as being a Priuation is Non-Ens and consequently that Protestancy as consisting of the old condēned Heresies is a Non-Entity Chap. 11. That there are diuers Positions of Protestancy which besides that they ar◠implicitely but Negations to the Catholikes contrary Affirmatiue Doctrines are in their owne Nature meerly voyd of all reality of Being Chap. 12. That the Protestant Church is a meer Non-Entity or Idaea proued from the confessed Inuisibility thereof Chap. 13. That the confessed want of Personall Succession and lawfull Calling in the Protestant Church proueth that Church to be no Reall thing and consequently that Protestancy is but an Intentionality or bare Notion of the mynd Chap. 14. The Non-Entity of Protestancy proued from that it worketh in the wills of the Professours Chap. 15. The Non-Entity of Protestancy proued from that it is not agreed vpon what doctrines be Protestancy or what Professours be members of the Protestant Church Chap. 16. The Non-Entity of Protestancy demonstrated from that euery Protestant eyther in himselfe or in his Predecessours originally departed and came out from the Roman Catholike Church Chap. 17. That the Protestant denyes the Authorities of all those Affirmatiue and Positiue Heads from whence the Catholikes draw their Proofes Chap. 18. That sundry learned Protestants as not houlding a Negatiue fayth to be any Reall Fayth at all agree with the Catholikes in belieuing the Affirmatiue Articles of the Catholike Fayth Chap. 19. Certaine Porismata rising out of the seuerall passages of this Treatise Chap. 20. That the Catholike Church and the Protestant Church are not one and the same Church though some Protestants teach the contrary for the supporting of their owne Church The Conclusion CERTAINE PROLEGOMENA Of which the first is That in all positiue and affirmatiue points of faith the Protestants doe agree with the Catholikes the Protestants borrowing the said affirmatiue points from the Church of Rome CHAP. I. LEarned Reader For the better facilitating of this my assumed taske and labour for the more easy playning the way to the ensuing discourse I am first heere to prefixe certayne Prolegomena as I may call them or Prefaces The first whereof is to shew that the Protestants in all affirmatiue articles of fayth houlden by them at this day doe agree with the Romane Catholike Church The second that in such points of fayth wherein the Protestants do dissent from the Romane Church all the said points so defended by the Protestants are meerely Negations of the contrary affirmatiue Articles belieued by the Catholikes In this Chapter I will intreate of the first part seposing the chapter following for the second And according to this my assertion we find that the Protestants do belieue affirmatiuely with vs that there is One God and three Persons that the second Person was incarnated and suffered death vpon the Crosse for the expiation of the sins of the world that there are two Sacraments to wit Baptisme and the Eucharist that there are certaine Canonicall diuine writinges commonly called the Holy Scriptures finally they belieue with vs Catholikes the Apostles Creed All which points so needy and begging is Nouelisme in faith for its own supporting the Protestants do freely acknowledge that they borrow receaue from our Catholike and Romane Church For thus doth D. VVhitaker confesse of this point (a) D. VVhitak de Eccles pag. 369. The Papists haue the Scripture and Baptisme c. and these came to vs from them With whome agreeth heerein D. Doue saying (b) Doue in his persuasiō to English Recusants pag. 23. VVee should the Creed of the Apostles of Athanasius of Nice of Ephesus of Constantinople and the same Bible which we receaued from them But Luther with full consent herto more amply discourseth of this point thus acknowledging (c) Luth. l. contra Anabaptist VVe confesse that there is vnder the Papacy most of the Christian good yea rather all the Christian good and that from thence it came to vs. Verily we confesse there is in the Papacy true Scripture true Baptisme the true Sacrament of the Altar the true keyes to the remission of sinnes the true office of preaching true Catechisme c. I say further there is in the Papacy true Christianity or rather the true kernell of Christianity Thus Luther Now from these liberall yet most true confessions of our aduersaries this ineuitable resultancy riseth to wit that the Protestants though they belieue these former affirmatiue Articles and perhaps some few others with the Catholikes yet for such their beliefe of thē they are not nor can be truly reputed Protestants but only Christians in generall or rather Catholikes this but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or at most but Analogically since they borrow their beliefe of the sayd affirmatiue Articles from our Catholicke Church as is aboue confessed and therfore Protestancy doth not rest in the beliefe of the sayd affirmatiue dogmaticall points From hence then we may conclude that the reduplicatiue formality or ratio formalis as I may say with the Shoolemen of Protestancy only consisteth in the denyall and reprouall of the particular affirmatiue Articles in which it differeth at this day from the Church of Rome as heereafter wil be proued and that a Protestāt quatenus a Protestant is not as he belieueth these former affirmatiue Articles but as he belieueth not other affirmatiue points belieued heertofore now by the Church of Rome And according heerto Philosophy teacheth that this particle quatenus or the reduplicatiue formality euer falleth vpon the differentia and not vpon the genus I will exemplify this point in other innouations of doctrine Iouinian taught as S. (d) Hierome lib. 1. 2. contra Iouin Hierome (e) de haeresib cap. 82. S. Augustine do witnesse That virginity was not to be preferred before wedlocke that fasting was not meritorious that a man once hauing true fayth could not sinne all good Protestancy at this day Iouinian in all other affirmatiue points agreed with the then Church of Rome but dissented from it onely in these Negatiues Now Iouinianisme truly resteth only in the defence of these its Negatiue Positions and not as it agreeth with the then Church of Rome in other affirmatiue points And his followers were called Iouiniani only by reason of their defence of the said Negations and not otherwise Againe Manichaeus did only deny freewill in man as (f) Lib. de hoeres cap. 46. S. Augustine recordeth and cōparted with the then known Church of Christ in all other affirmatiue points and accordingly his Sect was called Manichisme not in that it agreed with the then Catholike Church in other affirmatiue positions taught by the sayd Church but only by reason the authour thereof denyed the aforesayd Affirmatiue Article of freewill In like sort Brownisme resteth only in the denyall of such points wherein the Brownists dissent frō the Protestants and not in their conformity with the Protestants or Catholickes in any affirmatiue points Now
pen ProtestaÌ„cy receaued a more pure sublimation Touching Caluins lyfe that he was truly accused and punished for Sodomy his shoulder seared with a burning iron for that sinne is witnessed by the publike records of Noyon in France extant to this day where he was punished and also by (g) In Theolog. Caluinist printed 1594. lib. 2. fol. 72. Conradus Slusselburg the Protestant which sayd Protestant relateth the manner of Caluins death in these words (h) Slujselburg vbi supra Deus manu sua potenti c. God so strucke Caluin with his mighty haÌ„d that being in despayre and calling vpon the Diuell he gaue vp his wicked soule swearing cursing and blaspheming he dyed of the disease of lice wormes increasing in a most loathsome vlcer about his priuy parts so as none could endure the stench Thus this forsaid ProtestaÌ„t wryteth This manner of Caluins death is further witnessed by (i) Herennius in his lib. de vita Calu. Ioannes HereÌ„nius a Caluinist Minister who was present at Caluins death Now in this last place to descend to Beza who in teaching God to be the Authour of Sinne wholy comparted with Swinglius for thus he wryteth (k) Beza in his display of popish practises poenglished and prin-1578 pa. 202. God exciâ—th the wicked will of one Theefe to ill another guideth his hand and â—eapon iustly enforcing the will of the Theefe But to leaue many of his oâ—her confessed erroneous doctrines and to rippe a little into his course of life I will only rest vpon one poynt and heere I may say with the Poet ex vno discite omnes to wit his Sodomiticall sinne with a yoÌ„g boy called Andebertus and his fornicatioÌ„ with his woman Candida whome he kept diuers yeares as * so saith Conradus Slusselb in Theolog. Caluinist lib. 1. fol. 92. Concubine before he maryed her who comparing the one Sin with the other in certayne verses at last preferred the sinne with his Ganymede the boy before his sinne with Candida His verses I will heer set downe in latin though for very shame I forbeare to English them These then they are Abest Candida Beza quid moraris Andebertus abest quid hic moraris Tenent Parisij tuos amores Habent Aurelij tuos lepores Et tu Veselijs manere pergis Procul Candidula amoribusque Immo Veselij procul valete Et vale Pater valete fratres Nam Veselijs carere possum Et carere parente his illis At non Candidula Andebertoque c. Then followeth Sed vtrum rogo praeferam duorum Vtrum inuisere me decet priorem An quenquam tibi Candida anteponaÌ„ An quenquam tibi praeferaÌ„ Andeberte Quid si me in geminas seceÌ„ ipse partes Harum vt altera Candidam reuisat Currat altera versus Andebertum At est Candida sic auara noui Vt totum cupiat tenere Bezam Sic Bezae est cupidus sui Andebertus Beza vt gestiat integro potiri Amplector quoque sic hunc illam â—t totus cupiam videre vtrumque â—ntegris frui integer duobus Then he thus concludeth Preferre artamen alterum necesse est O duram nimiùm necessitatem Sed postquam tameÌ„ alterum necesse est Priores tibi defero Andeberte Quod si Candida forte conqueratur Quid tum basiolo tacebit vno This Epigram is extant in Beza his Epigrams and beareth this title Theodorus Beza de sua in Candida Andebertum beneuolentia That Beza did write this Epigram is auerred by the former Slusselburge the famous Protestant who thus writeth heerof (l) Sluss in Theolog. Caluinist lib. â— fol. 9â— Constat hoc Bezam obscoenissimos versus scripsisse ad germanum Andebertum Aureliae electum eumdem tanquam Adonidem a Beza factum esse As also by Heshusius the Protestant saying (m) Tilmanus Heshusius in his booke entituled Verae sanae Confessionis Beza nefandos amores illicitos concubitus scortâ— iones foeda adulteria sacrilego carmine decantauit orbi As also by (n) D. Sparks in his answere to D. Albin printed 1591. pa. 400. M. Sparkes (o) D. Sutcl ff in Turca-papismo printed 1599. lib. 3. cap. 10. pag. 204. D. Succliffe and (p) D. Morton in his Apolog Cathol part 1. lib. 2. cap. 21. pag. 355. D. Morton though but weakly excused by these three last And thus farre of these foure chiefe Pillars of Protestancy of whome I acknowledge that I haue not set downe the tenth part of what is confessed euen by other Protestants of their sensuality and most wicked carriage NotwithstaÌ„ding what is heer set down I hope it is not impertinently alledged considering how highly most Protestants of these dayes do prise through a forestalled preiudice of iudgment the sayd foure chiefe broachers of the ProtestaÌ„t Religion And therefore though the iudicious Reader may perhaps censure part of this Chapter as â—n Apostrophe or digression yet he may withal well esteeme it the tymes wherein we liue considered as a conducing progressiue digression The Non-entity of Protestancy proued from that our Aduersaries cannot agree what doctrines be Protestancy what Professours or sorts of men be members of the Protestant Church CHAP. XV. ANother Medium which affordeth sufficient proofe for the Irreality of Protestancy may be taken from this ensuing consideration to wit in that the Protestants amongst themselues are not resolued what doctrines necessarily concurre to the making vp of Protestancy or of what seuerall sorts of Belieuers the Protestant Church consisteth Now if the Obiectum circa quod or Materia circa quam as the Logicians speake of any science or knowledge be not agreed vpon before hand what in particuler it is theÌ„ doubtlesly it from thence riseth that such a presumed Science or Knowledge is but an Imaginary knowledge wholy depriued of all Reality and Entity For not onely Philosophy but euen the force of Naturall reason teacheth vs that of all things the subiect or matter in euery Science or kind of knowledge is first to be enquired after and with a mutuall consent on all sydes to be acknowledged The lyke we may confidently affirme of Protestancy and the Protestant Church That our aduersaryes cannot be brought to any atonement touching what is the subiect of Protestancy or who be the Members of the Protestant Church is proued in that seuerall Protestants exclude such persons to be of the Protestant Church consequently do exclude their fayth from Protestancy which themselues at other tymes at least other Protestants doe imbrace for good Protestants and perfect meÌ„bers of their Church and their fayth doctrine for perfect Protestaney For such men who are admitted or excluded from the Church of the Protestants are admitted or excluded only by reason of their fayth and doctrine being the same or different from the Protestants fayth and doctrine Heere then I will first shew within what narrow limits our aduersaries confine Protestancy and the members of
the Protestant Church and then after I will set downe such is the fluctuating and wauering iudgmeÌ„t of our aduerries herein how they are content at other tymes to extend and enlarge those bounds by affording Protestancy and the members therof a greater space or compasse as I may say to expatiate and walke in And to begin We first fynd that the poore Papist Papists reiected is wholy exterminated from this holy Society of Protestants in proofe whereof to be luxuriant in authorityes were but lost labour it being a thing so well knowne and generally confessed therefore the testimony only of D. VVhitakers shall serue who thus writeth (a) D. Whitak lib. contra Duraeum â— sect 2. I will not allow the very name of a lawful Church vnto the Romane Church because it hath nothing which a true Church ought to haue To proceed The Protestants â—xile the Anabaptists Anabaptists out of their Church as being no members â—hereof nor their doctrine Proâ—estancy This is euident out of â—he Confession of Ausburg thus â—eaching (b) Cap. 9. VVe condemne the Aâ—abaptists who disallow the baptisâ—e of Infants and thinke them to be â—aued without Baptisme To which Confession the Confession of Switzerland in these like wordes â—ubscribeth (c) Cap. 20 VVe condemne Aâ—abaptists who deny Infants to be â—aptized In like manner they exâ—lude from their fayth and Religion the doctrine of the Arians Arians â—ccording to the Confession of Ausburg in this poynt saying (d) Act. 1. VVe condemne all Heresies rising agaynst this Article meaning the Article of the Trinity as the Manichees Arians Eunonians c. To come to Heretikes Heretiks in generall they also by reason of their particuler Heresyes houlden seuerally by them are exempted out of the members of the Protestants Church and this euen by the iudgement of the Sacramentaries and the Lutheranes And first touching the iudgement of the Sacramentaries passed on this poynt We find the Confession of Basill thus to teach (e) Art 24 VVe dryue away all whosoeuer dissenting from the society of the Holy Church do eyther bring in or follow strange and wicked doctrines And Caluin in lyke manner sayth (f) Instit. l. 2. cap. 15. num 1. Rightly Austin denyeth Heretikes to haue the same foundation with the godly albeit they preach the name of Christ. D. Sucliffe (g) In his first booke of the Church cap. 1. Heretykes are not of the Church Finally D. VVhite (h) In his way to the Church pag. 10. All Heretikes teach the truth in somethinges yet we deny them to be of the Church of God The same doctrine is fully maintayned by the Lutherans For thus teach the Centurists (i) Cent. 6. in the praeface Neyther Heretykes nor deuysers of fanaticall opinions are of Christ but they are of Antichrist and of the Diuell c. VVhich point is also fully taught by Luther himselfe in these wordes (k) Lurh in his exexplication of the Creede Neither Gentill Iew Heretyke or any sinner is saued vnles he make atonement with the Church and in all things thinke do and teach the same But the Protestants rest not heerewith Schismatikes but also doe banish Schismatikes froÌ„ the Church And to begin with the Lutherans Melancthon his iudgement heerein is this (l) In his booke agaynst Suenkfeld tom 2. p. 301. Neither is there more then one Church the spouse of Christ neyther doth this compamy consist of diuers sects Which doctrine he borrowed from Luther thus writing (m) Luth. in his great Catechism tom 5. p. 628. I belieue that there is on earth a litle CoÌ„gregation of Saintes agreeing in all things without sects or Schismes To come to the Sacramentaries herein Caluins wordes are these (n) Caluin in his Treatise of the necessity of reforming the Church VVe do professe the vnity of the Church such as is described by S. Paul to be most deare vnto vs and we accurse all them that shal any way violate it D. Field (o) Of the Church 1. cap. 7. The name of the Catholike Church he meaning his owne Protestant Church is applyed to distinguish men houlding the fayth in vnity from Schismatikes D. VVhitaker (p) Controuers 2. q. â— cap. 9. It is false that Hereticall and Schismaticall Churches are true Churches Finally to omit infinit others for breuity D. Fulk thus discourseth (q) D. Fulke of the Succession of the Church VVhat skilleth it whether one being drawne by Heresy or Schisme froÌ„ the body of Christ be subiect to eternall damnation Thus farre to shew how our Aduersaries do coarct and straiten and in some sense rightly the true fayth and Church of God consequently in their iudgments their owne Protestant fayth and Church seeing they admit not in these former testimonies any other fayth and Church to be true but onely Protestancy and their Protestant Church Now in this next place shall appeare the wonderfull Protean-like mutability of the Protestants who are only constant in Inconstancy in crossing their former Iudgements by affording a farre greater Circumference to the Professours of Protestancy to their Church then in the former passage they haue done so true it is that Innouatours are caryed spiritu vertiginis now affirming one thing presently after and al with one breath recalling and contradicting the poynt afore affirmed or maintayned For now you shall finde that the Protestants most courteously grant that almost all the former kinds of men and some others more bad are members of the Protestant Church and consequently their doctrines true Protestancy since a man is stiled a member of a Church in regard that his faith and doctrine is consonant and sorting to the fayth doctrine of the sayd Church and not in any other respect And to begin The Protestants out of their bounty include the Papists as meÌ„bers of their Church Papists admitted for thus doth Luther say (r) Luther in epist. cont Anabaptist In the Popery there is true Christianity yea the kernell of Christianity and many pious and great Saints And the Confession of Ausburg confesse thus of themselues the Papists (s) In praefat VVe are all Souldiers vnder one Christ. To descend to others confessing no lesse His Maiesty deceased thus speaketh of this poynt (t) In his speach to the ParlameÌ„t An. 1605 Nouem 9. being put forth in print VVe doe iustly confesse that Papists especially our forefathers laying their only trust vpon Christ and his merits may be and are somtymes saued And M. Hooker thus acknowledgeth the Papists for his brethren (u) Lib. Eccles pol. 3. c. 128. we gladly acknowledge them of Rome to be of the family of IESVS Christ. M. Bunny (x) In his Treatise of Pacific sect 18. VVe are no seuerall Church from them meaning the Papists nor they from vs. And the foresayd M. Hooker particulerly touching the fayth of the Papists thus further pronounceth (y)
by reasō that this greeke word maketh vp the number to wit b Apocal. 13. 666. which is ascribed peculiarly to Antichrist as also in that Antichrist and his Ministers shal at his comming both in their denyalls and workes labour mightily to euert Christian Religion And if S. Iohn sayth truly that euery one who in any sort denieth Iesus to be Christ may figuratiuely be tearmed Antichrist (i) Ioan. 1. Quis est mendax nisi qui negat Iesum esse Christum hic est Antichristus c. how fully simply and absolutely then shall the true Antichrist at his comming deny Iesus to be Christ And consequently shall deny all the particular mysteries of Christianity 3. My third Resultancy respecteth the Protestants seuerall different Translations of the Scripture and their seuerall different settings forth of their Comon Booke of Prayer as is aboue shewed and yet euen at this day they are neither content with the last Trāslation of the Bible or last publishing of the Booke of Common Prayer though all corrected and reformed by way of Negatiues but charging thē with many vntruths corruptions and blasphemyes most earnestly thirsting after a new Translation and a new composition of the Communion Booke if so they could obtayne it From whence we conclude from their owne pens that hitherto the Protestāts neuer enioyed the true and vncorrupted Scripture and a forme or cōmon Booke of Praier free from Errours Now this being granted by thē how mightily are the Protestants foyled thereby For first whereas their owne doctrine is that the (k) Luth. so teacheth praefat Assertionis suae Caluin lib. 4. Instit c. 9. Kemnit in Examen Concil Trident. sess 4. Melancthon locis de Ecclesia Scripture is the sole Iudge of Controuersies in Religion they are heerby by their owne implicite confessions euen as yet depriued of this Iudge seeing themselues do grant that the pure and vncorrupted Scripture and not as it is abastarded with deprauations ought to be this Iudge Agayne to be depriued of the true Scripture as themselues by acknowledging all former Translations to be impure false must consequētly grant they are is to be depriued of one of Gods chiefest pledges of mans saluation the Scripture of God and the necessary deductions out of it being the spirituall meates wherwith with reference to his saluation the vnderstanding of mans soule is chiefly fed nourished * Ioan 6. Verba quae ego locutus sum vobis Spiritus vita sunt And as touching the want of a true Communion Booke of Praier the which the Protestāts by their former excepting against al Communiō Books hitherto published do acknowledg to want the Protestants do heerin potentially grant that hitherto they haue not known how and in what manner they ought to pray which how great a spiritual detrimēt it is who seeth not since by Praier we ouercome him who is inuincible praier indeed being the mother daughter of teares by which teares seconded with the help of the Sacraments the blemishes and spots of our soules are washed out (l) Psal 50. Lauabis me super niuem dealbabor 4. The fourth It is in the former passages proued euen from the frequent Confessions of the learned Protestants that the Protestant Church hath for many ages beene Inuisible or rather during those tymes vtterly extinct Now this confessed disparition vanishing away of their Church out of the sight of all men doth necessarily inuolue in it selfe that the Protestant Church is not nor can be the true Church of God since the true Church of God must at all tymes enioy a continual vneclipsed splendour of its owne visibility I will enleauen this my Assertiō both with the authority of holy Scripture the volūtary acknowledgmēts of our learned aduersaries And not to ouercharge the Reader with a needles surplusage of many testimonies some few and those pertinent shall serue And first we thus read to be prophecyed of the Church of God (m) Isa 60 The Iles shall waite for thee their Kings shall minister vnto thee and thy gates shall be continually open neyther day nor night shall they be shut that men may bring to thee the riches of the Gentils And in the new Testament it is sayd of our Sauiour (n) Ephes 4. He gaue Pastours and Doctours to the consummation of Saints c. till we all meete in the vnity of faith that is as is els where in this Treatise shewed euen by the Protestants scholia (o) D. Fulke against the Rhemish Testamēt in Ephes 4 for euer Now these former diuine Oracles prouing an vninterupted visibility of the Church of God are attēded on with the like acknowledgments euen of the Protestants for Melancthon after he had alledged certaine places of Scripture in proofe of the Churches euer visibility doth thus write (p) Melancthon in lotis com edit anno 1561. cap. de Ecclesia Hi similes loci c. These and such lyke places of Scripture non de Idaea Platonica sed de Ecclesia visibili loquuntur And D. Field accordeth therto thus saying (q) D. Field lib. 1. of the Church cap. 10. It is true that Bellarmine laboureth in vaine in prouing that there is alwayes hath beene a visible Church c. for all this we most willingly yield vnto Finally D. Humfrey thus sealeth vp the truth hereof (r) D. Humfrey in Iesuitis part 2. c. 3. Oportet Ecclesiam esse conspicuam Conclusio est clarissima It is a manifest Conclusion that the Church is to be conspicuous or visible Now heer aboue is deliuered first that the Protestant Church hath for many ages been Inuisible Secondly as proued both from the Scriptures and from our Aduersaries doctrine that the true Church of God must at all tymes be visible and conspicuous If thē you will mingle these two Ingredients togeather you shall finde that the Compound made of them will be this That the Protestants Church for want of a continuall visibility at all tymes is not the true Church of God The same deductiō of prouing the Protestant Church not to be the true Church of God may be made from the confessed want of administring the word Sacraments in the sayd Church For seeing the Administration of the word Sacramēts are the essentiall Notes of the true Church in the Protestants iudgments seeing withall by their owne Confessions aboue expressed their Church hath wanted for more thē a thousand yeares togeather this so necessary Administration of the word and Sacraments it then ineuitably followeth that the Protestant Church for want of these Essētial notes of the true Church is not the true Church of God euen by their owne doctrine 5. The fifth is to obserue the aboue confessed Truth of our Catholike Religion in all the chiefest Articles euē from the Aduersaries pens This is the greatest most conuincing proofe that can be desired for heere marke what both
to apply this to our present purpose the obiectum adaequatum to speake in the Philosophers idiome of Protestancy is only the denial of such affirmatiue Catholike points wherin ProtestaÌ„cy differeth at this day froÌ„ the Church of Rome not in its beliefe of those few affirmatiue Articles wherein the Protestants as yet agree with the sayd Church According heerto it did fall out that in the first infancy of the late appearing faith of Protestants the first stampers thereof at their publike meeting voluÌ„tarily for their better distinguishing of themselues from the Catholikes imposed to themselues the name of Protestants and to their fayth the title of Protestancy implying by that word that they protested themselues absolutely to deny such such affirmatiue points of fayth which the Church of Rome at that tyme euer afore maintaines and affirmes For if we respect those few doctrines wherin they did agree with the Church of Rome the Protestants had no reason to vse any such terme of distinguishment seeing both sides did belieue the same Articles Therefore of necessity the word Protestancy as seruing for a character or signature of its separation from our Catholike fayth is to be restrayned to such points wherin the Protestants by their denyall of them then dissented from the Church of Rome But by this we may see how loath is Nouellisme in doctrine to impath it selfe in the beaten tract of Reuerend Antiquity or to runne in the accustomed known channel wherin the stream of Christian ReligioÌ„ in former tymes had its course And thus far of this point the conclusion being that Protestancy as Protestancy only consisteth in denyall of such affirmatiue points which the Church of Rome affirmes to be true not in belieuing with the sayd Church certayne chiefe points of Christianity aboue expressed THE II. PROLEGOMENON In such points of fayth wherein Protestancy dissenteth from the Romane Church al the said points are meerly Negations to the contrary affirmatiue Articles belieued by the Church of Rome CHAP. II. MY second Prolegomenon is to demonstrate by gradation how the ProtestaÌ„ts as aboue is intimated haue reformed or if you will refined their Religion in seuerall points of Fayth and this only by pure Negatiues to the Catholikes contrary Affirmatiue Assertions of them Thus did the Protestants reforme our supposed errors with their owne true and reall errors so the (a) Luc. 18. Pharisy reproued the Publicans sinne with farre greater sinne But to dissect the particulers Luther the Prodromus of these calamitous tymes was first an acknowledged Catholike Priest as himselfe (b) So witnesseth Sleydan in li 16. fol. 232. writeth This man first begun his Reformation with a mincing hesitation trepidatioÌ„ of iudgment busied himself only with the denial of Pardons but by litle little taking greater courage he next proceedeth to the denyall of (c) Luther in captiuit Babilon tom 2. fol. 63. Papall Iurisdiction and (d) Luth. de votis Monastiâ—is in tom 2. Wittemberg Monasticall state professioÌ„ And being once fleshed in his profession he daily more more sharpining his censuring rasour cut of at one blow (e) Luth. tom 2. fol. 63. foure Sacraments He finally concluded with the denyall of the (f) Luth. de abrogaÌ„da missa priuata in tom 2. fol. 244. Masse Priesthood of seueral parts of (g) Luth praefat in epist. Iacob vide Bulling vpon the Apocalips englished cap. 1. Canonicall Scripture (h) Luth. de seruo arbitrio in tom 2. fol. 424. of freewill of Iustification of workes Thus far proceeded Luther And that the denyall of these former points did not happen at one time but by degrees appeareth in that the further he proceeded in this his denyal of Catholicke Articles the more he reputed himselfe reformed and in his later writinges he intreateth pardon of his reader for his presumed defect in his former writings he thus excusing himselfe The (i) tom 1. WitteÌ„b in praefat tom 2. fol. 63. Reader may find how many and how great things I humbly granted to the Pope in my former writings which in my later these times I hold for greatest blasphemy and abomination therfore pious Reader thou must pardon me this errour O see how pride of iudgement the Hypostasis of heresy masketh it selfe vnder the borrowed veile of religious zeale From Luthers loines immediatly descended Zuinglius Bullinger Bucer and some others But these vngrateful and disobedient Impes did not rest satisfied with their Fathers reformation but retayning it for good as far as it went proceeded much further in their NegatioÌ„s of the Articles of the Roman Religion since they denyed the Reall (k) Zuinglius tom 2. fol. 375. 416. Presence denyed (l) Zuing. tom 2. fol. 378. Purgatory and praying for the dead denyed (m) Vide Luth. in ep ad GeorgiuÌ„ Spalatinum praying to Saints denyed (n) See Whitgifts defence in the examination of places fol. penul the vse of Images finally denyed (o) Lib. intituled agaynst Symbolis part 1. c. 2. Sect. 30 crossing of ones selfe Thus farre these men made their progresse in their Negatiue Religion who conspired with their Father through their desire euer of further reformation by excepting in their later writings against their former as not being (p) See Zuingl to 2. fol. 202. vide Bucer Script Anglicana pag. 680. Negatiue inough and yet we are taught by the abortiue Apostle 1. Cor 5. that modicum fermentum totam massaÌ„ corrupit Buâ— to proceed higher for as yet the Scene of a Negatiue Reformatio leaueth not the Stage FroÌ„ these former men did spring Caluin Beza the Puritans of England Scotland Geneua which men as being presumed to be wholy spiritualized and as it were obsest with the holy Ghost such is the pride of Nouelisme made a farre more refyned and sublimated Reformation and all by Negatiues then their Predecessours had done For almost all the other Affirmatiue Catholike Articles passed vnder the fyle of their dislike And therewith they wholy denied the said articles The chiefe articles denied by these Enthysiasts to omit diuers of them for breuity are these following (q) D. Willet in his speciall booke entituled Lymbomastix most Puritanes Christs descending into hell the Headship of the Church to reside in one alone (r) Denyed by Beza Caluin Knox in whole Treatises vniuersality of grace (Å¿) Vide the Suruey of the Booke of common Prayer the power of priest-hood to remit sinnes (t) denied by Caluin as appeareth by SchlusseÌ„b in Theolog Caluinist lib. 1. fol. 60. and by D Willet in Synopsis pag. 432. Baptisme by lay persons in tyme of necessity (u) Conâ—l in his examen pag 63. 64. Ceremonies and (x) Vide Whitgifts defence pag. 259. Church apparell c. But the denyall of Beza shall serue as a Chorus to the former particuler denyalls who taking as it should seeme a
wanton complacency in repeating the word I deny thus writeth * See Duraeus in cōfut respōs VVhitaker ad decem rationes Camp rat 10. I deny that God can make Christs body to be present in the Eucharist I deny seauen Sacnaments I deny grace to be giuen by Sacraments I deny freewill in man I deny good workes I deny praier for the dead I deny Christ to be borne of a Virgin I deny that he descended into hell I deny the Communion of Saints I deny the forgiuenesse of sins Thus Beza To whose denyalls I will make bold to add one more to wit I deny that Beza houlding these Negations can be saued And thus these former Men who as afore did Luther Zuinglius and Bucer much vaunt of their proficiēcy in this their negatiue controlling of the Romane Church for Caluin being expostulated by some how endles he and his sect were in going out from their former proceedings thus salueth the point (y) Caluin lib. de scādal extant in Tractat. Theolog. They do as if a man should accuse vs that at the first breaking of day we see not yet the Sunne shining at noone day But what Is not Protestancy come yet to its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and perfection of its negatiue Reformation by all the former Protestants No verily For the Protestants Reformatiō in regard it is neuer at an end is like herein to Eternity which is euer spending it selfe and yet neuer lessens For in this next place step in the Brownists and the Anti-trinitarians both of them challenging to themselues a new Reformation euen in the Negatiue part Thus do the Brownists for exāple deny the (z) Barrowes booke in his discourse agaynst Vniuersities Lords prayer and (a) See Halls Apology sect 30. agaynst the Brownists Baptisme of Infants which they say is the marke * In Hals descript to the Separat before the Epistle dedicatory of the Beast They also deny our (b) Hall vbi supra materiall Churches (c) Barrows vbi supra Vniuersities To conclude with the Anti-trinitarians they yet vrging a further Negatiue Reformation do heervpon deny the blessed Trinity and diuinity of Christ condemning the Catholike Article of the Trinity for the most notable relique or brand of all Romish corruption for thus M. Hooker writeth hereof (d) M. Hooker in his Ecclesiasticall policy lib. 4. pag. 18◠The Arians in the reformed Churches of Poland thinke the very beliefe of the Trinity to be a part of Antichristian corruption c. Hitherto of the Protestants Reformations of the Catholike and Romane fayth and all this by meere Negatiues I meane Negatiues to the Affirmatiue cōtrary Articles taught by the Church of Rome from whence we may well inferre that the fayth of a Protestant in regard of such his Negatiue Religion is a meere wast deuastation of all true fayth and that his beliefe consisteth only in not belieuing Now that the Iudicious Reader may more fully and intensly obserue how many Articles of our Catholike Religion the Protestāt denyeth I will heere amasse the chiefest of them together though most of them haue beene aboue expressed that so the Reader may haue a full Synopsis or sight of them all at once The Protestant then denyeth the Reall presence the blessed Sacrifice of the Masse the visibility of the Church the Churches freedome from errour the succession of Pastors vniuersality of grace freewill praier to Saints Purgatory prayer for the dead Pilgrimages diuers parts of Canonicall Scripture Papall Iurisdiction of Bishops power of Priest-hood to remit sinnes Monasticall life vowed chastity single life of priests prescript fasting-dayes the Grace and Necessity of Baptisme fiue Sacraments Christs descending into Hell besides some others So wholly negatiue are the Protestants in all the Articles controuerted at this day between them and the Church of Rome Neither can our Aduersaries reply that they hould diuers Affirmatiue points ventilated at this day betweene vs and them we retayning the Negatiues as for exāple Parity of Ministers Mariage of Priests and other Votaries Reprobation Christs only Mediatorship by way of intercession Christs suffering in soule c. To this I answere that these poynts are Affirmatiue in words but meerly negatiue in sense like some drugs which are pleasant in the tast but dangerous in the operation since they are negatiues to the Monarchy of the Churches gouernment to vowed chastity to Vniuersality of Grace to the intercession of Saints and to the all-sufficiency of Christs corporall death all which our Catholike points are Affirmatiue Such is the subtility of Innouatiō in doctrine as to inuest their Negatiue Tenets in Affirmatiue Titles that thereby they may seeme more specious regardable And thus farre concerning the foresaid Prolegomena That the Protestants haue often corrected and reformed their Translations of the Bible and the Liturgy or Common-booke of prayer in fauour of their Negatiue Religion euery later excepting agaynst the former as corrupt and impure CHAP. III. I Will subnect to the former Prolegomena this passage following which is to shew that after our Protestants had newly moulded their Religion by their pure-impure negatiues then instantly their next labour was to make new Translations of the Holy Scripture and to reforme their publike Liturgy or booke of Common prayer according to their afore chosen negatiue Religion And as the Protestants at seuerall times more more reformed their Religion by increase of Negatiues so they also at the said seuerall tymes made new Translations of the Bible and set forth new bookes of Common-Prayer euer sortable to their last negatiue Reformation Thus we see how this censuring and reforming humour is the very eye comportment and carriage of Protestancy From which course of theirs the iudicious Reader may obserue the preposterous method taken by the Protestants heerein For whereas themselues do teach that fayth and Religion is to be extracted out of the true infallible sense of the Scripture consequently that their iudgements in the Scripture ought to be knowne to precede in tyme before faith yet with thē the faith was first established and then the Scripture was after by their Trāslations squared to their fayth Thus with them it fell out that the Scripture was true in such and such a poynt because it confirmed by their translation their new assumed negatiue fayth and not that their fayth was true because it was consonant to the Scripture before it was so translated by them so making their fayth the square of the Scripture and not the Scripture the square of their fayth But to come first to the seuerall Translations of Scripture the later euer condemning the former as not sufficiently translated in full defence of their negatiue Positions And first Luther trāslated the Scripture presently after his open reuolt and Apostasy This translation was as the first much admired so blazing starres at their first appearance are much gazed vpon yet because it warranted many affirmatiue
haue a true reference ad Idem From whence it then followeth that the one side at least if not both in these former contradictions hath no reality or truâ— subsistence of Being And heereupon then I conclude that since all these former alledged men are accepted by the Church of England as good Protestants and all their meere contrary doctrines in the former poynts are taught for good Protestancy that therefore Protestancy as consisting of such contradictory doctrines whose nature requires a Not-be ng of one poynt is no reall and truly subsisting fayth but a meere Chymera and Non-entity The points of Protestancy touching which the Professours of Protestancy and especially the Caluinists amongst themselues do so diametrically differ are amoÌ„g others these following VVhether God doth decree and will sinne or but only permit sinne VVhether the Ciuill Magistrate may be head of the Church whether as aboue is intimated the body of Christ be truly and substantially present to the mouth of fayth or but Sacramentally only present whether in case of Adultery the innocent party may marry againe whether the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme and the vse of the Surplisse be lawfull whether Bishops be Antichristian or lawfull whether Christ suffered in soule the paines of Hell besides many others The different Tenets in all which doctrines are so repugnant and contradictory one to another yet all is good Protestancy as before is sayd and all the maintainers of the contrary doctrines reputed for zealous Protestants and Professours of the Gospell that euen by the law and nature of Contradictories the one syde must euer want a reall subsisting Being and thereupon it followeth that Protestancy as compacted of such contrarieties in doctrine must be in it selfe a very nothing This discrepancy and Antipodes-like treading of our aduersaries in Articles of Protestancy is made more manifest by recalling to mynd what is aboue set down touching the great violent dissentions of the ProtestaÌ„ts concerning their translatioÌ„s of Scripture their booke of Common praier But leauing that as aboue touched the same will likewise be made euident by remembring in what acerbity of style the Protestants haue writ one against another euer intimating thereby that the different doctrines differently maintained by them were truly Contradictories and therefore the Tenets of the one syde at least meere irreall as wanting all true Being But to contract this poynt I will particulerly insist as most conducing to the subiect in hand first in setting downe the expresse words in their owne dialect of the English Protestants and the English Puritanes and after I will put downe some few tytles of Protestants Bookes written one against another from which the Reader may euen depose that the different protestanticall doctrines maintained in those different bookes against other Protestants defending the contrary must of necessity be in themselues contradictory and incompatible one with another But to begin with our English Protestants And first we find M. Parkes thus to write of the Puritanes (l) In his booke dedicated to the Archbishop in Epist dedicatory They are headstrong and hardened in Errour they strike at the mayne points of fayth shaking the foundation it selfe and calling to question Heauen and Hel the diuinity and Humanity yea the very Soule and Saluation of our Sauiour himselfe And yet more in the same place The Puritanes haue pestilent Heresies c. They are Hereticall and sacrilegious M. Powell thus styleth the Puritanes (m) Powel in his coÌ„sideratioÌ„s They are notorious manifest Schismatikes cut of from the Church of God The Archbishop of Canterbury thus blazeth them (n) In the Suruey of pretended discipline cap. 5. 2. 4. The Puritanes do peruert the true meaning of certaine places both of Scriture and Fathers to serue their owne turne Now the Puritanes on the other syde are ready to repay the ProtestaÌ„ts former curtesy in their owne laÌ„guage for thus they write (o) In the defence of the Silenced Ministers supplicatioÌ„ to the high court of Parlament Do we vary from the sincere doctrine of the Scriptures Nay rather many of them meaning the Bishops their adherents do much swarue â—rom the same c. And agayne (p) This appeareth in the booke of Constitutions and Câ—nons Ecclesiassticall printed aÌ„no 1604 The worship in the Church of EnglaÌ„d corrupt superstitious vnlawfull â—epugnant to the Scriptures The Arâ—icles of the Bishops Religion are erroâ—eous their rites Antichristian By this we may discerne what mutuall recrimination and what â—reconciliable repugnancy there betweene the English moderate â—rotestant and the English Puâ—itan and this euen in great matâ—ers and of highest consequence â—nd therefore the former M. Parks â—onfesseth sincerely and ingenuâ—usly of this point thus saying (q) M. Parks vbi supra p. 3. The Protestants deceaue the world â—nd make men belieue there is agreeâ—ent in all substantiall points They â—ffirme there is no question among theÌ„ of the truth And this much touching our domesticall Protestants and Puritanes In the next place I will descend to forrayne Protestants and for greater breuity among many huÌ„dred of bookes written by Protestants against Protestants see heer the (r) Isa 19. Aegyptian set against the Aegyptian ech one fighting against his brother I will content my selfe with setting downe the titles only of ten of them From which Titles the Reader may infallibly conclude that the Controuersies being the subiect of those bookes are not of that adiaphorous and indifferent nature as that the Tenets of both sydes might be true but that the Patrones of both sides did hould cotradictory doctrines and such as that granted by supposall the truth and Being of the one part the other of necessity waÌ„teth all reality of Being And to begin 1. Aegidij Hunnij Caluinus IudaizaÌ„s Hoc est Iudaicae glossae corruptelae quibus Ioannes Caluinus illustrissima Scripturae sacrae loca testimonia de gloriosa Trinitate deitate Christi Spiritus sancti c. detestandum in modum corrumpere non abhorruit Wittenberg anno 1593. 2. Alberti Graueri Bellum Ioannis Caluini Iesu Christi braptae 1598. 3. Oratio de incarnatione filij Dei contra impios blaspemos errores Swinglianorum CaluiuistaruÌ„ Tubingae anno 1586. 4. Anti-paraeus Hoc est refuâ—atio venenati Scripti à Dauide Paâ—aeo editi in defensione stropharum â—orruptelarum quibus Ioannes Caluiâ—us illustrissima Scripturae testimonia de mysterio Trinitatis nec non oracula Prophetarum de Christo detestandum in modum corrupit Francofurti 1â—98 5. Denominatio Imposturarum fraudum quibus Aegidius Hunnius Ecclesiae orthodoxae doctrinam petulanter corrumpere pergit Bremae 1592. 6. Guillielmi Zepperi Dillinbergensis Ecclesiae Pastoris institutio de tribus Religionis summis Capitibus quae inter Euangelicos in controuersiam vocantur Hanouiae 1596. 7. Veritatis victoria ruina Papatus Saxonici Losannae 1563 8. Christiani Kittellmanni decem graues perniciosi
the soules of those old condemned men thus to consociate with certaine old branded anathematized Heretikes by borrowing their priuatiue and negatiue fayth and religion from them thereupon to dispart and diuide themselues from all communion in fayth with the Orthodoxall Fathers of those pure and primitiue tymes who euer in the former Articles set downe in this Chapter and in all others did hould the Affirmatiue part to the others Negatiue so foule a scarre herby resteth vpon the face of our Aduersaries reputation and honour Now that these former men were recorded for heretikes for their denyall of the aboue cyted Catholike Articles and their denyals taken for heresies and that the such recording of them was warranted with the full consent of the whole Church of God in those tymes appeareth from this one consideration to wit those Fathers writers which did record the former men for heretikes their negations for heresies were Epiphanius S. Ierome S. Austin Theodoret Eusebius and some such others diuers of which Fathers made certayne Bookes and styled them de Haeresibus And in these their books they registred the former men for Heretikes their Negatiue doctrines for Heresies Now all these Fathers and writers were learned godly men their learning then would assure them what opinions were Heresies in those tymes and what were not Their Piety and Holynes would not suffer them to wrong any man with the hateful brand of Heretike or his doctrine with the foule title of Heresy except both the men and their doctrines deserued such a seuere Censure And it cannot be answered in reply heerto that the Catholike Church of God in those Primitiue tymes did euer taxe or reprehend any of the former Fathers for ranging that man among Heretikes or his doctrines among Heresies which were not taken for such by the whole and vnanimous iudgement of the then Church of God Thus far to demonstrate that seeing Heresy in its owne nature is but a Priuation and euery Priuation is a Non Ens that therefore Protestancy as being ingendred of the ancient exploded Heresies is a Non-entity That there are diuers positions of Protestancy which besides that they are implicitely but negations of the Catholikes contrary Affirmatiue doctrines are in their owne nature meerly voyde of all reality of Being CHAP. XI IN this place we will take into our consideration diuers Articles of the Protestants Fayth in the true examining of which we shall finde that not only as being but meer negatiues to our affirmatiue Catholike Articles they haue no reall Existency or being but also as they are to be considered in their owne particuler natures And first may occurre their Tenet of the Priuate reuealing or interpreting Spirit which though in termes it beareth the show of an Affirmatiue position yet truly it is nothing els then the denyall negaiion of the infallibility of the whole Church of God in matters of fayth This Spirit comprehendeth in the amplitude largenes of its owne Orbe most of the seueral passages of Protestancy Now to examine the Essence and nature of this Spirit exercised chiefly in interpreting of Scripture if such an imaginary conceit could haue an Essence or nature as indeed it cannot we find that this Spirit is a meer Phantasy of ech particuler mans giddy head-peece For if it were certayne and infallible and so it must be if it proceed from the holy Ghost how then commeth it to passe that seuerall priuate spirits of the Protestants do interprete one and the same Text of Scripture in different and sometymes meere contrary senses and constructions This point is demonstrated to pretermit infinite other passages of Scripture in the exposition of those few words vttered by our Sauiour Math. 26. Luc 22. Marc. 14. Hoc est corpus meum Hic est sanguis meus As also in that Article of our Creed Descendit ad inferos We find both these passages to haue receaued seuerall constructions by the Protestants and from such their different constructions are sprung vp different sects of Protestancy as the Lutherans the Caluinists the more moderate Protestant c. Agayne to omit diuers other choaking reasons to prooue this Spirit to be a meer phantasy of the brayne ingendred of Pride and Ignorance and to haue no reality or true Being in it selfe how can this priuate Spirit be infallible to which euery Heretike with equall interest thereto coueteth chiefly to repaire as to his strongest Sanctuary as we see by the experience of ancient and moderne tymes they do For did not the (a) teste Epiphan haeres 69. Ioan â—â— 18. Ioan. 6. Arians (b) Ioan. 1. Ioan 2. Eutichians the (c) Philip. 2. Hebr. 7 Nestorians the rest euer labour by the help of their owne Spirits differerently interpreting the Scripture to maÌ„tayne their different blasphemyes and heresies And do not the Anti-Trinitarians the Brownists the Family of loue and diuers such others the like in these our tymes So little reason therefore had D. VVhitakers to beautify this erroneous Priuate Spirit with his gilded description in these words (d) In controuers 1. q. 5. cap. 3 11. An inward persuasion of the Holy Ghost wrought in the secret closet of the belieuers heart and repugnant is this his delineation to the words of sacred Scripture (e) 2. Pet. 1. No Prophecy of Scripture is made by priuate interpretation And agayne (f) 1. Iohn cap. 4. early beloued belieue not euery spirit but try the spirits if they be of God The second may be the (g) Luth. in art 10.11 12. Melancth in locis tit de fide Caluin in Antitdot Concil Trident. sess 6. Protestants doctrine of Imputatiue Iustice in vs being but a negation and denyall of the Catholike doctrine of Inherent Iustice vpon which doctrine the Protestant more easily relyes since his owne soule euen dead-aliue as being organized with a liuing body but a dead will is loth to practise any good workes Now this Imputatiue Iustice is in it selfe a meer Ens rationis as hauing contrary to the Nature of all diuine Vertues and to all reall and true qualities no true Existency or Inherency in our Soule as the Protestants do confesse it being only a naked application of Christs Iustice to vs wherby our sins are palliated and couered Againe if a man be iust wheÌ„ he beginneth to belieue that he is iust then is he not iustifyed by that by the which he belieueth he is iust seeing his fayth is later then his Iustice And if he be vniust at what tyme he belieueth he is iust then is his fayth false consequently no supernaturall or diuine fayth but a meer fiction of this supposed iust man so vnreall imaginary a conceite we see is this Imputatiue Iustice and indeed to mantaine it is as absurd as to mantaine that the sonne can precede in priority of being his Father or the effect the cause for thogh in all other things the truth
inhering in the vnderstanding of the Professour but if since the Apostles daies there haue beene no Professours of ProtestaÌ„cy by reason of the Inuisibility of that Church for so many ages doth it not then follow that a least during all those ages Protestancy as wanting its proper Subiect to inhere in hath had no real Being but hath beene all those many series or Centuries of yeareâ— a meere Nothing That the confessed want of Personalâ— Succession and lawfull calling in the Protestant Church proueth their Church to be no reall thing but a meer fiction and consequently that Protestancy is but an Intentionality or bare Notion of the mynd CHAP. XIII PHilosophy teacheth vs that euery thing doth consist of somewhat which is essentiall to it and of other things which are but Accidentall and necessary The Accidents serue only ad bent esse and by meanes of Inherency to giue as it were their attendance for greater state and honour of the thing the which they do inuest and therefore may actually at least in thought be separated and disioyned from such their subiect without any destruction of it But it is otherwise with that which is essentiall to any thing for that necessarily conduceth ad simpliciter esse of the thing the which Essentiall poynt being by supposall taken away the thing wherof it was Essentiall instantly looseth its Being is become therby a nothing Now to apply this to the Protestant Church And to pretermit what Accidentally accompanyeth the Church we will insist onely in that which is by our aduersaries acknowledgemeÌ„t Essentiall to the Church to wit the Administration of the VVord and Sacraments Now if it can be proued that the ProtestaÌ„t Church wanteth this Administration of the word and Sacraments then may we infallibly conclude that the Protestant Church is no Church nor Protestancy any Reall thing in it selfe But seeing this Administration of the word and Sacraments cannot be performed but by the help of the true Pastors we wil first shew the necessity of Pastours secoÌ„dly that the administratioÌ„ of the word Sacraments are Essentiall to the Being of a Church And lastly we will proue that the Protestant Church like a mastlesse ship hath neuer enioyed any true Pastours consequently neuer enioyed the Administration of the word and Sacraments the very Essence or being of a true Church And first the holy Scriptures doe often inculcate that in the Church of God there euer must be Personall Succession and lawfull calling coÌ„sequently that that society of Christians which want these two poynts is no Church at all Touching the necessity of Personal Succession thus we read (a) Isa 59 My Spirit which is vpon thee and the words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from hence foorth for euer To which accord those wordes of the Apostle spoken of our Sauiour (b) Ephes 4. He hath placed Pastours to the consummation of Saints till we all meete in vnity of fayth That is as the Protestants do comment (c) So sayth Do-For Fulk agaynst the Rhemish Testament for euer and (d) D Fulk agaynst Heskins Sanders c. pag. 539. to the end of the world Now the reason why Pastours must be euer in the Church or els it is no Church but only a false vsurpation of the word Church is because in the Church there euer must be the Administration of the word and Sacraments but there can be no Administration of the word and Sacraments without Pastours euen according to the Apostles iudgmeÌ„t who sayth Rom. 10. How shall they belieue whome they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher which things to wit the Administration of the word and Sacrament as (e) D. VVhitaker contra Duâ—â—cum lib. 3. p. 249. D. VVhitakers teacheth being present do constitute a Church being absent do subuert it And D. VVillet in Sinops pag. 69. further in direct words affirmeth That the absence of the Administration of the word and Sacraments doth make a Nullity of the Church And sortably heerto other Protestants do write thus (f) Proposition and Principles disputed of in the Church of Geneua pag. 845. The ministery is an Essentiall marke of the true Church FroÌ„ which true acknowledgment of the learned Protestants we see that a Church without the due Administration of the word and Sacraments wanteth its Essence and is but a Nullity or Non Ens. Now as Personall Succession for the administration of the word and SacrameÌ„ts is deduced from the Scripture so also is the necessity of Lawfull vocation according to those wordes (g) Rom. 10. How shall they preach except they be sent And that (h) Heb. 5. No man taketh the honour of Priest-hood but he that is called of God as Aaron was which calling in the Apostles times was euer conferred by Imposition of hands But heer let vs see if the Protestants can make good the Personall Succession and ordinary calling of their Ministers for the preaching of the word and Administration of the SacrameÌ„ts But this is first denyed euen by the confessed Inuisibility of the Protestant Church for if the Protestant Church hath beene wholly inuisible or rather vtterly extinct for the space of thirteene or fourteene hundred yeares at the least as themselues haue aboue confessed theÌ„ during that long space of tyme the Protestant Church as not being then in Being wanted her Pastours the stalke which supports the vine and eonsequently wanted the Administration of the word and Sacraments and through such its want it wanted its owne Essâ—nce and was but a Nullity or Nothing during all that long Circuite of so many ages Furthermore whereas the Protestants seeing themselues thus plunged do flie for reliefe to Extraordinary calling for thus writeth Caluin (i) Lasciuius a Protestant in his booke ac RussoruÌ„ relig c. 23 alledgeth Caluin thus saying and see Caluin lib. Instit 4. c. 3. sest 4. Quia Papae Tyrannide c. Because through the Tyranny of the Pope the true Ordidinary Succession of Ordination was broken of therefore we stood in need of a new helpe and this was the extraordinary guift And D. Fulk thus writeth hereof (k) Fulke agaynst StapletoÌ„ and Martiall pag. 2. The Protestants that first preached in these last dayes had Extraordinary Caliing Therefore I will show that this poore refuge is impugned euen by the Protestants themselues so daÌ„gerous an incision their own pens haue made in the wounds of their owne Church for first D. Bilson thus teacheth (l) D. Bilson in his perpetual gouermeÌ„t of the Church c. 9. pag. 111. They can haue no part of Apostolicall Commission who haue no shew of Apostolicall succession Agayne Extraordinary Calling is euer warranted with working of Miracles as it was in the Apostles tymes euen by the doctrine of the Protestants for thus doth Luther
expostulate others of their Calling and might not one by retortion expostulate Luther in his owne words (m) Luth. tom 5. Ien. Germ. fol. 67. Vnde venis quis te misit Vbi sunt miracula quae te à Deo missum esse testantur And yet it is most certayne that God hath neuer honoured any one ProtestaÌ„t so much since the first appearing of Protestancy as to exhibite any one true and stupendious Miracle for confirmation of Protestancy A point so vndenyable that D. Fulk thus acknowledgeth (n) Against the Rhemish Testam in Apocalip 13. It is known that Caluin and the rest whome Papists call Arch-Heretikes worke no miracles Thus farre of this poynt Now to encircle the contents of all this Chapter within a narrow coÌ„passe I thus dispute If the Protestant Church hath had no true Personall Succession and Ordinary vocation â—f Ministers then hath it not had any true Pastours the euer watching Centinels of Gods Church as (o) Isa 162. Isay stileth them if it hath not had true Pastours then hath it not enioyed the true Administration of the word and SacrameÌ„ts if it hath not enioyed the true Administration of the word and Sacraments then hath it lost its Essence and is therby become a Nullity as D. VVillet and other Protestants in expresse words aboue cyted doe auer but if the Protestant Church hath by this meanes waÌ„ted its owne Essence and became a Nullity then euen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and demonstratiuely it followeth that Protestancy which is the supposed faith prea-by the Protestant Church belieued by her children hath in it selfe no Essence or being but is a meere Nullity or Non Ens. The Non-Entity of Protestancy proued from that which it worketh in the VVills of its Professours CHAP. XIV ABoue we haue discouered that Protestancy is depriued of all reality of being both in regard that its whole Systema or frame consisteth of meere Negations which are nothing els but an ouerthrowe of Positiue Articles of faith as also besides from seueral other heads in that diuers particuler Negatiue Tenets of their profession are if they be truely vnfoulded fouÌ„d to be only vaporous imaginations without al subsisteÌ„ce or being Now we will demonstrate the like Irreality of Protestancy by taking into our consideration what that Religion produceth in the belieuers thereof in regard of the Will of Morality in conuersation maÌ„ners Where first we are to note that Sinne I meane the deformity which is in euery sinnefull act is in its owne nature Non ens and therfore cannot proceed from God VVho (a) Gen. 1 Iohn 1. made only thinges and all thinges The reason heerof is in that Sinne being a deuiation erring from the rule of reason and a priuatioÌ„ of goodnes hath as (b) De ciuit Dei l. 12. c. 7. S. Austin all learned men teach no efficient but a deficient cause consequently is Non-ens And therefore Peter Martyr as aboue is sayd for authorities pertinent may well be iterated very fully discourseth of the nature of Sinne in these wordes An (c) In CoÌ„mon places in English part 1. cap. 17. euill thing such is Sinne hath no efficient but a deficient cause If any will search out this efficient cause it is euen like as he would see the Darknes with his eyes or comprehend Silence with his eares which being priuations it is no need that they should haue efficient causes Now to apply this to our matter in hand Heere I auouch that diuers Negatiue Articles of protestancy doe of their owne nature incline mans Will to sinne and al turpitude in manners and therefore as those protestantical Theses or Tenets in the vnderstaÌ„ding being but Negations or Priuations of the contrary positiue Articles of the Catholikes are depriued of al Entity of Being so also is that which they produce and beget in the Wil I meane Sinne wickednes in the belieuers of them depriued of al Entity or Being thogh otherwise most displeasing hatefull in the sight of God And so that Axiome of Philosophy may heere by allusion take place Ex nihilo nihil fit That Sinne is the fruit and effect of Protestancy I will exemplify it in those few Articles ensuing maintayned by the Protestants And first the Protestants Denyall of Free-will we Catholikes houlding the Affirmatiue heereto impelleth man most forcibly to the satisfying of his vnlawfull and voluptuous desires in all kindes of Sinne. For who is persuaded truly that he hath not Free-will in his actions but that he is forced to doe that he doth why should he labour to scale the craggy tower of vertue or auoyd the pleasing bayte of Sinne seeing it is not in his power through want of Free-will to performe eyther And vpon this ground it is that the Protestants teach that (d) Luther serm de Moyse the ten CoÌ„mandements appertayne not vnto Christians (e) D. VVillet Synops Papism pag. 504. And that the law remaineth stil impossible to be kept through the weakenes of our flesh neither doth God giue vs ability to keepe it c. Now doth not this doctrine open the passage to the breach of all the ten Commandements and this without controwle or condeÌ„ning the party so offending since it is not in his power to doe otherwyse In like sort the Protestants doctrine of Reprobation which is but the Negatiue to the Catholike doctrine of Vniuersality of Grace much discourageth men froÌ„ vertue and inuiteth them to vice since that man who is a reprobate let him labour neuer so much to please God with walking in a most vertuous and paynefull lyfe yet by this doctrine certaine it is that he shall be damned Againe the Protestants denyal of Purgatory as it freeth a man froÌ„ making any restitution or satisfaction for wrongs done to a third person so it much emboldeneth him to sinne assuring himselfe by this doctrine that notwithstaÌ„ding any enormous sinnes whatsoeuer committed by him he once dying â—n a true fayth there are no temporall punishments reserued for him after this lyfe I heere but briefly touch how â—he Protestants by their defence of â—heir Iustifying fayth excluding workes both from iustification merit do speake and write most â—asely and vnworthily of good workes For doth not (f) In praefat ad Rom. Illiricus â—hus traduce all good workes To hould that good workes are in respect but of presence necessary to saluation as some Protestants do hould is a papisticall errour Yea he further most impiously enlargeth himselfe saying (g) Vide Art colloq Aldeburg pag. 120. sest 11. Good workes are not only not necessary to saluation but hurtfull to it And D. Whitakers speaking particulerly of Virginity doth thus disualew it (h) Contra Camp rat 8. Virginity is not simply good but after a certayne manner And of fasting D. Willet thus teacheth (i) Synops pag. 241. Neyther is God better worshipped by eating or not eating Thus farre to shew that
Eccles Pol. p. 128 Touching the maine poynts of Christian fayth wherein they constantly persist we gladly acknowledge them to be of the family of Iesus-Christ D. VVhitgift (z) In his Answere to the Admonition p. 40 The Papists belieue the same Articles of fayth which we do For breuity D. VVhite shall conclude this poynt saying (a) In defence of the way cap. 38. In the substātiall Articles of fayth we agree with the Papists Now by these Testimonies and confessions we see most differently from their former writings that Papists are members of the true Church and consequently in our aduersaries censure of the Protestant Church and that the articles of Papistry are but the fayth and doctrine of Protestancy In the next place according to the Methode aboue come in the Anabaptists Anabaptists whom the Protestāts admit to be of their Church and their doctrine no way preiudiciall to their owne doctrine of Protestancy For first of this point Oecolampadius thus writeth (b) Lib. 2. Epist pag. 363. Baptisme is an externall thing which by the law of Charity may be dispenced withall And (c) Controu 4 9. cap. 2. p. 716. VVhitakers iudgment is that we may abstaine from Baptisme so there be no contempt or scandall following Finally D. Morton thus brotherly acknowledgeth the Anabaptists (d) In his Answere to the Protestāts Apology lib. 4. ca. 2. sect 10 VVe Protestants iudge the state of the Anabaptists not to be vtterly desperate Touching the Arians M. Hooker telleth vs in these wordes (e) Eccles Pol. lib. 4. pag. 181. The Arians in the reformed Churches of Poland c. he heerby insinuating that those Protestant Churches in Poland did acknowledge the Arians Arians as mēbers of their Church though I fully presume that M. Hooker himselfe was of a far different opinion And M. Morton peremptorily maintaineth that his Protestant Church is one and the same with the Church of the Arians and giueth his reason thereof in these words (f) In his booke of the Kingdome of Israel the Church pag. 94. Because the Ariās hold the foundation of the Gospell They further proceede incorporate within the Protestant Church euen Idolaters Idolaters For M. Hooker thus affirmeth (g) Eccles Polic. l. 3. pag. 126. Christians by externall profession they are all whose marke of recognizance hath in it those thinges which we haue mentioned yea although they be impious Idolaters wicked Heretykes persons excommunicable And this poynt receaueth its further proofe from the Protestāts comportement toward the Catholikes For we well know that the Protestants at other tymes both by writing and in their Sermons with most tragicall Exclamations charge the Catholikes with Idolatry cōmitted in their adoring our Sauiour Christ in the most blessed Eucharist and in their worship exbited to Images and Relikes And yet aboue we see the Protestants teach that the Protestant and Catholike Church are but one the same Church Now if the Papists be members of the Protestant Church that they be Idolaters as the Protestāts do dreame thē are Idolaters members of the Protestant Church But the Protestant doth not limit his Church with in these former Cancells or bounds for he also comparteth and interleageth euen with the Infidels Infidels admitting them to be members of his owne Church teaching that they be capable of saluation For (h) Act. Mon. pag. 495. M. Fox relateth of a Protestāt Martyr by him for learning and vertue much magnified who thus taught A Turke Saracene or any Mahometan whatsoeuer may be saued if he trust in one God and keep his law And (i) Bale Cent. 6. p. 404. Bale warnes vs to be wary that we condemne not rashly any Turke But this poynt is further most amply taught by Swinglius and other Protestāt deuines as aboue in the sixt chapter of this Treatise is manifested to which passage for greater expedition I referre the studious Reader But what hath Protestācy yet receaued its due circumscription as I may say and confinement No for the Protestants charity is so great and immense Antichrist as that they are content to admit and indenize euen him whome they mantaine by their own writings to be the true Antichrist for a member of the Protestant Church O most strange Church cōsisting of such Heterogeneous members That this is so I thus prooue The Protestants I meane the greatest part of them confidently teach that the Pope is the true Antichrist deciphered in the holy Scripture Now marke what Protestants neuertheles confesse in this poynt D. Whitakers thus writeth (k) D. Whit. in his Answere to the first demonstration of D. Sāders I will not say that from the tyme that Papistry began to be Antichristianity the Popes themselues haue beene all dāned And yet the sayd D. Whitakers elswhere (l) D. Whit. in his answere to the last demonstration of D. Sāders auerreth most cōfidently the Pope to be Antichrist I will adioyne heerto the like charitable censure of M. Powell who taught the Pope to be Antichrist and yet thus writeth (m) M. Powel de Antichristo cap. 33. p. 338. I will in no wise say that all the Popes from the tyme wherein Papistry was first reuealed to be Antichristianity are damned Thus far of what persons are truly acknowledged by the iudgement of the Protestants for members of their owne Church But Musculus the Protestant is more lauish herein and proceedeth yet one step further by enlarging the Protestant Church his wordes are these (n) Musculus in loco com de coena p. 552. I imbrace all for brethren in the Lord howsoeuer they disagree frō me or amongst themselues as long as they mantayne not the Popish Impiety O most Serpentine and diuelish rancour and malice Thus far of this Subiect in generall But now to reflect vpon the premises and to draw from thence an vnauoydable deduction If so then on the one syde euery Fayth Religion and Church are to haue knowne explayned as their chiefe and first Theoreme what doctrines concurre to the making vp of the same fayth and Religion and what kind of men are the mēbers of the said Church and if this be not first known that then it followeth that such a faith or Church is but meerely Intentionall and Irreall And if on the other part Protestancy and the Protestant Church be so irresolute deuided and distracted in iudgment a necessary Attendant of Errour and falshood that at one tyme they will wholy exterminate from their fayth and Church the Papists the Anabaptists the Arians Heretikes in generall and Schismatikes and at another tyme or perhaps at the same time by the same Protestants wil incorporate and admit into the fellowship of their Religion and Church not only the sayd Papists Anabaptists Arians Heretikes Schismatikes but also supposed Idolaters Infidels Antichrist and euery one who in any sort impugne the Church of Rome if all
appeareth froÌ„ that which is aboue deliuered touching the Protestants reprehension both of the translations of Scripture made by forrayne Protestants as also of our English Translations But if the Protestants doe reiect their owne brethrens Translations theÌ„ much lesse will they staÌ„d vnappealably to our Catholike Translations of the Scripture 4. If the Catholike proceed further in insisting in the Originals of both the Testaments The Protestants deny that the originalls of them are the same in all passages as they were first penned by the Prophets the Euangelists and the Apostles Thus for example in the new Testament where in (d) Matth c. 10. S. Matthew it is sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Peter (e) Beza in his Annotat. vpon the new Testament set foorth anno 1556 Beza denyeth the Originall herin iustifiing though it be thus read in all Greeke copyes extant at this day that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 primus was added by some one enclining to the defence of the Popes Primacy In like sort (f) Beza vbi supra Beza denyeth that the Greeke Originall in Luke 22. is at this present the same as it was first penned by the Euangelist mantayning that it is corrupted in fauour of the Reall presence 5. If he insist in such passages of Scripture whose Originalls and Translations therin are on all parts accepted for true and tell his Aduersary that the whole Church of God in her Primitiue and purer tymes euer interpreted the said passages of Scripture in that sense in which they are at this present by the Catholikes alledged The ProtestaÌ„t absolutly (g) So doth D. Whitakers l de Eceles contra Bellarm. controuers 2. q. 4. p. 223. Perkins in his Exposition of the Creed p. 400. Iewell in his Apology of the Church of England part 4. cap. 4. and most other Protestants denyes that infallible authority of the Church of God in interpreting the holy Scripture but disclayming from it appeales to his owne Priuate spirit interpreting the same 6. If forbearing the written word of God he alledge in warranting of his fayth the vnwritten word of God I meane Apostolicall Traditions the Protestant denyes peremptorily the Authority of all such Traditions Thus for example where S. Chrysostome sayth (h) Chrysost in 2. Thessal hom 4. The Apostles did not deliuer all things by writinge but many thinges without and these be as worthy of credit as the other D. VVhitakers reiects this authority touching Traditions in these wordes (i) D. Whitak de sacra scriptura pag. 678. I answere That this is an inconsiderate speach and vnworthy so great a Father And Cartwright in depressing the weight of Traditions maintayned by S. Augustine thus writeth (k) See Cartwright in whitgifts defence p. 103. To allow S. Austins saying is to bring in Popery agayne 7. If leauing the word of God he descend to humane authorities yet so humane as that they haue the peculiar promise of (l) Matt. 18. Christs assistance therein I meane to the graue authority of Generall Councells the Protestants deny all authority of them For D. VVhitakers openly professeth that Generall Councels (m) L. de Concil contra Bellar. q. 6. may and haue erred But Peter Martyr more fully dismasketh himselfe in denying the authority of Generall Councells for he thus plainely writeth (n) Pet. Martyr lib. de votis pag. 476. As long as we insist in Generall Councells so long we shall continue in the Popish Errours 8. If he produce the Testimonies of particuler Fathers of the Primitiue Church Marke with what contempt and indignity the Protestant denyes them for Luther thus depresseth them (o) Luth. de seruo arbitrio printed 1551. pag. 434. The Fathers of so many ages haue beene plainely blind and most ignorant in the Scriptures they haue erred all their lyfe tyme vnles they were amended before their deaths they were neyther Saints nor pertayning to the Church And another though no Lutherane yet of Luthers descent in this his scurrilous Pasquill thus traduceth the Fathers (p) D. Wâ—itak conâ—r contra Duraeum l. 6. pag. 413. Ex Patrum erroribus ille Pontificiae Religionis cento consequutus est The Popish Religion is a patched cloath of the Fathers Errours sowed togeather see how impudent and petulant Nouelisme in fayth is in expecting precedency and taking the wall of Reuerend hoary Antiquity 9. If in such poynts which coÌ„cerne matter of fact as touching the supposed change of fayth in the visibility of the Church the vocation and mission of Pastours the vninterrupted Administration of the word and Sacraments all which are to receaue their proofe or els not to be proued at all froÌ„ the Authority of auncient most authenticall Histories If I say the Catholike do in proofe heerof produce the auncient Histories of those Primitiue tymes D. VVhitakers thus by denyall aleniateth and lesseneth the Authority of all Histories (q) D. D. Whitak contra Duraeum l. 7. pag. 478. Sufficit nobis c. To vs it is sufficient by comparing the Popish opinions with the Scripture to discouer the disparity of faith between them and vs And as for Historiographers we giue them liberty to write what they will And accordingly touching the Imaginary change of Rome in her fayth he thus coÌ„cludeth (r) Whitak vbi supra pag. 277. It is not needfull to vs to search out in Histories the beginning of this change 10. To conclude if in the last place for most demonstratiue and Affirmatiue Notes markes of the true Church the Catholike do rest as in nube Testium to vse the Apostles phrase in vniuersality Visibility vninterrupted continuance vnity Succession of Pastours Holynes of doctrine Conuersion of Kings and Nations of the Gentils c. The Protestants besides that they will not admit any Historyes in proofe of them deny and discarde the testimonies of all these Positiue Heads of proofes by erecting the Preaching of the word and Administration of the Sacraments for notes by this meanes they reduce to their owne iudgements which is the true Church seeing they will not acknowledge the word to be purely preached or the Sacramentâ— to be rightly administred but when and where their Priuate spirit out of its Pythagorean and controwling Chaire vouchsafes so to pronouÌ„ce By all this now we may see how wholy Negatiue the Protestant is indeed so Negatiue in al points as that it may be feared he in the end will deny his owne being for as heer aboue we haue shewed that his Religion consisteth in pure denyall of our Positiue and Affirmatiue Articles so in this Chapter we haue layd downe how he labours to othrow by his like denyalls the authority of all such Affirmatiue and Positiue Heads principles from whence the Catholikes for the fortifiyng of their owne faith and Religion do drawe their proofes In which kind of proceeding the Protestant deales no otherwise with the Catholike then if a man
Ibid. p. â—60 It is great probability with them meaning with the Catholikes that so we make our selues answerable to fynd out a distinct and seuerall Church from the Apostles age till this present els needs we must acknowledge that our Church is sprung of late or since theirs Thus these Protestants for the vphoulding of their own Church are forced to teach that the Catholike Church the Protestant are but one and the same Church Now if any Protestant seeking to redeeme his Church from such dangers as are in this Treatise threatned to fall vpon it as besides Inuisibility and want of Succession of Pastours the blemish of being an Irreality and Non-entity c. should for his last despairing refuge answere with the former Authours that the Protestant Church and the Roman Church are but one that seeing the Roman Church hath euer beene in being and Visible that therefore the Protestant Church as being the same Church with the Roman is heerby freed from all those spots and blemishes of Inuisibility want of Succession Irreality want of true subsistence c. heer in this Treatise aboue inforced Therefore to preuent all such poore and needy tergiuersatioÌ„ for falshood would gladly shroud it selfe vnder the wings of truth I will heer discouer the absurdity of this their supposall by demoÌ„strating that the Catholike Church and the Protestant Church cannot be one and the same Church so certaine it is that there is no CoÌ„munion betweene Christ and Beliall And first If we take into our consideration what it is which maketh the true Church for speaking of the Church of God we must needs vnderstand thereby the true Church seeing God hath no false Church for that sentence of S. Cyprian Cyprian lib. de Vâ—ita â— Eccles is true adulterari non potest sponsa Christi incorrupta est pudica To this is replyed that men professing the truth of Christian Religion make this Church Well then if so it can be proued that the Catholikes and the ProtestaÌ„ts do maintaine such contrary Articles of fayth as that of necessity the one part must be false consequeÌ„tly not to be belieued by the Members of Christs Church theÌ„ followeth it that these different Professours of them I meane the Catholikes and the Protestants cannot make One and the same Church And to come to this point though such disparity of fayth hath beene proued to be eueÌ„ among the Protestants themselues aboue in this Treatise But if one Protestant thinke another Protestant to be for his supposed false fayth no member of Christs Church but an Heretike then with much more reason we may pronounce the same betweene the Catholike and the Protestant Now this poynt taketh its more euident demonstration of proofe from this one consideration to wit that the Catholike and the Protestant doe not belieue one the same Creed If then they both do not belieue one and the same Creed and yet the Creed is but an abstract or Compendium of the true fayth of christ can it be possibly coÌ„ceaued that the Catholicke and Protestant doe make one and the same Church But to descend to the Creed It is true that the Protestant Catholike doe in words recite one and the same Creed but seeing it is the intended sense of the holy Ghost in euery Article thereof and not the words which make the Creed it followeth that if the Catholike and Protestant doe belieue the sayd Articles of the Creed in a different or rather contrary sense that then they doe not belieue the Creed for to belieue the Creed in a false sense is not to belieue it all The Creed in this respect iustly challenging to it selfe that priuiledge which the holy Scripture doth of which S. Ierome thus writeth g S. Ierome in epist. ad Paulinâ—eâ—a Scripturae non in legendo sed in intelligendo consistunt That this they doe I wil exemplify in some Articles threof And to beginne with that first Article I belieue in God The Catholike belieues that his God no way formally cooperates with man to sin the Protestant belieues that his God (h) Beza in his display of Popish Preachers pag. â—02 Swingl tom 1 de prouident c. 6. fol. 365. Caluin Instit l. 1. c. 18. cooperateth forceth and impelleth a man to sinne as is aboue in this Treatise shewed The Catholike belieues that God wil not punish man for the not obseruing of such precepts which are not in mans power to obserue the Protestant belieues that it is not in our power to keepe the Ten Commandements and yet withall belieues that (i) D. Reynolds in his second Conclusion annexed to his Conference p. 697. God will punish man with euerlasting Torments for his not keeping of the sayd Ten Commandements Briefly the Catholike belieues that his God giues sufficient grace to all men that they may be saued The Protestants God decreeth diuers men without any respect or preuision of their workes to eternall damnation for thus Caluin writeth (k) Caluin Instit l. 3. c. â—2 See Willet Synops p. 554. affirming the same God doth ordayne by his Counsell that amoÌ„g men some be borne to eternall damnation from their nothers wombe Touching the Article of Iudging the quicke and the dead The Catholike belieues that Christ at his comming to IudgmeÌ„t will so iudge man as that his good workes receauing their force and vertue from Christs passion shal be rewarded The Protestant belieues that (l) Calu. in Antid Concil Trident. Kemnitius in Exam. Concil Trident. Christ will reward only a bare naked faith Touching that I belieue the Catholike Church The Catholike belieues this Church to be a society of men professing the present Romane fayth of which some are predestinated others reprobated The (m) Confess August art 7. Luth l. de Concil Eccles Calu. l 4. Instit Protestant belieues that his Church consisteth only of the Elect and faythfull and not of other sorts of men Touching the Article of the Communion of Saints The Catholike doth belieue such a Communion to be between the soules in heauen the soules in Purgatory and men liuing in this world as that the soules in Purgatory may be holpen by the praiers of the liuing the liuing may be holpen by the intercessioÌ„ of the Saints in heauen The Protestant denyeth (n) Brennus in Confess VVittenb c. de Purgat Calu. l. 3. Instit c. 5. sect 6. al such Communion betweene these seuerall parts of the Church Concerning the Article of forgiuenes of sinnes The Catholike belieues that actuall sinnes are forgiuen by the Sacrament of Pennance and that thereby the soule of man becommeth truly Iust in the sight of God obtayning by this meanes a true and Inherent Iustice The Protestant acknowledgeth not any Sacrament of Pennance neyther doth he acknowledge any reall and (o) Calu. l. 3. Instit c 12. Kemnit â—n Exam. Concil Trident. Inherent Iustice in man but only an imputatiue Iustice
which is the Iustice of Christ imputed vnto vs. Thus farre to shew that the Catholike and Protestant doe not belieue one and the same Creed and consequently that one the same Church cannot consist of Catholikes and Protestants Secondly the authority of Generall Councells condemning seuerall particuler doctrines for Heresies and the like authority of particuler Orthodoxall Fathers of the Primitiue Church touching their like cōdemnation of many Protestanticall Tenets for Heresies do sufficiently euict that the Protestant Church and the Catholicke Church cannot be one and the same Church for if they could then would it follow that the former old Heresies aboue displayed in the tenth Chapter and now houlden by the Protestāts should be no heresies for if the Professours of the Roman fayth the maintainers of the sayd strange doctrines could be members of one Church then great wrong was offered by the Fathers and Councells to brand such men in those former tymes for Heretiks and their doctrines for Heresies We may add heerto that if the ancient learned Fathers did teach that a man by holding onely one errour or heresy did cease therby to be a mēber of Christs Church as for example Iouinian for teaching that Virginity and Matrimony were equall the Manichees for taking away Freewill c. what would the said Fathers conceaue if they had liued in our dayes should obserue the Protestants to incorporate and ingrosse in their fayth and religion almost twenty distinct heresies condemned in those ancient times as is aboue shewed would these Fathers thinke you be persuaded that the Romane Church and these men could make one and the same Church From this then it followeth that eyther Generall Councels and particuler Ancient Fathers did erre commit great ouersight in condēning of strange opinions for heresies which were not heresies or that the Protestāts the Catholikes cannot be mēbers of one the same Church since certayne it is that the true Church of Christ cannot professe any one Heresy Now that heretikes are not Mēbers of Christs Church therfore that the doctrines and innouations mantayned by such men cannot be taught belieued by the Mēbers of Christs Church shall appeare from the great dislike and auersion which both Christs Apostles and the ancient Orthodoxall Fathers did euer beare agaynst such men And first may occurre that diuine sentence (p) ad Titum c. 3. A man that is an Heretike after the first or second admonition auoyde knowing that he who is such is subuerted and sinneth being condemned by his owne iudgment And agayne the same Apostle (q) epist ad Galat. c. 5. The workes of the flesh be manifest which are fornication vncleanes impurity dissention (r) So it is translated in the English Bible of the yeare 1576. Heresies c. They which do these things shall not obtayne the Kingdom of God To come to the Fathers S. Austin sayth (s) Aust. in ◠11. in Marchaun He is an Heretike who belieueth falsly touching any part of Christian doctrine Which Father in another place thus fearefully censureth of an Heretike (t) Aust l. 4. contr Donatist c. 8. If a man be an Heretike certainely no mā doubteth but for this alone that he is an Heretike he shall not possesse the Kingdome of God Cyprian Dominus noster c. (u) Cypr. l. 1. ad Mag. when our Lord Iesus-Christ did testify in the ghospell that those were his Enemies who were not with him he noted not any one Heresy but he manifestly sheweth that all Heretikes whosoeuer are his Enemies c. I will conclude with Ambrose thus saying (x) Ambrose l 6. in Luc. c. 〈◊〉 Heretikes seeme to challenge Christ to them for no man will deny the name of Christ neuertheles he indeed denyeth Christ who doth not cōfesse all points of fayth instituted by Christ. Now from these testimonies I conclude that both the Catholikes and Protestants cannot make one and the same Church of God seeing their disagreements in matters of Religion are so great irreconciliable as that the one part as houlding meer contrary doctrines in fayth to the other must needs therefore be taken for Heretikes in the iudgement of the other party consequently not taken as the Members of Christ his Church My last argument which heer I vse shal be ad hominem as the Logitian calls it The Protestants we know do call in the foam of their impure language the Pope Antichrist and Catholikes the Members of Antichrist Now if Protestants and Catholikes be in one and the same Church then followeth it if for the tyme we admit the former dreame for true that Antichrist and the Members of Antichrist do make the head the members of Christs Church How absurd this is incompatible with common reason I referre to any iudicious man to censure and the rather considering the Protestants themselues doe thus teach (y) Propositions and Principles disputed in Geneua p. 245. In Babylon meaning therby the Church of Rome there is no holy Order or Ministery indeed but a meere vsurpation Thus farre to demonstrate that for the freeing and clearing of Protestancy from the former scars of being Inuisible an Irreality a Non-Entity c. it cannot be iustly replyed if any such reply should be suggested that seeing the Protestant Church the Catholike Church are both but one Church and seeing the Catholike Church cannot be charged with the spots Inuisibility or being a Non-Entity c. that therfore neyther can the Protestant Church be so charged Thus our Aduersaries we see labour to make the splendour of the truth of Christian fayth to cast its beames indifferently vpon Protestancy and the Catholike Roman fayth notwithstanding the great dissentions touching fayth betweene these two Religions which is as difficult to iustify as to mantayne that the sunne can at one and the same tyme shine vpon vs and our Antipodes THE CONCLVSION LEarned Protestants for whose sake this my labour was first attempted Heer now my pen as performing I trust what it did assume stayes it selfe yet before it giueth its last stop it is to make bold by turning it selfe towards you to expatiate a litle in discourse You haue seene by perusing of the former Treatise Protestancy to be fully and punctually dissected and for the Catastrophe and closure of all it is found to be empty of all Reality and but an Intentional Name or VVord And since it is a Non-Ens it consequently then may be inferred that Protestaancy and its Religion is false for if Philosophy teacheth vs that Ens Verum conuertuntur as you well know then by force of reason law of contrarieties it followeth that Non Ens Falsum conuertuntur You are instructed also as being learned by Philosophy that Quae habent vltimam dispositionem ad Introitum Non Esse desinunt per se Esse And so by Analogy we may heere say of Protestancy that Protestancy by seuerall reformations
and all by Negations and Priuations as by so many seuerall dispositions doth in the end euen of it selfe euaporate and vanish away into Nothing Which being so how then can any Christian dreame that the soule of man which enioyeth the noblest kynd of Being should arriue to its supreme felicity by professing of that which hath no Being No. For the fayth of a Protestant is as I may tearme it but an Imputatiue fayth as the Protestants speake of Imputatiue Iustice seeing it wanteth all true Inherency in the belieuer Now then all this being most true and vndenyable why will you whome God hath enriched with eleuated Wits and whose Iudgments are able to penetrate and pierce through the greatest difficultyes with a blynd and vnexamined assent thus enthrall yourselues to this Nothingnesse so to terme it of Protestancy Thinke of the worth and dignity of a soule which is the Antitypon of the Deity for it is written Gen. 1. faciamus hominem ad imaginem nostram It is you know immortall It must then enioy according as in this world it belieues and acts for all eternity Heauen or Hell the thought wherof is able to appale and strike the strongest down through feare make him with good Tobias Tob. 2. manducare panem cum luctu tremore What then remaines but that euery one of you gather himselfe together the better to with-stand such forces as may vndermine the hope of his saluation Lut. 18. Porrò vnum est necessarium This is the busines why we were sent into this world and of this each of vs must render an account at the day of our death Let not then neither the predominancy of the tymes nor the streame and sway of Authority nor expectation of temporall preferments being but glorious and guilded miseries nor any humane illaqueations whatsoeuer winne ground so vpon your wills or iudgements as till your liues end to perseuere in a Religion which hath but the word Religion plead for it Man 1. Quid proderit homini si lucretur mundum totum detrimentum animae suae faciat Therefore now then beginne to espouse your labours to your owne soules saluation Implant your selues with an immoueable resolution in our Affirmatiue and Catholike Roman fayth and Religion which is not only warranted for truth by the Protestants themselues as appeareth from the precedent Chapters so deseruedly may heer take place those words Dea◠32. Our God is not as their Gods are our Enemies are euen witnesses But also it is that Religion which cōtrary to Protestancy therein being torne with intestine disagreemēts in regard of perfect Vnion in doctrine both among the members thereof and with reference to the Head is much honoured by Gods holy word his Church in this respect being Rom. 11. Cam. 6. One body one spouse and one sheepfould And therefore not without iust reason did S. Hierome that great light of Gods Church acknowlede his Vnion and submission to our Roman Catholike Church in these wordes Hier. in ep ad Damasum I do vnite my selfe in Communion with the Chayre of Peter I know the Church to be builded vpon that Rocke whosoener doth eate the Lambe out of this House is become prophane And with this Iudicious men I close vp this short Treatise committing you to his holy Protection who was content to erect this Church by the shedding of his owne most precious bloud and battering at your eares with my incessant praiers that you would cast of and abandone for your Soules eternal happines this imaginary fayth which you call Protestācy it being in it selfe besides that it is a compound made of the Ingredients of seuerall negatiue condemned heresies but an empty sound of a word an Irreality a Phantasme of the brayne an Annihilation and wast of all true Fayth a Platonicall Idaea an Ens Rations a Fabrike only of our Imagination an Intentionality a bare Notion of the vnderstanding finally a Non-Entity My penne lights short to delineate it in wordes for since wordes are inuented to expresse onely Things how can they expresse Protestancy it being Nothing FINIS