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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06531	A defence of the Roman Church VVherin is treated, vvhether the said Church of Rome hath fallen in faith, or no? Written in Latin by the R. F. Martinus Becanus of the Society of Iesus, Professour in Diuinity: and now translated into English.	Becanus, Martinus, 1563-1624.; Wright, William, 1563-1639.	1612 (1612)	STC 1700; ESTC S115571	18,025	50

A DEFENCE OF THE ROMAN CHVRCH VVHERIN Is treated VVhether the said Church of Rome hath fallen in faith or no Written in Latin by the R. F. Martinus Becanus of the Society of Iesus Professour in Diuinity AND Now translated into English Anno Domini M. DC XII THE PRINTER to the Reader GOOD Reader this short Treatise being sōt vnto me long since from a friend who had caused it to be translated out of Latin into English I haue iudged it worthy to be imparted vnto theo for that it will giue thee light in a matter which greatly importeth thee to know and on which the Aduersaries do imploy their whole endeauours to cast a cloud of obscurity The matter in Controuersy is Whether the Church of Rome hath fallen from her ancient faith The Protestants affirme the same and if they could in place of often saying it once proue it their cause were much the better The Catholiques on the contrary side deny that She euer admitted the least change in any point of faith Which if thou find to be so as by reading this little Phamphlet I hope thou shalt then hast thou a cleere and sure way laid before thee to resolue thyselfe of all doubtes that may concerne Religion Bestow therfore the reading therof and thou shalt find the profit to counteruaile thy paynes And so wishing thee euerlasting happines I bid thee farewell WHETHER THE CHVRCH OF ROME hath fallen in faith or no THE sense hereof is Whether the Roman Church togeather with those other Churches which adhere vnto it hath so fallen and degenerated that it should cease to be any longer a true Church Iohn Lib. 4. Inst c. 7. §. 24. v de lib. ● c. 6. §. 26 Caluin affirmeth that it hath so fallen away in these words Fuerit sanè olim Roma omnium Ecclesiarum Mater c. Verily Rome in times past was the Mother of all Churches but in that it hath begū to be the Seat of Antichrist it ceaseth to be that which it was Here he affirmeth two things One is that the Roman Church was sometimes the true Church and more thē this that it was the mother of all Churches This we admit The other is that it is now fallen and become the seate of Antichrist And of this we dispute 2. Two wayes we may vnderstand it to haue fallen First in Manners Secondly in doctrine of Faith The former defect taketh not away the nature of a true Church but the later This therfore is the State of the controuersie VVhether the Roman Church hall The State of the cōtrouersie sallen in doctrine of saith Caluin affirmeth it hath thus fallen neither doth he otherwise proue it then by a grosse manifest vntruth For he saith that longe agoe the Popes of Rome haue taught 3. most greiuous errors touching Faith to wit That there is no God Lib. 4. Inst cap. 7. §. 27. no Christ no Resurrection 3. But I will contrariwise demonstrate not by vntruths as he doth but by strong arguments that the Church of Rome as heertofore it was so still to be at this present the true Church of Christ nor euer to haue fallen away from her purity and that three manner of wayes 1. By Scripture 2. by Fathers 3. by Caluin himself and his owne principles And that I may be briefe I will vse this last kind of proofe most especially seeing that many others haue longe since both out of Scriptures Fathers very copiously handled the same argument To the end therfore that the whole matter may be the more easily perceiued I will labour to deduce and explicate the same by certaine Conclusions This then is The 1. Conclusion THERE must be graunted some visible Church on earth which both is and is also called Catholike Holy the Spouse of Christ the house of God the Piller and firmament of Truth 1 THIS conclusion is wholy grāted by Caluin in his 4. booke of Institutions Chap. 1. for many paragraphes togeather where he purposely disputeth of the Visible Church And verily in the 2. § he affirmeth that by Faith we belieue the visible Church when we say in the Apostles Creed I belieue the Holy Catholike Church Wherefore that a visible Church be granted is an article of Faith according to Caluin And full rightly For albeit we see with externall eyes the multitude of those mē wherof the visible Church consisteth yet notwithstanding that there is the true doctrine of Christ and his Apostles in the said multitude this we see not but belieue it So that the visible Church is conteyned partly vnder sight partly vnder Faith With externall eyes we see those men that be in the Church with internall faith we belieue that amongst them the true doctrine of Christ is both deliuered and conserued 2. And thus is that Cauil of the Lutherans solued That which we belieue by faith is not visible But the Church we belieue by faith Ergo the Church is not visible For the Maior Proposition ought thus to be vnderstood That which we belieue by Faith is not visible according to the thing that is cōteined vnder Faith although it be visible according to some other thing that is not cōteined vnder Faith And of this matter there be diuers exāples In Christ the Apostles saw his humanity they belieued his Diuinity In baptisme we see the externall water and washing but the internall force of regeneration and remission of sinnes we belieue In the volume of the Bible we see the paper the writing and the volume it selfe we belieue that to be the word of God which is read therin The same iudgment therfore there is of the Church Somewhat there is in it which we belieue and somewhat which we perceiue by sense 3. But least that any should be mistaken we must yet vse another distinction For it may be two wayes vnderstood that we belieue the Church by Faith First that by faith we belieue that ech man which is in the Church is truly faithfull and doth with internall affection follow the doctrine of Christ Secondly that by faith we belieue the doctrine of Christ to be both taught and conserued in it The former sense is false the later is true For we doe not belieue that as many as are in the visible Church with vs are according to internall affection truly faithfull because it is plaine that many hypocrits are in the Church as I will shew you afterwardes yet doe we belieue that doctrine which by externall voice the men that are in the visible Church doe professe to be that true doctrine of Christ and his Apostles without which there is no saluation 4. And that this visible Church is to be called Catholike Holy the Spouse of Christ the house of God the pillar and firmament of Truth Caluin confesseth § 2. 9. 10. and the rest that follow And the matter is certaine For both Scriptures Creeds and Fathers teach so euery where It is called Catholike

meanes be separated or pulled away from Christ Thirdly It is an article of faith that a visible Church be graunted according to the same Conclusion But articles of faith are alwaies true Ergo it is alwaies true that a visible Church be granted These are out Caluin himselfe 2. Now followeth an argument out of the Scripture especially out of that place Matth. 16. 18. Vpon this rocke wil I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against her Heere Christ promiseth two things 1. that he will build his Church vpon a rocke 2. that Hell gates shall neuer preuaile against her In both which he alludeth to that which he had said Matth. 7. 24. that the wise man is he who buildeth his house vpon a rocke and he a foole that buildeth on the sand And he sheweth the cause why for that when some more violent tempest doth arise that house which was built vpon the sand falleth downe to the ground but not that which was founded on a rocke Christ then would imitate the wise builder build his Church vpon a rocke that by no force of winds or stormes it may be disturbed 3. Hereby it appeareth that such as teach the Church of Christ to haue fallen or that it may fall doe great iniury vnto Christ For thereupon it plainly followeth that he built it not vpon a rocke but on the sand and therfore to haue imitated the foolish not the wise builders yea to haue byn a fabler in that he promised to build it vpon a rocke and did not and because he said the gates of Hel should not preuaile against it and yet haue preuailed Neither may it be obiected that Christ spake of the inuisible Church For he plainly speaketh there of the visible Church as Beza vpon that place confesseth and others euery where 4. The same is confirmed by that Psal 47. 9. God hath sounded it for euer Vpon which place S. Augustine writeth thus But perhaps that Citty he speaketh of the Church which hath held vp the world shall be some time ouerturned God forbid God hath sounded it for euer If therfore God hath sounded it for euer why searest thou least the skie should fall And vpon the 101. Psal concione 2. disputing there against the Donatists who said that the whole visible Church was perished and remayned only in Africa amongst certaine iust persons only he thus saith But that Church which was of all nations is now no where she hath vtterly perished This they say who are not in her Oh impudēt voice She is not because thou art not in her But beware least thou therfore beest not for the shall be although thou be not And afterwards he bringeth in the Church speaking thus How long shal I be in this world Tell me for their sake that say she was but is not now The Church hath played the Apostata is perished frō among all nations he told me Behold I am with you euen to the end of the world The seauenth Conclusion THE Roman Church for the first 500. yeares after Christ was that visible and Catholike Church of Christ wherof we haue hitherto spoken 1. THIS Conclusion may be vnderstood two wayes 1. That the Roman Church that is only that Church which was at Rome was Catholike and Vniuersal But this is false is as falsely imposed vpon vs by certaine of our Aduersaries Secondly that the Roman Church that is all that whole multitude of the faithful which did at that time adhere vnto the Pope was the Catholike and Vniuersall Church This now is true and Caluin confesseth as much when he saith that The Roman Church was the mother of all Churches to wit because all the particuler Churches of Christ which then were dispersed ouer the face of the earth did adhere to the Roman Church or Bishop of Rome 2. In this sense the ancient Fathers tooke the Roman Church the Catholike Church for one the same as S. Hierome cont Rufinum Apol. 1. neere the beginning Ambros de obitu Satyrifratris others Yea when they would recount vnfold the Catalogue of such Bishops as had lawfully succeeded one another in the Catholike Apostolike Church they al waies spake of the Roman Church of the succession of the Popes of Rome as appeareth by Irenaeus Optatus Augustine Epiphanius and Eusebius Caesariensis For these although they were Bishops themselues to wit Ireriaeus of Lions in France Optatus and Augustine in Africa Epiphanius of Salamina in Cyprus Eusebius of Caesarea in Palestine yet did they not recount the succession of their owne particuler Churches but of the Roman Church only to which as to their mother the other particuler Churches did adhere 3. This may be confirmed two waies First because after the first 300. yeares flourished Pope Gregory to whō as to their Head the whole Christian world was conioyned as appeareth by his Epistles which he sent to all Prouinces especially to the Bishops of the East of Africke Spaine France and Italy Secondly because after Pope Gregories death was celebrated the sixt Generall Councell which our Aduersaries receiue for most holy as appeareth aswell by others as also by the Tigurine Confession and by the Centuries of the Magdeburgians But it is manifestly gathered out of the said Councell that the whole East and VVest at that time conspired consented with Agatho Pope of Rome as members with their head For that his sentence which by his Legates and Epistles he declared vnto thē Cent. 7● cap. 9. they all followed as the Magdeburgians do record at large 4. Thus haue we found therfore that for the first 500. yeares the Catholike Church was that very company of faithfull people dispersed ouer the face of the earth which did adhere in doctrine of faith to the Pope of Rome Now we must see whether in the meane time there be any thing in this matter changed or altered The eight Conclusion THE Church of Rome hitherto hath neuer fallen from that state wherin she was the first 500. yeares and therfore as she was the true Catholike and Apostolike Church then so is she also now 1. THIS Conclusion is proued two waies First directly in this wise The Romā Church retaineth stil the selfe same doctrine of faith succession of Bishops which it had in the first 500. yeares Ergo it is not fallen frō that state wherin it then was Secōdly indirectly in this manner The visibe Church of Christ and the lawfull succession of Bishops cannot fall on earth as is already proued out of Caluin Ergo it must needs be that both now there is and hitherto the visible Church of Christ hath byn vpō earth with a law full succession of Bishops which in doctrine consenteth or hath consented with the primitiue Church which was in the first 500. years But no other Church besides the Roman Church either is now or hath bene hitherto which either now hath or hath had a lawfull succession

of Bishops and now consenteth or hath consented with the primitiue Church in doctrine of faith Ergo the Roman Church now is alwaies hath byn the visible Church of Christ on earth Both which points are now to be explicated The explication of the former Argument 2. THE former argument conteineth in it two parts the one touching the doctrine of faith the other cocerning the successiō of Bishops Our Aduersaries graūt that the succession of Bishops remaineth yet in the Church of Rome because they se they cānot deny it but they deny the selfe same doctrine to remaine which was in the first 500. yeares This is the thing therfore which we are to demonstrate But it cānot be demōstrated more certainly then by a collation or comparing of the old ancient doctrine with that of ours which I do in this manner 3. Whatsoeuer the Roman Church now teacheth concerning the principall mysteries of our Faith to wit of Christs reall Presence in the Eucharist of the necessitie of baptizing Infants of the sacrifice of the Masse of Iustificatiō of the necessity merit of good works touching inuocation of Saintes single life of Priests fasting satisfaction and Traditions this was taught heretofore by the primitiue Church which florished in the first 500. yeares Ergo the Roman Church hath not fallen from the primitiue Church in matters of faith The Antecedent may be proued two wayes 1. By an induction through ech part or member 2. By the concession or graunt of Caluin himselfe Both which I will performe in that which followeth The explication of the later Argument 4. THE later Argument hath diuers parts only two wherof haue need of proofe One is that there is no visible Church on earth at this time besides the Roman which can haue a lawfull succession of Bishops or consent in doctrine of faith with the primitiue Church which was in the first 500. yeares The other is that neither for a 1000. yeares from Pope Gregories time vntil Martin Luther was there any such Church besides the Church of Rome 5. The former part I thus proue If there were at this time any such Church on earth besides the Church of Rome without all doubt it should be the Caluinists Church But this is not Ergo there is none but the Roman The Maior the Caluinists against whome I dispute do willingly graunt The Minor I proue two waies First because the Caluinists Church which is now extant neither hath any lawfull Priests or Bishops or if it haue any it cānot deduce their succession any further thē Luthers time Ergo it hath failed in the continued successiō of Bishops But the true Church ought to haue a continued and not an interrupted successiō of Bishops as we haue before proued out of Caluin himself Secondly because the Caluinists Church cōsenteth not in doctrine of faith with the primitiue Church which was in the first 500. yeares This againe I will shew two waies First by the graunt of Galuin himselfe For he plainely confesseth that he dissenteth from the anciēt Church in these points following 1. Touching Freewill l. 2. Inst c. 2. § 4. 2. Concerning the cooperation of Free-wil with the grace of God l. 2. c. 3. § 7. 3. Touching Iustification l. 3. c. 11. § 15. Nec Augustini quide sententia recipieda est c. Neither verily is the opinion of Augustine to be receiued c. 4. Touching the person of the Mediator l. 2. c. 14. § 3. And here the errour of the Aneiēts cannot be excused c. 5. Touching Concupiscence l. 3. c. 3. § 10. Neque opus est multū inuestigando laborare quid hic veteres senscrint Neither need we labour much in searching out what the old writers haue thought heerin 6. Concerning Satisfactiō l 2. c. 4. § 38. But litle do these things moue me which do euery where occurre in the books of the old VVriters 7. Cōcerning Praier for the dead l. 3. c. 5. § 10. VVhē the aduersaries obiect vnto me that it hath byn receiued by custome aboue 1300. years to pray for the dead c. And a litle after he saith that although they saw they should not haue don so yet they did so But the very old Fathers thēselues saith Caluin that prayed for the dead did see that heerin they wanted both commandement of God lawfull example But who vpō Caluins words wil belieue that these Blessed Saints of God would do that which they yet saw was offensiue vnto God 8. Touching Merit l. 3. c. 15. § 2. The old writers of the Church I confesse cōmonly vsed the word Merit c. 9. Touching Traditions l. 4. c. 12. § 23. But this prohibition doth clearly shew how pestiferous all traditions are 10. Touching solemne Pennance l. 4. c. 12. § 8. In which behalfe the immeasurable austerity of the ancient Fathers cannot be excused 11. Concerning Lent l. 4. c. 12. § 20. At that time the superstitious obseruation of Lent was growne in vse euery where c. 12. Touching Laickes baptizing in time of necessity l. 4. c. 15. § 20. And that it hath byn for many ages past yea in a manner at the very beginning of the Church receiued in vse that in perill of death Laicks might baptize I see not with how strong a reason it may be defended 6. Thus haue I shewed you by Caluins own grant that the Caluinists Church dissenteth in doctrine from the Primitiue Church Now I will declare the same by this briefe induction The Caluinists do teach 1. THAT God is the author of sinne Caluin l. 1. Inst. c. 18. § 3. And now I haue shewed plainely inough that God is to be called the author of all those things which these Censurers wil haue to happen only 〈◊〉 his idle sufferance § 4. Man by Gods iust impulsion doth that which is not lawfull for him to do And § 1. Absolom defiling his Fathers bed with incestuous adultery committed detestable wickednes yet doth God pronounce this to be his And in the same place VVhatsoeuer men or Sathan himselfe do attēpt yet doth God hould the sterne And § 2. Sathā is said to blind the minds of the vnsaithfull But whence is this but that the effectuall working of errour cōmeth from God himselfe And l. 3. c. 23. § 9. The reprobate would be thought excusable because they cannot escape the necessity of sinning especially since by the ordināce of God such necessity is cast vpon them 2. That God by his only will did predestinate men to eternall death without any fault or theirs Cal. l. 3. c. 21. § 1. It is euident that it is wrought by the will of God that to some saluation is freely offered And other some are debarred for comming to it Et infra I his as many thinke is a combersome question because they thinke nothing to be lesse reasonable then out of the common multitude of men̄ some to be predestinated vnto saluation and other some to destruction And §