Peter reiects the popes authority infallibility giues sentences against Purgatory acknowledgeth two Sacraments onely hath much against Transubstantiation and denyall of the Cup. See the allegations out of him in Catalogo testium lib. 3. Sixtly was Jrenaeus a Protestant no for he defended free-will so farre that Protestants count it Pelagianisme So did many other Fathers Hilary and Epiphanius yea Chrysostome Cyril Ambrose Theodoret. What then were all these papists No for though in heat of exhortation they gaue sometimes too much to free will and in hatred to the Maniches and Stoicall Christians that held such a fatall necessity of mens actions as tooke away mans guiltinesse of sinne yet in their more moderate and settled writings they taught as the Protestants doe August contra Iulianum l'clag lib. 1. cap. 2. Pelagianis nondum litigantibus Patres securiùs loquâ—bantur saith Saint Augustine Vntill the Pelagians began to wrangle the Fathers tooke lesse heed to their speeches But such their speeches The Papists themselues condemne Maldonate in John 6.44 pag. 701. Pererius in Rom. 9. nu 33 pag. 1001. Sixtus Senensis Tolet c. See D. Mortons Appeal lib 2. cap. 10. sect 1 2. § 4. sect 3. § 7. lit n. See also my Chapter of Free-will §. 6. I might runne thorow the rest of this W. G. his allegations and shew his vanity and folly in shooting such arrowes against the Protestants as being retorted and shot backe againe doe mortally and vnrecouerably wound his owne cause But I will leaue off following his order and adde a few more and by occasion of this last I aske of Saint Cyprian Augustine Fulgentius Gregory Nyssen Gregory the Great Anselm Bernard were they Papists oâ— of the now Roman-Catholicke Religion No for they taught concerning Free-will iust as the Protestants teach Morton ib. sect 3. Was Athanasius a Papist no for hee reckons the number of Canonicall bookes otherwise then Papists doe and magnifies them for their perspicuity certainty and sufficiency as Protestants doe he teacheth Iustification by faith onely writeth against adoration and prayer to Saints and Idolatrous worship of Images shewes the custome of the Church in his time to minister the Communion in both kindes and not on Altars but tables of wood writes to the Bishops of Rome as his brethren and equals giues reasons why the dead cannot appeare againe to men for feare of teaching lies and errours and because the good are in Paradise the euill in Inferno He counts marriage of Bishops a thing indifferent and vsed indifferently in his time and it appeares by his bookes that in his time the sacrifice of the Masse and the fiue new Sacraments were not knowne Was Saint Ierom a Papist no for hee earnestly maintaineth the sufficiency and excellency of the Scriptures exhorteth married Women Virgins Widdowes diligently to study them he teacheth Iustification by Gods mercy and beateth downe mans merits hee writes sharpely against free-will without Gods grace against purgatory against transubstantiation and orall manducation hee taxeth the popes supremacy and the Clergies liues and for his sharpe writing he was faine to flye from Rome See Catalogus testium lib. 4. Was Gelasius your owne Bishop of Rome a Catholicke of your now Roman Religion no for he condemdemned as sacrilegious your now-halfe Communion without wine and seuerely commanded either to minister both the kindes or neither to the people The necessity whereof now you call heresie De consecrat dist 2. comperimus Was S Gregory your owne Bishop likewise long after Gelasius of your Church and now-present Religion no for he taught the sufficiency and perfection of the Scripture reiected the Apochryphall bookes from the Canon held the reading of Scripture profitable for all men Iustification by faith and not by inherent righteousnesse wrote against mans merit and for the glory of Gods grace and mercy hee forbad the worshipping of Images and wrote sharply against the title of vniuersall Bishop as a badge of Antichrist or his forerunner c. And for conclusion of this point were the other two greatest Doctors of the Church Saint Chrysostome and S. Augustine of your present Religion No for Saint Chrysostome a Homil. De Lazaro passim alibi extolled the authority dignity sufficiency perspicuity necessity and commodity of the Canonicall Scriptures and exhorted Lay-men and Tradesmen to get them Bibles and reade the Scriptures at home and that man and wife parents and children should reason and conferre of the doctrine thereof b In 4. cap. Ephes hom 10. He taught that the Church of God was nothing but a house built of our soules and the stones thereof were some more illustrious and faire polished other more obscure and of lesse glory c In Matth. hom 55. 83. Serm. de Pentecost tom 3. that the Church was built not super Petrum but super Petram not vpon Peter but Peters confession that Christ was the Sonne of God the Sauiour of the world d In Matth. hom 35. ad cap. 20. That whosoeuer desired primacy vpon earth should find confusion in heauen and not be reckoned amongst the seruants of Christ e In 2 Thess homil 3 4. That Antichrist would command himselfe to be honoured as God and fit in the Church that he would invade the Roman Empire and striue to draw to himselfe the Empire or Rule of God and men And though he extolled the power of free-will in the Regenerate and exhorted all men to vse the power they had yet hee f In Gen. hom 29. perswaded the godly to acknowledge it to proceed from Gods grace and taught all men that sinne entring lost their liberty corrupted their power and brought in seruitude and g Hom. de Adam that without Gods grace man could neither will nor doe any thing that was good that h Hom. 1. in Acta as they that die Purple first prepare it with other colours so God prepares the cares of the mind and then infuseth grace that i Hom. 1. dom Advent before sinne we had free-will to do good but not after that it was not in our power to get out of the Deuils hand but like a ship that had lost his sterne which guided it wee were driuen whither the tempest would euen whither the Diuell would driue vs and except God by the strong hand of his mercy did loose vs we should continue tiâ—l death in the bonds of our sinnes k In Râ—m â—om 5. 17. That the Law would iustifie man but cannot for no man is iustified by the Law but he that wholly fulfils it and that is not possible to any maÌ„ l In 2 cor hom 11. He that must be iustified by the law must haue no spot found in him and such an one cannot be found but onely Iesus Christ m In Rom. hom 5 17. therefore he onely hath attained the end and perfection of the Law n Hom. 7. in 3. cap.
King Edgare made a wise religious speech to the English Bishops which Alred Abbot of Rhieuall published in writing Abrod Rhieval in Genealogiâ— Dauidis Regis Scotiae MS. I must say saith hee that which good men lament and wicked laugh at they melt away in gluttony and drunkennesse in chambering and wantonnesse that now the houses of Clerkes are accounted the Brothels of Whores and Synods of Iesters their Dicing their Singing and dancing their sitting vp till midnight with clamour and horror Thus thus yee waste the Patrimony or Kings the almes of Princes and which is more the price of his most precious bloud Did our Fathers exhaust their treasures to this end Vsher ibid. § 33 Polydor. lib 6. Hist Angl. Aâ—l. fric serm ad sacerdotes MS. colleg Benedict Cantabrig Joan. Stella Sacerdos in vita Bâ—nedicti 4 Papae 122. inquit Acciderat illi aetati quod omnis virtus tam in capite quaÌ„ in membris ex hominum iganvia consumpta fuerit I haue Constantines you haue Peters sword in our hands Let vs ioyne hands and swords that the leprous may be cast out of our Tents and the Lords Sanctuary may be purged Doe it carefully that wee may not repent of what we haue done and what we haue giuen finding that it is consumed not in the seruice of God but in the luxury of wicked man with vnbridled liberty The couetous rauin and tyranny both of Monkes and Priests most scandalous beyond all lay men at those times is described and lamented by Polydore Vergil Aelfricus Joannes Stella and others §. 8. Vsh ibid. cap. 3. §. 1. c. After the great secular yeare of Christ 1000 after his Incarnation the Christian faith much decayed from the ancient vnity and inundation of all wickednesse ouerflowed the world by the descriptions and lamentations of Wernerus Glaber Rodulphus Lupus Episcopus Guilelmus Archiepiscopus Tyrensis c. and wonderfull prodigies and terrours appeared from aboue and below were plagues famines earthquakes c. spoken of by Sigonius Hector Boethius Hepidamus Rupertus Wernerus Glaber Sabellicus Sigebert Nangiacus Vincentius Bellevacensus Antonius Florenticus Archiepiscopus Joannes Nanclerus as proclaymers of Antichrists comming for many beleeued that Antichrist was then borne as Baronius recordeth 1001. § 1. 4. §. 5. by the testimony of Abbo Floriacensis of the time presently after the thousandth yeere of Christ which opinion had continued from the times of Hippolitus Cyrill and Chrysostome In the thousandth yeare after Christs birth Vsh ib. cap. 4. Benno in viâ—â— Hilâ—hbrandi Platina in vita â—jus Siluester the second was Bishop of Rome and sate 4 yeares he was before named Gerbertus He entred by the Diuels aide saith the Cardinall Benno and by the deuils deceit was quickly destroyed And anno 1033. which was the thousandth after Christs death Benedict the ninth a childe of ten or twelue yeares old was made Pope by money not by merit and sate 12 yeares Hee was also cunning in Magicke and diuelish in Arts and wrought much mischiefe to the Church and Common wealth saith Benuo he was homo ignavus nullius pretij saith Platina and Stella Probrosus infamius saith Volateran Nefarius saith Baronius and he was chosen by the Deuils in the woods saith Benno In his time Cardinals began to be in some estimation a Baron anno 1061. §. 9.16 And in Nicolas the seconds time anno 1059. they had the first voyces in chusing Popes Now they doe all they are created by these words b August triumph de potestat eccles quaest 8. art 4. Ballar Apolog. contâ—a Iacobum Regem cap. 4. pag. 34 35. adedit Romae 1610. Estote fratres nostri principes mundi The Pope creates them and they create the Pope Bellarmine saith This dignity is not new since it hath beene 500 yeares But surely that is new which came into the Church after Satans loosing In which respect Wiclife saith Cardinals were the inuention of the Deuill For in stead of lots directeâ— by the Lord in the election of Matthias Acts 1. Now whomsoeuer the Cardinals chuse be he fit or vnfit Wicâ—f art 40. in concil Constan sess 8. in speculo milit eccle cap. 10. Cameraâ— Cardinal lib. de Reforâ— Eccle. he is straight Beatissimus Pater Immediatus Christi vicarius Wicliffe was indeed condemned in the Councill of Constance yet many in that Councell held with his opinion saith Cameracensis that such choise of the Pope by Cardinals was vnprofitable and hurtfull to the Church and was vsed without resonable cause burdensome to the Church and fit to be abolished Howsoeuer they are dignified with most glorious and transcendent titles Clemang de corrupto Eccle. statu § 26. whose office was at first saith Clemangis to carry out the dead and bury them §. 9. When a thousand yeeres was expired after the destruction of Jerusalem still greater miscries fell vpon Christendome Romanus Diogenes Emperour of the East was assayled by Warre and taken Prisoner by the Sultan of the Persians and Assyrians troden vpon in despight of the Christian religion and returning home had his eyes put out by his owne Nobles and reiected The Sultan subdueth many Countries great Antiochia Celosyra both the Calicias Isaurio Pamphilia Lycia Pisidia Lycaonia Cappadocia Galatia both the Pontuses Bythinia Matt. Paris hist anno Dom. 1072. and part of the lesser Asia c. And in the West the negligence and wickednesse of the Clergy was so outragious that some published letters as sent from Hell by Satan and all his infernall powers giuing thankes to the Ecclesiasticall orders that they failed in nothing to do him pleasure but sent or suffered so many soules to descend to Hell as neuer any Ages had done before Anton. in Chro. tit 16. cap. 1. § 21. Segebert chron an 1088 The Shismes of Anti-Popes and Anti-Cesars encreased this euill the Crownes and the Crosiers dissenting one excommunicating another and one contemning anothers censure and treading down both authority and equity vnder their feet And then began that Nouity not to call it heresie that to euill Princes subiection was not due and though men had sworne fidelity to them Onuphr Vita Greg. 7 ex libro 4. de varâ—a creationâ— Rom. Pontif yet they ought them no fidelity and that whosoeuer rose against the King was not periured but he that obeyed the King was to be accounted excommunicate This saith Sigebert was a Nouity if not heresie But Onuphrius saith that hence did arise perniciosissima seditio haeresis omnium pestilentissima And Auentinus saith Then false prophets false apostles Aventin Annal. Boâ—er l. 5. false priests came out and deceiued the people with counterfeit Religion and seeking to establish thier own power and dominion quenched Christian charity and simplicity and then all good open iust ingenuous and plaine people thought the kingdome of Antichrist began for they saw that was come to
loud voyce that he had learned more touching the Doctrine necessary to saluation by the Waldenses instructing their children in their Catechisings then in all the disputations of Diuinity which he had euer heard in Paris § 5 Antiquus I will not stand vpon those foule errours which some authors attribute to the Waldenses but there are nine points which the late learned Iesuite a Parsons three Conversions part 2. cap. 10. §. 26. Robert Parsons saith All Authors that write of the Waldenses doe attribute vnto them which I hope you will be ashamed to maintaine Those shew that you and they are not of one Church Antiquissimus Those shew the vanity and shamelesnesse of that man that to the face of the world auoucheth all Authors when many Authors say the plaine contrary This first article or errour which he saith they hold is that all carnall concupiscence and coniunction is lawfull when lust doth burne vs. And therefore some adde that in the darke they practise all kinde of carnall mixtures with whomsoeuer they first meet c. A filthy slander laid as well vpon the b Origenes lib. 6. contra Celsum Euseb hist lib. 4. cap. 7. See Cecilius his wicked Oration in Minuty Felicis Octauio recited also by D. Vsher Grau quaest cap. 6. §. 12 See him also ib. §. 20. Primitiue Christians as vpon them And them your owne Rainerius cited before cleareth saying Haec Leonistarum secta magnam habet speciem pietatis eo quod coram hominibus iuste viuant bene omnia de Deo credant c. Againe Casti sunt Leonistae pag. 231. lin 48. And againe Quaelibet naturâ turpia deuitant Item suos subditos ad eadem diligenter informant Ib. pag. 232 42. Rerum Bohemic script a M. Frehero edit Hanov. an 1602. They c In their booke of remedies against sinne cap. 21. cited in the History of the Waldenses booke 1. cap. 4. informe their people against this sinne thus The sinne of luxury is very pleasing to the Diuell displeasing to God and iniurious to our neighbours because therein a man obeyeth the basest part of his body rather then God who preserueth it A foolish woman doth not onely take from a man his good but himselfe too He that is giuen to this vice keepes faith to no man and therefore Dauid caused his faithfull seruant to be slaine that he might enioy his wife Amon defiled his sister Thamar This vice consumes the heritage of many as it is said of the prodigall child that he wasted his goods liuing luxuriously Balaam made choice of this sinne to prouoke the children of Israel to sinne by occasion wherof there dyed 24000 persons This sinne was the cause of the blindnesse of Sampson it peruerted Solomon and many haue perished by the beauty of a woman Prayer and Fasting and distance of place are the remedies against this sinne For a man may ouercome either vices by combating with them but in this he is neuer victorious but by flying from it and not approaching neere vnto it whereof we haue an example in Joseph It is therefore our duties to pray daily to the Lord that he will keepe vs from the sinne of luxury and giue vs vnderstanding and chastity Thus they taught and professed and is it credible had they practised the contrary they could haue continued so long and drawne so much of the world to imbrace their Religion with so great dangers and persecutions as they did No saith your d Rainer cited before §. 4. lâ—tâ—n Rainerius the honesty and râ—ghteousnesse of their liues was the greatest attractiue that drew the world after them to the greatest danger of the Church of Rome The sâ—coâ—d article of Parsons is They held all othes vnlawfull to Christians for any cause whatsoeuer in the world â—â—cause it is written Nâ—litâ—â—urare doe not sweare Mâ—tth 5. Iames 5. Aâ—swer Indeed they eschewed the common practise of swearing according to Christs precepts Matth. 5 37. but saith your Rainerius to avoyd corporall death and the reuealing of their brethren they would sweare But how agrees that with that which e Gabriel Prateclus Pauperum de Lugduno error 3â— Pratoclus saith of them That they held that no deadly sinne was to be tollerated though it were to auoyd a greater euill The truth is in iudgement they sticked not to sweare truely but in triuiall matters they would not sweare rashly which gaue occasion of that cavil As your Rainerius saith Dâ—cent vitare mendacium detractionem iuramentum ibid. 222. 15 16. f In their book entituled The spirituall Almanacke in the third comment cited by Hist Wald. Book 1. cap. 4. Their own doctrine is that there are lawfull oathes tending to the honour of God and the edification of our neighbours as in Hebr. 6.16 and as Israel was inioyned to sweare by the Name of the eternall God Deut. 6.13 and by the example of those oathes that past betwixt Abimeleck and Isaac Gen. 26.30 and the oath of Iacob Gen. 31.53 The third article is that no iudgement of life and death is permitted to Christians in this life for that it is written Nolite Iudicare Matth. 7. luke 6. Answ But Rainerius tels a contrary tale of a Waldensian Glouer who being condemned and led to death said openly in the hearing of all You now condemne vs rightly for if we had power ouer you as you haue ouer vs we would exercise it against your Clerkes and Religions ib. 222. 47. This cauill arose vpon their complaining of the Magistrates to whom they were deliuered vp by the Inquisitors Priests and Fryers who were their enemies not indifferent men but passionate and so they were condemned and executed by them without hearing examining or knowing of their cause This cruell simplicity of the Magistrates they spake against in their complaint to Ladislaus King of Hungary and Bohemia and elsewhere g In their booke entituled The light of the treasure of Faith fol. 214. cited ibid. But their doctrine was That they were not to suffer the Malefactor to liue and that without correction and discipline doctrine serues to no purpose neither should iudgements be acknowledged nor sinnes punished And therefore iust anger is the Mother of discipline and patience without reason the seed of vices and permitteth the wicked to digresse from truth and honesty The fourth article is That the Creed of the Apostles is to be contemned and no account at all to be made of it Answ Who would thinke that wise men would thus play the fooles In deed they account not the Salutation of the Angel to the B. Virgin nor the Apostles Creed to be prayers saith Rainerius ibid. 232. 10. h Rainerius supra §. 4. lit m. But yet they reuerently receiue the whole New Testament and the Apostles Creed which is gathered out of it Et credunt omnes articulos qui in Symbolo continentur saith the same Author And in their books they haue very good and
figura est ergo Therefore it is a figuratiue speech And hee defines Sacraments to be o Contra Maximinum lib. 3. cap. 22. Sacramenta sunt signa aliud existentia aliud significantia signes being one thing and signifying another And of this Sacrament he saith p In psal 98. Non hoc corpus quod videtis manducaturi estis bibituri illum sanguinem quem fusuri sunt qui me crucisigent Sacramentum aliquod commendavi vobis You shall not eat this body which you see nor drinke this blood which they will shed which crucifie me I commend a certaine Sacrament thereof vnto you And he often beats vpon this that though wicked men doe eat the signe and Sacrament yet none but the worthy receiuers doe eat rem Sacramenti the very Body of Christ q Serm. 11. de verbis Apostoli And Manducabant illi Panem dominum Iudas panem domini contra dominum illi vitam ille paenam r Tract 59. in Iohannem See also Tract in Ioan. 11. 13. 26. De civ Dei lib. 21. cap. 25. De Doctp christiana lib. 3. cap. 9. epist 23. ad Bonifacium epist 57. De Trinitate lib. 3. cap. 10. Contra Adimantum cap. 12. Contra Faustum lib. 20. cap. 21. alibi passim He held two Sacraments of the new Testament onely Å¿ Epistola 118. Libro 3. de doctrina Christiana cap. 9. Baptisme and the Lords Supper Calvin t Calvin Instit lib. 4. cap. 17. § 28. Peter Martyr and the rest of the Protestants count Saint Augustine wholly theirs as did Berengarius before them by Bellarmines confession u Bellar. de Euchar. lib. 2. cap. 24. initio Saint Augustine condemnes Image-worship Follow not saith he x De moribus ecclesiae lib. 2. cap. 34. De civ Dei lib. 8. cap. 27. See Vines comment vpon it the company of ignorant men who in true Religion are superstitious worshippers of Sepulchres and pictures which customes the Church condemneth and daily laboureth to correct And hee saith y De fide symbolo cap. 7. Contra Adimantum cap. 13. It is great wickednesse to place the Image of God in Churches And that to worship the Prototypon sampler or thing resembled by an Image resembling it as the Heathen excused their Idolatry is an absurd servile and carnall thing z De doctr Christiana lib. 3. cap. 7 8 9. See in psal 113 epist 49. And hee writes against Pilgrimages for Religion Serm. 3. De Martyribus Of Purgatory a thing which came to be imagined in his dayes in some places a Encherid cap. 69. de octo quaest Dulciâ—ij qu. 1. De side oâ—er cap. 16. De civ Dei lâ—b 21. cap. 26. hee doubteth whether there be any such place or no but in many places hee giueth sound reasons to ouerthrow it The Catholicke Faith saith he b Contra Pelag. Hypogn lib. 5. resting vpon Diuine authority beleeues the first place the Kingdome of Heauen and the second Hell a third we are wholly ignorant of Yea wee shall find in the Scriptures that it is not c De pecc merit remiss lib. 1. cap. 27. lib. 24. De civ Dei c. 15. serm 232. de tempt There is no middle place he must needs be with the Diuell that is not with Christ d De verbis Apostoli serm 18. There are two habitations after death Vna in igne aeterno altera in regno aeterno And c Homil. 5. when we are passed out of this world no satisfaction remaineth And f Epist 80. wherein euery man 's owne last day finds him therein the worlds last day will hold him For such as in this day euery one dies such in that day hee shall be iudged Againe g Epist 54. there is no other place then in this life to correct our manners for after this life euery one shall haue that which in this life he sought to himselfe For h De verbis Dom. serm 37. Christus suscipiendo paenam non suscipiendo culpam culpaÌ„ delevet panam Christ by taking vpon him our punishment and not taking our sin hath put away both our sin punishment He that holds these things cannot hold Purgatory In briefe therefore In all these former points And furthermore against Free-will and for Gods grace against Mans merits and iustification by our inherent righteousnesse and for Iustification by Gods free mercy and Christs merits onely for the doctrine of faith and good workes for prayer to God alone and by the onely Mediator Iesus Christ against the adoration and inuocation of Angels and Saints departed and other the most necessary and profitable points of Theologie Saint Augustine was no Papist but wholly and entirely of the Protestants Religion §. .7 Antiquus How can this possibly be so when you see our Catholickes doe continually cite Saint Augustine Chrysostome and the rest of the Fathers for confirmation of their doctrine and against yours Antiquissimus They may first cite bookes vnder the names of the Fathers which the Fathers neuer wrote secondly they may corrupt the Fathers putting in or out words or phrases to alter their sense and speake contrary to their meaning thirdly they may by glosses and interpretations wrest the sentences which they finde in them to meane otherwise then they intended and fourthly they may alter the state of the questions betwixt vs and then alleadge the Fathers against their owne fancies not against our Doctrine And by these meanes they may cite and multiply the Fathers names in shew against vs but in truth nothing to the purpose And thus they doe First they alledge many bookes and writings which were not written by those holy learned Fathers whose names they beare For examples Our Bishop Jewell propounding 27 Articles which the Church of Rome holdeth at this day for confirmation of any one of which if any man liuing could shew him any sufficient sentence of any old Catholicke Doctor Father or generall Councell c. within 600 yeeres after Christ he would yeeld and subscribe See Casaubon Prolegom §. Spectare ad Master Harding vndertaking to answer alledged for ancient Doctors and Fathers The Constituions Apostolicall of Clemens Abdias Dionysius Areopagita The decretall Epistles of ancient Popes Amphilochius and such like which are all censured by their owne learned men for counterfeit writings vniustly attributed to the Reuerend Authors whose names they beare Obserue them well Clements Apostolicke Constitutions are cited also by the Rhemists a Rhemes Test annot in Luc. 4.1 to proue Lent Fast to bee as ancient as the Apostles times and by Bellarmine b Bellar. lib. 1. de clericis c. 12. for the antiquity of Ecclesiasticall Orders Also c See Bellarmines seuerall Treatises of these things for vowes of continency for prayer for the dead for holy water for reseruation of the Sacrament for mixing Wine and Water
opinion All which to let passe * See D. Field Appendix 1. part pag. 100. seq and Appendix of 27 Articles to the seuenth chapter of the third booke printed at the end of the fourth multitudes of others you still count Catholickes and of your Church though they taught many things against you And therefore out of your owne iudgement we may conclude that some few differences in some points betwixt Protestants doe not hinder them from being all of one Church and Religion §. 3. Antiquus Yes for your differences are great and many ours small and few Antiquissimus When you looke through false spectacles things may be seene greater or smaller then they are take heed you looke not on our differences through the spectacles of malice which makes euery small thing great and vgly and on your owne differences through the spectacles of selfe-loue which makes them seeme small and tollerable One speciall point of the manner of Christs being and being receiued in the Sacrament Archb. Abbot ag Hill Reason 5 §. 26. makes the maine difference bewixt the Lutherans in Denmarke and some places of Germany and the other reformed Churches Anthony sometime King of Nauarre said to the Ambassadour of Denmarke Comment Relig. Reip. in Gal. lib. exhorting the reformed French to be of Luthers doctrine There bee forty points wherein Luther and Calvin doe differ from the pope and in 39 of them they agree betweene themselues and in that single one they dissent Their followers therefore should doe well to ioyne in the greater number against the pope till they haue ruâ—nated him and when his heart is broken they should fall to compound that last single difference God in his good time grant it Now in that one speciall point Zanchius de dissidio Cana Dom. Iudicium tomo septimo in fine Miscelaneorum D. Field Church lib. 5. Appendix part 1. pag. 114. the difference is nothing so great as you would haue it thought For as the most learned and iudicious Zanchius obserueth and our Doctor Field out of him In all necessary points both the parties agree and dissent in one vnnecessary which by right vnderstanding one another might easily bee compounded First both parties agree in the necessity of the receiuers due preparing themselues with knowledge of their sinnes repentance of them faith in Christ for pardon of them and resolution to liue according to Gods Law Secondly both sides agree in the acknowledgement of the excellent vse of the Sacrament for a perpetuall memoriall of the death and passion of Christ for our saluation and that with him we should dye to sinne and be raised againe to newnesse of life be made one with him and nourished by him in a spirituall life here to eternall life hereafter Thirdly both sides agree that the very body and blood of Christ are to be receiued in that Sacrament that thereby we may be partakers of the life of Grace and also be strengthened confirmed and continued therein Fourthly both sides agree that the elements of bread and wine presenting to our consideration and faith the spirituall nourishing force that is in the body and blood of Christ are not abolished in their substance but onely changed in their vse which is not onely to signifie but also to exhibit and communicate vnto vs the very body and blood of Christ with all the gracious working and fruits thereof Fiftly both sides agree that the meaning of Christs words This is my Body This is my Blood when hee gaue them the Bread and Wine was this This which outwardly and vâ—sibly I giue you is in substance Bread and Wine and in mystery or exhibitiue signification my Body and Blood but this which together with them I giue you inuisibly is my very Boâ—y that is to be crucified and my very Blood which is to be shed for the remission of your sinnes Sixtly both parties agree and professe they firmely beleeue that the very Body and Blood of Christ which the Sacraments doe not onely signifie but exhib t and whereof the faithfull are partakers are truely present in the Sacrament and by the faithfull truely and really receiued Thus farre all parties agree that is in the whole necessary and sufficient substance of the doctrine of this Sacrament for the other matter wherein they differ De modo of the manner how Christ is present in the Sacrament seeing it is not expressed in the Scriptures In the iudgement of Zanchius it might be well omitted themselues confesse when they haue gone as farre as they can to determine it still it is ineffable and not possible to be fully vnderstood It is enough for vs to beleeue the Body and Blood are there though how and in what manner we cannot define §. 4. Antiquus Whether it be of so little importance or no I dispute not but I am sure the Controuersie still remaines and is hotly pursued and yet this is not the onely difference betwixt your Protestants there are many other Antiquissimus The more greatly to blame is your pope and Romish Hierarchy that when many grieuous corruptions of your Church both in Doctrine and gouernment were manifestly layed open See D. Field Appendix to the fift booke of the Church part 1. pag. 71. Gerson 3. part Apologet. de concilio Constantion Idâ—m de concilio vnius obedientiae would not for al the importunity of Princes Prelats people yeeld to any wholsome reformation but with obstinate resistance hindred all publicke proceeding in Reformation by the course of a general Councell so that seuerall States and Kingdomes were faine to redresse things amisse seuerally within their owne compasse without sufficient Intelligence and consultation one with another which could not bee done without some differences and it is lâ—ttle lesse then miraculous that the differences were not many more and greater Cassander saith when many were moued out of a godly affection sharply to reproue certaine manifest abuses Cassander consultation art 7. they were repelled and disdainfully contemned by them who were puffed vp with the swell ng conceits of their Ecclesiasticall power which caused the great distraction or rent of the Church and no firme peace is to be hoped for vnlesse the beginning thereof be from them that gaue the cause of this diuision that is vnlesse they that haue the gouernment of the Church remit something of their too great rigor and listning to the desires of many godly ones correct manifest abuses according to the rule of sacred Scripture and the ancient Church from which they are departed c. Thus writes your Cassander though a papist yet moderate and truely Iudicious Contarenus in confutatione Articulorum Lutheri Also your Cardinall Contarenus writing of the grieuances and complaints of the Lutherans for the manifold abuses brought into the Church makes a prayer to God that he would moue the hearts of the Prelats of the Church at the last to put away most pernicious selfe-loue and be
admitted Acts 2 after one sermon of Saint Peter wherin he had taught the principall heads of faith in Christ in one day 3000 men were baptized who whithout doubt knew nothing else but those necessary things And therefore it is added that after baptisme they perseuered in the Doctrine of the Apostles that is they learned what yet they had not heard of Christian Misteries c. B. Vsher Sermon at Wanstâ—d pag. 32. See also his booke De Christianarum eccles successu statu cap. 1. § 15. This our Bishop Vsher agreeth vnto alledging the Apostles sermons to that purpose which treated onely of the first principles of the Doctrine of Christ vpon the receiuing whereof as of sufficient doctrine to make them Christians men were baptized And this he further confirmeth by the writings of Irenaeus and Tertullian and the Creeds receiued by the Church the Apostles Creed the Creed of Athanasius The Creed of the East Church See before cap. 1. sect 2. subject 1. §. 2. recited and confirmed for the beleefe of the whole Church in the Councells of Nice and Constantinople and the late Councell of Trent Whereof I haue spoken already § 5. D. Field of the Church booke 3. chap 4. Our Doctor Field doth more fully and perfectly describe those things that so neerely touch the very life and being of Christian Faith and Religion that euery one is bound particulaâ—ly and expresly to know and beleeue them vpon paine of eternall damnation He reduceth them to sixe principall heades First concerning God whom to know is eternall life we must beleeue and acknowledge the vnity of an infinite incomprehensible and eternall essence full of righteousnesse goodnesse mercy and trueth The Trinity of persons subsisting in the same essence the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost coessentiall coeternall and coequall the Father not created nor begotten the Sonne not created but begotten the holy Ghost not created nor begotten but proceeding Secondly we must know and beleeue that God made all things of nothing that in them he might manifest his wisdome power and goodnesse that he made men and Angels capable of supernaturall blessednesse consisting in the vision and enioying of himselfe that he gaue them abilities to attaine thereunto and lawes to guide them in the wayes that lead vnto it that nothing was made euill in the beginning that all euill entred into the world by the voluntary aversion of men and Angels from God their Creator that the sinne of Angels was not generall but that some fell and other continued in their first estate that the sinne of those Angels that fell is irremissible and their fall irrevocable that these are become deuils and spirits of errour seeking the destruction of the sonnes of men that by the misperswasion of these lying spirits the first man that euer was in the world fell from God by sinnefull disobedience and apostacy that the sinne of the first man is deriued to all his posterity not by imitation onely but by propagation and descent subiecting all to curse and malediction yet not without possibility and hope of mercifull deliuerance Thirdly we must beleeue that for the working of this deliuerance the Sonne of God assumed the nature of man into the vnity of his Diuine person so that he subsisteth in the nature of God and Man without all corruption confusion or conuersion of one of them into another that in the nature of man thus assumed he suffered death but being God could not be holden of it but rose againe and triumphantly ascended into heauen that he satisfied the wrath of his Father obtained for vs remission of sinnes past the grace of repentant conuersion and a new conuersation ioyned with assured hope desire and expectation of eternall happinesse Fourthly we must constantly beleeue that God doth call and gather to himselfe out of the manifold confusions of erring ignorant and wretched men whom hee pleaseth to be partakers of these precious benefits of eternall saluation the happy number and ioyfull society of whom we name the Church of God whether they were before or since the manifestation of Christ the Sonne of God in our flesh For both had the same faith hope and spirit of adoption whereby they were sealed vnto eternall life though there be a great difference in the degree and measure of knowledge and the excellency of the meanes which God hath vouchsafed the one more then the other Fiftly we must know and beleeue that for the publishing of this ioyfull deliuerance and the communicating of the benefits of the same the Sonne of God committed to those his followers whom he chose to bee witnesses of all things he did or suffered not onely the word of Reconciliation but also the dispensation of sacred and sacramentall assurances of his loue set meanes of his gracious working that those first messengeâ—s whom he sent with immediate commission were infallibly led into all truth and left vnto posterities that summe of Christian Doctrine that must for euer be the rule of our faith that these blessed messengers of so good and happy tidings departing hence left the Ministery of Reconciliation to those whom they appointed to succeed them in the worke so happily began by them Lastly we must know and be assuredly perswaded that seeing the renouation of our spirits and mindes is not perfect and the redemption of our bodies still remaining corruptible is not yet therefore God hath appointed a time when Christ shall returne againe raise vp the dead and giue eternall life to all that with repentant sorrow turne from their euill and wicked wayes while it is yet the accepted time and day of saluation and contrary wayes cast out into vtter darkenesse and into the fire that neuer shall be quenched all those that neglect despise so great saluation All these things and these onely doe directly concerne the matter of eternall saluation saith Doctor Field These things saith he make the rule of faith whereof a man cannot be ignorant and bee saued By these all the holy Fathers Bishops and Pastors of the Church measured and made their Sermons Commentaries and interpretations of Scripture This rule is deliuered by Tertullian Irenaeus Tertull. de praescriptionibus adversus hareticos adversus Praxcam Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 3. See here before cap. 1. sect 2. subsect 1. §. 2. and other of the Fathers and with addition of conclusions most easily clearely and vnavoydably deduced hence by Theodoret in his Epitome Dogmatum For a second sort of things there are that attend on these first as consequents deduced from them or some way appertaining to them such as a man being perswaded of these will see the necessary consequence and deduction of them from these if they be propounded vnto him As that there are two wills in Christ that there is no saluation remission of sinnes or hope of eternall life out of the Church c. In such second things clearely deduced from the first principles if a man
but one yeere and three months After him succeeded Romanus 1. Who abrogated the decrees and acts of Steuen and reygned but three months then came Theodorus 2. who restored also Formosus his acts and followers liuing Pope but twenty dayes Then succeeded Iohn 9. Platina cals him Iohn the tenth who fully restored the acts of Formosus and abrogated Steuens confirming all by a Councell Notwithstanding all this Sergius 3. restored Steuen and condemned Formosus agayne admitted them to priesthood againe whom Formosus had deposed and whom Formosus had ordered hee againe degraded and caused them to take new Orders and againe tooke vp Formosus his body out of the sepulcher beheaded it and cast the body into Tyber as vnworthy the honour of buriall Whereupon saith Baronius l Baron anno 908. one Auxilius then wrote a dialogue betwixt Infensor and Defensor against this inbred discord of the Romish Church and of the Popes ordinations exordinations and supeâ—-ordinations c. m Nauclerus generat 31. initio Thus were Saint Peters successors whirled about not with the spirit of godlinesse but with the spirit of giddinesse Vertigo rotabat Petri successores saith Krantzius n Krantzius Metrepolis l. 2 c. 22. Martin Polon Nanclerus ib. saith there were 8. Popes in one King Lodowicks time who reygned not aboue 12 yeeres and the head of the Church was long without a brayne Where was then the infallibility of these Popes iudgement in the gouernment of the greatest affayres of the Church where was their charity and holinesse nay where was ordinary honesty ciuility or humanity Here was indeed a most bestiall rage reaching not onely to the death-bed but to the graue with digging vp bones dismembring dead carkasses derogating from their persons abrogating their acts disanulling their ordinations disgracing their Fauorites degrading the Prelats by their predecessors preferred Pope against Pope one head of the Church against another and Councells against Councells setting the world in amaze dissoluing religion and gouernment that men knew not what to thinke nor what to doe Where was the vnity of minde and peace among inferiours when the heads were so brainsicke or so hare-braind or rather wolfe-braind Antiq. Enough enough you haue wearied and stuncke mee out indeed with these filthy storyes which I would neuer haue beleeued had you not turned mee to their owne authours to reade them with mine owne eyes But it is most admirable that God did yet preserue his Church by such wicked instruments for you know the doctrine and sacraments deliuered by Iudas were good and profitable though hee was wicked Antiquiss o Genebrard quo supra â— tanto numero pontificuÌ„ quinque modò satis tenuiter landatur Our Sauiour in chusing Iudas had a purpose to saue vs by working good out of his treason but had hee chosen ten Iudasses for one or two good Apostles the world would haue muttered at him as improuident Your Genebrard reports of 50 Popes Apostaticall together and scarce fiue of them any whit Apostolicall and doubtlesse hee speakes the best for his owne side and the after times grew worse rather than better Also though the ministeriall acts being ordinary and receiued of the Apostles you will say might bee effectuall though wicked men performe them which to deny is contrafidem and so condemnes them that abrogated Formâ—sus his ordinations p Bellar. de Rom. pont l. 4 cap. 2. § vigesimus sept §. sed obiicies yet their infallibility being an extraordinay priuiledge in things not ordered by the Apostles hath no probability at all but rather the crossing one of another in their Decrees and in their Counsells called and confirmed by themselues vtterly confutes it §. 4. Antiq. These things you draw in à latere sidelings shew mee some Popes that haue directly and facto indeed erred in the Faith and then I shall thinke them fallible See D. Field Church booke 5. cap. 43. Bellar. de Rom pont lib 4. Antiquis Bellarmine himselfe yeelds you enow though he labour with all his art and wit to excuse all for some haue erred too grossely to be excused too manifestly to be denied 1 Pope Gregory 3. Ex ignorantia lapsus est saith Bellarmine i Bellar. ib c 12. §. sed contra hoc est c. when he permitted a man to take a second wife his first yet liuing but vnable to pay her debt vnto him and taught that in some case a man might with the license of his wife marry another and so haue two at once which indeed is false doctrine and so defined by the Councell of Trent sels 24. can 2. 2 ib cap. 8. §. Decimus est Marcellinus 2 Pope Marcellinus beyoÌ„d decreeing proceeded to fact sacrificed to Idols teaching Idolatry and Hetheamsme by fact and example But it was for feare of death saith Bellarmine And 3 ib. cap. 9. 3 Pope Liberius subscribed to the Arrian heresie set his hand against Athanasius wrote wicked Epistles but saith Bellarmine it was for feare of death or torments A man may by the same reason excuse Peters deniall of Christ and say it was no sinne if this was no error Pope Vigillus wrote to the Empresse 4 ib. cap. 10. and to the heretikes confirming their heresie and cursing the Catholike teachers that confessed two natures in Christ wicked letters vnworthy a Christian man But saith Bellarmine hee did it for desire of the Papacy and in great strayts into which his ambition had cast him As though wicked affections could excuse mens errours Pope Honorius was condemned for an heretike 5 ib. cap. 11. by the sixt generall Councell and againe by the seuenth and in an Epistle of Pope Leo but all these were corrupted saith Bellarmine or misinformed See this man liuing but yesterday knowes better than whole Councels Popes and authors liuing in that age and is bold to accuse whole generall Councels of corruption to keepe one Pope from corruption Pope Celestine 3. 6 ib. cap. 14. § cricesimus tertius cannot bee excused from heresie saith their Alphonsus de Castro for teaching that by heresie Matrimony is so farre dissolued that the innocent party may marry againe the contrary whereof is defined by the Councell of Trent Sess 24. Cannon 5. and by Innocent 3. Bellarmine saith This was indeed Celestines opinion but not any decree a poore excuse 7 ib. cap. 14. See many Popes crossing one another in iudgement ex diam etro noted by Erasmus annot in 1 Cor. 7. pag. 373 374. Basilea 1522 cited by B. MortoÌ„ Appeal l. 3. c 15 § 1. p 403. Pope Iohn 22. held opinion that the soules departed came not to see God till after the resurrection Bellarmine answers hee might so hold without danger because yet there had beene no definition of the Church in this point also he purposed to define the question but was by death preuented A slender answer leauing him still infallibly faulty §. 5. Antiq. Sir you