which be Canonicall and which be Apocrypha Protestant 8 How do you know which is the Church And by what meanes may it be knowen that the Church hath authoritie to determine which be Scriptures and which of them be Canonicall and which be Apocrypha Papist There be many notes and markes reckoned vp by the learned of our side by which the Church may be knowen But we insist chiefly vpon these Antiquitie Vnitie Vniuersality Succession and the power of Miracles And for the authority of the Church it is prooued by the Scriptures Protestant 9 This answere is common to all Heretikes for they alleage somtimes the a Author ope Imper. in Mat. Ho. 48. Church sometime b Iren. adu Haere lib. 3. cap. 2. Traditions sometime c Aug. coÌ„tr Maxim Ariâ— episc li. 1. Councels sometime d De Bapt. c. 6. li. 3. Fathers sometime e In Ioh. ca 2. tract 13 Miracles sometime f De vnit eccle c. 16. Visions sometime g Epist 65. ad gener Succession of Bishops yea h Act. 19.27 Demetrius pretended Vniuersalitie And the i Act. 17 18 19. Philosophers Epicures and Stoickes Antiquity And k Vinc. Lir. ca. 6 ca. 4. Vincentius Lirinensis disproueth Vniuersalitie by the example of the Arrians and Antiquity by the example of the Donatists And for their l In Chron. Suput Rom. prat Sigon de Regn. Ital li. â— Vnitie let that appeare in the seuerall oppositions of their Popes one condemning the decrées of another and decréeing one contrary to another And therefore this is no sufficieÌ„t reason for a man to ground his faith and Religion if we beléeue the m StapletoÌ„ Fortresse Hart. ag Ra. pag. 118. Papists in the like cause for it is a common obiection by them that because Heretikes alleage the Scripture therefore they are no suffieient rule Moreouer this answere passeth the limits of the proposition for it presupposeth the authoritie of the Church to be prooued by the Scriptures and the Scriptures to be prooued by the authority of the Church which is Ignotum per ignotius Idem per idem A proofe of a thing vnknowen by a thing lesse knowen and so no proofe at all Therefore to procéede to the next part of the diuision what doe you vnderstand by Traditions Papist I vnderstand Apostilicall doctrine commonly called vnwritten verities and as D.B. P. in his booke against M. Perkins diuides them Some are Diuine some Apostolicall and some Ecclesiasticall all which according to the Councel of Trent are to be receiued with equall reuerence Conc. Trid. Sess 4. and religious affection as we do the Scriptures Protestant 10 How doe you proue Traditions or vnwritten verities to bee Apostolicall doctrine and that they be Diuine Apostolicall and Ecclesiasticall and that they are to bee receiued with equall reuerence and religious affection as we doe the Scriptures Papist 2. Thess 2 15. I proue it by the Scriptures interpreted by the Church Saint Paul saith Hold the Trations which yee haue learned whether it bee by word Conc. Trid. â—ess 4. or by Epistle which by the Churches exposition proueth vnwritten verities to be receiued with equall authoritie to the Scriptures and to explane the same D.B.P. aforesayd affirmeth that Diuine Traditions come from our Sauiour Christ Apostolicall Traditions from the Apostles And the Decrees of the Church hee tearmeth Ecclesiasticall Traditions which are likewise of equall authoritie with the Scriptures Protestant 11 This is a common fault with you to vse this point of Sophistrie called by the Logicians Petitio principij for you wil stil take it for graunted that you are the Church though you neuer prooue it And this is a necessary consequence That if the trueth be doubted of the church must néedes bee much more doubted of because the Church is the number of men professing the trueth And how can the professors of the trueth be seuered from others so long as the trueth by which they should bee knowen is in question Therefore the supposing your selues to be the church when your faith Religion should be tried is fond vain But if S. Paul in that place by Deliuered Tradition meane nothing but the doctrine deliuered to them by word of mouth yet comprised in Scripture too then must you graunt that you are deceiued to thinke that vnwritten Traditions are approued by S. Pauls Traditions Now what the things were which S. Paul deliuered by word to the Thessalonians is shewed in the 17 of the Acts saying Now as they passed thorow Amphipolis and Apolonia they came to Thessalonica where was a Synagogue of the Iewes and Paul as his maner was entred in vnto them and thrée Sabbath dayes hee discoursed vnto them out of the Scriptures opening and alleaging That Christ must haue suffered and risen againe c. In which wordes it is opened both what Paul deliuered to the Thessalonians by word and from whence From whence Out of the Scriptures What That it behooued Christ to suffer and rise againe Besides Saint Paul witnesseth both to small and great that hee said no other thing than that which the Prophets and Moyses did say should come Act. 26 22 The Traditions therefore that Paul doth exhort the Thessalonians to hold is the Tradition of the Gospel as Saint Ambrose writing vpon the same place calleth it very well which the reason also doth prooue that Saint Ambrose noteth that Paul doth there gather saying God hath raised you to saluation by our Gospel therefore stand ye fast and holde the Traditions which ye haue learned whether it be by word or by Epistle Now I hope there is none so impudent to denie that the Gospel is written But here another difficultie incounters vs If it were granted by the Churches interpretation that there were doctrines or Traditions Diuine Apostolicall or Ecclesiasticall deliuered by word of mouth vpon what sure grounds might wee be assured which be the Traditions that were so deliuered by Christ his Apostles or the Church Papist The ancient Fathers chiefe Papists doe plainely teach that many points of doctrine wherein you varie from vs as halowing the Font the blessing of the oyle the anointing the Baptized Exorcismes Fastes Festiuities prayer for the dead prayer to Saints worshipping of Images the oblation of the Sacrifice their Annealing their Primacie of Rome their fiue pretended Sacraments the merit of workes their satisfactions the numbring their sinnes to the Priest their Real presence their halfe CommunioÌ„ c. See the preface for Priests and See Master Middletons booke called Papisto-Mastix Sect. 5. almost all these things which you defend against vs are proued by the Fathers to be deliuered by Tradition Protestant 12 This sheweth euidently that you are guilty of the same fault that the Pharises were Mark 7.9 by Christs owne reproofe saying You cast aside the commaundements of God to maintaine your owne Traditions Mat 15.9 teaching for doctrine
mens precepts So that as Saint Peter hath censured you 1. Pet. 2.18 Yee are not redeemed from the vaine Traditions of your Fathers Besides you chuse rather to make the Fathers to contradict themselues as I haue shewed in the preface of this treatise than to acknowledge with vs as the trueth is that the Traditions mentioned by the Fathers are no parts or points of the Catholike faith But doeth your Church practise all those Traditions which are deliuered by the Fathers to be either Diuine Apostolicall or Ecclesiasticall Papist Yes and although she did not yet is the Churches authority sufficient to abrogate or admit which she pleaseth Protestant 13 Indéede you take that libertie to your selues without all warrant either of Scripture or Fathers For S Hierome which is one of the Fathers alleaged by you for Traditions Dialo coÌ„tr Lucif ca. 4. deliuereth it as an Apostolike Tradition On the Lords day and throughout euery Penticost neither to pray on the knées nor to fast The temper of milke and honie giuen to them that were newly baptised Tertul. de Coro Milit. Nu. 3. is confirmed by Tertullian who likewise reckoneth vp a number of Rites grounded vpon Tradition As that the baptized should abstaine from washing a whole wéeke after Baptisme with much crossing at euery going out at euery steppe at euery comming in at putting on of apparel at putting on of shooes at washings at tables at lights at beddes at seates c. all these are deliuered as the Apostles Traditions which yet the Papists themselues obserue not And if these be not Apostolike Traditions what warrant haue we for any of the rest For as for the Churches authority in abolishing of these you may say as much of the holy Scriptures for you haue said before That Traditions vnwritten Conc. Trid. Sess 4. were of equall authoritie with the Scriptures But doe you thinke the authority of the ancient Fathers to be a sufficient ground to leade vs to accept of all the Doctrine deliuered by Tradition and that whatsoeuer is deliuered by them is to be receiued without exception Papist Yes the ioynt consent of the Fathers Sta. prine doctr li. 7. ca. 13. li. 1â— ca. 5. Hart. â— ag Ray. ca. â— diui â— is an absolute Rule being indeede the Churches exposition Protestant 14 Then must you wholly relinquish all your doctrine and Traditions vnwritten for all the Fathers doe with ioint consent yéelde all their authority to the Scriptures laying it for a Ground that nothing necessary to saluation is to be beléeued without the authoritie of the Scriptures nay that themselues are not to be credited without the scriptures as shal manifestly appeare by the testimonies of these Fathers following yea S. Augustine is so absolute for vs in most of his bookes * Aug Ep 19 ad Hiero Epi 48 Vincent Ep 111 Fortunatiano Epi 112 to Paulina Cont. FastuÌ„ li 11 c. 5. Contr. Cres gram li. 2 ca 11 32 De Bap coÌ„t Don li. 2. c. 2 De merit remiss peccat cont Pelag. lib 3 cap 7. De natur gra ca. 61 De gracia Christi coÌ„tra Pelag cap. â—â— De nuptijs concupisceÌ„t lib. 2 ca. 23. that he would haue the Church sought onely in the scriptures heretikes confuted onely by the scriptures To whose only authority in many places he professeth that he himselfe will be bound So that you must either make these Fathers contrary to themselues Or else grant that Traditions are not of absolute necessitie to be receiued But for that this is a maine point which the Papists insist on I will cleare the same euidently by foure iust exceptions which I referre to the indifferent censure of anie First I will prooue that the Fathers haue attributed all sufficiencie to the Scriptures and haue submitted all their authorities vnto them Secondly That the Fathers haue held diuers errors vpon which it necessarily followeth that if they might erre in one thing they might erre in another Thirdly that they are often reiected by the Papists yea euen the greater number sometimes contrary to their owne rule and therefore may with as great reasoÌ„ be reiected by vs. Fourthly That there are many counterfâ—its bearing the names of ancient Fathers and that often times they are alleaged by the Papists to abuse vs all which particular exceptions I will briefly prooue in order as they lie First Saint Basil saith Tract de fide it is a most certain argument of infidelity and a most certaine signe of pride if any man wil reiect any of those things that are written or bring in any thing that is not written when our Lord saith My sheepe heare my voice and a stranger they will not heare Tertullian saith De resurrect carnis Take away from Heretikes those things which they hold with Ethnikes that they may stay their questions vpon the Scriptures onely and they are not able to stand Saint Augustine saith De doctr Christ li. 2. ca. 9. All things that concerne faith and manners or beliefe and life are plainely written in the Scriptures Chrysostome saith In 2. ad Thessa Ho. 3 That euery thing is cleare and euident by the Scriptures and whatsoeuer things are necessary they are euident In Eusng Ioh. li. 12 cap. 68. Cyril saith That such of the things done by Christ are written as the writers thought to be sufficient for maners and doctrine Epist 11 inter epist August In the controuersie betwâ—xt S. Austin and S. Hierome touching Peters reproofe Hierome alleaged more Fathers on his side and made so great account of them that he desired Austin to suffer him to erre with such men if he thought him to erre Epist 19. To whom Saint Austin replied that peraduenture he might finde as many if he had read much But I saith he haue Paul the Apostle himselfe in stead of these all and aboue these all To him I doe flie to him doe I appeale from all the doctors his interpreters who are of other minds c. Epist 126 ad Euagrium S. Hierome yéelding his opinion to Euagrius a meane man after he had shewed the iudgements of Origen Didimus Hipollitus Irenaeus Eusebius Cesariensis Emisenus Apollinarius and Eustathius saith To bring foorth the witnesses it was my part let it bée yours to iudge of the credit of the witnesses Orig. Hom 1 super Ieâ—em Origen confesseth That their iudgements without witnesse of the Scriptures were of no credit Hierom. in Psal 98. Hierome writeth That all which they spake they were to proue by the Scriptures Hier. in Maâ— 23. and saith in another place That which hath not authority from the Scriptures as easily is despised as approued Saint Basil saith Basil in Ethicis defiâ— 8. If euery thing that is not of faith be sinne as S. Paul affirmeth and faith come by hearing and hearing â—y the word of God Ergo whatsoeuer is without or besides the Diuine
A BRIEFE VIEWE of the weake Grounds of Popery As it was propounded to D. NORRICE Priest by T.V. Gent and returned without answere AT LONDN Imprinted by Humfrey Lownes for Samuel Macham and Mathew Cooke and are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Tigers head 1606. To my dearest Cousins A. B. C. D. MY dearest Cousins with what zeale and feruencie both in my prayers and other indeuours I haue euer desired wee might be of one mind heart God Act. 6. and mine owne conscience can best testifie and your selues may partly witnes with me For as touching the means to this our atonement namely conference with the learned of ech others side and reading their bookes you know well I for my part haue neuer refused it but euermore gladly imbraced and diligently sought after it that so if truth wherof great vaunts were made had been found on your side my heart first then my hand might readily haue subscribed thereto But when I consider the doctrine of your Rhemists Tit. 3. Sect. and the answerable practise of their disciples forbidding you not onely to reade our bookes but to hold conuersation much more to haue conference with vs who must be Heretikes because they tearme vs so yea when I see they blush not to affirme That we are not to be heard â—fâ—r 3. â—ect 2. no not though we speake the trueth I almost despaire of your conuersion seeing the means are prohibited Now how much meeter it were in a case of such consequence being no lesse than the eternal safegard of your soules to leaue them with their errors and to hearken rather and conforme your faith to the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles I referre it to any seeing iudgement For the vniuersall consent of all the ancient Fathers alloweth the Scriptures for the onely Rule of faith as conteining in them all doctrine necessary to saluation And albeit I haue sufficiently among others cleared that question in this smal Treatise following yet will I somewhat inlarge the proofe of it in this place to the end you may better knowe That though you send vs for instruction to to the Fathers yet they send vs backe again to the Scriptures as the onely and sufficient Rule to direct vs. And in handling this point I will not much insist vpon diuine authority since I know you relye chiefly if not wholly on the Fathers Onely I will vrge these few testimonies of Scripture which ought to preuaile more with euery true Christian than all the Fathers how learned soeuer First our Sauiour willeth vs to search the Scriptures for that in them we thinke to haue eternall life Io. 5.39 Mark 1224. And he taxeth the Pharises of error because they were ignorant of the Scriptures 2. Tim. 3.15 16 17. S. Paul likewise affirmeth that they are able to make vs wise vnto saluation that the man of God may be perfite instructed to euery good worke And if this perswade you not I haue no hope that any Father can for as Christ saith Luk. 16.29 30 31. They haue Moyses and the Prophets if they will not heare them neither will they beleeue if one rose from the dead Now as to the Fathers though your side pretend so much to reuerence them yet in this question they wholly reiect them and that indeede not without cause seeing their authority in this one point might proue the downefall of your whole Religion it being confessed by some great Champions on your side That many and most of the doctrines wherin you varie from vs are grounded on Traditions and not on the Scriptures as any that will take the paines to reade may see in Peter Soto against Brentius in the fift chapter of Canisius Catechisme in the * In fine fabulae 6. 5 booke of Lyndans Panoply yea * Scripto suâ— aedito tempore Trid. Concil Andradius saith That the greatest part of Catholike Religion is left vnto Traditions of the Church not written â—anopl li. 1. â— 22. demeÌ„â—ssimae insaâ—iae And the said Lyndan saith It is most extreme madnes to think that the whole entire Body of Euangelicall doctrine is to be fetched out of the Apostolike letters written with inke and out of that little booke of the new Testament And therefore so much the more are your leaders seducers to be taxed who perswade their folowers that the greatest differeÌ„ce between them and vs is touching the Sense of the Scripture wheras euery man of common sense wil easily iudge that where there is no Text there needs no Interpreter But let vs briefly see what opinioÌ„ the Fathers were of in this coÌ„trouersie betweene vs and how they haue vnderstood that Scripture which D. B. P. calles the Protestants Achilles which hee onely barkes at without further hurt â— B. booke â—gainst M â—erkins calâ—ed the 1. â—im 3. the â—rot Achilâ—es Hom. 9. Chrysostome vpon the same Text sayth If any thing be needefull for vs to learne or to be ignorant of there meaning in the Scriptures shal we learne it If to reproue falsehood from thence shal we draw it if any thing lacke to be corrected or rebuked which must be had vnto exhortation vnto comfort there also doe we learne it Likewise Ho. 8. vpon the 15. verse he saith The scriptures do teach both what things are to be done what not to be done Theodoret vpoÌ„ the same place saith The scripture is inspired of God Therfore he teacheth the kinds of vtilitie It is profitable to teach for whatsoeuer we know not we learne out of it To reproue It reproueth our wicked life To correct for it exhorteth that they which haue gone astray returne to the right way To instruct in righteousnesse for it teacheth vs the kinds of vertue that the man of God may bee perfit furnished to all good workes All these things doe attribute and ascribe perfection to the God of all Primasius saith Out of the scriptures he that is ignorant is taught Hee that is insolent is reprooued He that erreth is corrected He that can keep no measure is instructed to Iustice to euery good worke not vnto one Oecumenius sayth after he hath rehearsed the particular vtilities to teach all true opinions and good works to reprooue errors vice he concludeth that the man of God may be not onely partaker after a vulgar maner of euery goodworke but perfect and compleate by the doctrine of the scriptures Not to some kind of good worke and to some not But to all and euery good worke saith Theophilact Athanasius saith Atha contr gent. Chrys opeâ— imperf in Mat. Ho. 41. Aug. in Iohâ— Tract 44. The holy scriptures inspired from heauen are sufficient for all instruction of trueth Chrysostome saith whatsoeuer is requisite for saluation all that is fully laid downe in the Scripture S. Augustine sayth There were chosen to be written such things as seemed to the holy Ghost sufficient for
than Clergie men to be discerners of trueth And it is euident by the Scriptures that there is a limitation howe farre the Bishops and Cleargie are to be obeyed and what they are to teach For S. Paul saith Be yee followers of me as I am of Christ 1 Cor. 7. So that he requireth no more of the Corinthians than to follow him as hee followeth Christ And this made him so diligently to distinguish the precepts of Christ from his owne Councels To the married I commaund not I but the Lord to the rest I speake not the Lord. And our Sauiour Christ when he gaue commission to his Apostles He bids them Mat. 28.19 20. Goe teach all nations but what To obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you And therefore Chrysostome alleaging the wordes of Saint Paul Chrys in 1. ca. 2 Epist ad Tim. Hom. 2. Obey your Ouerseers or Prelates doeth thus limite them But if hee peruert anie poynt of faith though hee be an Angell obey him not And straight after Wee must not obey Paul himselfe if he speake any thing of his owne or as a man but we must obey the Apostle bearing Christ about that speaketh in him It is not lawfull saith Tertullian to deuise any thing of our selues Tertul. de praescrip advers Haeret. nor to follow that which others haue deuised wee haue the Apostles of the Lord for our Authors who deuised nothing of their owne heads but deliuered faithfully to the nations the doctrine which they receiued of Christ Therefore though an Angel from heauen should preach otherwise wee should count him accursed * Chrysost operis imper Ho. 20. in 7. ca. Mat. Euery teacher is a seruant of the Law because hee may neither adde of his owne sense vnto the Lawe nor according to his owne conceit take any thing from the Law but preach that onely which is found in the Law And these instructions both of Fathers and Scriptures were to little purpose if wee were not by them taught how to eschew the euill and followe the good And surely if the Vicars Consistorie and Seate In Luc. 12. were infallible as the Rhemists affirme what néede wee respect or studie to knowe the infinite Testimonies of Scriptures and Fathers brought to this purpose But this doeth not prooue that they are priuiledged and exempted from Erring For the Scriptures which were written for our instruction doe plainely conuince that both Priests and Prophets haue erred For God by the Prophet Malachie describeth what the Priests should doe and what they had done The Priests lippes should preserue knowledge Mala. 2. and they should seeke the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hostes But yee are gone out of the way O ye Priests ye haue caused many to fall by the Law ye haue broken the couenant of Leui saith the Lord of hostes And this proud priuiledge which the Popes now challenge was claimed by the wicked Priests in Ieremies time Come Iere. 18 1â— say they let vs imagine some deuise against Ieremie for the Law shal not perish from the Priest nor counsell from the wise nor the word from the Prophet But God assureth them by his Prophet Ezech. 7 2â— for their arrogant presumption That the Law should perish from the Priest and counsell from the ancient What grosse idolatrie Vriah the Priest committed to please King Ahaz 2 King 16.10.11 Esay â—8 the Scriptures will tell you And Esay saith The Priest and the Prophet haue erred they haue gone away they faile in vision they stumble in iudgement And wee knowe there haue béen many Bishops and those orderly succéeding if you looke to their dignity not to the doctrine who haue béen heretickes as Berillus Paulus Samosatinus Photinus Nestorius Dioscorus Petrus Apameus Sergius Cyrus Theodorus Macarius And many others Canonically succeeding in Seates and Churches of no small account And if these fell into pestilent heresies that which was often and easie then is contingent and possible still And succession which saued not them froÌ„ erring cannot defend our Popes from the like danger And therefore are wee forewarned and taught by the Scriptures to beware and take héede of such men For S. Paul saith Actâ— 20. Out of your selues shall arise men speaking peruerse things to drawe disciples after them And the Lord when hee saith Beware of false Prophets Mat. 7. noteth that there shall be Prophets by their calling which shall be found false in their teaching As Saint Peter also witnesseth 2 Pet. 2. There were false Prophets among the people of the Iewes euen as there shall bee false teachers amongst you And to what purpose are these with many other testimonies but to teach vs that we must distinguish godly teachers not by office but by doctrine And if there were not an abilitie in vs in some sort to discerne them in vaine were we taught to beware of them neither had the men of Berea béen so highly commended for the triall of their Pastors doctrine Acts 17.11 if it had either béen vnlawfull or not their duety so to haue done But it séemes the Papists insist much vpon the outward quiet of their Church holding out this Buggebeare That the Church cannot erre assuming therby to be lords of scriptures Fathers Councels and all when they list But what hereticall Church may not haue the same quietnesse vpon the same perswasion and yet it preuailes in none but those that can be perswaded That this false priuiledge of not erring belongs to the Church taking the Church in the same sense which the Papists in this Tract vnderstand it of Fathers Councels and the Pope And who knowes not that notwithstanding your late Councel of Trent and diuers other Councels and learned bookes of all sides That yet the controuersies are not ended being indéede the neuer ending knotte of Religion For though this perswasion That the Church cannot erre may sometimes bréede an outwarde quietnesse in the Church yet it hath no force to establish men in the vnitie of Trueth since it may both deceiue and bée deceiued as is in this Treatise prooued Nor to end controuersies because all beléeue it not nor to abolish heresies which many times it may fauour as is euident by some fewe examples both of Popes and Councels before alleaged For further example put the case That some of the Church are perswaded according to Christs Institution and the practise of the Church of Corinth that the Laitie are not to be robbed of the Cup but are to receiue the Eucharist in both kinds and hereby call the priuiledge of the Churches not erring into Question how shall this be decided Shall it be sufficient for the Church or Pope to say I cannot erre and for proofe thereof to call all his Cardinals Abbots and Bishops to auow the same though it be contrary both to Scriptures Fathers and the long continued practice of the Church of
a reciprocal loue in you that the faults thereof may bee shewed and manifested by some of the great Rabbies of your side to the end that the weaknes of our cause being laid open I may be drawen to ioine with you in the religion you professe may be brought home to that fold out of which froÌ„ which I am sure in your iudgemeÌ„ts I am departed gone astray as a lost sheep Tâ—is is a charitable request ought not with any colours or sleights to be refused by any of those learned Priests in whom you haue interest since they know of how great merite the winning of soules is And they may the rather be incouraged thereto because these things as they are collected by me are but the doings of a meere lay man therfore if at all may with greater facility be refuted But if the same shall be past ouer with general tearms as heretofore it hath bin in the like as a thing vnworthy the answering Or that I am an heretike obstinate and not to be dealt with theÌ„ may you easily iudge that either your credit is small with those of your profession Or your loue charity very little to me that so earnestly out of the simplicity of my heart desire an answer Or else that the weaknes badnes of your cause cannot abide the touchstone of truth notwithstanding their great swelling brags of challenging vs to dispute with them be so often sounded iâ— your ears And I would to God I might truly say of you that I presume of my self that yoâ— would reade ponder these things with in differencie abandon partiality To the effecting wherof besides my praiers I haue no better meanes than the Apostles doctrine 1. Thess 5.21 Iames. 1. Cor. 2.5 2. Cor. 13.5 Iohn 4.1 Act. 17.11 who willeth you vs all to examine all things to hold fast that which is good and not to haue the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ with respect of persons but to try the spirits whether they be of God therein following the example of the men oâ— Berea who searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so Thus hauing some hope you wil folow this Councel coÌ„mandement comming from so high an authority as the Spirit of God and also for my satisfaction if not for your owne effect this my so charitable reasonable a request as the answering hereof I shal stil continue my prayers to opeÌ„ our eyes that we may see the truth and that we may be made one flocke one fold of that great Shepherd Christ Iesus the Bishop of our soules To whome with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honor and praise now and for euer Amen Yours in the Lord T. V. The Author to the Reader THis smal Tract Christian Reader was at the first composed out of a religious zeale and feruent desire I had to haue withdrawen some of my best friends from that Egyptian darkenesse of Popish superstition And this argument I the rather made choice of because it was often obiected though very vntruely that we durst not handle the Grounds of Religion After I had finished the same I recoÌ„mended it to my best friends as you may see by the Preface thereof the which was by them reciprocally receiued hauing no lesse loue and desire to reclaime me than I had to winne them To which purpose they sent it to some one of the learned on their part by whose sufficiencie the same might bee fully refuted which I assure my selfe by many probable coniectures was Doctor Norris After I had staied some thirteene weeks with desiee and expectation to see the answere therof hauing often solicited the same about that time I receiued a Letter as I take it from the said D.N. importing among many seuerall reproches wherewith hee had laboured to giue satisfaction to them and to impeach the credit both of me and my booke that if I would procure two or three of the best learned of our side to auow it vnder their hands to be the doctrine of our Church That then hee would take vpon him to proue 14. or 15. seueral absurdities and vntruths therein as by his Letter here likewise set downe verbatim may truely appeare This Letter I then answered as it is here likewise inserted And when I had stayed another quarter of a yeere and heard of no answere made or inteÌ„ded to be made I procured with much importunitie the redeliuery of the booke After which because I would leaue the said D.N. as I take it without all excuse and also let my friends see I would presse it to the vtmost I procured two reuerend and learned Ministers M.D. Sutcliffe and M. Anthony Wootton to subscribe the same booke vnder both their hands in this forme following viz The summe and substance of the doctrine contained in this booke is sound and shal be maintained by the grace of God against the whole packe of Iesuits and Masse-priests of the Romish Synagogue After this vpon the late discouery of those hellish and matchlesse treasons against our dread Soueraigne and the whole body of the Realm hauing heard that the said D. N. was apprehended and committed to Bridewel where I likewise vnderstood that he was not close prisoner I repaired vnto him and shewed him this my booke with the subscriptioÌ„ annexed and before specified demaÌ„ding of him whether he had seen the booke and were the author of that Letter Which hee denied affirming that he had neuer seen it till theÌ„ reseruing belike according to their maner of Equivocating that he had neuer seen it till then subscribed in that maner or with some such mentall reseruation All which considered though I am stil perswaded that he was the Author therof I haue preferred the publishing of it though therein mine own wants defects for the maner of handling might by the iudicious learned be in some sort taxed rather than to bury it in sileÌ„ce for that I hope it may bring some benefit not vnworthy my trauel to the indifferent Reader and may happily effect that which thereby I first intended when they shall see I am not afraid in regard of the doctrine therin to diuulge it to the whole world And the rather I am incouraged hereto for that the same is not onely the doctrine of the best learned writers of this our age Nation as it is by me collected but also is warraÌ„ted to be iustified by men of so great sufficiencie that I shall not need to feare shipwracke though the seas swell and the storme rise neuer so hie And so farewel in Christ T. V. The true Copie of the Letter I receiued I Haue perused your Treatise dedicated to your dearest Cousins which I find to be a vaine bundle of words without substance order learning or trueth and if you can procure that two or three of the best learned of your side will auow it vnder their hands to be the
in â—nesis q. 162. Iacob by faith worshipped God vpon the end of his staffe But they traÌ„slate Iacob adored the top of his Rod to countenance their Idolatrie â—n confes Aug. i. 2. c. 8. Tit. 5. Torrensis the Iesuite in the diuision of the coÌ„mandements saith that 3 of them concerne our duty towards God and 7 towards men This doctrine is imbraced by the Papists vpon Austin and Clements authority contrary to al these Fathers folowing whose iudgements they may truely be said to reiect in preferring two before so many As first by the Hebrewes as Li. de decal 〈◊〉 duob opusc â—le legib speciâ— lib. Philo Antiquit. â—ude li. 3. ca. 4. Iosephus In Exod. 20. Aben Ezra next by the Grecians In versib de â—ecalog Gregory Nazianzen In Exod. â—o 8. Origen In Synop. â—et Scriptur Athanasius and In Mat. oper â—mperf Ho. 49. Chrysostome Lastly by the Latines In Epist ad â—ph cap. 6. S. Ambrose In â—pist ad â—phes ca. 6. S. Hierome And one yet ancienter than they both Aug. q. vet Nou. Test â—p 7. The Author of the questions of the Old and New Testament who all affirme that foure Commandements concerne our duety towards God and sixe towards men Epiphanius is reiected by D. Hardin Iewel pagâ— 548. for breaking of Images Cyprian is condemned by Dureus because he teacheth that onely Christ is to be heard Their reiection of the Fathers is so commonly knowen to all that reade Controuersies See their Iâ—dex expurgatorius as is euident by the infinite testimonies alleaged by vs out of the Fathers against the Papists that I shall not néede to insist of more particularities in which few may yet be obserued that they reiect the greater number which they tearme the Churches exposition when they make against them Stapleton and Hart. The fourth Exception is that there are many counterfeits bearing the name of Fathers which are likewise often alleaged by the Papists to abuse vs with their names For proofe wherof there be nine volumes of S. Hieroms workes whereof 3 are none of his and yet vitae Patrum a Legend how wrongfully fathered on him CoÌ„ment in epi 2. ad Tâ— mo ca. 4. lâ— cor Theolâ— li. 11. ca. 6. your Espencaeus and Canus both shew As also a barbarous and sottish fable of the natiuity of S. Mary as Canus calleth it Likewise of ten volumes of S. Austins there is not aboue one or two that hath not more or fewer of such Pamphlets patched to it both by the censure of Erasmus Censura theologoruÌ„ Louanienâ—um in AppeÌ„di c Tomâ— secundi ceteroâ—um August and the Diuines of Louain who shew that sundry things beare Saint Austines name whereof some are vnlearned some lewd and hereticall Sixtus â—eneâ—s de â—â—lcâ— librotum inscrip Stapl prinâ— doctr li. â— cap. 14. Sixtus Senensis whom D. Stapleton doeth commend hath proued that books are fathered falsely not onely vpon Augustine and Hierome but also vpon Ambrose Cyprian Athanasius Eusebius Emisenus Iunilius Cyril Eucherius Arnobius and Thomas of Aquine And with this discourse hee closeth vp the former volume of his holy Librarie In which he hath shewed Bibliotheca Sanctâ— lib. 2. 4. that Clemens Abdius Origen Chrysostome Hipolitus and many mo haue had their names defaced with the same iniurie I will omit diuers others for breuity and although this may séeme no iust Exception against the Fathers yet it ought to make vs cautious how we trust them to be the true Fathers and not counterfeits the rather for that the Papists haue often alleaged such counterfeit Fathers to credit their doctrine with For proofe whereof Torrensis the Iesuite citeth such bookes for S. Augustines as are knowen and granted to bee none of his â—n confess â—ng li. â— ca. â— Tit. 2 c. assiâ— as namely The Sermon of Saint Peters chaire and other pretie Pamphlets of the same litter And although in the preface of his confessions to the Reader he makes an exception yet our of that exception he saith that although they doe not auaile much to conuince the opinion of Sectaries Neuerthelesse there will be godly men and learned who will permit and iudge them to be Saint Augustines owne and will both take delight and profit by trading them And yet amongst theâ—e bookes there is one that teacheth contrary to Saint Augustine as namely The booke of visiting the sicke wherein the Bastard Austin alloweth the worship of images for good De visitat Infirmor li 2. ca. 1. De moribuâ— Ecclesiae ca. 3â— which â—he true Austin doth note as an abuse and saith the Church misliketh it And yet this booke alleaged by the Iesuite for worshipping of iâ—ages is set as a flower in his Austins conâ—â—tions though it be iudged a bastard Austin by the Diuines of Louain Censura Louaniensium Non est August princ doctr li. â— cap. 15. Arnob. com in psal â—â— Hier. de Scriptoriâ— eccle Biblio sanct li. 4. Histor Tâ—ip li. 5. c. 5. Coment in â—sal 105. D. Stapleton alleageth Arnobius vpon the Psalmes to prooue that who goeth out of Peters church shall perish and that this is a counterfeit Father Saint Hierome and Sixtus Senensis dot shew for that the most ancient Arnobius was elder than that he might heare of the heresie of Photinus whereas this Arnobius that writeth on the Psalmes doeth mention Photinus and wrote by name against his Heresie S. Basil is often alleaged by the Papists in many of their bookes Basil de Spir. sanct ca. 27. for Traditions not written These words are vrged as his Of the doctrines which are taught in the Church wee haue some laid down in writing some againe we haue receiued by Tradition from the Apostles in a mystery that is in secret whereof either haue like force to godlines neither doth any man contradict them that is but meanly acquainted with the lawes of the Church for if we go about to reiect those customs which are not written as of no moment before we beware we shal condemne those things which are in the Gospel necessary to saluatioÌ„ yea rather we shal bring the preaching of faith to a naked name And not long after in the same booke If nothing else hath béen receiued without scriptures Ibid. ca. 29. neither let this be receiued But if wee haue receiued many secrets without writing let vs also receiue this among those many I thinke it Apostolike to cleaue to TraditioÌ„s not written Now this booke is prooued a counterfeit by the reasons following First though it hath Saint Basils name to it Epist Eras dedicat ad Episc Culmens praefiâ—â— ca. 17. yet the later part thereof whence those patches are taken haue neither S. Basils stile learning spirit nor age which Erasmus confessed when he translated the booke Besides this place of Basils directly contradicts the two places afore mentioned of of S. Basil
Christ hauing neuer béene prohibited as vnlawfull vntill the Councell of Constance which was 1400. yéeres after Christ But Controuersies may be ended and heresies abolished either by conuincing those out of the Scriptures that maintaine them as diuers heretikes were before either Pope or Councell were thought of Or by the authoritie of the Magistrate commanding for trueth and inioining their silence and obedience â— Chro. 14. â— 3 4 5. according to the examples of Asa the King of Iudah who commanded his people to doe according to the Law â— Chro. 29. c. And Ezechiah who restored the worship of God and diuers other Kings in the old Testament 2. Chro. 17 ver 3 4 5 8. ca. 19 ver 4 8 9 10 11 c 33. v. 11 12 13 15. câ— 34. v. 3 4 7 29.30 3â— 32 33. câ— 35. v. 1 2 3 4.5 6. as Iehoshaphat Manasses Iosiah and others yea Salomon did dedicate the Temple in his owne person and * 1. King 8. ca. 2. v. 3 cast out Abiathar from being Priest vnto the Lord and placed Zadok in his roume And Saint Austine in many places sheweth Kings are charged with Gods Law in respect of commanding it to others In the times of the Prophets saith he All the Kings which in the people of God did not forbid and ouerthrowe those things Aug. Epi. 5 which were brought in against the commandements of God are blamed and they that did prohibit and subuert such things are praised aboue the rest And for that part of the obiection that wee leaue euery man to his priuate exposition which though therein wee are wrongfully charged by our aduersaries yet the trueth is we challenge not to our selues as the Papists do the true interpretation of the Scriptures as if they were appropriated vnto vs But we submit our selues and our interpretations whatsoeuer according to the Generall and receiued doctrine of the Fathers in that point to be compared and tried by the Scriptures Or to auoide your cauelling if you will to the Church which are men speaking by the Scriptures Neither is this part of the obiection of so great weight or consequence as it may séeme at the first blush For most of the differences betwéene vs and the Papists are not touching the sense of the Scripture séeing it is confessed by learned Papists as I haue prooued in the preface of this booke that most of the doctrines wherein they vary from vs are grounded on Tradition And all men of reason know that where ther is no Text there néedes no Interpreter All the danger therefore lieth in the last part of the obiection when mens corrupt affections may take those things for trueth which are not and reiect those which are a thing impossible to bee preuented since euery man vnderstands according to the capacitie and conceite whereof himselfe is And herein likewise is the doctrine of Christ verefied as Saint Paul sayth 2. Cor. 4.3 If our Gospell bee hidde it is hidde to them that are lost For no man can come vnto mee sayth Christ except the Father which haue sent me drawe him Iohn 6.44 1. Cor. 3.4 6 Yea Paul may plant and Apollo may water but God must giue the increase For though the Sunne bée of most excellent brightnesse yet none can sée it but those which haue eyes euen so is it of the Scriptures which as Saint Peter sayth They that are vnlearned and vnstable 2. Pet. 3.16 doe peruert to their own damnation But shal we leaue the Triall of the Scriptures to which all the Fathers referre vs either because many peruert them or for that the diuel alleaged them or for that it is common to all Heretikes to make challenge and boast of them No for all Heretikes haue béen by the Scriptures rightly vnderstood confuted and confounded yea euen the deuill himselfe Mat. 3.7 as Christs owne example teacheth vs was conuicted by the same weapon wherewith hee thought to haue vanquished our Sauiour But to make this plaine by example what Lawyer will offer to defend a badde cause but hee will bring Lawe for his purpose and shall this debarre or preiudice the other that pleades against him That hée shall not by Lawe conuince the Errours and Sophistries or Quirkes and Quiddities which are brought against him Nay rather anie man of iudgement hauing heard both parties will readily distinguish and say The one makes a a shewe of Lawe but the other hath Lawe indeede And euen thus it rests in those controuersies that are betweene vs and the Papists touching the Sense of the Scripture onely and not for those differences which the maintaine by Tradition Petr. â— Soto adu Brent Canisi in catechi ca. 5. Lindan in pan li. 4. ca. 100. Peresius par 3. Rhe. Test Gal. 2. sect 4 which by the iudgement of their owne men as I haue already shewed are the greater number And albeit the Rhemists would insinuate That the controuersies betweene vs are whether the Iudge or the Euidence bee of greater authority yet that shift will not serue them for all men of iudgement knowe that that is not the question betwéene vs. But the difference is whether the Iudge or the Law bee of greater authoritie where euery wise man will graunt the Lawe to be supreame whereunto the Iudge is to obey and according to which to giue his sentence or else by the Lawe his erronious iudgement is to be reuersed Neither is there other Iudiciall authority in the Church than in the common wealth which is to determine controuersies according to the Lawe and the true meaning thereof And if there be question of the Sense of the Law The Lawmakers minde is to be discussed by his wordes and the circumstances and occasions of making the Lawe And euen so the meaning of the Scripture is to be taken onely out of the Scripture as Clemens saith â—iâ— 37. ca. â—elatum You ought not to seeke a strange and forraine sense without the Scriptures that you may confirme it by any means by the Scriptures But sense of trueth you must take out of the Scriptures themselues Saint Augustine * Confess Aug. praef ad lecto whose doctrine your selues doe acknowledge to be grounded on the lawes the maners the iudgements of all the Catholike Church whom you call a witnesse of the sincere trueth and Catholike Religion such a witnesse as no exception can be made against who assureth you as you say not onely of his owne but also of the common the constant faith and confession of the ancient Fathers and the Apostolike Church This Augustine hath written foure bookes of Christian doctrine wherein he purposely intreateth howe men should vnderstand the Scripture and expound it The summe of all his Treatise doeth aime at this marke That a Aug. de doct Christ li. 1. ca. 2. the meaning of the Scripture must bee learned out of the Scripture by the consideration of things
you séene briefly A view of the weaknesse of the Grounds wheron the Papists build their Religion which in a word is The Popes good pleasure And notwithstanding I haue in this small Tract layd downe our iust Exceptions both against Fathers and Councels yet would I haue none rashly to censure that we reiect al the Fathers and Councels for we imbrace them as wholesome meanes by which great light hath béene brought to the Church of God both in the Exposition of the Scriptures and the abolishing and confuting of Heresies But wee reiect with great reason the partiality that is now vsed in calling of Councels which must now only be done by the Pope of which he onely must be President and Iudge contrary to the order of the first 4. Generall Councels which Gregory professeth to receiue as the 4. holy Gospels Neither is any thing of force that is now decréed in Councel vnles it be confirmed by the Pope though in the first 4. Councels the Pope was neither President by himselfe nor his Legates neither needed they his confirmation Besides the whole order of Councels are now inuerted by the Popes contrary both to the institution of the Apostles in the first Councel holden by them â—ct 15.22 â—3 and to all antiquity For now none must haue determining voyces but the Bishops and they must sweare and take this oath before they sit in Councel the forme whereof thus followeth â—ecret li. 2. â—r 24. ca. 4. I R.N. will be faithfull from henceforth to S. Peter and to the holy Church of Rome and to my lord Boniface the Pope to his successors chosen Canonically and I will bee an helper to defend against all the world the Popedome or papall superioritie and the rules of the holy Fathers So God mee helpe and the holy Gospel According to that detestable clause annexed to the Decrees of reformation in the Councel of Trent Ses 7. in prooe Seâ— 25. de Reformat ca. vlt. Salua semper in omnibus authoritate sedis Apostolicae Prouided alwayes that the Popes authority be safe and no way preiudiced So that still he will alwaies haue a non obstante notwithstanding any law to the contrary to breake through all lawes to doe what he list But to conclude wee acknowledge according to the Scriptures That there are two sorts of iudgements in the Church of God The one priuate and the other publike priuate to all the faithful and spirituall 1 Cor. 2.15 10.15 Ioh. 4.1 as God calleth them who are willed to iudge of that which is taught and to trie the Spirits whether they be of God Publike to the asssmbly of the Pastors and Elders Act. 15.6 1. Cor. 14. for of that which Prophets teach let Prophets iudge And the spirits of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets In all which the Scripture is the rule by which the Church must be directed neither hath she other authority than the ministery of giuing iudgement For the Soueraignty of iudgement must rest on Gods word Mat. 22.10 Iam. 4.12 For Christ is our only Doctor Lawgiuer The Lord open your eyes that you may sée the Truth and be thankefull to God FINIS An Abstract of the chiefe Points of this booke FIrst That all the Fathers do with general consent attribute all sufficiencie to the Scriptures making them the Rule of faith and the absolute meanes to determine all doubts and controuersies preferring them before the Church and all other writings of men whatsoeuer and further that the Church is no otherwise to be shewed or knowen but by the Canonicall Scriptures and that themselues and their opinions without the Scriptures are not to bee beleeued but reiected See the Preface and pag. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 45. 46. 47. 52. 2 That the Scriptures are to be expounded by the Scriptures and that we are not tied for the exposition thereof to any Father Councell or Pope And that no Papist can shew the consent of the Fathers that the scriptures are to be expouÌ„ded by any Father Councell or Pope See pag. 88. 89. 90. 91. 3 That the Fathers agree with vs taking the greater part in approouing those Scriptures which the Protestants doe to be Canonicall and in reiecting those which we do for Apocrypha See pag. 4. 5. 4 That the Fathers take the word Tradition sometimes for the Scriptures sometimes for the Customes and Ceremonies of the Church and the Papists which vrge them for matter of doctrine vnwritten and to bee of equall authoritie with the Scriptures doe depraue the Fathers making their doctrines contrary one to another yea contrary to themselues See the Preface 5 That chiefe Papists and pillars of Popery haue confessed that many and most of the doctrines wherein they varie from vs are grounded vpon Traditions And that it is extreame madnesse to thinke that the whole and entire body of Euangelical doctrine is to bee fetched out of the Apostolike writings and out of that little Booke of the New Testament In which doctrine they goe wholly against the streame of the Fathers and also discouer their abusing of the simplicity of their followers when they make them beleeue the greatest difference betweene them and vs is touching the sense of the Scriptures whereas by this their confession this consequent necessarily followeth That where there is no Text there needes no Interpreter See the Preface 6 That the Papists haue vttered open blasphemy in their bookes against the Scriptures in taxing them of insufficiencie in tearming them a Nose of waxe Inkie diuinitie dumbe Iudges no better than Aesops Fables without the authority of the Church That they take their authority from the Church That sometimes they are to bee expounded one way sometimes another That the Scriptures must folow the Church and not the Church the Scriptures preferring the authoritie of the Church aboue and against the Scriptures All which blasphemies are refuted not onely by the direct texts of Scripture but by the generall consent of the Fathers See the Preface 7 That the Papists vrge the credit of the Fathers for the receiuing of Traditions and though there be many Traditions which by the Fathers testimony haue the same authoritie to prooue them to be Apostolike that the others haue Yet the Papists receiue the one and reiect the other See pag. 12. 13. 8 That the Fathers haue held diuers errors vpon which it necessarily followeth that if they might erre in one thing they might erre in another And that their iudgements are often reiected by the Papists and therefore may with as great reason be reiected by vs and consequently are no perfite Rule to build our Religion on which euen the Fathers themselues confesse See pag. 20. 21. 22 23. 16. 17. 9 That there be many Counterfeits that haue vsurped the names of auncient Fathers wherby it is hard to discerne when a true Father and when a false speakes And though some of these Fathers be censured for counterfeits