5. cap. 3. pag. 684 In tymes past no religion had place in Churches but Papisticall D. Humfrey ad Rat. 3. Campiani At length all left the fellowship of the Church M. Perkins in Exposit Symboli During the space of 900. yeares the Popish heresy spred it selfe ouer the whole world And D. White in his way pag. 352. compareth Popery before Luthers tyme to a leprosy which sayth he possesseth euery part of man And in his defence cap. 37 he sayth I affirme Papacy to be a leprosy breeding in the Church so vniuersally that there was no visible company of people appearing to the world free â—â—om it And whether any company at all knowne or vnknowne were free from it wholy or not I neither determine nor greatly care M. Iewel serm in cap. 11. Lucae pag. 208 VVhen all the world the people Priests and Princes were ouerwhelmed with ignorance when the word of God was put out of sight when all schooles Priests Bishops Kings of the world were sworne to him the Pope that whatsoeuer he tooke in hand they should vphold it VVhen whosoeuer had muttered against him must straight way haue byn excommunicate put to most cruel death as Gods enemy M. Fox in his Acts p. 391 All the whole world was filled and ouerwhelmed with errors and darknesse And finally D. Bancroft in his suruey c. 4. pag 60. hath these words Both the Priests of all sortes and likewise the people became in tyme to be so drowned in the puddles of Popery all of them together from the toppe to the toe Al people from the toppe to the toe forgetting c. 5. By these confessions of Protestants we see plainly that all the westerne Church all Europe all Christian Churches the whole Christian nation the whole body of the Church the whole world all all without exception all alike all euen to the last all euen to the common people all Kings and people from the first to the last all Priests and people from top to toe all and euery one were ouerwhelmed with Popish and more then Cymmerian darknesse Secondly we see that no man strone against Popery no man admonished no man taught no man belieued no man so much as dreamed of that which is the cheifest and most principall point of Protestancy but one only and Luther alone was wise Thirdly that the case was such for so many ages for 600. yea for 900. years last past Fourthly that it is so manifest that as themselues confesse the whole Christian world knoweth it it is confessed manifest by it selfe most cleare and out of all doubt and no man in his writtes can deny it To all which if you add that very many and most famous Protestants oftentymes most plainly most freely and in all kind of writings haue confessed this ye shall most euidently perceiue Lib. 1. cont marc ca. 3. de carne Chr. c. 5. li. 22 cont Faust c. 15. that vnlesse it be hereticall licence as Tertullian speaketh or by some diuelish priuiledge as S. Augustins word is their confessions can be vnderstood in no other sense then that when Luther began there was not one Protestant in the whole world Lastly we see hereby that Protestants herein imitate the phrases of old heretiks Cont. epist fund c. 4. for Manichee as S. Augustin writeth sayd Almost all nations are ignorant how the truth is And the Donatists The Church is perished from the whole world The Luciferians in S. Hierome Heres 69. The whole world is become Diuels Whose damned speach sayth he doth frustrate the Passion of Christ Dial. cont Lucifer Nestorius in Vincent Lyrin auouched That the whole Church had erred And other heretiks there say Learne true fayth which besides vs none vnderstandeth Cap. 26. which lay hid for many ages and now of late is reuealed and shewed Marcion also and Valentinian in Tertullian auouch Praes c. 28. that all had erred at whome he pleasantly iesteth in these words Forsooth truth which was to be freed expected some Marcionists or Valentinians Lutherans or Caluinists In the meane tyme men preached amisse belieued amisse so many thousands we wrongly Christened so many works of fayth wrongly done so many miracles so many graces done amisse so many Priesthoods so many functions wrongly executed 6. If any say that the scripture sometyme speaketh vniuersally when notwithstanding it is not to be vnderstood vniuersally as when it sayth All seeke their owne There is not one that doth good no not one and the like and therefore though the foresayd speaches of Protestants be vniuersall yet they are not to be vnderstood vniuersally I answeare that it is found to affirme that the foresayd speaches of Protestants ought to be vnderstood according to certaine speaches of the scripture and those spoken of other matters rather then according to their own plaine and manifest signification Who made this law of expounding Protestants words Or do they keep it in expounding Catholiks or other mens wordes God may speake in scripture as he thinkes best Protestants ought according to custome which as is sayd is the law and rule of speach both to speak and to be vnderstood Besides sith we know that the scripture cannot lye or gainsay it selfe and in other places it sayth the contrary we iustly limitate its vniuersall speaches in this or that place And therfore vnlesse Protestants can shew that they haue the like priuiledge that they cannot contradict themselues as the Scripture hath there is no reason to expound them according as we do the holy Scripture 7. If any reply that also Saint Hierome Dial. cont Lucifer sayd that the whole world meruayled how it was become Arian and yet meant not that the whole world was Arian I answeare that Saint Hieromes example doth nothing auaile Protestants First because Saint Hierome sayd once so Protestants very often Againe he sayd so only in heat of dispute with his aduersary Protestants haue written so when they disputed with none Besides Saint Hierome in the very same place expoundeth himselfe that he meant not that indeed the whole world was become Arian For he sayth that it was euident that the Bishops vvere no Arians but belieued a right and abode in the agreement of fayth but only speaketh so because all the Bishops assembled at Arimini yelded to the Arians that the word Consubstantiall should not be vsed But Protestants say not that all the world yelded to the Pope about the suppressing of one only word but that all from the first to the last from the top to the toe were drowned in Popish errours and none belieued or so much as dreamed of that which is most fundamentall and necessary in Protestant religion Which kind of speaches S. Hierome neuer vsed Againe Saint Hierome vsed only this phrase The whole world but Protestants vse both that and many more and more plaine Lastly albeit Saint Hierome had spoken altogether as Protestants do yet there were no reason that
worship God And M. Iewel in Defe Apol. part 4. c. 4. diuis 2. Elias thought all the godly in Israel had byn slaine and not one left aliue D. Fulke ad Cauillat Stapletoni It sell to Elias that he seemed to be left alone of all the number of the Godly which sincerely worshipped God M. Hooker in his 3. booke of Eccles policy pag. 126 He tooke it as though there had not byn remayning in the world any besides himselfe that caryed a true and an vpright hart towards God with care to serue him according vnto his holy will D. Sutclife lib. 1. de Eccl. cap. 6. pag. 95 The church in Elias his dayes did seeme to him so destroyed that he thought he had byn left alone D. Whitaker Cont. 2 quest 3. cap. 3. pag. 476 Elias thought the whole Church of the saythfull was perished in his tyme. Elias belieued that none remayned besides himselfe Elias thought that he alone was left a true worshipper of God And pag. 475 Elias sayd that he was alone left the true seruant of God I dispute not now how falsly they impose vpon Elias this blasphemous opinion of the church perishing or destruction only I note how vnder the name and authority of that great Prophet they teach that the church may perish which sometymes they are ashamed to auouch in their owne names 9. Moreouer they teach that the Church may consist of one or two which is in effect and in other words to say that it may perish Luther lib. de notis Eccles tom 7. fol. 148 ProtestaÌ„ts Chuâ—câ— may 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 child This is called the Christian society it is necessary that there be alwayes such men in the world albeit of them there be only two or three or children alone Aretius in locis part 3. fol. 50 Any number though neuer so small sufficeth to the Church for externâ—ll matters Iuniuâ— cont 4. lib. 3. cap. 16 Of any number Two men ordered towards God are a Church D. Whitaker cont 2. quest 3. cap. 3. pag. 474 It is false which he sayth that two men cannot make a Church And pag. seq he graunteth that Protestants teach that ech man is a seuerall Church And pag. 478 Of two only If in the most forlorne tymes of the Church there be one or another faythfull seruant of God it is inough If one or two Which also Bucanus saith loc 41. de Eccles sect 14. Nay Luther in cap. 7. Gen. tom 7. fol. 107. sayth If I were the only man in the whole world who did hold the word I alone should be the church Of one alone And Riuet in Epitom Cont. tract 1. sect 27. The Church subsisteth in euery one of her members Finally they think ProtestaÌ„ts belieue not the coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce of their Church that their Church and religion shall not alwayes endure For thus Luther writeth in cap. 2. Mathaeâ— tom 4. fol. 438 VVe cannot comfort our selues so as the Papists do with that consolation that the Church shall not perish For whersoeuer we cast our eyes we are diuersly terrified the fury of Satan and the world is extreme wherewith he endeauoureth to extinguish this doctrine But the Popes boast and that with full mouth that the Church shall not perish In cap. 55. Isaiae fol. 226 There is danger least it shortly fall out that the word be againe taken from vs. Tom. 3. in psalm grad fol. 489. alias 508 The Pope obstinatly keepeth those promises with which Christ did comfort his followers that he would be with them to the end of the world That S. Peters boat althought it be in danger shall neuer be drowned But the true ProtestaÌ„t Church to which alone that was sayd doth not so belieue that nor so cheare vp her selfe with the trust of those promises Kemnice in locis part 1. tit de Iustificat pag. 216 I often tremble that Luther oftentymes I know not with what abode repeateth those words This doctrine after my death shall be darkened againe The Confession of Mansfeld It is euident what shall follow at length to wit a horrible destruction of pure doctrine which suddenly we shall leese beyond all expectation The Magdeburgians Praefat. Cent. 5 The reuealed truth is already periâ—hed and that vpon the suddaine what remayneth but vtter abolition of true religion Caluin in his Catechism I am so doubtfull touching posterity that I scarce dare thinke thereof Author Praefat. in Syntag. Confess VVe haue cause to feare that matters will returne to the darkenesse of former tymes And Paraeus in Miscellanca Vrsini pag. 39. sayth that all good and wise men do easily perceiue that there hangeth ouer their heads some dreadfull night and darcknesse M. Iewell in his sermon in cap. 1. Aggaei This Ghospell which ye now loath shall be taken from you D. Whitaker cont 2 quest 5. cap. 4. pag. 503 That which he sayth that neither Lutherans nor Zuinglians nor Caluinists shall last euer is vncertaine And lastly D. Morton part 1. Apol. lib. 1. cap. 31. sayth Protestants say not that their Church cannot faile Thus ye see that Protestants cannot comfort themselues that their Church shall not perish that they do not belieue that they shall not be drowned that a horrible destruction and vtter abolition of their doctrine is to follow that they dare scarce thinke of posterity that it is vncertaine whether they are to last for euer and that they belieue not that their Church cannot faile Consider now diligently good reader First how not few but very many Protestant writers haue confessed that their Church and religion was then perished when Luther began Secondly Note that not obscure writers but the most famous amongst them Thirdly that they haue not seldome confessed it but oftentymes Fourthly that not in obscure or generall termes only but in plaine and most particuler words Lastly that not only in their contentious writings against their aduersaries or in their sermons to the people in which speaches some vse to speake hyperbolicaly but also in their most sober and temperate writings as in those wherin they deliuer their doctrine or relate histories in their commentaries vpon the scripture in their Confessions of fayth and in their speaches vnto God himself Be it so that one or two or some few in heat of contention should haue hyperbolically sayd that their church and religion was perished without meaning so But that so many and so great masters so often and in so many kinds of writings so plainly and so particulerly should say that their Church and religion was perished and yet not meane so cannot be sayd vnlesse we will graunt that so many so great Maisters of Protestants in so great a matter haue deceiued their Readers and haue written one thinge and meant another and that their meaning is not to be gathered out of their owne most frequent and most plaine words vttered in all kinds of writings but out of our fancie and pleasure Scorp c.
neither did any maÌ„ feele or perceiue himselfe to haue bin a member of such a Church before that time Wherfore as he should manifestly play the Sophister who would goe about to proue by scripture that the sunne appeareth at midnight so likewise doth he who out of scripture endeuoreth to proue that there was a protestant Church before Luther because all mens sense conuince the one as well as the other Besides Protestants write that though faith commaund vs to beleiue things which we see not yet it doth not commaund vs not to beleiue that which we see for otherwise faith should be contrary to sense and none should become faithfull but he should first be senselesse But surely wonderfull is the blindnes or wilfulnesse of Sacramentaries who in the matter of the Eucharist against the most expresse words of Scripture will endeuour to proue by sense that there is not the body of Christ when as the body of Christ there is not sensible And here in the matter of existence of their Church before Luther out of some apparent shew of scripture against the most manifest sense of all men will proue that it was before Luthers time When as a Church is a sensible thing and can be felt either of others or at least of them who are of it How much better and more reasonably should they proceed if in the Eucharist where Christs body is not sensible they would rather giue eare to the most expresse words of scripture then to the suspicions of their seÌ„ses which can iudge of nothing but of sensible accidents and in the matter of the Church whose being is seÌ„sible they would submit their vncertaine if not false expositions of scripture not only to the sense of all men but also the most certaine expositions of the Church and Fathers But this sheweth that in their beleife they are guided neither by seÌ„se nor scripture but out of them both borrow a shew of proofe for that which of their mere wilfulnes or fancy they choose to beleiue 10. Thus thou seest Christian Reader for how vaine a sophisme whose Maior is manifestly false so false as that out of this matter it is generally denyed of Protestants themselues and so improbable also as that it cannot be proued in no shew or colour and whose Minor is more doubtfull then the conclusioÌ„ it selfe and the manner of prouing sophisticall and no other then the proofes of al Heretikes be for how vaine a sophisme I say then the which scarce any can be more vaine Protestants beleiue or rather will seeme to beleiue a thing wholy incredible and in a thing sensible against the sense of al maÌ„kind to wit that before Luther there was a Church which held the whose substance or all the substantiall and fundamentall points of Protestancy nor in so weighty a matter respect either their oâ—â—e consciences or the iudgements of men or tribunal of God or danger of their eternall damnation Surely Homil. cont Sabel that I may end with S. Basils words I moane and bewayle them that for a meane sophisme and counterfait paralogisme they cast themselues into hel 11. Out of all which hath bin sayd in this chapter I thus frame my tenth and last demonstration If no sufficent testimonie nor any probable argument but only one sond sophisme can be brought to proue that the Protestant Church was before Luther this is not to be beleiued of any wise and prudent man But no other proofe can be brought Therfore c. And if it were not before Luther surely he is the Author of it The Maior is euident by it selfe and the Minor by what hath bin brought in this chapter Certainely if euery one of the demoÌ„strations which we haue brought doe not conuince that the Protestant Church and religion was not before Luther at least all of them together manifestly conuince it For by the first fiue demonstrations was shewed that before Luther it was not at all it was in no place was vnknowne of all the world was not seene of any nor had any Pastors And with the rest hath bin demonstrated that after Luther arose no ancienter Protestant did euer appeare and adioyne himselfe to Luther that all the first knowne Protestant had bin Papists afore times that the Protestant company and religion is new that Luther and other plainly confesse that he was autho of that religion and finally that no proofe besides one friuolous fallacie can be brought to shew that such a Church or religion had bin in former times And if yet any Protestant doubt hereof let him at least compare al the foresayd demoÌ„strations wherwith so many wayes out of the very testimonies of Protestants we haue shewed that no such Church was before Luther with their vaine sophisme wherewith they make shew to proue the contrary and he will easily perceiue on whose side this so important truth is like to stand And if he make any account of truth of Gods seruice of his owne reputation or eternall saluation he will forsake the Protestants Church put himselfe in the lappe of the Catholike Church Which as S. Augustine speaketh euen in the testimony of all mankind hath not only beene in all ages since Christ De vtil credendi cap. 17. but also hath had Pastors nor hath been visible only to her owne but to others also and to the whole world and hath most valiantly fought ouercome and triumphed ouer Iewes Pagans Heretikes Schismatiks and all the gates of hell To preferre before this most ancient most glorious church another newly start vp many ages lurking knowne to none not to her owne and destitute of Pastours flocke seat and appearance and in truth feigned and deuised and to omit all other proofes wounded deadly with so many confessions of her owne champions and proued by one only vaine fallacie what other thing were it then to preferre lyes before truth darcknesse before light death before life the synagogue of Satan before the Church of Christ and finally wilfully to cast himselfe headlong into hell VVhat he must obserue who will answere the foresayd demonstration CHAP. XVI SEEING I haue yielded so much to Protestants condescended to so vnequall conditions as that I haue vndertaken to proue that Luther was the author of their Church and religion by the only Confessions of Luther and other Protestants it is reason that if any one of them goe about to answeare my foresayd demoÌ„strations he hould obserue these most iust lawes which I will here set downe and which themselues haue prescribed to others 2. See Iuel defens Apol par 2. c. d. 5. Kemnice Exam. tit de script Epist Monit p. 145. Calu. cont Seruet p. 643. First therfore touching the words of Protestants which I haue alleadged let him either confesse that they are truely cited by me or if he denye that let him not say it only but let him shew that they are supposed falsifyed or so changed as that the sense which I