ad Rom. as soone as man beleeueth in him he is presently instified Consequently o In Psal 142. Ne intres in iudâ—cium man can haue no merits to trust vnto there is nothing properly his owne but sinne p In 1. cap gen hom 2 serm de fide de lege nat Yet faith wrought in vs by Gods grace will be fruitfull in good workes or else it is a dead faith and vnprofitable He taught q Hom. 4. de penitentia hom 12. in Mat. in 15. de muliere Chananaea prayer to God only and directly without running about to Patrons or Intercessors Mediators Porters naming Iames John Peter and the Quire of Apostles take saith he repentance for thy companion to supply the place of an aduocate and goe to the head fountaine it selfe Of the Eucharist though he haue many rhetoricall and hyperbolicall speeches in the vehemency of his mouing the people to humble deuotion as Thou seest touchest eatest Christ and hee suffereth teeth to bee fastned in his flesh and to be made red with his bloud which r Bellar de Euchar lib. 1. cap. 2. §. quinta Regula de Missa lâ—b 2 cap 10. §. ad illad Valentinian tom 4. in Thom. disp 6. quest 4. punct 3 §. quare non est assentiendum Alano Iesuites confesse cannot be vnderstood properly without impiety but tropically of the signes onely not of the body which cannot suffer of vs nor be violated yet he hath much against Transubstantiation for he saith Å¿ Hom. de Eucharist The Table is furnished with mysteries thou seest bread and wine but thinke not that you receiue the diuine body of a man Ne putetis quod accipiatis divinum corpus ex homine And t Hom. 11. Op. imperfect in Mat. in his vasis sanctificatis non est verum corpus Christi sed mysterium corporis ejus continetur In these hallowed vessels there is not contained the true body of Christ but the mystery of his body Also u Hom. 83. in Matth. if thou wast incorporeall hee would haue giuen to thee his incorporeall gifts naked but because thy soule is ioyned to a true body in sensibilibus intelligenda tibi traduntur in things sensible are deliuered vnto thee things to be vnderstood Againe x Hom. 7. in 1 Cor. An vnâ—eleeuer seeing the water of Baptisme thinkes it is simply water but I doe not simply see what I see but I consider the purging of the soule by the spirit and the burying resurrection sanctification iustice redemption adoption inheritance and Kingdome of heauen For I iudge them not by sight but by the eyes of my mind He writes also y Jn 1 Cor. hom 27. against priuate Communions when people doe not communicate called now priuate Masses and z Hom. Oportet haereses esse halfe Communions without ministring the Cup to the people Against Purgatory after this life he saith * In Matth. hom 4. hom 3. de poenit hom De Lazaro Hee that washeth not away his sinnes in this life shall finde no comfort afterward * Hom. 7 in Matth. as when a ship is sunke or a man dead neither can the Saylor nor Physitian helpe it When we are once gone nothing is lest to satisfie for vs. * Homilia 2. de Lazaro while we are heere we haue faire hopes but being once departed it is not in vs to repent afterward or to wash off our sinnes Saint Augustine writes fully and plentifully a Aug. De vnitate Ecclesiae alibi p. sâ—â—n for the perfection and sufficiency of the Scriptures to determine where the true Church is and to end all Controuersies and b De doctr christ lib. 2. ca 9. plaine enough to ground all necessary doctrines vpon c De Bapt. contra Donatistas lib. 6. cap. 3. that the Church to which the promises of grace and saluation belong is the company of faithfull beleeuers and that wicked men doe not belong vnto it d Ib. lib. 7 cap. 51. de vnitatate Eccl. cap. vlt alibi saepe they may be in the Church but not of the Church in the house but belong not ad compagem domus e Retract lib. 2. cap. 21. That Peter was not the Rocke wherein the Church is built but Christ f In psal 44. psal 60. and that we are Christiani not Petriani c. the Rock was Christ g De verb. Dom. serm 13. in mat tract 124. and vpon the Rock which Peter confessed saying Thou art Christ the Son of the liuing God I will build my Church Vpon mee not vpon thee They that would be built vpon men said I am of Paul and I of Apollos and I of Cephas that is Peter but others that would not be built super Petrum but super Petram said Ego sum Christi Quomodo nec in Pauli sic nec in Petri sed in nomine Christi vt Petrus aedificaretur super Petram non Petra super Petrum He writes that h Tract 118. 114. in Ioan. libro quaest vet novi test quaest 93. the Keyes of binding and loosing were not giuen onely to Peter alone but in him to the whole Church that all the Church might haue power to binde and loose sinnes Of Antichrist he saith i De civ Dei l b. 20. cap. 19. He shall sit in the Church of God and k In psal 9. extoll himselfe aboue all that is worshipped and come by wicked arts to that vaine height and domination and l De civ Dei ibid. when the Roman Empire is taken away then Sathan by Antichrist shall worke mirabiliter sed mendaciter with lying wonders Saint Augustine reports and applauds Saint Cyprians speech to the Donatists thus m De Baptismo contra Donatist None of vs makes our selues Bishop of Bishops nor doth by tyrannicall terror compell his fellowes to the necessity of obedience seeing euery Bishop for the license of his liberty and power hath his proper iudgement as if hee could not bee iudged of another as himselfe cannot iudge another but we must all expect the Iudgement of our Lord Iesus Christ who alone hath power both to set vs in the gouernment of his Church and to iudge of our acts A doctrine plaine against the popes supremacy Against Transubstantiation though Bellarmine cite him for the truth of Christs body deliuered which we deny not he writes plainly deliuering a Rule how to know figuratiue from proper speeches in the Scriptures n De doctrinâ— Christiana lib 3. cap. 15. ib. that When a precept seemes to command a fowle or wicked act or forbid a good and profitable thing then it is to be taken figuratiuely He giues this for an example Except you eat the flesh of the Sonne of Man and drinke his Bloud you haue no life in you this in the proper sense seemes a foule and wicked thing
cause of the Popes primacy and power is the greatest of all other as himselfe saith it is De summa rei Christianae the summe totall of Christianity depends vpon it In it the question is whether the Church shall stand any longer or bee dissolued and fall to nothing for what is it else to demand whether wee may not take the foundation from the building the Sheephard from the Flocke the Generall from the Army the Sunne from the Starres the head from the body but to aske whether we may not let the building fall the Flocke be scattered the Army dispersed the Stars obscured the body lye dead Bellarm. ibid. Therefore secondly to make this piece of the stately height wealth and magnificence of the Papacy which is forsooth the foundation of Religion most strong the choycest men for wit learning and all other habilities haue beene set on worke to doe their vttermost to maintaine it of which Bellarmine reckoneth the chiefest of sundry Countries In Polonia one in France two in Germany fiue in Low Germany six in England six in Spaine six in Italy eight in Graecia two And thirdly if there be any strength in any of their writings Bellarmine hath it and sets it out to the vttermost therefore if thou finde him weake know for certainty there is no strength in the cause He musters indeed Scriptures and Fathers and rangeth them into goodly rankes but all ad Pompam rather than ad pugnam For neuer a one of them strikes a sufficient blow for him nor against vs. Against his vrging of the place of Math. 16. when he hath with all his wit stretched it as farre as he can he is faine to admit three exceptions of the Protestantâ— which ouerthrow all that he would proue First that as Christ asked not of Peter onely but of all Whâ—m say yee that I am Peter answered for all Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God for all could not speake at once neither was it decent one must be the speaker So also Christ replyed vpon him as vpon all and therefore what was spoken vnto him belonged to them all And thus the ancient Fathers interpret it Chrysostome vpon the place and Ierome and Austine as Bellarmine himselfe h Be lar de pont lib. 1. cap. 12 §. Secunda obâ— citeth them and reciteth their words neither saith he any thing to auoid their testimonies but addeth this onely Peter answered for all as the Prince and Head of all which in the true sence wee deny not neither makes it any thing for them Secondly the Protestants say It was not vpon Peters person but vpon Peters faith which was the saith of all the Apostles whereupon Christ would build his Church to wit That Christ was the Sonne of the liuing God that is the great Messias promised from the beginning the Sauiour of the world Thus the Fathers also teach as Bellarmine i ib cap 10. §. quarta senten confesseth Hilarius k lib 6. de Trin. Ambrose l lib 6 cap. 9. in Luk Chrysostome m Hom. 55 in Mat 83. iâ— Mat. Cyrill n ib. 1. de Trin. Hee might haue added also Augustine o De â—erbâ—s â— om serm â—â— who saith The Rocke is Christ not Peter vpon this Rocke which thou hast confessed vpon this Rocke which thou hast knowne saying Thou art Christ the son of the liuing God will I build my Church I will build thee vpon mee not mee vpon thee c. but this your Doctor Stapleton o De â—erbâ—s â— om serm â—â— p Princip doctr lâ—b â— cap â— See 〈…〉 Hâ—â—t pag â—0 â—â— calleth humanus lapsus in Saint Austin To all this Bellarmine saith they meant not Peters faith without some relation to his person What is this to the purpose This wee admit both in him and in all the Apostles their persons may bee said to bee foundations in some sort as in Ephes 2.20 Reuel 21.14 yet that is in regard of the Faith and Doctrine which they taught the subiect and substance whereof was Iesus Christ Thirdly the Protestants alleadge that whatsoeuer was promised to Saint Peter in the 16. of Matthew was certainly performed to all in Ioh. 20.23 where Christ said to all the Apostles Whose-soeuer sinnes yee remit they are remitted and whose-soeuer sinnes ye retaine they are retained And this the Fathers also plentifully teach q Cypr. de simplicitate praelatorum siue de vnitate Eccl. Cyprian r Hilari lib. 6. de Trinit Hilary Å¿ Hieron lib. 1. ad Iouinianum At inquit dicis super Petrum fundatur ecclesià licet id ipsum in alio loco superomnes Apo â—olos siat cuâ—cti accipâ—ant c. Ierome and Saint Augustine in many places hath the like All which t Ib. lib. 1 c. 12. § Obiâ—â—tio vltima Bellarmine confesseth adding still lest he say nothing that yet Peter was a chiefe man among the rest which is not the question and none of vs denies it Thus he granteth first that what was there spoken to Peter belonged to all the rest secondly that the Church was built vpon Peters Faith which was the common faith of all the Apostles and not vpon Peters person either wholly or principally and thirdly that which there was promised to Peter was afterward performed to them all and so this place of Mat. 16. makes nothing to the end for which your men so often and so gloriously alleadge it Antiq. Were it not that I see it with mine eyes and read the whole tract aduisedly I should neuer haue beleeued that Bellarmine had yeelded thus much but yet he doth it with modifications Antiquis Hee must needs make some flourishes to satisfie his owne side but you see the substance of the matter is flat against him But note what he grants further u Bellar de Pont Rom li. â— cap. 11. §. Alterum arg Peter was made the foundation of the Church by those words of Christ Mat. 16.18 vpon this Rock will I build my Church so all the Apostles were foundations and all the three wayes that Peter was First as efficient causes by founding and planting Churches some in one Country and some in another for x Rom. 15.20 Paul would not build vpon another mans foundation and y 1 Cor 3.10 he layd the foundation in Corinth and another built thereon And thus were all the Apostles equally the foundations of the Catholike Church Reuel 21.14 Secondly as materiall causes by their Doctrine first reueiled vnto them by the Lord and then taught by them in all Churches which was pure without mixture of error infallible being inspired by the holy Ghost and sufficient both for true faith and holy life whereupon the Church for euer was to rest without need of any addition And thus is the Church built equally vpon all the Apostles z Ephes 2.20 And in this Saint Peter was no greater then the rest nor
was driuen out Notwithstanding within a few dayes after to appeale the tumults of people he was recalled Socrates lib. 6. cap. 16. placed agâ—ine in his Bishopricke restored to preaching and so continued a while but not without tumults wherein many were wounded and many killed And when hee was banished againe the Cathedrall Church at Constantinople with the Senate hâ—use were set on fire and burned to the ground in the pursuit of reuenge Baronius beginning the story of this contention Baron tomo 5. anno 400. nu 51. saith thus I take in hand a great and lamentable narration of strife and direfull persecution not of Gentiles against Christians nor heretickes against Catholickes nor of wicked men against good and iust but which is monstrous and prodigious euen of Saints and holy men one against another Ninthly Socrates lib. 7. cap. 33. D. Fâ—eld church lib 5 cap 33. â—pâ—end 1 part pag 116 117 118. c D Hall Columbâ— Noe pag. 44. In the first Councell of Ephesus being the third generall Councell there arose great contâ—ntions bâ—twixt Cyril of Alexan ria and Iohn Bishop of Antioch two Patriarkes either of them thundring Anathematismes againâ—t other and depriuing each othâ—r of their Churches Theodores vnhappily thrust his sickle into Iohns haruest against whom at the â—nstigation of Euoptius Cyrillus grieuously inueighed Theodoret accused Cyrill of Apollinarisme and Cyrill accused Theodoret of N storianisme And this fury spred so farre that it drew almost the Christian world into sides So that when afterwards Theodoret would haue come into the Chalcedon Synod the Aegyptian and other reuerend Bishops cryed If we receiue Theodoret we cast out Cyril the Canons cast out Theodoret God abhorres him This was done in the first action of the Chalcedon Councell and againe in the eight action the Bishops crying out openly he is an Hereticke he is a Nâ—storiâ—n away with the Hereticke Yet when the matter was fully knowen and that Theodoret had willingly subscribed to the Orthodoxe Creedes and to Leo's Epistles The whole Synoâ— cryed with one vâ—yce Theodoret is worthy of his Ecclesiasticall Sea let the Church receiue her Catholike Pastor Antiquus Your discourse hath â— t me into a mixture of griefe and â—oâ— Griefe that any of the holy ancient Fathers haue held any errours at all and that there were such bitter contentions among them Ioy that seeing there were such they are not hid from me For that will make me more moderate in thinking of them though reuerently as holy men yet still as men subiect to humane infirmities and not in all things to make their sayings rules of my faith or their doings patâ—ernes of my life but altogether to make the most holy perfect infallible and vnstained word of God the guides of both and it shall make me also more wise in esteeming men now liuing reuerently for the graces of God which I see in them notwithstanding their humane fraâ—lties such as I perceiue the best Saints of God haue had But yet I see not any sufficient rule to leade mee to Iudge how you can challenge the Fathers to be of your Religion more then the Romans may challenge them to be of theirs I perceiue well they diffâ—red from both in many things wherein you both refuse them Antiquissimus You make that vse of my discourse that I wish For the Rule to direct your iudgement I haue pointed at it often and now I will briefely and as fully as I can lay it open vnto you CHAP. 4. Of the Rule to iudge the soundnesse and purity of all Christians and Churches by This Chapter hath foure Sections The first Section of the Rule vsed in the Primitiue Church The second of the Rule enlarged and approued in this Age The third of Obiections arising from the former discourses and their answeres The fourth of the necessity of Preaching still to them that hold the Rule The first Section § 1. The Rule in generall § 2. Opened by distinctions of the foundation of Religion § 3. A necessity to haue a short rule drawne out of the Scriptures § 4. This rule is described by Saint Paul § 5. The practise of it by the Apostles who onely deliuered the most necessary fundamentall points to the Iewes and then baptized them § 6. The like practise vsed by the following Primitiue Church to their Catechumeni before Baptisme §. 1. THe Rule to Iudge all Christians and Churches by is this They that hold the same fundamentall points of Christian Religion which doe sufficiently constitute the Church of Christ and hold no other opinions wittingly and obstinately that ouerthrow any of these fundamentall points they are vndoubtedly of the same true Church and Religion §. 2. For the vnderstanding of this Rule note 1 Saint Paul distinguisheth betwixt the foundation and that which is built vpon the foundation 1 Cor. 3.10 As a wise Master-builder I haue laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon The word Foundation is taken two wayes First for the principall thing which is to be beleeued and wherupon our saluation is builded that is Iesus Christ as Saint Paul saith there verse 11. Other foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Iesus Christ Acts 4.12 There is no saluation in any other there is none other name vnder heauen giuen among men whereby we must be saued 1 Tim. 3.16 This is the great mystery of godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh c. This was Saint Peters confession Matth. 16.16 Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Vpon which confession as Saint Augustine and Chrysostome expound it Christ said he would build his Church and the gates of Hell should not preuaile against it Secondly the word Foundation is taken for the Doctrine of the Scriptures which teach saluation onely by Iesus Christ as Ephes 2.20 The house that is the houshold or Church of God is built vpon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe the chiefe Corner stone And so the Apostles are called twelue foundations Reuel 21.14 to wit in respect of their doctrine whereby they laid the foundation of the Church and of mens saluation by Iesus Christ §. 3. 2 Although the whole Scripture and euery thing therein contained or from it necessarily deduced be a fit obiect for faith to apprehend Yet that all Christians should thorowly conceiue and vniformely professe them all is not to be hoped B. Vsher Serm. at Wansted pag 22. nor in any Age hath beene found As we haue manifestly proued * In the former Chapter Variety of Iudgements in some points of lesser moment which are not plainely deliuered in the Scriptures may be tollerated and must not dissolue the vnity which all must hold in the fundamentall principles Heauen was not prepared for deepe Clerkes onely which vnderstood all or for such as neuer differed in any opinion 1 Cor. 132 12. but euen for such also as knew but in part and saw through a
Purgatory Indulgence the doctrine of transubstantiation Communion of the Laity in one species priuate Masses and such like yet all this cannot proue yours to bee the true Church nor the Roman to bee false because yet you are defectiue in this That the Church being one onely true entire body of Iesus Christ you are seperate from it and will not be vnder the gouernment of that visible-hood which Christ hath appointed ouer it to wit the Bishop of Rome the successor of Saint Peter to whom is giuen the highest iurisdiction and gouernment of the whole Church vpon earth and the infallibility of iudgement to guide it right and keepe it from error so that they that are not vnder his gouernment and guidance are out of the Church in which saluation is to be found and no where else Neither can the things now vsed which were not vsed in the Primitiue Church any way nullifie or disgrace the Church since in the wisedome of him that is infallibly assisted by the holy Ghost for the guidance of the Church they are iudged profitable in these times which were not so necessary in former ages All inferiour and priuate spirits must submit to the iudgement of that Head whom Christ hath constituted ouer his Church and doth assist with his spirit that hee shall not erre That Saint Peter was made Prince and Head of the Apostles by our Sauiour Christ the Proofes are plaine in the Scriptures and Fathers Mat. 16.16 In the 16. of Saint Matthew when Saint Peter had confessed Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Christ answered Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it To thee will I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to open and shut to bind and loose In the 21 of S. Iohn Christ saith to Peter Ioh. 21.15 Since thou louest mee more then these the rest of the Apostles Feed my Sheepe Be thou the generall Pastor ouer my whole flocke euen ouer the rest of the Apostles In the 22. of Saint Luke Christ saith I will pray for thee Peter that thy faith shall not faile Luk. 22.32 and when thou art conuerted strengthen thy Brethren Conformable to these Scriptures the Fathers doe ordinarily giue vnto Saint Peter the Primacy of the Apostles call him the Mouth the Chiefe the Top the Highest the Prince the President of the Apostles the head and foundation of the Church all which laid together and well considered doe proue such a prerogariue in Saint Peter that the Church taught and guided by him and his Successors shall neuer erre in matters of Faith and good life but bee infallibly lead into all truth that bringeth to holinesse and happinesse And this is not promised to Saint Peters person or for his life onely but to all his Successors when Christ promiseth to bee with them to the end of the world Mat. 28. in the last words Whereupon these things will follow 1 That the Church of Rome See the Relation of the Religion in the West parts pag. 15. now gouerned by S. Peters Successors is vndoubtedly the true Church of God deliuering and practising the true meanes of saluation and hath the prerogatiue to keepe men from erring in matters of Faith and from falling from God hath the keyes of heauen in custody to admit in by indulgence such as shall be saued and shut out by excommunication such as shall bee condemned so that in it there is a happy facility and without it an vtter impossibility of saluation 2 And consequently It is of the necessity to saluation that all particular Churches and all men be subiect to the Bishop thereof Christs Vicar and the visible head of the Catholike Church vpon earth and whosoeuer or what Nation or people soeuer are not subiect to him in spirituall things are no part of the Catholike Church of Christ §. 3. Antiquis Were all this true and substantiall it were able to charme all the world to be of your Church and to make the Pope absolute Lord of all And you do politikely to keep this point for your last refuge and final ground of all controuersies betwixt vs for if you can euict this you need no more If your Popes bee Saint Peters successors in all those things which you ascribe vnto Saint Peter and thereby haue full iurisdiction ouer the whole Christian world and cannot erre all is yours Stapleton principio doctr lib 6. cap. 2. Sanders Rocke of the Church Bristow Motiue 47. c. See Bellarm. letter to Blackwell there is an end of all controuersie and disputation And therefore your Chieftaines haue great reason to fortifie this piece with all the art and artillery their wit learning and power can afford them thereby to cut off all particular controuersies wherein they finde we are too strong for them This Gorgons head alone is able to affright the simple that they shall not beleeue their owne eyes or see your palpable corruptions or beleeue that any thing can be amisse with you be it neuer so foule and and manifest But alas deare friend I shall shew you plainely that all this is but an Imaginary Castle built in the Ayre without ground or foundation and that all your men stretch the Scriptures and the sayings of the Fathers farre beyond their meaning B. Iewel B. Bilson B. Morton B White D. Rainolds D. Field c. To answere their bookes and arguments punctually would aske too great time and be a needlesse labour because our Learned men haue done it sufficiently and often already But for your satisfaction I will shew you first what dignity the ancient Church hath yeelded to the Bishop of Rome Secondly that the Supremacy now claymed cannot be proued to bee giuen to Saint Peter either by the Scriptures or thirdly by the Fathers but coÌ„trary that both the Scriptures and Fathers are against it Fourthly that the true primacy and Prerogatiues of Saint Peter aboue the rest of the Apostles were personall and did not descend to his successors §. 3. 1. For the first Aeneas Syluius who was afterterwards made Pope Aeneas Syluius epist 288. Ante conciliuÌ„ Nicenâ—â— qu sque sibi viuebat paruus respectus habebatur ad ecclesiam Romanam and called Pius Secundus saith plainly that before the Councell of Nice 327. yeeres after Christ little respect was had to the Church of Rome yet was Rome the chiefe City of the world by reason of the Antiquity Magnificence Dominion and the residence of the Emperours there at that time The Apostles vsed to plant Churches in the chiefest Cities from whence the Gospell might best be propagated into the Countries adioyning Cities therefore were first Christians the people dwelling in Country Pagis Villis in Pages and Villages being not conuerted See D. Field Church book 5. epist to the Reader cap. 27. 30 31. were called Pagans or Infidels But for their
his preaching in the peoples minds If by authority Saint Ierom did meane supreme power ouer the other Apostles then Iames and Iohn should haue had it as well as Peter which is not your Catholike doctrine Also an inferiour or equall in power may be superiour in authority or estimation as Tully saith of Metellus a priuate man though chosen Consull for the yeere following That hee forbade certaine playes when an officer had allowed them and that which he could not obtaine by power Cicero oratione in Pisonem he did obtaine by authority that is with the credit which hee had with the people 2 The Primacy which the Fathers speake of was the Primacy of Order not of Power because Peter was first called to be an Apostle and first reckoned this argues no more power then the Fore-man of the Iury hath ouer the rest 3 The prerogatiue of Principality was in the excellency of grace and not of power as we say the Prince of Philosophers Aristotle the Prince of Poets Homer that is the wittiest or most excellent not Lord and master ouer the rest In this sence Saint Austine speaketh Peter the Apostle in whom that grace and Primacy are so superminent was corrected by Paul a latter Apostle by calling Saint Paul a latter Apostle hee sheweth his meaning of Saint Peters Primacy to bee of his first being an Apostle and by ioyning Grace with Primacy he sheweth that in greatnesse of grace consisted his supereminency So saith Saint Austen also b Aug. in Ioan. Tract 124. that Peter was Natura vnus homo gratia vnus Christianus abundantiori gratia vnus idemque primus Apostolus But to be chiefe in grace is one thing to be chiefe in power another thing c Turrecrem in Summa de Ecclesia l 2 c. 82. Cardinal Turrecramata saith A meane Christian yea an old woman may in perfection of grace and amplenesse of vertues be greater then the Pope but not in power of iurisdiction If excellency of grace might carry the supremacy of power you should take it from Saint Peter and giue it to the blessed Virgin By gifts of grace we vnderstand all blessings wherewith our Lord honoured him insomuch as in one thing or other he surpassed euery one of the Apostles Saint Iohn might exceed him in multitude of prophesies and reuelations and many gifts of grace as Saint Ierom declareth d Ierom. aduersus Iouinianum lib. 1. Saint Paul excelled him in the chiefest gifts and laboured more then all the rest 1 Cor. 15. so that Saint Austen giues excellent grace to Peter e De bapt con Donatistas lib. 2. c. 1. most excellent grace to Paul f in Psal 130. and cals him The Apostle by an excellency g Cont. duas epist pelagianorum lib. 3. c. 1. yet Saint Peter excelled Saint Paul in Primacy or being first chosen and Saint Iohn in age being the elder and therefore preferred before them to be the chiefe of the Apostles by Saint Ieroms opinion h Aetati delatuÌ„ est quia Petrus erat senior Hiero 1. adu Iouin lib. 1. To this Bellarmine yeeldeth i Bellar. lib. 1. de rom pontif cap. 27. § respoÌ„deo Paulum seeing Paul was called The Apostle per Antonomasiam quia plura scripsit doctior as sapientior fuit cateris also for planting more Churches then any other for the other Apostles were sent to certaine Prouinces he to all the Gentils without limitation and he laboured more abundantly then they all 1 Cor. 15. And after k § testatur ib. § fortasse Paul also may bee called princeps Apostolorum quia munus Apostolicum excellentissime ad impleuit as we call Virgil prince of Poets and Cicero prince of Orators Againe Nam etsi Petrus maior est potestate Paulus maior est sapientia Leo makes them the two eyes of the body whereof Christ is the head De quorum meritis atque virtutibus nihil diuersum nihil debemus sentire discretum quia illos electio pares labor similes finis fecit aequales The like hath Maximus ib. and Saint Gregory Paulus Apostolus Petro Apostolorum primo in principata Apostolico frater est Againe l Bellar. ib. §. denique si hac Paulus videtur plus Ecclesiae profuisse quà m Petrus plures enim ex gentibus ad Christi fidem adduxit plures prouincias summo cum labore peragrauit plura scripta eaque vtilissima nobis reliquit Antiq. Saint Ierom saith further that Saint Peter was made the head of the Apostles that all occasion of Schisme might be taken away Will you make nothing of those titles which the Scriptures and Fathers so frequently giue him of authority primacy principality supereminency the mouth of the Apostles the top the highest the president the head and such like Antiquis Nothing at all for that power which the Church of Rome now claymes by them and which hee neuer claymed nor vsed neither did the Scriptures or Fathers giue him What they gaue him we willingly yeeld A principality of Order Estimation and Grace For all Saint Peters power is comprised in the keyes promised him and in building the Church vpon him but all the Apostles receiue the keyes by Ieroms iudgement and the Church is built vpon them equally Ergo by his iudgement Peter was not ouer them in power and if you will yet say hee had some gouernment ouer them what can it else bee but a guidance not as a Monarch ouer subiects or inferiours D. Raynolds ib. pag. 226 227. D. Field l. 5. cap 24. but as in Aristocracy head of the company which in power are his equals For in all assemblies about affayres of gouernment there must needs bee one for orders sake and peace to begin to end to moderate the Actions and this is Saint Peters preheminence which Saint Ierome m Hieronym adu Iouin lib. 2. meant For hauing set downe his aduersaries obiection But thou saist The Church is built vpon Peter he answereth Although the same be done in another place vpon all the Apostles and they all receiue the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and the strength of the Church is grounded on them equally yet there is one chosen among the twelue that a head being appointed occasion of Schisme might be takeÌ„ away The like hath S. Cyprian n Cyprian de Vnitate Ecclesia Erant vtique caeteri Apostoli quod fuit Petrus pari consorâ—io praediti honoris potestatis sed exordium ab vnitate prosiciscitur c. The other Apostles saith he were that which Peter was endewed with the same fellowship both of honour and power but the beginning proceedeth from vnity that the Church may be shewed to be one To speake at once view all the titles of excellency giuen by the ancient Fathers to S. Peter alleadged by Bellarmine o De rom pont lib. 1. cap. 25. weigh them aduisedly without preiudice or
for the Faith of Christ contra Northumbrot infideles as your histories tell vs n Galfrid Monum hist lib. 1. cap. 12 13. In these latter times our Aduersaries reckon examples enow o Azorius Iesuita Institut moral part 1. lib. 8. cap. 20. §. Decimo quar of Greekes Armenians Ruthenians Aegyptians Aethiopians and other remote parts of the world which doe not acknowledge the Pope to bee their superiour no more than the Protestants doe And yet your Azorius a choyce man deliuering the doctrine of the Roman Church dare not affirme them to be heretikes but excuseth their opinions different from the Romists and cals them onely Schismatikes because they refuse the Roman superiority To say nothing of the Protestants whereof there are innumerable in Germany France Britaine Pelonia Dauid Bohemia Hungaria Heluetia Suetiâ— Silesia Morana Transiluania and other parts which in this age make the greater part of Christendome which all reiect the Roman Hierarchy as contrary to the Apostles doctrine and the Primitiue Church for many ages It may seeme strange that any man that hath any dram of Christian Charity or come of Christian salt in his heart should perswade himselfe or force his heart to thinke that so many learned Bishops of old time and Christians suffering Martyrdome for Christs sake and such infinite store of people of all nations in these latter ages professing Iesus Christs religion holding all points necessary to saluation and for them suffering losse of goods imprisonment banishment death and depriâ—ation of all earthly comforts besides it should cease to be Christians and become damned creatures onely because they will not become subiects to the Pope of Rome as to their superiour who as they are verily perswaded sitteth as Anrichrist in the Church of God abrogating many of Gods Lawes and establishing his owne Or shall they that in tendernesse of Conscience haue reformed many grosse abuses in life and errors in doctrine which had crept into the Latine Church bee condemnâ—d for reforming them and not communicating with him in his continued abuses though they hold all good things with him and refuse nothing which the Scriptures and pure Antiquity hath deliuered No my friend Be you Antiquus if you will and sticke to Hildebrands dictates broached eleuen hundred yeeres after Christ when Satan was newly loosed or to Boniface the eights decree 200. yeeres after Hildebrand for that is your greatest Antiquity I will bee Antiquissimus and hold the old Religion which the Apostles taught which the first Churches held the East the South the West the middle Churches yea all Churches euen the Roman Church it self for many hundred yeeres next after Christ according to which patterns the Protestants haue reformed their Churches in these latter ages as neere as was possible for them and make no more doubt of saluation therein then of the holy Fathers Saints and Martyrs of former times which reiected the Popes superiority and soueraignty as we doe CHAP. 7. Of the Popes infallible iudgement in guiding the Church by true doctrine § 1. It cannot be proued by Scriptures or Fathers or by the Analogy to the chiefe Priests of the old Testament § 2. Neither is such infallibility now necessary in any man § 3. But if in any man most improbably in the Popes whereof some haue been children and many most wicked men and monsters of men § 4. And many Popes haue erred De facto in Iudgement § 5. Which the Romists distinctions and euasions cannot auoyd § 6. The manifold and manifest Iudgement of Antiquity ouerthroweâ— this supposed infallibility For § I. The Ancients euer accounted the Pope fallible § II. And neuer in their writings mentioned their Infallibility § III. But reiected often both their iurisdiction and Iudgement § IIII. Which if they had beene established and beleeued the Fathers studies and commentaries vpon the Scriptures had beene in vaine § V. And Councels had beene called to no purpose §. 1. Antiquus SVppose the Popes claymed-supreme-gouernment ouer the whole Church cannot bee proued by Scriptures nor Fathers yet if he haue infallibility of iudgment in all points of heauenly doctrine we are bound to submit vnto him Antiquissimus Proue that hee hath such infallibility and we wiil submit to his iudgement Antiq. It is proued by the text a Be lar de Rom Pont. lib. 4 cap. 3. Luk. 22.31 32. Simon Simon Behold Sathan hath desired to winnow you like wheat but I haue prayed for thee that thy Faith should not fayle and when thou art conuerted Strengthen thy brethren Antiquis These words are no way appliable to Peters successors except you will haue them first deny Christ outwardly though faith fayle not in their heart and secondly conuert and afterward strengthen their brethren Else these things are proper to Peter who indeed was so grieuously tempted by Sathan that in that triall through the extremity of feare he denied Christ and that with bitter imprecations but yet by vertue of Christs prayer he denied him not by infidelity the perswasion of his heart remayned the same it was before then repenting bitterly for his outward Apostacy and receiuing the sweetnesse of Gods mercy in forgiuing conuerting and strengthening him hee was able and fit to strengthen his brethren to preuent their like fals or restore them after their fals by hope of the like mercy Thus your Iesuite b Sa Iesuita schol in Luk. 22 id est sicut ego orando te prote i inquit interlinearis glassa ne deficeres sictu infiâ—miores sratres exemplo tuae poenitentiae consorta ne de veâ—ia desperent Seâ— Ar as Mortanus Aquinas Catena on this place Sa interprets this place truely alleadging the interlineall glosse for it And thus doth c Theophylact. vpon Luk. 22. Theophylact also attributing the confirmation of his brethren not to Peters constancy in the true Faith but to his sence of Gods tender mercy recalling and recouering him by which he was able to strengthen the weaâ—e to comfort the sorrowfull to confirme the doubtfull and to rayse them vnto assured hope of finding mercy that otherwise were ready to despaire For who will not be confirmed saith the same Theophylact by Peter in the comfortable perswasion of Gods gracious mercy to repentant sinners that seeth him whom Christ had so much hoâ—oured after so shamefull and execrable fault of Abnegation of his louing Master the Lord of life not onely receiued to mercy but restored to the dignity of the prime and chiefe Apostle Bellarmine bringeth some reasons and allegations to proue those words of Luk. 22 to make for Saint Peters and his successors infallibility but all farre too weake to proue his purpose See them fully examined and answered by D. Field d D. Field Church booke 5 chap. 42. who answers also the other allegations of Mat. 16.18 Vpon this Rocke I will build my Church and of Iohn 21.15 16 17. Feed my sheepe seed my lambes Vpon which the infallibility of the
Testament Page 40 Paragraph § 2 Neither is such infallibility now necessary in any man Page 44 Paragraph § 3 But if in any man most improbably in the Popes wherof some haue been children and many most wicked men and monsters of men Page 45 Paragraph § 4 And many Popes haue erred De facto in iudgment Page 50 Paragraph § 5 Which all the Romists distinctions and euasions cannot auoyd Page 51 Paragraph § 6 The manifold and manifest iudgement of Antiquity ouerthrowes this supposed infallibility Page 56 Paragraph For I. The ancients euer accounted the Popes fallible Page 56 Paragraph II. They neuer in their writings mentioned their infallibility Page 56 Paragraph III. But reiected often both their Jurisdiction and Iudgment Page 57 Paragraph IIII. If infallible iudgement in the pope had beene established and beleeued the Fathers studies and commentaries vpon the Scriptures had been needlesse Page 58 Paragraph V. And Councels had beene called to no purpose Page 58 CHAP. 8. Of the good which the Popes supremacy might doe to the Church and States by vniting Christian Princes among themselues and against the Turke Paragraph § 1 This is vrged Page 60 Paragraph § 2 But answered that policies agreeable to Gods word and the Primitiue Church onely are sufficient and blessed by God Page 61 Paragraph § 3 But this policy binding men to vnity vnder some one head might be set vp by any sect to maintaine any errors or wickednesse Page 62 Paragraph § 4 And experience hath proued it very vnprofitable and vntollerable to all Churches and states sauing to the Popes owne state wealth and greatnesse Page 63 Paragraph § 5 As is shewed by the miserable troubles in Christendome wrought by Hildebrand who first set vp the Popes Princedome as Onuphrius saith about eleuen hundred yeeres after Christ Page 64 Paragraph § 6 And by the voyages against the Turke which finally proued profitable to the Pope not to Christian Princes Page 68 Paragraph § 7 As appeareth by the Stories of Pope Gregory 9. and the Emperour Fredericke 2. Page 69 Paragraph § 8 And many other most wicked Popes Page 74 Paragraph § 9 The Emperour Phocas erred much in gouernment in making the Pope so great so farre from him For Popes shortly after proued Masters of mis-rule ejecting the Emperours out of Italy Page 76 Paragraph § 10 Their turbulent proceeding to dethrone Princes Page 78 Paragraph § 11 Their troubles wrought in England in King Henry the first his time by Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury In King Henrie the 2 his time by Becker In King Iohns time by Pope Innocent Page 80 Paragraph § 12 In these later times of Queene Elizabeth by the Bull of Pope Pius Quintus deposing her and by erecting at Rome and Rhemes Seminaries that is Schooles to breed Traitors and draw her subiects to disobedience treasons and rebellions Page 89 Paragraph A briefe enumeration of some treasons in Queene Elizabeths time The Rebellion in the North. Page 91 And other petty conspiracies Page 92 Sanders Page 93 Of Ormonds brethren Page 92 Of Stukely Page 93 Someruile Page 94 Motiues to the Ladies of Honour Page 94 Mendoza Page 94 Doctor Parry Page 95 Sauage Page 96 Aubespineus Page 96 The Spanish Armado Page 97 Squire Page 99 In the time of King Iames Watson Clark others Page 102 Throgmorton Page 94 Creighton the Iesuite Page 95 Percy Page 96 Ballard Page 96 Stanly and Yorke Page 97 Lopez Page 99 Tyrone Page 100 The Powder Treason Page 102 Paragraph § 13 Some obseruations out of these A good Christian abhorreth these Treasons and therefore cannot like of that doctrine that teacheth them Page 106 Paragraph § 14 Therefore euery good man is forced by reason to renounce to be an absolute Papist and therefore cannot thinke the doctrines grounded onely vpon the Popes authority without Scripture to be necessary and consequently must acknowledge that it is not necessary to bee a Roman-Catholicke Page 108 Paragraph The conclusion with a briefe Recapitulation of the whole precedent conference Page 110 Friendly Reader before thou readest these bookes amend with thy pen these grosser faults which most of them pervert the sense PAge 1. In the first line of the Text for notice read motiue p. 18. l. 29. r. vnder the persecuting Emp. p. 33. 4. then they gaue to other holy Bishops p. 45. 26. Of all the Bishops ib lin 27. first that trusting p. 76. maâ—g l. â— x. Boniface 8. liued anno 1300 p. 81. 6. and reciting ib. lin 8 pâ—lgrimages p. 85. 11. is insufficient to set vp p. 86. 14. there be not more care p 89. 17. but were built p. 98. 1. for the Pope ment p. 104. 14. and make of Christs milâ—tant Church a Church trâ—umphant vpon earth p. 109. lin vlt. maried p. 112. 25. hath worne a girdle p 1â—6 26. to the last times p. 152. 28. we propose p. 208. 17. per sacramentum memoriae celebratur p. 244. 34. for Stoiks read Scotâ—sts p. 246. 31. forâ—t is no indignity p. 264. 30. root author p. 126. 9. must be diminished p. 138. â— latent invisible Church p. 139. 25. it is not visible p. 274. 34. full of â—ighte 304 marg ad lin 22. ordinator hareticus verè In the second Alphabet CC. p. 33. lin â—4 put cut not p. 46. marg lin 26. Baronius anno 963. n. 17. p. 54. marg l 25. Anno a Christs natâ— 1033 a Christs passâ— 1000. Other faults there are scarce veniall which deserue correction Page 7. lin 27. read warres and dissentions p. 13. 13. Simon Magnus among them p. 14. 9. for saâ—th read truth p. 20. 8. from the first pure d. p. 31. 8. Church kingdome ib. lin 14. Cameracensis ib. l. vlt. large authors p. 37. 2â— Infallibitily p. 38. 13. decretal ib. l. 18. infamis ib. l. 19. choked ib. l. 25. saith this p. 40. 17. the ancient vitility p. 42. 14. Calosyria ib. l. 23. schism 1. ib. l. 30. in marg Greg. 7 libro p. 43. 12. Releherspergensis p. â—6 l. 12. and 18. Trithemius ib. l. 30. Schafnaburgensis p. 48 9. saith your Bish linea antepenult Valentianus p. 50. 18. into his mouth p. 51. l. vlt. foule and manifest p. 52. lin anteâ—en Patricius p. 51. 14. Diuinity p. 55. marg See these alleadged in my third booke p. 57. 14. this câ—â—cumgestation p. 60 8. Gualter Mapes p. 61. 24. Iohn Baâ—â—â—thorâ— p. 63. 15. Sodâ—â—â—â— dominatur p. 64 2. Lorell p 80. 26. anâ— beautifying all p 87. 16. abjuration p. 90 for Chap. 5. put § 5. p. 91. 2. robbers ib. l. â—â— acknowledged p 93 4. to the Pâ—pe To giue p. 96. put â—ut marg Annal. Elizabethae Camden Apparat. pag. 2. and place it pag. 97. against Pope Iulâ—us the 2. c. p. 99. 1. searching p. 101. 19. frustrated p. 115. 27. put out this dignity is not new saitâ— Bellarmine b. for it 500 yeeres old â—ut surely that is new that came not in till after twise 500 yeeres
the pope fauoured the Fryers and curbed the Vniuersities priuiledges §. 5. See Vsherabidem During this contention at Paris The Fryers forged a new Gospell fitter it seemes for their purpose then Christs Gospell and called it the Gospell of the Holy Ghost and the euerlasting Gospell Evangelium aeternum labouring to make men beleeue it was more perfect better and worthier then the Gospell of Christ as the Sunne was more perfect then the Mooue and the kernell of a Nut better then the shell and that Christs Gospell should then cease and this should come in the roome of it and continue for euer And this Gospell continued 55 yeares without any open reprehension of the Church of Rome and at length was set forth to be openly read and expounded in the Vniuersity of Paris anno 1255. But it was opposed by some Parisian Doctors Gulielmus de Sancto amore O do de Duaco Nicholaus de Barro and Christianus Belluacensis who wrote against it and shewed the monstrous impieties and blasphemies of it After much contention finally the matter was brought before the pope anno 1256. who with aduice of his Cardinals tooke order that this Gospell and all the copies thereof should be secretly burned and not openly reprehended for disgracing their Orders and also that the Parisians bookes written against it should be publikely burned The popes Decree for this purpose is inserted in Bishop Vshers booke De successione Ecclesiarum cap. 9. § 28. Where also the whole story is set downe somewhat largely collected out of many approued Historians there cited ibid. § 20. seq By this story appeareth the little conscience these seeming holy Fryers made of the truth of their teaching §. 6. or of corrupting Gods Word or abrogating it or of teaching any thing that might serue for their purpose And these were the worthy men whom the Jnnocent pope made choyce of to vphold not Christs Church but the Papacy authorizing them to preach where and what they list without controule of any man for the maintenance thereof 3 And not onely to preach but to exercise the authority and power of a most cruell Inquisition Hos prosternamus deleamusque said Dominicâ— to Francis in vita Deminici yea made them the chiefe Inquisitors to search out and deliuer vp to death all those that gaine-said and withstood without yeelding vnto the Doctrine and gouernment of the Pope although otherwise they liued neuer so holily iustly and quietly which bloody office they executed with all diligence and cruelty §. 3. 4 About the same time also and out of their Schoole arose another Euill of vnprofitable and idle Sententiaries Questionists Summists Quodlibetists and such like 1 Tim. 6.4 fit men to corrupt the simplicity of the Gospell and fill mens heads with darke thorny and brawling disputes to languish about questions 2 Tim. 2 23. and strife of words and by too much subtilty making plaine things obscure losing the pith marrow and kernell of true Theology 1 Tim. 6.20 and bringing true sauing knowledge of good life to prophane and vaine ianglings and oppositions of science falsely so called For now was Theology made conformable to their rules of Philosophy and must haue no other sense then their fore-conceiued opinions allowed it and all other senses must be shifted of by subtile distinctions Viues in his notes vpon S. Augustine de civ Dei The Schoolemen saith Lodovicus Viues through ignorance of tongues haue not onely marred and smoothered a Lib. 3. cap. 31. all other Arts but b Lib 3. cap. 13. lib. 19. c. 12. Diuinity too and and haue c Lib. 11. c. 11. 14. Lib. 13. cap. 1. lib. 18. cap. 1. lib. 20. cap. 16. lib. 21 cap. 7. As D. Rainolds hath collected them in the Preface to his Conference with Mr. Hart. But these places are now purged out by Index Expurg in the later Prints prophaned it with their curiosity their vanity their folly their rashnesse in mouing and defining questions As Aristotelians rather then Christians and Heathen Philosophers then Schollers of the holy Ghost §. 4. When M. Luther had reproued the great abuse of Pardons Concil Trid sess 21. c. 9. anno 1517. and that so iustly that shortly after the Fathers of the Trent Councell vtterly abolished the pardoners as vntollerably scandalous to Christian people and thereby iustified Luthers beginning and proceeding Ignatius Loiola a Spaniard lately before a Courtier and a Souldier and now disabled by a wound in one of his legges thought vpon a better remedy against the enemies of the Popes soueraignty Genebrard lib. 4. chron then had been deuised before and in the yeare 1521. began a new order of Iesuites he obserued as he trauelled in many Countries and Vniuersities such rules and orders as best fitted his purpose Possevin Bibl. select lib. 1. cap. 38. and hauing ioyned ten other choice men to himselfe came to Rome anno 1540. to get his order confirmed by the Pope and by meanes of Cardinall Contarenus Massaeus Iesuita lib 2. c. 1 â— vit Ignatij Loiola offered the forme of his new order to the Pope wherein he had to the three vowes of other orders super added a fourth vow that the Iesuites should willingly and readily goe into any Countrey of Christians or Infidels whethersoeuer the Pope would send them for the affaires of Religion This the Pope greatly liked saying it would proue a notable helpe to the afflicted state of the Church Ribadeneira vit Igâ—at lib. 2. c. 18. Thus writes Mâ—ssaeus the Iesuite and another Iesuite Ribadineira saith God by singular prouidence sent Jgnatius to helpe his Church now when it was ready to fall They say Satan sent Luther and God sent the Iesuites to withstand him We say the contrary But let it be iudged by the purport of their Doctrine who came from God â—nd who from the enemy They that teach disloyalty and rebellion against Kings and leade their people into Conspiracies and Treasons against States and Kingdomes to let all other points passe vntouched for the present let them be branded for the Emissaries of Satan This order then was first confirmed by Paul Azor. Institut moral lib. 13. cap. 7. 3. 1540 and againe 1543. and by Julius 3. 1550. also by Pius 5. 1565. and 1571. and lastly by Gregory 13. 1584. as Azorius the Iesuit writeth and sets downe the Confirmation at large But this order of Iesuites neuer came to the height till Gregory 13 his time when Claudius de Aqua viva was made their Generall Possevin Bibl. select l. 1. c. 39. Then was a proiect laide to build Colledges and Seminaries to traine vp yong men and make them fit instruments to maintaine the Papacy and Romish Church To that end sundry choice men were brought from diuers Countries Ioannes Azorius from Spaine Iasper Gonzales from Portugall Jacobus Tyrius from France Petrus Buseus from Austria Antonius
yeere 1228 thrice in that Summer did the Earle of Tolous ouerthrow the French Armies In the end peace was offered to the Earle by Legates from Rome and from the French King and confirmed vpon condition that he should root out all of the Religion of the Albigenses in his Countries Which hee vndertaking â—â—aâ—c â—â—gna 〈◊〉 11 Vâ—â—â—t 〈◊〉 1 8â— Massâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 â—sh â—5 Vâ—â—â—â— cap. 10. 〈◊〉 seq was absolued from his excommunication Tolous reconciled and at Tolous in the yeere 1229. a Councell was held against Heretickes and shortly after another Councell at Narbona and a third at Biterras In which Councels it was finally concluded that all guilty persons should abjure their heresies that the houses of Heretickes should be demolished c also many strait statutes were made at Tolous against the Albigenses anno 1233. What say you Antiquus were not here great numbers visible enough and mighty against whom so great Armies were so often raised throughout Christendome so mighty Warres made to bring them vnder the popes subiection such miserable massacres and bloodshed of so many thousands and yet could neuer subdue them Antiquus You relate more then euer I heard §. 11. or read or euer imagined could be said for this point I haue alwayes thought and so haue beene taught that there was neuer any great assemblies or numbers of your Religion but some few single simple obscure persons that haply held some points with you and many points different from you nor euer any multitude nor any of worth or respect that opposed the Church of Rome Antiquissimus It is very likely that ignorance was the mother of your deuotion to that Church wherein not onely the light of the Scriptures but also the histories of the Church and of States that would discouer these things are kept from you by your politicke Leaders and your selues are willingly blinded and affected with that selfe-pleasing idle-ignorance But if you did iudicially reade your own Authors which write these things at large or ours which collect them more briefely and confirme them strongly by yours out of which I haue abridged my short Narration you could not but manifestly see and admire the tyranny of your popes that thus sought the rule and riches of the world and both the multitude and constancy of Gods seruants who sought the saluation of their soules with contempt of the world and their owne liues Sectionis 3. Subsectio 3. The Waldenses were spred into all Countries namely for example Spaine England Scotland Italy Germany Bohemia Saxony Pomerania Polonia Livonia Lituania Digonicia Bulgaria Croatia Dalmatia Constantinople Sclavonia Sarmatia Philadelphia in all parts of France In Italy also they had Churches in Lombardy Millan Romagnia Vicence Florence val Spoletine c. Antiquus But Sir all you haue yet said for ought I conceiue concernes but one part of France and that for a short time some twenty or thirty yeeres Suppose your Religion had abundance of open professors in that little place for that little time what is a small part of France to all Christendome and what are so few yeeres to such succession and continuance as the Church of God must haue throughout all Ages Antiquissimus If you desire satisfaction rather then contention truth rather then victory or victory onely ioyned with the truth you may gather sufficient out of that I haue said to satisfie you but to shew this point more distinctly which in the lumpe it may bee you obserued not first I cited out of your a Subsect 2. §. 1. lit a Rainerius that there were three causes of danger to the papacy from the Waldenses whereof the second was because there was almost no Countrey free into which that sect had not entred and out of b Ib. lit c Polinerius that the Waldenses were spread not onely throughout France but almost throughout all the Countries of Europe For the French Spanish English Scots Jtalians Germans Bohemians Saxons Polonians Lithuanians and other Nations haue strongly defended it yea and he addeth euen to this day And out of c Ib. lit d. Gretserus your Iesuite yet liuing that scarce any Region or Nation remained fâ—ee and vntouched of it And your d Matth. Paris ib. §. 8 9 Mathy Paris saith The Albigenses were so mighty in the parts of Bulgaria Croatia and Dalmatia that they also drew Bishops besides many others of those Regions to their parties And that the Waldenses were not onely in one part of France but spred thorow all the parts thereof §. 2. History of the Waldenses book 2 cap. 2. the history of the Waldenses gathered out of authenticke Records and publike writers of your owne side sheweth abundantly and in seuerall Chapters of the seuerall places Insomuch that the Archbishops of Aix Arles and Narbonne assembled at Avignion anno 1228. about the difficulties of the executions of those which the Dominican Fryers had accused said plainly There were so many apprehended that it was not possible to defray the charge of their fooding nor to find enough lime and stone to build prisons for them In the third Chapter mention is made of many Churches of the Waldenses in Daeuphine Piedmont Province Calabria and of great numbers of them in the Diocesse of Aix Arles Ambrun Vienna Aubonue Savoy the Venetian Countrey Dyois Forrests the Principality of Orenge the City of Avignion and Selon More particularly in the fourth Chapter are described the persecutions in Piedmont In the fift Chapter of the Marquisate of Saluces and nere thereunto from whence aboue fiue hundred families were banished In the sixt Chapter in the new lands and in the Alpes In the seuenth Chapter in Calabria where the Gentlemen vsed meanes to continue the Waldenses a long time without persecution because they were exceeding good Tenents made the ground formerly barren very fruitfull by their diligent husbandry payd great Rents discharged all duties were honest iust innocent peaceable and dutifull and paid good Tithes to their Parsons such as in former times the ground would not yeeld Yet in the end they were miserably persecuted and killed vp because they would not yeeld to the Romish doctrine gouernment and ceremonies which they abhorred worse then death The Romish Inquisitor Pauza cut the throats of fourescore of them as a Butcher doth his Muttons and set vp their quarters on stakes in the high wayes and hanged others Threescore women of Christ were racked and most of them perished nine of the chiefest and handsomest women were deliuered to the Fathers of the Inquisition and what became of them it is vnknowen The eighth Chapter describes them of Province the parts of Cabriers Meridal la Coste and other places adioyning with their great persecutions and massacres §. 3. The ninth tenth and eleuenth Chapters speake of their further spreading in great numbers in Bohemia and Austria and of the Communion by letters and messengers betwixt them And of many in Germany especially in Alsatia About anno
Peter reiects the popes authority infallibility giues sentences against Purgatory acknowledgeth two Sacraments onely hath much against Transubstantiation and denyall of the Cup. See the allegations out of him in Catalogo testium lib. 3. Sixtly was Jrenaeus a Protestant no for he defended free-will so farre that Protestants count it Pelagianisme So did many other Fathers Hilary and Epiphanius yea Chrysostome Cyril Ambrose Theodoret. What then were all these papists No for though in heat of exhortation they gaue sometimes too much to free will and in hatred to the Maniches and Stoicall Christians that held such a fatall necessity of mens actions as tooke away mans guiltinesse of sinne yet in their more moderate and settled writings they taught as the Protestants doe August contra Iulianum l'clag lib. 1. cap. 2. Pelagianis nondum litigantibus Patres securiùs loquâ—bantur saith Saint Augustine Vntill the Pelagians began to wrangle the Fathers tooke lesse heed to their speeches But such their speeches The Papists themselues condemne Maldonate in John 6.44 pag. 701. Pererius in Rom. 9. nu 33 pag. 1001. Sixtus Senensis Tolet c. See D. Mortons Appeal lib 2. cap. 10. sect 1 2. § 4. sect 3. § 7. lit n. See also my Chapter of Free-will §. 6. I might runne thorow the rest of this W. G. his allegations and shew his vanity and folly in shooting such arrowes against the Protestants as being retorted and shot backe againe doe mortally and vnrecouerably wound his owne cause But I will leaue off following his order and adde a few more and by occasion of this last I aske of Saint Cyprian Augustine Fulgentius Gregory Nyssen Gregory the Great Anselm Bernard were they Papists oâ— of the now Roman-Catholicke Religion No for they taught concerning Free-will iust as the Protestants teach Morton ib. sect 3. Was Athanasius a Papist no for hee reckons the number of Canonicall bookes otherwise then Papists doe and magnifies them for their perspicuity certainty and sufficiency as Protestants doe he teacheth Iustification by faith onely writeth against adoration and prayer to Saints and Idolatrous worship of Images shewes the custome of the Church in his time to minister the Communion in both kindes and not on Altars but tables of wood writes to the Bishops of Rome as his brethren and equals giues reasons why the dead cannot appeare againe to men for feare of teaching lies and errours and because the good are in Paradise the euill in Inferno He counts marriage of Bishops a thing indifferent and vsed indifferently in his time and it appeares by his bookes that in his time the sacrifice of the Masse and the fiue new Sacraments were not knowne Was Saint Ierom a Papist no for hee earnestly maintaineth the sufficiency and excellency of the Scriptures exhorteth married Women Virgins Widdowes diligently to study them he teacheth Iustification by Gods mercy and beateth downe mans merits hee writes sharpely against free-will without Gods grace against purgatory against transubstantiation and orall manducation hee taxeth the popes supremacy and the Clergies liues and for his sharpe writing he was faine to flye from Rome See Catalogus testium lib. 4. Was Gelasius your owne Bishop of Rome a Catholicke of your now Roman Religion no for he condemdemned as sacrilegious your now-halfe Communion without wine and seuerely commanded either to minister both the kindes or neither to the people The necessity whereof now you call heresie De consecrat dist 2. comperimus Was S Gregory your owne Bishop likewise long after Gelasius of your Church and now-present Religion no for he taught the sufficiency and perfection of the Scripture reiected the Apochryphall bookes from the Canon held the reading of Scripture profitable for all men Iustification by faith and not by inherent righteousnesse wrote against mans merit and for the glory of Gods grace and mercy hee forbad the worshipping of Images and wrote sharply against the title of vniuersall Bishop as a badge of Antichrist or his forerunner c. And for conclusion of this point were the other two greatest Doctors of the Church Saint Chrysostome and S. Augustine of your present Religion No for Saint Chrysostome a Homil. De Lazaro passim alibi extolled the authority dignity sufficiency perspicuity necessity and commodity of the Canonicall Scriptures and exhorted Lay-men and Tradesmen to get them Bibles and reade the Scriptures at home and that man and wife parents and children should reason and conferre of the doctrine thereof b In 4. cap. Ephes hom 10. He taught that the Church of God was nothing but a house built of our soules and the stones thereof were some more illustrious and faire polished other more obscure and of lesse glory c In Matth. hom 55. 83. Serm. de Pentecost tom 3. that the Church was built not super Petrum but super Petram not vpon Peter but Peters confession that Christ was the Sonne of God the Sauiour of the world d In Matth. hom 35. ad cap. 20. That whosoeuer desired primacy vpon earth should find confusion in heauen and not be reckoned amongst the seruants of Christ e In 2 Thess homil 3 4. That Antichrist would command himselfe to be honoured as God and fit in the Church that he would invade the Roman Empire and striue to draw to himselfe the Empire or Rule of God and men And though he extolled the power of free-will in the Regenerate and exhorted all men to vse the power they had yet hee f In Gen. hom 29. perswaded the godly to acknowledge it to proceed from Gods grace and taught all men that sinne entring lost their liberty corrupted their power and brought in seruitude and g Hom. de Adam that without Gods grace man could neither will nor doe any thing that was good that h Hom. 1. in Acta as they that die Purple first prepare it with other colours so God prepares the cares of the mind and then infuseth grace that i Hom. 1. dom Advent before sinne we had free-will to do good but not after that it was not in our power to get out of the Deuils hand but like a ship that had lost his sterne which guided it wee were driuen whither the tempest would euen whither the Diuell would driue vs and except God by the strong hand of his mercy did loose vs we should continue tiâ—l death in the bonds of our sinnes k In Râ—m â—om 5. 17. That the Law would iustifie man but cannot for no man is iustified by the Law but he that wholly fulfils it and that is not possible to any maÌ„ l In 2 cor hom 11. He that must be iustified by the law must haue no spot found in him and such an one cannot be found but onely Iesus Christ m In Rom. hom 5 17. therefore he onely hath attained the end and perfection of the Law n Hom. 7. in 3. cap.
more infallible Thirdly as formall causes by their gouenment for all the Apostles were Capita Rectores Pastores Ecclesiae Vniuersae Heads Gouernors and Pastors of the Church Vniuersall Antiq. This Bellarmine saith indeed but he addes a difference in this third point the other were onely heads as Apostles and Legats but Peter as the ordinary Pastor they had fulnesse of power yet so as Peter was their head and they depended vpon him not hee on them Antiquiss What Bellarmine yeelds and proues against his owne side wee may well take as true and wrested from him by the euidence of the truth This last which hee addes in fauour of his side hee onely saith but proues not as behoued him For how depended the Apostles more on Peter then hee on them where doe we reade that euer hee appointed enioyned limited or reâ—â—rained any of them or shewed any authority ouer them but contrarily a Acts 11. Wee reade that he was censured by them and caused to giue an account of his actions Act. 11. b Gal â— And that hee was reproued to his face and openly by St. Paul who protested also that hee was not inferiour to St. Peter neither receiued they ought from him And further euen c lib. 4 depoâ—t Rom. cap. 23. Bellarmine himselfe saith they were all equall in the Apostleship which they râ—ceiued equally of Christ immediately and none of them of Peter as he proueth against many d Cardinalis Turrecremata Dominicus Iacobatius c. great men of his owne side in a whole chapter of set purpose e ibid. For the better to make all the Clergy depend vpon Peter though many succeed the other Apostles many great Catholikes hold that the Apostles receiued not their authority and iurisdiction of Christ immediately but Saint Peter only and all the rest of Saint Peter which f ib. Bellarmine soundly confutes both by Scriptures and Fathers shewing that Christ himselfe gaue them all parem potestatem equall power that not Peter but Christ himselfe did chuse Matthias by Lot at the instant prayer of the Apostles that Paul was an Apostle not of men neither by man but by Iesus Christ and God the Father Gal. 1.1 c. All which makes for the equality of Peter with the rest and not for his superiority ouer them Antiq. Yet surely he holdeth the same Supremacy which other Catholikes hold though he think it cannot be grounded so firmely vpon these places Antiquis You may well imagine he giues not ouer without much compulsion and reluctation these castles and holds which other great Captaines with all their power and policy held and maintained §. 7. But there is one poore castle more which hee laboureth to hold though very weakely that is in Iohn 21.15 Bellar. de Rom. pontif l. 1. c. 12 â— vt autem See D. Field Church book â— chap 22. where it appeareth saith hee that Christ gaue more to Saint Peter then to the other Apostles for hee said vnto him Louest thou mee more then these and then addes Feed my sheepe To him that loued more he gaue more to wit the care of his whole Flocke euen the care ouer his brethren Apostles making him generall Pastor ouer them also for there can no cause or reason be imagined saith Bellarmine why vpon Peters answere of his singular loue aboue the rest Christ should singularly say to him Pasce oues meas if he gaue him not something aboue the rest To which we say the Fathers shew another cause or reason Peter had denied Christ more then the rest and being forgiuen was to loue more then the rest Luk. 7.43.47 and therefore Christ vrged him singularly by thrice asking Louest thou mee Cyril super Ioan. lib. 12. cap. 64. Augustin tract in Ioan. 123. See this largely handled betwixt Raynolds Hart. p. 135. seq answerable to his three denials to performe the office enioyned in generall to all the Apostles So saith Cyril Because he denyed him thrice at his Passion therefore there is a threefold confession of loue required of him and so the glosse and Saint Augustine saith A threefold confession answereth to a threefold negation that the tongue may expresse as much in loue as it did in feare And so in very truth Christs words were rather a stay of Peters weakenesse then a marke of his worthinesse or a proofe of his supremacy Thus we haue the onely place of Scripture whereupon Bellarmine insisteth of performance and bestowing supremacy particularly vpon Peter Bellarmin saith De iustifâ—t 3. c. 8. initio Non potest aliquid certum esse certitudine fidei nisi aut immediate contineatur in verho Dei aut ex verbo Dei per euidentem consequentiam deducatur c. and that not a plaine and euident place of Scripture or by deduction of euident reason such as necessary points of diuinity should haue but onely their owne infirme and vnsound interpretation a poore and weake ground of so great a building The transcendent supremacy of the Pope of Rome ouer the whole Church of Christ and the many Doctrines and practises that depend thereupon haue no other ground in Scripture but this their owne conceited and forced interpretation of this place Peter louest thou mee more then these Feed my sheepe that is Take thou authority more then these to make thy successors aboue all theirs heads of the vniuersall Church with such power as themselues shall list to take or exercise Antiq. I cannot but ingenuously confesse this inference to be weake indeed and it doth much amaze me and makes me quake and stagger to consider how confidently I haue beene perswaded that the Scripture is most plaine and euident for the Popes supremacy and now to see that nothing of any moment can thence be alleadged for it §. 8. Isa chus Casaubonus excrcitatio ad Baronium Epist dedic pag. 19. Luk. 22.25 26. Gasper Scioppius in Ecclesiastico suo ex pos cap. 47 Is not this quidlibet e quolibet or rather Contrarium é contrario Antiquis By such alleadging of Scriptures they may make quidlibet è quolibet make any substance of any shadow The learned Frenchman Casaubon wonders at them Pasce oues meaâ— that is as Baronius interprets it Supremum in ecclesia dominium tibi assere Feed my sheepe that is Take to thy selfe the highest dominion in the Church or as Bellarmine Regis more impera Rule and command after the manner of Kings as if he would of set purpose contradict Christs words The kings of Nations exercise dominion ouer them but yee shall not doe so Nay further and more strangely Gaspen Scioppius saith that Christ by those words hath taken away Kings power and dominion ouer the Nations and forbidden it to be exercised among Christians and hath established that infinite power in the Pope ouer Princes by this and such like places of Scripture The pious world wonders at the Popes challenge to be the highest Iudge
Pope cannot possibly be grounded neither doe the Fathers come neere to proue it which are alledged for it as he sheweth Antiq. For the places of Saint Matthew 16. and St. Iohn 21. Vpon this Rocke and Feed my sheepe since you haue proued by the Fathers iudgement e Before chap. 6 section 6 7. that they belong as well to the other Apostles as to Saint Peter I relye not vpon them nor vpon the Fathers who by f ib. sect 12. refusing the Popes supreme gouernment seeme thereby also to deny his infallibility But there is another thing vrged by g Bellar. de pont lib. 4. cap. 3. §. quarto probatur many and seemes to be of great force to proue this questioned infallibility That the high Priest of the old Testament had in his brest-place the Vrim and Thummim Exod. 28. 30. that is Doctrine and Verity which is expounded in the 17. 9. of Deuteronomy where the Lord commands them that doubt of the sence of the diuine Law to repayre to the Chiefe Priest and enquire of him adding That he shall tell them the truth of iudgement Therefore both by signes and by words the Lord hath promised that in the brest of the Chiefe Priest shall reside Doctrine and Verity and therefore that he cannot erre when he teacheth the people And if this was fit for the Aaronicall chiefe Priest much more for the Christian Conformable whereunto h Ioh. 11.51 Rhemists thervpon Caiphas the Iewes high Priest in a Councell prophesied truly that Christ should dye for the Nation Vpon which Text the Rhemists do note That the gifts of the holy Ghost follow the Order and Office not the merits and persons of men as Caiphas a man many wayes wicked and in part an vsurper in the time when the Priesthood began to decline and giue place to the new ordinance of Christ had yet some assistance of God for vtterance of truth which Caiphas himselfe meant not therefore we should not maruell that Christ deliuereth his truth by Prelats his officers though wicked and vnworthy of their office as also i Canus loc theol lib. 5. cap. vlt. §. Ad id Canus saith alleadging the same text and Bishop Fisher also k Roffensis contra Assert Lutheri veritat 3. pag. 12. Antiquis The high Priests by their education office reading study and conference must in all reason haue knowledge farre beyond ordinary people for signe whereof they might weare the Vrim and Thummim and the people were to repayre to them for direction in their doubts as now to their learned Ministers whose lips must preserue knowledge But the people were not to take all for infallible which they said l B Morton Appeal l. 3 c. 15 sect 3. D. Field Church booke 5. c. 42. The Iewes had a glosse vpon that text If the Iudge shall tell thee that the right hand is the left and affirme â—he left to be the right thou must beleeue him But this is absurd saith their Lyranus for no iudgement that is manifestly false must be beleeued from any man of what authority soeuer he be But the people are appointed onely to doe all things which the high Priests shall teach according to the Law Deut. 17.11 Whereupon Christ saith m Mat. 23.2 The Scribes and Pharisees sit vpon Moses Chayre and therefore are to be harkened vnto not in all things generally whatsoeuer they say but onely when they vtter and deliuer pertinentia ad Cathedram things agreeable to Moses doctrine as the author of the ordinary glosse noteth n Glossa in â—undem locum See Raynolds Hert. This therefore proues no infallibility in the high Priest nor in the Pope no more doth that of o Ioh. 11.49 c. Caiphas to whom wee wonder that you in earnest parallell your Pope For he spake once in the Councell truely and prophetically God directing him and the euent confirming it but he spake also in the Councell most vntruely and blasphemously when he said that Christ blasphemed p Mat 26.65 as Bellarmine saith well q Bellar. lib. 2. de conciliis cap. 8. § alii dicunt Therefore to establish an opinion of an infallible Iudge by an example of a Iudge blasphemously erroneous in iudgement is little better then to erect a Roman Caiphas §. 2. You see therefore by the insufficiency of your proofes first that you haue no probability of your Popes infallibility Now I tell you secondly there is no necessity of any such thing in any one man in the Church of God because a Bellar. de Verbo Dei li. 4. c. 11. §. hic notatis Costerus Enchir ca. 1. §. caetorum we haue all the points of Christian doctrine necessary to saluation b Coster ib. Aug. Doctr. Christiana l 2. c. 9. Bellar de iustif lib 3. cap. 8. § primara plainely and infallibly deliuered in the Scriptures Saint Peter was c Mat. 16.17 infallibly guided by the holy Ghost and freed from all error in doctrine either by teaching then presently or deliuered by writing to posterity so were all the other Apostles And e Bellar. de verbo Dei l. 4. c. 11. § his notatis what they taught necessary for all men to beleeue vnto saluation d 2 Tim. 3.16 Gal. 1.12 2 Pet. 1.21 1 Thes 1.13 what they wrote and left for the instruction of the Church in succeeding ages to the end of the world whereupon all true Christians may and must stay themselues for all points touching the foundation of Religion necessary to saluation If it were possible f Gal. 1.8 9. for an Angell from heauen to come and teach otherwise St. Paul doth confidently and doubly pronounce him Anathema As long as any men or Churches hold fast what the Apostles haue deliuered they doe g Bellar de verbo Dei lib. 1. c. 2. § quare caÌ„ Faber Stapulensis praefatione in Euangeistas vnfallibly hold the truth when they swarue from that they swarue from the Rule of truth and may quickly lose themselues in inextricable errors The latitude of this vnfallible necessary sauing knowledge I haue described before h In the 6. chapter next before and it is that wee must earnestly contend for as Saint Iude saith Earnestly contend for the Faith which was once deliuered to the Saints i Iude vers 3. once deliuered that is first and once for all deliuered by the Apostles to the first Church and neuer after to be altered for that contend earnestly and for other profitable doctrines that are thence deducted by manifest consequence of Reason contend also but more moderately For things obscurely thence deducted and not profitable at all contend not Let euery mans iudgement submit to the rule of the absolutely necessary points sufficient for saluation once and first giuen and we shall need no more nor further infallibility in any man §. 3. But if this so much spoken of
yea Deicides for Kings are callled gods and regnicides the quellers of the Common-wealth Neuer was any Doctrine so fruitfull of Treasons and Rebellions The desire to mainetaine it the hunger to plant it againe hath beene the onely cause to the superstitious and pretence to the couetous and ambitious of all late treasons The traytors euer confirmed by the Doctrine of their books the exhortations of their tongues and the Sacrament deliuered by their haÌ„ds many of their Priests partakers and actors of their crimes The knowledge and experience of the intollerable mischiefe of this doctrine doth iustifie our Lawes that were sharpened against the practisers of it See Cambd. Annals 4. pa t. 842 843. as many of your owne Priests haue confessed Secondly you may note that neuer any Nation was so often so strangely so strongly so diuellishly assaulted and endangered with treasons as this our land and on the other side neuer any Nation so strangely and mightily defended and the traytors confounded Thirdly consider whether these actions bee not manifest tokens of a false religion If we must iudge the tree by his fruits as Christ teacheth vs how can the tree be good that bringeth forth such fruits Mat. 12.33 Are those true Prophets howsoeuer they come in sheepes clothing that doe the acts of Wolues No you shall know them by their fruits to bee false Prophets Mat. 7.15.16 Beware of them Your Bellarmine giueth it for one note of the true Church Sanctity of life and doctrine If these things so taught and practised taste of sanctity what is villany Your Gospell is not the Gospell of peace but of confusion and mischiefe in stead of building the Church it ruines Common-wealths and kingdomes Fourthly looke well Bellarm. â—e notis Ecclesiae Nota 15. if Gods protection and blessings be notes of the true Church as your Bellarmine teacheth what thinke you of ours which God hath so mightily defended and blessed euen when Balaam most cursed Though you neuer ceased heauing at our foundations Church and Princes in these two last Princes times Queene Elizabeth and King Iames yet they haue both liued to see all your wicked practises ouerthrowne the practisers ruined their people 's defended Gods truth maintayned they liued happily dyed in their beds peaceably and left a blessed memoriall behind them Our one Queene brought more happinesse to vs then nine Popes did to Reme who all liued in her time Paul 4. Pius 4. Pius 5. Gregory 13. Sixtus 5. Vrbanus 7. Gregory 14. Innocent 9. Clemens 8. They wrastled against her and cursed her in vayne and their curses fell vpon their owne heads and King Iames wounded the learnedst of thâ—ir leaders with his penne Lastly consider well whether they that perswade you to be absolute Roman Catholikes doe not in deed and effect perswade you to be traytors troublers of the world cursed and deuilish people for perfect and absolute Papists are no better as you may see by these manifold examples of these treasons and therefore it is a wonder that Princes doe not concurre to root out this wicked Sect that make wickednesse godlinesse yea that make a traffik of Kings sacred liues to set vp an Idoll of mans inuention at Rome aboue them all §. 13. Antiq. Good Sir I doe not hold that the Pope hath any such power ouer Kings to depose them and set vp others or to dispense with subiects oathes of alleagiance or to rayse warres or other troubles against ciuill Magistrates I finde many good Catholikes doe reiect and condemne such doctrine and practises they take the oath of alleagiance willingly and write in defence of it I hould with all my heart a Conference of D. Rainolds M. Hart. in Hartâ— preface to the Reader that the Pope hath onely a fatherhood of the Church not a princehood of the world or dominion ouer Princes temporall states to depose or dispose any way of them For Christ said His kingdome was not of this world b Ioh. 18.36 he payed ribute to secular Magistrates c Mat. 17.27 medled not with temporall matters no not with diuision of inheritance amongst brethren d Luk. 12.14 he acknowledged Pilate to haue power to crucifie him and power to release him euen lawfull power giuen him from aboue e Ioh. 19.10 1â— Saint Paul acknowledged Caesar to bee his lawfull Iudge f Acts 25.10 and Saint Peter the first Bishop of Rome taught thus g 1 Pet. 2.13 Subiecti estote omni humanae creaturae propter Deum siue regi c. Be sâ—â—iect to euery humane creature for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as excelling or to rulers as sent by him to the reuenge of malefactors but to the prayse of the good Saint Paul taught euery soule to be subiect to the higher powers h Rom 13 1. By those higher powers meaning secular and ciuil Magistrates i As the Iesuits Pererius and Tolet in locum obserue out of the Fathers that beare the sword be subiect to them not onely for feare of wrath but for conscience sake k Rom. 13.5 And who must be subiect to them all sorts of people both Ecclesiasticall and secular euen Apostles Euangelists and Prophets saith Saint Chrysostome l Chrysost in locum Ista Imperantur omnibus sacerdotibus monaâ—his noÌ„ solum secularibus Omnis anima etiamsi Apostolus sis si Euangelista si Propheta siue quisquis tandem fueris And Saint Bernard m Bernard epist ad Episcopum Senonensem Omnio anima tum vestra quis voâ— excipit qui tentat excipere tentat decipere writing to a Bishop tells him hee is not excepted from temporall subiection to Princes he that excepts him deceiues him Our late gracious Soueraigne King Iames n King Iames Apology for the oath of Alleagiance pâ—g 23. deinceps alleadgeth many Fathers Saint Augustin Tertullian Iustine Martyr Ambrose Optatus Gregory Bishop of Rome for subiection euen of Bishops and Popes to the secular Emperours and Princes Hee alleadgeth many Councels six vnder Charles the Great to wit of Frankford Arles Towres Chalons Meâ—tz and Rhemes yea all the Generall Counceâ—s that of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon and the rest who submitted themselues to the Emperours wisedome and piety in all things and desired from him power and validity to their decrees and for the oath of Alleagiance he alleadgeth diuerse Councells These Scriptures Fathers Councels are so playne so plentifull so powerfull with me for giuing dominion to Princes and subiecting all both Clergy and Laity vnto them in all ciuill things that all the world shall neuer draw me to deny my Alleagiance and subiection to my Soueraigne but I will readily take Armes in his defence as Gods Lieutenant and Deputy though the Pope should excommunicate him Antiquis I ioy to heare your good resolution built vpon so good grounds I hope then you iustifie vs Protestants for departing from the Popish
vntollerable in the Church of God Since all this you haue deliuered with such plentifull and pregnant proofes as I haue nothing for the present to say against them I must needs thankfully confesse that they sway much with me yet will I not be rash to resolue vpon a sudden without further meditation and consultation with men of better iudgement than my selfe but I promise you if you at our next meeting can as well satisfie me in the particular points of Doctrine as you haue now presently in these generall obiections I shall be very inclinable with all due reuerence to returne vnto your Church Antiquis Deare friend I pray God blesse your meditations and consultations I haue told you the truth from my heart so farre as my reading and iudgement could direct me Quaere doctiores Inuenies praesumptiores Seeke more learned you shall haply finde them that will presume more of their learning as Saint Augustine said such as will seeke rather the victory than the Truth I am old past my climactericall yeere as they call the yeere 63. other men may haue death at their backes I haue him alwayes before my face I was neuer dissembler and least of all now hauing one foot in the graue Meditate vpon that I haue said and especially reade the holy Scriptures the Cloud and Pillar to guide you to the land of Promise the Light and Lanterne to your feet quicke and liuely in operation to moue your heart And when you are either to reade meditate or conferre first shut your selfe in your Closet or priuate Chamber there fall downe humbly vpon your knees and pray the most gracious God to illuminate your minde and make pliable your heart for true diuine faith For all your reading and conference study and meditation can worke no more than humane faith builded vpoÌ„ humane testimonies which may prepare good entrance and introduction to diuine faith which must afterwards bee fully wrought confirmed and sealed by the holy Ghost all our planting and watring is nothing without this The testimony of the Church of histories of former ages which yet onely the Romish pretend to relie vpon and call vs thereunto and wherein we proue our selues superiors and which are the greatest assurances that mans wit or humane meanes can afford yet are farre short of begetting the Faith that assureth of the Truth and saueth either them or vs without the diuine working and assurance of the holy Ghost whose guidance and heauenly influence seeke for by seruent and diligent prayer And so I commend you to Gods grace FINIS An Appendix Christian Reader after J had sent this booke to the Printer there came to my hands a worthy learned booke of Doctor Morton Bishop of Couentry and Liechfield entituled The grand Imposture of the now Church of Rome which J commend vnto thy diligent reading for thy yet-fuller satisfaction in that main point There thou shalt see many of those Histories which I haue alledged briefly especially in my later Chapters more largely discoursed thorowly vrged against all possibility of contradiction And now for a peroration or conclusion beside my former proofes J offer vnto thee these three waighty considerations to meditate vpon I. Of the excellent benefit of pure Primitiue Religion II. Of the euils of false or corrupted Religion III. Of the great blessings of the Reformation thereof Thinke not thy time lost nor thy labour long in reading them CHristian Religion I. Of the excellent benefit of pure Primitiue Religion when the excellency of it was once knowne was embraced as the greatest benefit that euer came vnto Mankind because it not onely brought men out of darkenesse into light to the knowledge of the true God and of themselues and of the most comfortable meanes of their saluation but also because it trained vp men in all things profitable for this present life and made a second heauen vpon earth That City Countrey and Nation was found to prosper in wealth peace honesty diligence in euery Calling faithfulnesse among men sobriety in themselues obedience to Magistrates and all kind of goodnesse where it was receiued and where both people and Gouernours feared God and serued him as he had prescribed â—â—â—y 11.6 For it wrought a wonderfull blessed change in all true beleeuers hearts farre beyond all Lawes and Ordinances of Man Of Wolues they became Lambes of Vultures Doues of Leopards Kids of Aspes and Cockatrices Innocents and Children of Barbarous Sauage and rude people they became ciuill deuout iust cleane peaceable and holy All vices rooted out all vertues planted in their hearts and practised in their liues Whereupon followed peace loue vnity prosperity and felicity in the Christian world Pliny lib. 10. Epist 97. citat à Baronio anno 1â—4 num 3. Pliny certified the Emperour that vpon his thorow-search and full knowledge of Christians he found them strongly bound together by Sacraments or oathes not to do any wicked thing But not to commit these robberies murders deceit or deny any things committed to their trust or keeping c. Baron tom 2. an 195. nu 21. Euseb Praeparat Evangel lib. 6. cap. â— Baronius cites Bardezanus Syrus giuing this testimony to the Christians that in whatsoeuer City or Countrey they liued Persia Media Parthia Aegypt or other barbarous Nations they quite changed the nature and qualities of men to forsake and abandon theit old wilde vniust beastly customes and become iust chaste honest charitable suffering people And although some Emperours and Princes for a time persecuted Christians vpon misinformation that they were enemies to their state and dignity and a rebellious kinde of people yet in time they found the contrary and fauoured them aboue all others Tertul. ad Scapulam liber pag. 162 163. Tertullian writing to Scapula the President tels him A Christian is no mans enemy much lesse enemy to the Emperour whom Christians know to be ordayned by their God and they are compelled by their Religion to loue reuerence and honor him and to seeke his safety with the safety of the whole Empire And therfore they professe say Colimus Jmperatorem sic quomodo nobis licet ipsi expedit vt homineÌ„ à deo secundum quicquid est a deo consequutum solo deo minorem We honour and obey the Emperour so farre as is lawfull for vs and needfull for him that is as a man next vnder God and hauing obtained of God whatsoeuer he is being inferiour to God alone Origen testifies that the Church of God was euer calme and quiet at Athens though the Athenians were turbulent and seditious So also at Corinth Alexandria Origen contra Celsum lib. 3. Baron tom 2. an 1â—5 n. 2. and euery where the Church was farre more excellent then the best composed Common-wealth Gregory the great Bishop of Rome Greg lib. 7. epist 8 cited by Kâ—ng Iames Remonstr pag. 137. Apolog. for the oath of Allegiance pag. 94. 600 yeares after Christs birth professeth that