Zuarez teach as well by preseruing her from sinne by his preuenting grace before she were touched with any infection as by cleansing her after she was once defiled As a man may be saued out of a dangerous pit eyther by warning giuen before or succour yielded after his fall 6. Our Blessed Lady reioyced in God her Sauiour she was the Queene of his chosen flocke redeemed by him by speciall preuention that she might not sinne not by subuention after her ruine Some peraduenture more curious in reading then iudicious or cunning in expounding the Fathers will vrge out of S. Augustine Nullus redimitur nisi is qui verè per peccatum fuerit antea captiuus No man is redeemed but he that hath serued vnder the yoke of sinne Which because the good Angells neuer did our Sauiour Christ who merited grace glory to them is not properly sayd to haue redeemed them No more can he be sayd to eÌ„sranchise our Blessed Lady if she were neuer subiect to the bondage of sinne I answere it is true that he who is redeemed must haue beene first captiued either in himselfe or in the roote and origen from whence he springeth The good Angells were neither of these wayes euer inwrapped ad Rom. 3. v. 23. in the bandes of iniquity but the Virgin Mary howbeit she neuer sinned neither actually or originally in her selfe yet she truely proceeded from that roote or Hest. c. 15. vers 13. In Lege princeps §. de legibus Gen. 34. v. 16. v. 19. Aug. l. de natura gratia cap. 36. Cyp. ser de natiuitat Christi Amb. ser 22. in Psal 118. virgo per gratiaÌ„ ab onmi integra labe peccati Nissen ho. 13. in CaÌ„tic. Ansel l. de concep virg l. de exâ—ellen virg c. 3. Bonauent in 3. sent d. 3. Richard Victor â—an 39. Cant. 4. Iob. c. 6. v. 2. of spring in her parents from whence she should haue drawn by naturall propagation the corruption of sin had she not beene miraculously preserued and after this manner most perfectly redeemed had she not been by a singular prerogatiue exempted from that generall senteÌ„ce of S. Paul All haue sinned and need the glory of God Had she not beene priuiledged by God as Hester was by Assuerus when he spake vnto her Non pro te sed pro omnibus haec Lex constituta est Not for thee but for all this Law was enacted To which purpose Vlpianus sayth The Prince is not subiect to his owne Lawes and the Empresse although she be subiect yet the Prince graunteth her the same priuiledges himself enioyeth The Mother of God was the Queen the Lady the Empresse of the world to whome as her Sonne imparted that vnmatchable fauour to be free from the common malediction imposed vpon women In dolo reparies In dolour and griefe shalt thou bring forth thy children to be free from the vniuersall decree inflicted vpon all both men women In puluerem reuerteris Thou shalt returne into dust so likewise from the generall and absolute sentence of the Apostle All haue sinned c. 7. Therefore S. Augustine reckoning vp all the Patriarkes Prophets and iust persons to haue beene stayned with the blemish of some venial fault excepteth alwayes our Blessed Lady Of whome sayth he for the honour of our Lord when we talke of sinnes I will haue no question With whome S. Cyprian S. Ambrose Gregory Nissen S. Anselme S. Bonauenture and Richardus Victorinus agree who attribute vnto her that saying of the Canticles Thou art wholy beautifyed my beloued and there is no spot or blemish in thee No spot no blemish of sinne suffering notwithstanding many dolorous griefes she abounded with great satisfaction treasured vp in the store-house of the Church 8. Iob abounded with the like affirming of himself I would to God my sinnes by which I haue prouoked the wrath of God and the calamity which I suffer were waighed in a ballance like the sand of the sea this would seeme more heauy S. Mary Magdalen Colos 1. v. 24. the Apostles sundry Martyrs and other holy persons haue abounded with the like Especially S. Paul who writeth thus I accomplish those thinges that want of the Passions of Christ in my flesh for his body which is the Church Fulke in c. â— ad Colos sect 4. And what was this which was wanting to the sufferings of Christ Was there any defect in his PassioÌ„ No. Was this suffering then of the Apostle only as M. Fulke answereth for the glory of God and confirmation of the Church in fayth of the Ghospell No. It was also as th wordes enforce to fullfill the plenitude of Christs and his members passions for the benefit of the Church and behoofe of others to Aug. in Psal 6â— whome they be communicated For as Christ our head withall his elect make one mysticall common and publicke body so his sufferings with the afflictions of his members concurre to make vp as S. Augustine sayth one common and publique weale one generall and publicke treasure To which when we add we accomplish with S. Paul Aug. ibid. Orig hom 10. 24. in Num. that which is wanting to the Passions of Christ and for the debt of sinne according to our meane ability to speake with the same S. Augustine we pay that we owe. Which Origen also taught long before him and strengthned with some testimonyes of holy Writ 9. Touching the second point that this common treasure of penall afflictions is dispensable vnto others by them to whome God hath committed the gouernement Matth. 18. of his Church is likewise plaine by those wordes of Christ Whatsoeuer yee shall loose vpon earth shall be loosed in heauen And principally by those he vsed to S. Peter Matth. 16. Whatsoeuer thou shalt loose in earth shal be loosed also in the heauens which being generally spoken without restriction are not only to be expounded of all spirituall power to forgiue sinnes in the holy Sacraments by application of Christs merits but also to release punishment out of the Sacrament by dispensing his owne and his Saints satisfactions 1. Cor. 2. Theodoret vpon this place Cyp. ep 13. 14. 15. Tertul. l. ad Martyr Concil 1. Nicaen can â—1 Thus S. Paul graunted Indulgence to the incestuous Corinthian of his deserued punishment whome at the intercession as Theodoret writeth of Timothy and Titus he pardoned in the person of Christ Thus the Bishops of the Primitiue Church gaue many pardons and Iudulgences to sundry Penitents by the mediation of Confessours or designed Mattyrs of which S. Cyprian and Tertullian make mention Thus the first Councell of Nice appointed mercy and Indulgence to be vsed to such as perfectly repented wheras others should performe and expect their whole tyme of pennance All these pardons and many morâ— which S. Gregory the a Tho. in 4. sent dis 20. q. 1 art 3. Great b Abbas Vrspergen in chron Fulke in c.
Lybia and Pentapolis From him the Bishops of France of Spayne of Greece haue receaued their Archiepiscopall robes or ornaments From him S. Augustine our Apostle of England and first Arch-bishop of Canterbury amongst the Saxons from him all other Arch-bishops euen to the Conquest receiued their pals which in signe of their subiection to the Pope and honour deriued from S. Peters Sea is first layed vpon his holy Tombe and from thence sent to the Arch-bishop Thus our King Edwin for S. Paulin and Honorius King Rufus for S. Anselme obtayned their Episcopall Palls 17. To be briefe from him Kings and Emperours haue receaued some their Scepters Crownes and Regalityes some singular fauours and tytles of honour others their very manner and forme of coronation So a Alber. Krant l. 2. Pipin was created King of Italy by Leo the Third b Blond dec 2. Stephen King of Hangary by Sergius the Pope c li. 7. hist Scoto Edgar King of Scotland by Vrban the Second d Paul Diacon l. 23. rerum Romana Charles the Emperour of the Romans by Leo the Third The e S. Thomas l. 3. de regi princ co 19. Stow ann 1521. and Onuphri chro 1520. King Iams in his Declar concoÌ„cerning his proceding in the cause of D. Conradus V or-â— stius p. 36. Thomas Bozius de fignis Eccles Tomo 2. l. 17. Signo 77. Papyrius Masso l. 3. Annal. in vita Henr. primi Bils 1. p. pag. 83. 84. 93. 94. 97. 98. part 2. p. 137. 138. 139 c. Sabellicus Aene. 9. l. 1. Atha ad soli vitam agentes seauen Electours of the Empire were all chosen and ordaynad by Gregory the Fifth Our King Henry the second was first intituled to the Lordship of Ireland by the gift of Adrian the Fourth Pope of that name And as the honourable stile of Catholike in Spayne most Christian in France so the no lesse memorable and renowned tytle I mentioned before of defender of the Fayth in which our Soueraygne King Iames gloryeth more as himselfe protesteth then in the tytle of King of great Britany was first graunted to King Henry the eight by the Pope of Rome But whome also the solemne manner of Crowning both our sundry other Kings hath byn instituted prescribed and is to this day obserued For example the King of France is consecrated anonynted by the Archlishop of Rhemes according to the ordinance of Hormisda the Pope The King of England by the Arch-bishop of Canterbury according to the grant of Adrian the Third The King of Scotland by the Arch-bishop of S. Andrew according to the prescription of Vrban the Second The King of Germany by the Arch-bishop of Mentz The King of Bohemia by the Arch-bishop of Prage and diuers others by such as the Pope appointed By these and a thousand other presidents the supremacy of all spirituall power is more then manifest in the Sea of Rome 18. But D. Bilson opposeth some Kings and Princes of Greece of Germany of France England who resisted the Pope Some who deposed him Some Emperours who commanded in matters Ecclesiasticall To what purpose is this Might not inferiours resist and persecute their Superiours as Nero persecuted and killed S. Peter Might they not wrongfully depose or rather force them as Sabellicus writeth of Henry the third to forgoe the Papacy Might not Emperours vsurpe the function authority of Priests as Oza in the old law and Constantius the Emperour did in the new whom Athanasius Hosius Leontius and S. Hilary sharply rebuke for his Hosius in litteris ad Constant ibi recitatis Leontius pud Suid. in Leontio Hilar. l. coÌ„t Const Aug. epist 162. Iustin in Nouella constit 3. Nouella 123. 133. in edit Haloand Leg. Franciae l. 2. 2. Codice Theod. L. 26. tit 4. de relig §. Ea quae Ruff. l. 1. cap. 1. hist Eccl. â—â— ep praeam Conc. Chal. In 6. Syn. act 1. See Cusan l. 3. de Concord Catho cap. 2. 10. 13. c. Bils par 2. pag. 155. 156. c. Leo Epist 24. 26. Bils 2. par p. 154. Ambros com 5. Ep. praefix tyranny therein The factes of Constantine of Iustinian of Theodosius and others with which M. Bilson furnisheth his large treatise are for the most part examples drawne froÌ„ the like abuse In which kind euen Constantine the Great waded so farre beyond the bounds of his vocation That as S. Augustine writeth of him he minded to aske pardon of the holy Bishops Or I answere that the precepts Kings and Emperours vsed the lawes they enacted in matters Ecclesiasticall were to corroborate strengtheÌ„ renew the lawes of the Church Such were many lawes and commandments of Iustinian in which He followed as he sayth the holy Canons and holy Fathers Such the lawes of Charles of Lodowike of Ricaredus King of Spayne Such the decrees of Theodosius and Valentinian as by their owne Constitutions appeareth 19. After this manner I grant Emperours might call generall Councels as the especiall Aduocates of the Church As Constantine the Great summoned the Councell of Nice in Bithynia Ex Sacerdotum sententia According to the will and desire of the Priests as Ruffinus witnesseth Valentinian and Marcian the Councell of Calcedon by the consent of Leo. Constantine the fourth the sixt Generall Councell by the consent of Agatho Thus Emperours haue byn present in Councels as Protectours of the Bishops and Procurers of peace thus they haue subscribed as witnesses not as Iudges by priuiledge not by right Thus they haue commaunded the decrees to be obserued as executours not Superiours M. Bilson in Ecclesiasticall affayres 20. For these causes Popes and Bishops might of Christian charity humbly sue to Emperours to interpose their Temporall power in manner aforesayd as Leo did to Theodosius and his sister Pulcheria S. Ambrose with the Synode of Aquileia to Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius ioynt Emperours requesting their protection for the better defence and peaceable execution of what they had decreed because the Heretikes Valens and Attalus sought to disturbe them For the same peace and quietnesse S. Gregory writeth Greg. Ep. l. 2. c. 100. most submissiue letters to Mauritius the Emperour And what he and others of singular curtesy and charity performe will you say they do of duty wheÌ„ he imitating his Mayster humbleth himselfe to the feete of his Infeririours Bils part 2. fol. 157. 158. Fulke in c. 2. 2. ad Thess sect 7. VVhit Caluin commonly all Protestants Greg. l. 4. Ep. 32. shall an act M. Bilson of such vertue blemish in your conceit or debase his dignity 21. But M. Fulke M. Whitaker and other M. Bilsons confederats often vpbrayd vs with that of S. Gregory where he calleth the name of Vniuersall Bishop A prophane proud sacrilegious and Anti-christian tytle I answere S. Gregory inueygheth not agaynst the good vse and meaning of the word vniuersall but agaynst the proud and presumptuous manner after which
Euch. Saâ— lib. 3. c. 5. tops of mountaines Rabi Achilas There shal be substantiall Bread in the earth in the heads of Mountaines And Rabbi Ionathas The Cake of Bread shal be made a sacrifice on the heades of Priests which are in the Church A plaine description of our sacred Host which vnder the formes of bread our Priests reuerently lift aboue their heades to shew vnto the people 15. Malachy also most plainly prophesyeth of this vnspotted sacrifice saying From the rysing of the sunne euen to the setting my name is great amongst Gentils In euery place there is sacrifyced and offered vnto my name a cleane Oblation This testimony so cleare M. Reynoldes and M. Bilson hide and ouercast with the misty construction of spirituall sacrifices which cloud Cardinall Allen our famous Country-man with many reasons vnanswerable and authorityes of Fathers irrefragable strongly repâ—â—â—â—th and dissolueth wholy First because spirituall sacrifices are many this one Secondly they succeeded not the offerings of the old Law this doth Thirdly they common to the Iewes this proper to the Gentils Fourthly they are named in Scripture with addition or limitation as the Sacrifice of Prayse of Iustice of Contrition c. this without any abridging tearme is sayd to be sacrifyced to be offered in true and proper sense as the Hebrew word in that place manifestly proueth where insteed of Oblatio it is Minchah which alwayes signifyeth a proper Sacrifice or guift of homage and is neuer taken in Scripture for an improper Oblation such as prayers and other spirituall good deeds are Fifthly they euen our best and purest works in the erroneous perswasion of our Aduersaryes are soule and defiled in the sight of God tainted with the corruption of our sinnefull Natures this so faire as the Prophet honoureth it with the Epitheâ—e of A cleane Oblation so pleasing to God as he glorifyeth in it aboue all the Hosts and Holocausts of the Leuiticall Law 16. M. Reynolds albeit he ouerflorish the former reasons Reyn. c. 8. diuis 4. p. 527. with some shew of answer yet heere in this last he sticketh so pittifully grauelled as one while he auoucheth our best deeds not to be vncleane things but vnperfectâ—y cleane defiled with the staynes of vncleanes uillingly yet weakly done lesse perfect not absolutly vnpersect And in the page notwithstanding immediatly before he granteth them so faulty as they transgresse the Commandements of God so muddy as they make vs guilty of the whole breach of the law What Reyn. Ibid. 526. strang Paradoxes What positions be these Who did euer heare of a worke in it selfe vncleane taught to be stayned with the remnant of vncleanes A dy wholy black said to be coloured with the spots of blacknesse For of what vncleanes do we speake but of that spirituall vncleanes which is displeasing vnto God Wherefore if the spots with which our holiest actions are infected be not veniall as your selues say but mortall and deadly crimes if they be such deepe transgressions As they make vs guilty of the whole breach of the law They are not weakly but wickedly done not imperfectly fayre but absolutely soule not partly festered but wholly cankered with the contagion of sinne worthy to be hated vnworthy to be practised farre vnworthy M. Reynolds to betoken that cleane Oblation which cannot receiue the least taint of Chrys in com Ps 95. Eus de demons l. 1. c. 9. prop. fin c. 6. circa medium Calu. l. de ver Eccles refor â—irca medium habetur ille liber inter eius tract theo Iren. Athan Ambros Augu. Arnobius proue out of Scripture the Sacrifice of the Masse as Caluin confesseth See Baron in Annal. an Christi 44 nu 28. Bed l. 4. bist c. 14. Abdias in bist eius Philact ex lit Praesb Acha. S. Athan S. Basil S. Chrysost in their litur Cyp Ep ... extat haec S. Cornel. Ep. com 1. â—ibl Sanct. Conc. Vas 2. cap. 3. Plin. l. 3 c 4. Ptol. lib. 2. cap. 10. In eodem Concil Vasens 2. c. 4. corruption not from it selfe not from the impurity of the vngracious Minister Such is the diuine dreadfull most holy Sacrifice of the Masse to which only the Prophet alludeth as the Fathersteach 17. S. Chrysostome citing these wordes of Malachy saith Behold how excellently how perspicuously he hath set forth describeth the Mysticall Table which is the vnbloudy Host Eusebius alleadging the same place addeth We sacrifice after a new mammer according to the new Testament a pure Host for which he declareth there a new law to be ueedfull Altars to be erected not in Iury only but in euery Country S. Irenaeus I need not produce because Caluin the chiefe Patriarke and piller of Protestancy acknowledgeth him to expound this passage of the Sacrifice of the Masse as S. Athanasius S. Ambrose S. Augustine Arnobius likewise doe according to him the former of Melchisedech by his words you may gesse of his intemperate spirit therefore I heer insert them It is vsuall with these knaues so the foule-mouthed Runnegate miscalleth our Catholike writers to scrape togeather whatsoeuer is vnsound or corrupted in the Fathers c. Wherefore when they obiect the place of Malachie to be expounded of the Sacrifice of the Masse by Irenaeus the oblation of Melchisedech to be so handled by Athanasius Ambrose Augustine Arnobius it is briefly answered those selfe same writers otherwhere also interprete the bread to be the body of Christ but so ridiculously that both reason and truth maketh me dissent If this be to refute not confirme our doctrine let the Reader iudge when such and so many substantial witnesses some within the 3. some within the 4. all within the 5. hundred yeares after Christ are confessed by one of the chiefest Protosectaries of our time to mantain in two fundameÌ„tal points the same which we defend with whom the Apostles themselues and Pastours of the Church in all ages haue agreed 18. For did not S. Peter as the ancient authenticall tradition deliuereth say Masse as Naples Did not he and S. Paul both appeering to an holy man of our Country command Masses to be sayd in the feast of S. Oswald our vertuous King as venerable Bede reporteth Was not S. Mathew barbarously slaine Sacrificing at the Altar Did not S. Andrew say Masse S. Iames did not he write a Liâ—urgy or Masse S. Athanasius S. Basil S. Chrysostome did they not compose the like Did not the Priests in S. Cyprians tyme say Masse in prison Doth not Cornelius Bishop of Rome complaine the presecution was so cruell in his tyme aboue 254. yeares after Chist that they could not say Masses neyther in publike nor in the priuate grottes caues vnder groud Was it not decreed in the second prouinciall Councell of Vase a towne in France wherof Plinie and Ptolemy make mention celebrated the yeare of our Lord 444. that Kyrie eleison should be sayd at Masse in the Churches of France as
to the rule of many It was a Monarchy when Christ alone planted and founded it a Monarchy when Peter ruled it and is it now fallen to a more vnperfect forme of gouernment The Common-wealth of the Romans which flourished aboue all others was at last vtterly ruined by her manifold alterations by altering the sterne of regiment from Kings to ten Gouernours from them to Consuls from Consuls to Tribunes of souldiours from Tribunes to Dictatours from Dictatours to Trium-viri and could not our heauenly Law-maker preuent in his spirituall Common-wealth these great inconueniences Would he subiect his Church to such chops and changes to be gouerned first by one then by many after by more now by the Cleargy then by the Laity one while by Bishops then by Kings and Princes heere by Women there by Children whome you make heads and Gouernours of your Church Daniel prophesied that the God of Heauen would raise a kingdome which should neuer be dissolued and the Angell Gabriel foretould it should neuer haue end But neither the wordes of the Prophet nor voice of the Angell do you regard who rent and deuide the kingdome of Christs Church into as many seuerall Common-wealthes as there be seuerall Kinges seuerall Courts of Parlament seueral estates and manners of gouernement absolute and independant in the whole Christian World 6. The Synagogue of the lewes long triumphed in the lineall succession of her High Priests First in Aaron next in Eleazarus then in Phinees and in others after him vntill the end and abrogation of the Law and is it not meete the Church of Christ should glory in the like Being Heb. 8. v. 6 established in better promises and hauing greater necessity theÌ„ euer the Synagogue had For we find by experience many strifes contentions daily happen among the people of God who shal appease quiet theÌ„ The Bishops But how often do they arise among the Bishops themselues The Primates and Patriarches And what if they be also at variance as Flauianus and Dioscorus Cyrillus and Nestorius Euphemius and Petrus Mogus were The temporall Prince or Ciuill Magistrate But they ought not to intermedle with Ecclesiasticall affaires their factions may be more dangerous then any of the former To whome shall we then repaire To a Generall Councell But who shall sommon who shall order who shall direct and guide this Assembly What if they decline from the truth as the Councell of Ariminum the Councell of Milan the second Councell of Ephesus did who shall iudge their cause Who shall compose their dissentions vnles some one be appointed by the prouidence of God whose decree is iÌ„nuiolable and whose infallible censure all ought to obey Couell in his exam against the Plea of Innocents pag. 107. Cartwright in his second Reply part 1. pag. 582. 7. Otherwise as D. Couell our English Protestant affirmeth The Church of Christ should be in a farre worse case then the meanest Common-wealth nay almost then a denne of theeues if it were left destitute of meanes either to conuince heresyes or suppresse them A little before he sayth Authority which cannot be where all are equall must procure vnity and obedience And Cartwright This point of keeping peace in the Church is one of those which requireth as well a Pope ouer all Arch-bishops as one Arch-bishop ouer all Bishops in a Realme Melancthon pursueth the same reason The Bishop sayth Melanct. in Centu. Ep. Theol. Ep. 74. iuxta edit Bipont an Domini 1597. Luâ—h in lo. com Clas 1. cap. 37. p. 107. he of Rome is president ouer all Bishops and this Canonicall policy no wise man as I thinke doth or ought to disallow c. For the Monarchy of the Bishop of Rome is in my opinion profitable to this end that consens of Doctrine may be retained Which Luther his maister taught before him Whereas God would haue one Catholike Church throughout the whole world it is necessary to haue one people Yea and of this one people one Father ought to be chosen 8. Thus these Protestants depose against their own confederates and no maruell though some in so cleare light of Scripture in such a general consent of Councels 1. Cor. c. 12. vers 21. Io. 10. v. 16. Fathers and all antiquity should voluntarily approue a truth so manifest maruell no more approue it great maruell they remember not all the comparisons of S. Paul resembling the Church to a body in which the head Concil Nicen. can 6. Concil Brach. can 28. 23. Concil Constant apud Theod l. 5. Hist c. 9 Concil Lateran c. 5. Florent in Declarat fidei Conc. Chal. Act. 3. in relatione Sanctae Synodi ad B. PapaÌ„ Leonem 6. Synodus general cannot say to the feete as Christ might you are not necessary for me The prophesy recorded by S. Iohn There shal be one fold and one pastour Which as it was not verifyed in Christ his tyme so it cannot be now vnderstood only of him our inuisible Pastour but the flocke and fold being visible the Pastour whose office is ordinary and charge perpetuall must likewise be visible 9. What shall I adde the approbation of generall Councells Of the first Councell of Nice in Bithynia of the Councell of Brachara in Spaine of the Councell of Constantinople in Thracia of the Councells of Lateran and Florence in Italy especially of the Councell of Chalcedon in Asia one of the foure which our English Protestants allow where Pope Leo is called The vniuersall Arch-bishop The vniuersall Patriarch The Bishop of the vniuersall Church The Pope of the vniuersall Church Where the whole Councell tearmeth Leo The Interpreter of S. Peters voyce to all the world Where they acknowledge him their head and themselues his members Where they all confesse That the custody or keeping of the vineyard that is of the whole Church is committed by our Sauiour to Leo. Likewise the sixth Generall Synod confesseth that S. Peter was with them by his Successour Agatho and that S. Peter spake by Agatho his mouth 10. From the Councels I passe to the Fathers to S. Chrys l. 2. de Sacer. Hiero. Ep. ad Dam Hiero. ibid. Aug. in Psal cont part Donati de Vtilitate Cred. c. 17. Aug. in Epist. 162. Aug. lib. 1. con 2. Ep. Pela c. 1. ad Bonifa Prosper li. de ingrat Victor l. 2. de persecu Vandal Vincen in suo CoÌ„mo â—ustinian Ep. ad Io. quae habetur in Codice Iraen l. 3. cap. 3. Chrysostome Why did our Lord shed his bloud Truely to redeeme those sheep the care of which he committed both to Peter also to his Successours To S. Hierome writing to Damasus the Pope of Rome With the Successour of the Fisher-man and with the Disciple of the Crosse I speake I following none chiefe but Christ hold the fellow-ship of Communion with your Holynesse that is with Peters Chaire Vpon that Rocke I know the Church to be built Whosoeuer shall eate the Paschall Lambe out
ad Vitalem and proposed vnto vs. We besides that outward grace and fauour of preaching belieue also an internall grace which inwardly moueth and worketh with vs. For if a way faring man should fall a sleep in a dangerous wood where he were ready to be deuoured and should be so benuÌ„med of his senses or infeebled with trauaile that he could not moue without help it were not inough for another to awake and warne him of the danger to shew him the way by which he may escape vnles he affoard him also his helping hand vnles he succour stay and ayde him to depart so it is not sufficient to heare the word of God thundred in our eares to heare the truth deliuered the examples of Christ of his Saints and followers set before our eyes vnles God himselfe vouchsafe to enlighten our vnderstanding inflame our will touch and open the Act. 1â— vers 14. stringes of our harts as he opened the hart of Lydia to attend â—o those thinges which were sayd by Paul vnles he inwardly inspire moue and cooperate with vs to imbrace the sayth which is outwardly propounded 9. In this therefore and all the former positions of Grace we dissent from the Pelagians as M. Abbot might haue seene in the selfe same places he quoted out of S. Augustine if that passion which ministred to his pen those Aug. l. â— 2. de grat Chri. peccat orig odious comparisons betweene them and vs had not dimmed his sight from discouering these manifold differences of truth from heresy He might moreouer haue read in the foresayd S. Augustine that al beit Pelagius by those ambiguous acceptions of the word Grace deluded many Bishops in the Councell of Palestine yet he neuer could how beit he endeauoured much deceaue or beguile the Roman Church that impregnable rocke against which no heresy can euer preuaile But M. Abbot vbi supra c. 1. fol. 105. 106. 107. Abbot contendeth and struggleth to proue that the RomaÌ„ Church the an cient Fathers and S. Augustine himselfe coÌ„demned Pelagius because he confessed not the habituall quality and guift of renewing grace to be necessary to euery pious and Godly deed although he acknowledged Idem folio 110. the worke of preparation to proceed from the preuenting grace and help which we and the holy Councell of Trent admit yea sayth he this grace of ours the very Heathens Aristotle and Tully allowed saying Neuer any man Arist. de mundo Cicero de natura De orum 1. q. Tuscula proued great and excellent without some diuine instinct I answer he struggleth I confesse and struggleth eagerly to heap vp falshoods and hatefull criminations not to all eadge any grounded proofes or substantiall testimonyes either against vs or that Oecumenicall and venerable Councel For albeit the Heathens acknowledged the diuine concourse or speciall influence of the supreme cause to all heroicall acts yet they still bounded and restrained it within the confines and limites of nature they neuer dreamed of any supernaturall grace of any motion or illumination bestowed vpon vs through the merits of Christ or any speciall succour or inspiration of God ordayned to the remission of sinnes iustification of our soules in this life or to our future glory and felicity in the next For although those heauenly impulses which God gaue to the Pagans were often addressed to that end as S. Augustine affirmeth of the strang mutation made in Polemo by the Aug. ep 230. Araus 2. Can. 5. 7. 15. Aug. ep 105. perswasion of Zenocrates Yet they were not acquainted heerewith they ingulfed in the lake of superstitious infidelity neuer acknowledged the extraordinary benefite of those supernaturall fauours of which we only speake Secondly how falsly we are accused to agree with the Pelagians and how mayne an opposition there is in sundry points betweene vs and them I haue already declared Thirdly that the Roman Church and Ancient Fathers censured Pelagius among the rancke of Heretikes not for his denyall of habituall but chiefly of actual grace Augu. ep 105. 107 l. degra lib. arbi c. 17. l. 1. de praedest Sanctor c. 19. l. 2. de pece merit remis c. 18. in Enchirid c. 32 de nat grat c. 32. l. 1. ad Simpl. q. â— which preuenteth and cooperateth with the consent of our will independent of the merits thereof is so euidently expressed and so often repeated not only in the second Arausican Councell but also by the Pelagians chiefe Antagonist our greatest champion S. Augustine himselfe as M. Abbots paper might haue blushed for him when he wrote the contrary For it is not inough to confesse an habitual or inhabitant grace which S. Augustine calleth the grace of remission of sinnes but we must also sayth he acknowledge a grace precedent which must dispose and prepare vs to obtaine remission styled by him Preuenting and ayding or concomitant grace the one wrought in vs without vs that is without our free consent the other in vs with vs to wit with our free consent 10. But the dust which stopped M. Abbots eyes from behoulding a truth testifyed in so many places was the cause of his mistaking of some of S. Augustines wordes calling Abbot ibid. f. 105. the grace for which he contended with Pelagius the grace whereby we are Christians and the children of God whereby we are iustifyed c. And yet he only graceth with those tearmes the former motioÌ„s or illuminations of the holy Ghost because they moue induce and disspose vs to be iust good and the children of the highest Gab. Vasq 1. 2. disp 18â— c. 1. or because they make increase in the perfection of Iustice already attayned as Gabriel Vasquez solidly interpreteth him And S. Augustine himselfe plainely insinuateth in his epistle to Sixtus a little after the middest saying No man is Aug. ep 105. deliuered and iustifyed from the euills of his transgression or preâ—aâ—ication but by the grace of Iesus Christ our Lord not only by remission of sinnes but first by inspiration of fayth it selfe and feare of God Now in what sort can we by inspired feare by inspired fayth be iustifyed in what sort can we be deliuered from our offences before our offences be forgiuen before remission of sinnes but only by them as by dispositions preparations or certaine merites of congruity to obtaine remission therefore S. Augustine taketh grace by which we are iustifyed for that which moueth or disposeth to iustification in which sense he affirmeth about the beginning of the same Epistle That fayth by some kind of merits August ibid. obtayneth remission and yet that remission is not of merit because fayth is a free guift of God and not proceeding from our selues as the Pelagians boasted of their beliefe S. Augustine also in many other his Treatises cyted aboue speaketh so expresly of preparing preuenting and ayding grace before the infusion of habituall as his wordes can beare no other
Proueth Inuocation of Saints to be lawfull against D. Reynolds D. Field and D. Fulke pag. 255. The 14. Controuersy Establisheth the lawfull worship of Images against D. Bilson and D. Reynoldes pag. 276. The 15. Controuersy Maintaineth Purgatory and Prayer for the dead against D. Field and D. Fulke pag. 296. The 2. Chapter VVherin Prayer for the dead is defended against the foresayd Doctours M. Feild and M. Fulke pag. 316. THE FIRST BOOKE THE FIRST CONTROVERSY DECLARETH That neither the Holy Scripture by it selfe nor by any meanes the Protestants do assigne can be Iudge of Controuersyes AGAINST Doctour VVhitaker Doctour Reynolds and all other Protestants CHAP. I. THe extreme miserable refuge of al guilty persons who either mistrust the equity of their cause or feare the weaknes of their owne defence hath euer been to decline the barre of indifferent tryall and cleaue to the succour of some such Tribunall as will not or cannot giue sentence against them This was the wonted fraud of all ancient Heretikes this was the retraite of the Iran l. 3. cont haer Tertul l. 8. depraescrip Basil l. de Spir. sanct cap. 27. Aug. l. 1. cont Max. VVbitak coÌ„t 1. q. 5. c. 8. Reyn. in bis coÌ„f c. 2. diuis 2. p. 45. c. 8. diuis 1. p. 396. c. Bezainan noui Test 1556. in c. 10. Matth. in c. 22. Luc. Iran l. 1. c. 10. 20. 29. Aug. l. 32. con Faust c. 19. 21. Philast c. 36. Euseb l. 4. hist c. 29. Epiph. haer 30. Valentinians Eunomians Marcionists and the like This was the voice of Maximinus the Arian Bishop as S. Augustin reporteth writing against him And this is now the common cry of M. Whitaker M. Reynolds and their fellow-Sectaryes who will not stand to the generall arbitrement of Fathers Doctours Councells Historyes or former Churches not to the prescription of tymes presidents or approued customes not to any roll record or monument of antiquity They only appeale in all matters of Controuersy to the sole and silent maiesty of Gods sacred Stile and that for two chiefe and principall causes The one is to cloke couer their new deuises vnder the mysteryes of holy Writ The other with a cunning and guilefull sleight to auoyd indeed all manner of triall not to admit any Iudge at all For as long as they reserue in themselues this singular power to construe and expound Gods word as they list to receaue or reiect what Scriptures they please let vs produce any euidence against theÌ„ neuer so cleare they wil either cloud it with some colourable answere or wrest it to another sense or charge it with corruption as Beza doth in the Greeke text in many places or vtterly discard it as no Canonicall write as Heretikes vsually do such Oracles of God as condemnâ— their errours 2. Alleadge for example the old Testament against the Marcionists against the Manichees the new the Acts of the Apostles against Tatian Cerinthus against the Ebionites the Epistles of S. Paul they peremptorily deny these books of Scripture Pose Faustus the Manichee with these Ad Rom. 1. v. 3. Aug. l. â—0 con Paust c. 2. 2. Iac. 24. Cent. 2. c. 4. col 17. words of the Apostle to the Romans The sonne of God was borne of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh his reply saith S. Augustine is the booke is forged it is not Paules Proue against the Centurists out of S. Iames That by workes a man is iustisyed not by fayth alone they discredit the authority of his Epistle saying It is an adulterous and bastard Epistle Alleadge in like manner against M. Whitaker Intercession of Saints out of the vision of Iudas Machabeus concerning Onias he answereth His dreame of Onias I let passe as VVhitak in resp ad Ration c. Camp VVhitak ibidem Cyp. l. 3. ep 9. Ambr. l. 4. de side cap. 4. Aug. l. ad Oros Clem. Alex c. 7. strom VVhitak de sa Scrip. cont 1. q. 1. cap. 14. Orig. l. 2. de princ c. 1. Dionys Areop do Cal. hier â— 2. Cyp. ep â— 55. Aug. de doct Christ l. 2. c. 8. de ciut Dei l. 18. c. 36. a dreame As though God had not often reuealed to Ioseph diuers of his Prophets many thinges in their sleep Vrge him out of Ecclesiasticus with the liberty of Free-will he answereth That place of Ecclesiasticus I little regard neither will I belieue the liberty of Free-will albeit he affirme it an hundred tymes Then S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Augustine Clemens Alexandrinus were of light beliefe who credited this worke as the reuealed write Presse him at length with prayer for the dead out of the bookes of the Machabees he still replyeth I discouer in them a human Spirit a human wit a human confession all thinges human Then Origen Dionysius S. Cyprian S. Augustine were much deceaued who descryed in them the character stile and spirit of the Holy Ghost 3. But graunt our Aduersaryes admitted all those bookes of holy Writ the Church approueth or that they would be tryed by them we both imbrace yet I say the Scripture alone cannot be Iụdge or Vmpire between vs. Which that I may more strongly euince proceed more smoothly without rubb or incombrance in so waighty a question before I come to the period or full point of our variance I will briefly premise some certaine positions of our consent and agreement We accord then with Protestants 1. That the Scriptures are a diuine and infallible rule of faith yet not the sole and only rule as they affirme 2. We graunt with them that nothing is to be belieued The state of the question explained Deutr. 17. v. 9. contrary and repugnant to those oracles of God no traditions reuelations or interpretations whatsoeuer 3. We teach that the vniuersall iudgment and generall definitions of the Church are alwayes leueled and directed according to the inerrable prescript of holy Writ Therefore at her Oecumenicall Consistoryes she placeth They shal teach theâ— according to the law the Bible in some high eminent and honourable seat as the chiefe and speciall guide of her counsayles decrees 4. We yield that the letter of Scripture or to vse their phrase of speach that God speaking by that letter may improperly be tearmed the voice of our supreme Iudge in such manner as I shall explicate heereafter But our maine difference and dispute is whether it be such a voice and sentence of his as when any doubt or CoÌ„trouersy ariseth about the meaning of his word it may without any further externall and open declaration for of inward Inspirations in the Chapter ensuing giue a finall euident certaine and irresistable decision of all such doubts controuersyes to euery humble diligent skillfull and pious Reader and conferrer of places Our Aduersaryes say it is we say it is not proposing our arguments in this manner 4. The Scripture is the written word or outward rule by which
who are charged to make a sensible memory of our Blessed Redeemer should be as our Protestants are farre short of the Iewes it is needfull by some publike rite we set forth his Passion in a more excellent sort then they As indeed we Aug. l. 26. cont Faust cap. 18. do in this most holy and mysticall Oblation where not only the action done but the substance of the thing as I shall hereafter declare and manner of doing more neerly and liuely represent the death of our Sauiour then all the Iudaicall or figuratiue Hosts In so much as S. Augustine might wel say That Christians now celebrate the memory of the accomplished Sacrifice with a most holy Oblation and Act. 133. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Syriake participle Meâ—b chaschipin signifieth as Soderiê° in Lexico Syri A Sacrificing â—ction Mart. Ep. ad Burdeg cap. 3. Hesyeb l. 1. cap. 4. Cyp. l. 2. Epist. 3. Amb. c. 10 Ep. ad Heb. Primasius in idem c. Anselm in comment c. 11. 1. Cor. Paul ad heb c. 13 1. Cor. c. 10. Reyn. c. 8. diuis 4. p. 476. Aug. l. 10. de Ciu. Dei c 20 q 57. in Leut. l. 9. conf c. 12. Greg. Nazi orat 3. 4. in Iulia. Cyr. Alex. in Con. Ephes aâ—not 11. Ifido d. 3 ep 75. participation of the Body of Christ With that holy Oblation which Christ enacted promulgated and commanded when he sayd Do this for a commemoration of me 10. Which the Apostles practised when in the Actes they sacrificed to our Lord as the Greeke and Syriak or exercised some publike ministery vnto him as the Latin text importeth Which their scholer S. Martial taught followed We offer his Body and Bloud to obtaine euerlasting life c. That which the Iewes through malice immolated we for our saluation exhibite vpon the hallowed Altar for this our Lord charged vs to do for a comemoration of him Hesichius saith Christ preuenting his death offered himselfe vp in Sacrifice in the Supper of the Apostles S. Cyprian likewise Iesus Christ our Lord and God he is the High-Priest of God the Father and he first offered himselfe a Sacrifice to his Father and the same he commanded to be done in his remembrance S. Ambrose Primasius S. Anselme I I omit because I hasten to other proofes 11. S. Paul sayth We haue an Altar and an Altar to Sacrifice on both the Greeke and Hebrew word implieth as M. Reynolds accordeth with vs whereof they haue no power to eate which serue the tabernacle And in another place You cannot drinke the Chalice of our Lord and Chalice of Diuells Where he discourseth of the Sacrifices of Iewes Gentills Idolatours and in all outward and reall points matcheth ours with theirs our Hosts with theirs our Chalice with theirs our immolation with theirs the participation which we make of our victime with the participation which they make of theirs Wherby it ensueth that as theirs were true Sacrifices true Hosts true Victimes true Altars so likewise ours or els the comparisons were to no purpose Hereupon S. Augustine tearmeth the holy Eucharist A most true Sacrifice by which true remission of sinnes is purchased The Sacrifice of our price or ransome S. Gregory Nazianzen An vnbloudy Sacrifice S. Cyril of Alexandria A quikening holy Sacrifice Isidorus The Sacrifice of an vnbloudy victime S. Cyril of Ierusalem An holy and dreafull Sacrifice Cyr. Hier. â—ate 5. Tert. l. de velo Virgin c. 7. 9. Concil Nice Câ—â— 14. Chrys hom 17. in 9. ad Heb. Amb. exhor ad virg Cyr. Hier. cate 5. Leo. ser 8. de Psal Iran l. 4. â—a 32. Ieron in Com. cap. â— ad Tit. Aug. l. 9. Conf. c. 13. Optat. l. â— â—on Par. Gre. Naziâ—n orat 2. in Iulian. Aug. ser de San. 19. S. Gre. Niss oratbap Euseb l. 1. Demonst c. 6. 9. Nys de Virg. c. vlâ— Orig. bo 23 in l. Num. Amb. l. 2. of â—â—c c. vlt. Chrys bo 2. de pa. Iob. Reyn. c. 8. diuis 4. p. 472. profiting the soules of the departed Tertullian A Sacrifice which no woman can be permitted to offer no nor Deacons according to the Councel of Nice We haue not then a spirituall sacrifice only which women and Deacons may offer but a true Sacrifice in the Church of God A true Host which cannot be coÌ„sumed as S. Chrysostome sayth Which offered on the Altar as S. Ambrose teacheth abolisheth the sinne of the word Which is a Propitinion as S. Cyrill of Hierusalem calleth it for all that need help A true oblation which being only one fullfilleth according to S. Leo the variety of al carnall sacrifices Being new yet receaued from the Apostles is offered vnto God according to Ireneaeus in the vniuersall world A true victime vndefyled which the Bishop dayly offering for his own the peoples sins ought to abstaine as S Hierome writeth from the company of his wife An holy victime which dispensed from the Altar as S. Augustine confesseth cancelleth the hand-writing which was contrary vnto vs. True Chalices which containe the Bloud of Christ which to breake or prophane is hainous sacriledge Optatus against Parmenian True Altars such as take their name of the most pure vnbloudy sacrifice S. Gregory Nazianzen Such as are consecrated with the character of the Crosse S. Augustine Such as by nature being common stones by blessing are made holy immaculate no longer to be handled by all sorts of people but only of Priests S. Gregory Nissen Such as Moyses inhibited to be made in any Land but in Iury only and that in one Citty thereof Eusebius Which cannot be vnderstood of the Spirituall Altars of our harts as our Aduersaryes would shift of the matter True Priests annointed to this end S. Gregory Nissen Wedded to perpetuall continency because it only belongeth to them to offer this sacrifice Origen Whose immaculate ministery cannot be violated with carnall mariage S. Ambrose Who ought to shine with all kind of Chastity S. Chrysostome Rare priuiledges not appertaining to any Protestant much lesse to all Christians whome M. Reynolds installeth in Priestly dignity least of all to the Ministers of his Ghospel to whome he attributeth not the true name of a Sacrifycing Priest which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke Sacerdos in Latin but improperly only yet S. Augustine the most Aug. l. 20. deciu. Dei c. 10. Caluin l. 3. Insti c. 3. §. 10. ad Heb. 5. v. 1. Reâ— p 477 Psal 109. 4 ad Heb. 7. Bils 4. par pag. 702. Sparks locis citatis Cyp. l 3. ep 2. Prima in com c. 5. ad Heb. Gen. 14. Bils 4. par pag. 702. Clem. Alex l. 4. strom Amb. l. 5. de Sacram. cap. 1. Cypr. l. 2. epist 3. Aug. ep 95. ad Innocen â—fido l. de voc Gen. cap. 26. Iero. ep ad Marcel ad Euag. faythfull witnes of all antiquity as Caluin reporteth him purposely sayth The Priests and Bishops of our Church are not
Eue of Cain by which Tertullian S. Ambrose and others confirme Gen. 3. 4. Tertul. l. 2. ad Mar. Amb. l. de para c. 14 l 2. de Cain Abel c. 9. Chrys l. 3. de sacer Numb 9. v. 5. Lenit 5. v. 5. our doctrine I come to the Leuiticall Priests who being ordained by God to iudge of corporall Lepers al such as were insected with this disease were tyed to present themselues vnto them to acquaint them with their infirmityes and according to their iudgement to be admitted or expelled the Tents Whereupon S. Chrysostome vseth these wordes The Iewish Priests had leaue to iudge or try such as were purged from corporall leprosy but to our Priestes it is graunted not to try the purged but al â—ogeather to purge not the leprosy of the body but the infection of the soule The second figure is that confession which God commanded in the 5. Chapter of Numbers and 5. of Leuiticus where the circumstance of the text and Hebrew phrase most clearely demonstrate an expresse and distinct manner of Confession as Petrus Galatinus learnedly proueth by the refragable testimonies of many ancient Rabbins But if the Hithuaddu Gala. l. 10 cap. 3. figure required a particuler confession how much more the thing figured by it 10. Of which the Apostles likewise mention S. Luke Many of these that beleeued came confessing and declaring their Act. 19. V. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meschthahhin Sachel cuthebin deeds Or as the Greeke Hebrew or Syriacke word importeth Numbering their sinnes And it followeth that S. Paul to whome this Confession was made caused them that had imployed their time in the study of curious matters to burne their bookes which he could not haue done vnles they distinctly specifyed their faults vnto him S. Paul himselfe sayth God hath giuen vs the ministery of reconciliation c. Which is not only meant of the office of reconcilement 2. Cor. 5. V. 18. by publique preaching the word but by ministring also of the Sacrament as Caluin is pleased to allow acknowledging these wordes to be spoken of the Calu. l. 4. Instit c. 1. â— 22. Iac. 5. Orig. hom 2. in Leuit. Beds m hunc loc Conc. Laodic Can. 2. Sexta Syn. Can. 102. Basil in Regulis breuior inter 288. Leo ep 91. ad Theod. ep 80. ad Episc Campan Pausimus in Vita S. Ambros power and vse of keyes S. Iames exhorteth Confesse your sinnes one to another which Origen and Venerable Bede directly expound of Sacramentall Confession to a lawfull Priest Bede sayth The vncleanesse of the greater leprosy let vs according to the law open to the Priests and at his pleasure in what manner in what time he shall command let vs be carefull to be purified 11. The continuall practise of the Catholik Church euer after approued the same long before the tyme of Innocentius the third For of the custome of the Greeke Church not only the Councell of Laodicea and the sixth Synod but S. Basil also testifyeth who liued many hundred yeares before him It is necessary to confesse sinnes vnto them to whom the dispensation of the misteries of God is committed The vsage of the Latin Church S. Leo describeth in his Epistle to Theodorus and in his Epistle to the Bishop of Campania where he mentioneth secret confession to Priests to be the institution of Christ And Paulinus writeth of S. Ambrose That he wept so bitterly hearing secret confession as he wrong teares from the Penitent The practise of the Church of France and Germany is witnessed by the Councels assembled at Turin at Paris at Rhemes at Wormes and at Mogunâ—ia Concil Tu. 10. 3. c. 22. Concilium â—â—hem can 12. 16. Concil Paris c. 32. 46. VVorms cap. 25. Mogun cap. 16. Aug. ep 180 Victor l. 2â— de â—ersecutione Vanda. Orig. hoÌ„â— 17. in Luc. hom 32 in Leuit. Cyp. ser 5. de Laps Atha in illa Verba Profecti in pagum Chrysost bom 33. in 10. l. 2. 3. de Sacerdo Lactantius de vera sapien lib. 4. prope fineÌ„ Hier. in c. Isa l. 2 ep 18. ad Demetriadem Pacian ep â— ad Symp. Tertul. de Paniten cap. 7. Iero. ep ad Marcel 10. Damas de haeres c. 80. Guido de haeres Mat. Paris in Henric. 3. Haynâ—o in Psal 31. Bern. in medita c. 9. Damia ep 1. Sparkes p. 322. p. 329. Hugode de S. Vict. l. 2. part 14. cap. 1. where the same manner of Confession is generally defined The doctrine vsage of the Church of Africke S. Augustine Bishop of Hippo shall declare saying It is a pittifull case when by the absence of Gods Priests men depart this life either not baptized or not absolued from their sinnes Which the very people of that Country vnderstood when they lamented the banishment of their Priests by the Arian Heretikes as Victor reporteth in this manner Who shall baptize these Infants Who shall minister pennance vnto vs and loose vs from the bands of sinnes 12. It would be too tedious to set downe the words of Origen S. Cyprian S. Athanasius S. Chrysostome Lactantius S. Hierome For Lactantius assigneth Confession and penance a note of the true Church S. Hierome tearmeth it The second table after shipwracke Pacianus and Tertullian do the like who liued notwithstanding many yeares before Innocentius the third So did the Montanists whom S. Hierome the Messalians whom S. Iohn Damascen the lacobites whom Guido and Matthoeus Parisiensis record to haue byn condemned they in former ages these in the yeare of our Lord 600. for affirming That we are to confesse our sins to God only and that Confession of sinnes to a Priest is not needfull So did Haymo so did S. Bernard Petrus Damianus Hugo de Sancto Victore who estsoones inculcate the necessity of Confession to the Preists of Gods Church In so much as D. Sparks shewed small sparks of grace when he affirmed our Confession first imposed as necessary in the Lateran Councell by Innocentius 3. about the yeare of our Lord 1115. No sparks of fidelity in citing Scotus and Antoninus as witnesses hereof who witnesse it not but witnesse the contrary For they both teach with vs that the generall Councell of Lateran determined the circumstance of tyme when Confession should be made and grant withall that the substance it Sozom. l. 7. c. 16. Sparkes p. 330. 331. Chrysoft hoâ—â— 4. de Lazar. hom 3â— in ca. 12. ad Haeb. in Psal â—0 Cassiâ— Costa 20. eap 8. Aug. l. 10. Confess c. 3. selfe and manner of Canfession was ordained by God 13. In lik sort he wrongfully abuseth Necturius Patriarch of Constantinople auouching him to haue abrogated secret Confession whereas it appeareth out of Socrates and Nicephorus that Nactarim only disanulled publike Confession to a publike and determinate Priest by reason of great scandall that theron ensued left euery one iudicio conscientiasuâ— To the Iudgment
as holy Iob complaineth iniquity like water and multiply their offences aboue the sands of the sea These I say be the yeares these be the Lents cut off by Indulgences wherby you may see how impertinent that obiection of our Aduersaryes is that Purgatory shall not continue so many yeares as our Pardons specify for they are not meant of the yeares or dayes of penall affliction which there are imposed but of such only as should by the Canonicall decrees be heer inflicted Now God may sometyme by the bitter sharpnes of Purgatory-paines in an houre or in a short momentary tyme expiate that which the slow and cold satisfaction of this life could scant redeeme in the mountenance of diuers yeares 14. Against other abuses which either by negligeÌ„ce of Pastours or couetousnes of inferiour Officers haue beene practised in promulgating Pardons the generall Councell of Lateran the Councell of Vienna and of late Conc. Lat. in Decreto Inno. 3. Viennâ—n in Decreto Clementis 5. Trident. sâ—ss â—5 ecreto de Indulgentijs the Councell of Trent hath made such seuere and holesome lawes as they cannot be free from egregious treachery who attach vs of allowing those crimes which we vtterly labour to suppresse 15. In which kind because our English Protestantes peruersly weene and obstinatly auow our supreme Pastours guilty of an abhominable sacriledge which neuer entred their Holynesse harts to wit of graunting Pardons to ratify murders or to perpetrate sinnes because I say they are so willfully setled in this vile conceit as nothing whatsoeuer we say or do no words no writinges no Breues of Popes no oathes no protestations no meanes at all that man can vse can euer extirpate that peâ—uish deep rooted wicked damnable perswasion 16. It pleased God in the secret disposition of his hidden iudgment to reueale the contrary vnto them by this wonderfull and vnexpected manner About the yeare of our Lord 1608. in the 6. of his Maiestyes raigne ouer the kingdoÌ„ of great Britaine as the Sexton or other officer appointed for that purpose was digging a graue in the Cathedral Church of S. Paul in London he chanced to light vpon the Coffin of one Syr Gerard Braybrook Knight who had been buryed there two hundred years before where finding the cordes whole the flowres fresh he espyed also a Charter of Pardon or Indulgence not consumed not eaten not defaced in so long a tyme which thus began BONIFACIVS Episcopus seruus seruorum Dei. Dilecto filio Nobili viro Gerardo Braybrooke Iuniori Militi dilectae in Christo filiae Nobili mulieri Elizabethae eius vxori Lincolniae Diocaesis salutem Apostolicam benedictionem Prouenit ex vestrae deuotionis affectu quo Nos Romanam Ecclesiam reueremini c. I omit the rest in Latin because the whole I set down verbatim in English as followeth BONIFACE Bishop seruant of the seruants of God To his beloued son the noble Gentleman The copy of a Bull â—ound in the tombe of Syr Gerard Braybrooke Knight in S. Pauls Church in London Gerard Braybrooke the yonger Knight and to his beloued daughter in Christ the noble Lady his wife Elizabeth of the Diocesse of Lincolne salutation and Apostolicall benediction It proceedeth from your affectionate deuotion with which you reuerence Vs and the Church of Rome that We admit your petitions to a fauourable hearing especially those which concerne the saluation of your soules For this cause We being moued to yield to your supplications by the tenour of these Presents doe grant this Indulgence to your Deuotion that such a Ghostly Father as eyther of you shall choose shall haue power by Apostolicall authority to grant to you persisting in the sincerity of faith in the vnity of the holy Church of Rome and in obedience and deuotion toward Vs or Our Successours Popes of Rome Canonically entring into that Sea full remission only once at the point of death of all your sinnes wherof you shall be contrite and confessed in such manner neuerthelesse that in those cases where satisfaction is to be made to any other the same Confessour shall enioyne you to doe it by your selues if you suruiue or by your heyres if you shall then die which you or they ought to perform as aforesaid And least which God forbid you should by this fauour become more prone to commit vnlawfull thinges hereafter We declare that if vpon confidence of this Remission or Indulgence you shall commit any such sins that this present PardoÌ„ shall not be any help to you concerning them Furthermore let it be lawfull for no man to infringe this Writing or Grant of Ours or with whatsoeuer boldnesse to contradict it And if any shall presume to attempt any such thing let him know that he shall incurre the indignation of Almighty God and of his blessed Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul Giuen at Rome at S. Peters vnder the Fishers-Ring the fifth of Iune in the second yeare of our Papacy 17. Let our Sectaries peruse this Breue and tell me whether their consciences will euer serue them againe to vpbraid our Pastours with the former sacriledge so rise 4. Conditions necessary to gaine an Indulgence heretofore in all their mouthes Let them read the conditions here required to gaine an Indulgence and tell me whether they any way incourage or authorize vs to sinne For first it is necessary therunto to persist in the sincerity of faith Secondly to be sorrowfull contrite and confesse our sinnes Thirdly to make satisfaction or restitution if any be needfull Fourthly not to presume hereby to attempt vnlawfull things But who can be sorrowfull much lesse fruitfully confesse or duly satisfie for that which he purposeth to commit who can be embolned to fall into sinne in hope to obtaine a Plenary Indulgence when this very hope and presumption is a maine barre not to gaine the Indulgence And strange no doubt strange and admirable was the prouidence of God in manifesting these things in so fit a time 18. For as in the dayes of Theodosius the Emperour Gregor Turon de glo Mart. l. 1. c. 95. Baron in annal an Christ 357. This happened in the yeare of our Lord 1582. vnder Pope Gregory the 13. he awaked and reuealed the happy Martyrs S. Maximian Malchus Martinian and the rest after they had slept 372. yeares when the article of our resurrection was most eagerly impugned by the Sadducean heresy as he reuealed the body of S. Felix Pope and Martyr by meanes of some who to find a treasure digged at Rome in the Church of S. Cosmas and Damianus the very day before his feast is celebrated when so many doubts were made about his Martyrdome as his name might haue byn otherwise in danger to be blotted out of the Calendar So the Diuine wisedome who with admirable sweetnes disposeth all things euen then in the Royall Citty in the chiefest Temple in the greatest recourse of English Sectaries disclosed this pardon
In 6. Syn. gen act 4. 9. â—6 with Sergius with the Monothelites their wills and operations who for this cause are enrolled in the rancke of heretikes and aboue 1000. yeares ago condemned by Pope Agatho in the sixt generall Councell 23. Wherefore to draw to an end I intreate you all who peruse this Treatise if the filth sucked out these miry puddles haue not dammed vp the passage of truth if these dregges of heresyes haue not quenched in you all sparkes of grace renounce the Patrons of such iniquity beware the infection of their folly the fury of them who proclaime Christ a Priest Christ a Mediatour according to his Deity and acknowledge with vs how he dischargeth these dutyes only as man notwithstanding how his actions his Sacrifice his prayers and teares were all of infinite and incomparable merit through the excellency of his diuine person Which I would to God his Royall Maiesty would also vnderstand for whose worthy satisfaction I haue diligently laboured to decide this question THE TENTH CONTROVERSY DEMONSTRATETH The Primacy of S. Peter against D. Bilson and D. Reynoldes CHAP. I. ARISTOTLE the chiefe and Prince Arist â— 3. polit â— 5. 6. 7 of Philosophers assigneth three seuerall manners of gouerning a Common-Wealth For eyther many of the meaner sort beare sway or some few of the Nobility or only one as absolute Soueraigne If many it is called Democracy if few Aristocracy if one a Monarchy The first is often ruined with the tumults and garboyles of the vnconstant and diuersly-headed multitude The second commonly deuided with the strifes and factions of the ambitious Peeres The third as it is lesse subiect S. Thom. de regim principum l. 1. cap. 1. 23. â— to diuision so most conuenient as S. Thomas learnedly noteth to order guide and keepe many in peace and vnity the finall scope to which all gouernments should be directed and all rulers ayme 2. Whereupon Plato Aristotle Isocrates and diuers other affirme in peace in warre in managing al affaires Plato in polit Arist l. 3. polit c. 11. 12. l. 4. cap. 2. Isocrates oratione 3. this to be the most diuine forme of a Common-Wealth where one most singular man hath the supreme power and administration of things which both God and Nature confirmeth For in the mystery of the most holy Trinity there is the Father from whom the Sonne and the Holy Ghost who from the Father and the Sonne as from one only origen or beginning proceedeth They euery way equall in properties distinct in Persons three are only one in ouer-ruling and disposing all things Amongst the immortall spirits and quires of Angels there is one illuminated by God who giueth light to the rest In the Heauens there is one first moueable by which the inferiour orbes and planets are moued One Sunne from whence the light of the Stars is borrowed and influence of the signes in the Zodiacke determined In earthly thinges in this little world of man there is one hart from which the arteryes and vitall spirits one braine from whence the sinewes one lyuer from which the veines channels of bloud haue their head or of-spring in euery element there is one predominate quality Amongst the birdes the Eagle among the beasts the Lyon among the fishes the Whale doth also dominier In Trees Cyprian tract do Idolorum â—anitate Hearbes and Plants in Townes Villages Families priuate Houses the like head-ship or Monarchy might be shewed if it were not too long for my professed breuity in so much as S. Cyprian writeth The very Bees haue their guide and captaine whome they follow Apo. 2â— 2. Cant. 6. 3. Mat. 13. v. 38. 41. Ioan. 10. 16. Luc. 10. 34. 1. Tim. 3. â—â— 3. Now sith the Church of Christ militant vpon earth is a perfect yet spirituall Common-wealth sith it is An holy Citty A campe well ordered and established by the wisest Captaine Gouernour and Law-maker that euer was Who doubteth but that he placed in it the most worthy Regiment of all others that Monarchicall preheminence which in all his other creatures so perfectly raigneth especially for that he resembleth it to A kingdome to A sheepefold to An Inne to An House in which one King one Pastour one Host one Maister beareth sway For that it ought to be correspondent to the ancient Mat. 16. 18. 19. Synagogue in which one High-priest answerable to the celestiall hierarchies and orders of Angels among whom one Seraphim is chief And who was this visible Monarch this Ministeriall head of the Church vnder Christ but S. Peter To whom our Sauiour said Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it And I will giue to thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth it shall be bound also in the Heauens and whatsoeuer thou shall loose in Earth it shall be loosed also in the Heauens In which seÌ„tence foure rare prerogatiues are promised vnto Peter and by euery one of them his supereminent dignity aboue the rest of the Apostles manifestly declared 4. For first he calleth him Rocke by which Metaphore he doth insinuate that he as a Rocke or Stone vnmoueable Amb. ser 47. Orig. hom 5. in Exod. saith S. Ambrose vpholdeth the whole weight and fabrike of Christian worke That he saith Origen is the great foundation or most solide stone vpon which Christ builded his Church Secondly he addeth To thee I will giue the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen by which words is signified all power to enact or repeale Lawes sommon or confirme Councels appoint or displace offices consecrate or degrade Bishops all power and authority which is requisite for the rule gouernment or instruction of the Church For euen as when the keyes of a Citty are giuen vp to the Magistrate the administration and rule of the State is surrendred into Greg. l. 4. epi. 32. Luc. 11. 52. Apoc. 1. v. 18. his hands so now when the Keyes of the kingdome of Heauen are imparted to Peter The whole charge and principality of the Church as S. Gregory writeth is committed vnto him And whereas there be two sorts of Keyes the Key of knowledge to teach and instruct of which S. Luke You haue taken away the Key of knowledge and the Key of authority and iurisdiction to guide and gouerne whereof S. Iohn speaketh I haue the Keyes of death and of Hell and Esay I will giue the Key of the house of Dauid vpon his shoulder Both these Keyes were here delegated vnto Peter by Isa 21. v. 22. It was vsuall amongst the Hebrewes to giue power and authority by the Keyes vid. Azor. Insti mor. p. 2. c. 9. the one he had the Chaire of infallible doctrine to decide all controuersies and define all matters of faith by the other the scepter of Ecclesiasticall gouernment to rule order correct and
haeres â—ares 1. Act. 15. Ier. c. 3. epi. ad Aug. quae est 11. inter epist August in detaining that they had vowed vnto God To vanquish the first Peere and Patron of falshood appertained to the first Peere and pillar of truth S. Peter conquered and killed Simon Magus the first Progenitour of Heretickes as S. Augustine auerreth To call and assemble Councels is the office and function of the supreme Pastour S. Peter assembled the Councell of the Apostles And notwithstanding this Councell was held in Ierusalem in the presence of S. Iames Bishop of that Citry euen in his owne Cathedral seat yet S. Peter as S. Hierome noteth first deliuered his mind and S. Iames with the rest ratified his sentence So although S. Paul were the Apostle of the Dionys l de Diui nomi c. 3. Epiph. haer â—â— Bern. l. 2. de consider Cyr. Hieros Cateches â— Cyr. Alex. l. 12. in IoaÌ„ cap. 64. Aug ser 124. de temp quaest nou vet test q. 75. Opta l. 2. cont Par. Ier. l. 1. in Iouin Chrys hom 55. in Mat. Euseb in Chronic. Aug. l. 2. ca. 1. de Baptis Reyn. c. 5. diuis 3. Gentiles and Preacher vnto nations yet S. Peter was the first by whose mouth the Gentils were called the first to whom notice was giuen of their admission vnto the Church Two euident tokens of his supremacy 17. For this cause S. Peter is tearmed The stay pillar and chiefe of Deuines by S. Dionyse The Captaine of the Disciples by Ephiphanius The only Vicar of Christ by S. Bernard The most excellent Prince of the Apostles by S. Cyril of Hierusalem The Prince and head of therest by S. Cyril of Alexandria Which title of head of the Apostles is giuen him also by S. Augustine Optatus S. Hierome S. Chrysostome and others Eusebius also maketh a great difference betweene Peter and other Bishops speaking of S. Iames he calleth him The first Bishop of the Church of Hierusalem Writing of Enodius he tearmeth him the first Bishop of the Church of Antioch Speaking of S. Peter he intituleth not him by any particuler Church but calleth him Christianorum Pontifex Primus The first Bishop of Christians Which S. Augustine confirmeth attributing to him The principality of Apostle-ship and a little before The Primacy of the Apostles is conspicuous and preeminent with excellent grace in Peter Both which passages M. Reynolds sticketh not to expound of Primacy in calling or preeminence in grace wheras S. Augustine directly writeth of his principality of power by reason of the dignity of his Sea aboue all others and aboue S. Cyprians the Primate of Affricke whome notwithstanding he equalleth with him in the Crowne of Martyrdome saying of Peter Who knoweth not his principality of Apostle-ship to be preferred before euery Bishopricke But although the grace or preeminence of Chaires be different yet one and the same is their Aug. vbi supra Reyn. loco citato glory of Martyrdome These wordes M. Reynolds who maketh M. Hart neuer speake more then he was prouided in some shew to refute and sometyme such things as he neuer dreamed cunningly cut off and wresteth that to a prerogatiue of grace to a Primacy of calling which S. Augustine auoucheth to be a priuiledge of S. Peters Sea a preeminence of his Chaire and Pontificall dignity aboue all other Bishops and Primates too Aug. in Psal 130. 18. Secondly S. Augustine affirmeth S. Paul the chief to haue excelled Peter in prerogatiues of grace he witnesseth him to haue receaued more aboundant grace in euery Apostolical worke then the rest of the Apostles because he laboured more then they and therfore is called The a Aug. cont duaâ— ep Pela l. 3 Apostles by an De Bap. cont Don. l. 2. c. 1. excellency In so much as where he giueth to S. Peter the preeminence of b excellent grace he giueth to S. Paul the preeminence of c In Psa 130. Ieron l. 1. aduersus Iouinian Reyn. c. 5. diuis 3. fol. 179. Sap. 4. 8. Tract 1. sect 3. subd 1. most excellent grace And S. Hierome reporteth that S. Iohn excelled Peter in many gifts of grace M. Reynolds foresaw these obiections and will you heare what answere he maketh But Peter sayth he on the other side excelled Paul in Primacy for that he was chosen first and Iohn in age because he was elder Surely an excellent grace an extraordinary preheminence a principality worthy of such high and honourable titles to be before in calling and behind in working elder in yeares and yonger in merits Iudge you and your fellowes of this priuiledge as yee list they who are endued with the spirit of God will giue iudgment with the Holy Ghost Old age is venerable not prolonged not lengthened with the number of yeares for the vnderstanding of man are the gray haires the ripenesse of yeares is life vndefiled 19. Other Protestants more sincere although as saucy as Reynoldes rather reprehend the Fathers for their vnfitting speaches then make of their words such impertinent constructions For as we read in the Protestants Apology The Centurists reproue a Cent. 4. col 554. col 1074 Arnobius for calling S. Peter the Bishop of Bishops b Cent. 4. Col. 556 Optatus for intituling him The head of the Apostles They write of c Centu. 3. col 84. Tertullian he did erroneously thinke the keyes to be committed to Peter alone and the Church to be builded on him The like errour they reprehend in S. d Col 84. Cyprian e Centur. 3. Col. 85. Origen f Cent. 4. Col. 1215. Hierome g Cent. 4. Col. 555. Hilary h Cent. 4. Col. 558. Fulke in his Retentiue pag. 248. Nazianzen Fulke chargeth Optatus with absurdity for saying of Peter He deserued to be preferred before all the Apostles and he alone receaued the keyes of the kingdom of heauen to be communicated to the rest And speaking in the same place of Leo and Gregory Bishops of Rome he sayth Gregory liued about the yeare of our Lord 590. Leo 440. Tract 1. sect 3. subdiu 10. Calu. Musâ—ulns alledged by Whitgift in his Defence p. 173. 66. VVhitgift ibid. pag. Couel in his Exa against the Plea of the Innocent â—eroÌ„ â— 1. in Iouin Bils 1. par p. 62. 63. Reyn. cap. 2. diuis 1. pag 27. Rem c. 3. diuis 1. fol. 95. Bils part 1 pag. 63. 66. 67. The mistery of iniquity hauing wrought in that seate neere fiue or six hundred yeares before them and then greatly increased they were so deceaued with long continuance of errour that they thought the dignity of Peter was much more ouer the rest of his fellow Apostles then the holy Scriptures of God doe allow But if this errour of the Roman Papacy and Peters Supremacy began neere fiue or six hundred yeares before Leo and Gregory it began according to M. Fulke in the Primitiue Church it began in the
O Peter enioy thy primacy and rare preheminence glory in thy dignity graunted thee by Christ and be alwayes vigilant ouer his flocke Raigne O supreme Pastour raigne thou still as head vnder him as leader of his campe as Prince of his people and that which now thou canst not performe by thy self discharge at least by thy successor the Pope of Rome in whose care and vigilancy the exercise of thy function still continueth as the subsequent Treatise shall declare THE ELEVENTH CONTROVERSY VPHOLDETH The Popes Supremay against D. Bilson and D. Reynoldes CHAP. I. MASTER BILSON treading the sleps of his fore-father Caluin requireth Bils par 1. p. 10 4. of vs to proue three things before we install the Pope in his Pontificall Sea First You must shew saith he That Peter was Supreme Gouernour of all the Church Next that this dignity was not proper to Peters Person but common to Peters Successour c. Lastly you must shew which of Peters Chaires must haue Bilson ibi Peters Priuiledge that is why Rome rather then Antioch or as Caluin vrgeth rather then Ierusalem where Christ died Caluin l. 4. â—nst c. 6. § 21. and yielded vp as it were the visible head-ship of his Church I am content to obserue this method and satisfie him in these three points The first I haue already demonstrated in the precedent Treatise the second and third I am now to declare 2. Touching the second the wordes which Christ spake the reasons which moued him to impart a Supremacy to Peter do consequently conuince it be deuolued to his Successour The words of Christ are these Thou art Peter vpon this Rocke will I build my Church c. My Church Mat. 16. saith he not a patt or portion of his Church not that part only which florished in Peters daies but all his whole Church which euer was since Christ his time or euer shall be vntill the end of the world But this could not be Chrysost Demonstr quod Christus fit Deus Ioan 21. built vpon Peter in his owne person he being deceased so many yeares agoe therefore it must be builded vpon some other insteed of Peter and so as Iohn Chrysostome eloquently discourseth still continue In like manner when our Sauiour said to Peter Pasce oues meas Feede my Sheepe did he not command him to feed all his Sheepe did he not lay a charge vpon him which he should neuer forgoe Chiefly seeing the office of a Pastour is an ordinary and perpetuall office and as long as there are any Sheepe to be fed so long there ought to be some Pastour to feed them which because Peter performed not in his owne person these many hundred yeares there must needes be some other to execute it in his roome in respect of whom S. Peter may be still said to accomplish his duty and feed the Sheepe entrusted to his charge Whereupon Ieo sâ—r 2. de sua assumpt S. Leo writeth of Peter In whom the care of all Pastours with the custody of the Sheepe committed vnto him still perseuereth and whose worthy dignity in his vnworthy Successour faileth not In the Councell of Calcedon when an Epistle of Leo the Pope Concil Calcedon act 2. act 3. was read all the Fathers cried out that Peter spake by the mouth of Leo. And when sentence was pronounced against Dioscorus the Patriarch of Alexandria the whole Councell deliuered that Leo endued with the authority of Peter the Apostle deposed Dioscorus 3. Whereby it is euident that the Pastorall priuiledge granted to Peter was not restrayned to him but extended to others not giuen him as a priuate but as a publike person and therefore still to continue to them that succeed I presume you are not ignorant that a King being a publike person still continueth that he is said in the Law neuer to dy and the dignities granted to him are common to all the heyres and inheritours of Stow in his Chronicle in the yeare of our Lord 1521. pag. 865. his crowne As the thrice worthy Title of Defender of the Faith giuen to King Henry the eight by Leo the tenth Pope of that name for writing against Luther descended to king Edward passed to Queene Mary and Queene Elizabeth and now perseuereth in our most potent and dreadfull Soueraigne King Iames. The honour likewise M. Bilson enioyeth of being Prelate of the Garter is annexed to his Sea and deriued to him from his Predecessors The same is seene not only in Titles and Prerogatiues of honour but in priuiledges also of power imparted to Citties Dukedoms Common-wealths or publike Magistrates both Ecclesiasticall and Temporall who as they neuer faile so neither the honours dignities and prerogatiues they once enioy Such was the Primacy communicated vnto Peter not personall but publike Chrysolog in epist aâ— Eutyâ—h Read S. Aug. in Psal 44. vpon those words For thy Fathers Sonnes are born to thee that is For Apostls Bishops succeding in their roome not proper to him but common to his Successours in whom he euen now suruiueth speaketh and feedeth the Sheepe of Christ with the food of heauenly doctrine as S. Peter Chrysologus Bishop of Rauenna declareth writing thus in his daies Blessed Peter who liueth and gouerneth in his owne proper seat deliuereth the verity of faith to them that seeke it 4. The reasons which caused our blessed Redeemer to aduance Peter to this soueraigne dignity were all for the behoofe and benefit of the Church First to preuent schismes Secondly to appease dissensions Thirdly to settle it in peace Fourthly to endow it with a most perfect forme of a Common-wealth All which enforce that it was not a priuate grace annexed to Peters person but a publike priuiledge conueyed to his Successours For if these things be now as behoofull and necessary to the Church as then why should she not still enioy them Is Christ become lesse carefull of his Church then heretofore Or hath this faultlesse Virgin the pure Spouse of our Lord committed any fault by which she should be depriued of the benefit he bestowed vpon her If she be the same well ordered Campe how is she disappointed of her guide and Captaine If the same Ship how sayleth she without a Pilot If the same body how is she separated from her Head How is she become so prodigious a monster as to haue a visible body with an inuisible head because if none succeeded Peter the visible body of the Church hath had this long time no other then Christ Titus Liuius The Protestants will haue the church first gouerned by Christ alone next by the Apostles then by al Bishops after by Kings and Free stats wheÌ„ they were conuerted to the faith by Queen Elizabeth a woman by King Edward a Child Dan. 2. Luc. 1. her inuisible head 5. If none succeeded Peter the whole state of the Church is altered and changed changed from a Monarchy to Aristocracy from the administration of one
of that house is a prophane person And a little after He that gathereth not with you scattereth that is he that is not Christs is Antichrists To S. Augustine Number the Priests euen from Peters seate see who succeeded one another in that row of Fathers that is the Rocke which the proud gates of Hell do not ouercome And in another place That is it which hath obtained the top of authority Then he sayth The principality of the Apostolicall Chaire alwayes florished in the Roman Church Lastly The Bishop of that Sea hath the preheminence of higher roome in the pastorall watch-tower which is common to all Bishops For this cause the Church of Rome is tearmed The head of the world the head of all Churches by Prosper by Victor by Vincentius by the Emperour Iustinian and others To which Church as Irenaeus testifyeth for her more powerfull principality euery Church ought to repayre For this the Pope of Rome is worthily intituled The a Hiero. epist. 123. chiefe and highest Priest The b Ambr. com in 1. Tim. 3. ruler of the house of God The c Concil Chal. in epist ad Leonem act 1. head of the Church The d Synod Later sub Marâ—ino Papa secret 2. Prince Doctor of the orthodoxall and immaculate fayth The e Stephanus Archiepis Carthag ep ad Dam. Father of Fathers The f Bern. l. 2. de consid Vicar of Christ The g Bern. ibid. Pastour of all Pastours The h Concil Constant 5. act 1. pag. 74. giuer of Light and pillar of the Church The i Valent. epist. ad Theodosium quae habetur inter praeambula Conc. Chaleed Iustinian Nouell constit 123. in edit Haloand lib. 1. Cod. de summa Trinitate Liberatus in Breuiario cap. 12. Sozom. lib. 3. cap. 7. most Blessed Bishop of the Citty of Rome to whome amiquity hath giuen the principality of Priest-hood aboue all other These last be the wordes of Valentinian the Emperour whome Iustinian Chrys Ep. ad Innocent Theod. in Ep. ad Leonem Sulpitius Seuer l. 2. sacr hist Epiph haer 42. Cyp. l. 1. Ep. 4 Epiph. haeres 68. â—este Paulo Diaco Anact in Symmacho Sigeber in chronic Extainter Epi. Agapeti ToÌ„ 1. ep Rom. Pontif. habetur ep Euti tom 2. Conc. edit Colon. ann 1606. pag. 510. Apud Leonem epist 68. following maketh also a solemne decree That according to the Definition of the foure Holy Councells of Nice of Constantinople of Ephesus and of Chalcedon the Pope of Rome is the chiefe of all Priests And he addeth No man doubteth but that the top or principality of the highest Bishopricke resteth in Rome 11. Besides these authorityes which are all impregnable the continuall practise and consent of all Nations approue the supremacy of the Pope of Rome and therfore to him as to the supreme and highest Iudge vpon earth appeales haue beene made from all partes of the world To giue you a tast of some few examples To whose high tribunall did Flauianus the Partriarch of Constantinople appeale from the second Councell of Ephesus but to the tribunall of Leo Pope of Rome Whose ayd and succour did Athanasius the Bishop of Alexandria implore oppressed by the Arrians but the ayd of Iulius the Pope of Rome Vnder whose wings did S. Iohn Chrysostome flye deposed in a Councell of many Bishops of the East but vnder the wings of Innocentius the Pope of Rome To him Theodoret to him Saluianus and Priscillian rebells vnto God and enemyes of that Sea condemned in a Synod at Caesar-Augustum to him Marcion to him Basilides deposed from his Bishopricke was faine to appeale To him Valens and Vrsacius came to giue an account and craue pardon for their treachery against Athanasius To Symmachus Pope of Rome 220. or 225. Bishops as others report banished their seates by King Thrasimond fled for reliefe who honourably maintained them at his owne charges 82. To the Pope of Rome as to the anker of fayth oracle of truth the faythfull were wont to direct the Summe of their beliefe the greatest Clarkes their bookes and writings most famous Councells their Canons and decrees So Iustinian the Emperour sent the profession of his fayth to Agapetus the Pope Eutychius the Patriarch of Constantinople to Vigilius the Pope Proterius the Patriarch Aug. coÌ„t 2. ep â—ela lib. 1. cap. 1. Inter Ep. Hormis Tom. 1. Ep. Rom. Pontif. Hiero. in exp li. Sym. ad Dama Concil Chal. in relat sanct Synod ad Leo. Con. Mileu 10. 2. p. â—01 inter ep Aug. 92. c. Cyp. teste Hier. dialo adu â—ucif Bilsâ— pa. 1. p. 44. 45. 48. 49. Chrys Ep. 1. ad Inno. Tom. 5. Socrat. l. 2. cap. 15. Hier. in symb exp ad Damas Aug. con 2. Epis Pelag l. 1. c. 1. Theod Ep. ad LeoneÌ„ Commen eius in Paul praefix of Alexandria to Leo the Pope So S. Augustine sent his workes to Pope Boniface to be examined and amended Possessor a Bishop of Africa his commentaries vpon S. Paul to Hormisda S. Hierome his explication vpon the Creed to Damasus So the Councell of Chalcedon sent their Canons to Leo the Pope The Mileuitan Councell held in Numidia the cause of Pelagius to Pope Innocentius And S. Cyprian the Primate of Africa sent the decrees of the Councell of Carthage to Stephen the Pope Neyther were these thinges done as M. Bilson to obscure the truth and beguile his Reader craftily suggesteth for the common consent mutuall agreement publike liking of the Bishops in euery Prouince because then the like resorts should haue been made to other Primates as well as to the Pope but they were made to him as to the Vicar Generall of Christ and ruler of his whole Church who had power and authority to examine the causes punnish the faultes reforme the abuses approue the fayth condemne the heresies establish the decrees reuerse the sentences of all other Bishops as the Letters the Complaints the Suites the Embassages the Petitions the whole History of the former Appellants and other resorters vnto Rome beare witnesse 13. S. Iohn Chrysostomes letters were to request Innocentius To pronounce the proceedings of the Bishops of the East voyd and of no force to punish with Ecclesiasticall Censures the Authours of that disorder S. Athanasius his complaint was of the wrong offered him by the Emperor a great assembly of Easterne Bishops who wrongfully thrust him from his Bishopricke And Iulius the Pope of Rome as Socrates relateth by the prerogatiue of the Roman Sea wrote threatning letters in his behalfe and restored him to his place rebuking them who rashely deposed him S. Hieromes suite to Damasus was If any thing be here vnaduisedly set forth we entreate it may be amended by thee who holdest the fayth seat of Peter The like suite S. Augustine made to Bonifacus Theodorets supplication to Leo was this I humbly request beseech your Holynesse in this case to ayde me appealing
to your iust and vpright iudgement command me to come before you And in his Epistle to Renatius the Priest Idem in Epist ad RenatuÌ„ praesbit In rela S. Synod Chalâ—ed ad B. Papam Leonem I beseech thee sayth he to perswade the most holy Archbishop Leo that he vse his Apostolicall authority and command our appearance before his Councell For that holy Seat holdeth the sterne of gouernement ouer all Churches of the world 14. The Embassage of the Fathers of the Chalcedon Councell was To haue their decrees confirmed by Leo Saying we are suppliants vnto you and doe you honour our iudgement with your decrees as we haue ioyned to our head conformity in things that be good so let your Highnesse performe that which beseemeth to your children To the same purpose Marcianus the Emperour Osiand in Epist CeÌ„t. â— p. 182. prayed him to confirme the fayth which there was defined The petition of the first Councell held at Arles to Pope Siluester in the tyme of Constantine the Great was this That for the Rogâ—â—nus igitur tuis decretis nostruÌ„ bonora iudicium sicut nos capiti in bonis adiccimus consonantiaÌ„ sic summitas tua filiis quod decet adimpleat ex Epist 59. Leo. 60. eiusdeÌ„ Habetur inter Ep. Hormisdae Tom. 1. Epist Rom. Pont. Extat in decret Agapeti to 2. Concil 553. or 45â— according to the later Edition Sozon l. 8. c. 3. Socrates lib. 5. c. 15. Theod. Eccl. Hist lib. 5. cap. 23. Theod. ibid. vniforme obseruation of Easter day throughout the world he according to the custome should direct his letters to all Iustinus the Emperour referred the questions of fayth presented him by the Bishop to Hormisda the Pope requesting his resolution And the Emperour Iustinian after he had humbled himselfe to Pope Agapetus adored his Holynesse he beseeched him to adnance Meâ—â—as a Catholike to the Catholike to the Patriarchall seat of CoÌ„stantinople insteed of Anthimus the Heretike S. Iohn Chrysostome the Patriarch of Constantinople and Theophilus the Bishop of Alexandria intreated Damasus the Pope of Rome that Flauianus long vsurping the seat of Antioch might at length after the death of Paulinus be installed in his Bishoprike and pardoned his former fault And although he were much fauoured by all the East who cleaued vnto him and by Theodosius the Emperour who allowed him as farre as he could yet he twise commauÌ„ded him to repayre to Rome and neuer could he be canonically or peaceably enthroned vntill he sent Acatius the famous Bishop of Beroea with other illustrious Prelates to the sea Apostolike by whom he obteined the consent and approbation of the Pope 15. Not the suites of Emperous only not the supplication or intreaty of forren Bishops but the iurisdiction also and authority which the Pope hath alwayes practised witnesse his soueraignty ouer the whole flocke of Christ. For he made lawes which did bind the whole Church he called Councells censured Princes excommunicated Bishops deposed Patriarches restored them to their seats who were vniustly depriued of their dignityes For example a Leo. Epist 1. ad Episcop Camp c. Leo writeth to the Bishops of Campania of Picenum and of Tuscia how he and his Predecessours constitutions obliged them all The same b Leo ep 87. Ep. 93. ad Turb Leo summoned to a generall Councell the Bishops of Tarracone Lusitania France and Carthage c Nicep l. 13. c. 34. Innocentius the first thundred the sentence of Excommunication against Arcadius the Emperour and Eudoxia the Empresse Agaynst d The Centuristâ— Cent. 5. Col. â—â—â— Theophilus also Bishop of Alexandria e Liberatus c. 18. Felix excommunicated Acatius the Patriarch of Constantinople f Euseb l. 5. ca. 24. Victor the 15. Pope after S. Peter not somewhat Popelike as g Sparks in his answere to M. Iohn Albins preface M. Sparkes scoffeth at him exceeding his bounds but by the priuiledge of his supreme transcendent authority censured in like manner all the Bishops of Asiae for dissenting from the Roman Church in celebrating the feast of Easter h Zona in vita Iustin. Agapetus the Pope deposed Anthimus i Galas Ep. ad epis Darda Leo Dioscorus k Theod. l. 5 histo c. 23. Damasus Flauianus three Patriarches one of Constantinople another of Alexandria the third of Antioch And on the other side l Conc. Chal. act 1. Leo restored Theodoret the famous Bishop of Cyrus to his sea deposed by the 2. Councell of Ephesus m Cyp. l. 3. ep 13. S. Cyprian wrote to Pope Stephen to depose Marcian the Bishop of Orleance and install another in his roome n â—elas ep ad Epis Dardaniae Socrat. l. 2. c. 15. Cent. 4. col 550. Iulius the first of that name restored to their Bishoprikes Athanasius of Alexandria Paulus of Constantinople and other Catholike Bishops of the East expelled by the Arians And this he did as the Centurists coÌ„fesse out of Socrates fraetus Romanae Ecclesiae prerogatiua By the prerogatiue of the Roman Church And Sozomenus sayth of the same Iulius When for the dignity of his Sea the care of all appertayned vnto him he restored euery one to his Church Zozom l. 3. c. 7. Euag. l. 1. c. 4. Phot. l. de 7. Syn. Leo ep 47. Leo ep 84. idem ep 87. Gela. ep ad Epi. Dard. Galf. l. 9. cap. 11. Leo ep 84. Greg. l. 4 ep 52. Innocent 1. ep 26. ad Con. Mile extat inter epi. Aug. Conc. Cbal act 1. Patet ex Leo. ep 55. ad Pulch. Basil epist 52. ad AthanasiuÌ„ Conc. Nicenum 1. c. 6. ex Nicolao 1. ep ad Mich. Imp. vide S. Greg in Regist epi passim Idem S. Greg. in Regis l. 12. c. 15. vsum tibi pallij ad sola missarum solemnia agenda concedimus Bedel â— hist c. 19. 2. hist c. 8. God win in the Catal of Bishops Beda l. 2. c. 17. Fox act p. 185. 16. In fine the Pope of Rome hath alwayes had his legates presidents and chiefe in all Oecumenicall Councells as Hosius Vitus and Vincentius in the first Councell of Nice S. Cyril in the Councell of Ephesus Paschasius and Lucentius in the Councell of Chalcedon He hath had his Vicars generall in all forrayne and remote Countreyes Anastasius Bishop of Thessalonica in Grece Potentius in Afrike Acatius Patriarch of Constantinople in Egypt Dubritius Arch-bishop of Wales primate of Britany in England To him as to the highest Iudge the weightyest causes from all partes of the world haue been still directed Without him no generall Councell can be kept or assembled By him tumultuous Synods haue been euer disanulled From him most ample priuiledges dignityes and prerogatiues haue byn granted to Bishops Pathiarches Kings and Princes To mention some particulars From him the Patriarch of Constantinople had the preeminence of the highest Sea after Rome iurisdiction ouer Egypt
Iohn the Patriarch of Constantinople vsurped it to himselfe to wit to be such an absolute and vniuersall Patriarch as to derogate from all others their Patriarchall dignity as diuers Catholike writers haue often demonstrated out of S. Gregoryes owne Epistles Greg. l. 4. Ep. 34. 36. Andreas Frisius de Eccles l. 2. 6. 10. p. 170. Yet if it may carry more credit with Protestants deliuered by Protestants themselues let them read what Andreas Frisius a famous Zuinglian Secretary to the King of Polonia wryteth Some there be who agaynst this office of vniuersall Superintendent obiect the authority of Gregory who sayth that such a tytle belongeth to the Precursour of Antichrist But the reason of Gregory is to be knowne and it may be gathered out of the words he repeateth in many Epistles That the tytle of vniuersall Bishop is contrary and doth withstand the grace which is commonly powred vpon all Bishops He therfore that should surname himselfe vniuersall Bishop nameth himselfe the only Bishop and taketh Bishoplike power from the rest Therefore this tytle he would haue to be reiected which is vsurped with the iniury of other Bishops And immediatly after Notwithstanding by other places it is euident that Gregory thought the charge principality of the whole Church was committed to Peter by the voyce of our Lord. And thus much he wrote plainly and almost word for word to the Emperour Maurice and strenghtned it by testimony of Scripture Thus he Plainly declaring that although S. Greg. l. 4. Ep. â—2 Gregory disliked the arrogant vsurpation of that name with iniury to the other Bishops yet he allowed the vniuersall dignity of one supreme Gouernour of the Church without wrong or derogation to any 22. To that which M. Bilson vrgeth of Councells Bils part â— p. 84. 85 86. 87. 88. c. deposing Popes I answere First they were vnlawfull assemblyes as the Councell of Brixia the Councell of Pisa according to Antoninus And the Councell of Basil although lawfully begun was then vnlawful when it deposed Eugenius Secondly I answere that lawfull Councells may in tyme of Schisme iudge and declare who is true Pope depose the vsurpers or perswade also the true Pope for quietnes sake to resigne his right which was all that the Councell of Constance defined practised in deposing Iohn the 23. Gregory the 12. and Benedict the 13. And therefore M. Bilson might haue well spared his paynes from tyring the learned and amazing the simple Reader with the vayne recitall of so many wild and vagrant hystories To proceed 23. This second point being proued that Peters Successour enioyeth his dignity it resteth I discusse why the Pope of Rome should rather inherite it then the Bishop of Antioch where Peter first sate or the Bishop of Ierusalem where Christ our Sauiour dyed For declaration whereof you must vnderstand that Christ neuer fixed his seat eyther at Ierusalem or at any other determinate place Agayne he hath none to succeed him he still continueth Haeb. 7. v. 24 his Euerlasting Priest-hood And that the Primacy should not remayne at Ierusalem the testimonyes of Scripture are most perspicuous S. Paul giueth a reason hereof The Priesthood being translated it is necessary that a translation of the law Haeb. 7. v. 12. Matt. 21. v. 41. Act. 13. v. 46. also be made Christ fortoâ—d it to the Iewes The Kingdome of God shall be taken from you and giuen to a Nation yielding the fruits thereof S. Paul and Barnabas testify the performance To you it behooued vs first to speake the word of God but because you repell it and iudge your selues vnworthy of eternall life behold we turne to the Gentils 24. If Caluin had weyghed these places well they might haue instructed him why the seat of Christs Lieutenant was not placed at Ierusalem the chiefe Citty of the Iewes but in the chiefe and principall Citty of the Gentils It might haue also informed M. Bilson why at Rome rather then at Antioch because it was meete as Saint Leo doth often insinuate That the Citty of Superstition Leo 1. de naâ—a Apost Pet. Paul Marcel Ep. ad presbyt Antioch Anaclet ad omnes Presbyt Hieron de viris illust in vit Pet. Damas in vit eiusdoÌ„ Euseb in Chron. an 44. Hieron de viris Illusta in Petro. might be made the Chiefe Seate of Religion For this cause albeit he first sate at Antioch for the space of seauen yeares yet after as Saint Marcellus Anacletus Saint Hierome and Damasus auouch he translated his throne to the Citty of Rome and there continued Bishop as Eusebus Saint Hierome and other Hystoriographers testify 25. yeares There he ended his life with a glorious Martyrdome There he resigned or rather surceased his Pastorall charge Wherefore seing he only is inuested in the state of his Predecessour who succeedeth him yielding vp eyther by natural death or voluntary resignation his whole former dignity and not he who succeedeth only in his place or partaketh some part of his charge the reason is cleare why Linus the Pope of Rome and not Euodius Bishop of Antioch is Peters Successour because in Rome he sate last in Rome he sate longest in Rome he resigned his Episcopall dignity 25. We see when the King changeth and remoueth his Court from one Citty to another the Magistrate he placeth in his former residence he appointeth no heyre or Successour to the right of his Kingdome When the throne of the Empire was translated from Milan from Treuers from Antioch and other places the Gouernours of those Cittyes did not thereby vsurpe the Imperiall crowne no more can the Bishop of Antioch challenge the scepter of Peters supremacy after that Peter translated his seate from thence after that he aduanced it to the Citty of Rome and there continued it vntill the houre of his death Neuertheles he often departed thence during this tyme into diuers other countreyes about the affayres of the Church 26. And it hath pleased God so to confirme the continuall succession of his chiefe Vicars in the Blessed Sea that notwithstanding many cruell and mighty Tyrants haue bent their whole endeauours to disturbe them from thence notwithstanding they haue beene often banished into remote and barbarous Countreys as Clemens by Traian in Chersonesum the North part of Asia Cornelius Thomas Bozius de signis Eccl. Tomo 2. l. 17. signo 78. Baronius in Auna anno chri 200. 255. by Decius to Centumcellas Liberius by Constantius into Thrace Martin by the same into Pontus and forty such like notwithstanding 33. one after another haue beene put to the sword notwithstanding their remoue for a tyme to Viterbo Auenion Rauenna Yet the Pope haue still returned and the Sea continued at Rome All other Patriarchall seates haue beene shaken in pieces but that of Rome no deaths no banishments no Tyrannies of men or malice of Sathan could euer ouerthrow That hath perseuered for the space of 1620. yeares and
by which they hoped demanded and often obtayned the fruits of their requests Listen to S. Hierome listen to S. Gregory Nazianzen both which you produce to bewray their doubtfulnes S. Hieromes words are these Farewell O Paula and support with the help of thy prayers the feeble old age of thy worshiper These S. Gregory Nazianzens calling vpon S. Basil O Diuine and sacred head behold vs from aboue and the instigation of my flesh giuen me as an instruction from God eyther aswage with thy prayers or moue me to beare coragiously Did these men doubt Or S. Bernard who often assureth vs of Bern. serm 3. in vigil Nat. ser de B. Virg. quae incipit Signum magnum Bafil in 40. Mart. Cyp. lib. de habit Virg. Ruffin l. â— hist c. 33. the help of our B. Lady Or S. Basil exhorting vs to inuok the 40. Martyrs Whosoeuer is oppressed with any misery let him repayre to these and who soeuer reioyceth let him pray tothese the one that he may be freed from euill the other that he may perseuere in his prosperous courses Or S. Cyprian who requested the Virgins or Nuns of his time in whose coÌ„mendation he wrote to remember him after their departure when their Virginity should begin to be honoured Or Theodosius the Emperour who as Ruffinus witnesseth clad in sacke-cloath lay prostrate at the Tombes of the holy Apostles and Martyrs and craued help by the assured intercession of Saints Or any of those whome I recited before whose speaches cannot be eluded by any doubtfull florish or figure of Rethorike much lesse the suites they make vnto the Saints in heauen a PrudeÌ„ in hym 4. 8. 10. Casar-August August quaest 108. ser 18. de Sanct. to obtaine pardon for their sinnes b Noz or at in Athâ—n To be directed in the warfare and combate of this life c Bern. in vigil Petr. Paul To incline the hart of our Iudge in their behalfe d Prud. hym 2. in D. Lauren. To be sooner released the bonds of our mortality e Amb. or at â— in morte fratris Nazi ora in Basil To be receaued by them into the Tabernacles of blisse f August lib. medit cap. 24. Nazian in S. Cypri Ambros exhor ad virg Paul Nola. in Car ad Cytherium August lib. 22. de Ciuit. Dei cap. â— To bewafted by their prayers and merits to the hauen of perpetuall peace Such and many such like requestes they made which were no. wholy frustrate as the miracles wrought in accomplishing their desires giue testimony vnto vs. 7. S. Gregory Nazianzen writeth of a Virgin bewitched with diuelish charmes to be deflowred by her Louer who prayed to our Blessed Lady and was deliuered from his wicked inchantements S. Ambrose of S. Iulian who obtayned a sonne by the intercession of S. Laurence Paulinus of Martinian who escaped imminent danger of death by the help of Saint Felix Saint Augustine of Palladia who praying to S. Stephen was healed of a grieuous disease Of a blind woman who receiued her sight Of the daughter of one Bassus a Syrian restord to life And sundry other miracles wrought by the Reliques memory and inuocation of selfe-same happy and glorious Protomartyr 8. Which argueth M. Field of more then vnshamfastnes Field l. 3. c. 20. fol. 109. 110. Kemnitius exam p. 3. p. 211. of insolent malepartnes in slandering S. Augustine That he dareth not pronounce but inclineth to that opinion that the Saints doe not particulerly see know and intermeddle with humane thinges If Saint Augustines owne words here quoted cannot free him from so vile a reproach let Kemnitius M. Fieldes fellow Protestant be heard he alleadgeth S. Field loco citato Augustine inuocating S. Cyprian and blusheth not to adde These thinges Augustine without the warrant of Scripture yielding to tymes and custome Yet D. Field once downe the banke Whitgift in his defence against the reply of Cartwright of modesty slideth to the bottome of audacious impudency and immediatly writeth The Church of God neuer desined otherwise how soeuer Hierome in his passion agaynst Vigilantius seeme to say the contrary Not Hierome M. Field in his passion but your owne Sect-mates in their sober writinges shall conuince you of falshood and testify the same vvith him D. Couel in his exam pag. 120. Fulk in his Reioynder p. 5. 6. agaynst the Rhem. Test in 2. Petr. c. 1. sect 3. Kemn in exam p. 3. pag. 200. Sparkes p. 33. Cent. Cen. 3. Col. 83. c. 9. M. Whitgift late Archbishop of Canterbury Almost all the Bishops sayth he and writers of the Greeke Church and Latin also for the most part were spotted with Doctrines of Free-will of merit of inuocation of Saints and such like The same is auouched by D. Couell M. Fulke sayth I confesse that Ambrose Augustine and Hierome held Inuocation of Saintes to be lawfull And in another place In Nazianzen Basill and Chrysostom is mention of Inuocation of Saints Kemnitius the Lutheran before named Inuocation of Saintes quoth he at length about the yeare of our Lord 370. by Basil Nissen and Nazianzen began to be brought into the publike asseÌ„blyes of the Church D. Sparkes chargeth Origen or some other vnder his name With a grosse Popish prayer to Iob. The Centurists doe the like acknowledging moreouer this vniforme doctrine in many other who liued about the 300. yeares after Christ saying There are manifest steps of Inuocation of Saints in the Doctours of that auncient age And in the Centuries following they accuse Athanasius Basil Nazianzen Ambrose Prudentius Cent. Cen. 4. c. 4. Col. 296. 297. VVhitaker in his ans to the 4. reason of Comp. Ibid. in his ans to the 5. reason Epiphanius and Ephrem of the same errour Finally when blessed Campian vrged this approued custome of the ancient Fathers Whitaker answered The old and inueterate practise of inuocating Saints in prayers we little regard although this were an ancient custom yet it flowed from humane superstition not from Diuine authority And a little after speaking of Prudentius who florished within the 400. yeare after Christ he sayth Prudentius I graunt as a poet sometymes called vpon the Martyrs whose Acts he describeth in verse and the superstitious custome of praying to Saints had now taken deepe roote in the Church which as a Tyrant haled sometymes the holy Fathers into the same error 10. What thinke you now M. Field was S. Augustine was S. Ambrose were all these learned Fathers here cited and the whole Church which they guided of this beliefe or no that the Saints in heauen see and intermeddle with humane affayres Or were all these mirrours of wit learning and sanctity not only superstitiously as your Ghospellers tax them but foolishly sottish also as you would make them to call vpon such as they thought had no sense or feeling of their necessities Dare you auouch That Inuocation of Saints preuayled not in
Iraeneus the like of others But the authority it selfe of these Ancients the purity of that prime and perfect age is inough to quite them of that false accusatiō inough to cleare the truth of our cause that som thing goeth before the assent of our vnderstanding or act of fayth that we do not like beastes vnuoluntarily belieue but that we willingly prepare our selues and freely worke to the obtayning of Iustice Wherein how farre M. Field forsaketh his owne confederates and runneth in the same line with vs shall be discouered in the next Controuersy 7. As for M. Abbots argument to the contrary That Feild in his 3. booke of the Church c. 44. Abbot in his defence sect 20. fol. 467. as a dead carcasse cannot concurre to his resurrection no more can a man dead in sinne any way cooperate to the restoring of his life I answer that the parity haulteth in this maine ioynt or principall limme that the dead man hath no working power or ability at all to produce the actions of life But the sinner although he be wholy dead in respect of supernatural grace yet he liueth a naturall life hath a naturall and liuely faculty of free will which albeit by it selfe it be altogeather vnable to worke any good appertayning to saluation yet by the assistance and ayde of God it is quickened eleuated and inabled to cooperate with him vnto the workes of piety And it is a thing vsuall in the course of Nature to requite your natural cōparison with the like examples of nature for a dead senseles thing to cooperate if not actiuely as some do at least by way of disposition to the receauing of life for so the dead and corrupted graines of corne by the fertility moysture and warme bosome of the earth do according to some part of them not only dispose but also produce their vegetiue life yea the mortifyed dead matter which example euery way sitteth my purpose ministred by parents to the begetting of children doth truly concurre by way of disposition to their receauing of life to the creation of their breathing and reasonable soules If dead thinges haue this efficacy by the supply of dead senseles causes to concurre to naturall life why should not the liuely facultyes of our mind by the supernaturall succour of the supreme cause haue force and vigour also to dispose our soules to the supernaturall grace 8. But to graunt this sayth M. Abbot is to slyde into Abbot in his defence c. 4. f. 80. 459. the heresy of the Pelagians with whome he impiously consorteth both vs the sacred Councell of Trent in such malicious manner as when we assigne a substantiall difference betweene vs and them by houlding the precedent acts of Feare Hope Loue c. to proceed not Abbot ibidem c. 1. f. 104. 106. 107. Aug. con Pelag. Celest c. 2. 4. c. 31. 32. 33. 35. 37. from the force of nature not from our owne merits as they imagined but from the benefit of Gods grace he replyeth againe that we do but dally with the name of grace as Pelagius did who acknowledged also the necessity thereof as he goeth about to proue out of many places of S. Augustine out of his first booke against Pelagius and Celestius in sundry Chapters and out of his Epistles also But he willingly or cunningly passeth ouer the collusion or legier-du-maine of the Pelagians who to beguile the Bishops of the Easterne Church vsurped the name Grace as the same S. Augustine both in the aforesayd and in other places testifyeth in diuers senses most different from Sec Aug. ep 90. 95. 105. 106. 107. Vasq in 1. part dips 9◠c. 9. Molin item in 1. part disp 19. mem 5. Aug. tom 7. l. 1. 2. de grat Christ de peccat Origin vs. For first they sometyme tearmed the benefit of creatiō conseruation and free will it selfe by the name of grace because they be singular gifts by Gods gracious fauour bestowed vpon vs. We heere take Grace alwayes for that which aboue the course of nature through the merits of Christ is supernaturally imparted 2. They although they did after confesse a supernaturall grace yet they say it was only profitable to facilitate not necessary to accomplish fullfill the commandments which S. Augustine often reprehended in them or as Celestius Pelagius his scholler did temper qualify the roughnes of his Maisters speach it was necessary to perfect and consummate not to inchoate or begin the perfection of a good and pious worke witnes S. Augustine against the two Epistles of Pelagius We say it is absolutly necessary not only to consummate but also to beginne not only to facilitate but Augu. l. 2. cont 2. ep Pelag. ◠8◠Aug. l. 1. de grat Christ con Pelag. c. 4. 5. 25. 26. Phil. 2. v. 13. August l. de grat lib. arbit ◠16. Aug. l. 10. cont 2. ep Pelag. cap. 19. Aug. l. 1. de grat Christ c. 1. euen to performe or satisfy any part of the law as it ought to be pleasing and gratefull vnto God 3. They held that grace affoarded possibility only to the will not force efficacy to shun euill and imbrace good they thought that grace sayth S. Augustine doth not helpe vs to do but only that we might be willing able to do We teach with the Apostle that it is God who worketh in vs both to will and accomplish His grace say we with S. Augustine doth not only giue sufficient but vires efficacissimas voluntati most efficacious forces to the will to performe and effectuate whatsoeuer good it willeth 4. They affirme the grace of God to be giuen vs for our deserts and that it-followeth the determination of our will which S. Augustine auerreth reporting of Pelagius that man according to him is ayded in doing good Pro meritis viz. voluntatis bonae c. for the merits to wit of his good wil that grace deserued might be estored not vndeserued giuen And againe Whatsoeuer grace he alloweth he affirmeth it imparted to Christians according to their desert So the Semipelagians would haue the beginning of fayth to spring from our felues from the faculty of free-will as appeareth out of their ring-leader Faustus Regiensis But Faust Regien lib. de arbit c. 8. 15. Concil Araus 2. Can. 5. we say with the Arausican Councell that the beginning of fayth or pious affection by which we belieue is the guift of God We say that grace goeth before exciting our wil and is mercifully bestowed on vs for our Sauiour Christ his sake wholy vndeserued on our part 5. When the Pelagians admitted the necessity of grace to awake and stir vs vp they vnderstood it sayth S. Augustine of the law of the doctrine and of the examples of Christ outwardly preached Aug. l. 1. de grat Chri. c. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. ep 106 ad Paulin ◠107.
l. de Euchar opinion of the Church concerning imputatiue Iustice. The like accusation of the most ancient Fathers made by Bullinger D. Whitguift Humfrey Whitaker and others you may see heereafter recyted in the Treatise of merit and in the first part of this worke in the Controuersy of Satisfaction which more then aboundantly conuinceth the consent Feild in append 1. p. fol. 19. of the Primitiue Church for of the later there is no doubt to be wholy with vs in this substantiall point of Fayth and that our Reformers bandy against it and the long continued current of truth in all tymes and Countryes euer since Howbeit M. Field to win credit with the simple audaciously craketh We no way oppose our selues against the vniuersall resolution and practise of the whole Church which to do Augustine pronounceth insolent madnes Let this then M. Field be your taske or let some of your * Thus S. Ambrose derideth ProtestaÌ„ts before they were hatched l. 10. ep â—p 82. new Maisters take the payns to discouer some other publick or hidden Congregration of theirs some other pastours besids the fornamed who taught your doctrine and reproued our errours in S. Cyprian S. Hierome S. Austine the rest as the true sheepheards watchmeÌ„ ouer the house of God haue alwayes done Were they reckoned such small defects as might be cloaked dissembled And not essentiall not fundameÌ„tall points of fayth which shake the whole ground of Religion Were they whispered in corners by some vnknowne or obscure companions not printed in books preached in pulpits diuulged to the whole world by sundry troups of learned men in such vast Regious kingdomes and not one of your â—olifidian professours to open their mouth against them Shall we expect after so long tyme your wresting of their words to some fauourable exposition of your deuising The Centurists your own Collegues partners in beliefe wanted neither will wit diligence or cunning to haue performed it had they not found their sayings vnanswerable their words vndefeatable the mayne drift scope of their discourses wholy vncapable of other construction Shall we thinke they also fauoured the opinion of Protestants and so breathed out of the same mouth truth falshood fire water heate Pomeran vbi supra cold as Pomerane blasphemeth or which is all one that they contradicted themselues as the Centurists sticke not in plaine tearmes to auerre of Clemens Alexandrinus that famous Cent. 2. c. 4. Colum. 6â— Cent. 5. c. â— Colum. 1008. Writer and Maister to Origen and of Theodoret Bishop of Cyrus It were too notorious a stumbling and headlong course not heard of before that so huge an army of deuout and learned pillers of the Church should all vniformely precipitate and contradict themselues in this sole point In a chiefe point of Fayth and that not once or twice but ech of them diuers and sundry tymes and none to haue the grace to see so great an ouersight or seeing it to amend it to recant it to seeke to reconcile it with other of their sayings no zealous man in the whole world for so many ages who durst note or twite them of it vntill drunken Lutherans enraged with the fury of an Apostata Frier began to espy that horrible Antichristian and often repeated contradiction It is incredible it cannot be imagined or of it could certes they were no Protestants who maintayned beleeued an article of Fayth quite opposite to the life of Protestancy or worse then Infidells who sought to perswade and inculcate to others that which they beleeued not or knew to be falfe Fye vpon such impious Chams as cannot vphold their follyes without disgracing their predecessours who cannot enter the kingdome of heauen without they condemne these Saints into the pit of hell nor become Christians themselues without making them impious Luth. tom 5. in Gal. c. 4. f. 382. hypocrits damnable Idolaters for no better doth Luther account such as dissent from him and his mates in the iustice of only Fayth Let vs heare his words 13. Whosoeuer falleth from the article of Iustification he becommeth ignorant of God and is an Idolater therefore it is all Luth. ibid. fol. 400. one whether he be a Monke a Turke a Iew or Anabaptist for this article once taken away there remayneth nothing but meere errour hipocrisy impiety idolatry although in shew there appeare excellent truth worship of God holynes c. And some VVhitak l. 8. aduers Dureum and in his answere to 〈◊〉 Câ—mpiaÌ„â— râ—ason Abbot in his defence caâ— 4. Fulke vpon sundry of these places against the new Testam few lines after If that face and forme of old papistry stood now if that discipline were obserued now with so much seruerity and rigour as the Hereâ—its as Hierome Augustine Gregory Bernard Francis Dominicke and many others obserued it little perhaps should I profit by my doctrine of Fayth against that state of papistry yet neuertheles after the example of Paul inueighing against the false Apostles in appearance most holy good men I ought to fight against such Iustice workers-of the Papistical kingdome Thus he confessing S. Hierome S. Augustine S. Gregory S. Bernard c. to haue beene iustice-workers of our kingdome and to haue beene bondmen of the law of sinne and the Diuell cast out of the house of God as he wretchedly auoweth in the same place of which some of his followers being since ashamed haue clipped and pared off much of this his discourse in the later editions But it is high time to view the forces wherein the Aduersary confideth 14. The huge host of obiections which the mutinous enemy disorderly leuieth against vs the Tenent of their Ancestours in â—his and the former two Controuersyes I for more perspicuity and orders sake sunder and part into diuers wings or squadrons In the first I rank those texts of Scripture which attribute vnto Fayth the corporall benefite of health or saluation by which the Matth. â— v. 22. Luc. 18. v. 42. Luc. 8. v. 50. Luc. 17. v. 19. Matth. â— v. 2. spirituall was betokned because our Sauiour seldome cured any in body whome he cured not also in soule As when to the woman troubled with an issue of bloud he sayd Haue a good hart daughter thy Fayth hath made thee safe To the blind man Do thou see thy fayth hath made thee whole To the Prince of the Synagogue Feare not beleeue only and she shal be safe To the cured leaper Aryse go thy wayes because thy fayth hath made thee safe Likewise Iesus seeing their fayth sayd to the sicke of the palsey Haue a good hart Sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee These and the like which our aduersaryes produce rather witnes against them then speake in their behalfe for not one of them mentioneth their speciall assurance and particuler fayth relying on the mercy of God remitting their sinnes of which the fornamed Calu. l.
of Christ and his Apostles began not a little to be darkened for many monstrous opinions are commonly found vttered by the Doctours Amongst which they reckon the liberty of Free-will saying there is almost no point of Doctrine which so soone began to be obscured as this of Free-will But by whom by the ancient Author who goeth vnder the name of Iustinus by S. Irenaeus to which end they censure him to wrest many sayings of the Prophets of Christ and S. Paul grosly deducing from thence Free-will not in workes only but also in fayth Likewise he admitteth Free-will in spirituall matters By S. Clement of Alexandria Of whom they testifie he doth euery where auouch Free-will that it may appeare not only all the Doctors of that age to haue beene couered with those mists but that they also were augmented in the succeeding ages Therefore in the third hundred yeare they adiudge Tertullian Origen S. Cyprian and Methodius guilty of the same errour taking the paines to quote the places and recite the words where they defend this Doctrine 15. After they goe foreward and set downe the agreeable consent of the Fathers of the foure huÌ„dred yeare condemning by name Lactantius Athanasius Basilius Nazianzenus Epiphanius Hieronymus and Gregorius Nissenus for maintayning with vs the liberty of Free will Citing as before their very words and pointing to the places where they affirme it Now that our English Protestants may not be thought to dissent from these forreners Doctour Humfrey sayth It cannot be denyed but that Irenaeus Clement and others containe in their writinges the opinion of Free-will D. Whitgift Almost all the Bishops of the Greek Church Latine also for the most part were spotted with the Doctrine VVhitgifâ— in his defeÌ„câ— against Cartwright pag. 453. D. Couelâ—iâ—â— exam p. â—â—0 Rabby Moyses Hardar in c. 4. Genes Rab. Akiba c. patrum according as Paulus Fabius iutepreteth his words Rab. Selomo cited by Petrus Galatinus li. 6. cap. 6â— de arcaniâ— Catho ver Fulke in his defence of the English translation pag. 320. of Free-will With the errour of Free-will saith Doctour Couell reiecting that as an errour which was generally maintayned in the flower of the Church 16. Furthermore when we conuince the same doctrine to haue flourished not only amongst Christians but also amongst the learned Iewes by the vncontrolable testimonies of the ancient Rabbins who liued either before or immediatly after the natiuity of Christ by Rabby Moyses Hardarsan Rabby Akyba Rabby Selomo cited by Petrus Galatinus and by many other M. Fulke will not sticke to discard them as the Centurists doe the Fathers saying The Iewish Rabbins Patrons of Free-will doe erre Finally when the like is vrged out of Plato Aristotle and the generall consent of all Philosophers Caluin and Melancthon distaste it the rather as springing from the rootes of Philosophicall Superstition Alas good Syrs what course should we take What proofes will serue your turne The Scriptures we produce Some you deny some you falsifie The Fathers They were couered you say with the mists of darknesse The Iewish Rabbins you professe they erred The learned Philosophers They sauour of superstition whom shall we bring What shall we vrge May experience may reasons take place Many are gathered out of the Fathers writings which I referre vnto the next Chapter there they shall be more commodiously rehearsed In the meane time I am to grapple a little with M. Field who finding not how to auoid the shame or hide the fault of this his Progenitors Luthers and Caluins heresie denieth them to teach any Field in his 3. Booke of the Church c. 17 f. 135 136. such absolute Necessity of things whereof we here accuse them and appeacheth Bellarmine of iniuring them both in laying it to their charge 17. But they who haue perused my former Treatises haue discouered I hope such fraudulent dealing detestable Sycophancie in this mans writings as they will little regard his desperate and headdy asseuerations For he that hath borrowed the Harlots face to excuse his Sectmats in things inexcusable he that will protest no variance after due examination betwixt the Lutherans Caluinists touching the matter of the Sacrament in which themselues and all the world doth witnesse A most Essentiall as Peter Field in his 3. Booke of the Church c. 42. f. 170. Pet. Mart in praeâ—at l. cont Step. Vinton Luthâ—in asser art 36. Caluin l. â— Inst. c. 2. 3. 5. Martyr accounteth it and Fundament alivariance what will he not auouch in matters more intricate and lesse palpable dissensions And yet this of which we now attach and he laboureth to free his chiefest Protestants is no small priuate or hidden fault It is so manifest in Luther as he saith Free-will is a faigned thing A vaine title c. Because all things fall out as the Article of Wicliffe condemned at Constance rightly teacheth of Absolute Necessity As manifest in Caluin For he hauing distinguished these two sorts of Liberty the one from Coaction the other from Necessity that he granteth this he resolutly denieth He disliketh also the word Liberum arbitrium in Latin and much more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke and disswadeth all men from the vse thereof He maruelleth this speach of his should seeme harsh to any man The will by Necessity is drawne or led to euill His reason is Because the will ordinance and decree of God is a Necessity of things Thus he 18. His schollers M. Fulke M. White and others conning of him their lesson repeate the same word by Fulke locis citatis VVhite in the way to the true Church §. 40. digr 42. p. 275. 276. word M. Fulke you haue heard in part already M. White handling this mater of purpose deliuereth it thus The nature of free-will stands not in freedome from all Necessity but from all externall Constraint c. but from Coaction only Immediatly after he mentioneth and reiecteth our opinion saying Others contrariwise dispute our will to befree not in this respect but because it is subordinate to no Necessity c. But such an absolute freedome there seemes not to be Then he confirmeth it by the authority of other Deuines misconstruing them to teach The will to be no otherwise free but from compulsion twice in one Page he giueth the same reason hereof as Caluin did Because Gods will saith he orders and determines all wills from which determination no Creature is free Againe Gods will is aboue ours and flowes into it and moues it and determines it Whereupon it followes that our will of infallible Necessity must needes â—e moued and determined for Gods will cannot be in Ibid. §. 40. pag. 275. vaine 19. Marke these words Our will of infallible Necessity must needs be moued and forget not that he taketh necessity for that which is free but from coaction only Wheron it ensueth that we are so Necessarily moued and determined by God as it is not in
life can euer atcheiue so his vnspeakable mercy degenerateth into tyranny exacting a tribute which we cannot pay condemning vs for a fault which we cannot possibly eschew or he commandeth vs to discharge our dutyes according to our weake and limping manner and then our vttermost endeauours satisfy his law although they be lame and imperfect If not If our best endeauours transgresse his will if they be wanting of the duty we ought to performe and he command that defectuous duty thus he himselfe commandeth a transgression commandeth a sinne and man by doing Gods will is bound to sinne From which M. Abbot cannot Abboâ— cap. 4. sect 46. fol. â—88 excuse him by saying It is the duty only he is bound to and not to the sinne For if the duety be vnauoydably linked with the sinful transgression whosoeuer commandeth the duty commandeth the transgression and whosoeuer is obliged to accomplish the one is necessarily obliged to incurre the other Neither is this fallacia accidentis or any sophisticall cauillation as he would bleare the eyes of the simple producing to that effect these two examples against Doctour Abbot ibi Bishop A lame man is bound by law to come to the Church he cannot come to the Church but he must halt therefore he is bound by law to halt M. Bishop is bound to pay a man twenty poundes but he cannot tell the money without soyling his fingers therefore he is bound to soyle his fingers So he writing at randome for iâ— there were no other pace amongst men nor other meanes to repaire to Church but only by halting all those who were bound by law to go to the Church should be bouÌ„d by law to halt to the Church and whosoeuer was willed to go should in this case be willed to halt if I say there were no other gate at all then halting now in the opinion of Protestants there is no meanes of fulfilling the law of God heer vpon earth but defectuous lame and sinneful therfore whosoeuer is tyed to that sinnefull fufilling 〈◊〉 also tyed and obliged to sin and whosoeuer commandeth it commandeth sinne 3. His second example is more extrauagant for no Caluin in Antido Conc. Trisess â— c. 12 precept of the Decalogue can be obserued The least saith Caluin is a burden more heauy then Aetna No action of keeping can be done without breach yet some money may be counted without soyling of fingers I verily thinke many poore Artizans many studeÌ„ts also may receaue their rents without much soyling howbeit the ample reuenues of great Lordships may stayne theÌ„ somewhat more yet these staynes defilements arise not immediatly from the action of counting or locall motion of the fingers but from the money defilant coyne which is soyled cleanse that and your fingers will be cleane But dare you say in like manner that the impurity of our dueties the spots of our actions are drawn from the things prescribed and commanded by God from his spotted laws defiled constitutions I cannnot iudge you guilty of so wicked a saying 4. Secondly eyther English Protestants hold with Caluin that all and euery commandment is impossible to be kept or some particuler only Not euer one for I Caluin loc citato consulte the consciences of your own Sectaries whether some of your Iudges haue not beene free from murder bearing false witnes against their neighbours whether some of your graue Matrons haue not beene faythfull to their husbands not defiled neyther in thought nor deed with the cryme of adultery whether some Protestants children haue not beene obedient to their parents some Protestants subiects loyall to their Prince I for my part what soeuer the Caluinists libell to the contrary vnfeignedly iudge that diuers among them haue fully obserued at least for a tyme some of these precepts then euery commandment is not impossible for some space to be kept The precept of not coueting may be kept But some perchance be Which are they The two hardest in your opinion are thou shalt not couet and thou shalt loue God withall thy hart c. Of the former it hath beene already proued that it forbiddeth not the vnuoluntary motions but the free consent which we may refrayne as some Protestants no doubt at some tyme or other checke and subdue their desires of adultery of reuenge of coueting their neighbours goods their liues c. For it is an infamy too reproachfull that all their women should be adultresses all their men aged children reuengers of their wrongs spillers of bloud purloyners of the goods of others eyther ProtestaÌ„ts themselues obserue some of the commandmeÌ„ts in hart or deed as often as any such euill motion ariseth or tentation is suggested vnto them Agayne to affirme the first motions which inuade vs against our will to be breaches of the precept daunteth the courage of Christs valiant souldiers it frustrateth the intent of Gods commaundement For why doth he command vs not to couet but that we may fulfill his will in not coueting Why do we fight against the motions of Concupiscence but that we may not transgresse his law yeilding to them Which suppose it be will we nill we by their assaultes transgressed we striue in vaine to keep of the receaued foyles or preuent the woundes already inflicted This precept then we may keep as often as we bridle our in ordinate suggestions and suppresse the inticements which prouoke vs to euill The CoÌ„maundment of louing God may be also obserued 5. The other also whereby we are commanded to loue God withal our hartes with al our forces c. may be fulfilled if we vnderstand it aright of the appretiatiue loue of true frendship therein exacted not of intensiue or affectionate loue as the Deuines speake that is we ought to esteeme and prize God for his owne infinite goodnes before all thinges in the world abandon al earthly riches profits and emolumentes when occasion is offered rather then him we ought to make him the only scope and finall end of all our desires yet we are not charged to loue him with all the degrees of intention which may be for that can neuer be shewed nor to loue him with such perfection as to imbrace voluntary pouerty or perpetuall chastity for his sake these are only counsayled not commaunded by the force of that precept neyther are we tied so to settle our hartes vpon him as not to affect any other thing conducible to our estate or profitable for the maintenance of our liues but only not to affect any thinge contrary and repugnant to his seruice which wee may easily do by the help of his grace and wholy thereby discharge our bond in fullfilling that sweet and comfortable Psal 118. v. to v 58. v. 145. v. 68 law as king Dauid discharged it when he testified of himselfe With my whole hart haue I sought after thee I besought thy face with all my hart I haue cried in
Ignatius that men euen then in the next age after Christ began too studiously to loue and reuerence the state of Virginity 3. Concerning the preheminence and merit of Martyrdome they record the like howbeit M. Doctour Field with his wonted procacity outfacingly deposeth The Century writers reproue not the Fathers for any such errour as the Papistes do maynteyne touching the force of martyrdome c. Touching the merite satisfaction and expiation of sinnes which they fancy to be in the bloud of martyrs of which impiety the Father Ignatius in ep ad Antioch ad Herâ— ad Tarsen Field in his 3. book c. 21. fol. 1. â— Cent. 2. c. 4. Col. 64. Clem. in stroÌ„ Igna. in ep ad Smir. ad Antioch Polycar neuer thought Deale once sincerely M. Field I pray belie vs not gaynesay not that which is euident in the Centuristes We allow not any merit satisfaction or expiation of sinnes in the bloud of Martyrs but in the noble resolution of their mind and in the heroicall act of sheeding their blood And of this the Century-writers so vndoubtedly controule the auncient Fathers as he is past all shame who goeth about to deny it I will produce their sayinges and referre them to the iudgement of any not ouerpartiall sectary First chronicling the vnfitting speaches as they terme them because they fit not their errours with which the doctours of the first two hundred yeares garnish the resplendent crowne of Martyrdome thus they write They the Fathers of the next age after Christ beganne to thinke too honourably of Martyrdome in so much as they attribute vnto it a certaine expiation of sinnes For Clemens expresly sayth Martyrdome is a cleansing or expurgation of ossences with glory and Ignatius in diuers of his Epistles speaketh very daungerously of the merit of Martyrdome Then proceeding Cent. 3. c. 4. col 85. Tertul in Scorpiaco in Apologia in lib. de anima Origen Homil. 7. in lud Cypr. l. 2. epist. 6. to the Fathers of the third hundred yeares to Tertullian Origen and S. Cyprian All the Doctours say they of this age extoll Martyrdome beyond measure For Tertullian doth almost equall it with Baptisme Filth or dregs sayth he are washed away by Baptisme but spots are made white with Martyrdome And iÌ„n his Apology Who when it cometh to passe doth not long to suffer that he may purchase the grace of God that he may obteine all pardon from him by the satisfaction or recompense of his bloud for to this worke all sinnes are forgiuen And in his booke of the soule Yf thou diest for God thy bloud is the whole key of Paradise But Origen much more insolently then Tertullian preferreth Martyrdome before Baptisme and holdeth vs to be made more pure by that then by Baptisme Likewise that by Baptisme sinnes passed are scowred forth but by Martyrdome future are killed he sayth that Diuells cannot appeach the soules of Martyrs for so much as they are rinsed in their owne liquour clarified in their death washed in their bloud Cyprian also affirmeth immortality to be gayned by the bloud of Martyrs And in his booke of exhortation to Martyrdome he aduenturously teacheth Martyrdome to be a Baptisme greater in fauour more subly me in power in honour more precious then the Baptisme of regeneration In the Baptisme of water the remission of sinnes is receaued in that of bloud the Lawrell of vertues Hitherto the Centurists word by word who if they reprooue not the Fathers for the same errour which we maintaine if they assigne not to the excellency of martyrdome out of the Fathers writinges Merit Recompence Satisfaction Expiation Purging Cleansing forgiuenes of sinnes clarity whitenes immortality glory the laurell of vertues the key of Paradise which openeth the gates of heauen then let M. Feildes shameles wantones in denying be accounted hereafter well aduised sobernes in excusing these thinges 4. Other Protestant writers although they treate not of Martyrdome in particular yet of merit in particular they accuse the auncient Church Bullinger auoucheth Bulling vpon the Apoca. ser 87. fol. 270. Humfrey Ies part 2. pag. 530. Bell in his downe fall pag. 61. The doctrine of merit satisfaction and iustification of workes did incontinently after the Apostles time lay their first foundation Doctour Humfrey It may not be denied but that Irenaeus Clement and others haue in their writings the opinions of freewill and merit of workes Doctour Whitgift Almost all the Bishops of the Greke Church Latin also for the most part were spotted with doctrins of freewil of merit of inuocation of Saintes c. Some wraÌ„gler may cauill as Bell the Apostata doth that the merit which the primitiue Church allowed is not the same which we defend but the merit of impetration only as though merit were not a thing quite different from impetration 1. The begger doth impetrate he doth not merit his almes The hired seruant meriteth he doth not impetrate his wages 2. Merit ariseth from the worthines of desert impetration from the earnestnes only of request 3. That is grounded in some title of iustice or clayme of right this in meere prayers and supplications directly excluding the right of clayme 4. That hath intrinsecall reference to a due reward or payment presupposing a dignity in the worke this to a liberall gift without any respect to the value of the worke wherefore seeing S. Gregory Naziazen sayth that for good workes we may exact reward not as grace but as a plaine debt seeing the rest auow with Nazian ora 3. in hap him that we deserue heauen as the stipend or crowne of our workes they cannot be wrested to be vnderstood of impetration but of true and proper merit or else the Magdeburgian Protestants with their english Collegues were to blame in reprehending the Fathers for that kind of merite which for impetration no doubt they would neuer haue done 5. Neuertheles it is obiected that eternall life is the free ad Rom. 6. v. 23. 1. Io. 5. v. â—1 Abbot in his defence c. 5. very often gift of God imparted by grace bestowed vpon vs of mercy That it is proposed in scripture vnder the condition of an inheritance which befalleth to children without their desertes I graunt all this yet I find that as it is affirmed to be giuen by grace so also to be gotten by violence as it is called a free gift so a price or reward as a goale of mercy so a crowne of iustice as an inheritance belonging to children so a payment hire or wages purchased by workmen deserued of labourers Aug. ep 105. de correp gra c. 13. in enâ—h c. 107. lib. arb c. 8. 9. Therefore we ought not so to adhere to one text or manner of speach that we defeate the force of the others as Protestants are accustomed but we must allot to euery one the life and vigour of their natiue signification We allow therefore that our happy life is a
it had byn long before sweetly song in the East and in all the Prouinces Concil Cart. 2. c. 3. Conc. Agath cap. 47 Conc. Calc act 3. S. Cyril cat myst 5. S. Amb. l. 5. epist 33. Greg. l. 7. Ep. 63. l. 12. Ep. 15. Bed l. 1. hist â—â—cles cap. 19. Aug l. 10. confâ—ss c. 1â— â—o l. 22. de Ciui Dei cap. 8. Chrys l. 6. de Sacer. Bils 4. par pag. 993. Caluin de coen â—ni the like he hath lib de vâ—ra Eccles refor in cap. 7. ad Heb. Magdeb. Câ—nt 2. c. Io. col 107 Cent. â— c. 4 col 63. Cent. 3. c. 4. 5. Mâ—lanct l. 4 Chroâ—iâ— Henr. 4. of Italy Was it not there further enacted that the thrice sacred Anthymne Holy Holy should be repeated in morning Masses in the Masses of Lent or in such as were offered for the dead as it was accustomed to be in solemue Masses Is not our Sacrifice of the Masse or vnbloudly Host mentioned also in the second Councell of Carthage of Agatho of Chalcedon and in many others Did not S. Cyril Patriarch of Ierusalem S. Ambrose Bishop of Millan S. Gregory the great Pope of Rome did they not say Masse 19. And the same S. Gregory did he not send all Priestly ornaments to S. Austen our Apostle Did not S. Augustine likewise the Doctour say Masse Did he not in treat others to doe the same for his fathers and mothers soule And which is more doth he not write of a Priest of his who sacrificed the Body of our Lord in a house infected with euill Spirits and the infestation ceased Doth not S. Chrysostome teach That the Angells themselues with reuerence assist our sacrificing Priest in honour of him that is offered on the Altar Which maketh me wonder how M. Bilson should ouershoot himselfe so farre as to auouch That for twelue hundred yeares after Christ our Sacrifice was not knowen to the world Was he so litle conuersant I will not say in these learned Fathers but in the Century-writers his Companions in Caluin his Coronell in Melancthon and other his Protestant Peeres as not to know what they had written in this behalfe Or was he so bold as against vs against them all to broach this stander Caluin sayth It is well knowen the olf Fathers called the Supper a Sacrifice c. Neyther can I excuse the custome of the ancient Church for that with gesture and outward rite they did set forth a certaine forme of Sacrifice with the same ceremonies in a manner that were practised in the old law saue that they vsed the Host of bread in lieu of a beast 20. The Century-writers blame Ignatius the scholler of the Apostles Irenaeus S. Cyprian Tertullian and diuers others in all ages within the compasse M. Bilson speciâ—yeth for the like Melancthon writeth of S. Gregory the First who liued about the 600. yeare of our Lord He allowed sayth he by publike authority the sacrifice of Christs body and bloud not only for the living but also for the dead M. Bale Bale in his Pageans sal 27. Fulk in his confut of Purgat p. 264. 265. c. Beacon in his Treat intituled The reliques of Rome sol 344. Luth. l. de cap. Baby l. de abrog Missae auerreth of S. Leo the first who florished about 440. years after Christ He allowed the sacrifice of the Masse not without great blasphemy to God M. Fulke reprehendeth Tertullian for the same M. Beacon concludeth The Masse was begotten conceaâ—ed borne auone after the Apostles tyme if all be true that Historiographers write So as it was the badnes only I suppose of M. Bilsons cause which made him bolster that foule report 21. Yet I will examine what he and his associates pretend against vs The Eucharist say they is a Sacrament which we receaue from God therfore it cannot be likewise a Sacrifice we offer to God because it implyeth the same thing should be both offered and receaued I answere that one and the self same thing diuersly considered may be both offered and receaued proceed from vs and be giuen to vs be a sacrament and a sacrifice And so the holy Eucharist is a Sacrament imparted vnto vs in that it is a signe of inisible grace ordained by God to nourish our soules with heaueÌ„ly food It is a sacrifice offered vnto God in that this signe or gift consecrated with sacred Ceremony is surrendred vnto him in acknowledgment of his highest Maiesty in protestation of our lowest duety and allegiance In this sense Cyp. ser de â—â—n Dom. it is called by S. Cyprian Medicamentum simul HolocaustuÌ„ Both a medicine and a sacrifice A medicine to heale our spirituall infirmityes A sacrifice to appease the wrath of God A medicine composed by him for the behoofe of vs A 1. Para. 29. v. 14. sacrifice offered and consumed by vs in honour of him This the Prophet Dauid rightly obserued when he sayd All thinges O Lord are thyne and the things we haue receaued from thy hand we haue restored vnto thee Thus we offer our spiritual Hosts as S. Peter exhorteth we offer vnto God â— Pet. 2. â—ers 5. Iac. 1. v. â—7 the Sacrifice of prayer of prayse of thankefulnes c. yet they are all mercifull guifts Descending from aboue from the Father of Lights from whom euery good motion and thoght proceedeth 22. The second and chiefest bulwarke which M. â—eynolds M. Bilson M. Sparks raise to batter the Forr of our Reyn. c. 8. diuis 4. p. 474. Bils 4. par pag. 695. Spark pa. 7. 23. sequen Haeb 10 v. 12. 14. v. 18. ad Heb. c. 9. v. 28. blessed Sacrifice is that S. Paul often inculcateth to the Hebrewes How Christ by one Host one Oblation once offered redeemed vs all How Christ was once offered to exhaust the sinnes of many I graunt that he was only once bloudily sacrifyced in his proper forme and shape yet vnbloudily sacramentally couered vnder the veiles of his creatures he is dayly offered vpon the Altar of his Church Which S. Paul impugneth not but only the iteration of the former bloudy as may be gathered out of the drift and scope of his discourse in that epistle to the Hebrewes 23. Secondly I answere that S. Paul speaketh of the chiefe generall ransoming Host of the full redeeming Heb. 10. v. 14. sacrifice Which once perfected on the Crosse consumated for euer them that are sanctifyed Yet it is nothing repugnant but altogeather correspondent heereunto that we should likewise haue our particuler Oblation to communicate the priuiledges of that vniuersall For so all generall Melchior Canus l. 12. de lo. Theo. c. 12. 1. Tim. 2. v. 4. causes as Melchior Canus noteth are determined and restrained by their particulers The Sunne is the generall cause of light yet we receaue the benefite thereof by many seuerall and particuler illuminations The will of God