faithe or be thought requisite or necessarie to saluation Now to proue my second proposition D. Feild will testifie that both these scriptures and the right order of deductions from them in matters of faith are deliuered vnto vs by tradition onely his â—ordes be these Much contention there hath Feild l. 4. pag. 238. cap. 20. beene about traditions some vrgeing the necessitie of them and other reiecting them For the cleareing whereof wee must obserue that wee reiect not all for first wee receaue the number and names of the Authors of bookes diuine and canonicall as deliuered by tradition This tradition wee admitt The number Authors and integritie of the partes of these bâ—okeâ— wee receaue as deliuered by tradition Thus much for the scriptures that their number Authors partes and euery chapter verse and sentence is by tradition Then their pretended deductions from thence must needs be such for in euery theologicall Syllogisme they must needs take eyther the one or both propositions from this graunted tradition and their conclusion must much rather be tradition as also the maner of deduceing for they graunt they are not expressely in scripture and to decide this D. Feild wittnesseth againe in this order The Feild sup pag. 238. 239. seconde kinde of tradition which wee admitt is that summarie comprehension of the cheife heades of Christian doctrine conteyned in the Creede of the Apostles which was deliuered to the Churche as a Rule of her faith The orderly connexion and distinct explication as these principall Articles gathered into an Epitome iâ— rightly named a tradition And howsoeuer hee will contend that the Articles are in scripture or may thence be deduced in which his fellowes in Religion hereafter will giue him deniall for Christs discendeing into Hell communion of Saincts and others yet hee must needs graunt that the Creede of the Apostles being composed by them and deliuered to the Church as a Rule of her faith before the scriptures of the new testament wherein hee will say it is conteyned were written is absolutely a Tradition And yet hee maketh it so absolute a thinge that to vse his wordes in it are implyed and whence are inferred all conclusions Theologicall But that the Feild supr cap. 20. true explication also of scripture is a tradition hee wittnesseth in these wordes The third is that forme of Christian doctrine and explication Feild pag. 239. of the seuerall partes thereof which the first Christians receauinge of the same Aposiles that deliuered to them the scriptures commended to posterities This may right be named a tradition for that wee neede a playne and distinct explication of many things which are somewhat obsâ—urely conteyned in the scripture Therefore seing these deductions from scripture are not without tradition and thinges obscurely conteyned may not be receaued as articles of Religion by them without a playne and distinct explication by tradition and the playne things of scripture by them before as also that epitome of our faith the Apostles Creede are traditions it is manifestly proued that all Articles and matters of faith are by tradition by these their writeings Further I argue thus whatsoeuer doctrine is of that necessitie that the denyall Feild 〈…〉 obstinately is Heresie must needs be a matter of faith and necessarie to saluation But by these Protestants there is such doctrine onely by tradition Therefore some matters of faith and necessarie to saluation are beleeued onely by tradition The Maior proposition is euidently true yet further confirmed by these Protestants D. Couells Couell exam pag 202. Ormer dial 2. wordes be these Hereticks are neyther simple Infidells nor Idolaters but obstinately erringe in some fundamentall poynt M. Ormerod writeth thus hee is an Hereticke which so swarueth from the wholesome doctrine as contemning the Iudgment both of God and the Church persisteth in his opinion Thus wee see that Heresie is not without deniall of a matter of faith wherein both the Iudgment of God and the Churche is contemned The Minor is proued by D. Feild in this maner where first to vse his wordes hee alloweth for a cleare Instance not to be proued by Feild pag. 240. scripture the perpetuall virginitie of Mary and after confesseth that Hiluedius for pertinatiousely deniall thereof was condemned of Heresie In that hee saith this is no point of Christian faith but a Feild sup cap. 20. seemely truthe deliuered vnto vs by the Church of God fitting the sanctitie of the blessed Virgin and the honor due to so sanctified a vessell of Christs Incarnation as her bodie was hee speaketh truely in allowing it for a Tradition but denying it to be any point of Christian faith and yet telling vs that Heluidius for deniall of 〈◊〉 was condemned of Heresie hee both contradicteth himself the truth and his fellowe Protestants before assureing that Hereticks be they that obstinately erre in fundamentall points as D. Couell writeth or as M. Ormerod noteth swarue from the wholesome doctrine as contenininge the Iudgment both of God and the Church Where it is euident that a matter of faith is denied in euerye Heresie and also that things deliuered onely by tradition as D. Feild acknowledgeth the perpetuall virginitie of our blessed Ladie to be are the worde and Iudgment of God Further these Protestants seeme to condemne the Anabaptists and denyers of the necessitie to baptise Infants yet D. Feild writeth thus Feild pag. 239. The foarth kinde of Tradition is the coÌ„tinued practise of such things as neyther are conteyned in the scripture expressely nor the example of such practise expressely there deliuered Of this sorte is the baptisme of Infants which is therefore named a tradition because it is not expressely deliuered in the scripture that the Apostles did baptize Infants nor any expresse precept there found that they shoulde doe it And his wordes of the plurall signification The fourth kinde of traditions such things of this sorâ—eâ— c. are sufficient argument that hee alloweth diuers other Traditions of this nature That which he addeth wee fynde the scripture to delyuer the grounds of it is expressely Feild pag. 228. Couell def of Hook pag. 85. against himself before and D. Couell thus assureing vs in these wordes doctrines deriued exhortations deducted Interpretationâ— agreeable are not the worde of God and D. Feild Feild supr pag. 226. priuate Interpretation is not so proposed and vrged as if they woulde binde all others to receaue it Yet all men are bownde to receaue and firmely beleeue articles and matters of faithe Further D. Willet telleth vs that Vigilantius Willet Antilog pag. 13. was condemned of Heresie for denying reuerence to Relickes and yet Protestants generally teach that doctrine is not conteyned in holy scriptures D. Feild writeth Feild pag. 138. l. 3. cap. 29. in these wordes Aerius condemned the custome of the Churche in nameing the deade at the altare and offeringe the sacrifice of the Eucharist for them For this his
preists parsonall absolution from syn after confession Baptisme by priuate parsons in time of necessitie Confirmation profession of our faith to beleeue in the Father the Sonne holy Ghost ordination of Archbishops in their prouinces and Bishops in their dioces the Article of Christ discent to Hell the Apostles creede Baptisme of Infants the perpetuall virginitie of our blessed Ladie the celebrateing of our Lords day called Sonday for the sabbath in the old lawe the feastes of Pentecoste and Easter and their time when to be celebrated not answeareing to the Iewes and for denyall of which the quartadeciman Heresie was condemned and others are thus allowed by these Protestants to be true traditions or so esteemed in the primatiue Church by their testimonie Therefore they ought to haue allowance for true and indubitate Traditions The Maior is euident for against Protestants no better testimonie can be then from themselues and they haue graunted before that the primatiue Church is a true Rule in Religion and to be followed of vs. Now to proue the Minor I must ciâ—e these Protestants and if any of them in the Iudgment of some others in their Religion speake not allwaies to their likeinge or vnproperly as they thinke lett them try this combate with themselues it belongeth not to mee in this treatise First D. Couell and others teache That the signe of the crosse is Couell ag Burg. pag. 139. 124. 125. confer an apostolickall constitution and tradition And the Protestants against Puritans do not defend it by scripture The same D. Couell from the Couell ag Burg. pag. 122. auntient Fathers tell vs That the mixture of water with wine is an apostolicall tradition And as a generall Councell is of highest Iudgment by these men before so D. Willet writeth Willet Antilog pag. 169. thus the Greekes in a generall Councell held at Nyce confirmed and allowed the adoration of Imadges and it taught that Reuerence of Imadges is an Apostolicall tradition M. Middleton hath Concil Nyc 2. Middleton pap pag. 64. 45. 46. 51. thus testified S. Chrisostome taught it to be the Apostles ordinance to pray for the deade and confesseth it was a tradition in the primatiue Church receaued from the Fathers to pray for the deade and begg mercie of God for them The deade were prayed for in the publicke liturgies or Masses of Basile Chrisostome and â—piphanius The Greeke Gennad Schol. def 5. c. 3. Church so allowed by Protestants as before testifieth thus The doctrine of Purgatorie prayer and sacrifice for the deade was a Tradition of the Apostles M. Perkins Ormerod and others assure vs Perk. probl pag. 93. Ormer pict pag. â—7 Morton Apol. part 1. pag. 227. 228. Middleton pap pag. 134. Willet Antilog pag. 13. the auntient Fathers taught prayer to Saincts and D. Morton alledgeth how all antiquitie taught Inuocation of Saincts Then seing Protestants will not allowe it by scripture they must graunte it by Tradition M. Middleton telleth vs that the auntient Fathers so receaueinge it from them that went before them taught that vowes of chastitie and single life in Preists is to be obserued by tradition D. Willet graunteth that Vigiluntius was condemned for an Hereticke for deniall of reuerence to Relicks Then by tradition in the Iudgment of Protestants for they teache that it is not conteyned in scripture His Maiestie and the Protestant conference tell vs with Confer pag. 13. the Fathers and Apostolicke Churches that the particular and pâ—rsonall absolution from synne after confession is apostolicall and a verie godly ordinance And yet other Protestants there affirme that neither that nor others followeing are conteyned in scriptures D. Bilson Protestant Bishop of Winchester with consent Confer pag. 18. of Antiquitie teacheth That baptisme to be ministred by priuate persons in time of necessitie is an holy tradition His Maiestie and the saide Conference teach that Bishops be diuine ordinations Confer pag 35. 36. and confirmation is an apostolicall tradition How it ought by these men to be receaued Pag. 10. 11. for a sacrament shall be proued amonge other Sacraments hereafter M. Wotton writeth Wotton def of Perk. pag 465. 4â—6 that S. Basile did holde that the verie profession of our faith by which wee beleeue in the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost is a tradition D. Couell wittnesseth thus that it was an Couell ag the plea. of the Innoc. pag. 104. Barlowe Ser. Sept. 21. An. 1607. part 3. cap. 2. apostolicall tradition or ordination to ordayne Archibishopâ— in their prouinces as Bishops also in their diocesse to rule the Church And yet many English Protestants to be cited hereafter deny such things either directly or consequently to be conteyned in scriptures and yet as before doe make true discipline and Regiment so essentiall a thinge in Religion that in their doctrine it is a note of the true Churche The Protestant Puritans vtterly deny alsoe that Christs discent into Hell can be proued out of scripture yet their Protestant Bishop of Winchester D. Bilson Bilson suru pag. 664. affirmeth That the Article of Christâ— discent to hell and the Creede wherein it is conteyned is an Apostolicall tradition deliuered to the Church by the direction and agreement of the Apostles To which D. Feild hath also giuen testimonie before Feild pag. 238. 239. And affirmeth the same of other particulars remembred in the Minor proposition amonge which that doctrine of baptizing infants is denyed by many of his English Protestant Church either to be conteyned or to be proued by scripture yet D. Feild Feild pag. 239. writeth thus Baptisme of Infants is named a tradition because it is not expressely deliuered in scripture that the Apostles did Baptize Infants nor any expresse precept there founde that they should so doe Then if wee should graunte more authoritie and giue greater credit to this Doctor that in his Iudgment against his fellowe Protestants before hee coulde probably deduce this doctrine from scripture which they deny yet it is but his priuate deduction and Interpretation and perhaps some few others which as before by his graunte bindeth vs not to receaue it as the doctrine of baptizing infants doth Of the perpetuall virginitie of our blessed Ladie to be a tradition I haue entreated before And Doctor Feild addeth thus The fift kinde of traditions Feild supr 239. comprehendeth such obseruations as in particulare are not commaunded in scripture nor the necessitie of them from thence concludeth Of this forte many thinke the obseruation of the Lent fast to be the fast of the fourth and the sixt dayes of the weeke and some other The custome of standeing at prayer on the Lords day and betweene Easter and Whitsontide was generally receaued as deliuered by Apostolicke tradition and when some began to breake it it was confirmed by the Councell of Nyce And if Concil Nic. can 20. to stand at prayers at such times of the Lords daye Easter and
Whitsontide was generally receaued as a Tradition deliuered by the Apostles then the times themselues not being either commaunded or directly exemplified in scripture must also be allowed by tradition And yet the Sabboth day in the old lawe which was abrogated by this tradition of the Sonday the Lords day as hee nameth it was so expressely commaunded by scripture that in order it is the third of the ten cheife commaundements and one of the first table belongeing to the worshipp of God Therefore a Tradition so powerable as to giue a ceaseinge to the expresse writteÌ„ worde lawe and commaundement of God must needs be of equall power And the Christians feaste of Easter likewise crosseing with and euacuateing the Pascha of the lawe written and without scripture onely by the prerogatiue of Tradition cannot be inferior especially seeing as before the Quartadecâ—mans denyers thereof were condemned as Hereticks by the primatiue Church for that cause And the like reason is of the feast of Whitesontide in the Church of Christ receaued by the same Rule of Easter onely by vnwritten tradition yet clearely abolisheinge and takeinge away the written lawe and word of God in that behalf Further I argue thus whatsoeuer is not a perfect and compleate Rule and Square in matters and questions of Religion without the help and dyrection of vnwritten traditions cannot be termed an absolute Rule in this kinde But the scripture and written worde of God by these Protestants is such Therefore by them no absolute and perfect Rule in matters of faithe The Maior is euidently true in the light of nature otherwise one and the same thinge in the same respect might be absolute and not absolute perfect and not perfect and two Contradictories might be true which is vnpossible The Minor proposition is thus proued by D. Feilde who speakeing of traditions Feild l. 4. cap. 20. pag. 239. vnwritten and yet allowed by him hath these wordes The third kinde of tradition is that forme of Christian doctrine and explication of the seuerall partes thereof which the first Christians receauing of the same Apostles that deliuered to them the scriptures commended to posterities This may rightly be named a tradition for that wee neede a playne and distinct explication of many things which are somewhat obscurely conteyned in the scripture Which is sufficient proofe that tradition vnwritten is the cause why many things are beleeued by faith grownded vppon tradition not written which the scriptures could neuer warrant vs to beleeue For things obscurely handled and not playnely and distinctly explicated which as hee saith is by tradition cannot be the formall obiect of faith by any possibilitie for seeing true certayne and vndoubted Reuelation from God euen by Protestants is the formall cause of beleeueinge things obscurely conteyned or taught cannot haue this priuiledge And yet by D. Feilds wordes many thinges be in this state without the assistance of tradition and yet firmely to be beleeued Therefore not the obscuritie in scripture but to vse his wordes a playne and distinet explication of many thinges by tradition receaued by the first Christians from the Apostles commended to posterities is the formall cause and reason of beleeueinge such verities Now to drawe to an end in this question of traditions D. Feild to his fowre before acknowledged kindes of traditions The holy scriptures the Creede of the Apostles the forme Feild pag. 238. l. 4. of Christian doctrine and explication of the seuerall parts thereof which the first Christians receaueinge of the same Apostles that deliuered to them the scriptures commended to posterities and the continued Feild pag. 239. practise of such thinges as neither are conteyned in the scripture expressely nor the example of such practise expressely there deliuered thoughe the growndes reasons and causes of the necessitie of such practise be there conteyned and the benefitt or good that followeth of it hee addeth the fift kinde in these wordes The fift kinde of traditions comprehendeth Feild supr pag. 239. such obseruations as in particulare are not commaunded in scripture nor the necessitie of them from thence concluded though in generall without limitation of times and other circumstances such things be there commaunded Of this sorte many thinke the obseruation of the lent faste to be the faste of the fourthe and the sixt dayes of the weeke and some other This supposed as also the Feild pag. 242. same Protestant Doctors Rules before to know true traditions the consent and doctrine of the Churche the moste renowned for learninge the constant Testimonie of the pastors of an Apostolicke Church amonge which next to generall Feild pag. 202. Councells bynding and commaunding all the Church of Rome is especially to be obeyed reuerenced and respected as moste priuiledged from error yt must needs be euident by these Protestants that Traditions whether deliuered in scripture to be deduced from them or to be receaued without scripture are to be adiudged for the Romane Churche for that before is proued by them to be the true Church of Christ the Pope of Rome to be the supreame commaunding Ruler in it that the scriptures receaued by it are Canonicall and the vndowbted worde of God and all true and Iuridicall expositions and deductions from them are onely for the doctrine of the same Churche of Rome And so their other grounted Rules of generall Councells and Learned Fathers to be handled in the next chapters doe also teach vnto vs the same doctrines by these Protestants for by their Iudgment they may not nor can proceede in such bâ—sines but by the holy scriptures and true expositions and deductions from them allreadie proued by these Protestants for the present Roman Church Therefore I conclude this question with this Arguments following Whatsoeuer doctrines in Religion generall Councells the highest binding and commaunding Rule and authoritie ouer all Christians in the Iudgment of Protestants haue defined by the Bishops and Fathers assembled in them in matters of Religion by traditions written or vnwritten are to be receaued and embraced of all But all or the cheefest Articles in question betweene Catholicks and Protestants are directly concluded by the grounte of these Protestants by the Councells and Bishops in them assembled at Nyce the seconde the greate Laterane Florence and Constance Basile cited and allowed for generall Councells by the Protestant Bishop of Winchester D. Bilson D. Willet D. Couell M. Bils Middlet papist â—9 119. 120. 124. 125. Willet synop cont 1. q. 7. Liniban ap Parkes and others in such maner as the present Church of Rome now teacheth Therefore they ought so to be receaued and embraced of all Christians bothe propositions are graunted before by these Protestants or in these citations Therefore nothinge remayneth to be proued in this Argument And because these Protestants Parkes pag. 137. 180. Couell def of Hook pag. 21. Parkes ag lymb pag. 176. Willet Antil pag. 178. c. Abbot ag Hill pag 38. 48. 49. 51.
by their Iudgment bee orthodoxe and Catholicke and neither hereticall nor damnably scismaticall otherwise against D. Feilds supposition and Title his fellow Relator had proued it to bee such Againe M. Middleton telleth vs that in the Middleton papistom pag. 51. Masses of Basile Chrisostome and Epiphanius all Greeke Fathers the deade were prayed for But because they will perhaps looke for the verie name of Purgatorie I deduce it from the tyme of the Apostles to haue beene taught and the doctrine thereof in the Greeke Church For M. Perkins telleth vs that Dionysius Perk. problem pag. 178. The Protestant booke of Homel Bell. motiu fol. 133. c. commonly called and by Protestants The Areopagite S. Paules Scholler did teach In Purgatorio expiari peccata That sinnes are purged in Purgatorie Therefore hee thought there was a purgatorie as Catholicks doe and in that satisfaction was made for sins And there hee setteth downe the prayer vsed for the deade recorded by the same S. Dionysius in these words Dionysius Hierar Ecclesiast p. 3. Perk. sup c. 7. Oratio illa precatur diuinam clementiam vt cuncta dimittat per infirmitatem humanam admissa peccata defuncto That prayer doth beseech the diuine Clemencie to forgiue to the parâ—ie deceased all sinnes committed by humane Infirmitie To like purpose as hereafter D. Bilson the Protestant Bishop Bilson Suruey of Christs sufferings of Winchester citeth S. Iustine Irâ—naeus Cyrill Chrisostome Theodoret Ignatius Clement of Alexandria Eusebius Athanasius Epiphanius Basile Grâ—gorie Nazianzene Damascen Theophilact c. The glories of the Greeke Church And therefore Gennadius Schol. the Learned Patriarke of that Churche in his defence pf the Councâ—l of Florence writeth thus of that matter The Cennad Schol. defens 5 cap. 3. doctrine of Purgatorie prayer and sacrifice for the deade was a Tradition of the Apostles That which the Latines call Purgatorium purgatorie they of the Greeke Churche name Catharterion Signifieing a purging cleansing or satisfying place of the Greeke verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to purge cleanse expiate c. And prouing this at lardge by the auncient Greeke fathers hee addeth thus They were onely Schismaticorum sâ—ctatâ—res followers Gennad sup of Sâ—ismatiâ—ks whiâ—h denied it For such Masters in Religion will our Protestants fynde out to followe if any time age Church or societie had them Lastely in this Argument the Censure of the Greeke Church vppon this error of Protestants is deliuered in these words That the soules departed are to bee Hierem. Patr. constant in ceÌ„sur c. 15. releeued by prayers sacrifices and good deeds of those which lyue and that it was decreed by the holy Apostles that in the celebratioÌ„ of the holy misteries a memorit should bee made of them that were departed this life Againe I argue thus That which was the doctrine and Tradition of the Apostles and holy Fathers of the primatiue Church is to bee embraced But the doctrine of Purgatorie praying and satisfying for the deade was such Therefore to bee embraced and obserued The first proposition is often graunred before And the second also proued in this chapter yett thus I add vnto it M. Middleton Middleton Papistom pag. 64. saith that S. Chrisostome taught it to bee the Apostles ordinance to pray for the deade And confesseth It was a Tradition in the primatiue Church Pag. 45. 46. sup receaued from the fathers to pray for the deade and begg mercie of God for them And againe The Pag. 51. sup deade were prayed for in the publicke Liturgies or Masses of Basile Chrisostome and Epiphanius And further thus The Churche in Epiphanius time vsed Pag. 47. 48. 49. to craue mercie for the deade M. Hull telleth vs that in the primatiue Churche Leo appointed Hull Rom. pol pag. 86 Morton apol part 1. pag. 329. MortoÌ„ sup pag. 273. Masses for the deade D. Morton saith of S. Augustine that hee prayed for his Mother Monicha deceased And from Caluine hee wittnesseth generally thus Ipsi veteres preces fundebant pro defunctis The auncient fathers prayed for the deade Further I argue thus whatsoeuer doctrine beeing denied ouerthroweth an Article of our Creede beeing graunted confirmeth it is true by Protestants if they denie not the Articles of the Creede as they will not seeme to do But the doctrine of Purgatorie beeing denied destroyeth an Article of our Creed and beeing graunted confirmeth it Therefore it is or ought to bee esteemed true by Protestants The Maior is euidently true for the Articles of our Creede bee moste true and cannot by true doctrine and positions bee proued otherwise I proue the Minor in this maner Those places both of scriptures and fathers which the Protestants themselues against the Puritans namely D. Biâ—son Protestant Bishop of Winchester with others vse to proue the Article of Christ discent to hell doe proue purgatorie which is made euident by citing some fewe As that of the Prophet Dauid Hee ledd them Psal 106. v. 14. 16. forthe of darknes and the shadowe of death and brake their bonds Hee shattered in peâ—ces the brasen gates and brake the Iron barrs And that of the Prophet Zacharie speaking of Christs discending thither Thow also in the blood of thy Testament Zachar. 9. v. 11. hast lett out the prisoners from the lake And Dauid and S. Paule of his ascending with these captiues into heauen Thow aidst ascend Psal 67. v. 19. Ephes 4. v. 8. 9. on highe thou tookest captiuitie And in S. Paule Ascending on highe hee ledd captiuitie captiue hee gaue guifts to men And that hee ascended what is it but because hee descended also first into the Inferior parts of the earth Which sayings of holy scripture that cannot bee vntrue cannot bee instified of the hell of the damned from whence none were deliuered because in hell there is no Redemption Therefore the same Protestant Bishop Bilson assigneth a third Bilson Suruey pag. 552. 656. place besides heauen and hell his words bee Abrahams Bosome was vpward farr aboue hell Neither did I make Abrahams bosome to bee paradise or heauen And citing the fathers to proue Christ discent to hell hee bringeth them ordinarily prouing Putgatorie or if not by that name yet in effect teaching that Christ descended to a place of punishment were many deceased were punished and detayned captyues and deliuered them from thence which as before could not Bilson sup from pag. 582. to pag. 665. be hell The very names of those Fathers proueing this doctrine are toe many and tedious to be related their sentences may be seene in that his collection Lastely I argue thus whatsoeuer doctrine is defined or proposed to Protestants by their highest commaunding Rule of their Religion as Communion Booke Booke of Articles c. to which they all subscribe they may not deny But this doctrine of Purgatorie or prayeing for the deade is such Therefore they may not deny it The Maior is euident and the
thinke be plurall That whosoeuer by their Interpretations should allowe such absurdities cannot haue the true interpretation of scriptures Now the Minor is easely proued by him also for all men are bownde to obey lawfull superioritie and authoritie such as hee saith a generall Councell hath ouer all Christians in these cases his wordes before cited be these They that haue supreame Feild l. 4. â— 16. pag. 228. power that is the Bishops assembled in a generall Councell may interpret the scripture and by their authoritie suppresse all them that shall gaynesay such Interpretations and subiect euery man that shall disobey such determination as they consent vppon to excommunication and Censures of like nature Wherefore seing generall Councells haue this bindeing and commaundeing power ouer all men by these Protestants and yet by their Article before may erre and haue Art 21. sup erred euen in things pertayning vnto God the whole Christian worlde with so many absurdities may be in this damnable error the Church might cease not be Catholicke Christ Feild pag. 203. should be without a Church which D. Feild before esteemeth greate absurdities Againe thus I argue They which straungely peruert bely depraue abuse and falsefye holy scriptures cannot be thought to be true interpreters of them But M. Parkes so testifieth of our Parkes ag lymbom def of the 1. 2. 3. testim English Protestants Therefore they cannot be thought to be true Interpreters of them Notheing remaineth in this Argument to be proued Further I argue thus No Interpreters or expositors of scripture whose Interpretations be partiall vntrue seditious sauoureing of Treason poysen the Ghospell c. are to be Iudged true and Iuridicall But the English Protestants hy their owne testimonyes be such Therefore not to be iudged true and iuridicall interpreters The Maior is true and euident And the Minor thus proued first by the Protestant Confer at Hampt pag. 47. conference in these wordes The notes annexed to the Geneua translation some are very partiall vntrue seditious and sauoureing toâ— much of daungerous and trayterous conceits Yet these were allowed and published as publicke and approued interpretations An other Protestant writeth in this maner The Bishops Aduerment An. 1604. notes betray our Lord and Redeemer and befoole the rocke of saluation they are the verie poyson to all the Ghospell M. Ormerod writeth thus of his fellowe Ormer pict purit q. 4. Protestants They fill the margents of their bookes full of places of scripture in a wronge sense that by this meanes they might more easely deceaue the simple people They neither care for Maior Minor nor Conclusion so they may say some thinge They point their margents with shamefull abuseing of scripture To these I might add more arguments as that by their owne testimonies they are Hereticks Scismaticks haue no ttue Churche no true Religion and the like as amonge other reasons from themselues why Catholiks may not communicate with them in spirituall and religeous affayres is proued in a late treatise against them I will therefore passe them ouer as allready proued CHAPTER VII WHEREIN BY THESE PROtestants is proued that vnwritten traditions lawfully proued are the word of God equally as the holy scriptures That many such are and all confirme the doctrine of the Church of Rome and condemne Protestants Religion AFTER this entreateinge of holy scriptures the written worde of God lett vs come to that parte of his sacred worde delyuered by traditions and vnwritten verities preserued and proposed to faithfull Christians by the holy spouse and Church of Christ whose Iudgment Rule and direction is so dignified aboue all Inferiour Iudgments by these Protestants before Concerninge the validitie and authoritie of truely proued traditions I argue thus All Rules Groundes and Authorities in matters of Religion that are equall with holy scriptures in the Iudgment of Protestants the highest Rule in such causes are â—eghely to be reuerenced and obeyed of all Christians But the holy traditions and vnwritten verities deliuered by Christ and Apostles being lawfully proued are of this nature Therefore to be reuerenced embraced and receaued The Maior proposition is euidently true for where there is absolute equalitie there is not inferioritie but paritie as is manifest in all equalities The Minor is thus proued in this maner first M. Wotton speakeing of such hath these Wotton def of Perk. pag. 405. pag. 436. supr words out of all question wee are bounde to keepe them and telleth vs that M. Perkins was of the same opinion D. Feild speaketh thus concerninge traditions In this question by tradition wee vnderstand such partes of Christian doctrine or Feild pag. 238. l. 4. cap. 20. discipline as were not written by them by whomâ— they were first deliuered For thus our Aduersaries vnderstand traditions which they diuide into diuers kindes First in respect of the authors so makeing them of three sortes Diuine Apostolicall and Ecclesiasticall Secondly in respect of the matter they concerne in which respect they make them to be of two sortes for either they concerne matters of faiâ—he or matters of manners and these later againe either temporall or perpetuall vniuersall or particular All these in their seuerall kindes they make equall with the words precepts and doctrines of Christ the Apostles and pastors of the Church left vnto vs in writeinge Neither is there any reason why they should not so doe if they could proue any such vnwritten verities For it is not the writeing that giueth things their authoritie but the worthe and credit of him that deliuereth them though by worde and lyuely voyce onely Thus the authoritie of Traditions is iustified by Protestants to be equall with the scriptures if they can be proued Now because Protestants mayntayneinge the sufficiencie of scripture for matters of faith deny traditions of that nature I argue in this maner All Articles and matters of faith are in Protestants Iudgment proued and deliuered to vs by tradition Therefore some articles and matters of faith are in their Iudgment or so must be graunted to be deliuered by tradition The consequence is euident for euery generall proposition includeth the particular The Antecedent is thus proued by them Whosoeuer doe graunte those things which by them conteyne all matters and Articles of faith to be delyuered by tradition must needs allowe traditions in matters of faith But these Protestants doe so Therefore they must allowe such traditions The Maior is euident for whatsoeuer conteineth all excludeth none and so comprehending all comprehendeth also some and the parts of that all The Minor is likewise proued in this maner supposeing the Common opinion of these Protestants set downe in the sixt Article of their Religion Articl of Relig. art 6. in these wordes Holy scripture conteyneth all things necessarie to saluation so that whatsoeuer iâ— not reade thâ—rein nor may be proued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be beleeued as an Article of the
triall of Doctrine is not to be fetched from the opinions and examples of men And agayne It may not seeme straunge if superstition were crept into the Church before Constantines time M. Ormerod scoffeth Ormerod pict pag. 78. at the authoritie and testimonie of S. Anacletus Pope of Rome that liued in the Apostles time and was a glorious Martyr for Christ because hee proueth the supreamacie Middleton papistem pag. 200. of the See of Rome from the graunt of our Sauiour M. Middleton doth the like by Papias lyueing with the Apostles for the same doctrine M. Hull condemneth for like causes allmoste all the blessed Popes Hull Rom. pol. and Martyrs Bishops of Rome from S. Peter the Apostle with in the first foure hundred yeares as shall be cited hereafter D. Couell before hath stiled S. Augustine with Part. 2. cap. Ceremonies Wotton def of perk pag. 8. pag. 17. 9. 88. the greatest commendation of learninge yet M. Wotton writeth Wee neede not feare S. Augustine though against vs. Eusebius is to be reprehended There was want of modestie and truthe also in the treatise of Hierome against Vigilantius The auntieÌ„t Fathers spake more like philosophers then dyuines It is more then I knowe that Gregory is a Sainct The Author of the Epistle to the Philippians attributed to S. Ignatius is an vnfitt Iudge in Wotton sup pag. 118. 224. 422. 440. 462. controuersies of diuinitie Tertullians wittnesse is of small authoritie Damascen is not greately to be respected Oâ—igen is generally condemned Ignatius epistle to the Romanes approued by S. Hierome and Protestants also is a counterfaite Ignatius for Pag. 340 Pag. 387. Pag. 467. Pag. 494. Pag. 495. teaching meritt of good workes Ciprian is toe farre caryed away since hee ascribeth to almes daes the purgeing of sinne Irenaus Iudgement is little to be respected Tertullians testimonie is not worthe answeareinge Tertullian and Origen may be ioyned together Chrisostoms Rhetoricke is better then his Pag. 499. Logicke Hieroms authoritie in case of single life is not murch worth Those Christian Fathers which condemned Pag. 500. Iouinian as S. Augustine Ambrose Hierome c. delt vnchristianly with him The Pag. 519. Pag. 520. authoritie of the auntient writers Athanasius Augustine Hierome concludeinge a worke of perfection from those wordes of Christ goe sell all c. is Pag. 543. not to be admitted The authoritie of Clement of Alexandria and Augustine with the schoole Doctors is inferior to the Iewes Origen and Theodoret whome before hee preferreth before S. Pag. 545. 546. 584. 594. Augustine ouerthrowe their owne distinction Lactantius though hee were an auntient Christian yett in his verses of worshipping the Crosse hee sheweth himself liker a light Poet then a graue writer And as hee hath vsed all the learned Fathers of the primatiue Churche for teacheing the doctrine of the present Church of Rome so he exclameth as barbarously and vndutifully against all Christian Kings of this and other nations for the same cause his wordes be these The Wotton def of perk pag. 53. Ormer pict pag. 44. Kings of England and Scottland c. were Sathanes Souldiers when they were of the Popes Religion M. Ormerod disalloweth S. Leo because hee taught that God assisted the See of Rome in decres For the like reason D. Downame reiected the authoritie of many holy Popes and Martyrs of that Church in her best dayes when it was a Rule to all accordinge to his Maiesties Censure Down lib. 1. Antichr cap. 3. pag. 35. 36. because to vse his wordes Diuers Bishops of Rome before the time of Socrates the Historian contented to haue the primacie ouer all other Churches and that is the cheife scope of many of their epistles decretall Yet this was as our Kinge Conference at Hampt pag. 75. Perk. problem pag. 4. hath told vs when it was a Rule to all and when no man might seperate himself from the doctrine of that Churche M. Perkins hath written thus The Fathers haue spoken many things incommodiously of holy thinges The auncient Fathers did Pag. 93. 94. Pag. 105. Pag. 184. synne in the Inuocation of Saincts yea were guiltie of sacriledge such were Paulinus Fortunatus S. Leo S. Ephrem S. Fulgentius Petrus Damianus Prosper The auncient Fathers sometimes speake inconueniently of the Article of Iustification Some of the auntient Fathers as Tertullian and Cyprian are Montanists or at the leaste doe erre filthely for making Confirmation a Sacrament D. Sutcliffe Sutel subu pag. 5. Pag. 8. Pag. 9. Whoe before made so much shewe of reuerence to the Fathers writeth thus Metaphrastes is a lyeinge pedant writeinge more lyes then leaues Bede reporteth to many thinges by heareasy Ado is a fabulous writer The Historie of Kinge Lucius his conuersion testified by so many authorities Pag. 19. May well be parogoned with the tales of Kinge Arthure Sir Tristram and Lancelot Duâ—acke The Brittaynes haue cause to detest the memorie of Augustine That holy Sainct syrnamed the Apostle of our nation for conuertinge iâ— M. Ormerod is not onely at defiance with Ormer paganop pag. 44. all Fathers for teaching that Christ descended to comforte the Patriarkes and Fathers deade before him but compareth the Article and beleefe of Christs descending into Hell for such purpose to the fable of Hercules fayned to goe thither and fetche from thence Theseus Peâ—ithous and Cerberus the greate dogge of Hell with three heades as the poets Imagine M. Middleton Middleton papistom pag. 40. writeth thus The credit of men is but a sandy foundatiâ—n to builde vpon Meaninge the holy primatiue Fathers of the Church and scoffingly telling that greate Sainct and Pag. 27. Doctor S. Epiphanius that hee loste the booke of Pag. 45. the Apostles Constitutions out of his bosome which hee cited Haeres 45. hee addeth of him thus I must craue leaue to say of Epiphanius many assertions hee counted for Heresies which were not Heresies many assertions hee counted not Heresies which are Heresies And all this because hee condemneth diuers Protestant opinions of Heresie and iustifieth the doctrine of the Church of Rome against them Against S. Middleton sup pag. 49. Dionysius the Areopagite for teaching prayer for the deade hee scoffeth in this maner Denys his aunsweare is shortheeld readie to fall backe When S. Ambrose approueth Christs reall presence in the blessed Sacrament and Transsubstantiation hee writeth of him thus Pag. 61. Pag. 64. hee is gultie of presumptuous and desperate blasphemye At S. Chrisostome hee scoffeth and teacheth him how hee should speake because hee teacheth the doctrine of prayer for the deade And vseth this mocke against him callinge Pag. 66. sup it an apostolicall Tradition well might Chrysostome say the Apostles knew what profite redownded to the deade by prayer for them for himself knew not And thus in generall The Fathers sometime went beyonde the boundes of sobrietie in the doctrine Middlet sup Pag.
this Iland amonge the brittans The Altar was called the seate of the Theater pag. 317. sup n. 6. celestiall sacrifice And againe whereas D. Morton hath graunted before That Sacrifice and preisthood are Relatiues which bee of an vnseperable nature Both hee and all others that now so earnestly contend to haue themselues accounted Preists must as much labour for this externall sacrifice which as hee affirmeth is vnseperable from preisthood Otherwise if they shall agayne fly vpp and downe to their fantasied spirituall preisthood and sacrifice Queene Elizabeth if her prayers and deuotions had beene as greate was as good a Preist As S. Peter was and D. Mortons Mother grandmother beldame and all women of his kiudred or in the world if their vertue were equall were as good Preists as hee if hee were a true Preist which I deny And yet they all agree that all woman sexe and kinde is vncapable of holy preisthood Againe D. Morton with his frend Theodore Bibliander Morton App. pag. in sacrif assuer vs that the Rabbins before Christ did teach that those which receaued the Messias should in place of the sacrifices of Moses lawe haue an externall sacrifice in breade and wine and called it Thoda Which is sufficient for this place purpoÌ„se where I onely proue that there is in Christian Religion an external sacrifice to succeed the sacrifices of the Lawe for that this sacrifice though begun in breade and wyne is the blessed body and blood of Christ I haue proued by these Protestants in the former chapter And this which I contend in this place is playnely graunted vnto mee by Casaubon wrighting in Casaub resp ad Card. Per. pag. 51. 52. c. our Kings name and by his commaund as hee protesteth and in these words neither is the Kinge Ignorant nor denieth that the fathers of the primatiue Church did acknowledge one sacrifice in Christian Religion that succeeded in the place of the sacrifices of Moses Lawe And accordinge to this it is confessed by other Protestants allowinge also the doctrine of the primatiue fathers for a Rule to vs The words of M. Middleton are these The sacrifice of the Altare Middlet Papist pag. 92. 113. and vnbloody sacrifice were vsed in the primatiue Church and the auntient fathers called the sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ a sacrifice And agayne The primatiue Church did offer sacrifice at the Pag. 49. sup Pag. 137. 138. 47. 45. Altare for the deade Sacrifice for the deade was a â—radition of the Apostles and the auntient fathers Then if this was from the beginninge true and Catholick doctrine to offer sacrifice and say Masse for the deade much rather for â—he liuinge and so both for the lyuing and the deade in Protestants Iudgment And so both the forme of our holy preisthood Receaue power to offer sacrifice in the Church for the liuinge and deade And also holy sacrifice of Masse offered for such purpose by a duely consecrated Preist is holy and acceptable before God And all English Protestants that shall deny it ar not onely within the Anathema of the Councell of Trent in these words If any man shall say that in the Masse a true and CoÌ„cil Trid. Sess 6. cap. 1. de Sacrif Miss proper sacrifice is not offered lett him bee Anathema But subiect to the cursse and condemnation of the primatiue Church against Aëâ—ius the Hereticke and his complices as their owne Doctors Feild and Couell are wittnesses in this maner Aërius condemned the custome of the Church Feild pag. 138. l. 3. cap. 29. Couel Exam. pag. 114. in naminge the deade at the Altare and offeringe the sacrifice of Eucharist for them and for this his rash and Inconsiderate boldnes and presumption in condemninge the vniuersall Church of Christ hee was iustly condemned How much more then are these present Protestants worthie condemnation who do not onely contemne the doctrine and custome of the present Romane Greeke and vniuersall Church of Christ in this so greately concerning question but against their owne Iudgments with rash inconsiderate boldnes and presumption condemne the vniuersall primatiue Church anâ— confederate themselues with Hereticks iâ— their owne Iudgment iustly condemned against it And contrarywise this holy Catholicke doctrine of Masse or Sacrifice foâ— the liuing and deade by our Enemies allowance a Tradition of the Apostles vse and custome of the vniuersall Church of Christ in the primatiue and best florishing estate thereof and euer since continued is inuiolably to bee maintayned CHAPTER XVII OF THE SINGLE AND CHASTE life of Preists and vowes of chastitie NOw lett vs come to that doleful and heauie Question to these maried Protestant Church men To proue by them also the auncient and true Catholicke doctrine and practice of the single and chaste life of Preists and vowes of chastitie The contrary wanton licentious and sacriledgeous libertie vnto this and other works of perfection whillfull pouertie and obedienâ—e as it first made way for Protestant hereâ—es into the world as appeareth by their Apostle Luther and the rest presently vppon â—heir reuolt for chastitie pouertie and obeâ—ience which they had vowed for the most â—art giuing themselues ouer to their contraâ—es Lust Riches Rule so it is to this day â— vnpleasing a thinge in this Epicurean â—ct that they cannot endure to follow the â—nons either of the Latine Church vnder whose obedience they should bee if thy will shew any at all or to the Greâ—ke Church eyther as will appeare in this chapter howsoeuer they will seeme to allowe thereof especially in this Article of later dayes vsing more libertie therein then other Churches But to omitt all things of discontentment to this people I argue thus That doctrine and practice which is a worke of perfection profitable vnto or making perfect the members of Christs misticall bodie his Church ought to bee allowed and practized of them that call themselues the perfect and reformed Church especially in that sorte of people or some greate part of them that are or would bee esteemed the moste perfect reformed guides and directors to others as their ministers pronounce themselues to bee But the doctrine and practice of single and chaste life and vowes of chastitie Bee such Therefore to bee embraced and allowed of these Protestants otherwise they haue not the perfect and reformed but vnperfect and deformed Church The first proposition is euidently true and in the light of nature too grosse absurdities doe followe in denying it The second proposition is at lardge proued by these Protestants in the chapter of precepts and Cap. 7. sup counsailes before from whence at this time I will onely shew by D. Couells testimonie that it is so absurde to deny it that hee would free all Protestants from it His words of the workes of perfection bee these In these points all haue not holden the same opinions Couell def of Hooker pag. 52. some thought the counsailes to bee of the some necessitie
will not haue any such canon or constitution his friuolous distinction in the Nicene Councell then lately ended then they must needs be of more auntient and vncontroleable antiquitie and authoritie by his owne censure and S. Ciprians Councell and decree against this highest power of no validitie if hee could bringe forth any such decree or Councell which hee doth not but onely alledgeth these words of S. Ciprian to Pope Cornelius statutum est omnibus nobis Which hee thus translated S. Ciprian directly ordeyned in a Councell Which Ciprian ep 55. ad Cornel. Morton App. lib. 2. pag. 296. S. Ciprian neither had done nor could doe to bynde S. Cornelius and the Church of Rome with all others For by D. Mortons owne Argument if Pope and S. Cornelius Pope and Saint Stephen with others Bishops of the Mother and commaunding Churche of Rome then by his Maiestie a Rule vnto all might not be a Rule and commaunder ouer the African Church much lesse could the Church of Africke subiect Ruled and dependinge make statutes and decrees to rule and commaund this Rule and commaunder of all And Mr Morton might haue concluded the contrary of his translation for the Church of Rome if hee had considered that S. Ciprians words be not Statutum sit ab omnibus nobis it is decreed of or by vs all â—â—t statutum sit omnibus nobis a decree is made for vs all Because S. Fabian Pope of Rome and predicessor to S. Cornelius had made such a â—abian â—â—ist 3. â—â—m 1. conc decree to bynde all as S. Ciprian spake of Ibi causa agatur vbi crimen admittitur lett the cause be hard there where the fault is committed Yet in the same place Appeales to Rome ar excepted in these words Wee forbid forreyne Iudgments by a generall decree reserued allwayes the Apostolicke authoritie And againe It pleaseth alsoe that if a Bishop accused hath appealed to the See Apostolicke that shall be decreed which the high Bishop of that See giueth sentence of All which as alsoe that whole epistle of S. Ciprian to S. Cornelius then Pope of Rome neuer denyeing appeales thither but excuseinge and defendeing and purgeing himself and other Bishops of Africke accused by Appellants at Rome as they had likewise done priori anno the yeare before sufficiently Ciprian ep 55. supr confirme the vndeniable supreame authoritie of that Church Which S. Ciprian there proueth to be of Infallible Iudgment and vndeceaueable by any Appellants or others in matters of Religion and so to be appealed vnto and supreame His words in the same epistle and concerning the same Appellants ar these Nauigare audent ad Petri cathedram They dare to saile euen to the chayre of Peter and to the principall Church from whence preistly vnitie is risen and cary thither letters from Scismaticks and wicked men nor to thinke that they be Romans whose faith by the Apostle preachinge is praised to whome false beleefe cannot haue accesse Hitherto the very wordes of S. Ciprian in that place and epistle which D. Morton alleadgeth against the Romane supreamacie by which is euident that S. Ciprian neither did nor could by his doctrine deny appeales to that Church which as hee writeth could not be deceaued with Hereticks nor false beleefe could haue accesse vnto it which could be for no other cause but for the Infallible Iudgment thereof and that God did assist it in truthe as other Protestants ar wittnesses before And D. Morton haueing first written Morton app pag. 296. in this order The Title of vniuersall Bishop of the Church hath beene long vsed of the Pope of Rome is as mutch to blame to speake thus S. Ciprian saith none of vs is called the Bishop of Bishops which not S. Ciprian onely but the whole Councell of Carthadge vnder Ciprian did professe furthermore callinge it a terror tyrannicall for any one Bishop to impose vppon his fellowe Bishops a necessitie of obedience For first D. Morton cannot but knowe that this Councell of Africke defendeinge Rebaptization was iustly condemned by the then Popes of Rome and recanted by the African Bishops present at it as is proued before Secondly D. Morton will be a Presbyterian if hee maketh equalitie in the cleargie and denyeth Archbishops primates and Patriarkes as his citation without better glosse implyeth Thirdly hee doth abuse his Readers to wish them to beleeue that S. Ciprian and the African Bishops decreed any thing against the clayme of S. Stephen then Bishop of Rome his predecessors and successors to be Bishop of Bishops Mort. sup pag. 296. in a right sence as hee there citeth from Binias for so against his owne words and citation they had called their owne decree a terror tyrannicall for any one Bishop to impose vppon his fellowe Bishops a necessitie of obedience For D. Morton dareth not to deny but S. Stephen and other Popes of Rome were at the leaste fellowe Bishops with those of Africke But S. Ciprian and those Bishops decreed no such thinge for D. Morton may so in that Councell that the sentence of S. Ciprian is the laste of all and after all the other Bishops and onely to condemne Baptisme by Hereticks after recanted and condemned And the words which hee cited against Bishop of Bishops ar in S. Ciprians Carthagin concil sub Cyprian to 1. concil init exhortation not decree to the Bishops of Africke begynninge Audistis Collegae Dilectissimi you haue hard ô moste beloued fellowes nothing concerning except affirminge or confirminge that clayme and Title in Pope Stephen an holy Saint and Martyr but alltogether about rebaptization and are these Superest vt de hacre quid singuli sentiamus proferamus Yt remayneth that euery of vs speaketh of this matter what hee thinketh Iudginge no man or remoueing any man from the Right of communion if hee shall thinke otherwise for none of vs there assembled constituted himself Bishop of Bishops Which seing S. Stephen an holy Pope and Martyr with others of that sacred See then a Rule to all by Protestants and D. Morton did by them also it must be yeelded to be iust and lawfull Neither must D. Morton be so hyperpapall as to deny the Councell of Sardyce where appeales to Rome ar warranted to be generall for his Masters the makers of their greate Theater haue so allowed and receaued it before Nor slander S. Cyprian by perswadeing the worlde that hee dyed out of the vnitie of the Church of Rome for recallinge of which his greate rashnes I referre him to better Authorities of S. Augustine S. Ierome Augustin ep 48. Hieron dialog cont Luciferian and the like And this sufficeth of this question By which the vniuersitie of Cambridg may easely resolue themselues by their owne Doctors of the second proposition offered vnto them by the Preists of Wisbich There is an externall Iudge in matters of faith whoe it is and of what authoritie his definitiue sentence is in such things
of our Lord himself The laste is to be an Interpreter and in that followeing the safest Rule to make an vndiuided vnitie of the truthe vncapable of contradiction to be a moste faithfull Couell sup pag. 34. expositor of his owne meaneinge And hee concludeth thus Wâ—e say that wee are taught to receaue the worde of God from the authoritie of the Churche wee see her iudgment wee heare her voice and in hâ—militie subscribe vnto all this Therefore beinge so proued before by these Protestants that the Church of Rome is the Church of Christ endowed with these priuiledges concerninge scriptures that the sentence of it by D. Feild before is more Feild l 4. c. 5. pag. 202. to be regarded then any they haue or can pretend and hath proposed all bookes for scripture which Catholicks receaue wee must obey it and the rather agreeing with the Greeke Church of which D. Feild writeth Feild pag. 71. l. 3. c. 5. thus wee accompt them in the number of the Churches of God Which that Church cannot be which proposeth adulterate and false scriptures for true and the vndoubted word of God The Minor proposition is also euidently true That all bookes which the Church of Rome receaueth for Holy scriptures as so proposed published and proued vnto vs by the true Church and that sentence which in this time is highest and to be obeyed as these Protestants haue written And so all things in this Argument ar euidently confessed for true by our Aduersaries Before my next argument I will cite the opinion of D. Doue Protestant Bishoppe of Peterboroughe in this matter that wee may playnely see where vppon Protestants denyeing so many bookes for canonicall scriptures which Catholicks receaue is grownded his wordes be these Catholicks Doue persuas pag. 15. proue them to be canonicall out of S. Augustine wee that they be Apochrypha out of S. Hierome both which Doctors are of no small authoritie with the Church of Rome And therefore in this wee differ no more from them then S. Hierome did from S. Augustine This supposed I argue thus from these Protestants Whatsoeuer doctrine was taught in the time of the primatiue Churche by a Bishoppe Sainct and Doctor of the Church in the Iudgment of Protestants farre the moste Learned Doctor that euer was or shall be in all likelyhood excepting the Apostles and this so constantly that this so worthie a man taught it to be the Common doctrine of the Churche of Christ in all probabilitie is more like to be true then that which doubtefully taught by an other Doctor of the same time who bothe as the same Protestants write delt vnchristianely and his authoritie in some other questions was not much worthe and in this also recalled his opinion or renownced it to be his meanening But the doctrine which Catholicks hold concerning canonicall scriptures is by the testimonie of Protetestants thus much more likely to be true and worthie to be beleeued then the contrary opinion of Protestants Therefore by Protestants it is more probable credible and worthie to be beleeued The Maior proposition in the proceedings of these Protestants by whome I dispute in this place is euidently true For amonge men learned in professions the Common maxime and reason is wee must beleeue euery one moste cunninge in his art and amonge men learned hee that is moste or more learned is to be credited before him that is supposed to be his inferior in learning And doctrine constantly taught not onely to be the doctrine of such a more or moste learned Father and Doctor and Sainct but further to be doctrine generally of Christs true Churche is of more creditt and more worthie to be beleeued then that which by a man supposed not so learned is either doubtfully or singularly taught or vncertaine whether it was so taught or if it were yet was recanted disclaymed or retracted by himselfe The second proposition concerning these two greate Doctors and their opinions in this point is thus proued by these Protestants D. Couâ—ll writeth of S. Augustine in Couell against Burges pag. 3. these termes Hee was farre the moste learned Doctor that euer was or shall be in all likelyhood except the Apostles And giueing the highest commendation hee could to S. Thomas Aquinâ—s our holy and learned schole-man hee Couell ag Burg. writeth thus By a Common prouerbe it was spoken that the soule of S. Augustine dwelt in Aquinas Concerning S. Hiâ—â—ome vppon whose Imagined opinion in this point they would hazard their whole Religion in their Iudgments alloweing onely the scriptures to be Iudges and grownds in other poynts they vse him in these termes Mr. Wottons Wotton def of perk 495. 500. 519. 520. words be Hieromes authoritie in the case of single life is not much worthe Hierome condemninge Iouinian delt vnchristianely with him The authoritie of Hierome concludeinge a worke of perfection from those words of Christ goe and sell all c. is not to be admitted Now let vs heare from these Protestants in what maner these two Doctors taught as this Protestants tell vs these two diuers doctrines one for Catholicks and the other for Protestants D. Feild writeinge of bookes which Catholicks admitt for canonicall and the Protestants refuse telleth vs that S. Augustine and the third Councell Feild pag. 248. l. 4. c. 23. pag. 246. of Carthage confirmed in the sixt generall Councell wherein Augustine was present and Innocentius Pope lyueing in that time seeme to add them to the Canon Then it seemeth by this Protestant testimonie that S. Augustines opinion approued in so greate a prouinciall Councell confirmed in a generall Councell the highest commaundeinge Iudgement by them before and by the Pope of the greatest Apostolicke See the seconde Iudge in the Christian world before in D. Feilds allowance especially in that best time when his Maiestie saith it was a Rule to all and constantly taught as the doctrine of the Church by this the greatest doctor that euer was or is like to be by these men is worthie to be credited and beleeued and by their doctrine before All men that will not be disobedient bothe in the seconde and first degree also ar bownde to embrace and followe it Now let vs heare what these Protestants will testifie of S. Hierome for their opinion in this Question of these bookes The Protestant Conference at Hampton court before Conference pag. 60. the Kinge entreateing of Protestants exceptions against these scriptures vseth these words Moste of the obiections made against those bookes were the olde Cauills of the Iewes renewed by S. Hiâ—rome in his time who was the first that gaue them that name of Apochrypha which opinion vppon Ruffinus his challendge hee after a sorte disclaymed the rather because a generall offence was taken at his speaches in that Kinde Hitherto the censure at that publicke Protestant Conference by which the Protestants grownde for deniall of those bookes of scripture and tearminge
rash and inconsiderate holdenes and presumption in condemninge the vniuersall Church of Christ hee was iustely condemned For the practise of the Churche at that time was not euill in any of these things neither doe wee concurre with Aerius in the reprehension of that primatiue and auncient Churche What was this practise of the primatiue Church concerning the deade for deniall whereof Aerius was condemned as D. Feild hath told vs I will recite from other Protestants M. Middleton assureth vs thus Middleton papistom pag. 64. 45. 46. 51. 47. 48. 49. S. Chrisostome taught it to be the Apostles ordinance to pray for the deade it was a tradition in the primatiue Church receaued from the fathers to pray for the deade and begg mercie of God for them The deade were prayed for in the publicke liturgies of Hull Rom. pole pag. 86 Morton Apol. part 1. pag. 273. Basile Chrisostome and Epiphanius The Churche in Epipbanius time vsed to craue mercye for the deade M. Hull saith Leo 15 Leo the pope appointed Masses for the deade D. Morton citeth from Caluine this ipsi veteres preces fundebant pro defunctis The auncient fathers prayer for the deade And to giue finall content to D Feild the sentence of his true Greeke Church is Gennad Schol. def 5. cap. 3. this The doctrine of purgatorie prayer and sacrifice for the deade was a Tradition of the Apostles That which the Latines call Purgatorie they of the Greeke Church name Catharteâ—ion They were onely Scismaticorum sectatores followers of Scismaticks which denied it The seing Protestants doe ordinarily teach that prayer for the deade is not conteyned either expressely or deducebly in scriptures it must needs be by tradition for denyall of which tradition Aerius was condemned of Heresie and the vniuersall Church at that time by D. Feild taught prayer for the deade for hee telleth vs that Aerius in his opinion contemned the vniuersall Church of Christ and so must D. Feild confesse of himself and his fellowe Protestants if they deny this to be a Tradition as they haue denyed the Bookes of Machabees where this veritie is taught to be caconicall scriptures to gaynesay this primatiue and Catholick doctrine And from hence thus I argue againe by the Rule of S. Augustine allowed by D. Feild whatsoeuer the whole Church holdeth not Feild l. 4. c. 21. pag. 242. being decreed by the authoritie of Councells but hauing beene euer holden may rightly be thought to haue proceeded from Apostolicke authoritie But the Catholicke doctrine of prayer and sacrifice for the deade is such by the testimonie of these Protestants Therefore a tradition from the Apostles by these Protestants The Maior consisteth of the verie wordes of S. Augustine as they be translated and allowed by D. Feild in this maner Feild pag. 241. Hauing sett downe the kindes and sortes of traditions it remayneth to examine by what meanes wee may come to discern and by what rules wee may Iudge which are true and Indubitate traditions The first rule is deliuered by S. Augustine Quod vniuersa Aug. l. 4. cont Donatist cap. 23. tenet ecclesia nec concilijs institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi authoritate apostolica traditum rectissimè creditur Englished by D. Feild as in the Maior proposition where rectissimè creditur is moste rightly beleeued hee hath translated may rightly be thought The Minor proposition is proued before by these Protestants in teacheing this doctrine to haue beene the doctrine of the vniuersall Church resisted by Aerius and also that it was an Apostolicke tradition which all Protestants of England must needs graunt vnto by S. Augustines and D. Feilds first Rule before for by their proceedings they are so far from graunteing that this doctrine is defined by Councells and by that title to be embraced That they playnely teach in the Articles of their Religion the definition of a generall Councell in matters of faith not taken out of scriptures as they teach this is not is nothing worthe The Articl of Relig. art 21. wordes of their Article be these Things ordeined by generall Councells as necessarie to saluation haue neither strength nor authoritie vnlesse it may be declared that they be taken out of holy scripture Hitherto their subscribed article And that this is a thinge necessarie to saluation must needs also be yeelded vnto by these Protestants telling vs before both that Aerius was condemned of Heresie for denying it as also that Heresie is arror in some fundamentall point Couâ—ll sup which must needs be necessarie to saluation My next Argument shall be taken from the next Rule of D. Feild to knowe true traditions and my Maior proposition shall be his verie wordes thus next followeing The second Rule is whatsoeuer all or the Feild supr pag. 242. moste famous and renowned in all ages or at the leaste in diuers ages haue constantly deliuered as receaued from them that went before them no man contradicting or doubting of it may be thought to be an Apostolicall Tradition But the Catholicke doctrine of prayer for the deade praying to Saincts single life of the cleargie especially in the Latine Church and others in their proper place to be proued such by these Protestants are in this state Therefore by Protestants they be Apostolicke traditions The Maior is the very sayinge and sentence of D. Feild before and the Minor concerning prayer for the deade also before allowed by these Protestants the others are to be proued in their order this now sufficeth The first proposition for my next Argument shall be D. Feilds third and laste Rule to knowe true and indubitate traditions and is deliuered by him in these wordes The third Rule is the constant testimonie Feild supr l. 4. c. 21. pag. 242. of the pastors of an Apostolicke Church successiuely delyuered But prayer for the deade c. is so proued by such testimonie therefore an Apostolicke tradition The maior is D. Feild sentence And the Minor is before proued by these Protestants for if the vniuersall Church as before by them consented is this veritie not onely one Apostolicke Church sufficient for his Rule but all did consent vnto it otherwise it could not be said the doctrine of the vniuersall Church And of all Churches Apostolicke there can be no question with Protestants bur the Church of Rome euer taught thus and D. Field hath told vs before that Feild l. 4. c. 5. pag. 202. amongst Apostolicke Churches the Church of Rome is more specially to be obeyed reuerenced and respected Further thus I argue whatsoeuer thinges are either approued by these Protestants themselues for true and indubitate traditions or allowed by them that the primatiue Church and fathers receaued for such are to haue that allowance But the signe of the crosse mixture of water with wine in the Eucharist reuerence of holy Imadges and Relicks sacrifice and prayer for the deade vowes of chastitie and single life of
teach that those doctrines are not conteyned in or to be proued by scriptures consequently they defined them by vnwritten traditions of equall authoritie with scripture by D. Feild before being so adiudged allowed and approued by that highest commaunding sentence in the Churche of Christ But of generall Councells I am to entreate in the next chapter In the meane time I vrdge onely this one particular of the highest authoritie and gouermnent in the Church by tradition as these Protestants assure vs and I argue thus Whosoeuer defend and teach that which they thinke to be the highest authoritie and function spirituall in the Church without which the word of God cannot be truelâ— preached nor Sacraments duely ministred the essentiall things of the true Church by the Protestants Religion to be an vnwritten Tradition needs must allowe of vnwritten traditions necessarie to saluation But these English Protestants case is such Therefore they must allowe vnwritten traditions necessary to saluation The Maior proposition is euidently true and the Minor thus proued by them The Protestant Author of the offer of conference Offer of confer pag. 12. writeth thus The Bishop of Rochester with the consent and by the direction no doubt of some of the cheefest Prelates hath published his sermon preached before the Kinge at Hampton Court the mayne drift whereof is to proue that the offiâ—e and câ—lling of Bishops is a diuine and Apostolicall ordinance And againe in these words vnwritten ordinances Pag. 34. sup aswell as written or dyuine and Apostoliâ—ke in the constitution of the cheefest office and ministery of the Church D. Couell hath testified the same for himself before and their Bishop Barlowe Barlowe Ser. Sept. 21. 1606. before the Kinge his words before the Kinge and with publicke applause are these of this matter First posuit actu hee acted it by the hands of the Apostles and so the Episcopall function is an ordinance Apostolicall hee hath enacted it for succeeding posteritie and so it is a canon or constitution of the whole Trinitie It is Geographia agraphos vnwritâ—en Housbandrie whereof there is no written precept or Rule from Christ Irenaeus calleth it an Apostolicall tradition manifest to all the worlde To these lett vs add some Protestant testimonies how from the first creation of the world all Articles of Religion for many hundreds of yeares and afterward many cheife and necessarie points thereof were taught and deliuered by tradition without scripture And I will onely cite their late worke Historye of the world much commended Histor of the world lib. 1. pag. 180. and approued amonge them Of the practice and deliuery of Religion thus they write That the Rule in generall was paternall it is most euident for Adam being Lord. Ouer his owne children instructed them in the seruice of God his Creator as wee reade Cayne and Abel brought oblations before God as they had beene taught by their parent the Father of mankinde Their sixt treatise or Paragrah in that first booke is Lib. 1 §. 6. pag. 78. thus intituled of the Patriarkes deliueringe their knowledge by tradition And write in these wordes if wee consider the curiositie and polecie of elder ages wee shall finde that knowledg was the greatest treasure that men sought for and which they also couered and hid from the vulgare sort as Iewells of inestimable price feareing the irreuerent construction of the Ignorant and irreligeous so as whatsoeuer was attayned vnto concerning God and his workeinge in nature the same was not left to publicke dispute but deliuered ouer by hart and tradition from wise men to posteritie equally zelous ex animo in animum sine literis medio intercedente Dion Areop verbo from minde to minde without letters by way of Tradition or worde of mouthe And it was thought by Esdras Origen and Hilarius as Mirandula conceiueth that Moses did not onely vppon the mount receaue the lawe from God but withall secretiorem veram legis enarrationem a more secrett and true explanation of the lawe which saith hee out of the same Authors hee deliuered by mouth to Iosuah and Iosuah to the Elders for to teach these misteries which hee called secretiora to the rude multitude were no other quam dare sanctum canibus to cast pearls before swyne In succeeding times this vnderstandinge and wisedome began to be written in Cyphers and Characters and letters bearing the forme of beasts birds and other creatures and to be taught onely to such as serued in their temples and to their Kings and preists Of the first the Cabala of the Iewes was Pag. 79. an imitation This Cabala importeth a lawe receaued by Tradition and vnwritten Cabala in Hebrue is Receptio in Latine and a receauing in English If then such as would seeme wisest in the vse of reason will not acknowledge that the story of the creation or begynning of all things was written by Inspiration the holy Ghost guiding the hand of Moses yet it is manifest that thâ— knowledge thereof might by tradition then vsed be deliuered vnto him by a more certaine presumption then any or all the testimonies which prophane antiquitie had preserued and left to their successors For leauing to remember that Adam instructed Seth and Seth his children and Successors which cannot be doubted of it is manifest that Mathusalem liued together with Adam himself 243 yeares and Noah with Mathusalem no lesse then 500 yeares and before Noah died Abraham was 58. yeares old from whence this knowledge by an easy and ordinary way might come to Israel and so to Moses And to cleare all doubts and obiections these Protestants proue vnto vs. That the very binding and obligatory precepts of God themselues were thus deliuered and obserued onely by vnwritten traditions They intitle the 8. § of their second booke Histor sup libr. 2. cap. 4. §. 4. in this maner Of the vnwritten lawe of God giuen to the Patriarkes by tradition And thus they add The Patriarkes of the first age receaued many precepts from God himself and whatsoeuer was first imposed by Adam the same was obserued by Seth who instructed Enos from whom it succeeded to Noah Sem Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph and Moses Yea many particular commaundements afterward written were formerly imposed and diliuered ouer by tradition which kinde of teacheinge the Iewes afterward called Cabala precept receaued from the mouth of their preists and Elders to which the Iewes after the lawe written added the Interpretation of secret misteryes reserued in the bosomes of their preists and vnlawfull to be vttered to the people But the true Cabala was not to be concealed from any as being in deed the diuine lawe reuealed to the Patriarkes and from them diliuered to posteritie when as yet it was vnwritten And entreating how after letters and writing was inuented and many reuealed misteries so recorded yet men must still maintayne traditions vnwritten and instruction from them they exemplifie in this order out of S.
Wherefore the Protestant Bishop of Winchester D. Bilson D. â—orton his late â—ppeale with others of his Protestants graunte these propositions Bilson true diff pag. 66. 67. Morton Appeale pag. 286. The Canon of the primatiâ—e Church made euery thinge voide that was done without the Bishop of Rome And againe The Canon of the primatiue Church forbad any Councell to be called without his coâ—sent Which being onely peculiar to him and his See Apostolicke and from the begynning must proue a singular preeminence in him and a power supreame in deciding Matters and doubts of faith Therefore M. Ormerod wittnesseth that S. â—eo Ormer pict pa. pag. 44. Orm. sup pag. 78. that glorious Sainct and Doctor taught that God did assist and direct that See in decrees And further hee wittnesseth in these wordes To proue that the Church of Rome hath the preeminence ouer all Churches Anacleâ—us liueing in the Apostles time and Pope of Rome alleadgeth Matth. 16. vers 18. vppon this rocke will I builde my Church and hee expowndeth it thus super hanc Petram id est super Ecolesiam Romanam vppon this rocke that is vppon the Church of Rome will I builde my Churche This of the testimonie of that Apostolicke Pope Sainct and Martyr And D. Downame graunted that Downame lib. â— Anâ—â—chr pag. 105. S. Augustine that renowned Doctor and Victor Vticensis were of opinion that to adhere to the Church of Rome was a Marke of a true Catholicke in those times And telleth vs further of a Pag. 107. sup Bishop fallen into Heresie and after recanting it in this order Hee sweareth to renownce his former Heresies and to professe and mayntaynâ— that faithe and Religion which the Bishoppe and Church of Rome did professe All which proceedings of so greate consequence and preeminencie testified by enemies themselues could neuer haue beene exercised by that Apostolicke See with so greate approbation of Saincts and Doctors in the primatiue Churche and best estate thereof except supreame authoritie euen in Councells themselues as those Canons testifie and peculiar assistance as S. Leo taught to be freed from error in decrees and consequently not to be condemned by generall Councells whome it was to confirme or reproue had beene graunted by Christ vnto it Then this priuiledge and prerogatiue of that Church Apostolicke being thus both supreame and perpetuall it may not now without Irreligeous Iniustice be denyed vnto it And therefore the Protestant Relator of Religion hauing as before excluded his fellowe Protestants from all hope of comforte and releife by generall Councell addeth immediatly of Catholicks in Relation cap. 47. sup these wordes The other haue the Pope as a Commom Father Aduiser and Conductor to all to reconcile their Iarres to appease their displeasures to decide their difference aboue all things to drawe their Religion by Consent of Councells vnitie And that this Iurisdiction of the See of Rome is not onely ouer the Catholicke and truely beleeuing members of the Romane Church but of right belongeth vnto it ouer all Christians in the worlde is proued before by these Protestants themselues Cap. 3. sup Further I argue thus whatsoeuer Councells define or confirme the doctrine of the Romane Churche and condemne Protestant opinions defended against it are to be saide to proue the Religion of Catholicks But diuers Councells bothe allowed by Protestants for generall and others in the primatiue Churche and confirmed euen in the Iudgment of Protestants are such Therefore the Religion of the Romane Church is proued by them The Maior proposition is euidently true And the Minor thus is proued first concerninge the first generall Councell of Nice D. Couell Couell ag Burg. pag. 87. hath told vs before from S. Hierome that it receaued more bookes for scripture then Protestants allowe M. Middleton saith it Middlet papistan pag. 39. taught the dignitie of Rome ouer the West prouinces at the leaste and this by olde custome How much more ample this custome was is proued before and himself sufficiently insinuateth speaking in this maner Papias Pag. 200. sup liueing in the Apostles time taught Peters primacie and Romish episcopalitie And D. Downame denieth not but the greate generall Down l. 1. Antich pag. 36. Councell of Calcedon attributed to the Pope of Rome to be heade of the Church Which hee saith is the greatest stile D. Feild before hath wittnessed that the third Councell of Carthage confirmed Feild sup in the sixt generall Councell and wherein S. Augustine was present receaueth canonicall scriptures as the Church of Rome now doth D. Willet perceauing Willâ—t Antil pag. 88. 89. the primatiue Councells to be so cleare for the Church of Rome that hee could not glosse them with any resemblance or colour of truthe calleth the auncient confirmed Councells of Neocesarea and Toletane the first and the sixt generall Councell before expressely allowed by D. Sutcliffe the papall Church popery doctrine in popery And of the seuenth generall Councell hee writeth thus The Greekes in a Willet sup pag. 178. Middlet papist pag. 193. generall Councell held at Nice confirmed and allowed the adoration of Images M. Middleton speaketh in this maner peruseing Councells Fathers and stories from the Apostles forâ—ward wee finde the print of the Popes feete So that it is euident by them that from the very begynning the doctrine of the Church of Rome as occasion was is allowed both by Councells Fathers and Histories And this is the reason why in their Article of Religion Artic. 21. before they haue thus defined generall Councells may erre and some times haue erred euen in things pertayninge vnto God Because from time to time as cause was giuen they haue defined the truthe of the doctrine of the Romane Church against them And because I may not in this breuiate repeate many particulars breefely I argue thus Diuers Councells allowed by these Protestants for generall Councells haue confirmed and allowed all or the cheefest doctrines which the Romane Church now teacheath against Protestants and condemned the contrary held by them euen by their owne testimonie Therefore by their owne Iudgment they are for the Romane Church and not for them The consequence is euident and the Antecedent is thus proued by them The Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury writeth thus The Councell of Constance was a generall Councell D. Abbot ag D. Kill pag. 38. 48. 49. 51. Bilson Willet apud Parkes pag. 137. 180. So their Protestant Bishop D. Bilson and affirmeth the same of the Councell of Basile So doth Doctor Willet and graunteth the same of the Councell of Florence And yet it is euident to all the worlde that in these Councells the compleate bodie of their Protestant Religion was condemned in their predecessors Iohn Wickliffe Iohn Husse and Hierome of prage and the quite contrary in all things decreed and concluded for the Churche of Rome For further confirmation whereof the Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury hath these words the Councell
obiect or cause of beleefe and true faith The second proposition is thus proued by D. Couell whoe entreating Couell def of Hooker pag 59. of this greate question hath these words A curious searcheing into that will which is not reuealed serueth but to breede a contempt of that which is reuealed vnto vs. Man desireth rather to knowe then to doe nay to knowe euen those things which doe not concerne him rather then to doe that for the neglect whereof hee must giue an accompt From hence cometh it to passe that what the schooles haue curiously sought out concerning the nature of Gods will the pulpitts nay the stalls of Artificers haue vndertaken to decide them all And Pag. 62. sup prosecuteing this question hauing cited and approued the Catholicke distinctions of the will of God into antecedent consequent of Gods good pleasure and the signe of it into a will absolute conditionall c. hee concludeth thus God willeth all men to be saued Whoe therefore that they are not it is not his decree but their owne fault Certainely saithe S. Ambrose hee willeth all men to be saued if they will themselues for hee that hath giuen a lawe to all doubtles hath excluded none Yf any Protestant will answere as WottoÌ„ def of Perkins pag. 467. c. many of them vnlearnedly holde That deduction from scripture as they suppose maketh a matter of faith I tell him with all learned dyuines and in true diuinitie that nothinge vncertayne doubtfull or fallible can possibly make a matter of faith which must of all assents in this world be moste certaine But euery deduction from such supposed scripture especially where neither the matter man his name parson or any thinge of him in particular is reuealed must needs be vncertayne doubtfull and fallible Therefore it cannot make a matter and conclusion vnfallible and of faith For the conclusion in no syllogisme can be more certayne then the premises and fallible humane deduction from and by which it is concluded But according to the Rule of Logicke semper sequitur debilioreni partem allwayes followeth the weaker part And the Maior is euident in it self before The Minor is proued thus by Doctor Feild priuate Interpretation or Feild pag. 226. Couell def of Hooker pag. 8. deduction bindeth not But true faith bindeth all men And D. Couell expressely writeth the same which I haue answered and in these words Doctrines deryued are not the word of God But nothing but the word of God written or nor written as is euident maketh a matter of faith euen by Protestants The first Argument is framed thus whatsoeuer is onely knowne of God cannot be knowne muche lesse with certainetie of faith by particular men But particular mens predestination is onely knowne to God Therefore not to particular men much lesse with certanitie of faith The Maior proposition is euidently true the worde onely being exclusiue and denying all others The Minor proposition is thus testified by D. Couell in expresse words Couell def of Hooker pag. 63. and pag. 108. God onely knoweth who are predestinate And in an other place thus Mens predestination vnto life none can knowe but God onely The sixt Argument is No doctrine that draweth from consideration what concerneth mans saluation and bringeth contempt of good works is true But this predestinarie opinion is such Therefore not true The Maior is euidently true euen in the doctrine of English Protestants making in Artic. 12. their square it self of their Religion good workes to be necessarie to saluation and the consideration of it also The Minor is thus proued by D. Couell If all men rightly considered Couell def of Hooker pag. 107. 108. in those actions that concerne mans saluation how farre wee are tyed not onely in obedience but for vse to those things that are meanes to effect the sâ—me few would haue beene so carlessely resolute to contemne good workes through an opinion of eternall election By which sentence hee doth not onelie denie the Protestant certanitie and securitie of predestination but plainely teacheth that good workes are the meanes to effect saluation Then as the end cannot be obtayed without the meanes that bringeth vnto it so it cannot be predestinate without such meanes except God could or should predestinate things to be otherwise then they be or can be which is vnpossible The seuenth and last Argument in this question may bee this Noe man Ignorant of that whereuppon predestination or the certaine knowledg thereof dependeth can certainely know himself to bee predestinate But all Protestants are ignorant of that which is whether they shall lyue and dye in good workes Therefore noe Protestant is certaine of saluation The Maior is euident And the Minor proued Couell sup pag. 108 by the same Protestant Doctor in these wordes Eternall election includeth a subordination of means without which wee are not actually brought to enioy what God secretly did intend and therefore to builde vppon Gods election yf wee keepe not ourselues to the wayes which hee hath appointed for mee to walke in is but a false deceauing vanitie for all men notwitstanding their preordination vnto life which none can knowe but God onely are in the Apostlâ—s opinion till they haue embraced the truthe but the children of wrathe as well as others And to manifest that this was the doctrine of the primatiue church by which these Protestants say they will be Iudged D. Morton writeth Morton Apol part 2. pag. 223. in these wordes Veteres Patres fere omnes arbitratisunt praedestinationis causam fuisse praeuisa hominum opera All moste all the auncient fathers did thinke that the good deeds of men foreseene were the cause of predestination And Mr. Wotton writeth thus wee acknowledge that the fault is wholly WottoÌ„ def of Perkins pag. 86. in cuery man that is not saued Therefore I conclude this question that euen by English Protestant Doctors the doctrine of the Romane Church in this is true and that of the predestinarie Protestants is false erroneous and damnable CHAPTER II. PROVETH BY THE SAME Protestants of England That onely faith much lesse the assureing faith of Protestants neither doth nor can Iustifie NEXT vnto this Question of predestination lett vs entreate of that which hath moste and nearest connexion vnto it mans Iusification in this life whether it be by the supposed assureing faith of Protestants that a man is iustified and righteous as thy commonly call it or otherwise by these writers Of which matter the Councell of Trent first for Catholicks defineth thus It is necessarie Codcil trid ses 4. can 9. to beleeue syns neither are forgiuen neither were at any time forgiuen but freely by the mercie of God for Christ. And then addeth concerninge the presumptuous faith of Protestants which it had before confuted in this maner If any Can. 12. sup man shall say that iustifying faith is nothing els but a confidence of Gods mercie remitting sins for
argue thus All that be in blessednes in heauen and instate of excellencie with God and worthie of honor and both heare or know our prayers and doeings and pray for vs are to be honored and may be prayed vnto But the Saincts and Angells in heauen be such and in this condition Therefore they are to be honored and may be prayed vnto The Maior is apparantly true and with those conditions graunted by these best Protestant writers The Minor that the Saincts and Angells in heauen are in that state is thus proued by these English Protestants D. Feild writeth thus The Feild l. 3. c. 31. pag. 143. Saincts in heauen doe pray for all in generall And thus againe of Vigilantius the Hereticke Yf hee absolutely denyed that the Saincts departed doe pray for vs wee thinke hee erred for wee Protestants hold they pray in genere Then it is proued the Saincts be in heauen and glorie a state worthie honor and that they pray for vs now I will proue they heare our prayers by these Protestant writers because they teach vs that they knowe our Protestations Professions and expect our seruyces D. Feild to make vs know that hee thinketh they knowe these things for Feild pag. 192. a Doctor may not make things that vnderstand not to vnderstand and be made wittnesses of things they knowe not hath these words Wee protest and professe before God men and Angells his frend D. Willet writeth thus Willet Antil in epist dedic anglic That the Angells expect his Maiesties faithfull seruice Then they knowe his seruice And if they knowe the deeds and seruices of princes and Kings are to doe their seruice faithfully No doubt but they knowe the deeds of Subiects also and in doeing faithfull seruice the subiect is not to be freed where the Soueraigne is not exempted And concerninge Prynce Henry his sonne thus their Theater prayeth vppon whose parson I pray that the Theat of gr Britt pag. 37. n. ◠Angells of Iacobs God may euer attend to his greate glorye and greate Britaynes happines And as these for the Kinge and his sonne So the Protestant Bishop of Lincolne D. Barlowe enueying against his Catholicke Aduersarie not writing of Q. Elizabeth as himself did Barlowe Answere to a nameles Oath pag. 69. freeing her from all mortall syn in her whole life hath these words ô blessed Trinitie and all you glorious Angells can you endure this hellish blasphemye and brooke these slawnderous us impieties in silence and vnreuenged Then I hope if a Protestant Bishope may inuocate and pray to the Angells to take reuendge to hurt and hinder mee it will be as agreeable to the lawes of Charitie and true Religion to desire their help assistance and pray vnto them to releyue our wants in our time of necessitie or at any time to honor them The like vnto this is written by D. Wilkes and other Wilkes obedience pag. §. 3. Wotton def of Perk. pag. 12. Protestants And M. Wotton proueth the same of the Saincts in heauen in this maner The Saincts departed wee loue and honor of their credit with God wee doubt not their care of men wee deny not And to assure vs that they haue not a care of vs onely in generall but in particular also and so knowe our actions first M. George Close parson of blacke Torrington in deuonshire M. George Close ser before the Iudges at Exeter in his sermon before the Iudges at Exeter mouing wicked lawyers to Repentance vrgeth it in these words So shall the Angells reioyce in your contrition allmightie God accept your Confession and the whole world keepe an holy day for your satisfaction Therefore if the Angells knowe our particular internall Actions such as Contrition and sorrowe of mynde is how much more those that be externall and in no wayes shrowded from their vnderstandings And to this veritie his Maiestie himself giueth testimonie speaking Kings speache die 21. Martij An. 1609. at Whitehall thus It is a Christian dutie in euery man reddere rationem fidei and not to be ashamed to giue an account of his profession before men and Angells as oft as occasion shall require Therefore seing Auditors in taking Audite must needs knowe the Reckonings and Accompts of their Accomptants the Angells and Saincts cannot be Ignorant of our Actions done before them as his Maiestie expresseth And D. Couell in Examination of Puritaine writeth thus Couell examinat pag. 195. Doth any man thinke the Angells doe not help vs being ministring spirits and seing God hath giuen his Angells chardge ouer vs may wee not pray to haue their assistance From whence thus I argue againe They that be in glorie can helpe vs and haue charge ouer vs to minister and men may pray to haue their assistance and they attend to further our requests may be requested and prayed vnto But the Angells and consequently the Saints in heauen be in these conditions towards vs Therefore they may be requested and prayed vnto The Maior is euident and the Minor also sufficiently proued by this last citation from D. Couell and thus confirmed agayne Couell exam sup pag. 178. by him The Angells attend to further our Requests Therefore wee may request their help Further I argue thus That which is the doctrine of the L. Protestant Archbishops and D. Feilds true Greeke Church may not be reiected But this doctrine of prayer and honor to Saincts and Angells is such Therefore not to be reiected The Maior being before graunted The Minor is thus proued by the Greeks in their censure of Protestants where speaking of the one onely true God they haue these words Hieremias in censur cap. 21. Wee doe not acknowledge other for God besids thee But wee make all Saincts Mediators and cheefely and excellently aboue all others the Mother of God himself Mary the Mother of God And wee constitute all Saincts Mediators and Aduocates for vs. And they pray not onely for vs but also for those which be deade so that they dyed not in mortall syn For in such a case no Iob or Daniell though they should stand vp to pray should deliuer their children Wee call vppon our Lady Angells Archangells that Precursor and Prophet of our Lord the Baptist also the glorious Apostles Prophets Martyrs and holy Pastors and Doctors also the Companie of holy women and all Saincts to make intercession for vs synners Hitherto the Censure of the Greeke Church both teaching the same doctrine with the Church of Rome and preuenting the friuolous obiections of Protestants in this poynt Againe thus I argue That which was the doctrine of the primatiue Church free from superstition as his Maiestie wittnesseth Confer pag. 69. is true doctrine and to be embraced But the practize and doctrine of the Romane Church to pray to Saints was the doctrine of that time Therefore it is true and to be embraced The Maior is graunted and proued by Protestants before And the
it and it is a reasonable satisfactiō euen to humane reason from whence Protestant arguments against it bee deduced that the maner is by Transsubstantiation as wee Catholicks teache no man but Irreligeous and vnreasonable can call it into question And hee writeth further of this matter in these words it is on all sides plainely Couell sup pag. 119. confessed that this Sacrament is a true and reall participation of Christ who thereby imparteth himself euen his whole entire parson Therefore if the whole entire parson of Christ which cannot bee without his bodie and blood is there and there imparted and receaued damnable is that diminisheing doctrine wherein sacramētaries would haue it but a signe figure And hee expressely teacheth that they doe not or should not differ from the Romane Churche concerning the true reall and substantiall presence of Christ in this Sacrament Which hee as plainely expresseth where entreatinge of the dignitie of Preists hee writeth thus To these parsons God Couell sup pag. 87. imparted power ouer his mysticall bodie which is the societie of soules and ouer that naturall which is himself for the knitting of both in one a worke which Antiquitie doth call the makinge of Christs bodie And in an other treatise hee speaketh of the same matter in this maner The power of the Couell modest examinat pag. 105. Ministry by blessing visible Elements it maketh them inuisible grace It giueth daily the holy Ghost It hath to dispose of that flesh which was giuen for the life of the worlde and that blood which was powred out to redeeme soules Hitherto this Learned Protestant whose words bee so plaine in this point that no conclusion but themselues needeth to bee inferred from them And not onely in this but other Questions as before these Protestants of England are so cleare for Catholiks doctrine and against that which their parlamentarie Religion doth or would seeme to teache that D. Willet Willet apud Parkes against Limbom pag. 20. 21. def first testim writeth of them in this sorte They maintayne traditions free will freedome from sin Iustification by workes workes of super erogation of transsubstantiation with diuers others Therefore euen by Protestants this sacred doctrine of the Romane Churche is to bee embraced and defended as well taught by Catholicks Protestants and D. Feilds true Greeke Church also from which lastely thus I argue That doctrine which is taught by the true Church in Protestants Iudgment which by them cannot err in any essentiall thinge is true But the doctrine of the Romane Church concerning the reall presence and transsubstantiation is such Therefore it is true The first proposition is proued and graunted before And the second is manifest in these the expresse words of the Greeke Churches censure vppon Protestant doctrine It is the Iudgment of the Church that in the holy Hierem. in censur cap. 10. supper after consecration and benediction the breade doth passe and is chaunged into the verie bodie itself of Christ and the wyne into that blood of his by the power of the holy Ghost For our Lord in the same night wherein hee was betrayed taking breade and giuing thankes brake it and saide take and eate this is not breade or a figure of my bodie but this is my very bodie and my blood So that both then and now the breade is transformed and chaunged into his bodie and the wyne into his blood as our Lord promised and affirmed in many places of scriptures And this is more then sufficient of this matter especially seeinge not onely Queene Elizabeth in her Parliam An. 1. Elizab parl 1. Iacob parl 1. Edw. 6 c. bothe kindes first Parlament receaued this doctrine of Transsubstantiation by allowing and reuiuing the statute of Kinge Edward the sixt in that behalfe and this their statute was neuer yett repealed But also in the first parlament of his maiestie confirmed with the rest of Q. Elizabeth The Protestant publishers of Praefat. in Petr. Gallatin Frāc An. 1602. Mortō App. pag. 396. pag. 395 Petrus Gallatinus tell vs that the testimonies which hee bringeth from the Rabbynes before Christ are vndeniable which allowed D. Morton writeth thus They are more playne and pregnant for transsubstantiation then are these sayings of transsubstantiators themselues They make so directly for transsubstantiation that the moste Romish Doctors for the space of allmoste a thowsand yeares after Christ did not in so expresse termes publish this mystery to the world Againe D. Androwes Protestant Bishop Casaubon resp ad Card. Per. pag. 50. 51. of Ely cited by Casaubon and Casaubon himself from our Kinge himself as hee saith affirme Yt is Christs body the same obiect and thing which the Romane Church beleeueth Therefore acknowledging there is a chaunge in this Sacrament as commonly they do that before the words of consecration it was breade and wyne and after is the same obiect and thing which the Romane Church beleeueth the body and blood of Christ This chaunge beeing from breade into the body of Christ and from wyne into his bloode which is a chaunge Substantiae in Substantiam of one substance into an ohter must needs bee as wee Catholicks teache Transsubstantiation CHAPTER XVI Of the holy Sacrifice of Christs blessed bodie blood cōmonly called the Masse daily offered in the Church AND hereby is not onely proued the Catholicke doctrine of this particular question of Christs reall presence in the B. Sacrament and the maner how by transsubstantiation of the elements breade and wyne by power of his omnipotent worde into his moste sacred bodie and blood but those also which depend from thence as is before remembred the sufficiencie of communicating of such as doe not offer the holy sacrifice first instituted and euer to be continued in both kindes in the one kinde onely as also the true externall and publicke sacrifice of Christs true Church consistinge of the oblation and offering of his most B. bodie and blood in these holy Misteries for which because it hath beene so prophanely and blasphemously contradicted by diuers of our English Protestants I meane to speake a little more particularly therein and from themselues first argue thus Whatsoeuer is the reall and true bodie and blood of Christ now vnseperable from his moste blessed soule and is publickly offered vnto God by the lawfully called and authorized preists of his Church is a true publicke and holy sacrifice But that which is commonly called the Eucharist or blessed Sacrament of the altare offered by Catholicke preists of the Romane Church in Masse is such Therefore it is a true publicke and holy sacrifice The Maior proposition is euidently true and confessed of all men of learning in Christianitie neither can be doubted of any that is ignorant if hee knoweth the termes themselues expressely signifieing and shewing the veritie thereof euen by the light of nature The second proposition is also more then aboundantly proued and verified by these
Protestants in the last chapter yet to giue it a further though needles confirmation I proue it againe in this order to be a sacrifice externall and publicke That doctrine which that Church which is esteemed by Protestants to be the true Church teacheth is to be allowed But this doctrine of Christs blessed bodie and blood to be ouer publicke sacrifice in the Church is such Therefore it is so to be allowed The first proposition is often graunted before and the second of the Greeke Churches opinion and practice both at this present and from the time of the primatiue dayes of christianitie to be agreeable with the present Romane Church is iustified by the Protestant Relator of Religion in the chapter of holy ceremonies His words to make Relation cap. 53. or c. 54. a new repetition of that Churches doctrine are these With Rome they concurr in the opinion of transsubstantiation and generally in the seruice and whole bodie of the Masse in praying to Saincts in auricular confession in offering of sacrifice and prayer for the deade and in these without any or with no materiall difference They hold purgatorie also and worshipping of pictures For the forme and Cap. 55. ceremonies of the Masse they much resemble the Latines In crosseings they are verie plentifull In summe Relat. of Relig c. 53. or 54 sup all those opinions which grew into the Church before that seperation betweene the Greekes and Latines and all those ceremonies which were common vnto bothe they still retaine Then this doctrine and practice of this publicke sacrifice beinge not onely the vse of these two Churches now but before their seperation which these Protestants in that place haue told vs Cap. 11. sup to haue beerie 1200. yeares agoe must still with reuerence be obserued Which this Protestant Relator shall here confirme againe Relat. sup cap. 53. or 54. speakinge of the present Greeke Church in these words Their liturgies be the same that in the olde time namely S. Basils S. Chrisostomes and S. Gregories which is the same that the Romane Church now vseth translated without any bending them to that chaunge of language which their tonge hath suffered M. Middleton also Middleton papistomast pag. 51. Morton Apol. part 2. pag. 81. telleth vs of the Masses of Basile Chrisostome and Epiphanius and that in them the deade were prayed for D. Morton goeth higher to the dayes of the Apostles citing and allowing not onely the Masses of S. Basile and S. Chrisostome but S. Iames the Apostle himself Wherefore I hope hee and others will be the better pleased to accept the Censure of Hieremias the Constantinopolitane Patriarke taking vppon him to be supreame in that Church vttered in these words The holy Masse is a sacrifice Hierem. in censur instituted of Christ in memorie and commendation of all his mercie and humilitie sustayned for our sakes Saint Iames the Apostle called our Lords Brother first reduced into order that liturgie and Sacrifice being so instructed of Christ to doe it In all parts of that holy sacrifice nothing els is handled but an vniuersall order of things which our Sauiour vndertooke for our Redemption How these primatiue Masses liturgies or formes of the B. sacrifice of Christs bodie and blood in all questions and articles of Religion agree with that which the Romane Church now practizeth from S. Gregorie as these men before allowe and others write from S. Peter the Apostle is apparant in those liturgies and Masses and too longe to be cited in this place And from hence thus I argue againe That doctrine and publicke practice of Sacrifice or other which was instituted by Christ practized by his Apostles and such holy Saincts and Doctors of the Churche as Sainct Basile S. Chrisostome S. Epiphanius and S. Gregorie were may and ought still to be obserued kept and vsed But the doctrine and practice of our publicke Church Sacrifice or Masse is such Therefore it may and ought still to be kept and vsed The first proposition is moste euidently true and cannot be denied by any true Christian and the Minor is before proued in these laste Protestants allowed citations and may further be confirmed by these Protestant writers D. Sutclâ—ffe writeth thus Wee reade in Ignatius this phrase offerre and sacrificium Sutcliff subu pag. 32. immolare to offer and immolate sacrifice and like phrases in Irenaeus Ciprian Tertullian and Martialis who mentioneth also Altares And these words and the things truely signified by them Altare and Sacrifice are in the Greeke and other tongues so vnseperably ioyned and knitt together that D. Morton doth thus acknowledge Wee cannot dislike the sentence Morton App. pag. 162. l. 2. cap. 6. Sect. 1. concerning the mutuall relation and dependance betweene an Altare and sacrifice but graunt that altare doth as naturally and necessarily inferre a Sacrifice as a shryne doth a Saint a father a sonne And againe it is truely said Sacrifice and preisthood are Relatiues Then for altares hee hath hard before that they were in the Apostles time and consequently Masse the Christian sacrifice was then for hee hath told vs they cannot be seperated And his Protestant Bishops in their late Theater will putt him out of all doubt that from the beginnynge of Christianitie euen in England such altares for sacrifice were vsed of the Christians Their words be these It is reported that Theater of greate Brit. pag. 205. n. 12. pag. 204. Patrick the Irish Apostle and canonized Saint longe before the Raigne of Kinge Lucius preached the Ghospel in many places of Wales And also that Ninianus Bernicius of the race of the Brittish princes conuerted the Picts to the Religion of Christ To which effect also the sayings of S. Iohn Chrisostome Bishop of Constantinople enforce And amonge Ilands expressely nameth this our Brittayne Whose Inhabitants saith hee haue also consented to the word which is planted in euery harte in honor whereof they haue erected their temples and Altares Thus in the Brittans tyme that S. Augustine brought in Altares Masse and the ceremonyes thereof is proued by these Protestants in other places And the Theater it self setteth this for one of the Questions of S. Augustine to S. Gregory Guifts Theat pag. 330. offerred on the Altare how to be distributed asked by Augustine of Pope Gregory And thus they write of Kinge Redwald After baptisme returninge to Idolatry Pag. 333. in one and the same temple after the maner of the olde Samaritans hee erected an Altare for the seruice of Christ and an other little Altare for burnt sacrifices which stood vnto the dayes of Beda himself And longe before againe in the Brittans tyme they tell vs of Preists stayne standinge at the Altars And againe in Pag. 291. Pag. 317. Gildas tyme 1200. yeares since oathes taken vppon the Altars made of stome And to secure D. Morton what the sacrifice offered vppon those Altars was they tell vs that in this primatiue tyme in