath taught and beleeued concerning their doctrine SECT VIII The most generall pretended Traditions of the Romane Church were vtterly vnknown to the Greeke Church and want Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession the proper markes of true Traditions in the Roman Church TO examin the foundation of the Greek Church let vs look vp to the time of the Apostles where wee shall finde S. Iohn writing to the seuen Churches in Asia Reuel 1 11 and Saint Paul sending his Epistles to the Corinthians to the Ephesians to the Thessalonians all principall members of the Greeke Church In these Churches according to the doctrine of the Apostles there is nothing that makes for the now Romane Faith and Doctrine but rather against it and that the Romanists may not vainely arrogate to themselues the title of Catholike and Vniuersall Church as if the whole Christian Faith were confined to the Bishop of Rome and his Diocesse it is plaine and euident that Saint Peter taught the word at Antioch Saint Andrew in Greece and Muscouie Saint Iames in Iudea Saint Iohn in Asia Saint Philip in Assyria Saint Thomas in India Saint Matthew in Aethiopia Saint Thaddeus in Armenia Saint Paul in all the countreyes from Arabia to Slauonia St. Bartholomew in Scythia Saint Simon in Persia Ioseph of Arimathea in Great Britaine and all these published the same Faith for substance which wee at this day professe in the Church of England Looke vpon the Greeke Church in generall Terra Graecorum vndique destinata est fides Aug. Ep. 178. Ep. 170. Saint Austen tells vs From the land of Grecia the faith into all places was spread abroad and in particular Saint Chrysostome tells vs The name of Christians beginning first from the citie of Antioch as from a spring hath flowed ouer the whole world And without doubt that famous Citie in Greece gaue the first name and title to the Christians and therefore was called Theopolis Antioch the Citie of God It cannot bee denyed that the Easterne Church is before Rome in time shee hath larger bounds and multitudes
of people almost all the Apostolique Seas most of the Patriarchs seuen Vniuersall Councells the Syrian language wherein Christ spake the Greeke wherein the Scripture of the New Testament was written and withall a personall Succession euen from the Apostles themselues without interruption and that which is knowne to the meanest Grecian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words of Church of Bishop of Priest of Deacon of Baptisme of Eucharist of Christian are al deriued from the Greekes and proue that Religion came from them from whom those termes were borrowed This doctrine is so true that it inforced the Bishop of Bitonto to professe openly in the Councell of Trent Eia igitur Graecia Mater nostra cui id totuÌ„ debet quod habet Latina Ecclesia Conc. Trid. orat Episc Bitont It is our Mother Grecia vnto whom the Latine Church or the Church of Rome is beholding for all that euer she hath And thus much touching the foundation of the Greeke Church Now that we may the better discerne the Antiquitie of our Religion and the Noueltie of the Romane let vs examine the Tenets of the Greeke Church and by them wee shall discerne whether the Roman church hath continued visible in that doctrine which shee now teacheth and consequently whether their pretended Apostolike Traditions haue Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession in all ages Matthias Illiricus being borne in Dalmatia not farre from the confines of Graecia and therefore may bee thought to be well acquainted with their orders tells vs The Churches of Grecia the Churches of Asia Macedonia Misia Valachia Russia Muscouia and Africa ioyned thereunto that is to say in a manner the whole world or at least the greater part thereof neuer granted the Popes Supremacie neuer allowed either Purgatorie or Priuate Masses or the Communion vnder one kind wee may adde to these Transubstantiation Prayer in an vnknowne tongue Forbidding of marriage to Priests and Popish Inuocation of Saints as it is now beleeued were vtterly vnknown to the Greeke Church and consequently want Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession the proper markes of true Traditions in the Roman Church To examine them in order The Popes Supremacie is a Tradition Apostolicall and declared for an Article of Faith in the Romane Church yet this Tradition wants Antiquitie Vniuersality and Succession Nemo decessoruÌ„ meoruÌ„ hoc tam prophano vocabulo vti coÌ„sueuit-Nullus Romanorum Pontificum hoc singula ritatis nomeÌ„ assumpsit Greg. lib. 4. ep 76. 80 Touching Antiquitie Pope Gregorie 600 yeeres after Christ professeth publiquely That none of his predecessors did euer assume that profane Vniuersall title Touching Vniuersalitie Aluarez tells vs that Prester Iohn sent vnto him to know why the Pope diuided the Churches of Antioch and Rome seeing the Church of Antioch was in a manner the chiefe and head of all Churches Cathol Trad. pag. wherein St. Peter gouerned dwelt 5 yeres Whereunto when hee answered they were obliged by an Article of their faith hee replied If the Pope would vsurpe so great a prerogatiue as to command things vnlawfull they would make no reckoning of it and if by such meanes their Abuna their Primate would presume so far they would burne the copie of such a command In like maner Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica tells vs Nilus lib. 1. de Primat Papae The Greeke Church though it neuer denyed the primacy of Order to the Pope of Rome yet their assumed predominance of authoritie it alwayes resisted Touching Succession Bellarmine himselfe confesseth Bell. in Praefat de Rom. Pontif. The first who most earnestly withstood the Supremacy of the Bishops of Rome seeme to bee the Grecian Fathers for since the yeere 381 they laboured to preferre the Bishop of Constantinople the three Patriarkes of the East in the second place next to the Bishop of Rome and this saith he may bee vnderstood by the second Generall Councell And as in this Councell of Constantinople there was a resistance made against the power and iurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome so likewise hee telleth vs further that in the yeere 451 Bell. ibideÌ„ the Greeke Fathers not being content with their determination laboured to make the Bishop of Constantinople equall with the Bishop of Rome for in the Councell of Chalcedon the Greeke Fathers decreed it but deceitfully in the absence of the Popes Legat that the Bishop of Constantinople should haue the second place after the Bishop of Rome notwithstanding hee should haue equall priuiledges with the other Thus two generall Councells the one consisting of 150 Bishops the other of 630 by the testimonies of the Popes Cardinall opposed the Supremacie of the Bishop of Rome the which Supremacie if in those dayes it had been receiued for an Article of faith or a Tradition Apostolique without doubt those two famous Councels would haue subscribed to it without any resistance or opposition to the vniuersall Head of the Church And that you may yet further know the Churches of Asia and Grecia continued their Resolution in this poynt Conc. Florentinum An. 1436. looke vpon the late Councell of Florence and there you shall obserue Paulus Aemilius Pantalcon that Michael Palaeologus by reason hee submitted himselfe to the Pope in that Councell was hated of all the people while hee liued and being dead was forbidden Christian buriall And Isidorus the Archbishop of Kiouia in Russia Math à Michonia in Nouo Orbe Iewel p. 411 for that he began for Vnities sake to mooue the people to the like submission was therefore deposed of his Bishoprick and put to death Thus the Popes Supremacie wants Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession the proper markes of Romane Traditions and consequently can bee no Article of Faith no Apostolique Tradition as is pretended in this first poynt Purgatorie is reputed a Tradition Apostolicall and receiued in the Romane Church for an Article of Faith yet this doctrine wants Antiquitie Vniuersality and Succession Touching Antiquitie Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica professeth in the name of the Greeke Church that it could bee no Tradition Apostolicall for saith hee Wee haue not receiued by Tradition from our Fathers Nil de Purgat igne Câ—th Trad. q. 16. that there is any fire of Purgatory or any temporall punishment and we know that the Easterne Church doth not beleeue it And amongst other reasons why Purgatory was not receiued by them Marcus Ephes in Graecorum Apolog. de igne Purgatorio ad Concil Florentinum they render this for one that whereas their Fathers had deliuered vnto them many visions and dreames and other wonders concerning the euerlasting punishment in hell yet none of them had declared any thing concerning the temporary fire of Purgatory Legat qui velit GraecoruÌ„ veteruÌ„ CoÌ„mentarios et nullum quantum opinor aut quaÌ„ rarissimè de Purgatorio sermoneÌ„ inueniet Sed neque Latini simul omnes at sensim huius rei veritatem conceperunt neque taÌ„ necessaria fuit
doctrina cum nostra consonat Ecclesia Patr. resp 2. in init resp 1. p. 148. We giue thankes to God the Authour of all grace and wee reioyce with many others but especially in this that in many things your doctrine is agreeable to our Church And certainly we likewise haue great cause to reioyce in our owne behalfe and theirs that the Greeke Church hath continued the truth of our doctrine in all ages which plainely shewes the Antiquitie and Visibilitie of our Church in the affirmatiue poynts which we maintaine and the Noueltie of the Romane in those Negatiue opinions which we condemne If we looke beyond Luther we shall easily discerne that the Muscouites Armenians Egyptians Aethiopians and diuers other countreys and Nations all members of the Greeke Church taught our Doctrine from the Apostles time to ours This is so true an Euidence in our behalfe that Bellarmine as it were in disdaine of the Churches Bell. de ver Dei l 2. ca. vlt. in fine makes this answere We are no more moued with the examples of Muscouites Armenians Egyptians and Aethiopians then with the examples of Lutherans or Anabaptists and Caluinists for they are either heretiques or Schismatiques So that all Churches be they neuer so Catholique and ancient if they subscribe not to the now Romane Faith are eyther schismaticall or hereticall But let these men obserue what Rules they list let them brag of Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession let them reiect the confessions of all Christian Churches but their owne yet shal they neuer be able to proue those vnwritten Traditions Apostolique and of equall authority with the Scriptures which contrary the doctrine of the Apostles or by consequence ouerthrowe the foundation of the written Word If the Apostle teach vs to pray with the spirit 1. Cor. 14. and to pray with the vnderstanding also how can prayer in an vnknowne tongue without vnderstanding be prooued a Tradition Apostolicall If the Apostle teach vs by the written Word that the Communion in both kinds extend to all beleeuers by the general words of Christ Drinke yee all of this How can the Communion in one kinde bee tearmed a Tradition Apostolical which imposeth the contrary on the Non Conficient Priest and the lay people Drinke ye none of this If the holy Spirit dictate by the mouth of an Apostle Search the Scriptures how can that doctrine be said to bee Apostolicall which inioynes the contrary to the lay people Search not the Scriptures If the written Word proclaime it for an Apostolike doctrine Vtrumque est maluÌ„ et nubere et vri imò â—eius est nubere quic quid reclameÌ„t aduersarii c. Bell. de Monach l. 2. c. 30. It is better marrie then burne how can that vnwritten Word bee tearmed a Tradition Apostolicall which teacheth the contrary It is better for a Priest to burne then marry If an Angel from heauen proclaime of the reall presence of Christs body He is risen he is not heere and the Apostle declares it for an Article of beliefe The Heauens containe him till his second comming How can the corporall and reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament be a Tradition Apostolicall which affirmeth that Christs body is conteined in the heauens and in a Pix at one and the same time If the Communion of the body and bloud of Christ be a common vnion of Priest and people and by the Apostles written Word Wee are all partakers of one Bread and one Cup how can Priuate Masse bee tearmed a Tradition Apostolicall wherein the Priest receiues the Bread and Cup alone without the people If God himselfe forbid by his Morall Law the worshipping of Images and the same Lawe stood in force with Christ and his Apostles how can that doctrine be made a poynt of Faith and termed a Tradition Apostolicall which on the contrary giues adoration to Images Lastly if an Angel from heauen forbids the worshipping of Angels by a particular instance in himselfe Worship not mee for I am thy fellow seruant How can it be reputed a Tradition Apostolicall and an Article of Faith Art 8. that the Saints reigning with Christ are to bee worshipped and prayed vnto These Papal Traditions vnwritten are different if not flatly opposite to the Word written and therefore I will say with Tertullian who answered the heretiques in his dayes Tert. praesc advers haeres c. 32. Their very doctrine it selfe being compared with the Apostolike by the diuersity and contrarietie thereof will pronounce that it had neither any Apostle for an Authour nor any man Apostolique Now if any Romanist shall take that poore exception and say their Tenets are not flat contrary to the Scriptures let him take his answere from Saint Chrysostome Non dixit si contraria annutiauerint aut si totuÌ„ Euangelium sub verterint sed si vel pauluÌ„ EuaÌ„gelizauerint prarer EuangeliuÌ„ qd accepistis etiaÌ„si quidvis labefactauerint Anathema sint Chrys in Galat. c. 1 Aug. in Ioh. Tra. 98 Saint Paul teacheth not saith hee if any man preach contrary to the Gospell or ouerthrow the whole Gospell but if they preach any little thing besides the Gospell hee hath receiued if hee ouerthrow any thing whatsoeuer it be let him be accursed I say therefore if this or the like vnwritten Traditions bee found praeterquà m or contraquà m either besides or contrary to the Scriptures as certainly most of their Traditions are I say it is impossible to reconcile them for Apostolike Traditions and consequently more absurd to equall them with the Scriptures and make them a partiall rule of faith for Although saith Tertullian Tertul. de praescâ— c. 26. the Apostles did deliuer some things vnto their domesticall friends as I may call them yet wee must not beleeue that they deliuered any such things as should bring in another rule of Faith different and repugnant to that which they generally propounded in publique as though they had preached one Lord in the Church another in their lodging To leaue therefore a certainty for an vncertaintie to forsake the written Word which is the safest and surest rule of beliefe for vnwritten Traditions which haue neither Antiquitie for their leader nor Vniuersality for their assurance nor Succession for their euidence this I say is Via dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way this is Via Deuia a wandring and By-way SECT IX The Scriptures are a certaine safe and euident direction to the right way of Saluation and consequently to ground Faith vpon vnwritten Traditions is an obscure vncertaine and dangerous By-way I Confesse it for a trueth that in the first ages of the world the Ancients had the knowledge of God without writing and their memories by reason of their long liues were Registers instead of Bookes but afterwards when God had taken the posteritie of Iacob to bee his peculiar people the liues of men were shortned and therefore hee gaue them their lawes in writing which
Hierome in the question betwixt him and St. Austen whether St. Paul reprooued Peter colourably or in earnest alleadgeth seuen Fathers against St. Austen and withall desires him to giue him leaue to erre with seuen Fathers But what answere maketh Austen He appeales to St. Paul Ipse mihi pro his omnibê° et suprà hos omnes Apostolus Paulus occurrit ad ipsum confugio ad ipsum ab omnibus qui aliter sentiuÌ„t literaruÌ„ tractaetoribus prouoco Aug. Ep. 19. and saith he Instead of all and aboue all I haue Paul the Apostle to him doe I runne to him I appeale from all Writers that think otherwise Here wee see seuen principall members of the Church against the meaning of one Apostle and yet all they were not able to remooue St. Austen from that one authoritie which was preualent against all and I thinke it cannot be denied but that this Father went the right way to the Gospel Againe when hee was pressed by Cresconius a Gramarian with a testimony out of Cyprian hee returnes this answere I am not bound to bee tyed to that Epistle because I doe not account of Cyprians Epistles as of the Canonicall Scriptures Ego Epistola huius authoritate noÌ„ teneor quia c. Aug. contr Cres lib. 2. c. 32. but I examine them by the Canonicall Scriptures and what I find in them agreeable to that word I receiue it with commendations what I finde to disagree from it with his good leaue I leaue it This was the account the ancient Fathers made of their owne writings and their fellow Bishops euen at that time when the Church was most visible and when the Fathers were in chiefest estimation in the Christian world I speake not these things as if there were lesse hope to find the truth in the writings of the ancient Fathers then in new and vpstart opinions of some priuate spirits It is the voice of God and Nature Aske thy father Deut. 32.7 and he will shew thee thine ancients and they shall tell thee and herein we are obedient children and according to our dutie Leu. 19.23 Wee rise vp before the hoarie head and honour the person of the aged We agree with the Fathers wherein they agree with the Scriptures and with themselues and if in some particular poynts wee dissent from some particular Fathers yet it is in those things which want vniuersalitie and consent or are doubtfully vttered or are deliuered as priuate opinions and not as Articles of Faith wee follow the Anciens as Leaders not as Masters for their writings are no rules of faith Scriptae Patrum non sunt regulae fidei nec habent authoritatem obligandi Bell. de CoÌ„cil author lib. 2. c. 12. neither haue they authoritie to binde This is Bellarmines confession this is ours And that the world may know our aduersaries haue no such cause as they pretend to bragge of the authorities of the Fathers let any Protestant or Romanist examine the substantiall poynts of Controuersie as they are now published Bulla Pij 4. and decreed by the Popes Bull and Councell of Trent let them I say obserue the questions as they are now stated with Anathemas for Articles of faith compare them with the doctrines of the ancient Fathers and they shall easily discerne that our aduersaries oftentimes obtrude the Tenets of particular persons for the generall consent of Fathers and produce doubtful opinions to proue Articles of faith for I dare confidently avow that in all fundamentall poynts of difference either they want Antiquitie to supply their first ages or Vniuersalitie to make good the consent of Christian Churches or vnitie of opinions to proue their Trent Articles of beliefe And for tbe better manifestation of this my assertion I will giue you instance in the principall poynts of the Roman faith and doctrine that by comparing the doctrine of the Fathers in the first place with the Tenets of the Romanists in the later it shall appeare that the Northerne and Southerne Poles shall sooner meet together then their opinions standing as they doe can be reconciled Hee therefore that will take vpon him to proue out of the ancient Fathers that Christ is really present in the Sacrament to all faithfull Communicants let him spare the labour I will confesse it for wee acknowledge that Christ is really present both spiritually by faith and effectually by grace conferred vpon all worthy receiuers But let him proue that Christs body is substantially corporally and carnally in the SacrameÌ„t vnder the accidents of bread and wine and that Reprobates and creatures void of reason much more of faith may really partake of his flesh and blood as is now taught and beleeued de fide in the Roman Church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that the Sacramentall bread and cup were carried home to mens houses in the time of persecution and sometime priuately receiued let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him shew me that priuate Masses that is the receiuing of the Eucharist by the Priest alone without a competent number of Communicants was the pulique practise of the ancient Church as it is now vsed in the Romane and I will subscribe Het at will proue out of the ancient Fathers that the consecrated bread was somtimes giuen without the cup to sicke folkes to impotent and abstenious persons let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him proue that the Fathers did generally forbid the Lay people and the communicating Priest to partake of the Sacramentall cup and that the bread alone was adiudged sufficient without the Cup as it is now receiued in the Roman Church De fide as an Article of Faith and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that Prayers and Seruice in the Roman Church was commonly taught and practised in the Latin tongue let him spare the labour I will confesse it for it was the common and knowne language of the Latin Church but let him shew mee that Prayers and Seruice was deliuered in a tongue vnknowne and not vnderstood of the common people as it is now vsed and receiued with Anathema in the Roman church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that Images were allowed for memory for history for ornament let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him prooue that they were allowed by the Fathers for publique and priuate veneration or religious worship and that such worship was established as a doctrine of Faith as it is now vsed in the Roman Church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that the Bishop of Rome and all other Bishops had power to dispence with the rigour of Ecclesiasticall Penance by Pardons and Indulgences let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him proue that those Indulgences were the treasure of the Church
aduersaries I say to seeke for the knowledge of infallible Trueth or to search for the soundnesse of true sauing faith in Generall or Prouinciall Councells is but Via Dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way it is Via Deuia a wandring and By-way It resteth for our Aduersaries last and best refuge to flye to the Sanctuarie of their Church for in trueth whatsoeuer pretence is made of Scriptures of Fathers of Councells yet if there bee sent out a Melius inquirendum for the Authour of their newe Creed and Trent doctrine they must returne a Non est inuentus and seeke him onely in the Church SECT XVII In the Romane Church which our Aduersaries so highly extoll aboue the Scriptures there is neither safetie nor certaintie whether they vnderstand the Essentiall or Representatiue or the Vertuall or the Consistoriall Church CAmpian the Iesuite who formerly made his claime to all Fathers and Councels now in the name of the Church insults against the Protestants in this manner Audito nomine Ecclesiae hostis expalluit Campian Rat 3. So soone as the Aduersarie heard the Church named he waxed wan and pale Indeed I confesse it would terrifie a religious and sober minded man to heare such daily blasphemies vttered against the Maiestie of Gods word and to sound out nothing but the honour and authoritie of the Church who can but wax wan and pale out of pitty charity to heare the Church named and see that she hath kept the name only and lost her wonted nature who can but waxe wan and pale to see her spoiled and bereft of her Iewels treasurie of the sacred Scriptures and retaine onely the caskets and boxes the bare name of a Church where those Iewels lay Looke vpon the best learned of the Roman Church and tell me if they will not astonish a true beleeuing Christian and make him change his countenance to heare such odious comparisons betwixt the Scriptures and the Church In altiori genere viz in genere causae efficientis atque adeò aliquâ ex parte formalis Stapl Relect contro 4 q. 4. ar 3. 9. 3. ar 1. The Church saith Stapleton is an infallible foundation of faith in a higher kind then the Scripture for the Scripture is but a foundation in testimonie and matter to be beleeued but the Church is the efficient cause of Faith and in some sort the very formall In Relect. princ fid dog cont 4. q. 5. nay more if both of them bee properly considered and compared together the Church is a more noble subiect then the Scripture Eam Ecclesia authoritateÌ„ esse quia et scripturas quoque ipsas laxaÌ„di et consignaÌ„difacultateÌ„ c Idem Princip Anal. Pio sensupieque dici potest scripturas si de stituantur ecclesiae authoritate non plus valere quaÌ„ Acsopi fabulas Hos li. 3. de autho sacr Scripturae yea the Church hath such authoritie that shee may set at libertie or seale vp the Scriptures themselues yea saith Hosius a man may speake it in a good a godly sense the Scriptures are of no more account without the authority of the Church then Aesops fables Neither let this seeme strange that the Romanists insist principally vpon the authoritie of the Church for he that shall looke back and obserue how the sacred Scriptures are condemned of Obscuritie and Insufficiencie he that will consider how the holy Fathers are censured and reiected by them as counterfet or erronious he that shall note the Decrees and Canon of Councells condemned as spurious or superfluous these things I say considered it is no maruell our aduersaries flie to the Roman Church Dicitis praecepto Christi obediendum esse primo loâ—o deinde ecclesiae et si aliter praeceperit Ecclesia quam Christus noÌ„ Ecclesia sed Christo obedie oduÌ„ esse certè in hoc est omnium praesumptionuÌ„ initiuÌ„ quaÌ„do iudicant particulares suuÌ„ sensum indiuinis praeceptis coÌ„formâ—areÌ„ quaÌ„ vniuersa Ecclesiae Nich. Cusa ad Proem Epist 2. and for this speciall cause aduance the name of the Church aboue all Cardinall Cusanus by way of obiection puts the question to the Bohemians whether they were better obey the Word of God or the Church You say wee must first obey Christs Commandements and afterwards the Church and if the Church command vs to doe otherwise then Christ commandeth wee must obey Christ and not the Church It is true that the Protestants rightly propose that question which without all question cannot otherwise bee resolued but heare what answere hee makes them Verily herein standeth the beginning of all presumption when particular men thinke their owne iudgement to bee more agreeable to Gods commandements DicetuÌ„ forsitan quomodò mutubuntur pracepta Christi authoritate Ecclesia vt tuÌ„c sint obligatoria quando Ecclesia placu erit Dico nulla esse Christi pracepta nisi quae per Ecclesiam protalibus accepta sint Mutato iudicio Ecclesiae mutatuÌ„ est Dei IudiciuÌ„ Idem Epist 3. then the iudgement of the vniuersall Church nay hee puts the question further Perhaps you will say How shall Christes commandements be changed by the authoritie of the Church that they shall binde vs when the Church shall thinke it good I tell thee saith hee there is nothing to bee taken for Christs commandements vnlesse it bee to bee so allowed of the Church when the Church hath once changed her iudgement Gods iudgement is likewise changed Cardinall Hosius giues his consent with Cardinall Cusanus and morâ— plainly resolues the question in few words Quod Ecclesia docet expressum Deiverbum est et quod contra sensum et consensum Ecclesia docetur expressum Diaboli verbum est Hos de expresso verbo Dei Whatsoeuer the Church teacheth is the expresse word of God and whatsoeuer is taught against the sensâ— and meaning of the Church 〈◊〉 the expresse word of the Deuill To say nothing of the doctrine of Deuils viz. the forbidding of Meats and Marriage foretold by the Apostle and now fulfilled in the Church of Rome I will giue you an instance or two in the word of God and the doctrine of the Romane Church that you may the better discerne whether the Church changing her iudgment there be any variablenesse or shadow of turning with Christ and whether the doctrine of the Roman church bee not expressely against the Word of God Etsi Apostolus lingua intellectâ preces velit celebrari tamen sanctaÌ„ EcclesiaÌ„ iustissimis de causis coÌ„tra statuisse Bened. Mont. in 1. Cor. 14. Touching Prayer in an vnknowne tongue it is the confession of Benedict Montanus a Parisian Doctor Etsi Apostolus c. Although the Apostle thought good to haue Prayer in a knowne tongue yet the Church vpon good causes hath decreed the contrarie Touching Adoration of Images Licet in lege veteri prohibita fuissent lege diuinâ imagines visibiles nedum ipsius Dei
nihilo minùs Ecclesia Ioh. Rag. orat in Conc. Basil de CoÌ„mun sub vtraque specie it is the confession of Iohannes Ragusius in his Oration at the Councell of Basil Licet in Lege c. Although in the old time the visible Images of God yea and of his Saints were forbidden by the Law of God and no libertie was since granted either in the Old or New Testament to make any such yet the Church taught by the holy Spirit hath not onely permitted but decreed and ordained it Touching the Communion in both kinds it is the confession oâ— the Generall Councell of Constance Conc. Constant Sess 13. Conc. Trid. Sess 5. Can. 2. and the Councell of Trent Licet Christus c Although Christ did instituâ— the Sacrament in both kinds yet saith the Trent Councel he that shall say the Catholikâ— Church hath not altered it foâ— good causes or that they errâ— in so doing let him bee accursed These are speciall poinâ— with them and the denyaâ— of any of these make a maâ— heretike in the Church 〈◊〉 Rome yet by their owâ— confession are decreed wiâ—â— Non obstante Notwithstaâ—ding Christ and his Apostles taught the contrary Obserue then the difference betwixt the Gospell of Christ and the doctrine of the Roman Church the Spirit of God denounced a curse both against men and Angels that should teach any other doctrine then that they receiued from the Scriptures the Church of Rome pronounceth Anathema against all those that do not teach and beleeue the doctrine of their Church although it be different from the Scriptures I confesse the name of the Church is honourable and her credit singular but that which stickes with mee and as I conceiue is worthy of all mens obseruation the name of the Church which is so much magnified and adored of all Romanists and Romish Proselytes I say that Romane Church is neither vnderstood by the ignorant what it is neither is it resolued by the learned amongst them in certaine what is properly meant vnderstood by it First then we must know as the Church hath many parts to act Ecclesia Essentialis Representatiua Virtualis CoÌ„sistorialis Bell. de Eccles li. 3. c. 2. so likewise the Romanists make her of foure seuerall sorts The Essentiall Church and this saith Bellarmine is a company of men professing the same Christian Faith and Sacraments and acknowledging the Bishop of Rome to bee the chiefe Pastor and Vicar of Christ vpon the earth The Representatiue Church and this is an Assembly of Bishops in a generall Councell representing the whole bodie of the Church The Vertuall Church and this is the Bishop of Rome who is said to bee the chiefe Pastor of the whole Church and hath in himselfe eminently and vertually both truth and infallibilitie of iudgment and vpon whom dependeth all that certaintie of truth which is found in the whole Church The Confistoriall Church and this consisteth of the Pope and Cardinals and is termed by the Sâ—rbonists The Court of Rome Curia Romana Touching these seuerall acceptions of the Church there are seuerall and different opinions The Glosse vpon Gratian put the first question Quaero de quâ Ecclesiâ intelligas quoà hic dicitur quod non possit errare Res Ipsa congraegatio fideliuÌ„ hîc dicitur Ecclesia Causa 24. q. 1. c. A recta ConciliuÌ„ legitimuÌ„ omniuÌ„ consensu maximè propriè dici possit Ecclesia Bell de Conc. et Eccles l. 1. c. 18 Per EcclesiaÌ„ intelligimê° Pontif. Romanum qui pro teÌ„pore Ecclesia nauiculaÌ„ moderatur et EcclesiaÌ„ PapaÌ„ interpretantur non abnuo Desp ca. 10 lib. 3. de verbo Dei Greg. de Val. disp Theol. ToÌ„ 1. disp 1. q. c. Apud moder nos maximè importat hoc nomen Ecclesia quemadmodum hoc Ecclesia Rom. vrbis duduÌ„ obtinutt cuius ministri et Presidentes sunt Papa et Cardinales ipsius qui iam ex vsu quodam obtinuerunt dici Ecclesia Defens pacis part 2. cap. 2. Cerem li. 1 Sect 8 c. 6. and thus resolues it I would know what Church you vnderstand when you say It cannot erre I answere It is the congregation of the faithfull that is heere meant by the Church To the second Bellarmine replies A lawfull Councell by the most generall consent is most properly termed the Church To the third Gretzerus the Iesuite makes this confession I deny not but by the Church wee vnderstand the Bishop of Rome for the time being who guides the Ship of the militant Church and Gregory de Valentia by the Church wee meane her Head that is to say the Romane Bishop in whom resideth the full authoritie of the Church To the fourth Marsilius Patauinus giues his free assent that the name of the Church is of great consequence amongst the moderne Writers whose Ministers and Presidents are the Pope and Cardinalls which now by vse and custome haue at last obtained to bee called the Church and of this Church the Pope himselfe hath made this declaration Yee shall bee the Senatours of my citie and like vnto Kings the very hookes and stayes of the world vpon whom the very doore of the Church Militant must bee turned and ruled Now amidst these different opinions it must needes seem questionable to which of these Churches a poore ignorant soule who desires satisfaction in matters of Religion should addresse himselfe if hee require iudgement of the Essentiall Church there is little comfort and lesse assurance to be had from them for they consist most of the ignorant and common people and haue chiefest need of instruction themselues besides it is impossible to know the iudgment of all Christians who make the vniuersall Church in all or any particular poynts of Religion If he appeale to Councells their right calling is vncertaine their Decrees and Canons are doubtfull for many of them are adiudged by themselues erronious many spurious and counterfet If hee would consult with the Pope and Cardinals in their Consistorie it is a iourney too costly and tedious besides it will appeare they are subiect vnto errour It resteth then that we examine the infallibilitie of particular Churches and in particular that wee enquire whether the Roman church be that Church which wee are commanded to heare and obey by the authoritie of the Scriptures SECT XVIII The most common Plea of the Romanists drawne from the Infallibilitie Authoritie and Title of the Catholique Church is prooued to be false vaine and friuolous TO giue the Church of Rome her due let vs take a briefe suruay of her first foundation and let vs fee what priuiledge did ancienly belong vnto her and what authoritie shee claimeth at this day First the Apostle St. Paul in his Epistles to the Romans congratulates with them and sendeth them this greeting Rom. 1.7 To all that bee in Rome beloued of God called to be Saints hee testifieth further with prayer thanksgiuing Vers 8. that their Faith was
our aduersaries makes nothing for their purpose for if Cyprian say that Infidelitie cannot come to the Romans whose faith was praised by the Apostles mouth then can none of the people of Rome erre because the faith of them all was praised by the Apostles mouth but the trueth is this holy Father speakes not there of matters of faith nor of the stabilitie of the Romane Church although most Romanists so translate it and apply it but of the tumultuous and disorderly courses of certain lewd persons who being censured by the Bishops of Africa fled to the Bishop of Rome for protection of their cause and therupon vpbraideth them that they came to Rome with lyes and tales which could finde no admittance nor harbour there Nauigare audent et à schismaticis et profanis literas ferre nec cogitare eos esse Romanos quorum fides Apostolo praedicante laudata est adquos persidia non potest habere accessum Cypr. lib. 1. Epist 3. when as they might wel vnderstand that the Romans were men whose Faith was commended by the Apostle Et ad quos perfidia non potest habere accessum vnto whom perfidiousnesse could haue no accesse that is they would giue no eare to their perfidious and calumnious suggestioÌ„s This therefore I must needs say is vnfaithfulnesse and perfidiousnes in the Church of Rome wilfully to misapply those things which make nothing for them I proceed from the infallibilitie of the Church to the authoritie of it wherein you shall likewise obserue the Romanists doe insist especially vpon that knowne confession of St. Austen Ego vero Evangelio noÌ„ credereÌ„ nisi me Catholicae Ecclesiae coÌ„moueret authoritas Aug. contr Ep. Fund cap. 5. I should not haue beleeued the Gospell except the Authoritie of the Church had mooued mee thereunto But I pray what doe these words concerne the Roman Church why should they bee applied rather to the Roman then to his owne Church in Africa or our Chuch in England for hee speakes not of the Roman Church or any particular Church but of the Church indefinitly Moreouer their owne Canus professeth Canus loc Theol. lib. 2. cap. 8. that St. Austen had to doe with a Manichee who would haue a certaine Gospell of his owne admitted without further dispute In this case saith he St. Austen puts the question What if you finde one which doeth not beleeue the Gospell what motiue would you vse to such a one to bring him to your beliefe I for my part saith hee should not haue beene brought to imbrace the Gospell if the Churches authoritie had not swayed with me 〈…〉 reâ— Cyâ— Epiâ— And from hence also Bishop Canus drawes this sound conclusion The faith of the Gospel is not founded vpon the authority of the Church This Exposition of their Romanist is agreeable to our belielfe for wee professe that the first outward motiue to bring men to the knowledge of the Scriptures is the authoritie of Gods Church Hooker Eccles Polit. lib. 3. If I beleeue the Gospell saith Hooker yet is Reason of singular good vse for that it confirmeth me in this my beliefe the more If I doe beleeue as yet neuerthelesse to bring mee to the number of beleeuers except reason did somewhat helpe and were an instrument which God doeth vse to such purposes what should it boot to dispute with infidels and godlesse persons for their conversion and perswasion in that poynt Hee therefore that shall conclude from St. Austens doctrine which he professed in the name of an heretike let him receiue his answer from the same Father when he makes his confession as a true Catholike Ex veritatis ore agnosoo Ecclesiam participem veritatis Aug. in Psal 57. By the mouth of God which is the trueth I know the Church of God which is partaker of the trueth But as it happeneth sometimes that hee who hath fallen into the hands of an vnskilfull Physician is loath afterwards to commit himself euen to a good one Aug. lib. 6. Confess c. 4 So was it in the state of my soule saith Austen which could not bee healed by beleeuing and for feare of beleeuing false things it refused to be cured by true ones And in the Chapter following whilest hee was yet a Manichee hee makes this humble confession Thou Lord Idem Confess l. 6 c. 5. didst perswade mee thus I say not that they were blameable who beleeued thy Bookes which thou hast grounded by such authoritie throughout almost all the nations of the earth but that they indeed were blameable who beleeued them not and that no â—are was to bee giuen to any if peraduenture they should say to mee How dost thou know that these Bookes were imparted to mankind by the Spirit of that one God who is true in himselfe and most true when hee speaketh to vs for that is the very thing it selfe which is especially to bee beleeued Thus St. Austen the Catholique interprets Austen the Heretique After his conversion to the trueth the blessed Spirit did perswade him that there was no eare to bee giuen to those men which made such doubts and questions as are dayly made in the Church of Rome viz. How doe you know the Scriptures to bee the Word of God but as the Samaritans beleeued that Christ was the promised Sauiour vpon the report of a woman yet afterwards when they heard him themselues they professed they beleeued him for his owne sake and not for the womans report So likewise this holy Father first conferred with flesh and blood as the most knowne familiar meanes to introduce a sauing knowledge but after hee had receiued the Spirit and word of trueth he like the Samaritans beleeued the Gospel not for the Churches sake but for Christs own authoritie and his Gospels sake The Authoritie of the Church is rightly compared to a Key which openeth the dore of entrance into the knowledge of the Scripture now when a man hath entred viewed the house and by viewing it likes it and vpon liking resolues vnchangeably to dwell there hee doeth not set vp his resolution vpon the key that let him in but vpon the goodnesse and commodiousnes which he sees in the house I omit diuers Expositions of the learned Romanists touching this saying of Austen Durand l. 3 Dist 24 q. 1 Diedo de Eccl. Script dogm lib. 4. c. 4. Geâ—s de vita spir Animae lect 2. Coroll 7. Durand Driedo and Gerson tell vs That those words of Saint Austen had relation to the Primitiue Church which both saw Christs person and his miracles heard his doctrine Aquinas saith Augustinus de Ecclesia vt causa praeponente non vt fundamento fidei loquitur A quin. in 2 2. quaest 2. art 7. that St. Austen spake of the Church as an ouer-ruling cause but not as a foundation of Faith And for a conclusion of this poynt The minde of the faithfull beleeuer doth not rest in the
all Antiquitie from the Text it selfe if there bee brought no peruerse or preiudicate opinion against it to conclude whether thou wilt or no thou shalt beleeue it from the Popes owne Sentence and determination To this Church then lyeth an appeale from Scriptures from Councels from the Essentiall Church and for that cause Cardinall Bellarmine proclaimes it as the Popes Champion Bellar. de Concil author lib. 2. cap. 17. Nos defendimus Wee maintaine that the Pope is simply and absolutely aboue the vniuersall Church and aboue Generall Councells and as great men sometimes loue to bee soothed vp in their greatnesse and are led with opinion of their Parasites to beleeue that for a trueth which is but a suggestion of falsehood so it came to passe touching the Popes power in these latter dayes they did so much atatribute to his Authoritie and Infallibilitie deriued from Peter that Cardinall Zabarella rightly obserued and ingenuously confessed They haue made the Popes beleeue Persuaserunt Pontificibus quod omnia possunt sic qd facerent quicquid liberet etiam illicitet sint plusquaÌ„ Deus Zabarella that they might doe all things whatsoeuer they listed yea notwithstanding they were things vnlawfull and thus saith he they haue made him more then God Bishop Begnius in the last Councell of Lateran speaking to Pope Leo cryes out in admiration of his Holinesse Ecce venit Leo Behold heere commeth a Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda the Root of Dauid Te Leo beatissime saluatoreÌ„ expectauimus apprehende scutum c Concil Later 5. Sess 6. in orat Begn ad Leon. 10. behold hee hath raised vp a Sauiour which shall deliuer the people of God from the hand of the destroyer Thou art hee O most blessed Leo whom we haue expected as a Sauiour take vp thy sword and buckler and arise in our defence And thus by degrees first Vox populi the common people by admiring his greatnesse then Bishops Cardinals by their flattering suggestions haue at last ascribed infallibilitie of Iudgement to his Authoritie which I am verily perswaded neuer Pope did beleeue in himselfe and hereby they haue aduanced him aboue Fathers aboue CouÌ„cels aboue the Church and now at last made him the whole Church in so much that some of his own side are not ashamed to professe Beard Mot. 6. vide in Iewel p. 49. that the Pope may dispense against the Apostles yea against the new Testament vpon good cause and also against all the precepts of the Old Syluester Prierias Master of the Popes palace goeth further hee giues vs to vnderstand that the authoritie of the Roman Church QuicuÌ„que noÌ„ innititur doctrinae Romanae ecclesiae ac Romani Pontificis tanquaÌ„ Regulae Dei infallibili à quâ etiam sacra Scriptura robur trahit et authoritatem hereticê° est Sylu. Prier contra Luther and of the Bishop of Rome is greater then the authoritie of Gods Word and therupon he concludes Whosoeuer leaneth not to the doctrine of the Roman Church and of the Bishop of Rome as vnto the infallible Rule of God of which Doctrine the holy Scripture taketh force and authoritie he is an heretike And for a further confirmation of this beliefe Gretzerus the Iesuite makes this conclusion Id solum pro verbo Dei veneramur ac suscipimus qd nobis Pontifex ex Cathedra Petri c. Def c. 1. l. 1. de Verbo Dei p. 16. Wee doe receiue and reuerence that onely for the Word of God which the Pope as supreame Master of the Christians and Iudge of all controversies doth determine in the Chaire of Peter Now if it happen that some Proselyte of a tender conscience should make some scruple whether the Pope ought to be heard and obeyed when hee is a murderer a Sorcerer and a wilfull subuerter of the truth as some Popes haue been Hosius their Doctour wisheth them not to trouble theÌ„selues with such idle curiosities Iudas ne sit an Petrus au Paulus Deus atteÌ„di non vult sed soluÌ„ hoc qd sedet in Cathedrâ Petri de cuius ore legem requirere iussus est Hoc soluÌ„ spectari vult Hos in Confess Petricouien ca. 29. God will neuer haue thee consider saith he whether the Pope bee a Iudas or a Peter or a Paul it is sufficient onely that he sitteth in Peters chaire that hee is an Apostle that he is Christs Ambassadour that he is the Angell of the Lord of Hostes from whose mouth thou art commanded to require the Law This thing onely Christ would haue thee to consider Againe admit a Councel a whole congregation of men should make a doubt whether the Pope may erre and by reason of that scruple would not readily obey him Cardinall Bellarmine by way of preuention Si autem Papa erraret praecipiendo vitia vel prohibendo virtutes teneretur Ecclesia credere vitia esse bona et virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientiaÌ„ peccare Bell de Pont. li. 4. c. 5. giues them this lesson If the Pope should so farre foorth erre as to command vices and forbid vertues the Church were bound to beleeue that vices are good and vertues are euill vnlesse shee will sinne against her owne conscience Heere is an implicite faith commanded let the Popes doctrine bee true or false if the Romanists will resigne vp their senses and vnderstanding to this Vertuall Church which is the Pope they shall haue a Priest Cardinall for their Tutors but by their leaue they may make shipwracke of their faith by being their Disciples I proceed from an implicite faith to a blinâ— obedience and therein I will giue you a remarkeable example from another Schooleman who aboue all things doeth honour and commend a blinde obedience to the Church that is to the Pope Gregorie de Valentia tells vs of an Italian Merchant of Placentia who reasoned and resolued with himselfe in this manner I hold it is better to professe the Romane Religion Laurent disceptatio Theolog. pag. 5. then the Lutheran First because I can briefly learne the Roman faith for if I say what the Pope sayes and deny what the Pope denies and if he speake and I hearken vnto him this alone is sufficient for mee but if I should bee a Lutheran I must learne a Catechisme I must search the Scriptures which in trueth I cannot intend when I must look after the Ships of Italy and my Merchandise beyond the Seas You haue heard the reason why this Layman did dislike the Protestants Religion and what was the rule of his Roman faith now heare what iudgement this learned Schooleman giues concerning this Merchant DeuÌ„ nihil habiturum God saieth he will haue nothing to lay to the charge of this man at the dreadfull day of Iudgement To say nothing of this presumption I pray God that Pagans Infidels who knew not Christ arise not vp in Iudgment against them that teach such doctrine for whereas
all men by the Apostles rule should be ready to giue an account of their Faith and must bee iudged by the Word of God this man by not knowing the Scriptures nor the articles of his faith but onely for intending his Merchandise with a blinde obedience and an implicite faith shal be free both from guilt and punishment and no doubt from this general beliefe of the Popes authoritie and infallibilitie the saying of Gregorie the 13. is verified D. 40 Si Papa in Annot. Men doe with such reuerence respest the Apostolicall See of Rome that they rather desire to know the ancient Institution of Christian Religion from the Popes owne mouth then from the holy Scriptures and they onely inquire what is his pleasure and accordingly they order their life and conversation He therefore that will appeale to the Bishop of Rome to Rome let him goe but woe to the Recusants of England other countreys remote from Rome which cannot heare the Church being so farre distant from him nay woe to them at Rome that liue in his Sea for how can they heare him if hee neuer preacheth But withall most miserable is the condition of the hearer notwithstanding he should preach for his owne Cardinall assures vs that if his Holinesse teach not the whole Church Bell lib. 4. de Rom. Pont. lib. 4. cap. 14. hee is in as much possibilitie to erre as Innocent the eight was when hee permitted the Norwegians to celebrate the Eucharist without wine Thus from the multitude of beleeuers which is the Essentiall Church we are sent to the Councell from the Councell which is the Representatiue Church wee are sent to the Pope which is the Virtuall and now at length being arriued at the Pope Consistory his Cardinal giues vs to vnderstand that a man may returne happily as wise as he went but withall intimate◠〈◊〉 vs that there are noâ— oracles â—o infallible doctrine to bee learned from his mouth vnlesse hee will first declare by publike decree that hee intends to preach to the Vniuersall Church Besides how the Vicar of Christ should bee the Spouse of Christ how a particular member of the Church should become a Vniuersall Head of the Church how Papa the Pope anciently a Father should become the Church which is alwayes a Mother it is a mysterie vnsearchable past finding out for sure I am if the Pope be the Church let them pretend whomsoeuer they will for their Father they can haue no Church except Pope Ioane for their Mother It remaineth then that in the next place wee examine the certaintie of that faith which must be learned from the Pope for if the Pope haue not Infallibilitie of Iudgement then is hee not that rule of faith then is he not that Church which is the pillar and ground of truth and consequently miserable is the condition of those poore Christians that relie vpon his opinion as vpon the infallible Doctrine of the Church and first I will proceed to the Popes Succession in doctrine and person compare the doctrine of the ancient Bishops of Rome with the Popes of these later times that thereby wee may discerne whether the Popes Infallibilitie bee priuiledged by his Chaire or whether the ancient Roman faith bee successiuely deriued from the ancient Bishops of Rome to the Popes of these latter ages SECT XX. The Church which is finally resolued into the Pope wants both Personall and Doctrinall Succession as appeares by seuerall instances and exceptions both in matters of fact and matters of faith HOsius the Romanist tels vs for certaine Hos in CoÌ„fess Petricou c. 29. that if we reckon all the Popes that euer were from Peter vntill Iulius the third there neuer sate in his Chaire any Arrian any Donatist any Pelagian or any other that professed any manner of Heresie The reason of this as I conceiue is deliuered by Card. Cusanus Veritas adhaeret Cathedrae vniuersa Catholica Ecclesia ad Petri CathedraÌ„ conglobata à Christo nuÌ„quam recedit Cusan ad Bohem. Epist 2. The trueth cleaueth fast to Peters Chaire the whole vniuersall Catholike Church is rolled vp to Peters chaire shal neuer depart from Christ I wil not take vpon mee to examine the Pope in what Office in what religion in what piece of his life he hath succeeded Peter but that you may know howsoeuer the Popes faith is annexed to the Chaire hee hath errâ—â— and is subiect to error as â—e is Pope I will compare the doctrine of the ancient Bishops of Rome with the faith of the later Popes and the later Popes Decrees and definitiue Sentences with their flat contradictions and contrary Decrees amongst themselues whereby it shall appeare that the later Popes haue not onely erred in disclaiming the decrees of their Predecessours but haue digressed wholly from the ancient Roman Bishops both in faith and manners and withall they want that Infallibilitie that personall and doctrinall Succession which they so much magnifie amongst themselues Anacletus Bishop of Rome in the yeere 103 decreed that after Consecration Dist 1. Episcopus 2. Peracta all present should communicate or else bee thrust out of the Church for so saith hee the Apostles did set downe and the holy Church of Rome obserueth On the contrary at this day it is made lawfull for the Priests to receiue alone the people onely gazing and looking on and withall Pope Iulius the fourth hath decreed in the Councell of Trent Conc. Trid. Canon 8. Sess 22. If any shall say that Masses in which the Priest alone doeth communicate are vnlawfull and therefore ought to be abrogated let him be accursed Leo the Great Bishop of Rome in the yeere 440 speaks of the death of Martyrs in this maner Leo. Epist 81. Although the death of many Saints hath been pretious in the Lords sight yet the death of no innocent person hath beene the propitiation for the world that the righteous receiued crownes but gaue none that of the fortitude of the faithfull haue grown examples of patience not gifts of righteousnesse that their deaths as they were seuerall persons were seuerall to euery of themselues and that none of them by his death paid the debt of any other man because it is only our Lord Iesus Christ in whom all were crucified all dead all buried all raised againe from the dead On the contrarie Haec opinio reprobata est à Pâ—o 5. Pontifice et à Gregorio 13. Bel. de Indul. lib. 1 cap. 40. Pope Pius the 5 and Gregorie the 13 both condemned saith Bellarmine the Diuines of Lovaine and others who defended that the sufferings of the Saints cannot bee true satisfactions but that our punishments are remitted onely by the personall satisfactions of Christ Nay more saith he If the sufferings of Saints may not bee applied to vs to free vs from the punishment due for our sinnes lest they should seeme to bee our Redeemers then certainly wee our selues cannot
sacras literas interpretari possint Alphonsus aduers Haeres lib. 1. cap. 4. whether one maâ— may bee a Pope and an heretike both together for I beleeue there is none so shameles a flatterer of the Pope that will graunt him that prerogatiue that hee can neuer erre nor bee deceiued in expouÌ„ding the scripture seeing it is well knowne that diuers Popes haue beene so palpably vnlearned that they haue beene vtterly ignorant of their Grammar and therefore how can they be able to expound the Scriptures 8. Lyra. Exhoc patet quod Ecclesia non consistit in hominibus ratione potestatis vel dignitatis Ecclesiasticae vel saecularis quia multi Principes et suÌ„mi Pontifices inuenti sunt Apostataffe à Fide Lyra in Math. 6. Hereby it appeareth that the Church standeth not vpon men in consideration of their power or dignitie Ecclesiasticall or Temporall for many Princes and Popes haue prooued Apostata's and strayed from the Faith 9. Arboreus The Pope may erre in Fai h and he seemeth to me to bee in a foule errour that thinketh otherwise surely they doe but flatter the Bishop of Rome Papa infideÌ„ errare potest et tota mihi aberrare videtur qui alitèr sentit assentatur fanè Romano Pontifici qui faciunt eum immunem à lapsu hareseot schismatis Thesoph lib 4. cap. 32. that make him free from falling into Schisme or heresie Neque aliquem sua dignitas ab increpationibus tutuÌ„ reddit quae Petrum noÌ„ reddidit multosque alios eodem praditos gradu vt MarcelluÌ„ qd Diis libâ—sset vt Calestinum qd cuÌ„ Nestorio haretico sentiâ—et De Donat ConstaÌ„tini Persona quaelibet singularis de Ecclesia cuiusâ—unque dignitatis etiamsi Papalis circundata est infirmitate et deuiabilis est vt fallere possit falli Gerson de examinat doctr Consid 1. 10. Laurentius Valla No mans dignitie doth defend him from controulment for Peter was not so defended nor many others that were aduanced to that degree as Pope Marcellinus in that he offered sacrifices vnto Idols and Pope Caelestinus in that he agreed with the heretike Nestorius 11. Gerson Euery one of what degree soeuer in the Church although hee bee Pope himselfe is compassed with infirmities and subiect vnto errour and is in possibilitie of deceiuing and being deceiued 12. Erasmus Siverum est qd quidam asseuerant Romanum Pontificem errore iudicali noÌ„ posse vnquam errare quid opus generalibus Conciliis quid opus in ConciliuÌ„ accersere Iuris consultes ac theologos eruditos si pronuÌ„tian labi noÌ„ possit cur datê° est apellationi locus vet ad Synodum vel ad eundeÌ„ rectiê° edoctum postea quaÌ„ semel de causa proâ—uÌ„tiauit PontificeÌ„ quorsum attinet Academiaâ— in tractandis fidei quaestionibus distorquere cum ex vno Pontifice quod veruÌ„ est â—â—diro liceat Imò qui fit vt Pontificis huius decreta â—um illius pugnaÌ„ Decretis Eras Annot in 1 Cor. 7. If it bee true which some said that the Bishop of Rome can neuer erre Iudically what need Generall Councells why are men skilfull in the Lawes and learned in Diuinitie sent for to Councells If hee pronouncing cannot erre wherfore lyeth there any Appeale from the Pope to a Councell or to the Pope himselfe being better informed To what purposes are so many Vniuersities troubled with handling questions of Faith when truth may be had from his mouth Nay how commeth it to passe that one Popes Decrees are found contrary to an other The learned Romanists are all vowed seruants to the Pope but they giue not vp their verdict concerning the Popes Infallibilitie by reason they agree not in certaine amongst themselues and the reason as I conceiue of this their disagreement is the want of good euidence and pregnant testimonies giuen to the Inquest in the Popes behalfe for it is obserued by a Reuerend D. Feilds Append. to the 3. Book c. 26 p. 340. Diuine That the Infallibilitie of the Popes Iudgement was so farre from being a thing resolued of in the Church of God before our time that Stapleton confesseth of these times It is yet no matter of Faith but of opinion onely because so many famous renowned diuines haue euer holden the contrary as Gerson Almaine Occam almost all the Parisians all they that thought the Councell to be aboue the Pope Adrianus Sextus Durandus Alphonsus à Castro and many moe And it was likewise published declared within these two hundred yeres by their owne generall and graund Councell of Basil Vniuersalis Ecclesia sape obedientiam Romanis Pontificibê° subtraxit Marcellino Anastatio Liberio Iohanni 12. Benedicto 9. Benedicto 13. Iohanni 23 Certum est PapaÌ„errare posse sape experti sumus et legimus Papam errasse Epi. Synod CoÌ„cil Basil that the vniuersall Church did oftentimes withdraw her obedience from the Romane Bishops as namely from Marcellinus Anastasius Liberius Iohn the twelfth Benedict the ninth Benedict the thirteenth and Iohn the 23 and there the reason is giuen because it is certaine the Pope may erre and this say they wee haue read and seene by experience These things being aduisedly heard and considered I haue again consulted with the Foreman of the Inquest who would haue it piously to bee beleeued that the Pope cannot erre what should become of those that yeelde obedience to the Pope when he may erre and teach false doctrine or how shall a troubled mind learne the Law from his mouth when he neuer preacheth To this the Cardinall replies Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 3. cap. 5. It is not materiall whether you heare the Pope or no when as there are Teachers in your owne Parish who may informe you And thus from the Essentiall Church to the Councell from the Councell to the Consistorie of Cardinalls from the Consistorie to the Pope from the Pope wee are sent at last to the Bishop or Priest of the Parish this is Via Dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way and this is Via Deuia a wandring and By-way SECT XXII The Church vpon which the learned Romanists ground their Faith is no other then the Pope and the Church vpon which the vnlearned Romanists do relie is no other then their Parish Priest TOllet the Iesuite obseruing that difference of opinions might breed some distraction in the Church and scruples in the minds of the ignorant resolues with what safetie the Romish Proselytes may relie vpon their Priests doctrine Si rusticus circa articulos credat suo Episcopo propoueÌ„ti aliquod dogma haereticuÌ„ meretur in credendo licet sit error quia tenetur credere donec ei constet esse contra Ecclesiam Toll de Instruct Sacerd lib. 4. cap 3. If one beleeue saith hee his Bishop or Prelate preach contrarie to the Faith thinking that it is so beleeued by the Church such a one shall not onely not sinne but also in beleeuing that falshood shall
performe an act meritorious The beliefe then of the Romish doctrine doeth not consist altogether in the trueth of it but in the faith of the beleeuer for let it be true or false if it bee receiued with an affected ignorance and a blinde obedience the partie shall be safe as it were by fire that is as they elegantly vnderstand it shall goe through the fire of Purgatory to heauen Cardinall Cusanus hath giuen his voice with Cardinal Tollet that it is the safest and surest way to relie vpon the Priest as Ruler of the people without further inquirie of the trueth and thereupon he cries out with admiration as if hee would astonish his Disciples with the name of the Church QuaÌ„ firma est aedificatio Ecclesiae quia nemo decipi potest etiam per maluÌ„ praesidentem Si dixeris Domine obediui tibi in praeposito hoc tibi sufficiet ad salutem tu enim per obedientiam quam facis praeposito queÌ„ Ecclesia â—olerat decipi nequis etiaÌ„si praeceperit alia quaÌ„ debuit praesumit enim ecclesia de illa sententia cui si tu obedieris magna erit meâ—ces tuâ— Obedeenâ—â—â—t â—tur irrâ—â—tionalis est coâ— suâ—mâ—ta obedientia et per fectissima scil quando obeditur sine inquisitione rationis sicut tumentuÌ„ obedit domino suo Cusan Exist lib. 2. lib. 6. O how strong is the building of the Church for no man can be deceiued no not by an euill Bishop if thou say vnto God O Lord I haue obeyed thee in my Bishop this shall suffice thee vnto saluation for thou canst not bee deceiued by thy obedience that thou yeeldest to the Bishop whom the Church suffereth although hee commaund thee other things then he ought to doe for the Church presumeth his sentence to bee good which sentence if thou obey thy reward shall bee great Obedience therefore without reason is a full and perfect obedience that is when thou obeyest without inquiring of reason as a horse is obedient to his Master The Bishop or Priest then is the man we must obey and beleeue for his lips preserue knowledge his tongue will tell no lies but what if hee faile in his doctrine what if hee erre in his opinion are we sure he doeth euer deliuer the constant Tenet of his Church Admit then Saint Bernard were aliue and if a poore ignorant soule should come vnto him and demand of him whether hee thinke it possible for a man to keepe the Commandements will he say that a man may keep them for the Church teacheth so Bernard in Can. Serm. 50. when as he himself confidently affirmeth Therin thou shalt yeeld vnto vs that the Commaundements neither haue been fulfilled by any man in this life nor indeed can bee Admit that Thomas Aquinas were aliue and one of his disciples should desire to be resolued what worship to giue an Image would he tell him it must be worshipped with Dulia an inferiour honour when as himselfe protesteth Quod eâdeÌ„ reuerentia exhibeatur Imagini Christi vt ipsi Christo Aquin. p. 3. q. 25. art 3. that the Image of Christ is to bee honoured with the same honour that Christ himselfe is Admit that Cardinal Caietan were aliue and one should desire to know whether the Bookes of Macabees were canonical Scriptures would hee teach they were Canonicall when his fellow Canus professeth Canus li. 2. loc Theol. cap. 11. hee was so farre from teaching it that hee maintained the contrary Looke vpon the grand fundamental point of Transubstantiation if a Romanist will consult with the Priests and Bishops of these late ages it will appeare there could be no certaintie for an ignorant lay man to build his faith vpon the resolution of his Priest or Prelate As for instance in this particular poynt If a lay Papist had required satisfaction of Bishop Fisher Whether the doctrine of Transubstantiation was grouÌ„ded vpon the authoritie of the Scripture it is presumed he would haue answered according to his owne writing Roffens contr Capt. BabylonicaÌ„ c. 10. N. 8. O. Non potest per vllam Scripturam probare It cannot bee proued by any place of Scripture If hee had appealed from the Bishop to a Court of Cardinals Cardinall de Aliaco would haue told him Patet quod ille modê° sit possibilis nec repugnat rationi nec authoritati Bibliae c. Pet. de Alliac in 4. Sent. q. 6. Art 1. Caier in 3. part q. 79. Art 1. The maner which supposeth the substance of bread to remaine is possible neither is it contrary to reason nor the authoritie of the Scriptures Card. Caietan would haue told him That part which the Gospell hath not expressed wee haue receiued expresly from the Church viz. the conuersion of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ Card. Bellarmine would haue told him It is not altogether improbable that there is no expresse place of Scripture to prooue it Bellar. de Euch. lib. 3. cap. 23. and it may iustly bee doubted whether the Text bee cleare enough to inforce it Againe admit an ignorant lay man would require the iudgement of particular Priests in former ages Bertram a Priest would haue told him Bertr of the body and blood of Christ ann 1623. In respect of the substance of the creatures looke whatsoeuer they were before Consecration they are euen the same after Bellar. de Euch. l. 5. c. 15. Peter Lombard and Aquinas would haue told him that the Sacrament of the Altar was a commemoratiue sacrifice because it communicated the effects of the real killing of Christ Ante Lateranense CoÌ„cilium non fuit dogma fidei Scot. in 4. Sent. dist 11. q. 3. Scotus would haue told him Transubstantiation was not beleeued as a point of faith before the Councel of Lateran about 400 yeeres agoe Durand would haue told him The materiall part of the consecrated bread was not conuerted Durand 4. d. 11. q. 1. Bell. de Euchar. lib. 3. cap. 13. All these were Priests and members of the Romane Church they were Defenders of the Roman Faith in their times they declared by their Writings and Instructions to the people that doctrine which was altogether different if not flatly opposite to the Tenet of the now Roman Church And from hence it will follow that either the Roman Church doth want that Vnitie in poynts of Faith which they so much magnifie amongst themselues or otherwise it is an vnstable and a doubtfull way to relie vpon the instructions of his Bishop or Priest for the assurance of his right beliefe Moreouer that the Cardinals Bishops maintained a different doctrine from their owne Church it will appeare by the seuerall confessions confutations of their own Church-men Touching Bertram Bellar. de Script Eccles Tom. 7 p 121. Bellarmine saith Paschasius Ratbertus liuing at that time wrote a booke against him and confuted his errour Touching Peter Lombard
and Aquinas Bellarmine tells vs Bellarm. de Euch. lib. 5. cap. 15. They were not carefull of that which is now in question viz. the daily renewed reall sacrificing of Christ Touching Scotus their own Suarez tels vs Suar. in 3. Tho. Euch. disp 5. sect 2. he was to bee corrected for his opinion of the Sacrament Touching Durand Bellarmine professeth That saying of Durand is hereticall Bellar. de Euch. lib. 3. cap. 13. although hee is no heretike because hee is ready to submit to the iudgement of the Church Thus for want of that sure rule of faith which is squared by the Word of God both Priests and people rest doubtfull of the issue and their successe in controuersie 1 Cor. 14.8 and if the Trumpet giue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe vnto the battell saith the Apostle It is no difficult matter to runne through all ages and all points in difference betwixt vs and to shew that many Priests and Bishops who liued and died members in the Roman Church taught different doctrine from the now Roman faith This way therefore is certainly vncertaine and this was easily discouered by their Superiors insomuch that Stapleton by way of preuention prescribeth this direction for the common people Non quid sed quid loquatur fidelis populus attendere debet Ordinarius Ecclesiae Doctor audiendus est non indicandus Stapl. princ fid doct contr 4 lib. 8. c. 5. 9. They must not intend what is spoken but attend to him that speaketh for hee is to be heard and not iudged And because through such blind obedience and implicit beliefe it might be thought a poore lay man will not bee able to render an account of his faith the Rhemists proclaime it for sound and Catholike doctrine that if an ignorant Papist be conuented before the Commissionere for his Religion he shall appeale onely to the Romane Church and his owne Church shall sufficiently warrant his beliefe Rhem. Annot in Luk. 12.11 He saith enough and defendeth himselfe sufficiently say they when hee answereth he is a Catholike man and that hee will liue and die in that Faith which the Catholique Church throughout all Christian Countreys hath and doeth teach and that his Church can giue a reason of all the things which they demaund of him How poore an Apologie he makes for his Religion that saith he is a Catholike and thinkes to be saued by another mans faith who doeth not vnderstand Saint Peter who is pretended to be the Popes predecessor taught the Catholiques of former ages an other lesson 1. Pet. 3.15 Be ready saith hee alwayes to giue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of that hope that is in you with meekenesse and feare But obserue the policie of the Church of Rome they pretend that Ignorance is the Mother of Deuotion and therefore say they it will be sufficient for the lay people to beleeue the Priest and to rest vpon the authoritie of the Church and for that purpose Bellarmine instructeth his Disciples that the learned must labour and search out the mysteries of Religion but the ignorant may sit and take their ease The oxen did plow and labour Roues arabāt et asinae pascebantur iuxta eos docet per boues significari homines doctos per asinas homines imperitos qui simplicitèr credentes in intelligētia maiorum acquiescunt Bell. lib. 1. de Iustif c. 7 saith Gregorie and the asses fed by them By the oxen saith the Cardinall are meant the learned Doctors of the Church by the asses are meant the ignorant people which out of simple beliefe rest satisfied in the vnderstanding of their Superiors I will not applie the Cardinalls illustration for I speak not this out of scorne and disgrace but out of shame and pitie to see the poore ignorant soule not onely abused in the name but in the nature of that thing which concernes the saluation of his soule Canus their owne Bishop of Canaries professeth openly that it was the custome of vnlearned men of Saracens of Pagans of Heretiques Canus loc Theol. lib. 12. cap. 4. to receiue the blind and senselesse opinions of their Sects without iudgement and examination And Espenceus tells vs Espenc in 2 Tim. 3. Num. 17. It was the Colliers faith who being demanded what hee beleeued made answere he beleeued what the Church beleeued and the Church beleeued what hee beleeued Is not this the practise of the church of Rome at this day Are they not fully perswaded that without deepe ignorance of the people it is not possible for their Church to stand doe they not in this point particularly vrge these the like Scriptures Obedience is better then sacrifice Heare the Church The Priests lips preserue knowledge and the like How fitly may I say prophetically doth St. Hierome reflect vpon the Priests of these latter times wherein they chase the people from the Scriptures and suffer them vtterly to know nothing Nolint discipulos ratione aiscutere sed se Praecursores sequi Hier. in Esay lib. 9 cap. 30. These men saith hee challenge vnto themselues such authoritie that whether they teach with the right hand or the left whether they teach good things or bad they will not haue their disciples with reason to examine their sayings but onely for to follow them being their leaders And certainly herein they much resemble the Iewes who as Lyra reporteth had that conceit of their great Rabbies in so much they made it their open profession Respōdendū est quicquid hoc modo proponitur etiamsi dicant dextrā esse sin strā Lyra in Deut. ca. 11. Whatsoeuer they say vnto vs we must needs receiue it yea although they tell vs the right hand is the left And this is the actiue authority the Bishop or Parish Priest doth exercise toward the people and this is the passiue obedience with an implicite faith the people submits vnto the Priest Giue me leaue therefore to speake vnto the Roman Bishop or Parish Priest in the words of St Austen the ancient Father Aug. contr Epist Manich c. 5. Athanas Tom 2 in Serm. contr eos qui iubent simplicitèr credere quae ipsi dicunt Vsque adeò me stultum putas c. Doest thou thinke mee such a foole without reason rendred I should beleeue what you would haue mee and what you dislike I should not beleeue Shall I beleeue without iudgement or reason shall I not inquire nor consider what is what may bee what is profitable what is decent what acceptable to God what sutable to Nature what agreeable to Truth Since then no humane authoritie can bee the Rule of faith since there can bee no certaintie no infallibilitie foūd in any particular Priest or Bishops for particular men may erre I will conclude with that safe and infallible rule which St. Chrysostome gaue to the Christians of his time Let vs not haue the opinions of
1. Kings 21. the greatest number were Idolaters In Ieremies time the Priests and Prophets Ierem. 7.4 which were the chiefe in authoritie were false teachers yet like the Romanists in these dayes they cryed out The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord. 1 Kings 19.14 In the time of Elias there was a generall Apostacie in the Church of Israel insomuch that hee being a Prophet could not discerne it so that a visible and illustrious Church may appeare to bee the true Church when shee beareth but the visor and title of a true Church the Church of God may so lie hid that the principall members yea and eminent Pastors themselues may bee ignorant where to finde it for God hath not tied his Church to a visible company that are known to all to be true professors at all times neither hath hee commanded a Register to bee kept of their names that hee might call the Church after their names for if any should call for the names of professors in all ages nay if any one should demand but the name of any one of those seuen thousand which neuer bowed to Baal and were vnknowne to the Prophet himselfe it would seeme a mysterie vnsearchable and a man past finding out Neither was this backesliding or falling away in the Church caused for want of Gods promises for they were gracious far exceeding those promises to the Church of Rome The Prophet tells vs that the glorie of God did sit between the Cherubins in the Sanctuarie and God had promised that there should be his seat and yet the Priests did corrupt it with superstition God left the place without any Holinesse Hee extends his promises further I will walke saith he in the midst of you I will haue my Tabernacle amongst you for euer my name shall bee in Hierusalem I haue sanctified it that my name may be there for euer yet of this Church to which so many promises were annexed the Prophet complaines Esay 56.10 11. The watchmen are become blinde they do no good they are dumbe dogs they are shopheards that cannot vnderstand Now as you see the Extent and promises of his Church were large so you must know they were all alwayes annexed to a condition If you be my people if you serue mee if you walk in my commandements if you aske counsell at my mouth agreeable to the answer of the Prophet Osea Osea 4.6 Because thou hast reiected knowledge I will reiect thee that thou shalt be no Priest to mee seeing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God I will also forget thy children Now as you haue heard the Law was perished from the Priests and Counsell frō the Ancients as if there had been a second deluge of People and Pastors so now the earth shall bring foorth her increase that is as Hierom expounds it the blessed Virgin which comes of the earth shall bring foorth the blessed fruit of her sanctified wombe that what was lost by the first Adam might bee repaired by the second and surely it was high time to rectifie the ancient Doctrine for the leauen of the Pharises had almost sowred the whole lumpe neither doth Christ deferre the time by reason of his minoritie for at 12 yeeres old hee disputeth with the great Rabbies in their Synagogues but obserue what entertainment they gaue him Hee calleth for a reformation of life and doctrine they replyed he would destroy the Temple he vrgeth and layeth open to them the Scriptures they plead their owne Traditions he discouers shewes vnto them their false glosses they answer he had a Deuill hee preached to them of the kingdome of heauen they accuse him for speaking against the Maiestie of Caesar yet this Church of Hierusalem if you regard Antiquitie they were descended from Abraham if Calling they were Priests and Scribes if Place their Temple was the LORDS House if Councels they had solemne Assemblies and meetings but if I should demand where or in whom was the true Church before Christs comming as our aduersaries question ours before Luthers they may answere the Iewes had a visible Church in regard of Gods promises Simeon Anna. Ioseph and Mary Zachary Elizabeth but I dare promise for them they can giue vs the names of a very small number Compare then the church of Hierusalem the Church of Rome together the Church of Hierusalem had her Priests and Caiphas the High Priest and Sacrifices and Councells and a Temple and Traditions and Moses Chaire and the Oracles of God The Church of Rome hath her Priests her Sacrifice of the Masse her Caiphas the Pope that is guided by the Spirit of prophecie shee hath her Temple Traditions and Peters Chaire and last of all because it is least with her in request she hath the Gospel of Christ Now when we cal vpon the Church for a reformation of doctrine they answer Their Church is Catholike cannot erre wee lay before them the word of God for a Rule to examine their Doctrine they answere the Word is not sufficient without the helpe of their Traditions wee shew them their false glosses in Exposition of the Scriptures they answere that it is the right of their Church to iudge of the true sense of the Scriptures But if we shall demand of them where or by whom all their twelue new Articles published within the memorie of man by Pope Pius the 4 were receiued and beleeued as Articles of Faith before the Councell of Trent I am more then confident they shall not find so many professors of that Faith and doctrine at Luthers comming as there were true beleeuers in the Church of Hierusalem at Christs comming And for the better manifestation of this Tenet I will beginne from the time of Christ and his Apostles and briefly relate the courses and changes the Visibilitie and obscurity the alteration and long wished for Reformation of the Roman Faith and Doctrine in all ages till the dayes of Luther SECT XXIIII The latencie and obscuritie of the true Church is prooued by pregnant testimonies of such who complained of corruptions and abuses and withall desired a Reformation in all ages from the time of Christ and his Apostles to the dayes of Luther 2 Thess 2.7 IN the First age the Apostle St. Paul giues vs to vnderstand that the Mysterie of iniquitie began to worke And St. Iohn tells vs of dangerous Heretiques in his time 1 Iob. 2.19 saying They went out from vs but they were not of vs. Now as Iniquitie did closely worke so likewise Errour began to spread it selfe insomuch as both those who were called and those also who were chosen by Christ did erre grieuously both in manners and doctrine and through their fall followed a latencie and obscuritie in the true Church Iudas erred in Manners being called when through couetounes hee betraied Christ The Apostles erred in Manners being chosen whē they forsooke Christ Nay more the Elect Apostles
where hee was fed with bread and water And hence we may obserue that if the Pope of Rome bee the Virtuall and totall Church if he be that Rule of Faith vpon whose infallibilitie the whole Christian world must relie in matters of beliefe as the Church of Rome teacheth then certainly the Church at this time was driuen into great straights when as the Head of the Church or rather the totall Church fell into dangerous heresie and consequently eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie can be no sure Note of the true Church But as it was rightly obserued by Isidorus Pleasitota the declination of the true Church from the Apostles time was caused through the distemperature of the Head and thereupon hee makes this ingenuous confession Isid lib. 3. Ep. 408. In the dayes of the Apostles and afterwards when the Church flourished and laboured of no disease the diuine Graces of God went as it were in a ring round about it but afterward it grew diseased and was troubled with faction then all those things fled away not through his carelesnesse and negligence that first inriched her but through their naughtinesse that gouerned not things as they should haue done Ann. 600. to 700. In the seuenth Age Iohannes de Molinis tells vs In Speculo Carmelit cap 6. from the time of Heraclius the Emperor after the yeere 600 the day inclined towards the euening and the Church hauing been in an ecclipse set in the West and became almost deficient And Gregorie himselfe complaines Greg. Ep. 4. l. 1. Iud. 9. that the Ship of the Church was in danger of shipwracke Nay more Diabolê° ita valdè in qui busdam necessaris Ecclesiae membris dentes figit vt omne quod absit citius ouile dilaniet Greg. lib. 4. Ep 36 The Devill saith he so strongly fastneth his teeth in the necessarie members of the Church that vnlesse by Gods grace the prouident company of Bishops ioyne together hee will soone destroy the whole flock of Christ Flens dico gemens denuntio I speake it with teares Quia cum Sacerdotis ordo intus cecidit foris diu stare non potuit I tell it with sighs of heart seeing the Order of Priesthood is fallen within it cannot now stand long without The chiefe reason of this complaint was caused by Iohn Bishop of Constantinople who at this time assumed the Title of Vniuersall Bishop and as new Lords are commonly said to make new Lawes so from and after this time many alterations succeeded in Faith and Manners both in Head and members of the same house Thus wee haue heard in the first age The mysterie of iniquitie began to worke In the second there was a conspiracie against the Trueth In the third Heretikes arose and assaulted her In the fourth the Church was darkened by the multitude of Heresies In the fift she was most flourishing in her members but knowne only by the Scriptures In the sixt the Head of the Church was diuided by heresie from the body In the seuenth there was a declination towards the West and consequently there followed a darkenesse and obscuritie more or lesse in succeeding ages Now as you haue heard complaints against heretikes and persecutors that inuaded the ancient Church in her first best ages so likewise you shall obserue there followed corruptions and errours in Doctrine and Discipline whereby Obscuritie became the proper mark of the true Church almost in all ages till the dayes of Luther In the eight Age Paulus Diaconus calls to the Christians of that time to awake and listen vnto him for saith he You haue buried in contempt and obliuion the word of God Wolph Tom. 1.203 you haue made the Temple a denne of theeues and instead of sweet melody you resound blasphemies against God himselfe and therefore verie shortly the vniuersall Catholike Cittie will fall to ground And Venerable Bede calles to them of his time Nec sine lachrymis rem lachrymis dignam coÌ„templeÌ„tur quantuÌ„ Ecclesiae flatus ad petora quotidiè vel vt mitius dicaÌ„ ad infirmiora gereÌ„da deuol uatur Bed ii 4 in Sâ—m cap. 2. p. 30â— to behold the lamentable estate of the Church Neither saith he let them behold it without teares which is worthy to bee lamented in that it is growne worse and worse or to speake more fauourably it is at least fallen into great infirmities And Charles the Great makes this generall complaint touching the doctrine and Doctors of the Church Carolus Magnus de Imag. in Praefat. The Priests laying aside all sound and wholesome doctrine and little regarding that of the Apostle If an Angell preach other doctrine let him be accursed they transgresse the commandements of the Fathers and bring into the Church such doctrine as was neuer knowne to Christ and his Apostles In the ninth Age Arnulphus Bishop of Orleance an eye witnesse of those times professed openly There is made a departure not onely of Nations but of Churches the Man of Sinne now begins to bee discouered Religion is ouerthrowen and the seruice of God is contemned by the chiefe Priests themselues and that which is more Rome it selfe now almost left alone is departed from her selfe Ann. 900. to 1000. In the tenth Age Christ saith Baronius lay asleepe in the Ship of the Church Bar. Tom 10. ann 912 num 8. ann 900. Sect 1. and which is worse there was not any found amongst his disciples who awaked our Lord all of them being in a snorting sleepe It was the age next to that wherein the Deuill was let loose Infaelix dicitur hoc saeculuÌ„ exhaustuÌ„ hominibus ingenio et doctrinâ claris siue etiam claris Princitibus et Pontificibus Geneb Chron. Vbr. 4. That vnhappy age saith Genebrard which was exhausted both of men for wit and learning and of worthy Princes and Bishops In this time saith Wernerus Christian faith began much to decline from her first virilitie when as in many Christian prouinces neither the Sacraments nor Ecclesiasticall Rites were obserued And Ioachim Abbot complaineth Est et alia sicus quae malidictione praeuarâ—cationis exarnit Latina Ecclesia siue nâ—â—icula Petri. Morn c. that the Latin Church was another Fig tree dryed vp which did beare nought else but temporall leaues and bid her selfe vnder the Title of the Church to the shame of the Pope and his Sea In the eleuenth Age Ann. 1000. to 1100. Who will let me see the Church before I dye saith Bernard as in the dayes of olde Bernar in Cant. Serm 33. when the Apostles did cast foorth their Netts not to take siluer and gold but to take soules There creepeth saith hee an ougly Rott at this present through the whole body of the Church yea the wound of the Church is inward and past recouery And a Canonized Saint of the Romish Church Morn de Eccl p â—â—2 Virgo â— Mathilda tells them of that Age The
VIA DEVIA THE BY-WAY Mis-leading the weake and vnstable into dangerous paths of Error by colourable shewes of Apocryphall Scriptures vnwritten Traditions doubtfull Fathers ambiguous Councells and pretended Catholike Church Discouered By HVMFREY LYNDE Knight Scriptura Regula credendi certissima tutissimáque est Bell de Verb. Dei 40 1 cap 2. LONDON Printed by Aug. M. for ROB. MILBOVRNE and are to be sold at his Shop at the Grayhound in Pauls Churchyard 1630. TO THE INGENVOVS AND Moderat Romanists of this Kingdome H. L. Wisheth the knowledge of the Safe way that leadeth to eternall Happinesse CHristian is my name and Catholique is my Sirname the one I challenge from my Baptisme in Christs Church the other from my profession of All sauing Truâ—th in Gods Word If you question this my right or claime I will produce my Euidence out of ancient and vndoubted Records and ioyne Issue with you vpon the marks of your owne Church Antiquitie Vniuersalitie Succession and if I prooue not the Faith which I professe to bee Ancient and Catholike I will neither refuse the name nor punishment due to Heresie As touching the Visibilitie of our Church I haue answered your Iesuites Challenge by the Title of Via Tuta the Safe Way wherein I haue appealed to the best learned of your owne side both for the Antiquitie of our Religion and the Noueltie of your owne If you require further satisfaction in this point read peruse the Articles of our Church tell me without a preiudicate opinion if our Church was not Ancient Visible long before Luthers dayes Our 22. Bookes of Canonicall Scripture were they not published and receiued in all ages before Luther Our three Creeds The Apostles Nicene Athanatius Creed were they not anciently beleeued and generally receiued in the Church before Luther Our Liturgie and Book of Common Prayer was it not the same for substaÌ„ce which was taught and professed in the bosome of the Romane Church before Luther Our two Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper were they not instituted by Christ were they not published and receiued in all ages before Luther These are the Foundations of our Church and all these in despight of malice it selfe must bee acknowledged by our aduersaries that they are taught by vs and were vniuersally receiued long before Luthers dayes And as touching the particular tenets of our Church opposite to your Trent Creed our spirituall receiuing of Christ by faith onely whereby wee are made truely and really partakers of Christs body crucified is agreeable to all Christian Confessions and taught by all antiquitie before Luther Our publique Communion of Priest with people had Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie in the best and first ages Bel. de Missa lib. 2. ca. 9 10. by Bellarmines confession long before Luther Our Prayer and Seruice in a knowne tongue was publiquely deliuered and anciently taught by Bellarmines confession long before Luther Bell de verbo Dei lib. 2. cap. 16. Our Communion in both kinds was instituted by Christ and continued in the Primitiue Churches by Bellarmines confession long before Luther Idem de Euch. lib. 4 cap. 24. Nay more the Psalmes of Dauid which vvee sing and some of you blasphemously tearme Geneua Iigges were in ancient vse amongst the common people long before Luther In Bethlem where Christ vvas borne turne whither thou wilt saith Hierome the Husbandman holding his Plough Hier. in 1. Epist 17. ad Marcel continually singeth Alleluia the Mower when hee sweateth and is wearie refresheth himselfe with Psalmes the Gardiner as hee dresseth his Vine with his hooke hath some piece of Dauid in his mouth These I say are the chiefe principles of our Religion these vvee holde vnder the Charter of the great King and all these by the testimonies of our aduersaries themselues were publikely known and generally practised long before Luthers dayes Doe you looke for an outvvard Forme of a glorious and Visible Church in obscure ages Doe you looke for A Citie vpon a Hill in the darke night of errour and ignorance I appeale to your ovvn consciences to vvhat purpose were the prophecies of Christ and his Apostles that the Church should flie into the wildernesse and lie hid there that Faith should not bee found on the earth that the time will come when they will not suffer wholsome doctrine but shal be giuen to Legends fables that some should giue heed to the spirit of errour and doctrine of Deuills that after a thousand yeeres Sathan should be let loose and deceiue the foure quarters of the earth were all these things foretold that it might bee fulfilled what was spoken are the thousand yeeres long since expired and yet shall vve thinke that none of these prophesies are accomplished Admit the man of Sinne bee not reuealed yet the Mysterie of iniquitie began to vvorke in the Apostles time and the Euangelist tells vs the tares vvhich the thiefe fovved in the night had almost choaked the good corne and lest there might be some expectation of a great multitude which shold assume the Title of an eminent and glorious Church our Sauiour himselfe by way of preuention cals his Church by the name of A little flocke Luke 12.32 as if a small number were the ancient Character of the true Church The malignaÌ„t Church hath many heretikes and hypocrites which indeed make a great noyse for a visible Church when as those wicked persons saith Austen although they seeme to bee in the Church August de Bapt. lib. 6. cap. 3. yet they appertaine not to the true Church That many are called is the Church visible that few are chosen is the Church inuisible Neither doe vvee hereby make two churches when we consider this Church after a two fold maner Bellar. de Eccles li. 3. cap. 15. In the Church something is beleeued some thing is seene we see that company of men which is the Church but that this coÌ„pany is the true Church we do not see it but beleeue it this is Bellarmines confession this is ours Againe looke back and take a briefe Suruey of the Church in seuerall ages It began with two in Paradise there remained in the flood but eight persons in that number there vvas an accursed Cham. In Sodome not ten persons nay scarce three righteous to be found there was but one Ioshua and Caleb of many thousands that entred the land of Canaan In the fiery trial but three children at the comming of Christ there was Simeon and Anna Ioseph and Mary Zacharie and Elizabeth and not many more knowne to bee sincere professours of Gods Trueth in the Church of Hierusalem In the Colledge of the Apostles there were but twelue and one was the sonne of perdition In the time of persecution for three hundred yeres after Christ Eusebius tels vs Euseb lib. 8 cap 2. the Church was ouerwhelmed to the ground and the Pastors of the Churches hid themselues heere
noÌ„ in Conciliis EpiscoporuÌ„ noÌ„ in literis quorum libet disputatorum non in signis prodigiis fallacibus quia etiam contra ista verbo Dom. praeparati et cautired diti sumus sed in praescripto Legis in Prophetarum praedictis in Psalmorum cantibus in ipsius Pastoris vocibus in EuangelistaruÌ„ praedicationibus et laboribus hoc est in omnibus Canonicis SanctoruÌ„ librorum authoritatibus Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 16. and vpon these they challenged that great Champion but heare what answere hee makes them Let the Donatists if they can shew their Church not in rumors and speeches of the men of Africa not in the Councels of their Bishops not in discourses of any Writers whatsoeuer not in signes and miracles that may bee forged for we are forewarned by Gods word and therefore fore-armed against those things but in the prescript of the Law in the prediction of the Prophets in the verses of the Psalmes in the voices of the Shepheard himselfe in the preaching and workes of the Euangelistes that is in all the Canonicall authorities of the sacred Scriptures If Saint Austen had been liuing in these dayes either he must haue retracted this Protestant doctrine or hee would haue beene reputed for an heretique for all these marks which were anciently maintained by the Donatists are proclaimed by our aduersaries to be visible characters of the true Church neither did this learned father require more of the Donatist then the Catholiques of those times were willing to performe on their parts and therfore hee bindes himselfe to the same conditions which hee required of his aduersaries and withall renders the reason of his demand Nec nos proptareà dicimus nobis credere oportere ad in Ecclesia Christi sumê° quia ipsam quaÌ„ tenemê° commendauit Mileuitanus Optatus vel Mediolanensis Ambrosius vel alii innumerabilis nostra communionis Episcopi aut quia nostrorum Collegarum Conciliis praedicata est aut quia per totum orbem in locis sanctis qua frequentat nostra communiâ—tantâ— mirabilia fiunt Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 16. Quia nec nos propterea dicimus c. Because wee our selues doe not say wee must therefore be beleeued for that wee are in the Church of Christ or else for that Optatus and Ambrose and infinite other Bishops of our Communion haue commended the Church which wee hold or because our Church hath bin published in the Councells of our Colleagues or because in all places of the world where our Communion is frequented there are so many miracles wrought This was the doctrine of Saint Austen and the ancient Fathers and this is ours they required no more of the Donatists but to lay apart all pretended titles and relie onely vpon the word of God we offer to the Romanists no lesse then to accept the same conditions vpon triall of that title and relie only vpon that word I must confesse I thinke a more speedy way might haue been found to haue giuen an answere to the Controuersies of that age for Saint Austen might haue poynted at the Church in the West which was then as conspicuous as the Sun at Noone day hee might haue answered them it was a Citie vpon a hill which was visible to all He might haue produced the Apostle for a witnesse that her faith was published throughout the whole world he might haue confuted them with sacred Councells and Doctrine of the ancient Fathers and confirmed his trueth with the death of constant Martyrs which sealed their doctrine with their blood in the testimonie of the true faith Certainely all these proofes were pregnant in his time and he might easily haue produced them in behalfe of his Church as our aduersaries in these dayes doe for theirs but hee left these brags to these latter times and sends them to the Law to the Testimonies to the word of Christ that speaketh better things then was possible for man to vtter Ne in Ecclesia errares ne quis tibi diceret Christus est qui non est Christê° aut Ecclesia est quae non est Ecclesia audi vocem Pastoris ostendit Ecclesiam ne quis te fallat in nomine Ecclesiae Aug. Psal 69. and to that end saith hee thou mightest not erre in the Church and lest any man should say this is Christ who is not Christ or this is the Church which is not the Church heare the voyce of the Shepheard hee hath shewed thee the Church that the name of the Church may not deceiue thee The summe and substance therefore of St. Austens doctrine was this that neither Bishops nor Councels nor Miracles nor rumors of the Catholique name doe demonstrate the Church of God to be Catholique for all these are common to heretiques as well as Catholiques but the holy Scriptures which beare the testimony of Iesus they onely carry the infallible markes of his trueth In Scripturis didicimê° Christum in Scripturis didicimus ecclesiam Aug. ep 166 and in them faith hee wee haue knowen Christ in them we haue knowen the Church Neither was this the opinion of Saint Austen only for Saint Hierom tels vs that in his dayes the Church was not gone out of her limits of the holy Scriptures Non est egressa de finibus suis id est de Scripturis sanctis Hier. lib. 1. c. 1. in Mich. and from thence the timber and materialls must bee taken with which the house of wisedome is to bee built And Saint Chrysostome as a wise Master-Builder in this house gaue this Caueat to the worke-men in after ages Chrys in opere imperfecto Hom. 49. It can no way be knowen which is the true Church nisi tantummodó per Scripturas but onely by the Scriptures Non enim per alios dispositionem salutis nostra cognouimê° quam per ees per quos euangelium peruenit ad nos quod quideÌ„ tuÌ„c praeconiauerunt posteà verò per Dei voluntateÌ„ in scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum et ColumnaÌ„ fidei nostrae futurum Iâ—en advers haeres l. 3. c. 1. otherwise if they had regard to other things they should bee offended and perish and not vnderstand which is the true Church And lastly the learned Father Irenaeus assures vs Non per alios c. by no other haue wee knowne the way of our saluation but by them by whom the Gospel came to vs which verily they then preached and afterwards by the will of God deliuered the same to vs in the Scriptures to bee the Foundation and Pillar of our Faith Tell me then in this latter age and time of Controuersie wherein it is commonly voyced in our eares Loe heere is Christ and there is Christ this is the true Church and that is the true Church how shall the religious man which loueth trueth and seeketh comfort resolue himselfe to which Church shal he safely ioine himselfe when perhaps he wants the learning perhaps the leasure to looke
backeward for 1600 yeeres and rightly examine the doctrine of both Churches If hee seeke the Protestant Church behold shee being poore despised for want of continued eminencie is become a stumbling blocke to the ignorant If he looke on the Roman Church behold Reu. 17.2 c. Shee is arayed in purple and scarlet colour and decked with gold and precious stones and the inhabitants of the earth haue beene made drunke with the wine of her fornications and they that follow her wonder with great admiration And without doubt the Popes triple Crownes the golden crosses the Legend of Saints the multitude of professed Orders their pompe in Processions their rich cloathing of Images their pretended power of their Priesthood the great rumour of their Catholique cause their Iubilies and Pardons their Merits and Miracles doe so dazle the eyes of the ignorant and common people that they thinke there is no Church true and visible but the Romane Church and certenly the case thus standing wee haue no better plea for our Church Vtrum nos schismatici sumê° an vos nec ego nec tu sed Christus interrogetur vt indicet ecclesiam suam Aug. cont lit Pet lib. 2. c. 85. then the holy Father Saint Austen sometimes made to Petilian the Donatian heretique Whether of vs be Schismatiques we or you aske you not me I will not aske you let Christ bee asked that hee may shew vs his owne Church SECT II. Our aduersaries pretences from the obscuritie of Scriptures and inconueniences of the Lay peoples reading them answered I Speake not this as if the Romanists of these times did wholly waue the Scriptures for if wee may credit Doctor Sanders There are most plaine Scriptures in all poynts for the Catholique Faith Rocke of the Church cap 8. p. 193 and none at all against the same And their owne Bristow would make the world beleeue Brist Mot. 48. from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Apocalyps there is no text that makes for vs against them but all for them If these men haue spoken the trueth let them beare witnesse of the truth onely let me tell you the Rhemists in their Annotations vpon the Gospel professe in the name of their Church that if wee should Rhem. Annot in 1. Cor. 1.5 when wee came to yeeres of discretion be set to picke our Faith out of the Scriptures there would bee a mad worke and many Faiths among vs. And their fellow Ecchius proclaimes to all the world Ecch. Euchirid c. 4. that the Lutherans are dolts which will haue nothing beleeued but that which is expresse Scripture for all things are not deliuered manifestly in the Scriptures but very many are left to the determination of the Church Haeresin esse si quis dicit necessarium esse vt Scripturae in vulgares linguas coÌ„uertantur Sand. visib Monar haeres 191. And their Proselyte Sanders who pretends such euident testimonies of the Scriptures in behalfe of his Church accounts it no better then heresie to translate them And Peresius his fellow Iesuite complaines It is the Deuils inuention to permit the people to reade them Diaboli inuentum esse vt populus Biblia legere permitteretur Peres de Tra. part 1. assert 3. And it is the generall vote of the best learned Romanists The reading of the Bible makes more hereticall Lutherans then Roman Catholiques If therefore the Scriptures are such pregnant plaine testimonies in behalfe of the Romane Faith as some Romanists pretend why do they condemne the translating of them why do they not permit the people to reade them and if all places of Scripture make for them and none for vs how comes it to passe that by reading them many Papists by their own confession become Protestants It is the blasphemous assertion of Albertus Pigghius NoÌ„ vt scriptu illa praeessent fidei et Religioni nostrae sed potiùs vt subessent Pig Hierar lib. 1. c. 2. that the Apostles haue written certaine things but not to that end their writings should rule our faith but rather that they should be vnder and ruled by our faith and Religion And heereupon hee quarrels with all those that submit their knowledge to the authoritie of the Gospell Si dixeris haec referri oportere ad iudicium Scripturarum coÌ„munis te sensus ignaruÌ„ esse comprobat sunt enim scriptura muti Iudices Pigh cont 3. de Eccles If thou shalt teach saith hee that those things must be put to the Iudgement of the Scriptures thou shewest thy selfe to bee voyd of common reason for the Scriptures are dumbe Iudges cannot speake Neither is this the opinion of some priuate spirits which of late haue declined the authority of the Scriptures but if wee looke beyond Luther wee shall finde that almost 300 yeares before his dayes the Romanists did endeauor by all meanes to extinguish the light of the Gospell About the yeare 1255 there was a great contention betwixt the Vniuersitie of Paris and the Order of Franciscan Fryers in which dissention the Fryer Mendicants published a book called Euangelium aeternum Mat. Paris in Hist An. 1256. the eternall Gospell in this Booke it was declared that the Gospell of Christ was not the euerlasting Gospell that it was to cease and determine as the olde Law did at the comming of Christ that the Gospell of Christ should from that time continue but 50 yeares and that their new Gospell did containe as much or more then the whole Bible that theirs was the Gospell of Christ and the eternall Gospell Neither was this wicked blasphemy published by one man but by a whole Order of Monkes and Fryars Neither were they vpstart opinions like mushromes growne vp in a night but they were set afoot fifty fiue yeares before that time This and much more of the like doctrine is to bee read in Mathew Paris B. Vsher de Eccles success statu cap 9. p. 278 and more particularly in that excellent Treatise of the Succession and state of Christian Churches Thus the Romish Priests of the former and latter ages agree like Pilate and Herod both to the condemnation of Christ his Word and as Herod saith Ambrose burnt the Scriptures Ambr. in Luc. lib 3. lest by meanes of such ancient Records some doubt might afterwards be made of his posterity In like manner our late Romanistes haue silenced the Scriptures lest by such ancient Euidences their new Articles of Faith should be discouered and had it not beene for feare or shame I am verily perswaded they had fulfilled in a sense to litterall the words of the Apostle The fire shall trie euery mans worke of what sort it is Now can any man imagine why these men should bee so angry with Christ and his Apostles Can they say the Scriptures are subiect to errours and neede an Index Expurgatorius No they dare not they will not say so but they say
as a necessary poynt of saluation I will beleeue it also or at leastwise will bee humblie silent not taking vpon mee to condemne the same I speake not this as if we should decline the practise of the ancient Church in expounding Scripture by Scripture Concil Trid. Sess 1. but to demonstrate to the world that our aduersaries in this poynt of their faith haue neither followed the ancient Church nor the Decree of their Trent Councell whereby it shall appeare that either this Article was newly created or the former Popes and Councels haue disagreed from the latter Cardinall Caietan was so farre from subscribing to the Popes Creed in this poynt that on the contrary hee giues this Praemonition to the Reader of the Scriptures Not to loathe the new sense of the holy Scriptures for this Nullus itaque detestetur nouuÌ„ sacra scripturae seÌ„sum ex hoc qd dissonat à priscis Doctoribus sed fcrutetur perspicacius textuÌ„ ac cótextuÌ„ Scripturae si quadrare inuenerit laudet DeuÌ„ qui noÌ„ alligauit expositionem ScripturaruÌ„ sacrarum priscoruÌ„ Doctorum sensibus Caiet in Genes 1. that it dissenteth from the ancient Doctors but to search more exactly the Text and coherence of the Scriptures and if hee finde it agree to praise God that hath not tyed the exposition of the Scriptures to the sense of the ancient Doctors This Protestant doctrine is farre different from the Tenet of the Roman Church insomuch that Bishop Canus his fellow Romanist was much troubled that a prime Cardinall should oppose an Article of the Romane Creed one while he chargeth him that acutiùs multò quam foelicius hee expounded the Scriptures in some places more wittily then happily an other while he would so seeme to excuse him that hee might be convinced by this or the like argument To follow the Fathers in all Canus ibid. were to condemne our owne witts and depriue our selues of the meanes to finde out the trueth What arguments might preuaile with the Cardinall I cannot tell but sure I am his doctrine disagreed from the Article of the Roman faith And Doctor Payna Andradius a principall Pillar of the Trent Councell rebuketh Canus for his rash reproouing of Caictan and defendeth his Tenet with the same doctrine Andra. def fid Tricen lib 2. Hee teacheth that when the Fathers seeke the literall sense of the Scriptures they doe not alwayes find them but giue diuers senses one vnlike to an other Hee professeth Wee may forsake their senses all and bring a new vnlike to theirs He addeth further that experience forceth vs to confesse vnlesse wee will bee vnthankefull to most excellent wits that very many things in Moses and the Prophets are in this our age expounded more exactly through the diligence of learned men then euer they were before And thereupon he concludeth that the holy Ghost the onely and faithfull Interpreter of the Scriptures would haue many things to bee knowne to vs which our Ancestors knewe not and hath wrought by meanes vnknowne to vs knowne to him that the Fathers noted good and godly mysteries out of very many places of the Scriptures whereof the right and naturall sense hath been found out by posteritie And thus Canus against Cajetan and Andradius against Canus and Cajetan and Andradius both against the Trent Article allowe the Exposition of Scripture by Scripture and somtimes against the streme of Fathers I proceed to the examination of more witnesses and I call Cardinall Bellarmine to testifie the same doctrine that neither hee nor his associates doe holde themselues tyed by their new Article of faith to the Exposition of the Fathers It is one thing saith hee to interpret the Law as a Doctor Aliud est interpretari legem more Doctoris a liud more Iudicis c. Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 3. cap. 10. an other thing as a Iudge of the one is required Learning of the other Authoritie the opinion of the Doctors is to be followed according to reason but the Iudges opinion is to bee followed of necessitie Saint Austen and the Fathers in their Expositions supplyed the places of Doctors Scripta PatruÌ„ noÌ„ sunt Regulae nec habent authoritatem obligandi Idem ibid. which we may follow as wee see cause the Pope and Councell supply the places of Iudges with a Commission from God and therefore they must be obserued and followed of necessitie Thus we haue seene three seuerall Iudges and Expositors of the Scriptures First the ancient Fathers made the Scriptures the onely Iudges and true Interpreters of themselues next the Trent Doctors decreed the ancient Fathers for Interpreters and now at length the later Schoolemen haue proclaimed their Popes and Councels for their chiefest Iudges and best Interpreters of the Scriptures and These say they must bee followed of necessitie Durum telum Necessitas Pardon them Necessitie is a deadly dart there is no necessitie by their doctrine to obey the expositions of Fathers which is the second Article of their Faith but there is a necessitie to obey the authoritie of their late Popes and Councels in their Exposition which is but matter of opinion and from hence it will follow that either the Articles of the Râ—man Creed were newly created by Pope Pius the fourth and that creation was not in his power or that those Doctors and Cardinals had not the oath administred vnto them or we may iustly suspect they haue forsworne themselues Neither was this the opinion of these particular men onely but the Roman Church notwithstanding their solemne protestation by which they are enioyned to interprete the Scriptures doth in many things by her owne confession waue the Interpretation of the Fathers Sanctissimos Patres quos Doctores Ecclesiae ob illoruÌ„ sublimem eruditionem meritò nominamus quantuÌ„libet spiritus sancti gratia prae aliis imbutos liqueat in interpretatione scripturaruÌ„ non semper ac in omnibus Catholica Ecclesia sequitur Baron Ann. Tom 1 ad ann 34 nu mar 213 It is the testimony of Cardinall Baronius Although the most holy Fathers whome for their great learning wee rightly terme the Doctors of the Church were indued aboue others with the grace of Gods holy Spirit yet the Catholique Roman Church doth not follow them alwayes and in all things expounding of the Scriptures Here is an other confession of a great Cardinall who was not ignorant of the Articles of his faith that notwithstanding the Trent Decree and the Popes Bull the Church did not alwayes follow the exposition of the Fathers Now if any shall require a reason why the Pope and Cardinalls of former ages dissent from others of these later times in expounding of the Scriptures Frier Stella who doth not condemne the Exposition giuen by the ancient Doctors Benè tameÌ„ scimus Pygmaeos gygaÌ„tum humeris impositos plusquaÌ„ ipsos gygantes videre Stel. enarrat in Luc. ca. 10. protesteth Hee knoweth full well
interpretation of holy Scripture I doe admit so that by the latter part of the Article they allow the Fathers to bee interpreters of the Scriptures and by the first part they make themselues sole interpreters of the Fathers to which addition an ignorant Priest will sweare with a mentall reseruation that he doeth not receiue nor expound the Scripture but with the vniforme consent of Fathers that is according to the sense and iudgment of the Roman church for it is not to bee doubted but the Church will allow of that sense which is most agreeable to that doctrine and of that interpretation although it bee farre different from the Ancients which is most consonant to their Religion and the rather I incline to this opinion for that Cardinall Hosius doth protest it for a vniversall and Catholike doctrine of his Church Si quis habet interpretationeÌ„ Ecclesia Romana de loco aliquo Scriptura etiamsi nec sciat nec intelligat an quomodo cuÌ„ Scriptura verbis conueniat tamen habet ipsissimum verbuÌ„ Dei. Hos de expresso verb. Dei If a man haue the Interpretation of the Church of Rome of any place of Scripture hee hath the very words of God though he neither know nor vnderstand whether and how it agreeth with the words of Scripture Now if it happen that those which are better instructed by comparing of Scriptures and Fathers doe make a doubt of some place of Scripture which the Church teacheth different from the Fathers Cardinall Cusanus by way of preuention giues him to vnderstand Non est miruÌ„ si praxis Ecclesiae vno tempore interpretetur Scripturam vno modo et alio teÌ„pore alio modo naÌ„ intellectê° currit cum praxi intellectus enim qui cuÌ„ praxi coÌ„currit est spiritus vinificans sequuntur ergo scripturae ecclesiam et non è conuerso Nich. Cusan ad Bohem. Epist 7. that there is Fides Temporum a faith that followeth the time Neither is it any maruell saith hee though the practise of the Church expound the Scripture at one time one way and at an other time another way for the vnderstanding or sense of the Scripture runneth with the practise and that sense so agreeing with the practise is the quickening Spirit and therefore the Scriptures follow the Church but contrariwise the Church followeth not the Scriptures This learned Romanist tells vs it is no wonder that the Scripture is at diuers times diuersly expounded hee tells vs the Scripture attends the Churches pleasure and lastly which is most true hee professeth the Romish Church followeth not the Scripture but the times That this Cardinall speaketh truth I think no Protestant doth make a question but that you may be witnes also of the practise of these times you shall obserue how fitly these men haue applyed the Scripture to their Church whereas it is said to Peter in a vision Arise In voto Baronij contrà Venetos kill and eate Cardinall Baronius being Interpreter will tell you The Pope is Peter and the Venetians are the meate which must bee killed and deuoured In like manner whereas Saint Paul saith Haereticum deuitâ Auoyd an heretique the sillie Fryar applies it to times and persons with this Exposition Erasm Encom Moriae Haereticum de-vitâ tolle kill the heretique meaning the Protestant and in this manner according to the times the sense runneth with the practise or at leastwise I am sure this practise runneth with these times Thus then you haue Fides Ecclesia an Exposition of Scriptures according to the Article of the Romish Creed and Fides tempâ—rum an Exposition sutable to the times and their owne doctrine If therefore we appeale to Scriptures they account them dumbe Iudges without the Exposition of their Church if we require an Exposition with the consent of Fathers they tell vs we must admit that sense which the Church holdeth whose right is to iudge of the true sense of Scriptures If wee shew them that their Expositions are senselesse and disagreeing from the Ancients they tell vs the Scriptures may receiue different Expositions according to the times And thus they make the Scriptures sound like Bells according to their fancies and violate their oath with a Saluo Iure sauing a right to the sense and meaning of their owne Church This way therefore is Via Deuia a Wandring and By-way It resteth in the last and chiefest place to obserue the difference bewixt the Church of Rome and vs touching the intire Canon of Scriptures for without doubt this is the onely and infallible rule of faith and there is a curse denounced by God himselfe against all those that adde to his word Deut. 4.2 Reu. 22.18 or diminish ought from it It shall appeare therefore by many pregnant and infallible testimonies of our aduersaries themselues that the Canon of Scripture which we professe and beleeue was the same which was taught and declared by Christ and his Apostles in the first age the same which was published generally receiued by the ancient Fathers in succeeding ages the same which continued in the bosome of the Romane Church in all ages till the dayes of Luther SECT V. The intire Canon of Scriptures which wee professe without the Apocryphall additions is confirmed by pregnant testimonies in all ages and most of them acknowledged by the Romanists themselues IT was the complaint of Campian the Iesuite that the ancient Canon of Scripture was altered at the comming of Luther and thereupon as a man inraged against the Lutherans Camp Rat. 1. hee makes this open out-crie What incensed Luthers whelps to put out of the true Canon of Scripture Tobias Ecclesiasticus and the two bookes of Maccabees Desperation for by these heauenly oracles they are expressely conuinced as often as they dispute against the defence of Angels as often as they dispute against Freewill as often as they dispute against Praying for the dead as often as they dispute against Praying to the Saints Surely if this Romanist had beene as reall in his proofes as he was vaine glorious in his speeches he had gone beyond all the Romish Proselytes of our age for neuer man made greater flourishes with poorer proofes for it shall appeare that wee haue published no other Canon of Scripture then Christ and his Apostles taught and receiued no other then the ancient Fathers declared to be diuinely Canonicall and those onely Canonicall none other then the learned Doctors and Professors intirely preserued in the bosome of the Roman Church in all ages so that if any curse be denounced against vs for renouncing doctrines of faith deduced from Apocryphall Scriptures I say it shall appeare by the same Decree they haue layd an Anathâ—ma vpon Christ and his Apostles and haue cursed the ancient Fathers and the principall members of their owne Church In the first age to Ann. 100. First then wee must obserue Rom. 3.2 Factique sunt Iudaei depositarii et custodes
sword in the scabberd that is the true sense of the Scripture in the sheath of the letter The Scriptures doe not containe clearely all the mysteries of Religion for they were not giuen to that end to prescribe an absolute forme of faith but Tradition containes in it all truth it comprehends all the mysteries of faith and all the estate of Christian Religion and resolues all doubts which may arise concerning faith and from hence it will follow that Tradition is the Interpreter of all Scriptures the Iudge of all Controuersies the Remouer of all errors and from whose judgment we ought not to appeale to an other Iudge yea rather all Iudges are bound both to regard and follow her judgement Now if we looke backe and consider those blasphemous speeches vsed against the Scriptures and compare those passages with the reuerend regard they giue vnto Traditions wee cannot but conceiue there were some speciall reasons that induced the Pope Trent Councell to set Traditions in the first place Quam TraditionuÌ„ authoritateÌ„ si tollas nutare iam vacillare videbuntur Andrad de Orth. expli lib. 2. Andradius who well vnderstood the state of the Church of Rome being present at the making of that decree giues this generall lesson in their behalfe Many poynts of Romane doctrine would reele and totter if they were not supported by the helpe of Traditions But it may not bee forgotten Sutor de Translat Bibl. c. 22. their owne Monke Petrus de Sutor more particularly shewes one speciall cause why the Scriptures were denied vnto the lay people viz. Because many things being taught by the Romane Church and not contained in the Scriptures would more easily drawe the people from the traditions and obseruances of their Church And another reason why Traditions are in that speciall request aboue the Scriptures is rendred by their owne Bishop Canus Canus loc Theol lib. 3. cap. 3. Because Tradition is not onely of greater force against heretiques then the Scripture but almost all disputation with heretiques is to bee referred to Traditions Thus you see by the confessions of two learned Romanists there was great cause why traditions should haue the first place amongst the Articles of the Creed for the one saith they preuent the reading of the Scriptures which otherwise would discouer the doctrine of their Church the other saith they are more availeable then the Scriptures to confute the doctrine of heretiques These testimonies premised for the honour and authoritie of Papall Traditions let vs examine what are meant by Traditions and next which are those Traditions that are of that high esteeme in the Romane Church for if their Traditions bee of equall authoritie with the Scriptures and yet are not contained in the Scriptures there is great reason they should bee approoued by testimonies and witnesses aequiualent to the Scriptures Kellis Suruey l. 8. c. 3. Doctor Kellison tells vs that Tradition is nothing else but an opinion or custome of the Church not written in holy Scriptures but yet deliuered by the hands of the Church from time to time from Christians to Christians euen to the last age And Saint Austen declareth more properly VVhatsoeuer the Vniuersall Church doth hold Aug. lib 4. contra Donat c. 24. not being ordained by Councells but hath beene euer held that is beleeued most rightly to be an Apostolicall Tradition It appeares therefore that Papall Traditions which are of equall authority with the Scriptures must haue Vniuersalitie of Churches and consent of ages or to vse the wordes of their Trent Councell Such as are preserued by a continuall succession in the Catholike Church All doctrinall Traditions of this nature are receiued by the Reformed Churches for wee all professe with the same Father Conc. Trid. Sess 4. Whatsoeuer is vsed by the Church throughout all the world is to bee obserued and it would bee most insolent madnesse to dispute against the same Let vs heare therefore out of their owne mouthes what are those Traditions which are not written in any Apostolique Authour and yet haue those requisite conditions and speciall characters of the Roman Church viz. Antiquity Vniuersality and Succession Pet. à Soto in lib. cont Brentium Petrus à Soto giues vs to vnderstand that the sacrifice of the Altar the vnction of Chrysme Inuocation of Saints Prayers for the dead the Popes Supremacie Consecration of water in Baptisme the whole Sacrament of Confirmation Orders Matrimony Penance Extreame vnction Merit of workes Necessitie of satisfaction and confession to a Priest are all Traditions of the Romane Church Canis in Catech. c. 5. de precept Eccles Coster in refut script Wallesij antith 6. Canus loc Theol. li 3. ca. 3. Canisius and Costerus referre to Traditions the worship of Images set times of fasting all the Ceremonies of the Masse Melchior Canus tells vs the imploring helpe of holy Martyrs and celebrating their memories the worshipping of Images the consecrating and receiuing of the body and blood of Christ by the Priest the Sacraments of Confirmation and Orders not to bee reiterated are no where happily to bee found in Scriptures but amongst all the Romanists as it is obserued by reuerend Whitakers there is none doth so fully and punctually set downe the Traditions of the Romane Church as their Bishop Lindan who amongst other Traditions Whit. coÌ„tr 1. c. 5. quest 6. mentions the Reall presence the Communion vnder one kinde priuate Masse Indulgences Purgatory Peters liuing and dying at Rome All or most of these Traditions are substantiall and fundamentall poynts and the denyall of them makes a man an heretike in their Church Now it is very obseruable in the first place that no vnwritten Tradition hath any ground or foundation in the Scripture Peres de Tradit p 4. for Tradition is so taken saith Peresius that it is distinguished against the doctrine which is found in the Canonicall bookes of Scripture and consequently touching all or any of the Papall Traditions there is no vse at all of Scriptures Herein then stands the difference betwixt the Church of Rome and vs Multa pertinere ad Christianorum doctrinam et fideÌ„ quae nec apertè nec obscuâ—è in sacris literis coÌ„tinentur Canus loc Theol. ca. 3. fund 3. There are many things saith Canus belonging to the doctrine faith of Christians which are neyther contained in the sacred Scriptures manifestly or obscurely and this he vnderstands by the Traditions of his owne Church There is no point of Faith taught in our Church which is not expressely contained in the Scriptures or by necessarie consequence deduced from thence and if we receiue the witnesse of men yet the witnesse of God is greater 1. Ioh. 5.9 But that which is incongruous to common sense and altogether different from the Romish doctrine those men which generally professe that vnwritten Traditions are so called because they are distinguished from the word written as Bellarmine confesseth
whose eares are intirely affected towards Religion And in like manner Saint Austen made the like answere Quia etsi fortassè nomen ipsum non inueniret res tamē ipsa inveniretur quid est enim contentiosius quá vbi de re cōstat certare de nomine Aug. Epist 174. Albeit the word perhaps be not found there yet the thing it selfe is found and what more friuolous quarrell is it then to contend about the word when there is a certaintie of the thing I will not require of our aduersaries to shew mee in the Scriptures the word of Transubstantiation of Masse of Supremacie and the like because they receiue them as Traditions which are not conteined in the Scriptures but on the other side if any Romanist will deny that the Articles of the Apostles Creed are not contained in the Scriptures and yet will shew me in expresse words I beleeue in God the Father Almightie maker of heauen and earth or that the holy Catholike Church and Communion of Saints are the expresse wordes contained in the Scriptures I will subscribe to the Articles of the newe Romane Creed and allow all Papall Traditions for Apostolical For we doe not say that nothing is to bee beleeued de fide but what is written in the Scriptures in expresse termes but wee professe it must be directly or by necessary consequence deduced from the Scriptures It was the answere of Epiphanius to the disciples of Arius in the Primitiue Church Wee all of vs doe confesse the Father to be vnbegotten Epiphan haeres 69. nu 71. increate and it is surely an admirable saying but shew mee if you can where this saying is written for neither doeth the Law of Moses nor the Prophets nor yet the Apostles make any mention thereof If then we do piously acknowledge this saying though it were not written any where Idem haeres 75. who can find fault with vs though the word Coessentiall or Consubstantiall be not written As therefore we confesse the words Vnbegotten Increate Consubstantiall the word Trinitie and the like are not found in Scriptures so I thinke no Romanists will or can deny but that all those words are implyed in the Scripture or by necessary inference deduced from them To conclude therefore this second poynt and first Article of the Romane Creed since Papall Traditions haue no foundation in the Scripture nor are contained in any Apostolike author by our aduersaries confession since they want a continued succession from the Apostles time with vniuersalitie of Churches consent of Fathers since they are not resolued of a certaine and definite number of doctrinall Traditions which ought to be resolued in poynts of Faith Lastly since the Scriptures by the testimonies of both sides is the safest and furest rule for all beleeuers and since many Papall Traditions are different if not contrary to the Scriptures To follow vnknowne and vnwritten doctrines for knowne and written verities is Via dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way it is Via deuia a wandring and By-way I proceed in the next place to the examination of the ancient Fathers whereby it shall appeare the Romish faith and doctrine as it wants Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie of Churches so likewise it is vtterly destitute of the consent of ancient Fathers SECT X. Our Aduersaries make great boast of the testimonies of the ancient Fathers in generall yet when they come to sifting particular poynts either by secret evasion they decline them or openly reiect them Cant. 1.7 and 6.1 TEll mee then O thou whom my soule loueth where thou feedest whither is thy beloued turned side that wee may seeke him with thee Shall wee seeke him in the Fathers Oh saith Campian If wee once name the Fathers Camp Rat. 5. the field is fought the wager is won on our side for they are all ours Yea saith Bristow In most matters of Controuersie they are so plain on our side Brist Mot. 14. that it cannot with any colour bee denied or called in question Yea Duraeus the Iesuit claimes a peculiar interest in the behalfe of the Roman Church Nos Patrū veri filii sumus Dur. coutr Whitak p. 125. 140. Wee onely are the true sonnes of the Fathers wee doe not cite them by the halues sometimes allowing one part of their doctrine sometimes reiecting another but we embrace them all And for confirmation of this assertion the Romanists in their Apologie or Petition of Lay Catholikes make this generall acclamation Apolog. or Pet. of Lay Cath. 1604. cap. 4. For one place of a Father sometimes ill cited sometimes falsified sometimes mutilated and sometimes wholly corrupted by Protestants we can produce a thousand not by patches and mammockes as they doe but whole pages whole chapters whole bookes and the vniforme consent of all the ancient Fathers and Catholique Church Thus the wicked Iewes claimed Abraham for their Father and thus the frantike Grecian claimed all the ships in Athens to bee his Thrasilaus when the poore man had least interest in them If Campian and his fellow Iesuites had been liuing in the dayes of the ancient Fathers surely they had been branded with the markes of heretikes for their false alarums for Carosus the Eutychian heretike although his claime reach not to all the Fathers Ego secundum expositionem trecentū octodecem Patrum sic credo c. Concil Chalc. Act. 4 p. 877. yet saith he according to the Exposition of three hundred and eighteene Fathers so I beleeue and in this faith was I baptized what should ye say more to mee I cannot tell And Dioscorus the heretike much like the Iesuit makes an open outcry in the Councell of Chalcedon Ego cum Patribus eiicior ego defendo Patrum dogmata ego horum habeo testimonia non simpliciter aut transitoriè sed in ipsorum libris expressum Concil Chalc. Act. 1. I haue the testimonies of the holy Fathers Athanasius Gregorie Cyril I varie not from them in any poynt I am throwne foorth and banished with the Fathers I defend the Fathers doctrine I haue their iudgement vttered not by chance or vnaduisedly but remaining expressed in their books Thus Paynims heretikes Iewes and Iesuits claime Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie in Traditions and Fathers yea the heretikes did glory and vaunt of the Fathers in the two famous Councels of Nice and Chalcedon in the very presence of the Fathers themselues yea Pelagius the heretike when he disagreed from the doctrine of the Fathers like a true Romanist thought to aduance his owne heresie by magnifying the Faith of Ambrose an ancient Father Blessed St. Ambrose saith he that Bishop Pelag. lib. 3. de lib. Arbitrio q. in whose bookes the Roman faith especially appeareth who like a beautifull flower shined amongst the Latine Writers whose faith and most pure vnderstāding of the scriptures the enemy himselfe dares not reprehend This is the very practise of the Romane church in these daies They glory
scrip Eccles. ann 290. Gregorie Nyssen his eight Bookes De Philosophia are cited by Bellarmine for Free-will yet in his Catalogue aforesaid he confesseth they seeme not to be the bookes of Gregory Nyssen Lactantius Verses are cited by Bellarmine for Adoration of the Crosse and yet he confesseth elsewhere that it is doubted whether Lactantius were the Author Bell. li 1. de ver Dei ca. 14. Nec librum illum esse Augustini vt erudit fatentur Bell. de Mis lib. 2. c. 12. Ad locum Saint Austen is cited ad Orosium by Bellarmine to prooue Ecclesiasticus Canonicall Scripture but elsewhere when he is obiected in our behalfe in that Tract hee answeres it is not Saint Austens worke as learned men confesse Iustin Martyr Bell lib de Bap c. 25. Idem lib. de Confir c. 5. Idem lib. de Euch. c. 2. Idem lib. 1. de Sanct. 1. 4 § 3. his Questions are alleadged by Bellarmine for Vnction in baptisme for the Sacrament of Confirmation for Transubstantiation but elsewhere hee declareth them to be the work of some new Authour and not the workes of Iustin Martyr Origen in his Homilies on the Gospels Lib. 2. de Euch. c. 8. lib 3. de paenit ca 7. is cited by Bellarmine for the Reall presence and his Homilies on the Psalmes he cites for Auricular confession In lib. de Script Eccles yet the one he disclaimeth as none of Origens the other he freely confesseth it is doubted of who is the Author Cassianus is cited by Bellarmine for an ancient Author Bell de Iustif l. 1. c. 13 for the poynt of Iustification Idē de bon oper cap. 2. lib. 2. and set times of fasting yet elsewhere hee acknowledgeth the booke for Apocryphall and counterfet Bell li. 6. de lib. arb ca. 4 § accedat and condemned in a Roman Councell vnder Pope Gelasius Bell li. 2. de Pont. c. 14. Eusebius his third Epistle is cited by Bellarmine for the Supremacie yet he professeth elsewhere Idem de Confirm lib. 2. c. 7. it is not certaine who is the Author thereof Hee that shall reade these and many such like authorities of pretended Fathers in behalfe of the Roman Religion might at first sight happily bee induced to beleeue that all or most of the ancient Doctors of the Church belong to them when as in truth our aduersaries vse them but as Merchants vse their Counters sometimes they stand with them for pence sometimes for pounds as they bee next and readiest at hand to make vp their account Thus one while they muster vp their forces by multitudes of authorities as if they would make that good by number which they want in weight Sometimes they condemne them as counterfet sometimes they purge them as if they were full of corruptions according to seuerall occasions they haue their seuerall deuices to produce them or auoyd them at their pleasure Si conficta historia non est vllius authoritatis Bell. lib. 2. de Pont. cap. 9. whereas if they bee counterfeit as they are confessed to bee they are of no authoritie if Catholique and Orthodoxe they make nothing for the points in Controuersie as shall bee presented in the next place SECT XI The most substantiall poynts of Roman Faith and Doctrine as they are now taught and receiued in the Church of Rome were neuer taught by the Primitiue Church nor receiued by the ancient Fathers NEither are these men content to challenge a right to all the Fathers although they confesse they are not all orthodox and true Fathers but they likewise charge vs that Sebast Flash in profess Cath. we make no more account of them then wee doe of the Turkes Alcaron or Aesops Fables Nay saith Bristow it is well known to such as heare the Protestants Sermons Bristow Mot. 14. or bee in place to heare them talke boldly and familiarly among themselues are not afrayd to confesse plainely that the Fathers are all Papists A strange and senselesse fiction deuised by these men when not onely our learned Diuines but the vulgar people are all eye-witnesses that the Booke written by the Iewel of our age is published in all the Churches of our kingdom whose challenge for the principall points of our Religion is made good and will euer remaine vnanswerable out of the Writings and Authorities of the ancient Fathers But admit some Protestants were so ignorant or senselesse as to say priuately All the Fathers were Papists what stupiditie then may we think it in the chiefe Pastors of the Romane Church which by their publike writings and open confession acknowledge the principall poynts of Controuersie yea their chiefe Articles of Faith were vnknowne to the ancient Fathers We confesse it for a truth that the ancient Fathers St. Austen S. Ambrose St. Hierome and the rest were learned men they were Instruments of Grace and Mercy we read them we reuerence them we giue God thankes for them but withall wee learne this lesson frō them Wee weigh not the writings of men August ad Fortunat. Epist 111. bee they neuer so worthy and Catholique as wee weigh the Canonicall Scriptures but yeelding that reuerence that is due vnto them Wee may mislike and refuse something in their writings if we find they haue thought otherwise then the trueth may beare and such saith Austen am I in the writings of others and such I would wish others to be in mine Saint Austen thought it no preiudice to the Romane Church nor disparagement to his own learning to haue his writings examined by the rule of Scripture Nay more saith he that which in my bookes thou thinkest to bee vndoubtedly true Quod certū non habebis nisi certum intellexeris noli firmè retinere Aug in Proae lib 3. de Trinit vnlesse thou perceiue it to bee true indeed hold it not resolutely St. Ambrose was so farre from wishing Prince or people to rely vpon his doctrine that by way of preuention hee writes to Gratian the Emperour Nolo argumento eredas sancte Imperator nostrae disputationi Scripturas interrogemus c. Ambros de Fide ad Grat l 1 c. 4 Beleeue not O Emperour our Arguments and our Disputations let vs aske the Apostles let vs aske the Prophets let vs aske Christ. Now admit a doubtfull Recusant at this day repaire for instruction to a Romish Priest or Bishop will he answer him with Austen Examine my doctrine by the rule of Scripture and if you find it not agreeable to that Word hold it not resolutely or will he answer him with Ambrose Heare not my arguments beleeue not vs that are the professed Priests and Pastors of the Church but read the Scriptures consult with the Oracles of God let Christ the Head of the Church resolue the doubts and controuersies of Religion Surely nothing is more to bee wished for by vs nothing is lesse to be hoped for from them True it is that St.
is confessed by ingenious Romanists ECckius the Romanist tells vs the authoritie of Councells is of that consequence Tollatur Cōciliorum authoritas et omnia in Ecclesia erunt ambigua dubia pendentia incert◠nā omnes mox redibūt haereses Ecck. Ench. Art de Concil that if they should be taken away All things would become ambiguous doubtfull wauering vncertaine and all heresies would reuiue againe And that the Romish proselyts might knowe what obedience ought to be giuen to Councels Gregory de Valentia giues them this caueat Si Synodus Episcopalis aut cōmunis cōsensus plurium Theologorū statueret aliquam propositionem esse propositā ab Ecclesia vt de fide tunc talis teneretur c. Valent. in Tom. 3. disp 1. q. 2. punct 5. If you finde but an Episcopall Synod or consent of diuers Diuines onely affirming such a doctrine to bee the sentence of the Church you are bound to beleeue it though it be a lie Pardon me if I beleeue them not for our aduersaries giue iust cause of suspition when their chiefest respect tends to the honour of Traditions of Fathers of Councels and the sacred Word is made a by-word of Obscuritie and Insufficiencie I speake not this as if our Church did decline the authoritie of Councells for wee professe that Generall Councels are the representatiue Body and as it were a little Modell of the whole Church We approoue the first foure Generall Councells confirmed by our Church Eliz. 1. Whitak Rat. 4. vers Camp and Acts of Parliament wee acknowledge with reuerend Whitakers The name of Councels is honorable their credit singular and their authority of great esteeme nay more wee testifie with learned Bellarmine Bell de Eccles Cōcil li. 1. c. 10 in Initio that Generall Councells are very profitable and in some sort necessary for the suppressing of heresies yet saith hee they are not absolutely and simply necessary and of this I am easily perswaded for this reason First because the Primitiue Church for the first three hundred yeres had no Generall Councells and yet perished not Againe as the Church during those three hundred yeeres continued safe without generall Councells so without doubt it might haue continued three hundred yeres more and againe six hundred yeeres after that and so likewise a thousand yeeres more for in those first times there were many heresies many schismes many vices abuses all which notwithstanding they wanted the assistance of generall Councells could not indanger the Catholike Church But admit that Councels were simply necessarie which Bellarmine denies yet their calling must be answerable to their beginning and therefore let vs first inquire by what authoritie they were first called and obserue how the Commission hath beene executed from time to time by warrantie of the first Author We reade in the booke of Numbers Num. 10.1 2. that the Lord commanded Moses to make two Trumpets of siluer that hee might vse them for calling of the Assembly Moses according to Gods Law did assemble the people and saith the Text Deut. 33.5 Moses was king in Iesurum when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel gathered together Moses then had Ius Regale a Regall power although in proprietie of speech hee were no King and by this Regall power hee assembled the people and this authoritie was executed by him as by a King This right was assumed after him by King Dauid by king Solomon by king Iosiah by king Iehoshaphat and so from Moses to the Maccabees they all practised the same power of calling assemblies as Kings Princes and there was none of Gods Prophets I say not any one that either opposed or prohibited these assemblies At the comming of Christ this commission was renewed but not altered there was no new order for calling them other then had bin taken in the old Law assoon as kings receiued the Christian faith they executed the same power of the Trumpets which was first granted to Moses The first Councel of Nice it was the first and best Generall Assembly that was summoned in the Christian world after the Apostles time and this was called by the Emperor Constantine the Great The 2d. generall Councell at Constantinople was called by the Emperor Theodosius the elder The third at Ephesus by the Emperor Theodosius the younger The fourth at Chalcedon by the Emperor Valentinian and Martian These foure generall Councels are likened by Gregorie to the foure Euangelists and these had their right calling by Kings and Emperours and not by the Bishop of Rome If wee looke vpon particular Councels it will appeare they were likewise called by Kings and Princes in their seuerall dominions for many ages The first Councell of Arles was called by Constantine the Great The Councell of Aquileia was called by the Emperors Valentinian and Theodosius The first of Orleance by king Clodoueus the second of Orleance by Chidelbert the French King and this maner of calling assemblies by Kings and Emperors continued from Moses to Constantine and from Constantine to Arnulphus aboue 2400. yeeres for otherwise if this new assertion must take place The Pope must call Councels the first foure Generall Councells which all Christians had in such reuerence not one of them is a lawfull Councell nay saith our Reuerend and learned B. Andrewes D. Andrews in his Sermon of calling Assemblies The Church of Christ hath to this day neuer a General Councell Vnâ liturâ with one wipe wee dash them out all wee haue neuer a one no not one And that you may know it is not the testimonie of the Protestants alone Cardinall Cusanus doth witnesse with vs Cusan Cōcord Cath. lib. 3. ca. 13. 16. that all the Generall Councels to the eight inclusiuely were all called by the Emperours and that wee may iustly charge the Pope of Vsurpation both in calling and assuming a preheminence of place and dignitie in Councels Semper inuenio Imperatores et Iudices suos cum Senatu Primatum habuisse officiū Praesidentia per interloquutiones et ex consēnsu Synod◠sine mandato conclusiones et iudicia fecisse Cusan de Con. lib. 3. c. 16. the Cardinall makes this confession I euermore finde that the Emperors and their Iudges with the Senate had the gouernement and Office of Presidence by hearing and conferring of matters and that they made Conclusions and Iudgements with the consent of the Councel and without any further Commission Those men therefore that are so earnest in calling vpon vs for Councells should first shew vs the lawfull calling of their assemblies If Demetrius and his fellowe craftsmen will assemble together of their owne heads and keepe a shouting and crying for the great Diana of their Religion this rowt will prooue a ryot and is punishable by the Lawes of God and man away therefore with this confusion away with Demetrius assemblies If Pope Innocent the Third will assemble in his owne name contrary
spoken of throughout the whole world nay more he makes an earnest request to God that he might see the members of that Church and impart Spirituall gifts vnto them to the ende they might be established These testimonies of the Apostle were speciall Caracters of an eminent glorious Church although in truth there is not so much as this name of a Church giuen to the Romans in all the Scriptures The church at Babylon elected 2. Pet. 5.13 vnlesse they will allow the Church at Babylon to bee the Church of Rome and heere was a probable assurance of continued stability and perseuerance in the Faith in all Ages but behold the same Apostle which did so much glory in behalfe of their Catholique Faith which gaue God thankes for them which without doubt prayed for the continuance of that Faith Verse 9. For God is my witnesse saith he without ceasing I make mention of you alwayes in my Prayers As if hee had foreseene by the spirit of Prophesie they would glory in their owne worth and merits shortly after in his eleuenth Chapter of the same Epistle giues them this speciall Caueat Be not high minded but feare and withall giues a speciall reason of that Caueat For if God spared not the naturall branches take heede also lest hee spare not thee behold therefore the bountifulnesse and seueritie of God towards them that haue fallen seueritie but towards thee goodnesse if thou continune in his goodnesse otherwise also thou shalt bee cut off This Doctrine of the Apostle doth trench so farre into the present estate of the Church of Rome that the Rhemists forbeare their Annotations vpon this place for the truth is these last words Thou also shalt bee cut off Doe plainely intimate that the Church of Rome from the time of the Apostles had a possibilitie of falling and consequently was but a particular Church for so it befell the Church of Ierusalem and much more saith the Apostle may it befall the Church of Rome Let vs compare the testimonies and promises in behalf of the Roman Church with other particular and famous Churches in the time of the Apostles and see whether those promises did more largely extend to the faith of the Roman Church then to other Churches St. Paul writing to the Thessalonians termes them by the name of the Church he giues this large testimonie in their behalfe Thess 1.8 From you sounded out the word of the Lord not onely in Macedonia and Achaia but your faith which is toward God is gone forth into all places that wee haue no need to speake any thing yea more hee giues them a kinde of assurance for the perpetuitie of their faith The Lord is faithfull 2. Thess 3 3 and will establish you and keepe you from all euill yet this Church is fallen away and hath lost her first faith The Ephesians are termed by the Apostle 1 Tim. 3.15 The Church of the liuing God the Pillar ground of truth And for this Church the Apostle makes this confession Ephes 3.14 16. I bow my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to bee strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man yet we see this Church which was the ground and pillar of truth and for which the Apostle earnestly prayed for is rased to the ground and vtterly fallen from the truth The Corinthians are tearmed by Saint Paul 1. Cor. 1.2 The Church of God called to be Saints And this Church is farther witnessed by the same Apostle that shee was rich in all things through Christ in all kinds of speech and knowledge and that shee was not destitute of any gift yea he deliuers confident in behalfe of that Church that God would establish them vnto the end euen the day of the Lord Iesus Christ yet soone after some of them denied the Resurrection they fell from the truth and are now subiect to the Turke If then the Church of the Thessalonians of the Ephesians of the Corinthians touching the outward face and visibilitie of the locall Churches if they are all fallen notwithstanding such faire testimonies and large promises in their behalfe which also were accomplished in the Elect what stabilitie could the Church of Rome promise to her selfe which had not so much as the name of a Church but was threatned vpon the breach of a condition that they also should bee cut off Whether the condition be broken or no I will not heere dispute but this I may safely say If the Iewes being the Lords peculiar people and the naturall branches were broken off how much more the Church of Rome being but a wilde Oliue branch might bee cut off from the faith of Christ No doubt the Spirit of God foresaw that the Romanist would glory in the name of the Church and aduance that name aboue his word and therefore the word of God gaue not so much as a name of a Church nor promise of infallibility perseuerance vnto it but a speciall caueat to put them in mind not to be high minded I say therefore to the Romanist as St. Hierom sometimes said to Pammachius and Oceanus Quisquis es assertor novorum dogmatuÌ„ quaese te vt parcas Romanis auribê° parcas fidei quae Apostolico ore laudae tur cur post quadi ingeÌ„tos annos docere nos niteris quod antea nesciuimê° cur profers in medium qd Paulus Petrê° edere noluerunt vsque ad huÌ„c lâ—eÌ„ siâ—e istâ doctâ—inâ nund Christianus fuit Hieron ad Pammach OceanuÌ„ Thou who art a maintainer of newe doctrine whatsoeuer thou bee I pray thee spare the Romane eares spare the Faith that is commended by the Apostles mouth why goest thou about now after 400 yeeres I may say 1400 to teach vs that Faith which wee before neuer knew Why bringest thou forth that thing that Peter and Paul neuer vttered Euermore vntill this day the Christian world hath beene without this Doctrine But obserue the cunning of our Aduersaries they doe as much glory of the Apostles testimonie that the Romane Faith was published through the world as if the ancient and the now Romane faith were all one And to prooue an infallible Succession in their doctrine they pretend that St. Cyprian a blessed Martyr did witnesse to the world that the Romane Church could not erre and consequently the Trent doctrine is the ancient faith of Christ and his Apostles St. Cyprian saith M. Bishop tells vs that Perfidiousnesse and falsehood in matters of Faith can haue no accesse to the Church of Rome so that by the Apostles confession they challenge an eminent Visibilitie and by this ancient Fathers testimonie they claime an assured stabilitie in matters of Faith If these things were true I should craue pardon of Cyprian not to beleeue him because the Apostle teacheth mee to beleeue the contrary but the trueth is this testimony so often alledged by
iudgement of the Church for saith Stapleton Although the Church by reason of her Ministerie and Mastership receiued of God Stapl. lib. 3. de author Scrip. c. 12. doth cause vs to beleeue yet the reason wherefore wee beleeue is not the Church but God speaking within vs and witnessing his trueth vnto vs by his holy Spirit Thus briefly touching the authoritie of the Church now I proceed to our aduersaries claim touching the Vniuersalitie of it Lessius the Iesuite tells vs The Church of Rome Sola Ecclesia Romana eique adhaerens multitudo Ecclesia Catholica c. Less in Consult Consid 6. and that Church onely and the multitude adhering to it is the Catholique Church the Religion of this Church is Catholique the faith is Catholique the doctrine is Catholique and their followers are tearmed Catholikes What is properly vnderstood by the Catholike Church St. Austen deliuers in these words Non haec aut illa It is not this Church Toto orbe diffusa Aug. de rudibus Catech c. 20. or that Church but the Church dispersed throughout the whole world Maiores nostri Catholicā nominarunt vt ex ipso nomine ostenderent quia per totum est Aug de Vnit Eccles cap. 2. and from hence Our Ancestours named the Church Catholique that by that name they might demonstrate the Vniuersall If then the Church of Rome can prooue their Church Vniuersall there would be an end of all controuersies for we professe our selues to bee members of the vniuersall Church wee say that Church can neither erre totally nor finally and wee willingly grant that out of that Church there is no saluation But certainly this last Tenet doeth strongly euince that the Roman Church is not Vniuersall for Saint Stephen and St. Iames and others suffered Martyrdome and were saued in the Church of Hierusalem and in the Church of Antioch before the Church of Rome was euer heard of and they were all members of the vniuersall Church But let the Church of Rome claime what title or prerogatiue she list shee is in danger to fall vpon a Rocke for if shee confesse that shee is a particular Church shee stands subiect vnto errour if shee assume the title of Vniuersall she is altogether invisible for Vniuersale sentitur non videtur That which is Vniuersall is vnderstood not seene It is the Article of our Creed I beleeue the Catholique Church and Hoc enim veracitèr dicitur credi quod non potest videri Greg. Dial. 4. c. 4. that is truely said to bee beleeued which is inuisible saith Gregorie And that the world may know the Romanists are Nominals such as vaunt of the name of Catholikes as the Donatists did in the Primitiue Church when they want the nature of the thing it selfe their owne Waldensis who well vnderstood how to make a difference betwixt the particular Roman and the Vniuersal Catholike Church tels vs Wald. de doctr Fidei lib. 2. art 2. cap. 19. The Church whose faith neuer faileth according to the promise made to Peter is not any particular Church as the Church of Africa nor the particular Romane Church but the Vniuersall Church not gathered together in a Generall Councell which hath sometimes erred but it is the Catholique Church dispersed through the whole world from the Baptisme of Christ vnto our times which doeth hold and maintaine the true Faith and faithfull testimony of Iesus Neither was this the particular opinion of one priuate man but many Bishops and learned Doctors did professe publikely in the Councell of Ferara Quacunque facultate Romana Eccles praedita sit vniuersali Ecclesiae inferior sit Concil Ferar Sess 10 With whatsoeuer power the Church of Rome is indued yet it is inferiour to the Vniuersall Church And if wee require a cloud of witnesses behold both Princes and Cardinalls and Bishops in the great Councell of Basil resolued and declared Ecclesia Romana non est vniuersa sed est de vniuersalitate corporis mystici Concil Basil in Appendice That the Church of Rome is not Vniversall but a part of that vniversall mystical body of Christ as appeareth by Gregorie Therefore for as much as it is a member of the said body it is not neither can it be the Head of the same body since there is a difference betwixt Head and members Thus if wee looke for Infallibilitie it is not found in the Romane Church If wee looke for the Authoritie of the Church it is inferiour to the Scriptures vnlesse they say the Scripture is vnder the Church as some say the Sunne is vnder a cloud when it is aboue it If wee looke for Vniuersalitie the Romane Church is but a member and no sound member of the Vniuersall Let vs therefore examine in particular where or in whome wee shall finde this Church which doeth assume those great and glorious Titles to her selfe SECT XIX The Church which our Aduersaries so much magnifie amongst themselues is finally resolued into the Pope whom they make both the Husband and the Spouse the Head and the Body of the Church SAint Matthew tels vs that our Sauiour Christ gaue charge to Saint Peter as well as to the rest of his Disciples that if any dissention did happen which they could not well reconcile among themselues they should tell the Church If Saint Peter himselfe was commaunded to tell the Church and the Pope bee St. Peters Successor it would somewhat trouble a doubtful Recusant how to vnderstand and beleeue the Pope for the Church for if Christ had taken Peter for the Church it is not probable hee would haue bid him tell the Church for that had beene all one as to bid the Church tell the Church Yes Postremò dicere Ecclesiae id est sibi ipsi Bel. de Concil author lib. 2. cap. 19. saith Bellarmine the Pope ought to tell it to the Church that is to himselfe I take not vpon me to answer this learned Cardinall but I dare avowe that this Exposition of Scripture is not according to the Article of his faith with the vniforme consent of Fathers Howbeit by this solution of Dic Ecclesiae wee are informed where and in whom wee may finde the Romane Church Gretzerus the Iesuite puts the question touching the Pope and returnes his answere in this manner Ais tertio interpretátur Ecclesiam Papā non abnuo quid tum Gretz def c. 10. l. 31. de verbo Dei Thou saiest they interpret the Church the Pope I graunt it what then yet wee may doubt of his sentence for how can wee bee certaine that he erres not Yes saith hee from these sayings I will giue thee the keyes c. The gates of Hell shall not preuaile c. Whatsoeuer thou bindest shall bee bound c. But who shall iudge of the sense of these places How shall I know those things are spoken of the Pope From Ecclesiasticall Tradition from the consent of our Elders from the Suffrage of
that the Pope can do more then God can do for God cannot lye saith the Apostle Howsoeuer the Pope in this is much beholding to this Cardinall for without this exception of sinne the Pope could not haue beene Antichrist since hee must bee The man of Sinne. Neither is this man different in opinion from his fellow Romanists for Cornelius Bitonto pronounced openly in the Councell of Trent Conc. Trid. sub Paulo 3. Orat. Cornel. Ep. Bitont Who will so vniustly weigh things but he will say the Pope is the light that commeth into the world Thus the Cardinal hath equalled him with God the Father excepto peccato and the Bishop hath giuen him the proper attribute of Christ and that an Infallibilitie might be granted him Salmeron the Iesuite proclaimes it for a certaine trueth Tom. 1. prolog 9. princ 5. Can. 1. c. 1. ad Hier. The Lord promised his Spirit to Christs Vicar and the successor of Peter and by his authoritie hee determines all matters of Faith So that from these seuerall assertions wee may confidently affirme that either the Pope hath the Office of the holy Ghost giuen him to leade him into all truth Reuel 13.5 7. or certainly There was giuen vnto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies to make warre with the Saints and to ouercome them First therefore let vs examine vpon what ground the Popes infallibilitie may be prooued and whether it bee receiued as a doubtfull opinion or as an Article of faith Touching the first according to their seuerall fancies Non Cathedra facit SacerdoreÌ„ sed Sacerdos CathedraÌ„ Chrysost the Romanists haue deuised seuerall reasons some pretend that the truth is annexed to the Chaire as if Christ had prayed for his Tribunals Courts Consistories others deriue it from the example of Caiphas who being High Priest by vertue of his office rightly prophecied of Christ and consequently QuaÌ„do Deus voluit etiaÌ„ matuÌ„ immentum rationabilitèr loquutuÌ„ est Nec ideò admoniti sunt homines in deliberationibê° suis etiam Asinina expectare consilia Aug Epist 58. the Pope cannot faile in Iudgement A wittie argument no doubt and available for the Deuill himselfe for by the same reason the Deuil may conclude that he hath also the Spirit of God for he testified of Christ I know thou art Christ the Son of the liuing God Now the Apostle doth witnesse accordingly that No man can say the Lord Iesus but in the spirit of trueth 1 Cor. 12. He therfore that shall reade in the 11. of Iohn that Caiphas did not speake of himselfe but as High Priest was guided by the spirit of prophesie let him take his answere from Saint Matthew Math. 26. that Caiphas himselfe the very same yeere being high Priest did publikely and Iudicially pronounce our Sauiour a blasphemer and I thinke none will say that this iudgement of his proceeded froÌ„ the holy Ghost vnlesse he wil say when the Pope speaketh the truth he doth it vnawares like Caiphas when his heart and purpose was bent to ouerthrow the truth There are others that coÌ„fesse the Pope may erre as man but not as Pope as if his Manhood his Popedome had two capacities and were in two distinct persons Plato a heathen Philosopher did note it as a thing ridiculous that one in his dayes did maintaine Plato de Repub. lib. â—â—thuasm A Magistrate could not erre as Magistrate nor Prince as Prince And their owne Alphonsus à Castro scoffes at the Dominicans Eos non vereri coram â—opulo iactare et dicere qui semel habitum illius Ordinis susceperit non posse in fide errare deficere Alph. lib 1. de haeres cap 9. for that they were wont to brag before the people that those which haue once vsed the habit of their Order could not erre nor faile in faith Shall we say then that this new Diuinitie was learned from some old Philosopher or that the Pope is chosen out of the Order of Dominicans which haue the gift of Infallibilitie Glaber Rodolphus who was liuing in the time of Benedict the Ninth tells vs that Benedict was chosen Pope at ten yeeres olde shall wee say then that this child had infallibilitie and could not erre or must wee beleeue the Trueth was annexed to his Chaire and that he was able to guide the whole Church and direct a whole Councell when hee knew not the principles of Religion Againe what shal we say of hereticall and wicked Popes who haue neither Faith nor Religion If we peruse the Councell of Basil Eugenium contemptorem sacroruÌ„ Canonum pacis et veritatis Ecclesiae Dei perturbatorem notorium c. Conc Basil Sess 34. Baron ann 985. n 1. we shall find Pope Eugenius condemned and deposed for a despiser of the holy Canons a Symonist a forsworne man a man incorrigible a schismatike a man fallen from the faith and a wilfull heretique Boniface the seuenth saith Baronius was a verie villaine a Church-robber a sauage thiefe the cruell murderer of two Popes and the invader of Peters Chaire Iohn the 13 was accused and detected in a Synode of Bishops Sigon reg Ital lib. 7. ann 963. for murders adulteries incests periuries and other vices of all sorts Alexander the sixth Mach. de Princ c. 18. gaue his mind to nothing but villeny and fraud Mart. Pol. ann 986. Platin. in Syluest 2. whereby to deceiue men Syluester the second leauing his Monastery betooke himselfe wholly to the Deuil by whose helpe hee gate the Popedome vpon condition that after his death he should be the deuils both body and soule Must wee beleeue these Popes were guided by the holy Spirit and led into all truth that the trueth was annexed to their Chaire and not to their Persons must wee acknowledge for what vertue wee know not that these Bishops were the Virtuall and totall Church were these the right successors of Peter in faith and doctrine or shall we say they erred as men but not as Popes they erred in their Pallace but not in their Consistorie they erred in matters of fact but not in matters of Faith These things are so groundlesse in themselues that they rather deserue laughter then an answer Aliud stans Aliud sedens they are riddles without sense that a man not a Pope in a stoole not in the Chaire in a company not in a Councel may failâ— and not erre wander but not goe astray misse the trueth but not doe amisse Cardinal Cusanus was so far from the beliefe of this new doctrine that hee ieasted at Pope Eugenius and vnder that pretext derided the Infallibilitie of the Pope Quomodo potest Papa Eugenius dicere hoc veruÌ„ esse si ipse velit et non alitèr Cusan de Concord Cath. lib. 2. cap. 29. How can Pope Eugenius saith heâ— tell this is true if he will haue it so and not otherwise as though the inspiration
Nunnes be not Stewes of filthy Harlots if the consecrated Monasteries be not Faires Markets and Innes Cathedrall Churches dennes of theeues Priests vnder pretence of mayds keepe harlots consider whether so great variety of pictures and Images be fit and whether it occasion not Idolatrie in the simple looke vpon the number and varietie of religious Orders the Canonizing of new Saints though there bee too many already as Bridget of Swetia Charles of Britain the feasts of new Saints more religiously kept then those of the blessed Apostles enquire if there be not Apocryphall Scriptures and prayers in processe of time eyther of purpose or of ignorance brought into the Church to the great hurt of the Christian Faith consider the diuersitie of opinions as the conception of Marie sundry other things Againe in his Consolatory tract of Rectifying the Heart amongst many other considerations hee complaineth There is intolerable superstition in the worshipping of Saints innumerable obseruations without all ground of reason vaine credulitie in beleeuing things concerning the Saints report in their vncertain Legend of their liues superstitious opinions of obtaining pardon and remission of sinnes by saying so many Pater nosters in such a Church before such an Image as if iâ— the Scriptures and authentical writings of holy men there were not sufficient direction for all actes of Pietie and Deuotion without these friuolous addititions nay which is worse see if these obseruations in many countreys and kingdomes of the world be not more vrged then the Lawes of God euen as wee shall finde in the Decrees and Decretals a Monke more seuerely punished for going without his Cowle then committing Adultery or Sacriledge and more grieuously corrected in going against one of the Popes Decrees IdeÌ„ de Directione cordis Consid 29. c. then offending against the diuine precepts and the Gospell of Christ This learned Author was Director of the Councell of Constance and there complained of 75 exorbitant abuses and errours that were crept into the Roman Church but found no amendment nay more saith hee Wee must not looke for a Reformation in things that concerne Faith and Religion or doctrine or manners except the Secular powers do seriously take it in hand Experto crede Experto crede c. Idem in Dial Apologetico Beleeue me in what I say I haue tryed it dispute no more of it speake not to deafnesse it selfe thou shalt neuer bee heard Lastly when hee found there was little hope of reducing Religion to the former purity of the Primitiue Church in Christs time yet hee wished at least a restoring of the ancient Faith in the Fathers time Ecclesia si non ad statuÌ„ Christi et ApostoloruÌ„ saltem ad statum Syluestri resti tuenda Gers de Concil Gener vnius obedientiae In diebê° istis in ore cuius libet bonum fuit argumentuÌ„ tenens tam de formâ quaÌ„ materiâ Hic est Frater ergo est mendax Wals Hist Angl. in Rich. 2. p. 281. and saith he If the Church may not bee reformed according to the stateâ— it was in the time of Christ and his Apostles yet at least it should be brought to the state it was in the time of Syluester which was about 300 yeeres after Christ. To let passe the obseruation of Tho. Walsingham that in those dayes it was the common argument in euery mans mouth He is a Fryar Ergo a lyar At this time Aluarez Pelagius wrote a Booke De Planctu Ecclesiae of the Churches complaint wherein hee tells vs The Church which in her Primitiue state was adorned of her Spouse with many royall graces Aluar. de planctu Eccles l. 2. art 5. lit Aleph was clouded and ecclipsed with the blacke mists of ignorance iniquitie and errour In like manner Et prasertim qd magis prodigiosum est Pontificibus qui suas Traditioneâ— diuinis longè mandatis anteponunt Clem. de Corrup Eccles statu ca. 14. 26 Nicholaus Clemangis Archdeacon of Baieux wrote a Booke of the corrupt estate of the Church wherein he complaines The studie of Diuinitie was made a mocking stocke and which was most monstrous for the Popes themselues they preferred their own Traditions farre before the CoÌ„maundements of God What doest thou thinke saith he of the prophecie of the Reuelation of St. Iohn doest thou not thinke that in some sort it belongs to thee thou art not grown so shamelesse as to deny it consider therefore of it and reade the damnation of the Great Whore sitting vpon many waters there contemplate thy worthy actes and thy future fortune Abusiones quoque Paganica superstitiones Diabolica taÌ„ multa Romae qd diuinari benè non possuÌ„t Camer de Squaloribus Rom. Eccles p. 34. Cardinall Cameracensis wrote a Booke De Squaloribus Romanae Ecclesiae touching the Deformitie of the Roman Church which book is to be seene in the Library at Westminster wherein amongst many other complaints touching the Roman Church he tells vs That Pagan abuses and diabolicall superstitions were so many at Rome that they could not well bee imagined Câ—mer de Reform Ecclesiae but saith hee as there were seuen thousand which neuer bowed to Baal so it is to bee hoped that there are some who desire the Churches Reformation and accordingly it happened Consil Pisan Sess 20. for Pope Alexander the Fift in this age and in the yeere 1411 Dixit quod ipse volebat vacare circa reformationeÌ„ Ecclesia c. promised solemnly to intend a Reformation and for that purpose to assemble the most learned of all nations and at the Councel of Senes 1423 the proposition of Reformation was reuiued but withall it was adiourned de die in diem and the Reformation is not yet come In the sixteenth Age Ann. 1500. to 1600. Hieronymus Sauanarola a Dominican by Profession and for his Doctrine and sanctitie of life termed a Prophet was examined with tortures saith Guicciardine for inueying against the Cleargie and Court of Rome Vpon which examination a Proces was publishd to this purpose that he was not moued thereunto out of any euill intent but this one thing he onely respected that by his meanes a Generall Councell might be called wherein the corrupt manners of the Clergie might bee reformed Guicciard lib. 3. in fine and the degenerate state of the Roman Church as farre foorth as was possible might be reduced to the likenes of that it was in the Apostles time or those that were neerest vnto them and if hee could bring so great and so profitable a worke to effect hee would thinke it a farre greater glory then to obtaine the Popedome it selfe Comin lib. 8. cap. 2. And Philip de Comines giues vs likewise to vnderstand that hee told the French King Charles the eight He should haue great prosperity in his voyage into Italy and that God would giue the sword into his hand all this to the ende he should
locis apertioribus fami occurreret obscurioribus autem fastidia detergeret Nihil enim fere de illis obscuritatibus eruitur qdâ—â—on planissimè dictuÌ„ alibi reperitur Aug. de doct Chris lib. 2. â—a 6. for saith hee In this great plentie of Scriptures wee are fed with plaine things and exercised with obscure those driue away hunger these contempt the holy Ghost hauing tempred them so of purpose and then he concludeth with the Tenet of our church There is scarce any thing drawn out of these obscure places which hath not been spoken quod non planissimè most plainely some other where Neither was this the opinion of this learned Father only but it was the confession of S Ambrose Multa obscuritas in Scripturis propheticis â—â—d siâ—â— anu â—â—â—aÌ„ meÌ„â—â—â—ā◠〈◊〉 a scrâ— tuâ—aruÌ„ â—â—aÌ„â—eâ— qua sunt occulta diligentèr examines paulatim incipies rationeÌ„ colligere dictoruÌ„ et operietur tibi Non ab alio sed à verbo Dei Amb. in Psal 118. Serm. 8. There is much obscurity in the Scriptures but withall if thou knocke at the doore with the hand of thy vnderstanding thou shalt gather by little and little the reason of that which is there spoken and the doore shall bee opened vnto thee non ab alio sed à verbo Dei and that by no other but by the Word of God it selfe And with these Doctors of the Latin Church agreeth the Greeke Fathers Behold saith Basil and heare the Scripture expounding it selfe Basil HexaÌ„ Hom. 4. Yea saith he what things be or seeme to bee couertly spoken in some places of holy Scripture Quae ambigua sunt tectè dicta esse in quibusdaÌ„ diuinae scripturae locis videntuâ— ab aliis locis manifestis declaraÌ„tur IdeÌ„ quaest coÌ„p Expl. quaest 267. Ad ipsuÌ„ diuina Script scopuÌ„ incedamus quaeseipsam interpretatur quaÌ„uis sacra Scriptura cum nos tale quiddaÌ„ docere vult seipsaÌ„ exponit et auditoreÌ„ errare non sinit Chrys HoÌ„ 13. in Gen. Chrys in 1. Thes HoÌ„ 7. SiquideÌ„ empturê° vesteÌ„ quaÌ„uis artis Textoriae imperitê° sis haec verba non dicis Nescio emere illudunt mihi sed facis omnia vt discas fac illa quae facienda et rectâ ratione quaere à Deo et ille tibi omnino reueâ—abit IdeÌ„ Homil. 33. in Act. the same are expounded by other plaine places elsewhere And saith Chrysostome Let vs follow the scope of the holy Scripture in interpreting of it selfe when it teacheth some hard thing it expoundeth it selfe and suffereth not the hearer to erre Let vs not feare therefore saith hee to put our selues with full saile into the sea of Scriptures because wee shall be sure to find the Word of God for our Pilot. And lastly as it were forestalling that Popish opinion that the Scriptures are obscure and therefore not to be read by the vulgar people hee elegantly incites a Gentile to the reading of the Scripture by a familiar and common reason When thou buyest a garment though thou haue no skill in weauing yet thou sayest not I cannot buy it they will deceiue mee but thou dost vse all meanes to learne how to know it doe therefore those things which are to bee done seeke all those things of God and hee altogether will reaueale it vnto thee So that if any doubt or difference happened in the Primitiue church amongst the true beleeuing Christians they referred the determination of it to the Inquest of Christ his 12 Apostles and they onely were made the sole Iudges of the question And that wee might know this Protestant doctrine continued for many ages in the Church Pope Clement the first almost sixe hundred yeeres since professed it for the Catholike doctrine of his time Integra firma regula veritatis ex Scripturis Dist 37. cap 14. that a man must take the sense of truth from the Scripture it selfe seeing that euery man may haue the full and firme rule of faith and truth in the Scriptures If we descend froÌ„ the Pope to the great Councell of Basil it was the general vote of many B. and Cardinalls and confirmed likewise by the Pope himselfe The Diuine Law or holy Scripture the practise of Christ of his Apostles Lex diuina praxu Christi Apostolica et Ecclesia primitina vnâ cum CoÌ„ciliis Doctoribusque fundantibê° se veracitèr in eadeÌ„ pro verissimo et indifferente Iudice in hoc Basiliensi Consilia admittatur Conc. Basil Sess 4. and the Primitiue Church together with Councels and Doctors grounding themselues truely vpon the Scriptures shall bee admitted for the most true and indifferent Iudge in the Councell of Basil The resolution of the ancient Father Optatus in the question betwixt the Catholiques and the heretiques whether one should bee twise baptized may serue for a proofe and a full conclusion of the premisses You say it is lawfull wee say it is not lawfull betweene yours it is lawfull and ours it is not lawfull the peoples soules doe doubt and wauer De coelo quaerendus est Index sed vt quid pulsamus ad coelum cum habemus in Euangelio Testamentum Opt. lib. 5. contr Parmen Donat. let none beleeue you nor vs wee are all contending parties Iudges must be sought for if Christians they cannot be giuen on both sides for truth is hindred by affections A Iudge without must bee sought for if a Paynim hee cannot know the Christian mysteries if a Iew hee is an enemie to Christian Baptisme no iudgement therfore of this matter can bee found on earth a Iudge in heauen must bee sought for But why knocke we at heauen when wee haue the Testament of Christ in the Gospell And thus I haue briefly shewed you the deputed Iudges and Interpreters of the Scripture in the Primitiue Church now let vs obserue by what Rule the Scriptures are expounded in the Roman Church SECT IIII. Our aduersaries howsoeuer they pretend by taking an oath to make the Fathers Interpreters of the Scriptures yet indeed they make themselues sole Interpreters of Scriptures and Fathers Bulla Pij quarti Art 2. IT is an Article of the Romame Creed published by Pope Pius the fourth and by the oath their Foreman hath taken all Priestes and I suites are sworne Not to receiue or interpret the Scriptures but according to the vnifoâ—me consent of Fathers It is a large and faire promise and deliuered vpon oath and for my part if the church of Rome can make good the vniforme consent of Fathers for all their twelue newe Articles of Faith which hath been often promised but neuer as yet by any one performed I shall willingly listen to their interpretation and preferre it before any priuate or latter Exposition It was the profession of our late King of famous memory Apolog. for the oath of Alleag pa. 36. What euer the Fathers of the first foure hundred yeeres did with one vnanime consent agree vpon to be beleeued