power to make a fundamental point of faith It may explane or declare it cannot create Articles Thirdly Only an errour against a point of faith is Heresie Fourthly Those points wherein wee differ from the Romanists are they which only the Church of Rome hath made fundamentall and of Faith Fiftly The reformed therefore being by that Church illegally condemned for those points are not heretickes Hee is properly an Hereticke saith Hosius who being conuicted in his owne iudgement doth of his owne accord cast himselfe out of the Church For vs we are neither conuicted in our owne iudgement nor in the lawfull iudgement of others We haue not willingly cast our selues out of the Church but howeuer wee are said to be violently eiected by the vndue sentence of malice hold our selues close to the bosome of the true Spouse of Christ neuer to bee remoued As farre therefore from Heresie as Charitie is from our Censures Only wee stand conuicted by the doome of good Pope Boniface or Syluester Prierius Quicunque non c. Whosoeuer doth not relie himselfe vpon the Doctrine of the Romane Church and of the Bishop of Rome as the infallible rule of faith from which euen the Scripture it selfe receiues her force he is an Hereticke Whence followes that the Church of Rome condemning and eiecting those for Heretickes which are not is the authour of this wofull breach in the Church of God I shall therefore I hope abundantly satisfie all wise and indifferent Readers if I shall show that those points which wee refuse and oppose are no other then such as by the confessions of ingenuous authors of the Romane part haue beene besides their inward falsity manifest vpstarts lately obtruded vpon the Church such as our ancient Progenitours in many hundreds of successions either knew not or receiued not into their beliefe and yet both liued and dyed worthy Christians Surely it was but a iust speech of Saint Bernard and that which might become the mouth of any Pope or Councell Ego si peregrinum c. If I shall offer to bring in any strange opinion it is my sinne It was the wise Ordinance of the Thurians as Diodorus Siculus reports that he who would bring in any new Law amongst them to the preiudice of the old should come with an halter about his necke into the assembly and there either make good his proiect or die For howeuer in humane Constitutions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the later orders are stronger then the former yet in Diuinity Primum verum The first is true as Tertullians rule is The old way is the good way according to the Prophet Heere wee hold vs and because we dare not make more Articles then our Creedes nor more sinnes then our Ten Commandements we are indignely cast out Let vs therefore addresse our selues roundly to our promised taske and make good the noueltie and vnreasonablenesse of those points we haue reiected Out of too many Controuersies disputed betwixt vs we select only some principall and out of infinite varieties of euidence some few irrefragable testimonies CHAP. V. The newnesse of the Article of Iustification by inherent righteousnesse TO begin with Iustification The Tridentine Fathers in their seauen moneths debating of this point haue so cunningly set their words that the errour which they would establish might seeme to be either hid or shifted Yet at the last they so far declare themselues as to determine that the only formall cause of our Iustification is Gods Iustice not by which he himselfe is Iust but by which he makes vs iust wherewith being endowed by him wee are renewed in the spirit of our mindes and are not only reputed but are made truly iust receiuing euery man his owne measure of Iustice which the Holy Ghost diuides to him according to each mans predisposition of himselfe and cooperation And withall they denounce a flat Anathema to all those who shall dare to say that wee are formally iustified by Christs righteousnesse or by the sole imputation of that righteousnesse or by the sole remission of our sinnes and not by our inherent Grace diffused in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Which termes they haue so craftily laid together as if they would cast an aspersion vpon their aduersaries of separating the necessitie of sanctification from the pretended Iustification by faith wherein all our words and writings will abundantly cleare vs before God and men That there is an inherent iustice in vs is no lesse certaine then that it is wrought in vs by the Holy Ghost For God doth not iustifie the wicked man as such but of wicked makes him good not by meere acceptation but by a reall change whiles hee iustifies him whom hee sanctifies These two acts of Mercie are inseparable But this Iustice being wrought in vs by the holy Spirit according to the modell of our weake receit and not according to the full power of the infinite agent is not so perfect as that it can beare vs out before the Tribunall of God It must bee onely vnder the garment of our elder Brother that wee dare come in for a blessing His righteousnesse made ours by faith is that whereby wee are iustified in the sight of God This doctrine is that which is blasted with a Tridentine curse Heare now the historie of this doctrine of Iustification related by their Andrew Vega de Iustif l. 7. c. 24. Magna fuit c. Some ages since saith hee there was a great concertation amongst Diuines what should bee the formall cause of our Iustification some thought it to be no created iustice infused into man but only the fauour and mercifull acceptation of God In which opinion the Master of Sentences is thought by some to haue beene Others whose opinion is more common and probable held it to bee some created qualitie informing the soules of the iust This opinion was allowed in the Councell of Vienna And the Schoole-doctors after the Master of Sentences deliuered this not as probable only but as certaine Afterwards when some defended the opposite part to be more probable it seemed good to the holy Synode of Trent thus to determine it So as till the late Councell of Trent by the confession of Vega himselfe this opinion was maintayned as probable only not as of faith Yea I adde by his leaue the contrary was till then most currant It is not the Logick of this point we striue for It is not the Grammer it is the Diuinitie What is that whereby wee stand acquitted before the righteous Iudge whether our inherent Iustice or Christs imputed Iustice apprehended by faith The Diuines of Trent are for the former all Antiquity with vs for the latter A iust Volume would scarce contayne the pregnant Testimonies of the Fathers to this purpose Saint Chrysostome tels vs it is the wonder of Gods mercie that hee who hath sinned confesseth is pardoâ— secured and suddenly appâ—â—st Iust
And before him Thomas Waldensis the great Champion of Pope Martine against the miscalled Hereticks of his owne name professes him the sounder Diuine and truer Catholique which simply denies any such Merit and ascribes all to the meere grace of God and the will of the giuer What should I need to darken the ayre with a cloud of witnesses their Gregorie Ariminensis their Brugensis Marsilius Pighius Eckius Ferus Stella Faber Stapulensis Let their famous Preacher Royard shut vp all Quid â—gitur is qui Merita praetendit c. Whosoeuer he be that pretends his Merits what doth hee else but deserue Hell by his Workes Let Bellarmines Tutissimum est c. ground it selfe vpon Saint Bernards experimentall resolution Periculosa habita est Perilous is their dwelling place who trust in their owne Merits perillous because ruinous All these and many more teach this not as their owne doctrine but as the Churches Either they and the Church whose voyce they are are Hereticks with vs or we orthodoxe with them and they and wee with the Ancients The noueltie of this Romane Doctrine is accompanied with Errour Against Scripture against Reason SECT II. Against Scripture THat God doth graciously accept and munificently recompence our good workes euen with incomprehensible glory we doubt not we denie not but this either out of the riches of his mercy or the iustice of his promise but that we can earne this at his hands out of the intrinsecal worthines of our acts is a challenge too high for flesh and bloud yea for the Angels of Heauen How direct is our Sauiours instance of the seruant comne out of the field and commanded by his Master to attendance Doth hee thanke that seruant because hee did the things that were commanded him I trow not so likewise yee When yee shall haue done all things which are commanded you say we are vnprofitable seruants Vnprofitable perhaps you will say in respect of meriting thankes not vnprofitable in respect of meriting wages For to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt True therefore herein our case differeth from seruants that wee may not looke for Gods reward as of debt but as of Grace By grace are yee saued through faith neither is it our earning but Gods gift Both it cannot be For if by grace then it is no more of workes euen of the most renued otherwise grace is no more grace but if it be of workes then it is no more grace otherwise worke should bee no more worke Now not by workes of righteousnesse which we haue done at our best but according to his mercie he saueth vs Were our saluation of workes then should eternall life be our wages but now The wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. SECT III. Against Reason IN very reason where all is of meere dutie there can bee no merit for how can wee deserue reward by doing that which if we did not we should offend It is enough for him that is obliged to his taske that his worke is well taken Now all that wee can possibly doe and more is most iustly due vnto God by the bond of our Creation of our Redemption by the charge of his royall Law and that sweet Law of his Gospell Nay alas wee are farre from beeing able to compasse so much as our dutie In many things we sinne all It is enough that in our glory we cannot sinne though their Faber Stapulensis would not yeeld so much and taxeth Thomas for saying so with the same presumption that Origen held the very good Angels might offend Then is our grace consummate Till then our best abilities are full of imperfection â—herefore the conceit of merit is not more arrogant then absurd We cannot merit of him whom we gratifie not We cannot gratifie â— man with his owne All our good â—s Gods alreadie his gift his proprietie What haue wee that we haue not receiued Not our Talent only but the improouement also is his meere bountie There can be therefore no place for Merit In all iust Merit there must needs be a due proportion betwixt the act and the recompence It is of fauour if the gift exceed the worth of the seruice Now what proportion can bee betwixt a finite weake imperfect obedience such is ours at the best and an infinite full and most perfect glory The bold Schooles dare say that the naturall and entitatiue value of the workes of Christ himselfe was finite though the moralâ— value was infinite What then shall bee said of our workes which are like our selues meere imperfection We are not so proud that we should scorne with Ruard Tapperus to expect Heauen as a poore man doth an Almes rather according to Saint Austens charge Non sit capâ—â—turgidum c. Let not the heaâ— bee proud that it may receiue a Crowne We doe with all humilitie and selfe-deiection looke vp to the bountifull hands of that God who crowneth vs in mercie and compassion This Doctrine then of Merit being both new and erroneous hath iustly merited our reproofe and detestation and we are vniustly censured for our censure thereof CHAP. VII The newnesse of the Doctrine of Transsubstantiation THe point of Transsubstantion is iustly ranked amongst our highest differences Vpon this quarâ—ll in the very last age how many â—ules were sent vp to Heauen in â—he midst of their flames as if the Sacrament of the Altar had beene sufficient ground of these bloudie Sacrifices The definition of the Tridentine Councell is herein beyond the wont cleare and expresse If any man shall say that in the Sacrament of the sacred Eucharist there remaynes still the substance of Bread and Wine together with the Body and Bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ and shall denie that maruellous and singular conuersion of the whole substance of Bread into the Bodie and the whole substance of Wine into Bloud the Species semblances or shewes only of Bread and Wine remaining which said Conuersion the Catholike Church doth most fitly call Transsubstantiation let him be accursed Thus they Now let vs inquire how old this piece of faith is In synaxi sero c. It was late ere the Church defined Transsubstantiation saith Erasmus For of so long it was saith hee held sufficient to beleeue that the true Bodie of Christ was there whether vnder the consecrated Bread or howsoeuer And how late was this Scotus shall tell vs Ante Concilium Lateranense Before the Councell of Lateran Transsubstantiation was no point of faith as Cardinall Bellarmine himselfe confesses his opinion with a â—minime probandum And this Councell was in the yeere of our Lord one thousand two hundred and fifteene Let who list beleeue that this subtile Doctour had neuer heard of the Roman Councell vnder Gregory the seuenth which was in the yeere one thousand seuentie
Repaired not made new There is not one stone of a new foundation laide by vs Yea the old wals stand still Onely the ouer-casting of those ancient stones which the vntempered morter of new inuentions displeaseth vs. Plainely set aside the corruptions and the Church is the same And what are these corruptions but vnsound adiections to the ancient structure of Religion These we cannot but oppose and are therefore vniustly and imperiously eiected Hence it is that ours is by the opposite stiled an Ablatiue or negatiue Religion for so much as wee ioyne with all true Christians in all affirmatiue positions of ancient faith onely standing vpon the deniall of some late and vndue additaments to the Christian beleefe Or if those additions bee reckoned for ruines It is a sure rule which Durandus giues concerning materiall Churches applyable to the spirituall that if the Wall be decayed not at once but successiuely it is iudged still the same Church and vpon reparation not to bee reconsecrated but onely reconciled Well therefore may those mouthes stop themselues which loudly call for the names of the Professors of our faith in all successions of times till Luther look't forth into the World Had wee gone about to broach any new positiue Truths vnseene vnheard of former times well and iustly might they challenge vs for a deduction of this line of doctrine from a pedigree of Predecessours Now that we only disclayme their superfluous and nouell opinions and practices which haue beene by degrees thrust vpon the Church of God retayning inuiolably all former Articles of Christian faith how idle is this plea how worthy of hissing out Who sees not now that all we need to doe is but to show that all those points which wee cry downe in the Romane Church are such as carrie in them a manifest brand of newnesse and absurditie This proofe will cleerely iustifie our refusall Let them see how they shall once before the awfull Tribunall of our last Iudge iustifie their vncharitablenesse who cease not vpon this our refusall to eiect condemne vs. The Church of Rome is sicke Ingenuous Cassander confesseth so nec inficior c. I deny not saith he that the Romane Church is not a little changed from her ancient beautie and brightnesse and that shee is deformed with many diseases and vicious distempers Bernard tels vs how it must bee dieted profitable though vnpleasing medicines must bee poured into the mouth of it Luther and his associates did this office as Erasmus acknowledgeth Lutherus porrexit Luther saith hee gaue the World a potion violent and bitter what euer it were I wish it may breed some good health in the bodie of Christian people so miserably foule with all kinds of euils Neuer did Luther meane to take away the life of that Church but the sicknesse Wherein as Socrates answered to his Iudges surely he deserued recompence in steed of rage For as Saint Ambrose worthily Dulcior est sweeter is a religious chastisement then a smoothing remission This that was meant to the Churches health proues the Physitians disease so did the bitternesse of our wholsome draughts offend that we are beaten out of doores Neither did wee runne from that Church but are driuen away as our late Soueraigne professeth by Casaubons hand Wee know that of Cyrill is a true word Those which seuer themselues from the Church and communion are the enemies of God and friends of Deuils and that which Dionysius said to Nouatus Any thing must rather be borne then that we should rend the Church of God Farre far was it from our thoughts to teare the seamelesse coate or with this precious Oyle of Truth to breake the Churches head We found iust faults else let vs bee guiltie of this disturbance If now choler vniustly exasperated with an wholsome reprehension haue broken forth into a furious persecution of the gainesayers the sinne is not ours If we haue defended our innocence with blowes the sinne is not ours Let vs neuer prosper in our good cause if all the water of Tyber can wash off the bloud of many thousand Christian soules that hath beene shed in this quarrell from the hands of the Romish Prelacie Surely as it was obserued of olde that none of the Tribe of Leui were the professed followers of our Sauiour so it is too easie to obserue that of late times this Tribe hath exercised the bitterest enmitie vpon the followers of Christ Suppose wee had offended in the vndiscreet managing of a iust reproofe it is a true rule of Erasmus that generous spirits would bee reclaymed by teaching not by compulsion and as Alipius wisely to his Augustine Heed must bee taken least whiles wee labour to redresse a doubtfull complaint wee make greater wounds then we find Oh how happy had it beene for Gods Church if this care had found any place in the hearts of her Gouernours who regarding more the entire preseruation of their own honour then Truth and Peace Were all in the harsh language of warre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 smite kill burne persecute Had they beene but halfe so charitable to their moderne reprouers as they professe they are to the fore-going how had the Church flourished in an vnterrupted vnitie In the old Catholike Writers say they wee beare with many errours wee extenuate and excuse them wee find shifts to put them off and deuise some commodious senses for them Guiltinesse which is the ground of this fauour workes the quite contrarie courses against vs Alas how are our Writings racked and wrested to enuious senses how misconstrued how peruerted and made to speake odiously on purpose to worke distaste to enlarge quarrell to draw on the deepest censures Woe is mee this cruell vncharitablenesse is it that hath brought this miserable calamitie vpon distracted Christendome Surely as the ashes of the burning Mountaine Vesuuius being dispersed farre and wide bred a grieuous Pestilence in the Regions round about so the ashes that flie from these vnkindly flames of discord haue bred a wofull infection and death of soules through the whole Christian World CHAP. IIII. The Church of Rome guiltie of this Schisme IT is confessed by the President of the Tridentine Councell that the deprauation of discipline and manners of the Romane Church was the chiefe cause and originall of these dissensions Let vs cast our eyes vpon the doctrine and wee shall no lesse find the guilt of this fearefull Schisme to fall heauily vpon the same heads For first to lay a sure ground Nothing can be more plaine then that the Romane is a particular Church as the Fathers of Basil well distinguish it not the vniuersall though we take in the Churches of her subordination or correspondence This truth we might make good by authoritie if our very senses did not saue vs the labour Secondly No particular Church to say nothing of the vniuersall since the Apostolike times can haue
there is no truth in vs. The latter is the summe of Saint Pauls Sermon at Antioch Bee it â—nowne vnto you Men and brethren that through this man is preaâ—hed to you forgiuenesse of sinnes and â—y him all that beleeue are iustified They are iustified but how Freely â—y his Grace What Grace Inherent in vs and working by vs No â—y Grace are yee saued through faith â—nd that not of your selues it is the â—ift of God Not of workes least any man should boast Workes are ours â—ut this is righteousnesse of God which 〈◊〉 by the faith of Iesus Christ to all â—hem that beleeue And how doth this become ours By his gracious imputation Not to him that worketh but beleeueth in him who iustifieth the wicked is his faith imputed for righteousnesse Loe it is not the act not the habit of faith that Iustifieth it is he that iustifies the wicked whom our faith makes ours and our sinne his He was made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Loe so were wee made his righteousnesse as he was made our sinne Imputation doth both It is that which enfeoffes our sinnes vpon Christ and vs in his righteousnesse which both couers and redresses the imperfection of ours That distinction is cleere and full That I may be found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Saint Paul was a great Saint he had a righteousnesse of his owne not as a Pharisee only but as an Apostle but that which hee dares not trust to but forsakes and cleaues to Gods not that essentiall righteousnesse which is in God without all relation to vs nor that habit of iustice which was remayning in him but that righteousnesse which is of God by faith made ours Thus being iustified by faith we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. For what can breake that peace but our sinnes and those are remitted For who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that iustifies And in that remission is grounded our reconciliation For God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them but contrarily imputing to them his owne righteousnesse and their faith for righteousnesse Wee conclude then that a man is iustified by And blessed is hee to whom the Lord imputes righteousnesse without works Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Let the vaine sophistry of carnall minds deceiue it selfe with idle subtilties and seeke to elude the plaine truth of God with shifts of wit we blesse God for so cleere a light and dare cast our soules vpon this sure euidence of God attended with the perpetuall attestation of his ancient Church SECT III. Against Reason LAstly Reason it selfe fights against them Nothing can formally make vs iust but that which is perfect in it selfe How should it giue what it hath not Now our inherent righteousnesse at the best is in this life defectiue Nostra siqua est humilis c. Our poore Iustice saith Bernard if we haue any it is true but it is not pure For how should it be pure where we cannot but be faultie Thus hee The challenge is vnanswerable To those that say they can keepe Gods Law let mee giue Saint Hieromes answere to his Ctesiphon Profer quis impleuerit Show mee the man that hath done it For as that Father else-where In thy sight shall none liuing be iustified Hee said not no man but none liuing not Euangelists not Angels not Thrones not Dominions If thou shalt marke the iniquities euen of thine Elect saith Saint Bernard Who shall abide it To say now that our actuall iustice which is imperfect through the admixtion of veniall sinnes ceaseth not to bee both true and in a sort perfect iustice is to say there may be an vniust iustice or a iust iniustice that euen muddie water is cleare or a leprous face beautifull Besides all experience euinceth our wants For as it is Saint Anstens true obseruation Hee that is renued from day to day is not all renued and so much as he is not renued so much he must needs bee in his olde corruption And as hee speakes to his Hierome of the degrees of Charitie there is in some more in some lesse in some none at all but the fullest measure which can receiue no increase is not to bee found in any man whiles hee liues here and so long as it may bee increased surely that which is lesse then it ought is faulty from which faultinesse it must needs follow that there is no iust man vpon earth which doth good and sinneth not and thence in Gods sight shall none liuing be iustified Thus he To the very last houre our Prayer must be Forgiue vs our trespasses Our very daily indeuour therefore of increasing our renouation conuinceth vs sufficiently of imperfection and the imperfection of our Regeneration conuinceth the impossibilitie of Iustification by such inherent righteousnesse In short therefore since this doctrine of the Roman Church is both new and erroneous Against Scripture and reason we haue iustly refused to receiue it into our beliefe and for such refusall are vniustly eiected CHAP. VI. The newnesse of the doctrine of Merit MErit is next wherein the Councell of Trent is no lesse peremptory If any man shall say that the good workes of a man iustified doe not truly merit eternall life let him bee Anathema It is easie for errour to shroud it selfe vnder the ambiguitie of words The word Merit hath been of large vse with the Ancient who would haue abhorred the present sense with them it sounded no other then Obtayning or Impetration not as now earning in the way of condigne wages as if there were an equalitie of due proportion betwixt our Workes and Heauen without all respects of pact promise fauour according to the bold Comment of Sotus Tollet Pererius Costerus Weston and the rest of that straine Farre farre was the gracious humilitie of the Ancient Saints from this so high a presumption Let Saint Basil speake for his fellowes Eternall rest remaynes for those who in this life haue lawfully striuen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. not for the Merits of their deedes but of the grace of that most munificent God in which they haue trusted Why did I name one when they all with full consent as Cassander witnesseth professe to repose themselues wholly vpon the meere mercie of God and merit of Christ with an humble renunciation of all worthinesse in their owne workes Yea that vnpartiall Author deriues this Doctrine euen through the lower Ages of the Schoolemen and later Writers Thomas of Aquine Durand Adrian de Traiecto afterwards Pope Clictoueus and deliuers it for the voyce of the then present Church
nine or that other vnder Nicholas the second which was in the yeare one thousand and threescore or that he had not read those Fathers which the Cardinall had good hap to meet with Certainly his acutenesse easily found out other senses of those Conuersions which Antiquitie mentions and therefore dares confidently say wherein Gabriel Biel seconds him non admodum antiquam that this doctrine of Transsubstantiation is not very ancient Surely if wee yeeld the vtmost time wherein Bellarmine can plead the determination of this point wee shall arise but to saltem ab annis quingentis c. Fiue hundred yeares agoe so long saith he at least was this opinion of Transsubstantiation vpon paine of a curse established in the Church The Church but what Church The Roman ywis not the Greeke That word of Peter Martyr is true That the Greeks euer abhorred from this opinion of Transsubstantiation In so much as at the shutting vp of the Florentine Councell which was but in the yeare 1539. when there was a kind of agreement betwixt the Greekes and Latines about the Procession of the Holy Ghost the Pope earnestly moued the Grecians that amongst other differences they would also accord de diuinâ panis Transmutatione concerning the diuine Transmutation of the Bread wherein notwithstanding they departed as formerly dissenting How palpably doth the Cardinall shuffle in this businesse whiles hee would perswade vs that the Greekes did not at all differ from the Romans in the mayne head of Transsubstantiation but only concerning the particularitie of those wordes whereby that vnspeakeable change is wrought when as it is most cleere by the Acts of that Councell related euen by their Binius himselfe that after the Greekes had giuen in their answere that they doe firmely beleeue that in those words of Christ the Sacrament is made vp which had beene sufficient satisfaction if that only had beene the question the Pope vrges them earnestly still vt de diuinâ panis transmutatione c. that in the Synod there might bee treatie had of the diuine transmutation of the Bread and when they yet stifâ—ly denied he could haue beene content to haue had the other three Questions of vnleauened Bread Purgatorie and the Popes Power discussed wauing that other of Transsubstantiation which hee found would not abide agitation Since which time their Patriarch Ieremias of Constantinople hath expressed the iudgement of the Greeke Church Et enim verè For the Bodie and Bloud of Christ are truely Mysteries not that these are turned into mans bodie but that the better preuayling wee are turned into them yeelding a change but Mysticall not Substantiall As for the Ancients of either the Greeke or Latine Church they are so farre from countenancing this opinion that our learned Whitakers durst challenge his Duraeus Si vel vnum c. If you can bring me but one testimonie of sincere antiquitie whereby it may appeare that the bread is transubstantiate into the flesh of Christ I will yeeld my cause It is true that there are faire flourishes made of a large Iurie of fathers giuing their verdict this way whose verie names can hardly finde roome in a margine Scarce any of that sacred ranke are missing But it is as true that their witnesses are grossely abused to a sense that was neuer intended they onely desiring in an holy excesse of speech to expresse the Sacramentall change that is made of the elements in respect of vse not in respect of substance and passionately to describe vnto vs the benefit of that Sacrament in our blessed Communion with Christ and our liuely incorporation into him In so much as Cardinall Bellarmine himselfe is faine to confesse a verie high hyperbole in their speeches Non est nouum It is no vnusuall thing saith he with the Ancients and especially Irenaeus Hilarie Nyssen Cyrill and others to say that our bodies are nourished by the holy Eucharist Neither doe they vse lesse height of speech as our learned Bishop hath particularly obserued in expressing our participation of Christ in Baptisme wherein yet neuer any man pleaded a Transsubstantiation Neither haue their beene wanting some of the Classicall leaders of their schooles which haue confessed more probabilitie of ancient euidence for Consubstantiation then for this change Certainely neither of them both entred euer into the thoughts of those holy men how euer the sound of their words haue vndergone a preiudiciall mistaking Whereas the sentences of those Ancients against this mis-opinion are direct punctuall absolute conuictiue and vncapable of any other reasonable sense What can bee more choaking then that of their Pope Gelasius aboue a thousand yeares since Et tamen c. yet there ceaseth not to be the very substance of Bread and Wine What can bee more plaine then that of Saint Augustine It is not this Bodie which you see that you shall eat neither is it this Bloud which my Crucifiers shall spill that you shall drinke It is a Sacrament that I commend vnto you which being spiritually vnderstood shall quicken you Or that other where a flagitious act seemes to bee commanded there the speech is figuratiue as when he saith Except yee eat the flesh of the Sonne of man c. it were an horrible wickednesse to eat the very flesh of Christ therefore here must needs bee a figure vnderstood What should I vrge that of Tertullian whose speech Rhenanus confesseth to haue been condemned after in Berengarius My Bodie that is the figure of my Bodie That of Theodoret The mysticall signes after consecration lose not their owne nature That of Saint Chrysostome It is a carnall thing to doubt how Christ can giue vs his flesh to eate when as this is mystically and spiritually to bee vnderstood And soone after inquiring what it is to vnderstand carnally he thus explicates it It is to take things simply as they are spoken and not to conceiue of any other thing meant by them This wherein we are is a beaten path trod with the feet of our holy Martyrs and traced with their bloud What should I need to produce their familiar and ancient Aduocates who haue often wearied and worne this barâ— Athanasius Iustine Origen Cyprion Nazianzen Basil Hierome Hillary Cyril Macarius Bertram besides those whom I formerly cited Of all others which I haue not found pressed by former Authors that of our Albinus or Alcuinus Bedaes learned Scholler who liued in the time of Charles the Great seemes to mee most full and pregnant Hoc est ergo this is therefore to eate that flesh and to drinke that bloud to remayne in Christ and to haue Christ remayning in vs so as he that remaynes not in Christ and in whom Christ remayneth not without doubt doth not spiritually eat his flesh although carnally and visibly hee chew the Sacrament of his Bodie and Bloud with his teeth but rather
satisfaction when as all that man is capable to suffer cannot be sufficient for one and that the least sin of his owne the wages whereof is eternall death Or that those superfluities of humane satisfaction should peece vp the infinite and perfitly meritorious superabundance of the Sonne of God Or that this supposed treasure of diuine and humane satisfactions should bee kept vnder the key of some one sinfull man Or that this one man who cannot deliuer his owne soule from Purgatorie no not from hell it selfe should haue power to free what others hee pleaseth from those fearefull flames to the full Iaole-deliuerie of that direfull prison which though his great power can doe yet his no lesse charitie will not doth not Or that the same pardon which cannot acquit a man from one houres tooth-ach should be of force to giue his soule ease from the temporarie paines of another world Lastly guilt and punishment are relatiues and can no more be seuered then a perfect forgiuenesse and a remaining compensation can stand together This doctrine therefore of Papall Indulgences as it led the way to the further discouery of the corruptions of the degenerated Church of Rome so it still continues iustly branded with noueltie and errour and may not bee admitted into our beleefe and wee for reiecting it are vniustly refused CHAP. XII The newnesse of Diuine Seruice in an vnknowne tongue THat Prayers and other Diuine offices should bee done in a known tongue vnderstood of the people is not more auailable to edification as their Caietan liberally confesseth then consonant to the practice of all antiquitie In so much as Lyranus freely In the Primitiue Church blessings and all other seruices were done in the vulgar tongue What need wee looke backe so farre when euen the Lateran Councell which was but in the yeere 1215. vnder Innocent the third makes this decree Quoniam in plaerisque Because in many parts within the same Citie and Diocesse people are mixed of diuers languages hauing vnder one faith diuers rites and fashions wee strictly command that the Bishops of the sayd Cities or Diocesses prouide fit and able men who according to the diuersities of their rites and languages may celebrate diuine seruices and administer the Sacraments of the Church to them instructing them both in word and example Cardinall Bellarmines euasion is verie grosse That in that place Innocentius and the Councell speake onely of the Greeke and Latine tongue For then saith he Constantinople was newly taken by the Romans by reason whereof there was in Greece a mixture of Greekes and Latines in so much as they desired that in such places of frequence two Bishops might be allowed for the ordering of those seuerall Nations Whereupon it was concluded that since it were no other then monstrous to appoint two Bishops vnto one See it should be the charge of that one Bishop to prouide such vnder him as should administer all holy things to the Grecians in Greeke and in Latine to the Latines For who sees not that the Constitution is generall Plaerisque partibus for verie many parts of the Christian world and Populi diuersarum lingâ—arum People of sundrie languages not as Bellarmine cunningly diuersae linguae of a diuerse language And if these two only languages had been meant why had it not bin as easie to specifie them as to intimate them by so large a circumlocution This Synode is said to be vniuersall comprehending all the Patriarkes seuentie seuen Metropolitans and the most eminent Diuines of both East and West Churches to the number of at least 2212. persons or as some others 2285. besides the Embassadours of all Christian Princes of seuerall languages Now shall wee thinke that there were in all their Territories and Iurisdictions no mixtures of inhabitants but onely of Grecians and Romans or that all these Fathers were carelesse of the rest Especially since the end which they professe to propose vnto themselues herein is the instruction of the people of what nation or language soeuer which end as it was neuer meant to bee limited to two sorts of people so could it neuer be attained without this libertie of language fitted to their vnderstanding To which may bee added that the Greekes and Latines of all other had the least need of this prouision since it was famously knowne that they had their seuerall seruices already of receiued and currant vse before this constitution was hatched Neither is it of any moment which hee addeth that in Italy it selfe this decree was not extended to the vse of vulgar tongues for that it is euident that Saint Thomas who liued soone after composed in Latine the Office of the feast of Corpus Christi not in the Italian although the same Aquinas confesses that that the vulgar tongue of Italy at that time was not Latine For what childe cannot easily see that if their great Doctor would write an office for the publique vse as is intended of the whole Church hee would make choyce to write it in such a language as might improue it to the most common benefit of all the Christian world not confining it to the bounds of a particular Nation Besides what was the Italian in those times especially but a broken and corrupt Latine differing more in Idiome and termination then in the substance of speech That which Radeuicus about the yeere 1170. records for the voyce of the people in the election of Pope Victor Papa Vittore Sancto Pietro l'elege makes good no lesse for what such difference is betwixt this and Papam Victorem Sanctus Petrus elegit So as this instance doth nothing at all infringe that iust decree of the Roman Fathers Howsoeuer that obseruation of Erasmus is true and pregnant to this purpose Nec lingua vulgaris e. Neither was the vulgar tongue i. the Latine withdrawne from the people but the people went off from it And as for our Ancestours in this Island Our venerable Bede witnesses that in England the Scriptures were read by them in fiue languages according to the number of the bookes wherein the Law of God was written namely English Scottish Brittish Pictish and Latine which saith hee in meditation of the Scriptures is made common to all the rest A point which the sayd Author specifies for a commendation of the well-instructednesse of those people not as purposing to intimate that the vse of the Latine did thrust out the other foure for he there tells vs that in all foure they did not only search but confesse and vtter the knowledge of the highest truth This restraint then is not more new then enuious and preiudiciall to the honour of God and the soules of men SECT II. Against Scripture AS for Scriptures Were this practice so old as it is pretended the rule is Longaeuae consuetudinis c. the authoritie of an ancient custome is not to be sleighted so long as it is not against the Canons Nothing can be more
in the Councell of Lateran Anno 1215. fully plumed in the Councell of Trent and now lately hath her feathers imped by the moderne Casuists SECT II. Romish Confession not warranted by Scripture SInce our quarrell is nâ—t with confession it selfe which may bee of singular vse and behoofe but with some tyrannous straines in the practice of it which are the violent forcing and perfit fulnesse thereof It shall be sufficient for vs herein to stand vpon our negatiue That there is no Scripture in the whole booke of God wherein either such necessitie or such intirenesse of Confession is commanded A truth so cleare that it is generally confessed by their owne Canonists Did we question the lawfulnesse of Confession we should be iustly accountable for our grounds from the Scriptures of God now that we cry downe only some iniurious circumstances therein well may wee require from the fautors thereof their warrants from God which if they cannot show they are sufficiently conuinced of a presumptuous obtrusion Indeed our Sauiour sayd to his Apostles and their successours Whose sinnes yee remit they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained But did hee say No sinne shall bee remitted but what yee remit Or no sinne shall be remitted by you but what is particularly numbred vnto you Saint Iames bids Confesse your sinnes one to another But would they haue the Priest shrieue himselfe to the penitent as well as the penitent to the Priest This act must bee mutuall not single Many beleeuing Ephesians came and confessed and shewed their deeds Many but not all not Omnes vtriusque sexus they confessed their deeds Some that were notorious not all their sinnes Contrarily rather so did Christ send his Apostles as the father sent him He was both their warrant and their patterne But that gracious Sauiour of ours many a time gaue absolution where was no particular confession of sinnes Only the sight of the Paralyticks faith fetcht from him Sonne be of good cheere thy sins be forgiuen thee The noted sinner in Simons house approuing the truth of her repentance by the humble and costly testimonies of her loue without any enumeration of her sinnes heard Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee SECT III. Against reason IN true Diuine Reason this supposed dutie is needlesse dangerous impossible Needlesse in respect of all sinnes not in respect of some for how euer in the cases of a burdened conscience nothing can bee more vsefull more soueraigne yet in all our peace doth not depend vpon our lips Being iustified by faith wee haue peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Dangerous in respect both of exprobration as Saint Chrysostome worthily and of infection for delectabile carnis as a Casuist confesseth Fleshly pleasures the more they are called into particular mention the more they moue the appetire I doe willingly conceale from chaste eyes and eares what effects haue followed this pretended act of deuotion in wanton and vnstayed Confessours Impossible for who can tell how oft he offendeth He is poore in sin that can count his stocke and hee sinnes alwayes that so presumes vpon his innocence as to thinke hee can number his sinnes And if hee say of any sinne as Lot of Zoar is it not a little one as if therefore it may safely escape the reckoning it is a true word of Isaac the Syrian Qui delicta c. Hee that thinkes any of his offences small euen in so thinking falls into greater This doctrine and practice therfore both as new and vnwarrantable full of vsurpation danger impossibilitie is iustly reiected by vs and wee for so doing vniustly eiected SECT IV. The noueltie of Absolution before Satisfaction LEst any thing in the Romane Church should retaine the old forme how absurd is that innouation which they haue made in the the order of their penance and absolution The ancient course as Cassander and Lindanus truly witnesse was that absolution and reconciliation and right to the Communion of the Church was not giuen by imposition of hands vnto the penitent till hee had giuen due satisfaction by performing of such penall acts as were enioyned by the discreet PeniteÌ„tiary yea those works of penance saith he when they were done out of faith and an heart truly sorrowfull and by the motion of the holy Spirit preuenting the minde of man with the helpe of his diuine grace were thought not a little auailable to obtaine remission of the sinne and to pacifie the displeasure of God for sinne Not that they could merit it by any dignitie of theirs but that thereby the minde of man is in a sort fitted to the receit of Gods grace But now immediately vpon the Confession made the hand is layd vpon the penitent and he is receiued to his right of Communion and after his absolution certaine workes of pietie are enioyned him for the chastisement of the flesh and expurgation of the remainders of sinne Thus Cassander In common apprehension this new order can bee no other then preposterous and as our learned Bishop of Carlile like Easter before Lent But for this Ipsi viderint it shall not trouble vs how they nurture their owne childe CHAP. XIV The newnesse of the Romish Inuocation of Saints OF all those errours which we reiect in the Church of Rome there is none that can plead so much show of Antiquitie as this of Inuocation of Saints which yet as it hath beene practised and defended in the latter times should in vaine seeke either example or patronage amongst the Ancient How euer there might be some grounds of this deuotion secretly muttered and at last expressed in Panegyricke formes yet vntill almost fiue hundred yeeres after Christ it was not in any sort admitted into the publique seruice It will be easily graunted that the blessed Virgin is the Prime of all Saints neither could it be other then iniurious that any other of that heauenly societie should haue the precedencie of her Now the first that brought her name into the publike deuotions of the Greeke Church is noted by Nicephorus to be Petrus Gnapheus or Fullo a Presbyter of Bithynia afterwards the Vsurper of the See of Antioch much about 470 yeeres after Christ who though a branded heretick found out foure things saith he verie vsefull and beneficiall to the Catholike Church whereof the last was Vt in omni precatione c. that in euerie prayer the Mother of God should bee named and her diuine name called vpon The phrase is verie remarkable wherein this rising superstition is expressed And as for the Latine Church we heare no newes of this Inuocation in the publique Letanies till Gregories time about some 130. yeeres after the former And in the meane time some Fathers speake of it fearefully and doubtfully How could it bee otherwise when the common opinion of the Ancients euen below Saint Austens age did put vp all the soules of
yeelded that no man hath power to set to a seale but he whose the writing is Sacraments then being the seales of Gods gracious euidences whereby hee hath conueyed to vs eternall life can bee instituted by no other then the same power that can assure and performe life to his creature In euerie Sacrament therefore must bee a diuine institution and command of an element that signifies of a grace that is signified of a word adioyned to that element of an holy act adioyned to that Word Where these concurre not there can bee no true Sacrament and they are palpably missing in these fiue Adiections of the Church of Rome Lastly The Sacraments of the new Law as Saint Austen often flowed out of the side of Christ None flowed thence but the Sacrament of water which is Baptisme and the Sacrament of bloud in the Supper Whereof the Author saith This cup is the new Testament in my bloud which is shed for you The rest neuer flowing either from the side or from the lips of Christ are as new and mis-named Sacraments iustly reiected by vs and we thereupon as vniustly censured CHAP. XVI The newnesse of the Doctrine of Traditions THe chiefe ground of these and all other errours in the Church of Rome is the ouer-valuing of Traditions which the Tridentine Synode professeth to receiue and reuerence with no lesse pious affection then the Bookes of the Old and New Testament and that not in matter of Rite and Historie only but of faith and manners also Wherein as they are not vn willing to cast a kind of imputation of imperfection vpon the written Word so they make vp the defects of it by the supply of vnwritten Traditions to which indeed they are more beholden for the warrant of the greater part of their super-added Articles then to the Scriptures of God Both which are points so dangerously enuious as that Antiquitie would haue abhorred their mention Neither is any thing more common with the holy Fathers of the Church then the magnifying the complete perfection of Scripture in all things needfull either to be beleeued or done What can be more ful and cleere then that of Saint Austen In his quae apertè c. In these things which are openly laid forth in Scripture are found all matters that containe either faith or manners Cardinall Bellarmines elusion is not a little preiudiciall to his owne cause He tels vs that Saint Austen speakes of those points which are simply necessary to saluation for all men All which hee acknowledges to be written by the Apostles But besides these there are many other things saith hee which wee haue only by Tradition Will it not therfore hence follow that the common sort of Christians need not looke at his Traditions That commonly men may be saued without them that Heauen may bee attained though there were no Traditions Who will not now say Let mee come to Heauen by Scripture goe you whither you will by Traditions To which adde that a great yea the greater part if wee may beleeue some of their owne of that which they call religion is grounded vpon only Tradition if then Tradition bee only of such things as are not simply unnecessary to saluation then the greater part of their mis-named Religion must needs be yielded for simply vnnecessary to all men And if wee may bee saued without them and bee made Citizens of Heauen how much more may we without them be members of the true Church on Earth As for this place Saint Augustines words are full and comprehensiue expressing all those things which containe either faith or manners whether concerning Gouernours or people If now they can finde out any thing that belongs not either to beleefe or action wee doe willingly giue it vp to their Traditions but all things which pertaine to either of those are openly comprized in Scripture What can bee more direct then that of holy Athanasius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The holy Scriptures inspired by God are in themselues all-sufficient to the instruction of truth and if Chemnitius construe it All truth this needs not raise a cauill The word signifies no lesse for if they bee all-sufficient to instruction they must needs be sufficient to all instruction in the truth intended Tertullian professes openly Adoro Scripturae pleniâ—udinem c. I adore the fulnesse of Scripture Let the skill of Hermogenes show where it is written if it bee not written let him feare that woe which is pronounced against those that adde or detract Thus he Who can but feare that the Cardinall shifts this euidence against his owne heart For saith he Tertullian speakes of that one point That God created all things of nothing and not of a pre-existent matter as Hermogenes dreamed now because this truth is clearely expressed in Scripture therefore the fulnesse of Scripture as concerning this point is adored by Tertullian And for that Hermogenes held an opinion contrarie to Scripture he is said to adde vnto Scripture and to incurre that malediction Now let any reader of common sense iudge whether the words of Tertullian be not generall without any limitation and if the first clause could bee restrained the second cannot Scriptum esse doceat c. Whatsoeuer therefore is not written by this rule may not be oberuded to our beleefe Neither doth he say If it be written against but If it be not written and his challenge is nusquam legi that the words are no where read as if this were quarrell enough without a flat contradiction to what is read So as the Cardinals glosse meerely corrupts the Text How easie were it for me to tire my reader with the full suffrages of Origen Cyprian Chrysostome Basil Cyrill Epiphanius Hierome Ambrose Theodoret Hilarie Vincentius Lirinensis and in a word with the whole streame of Antiquitie which though they giue a meet place to Traditions of Ceremony of historie of interpretation of some immateriall verities yet reserue the due honour to the sacred monuments of Diuine Scriptures Our learned Chemnitius hath freely yeelded seuen sorts of Traditions such as haue a correspondence with or an attestation from the written word the rest we do iustly together with him disclaime as vnworthy to appeare vpon that awfull Bench amongst the inspired Pen-men of God SECT II. Traditions against Scripture IT is not to be imagined that the same word of God which speakes for all other truths should not speake for it selfe how fully doth it display it 's owne sufficiencie and perfection All Scripture saith the Chosen Vessell is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse Profitable saith the Cardinall but not sufficient Many things may auaile to that end whereto they suffice not So meat is profitable to nourish but without naturall heat it nourisheth not Thus hee Heare yet what followeth That the man of God may bee perfited and thorowly
falne into errours and heresies Either all stories mocke vs or else this parasiticall dreame of impeccancie in iudgement is a meere stranger and his disguise is so foule that it is no maruell if Errare non possum I cannot erre seemed to Eberhardus Bishop of Saltzburgh no other then the suit of an Antichrist SECT III. The newnesse of the Popes Superioritie to Generall Councells HOw bold and dangerous a noueltie is that which Cardinall Bellarmine and with him the whole Societie and all the late Fautors of that See after the Florentine Synode sticke not to auouch Summus Pontifex c. The Pope is absolutely aboue the whole Church and aboue a Generall Councell so as hee acknowledges no Iudge on earth ouer himselfe How would this haue relished with those well neere a thousand Fathers in the Councell of Constance who punctually determined thus Ipsa Synodus c. This Synode lawfully assembled in the Holy Ghost making a Generall Councell representing the Catholike Church militant vpon earth hath immediately power from Christ whereunto euery man whosoeuer he be of what state or dignitie so euer although he be the Pope himselfe is bound to obey in those things which pertaine to faith or to the extirpation of schisme And fifteene yeeres after that the Generall Councell of Basil wherein was President Iulianus Cardinal of Saint Angelo the Popes Legate defined the same matter in the same words It is no maruell if Cardinall Bellarmine and some others of that strain reiect these as vnlawfull Councels but they cannot deny first that this decree was made by both of them Secondly that the Diuines there assembled were in their allowance Catholique Doctors and such as in other points adhered to the Roman Church in so much as they were the men by whose sentence Iohn Husse and Hierome suffered no lesse then death and yet euen so lately did these numerous Diuines in the voyce of the Church define the superioritie of a Councell aboue the Pope What speake we of this when wee finde that the Bishops of the East excommunicated in their assembly Iulius the Bishop of Rome himselfe amongst others without scruple as Sozomen reporteth How ill would this doctrine or practice now bee endured In so much as Gregorie of Valence dare confidently say that whosoeuer he be that makes a Councel superior to the Pope fights directly though vnawares against that most certaine point of faith concerning Saint Peters and the Romane Bishops primacie in the Church SECT IV. The new presumption of Papall Dispensations FRom the opinion of this supereminent power hath flowed that common course of Dispensations with the Canons and decrees of Councells which hath beene of late a great eye-sore to moderate beholders Franciscus à Victoria makes a wofull complaint of it professing to doubt whether in the end of the the yeere there bee more that haue leaue by this meanes to breake the lawes then those that are tied to keepe them Thereupon wishing for remedy that there were a restraint made of those now-boundlesse Dispensations and at last obiecting to himselfe that such a decree of restriction would bee new and not heard of in any former Councell hee answers Tempore Conciliorum antiquorum c. In the time of the ancient Councels Popes were like to the other fathers of those Councells so as there was no need of any act for holding them backe from this immoderate licence of dispensing yea if wee doe well turne ouer the lawes and histories of the Ancient wee shall find that Popes did not presume so easily and commonly to dispense with decrees of Councels but obserued them as the Oracles of God himselfe Yea not onely did they forbeare to doe it ordinarily but perhaps not once did they euer dispense at all against the Decrees of Councels But now saith he by little and little are we growne to this intemperance of dispensations and to such an estate as that wee can neither abide our mischiefes nor our remedies Thus that learned Spanyard in an honest confession of the degenerate courses of the late Popes from the simple integritie of their Predecessours What should I adde vnto these the presumptuous Dispensations with Vowes and Oathes with the Lawes of God himselfe with the Law of Nature A priuiledge ordinarily both yeelded and defended by flattering Canonists and that which meets with vs at euerie turne in Hostiensis Archidiaconus Felinus Capistranus Triumphus Angelus de Clauasio Petrus de Ancorano Panormitan as is largely particularized by our learned Bishop of Dery SECT V. The new challenge of Popes dominering ouer Kings and Emperours I May well shut vp this Scene with that notorious innouation of the Popes subducing himselfe from the due obedience of his once-acknowledged Lord and Soueraigne and endeuouring to reduce all those Imperiall powers to his homage and obedience The time was when Pope Gregorie could say to Mauritius Vobis obedientiam praebere desidero I desire to giue you due obedience And when Pope Leo came with cap and knee to Theodosius for a Synod to be called with Clementia vestra concedat as Cardinall Cusanus cites it from the historie The time was when Nemo Apostolicae c. No man did offer to take vpon him the steering of the Apostolike Barke till the authoritie of the Emperour had designed him as their Balbus out of their owne Law That of Pope Gregorie is plaine enough Ecce serenissimus c. Behold saith he speaking of his owne aduancement to the Bishopricke of Rome our gracious Lord the Emperour hath commanded an Ape to be made a Lion and surely at his command it may be called a Lion but it cannot be one so as hee must needs lay all my faults and negligences not vpon mee but vpon his owne pietie which hath committed this Ministerie of power to so weake an Agent The time was when the Popes of Rome dated their Apostolique letters with the style of the raigne of their Lords the Emperours now euer since Pope Paschal they care onely to note the yeere of their owne Apostleship or Papacie The time was when the holy Bishops of that See professed to succeed Saint Peter in homely simplicitie in humble obedience in pietie in zeale in preaching in teares in sufferings now since the case is altered the world sees and blushes at the change for now Quanta inter solem lunam c. Looke how much the Sunne is bigger then the Moone so much is the Papall power greater then the Imperiall Now Papa est Dominus Imperatoris The Pope is the Emperours Lord saith their Capistranus and the Emperour is subiect to the Pope as his minister or seruant saith Triumphus and lest this shold seem the fashionable word of some clawing Canonist only heare what Pope Adrian himselfe saith Vnde habet c. Whence hath the Emperour his Empire but from vs all that hee hath hee hath wholly from vs