the principalitie of Iudicial power to the ende that al the faithful which are in the world might vnderstaÌ„d that whosoeuer doth separat him self from the vnitie of the faith of the societie of S. Peter he can not be absolued from the bandes of his sinnes nor be brought in at the gate of the kingdome of heauen S. Bernard A man doubtles very holy and very farre of from al flattery obseruing euery where the seueritie of brotherly correction vsed these termes to Pope Innocent we must Ber. ep 190. bring to your Apostleship all the perils and scandals which rise in the Church being a thing mete that the detriments of the faith may be restored in that place where the faith caÌ„ not receiue detrimeÌ„t for this is the prerogatiue of that seat And to Pope Eugen. Thou Bernar. l. 2. de consider art the great priest the soueraign Bishop Prince of Bishops Inheretour of the Apostles In Primacie Abel In Patriarchie Abraham Moises in authoritie S. Peter in power Iesus christ in vnctioÌ„ The others haue euerie one flokes assigned a part to the all flockes are coÌ„mitted thou art not onely Pastour of Sheepe but Pastour of Pastours Among the Greekes Origen saith that the gouernement of the Church hath bene giuen to S. Peter that S. Peter is the cheefe or head of the Apostles hauing more power and perfection then others S. Greg. Nazianz. The disciples of Iesus Christ all great excellent wourthie to be heades haue neuer the lesse bene very wel content to be put behind S. Peter vpoÌ„ whose faith the church hath her foundation Io. Chrisost Our lord hath shed his blood Chrysost lib. 2. de sacerd for to get together the sheepe of whoÌ„ he hath giueÌ„ the charge to S. Pe. to his successours Hieremie was father to one nation but Iesus Christ hath set S. Peter ouer all the world S. Basil Iesus christ him self is trulie the Basil de paenit immouable Rocke S. Peter is so by Reason of that Rocke Iesus christ giuing him his dignities doth not spoyle him selfe of them nor hath any thing lesse Theoph. in illae verba Confirma fratâ—es tuos Theoph. bringeth in our sauiour speaking to S. Pet. Thou whoÌ„ I haue made Prince of the disciples who after thou hadest denied me hast again receiued the Primacie of all the preheminence of the whole world who art after me the stone and the foundation of the Church confirme the others and be to them a good example of repentance S. Thomas citeth out of S. Cirill these woordes As Iesus Christ hath receiued of the father the scepter of the Gentiles eueÌ„ so hath he plainlie coÌ„mitted it to S. Peter and to his successors and hath not geuen that which is his own to any other but vnto S. Peter Epiphaneus Oecumenius Euthymius and all the rest of the auncient Greekes doe speak of this matter conformably to the Latines And Origen and S. Hierome haue applied that place of S. Paule to the Romaines your faith is preached through the vniuersall world in the sence of the principalitie of the Romain Church As if S. Paul should giue thancks to GOD for the conuersion of that place which should be the oracle of the vniuersal Church and wherof dependeth the conuersion of the whole whorld Ephrem the Syrian saith that as Moises was head of the societie of the Hebrewes euen so was S. Peter of the Church of Christians And as the one was Prince of the olde Testament so the other is likewise head of the new One Eritrianus in the time of Emperour Emmanuel It doth appear manifestlie by euidence of the thing it selfe that our sauiour hath appointed S. Peter Prince head for euer not onely of the Latines and of Greekes but of Armenians of Arabians of Iewes of Madianites of all the people of the East and of the West of the South of the North. The General Councels which be as it were the cheefe seat of the holy Ghoste doe testifie the Primacie of the chaire of S. Peter as it doth appeare in the first Councel of Nice where it is sayd that the Romain Concil Nice Church is the Rule of the others In the Councel of Calcedon where Pope Leo is caled Bishop of the vniuersal Church Chncil Cal. 1. Act. 16. to whom the keping of Gods vineyarde was committed by our sauiour In the Councel of Constantinople where Menas the Patriarche was president it is said Concil Const we folowe the Sea Apostolike it we obey with them which communicate with it we communicate those which are condemned by it we condemne also In the seuenth Synod of Carthage the seat of S. Peter hath primacie through al the world being head of all the Churches of God In the Councel of Laterane where the Greekes the Latines were In the general Councel of Lions in the Councel of Florence Conci Lat. c. 5. by consent of the Greekes of the Latines it is sayd defined that the holie Apostolike Seate and Bishopricke of Rome doth hold the Primacie ouer all the vniuersal worlde that the Pope is the true vicar of Iesus Christ father and doctor of all the Christians and head of all the Church He should make a great volume which would gather together all the testimonies of the supremacie of S. Peter of his successors ouer the Church This point was so cleere in the primitiue church that certain heretikes Theod. lib. 5. c. 14. act coll Carthag for to procure authoritie to their sect did faigne to haue coÌ„munion with the Romain Church so farre forth that the Donatistes did suborn a Bishop of their sect whom they caused to remain at Rome secretely that they might say that they had that marke of the true church which is of the chaire of S. Pet. And they suborned an other which did practise Optat. lib. 2. with some raskall fugitiues of the citie of Rome coming froÌ„ thense for to proue by theÌ„ that he was bishop of Rome successour of S. Peter but these coÌ„panions being conuicted of this falshood were coÌ„founded and made ridiculous The Emperours theÌ„ selues haue acknowleged the bishop of Rome to be head of the vniuersal Church and they haue called him Pastor of Pastors father of fathers and the toppe of the crown of the Clergie And that so publiklie as the Paymin Authors make mention therof as it appeareth in Amianus Mancellinus which named Pope Liberius souerain Bishop of the Christian law and the Emperour Constance caused S. Athanasius Bishop of AlexaÌ„dria to be sent to the same Pope of purpose to cause him to be condemned by him which hath the soueraign authoritie ouer the Christians Thus by these testimonies as wel of the Gospel as of the ancieÌ„t fathers Councels and by the practise of the Church it selfe sithens the Apostles to this day it is manifest that there hath bene one soueraiÌ„ head in the ministerie
indiuisible than the beames of the sunne it is not to be holden by halues it is a gift of God and a grace infused and the gifts of God are perfite For concerning faith who so euer faileth in one article is culpable in all And he is no lesse drouned which is but two fingars ouer head in water than he which is an hundred fathoms dieper A mans faith eye and honour are thre things that can not endure to be hurt or impared how litle soeuer it be Many of them which haue yet some liuelie roote in the Church and hate heresie doe giue to them selfes some times libertie to blame or contemne certein obseruances and ceremonies of the Church as in their opinions vnprofitable These lo do daungerouslie erre besides that they shew herein their beastlines and ignorance for nothing vniuersallie receiued in the Church is of small consequence or importance And vnwoorthie are they to haue any place in the Church and to be partakers of the Sacraments of euerlasting life which doe disagree with her in the least point that a man can think of Men ought with more reuerence to iudge of such things as are approued and alowed of the vniuersal Church When men debate of humain matters let then humain reason take place but in the doctrine of faith the only authoritie of the Churche ought to rule It is not for vs to take vpon vs to cōfirme and establish that whereunto we must obey We must in al submit our selues wholie to her iudgemēt without exception of any thing what soeuer it be For so soone as faith is seuered from the Sanctuarie of the Church she is out of her natural element she hath no more vital spirit The Church hath secret motiues considerations tending to the vtilitie and preseruation of her vniuersal familie incomprehensible to any one priuate person yet notwithstanding they haue theyr foundacions and grounds verie firme and sure The most excellent Philosophie that euer was in the worlde is that of Abrahā which Philo describeth Abraham Philo. He reduced all the effects of the second causes to the first cause immediatlie he dyd not attribute to the sunne the light of the day nor to cloudes the rain nor to eyes the sight nor to eares the hearing nor to other next instruments of sense the cause of their facultie not to the feet force to goe not breathing to the lunges not concoction to the stomak not to trees and seeds their yerelie fruits but he reduced all things immediatlie to him onlie which spreadeth abroad his benignitie and beneuolence largelie franklie and freelie in all places he bendeth all his forces to hym alone hoping by hym only to be ayded and staying him self vpon him only neither trusting vpon heauē nor vpon earth ayer beasts plants or rootes with intent to loue them as causes And as a man may say he trauersed through all the rankes and troupes of the host of all second and instrumental causes apperteining to the OEconomie or general disposition of the vniuersal nature for to approche vnto the soueraign head the Creator of substances the giuer of formes the first mouer first cause and cause of causes to the ende to loue him only and to giue him only thankes for all benefits receiued And this Philosophie of Abraham was as a shining beam of the innocencie of nature before sinne which innocencie consisted in cleaning wholie to God and depending vpon God in all things not resting vpō him selfe nor vpon any creature whereupon also God loued him more and was more reuealed to hym than to those that loue the second causes and search deeplie in to them not satisfied otherwise with the first In like maner in matters of faith those which doe rest altogether vpon the Church shal rather be illuminated of the holy Ghost than those which doe not giue credit to her but vpon a caution or condition of some natural reason If any would know the way how to render a reason of his faith and of all obseruances of the Church S. Peter thereunto doeth exhort him And in 1. Petr. 3. dede the studie of such a science is the most noble and most worthie that is in the world only let him be humble and holde this for a principle or maxime though he vnderstandeth not the reason of any obseruances yet notwithstanding the same is grounded vpon some iust reason aboue his capacitie And when he hath layed for his ground this humilitie and comyng afterward to searche the motiues and reasons of the Churche then the knowleige of the general disposition and gouernement of the Church shall teach him considerations more deep more excellent more ample more confortable and shall replenish his mynde with a cleerer light than the knowleige of al Naturs vvorkes and therein he shal take more pleasure than if he had in his head the collectiōs and gatherings of al the knowleige in the worlde fast sowed one to an other and coulde giue a reason of the whole disposition of natural things in al parts of the whole frame of this worlde In the primatiue Church Sinesius the great Sinesius philosopher called by Christians to the state if a Bishop vvould not accept the same but with reseruation of some opinions of the ethnical philosophie The fathers condescended to his desire assuring them selues that so excellent a wit would easilie cast of al those reseruations of his philosophical folie by cōference with wise and learned men of the Church And in dede this learned man being made Bishop did soone cast away al reseruations of his seueral opinions and conformed him selfe in al points to the Church cōdemning him selfe and deriding his own vanitie proceding rather from the root of folie and pryde of a philosopher than of malice And truelie to addict him selfe obstinatlie to some particularities of opinions against the vniuersalitie Genes 27. it is the part of one that is ignorant of the first elements and principles of Christianitie and a token of a short and feeble iudgemen that hath a verie shmal beam of brightnes and is so poore of vnderstāding as he is not hable to conceiue that the riuer which he dwelleth next vnto is much lesse than the Ocean sea and that the sterres be much greater thē they appear to his eyes esteming the greatest things that he knoweth to be the most that God can doe in that kynde and considereth but one thing onlie where he ought to consider an hundred thousand persuading him selfe euermore to haue in the compasse of his brain all that God is hable to doe or wil doe mesuring all things by his own capacitie and sufficiencie which is not onlie an extreme folie but also verie daungerous for such folk vpon the least motion of the deuil wil throw them selues from the high pinacle of the temple down to the ground I mean from the firmament of the Church to the bottomles pit of heresie Wil we then be assured neuer to erre and to
throwgh the world doe not stumble against de litle stone but against the mouÌ„taine Esaie expressely fortold that the Church Esa 2. 54. 66. shal be as a mountaine manifestly lifted vp aboue the mountaines whervnto all nations Matt. 5. shall resort vvhich our Sauiour him selfe confirmed saying that his Church is a citie set on a montaine which can not be hidden what shal I say more sayth S. Augustin the Churche is shee not manifest doe not we shew it with our fingar and those that doe not see so great a mountaine be they not blinde which against the shining candle put in a candelsticke do shut theyr eyes S. Bernard writeth elegaÌ„tly hereof against the heretikes of his time the stone cutt without the hand is becomme the mountaine filling the vvorlde and thincke you saith he that it is within your dennes this is to caluÌ„niat al the vniuersal vvorld Thou maiest easily see the citie sett vpon a mountaine the Church catholique which can not be hiddeÌ„ Moreouer S. Augustin saith that by Gods prouidence it Aug. in psal 101. hath bene so disposed that the testimonies of Iesus Christ are obscure in the olde prophets but those of the church are manifest to the end that men should haue recourse to the Church for couÌ„seil to learne of hir their saluation And he saith forther that the Church sithens the Apostles time hath not only not lost any part of her light but also hath alwayes augmented the same still proceeding and encreasyng as the new moone from smal light to a greater If any one saith he doe not perceiue the moone in the first point of hir increasing one might excuse the vveakenes of his eyes but he that doth not perceiue the same in her fulnes that man is starke blinde From the tyme of the Apostles vvhen the Church did not shew as yet very much hir face vpon the arth simple men were deceiued by false teachers saying here is the Church here is Christ vvounding as it vvere in the dark of the moon simple and plain meaning folke but now how blinde is he that erreth in the ful moone Pope Leo the S. Leo. first S. Hilaire and other auncients vvhich liued in the mayn course of mightie heresies S. Hilarie doe vvitnes that the Church vvas neuer darkenid sithens the Apostles by the infectioÌ„ of heresies The Church say they may be diminished in the Globe of multitude of children but not in light and clearnes much lesse by the persecutions of tyrannes for as sayeth Tertullian the bloud of Christians is the seed of the Church and euerie martyr is as the grayne of wheate falling on the earthe which bringeth foorth manye Poore Cicero Cic. l. 2. q. Ac. searching the soueraigne God complaineth saying by the dissention of philosophers vve are constrained to be ignorant of our Lord and can not know vvhich is he that vve ought to worship for Lord and gouerner of the world This can not besayd of the Church the contradictions which heretikes doe make against her doe not darken her but make her rather better knowne and as Vincentius Lyrinensis sayth Vinc. Lyr. doe scoure her and make her brighter geuing occasion to catholikes to vnderstand cleerlie and feruentlie that vvhich before they beleued couertly and coldly And it is certeiÌ„ that the Church had more knowleige of God in some certein articles in the tyme of S. Augustin then in other tymes before and in the tyme of S. Bernard then in the tyme of S. Augustin and at this day more then she had since the tyme of the Apostles so that ther is now none that seeth not cleerly in the light of the Church except those vvhose eyes satan hath put out and vvhich are willingly blynde sith all now doe know vvhere is the cheire of S. Peter the Church Catholike Apostolique and Romain which hath the name of Catholike the succession of Bishoppes sithens S. Peter to this day the consent of people and nations and many other wel knowen markes whiche do distingwishe the same from all false religion of panims of Iewes and of heretikes and doth make it sufficiently euident that none can be excused neither those which refuse to ioyne vnto her nor those that do depart from her I wil not here sett downe all the markes of the true Church as if this present treatice were to that end but I shal touche only some few TWELVE MARCKES OF the true Church THe first marke of the true Church is the name Catholike which although all heretikes would pretend to be theirs yet neuer could they obthain thus much sayth S. Augustin S. August lib. cont epi. fund c. 4. that if a Panime demaunded of an heretike the place where the Catholikes doe assemble them selues he durst not shew his owne Sinagogue And S. Ciril sayth if thou goest in a Cyril cat 18. citie doe not aske vvhere is the Church nor where the house of GOD is for the heretikes say that they haue the Church and the howse of god but aske where is the Catholike Church for that name Catholike is proper to the holy Church mother of vs all that are of right beleif and an heretyke vvould be mocked and laughed at to shew his Churche for the catholike Pacianus hath treated of this point expressely where he saith Christian is my name Catholike is my surname that doeth name me this maketh me knowne the name catholike is not deriued of any one man it doth not sound any thing of an heretike it is not referred to any particullar Authour it agreeth to the principal head body of that tree vvhose braunches beinge cutt of are the sectes of heretikes but the tree it selfe liueth mainteined by his roote and coÌ„tineweth alwaye the same vvhich is all one whole body and called Catholike but euerie heresie taketh the name of some one which is the authour therof where vpon S. Athanasius â—than serm â—â—â—nt Arria against the Arrians sayth Christian people neuer tooke their names of their Bishoppe no we are christians and so named not of the Apostles them selues but of our lord in whome we haue beleued by the voice of Bishoppes and Apostles Those which haue taken their faith of others are by good right surnamed from the cheefe of their heresie Lactantius sayth the only Catholike â—ct li. 4. c. 3. Church is that which keepeth the true worshippe of God this is the fountein of trueth the house of faith the temple of God in whom if any do not enter or from whom if any doth depart he cutteth him self of from hope of lyfe and of euerlasting saluation but euerie sect of heretikes doth pretend that the catholike Church is on ther syde how be it bearing the names of Marcionites or Arrians they are no more Christians they haue lost their name christian in taking straunge names of men Likewise Iustine the martyr S. Ireneus S. Iohn S. Chrys hâ— 33 in act Apost Iust mar contriph S.
Irâ—n lib. 1. ca. 20. Chrisostome The sectes say they be called of the name of the arche heretike but to vs no man hath giuen a name faithe it self which is catholike surnameth vs so and S. Ierome If thou S. Hieron cont Luciferanos heare those which are called Christians to beare a name not of our lord Iesus Christ but of some other as Marcionites Valentinians know ye certenly that they are not the Church of Iesus Christ but a Sinagoge of Antichrist Now yow poore abused Lutherans and Caluinists be holde the horroure of your bothomlesse pitt you are no more Christians and you haue no part in the saluation by Iesus Christ All aucient Fathers do witnesse with one consent that the only Catholike is in the Church of Iesus Christ and all that bear the name of one particular man be heretikes and excluded from the kyngdome of Iesus Christ Those witnesses can not be reproued and this is one marueilous iudgement of God against heretikes and a comfort for the Catholikes by the Creed of the Apostles it is a necessarie consequens that any Church if it be a true must needes be catholike but there is not a societe in the vvorld which doth possesse the name Catholike saue only the Romain Church All others will call them selues Arrians Lutherans Caluinists the reformed Church Gospellers ProtestaÌ„ts and such other kinds of special names as they haue but Catholikes doe not so for in all parts of the vvorld vvhere the name Catholike Church doth sounde it is intended and vnderstood to be the Romain Churche yea by the heretikes them selues A maÌ„ that passeth by Geneua being asked what he is if he answere I am a Catholik is taken of no man there for a Caluinist Seek not here to blynde your selues against so manifest a trueh but forsake both the sect and also the name of these wicked deceiuers the Archeheretikes of this tyme which will draw you with them selues in to their bottomlesse pitt of euerlasting damnation if you do not enter again in to the Church and mount vp in to the firmament of Catholikes The secound marke of the true Church is the succession of Bishoppes sithens S. Peter to this day which neuer hath bene interrupted the vvhich succession the fathers haue alwayes obiected against heretikes of their tyme as an inuincible argumeÌ„t for euen as to the propagation of mankinde mariage is necessarie so to the procreation of the children of God according to the spirit the order of preisthood is instituted vvhich can not be continewed perpetuallie but by spiritual propagation from those priests whom Iesus Christ did first institute It is not so of kings as it is of preistes for if all the kings of the earth should faile at once the people might create new But if all the priests of the world should happen to fayle it is not in the power of all mankinde to make new Their institution is diuine and not humain Iesus Christ him selfe must come again in person in to this vvorld for to institute som new S. Ireneus Iran li. 3 c. 3. sayth that by this succession all heretikes be coÌ„founded for neuer heretike could shew his next predecessor in communion of doctrin And to proue that the Romain Church is the true Church he rekeneth the Bishoppes of Rome from S. Peter vnto S. Eluther the Pope of his tyme vvhich vvas the twelveth Tertullianus Eusebius Prosper S. Hieronimus S. Augustin Epiphanius Optatus and all the auncient fathers haue vsed this argument against heretikes Tertullian sayth shew the Tertul. lib. de praescr beginÌ„ing of your churches and the orderlie succession of your Bishoppes deriued by succession froÌ„ some one of the Apostles as vve doe shew the orderlie succession in the Romain Church from S. Peter Account sayeth 8. Aug. epist 165. in psal S. Augustin the priests sithens the state of S. Peter and look in to that order of fathers vvhich haue succeded one an other and you shal fynde that the Romain Church is the same stone that the proud gates of hell can not vanquish And he sayth further that the Aug. cont ep fundam succession of priests in the romain Church by one continual line holdeth him in that Church Likerwise Optatus Shew sayth he the first beginning of your chayer you which wil Optatus lib 2. chalenge the holy Church vnto your selues And Epiphanius hauing orderlie recited the names of all the Bishops from S. Peter vnto Siricius then Bishop which was the thirtie eight Epiph. har 27. he addeth Let no man meruail if we be so exact in this recital for by thies things the euident trueth of the Church doth alvvayes shevv it self If then those auncient fathers haue so greatlie estemed that continuation of twelue twentie or forty souerain bishops successors of S. Peter how much stronger is that argument at this day for vs which shew the continuacion of more than two hundred thirtie thre without exception This argument is insoluble and all the heretikes of the worlde caÌ„ not answer the same for the Church can not be without priests nor without Bishops and pastors There must needes be as S. Paul sayth some for the edefying of the body of Iesus Christ Ephe. 4. vntil he come to iudge the worlde And as S. Hierome sayth the Church which is without priests is not a Church and none S. Hierom. can be priest if he be not ordeined by a Bischop being successor of the apostolike priesthode This marke is not only most certain most euident but forcible to know Con. Laud. con 12 do 61. c. the true Church for where the succession of priesthode is there is the succession of doctrine Moyses the prophets our sauiour him selfe in the Gospel doth affirme the same Deut. 17. Math. 2. Now then we shew the succession of priesthode of the soueraign Bishop of this tyme by ascending froÌ„ predecessor to predecessor vpward vntil we arriue at S. Peter and enter as it were in to the side of Iesus Your Caluin seing him selfe by this argumeÌ„t so intangled Caluin that he could not slip away he striueth he wringeth him selfe he tourneth and tosseth he broyleth with so great rage as he speweth out a whole flud of iniures against Popes priests and Bishops Oh the madde dogge seing cleerlie that succession is a verie certein signe of the true Church to which he could not answer whereby he is proued to be a deceiuer sent of the deuil he casteth from the poysonful pit of his harte iniureis sufficient to darken the heauen O ye Lutherans and Caluinists if you be capable of reason if you may be taught by the holie Ghost if you be touched with the desire of your saluation then examin you without passioÌ„ this argument hearken to that which your own consciences shal teache you and be ye not enemies to your own saluation For sithins that you haue not the order of priesthood from any Bishop successor
to the Apostles you are owt of the communion of the Church of IESVS Christ you be without Church without priesthood and without any mediation towards God for that you haue not any preist of the order of the Mediator Your ministers be those that S. Ciprian speaketh of who without lawful S. Ciprian lib. 4. ep 9. calling without gods ordinance without ecclesiastical order doe appoint them selues to be head ouer rash men take to them selfs titles of Bishops and like apes they resemble mens actions and them selues being not in in the Church counterfait the face of the Church arrogating to them selues her authoritie truth blessing others being them selues cursed of God promising life being theÌ„ selues dead calling vpon God being blasphemers administring priesthood being theÌ„ selues prophane presenting theÌ„ selues to the altar as intercessors to God being theÌ„ selues sacrilegiouse prouokers of gods wrath their preaching is not preaching but preuarication of the woord of God their priesthood is not priesthood but a seruice of the deuil and ministerie of Antichriste for Apes be alwayes Apes and neuer shal be men and heretikes alwayes heretikes how so euer they doe counterfait and neuer shal be Catholikes except they enter again in to the bosom of the Church where the lauful succession of priesthood of the Apostles doth remain The third marke is Antiquitie for euen as the good seed was sowen in the field by the house houlder before the cockle by the enemie so it is certein that the true church is more auncient than the false Now that the catholike Apostolike and Romain Church is the same that IESVS Christ him selfe hath instituted more auncient then all the sects of heretikes this argumeÌ„t wil forse them to confesse In all notable chaunges of religion six things are to be marked the Author the new opinion the tyme when it began the place where it began the Impugners that it had the small number of folowers when the same began to make her separation of communion from the religion that it dyd forsake first vve know that the Author of the heresie of ArriaÌ„s was a preist of Alexandria named Arrius of Nestorians a Bishop of ConstaÌ„tinople named Nestorius of Lutherans a monk of the order of S. Augustin named Luther Secondlie we know that the new doctrine of Arrius imported that the sunne of God was a creature Of Nestorius that there was two personnes in Iesus Christ Of Luther that the Eucharist is not a sacrifice and that man is Iustified by that onely special faith which he hath of his own iustification Thirdlie we know that the sect of Arrius dyd beginne the yere of our Lord 324. that of Nestorius the yere of 431. that of Luther the yere 1517. Fowertlie we know that the Arrianisme dyd beginne in Aegipte the heresie of Nestorius in Thrace that of Luther in Saxonie Fiftlie we know that the Arrians were Impugned by Pope Syluester by the Councel of Nice by S. Athanasius ' by S. Hilarie and many others the Nestorians by Pope Celestin by the Councel of Ephesus by S. Ciril and many others the Lutherans by Pope Leo the tenth by the Councel of Trent by all vniuersities catholikes and by many Doctors Finally vve know that in the beginning when all those archeheretikes did separate them selues from the communion of catholikes they were small in number an that euen then the catholikes were dispersed throughout the world in infinite numbers None of all those thinges can be obiected by the Lutherans and Caluinists againste the catholikes First they haue neuer obiected vs the autor of our faith contrary to theirs neither haue they named vs after any particular man vvhich they wolde verie willinglie haue done if they could Secondly they doe not shew the beginninge of any our nevv doctrine if they ascend not vp to the Apostles vvhose nouelty is ours and is our antiquitie against all heresies They are not also hable to shew any tyme certain of our faling from the Church nor the place neither where it should haue begun nor those which did impugne the same as new nor that any councels haue bene celebrated against her nor finally that this our Church catholike Apostolike and Romain did separate it self from some greater that was before in such sorte as those which did coÌ„municate with the Romaine Church vvere fewe in member and that the rest of Christians were farre more greater For it appeareth by the epistles of S. Gregorie the Pope vvhich he did vvrite to the Bishops of the East of Afrike of Spaine of France of Italie that almoste all the Christians of the world did coÌ„municate with him Now it is a thovvsand yeeres past sithens S. Greg and the doctrine of faith vvhich he did teache is the same that the Church doth teach at this day The fowerth marke is continewance without being interrupted It is foretould in Daniel Dan. 9. that the raigne of the church shall neuer be dispersed and in sanct Paule that heresies 2. Tim 3. can not long stand the Churche being like the brightnes of the firmament vvhich shineth in perpetual eternitie Heresie is as a Comet conceiued of the vapours of the earth vvhereof the flame ceaseth so sone as his earthly norishement doth faile The Church in an other sorte is as a continual flud which can not drye Heresie is as a flud of tempest vvhich presently doth faile wherof S. Augustin sayth Be not you sayth he amased to see the fluds swellinge and roaringe In illud psa 97 Ad nihilum dâ—uâ—nâ—ent tanquam aqua deâ—urrens for a tyme. It is a violence of vvater vvhich runneth downe and shall cease verie sone for the same can not long continue many heresies be alredie dead they haue runne in theyr channel as long as they could they be slydden away the rootes be drie and hardlie shal one finde the marcke where they were It is verie certein that the Church catholike Apostolike and Romain hath coÌ„continued since the Apostles in her visible brightnes vnto this day vvhich thing if heretikes doe not fullie grant yet doe they confesse that those things which they blame in the same vvere alredie brought in before a thowsand or twelue hundred yeres But vvhat heresie hath euer lasted any thing near that tyme yet I vvil confound them by this argument Before that Luther did start vp besydes the Romaine Church there was not in the vvorld but thes religions Paganisme Iudaisme Machometisme and the relikes of Nestorianisme in Grece But it is certein by the confession of Lutherans and Caluists them selues that the Church of IESVS Christe was not in any one of thies sectes vvhereof it foloweth that she was in the Romaine Church or els quyte extinguised in al the vvhorld vvhich can not be Trulie this marke of the true church is famous for sythens Theobutes and Simon Magus the first Archeheretikes vntil Luther two hundred diuers heresies haue had their course wherof some were vpholden by verie mightie Patrones by
Emperours by kynges by lerned men making innumerable books out of the vvhich a man vvoulde haue sayed that they could neuer be blotted And notwithstanding by the wonderfull prouidence of God thei be so weeded out of the earth that there remaineth nothing at all nether of the followers nor of their bookes nor of theyr doctrine nor any signe at all but that which is found in the bookes of catholikes who if they had not written their names in their books vve had not knovven that such heresies had euer bene in the vvorld and there is no doute but the flouds of heresies of theis tymes vvil also slyde avvay shortly The fyueth marke of the true Church is the largenes of the raigne And this marke is verie euident in the Catholike Church the which doth fructifie throughout the vniuersal vvorld in both the hemispheres And the sunne doth not streache his beames further then she I know vvel that she hath not the temporal regiment of external Iustice throughout the whole vvorld but she hath euerie where obedient childrē So that there is no tonge nor people nor climat of countrie inhabited vvhere if perhaps the most parte be not carholikes yet at the leaste there are some I say some notable number which assamble them selues in the Church and cōmunicate Catholiklie in the Sacraments of the Church among the Turkes among the Persians among the Tartarians among the Panymes throughout the compasse of the earth for the carholike Church is not restreined vvithin the bonds of Italie Fraunce Spaine Germanie England Polland Rome Hungarie Greece Siria Armenia Ethiope Egipt and other countries vvherof the names are vvel knovvn vnto vs and where the Catholikes be in infinite number but she doth spread her self in to the new world and in all those foure partes of that nevv vvorld vvhere she hath many Churches without mingling of heresies of the East syde in the Indians of the west syde in America towardes the north in Iapon towards the south in Brasilia what heresie is that that euer had such largenes As for the sectes of Lutherans and Caluinists they haue not passed in Asia nor into Africa nor in to Grece nor into many prouinces of Europe Yea euen in the verie springs of mischief in the North where heresies haue most might there are not two townes neighbours possessed of one self sect All heresie is as a serpent A serpent neuer S. August lib. de pasto ca. 8. lib. de vtil credendi cap. 14. 17. departeth farre of from his denne And S. Augustine sayth very wel that the Church is euery where heresie also euery where But the Church is one and the self same euery vvhere where as heresies be not the same euery where but be of great diuersitie the one not knowinge the other Wherof it doth appeare sayth he that none of those is the Catholike Church And he compareth heresies to boughes cut from the vine which abide in the place vvhere they fall vvithout fructifying wher as the Church is the liuelie stocke which doth bring fruit in all hir braunches throughout whereso euer she doth extend her self The sixt marke is the conquest of the world by efficacie of doctrine which is the doctrine of the true Church being liuelie mightie more pearsing then any two edged swoord and cōuerting effectuallie the soules to God The Philosophers sayth S. Athanasius with loftines of learning and magnificence of speche could neuer perswade any one citie to take their laws of them for that sayth he their doctrine was dead and without force and their speche did not proceed of the spirit of God but of the spirit of man Neither did any man euer read that the heretikes conuerted Idolators or Iewes to the faith Their care sayth Tertullian is not to conuert straungers to Iesus Christ but to peruert hys domesticals Tert. lib. de presc har and those which he alredy gotten to him not to geue lyfe to the dead but to giue deadlie poison to the liuing not to lifte them vp which be on the grounde but to make them fall that stand vpright The efficacie of their doctrine is not to edifie it serueth but to distroy and this marke doth shew it self very openlie in thies our dayes Here is now the very large harvest of the new world in ripenes It behooueth to send workmen but from whence doth the Lord of the haruest take them The Church catholike and heresie making both profession to be of Iesus Christ their dueties are to increase the howsehold of Iesus Christ asmuch as they can by conuerting the infidels to the faith This notwithstanding because IESVS CHRIST vvil not be planted in the hartes of straungers by other handes then of his deare spouse therfore the catholikes only are they which preache the Gospel to Idolators and gaine them to Iesus Christe The heretikes haue neuer drawn the least prouince from Paganisme to Christianitie when we haue conuerted thē to Iesus Christ the heretikes come afterwardes to deceiue them But men see that God doth not permit the worke of conuerting them to any other then to his true Church as we being those Soc. l. 4. c. 27. Soz. l. 6. ◠37. Theod. l. 4. only which be the fishers of men those alone which draw the soules of men from the sea of infidelitie to the shoar of Christianitie The heretiks neuer throwe their nettes in sea but after that we haue put the fish vpon the shoar then they put all their gloire to rob and carie away some litle fishe as theues not as fishers Euen so the Gothes being alredy made Catholike demaunding Catholike Bishops for to gouern their churches Valence sent them Arrians for to subuert them The cause why the heretikes can not conuert the infidels to the faith is for that propounding the scripture they doe not propound the true sense vvhich is properlie the svvoard of the spirit The vvordes of the scriptures are but as the sheath which holdes the sworde of the spirite They then fighting not vvith the sworde but vvith the sheath onlye it is no merueil if they doe not pearse the hartes of Infideles Besydes that the heretikes and Idolaters belonge all to one self maister But in the Romain church not onlie at the beginning but euen at all tymes this efficacie hath bene found This is the Romain Church vvhich did first conuert the Englishe men to the faith in the tyme of S. Gregorie the Pope This is the Romain Church vvhich did conuert the Saxons and the vvhole coutrey of Almains in the times of Pope Conon and of Pope Zacharie This is the self same Church that conuerted the Vandales Bulgarians Sclauonians Polonians Danes Norwaies Hungarians Morauians vvith infinite kinges people And it is not past twoo hundred yeares ago syns rhat one only mounke S. Vincent of the order of S. Dominike did conuert to the faith 25000. as vvel Iewes as sararins It is in our tyme that the new vvorlde receiued the
that they vvould leaue their confederates in peace touching the point of their faith vvithout adding this vvords true indoubted Catholike In Germanie 1547. Charles the fifte vvith a small number had a marueilous victoire of the Lutherans which had an armie of more then threescore thowsand men In Fraunce the Catholikes haue alwaies for the most part ouercome the heretikes as at the battell of dreuz of Ierna of Mountcounter and seldome or neuer haue the heretikes in iuste battel ouercome the catholikes neither in Fraunce nor in flaunders nor in Almaine nor els vvhere and vve shal see doubtles vvith the grace of God that those vvhich at this daie put them selues in force to defend the Church God shal croune them vvith honour and glorie and shal heape vnto them goods prosperities and temporal blessings shal cause his vvrath and all maledictions and shames to raigne vpon the persecutors and vpon the secret traitors vvhich doe fauour heresie The twelueth marke is the vnion of the members vvith their soueraine head which is the successor of S. Peter in the gouernement of the vniuersall Church Our Sauiour being desirous to giue vs suer and setteled centre in the sphere of his church from the vvhich all the lines of the doctrine of saluation should be drawen to the circumference of the vvorld did chose the chaire of S. Peter that is to say the place consecrated by the seat and martirdom of S. Peter the vvhich by prerogatiue of honour he did appoint to be head of the vnitie of his Church making him not his successor for it is IESVS CHRIST him self vvhich is alwaies the onlie true head of his Churche remaining vnmouable and immortal and vvhich neuer shal haue successor making it fruitful alwais him self onlie by his holie spirit But making him his depute liftenant and vice gerent in earth in the outward ministerie and soueraine iurisdiction of his Church and after him all his successors in the same sorte So that the soueraine Bishoppes be vicars of IESVS CHRIST and not successors and successors of S. Peter not his vicars who so euer wil take from the church that Monarchie called the vicareige of IESVS Christ he vvold haue a floke vvithout a pastor an armie vvithout a leader a bodie vvithout a head a building vvithout foundation and the starres vvithout their sonne that is to save he would haue the dispersiō of the flocke the discomforture of the Armie the death of the bodie the ouerthrow of the building the darkning of the starres he would haue a confused chaos disordered voyd of all proportion and an Anarchie or gouernemēt more horrible more confused and more disordered than the bottomlesse pit it self he deserueth not to be heard God vvhich is the author of order and not of confusion vvhich hath appointed an order among the Angels wil not that we goe mingle mangle in the societie of this world We know wel as touching the power of the order vvhich concerneth the real bodie of the person of Iesus Christ all priestes be equal to S. Peter and to the soueraine bishoppe in the priesthood But as touching the Iurisdiction vvhich doth concerne the bodie misticall of the church there it is where there are different degrees and where one soueraine head of all priestes is requisit which may hold the principalitie ouer all the Ckurch Who so euer dissembleth to Thirtie tvvo prerogatiues of S Peter see in the text of the gospel the principalitie of S. Peter and of his successors he is a rebel to light and fleeth the truth of set purpose and doth shew that he is stirred by the wickednes of a poisoned hart for these prerogatiues of S. Peter which are witnessed in the gospel are to be considered First that S. Matthew manifestlie and expresselie hath Matth. 10. giuen to S. Peter the title of chief of the Apostles And all the Euangelistes making mention of the holy college of the Apostles doe giue alwaies the first place to S. Peter That S. Peter is only he among the Apostles to whom our sauiour hath chaunged the name and hath giuen him one of his owne names most famous wherbie he is often signified noted or designed in the scriptures that is to saie the rocke for in those two that were surnamed sonnes of thunder the name was not chaunged they had onlie the gyft of vehemencie Now God did neuer put new name but when he made some great new benefite in the vvorld giuing vvith the name the efficacie of the which it doth signifie as naming Abraham he gaue him to be made a father of manie nations euen so naming Peter he gaue him the firmnes of the rocke and of stone for to ground vpon him some great new building Let it be also cōsidered that S. Peter is only he among the Apostles to whom the father euerlasting did reueale that Iesus vvas Christe the sonne of the liuing God For al the other holding their peace suffering the ignorant opinō of the cōmon people to preuaile which had so base an imagination of IESVS Christ that they did esteme him only for either Elias for the zeale of the lawe or Hieremie for the holines of lyfe or Ihon Baptist by reason of his baptizing or some prophet for to reueile the things to come S. Peter only put him self forward not hauing respect to the substance of fleashe and blood but passing on beyond those corporal and humain thinges by reuelation of the soueraigne father he did see with the eies of the minde the sonne of the liuing God and confessed the gloire of his deitie pronouncing with hart mouth theese wordes or rather that sound of the diuinitie and humanitie of IESVS Christ Thow art Christ the sonne of the liuing God as if he had said thow art not Elias which was taken vp into heauen thou art Iesus Christ which art descended from heauen for to lift vp man from the earth thou art not Hieremie or Ihon baptist sanctified in the woumbes of thir mothers But Iesus Christ sanctifying the world thou art not a prophet to whom are reuealed the things to come but Iesus Christ which hast present in thy sight all eternitie Those woordes be verie high but the sense vnderstood by S. Peter is yet much higher And it was necessarie that it should so be that he which ought to hold the chaire of Iesus Christ for to teach all the world the true religion should haue that loftines of faith that greatenes of knowleige that feruour of loue and confesse the same by the which his cōfession as Iesus Christ had made him to know God so S. Peter had made Iesus Christ to be knowen Whervpon Iesus Christ hath therfore loued him aboue all the other hath therfore declared him verie happie and hath giuen him that greate participarion of his name rocke And to the end that that name should not be void and idle he promised him rhat vpon that stone he would build his Church and
chaires are the chaires of pestilence Take away frō before thy eyes those clouds of euil opinions heaped together and thickened by false reportes against ecclesiasticall persons and doe hinder the to see the truth if there be any spottes in those persons which be sett in the chaire of S. Peter it must needes be that all the true children of God find them selues therby inwardlie woūded and praye to God to make them cleane But in the meane time what so euer they be in their maners those are particular matters personal and separated from the chaire which is a dignitie authoritie and matter vniuersal I know that in manie ther is not a cromme of the holines of S. Peter that they be scandelouslie gone a straie from the life Apostolike but they teach the faith of S. Peter the Apostolike doctrine Looke not then vpon the faultes of the persons haue regard to the promise and to the prayer of our sauiour If the defectes of the ministers be of more force with the or beare more swaie with the for to alienate the from the church than the reuerence of the prayer and promesse of our sauiour to kepe the there thow art vnwoorthie of any other prayer and promesse of our sauiour The chaire of S. Peter is the maistresse of the faith I wold that she were also the example of holie life But what so euer scandal there hath bene in some thou shalt find others in the priesthood and people that better know the faults wherin they are then thei self more learned also and lesse reprocheable in their maners and in all pointes lesse imperfect then they self and are in ioye and in peace of their conscience in this Church There they receiue the sacraments of life euerlasting they exercise the workes of charitie and there attend the iudgement of God Doe not say apart to thy selfe that thou doest worshippe Iesus Christ that thou doest beleeue the Gospel and that thou doest resolue thy self according to the expresse word of God euen so sayd Arrius Manicheus Pelagius and all the auncient heretikes Thou doest not worship Iesus It is thy imagination and thy particular fansie wherof thou doest make an Idol which thou doest worshipe Thou doest bowe thy self downe before the woord of the deceiuer that hath seduced the not before the woord of God That which the Church doth teach is the expresse woord of God That which the heretike doth teach is the expresse woord of the deuil which doth vsurp the iudgement of the expresse woord of God and doth vse the same for a baite to make the swallow vp the hooke of error This now is the verie greatest of al synnes for wheras al that a mā may say of the formalitie of sinne it is no other thing but the turning away and goyng farre of from God There is no crime which seperateth more from God than heresie and there is not a sinner that Iesus Christ doth hate so much as the heretike The sinnes of workes Adulterie Meslanghter couetousnes and other doe depriue men of the grace of God but thei doe not driue a man from the Church neither doe they cut away the roote of life which is the faith by the which a man may find the way to enter againe into grace but heresie doth not onlie take away grace but doth also cut away the root of life doth depriue men of the participatiō of all good things that be in the church The scripture sayth that faith is the substāce of thinges to hoped for that without faith it is impossible to please God that the iuste of God do liue by faith that is to say breflie that faith is the foundation of all Christian building Now heresie doth take awaie from vs faith then onlie heresie is a sufficient cause why the heretike can neuer wel ground his hope can neuer doe worke agreable to God nor can neuer haue the life of the iust of God The other sinnes be as a tyle taken from the couerture or as a stone drawen from the wall which doth much hurt to the building But heresie is as it were the vndermyning of the foundation which doth destroye the whole building To be short this kinde of argument is plaine and verie true that no man can saue him selfe without the Sacraments of the Church The Sacraments be not administred but by the priest the priestes be not made but by the Bishoppes Bishoppes be not made but in the Romain Church then what so euer thing that man doth it is impossible by all impossibilitie to saue him self out of the Catholike Apostolike and Romain Church Doe not resist thees argumēts the more thou doest enforce they self to auoide them by euasions so many more halters doest thou put about thine owne neck smitest the axe in to thine owne foot And what so euer thy tounge doth speake to the contrarie thy soule doth fight against the and thy conscience shal neuer be in rest as longe as thou shalt be in heresie And S. Hierom vpon those words of S. Paul Hier. in epi. ad Tit. c. 3. that an heretike is subuerted and condemned by his owne proper iugement sayth verie wel thus the fornicator the adulterer the manslaer and other euil doers be driuen out of the Church against their willes by the priestes But the heretikes of them selues without constraint do depriue them selues of the Sacraments of saluation and of all the good things which be in the Church damning them selues wittinglie and throwing them selues downe hedlonge from their proper fredome in to the bottomlesse pitt of euerlasting perdition For conclusion I will exhort the as the Angels of God did exhort the handmaide Agar that was departed with her sonne from the house of Abraham whom to bring home again finding her in the wildernes taking the waie towardes Aegipt he saied to her poore il aduised Agar seruant of Sara from whence comest thou and whether goest thou tourne again to thy maistres and humble thy self vnder her hand as if he wold say thinke on thy estate that thou comest from a noble house riche ful of the blessings of God that thou goest to cast thy self as a strayed sheepe into the throte of the woolf in the land of malediction And all these things well thought on turne again to thy maistres and humbling thy self vnder her hand thou shalt be happie in that house Euen so will I say to euerie heretike thinke that thou comest from the house of the lyuing God which is the Catholike Apostolike Romaine Church in the which onlie is the grace of Iesus Christ and the remission of sinnes and all blessings of God and thou goest in to the sect of a deceiuer which is one particuler man by whose mouth sathan hauing diuided the from the bodie of the only Church it must neds folow that thou fall in to the bottomlesse pitt of heresie which is the bottomlesse pitt of death and euerlasting damnation Take then the exhortation of the Angel comforter of Agar if not thou shalt soone mete an other Angel which shal be thy destroyer 1. Cor. 10. Heb. 9. If thou hast erred vntil this tyme cut the threde of thy errours renounce heresie and all newnes of opinion be the disciple not of any particular man what so euer he maye be were he more holy and more eloquent then an Angel but only of the Catholike Church the which can neuer erre for so much as she is gouerned by the holie Ghost and that IESVS Christ is her head which is the seur ground of the Catholikes vnto the which I pray God giue vs the grace to cleaue and continue firme and sure that we be found lyuelie members of his body when we shal-be iudged SO BE IT Libellum hunc Gallice intitulatum Du firmament des Catholiques contre l'Abisme des heretiques fideliter è Gallico in Anglicanum idioma per nobilem virum Joannem Pauncefote translatum ac per eximium Dominum Dom. Thomam Stapletonium Anglum S. Theologiae professorem examinatum ac manu eius propria approbatum Ac postremo ex primaria copia manu dicti D. Stapletoni subsignata fideliter teste venerabili Domino D. wilhelmo Clederow Prefbytero Anglo transscriptum tuto posse imprimi ac prelo committi praesentium tenore attestor ego infrascriptus Antwerpiae 9. Octob. Anno 1590. Michael Hetsroey Bruegelius S. Theologiae Licentiatus Canonicus Cathedralis Ecclesiae B. Mariae Antwerpiensis librorum Censor