1 Kings 19.10 God had 7000 true seruants in secret though their names be not recorded ibid. vers 18. So doubtlesse it was in other most depraued times §. 3. Antiquus Though this were so See Field Church lib. 3. cap. 10. lib. 4. cap. 4. yet the Churches of the New Testament had Prophesies of greater purity Psal 45.13 and by our Sauiours power and care may bee kept without spot or wrinckle Ephes 5.26 27. Antiquissimus Such things are spoken of the best parts of the Church vpon earth washed by Christs blood and made beautifull by his righteousnesse and by their owne practise of holinesse but those are meerly discernable by Gods eye But those places of Scripture specially respect that part of the Church which is triumphant in Heauen and there presented by our Sauiour Ephes 5.27 But the generall face of visible Churches vpon earth haue bin ordinarily stayned with spots and blemishes the Church of Corinth with sects and schismes and other deprauations yea with doubting or denying that great Article of faith the life of Christianity the Resurrection of the dead Galatia erred in the great point of Iustification against which errour Saint Paul opposed his Epistle written to them In the Church of Pergamus some held the doctrine of Balaam and of the Nicolaitans teaching to eate things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication Reu. 2.14 The like was in the Church of Thyatira Reuel 2.20 c. And if there were no possibility or likelihood of errours and heresies in the Churches of the New Testament What needed those warnings and admonitions Keepe your selues from Idols 1 Iohn 5.21 Beware of false prophets in sheepes cloathing Mat. 7.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Charge men that they teach no other doctrine 1 Tim. 1.3 Stop the mouthes of the gain-sayers that subuert whole houses Tit. 1.11 And to what end were Visitations Counsels and all Offices and Gouernment in the Church but for maintaining of true doctrine preuenting and rooting out of errours and abuses §. 4. Matth. 18.7 1 Cor. 11.19 Remember that our Sauiour said There must be offences in the world and Saint Paul There must be heresies Yea it is necessary that there be both for the good of the faithfull the good of the faith and the punishment of the faithlesse To which ends God suffers these two causes to concurre and worke to wit the Deuils malice and Mans corruption because God can worke good out of their euill The Diuels malice and policy neuer ceaseth still to pursue the seed of the Woman and to bite the heele seeking both by persecutions and heresies to supplant Gods Church to plant and increase his owne Kingdome He attempted our head Matth. 4.3 and so will doe his members Luke 22.31 2 Cor. 12.7 Ephes 6.11 12. 1 Pet. 5.8 2 Cor. 11.14 Mans corruption and blindnesse is also easie to bee drawne by others and easily drawne by his own affections out of the right way as Micah Iudges 17. to worship God by a siluer Image thinking blindly that euery worke with a good intention would please God and draw blessings from him Salomon by loue to his wiues was drawen to Idolatry Our Eues are weake to be seduced 1 Kings 11.4 strong to seduce vs. Ieroboam by ambitious policy 1 Kings 12.26 Acts 19.24.28 set vp Idolatry to keep his people at home Demetrius and the Ephesians for couetousnesse magnified the Idol of Diana and cryed downe the Gospel Acts 19. Simon Magus through pride bewitched the people Acts 8.9.10 that he might seeme some great man Simon Magus among them These and such other affections and actions God permits to oppose corrupt or blind the truth First for the good oâ— the faithfull that their diligence in searching their wisdome in discerning their constancy in holding the truth their loue to winne the aduersaries their patience to endure opposition disgrace persecution yea Death and Martyrdome for the truth and their many other vertues may shine to Gods glory others example and their owne crowne Reu. 3.11 Secondly for the good of the faith Vt fides habendo tentationem haberet etiam probationem saith Tertullian that our faith being sifted winnowed tried examined may be more approued and appeare more solid sound pure like the gold that is purified in the fire Thirdly for the punishment of the faâ—thles Rom. 1.21.22.23 c. 2 Thes 2.11 for it is iust with God that such as hold the truth in vnrighteousnesse should be punished with losse of the truth and left to their owne errours and damnable corruptions euen to the efficacy of delusion to beleeue lies §. 5. Antiquus Be it so that all other Churches may erre yet the Roman Church which the chiefe Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul planted and where Saint Peter the Vniuersall Pastor of the whole Church liued and dyed leauing his successors to gouerne the whole Church to the end of the world hath this double priuiledge aboue all other Churches both to continue to the end and to be free from errour Antiquissimus A prety imagination but voyde of faith For if the Church of Rome be not as subiect to errours and deprauations yea and to Apostacy as other Churches what needed that Admonition of Saint Paul to the Romans Rom. 11.20 Bee not high-minded but feare For if God spared not the naturall branches the Hebrewes Take heed lest he also spare not thee This was a Caueat for Gentiles and consequently to the Romans which were Gentiles among them The Romans are not excepted or priuiledged Nay they are principally intended for to them that Epistle was written cap. 1. vers 7. To all that be at Rome Beloued of God called to bee Saints To them Saint Paul saith Be not high-minded affecting superiority ouer all Gods Church as if Rome were the root and all other the branches but feare yea feare both errour and apostacy For you may fall from goodnesse and be cut off for verse 10. thou bearest not the root but the root thee be content to be a branch of the Oliue tree as other Churches are they depend not on thee no more then thou on them but all of you alike vpon the root Thou art not the Mother be content to be a Daughter a Sister to the rest Suppose one of the eldest sisters liuing yet the elder may be sicke and neare to death when the yonger are more sound and perfect Marke the 22 verse Behold the goodnesse and seuerity of God on them which fell seuerity but towards thee goodnesse iâ— thou continue in his goodnesse otherwise thou also shalt be also cut off Note if there were no possibility of the Roman Churches falling from the goodnesse which then it had this admonition directed to them were idle but vpon supposition of such falling as other Churches haue done he denounceth absolutely a cutting off Antiquus Such suppositions doe enforce good Caueats and warnings to make that Church watchfull as by Gods grace it
vsed was worse then the vse of the law of Nature that Bishops sinned in buying their admission of the pope of Rome that no man was bound to beleeue or to be subiect to the Church of Romes determination that the begging of Friers was idle and impious that it was not necessary to saluation to beleeue that Christs body was materially in the Sacrament And many other things against the vnsoundnesse of the Papacy Yea madnesse contra Papatus insaniam At last he was condemned of heresie by the slaues of the popish Bishops 1457. Bale cent 8. cap. 19. ex Thomae Gascoigni Dictionario Theologico 34 Iohn Capgraue Doctor of Diunity in Oxford complained much of the impious tyranny of the prelates and priests hirelings exposing their sheepe to the Wolues seeking their wooll and milke but not their soules c. 1460. Bale cent 8. cap. 1. 35 Henry Parker Fellow of All-Soules Colledge in Oxford preached at Pauls Crosse against the pride brauery and ambition of Prelates so flat contrary to Christs pouerty and humility And at the peoples entreaty he wrote and published his Doctrine to the great shame of the Prelates For which he endured long imprisonment and want 1470. Leland in Catalogo virorum illustrium Bale cent 8 cap. 29. These few for a taste I giue you excerpted out of a great number which that one famous Vniuersity of Oxford afforded Whereof you may reade more plentifully in Master Powels Preface alledged To search and alleadge the Records of that other famous Vniuersity of Cambridge and the rest of England would not be fruitlesse but I hope to you needlesse Antiquus This is full enough so many learned men Preachers Doctors Bishops and Worthies of all sorts out of one Vniuersity with the danger of their state honour liberty and life setting themselues publikely against the corruptions crept into the Church must needs argue the corruptions to be great publike and necessary to be reformed and I am fully satisfied that it was so But happily this Reformation might haue beene performed without such a breach rent schisme and scandall as you Protestants haue made by your departing from that ancient famous Church of Rome §. 16. Antiquissimus Oh sir you must know that this Reformation was sought for euen at the Popes hands with great humility and earnestnesse both by Luther himselfe at the first and also by many other learned men This appeareth by 〈◊〉 Commencaries History of â—he Councell of â—râ—â— Onuphâ—â—â— Sâ—rius Thuaâ—â—us and oth r Histories of those times States and Prâ—nces yea by the Emperour himselfe with much instance And Pope Aâ—rian the sixt was well inclined thereunto confessing ingenuously that the Church was mightily ouer-runne wâ—th corrup ions For reformation whereof diuers conferences were appointed in Germany as not onely our Sleidan but your Surius and Thunâ—nus report And Pope Clement the seuenth promised Reformation to the Emperour Châ—rles the fift and three Cardinals Caieâ—â—â— Pole and Contarene were deputed to giue aduice for this Reformation After many delayes againe Anno 1537. Historie of the Councell of â—rent Pope Paul the third appointed foure Cardinals and fiue other Prelates to consider the demaunds of the Protestants and to collect the abuses of the Church and Court of Rome and to deuise Remedies to correct them And of these abuses they gathered great numbers which are set downe at large in the twelfth booke of Sleâ—dâ—ns Commentaries But all this came to nothing For when vpon due examination the Cardinals found many things too nearely touching the quicke the Reformation thereof would vncurably wound the Sea of Rome ouerthrow and vndoe the greatnesse of their wealth and worldly estate and when they consulted deepely thereof with the Pope See D. Wâ—ite against â—â—â—er pag. 10â— 1â—7 there followed a conclusion and a plot quite contrary In regard of the principall things That nothing should bee reformed but all should be iustified since a thorow-reformation would spoyle them and a halfe-reformation would not content the Protestants and yet would giue the world occasion to thinke They might erre in many things if they reformed some Now therefore the proceeding must be changed At first many of their Diuines opposing Luther laboured to proue all their Doctrines Ceremonies and Gouernment by the Scriptures now they find it cannot be Therefore the Scriptures must be cryed downe disgraced disabled as ambiguous and insufficient to teach and guide the Church And the Church to wit their owne onely Church of Rome must be exalted aboue the Scriptures That Church must giue authority to the Scriptures yea and sense also so that no sense of the Scripture shall be receiued but that which that Church alloweth For that Church only cannot erre See B. Andâ—eweâ— aâ— Apâ—loâ—â—am respâ—â—â—â— pag. 259 and therfore they that admit the Scriptures to be the onely Iudges and Rules of Doctrine and Discipline are bad Diuines little better then Hereticks Enemies to the Church From hence came those base speeches from their Doctors Eckius Hosius contra 〈◊〉 lib. 3. pâ—g 148. 〈◊〉 sâ—â—gâ—â—â—us That the Scripture hath no authority but from the Church Hosius No more force then Aesops Fables without authority from the Church Pighius the Scripture is of it selfe but a Nose of Waxe which may be writhen euery way Costerus compares it to a sheath Costeranchir dâ— saâ—â—a script cap. 1. §. huius script pa 44. B llar de verbo Dâ—i lâ—b 4. câ—p 9. in â—alce Concil Trid. sess 4. Pighius controv 3. pag 92 Hiâ—â—arch epist nunc Mulhus disp 2. de fide pa. 21. See D. White against Vishâ—r pag 92. admitting any Dagger Wooden or Leaden The Iesuite Salmeron saith Tradition is the sure rule of Faith by which the Scriptures are to be tryed And Bellarmine saith the best way to try which be true traditions which be false is the authority of the Church of Rome So that now to speake in their Dialect or meaning The Church of Rome is the Queene and the Scripture her slaue That Church hath now two seruants of equall authority Scripture and Tradition and therefore that Churches Councell of Trent saith Scripturas Traditiones Ecclesiae pari pietatis aspectâ— ac reuerentiae suscipit veneratur We receiue the Scriptures and Traditions of the Church with equall affection and reuerence Nay no great matter what the Scripture saith for their Tradition must interpret it If the Scripture say Drinke yee all of this Matth. 26 27 their Tradition saith not all but the Clergy onely and not all the Clergy but he that ministreth it onely So what their Priests teach must be receâ—ued and obeyed whether out of Scripture or Traâ—ition Tolet. casuum conscientiae l b 4. cap. 3. p â—53 Cardinall Tolet saith The people may merit ar Gods hand in beleeuing an Heresie if their Teachers propound it for their obedience is meritorious And Stapleton They must not regard quid but quis not what is the matter but who
Protestant Church hath euermore beene so visible as the Church of Christ ought to be Subsection 1. § 1. for it hath euermore taught the same doctrine which the Scriptures and the Fathers taught § 2. As appeares by Irenaeus Tertullian and the Creedes But § 3. The Romists Cannot alleadge the Fathers for their new Doctrines Now proue your Protestant Church to haue beene so visible in all Ages as the Church of Christ ought to be or else you haue said nothing Antiquissimus It might be sufficient according to your owne Valentinianus to shew that our Church was sometime in some few and them hidden as the woman in the Wildernesse Reuel 12.6 and vnknowne to the greatest part of the world which weighed not times and things wisely and was slandered by the persecutors thereof as a false Church But I will not take all aduantages but giue you a full visibility thereof at all times Subsection 1. First I say §. 1. our Church for the doctrine thereof is the same which the Primitiue Church of Christ was for many ages For neither it nor ours taught any other points of faith necessary to saluation then such as are contained in plain places of the Scripture or necessarily deducted from them by good consequence When the Fathers are vrged against Bâ—llarmine in this point he yeeldeth 1 De verbo De lib. 4 cap. 11. §. his notatis that whatsoeuer the Apostles publikely taught to the people which was necessary all that they wrote 2 De iustific lib. 3. cap. 8. §. prima ratio This I haue proued more fully cap. That nothing can be certaine to be beleeued with the certainty of faith but what is immediately contained in the Word of God or thence deducted by euident consequence Now it is our Generall course to examine all doctrines by the Scriptures holding the Scriptures the vndoubted Oracles of God for the ground of all our beleefe King Iames praemonition to all Christian Monarks pag. 35 36. as the Fathers did and holding the true sense of the Scriptures as it is deliuered for all fundamentall points in the three Creeds and in the foure first generall Councells and the vniforme consent of the ancient Fathers In which is contained the full instruction for saluation and the vnity of the Catholicke Church §. 2. Jrenaeus Bishop of Lions in France liuing within 200 yeeres of our Sauiour a disciple of those that heard Saint Iohn the Apostle writing against the Heretickes Valentinians Gnosticks and others layeth downe in his first booke and 2 chapter no other Articles of faith and grounds of Religion then our ordinary Catechisme teacheth and in his third chapter sheweth that in the vnity of that faith all the Churches of Germany France Spaine the East Egypt Libya and all the world were founded therein they sweetly accorded as if they all dwelt in one house had all but one soule one heart and one mouth and this ground he laies for the confutation of all Heresies 〈…〉 â—b â—e praescript aduersâ—s heretiâ—o folâ—o qâ—arto The like doth Tertullian liuâ—ng 200 yeeres after Christ He giues the funâ—amâ—ntall points of Religion gathered out of the Scriptures and deliuered by the Churches the same which our Church deliuereth and no other for the rule of faith See King Iames Pâ—aemonition pâ—g 35. The three famous Creeds named the Apostles Athanasius and the Nicene Creeds ordayned for rules of Christians beleefe and badges differencing them from Infidels and Hereticks we hold intirely and firmely and proclaime them ordinarily in our Churches And whatsoeuer the Fathers held vniformely and agreed vpon as necessary to be beleeued vnto saluation we doe with reuerence receiue But the particular or priuate opinions which any of them held different from other Fathers doe not binde vs now more then those other Fathers then or the Romans at this present The foure first generall Councels with reuerence we receiue as Orthodoxe See B. Andrew Ad Bellarmine Apologiam Responsio cap. 7. pag. 161. and so they are acknowledged by our Church and by our Acts of Parliament The following Councels are subiect to some exceptions We therfore holding the same points of faith which the Primitiue Fathers held vniformely to be necessary to saluation and holding no other points that doe any way crosse or weaken them may iustly challenge them for our predecessors and their Church and ours in point of doctrine to be all one Antiquus §. 3. We challenge the same Fathers to bee ours also and we deduce both our Bishops and doctrine by good succession from them which you cannot doe But I require not of you a discourse of those times which either of vs lay alike claime vnto but of the times nearer vnto Luther Shew mee any visible Church in the world that held Luthers doctrine for 500. yeeres next before Luthers time Antiquissimus You may challenge the Primitiue Fathers for the points wherein you and we agree as the Canonicall Scriptures the doctrine of the Trinity in Vnity Baptisme and such like But you cannot challenge them to be yours in those additions and corruptions which they neuer knew and which you haue brought into the Church in later times and which make the great difference betwixt you and vs as the worshipping of Images the Popes pardons priuate Masses or Communion without communicating halfe Communions without the Cup the Popes transcendent supremacy and such like §. 4. But in calling vs to these later times you are good disciples of the Poet Horace who in his Arte Poetica saith A witty Poet must vse this Art The point which he hath no hope to burnish faire and bright he must leaue vntouched Et quae desperat tractata nitescere posse relinquit This is good Poetry indeed in them but pitifull Diuinity in you to leaue the best times and purest patternes and draw vs to the worst But Sectionis 2. Subsectio 2. § 1. Propounding 1 the Easternt and Greeke Churches 2 the Waldenses c. And 3 the Roman Church it selfe misliking and groaning vnder the tyranny of the Papacy and desiring reformation § 2. The Greeke Church condemned by the Romish as Hereticall § 3. Js cleered by Scotus Lombard Aquinas and others Now presupposing you yeeld vs those best times wherein our Church was very gloriously visible wee follow you to the worst Wherein you propose vnto you first the spacious and famous Churches of Grecia D. Field of the Church booke 3. cap. 5. Armenia Aethiopia and Russia which holding the same rule of faith which we hold and beleeuing all points absolutely necessary to saluation as we beleeue and refusing the same corruptions of the Church of Rome which we refuse were the same with our Church true Churches of God notwithstanding some defects errours and diuisions among them which stayned their beauty and hindered their perfection but did not cut them off from possibility of saluation And so for ought I know they continue till this
glasse darkely Aug. epist 57. Regula Fidei pufillis magnisque communis And therefore beside that larger measure of knowledge whereof all are not capable there must be a rule of Faith common to great and small as Saint Augustine calls it And as there is a common saluation a Iude v. 3. whereof the meanest beleeuer is capable as well as the greatest Apostles b 2 Pet. 1.1 so there must be a common faith c Tit. 1.4 sufficient to conduct vs all vnto it §. 4. This Saint Paul calls The fourme of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 hold fast the forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and loue which is in Christ Iesus 1 It must be a forme frame or fashion body method Rule of Faith or of sound and sauing Doctrine fit for all Preachers to frame their Sermons by and all Christians to frame their faith and life by Timothy in preaching and the Ephesians in hearing and practizing 2 It must be not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as rom 6.17 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here a short forme or briefe method There must perspicuity for the vnderstanding and breuity for the memory of simple men 3 To these must be added certainty which thou hast heard of me learned of men inspired by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 2 Tim. 3 15 16 17. Bellar. De verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. § quare cum Sacra Scriptura est regula credendi certissima tutissimaque saith Bellarmine 4 Adde also sufficiency both for Credenda all things to be beleeued in Faith and for Facienda all things to be performed in Loue which is the fulfilling of the Law For true Faith and good life containe all things belonging to a Christian And all things appertaining to these that are necessary for all men to know are contained in the Scriptures saith Bell also * Idem ib. l. 4. c 11.9 His notatu Duo omnia illa scripta esse ab Apostolis qua sunt omnibus necessaria quae ipsi palam omnibus pradicaverant Costerus in Enchiridio c. 1. de sacra scriptura §. Caeterum Caeterum non insiciamur praecipna illa capita qua omnibus Christianis ad salutem necessaria perspicue satis essè Apostolicis scriptu comprehensa As Augustine also de doctr Christiana l. 2. c. 9 â—ellar de Iustif l. 3. c. 8. § prima ratio B. Vsher serm Wansted p. 42. Vincent Lirinen siâ— contra haeres c. 3. Jn ipsa catholica ecclesia magnopere curandum est vt id teneamus quod vbique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditum est hoc est enim verè proprinque catholicum Ioan. Serran in Apparat. ad fidem call â—l edit Paris 1607. pag. 172. Vsher ib. pag. 59. See S. August libr. de fi de operibus cap. 9. Yea and that plainly enough saith the Iesuite Costerus 5 And to these belong also that Antiquity Vniuersality and Vnity which are so much spoken of and are vsually but most falsly applyed to the new additioÌ„s of the Roman Church as well as to these fundameÌ„tall principles to which onely they belong Vincentius Lirinensis saith well That is truely and properly Catholicke and to be held in the Catholicke Church whâ—ch in all places in all times and of all Christians hath beene and is beleeued And this saith Serranus a late learned man who hath written a full discourse of this argument is that doctrine against which the gates of Hell shall neuer preuaile and which the Father of lies by all his deuises and attempts could neuer yet nor euer shall abolish or foote out of the hearts of men This Antiquity Vniuersality or Catholicisme and this Vnity or Generall consent of Christian doctrine will neuer be found any where but in the essentiall substantiall and fundamentall points thereof 6 Saint Paul yet addeth these words Which is in Christ Iesus because he is the deepest Foundation root Author and finisher of our Faith and Loue of our future saluation and of our present gracious conuersation Other Foundation can no man lay saith the same Saint Paul 1. cor 3.11 Not that there need no other principles of Faith then those that concerne his person onely and directly for the Articles concerning God the Father the Holy Ghost the forgiuenesse of sinnes resurrection of the dead the last Iudgement c. haue their place in the Foundation Hebr. 6.1 â— but because Christ is the most especiall obiect of our Faith and the primary Foundation of all the other for they haue all reference vnto him being such as concerne either His Father or His spirit or His incarnation or His office of mediation or His Church or the speciall benefits which he hath purchased for it And also all the Articles as they build vs vpon the Foundation and as they incorporate vs into the mysticall Body or as they are meanes of our Iustification and life they looke vpon the sonne of God and him onely Also we must not onely know the originall cause of our saluation but also our need therof by knowledge of our originall and actuall sinnes which deserue damnation and the meanes to communicate this saluation vnto vs the Church the Ministery preaching sacraments and the dueties which we must do For rom 10.14 how can we know God or pray to him without beleeuing or beleeue without hearing or heare without preaching or haue preaching except Preachers be sent from God by meanes of the Church or know our duties without Gods comandments Mat. 15.9 Faith is necessary Rom. 4.14 gal 2.21 hebr 11.6 so is new birth Joh. 3.5 2. cor 5.17 Ioh. 13.8 Repentance luc 13.3 Deniall of our selues luc 9.23.24 c. §. 5. But how farre these Fundamentall principles which are absolutely necessare to saluation must extend is a Question of some difficulty The Apostles contented themselues in conuerting the Jewes to Christian Religion to teach them that Christ Iesus was the Sauiour of the world and that Saluation was to be had onely by Repentance from Dead works and Faith in him For that he was the very Messias foretold by the Patriarks and Prophets had died for our sinnes and rose againe for our Iustification They mentioned not God the Father Creator and Preseruer of the world nor the doctrine of the Trinity and other things which the hearers knew before without any new teaching being Jewes and well acquainted with the Olde Testament but presupposing they were grounded in these points before they layd the foundation of the New Testament to wit Saluation by Iesus Christ onely B. Vsher in his Sermon at Wansted 1624 And Bellarmin also lib. 4. de verbo Dei cap. 11. alleadge these examples to this purpose which when the people receiued and beleeued they presently baptized them and receiued them into the Congregation of Christs flocke Thus did Sant Peter Acts 2. and Acts 3. and Acts. 4.10 11 12. The like course was vsed by Phillip to
Religion in this point Antiq. I must needs doe so and I doe not thinke them true Catholikes that hold and practise this point of Supremacy Papists they may bee as you terme them for so holding with the Pope but Catholikes they cannot be for this Doctrine is not Catholike §. 14. Antiquis Doe you not see also how greatly you shake the Popes authority by this meanes and ouerturne the foundation of his Supremacy for your Popes haue both claymed and practised this full authority as well in ciuill and temporall things as in Ecclesiasticall and vpon the same grounds And your learned Doctors thinke their grounds as firme for the one as for the other Your Great Bellarmine vpon whom you so much rely saith o Bellarm. de Pont. Rom l. 5. cap. 6. initio Although the Pope as Pope hath not any more temporall power which other Doctors say he hath yet so farre as it may make for the spirituall good he hath supreme power to dispose of the temporall things of all Christians And p Ib. cap. 7. hee labours to proue that the Pope may depose Princes and dispose of their kingdomes if he finde it good for the Church as a sheephard may deale with Wolues and vnruly Rammes and other sheepe And many of your Doctors haue the like as Eudaemon Ioannes Sidonius Suarez Becanus Mariana Grotzerus Costerus Baronius Sanders Allen and thousands more Antiq. I am very sorrowfull that so great learned men should hold such an opinion I hold them erroneous and euill Antiquis Then you must confesse that the Church of Rome may erre and that in a maine point both of doctrine and practise to the great hurt of the Catholike Church and many mens destruction both of body and soule in being traytors and rebels against their Soueraignes and murderers of people of which crimes your Popes and Doctors are guilty Antiq. I must needs grant that some haue erred in the Church but not the whole Church neither I hope hath any Pope taught this Ex Cathedra Antiquis This some is a large some the greatest part of your Church and I thinke the Pope teacheth it Ex Cathedra when hee decrees it out of his Pontificall iudgement and authority and sends out his iudiciall excommunications vnder seale against Princes to depose them as Pius 5. did against our Queene Elizabeth and Breefes to forbid his Catholikes to take the oath of ciuill Alleagiance as Paulus 5. did to our English Now consider well what you grant in effect that the greatest part of the Church yea the most conspicuous and eminent men in the Church and the Pope also may erre in some great and dangerous point and yet because some few inferiour and obscure persons hold the truth the true Church is still sufficiently visible and illustrious This you had not wont to yeeld to the Protestants See card Perons oration in the third inconuenience In K Iamâ—s his Remonstrance p. 183. 187. c. Cardinall Perone dare not grant it but saith this would proue the Church of Rome to be Antichristian and hereticall and to haue ceased to be the Spouse of Christ for a long time and to haue taught many points without authority as Transubstantiation auricular confession c. for these he ranketh with the Popes power to depose Kings and if the Scriptures yeeld no ground for the one no more doe they for the other These and diuerse other points which they hold different from vs haue no other ground but the authority of that Churâ—h which is found to erre in great and dangerous matters See this in B. Whites answer alleadged p. 87 Your owne learned Iesuite Mr Fisher vpon whose iudgement your English Roman Catholikes doe much relye saith Thâ—t if the Church could deliuer by consent of Ancestors together with truth some errors her Traditions euen about the truth were questionable and could not be beleeued vpon the warrant of her Tradition and this he proueth substantially Neither doe we receiue doctines vpon the Churches warrant only as Doctor White there largely learnedly sheweth but vpon their agreeing with the holy Scriptures Now we may assume The Church of Rome doth deliuer by consent of many Ancestors from Gregory 7. time to our times some errours as this concerning her power to depose Kings and dissolue oathes of Alleagiance c. Ergo her traditions or teaching are questionable and cannot be beleeued vpon the account of her Tradition Consequently all other her doctrines not grounded vpon Scripture are questionable and our subiection to her iudgement vnnecessary Antiq. Truly if I grant the former doctrine of her power to depose Kings c. to be erroneous as I must needs grant I know not how to auoyd this reason 1 Booke 1. cap 1. And therefore not to trouble you longer at this time Since you haue shewed me 1. that your Chuch differeth nothing from the Romish Church in the old true doctrine which it continueth but onely in some corruptions which it hath added and that 2. corruptions may in time come into any particular Church the Roman not excepted 2 cap. 2. but warned thereof by the Scriptures 3. 3 cap. 3. shewing also the time when they grew obseruable and notorious in the Roman Church 4 cap. 4. and 4 that they were opposed from time so time and reformation called for 5 cap. 5. shewing also 5. the principall points wherein the difference consists and that you hold all necessary doctrines 6 cap. 6. 6. misliking many policies by them vsed to maintaine their new corruptions And further haue shewed mee Booke 2. that this your Church for the substance of the doctrine thereof hath alwayes beene visible 7. as all one with the Primitiue Church 7 cap. 1. and the Greeke and Easterne Churches and the Waldenses that separated from the corruptions of the Papacy yea and with the Roman Church it selfe excepting the Papacy and the maintainers thereof although in some 8 8 cap. 2. ceremonies and priuate opinions both you and the Romish haue departed from fome Fathers wherin 9. 9 cap. 3 also there was difference among themselues as there is also still among the Roman Doctors And further you haue shewed mee 10. 10. cap 4. a Rule to iudge all Churches and Christians by By which Rule iudged right by the Roman Doctors you approue your selues to hold all things necessary to saluation and thereby to be the true Church of God and agreeing therein with all true Churches that are or euer were in the world yea and that 11. 11 cap 5. your Bishops and Ministers haue as good succession from the Apostles as any other in the world although 12. 12 cap. 6. 13. cap. 7. you admit not the B. of Romes Supremacy ouer al Churches and Christians in the world neither 13. his Infallibility both which you proue to be vnknowne and vnreceiued of the Ancients and 14. 14 cap. 8. both vnprofitable and
interuallo a great Way behind them in the manner not in the matter of their writing I know it vnfit for me yea vnfit for a Christian and I hate it in my heart to bean Author or Inuenter of new opinions of Religon We must learne of S. Iude Iude v. 3. onely earnestly to contend for the faith which was once that is first deliuered to the Saints Therefore the Materials of my building I create not but fetch them from the Garden of Eden the holy Scriptures and the large Forests and rich Quarries of others but the choice of all the Timber and Stone the squaring ioyning forme and frame of the worke is mine which I haue set together without any impairing of the strength or beauty I hope of any peece Such graue and holy Authors words as vndeniable witnesses add waight and authority to my discourse more then from my selfe it could haue and it will be a great ease to the Readers as Iudges to haue the whole pleadings abridged and laid in one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or short view before them with the witnesses names annexed to euery Article whom they may more fully examine vpon euery occasion This I haue aymed at how neere I haue come vnto the marke I must leaue to others to Iudge The first part of this worke I now publish which concerneth the generall exceptions against our Reformed Church which I hope I fully cleare and satisfie in this small Volumne The second part which handleth the particular doctrines controuerted I am compelled to put off to another time Those my labours I am bold or rather indeed I am bound to dedicate vnto your Honour 1 As to my most bountifull Patron furnishing me with increase of meanes both to liue in better sort without want and thereby without contempt and especially to furnish me with many vsefulll bookes of all kindes and sides in perusing examining and extracting the quintessence whereof is my daily labour and my greatest worldly contentment The honour and fruits whereof are due debts vnto your bounty 2 As to our Reuerend Bishop and generall Father of the Clergy in this your Diocesse of Lincolne appointed according to the order of christs Apostles deliuered in Scripture a As appâ—â—reth by the subscriâ—tions of the second Epistle to Timothy in the Originall Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To Timotheus ordained the first Bishop of the Church of the Ephesians And the like to Titus ordained the first Bishop of the Cretians And by the Text Tit. 1.5 cap. 2. cap. 3.1 2 8 9 10 c. To gouerne part of Gods Church not onely for the b Ordination Tit. 1.5 1 tim 4.14 5.21 2â— 2 tim 2.2 Ordination of Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in euery Congregation but also for c Iurisdiction 1 Tim. 1.3 4.11 5. per tot 6.3 4 5 20. 2 tim 2.14 tit 1.10 11 13. 3.10 c. Iurisdiction or power or ouer-fight that they teach found doctrine and liue without scandall 3 As to a most eminent and excellent builder of Gods Spirituall house by your diuine wisdome learning preaching and writing 4 And yet further To the most Noble and famous builder of Gods externall and visible houses by your d The beautifull Chappell at Lincolne Colledge in Oxford a magnificent Library at S. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge the mother and â—â—rse-place of of his learning another at Westminster his Dignity built and furnished by his cost as also another at Lincoln his Bishopricke with store of excellent bookes Founding also â—ew Fellowes and other Students with yeerely maintenance for euer in Cambridge with many other workes of Piety and abundant charity Oxford Westminster Lincoln Leicester and other places materiall buildings enriching beautifying and amplifying Churches and Colledges with Chappels Libraries Fellowships and Schollerships in both the Vniuersities and else where and furnishing them with the most excellent and necessary bookes that can bee gotten Which With other your most pious and Noble works draw the hearts and tongues of all men which I can heare mention your name to glorifie God for you and you for glorifying God and our Church and Nation with such worthy Monuments of your Piety Cost and Labours In regard of all these I could not hold my hart would breake if I did not in some sort vent the fulnesse thereof and honor your Bounty your Fatherhood your spirituall Graces and your materiall magnificall Beneficence by the best meanes I can with this dedication of my poore labours And let me adde that which all men will easily conceiue 5 To receiue honour from you by prescribing your much honoured name before my labors And finally as in these many respects I am bold and bound So 6 I doe most willingly and humbly offer my labours to your Fatherhood to be viewed Iudged approued or censured by your graue Wisedome Learning Piety and Authority For the continuance and encrease whereof and of all your temporall and eternall happinesse I shall dayly pray as becommeth Your Lordships much bounden ANTHONY CADE To the Reader DEare Christian Reader whatsoeuer or of what Religion soeuer thou art if there be any of these three things truly rooted in thy heart either the care of Gods Glory or the saluation of thy soule or the loue of thy Country with the peace strength happinesse and flourishing estate thereof as I hope all these three are conioyned in thee by them all of them or any of them I humbly and heartily entreat thee to reade not with prejudice but with an honest and good heart with indifferency patience aduisednesse and with continuall waighing considering and examining the things which I haue with great labour and diligence gathered and heere set before thee Rom 9.1 c. I doe protest before God as Saint Paul did for the Hebrewes that I haue great heauinesse and continuall sorrow in my heart for my deare brethren English people that are seduced and withdrawen from the sincerity of the Gospell and my hearts desire and praier to God is and my endeuours both by example of life and holy doctrine Rom. 10.1 c. continually tend that way that they might be saued eternally and in this world liue comfortably and happily For I beare them record the greatest number of them that they haue a zeale of God but not according to knowledge And it may bee many of their seducers are themselues first seduced by the cunning of their greatest Rabbines who yet the most of them know full well and very often confesse in their writings as I shall manifestly shew in handling the chiefe points controuerted betwixt vs that Protestants hold the truth and themselues haue swarned from pure Antiquity In tender commiseration therefore and yerning bowels of compassion vnto the seduced I haue vndertaken this great labour with neglect of my selfe my health and state to doe good to their soules and good to my Country by vniting them so far
as in me lyeth firmely to be the true Church of Christ and the body of this State And I haue caried my selfe with that sincerity and singlenesse of heart that I may safely protest againe with S. Paul I speake the truth in Christ I lie not Rom. 9.1 c. my conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost I renounce the hidden things of dishonesty not walking nor writing in craftinesse 2 Cor. 4.2 2.17 1.12 nor handling the word of God or diuine things decitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending my selfe to euery mans conscience in the sight and feare of God I am no Innouator inventer or fauourer of new things in Religion I search for the old and out of all kinde of Authors deduct allegations authorities consequences and reasons against the new I cut off extrauagant needlesse and endlesse questions priuate opinions both of these and former ages and comprehend the necessary points of Religion agreed vpon by the Scriptures Fathers and moderne diuines within their owne true limits I set downe the most substantiall points agreed vpon betwixt the Romans and vs and shew withall their vnnecessary additions and corruptions I search how corruptions came into the Church as they will doe into all societies of Men in continuance of time I shew how they were discouered opposed and reformation wished and sought for in all former ages and by what power policies and cunning they preuailed after Sathan was loosed I finde and shew the out-cries of historians and other learned men Emperours Princes Clergy and people yea of their owne writers against them all before Luthers time And all this while I shew the continuance of all necessary sauing doctrine in many other famous Churches beside the Church of Rome yea and within that Church also a sufficient visible number of many hundred thousands farre and wide spread in Countries and Nations and continewing till Luthers time which refused the gouernment errors and corruptions of the Papacy and taught the same substance of doctrine which Protestants now teach Yea the better part of the Church of Rome it selfe excepting onely the Papacy and the faction that maintained it held with great liberty the same most necessary points of Faith which we doe vntill by the Councell of Trent which was not a free end generall Councell but guided wholly by the Papall faction that liberty was taken away and the errors of the Papacy were imposed generally vpon all vnder paine of Anathema or depriuation of saluation Vpon due search of these and many other things which heere I deliuer vnto thee in the Scriptures Fathers Histories and all kinde of Authors of either Religion I haue by the grace of God attained to that perfect knowledge and assurance of the Verity Antiquity and Sufficiency of the Protestants doctrine to good life in this world and eternall saluation in the world to come that any mortall man can desire to haue and am as willing if God haue so decreed iâ— expedient and the times desire it to suffer for it as the holy Martyrs were for this same Religion in the Primitiue Church not writing any thing in substance which I will not willingly seale with my blood This is it deare Christian Reader which I present vnto thy view in this worke being a Summe or Abridgement of many great volumnes written on both sides vpon these points and thus briefly deliuered for thy greater case in reading and perfecter iudging of Truth and Errour Sincerity and Corruption Antiquity and Nouelty To answer all the Romish bookes lately come abroad in great numbers punctually following their owne method had beene an endlesse labour both to Writers and Readers and therefore for my part I thought better to gather their principall motiues and reasons out of the chiefest of their bookes and separating them into seuerall Chapters to giue them their full answer in their proper places so answering many bookes in one Among the store of all other Allegations I haue most willingly and commonly referred the Reader to the late Writers of our owne Nation and that especially for these Reasons First for the excellency of our Authors surpassing others both in multiplicity of reading profundity of Iudgement and sincerity of affection in deliuering the truth As we finde in our learned Bishops Iewel Abbots Bilson Morton Vsher Downham Hall White Andrew c. And our Doctors Fulke Raynolds Whitakers Field Favour White Prideaux c. And other Diuines Master Foxe Perkins Hooker and many other whose worthy labours I doe heartily commend to the diligent reading of our English men The Romish affected very well know that those English which haue fled from vs and written on their side haue in shew of wit and learning gone beyond not onely all former but all other of this Age So that Bellarmine takes most out of them in the points whereof they haue written as Sanders Allen Stapleton c. And therefore let no man contemne their owne Countreymens wits and learning but acknowledge their worth and make high account of their learned labours Secondly to shew that I bring no new thing of my selfe but what is fully confirmed by our most approued writers and that I also thankfully remember and honour them Per quos profecerim Thirdly to shew the vnity of the Writers of our Church from the beginning of the Reformation to this time contrary to the Romish slanders which charge vs with continuall varying from our selues Fourthly to shew to our English men especially where they may read in our learned English Writers more fully of the points which I deliuer briefly for their better instruction and satisfaction Fiftly because my selfe am aged and not fit by reason of the encreasing weakenesse of my body and memory hereafter if any flourishing busie wits list to oppose to manage this cause without much disparagement to it and to my selfe I thought good to alleadge many worthy Diuines now liuing that they might take vpon them the defence of their owne writings by me alleadged or impose it vpon others more able in body then my selfe Further I confesse that it much troubled me that I could not make my booke shorter without either making it too obscure and vn-intelligible or else cutting off much matter fit to giue the fuller satisfaction For by this length of it I doubt it will become tedious to many to reade it thorow and cary away the matter in their memory But I haue helped this Inconuenience as much as I could 1 by distinguishing the whole matter into Chapters euery Chapter being as it were a seuerall Treatise by it selfe which may be read alone without reference to the rest And 2 by dividing the Chapters if they be long into Sections and sometimes also the Sections into Subsections and Paragraphes marked thus § setting downe the summes of the Chapters and Sectâ—ons in the beginning and before them for the quicker finding or refinding of the matters therein contained and the easier view and
carrying away of the whole forme of the discourse The Stile in Treatises of this nature is not required to be Rhetoricall to please the eare or as Sweet-meates to delight the Taste but Scholasticall Logicall or Theological that is intelligible and significant to informe the vnderstanding and conuict the conscience Which if it performe It is all that I affect or thou maiest in reason expect in such a worke And now I leaue it to thy diligent reading and serious consideration wishing thee often to commend both the Writer and Readers to God in thy prayers Thine for Christ Iesus ANTHONY CADE A Table of the chiefe heads and matters according to the seuerall Chapters Sections and Pages The first Booke The first Chapter The first ordinary and great obiection of the Romish Churches Antiquity and our English Churches Nouelty Paragraph § 1ALleadged odiously against the Protestants and gloriously for the Romans Page 1 Paragraph § 2 Sincerely answered as vaine for that the Protestants firmely retaine the true ancient sauing faith Page 2 Paragraph § 3 And onely weed out the errours and corruptions crept into the Church as superseminated tares in Gods field Page 3 Paragraph § 4 As Hezekias and other good Princes did very religiously in their times Page 4 Paragraph § 5 So that the English Church differs no otherwise from the Romish then as a field well weeded and gouerned from a field still ouergrowen with weeds or as Naaman cleansed from the same Naaman formerly leprous Page 4 Paragraph § 6 And the Protestants are not separated from the good sound things found in the Roman Church but from the Papacy which is not to be accounted the Church but a domineering faction or disease in the Church Page 5 Paragraph § 7 The ancient Martyrs suffered not for the Doctrines of this Papacy but for the Doctrines which the Protestants bold Page 6 Hereunto the Reader may adde that which is written chap. 3. § 8. pag. 27. that This newnesse of Religion is retorted vpon the Romish Church which now holds many points new neuer held by any Church in former times some of them not in 600 yeeres some not in 1000 some not in 12 hundred yeeres and more after Christ CHAP. 2. Of errors creeping into the Church Paragraph § 1 Any particular Church may in time receiue errors and corruptions Page 9 Paragraph § 2 As did those of the Old Testament Page 10 Paragraph § 3 And of the New Testament Page 11 Paragraph § 4 For which we find many reasons in the Scriptures Page 12 Paragraph § 5 The Roman Church is not excepted Page 14 Paragraph § 6 Yea the Roman Church is warned in Scripture to take heed lest is be cut off for its corruptions Page 14 Paragraph § 7 And it hath been corrupted De facto Page 15 Paragraph § 8 Yea Rome is confessed by the very Romish Doctors to be meant by the damnable mysticall Babylon Page 16 Paragraph § 9 And that Rome must be the sent of Antichrist and that towards the end of the world Page 17 Paragraph § 10 And Rome is that City that must bee tainted with foule impieties as well foregoing as following Antichrist All which their owne Romish Doctors confirme Page 19 CHAP. 3 Of the time when corruptions came into the Romish Church Paragraph § 1 A designation of the time when corruptions began in the Roman Church required Page 20 Paragraph § 2 Often required heretofore and often answered Page 20 21 Paragraph § 3 Many corruptions crept in secretly and insensibly as in humane societies diseases in the body tares and weedes in the fields Page 21 Paragraph § 4 The Romanists acknowledge many changes whereof they cannot shew the beginnings Page 23 24 Paragraph § 5 Such things are best discerned by their difference from the first pure doctrine Page 25 26 Paragraph § 6 The Romans cannot find the beginnings of our Doctrines on this side the Scriptures Page 26 Paragraph § 7 We can do shew the beginnings of many of theirs Page 27 Paragraph § 8 No Church in the world held the now Romish Doctrines but onely that Church it selfe in those latter times Page 27 CHAP. 4. Of Corruptions in the Church of Rome long before Luthers time seene written against and Reformation wished for them Page 30 Paragraph § 1 An historicall narration of the first age of the Church golden Page 31 Paragraph § 2 But afterwards peeped vp some seeds of corruption misliked of many in the East South and West Churches Page 32 Paragraph § 3 A foule matter of three popes alleadging a Counterfeit Canon of the Councell of Nice for their iurisdiction which the whole Church of Africa withstood Page 34 Paragraph § 4 Gregory the great wrote sharpely against the Titles which now the popes vse Page 35 Paragraph § 5 Bishops of the East Church and of France Germany and Britany opposed the pope about Jmages Councels against Councels Page 36 Paragraph § 6 Many thought Antichrist was then borne Constantines donation the decretall Epistles then first seen Page 37 Paragraph § 7 A deluge of wickednesse in the ninth and tenth Ages as Bellarmine Baronius Genebrard c. record Page 38 Paragraph § 8 After a thousand yeares greater innudations of euils The wicked pope Silvester 2 and Benedict 9. a childe of about 10 yeeres old Then Cardinals arose Page 40 Paragraph § 9 The Sultan subdueth many countries in the East the Clergie are most wicked in the West Letters from Hell to the Clergy Anti-popes and Anti-Caesars Rebellion made Piety Hildebrands Dictates foundations of a new earthly-Church-Kingdome Page 42 Paragraph § 10 The testimony of Fryer Onuphrius that Hildebrand that is Gregory 7. was the first raiser of the popes princedome about eleuen hundred yeeres after Christ Many historians speake of his diuellishnesse Page 45 Paragraph § 11 Campians historians reiected by his owne fellowes Page 47 Paragraph § 12 Graue Diuines against Romish corruptions Bernard Sarisburiensis Grosthead Occam Cesenas Clemangis Gerson Cameracensis Valla c. Page 49 Paragraph § 13 These and many others wrote not onely against Corruptions of manners but of doctrine also Schoolmens philosophicall diuinity corrupted pure doctrine Doctrine framed to maintaine wealth and greatnesse Page 53 Paragraph § 14 Particular doctrines wherein learned men differed from the popes faction Page 55 Paragraph § 15 Oxford alone afforded many learned men opposing Romish corruptions Page 58 Paragraph § 16 Reformation was sought for and promised by some popes as very needfull but could not finally be attained The Scriptures disgraced Traditions vphold Romish doctrine Page 65 CHAP. 5. A note of the chiefe points of Christian doctrine wherein the Protestants and Romanists fully agree shewing also the Romish additions whereunto the Protestants cannot agree as being not ancient not true or not needfull but very corrupt Page 70 Paragraph § 1 Of one God in substance and three persons 2 Canonicall Scriptures Page 70 71 Paragraph § 3 Of the originall Hebrew and Greeke
authenticke 4 Of the word written being the sure ground of faith 5 Of Traditions 6 The three Creedes Page 74 76 Paragraph § 7 Of Gods worship in Spirit and Truth Page 77 Paragraph § 8 Of prayer in a knowen tongue 9 And to God alone 77 10 Of Christ our Mediator 11 Of Saints praying for vs. 12 Of honour due to Saints departed Page 78 Paragraph 13 Of Iustification by Christs merits Page 79 Paragraph 14 Of mans inherent righteousnes sanctification Page 79 Paragraph 15 Of contrition confession satisfaction and vivification c. Page 79 Paragraph 16 Of such good workes as God hath prescribed Page 81 Paragraph 17 Of freewill Page 81 Paragraph 18 That workes done by grace please God and are rewarded of him Page 82 Paragraph 19 Of two Sacraments seales and conduits of iustifying grace Page 82 Paragraph 20 That to the well prepared Receiuers God giues as well the iustifying and sanctifying grace as the outward elements Page 82 Paragraph 21 That the worthy Communicant really partaketh Christs Body and Blood Page 82 Paragraph 22 Of heauen for the blessed hell for the damned Page 83 Paragraph 23 Of Christs satisfaction for our sinnes Page 83 Paragraph 24 That we ought to pray for al the members of Christs militant Church vpon earth Page 83 Paragraph § 2 The Protestants doctrine in generall iustified by two Cardinals Contarene and Campeggio and our Liturgy by Pope Pius 4. Page 83 Paragraph § 3 But the Popes reach further at an earthy Church kingdome prooued Page 85 Paragraph § 4 And they challenge a supremacy ouer all Christians and Churches in the world Page 89 Paragraph § 5 More specially ouer the Clergy exempting them from being subiects to Princes either for bodily punishments or goods Page 90 Paragraph § 6 Yea a supremacy ouer all Christian Princes and their states to depose dispose and transpose them and to absolue subiects from their Allegeance to rebell c. hence comes treasons c. Page 92 Paragraph § 7 To dissolue bonds oathes and leagues Page 95 Paragraph § 8 To giue dispensations to contract matrimony in degrees by Gods lawes forbidden to dissolue lawful matrim Page 96 Paragraph § 9 And other dispensations and exemptions from lawes Page 99 CHAP. 6. Paragraph Of policies to maintaine the Popes Princedome and wealth Page 102 Paragraph § 1 Depriuing men of the light of the Scriptures Page 102 Paragraph § 2 And of ordinary orderly preachings in stead whereof the Pope set vp ambulatory preachers Monkes and Friers to preach what was good for his state without controule of Church-Ministers Officers or Bishops Page 103 Paragraph § 3 Schoolemens too-much subtilty and philosophy filled mens heads darkned and corrupted wholesome Theology Page 109 Paragraph § 4 Jesuites and their originall after Luthers time noted their Seminaries emissions faculties insinuations and most politicke imployments Page 110 Paragraph § 5 Cardinals a most powerfull and politicke inuention Page 114 Paragraph § 6 Prouision for men and women of all sorts high and low by Monasteries to susteine and satisfie all humours Page 118 Paragraph § 7 Auricular confession discouering many secrets and finding humours fit for all imployments c. Page 120 Paragraph § 8 Her policies to get wealth Page 121 Paragraph § 9 Purgatory a rich thing Page 122 Paragraph § 10 So are indulgences or pardons Page 122 Paragraph § 11 And Iubiles Page 123 Paragraph § 12 Corruptions of Doctrine touching merits and Iustification c. Page 125 Paragraph § 13 Things hallowed by the pope Page 126 Paragraph § 14 Extraordinary exactions most grieuous to Nations most rich to the pope Page 126 The second Booke Chap. 1. THe first Chapter is a discourse of the visibility of the Church and fully answereth that common question of the Romists where was the Protestants Church before Luthers time This Chapter is large and for better satisfaction and perspicuity is diuided into foure sections The first section sheweth how visible the true Church ought to be Page 136 The second sheweth that the Protestants Church hath euermore been so visible as the true Church ought to be For it was the same in all necessary doctrine first with the Primitiue Church and afterwards also with the Greeke and Easterne Churches 149 The third section sheweth the Waldenses were of the same Religion which the Protestants maintaine and deliuereth a sufficient historicall discourse of the Waldenses 155 The fourth section sheweth that our Church and the Church of Rome was all one in substance till Luthers time For euen till then the Church of Rome continued to bee the true Church of God excepting the Popacy and the maintainers thereof which was rather a sore or a faction in the Church then any true or sound part thereof 195 Chap. 1. These principall Sections are also subdiuided into Subsections and those into smaller Paragraphes noted thus § Sect. 1. subsect 1. So the first Section which sheweth How visible the true Church ought to be hath two Subsections The first Subsection Paragraph § 1 Sheweth an obiected description of the excellency of the Church and a necessity of the perpetuall succession and visibility thereof Page 136 Paragraph § 2 That for a thousand yeares and more our Church was all one with the Roman notwithstanding some growing corruâ—tions Page 138 Paragraph § 3 After that coruptions grew intollerable in the Roman Church yet many mâ—sliked them and held the truth Page 138 Paragraph § 4 The whole Catholicke Church can neuer be visible to men at once but parts of it may and must Page 139 Paragraph § 5 The promises of purity and eternall life doe not belong to all the Called but to the Few chosen whose true faith to men is invisible though their persons and profession be visible Page 140 Paragraph § 6 And so much Bellarmine and many other Romanists yeeld Page 141 Subsect 2 The second subsection 143 Paragraph § 1 Some promises of God concerne the outward spreading of the Church and some the inward Graces Page 143 Paragraph § 2 The outward spreading and glorious visibility is not at all times alike Page 144 Paragraph § 3 So Saint Ambrose and Saint Austen teach by comparing the Church to the Moone Page 145 Paragraph § 4 Many Fathers and Romish Doctors say that in the time of Antichrist the Church will be obscure and hardly visible Page 145 Paragraph § 5 Which say Valentinianus and many Fathers was fulfilled in the Arrians time Page 146 Paragraph § 6 The Iesuite Valentinianus grants as much invisâ—bility of the Church as the Protestants desire Page 147 Paragraph § 7 Obseruations out of his grant Page 148 Chap. 1. Sect. 2. subsect 1 The second section shewing that the Protestant Church hath euermore been so visible as the Church of Christ ought to be hath two subsections Paragraph The first subsection concerning the first times Page 149 Paragraph § 1 Sheweth that the Protestants labour sincerely to teach the same doctrine which the Scriptures and
the Fathers taught Page 149 Paragraph § 2 As appeares by Irenaeus Tertullian and the Creeds Page 150 Paragraph § 3 But the Romists cannot alleadge the Fathers for their new doctrines much lesse the Scriptures Page 151 Paragraph Subsect 2. The second subsection concerning the latter times Page 152 Paragraph § 1 Propounding 1 the Easterne and Greeke Churches 2 Waldenses c. and 3 the Roman Church it selfe misliking and groaning vnder the tyranny of the Papacy and desiring reformation Page 152 Paragraph § 2 The Greeke Church condemned by the Romish as hereticall Page 153 Paragraph § 3 Is cleared by Scotus Lombard Aquinas and others Page 153 Chap. 1. Sect 3. The third section shewing that the Waldenses were of the Protestant Religion hath foure subsections The first of their doctrine pag. 155. The second of their great numbers and visibility pag. 166. The third of their large spreading into all Countries pag. 177 the fourth of their continuance vntill Luthers time and after pag 181. Subsect 1. The first Subsection Paragraph § 1 Of the Waldenses Page 155 Paragraph § 2 Their diuers names but all of one Religion Page 155 Paragraph § 3 To wit of the Protestant Religion as say Aeneas Syluius Du Brauius Poplinerius Cocleus Gretserus Eckius c. Page 156 Paragraph § 4 Many bad opiniâ—ns badly and falsly imputed to thâ—m Page 158 Paragraph § 5 Nine Articles different from the Protestants ascribed vnto them by Parsons the Iesuite but cleared by authenticke Authors Page 160 The second subsection Paragraph § 1 Of the great number of the Waldenses Page 166 Paragraph § 2 Their disputations with the Romish Doctors Page 168 Paragraph § 3 Mighty warres against them as against the Popes most potent enemies The popes euery way laboured to subdue them by continuall cursings warres and Inquisitions by Fryars new sprung vp about 12 hundred yeeres after Christ threescore thousand put to the sword at once Page 169 Paragraph § 4 Carcasson a great and strong City taken by composition and made the head City of the warre and the famous Simon Montfort made Generall Page 171 Paragraph § 5 6 and 7 New Armies against the Waldenses gathered out of all Christendome by the popes Croysadoes pardoning sinnes and giuing saluation to all that would fight against them as before § 3. pag. 170. Tolous taken The King of Aragon in ayde of the Waldenses intercepted by ambush and slaine Page 172 Paragraph § 8 Tolous recouered by the Waldenses Simon slaine The King of France continueth the Warres sends his owne sonne crossed with a great Army and diuers other Armies after but to little purpose For the Waldenses otherwise called the Albigenses prospered and recouered Carcasson fourteene yeeres after the losse of of it and spred exceedingly in many Countries Page 174 Paragraph § 9 The Earle of Tolous submits to the Pope but finding himselfe deceiued betwixt the pope and his Legate he fortifies Auignon The King of France besieged it sware neuer to depart till he had taken it but finally after great losses died mad The Legate vnable by force gets it by fraud and periury Page 175 Paragraph § 10 Tolous ouerthrowes the French Armies The Pope and French King offers him peace The great warres cease Councels are held to root out the Albigenses Page 176 Paragraph § 11 Ignorance not onely of Scriptures but of Histories makes men loue the Pope Page 177 Subsect 3. The third subsection Paragraph Sheweth how the Waldenses were spread into all Countries namely for example Spaine England Scotland Jtaly Germany Bohemia Saxony Pomerania Polonia Livâ—nia Lituania Digonicia Bulgaria Croatia Dalmatia Constantinople Sclauonia Sarmatia Philadelphia In all parts of France In Italy also they had Churches in Lombardy Millan Romagnia Vicence Florence val Spoletine c. Page 177 Subsect 4. The fourth subsection Paragraph § 1 The Waldenses continued aboue 400 yeeres vntill Luthers time and after Page 181 Paragraph § 2 Jn England by meanes of Wicliffe Page 182 Paragraph § 3 Wicliffes Doctrine and many followers Oxford Diuines Page 182 Paragraph § 4 5 6 and 7. The story of Iohn Hus Ierom of Prage and Bohemian affaires Page 189 Paragraph § 8 and 9 The continuance of the Waldenses after Luthers time Luther wrote a Preface to one of their bookes commending it Letters passed betwixt them and Oecolampadius Bucer Calvine c. Page 192 Chap. 1. Sect. 4. The fourth Section Paragraph § 1 Shewing that the Church of Rome excepting the Papacy and the maintainers thereof continued to be the true Church of God and the same with ours vntill Luthers time proued by many Protestant Diuines Luther Caluin Beza Morney Melanchthon Bucer Master Deering Master Richard Hooker Bishop Vsher Bishop Carlton Bishop White Doctor Field c. Page 195 Paragraph § 2 Their reasons Paragraph § 3 But now the state of that Church is much altered since the new light in Luthers time fully discouering and publishing the corruptions thereof and since their obstinate defending their corruptions and imposing them as Defide Page 200 Paragraph § 4 Especially since the great alteration and addition of faith made by the Councell of Trent Page 202 CHAP. 2. Paragraph Answering the vaine alleadging of some words and customes and the corrupt alleadging of the Fathers words against the Protestants Page 205 Paragraph § 1 Obiection Nonâ— alleadged in the former Chapter agreed with the Protestants in all things Ergo are not of their Church or Religion Page 206 Paragraph § 2 Answered It is no consequent For so also euery one of them differed from the present Romish Religion and yet the Romish account them theirs Protestants haue iustly abstained from some words and phrazes of some Fathers Page 206 Paragraph § 3 And also haue left off some ceremonies customs Page 209 Paragraph § 4 As the Church of Rome hath left many here mentioned knowne to be ancient and thought to be Apostolicall Page 210 Paragraph § 5 Which confutes the vanity of W.G. his booke shewes his owne alleadged authors by his owne argument to bee none of his Church and Religion Page 214 Paragraph § 6 By the same argument many Fathers for example Athanasius Ierom Gelasius Gregory Chrysostome Augustine are plentifully proued to be against the present Church and Religion of Rome Page 216 Paragraph § 7 Foure seuerall wayes at the least the Romish make shew of the Fathers to be for them very deceitfully The first by alleadging counterfeit bookes falsly bearing the Fathers names Many examples hereof Page 223 Paragraph § 8 The second by corrupting the bookes which the Fathers wrote putting words in or out and altering the text and so printing them new making them speake now contrary to their meaning Examples hereof Page 228 Paragraph § 9 The third by blinding or perverting the sense of the Fathers sentences by glozes and interpretations Instances Page 232 Paragraph § 10 The fourth by citing the Fathers to proue that which is not in question Examples thereof Page 234 CHAP. 3.
Paragraph Of the differences of Fathers and Protestants and of their contentions Page 236 Paragraph § 1 Many Fathers are confessed by all sides to haue held some erronious opinions which none are bound to receiue and yet in the substance of Religion were good Catholick Christians and our Predecessors Page 236 Paragraph § 2 Many differences also are noted among Romish Doctors which yet hinder them not from being all accounted Catholicks Page 243 Paragraph § 3 The differences among Protestants are nothing so great or many as those afore noted of the Fathers and of the Romish the especiall one about the manner how Christ is present in the blessed Sacrament is much lesse then it seemeth Page 248 Paragraph § 4 The popes vnwillingnesse to reforme manifest abuses by the way of generall Councels was the cause of all differences in Reformed Churches when each seuerall state was compelled to reforme a part without sufficient generall consultations with other Nations Page 250 Paragraph § 5 The Protestants contentions for Gods cause as they take it are nothing so hote or troublesome is the contentions of many ancient holy Fathers haue beene about smaller matters View the examples Page 253 CHAP. 4. Paragraph Of the rule to iudge the soundnesse and purity of all Christians and Churches by Page 261 This Chapter hath foure sections Page 261 Paragraph The first section of the rule vsed in the Primitiue Church Page 261 Paragraph The second of the Rule enlarged and approued in this Age. Page 268 Paragraph The third of obiections arising from the former discourses and their answeres Page 280 Paragraph The fourth of the necessity of preaching still to them that hold this rule Page 288 The first section Paragraph § 1 The rule in generall Page 261 Paragraph § 2 Opened by distinctions of the foundation of Religion Page 262 Paragraph § 3 A necessity of a short rule drawne out of the Scriptures Page 262 Paragraph § 4 This rule is described by S. Paul Page 263 Paragraph § 5 The practise of it by the Apostles who deliuered the most necessary fundamentall points to the Iewes and then baptized them Page 265 Paragraph § 6 The like practise vsed by the following Primitiue Church to their Catechumeni before Baptisme Page 266 The second section Paragraph § 1 The rule enlarged and approued in this Age. Page 268 Paragraph § 2 By Azorius out of the Schoole-Diuines in 14 Articles Page 269 Paragraph § 3 Some obseruations and censures of those 14 Articles Page 272 Paragraph § 4 The rule set downe by Bellarmine more briefely Page 273 Paragraph § 5 By Doctor Field farre more sufficiently in 6 Articles with his iudgement of the deductions therefrom euident or obscure Page 274 Paragraph § 6 Bishop Vshers distinction of superstructions vpon the foundation Page 277 Paragraph § 7 Consequents of this doctrine Page 278 The third section Paragraph § 1 Obiection If holding the foundation will serue then wee may easily obtaine saluation in the Church of Rome Page 280 Paragraph § 2 Answer The Church of Rome holds many things which by consequent destroyes the foundation by the most moderate Master Hookers iudgement Page 281 Paragraph § 3 Obiection This crosseth what was said before That many before Luthers time might be saued in the Roman Church Answ No for they liued in those errours of ignorance not obstinacy and not knowing any dangerous consequence of them Page 282 Paragraph § 4 Such men by particular repentance of sinnes knowne and generall repentance of vnknowne might by Gods mercy be saued Page 284 Paragraph § 5 Obseruations hereof Page 285 Paragraph § 6 Other learned Protestants ioyne in opinion with Master Hooker Page 286 The fourth section Paragraph § 1 There is a necessity or great profit of preaching euen to them that are well grounded in all necessary principles Page 288 Paragraph § 2 As Israel needed all helpes after the giuing of the Law and all were too little Page 289 Paragraph § 3 The profits of preaching in generall Page 290 Paragraph § 4 Some particulars for continuall spirituall food cordiall medicine and comfort memory armour c. Page 290 Paragraph § 5 The continuall need thereof was found in all Churches planted euen by the Apostles and in their times Page 292 CHAP. 4. Paragraph Of the succession of the Protestants Bishops and Ministers from the Apostles Page 296 Paragraph Section 1. The necessity thereof vrged without which there can be no Church Page 296 Paragraph 2 This succession is clamourously denyed to Protestants Page 299 Paragraph 3 But manifestly proued and the slanders confuted Page 300 Paragraph 4 Particularly in Cranmer our first Archbishop Page 302 Paragraph 5 In other Bishops of King Henry 8 his time Page 304 Paragraph 6 And of King Edward 6. and of Queene Maries time Page 306 Paragraph 7 And of Queene Elizabeths time Page 306 Paragraph 8 The false reports whereof doe alienate many from the Reformed Religion Page 309 Paragraph 9 A proofe of the sufficient ordination of Ministers in forraigne Reformed Churches Page 310 Paragraph 10 Which is further confirmed by the doctrine and practise of the Romish Page 312 CHAP. 6. Paragraph Of the Popes supremacy challenged ouer the whole Church page 1 Paragraph § 1 The necessity thereof vrged as the maine pillar of Religion Page 1 Paragraph § 2 The matter and method of the Answer propounded Page 4 Paragraph § 3 The ancient Church yeelded to Rome as the greatest and most honourable City of the world and seat of the Empire to haue the dignity of one of the fiue Patriarcks Page 5 Paragraph § 4 And among the Patriarkes sometime the first or chiefest place Page 6 Paragraph § 5 Which dignity the ambition and couetousnesse of following popes haue much impaired Page 8 Paragraph § 6 And haue challenged that dignity which was anciently yeelded vnto their predecessors for their sanctity and for politicke reasons and much more also by authority of the Scriptures But Bellarmine gathering the pith of all learned writers can finde no strengh in them by any Scriptures to maine the Papacy as in their chiefest places Matth. 16.18 Page 11 Paragraph § 7 And Iohn 21.15 c. Page 16 Paragraph § 8 Obserue the Romish strange extractions out of the words Feed my Sheep Page 18 Paragraph § 9 And other learned-foolish allegations of other Scriptures Page 20 Paragraph § 10 The Scripture against the supremacy of Peter Page 23 Paragraph § 11 And the fathers are vrged for it vainely beyond their meaning Page 24 Paragraph § 12 The Fathers are manifestly against it Page 29 Paragraph § 13 Saint Peters prerogatiues were personall and descended not to his successors Page 32 Paragraph § 14 The conclusion collecting the parts of this Chapter briefly and Iustifying the Protestants Page 35 CHAP. 7. Of the Popes infallible Iudgement in guiding the Church by true Doctrine Paragraph § 1 Jt cannot be prooued by Scriptures or Fathers or by the Analogie to the chiefe Priests of the Old
and more and place those words aâ—ter the note aftâ—r the words Sect. 3. p. 128. 29 furnished p. 140. marg Ecclesie promâ—tteâ— p. 143. and often elsewhere is printed Valentinianus for Valentianus p. 147. 25. ha h God vttterly forsaken p. 153. 35 read 370 yeeres after Christ p. 155. 21. Eckius p. 161. 21. other vices p. 196. 8. yet we doe not thinke p. 210. 2. oft the formost deuouring p 211. 32. Athanasius p. 220. 34 whereon p. 2â—6 11. suppositions p. 234. 12. a whole booke p. 243. 25. members all of p. 2 17. 11. being voided ib lin 16. not the Churches opinion p 209. marg ad li. 18 read 2 Cor. 5. â— 6. 3. Eph. 4. 12. col 4. 17. â— tim 1. 12. 2 tim 4. 5. p. 103. 35. pontificatus nostri decimo p. 308 25. in the more p 311. marg â— Armachanus lib. 11. in q. Armeniorum c. p. 7. Numbers of pages are sometimes misprinted and Sections which may be amended by this generall I able In the second Alaphabet pag. 65. adde to the marginall notes Avenein Aâ—nal â—â—ior lib. 5 See Tortura Torti pag. 264. p 71. lin penul wasted it with fire Other smaller sâ—â—pt in letters or points I note not they will trouble the Reader lesse in â—â—ading then amending The most are amended The Preface or Jntroduction containing 1 a briefe description of the parties conferring in this Dialogue 2 The purpose and profit of the conference touched 3 The manner of it intended in all humility and meekenesse of spirit 4 the matter solidity of Arguments and allegations out of the best Authors of both sides Roman-Catholicke 1 ALthough in mine owne iudgement I am sufficiently resolued of the verity and sanctity of the Roman-Catholicke-Religion and am loath to be either vnsettled or disquieted againe by any further conference yet to giue satisfaction to my tryed honest and good friends Such should be the qualities of a good Minister as may win the loue of the Aduersarieâ— who vrge me once againe to conferre with a graue learned Minister hereby I am content to goe to the man And the rather because besides his learning I know him to be very honest iust louing and of a meeke spirit And here he comes Saue ye Sir Protestant Minister Master Candidus I haue much longed to meet you The Lord now giue a blessing to our meeting I haue heard with no small griefe of heart by some of your good friends that you are fallen into mislike of our Church of England and into liking of the present Religion of Rome Now in tender care of your saluation I desire to confer with you thereabout to try if by Gods gracious blessing I may be a meanes to resolue and settle you in the truth Rom. Sir I would haue you to thinke that I haue a great care of my saluation and in simplicity of my heart and tendernesse of conscience and not for any other by respect I haue sought the true way to saluation and doubt not but I haue found it And therein I am so well settled that you may spare your labour Prot. I doubt not but in the simplicity of your heart and desire of the truth you haue laboured in this waighty matter For I haue obserued you alwayes to be of an honest disposition sober temperate aduised of discreet conuersation for which faire carriage of life you haue gained the surname of Candidus Good natures mis-led are much to bee pittied And I haue also found you zealous of Gods honour So farre as your knowledge did lead you The more it grieueth me that so honest a nature should be abused mis-led by bad Teachers But I pray you consider that Saint Paul himselfe was blamelesse in life deuout and zealous in his Religion when it was erronious as you are now and thought his courses maruellous godly and much tending to Gods glory He was instructed by Gamaliel Act. 2.3 Phil. 3.6 a learned Doctor according to the perfect manner of the Law of the Fathers as was then thought was zealous towards God and touching the righteousnesse of the Law blamelesse and of very zeale persecuted the true Church of God and thought he was bound in conscience to doe many things contrary to the name of Iesus A s 26.9 So that men may thinke they are in the holy way of truth and may be deuout and zealous therein and yet be farre wrong As we hold those of the Romish Religion to be at this day who persecute the Reformed Churches of Christ which professe to hold the doctrine of the holy Scripture entire without admitting any other grounds of Religion Remember what our blessed Sauiour foretold Iohn 16.2 John 16.2 Venit hora vt omnis qui interficit vos arbitretur obsequium se praestare Deo The time commeth that whosoeuer killeth you will thinke he doth God seruice This was fulfilled in part quickly As in Acts 13.50 The Iewes stirred vp deuout and honourable-women Acts 13.50 and the chiefe men of the City and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them out of their coasts So that people that are deuout and zealous in their Religion yet may be in the wrong and had need well to examine their groundes Rom These examples may as well be applied to the Protestants as to the Catholiks Prot. You apply them to the Protestants wee to your new Catholiks Let the vnpartiall world Iudge who are the persecutors and who are the persecuted But hereby you may see mortall men must not be too hastily resolued but first thorowly examine the truth of their groundes wherevpon they build their Faith Lest they run amisse as Saul did though taught by Gamaliel and as the deuout honorable-women and chiefe men of the City did being stirred vp by the Iewes Rom. But when a man is well resolued vpon good grounds why should hee disquiet himselfe and call his Faith into question againe Prot. The question is whether his grounds be good or no. Saint Paul before his conuersion and these honourable-women thought as well of their grounds as you doe of yours and yet were deceiued in them But beside this there is another reason why you should thorowly know the strength of your grounds to wit for the winning satisfying confirming of others To which end S. Peter saith 1 Pet. 3.15 Be alwayes ready to giue satisfaction to euery one that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meeknes and feare So then both for your own fuller resolutioÌ„ in the truth and for the satisfaction of me or any other I pray you let vs seriously conferre of these waighty matters Rom. With all my heart So it be done in that manner which Saint Peter there prescribeth with meeknesse feare and a good conscience For rough rude biting and railing speaches argue rather a blinded heart or a proud scornfull and vnmortified man then one endued with Gods grace loue
and patience such as is fit to winne others with all long suffring and doctrine 2 Tim. 2.24.25 and 4.2 1 Tim. 5.1.2 and 3.3 Prot. Sir wee pray with vnderstanding in our English Letany from all blindnesse of heart from pride vainglory and hipocrisie from enuy hatred and malice and all vncharitablenes good Lord deliuer vs. Rom. It is a good prayer I would it were well liked and practised of you all Prot. You shall finde me not onely patient but exceeding pitifull and full of commiseration to you and to all other well-minded men that are seduced that be Errones onely and not Turbones as Lipsius distinguisheth them not wilfull but ready to yeeld to sound reason Iustus Lipsius Politic. and to the truth when it manifestly appeares such as be vere Candidi as I hope you bee But against those wicked seducers that wilfully persist to blindfould themselues and you by Pious fraudes as they call them and keepe you on their side for by-respects contrary to the truth laied open to their eies you must giue me leaue to vse iust indignation As we see the Prophets our Sauiour and his Apostles did Rom. Whomsoeuer you shall proue to be such I will ioyne with you in your lust indignation and abhorre them I account no fraud pious nor lawfull to doe euill that good may come of But by forgery and deceit to mis-lead simple soules from the truth in Religion I account most detestable Prot. If it please you then to alleadge your best and most solid reasons whereby you are moued to forsake our Church and embrace the now Roman Religion I will be willing to answer you Rom. I will doe it not of mine owne head but out of the best and learnedest Authors of our side Prot. And I will endeuour to answere out of the learnedest and most iudicious Authors of the Protestants and most especially out of our latest pithiest and substantiallest English writers referring you to the bookes themselues with notes of their Chapters Sections and Pages for your more thorow satisfaction and setling of your Iudgement with like allegations also of your owne best Authors when they doe as they doe often yeeld vs the truth A IVSTIFICATION OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND Demonstrating it to be a true Church of GOD affording all sufficient meanes to SALVATION CHAP. 1. The alleadged 1 antiquity of the Romish Church and newnesse of the Protestants Church 2 is shewed to be vaine for that the Protestants retain the ancient sauing faith and 3 onely weede out the super-seminated Tares 4 as Hezekias and other good Princes did in their times So that 5 these two Churches differ onely as fields well weeded and ouergrowne with weeds And 6 Protestants are not separated from the good things found in the Roman Church but from the Papacy which is a domineering faction in the Church 7 For the Doctrines whereof the ancient Martyrs suffered not but for the Doctrines which Protestants hold §. 1. Roman Catholicke IT is a sufficient notice to mislike and forsake the Protestants Church because it is new neuer seene nor heard of in the world in any Age or Countrey before Luthers time for wee know the true Church of Christ is ancient Bellar. de notis Ecclâ—s l. b. 4. c. 5. Gâ—eg de Valentâ—a Analysis fidei l. 6. c. 12. Costerus Enchirid cap. 2. §. convertat Campian ratâ—o 4 5 6 7. Doct Hil. reas 1. And all Roman Writers triumph in this Argument See B. White ag Fisher p. 115. Cal. inst l. 4. c. 2. §. 2. continued from our Sauiours owne time and such is the Church of Rome founded vpon the chiefe Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul manifestly traced throughout all Ages with an honourable and certaine succession of Bishops the successors of S. Peter All Tyrants Traitors Pagans Hereticks in vaine wrastling raging barking against it confirmed by all worthy Counsels the generall graue Senates of Gods highest Officers and Ministers vpon earth enriched with the Sermons and writings of all the sage learned and holy Doctors and Fathers made famous by all those millions of Saints with their holinesse Martyrs with their suffrings Confessors with their constancy the building of Churches Monasteries Colledges Vniuersities and by all excellent meanes made conspicuous and honourable to the whole world Is it likely is it possible that this Church so ancâ—ent so honourable so holy and glorious should all this while be false hereticall and now to bee forsaken and reiected and a new particular Church lately moulded and erected by Luther Melancton Caluin Beza and a few other obscure vpstarts should bee the only true Church to be imbraced or that the most gracious God would hide his sauing truth from the world fifteene hundred yeeres to the distruction and damnation of so many millions of soules and now at last reueale it to a few in a corner No Sir giue mee leaue herein to take the name of Antiquus to liue and dye in the old Religion and to refuse your new §. 2. Protestant This is indeed the generall enchantment whereby those that compasse Sea and Land to make Romish Proselytes doe bewitch the vnwary and were it true it were able to draw all the world to become Roman-Catholicks But I pray you marke my counter-charme shewing the vntruth and weaknesse of your assertion We of the Church of England doe professe and protest that we are of that a All our learned Bishops Docâ—ors and Preachers beat vpon this point B. Iewel Arch. Abbot B. Abbot B. Bilson B. Andrewes B. Carlton B. Barlow B. Morton B. Vsher B. Downan B. White B. Hall D. â—ulk D. Whitacres D. Field D. White B. Bot. D. utclis D. Favour Mr. Perkins and inâ—umerable others true ancient Church of Christ which you describe b â—ee Fâ—eld Church lib. 3. cap. 6. c. that we hold entirely and soundly all that sauing Doctrine which the blessed Sonne of God brought into the world and his Apostles taught wrote in the holy Scriptures and which the ancient holy Fathers of the Primitiue Church held with great vnity and vniuersality for many ages §. 3. c This is shewâ—d chap. 5. sect â— Booke 2. chap. 2. §. 6. chap. 4. sect 2. And we reiect nothing but the corruptions errours and abuses that haue crept into the Church in later times and from small beginnings haue growne at last to be great and vntollerable those onely we haue refused and haue reformed our particular Churches in diuers Kingdomes and Nations as neare as we could to the fashion of the first true pure and vncorrupt Churches retaining all the Doctrines of the Church of Rome which we found to be Catholicke or agreeable to the faith of the whole Church in all times and places d See D. White against Fisher pag. 68. But Doctrines not Catholicke being neither Primitiue belonging to the ancient Church nor generally receiued by the whole Church either at this day nor in any other age
nor grounded vpon the Scriptures we haue no reason to receiue as points necessary to saluation And the points tending to superstitâ—on corruption or deprauation of Gods honour Christs merits our owne saluation the disturbance of the peace or safety of Kingdomes States or Common-wealthes we worthily abrogate as intollerable and vnchristian And in these respects as you assume the title of Antiquus so doe I of Antiquissimus And let you know that e See D. Mortons Appeal lib. 4. cap. 16. sect 4. §. 10. our Church is no new Church deuised by Luther and other learned men and receiued by Princes affecting mutations neither euer was it their purpose to doe any such thing but faithfully and religiously to purge out new corruptions and to continue and maintaine the substance and whole essence of the old Church of God and all the sound Catholick Doctrines thereof comming along thorow so many ages from the first planting of the Church to their times §. 4. Read 2 Kings 1â— 4 5.6 and chap. 22. 23. No otherwise then the most religious Kings Hezekiah and Iosiah and other godly Rulers did in their dominions being moued by their learned Priests and by their knowledge of Gods Law who remoued the high places and brake the Images and cut downe the Groues spoyled the vessels made for Baal and for the Groues and for the hoste of heauen and put downe the Idolatrous Priests and the brazen Serpent also though at first it was made by Gods owne appointment erected to good purpose and was a figure of Christ because it was now growen to be an instrument and occasion of Idolatry but they preserued still the old Religion and seruice of God entire and whole and that much more pure then they found it This when they did can any man haue the forehead to say They erected a new Church when they onely purged and retained the old or shall we be reuiled and blamed for imitating Hezekias Josias and Iehoshaphat and in that for which they were much praised and honoured in the Scriptures §. 5. Obserue then here first the vanity and deceit of your Romish teachers that against their owne knowledge bewitch the simple people with this conceit that our Church forsooth is a new Church begun in Luthers time little aboue an hundred yeeres agone and was neuer seene nor heard of in the world before Whereas indeed there is no other difference betwixt the Roman Church and ours then betwixt a corrupt Church still maintaining her owne corruptions for worldly respects and a Church well reformed according to the Scriptures and the purest Primitiue Churches or betwixt the corrupt Idolatrous Church before Hezekiahs time 2 King 18. and the same Church reformed in and after his time I may compare the whole Church of CHRIST in all her ages to Naaman the Syrian 2 King 5. who was honourable for bringing safety to his Nation He was first pure and sound and did many honourable acts and thereby represented the Primitiue Church pure and cleane without spot or disease appearing howbeit there might be some secret seedes of diseases vnperceiued which in continuance of time grew into a visible leprosie In his middle time he became leprous diseased and deformed fowly infected in himselfe and infecting others and thereby represented the later Church of Rome Afterwards by the Prophets direction he was washed and cleansed from his leprosie and his flesh restored to become pure and perfect like the flesh of a yong childe and thereby represented our Reformed Churches And as Naaman in all these three estates was the same person and not a new diuerse or seuerall man for Elisha made not a new man but clensed the old of diseases and restored him to his first soundnesse so our Church is not a new Church but the old Church reformed from errours and corruptions and restored to her ancient purity and soundnesse Let the Church of Rome still glory in her leprosie and brag of the antiquity of some of her diseases we thanke God for our Churches clensing and the new restoring of it to the Primitiue purity §. 6. Secondly obserue that we haue not departed froÌ„ the sound parts of the Church of Rome it self for the leprosie thereof was not vniuersall nor spred ouer all there were many euen in the corruptest ages of that Church which taught the same sauing doctrine that we doe See Chap. following and misliked and wrote against the errours and abuses that wee refuse but our departure or separation is onely from the Papacy or Court of Rome which much oppressed the best members of the Church of Rome and instead of Christs heauenly Kingdome set vp and maintained an earthly ouertopping and abusing all other Christian Kingdomes or our departure is from that domineering faction in the Church which like an ill disease and botch in the body intolerably oppressed the Church by imposing vpon it errours in doctrine and tyranny in gouernment But to the sound members of that Church both of ancient and moderne times we are still conioyned and vnited and herein their and our Church continued alwayes sufficiently visible §. 7. Thirdly obserue as a consequent of the former that our Church is so farre from being new that it is most ancient the very same Church that our Sauiour Christ and his blessed Apostles first founded We succeed them both in succession of persons as well as the Church men of Rome and in succession of doctrine much better So that we iustly challenge our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles to be ours all the learned holy Fathers to be ours the ancient Councels the blessed Saints Martyrs and Confessors to bee ours For they taught professed liued and dyed in and for those points of sauing Religion which we soundly hold and for none other The Martyrs dyed for the profession of their faith and seruice to the true God for beleeuing in Iesus Christ crucified whom their persecutors scornefully called the crucified God and for their hope to bee saued by his merits and passion for their trust comfort and constancy in the Holy Ghost and worshipping the holy blessed glorious and indiuiduall Trinity and for cleauing truly and constantly to the holy Scriptures and the doctrines grounded thereupon onely as the true rule of their faith and on the other side for refusing to sacrifice offer incense or doe worship to Idols and Heathen gods They suffered not death for standing in defence of Image-worship or for holding the doctrine of Purgatory so like to the Heathen Poets Homer and Virgil or for praying for the dead or to the dead or for accusing the holy Scriptures of insufficiency and ambiguity and forbidding Christian people to reade them vnder great penalties for feare of Heresie For such points would haue pleased their Heathen persecutors well enough Neither suffered they for crossing Christs institution in denying the Communion cup to Gods people or for worshipping a God made of a piece of bread or for maintaining
the Popes gainfull Indulgences and Pardons or for defence of their exorcised Holy-water or other ceremonies which would haue been matter of scorne and laughter rather then of persecution from the Heathen Neither dyed they for defending the Popes now-claimed Supremacy ouer all the Clergy people and Princes of the Christian world direct or indirect which in those times and many ages after was neuer thought of nor claimed and vpon the first claime thereof was most odious and hatefull to the best Christians and threw the world on heapes by grieuous warres and dissolutions nor for other points which the Church of Rome now maintaineth different from vs and which we refuse And therefore the great flourish which you make of the antiquity of your Church including all the points which at this day you doe with all policy and violence maintaine vtterly failes you and indeed makes against you For they are not the ancient doctrines of the Church but later or newer inuentions and corruptions so that in respect of them your Religion is new and not ours you are the Innouators and not we B. Vsher De Eccles successione pag. 66. The very same nouelty which you impute to the Protestants Wiclife long agoe imputed to your Fryars crying out as in an agony Good Lord what moued Christ being most omnipotent most wise most louing to hide this faith of the Fryars for a thousand yeeres and neuer taught his Apostles and so many Saints the true faith See hereafter chap. 6. sect 2. §. 4.5 6. but taught it these Hypocrites now first which neuer came into the Church vntill the impure spirit of Satan was loosed Antiquus Sir I would it were so for my countries sake that wee might enioy such a happily reformed Church as you speake of with true comfort to our consciences and hearty obedience to our Princes Lawes and all loue and happinesse of the Kingdome and of our States But all you haue yet said are but words you must giue me leaue to suspend my beleefe thereof vntill you make good proofe of what you affirme Antiquissimus The Poet said well Non est beatus esse qui se non putat No man is happy be he neuer so well if he thinke himselfe not so English men may be happy Bona si sua norint If they will but know their owne happiesse In deed what both you and I haue said yet are but generall words Wee must first say and afterwards proue You haue set downe your assertion I mine Mine I am ready substantially to proue euen out of your owne Authors and Bookes which you cannot disallow which I am well assured hauing read your strongest Bookes you can neuer doe for yours CHAP. 2. Of corruptions in the Church Sheweth 1 that particular Churches may erre as did 2 those of the Old Testament and 3 of the New for which 4 we find many reasons in the Scriptures 5 The Roman Church is not excepted but 6 warned thereof and 7 it hath been corrupted de facto Yea 8 Rome is the mysticall Babylon and 9 the seat of Antichrist and 10 taynted with foule impieties as well foregoing as following Antichrist Antiquus BY your Imputation of errours and abuses to the most Illustrious Church of Rome Rom. 1. so much glorified by S. Pauls writing vnto it so much honoured by the antient Fathers so renowned in all after ages you seeme to hold that all the Churches in the world may erre and be corrupt Antiquissimus We doe not hold that the whole Church of God may erre at any time in points fundamentall which constitute the essence of the Church and are absolutely necessary to saluation For then the Church should cease to be in the world Antiquus Good Antiquissimus See D. Field Church lib. 4. cap. 4 5. But particular Churches may both erre and fall away as some of the Churches haue done which flourished in the Apostles times and to which they wrote Epistles the Hebrew Church the Corinthian Ephesian c. Antiquus You speake contrarieties and absurdities for the whole Church consists of particulars and if all particulars may erre and fall away then the whole may Antiquissimus It is no more contrariety or absurdity then to say all particular men may be diseased and dye away but whole mankind cannot dye away till the end of the world although whole mankind consisteth of particulars For they may be diseased and dye by succession See Bellar. De Pont. Rom. lib. 4. cap 4. initio not all at once others by succession comming in their roomes and so of Churches No man saith all particular Churches may fundamentally erre and faile at once for then indeed the whole Church should cease to be in the world but euery one in their seuerall times may faile when others may hold the truth Rom. 11.17 As some branches of the Oliue tree may bee cut off while others grow and while others be grafted in and those that are grafted in may for want of goodnesse bee cut off also in their times and the first or others grafted in Ioh. 15. But the good husband of the Church will not suffer the whole Oliue or Vine to bee without fruitfull branches by cutting off all at once but when he pruneth off some will cherish and dresse the rest Rom. 11.25 Thus the blindnesse of the Iewes for a time procured the fulnesse of the Gentiles Verse 22. who may peece-meale be cut off Verse 23. if they continue not in goodnesse and the Iewes may be grafted in againe Antiquus Similitudes may well illustrate but cannot conuince the iudgement you must bring demonstrations if you will haue me yeeld Exod 32. Num. 16. Iud. 2.11 19. 3 7. 4.1 6.1 8.33 10.6 c. 1 Kings 11. 12.28 15.13 18.21 Gen. 35.2 Exod. 32.20 Iosua 24.15 1 Sam. 7.4 2 Kings 18.4 22.8 23. 2 Chro. 17.6 §. 2. Antiquissimus I will by Gods grace doe it briefly First that grosse errors and abuses may creepe into Gods true Church is manifest De facto in the Church of the Old Testament The Bookes of Moses Judges Samuel Kings and Chronicles are full of the peoples falling to Idolatry and corrupting the Law of God And there are many worthy reformations of those corruptions described wrought by Iacob Moses Iosua Samuel Hezekiah Iosia Iehosaphat and others And as these corruptions were frequent so sometimes very generall While Jeroboams people practised Idolatry in Israel 1 King 12.28 c. Rehoboams people in the other Kingdome forsooke the Law of the Lord 2 Chron. 12.1 So that all the face of GODS Church which was then onely in those two Kingdomes became mightily depraued and Idolatrous Aholah and Aholibah that is Samaria and Jerusalem Ezech. 23.1 4. did both falsifie their faith to God and plaid the harlots with strange gods yet the whole Church failed not For as in Eliahs time when hee thought himselfe alone
hath beene so that no such errours and heresies haue come into it §. 6. Antiquissimus Yes euen in S. Pauls time Abuses began in the Roman Church as well as in the Corinthian Galatian and others Whereof S. Paul giues another Caueat chap. 16. verse 17 18. I beseech you Brethren saith he Marke them which cause diuisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which yee haue learned and auoyde them For they which are such serue not our Lord Iesus Christ but their owne belly and by good words and faire speeches deceiue the hearts of the simple And verse 19 though he praise them yet he addeth But J would haue you wise vnto that which is good and simple or harmelesse concerning euill and he prayeth God to establish them verse 25. Antiquus All this yet prooues not that euer any such errours preuailed in the Church of Rome to the defacing or corrupting the soundnesse thereof §. 7. Antiquissimus But the Ancient Fathers and the Histories of the Church doe proue it Hieronymus contra Luciferianos Basil epist 69. As namely in the Arrian heresie whereby the Church of Rome together with the rest of the world was maruellously both defaced and corrupted that both in the members and in the head Whereof S. Jerom wrote that the whole world groned and wondered that it was become Arrian And S. Basil that men abandoned the houses of Prayer which then were made schooles of Impiety and were faine to pray to the Lord in Desarts And S. Hilary admonished in many words that the Church at that time was not to be sought Jn tectis exteriori pompa sed potius in carceribus speluncis in Houses or Temples and outward pompe but rather in Prisons and Caues Bellar De Pont. Rom. lib. 4. câ—p 9. initio Bellarm. in that Booke reckons 40. Popes accused of errours and heresies whom he labours to excuse but confesseth most of them guilty in one degree or other And when Liberius Bishop of Rome himselfe was drawne to subscribe to the Arrian heresie yeelded to the condemnation of Athanasius and communicated with Valens and Vrsarius whom he knew to be Hereticks As Bellarmine confesseth Antiquus This was a heauy time and a heauy thing it is to heare it yet in good time the Church of Rome recouered §. 8. Antiquissimus But the Scripture mentioneth another defection of Rome which will neuer be recouered For your Roman Doctors cannot auoyd it but Babylon in the 17 and 18 of the Reuelation signifieth Rome chap. 17.9 The seuen heads are seuen mountaines on which the woman sitteth and verse 18. The woman which thou sawest is the great City which raigneth ouer the Kings of the earth These two properties of the City situate vpon seuen hils and also raigning ouer the Kings of the earth doe manifestly describe the City of Rome and none other as it was in S. Johns time when the Reuelation was giuen Your owne Iesuite Ribera Doctor of Diuinity and Professor in the Vniuersity of Salmantica in his Commentaries vpon the Apocalyps chap. 14. verse 8 Num. 25. sequentib shewes plainely that Babylon can signifie nothing else but the City of Rome he cites many testimonies of the Fathers for it Hee cites also Sixtus Senensis and Bellarmine to bee of the same opinion and many other late Writers and concludes with these words Vt alios hujus aetatis scriptores omittam hoc dicam Ambrosius qui prius negaverat tandem in cap. 17. veritate conuictus Babylonem Romam significare confessus est Huic conveniunt aptissime omnia quae de Babylone dicuntur in hoc libro Apocalypscos and this he shewes at large in many particulars The like hath Viegas another Iesuite Viega in Apoc. 17. com 1. sect 4. pag. 772. Rhemist annot on Apoc. 17.9 scoffe at vs. so Bellar. de Rom. Pont. lib. 3. cap. 2. Parsons 3. conuersions part 2. cap. 5. v. Bishop Reformed Cath. Doctor also of Diuinity and Reader in two Vniuersities of Portugall Conimbrica and Ebora And your Rhemish though they scoffe at the Protestants for interpreting Babylon to be Rome in Reuel 17.5 yet presently after they are forced themselues to confesse that Babylon signifies the City of Rome but they shift all from the Pope to the persecuting Emperours and apply the propheticall discourse to the times of S. Iohn the Writer principally as a type of the place wheresoeuer it be where Antichrist shall sit towards the end of the world But Ribera and Viegas proue plainly that S. Johns description agreeth to Rome towards the end of the world when Rome shall be the feat of Antichrist and shall be finally fully and irrecouerably destroyed according to the plaine words of Reuel 18. verse 2 8 21 c. Ribera pag. 454. saith Roma nisi pristinam illam impietatem of Idolatry and persecutions vnder the Emperours novis sceleribus immanibus peccatis aequatura esset maneret vsque ad finem seculi extremum Etenim non propter priora tantum peccata cam conflagraturam esse magno incendio vt ante diximus sed etiam propter illa quae extremis illis temporibus commissura est ex huius Apocalypsis verbis adeo perspicuè cognoscimus vt ne stultissimus-quidem negare possit Rome saith Ribera should doubtlesse continue to the end of the world if it did not match the old Impiety of the Emperours with new impieties and grieuous sinnes For we plainly learne that it shall be destroyed with that great consuming fire not for the former sins onely as we said before but for those sinnes which it shall commit in the last times yea wee learne it so plainly out of the words of this Reuelation that surely the veriest foole cannot deny it §. 9. Antiquus Indeed these learned Roman Doctors are plaine and powerfull in prouing this Mysticall Babylon described in the Reuelation can signifie no place but Rome and that it must be the seat of Antichrist towards the later end of the world But the same Doctors say also that Antichrist and the Pope are two diuerse things yea contrary one to the other as also that the Church of Rome and City of Rome are diuerse things and further that Antichrist is not yet come neither shall he come vntill three yeares and a halfe before the last day Reuel 11.3 12.6 14. 13.5 as they gather out of the prophesie of Daniel and the Reuelation by the 1260 dayes which make 42 moneths and a time times and halfe a time Hieronym in Daniel 9. Antiquissimus S. Ierom vnderstood those prophesies of the destruction of Ierusalem to which they maruellously agree and to the raigne of Antichrist it is very vnlikely they should agree * See B. Downam de Antichristo part 2. ad Demonstrat 13 §. 5. c. K. Iames his Praemonition pag. 60. seqq But your men haue reason to keepe off this deadly blow from themselues and their head Note their shifts
first they would by no meanes suffer Babylon to signifie Rome but the text is so punctuall and plaine pointing out a City a City built on seuen hils a City that bare rule ouer the Kings of the earth that at last they grant it can be no other but Rome But see a second shift not Christian Rome but Heathen Rome vnto the persecuting Emperours long since gone Now when they are driuen from this also because the Text descrbes Rome as it must be nere the end of the world note their third shift It must be Rome onely three yeares and an halfe before the last day §. 10. Well howsoeuer yet you see it granted by you own men Rome must be the seat of Antichrist Who if hee be not come already from which Controuersie I will now spare you yet you cannot imagine but there must be preparations for his comming and entertainment I will not say with your owne S. Gregory Greg. lib. 4. epist 38. Rex superbiae prope est quod dici nefas est Sacerdotum ei est praeparatus exercitus The King of pride is at hand and an army of Priests is prepared for him Be it what it will there must be corruption both of life and doctrine to make way for his entertainment as your Ribera said before there must be new impieties and grieuous sins of Rome matching the old of the Emperours that must fore-runne the plagues of Antichrist and Romes destruction Take heed they haue not farre proceeded already I haue demonstrated vnto you already first that any particular Church may in time gather corruption erre yea and fall away Secondly that the Church of Rome is not excepted nor priuiledged from that calamity but contrarily thirdly that many threatnings warnings and prophesies therof are found in the Scriptures and fourthly further that Rome must bee the seat of Antichrist and fiftly that towards the end of the world which cannot be farre off and lastly that there must bee many corruptions and impieties that shall deserue and make preparation for his comming All which ought to abate your high conceit of the present Church of Rome and worke in you a more reuerend esteeme of our Church which hath reformed the abuses which we found in the Church of Rome CHAP. 3. Of the time when corruptions came into the Roman Church 1 A designation of the time when the corruptions first came into the Church required 2 often and often aswered 3 many crept in secretly and insensibly 4 as themselues acknowledge 5 best knowne by their difference from their first pure doctrine 6. The Romans cannot find the beginnings of our doctrines on this side the Scriptures 7 We can and doe many of theirs 8 No Church in the world held the now Romish doctrines but onely the Romish Church it selfe in these later times §. 1. Antiquus SInce you impute so many errours and abuses to the Church of Rome which you pretend to haue reformed Tell me when those corruptions came into that Church which you confesse was once and a long time the true sincere and famous Church of God For no such foule matters so grosse and intollerable can enter into such a famous Church without being noted in Histories Bellar. de notis ecclesiae lib. 4. cap. 5. and opposed by godly learned men Shew me therefore when these corruptions came in and changed the Roman faith in what Age vnder what Pope by what men and meanes and with what relâ—ctation or opposition of the godly learned For if no such time can be shewed I shall neuer beleeue there were any such thing §. 2. Antiquissimus This is another point of your ench ntment indeed Your Masters politikely stand vpon generals to discredit our reformation which in particulars they cannot disproue Among which generals this is as it seemes their great Goliah brought into the field so oft to terrifie all our troops at once To omit your forraigne Iesuites a Bellar. De Euchar lib. 3. cap. 8 Bellarmine b Costerus epist ad Apolog. Costerus c Greg. de Valent lib. 6. cap. 12. Gregorius de Valentia c. your English are enow The Author of The briefe discourse of Faith which is answered by D. Iohn White and Mr. Anthony Wootton bringeth it in in his 50 Section as d Camp ratione 7. Campian their great Champion had done before him which being foyled by our men in their answeres yet is brought in againe by A. D. his Reply in his 57 Chapter and foyled againe by D. White Defence pag. 519 c. Lately brought in againe by a Iesuite in Ireland in his Challenge and ouerthrowne by D. Vsher B. of Meath in the beginning of his Answer D. Kellison Suruay lib. 2. c. p. 163. 1. And still is brought in againe and againe without measure or end as if it had neuer been answered before And most lately by M. Fisher the Iesuite at least foure seuerall times in his little booke written to our late Gracious King James of famous memory which B. Francis White hath fully answered in euery of the places e D. White pag. 116. 131 143. 255 c. Out of all whose answers and Doctor Fauours Booke entituled Antiquity triumphing ouer Nouelty f D. Favour pag. cap. 17. and many others I will giue you some short satisfaction wishing you at your leasure to reade the Authors themselues at large §. 3. Your argument presupposeth that errours and abuses came into the Church full strong and at once See also D. Field Church lib. 3. cap. B. Morton Appeal lib. 4. cap. 16. So that their very entrance must needes be apparant visible obseruable and therefore strongly opposed by learned and good men and described in Histories whereas indeed the most of them crept in secretly insensibly and were not observed of a long time Saint Paul calleth the great desertion and Apostacy The Mystery of Iniquity g 2 Thes 2.7 Which the ordinary glosse thereupon saith is Iniquitas Sed mystica id est pietatis nomine palliata an iniquity indeed but mysticall that is cloaked vnder the name of piety A mystery worketh not openly but secretly not at once but by little and little and then getteth greatest aduantage when it is least obserued and suspected It is first a Mystery and creepeth in secretly before it be a History obserued and described In Common-wealthes it is ordinary for things of obscure and vnsensible beginnings to worke sensible and notorious changes in the end so that the wisest shall not so easily finde out the first entrance as the simplest may see and feele the grosse and dangerous euents in the end As Plutarch obserueth in the life of Caesar and in the life of Coriolanus he tels how the corruption of the people by bribes and banquetting entred into the old Roman Common-wealth This Pestilence saith he crept in by little and little and did secretly win ground stil continuing a long
the Roman Church as you pretend how chance they were suffered to continue and grow and neuer spoken or written against nor reformation sought for till Luthers time but that glorious Church enioyed perpetuall vnity peace and quietnesse till he disturbed it yea and all Historians Fathers Councels learned men and Princes ceased nor continually to praise and glorifie the vnity sanctity and excellency of that Church as Mr. Campian alleadgeth in most of his reasons Antiquissimus See B. White against Fisher pag 107 108 109. You are very much deceiued with your vainly boasting Champion there was in euery Age much speaking and writing against the abuses of that Church both by the whole Easterne or Greeke Church which long agone forsooke the vnity of the Roman Church being neither able to reforme the corruptions thereof nor to endure them and by many Fathers of the Westerne Church that did oppose them and Historians that detected and detested them and many thousands in these Westerne parts that would not liue vnder the obedience of the Pope and his Clergie nor admit their Doctrines Besides many other learned men also liuing in the Community of the Church of Rome which yet wrote against many abuses thereof wishing and desiring reformation Antiquus If this be so I haue been wonderfully abused being made beleeue the iust contrary Antiquissimus Then I perceiue it is necessary to handle this point thorowly both to satisfie you with sufficiency and to cloy them with superfluity who told you that nothing could be brought against them CHAP. 4. Corruptions in the Church of Rome seene written against and reformation wished for them An historicall Narration 1 of the first age of the Church golden but 2 afterwards peeped vp some seedes of corruption misliked of many in the East South and West Churches 3 A foule matter of three Popes alledging a counterfet Canon of Nice for their Iurisdiction which the whole Church of Africa withstood 4 Gregory the Great wrote sharpely against the Titles which now the Popes vse 5 B.B. of the East France Germany and Britany opposed the Pope about Images Councels against Councels 6 Many thought Antichrist now borne Constantines Donation and the decretall Epistles now first seene 7 A deluge of wickednesse in the ninth and tenth Ages as Bellarmine Baronius Genebrard c. record 8 After a thousand yeares greater inundations of euils Siluester 2. Benedict 9. a childe of ten yeares old then Cardinals arose 9 The Sultan subdueth many Christian Countries in the East the Clergy most wicked in the West Letters from Hell to them Anti-Popes and Anti-Caesars Rebellion made piety Hildibrands Dictates foundations of a new earthly Church Kingdome 10 The Testimony of Onuphrius that Gregory 7 was the first raiser of the Popes Princedome Many Historians speake of his diuellishnesse 11 Campians Historians reiected by his owne fellowes 12 Graue Diuines against Romish corruptions Bernard Sarisburiensis Grosthead Occam Cesenas Clemangis Gerson Caremacensis Valla c 13 These and many others wrote against the corruptions of Doctrine Schoolemens philosophicall Diuinity Doctrine framed to maintaine wealth and greatnesse 14 Particular Doctrines wherein learned men differed from the Popes faction 15 Oxford alone afforded many learned men opposing Romish corruptions 16 Reformation was sought for and promised by the Pope but could not be obtained §. 1. TO shew how corruptions crept into the Church of Rome were seene and written against as they were discouered from time to time I must become altogether historicall and not Write mine owne words but other mens and as the times be many and matters various so will my Narration be long although I will endeuour all possible breuity that may not hinder perspicuity And first I will gâ—ue you as it were a Table of what our leaâ—ned and laborious Bishop Vsher hath written compendiously also out of many braue Authors to this point but in this Table I will insert other briefe memorials remarkeable out of other Authors Perer in Apoc. c. 6. disp 6. See B. Vsher de ecclesiarum successione statu cap. 1. v. Casabon Proleg Hegâ—sippus apud Euseb lib. 3. hist cap. 32. vel in alijs editionibus cap. 29. Niceph. lib. 3. cap. 16. Lactant. lib. 5. institutionum cap. 2. Euseb hist lib. 8. cap. 1. Hieronym in vita Malchi Cyril Hierosol cateches 15. Man tuan in vita Blasij lib. 2. The first hundred yeares of the Church was a golden Age saith your Pererius but when the Apostles and they that heard them were gone errours and abuses began to take root through Heretikes Philosophers and Diuines giuen ouer to too much daintinesse and ambition and degenerating by the corruptions which peace and plenty bred amongst them as Hegesippus relateth and as Lactantius Eusebius S. Jerom Cyrill and your Mantuan complaine So that Gregorius Magnus about 600 yeares after Christ compared the Church to a decayed and putrifying ship and A gebardus Bishop of Lyons after him saith If the ship of the Church waxed rotteÌ„ then alas alas what doth it now §. 2. It is recorded that euen some good Bishops of Rome Euseb lib. 5. cap. 23. Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 21. holy men and Martyrs liuing in the second hundred yeares after our Sauiour out of a desire to aduance their Sea went somewhat too farre to impose ceremonies vpon other Churches as Anicetus for the celebration of Easter who yet was quickly quieted by the good counsell of Polycarp who made a iourney to Rome to that end and was greatly honoured by Anicetus Euseb ibid. B. Morton Appeal lib. 4. c. 7. Not long after Victor grew somewhat too violent about the same matter and excommunicated the Easterne Churches for their difference from the Westerne in the celebration of Easter but he was sharply reproued by Polycrates See B. Carlton Iurisdiction cap. 4. §. 19 20 21. c. Bishop of Ephesus and the other Bishops of the East and also by Jrenaeus Bishop of Lyons in France and the other Bishops there whereby it may appeare that the B. of Rome began euen then to vsurpe or challenge a Iurisdiction which neither the Bishops of the East or West did acknowledge They all honoured the Bishops of Rome as Bishops of the chiefe City the seat of the Empire and for their holinesse and vertue and gaue them great and honourable Titles but yet not greater then we gaue to holy Bishops Saint Basil writes to S. Ambrose saying Basil epist 55. that he holds the sterne of that great and famous Ship the Church of God and that God had placed him in the primary and chiefe seat of the Apostles Inter epistola Cypriani See more in B. Caâ—lton ibid. §. 22. Cyprian lib. 1. epist 3. pag. 12. pag. 22. in alijs editionibus epist 55. See Cyprians epistles Bellar. de Pont. Rom. lib. 4. cap. 7. S. Ierom writing to S. Augustine in some Epistles stiles him Papa a Title now appropriate to the Bishop of Rome and and the
anno 1074. as Sigebertus Gemblacensis and Lambertus Schasuaburgensis beside many other report at large and with much detestation See the story of this Hildibrand hereafter This Hildebrand laid the foundation of Papisme or the Popes greatnesse and was exceedingly opposed by the Bishops of Germany and France and the greatest number of Jtalians condemning his wicked doctrine and courses as did also the common people calling the Pope Antichrist that trode vnder foot all Lawes Vsher ib. §. 18 2â— c. Avent lib. 5. Annal. aedit â—ngolst anno â—â—54 pag. 573. 574. humane and diuine and vnder the title of Christ d d the businesse of Antichrist absoluing men not from sinne but from the Lawes of God filling the world with warres seditions rauishments periuries murders fire and robberies corrupting Histories to couer and maintaine his ambition yea adulterating the holy Scriptures with false interpretations to serue his lusts This inexpiable wickednesse this mischiefe neuer before heard of in the world ought to be cut off by the Emperours sword the Wolfe raging in the Sheeps skinne ought to be taken out of the world c. This and much more as Aventine reporteth Plerique tum priuatim publice clamitant At that time therefore the greatest part of the world Princes Bishops and people cryed out for reformation of intollerable corruptions crept into the Church §. 11. Antiquus You and your Authors reckon vp obscure Historians but the most approued writers of Church-Histories are wholly for vs such as our Martyr Campian reckoneth vp in his seuenth Reason Eusebius Damasus Hieronymus Ruffinus Orosius Socrates Sozomenus Theodoretus Cassiodorus Gregorius Turonensis Vsuordus Regino Marianus Sigeberius Zonaras Cedrenus Nicephorus These are wholly in the praise of our Church Antiquissimus I answer you manifoldly First I haue cited many of these speaking against the manifold corruptions of your Church in their owne times Secondly the more ancient of these which Campian reckons could not speake against the corruptions which were not brought into the Church vntill after their times Thirdly the latest of these might well be parties with you as maintained by you to like the things vsuall in their times and yet many of them could not hold but grauely reproued the nouell corruptions of their times See B. Mortons Apologia Cathol part 2. l. 2 c. 9. And lastly I say Campian wrote vntruely and vnsoundly making a glorious flourish that all these Historians were wholly for your praises when as yet your owne Writers do ordinarily reiect them as writing against you As for example Eusebius in reiecting and refelling of whose History Gelasius hath vsed great wisedome saith our Bishop Canus a Canus loc theol lib. 11. cap. 6. pag 659. And your Cardinall Bellarmine saith To Irenaeus Tertullian Eusebius and Luther I answer Omnes manifesti haeretici sunt They are all manifest Hereticks b Bâ—lâ—aâ— de Christo l. 1. cap 9. pag. 104. Hieronymus He is not the rule of the Church a bold and a bald scoffe in iudging of the Canonicall Scriptures saith your Canus c Canus loc com lib. 2. p. 7◠§. secundum quoque Ruffinus He knew not the traditions of the Fathers saith Canus d Canus ibid. §. nam ad primum Damasus Sophrnoius Simeon Metaphrastes when they crosse the now Romish tenets they little moue me saith Bellarmine e Bellar. de Rom. pontif lib. 2 cap. 5. §. neque multum me movet Marianus Scotus secum ipse cum veritate pugnat saith Bellarmine f Bellar. ibid. §. quocirca sasciculum temporum passionale merito contemnimus he plainly crosseth himselfe and the truth and therefore we iustly contemne his Fasciculus temporum and his Passionale Sigebert he was a follower or fauourer of Henry the fourth and therefore tooke things wrong saith Bellarmine g Bellar. ib. lib. 4. cap. 13. §. Respondeo Sigebertum Sigebert and Marianus Scotus we know well enough they are corrupt Authors saith Bellarmine h Bellar. ib. lib. 3. cap. 24. § quod autem Socrates He was a Nouatian Hereticke his testimony in dogmaticall points is of no moment saith Bellarmine i Bellar. de cultu Sanctorum lib. 3. cap. 10. § adde vltimò Sozomenus multa mentitur he lies in many things saith your Iesuite Valentinianus k Valent. de caelibatu cap. 6. § primo quia Sozomenus also Socrates and Sozomenus are not worthy of credit In the story of Paphnutius Valent ib. l Valent. ib. And Sozomens History is Reprobata a Gregorio quia multa mentitur saith Bellarmine m Bellar. lib. 1. de clericis cap. 20. § at quod concil Thus the Historians of greatest note which your Campian alledgeth are by Campians Fellowes and Masters reiected refelled or refuted condemned for Heretickes scoffed at not regarded counted lyers mistaken and erronious corrupted Hereticks vnworthy of credit c. Antiquus Indeed I cannot but wonder at it that they should be thus in generall applauded and in particulars reiected Antiquissimus And so the world both in generall and particular deluded For obserue here by the way First If these Histories be true which haue recorded many grieuous corruptions crept into your Church with the worlds wonder and detestation of them how haue you been deluded and perswaded of the vnity sincerity and glory of that Church neuer spoken against by any before Luthers time but that all Writers and Histories spake in high commendation thereof which you see they doe not Secondly If the Histories be false or doubtfull how can you appeale to them for a true description of the succession propagation doctrine traditions or customes of the Church to shew the sincerity and truth thereof which you more vrge and more leane vpon then vpon the Scriptures §. 12. Antiquus Well then to let these histories passe See these things more at large in B. vsher ib. cap. 7. §. 5. shew me some learned Iudicious Diuines that haue written against the errours and corruptions by you ascribed to the Church of Rome Antiquissimus Take good Saint Bernard for one who liued about the yere 1130. Bernard in Cantio serâ—â— 33. wo be vnto this generation saith he for the leauen of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie if yet that may be called hypocrisie which for the abundance cannot and for the Impudence desires not to be hid Omnes amici omnes inimici omnes necessarij omnes adversarij omnes domestici nulli pacifici omnes proximi omnes quae sua sunt quaerunt Ministri Christi sunt seruiunt Antichristo All friends and yet all are enemies all necessaries and yet all aduersaries all of an houshold yet none peaceable all neighbours yet euery one seekes his owne the Ministers of Christ but they serue Antichrist And afterwards Superest vt de medio fiat daemonium meridianum c. It remaineth that the Meridian Deuill the bold deuill that walkes at noone or at
mid-day in the open light come to deceiue the residue that still are in Christ persisting in their simplicity For he hath supped vp the riuers of wise men and torrents of powerfull men Iob 40.23 and hath hope that Jordan will run in his mouth that is The humble and simple that are in the Church For he is Antechrist which counterfetteth himselfe to be not onely the day 2 Thess 2.4 8. but the midday and extols himselfe aboue all that is worshipped as God whom the Lord Iesus will slay with the breath of his mouth and destroy in the appearing of his comming Bern. in Psal 90. vel 91. ser 6. This conclusion also he repeats writing vpon the Psalme Qui habitat Superest vt reueletur homo peccati c. It remaineth that the Man of sinne be reuealed the sonne of perdition Daemonium non modo diurnum sed meridianum quod non solum transfiguratur in Angelum lucis sed extollitur super omne quod dictur Deus aut quod colitur c. Bern. serm 1. in convers Pauli And elsewhere Saint Bernard makes his complaint to God O God thy neere friends come neere to stand against thee The whole Vniueâ—sity of Christian people from the least to the greatest seeme to haue conspired against thee From the sole of the feet to the crowne of the head there is no soundnesse Iniquity is gone out from the elder Iudges thy Vicars Of Bernard see more in D. â—â—eld Appendix to the fift booke of the Church part 1. pag. 88 89. which seem to rule thy people and now we cannot say such people such Priest for the people are not so as the Priest Alas alas O Lord God those are the first chiefe in persecution who seeme to loue and beare the first and chiefe place in thy Church c. Johannes Sarisburiensis told Hadrian the fourth Joh Sarisbur in Policratic lib. 6. cap. 24. plainly what the world thought of him and his Prelats that the Roman Church shewed her selfe not a mother but a step mother to all other Churches For in it sit the Scribes and Pharises laying importable burdens vpon mens shoulders which themselues will not touch with one finger They hurt very oft and herein they follow the Deuils which then are thought to doe good when they cease to doe harme except a very few who performe the name and office of Pastors Sed ipse Romanus Pontifex omnibus grauis fere intolerabilis est that is euen the Bishop of Rome himselfe is grieuous to all and almost intollerable Aliacus de Reformatione Ecclesiae Caesarius Heisterbach hist lib. 2. cap. 29. These times were euill the succeeding much worse Of which Petrus de Aliaco Cardinall of Cambray said It was a prouerbe in his time Ad hunc statum venit Romana ecclesia vt non esset digna regi nisi per reprobos The Church of Rome was come to that state that it was not worthy to be gouerned but onely by Reprobates Robert Grosthead Matth. Paris in Henric. 3. See this History abridged in D. Field church appendix part 1. pag. 97. B. Carlton Iurisd cap. 8. §. 111. a very learned and holy Bishop of Lincolne liuing anno 1140. wrote sharpely to the Pope for the euils he did specially in England that he was opposite to Christ a murderer of soules and an Hereticke in these his courses c. Vpon receit of which letters the Pope was exceedingly moued threatning to cast downe this Bishop into the pit of all confusion but was pâ—câ—fied by the more moderate Cardinals telling him of this Bishops holinesse learning reputation and since there must be a departure from their Church the medling with such an excellent man might occasion it the things which he proued being full and manifest Archb. Abboâ— contra Hill reason 1. §. 28. William Ockam an Englishman a great Schooleman liuing anno 1320. for his large reproofe of the Papacy in many points in his bookes he was excommunicated by the pope and dyed willingly vnder that sentence Catalog testium verit lib 18. D. Field ch l. 3. c. 11. He cryed out of peruerting Scriptures Fathers and Canons of the Church with shamelesse and Harlots foreheads and that many that should be pillars of the Church did cast themselues headlong into the pit of Heresies See B. Carlton Iurisdiction cap. 1. §. 11. Michael Cesenas liued anno 1320. he was generall of the Order of the Minorites he wrote against three constitutions of Pope Iohn 22. and was by Iohn depriued and disabled from taking any other dignity but Cesena appealed from the Pope as from the head of faction in the Church to the Roman Catholicke and Apostolicke Church and was fauoured therein by Ockam and many famous learned men and by the two Vniuersities of Oxford and Paris Nicholas Clemangis Archidiaconus Baiocensis liuing anno 1417. in his booke De corupto Ecclesiae statu writes very sharpely against the Popes ambition and couetousnesse preying vpon all Churches and bringing them into miserable slauery and against the stately Cardinals and other vices of the Clergy Gerson lib. de concil o vnius obedientiae and in many other bookes John Gerson Chancellor of Paris anno 1429. writes the like wishing that all things should be reformed and brought backe to their ancient state in or neere the Apostles times Of Gersons doctrine see D. Field Appendix to the fifth booke of the Church part 2. p. 73. seq Petrus de Aliaco Cardinalis Cameracensis liuing about the same time wrote to the Councell of Constance a booke wherin he reprooueth many notable abuses of the Romanists and giueth aduice how to redresse them Arch. Abbot ibid. §. 13. Laurentius Valla a Patricias of Rome and Canon of Saint Iohns of Lateran liuing about the same time wrote against the forged Donation of Constantine and many abuses of the Pope and was by the Pope driuen into exile I might here speake of Leonardus Aretinus Antonius Cornelius Lynnichanus and diuers other writers reprouing the same things §. 13. Antiquus Let them alone for these whom you haue alledged speake not of any false doctrines of the Church of Rome but onely against the wicked liues of the Professors Antiquissimus Yes against both and especially because they laboured by false doctrine to iustifie their doings and therefore they write not onely against the Pope but against the Papacy the very office that challenged a right to doe such things as the Pope and his Clergy did The two Cardinals Cameracensis and Cusanus Camer in his booke to the Councell of Constance Cusanus Concord Cathol lib. 2. wholly condemned the Papacy as we do denying the Popes vniuersality of Iurisdiction vncontroulable power infallible iudgement and right to meddle with Princes states making him nothing but the first Bishop in order and honour amongst the Bishops of the Christian Church And this claimed power of the Pope
priests onely Cassander writes and Micrologus Cassander praefat ord Romani Microl. de officio Missae cap. 19. Clicthâ—veus on the Canon of the Masse cited by Cassander ibidem and Clicthoveus among many others Circumgestation saith Cassander is contrary to the manner of the Ancients Cassander consult art 22. Feild quo supra for they admitted none to the fight of the Sacrament but the partakers and therefore the rest were bidden depart Crautzius praiseth Cusanus who being the popes Legat in Germany tooke away his Circumgestation vnlesse it were within the Octaues of Corpus Christi day The Sacrament being instituted for vse and not for ostentation Touching the honour of Saints Gerson and Contarenus Gerson de Directione cordis consider 16. sequent Contarenus in confut artic Lutheri and many others reprehend sundry superstitious obseruations and wish they were wisely abolished Whether the Saints in heauen doe particularly know our estate and heare our cryes and grones not onely Saint Augustine August de cura pro mortuis Glossa in Esay 63 Hugo Erudit Theolog. de sacram fidei lib. 2. part 16. cap. 11. and the Author of the Interlineall glosse But Hugo de Sancto victore tels vs it is altogether vncertaine and cannot be knowne So that though in generality they pray for vs or rather for all the Church on earth yet we may not safely and with faith pray to them That in the primitiue Church publike prayers were celebrated in the vulgar tongue Lyra confesseth Lyra in 1. Cor. 14 Caietan in respons ad Articulos Parisienseâ— and Caietan professeth that he thinketh it would bee more for edification if they were so now And he confirmeth his opinion out of Saint Paul Saint Bernard wrote diuers things concerning the now Romish Doctrine touching speciall faith imperfection and impurity of inherent righteousnesse merits power of freewill the conception of the blessed Virgin and the keeping of the feast of her conception a See D. Field Appendix to the fift booke of the Church part 1. pag. 89. Bernard serm 5. de verb. Esaiae All our righteousnesse saith he is as the polluted rags of a menstruous woman b Serm. 1. de Annunciat We must beleeue particularly that all our sinnes are remitted vs. c Tract de gratia lib. arb in fine Our workes are via regni not causa regnandi they are the way that leadeth to the kingdome but no cause why we raigne d Epist 175. ad Canonicos Lugd. The blessed Virgin was conceiued in sin and the feast of her conception ought not to be kept So that what errours and abuses we haue amended in our reformed Churches those the learned men of former Ages haue espied and haue written against them and we haue made no other Reformation then they heartily desired For conclusion of this point see what a number of famous men writing and preaching against the corruptions of Rome One Vniuersity afforded and thereby gesse what the world did §. 15. Gabriel Powel de Antichristo Edit Lond. 1605. reckons these Oxford men amongst many others in his Preface 1 King Alfred Founder of Oxford Vniuersity would not haue his people ignorant of Scriptures or bard the reading thereof Anno 880 Capgrav cataloge Sanct Angliae Polydor. Virg hist Ang. lib. 5. Baleus 2 Joannes Patricius Erigena a Brittan first Reader in Oxford ordained by the King wrote a booke of the Eucharist agreeable to Bertrams and condemned after by the Pope in Vercellensi Synodo And he Martyred for it anno 884. Philip. in Chron. lib. 4. sub Henr. 4 Baleus cent 2. cap 24. 3 Some Diuines at Oxford were burnt in the face and banished for saying the Church of Rome was the Whore of Babylon Monkery a stinking carrion their vowes toyes and nurses of Sodome Purgatories Masses dedications of Temples worship of Saints c. inuentions of the Deuill anno 960. Matth. Paris lib. 4. Guido Perpin de haeresib Baleus cent 2. 4 Arnulph or Arnold an English preacher a Monke of Oxford for preaching bitterly against Prelats and Priests wicked liues and corruptions cruelly butchered anno 1126. but saith Platina greatly commended by the Roman Nobility for a true seruant of Christ Bale cent 2. cap. 70. 5 Joannes Sarisburiensis anglus Oxoniensis theologus Episcopus Carnotensis beloued of the Popes Engenius 3. and Hadrian 4. wrote against the abuses of Clergy and Bishops in Objurgatorie Cleri in Polycratico he saith The Scribes and Pharises sit in the Roman Church laying importable burdens on mens shoulders The Pope is grieuous to all and almost intollerable Ita debacchantur ejus legati ac si ad ecclesiam flagellandam egressus sit Satan a facâ—e domini and he that dissents from their doctrine is iudged an Hereticke or a Schismaticke c. 1140. Sarisburien Polycr lib. 5. cap. 16. lib. 6. cap. 24. 6 Gualo Professor of Mathematicks in Oxford much praised of Sarish in Polycrat wrote inuectiues against Priests of the Monkish profession their luxuries pompes and impostures anno 1170. Bale cent 3. cap. 15. 7 Gilbert Foliot Doctor of Diuinity in Oxford Bishop first of Hereford and after of London perswaded King Henry 2 after the example of Jehoshaphat and other Kings to keepe the Clergy in subiection and oft resisted and blamed Tho. Becket to his face 1170. Bale ib. cap. 7. 8 Syluester Gyrald Archdeacon Meneuensis beloued of Hen. 2 and Iohn King of England wrote a booke of the Monks Cistertians naughtinesse c. 1200. â—eland catalogo virorum illustrium Bale cent 3 cap. 59. 9 Alexander a Diuine of Oxford sent by King John to defend his authority against the Pope which he did by reasons and Scriptures and wrote against the Popes power and temporall Dominion He was banished by Langton Bishop of Canterbury and dyed in exile he liued anno 1207. when King Iohn banished 64. Monkes of Canterbury for contumary breaking his commandement Bale cent 3 cap. 57. 10 Gualter Maxes Archdeacon of Oxford a famous man hauing been at Rome and seene the ambition of the Pope he set it out while he liued with most vehement satyricall criminations He wrote a booke called The Reuelation of the Romish Goliah and diuers others of the enormity of the Clergy lamentation ouer Bishops and against the Pope the Roman Court the euils of Monkes c. he flourished anno 1210. Siluester Gyrald in spec eccles lib. 3. c. 1. 14 Bale cent 3 cap. 61. 11 Robertus Capito Robert Grosthead Doctor of Diuinity in Oxford Bishop of Lincolne wrote against Prelats idlenesse and thundered against the Romish Court he modestly but yet publikely reproued the couetousnesse pride and manifold tyranny of Pope Innocent 4. He was excommunicated to the pit of hell and cited to come to their bloudy Court but he appealed from the Popes tyranny to the eternall tribunall of Iesus Christ and shortly after dyed anno 1253. The Priests that taught mens commandements and not
is the man that deliuers it If a Priest therefore teach it be it true be it false take it as Gods Oracle 2 Thess 2.4 What can Antichrist doe more wheÌ„ he sits in the Temple of God as God exalts himselfe aboue God but disgrace Gods Word set vp his owne make Gods Word speake what he list both it and the sense of it shall receiue authority from him His Lawes his Iudgement his Agents shall be receiued without examination And the holy Word of God which should be the rule of all true faith and good actions shall lose his place of leading and follow the Popes fancy By these grounds meanes and shifts all the seeking for reformation at the Popes and Romish Prelates hands was vtterly auoyded And the Roman Church as now it stands is the multitude of such onely as magnifie admire and adore the plenitude of Papall power and infallibility of iudgement and are so farre from Reformation of errours and corruptions formerly cryed against and by many of themselues confessed that they decree them now to be good impose them now as De fide points of faith and doctrines of the Church yea and persecute with curses fire and sword the discouerers reprouers and reformers thereof So that there was no possibility left to good and godly Princes and States and to true-hearted godly learned men but either against their knowledge and conscience to liue slaues to the vnsupportable tyranny and corruptions of the Pope or else to reforme these abuses euery one in their owne Countries and if the whole field of the Church could not be purged and dressed yet euery one to weed out of their owne Lanâ—s and Furlongs the Tares and filth that choked the good Corne. Thus I haue shewed you that errours and corruptions had crept into the once pure and famous Church of Rome and that they were noted and cryed out vpon by many Historians Learned men Bishops Doctors Princes and People and Reformation sought for many Ages before it could he performed And that neither Luther nor any other learned men nor Princes euer intended to erect a new Church but by reforming of the Abuses crept in to reduce the Church to her ancient purity Whereupon the Protestant Churches are truly called The Reformed Churches Antiquus Well sir shew me now the true difference betwixt your new reformed Churches and the Church of Rome as now it is How farre they agree and wherein they differ in some principall points Antiquissimus I will and the rather because some rayling Rabsaches of your side impudently say and print that The Protestants haue no Faith no Hope A namelesse Author be like ashamed to set to his name beginning his booke with these words The Protestants haue no Faith c. no Charitie no Repentance no Iustification no Church no Altar no Sacrifice no Priest no Religion no Christ I hope to make it apparant that we hold all the points of Faith necessary and sufficient to good life on earth and saluation in heauen and that you confesse wee hold them truely because you hold the same and we onely refuse your later needlesse and vnsound additions there unto CHAP. 5. The principall points of Doctrine wherin the Romish and the Reformed Churches agree and wherein they differ Protestants refuse the popes earthly Kingdome and maintaine Christs heauenly 1 A note of the chief-points of Christian Doctrine wherin the Protestants and Romanists fully agree shewing also the Romish additions therevnto 2 The Protestants doctrine in generall iustified by Cardinall Contarene Cardinall Campeggio and our Liturgy by Pope Pius 4. 3 But the Popes reach further at an earthly Church-kingdome and fourthly challenge a supremacy ouer all Christians and Churches in the world 5 More specially ouer the Cleargy exempting them from being subiects to Princes 6 Yea ouer all Christian princes and their states to depose dispose and transpose them and to absolue subiects from their alleageance to rebell c. 7 To dissolue Oathes Bonds and Leagues 8 To giue dispensations to contract or dissolue Matrimony 9 And other dispensations and exemptions from Lawes §. 1. Antiquissimus 1 WEe beleeue a Articles of the yeare 1562 art 1. one true God inuisible incorporeall immortall infinite in wisedome power goodnesse maker preseruer and gouernour of all things and that in the vnity of this God-head there be 3 persons of one substance coequall in wisedome goodnesse power eternity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost You beleeue the same But your exalting and adoring the Blessed Virgin whom we honour and reuerence so farre as we may any the most excellent creature in such sort as you entitle her a Goddesse b Lâ—…siâ—…s oftâ—…n â—…alâ—…er D am a 〈◊〉 siâ— in his 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 where the 〈…〉 and â—…tice Queene of Heauen c So Hortul aâ—i ae 117. b such wa tâ—e hâ—resie oâ— the Câ—llâ— dâ—â—â—s Vpip â—an â—er 79. and of the world d â—o Hort anime 154 b and make the like prayers to her as you doe to God e You call her soâ—ne Loâ—d her Lady him Sauiour her saluatrix him Mediator her Mediatresse him King hâ—r Quâ—enâ— him God her Goddesse As appeares in many of your prayers as saâ—â—â— Râ—gâ—â—â— â—â—ter misericordiae vita dulcedo salue And consolatio desolatorâ—m via eâ—â—antium sâ—â—as oâ—â—â—m in te sperantium In Offiâ—io B. Mariae Reformato iussu Fij 5. edito And in the Ladies Psalter wherin the words of honour and prayers are turned from God to hâ—r in places innumerable Psal 50. misâ—rere mei domina mundaâ—e ab â—â—â—ibus iniquitatibus meâ—s essâ—nde gratiam tuam super me Psal 89. Domina resugium faâ—ta es noâ—â—s in cuncâ—â— nâ—cessitatibus nostris Psal 2. protegat nos dextra tua mater dei euen with authority and command ouer her Sonne f As their owne Cassander confesseth consult art 21. they make Christ raigning in heauen yet subiect to his Motâ—er Monstra te esse Matrem In Bâ—eviâ—r Rom. officio B. Mariae reformat And Matris iâ—â—e impeâ—a Redemptori Missal Parisiens Dâ—reus to Whitaker fol. 352. saith This is not against Religion and as a partaker of the gouernment of his Kingdome g They assigne Iustice to Christ and Mercy to the Virgin As Gabriâ—â—l Bâ—eâ— in exposit Canoâ— Missae lect 80. saith Confuâ—imus primò ad b atissimam Virginâ—m caelorum reginam cui Rex Regum Pater caelestis dimidium â—egni sui dedit post Pater caelâ—stis cum hâ—beat institiam misericordiam tanqâ—am potioâ—a regni sui bona iustitiâ— sibâ— retenta misericordiam Matri Virgini concessit The like is written by many other of their learned men viri celebrâ—s saith Cassander consult art 21. The great learnâ—d â—esuite Gregorius de Valentia often sets Christ after his mother thus Gloriâ— deo B Virgâ—nâ— Mariâ— Doâ—inae nostiae Item Iesu Christo At the end of his Treatises De satisfact De Jdo olat De
would to God the forme of beleeuing were fetched from the Primitiue Church Thus saith Staâ—pulensis By which rule iustified by our Aduersaries we conclude that the holy Church of God need not receiue or beleeue any of those things following to wit Purgatory Inuocation of Saints departed worshipping of Images Auricular confession the Popes pardons Transubstantiation the Masse to be truely and properly a propitiatory sacrifice to be offered both for the quicke and the dead the Sacrament without Communicants and Communion vnder one kinde without the Cup to be sufficient for Lay people reseruation of the Sacrament and eleuation thereof to be worshipped and circumgestation in Procession for pompe and adoration Matrimony and extreme Vnction to be properly Sacraments of the New Testament and to conferre grace single life necessary to be imposed vpon the Clergy All which and more your Iesuite Azorius reckons for Traditions vnwritten p Azorius Institutionum lib 8. cap. 4. §. 3. seq Also that the Church of Rome is head of all â—hurches and that all Christians must fetch their Faith their Orders and iurisdiction from it that the Bishop thereof cannot erre in matters of faith or interpreting the Scriptures See more of this point Rainold Hart confer chap. 5. diuision 1. pag. 184 c. And chap. 8. divis 1. pag. 462. c. The Scriptures teach no such thing and therefore we need not beleeue it 5 We being constant to the former rule for the sufficiency of the Scriptures in matters of faith and good life further admit of some kind of Trad tions to wit first Doctrinall traditions agreeing with the Scriptures or thence truly deducted q Many Fathers call the whole Word of God which by some holy men guided by Gods Spirit was let downe in writing and by them also others deliuered to the people by liuely voyce A tradition which the Church must preseruâ— and also the forme of wholesome words Creeds Catechismes c. thence deducted 2 Tim. 1.13 Rom. 6 17. See Rain Hart. c. 8. d. 1. p 466 467. So the baptisme of Infants if not coÌ„manded in plaine words yet plainly deducted from Scripture Gen. 17.12 13. Col. 2.11 1â— Act. 2.38 39. Luke 18.16 Mar. 10.16 Mat. 19.14 18 14. 1 Cor. 7.14 Mat. 28.19 The doctrine of the Trinity the equality of three Diuine persons in one substance and the distinction by incommunicable proprieties Gen. 1.1 26. Mat. 3.16 Iob. 1.32 Mat. 17 5 28.29 2. Cor. 13.13 1 Iâ—b 5.7 Psal 2.7 Heb. â— 3 5. 7.3 Col. 1.15 The proceeding of the holy Gâ—ost from the Father and the Son as from one beginning and one spiration from all eternity Ioh. 14.26 15.26 16.13 14. Rom. 8.9 Secondly rituall traditions for order and decency left to the disposition of the Church being not of Diuine but of positiue and humane right r 1 Cor. 14.40 11.2 Acts 15 â—0 So they be not childish or trifling nor accounted parts of Gods worship nor with opinion of merit nor burthensome for their mâ—ltitude Å¿ Of the multitude S. Augustine complained in his time Epist 119. ad â—anuar c. 19. See D. Ram. Hart c. 8. div 4. p. 599. seq The first of these no man allowes and commends more then we and the second kind wee retaine and vse with reuerence such as are profitable and comely in our times and countries without condemning other Churches differing from ours in such matters as we find Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine did Aug. Epist 188. But a third kind of Traditions obtruded for Articles of Religion grounds of Faith and part of Gods worship neither contained expresly in Gods word nor thence deducted by any sound inference and yet receiued by the Councell of Trent Sess 4. with the same authority and reuerence that the holy Scriptures are receiued those we gainesay as things derogating to the verity sufficiency and perfection of the Scriptures And herein your Romish Writers deale fraudulenly against vs and deceiue the world for they alleadge the Fathers speaking of the first kind of Traditions as if they spake of all whereas indeed they write very strongly and sharply against this third kind which wee refuse Bishop Vsher in his booke against the Jrish Iesuite pag. 36. seq alleadgeth a whole Iury of ancient Fathers testifying the sufficiency of the Scriptures for matters of Faith Tertullian Origen Hippolitus the Martyr Athanasius Ambrose Hilary Basil Gregory Nissen Jerom Augustine Cyril Theodoret. So that the Traditions which they vrge we alow and those that we deny they write sharpely against The Fathers say your Rom sh are not of the Protestants Church because they vrge Traditions but wee say more truely The Fathers are not of the Romish Church because they teach the Scripture is sufficient and needs no Traditions to supply their defect as the Romish teach When Bellarmine and your other Doctors are pressed with the authority of the Fathers they are compelled to yeelâ— vnto vs the sufficiency of the Scriptures as I alleadged artic 4. but obserue their vnconstancy lest they should ouerthrow thereby the manifold doctrines held by their Church that haue no ground in the Scriptures they are faine to maintaine also vnwritten Traditions to bee the grounds of those Doctrines See more of this point in Mr. Perkins Reformed Catholicke the 7 point B. Morton Apol. Cathol part 2. lib. 1. cap. 32. seq And Protestants Appeal lib. 2. cap. 25. D. Field of the Church Booke B. Vsher in his answer to the Irish Iesuite Rainolds and Hart confer chap. 5. diuision 1. pag. 190. 6 We receiue and beleeue also the three Creeds The Apostles the Nicene and that of Athanasius t These are in our Bookes of publicke prayer and booke of Articles of anno 1562 art 8 and subscribed vnto by all Ministers and the foure generall Councels of the Primitiue Church as good formes of true Christian Doctrine deductions and explications of Scripture u Acknowleeged by King Iames in his Praemonitiâ—n to all Christian Monarâ—s p. 35. and by our Acts of Parliament You receiue the same also but you adde a thirteenth article decreed to be an article of Faith thirteene hundred yeares after Christ by a thirteenth Apostle Pope Boniface the eight x Boniface 8. liued an 13â—â— his Decree runs thus Subesse Romano Pontâ—fici omni humanae creaturae declaramus dicimus desinimus pronunciamus omnino esse de necessitate salutis Thus Boniface 8 in extrauag de majoritate obedientia cap. vnam santaâ— That it is necessary to saluation to be subiect to the Bishop of Rome which is neither in the Scriptures ancient Creeds nor ancient Fathers nor can be thence deducted And you haue further also dately added 12 new Articles by the authority of Pope Pius 4. anno 1564 raised out of the Councell of Trent and added to the Nicene Creed to be receiued with oath as the true Catholicke Faith to bee
faith must bee iustified to be true sound and liuely by the fruits thereof For whensoeuer God forgiueth sinne he giueth grace also to resist and mortifie sinne See Hookers Discourse of Iustification §. 21. At the first instant when we are conuerted and iustified we receiue the spirit of Adoption we are made members of Christ and our bodies temples of the Holy Ghost euen then we receiue habituall righteousnesse wherewith our soules are inwardly indued and if wee liue that habituall will bring forth actuall righteousnesse vpon all occasions mortifying sinne and beatifying all the parts and actions of our life All these are giuen together in the root we receiue them all at once 1 Cor. 6.11 Gal. 6.15 col 3.10 eph 4.4.23 2 Cor. 4.16 psal 51.10 hebr 9.14 1 pet 2.9 See Pâ—rkins Refor Cath point 21 The manifold vses of good workes they are inseparable and will shew their comforts inwardly in our hearts and their fruits outwardly in our liues which if a man doe not find in himselfe he can haue no hope of saluation 1 Cor. 6.9 10. 1 Iohn 3.8 1.6 Ezek. 18 13 21 22. Therefore we vrge mortification of sinne denying our lusts and affections and a holy resolution to serue God in all soundnesse purenesse integrity and sincerity of heart and a true care to keepe all Gods Commandements not in act onely but in heart too without swaruing at all vnder any colour dispensation interpretation or whatsoeuer We thinke your extenuating of some sinnes calling them veniall and extolling mens satisfactions more then themselues need that they may be applyed by indulgences to them that need and the slight pennances imposed by your Priests and reciting a few prayers that haue pardons annexed to them or pilgrimes to some Saints Images or Reliques be they true or false and many other your humane deuices are the very stranglers of true penance mortification of sinne and care of good life 16 We exhort vnto and vrge such good workes as God hath prescribed commanded and promised rewards vnto both of holinesse towards God subiection to our Magistrates iustice to men sobriety and cleannesse in our selues and workes of mercy to them that need c. You doe not you cannot mislike this but whereas you adde other workes out of your owne braines which God neuer commanded nay which crosse Gods Commandements * A man may forsake parents to become a Christian Mat. 10.37 ergo to become a Monk So Bellarmine râ—asoneth lib. 2 de monachis cap. 36. contrary to the Councell of Gangren cap. 16. that children may forsake their duty to Parents for vowes of deuised Religion subiects may rebell against their Princes yea depose and murder them at the Popes appointment and doe many such things those wee cannot but detest and abhorre 17 We beleeue that howsoeuer man hath power in naturall morall ciuill Artic. 10. 1562. M Perkins Reformed Cath. point 1. and Augusâ—in confess art 18. Bâ—llar teacheth the same De â—ra lib. aâ—â— lib. 4 cap. 4 seq lib. 5. cap. 14. seq lib. 6. cap. 1. c. and also outward Ecclesiasticall actions to doe them or not to doe them except God restraine him yet he hath no freewill power or ability to conuert himselfe truely to godlinesse to beleeue or to performe or will any meere spirituall inward or holy actions pleasing God vntill God first by his grace moue his heart to will and giue him ability to performe them Phil. 2.13 Your best learned men beleeue and teach so also But you haue many other idle questions needlesse yet hurtfull to the Church which your Cassander wisheth were abolished Cassander consult in articulo 18. Of this point of Freewill see a fuller discourse afterwards lib. 3. Of Freewill Hebr. 13.6 psal 19.11 pro 11.18 hebr 6.10 mat 10.41 42. Bellarmine confesseth this to be our doctrine lib. 5. de iustif cap. 1. So Bellarmine de Iustif lib. 5. cap. 17. § Iam. vero and Rhemists vpon 2 tim 4.8 and vpon hebr 6.10 18 We beleeue that the good works of a iustified person are acceptable to the Lord please him are rewarded of him and procure many excellent blessings from him This you beleeue also but whereas you adde that that they doe properly and condignly merit eternall life as an equall recompence and reward you teach contrary to the Scriptures and to the ancient Fathers and to many of your owne men Of this point also see hereafter lib. 3. Of Merit 19 We beleeue that our Lord hath instituted two Sacraments in his Church as seales of his Couenant with his people and Conduits of Iustifying grace to wit Baptisme and his holy Supper You beleeue the same but you adde fiue other Matrimony Penance Ordination We find two mentioned by the Fathers as properly called Sacraments Aug. epist 118. lib. 3 de doctrina Christiana cap. 8. Ambros lib. de Sacraâ—entis Iustin Martyr Apolog 2. Tertul lib. 4. contra Marc. cap. 34. Cyril Cateches See Kemnit examen part 2. desacram But of things called Sacraments vnproperly they speake of more then seuen But this is a nouelty not knowen or not obserued in the Church of more then a thousand yeares and not imposed in the Church of Rome to be necessarily beleeued but very lately See more of this in B. Mortons appeal lib. 2. cap. 26. sect 4 5. Confirmation and Extreme Vnction Of which also we acknowledge the Institution and vse onely we deny them the name and the nature of Sacraments Artic. 25. 1562. art 27 28. Perk. resorm Cath. point 19. 20 We beleeue that God hath so annexed grace vnto the Sacraments that all well prepared receiuers doe participate the Iustifying and sanctify ng grace as well as the outward Elements You beleeue so too but you adde that Sacraments haue this grace Ex opere operato A tic 29. 1562. â—1 We beleeue that in our Lorâ—s supper the worthy Communicant really partaketh Christs Body and Blood You beleeue the same we onely differ in the manner how we say spiritually with his soule you say with his mouth and stomacke the substance of the Bread and Wine being you say transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ So that you also beleeue that impious Men and Atheists yea Cats Dogs and Mice eating the bread doe eat the very body of Christ Our manner is enough for saluation and agreeable to antiquity yours is a nouelty and crosseth the analogy of faith Of this point see a large discourse hereafter lib. 3. cap. Of the Eucharist 22 We beleeue there are two places prepared for soules departed out of this life Heauen for the blessed Perkins Reformed Catholicke point 17. of Purgatory Hell for the damned You beleeue so likewise but you adde other places more Purgatory Limbus patrum and Limbus pucrorum Of this point see more hereafter lib. 3. cap. Of Purgatory c. 23 We beleeue that Iesus Christ hath satisfied for our sinnes
the pope fauoured the Fryers and curbed the Vniuersities priuiledges §. 5. See Vsherabidem During this contention at Paris The Fryers forged a new Gospell fitter it seemes for their purpose then Christs Gospell and called it the Gospell of the Holy Ghost and the euerlasting Gospell Evangelium aeternum labouring to make men beleeue it was more perfect better and worthier then the Gospell of Christ as the Sunne was more perfect then the Mooue and the kernell of a Nut better then the shell and that Christs Gospell should then cease and this should come in the roome of it and continue for euer And this Gospell continued 55 yeares without any open reprehension of the Church of Rome and at length was set forth to be openly read and expounded in the Vniuersity of Paris anno 1255. But it was opposed by some Parisian Doctors Gulielmus de Sancto amore O do de Duaco Nicholaus de Barro and Christianus Belluacensis who wrote against it and shewed the monstrous impieties and blasphemies of it After much contention finally the matter was brought before the pope anno 1256. who with aduice of his Cardinals tooke order that this Gospell and all the copies thereof should be secretly burned and not openly reprehended for disgracing their Orders and also that the Parisians bookes written against it should be publikely burned The popes Decree for this purpose is inserted in Bishop Vshers booke De successione Ecclesiarum cap. 9. § 28. Where also the whole story is set downe somewhat largely collected out of many approued Historians there cited ibid. § 20. seq By this story appeareth the little conscience these seeming holy Fryers made of the truth of their teaching §. 6. or of corrupting Gods Word or abrogating it or of teaching any thing that might serue for their purpose And these were the worthy men whom the Jnnocent pope made choyce of to vphold not Christs Church but the Papacy authorizing them to preach where and what they list without controule of any man for the maintenance thereof 3 And not onely to preach but to exercise the authority and power of a most cruell Inquisition Hos prosternamus deleamusque said Dominicâ— to Francis in vita Deminici yea made them the chiefe Inquisitors to search out and deliuer vp to death all those that gaine-said and withstood without yeelding vnto the Doctrine and gouernment of the Pope although otherwise they liued neuer so holily iustly and quietly which bloody office they executed with all diligence and cruelty §. 3. 4 About the same time also and out of their Schoole arose another Euill of vnprofitable and idle Sententiaries Questionists Summists Quodlibetists and such like 1 Tim. 6.4 fit men to corrupt the simplicity of the Gospell and fill mens heads with darke thorny and brawling disputes to languish about questions 2 Tim. 2 23. and strife of words and by too much subtilty making plaine things obscure losing the pith marrow and kernell of true Theology 1 Tim. 6.20 and bringing true sauing knowledge of good life to prophane and vaine ianglings and oppositions of science falsely so called For now was Theology made conformable to their rules of Philosophy and must haue no other sense then their fore-conceiued opinions allowed it and all other senses must be shifted of by subtile distinctions Viues in his notes vpon S. Augustine de civ Dei The Schoolemen saith Lodovicus Viues through ignorance of tongues haue not onely marred and smoothered a Lib. 3. cap. 31. all other Arts but b Lib 3. cap. 13. lib. 19. c. 12. Diuinity too and and haue c Lib. 11. c. 11. 14. Lib. 13. cap. 1. lib. 18. cap. 1. lib. 20. cap. 16. lib. 21 cap. 7. As D. Rainolds hath collected them in the Preface to his Conference with Mr. Hart. But these places are now purged out by Index Expurg in the later Prints prophaned it with their curiosity their vanity their folly their rashnesse in mouing and defining questions As Aristotelians rather then Christians and Heathen Philosophers then Schollers of the holy Ghost §. 4. When M. Luther had reproued the great abuse of Pardons Concil Trid sess 21. c. 9. anno 1517. and that so iustly that shortly after the Fathers of the Trent Councell vtterly abolished the pardoners as vntollerably scandalous to Christian people and thereby iustified Luthers beginning and proceeding Ignatius Loiola a Spaniard lately before a Courtier and a Souldier and now disabled by a wound in one of his legges thought vpon a better remedy against the enemies of the Popes soueraignty Genebrard lib. 4. chron then had been deuised before and in the yeare 1521. began a new order of Iesuites he obserued as he trauelled in many Countries and Vniuersities such rules and orders as best fitted his purpose Possevin Bibl. select lib. 1. cap. 38. and hauing ioyned ten other choice men to himselfe came to Rome anno 1540. to get his order confirmed by the Pope and by meanes of Cardinall Contarenus Massaeus Iesuita lib 2. c. 1 â— vit Ignatij Loiola offered the forme of his new order to the Pope wherein he had to the three vowes of other orders super added a fourth vow that the Iesuites should willingly and readily goe into any Countrey of Christians or Infidels whethersoeuer the Pope would send them for the affaires of Religion This the Pope greatly liked saying it would proue a notable helpe to the afflicted state of the Church Ribadeneira vit Igâ—at lib. 2. c. 18. Thus writes Mâ—ssaeus the Iesuite and another Iesuite Ribadineira saith God by singular prouidence sent Jgnatius to helpe his Church now when it was ready to fall They say Satan sent Luther and God sent the Iesuites to withstand him We say the contrary But let it be iudged by the purport of their Doctrine who came from God â—nd who from the enemy They that teach disloyalty and rebellion against Kings and leade their people into Conspiracies and Treasons against States and Kingdomes to let all other points passe vntouched for the present let them be branded for the Emissaries of Satan This order then was first confirmed by Paul Azor. Institut moral lib. 13. cap. 7. 3. 1540 and againe 1543. and by Julius 3. 1550. also by Pius 5. 1565. and 1571. and lastly by Gregory 13. 1584. as Azorius the Iesuit writeth and sets downe the Confirmation at large But this order of Iesuites neuer came to the height till Gregory 13 his time when Claudius de Aqua viva was made their Generall Possevin Bibl. select l. 1. c. 39. Then was a proiect laide to build Colledges and Seminaries to traine vp yong men and make them fit instruments to maintaine the Papacy and Romish Church To that end sundry choice men were brought from diuers Countries Ioannes Azorius from Spaine Iasper Gonzales from Portugall Jacobus Tyrius from France Petrus Buseus from Austria Antonius
Guisanus from vpper Germany and Stephanus Tugius who remained at Rome All these of extraordinary learning and experience hauing bin Gouernors of Colledges or Schooles a long time in their seuerall Countries These were appointed by the Pope and Aqua viua to consult of the best manner of trayning vp yong men in the Seminaries They had consultations instructions and intelligences from other places a whole yeare together and doubtlesse concluded vpon the most politicke and likely course that humane wit could deuise to subdue the the world to their owne purposes Meane season there were entised or drawen out of diuers Nations by bookes published ee B. Bilson â—ifference of subiection and rebellion part 1. pag. 149. seq and other meanes many of the best wits such as wanted maintenance or had missed preferments in the Vniuersities or other places or were otherwise discontented or desirous of nouelties c. they were drawne by magnificall promises of preferment degrees honours imployment and most exquisite education in all manner of learning to come to the most bountifull Pope and receiue them And by this meanes shortly were furnished many Seminaries with Iesuite Gouernours and Readers and with plenty of hearers or students Seminarium Romanum Germanum Anglicum Graecum and Maronitanum or of the Inhabitants of Montlibanus to traine vp and make fit instruments in the shortest time to be sent againe into their Countries to put in practise the things they had learned and with all possible wit and diligence to recouer and restore the authority of the Roman Church where it was decayed and in all other places also to preuent such blowes and wounds as the Papacy had already otherwhere receiued To which purpose they had priuiledges contrary to other orders as times and occasions required to goe disguised not in Religious but Lay-mens habits like Gentlemen gallants or seruing-men Dialogue betweene a secular Priest a Gentleman pag. 90. One of their secular Priests reports that a Iesuite hath worne a Girdle Hangers and Rapier worth ten pounds a Ierkin worth as much and made himselfe three sutes of apparell in a yeare his horse furniture and apparell valued at an hundred pounds the better to insinuate into all Companies vnsuspected and creepe into their mindes with cunning perswasions ere they were aware and so goe forwards or fall off as hopes or feares should meete them And wheresoeuer they could finde or worke out entertainment they had priuiledges Buls and Faculties to heare Confessions to pardon sinnes to reconcile and receiue penitents into the bosome of the Church of Rome to instruct them that Princes not of the Catholicke Romish faith nor subiect to the pope were no Princes but had lost their authority rule gouernement and dominion their Officers no Officers their Lawes no Lawes their subiects were freed from obedience to them further then for feare or want of strength they might obey but when they had strength and power they might and ought by all meanes to put such Princes downe and set vp others such as the pope should like of That they should by no meanes come to the Protestant Churches or prayers but maintaine an irreconciliable hatred to all religious Acts and Doctrines of theirs seemed they neuer so good and as they should be able vtterly to extirpe them as people worse then Infidels And for their cunning and appearing sanctitie they became Confessors and Counsellours to Kings and Queenes and great personages and thrust themselues into counsels and actions of state gouernment intelligences and had such connexions amongst themselues as no kinde of men could goe beyond them in wit learning power or policy They nested themselues in places of best aduantage of Princes Courts chiefest Cities greatest men and where they could once place Seminaries or Colledges of their owne Society they made account that Countrey was their owne Their Colledges as it is obserued placed vpon the walles of Cities afforded them passage into the City or abroad into the world at pleasure to giue or receiue intelligence as occasion serued They haâ— their Generall at Româ— at the popes elbow as the aforesaide Claudius de Aqua viva and vnder him Prouincialles and Arch-priests in euery Countrey as George Blackwell Henry Garnet and after him George Bircot in England to giue order and directions to inferiour Iesuites and there to appoint them their limits and imployments call them to accouâ—t and send them when and whither they thought good And so erected a new Iesu ticall gouernment and clasped the Kingâ—ome as farre as was posâ—ible in their owne fists See the full discouâ—se hâ—re of in Mâ—â—â—â—to Gaâ—lobâ—lâ—iâ—o Daâ—tâ—cano anno 1607. pag. 67. It was wâ—ll discoursed to the Pâ—lonian Nobility assembled for Reformation of the troubles in the Land That the greatest enâ—mies to that other free estates were the Iesuites who had a Monarchicall policy fittest to mooue and act tyed to one head at Rome and tyed to their superiours in straitest forme of Obedience that the lower may not enquire into any no not the absurdest commands of the superiours but must yeeld ready obedience without knowing any reason of the equity or danger thereof Which blinde obedience hath brought forth many desperate audacious instruments and designes So that the Iesuites faction is a most agile sharpe sword whose blade is sheathed at pleasure in the bowels of euery Common-wealth but the handle reacheth to Rome and Spaine So that the very life death and fortunes of all Kings Magistrates and Common-wealthes hangs vpon the horoscope of the Iesuites pleasures If the Iesuites be as lucky starres in the ascendent and culminant they may liue continue and flourish if maleuolent they perish but that Deus dominabitur Astris §. 5. See Rainold Hart. confeâ— cap. 1. din. 6 â—p 382. The great estate and authority of Cardinals was an especiall meanes to aduance and vphold the Papacy after that the parishes grew so populous that there needed morâ— Priests and Deacons then one in euery Parish and Ward in Rome the principall was called the Cardinall priest and Cardinall Deacon Bellâ—r Apolog. conâ—â—a praesat mâ—â—â—ortum Iacob Regâ—s cap. 4. paâ— 34. 38 39 Ibid. pag. 337. conâ— Latâ—ran cap. 1. and this honourable name was in time also giuen to the chiefe Bishops neere vnto Rome they were also called Cardinall Bishops as the Bishop of Alba Tusculum Preneste Sabine Portuesse and Ostia And vntill the yeare 1180. they all Bishops Priests and Deacons liued on thâ—ir owne charge and discharged it in their owne persons though also as nearest often imployed in the popes affaires But by Alexander the third Cerem Eccle. Rom. lib. 1. 3. August Triumphus dâ— potest eccl q est 8. art 4. Antonin Sum. part 3. tit 21. cap. 1. § 2. Ceremoniar Rom eccl s lib. 1. sect 8 cap. 3. Some fetch a prophesie of Cardinals from Samâ—ch Mâ—ther 1 Sam 2.8 where hâ— saith Doâ—ini suâ—t cardines terrae posunt super
See you that loue the Pope so well what a blessing you would bring vpon the Land by restoring his authority which our forefathers counted a burden most vntollerable Antiquus Matthy Paris is noted to take too much delight in speaking euill of the Pope and Matthy of Westminster receiued his Narrations from him and both were too much affected to their owne Countrey Antiquissimus They were both of the Romish Religion the one a Monke of Saint Albones the other a Monke of Westminster Abbey both delighted to speake the truth and spake well of the Popes wherethey saw cause and related other Countries affaires with as vpright affections as their owne Paris saith that the iniustice impiety and dishonesty beare with these words they are his owne of the Court of Rome made the Greeke Church then to fall away and to oppose it selfe against the Roman and that shortly afterwards the Church of Antioch excommunicated the Pope and his Church for vsurping primacy ouer them and being also defiled with Simony Vsury Auarice and other hainous offences And we reade the same things plentifully deliuered in all forraigne Historians Nauclere Vrspergensis Krantzius Aventinus Schasuaburgensis Frisingensis Trithenius c. Vrspergensis in Chron. pag. 307. Abbas Vrspergensis at his being at Rome seeing among other infinite meanes and mines of wealth a great confluence of causes litigious about Bishops places and all other Ecclesiasticall dignities and Parish Churches out of all Countries running to the Court of Rome there to be decided Hee applaudes Rome with the Apostrophe Reioyce O Mother Rome for vnto thee are opened the Cataracts of treasures in the earth To thee runne the Riuers and mountaines of money in great plenty Be Jouiall for the iniquity of the sonnes of men c. thou hast that which thou alwayes thirstedst after Sing thy song that by the wickednesse of men not by thine owne Religion thou hast ouercome the world Men are drawne to thee not by their deuotion or pure conscience but by perpetrating manifold mischiefes and for decision of their Controuersies to thee most gainefull Antiquus Sir suppose all you haue alleadged be true for the substance will you condemne the wisdome policy and zeale of the Church or any members thereof for the vndiscreet managing of it by some particulars Is not wisedome policy power and zeale necessary to maintaine good Doctrine good gouernment and to winne soules and must not learned men and good gouernours bee maintained with wealth befitting their estate and dignity to keepe them from contempt and pouerty are not all these things necessary Antiquissimus Yes vndoubtedly very necessary and commendable but vnder colour of necessity you may not allow policies contrary to true piety and Gods Word such as I alleadged to wit The barring of the Scriptures from Gods people to keepe them in ignorance The disanulling of the Apostles ordinance of placing preachers resident in Cities and Townes subiect to Bishops Iurisdictions who may looke to their good life and sound doctrine and instead of them to allow and priuiledge ambulatory preachers to preach what they list mauger all Bishops and their Officers Yea to instill into the peoples mindes false doctrines treasonous and rebellious practises to the disturbance and destruction of Kingdomes and Common-wealthes who finde it best fishing in troubled waters and fish not for mens soules but for Kingdomes to subiugate all to the Dominion of Râ—me or Spaine nor the gathering of wealth by wrongs or oppressions to the vndoing of people and making the Religion of GOD to stinke in their nostrils as Helies wicked sonnes did 1 Samuel Chapter 2. verse 27. Wherefore the sinne of the young men was very great before the Lord for men abhorred the offering of the Lord. Antiquus Well Sir to let this passe If you describe these polices truely they are very potent those of the society of Iesus are very learned diligent zealous and constant to endure all labours paines and perils to winne men their policies and plots are so strongly layed constantly followed wisely managed and powerfully backed with the Pope and Cardinals yea with Kings Princes and States fauouring them or tyed to the Pope by some necessitudes that they are vnresistable and therefore you may doe well to yeeld to them in good time for such wisedome strength and policy will preuaile Antiquissimus Thinke not so Antiquus This arme of flesh be it neuer so strong is too weake for the arme of the Lord. Note what is written in the Reuelation cap. 17. verse 12 13 14. The ten hornes are ten Kings these haue one minde they giue their power and strength vnto the Beast these shall make warre with the Lambe but the Lambe shall ouercome them for he is the Lord of lords and King of kings And they that are with him are called and chosen and faithfull The power and policy of Babylon should not amate vs but animate vs. Chap. 2. sect 8. Reuel 18.9 to the chapters end Tu contra audentiùs ito For Babylon shal fall Reuelations chapter 18. verse 2. c. and Rome is that Babylon your men grant it as I haue shewed therefore Rome shall fall and her fall shall be wofull dolefull and irrecouerable The Kings and Merchants her friends shall bewayle her the world shall stand amazed and Gods people shall reioyce at her fall She must fall fully and finally and she hath begunne to fall already See History of the Councell of Trent pag. 4. euen when Pope Leo the tenth thought that state in greatest security then came an vnexpected blow from one contemned man Luther which shooke her foundations and since that time she hath shrunke continually and setled lower All the props of strength and policie haue not beene able to raise or hold her vp She hath all policies on her side the Protestants haue none but the plaine downe-right truth and ordinary teaching as Christ hath prescribed and yet that plaine truth hath preuailed against all her power and policies FINIS A IVSTIFICATION OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. 1. The first Chapter is a full discourse of the visibility of the Church and sheweth where the Church of the Protestants was before Luthers time This Chapter is large to giue the fuller satisfaction and for better perspicuity is diuided into foure Sections The first Section sheweth how visible the true Church ought to be The second sheweth that the Protestants Church hath euermore been so visible as the true Church of Christ ought to be in the ancient Primitiue Church Greeke and Easterne Church The third section deliuereth a sufficient historical discourse of the Waldenses prouing the point The fourth section sheweth that the Church of Rome excepting the Papacy and the maintainers thereof continued to be the true Church of God vntill Luthâ—rs â—â—me and was all one in substance with ours The first section is subdiuided into subsections and they into to many smaller Paragraffes noted thus § The first subsection
sheweth § 1. An obiected description of the excelâ—ency of the Church and a necessity of the perpetuall succession and visibility thereof § 2. That for a thousand yeares and more our Church was all one with the Roman § 3. After that corruptions grew intollerable in the Roman Church many yet misliked them and held the truth § 4. The whole Catholicke Church can neuer be visible to men at once but parts of it may and must § 5. The promises of purity and eternall life do not belong to all the called but to the few chosen which to men are invisible though their persons and profession be visible § 6. And this Bellarmine and many other Romanists yeeld §. 1. Antiquus YOu shew no wisedome in disgracing thus the Church of Rome for you must deriue your Church from it or else you haue no succession from the Apostles and consequently no Church at all and therefore no possibility of saluation You that so much glory in the Scriptures doe you not marke how the Scriptures describe the Church calling it a Ephe. 2.19 the City of our Lord b Ib. Hebr. 3.2 6. the house of God c Cantic 4.12 a Garden enclosed a spring shut vp a fountaine sealed d Psal 80.8 our Lords vineyard of his owne planting e 1 Tim. 3.15 the pillar of truth f Psal 27.13 the land of the liuing g Cantic 4.15 the fountaine of liuing waters h Eph. 6.25 c. the Spouse of Christ who gaue himselfe for it who sanctifieth and clenseth it and maketh it a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle that it may be holy and without blemish and to omit other titles i 1 Pet. 3.20 compares it to the Arke of Noe out of which there is no saluation from the deluge of sinne And to the end that by it all men may come to the knowledge of the truth and be saued it must be visible conspicuous and mounted aloft as a City vpon a hill k Mat. 5.14 seene of all the world shining to all the world so continuing to the end of the world with continuall succession of holy gouernment teaching administring the Sacraments without interruption For if it be hidden or inuisible any time how can it teach the people conuert Pagans dispence Sacraments glorifie God lead men to saluation Therefore the holy â—criptures describe this Church to be most ample conspicuous and not onely gracious but glorious l Psal 45.9 This Queene is all glorious in a vesture of gold wrought about with diuers colours to whom the daughter of Tyre and all Nations bring gifts signifying the magnificence of the Church gathered of all the Gentiles m Esay 2.2 3 4 18 20. cap. 49.5 6 7 23. 60.3 4 c. It is the holy mountaine of the Lord to which all Nations shall come and Kings and Queenes should come and doe homage vnto it n â—sal 72.8 c. Micah 4.1 Dauid magnifies this Church as extending from Sea to Sea and from the Riuer to the worlds end adding that the Aethiopians should fall downe before the great Messias the Kings of Tharshish and of the Iles should bring presents the Kings of Arabia of Saba should offer gifts yea all kings should fall downe before him and all Nations should serue him The Messias himselfe saith o Ioh. 12.31 32. Now shall the prince of this world be cast out and I if I be lifted vp from the earth will draw all men vnto me Meaning by his passion to draw all Nations of the world from heathenish Idolatry to become members of his holy Church Now instead of this conspicuous glorious Church you Protestants obtrude vnto vs an obscure latent invisible Church vnseen in the world for more then a thousand yeares or rather neuer seene before Luthers time But if these prophesies of the Scriptures concerning the glory and amplitude of the Church be true as they are most true then is the conspicuous Church of Rome the true Church and your so long latent visible Church the false §. 2. Antiquissimus The wisâ—dome which we vse is not grounâ—ed vpon vnsound policies but vpon standing to the sound truth which is great and will preuaile the disgraces of the Romish Hierarchy we either reade in your own Authors who write them necessario potiùs quam libenter as wrested from them by the truth rather then of any itching humour to disgrace it or wee obserue them with our owne eyes so manifest that they cannot be hid so bad that they cannot be excused The propheticall promises to the Church which you alledge wâ—th all reuerence we doe acknowledge and we confesse that within the first thousand yeares after Christ before â—atan was loosed Reuel 20.2 and 7 8. the most of them werâ— fulfilled and principally in the first ageâ— of thâ—t period when the Church was by the Apostles and their successors propagated to the Gentilâ—â— and plantâ—d in all Nations and while the Church of Rom tauâ—ht the same pure doctrine which we now doe and while your Church and ours and all other particular Churches in the world were one Catholike Church And although some errours and abuses began to creepe into the Church of Rome within that time and weâ—e by many espyed and reprooued yet were they not imputed to the whole Church of Rome but to a faction breeding in it Neither were they so great â—t so largely spred or so strongly defended or of such regard as to make any such breach or manifest sepâ—r tâ—on as in the following ages ensued So that in tâ—e firâ—â— thousand of yeares the holy prophesies by you alleaâ—geâ— make nothing more for your Church then ours â—otâ—ing more against our Church then against yoâ—rs yours and ours being then both one Church §. 3. Sâ—conâ—ly wee affirme that when the Church of Rome grew vntollerably corrupt by mens traditions and new inuâ—â—â—ions especially in the Hierarchy thereof there wanted not multitudes of good Christians both separated from the community thereof that followed their better teachers and professed still the pure ancient Doctrine and other multitudes also liuing in community with the vnsound Romish gouernours groning vnder their corruptions and longing for reformation which made a full sufficient visible Church to whom the propheticall promises belonged and in whom they were fulfilled so much as was intended by them Which that you may the better vnderstand Handled in this section consider first more thorowly the nature of the promises and state of the Church as it must be in these later ages and secondly the state of our Church fully agreeing thereunto and the state of yours disagreeing You that cannot endure to heare of any kind of invisibility of the Church Handled in the second section must of necessâ—ty admit of some kinde thereof or else you involue all in confused obscurity First if you take the Church for the whole Catholicke Church that is
vniuersall both in time and place §. 4. See Aug. in Psal 92. continued throughout all Ages and dispersed in all places in which sense onely the Church is Catholicke and one then it is a point of faâ—th and not of sight For it is visible totally at any one time or place to any mortall eyes Some part thereof being in Europe some in Asia some in Africa for place some part in heauen triumphant some on earth militant some not yet in the world for time We beleeue therefore that there is one Catholicke Church we see but a small part of it that is one vniuersall company of Christians spread ouer the whole earth and continuing from the Apostles times till the day of Iudgement part whereof is now in heauen part on earth and part yet to come called to be professors of Gods worship and partakers of his glory through Iesus Christ his sonne And though this whole company be neuer visible to men at once yet some parts thereof liuing vpon earth are alwayes visible to men by their persons and profession some at one time some at another some in one Countrey some in another as the Church of Jerusalem and of Antioch of Rome Corinth Galatia c. In the Apostles times the seuen Churches of Asia in S. Iohns time the Churches of England France and other Nations in our time §. 5. Secondly if you take the Church for the company of Christians liuing in any one particular Age and thereunto apply the propheticall promises you must admit a threefold distinction one of the parts of the Church another of the promises appliable to the seuerall parts and a third of the times wherein they are to be fulfilled For a D. VVhite Reply to Fisher pag. 52. most of the promises though in generall termes made to the Church in common to shew what the whole is in respect of Gods outward vocation or what the office and duty of the whole Church is yet doe appertaine formally and indeed onely to the better part of the common subiect As your owne Doctors teach b Cornel. de â—apide com Esa cap. 2. v. 4 Cum Deus aliquid Synagoga vel Ecclesiae permittit quamvis amplâ— vniuersal bus vâ—rbis â—â— tamen de bonis proba tantum qui saeâ—â—s amicitiam cum deo promittente paâ—iscente seruant intelligendum The Scriptures giue vs a distinction of the Called and Chosen saying Many be called but few chosen Mat. 20.16 The Called are the Professors and the Profâ—ssors saith your c Bellar. de Ecclesâ— militant lib. 3. cap. 2. §. nostra autem sententia Bellarmine are the members of the true Church though they be reprobi scelesti impij reprobates wicked and impious For saith he to be a member of the Church there is not necessarily required any inward vertues but onely outward profession But I hope you will not say that to this company in grosse these promises doe belong of purity vnspottednesse eternall life but onely to the better part thereof that is the Chosen that truely beleeue and holily liue according to Christs doctrine which company because who they are is onely knowne to God the discerner of the hearts and not to men who see onely their persons and profession but not their hearts may well be called in respect of men The invisible Church as visible to God onely The Holy Ghost describing the true members of the Church calls them such as should be saued Acts 2.47 The Lord added to the Church such as should be saued And this is the ordinary doctrine of d Aug. de Bapt. contra Donatisâ—as lib. 6. cap. 3. Auari raptores faencratores inuidi malevoli ad sanctam ecclesiam dei non pertinent quamvis esse videantur illa autem columba vnica pudica casta sponsa sine macula ruga hortus conclusus sons signatus paradisus cum fructu pomorum c. non intelligitur nisi de bonis sanctis iustis intimâ—m supereminentem spiritus sancti gratiam habentibus S. Augustine that true godly men such as shall be saued are the only heires of the promises the couetous rauenous vsurers enuious malevolous do not belong to the holy Church of God though they seeme to be in it That onely Doue that chaste and pure Spouse without spot or wrinkle that garden inclosed fountaine sealed paradise of Pomegranats c. is not vnderstood but of the good holy and iust such as haue the inward and supereminent grace of the holy spirit Thus Saint Augustine Againe e Aug. ib. lib. 7. cap. 51. he saith All things considered I thinke I shall not rashly say that some are so in the house of God that they are also the very house of God which is said to be built vpon a Rocke which is called his onely Doue his faire Spouse without spot or wrinckle c. for this is in the good faithfull The like De vnitate eccle cap. vlt. Epist 48. De Bapt. cort Donat. lib. 5. c. 27. in praesatione in Psal 47. De doctr Christiana lib. 3. cap. 22. In the rules of Tychonius De corpore Domini bipartito and holy seruants of God euery where dispersed and yet conioyned in spirituall vnity and in the same communion of the Sacraments whether they know one another by face or not And it is certaine that others are said so to be in the house that they belong not ad compagem domus to the frame of the house nor to the society of fruitfull peacefull righteousnesse but as the chaffe among the Corne c of whom it is said They departed from vs but they were not of vs. In many other places Saint Austen hath the like Insomuch as Bellarmine being ouerpressed with the Scriptures and Fathers and especially Saint Augustine §. 6. cannot but yeeld and saith in plaine tearmes f Bellar. de eccle milit lib 3 cap. 2. §. notaâ—dum autem that wicked men without any internall vertue are no otherwise members of the Church then our excrements and diseases are parts or members of our bodies as our hayres our nayles and euill humours in our bodies and elsewhere g Ib. cap. 9. §. Ad vltimum aâ—o malos non esse membra viva corporis Christi hoc significari illis scripturis obiectis He saith that euill men are no other then dead members of Christs body and hee citeth many learned Papists that say Malos non esse membra vera nec simpliciter corporis ecclesiae sed tantum secundum quid aequivocè That euill men are not true members nor simply of the body of the Church but onely after a sort and equiuocally His Authors alleadged there are Iohannes de Turrecremata Alexander de Ales Hugo B. Thomas Petrus à Soto Melchior Canus alij I will conclude this point with Saint Augustine who saith h Aug lib. 2. contra Creâ—conium
cap. 21. Ac per hoc etiam nesciente ecclesia propter malam pollutamque conscientiam daâ—nati a Christo â—am in corpore Christi non sunt quod est ecclesiâ— â—uoniam non potest Christus habere membra damnata Though the Church know them not yet they that are condemned by Christ for their euill and defiled conscience are not now in the body of Christ which is the Church because Christ cannot haue any damned members To which place and many other like cited out of Saint Augustine Bellarmine i Bellar. ib. §. Argumâ—ntum octauum answereth That wicked men are not of the true inward part of the Church but of the outward onely as he had said before not true members nor simply of the Church but equiuocally By all this I hope you see our Doctrine and distinctions agree with the truth taught by the Scriptures and Fathers and your best learned men to which euen Bellarmine himselfe after much disputing and shifting is compelled to yeeld And though you are loth to allow vs the termes of visible and invisible the one noting the outward mixt number of professors the other the purer part of the Church to whom the promises belong and who are onely knowne of God yet you are compelled to yeeld vs the matter meant by them Antiquus If you meane no other thing by those termes we yeeld you both the matter and the termes But Subsection 2. § 1. Some promises of God concerne the outward spreâ—ding of the Church some the inward graces § 2. The outward spreading and glorious visibâ—lity is not at all times alike § 3. So S. Ambrose and S. Austen teach by comparing the Church to the Moone § 4. Many Fathers and Romish Doctors say that in the time of Antichrist the Church will be obscure and hardly visible § 5. Which say Valentinianus and many Fathers was fulfilled in the Arrians time § 6. The Jesuite Valentinianus grants as much invisibility of the Church as Protestants desire § 7. Obseruations out of his grant If you meane that the whole true Church may bee latent and invisible many yeares §. 1 without being seene of the world by her Gouernment Doctrine and Sacraments we deny all possibility of such invisibility Antiquissimus We neuer held or taught any such thing See B. Whâ—â—e against Fisheâ— pag. 62. Now then since you yeeld vs those distinctions of the Church and grant that the most or best of the promises belong onely to the better part thereof which is onely knowen vnto God and not to all the professors that are visible to men I goe forwards to distinguish of the promises whereof some are of the outward amplitude largenesse spreading of the Church to all Nations whereas formerly it had beene shut vp in the land of Canaan onely and of outward subiection of Kings and peoples to the profession of the truth Some are of the inward purity grace and holinesse of the Church and of our Sauiours peculiar loue vnto it vniting it as his immaculate Spouse vnto himselfe and making it partaker of his glory The former are pliable to the visible Church in the generality thereof But it you apply the latter also to that whole visible company you runne into inextricable errours For they are appliable onely to the better and sounder part thereof which is onely discerned and knowen vnto God and in that respect invisible to men This distinction you grant also in granting the former I come therefore thirdly to The distinction of times for the outward promises are not all at all times appliable to the outward visible Church §. 2. or not at all times alike For in some Ages the Church is more conspicuous then in other yea the false Church more conspicuous then the true If you thinke the Church must be alwayes gloriously visible to the end of the world without interruption you are deceiued Consider one part of the Scripture with another Esay 2.2 Mat. 7.14 You looke vpon Esayes mountaine to which all must flow but you see not Christs strait gate and narrow way which few doe find Esay 49.23 You note how at sometimes Kings and Queenes shall be nursing Fathers to the Church but you note not that at another time Reuel 17.2 The Kings of the earth shall commit fornication with the Whore of Babylon and the Inhabitants of the earth be made drunke with the wine of her fornication Psal 45.9 You thinke of a Queene all glorious in a vesture of gold wrought about with diuers colours to whom all Nations bring gifts the Church spreading her glory to the Gentiles Reuel 12.1 6. but you forget the woman flying into the Wildernesse to hide her selfe from the rage of the Dragon which woman signifies the persecuted Church by your Rhemish confession Marke 16.15 You remember well that the faith of Christ must be spread ouer the face of the earth but you forget that towards Christs comming there shall scarce be found any faith vpon the earth Luke 18.8 You remember that the Church shall extend from sea to sea and from the Riuer to the worlds end Psal 72.8 and the Kings of Tharsis Arabia and Saba shall bring gifts and all Nations shall serue the Messias 2 Thess 2.3 4 7. But you forget there must be an Apostacy a reuolt a falling away which your Rhemists say shall be from many points of true Religion and that the man of sinne shall sit in the Temple of God carrying himselfe as if he were God not in plaine termes but in a mystery Saint a Ambr. Epist lib. 5. ep 31. Ambrose and S. b Aug. in Psal 101. De Temp. ser 134. epist 48. â—â— Augustine compare the Church to the Moone §. 3. which receiâ—eth her light from the Sunne and sometime shineth in her full light some times with halfe light sometimes obscurely and sometime is ecclipsed You would haue this Moone alwayes in the full And if she shew but little light to vs or be ecclipsed you will not yeeld she is the Moone And yet except in the eclipse Astronomers demonstrate that the Moone hath at all times as much light as in the full but oftentimes a great part of the bright side is turned to heauen and a lesser part to the earth And so the Church is euer conspicuous to Gods eye though it appeare not alwayes so to vs. As when Elias thought there had beene no more true seruants of God but himselfe yet God knew of 7000 more though their names be not recorded I pray you consider well these and other places of Scripture that describe the Church persecuted scattered and obscured as well as those that describe the largenesse conspicuousnesse and glory of it And remember the one must be true as well as the other and each must haue their times to be fulfilled in So shall you runne straight forward and not on a byas as you haue done
time These Churches therefore in the East South and North especially the Greeke Church so famous for many Ages before our Westerne reformation as for all other things so also for their separation from the Church of Rome for the enormities thereof wee may rightly call our predecessors which maintained our doctrine long before Luthers time Againe in the West wee propose vnto you the Waldenses separated from the Community of the Romish Hierarchy and their followers continuing vnto Luthers time And great numbers of others also that held Community with the Romish Hierarchy but misliked their tyranny and corruptions groaned vnder them longed for reformation and gladly embraced it when they found it What say you to these Antiquus I except against them all First §. â— against the Greeke Church which yet is farre better then the Armenian Aethiopian or Russian I say it is no Church at all both because it is cut off by Schisme from the Catholicke Roman Church and because it is hereticall in a fundamentall point denying the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Sonne of God Antiquissimus See the answer to Mr. Fishers Relation to his third Conference by R. B. pag. 5 8. §. 3. You offend much against charity in condemning such famous Churches for separating from the particular Roman Church by Schisme and against verity by charging it with fundamentall heresie Of schisme afterwards now for the heresie It seemes by Scotus a Scotus in 1. Sent dist 11. quaest 1. that the Greekes held no other Heresie then Saint Basil and Gregory Nazianzen held 370 after Christ whom yet no man durst euer call Heretickes Surely out of their words as they expresse themselues saying That the Holy Ghost preceeds from the Father by the sonne and is the spirit of the sonne you cannot gather the denyall of the proceeding of the Holy Ghost from the Sonne or that they make the Sonne vnequall to the Father or make any difference in the consubstantiality of the persons If the manner of their speech by some great iudgements be condemned as incommodious and containing an errour yet happily not an errour simply fundamentall sufficient to cut them off from being a true Church Magister Sententiarum saith b Magister 1. Sent. dist 11. d. The Greekes from the Latines in this point Verbo discordant sensu non differunt And Scotus saith The difference is in voce in modo explicandi potius quam in re And Aquinas saith c Aquin. 1. part q. 36. art 2. in corâ—ore that Quidam Graecorum dicuntur concedere quod fit à Filio vel profluat ab eo non tamen quod procedat And whereas Damascene saith Spiritum per filium esse dicimus ex filio non dicimus d Bellar. de Christo lib. 2. cap 27. §. Responde digitur Bellarmine answeres with Bessarion and Genuadius that Damascen denies not spiritum sanctum procedere ex silio quod ad remattinet but thinkes it may be more safely said per filium quam ex filio for the manner of speech to auoyd the heresie of Macedonius and Eunomius who said the spirit proceeded from the Sonne as from the primary cause yea indeed the onely cause But saith Bellarmine as to auoyde the heresie of Macedonius it was rightly said Spiritum esse à Patre per filium so for the errour of the Grecians it is now more rightly said à patre et filio Lastly Thomas Aquinas e Aquin ib. part 1. q. 36. art 3. ad 1. saith Spiritus sanctus immediatè à Patre procedit in quantum est ab eo mediate in quantum est a Filio Et sic dicitur procedere à patre per filium Yet I hope you account not Saint Thomas an Hereticke To shut vp all without exception Azorius a learned Iesuite a choice man to deliuer the Roman doctrine as it is held at this day in his booke dedicated to Pope Clement 8. and Printed by the approbation of Claudius Aqua viva Generall of the Iesuites and of the Master of the sacred Palace c. He reckons the Grecians Armenians and other Christians of the East for Schismatickes onely because they obey not the Bishop of Romes gouernment but he excuseth them of heresies imputed vnto them Azorius Institut moral part 1. lib. 8. cap. 20. § Decimo quaeritur §. 3. A sufficient historicall discourse of the Waldenses in 4 Subsections The first of their doctrine the second of their great numbers and visibility the third of their large spreading into all Countries the fourth of their continuance aboue 400 yeeres vntill Luthers time and after Sectionis 3. Subsection 1. The Doctrine § 1. Of the Waldenses § 2. Their diuers names but all one and § 3. All of the Protestants Religion as say Aeneas Sylvius Du Bravius Poplinerius Cocleus Eckius Gretserus c. § 4. Many bad opinions badly falsely imputed to them § 5. Nine Articles different from the Protestants ascribed vnto them by Parsons the Iesuite but cleared by authenticke Authors Antiquissimus What say you then to them that refused the new doctrines and vsurpations of the Pope in these Westerne parts the Waldenses Albigenses Bohemians Antiquus You know our men count them all Heretickes Antiquissimus So they account vs and all that speake against their abuses but vniustly So was Saint Paul accounted by some but he answered as they and we may Acts 24 14. After the way which they call heresie so worship we the God of our Fathers beleeuing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets 15 And haue hope towards God which they themselues also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the iust and vniust 16 And herein wee exercise our selues to haue alwayes a conscience voyde of offence towards God and towards men But now the question is not whether they and we be heretickes or no but whether they were not of our faith and in number sufficient to make a visible Church Antiquus I deny both for neither were they of your Faith or Religion but differed much from you neither were they so great and visible a company as the Church ought to be § 2 Antiquissimus That they were of our Faith and our predecessors I proue first by your owne Writers confessions Who first did yeeld vs that these names Waldenses Albigenses Leonists or Pauperes de Lugduno Picards Bohemians Thaborists and such like were all one kinde of people for their faith and Religion and the diuersity of their names were giuen them by their enemies partly of the places of their inhabiting as Leonists and poore men of Lions a City in France Picards of the Countrey Picardy Albigenses of the City and Countrey of Albi Bohemians of Bohemia Thaborists of the Citie of Thabor c. and partly of their principall teachers as of Peter Waldus Waldenses of Peter Bruis Petrebrusians of Henry Ioseph Espernon Arnold Wiclife Hus Henricians
Iosephists Esperonists Arnoldists Wiclifists Hussits c. to omit other nick-names giuen them vpon other causes § 3 And now secondly that they were our fore-runners in the points of Religion wherein we differ from you your Writers shew plentifully a Hist Waldens Book 1. cap. 8. Aeneas Sylvius and Iohn du Bravius in their histories of Bohemia make the doctrine taught by Calvin all one with that of the Waldenses And the same Sylvius saith b Aeneas Sylv. hist Bohem. cap. 35. The Hussites did imbrace the opinions of the Waldenses And Hosius heres lib. 1. saith the leprosie of the Waldenses infected all Bohemia Lindanus in his Analyticke Tables makes Caluin inheritor of the Doctrine of the Waldenses Thomas Walden c VValden lib. 6. de reb Sacram. tit 12. cap. 10. saith The doctrine of the Waldenses crept out of the quarters of France into England meaning by Wiclife against whom he wrote d D. Vsher Gravis quaest cap. 8. §. 1. Poplinerius saith The Waldenses and Albigenses about the yeere 1100 and the succeeding times spread their doctrine parum differentem little differing from that which the Protestants now imbrace Lancelotus du voisin Poplinerius histor Franc. lib. 1. fol. 7. b. edit anno 1581. e Ib. cap. 9. §. 22. Gretserus the Iesuite calls the Albigenses Waldenses and Berengarians Caluinianorum atavos the Caluinists great grandfathers Gretser prolegâ—m in scripta edita contra Wald. cap. 5. f D. Abbot against Hill Reason 1. §. 18. Francis Guicciardin an Italian and Florentine Historian writing of the yeere 1520. lib. 13. saith that Luther set abroad the doctrine of the Bohemians naming Hus and Hierom. And Petrus Messias a Spaniard in the life of Wenceslaus mentioning the opinions of Hus and the Bohemians saith They were the seed of those errours as he cals them which were afterwards in Germany to wit taught by Luther g Ib. §. 29. And Iohannes Cocleus a man that had laboured in the story of the Hussites and set out bookes thereof and also wrote sharpely against Luther saith that Hus did commit spirituall fornication with many aliens with the Wiclivists the Dulcinists the Leonists the Waldenses the Albigenses and others of that sort enemies of the Church of Rome And he saith that Luther followed Hus his Doctrine lib. 2. de Actis scriptis Lutheri And cals the Lutherans new Hussites And againe lib. 3. and lib. 8. he saith that vnto his time till Luthers time and after there remained the sect of the Thaborites in many places of Bohemia and Moravia vnder the name of Picards and Waldenses h Histor Albigens lib. 1. cap. 8. Eckius in his common places cap. 28. saith Luther had done nothing else but renew the heresies of the Waldenses Albigenses Wiclife and Iohn Hus. § 4 Antiquus Sir our men deny not but these Waldenses and others were Luthers fore-runners in many things but they held some things which you are ashamed to hold and therefore were not of your Church or Religion Antiquissimus I know well that many errours were imputed to them which they neuer held As i B. Vsher Grauiss quaest cap. 10. §. 15. Bernardus Girardus the French Historian lib. 10. saith Although they had some ill opinions yet these did not so much stirre vp the hatred of the Pope and great Princes against them as their freedome in speech which they vsed in blaming and reprouing the vices dissolute manners life and actions of Princes Ecclesiasticall persons and the Pope himselfe That was the chiefe thing which drew the hatred of all vpon them effecit vt plures nefarie affingerentur eis opiniones à quibus omnino fuerant alieni this caused many wicked opinions to be deuised and fathered of them from which they were very free and guiltlesse k Ib. cap. 8. §. 28. Thuanus histor lib. 5. anno 1550. reckons vp their opinions thus They held that the Church of Rome because it had forsaken the true faith of Christ was that Whore of Babylon and that barren tree which Christ cursed and therefore we ought not to obey the Pope and Bishops which fostered his errours that the Monasticall life was the sinke and kennell of the Church the vowes thereof vaine and seruing onely for vnclean lusts that the Priests orders were notes of that beast mentioned in the Reuelation that purgatory fire sacrifice of the Masse Sanctuaries or hallowed places about Churches worshipping of Saints offerings for the dead were the Inuentions of Sathan Then he addeth To these certaine and chiefe heads of their doctrine alia afficta others are fained and deuised concerning Mariage resurrection the state of soules after death and of Meates l B. Iewel Apol. cap. 1. diuis 1. Bishop Jewell saith our ancient Christians were slandered that they made priuy meetings in the darke killed yong babes fed themselues with mens flesh and like Sauage and brute beasts did drinke their blood In conclusion how that after they had put out the Candles they committed adultery or incest one with another brethren with sisters sonnes with theiâ— mothers without shame or difference men without all Religion enemies of mankind vnworthy to be suffered in the world Thus they said of the ancient Christians and thus they said of the Waldenses most vniustly and vntruely of both you doubt not of the former let many of your owne Writers satisfie you of the later m Vsher grav qu. cap. 6. §. 11. Rainerius whose booke Gretserus the Iesuite lately set out among other Writers of the Waldenses saith The Waldenses were the most dangerous sect to the Church of all other for three causes the third whereof is that whereas other sects through the outragiousnesse of blasphemy against God worke a horrour in men this sect of the Leonists hath a great shew of piety because before men they liue iustly and of God they beleeue all things piously and hold all the articles contained in the Creed onely they blaspheme and hate the Roman Curch for which the multitude is easie to beleeue n Hist â—ald booke 1. cap. 5. Iacobus de Riberia in his collections of the Citie of Tholous saith the Waldenses wonne all credit from the Priests and made them little esteemed by the holinesse of their liues and excellency of their doctrine The like saith Rainerius cited ib. De forma haeret fol. 98. And Clauâ—ius de Scissel Archbishop of Turin saith they liued vnreproueably without reproach or scandall among men cited ib. In his Treatise against the Waldenses The B. of Canaillon sent a certaine Monke a Diuine Vesembec Oration of the Waldenses citat ib. to conferre and conuince the Waldenses of Merindal in Prouince who vpon his returne said He had not so much profited in all his life in the Scriptures as hee had done in those few dayes conference with the Waldenses Wherevpon the Bishop sent diuers Doctors to confound them but vpon their returne one of them said with a
among other writers of Bohemian matters Hannov. anno 1602. see there pag 222. 223. and by Grets Iesuita Ingolstad anno 1603. see there Rainer contra haeret c. 4. pag. 54. And his testimony is often cited by Protestants as Morney Mysterium iniquitatis pag 731. aedit Salmuriâ—n 8. 1612. Vsher grav quaest c. 6. §. 11. Archb. Abbot contra Hill Reason 1. §. 29 c. Rainerius saith That of all Sects which either are or haue beene none hath beene more pernicious to the Church he meaneth of Rome then that of the Leonists For three causes marke them well first for the long continuance for some say it hath continued from the time of Sylvester he sate anno Christi 314. others say from the time of the Apostles Secondly for the generality for there is almost no countrey into which this Sect hath not entred Thirdly that whereas all other haue wrought a horrour through their outragious blasphemies against God this of the Leonists hath a great shew of piety because that before men they liue iustly and of God they beleeue all things well and all the Articles which are contained in the Creed onely they blaspheme and hate the Roman Church wherein the multitude is prone to hearken vnto them Note you the antiquity and the generality in all Nations arguing a visibility sutable to the Church Now heare your Poplinerius b Genebrard Chronol lib. 4. an 1581. pag. 782. edit Paris 1600. whom Genebrard calls an vpright and right learned man and one who hath written all things purely and simply according to the truth of the History not for fauour of the cause Hee c Palinerius hist Franc. lib. 1. edit an 1581. fol. 7. b. saith The Roman Church was neuer more sharpely oppugned then by the Waldenses and their successors in Aquitania and the Regions adioyning c. For these saith he against the wils of all Christian Princes about the yeere 1100 and in the succeeding times spread abroad their doctrine little differing from that which at this day the Protestants embrace not onely through all France but almost through all the Countries of Europe also For the French Spanish English Scots Italians Germans Bohemians Saxons Polonians Lithuanians and other Nations haue obstinately defended it to this day Gretserus the Iesuite saith d Gretserus prolegom in script edit contra Wald. cap. 2. The Waldenses multiplied so that vix aliqua regio ab hac peste immunis intacta mansit adeo se diffuderat vt cum plurimorum exitio in varias provincias infuderat c. Scarse any Region remained free and vntouched of it so greatly it spred it selfe into all Prouinces The Albigenses errour so increased saith Cesarius e Caesarius Heisterbach hist lib. 6. cap. 21. that in a short time it infected Vsque ad mille ciuitates a thousand Cities and if it had not been repressed by the sword I thinke saith he it would haue corrupted all Europe This also your Iesuite f Parsons three conuersions part 2. cap. 10. §. 28. Robert Parsons acknowledgeth and saith they had an army of 70000. men to fight for them Obserue here their multitude and obserue how it was repressed not by soul-convicting disputation but by body-killing-persecution We reade indeed of some disputations and conferences with them wherein the Popes learned Doctors and Bishops sought to conuince and winne them but all without fruit a Altissiodorensis Chronloog an 1207. Vsher cap. 10 §. 20 20. Diuers Abbots of the Cistercian order by appointment of the Pope and one Bishop Episcopus Oximensis with their assistants to the number of 30 went by two or three together thorow their Cities Villages and Townes preaching for three moneths space but saith the Author Paucâ—s revecant they converted but few b Ibid. At other times the like preachers assayed to perswade them but profited little or nothing c Bertrand de gest Tholossanor fol. 46 col 4. One among all other disputations is most famous * Montreal apud montem Regalem in the Diocesse of Carcasson betwixt Fulco B. of Tolous Didacus B. of Exon. Saint Dominicke Peter de Castro nouo and Ranulphus on the one side and Pontanus Iordanus Arnoldus Aurisanus Arnoldus Ottonus Philebertus Castrensis and Benedictus Thermus Pastors of the Albigenses on the other side d Iacobus de Riberia in collectaneu de vrbe Tâ—lcsa before foure Moderators or Arbiters two of them Noble men Bernardus de villa noua and Bernardus Arrensis and two Plebeians Raimundus Godius and Arnoldus Riberia The herosies or questions were these That the Church of Rome is not the holy Church nor Spouse of Christ but a Church defiled with the doctrine of the Deuill and is that Babylon which Saint John describes in the Reuelation the Mother of fornications and abhominations made drunke with the blood of the Saints and that those things are not approued of God which are approued of the Church of Rome And that the Masse was not ordained by Christ nor his Apostles but is an inuention of men This disputation held them many dayes without fruit sauing that diuers histories giue the victory to the Albigenses e Histor Albig booke 1. cap. 2. See Vsher ib. §. 22. And it is certaine that f Chronolog Altisiod an 1208. fol. 103. b Albigenses saepiùs attentati nullatenus gladio verbi Dei poterant expugnari Odo B. of Paris finally informed the Pope that The Albigenses being often set vpon could by no meanes be conquered by the sword of Gods Word and therefore it was fit to beat them downe by warres g Hilagarus hist of Foix pag. 126. And some say It was the Popes policy to entertaine them with conference and disputations that in the mean season he might prepare great Armies to root out them and their Religion These oft and great trauailes in preaching conferring disputing needed not to men invisible obscure of small numbers or contemptible §. 3. much lesse needed those great Armies which were gathered to put them downe if they were few and obscure a Vsher ib. cap. 8. § 31 32 37. Pope Alexander 3. had cursed them anno 1163. persecuted them with warre 1170. and with Inquisition 1176. And after this spoyled a great number of them anno 1181 exercitu militum peditumque infinite with an Army in number of horse and foot infinite saith Nangiacus b Gulielmus Nangiacus chron M S. and yet saith the Monke c Altissiodorens chrono an 1181. Altissiodorensis they recouered returned to their former opinions and multiplied d Antonin hist part 3. tit 23. cap. 1. prope mitium which Innocent 3 seeing and foreseeing the great danger of the Popes downefall by their spreading doctrine thought best to arme both heauen and earth against them Authorizing the e Fryers original about 12 hundred yeerâ— after Christ new-sprung Friers Dominicans and Franciscans to preach in all places whether the
1213. and 1220. §. 4. The twelfth Chapter sheweth there were many of the Waldenses Religion in England Matth. Paris in anno 1174. some burnt in anno 1174 saith Math Paris and in King Henry the second his time many were grieuously persecuted in England saith Thomas Waldensis an English man Waldens de Re sacram lib. 6. tit 12. cap. 10. Wiclife taught their very doctrine and greatly spread it in England Also in Saxony and Pomerania and in the Diocesse of Eisten in Germany ib. cap 11. were many Waldenses they had twelue Pastors knowen besides the vnknown Yea as Trithenius reports they were in such numbers and so spread in Germany that they could trauell from Colen to Milan in Italy and euery night lodge with hostes of their owne profession §. 5. The thirteenth Chapter shewes many in Flaunders the fourteenth in Poland Sigonius de Regno Italiae lib. 17. Rainer in summa fol. 18. the fifteenth in Paris it selfe the sixteenth in Italy as writeth Sigonius Rainerius saith in anno 1250. The Waldenses had Churches in Albania Lombardy Millan Romagnia and also in Vicence Florence and Val Spoletine Anno 1280. there were many Waldenses in Sicilia saith Du Haillan Roger Haillan in the life of Philip. 3. Sigonius lib. 17. King of Sicilia made constitutions against them and Pope Gregory the ninth persecuted them in Jtaly especially in Millan as saith Sigonius So did Honorius and Boniface the 8. The seuenteenth Chapter sheweth Rainerius de forma haereticor fol. 10. an 1250. the Waldenses had Churches in Constantinople Philadelphia Slavonia Bolgaria Digonicia by the testimony of Rainerius and they were spred into Livonia and Sarmatia Vignier histor Biblio thec part 3. pag. 130. as Vignier sheweth Sectionis 3. Subsectio 4. § 1. The Waldenses continued aboue 400 yeeres vntill Lutherrs time and after § 2. Jn England by meanes of Wiclife § 3. His doctrine and many followers Oxford Diuines § 4. The story of Iohn Hus Ierom of Prage and Bohemian affaires § 8. and 9. The continuance of the Waldenses after Luthers time Luther wrote a Preface to one of their bookes Letters passed betwixt them and Oecolampadius Bucer Caluin c. Antiquus Enough Sir of their spreading but except you shew also their succession and continuance till Luthers rising you can haue no hope to satisfie Antiquissimus I haue shewed Councels consultations persecutions massacres and mighty warres against them whereby many thousands of them haue beene burnt slain rooted out banished wasted Vsher ib. cap. 10. §. 64. but yet the maruellous hand of God still appeared in preseruing multitudes of them in diuers and many places in the middest of all their grieuous and continuall persecutions their doctrine was still preserued preached beleeued spred continued and deliuered to posterity Your a Thuanus hist sui temporis in praefatione Thuanus writing but the other day saith Supplicia parum profâ—cerunt Persecutions or punishments preuailed little They were slaine banished spoyled of their goods and dignities and scattered into diuers Countries rather then conuicted of errour or brought to repentance Surely as the persecution of the Apostles at Ieruâ—alem quenched not the Gospell but b Acts. occasioned the spreading thereof in Samaria and remoter parts so did the persecutions of the Waldenses in some parts of France occasion their spreading into other parts and other Countries as Germany Bohemia Polonia Livonia c. as c Thuanus ib. Thuanus there sheweth §. 2. In Britany or England the Waldenses doctrine was quickly receiued by many Haply by means of the entercourse of the English people with the great Earle of Tolous his subiects by reason of the d Before subs 3. §. 4. affinity betwixt those Princes for in the yeere 1174 and in Henry the seconds time there was persecution and burning of them as e Subs 2. § 6. Mathy Paris and Thomas Walden haue recorded But that doctrine was more generally receiued and had fuller passage in King Edward 3 raigne when f See Archb. Abbot against D. Hill Reason 1. §. 25 Fox iâ—â—ita Wicl â—â— Iohn Wiclife a learned Doctor of Diuinity g Bailiol Colledâ—â— Master of a Colledge in Oxford and publike Reader of Diuinity in that Vniuersity taught it there with the great liking applause of the hearers and approbation of the whole Vniuersity For the Vicechancellour Proctors diuers Preachers and Batchelors of Diuinity tooke part with him And when Buls came thicke from Rome against him and his Doctrine First from Gregory 11. anno 1378. And afterwards from Gregory the 12 whereby he was to be condemned for an Hereticke The whole Vniversity gaue a testimony in fauour of him vnder their seale in their Congregation house in these words among others h Anno 1406. Octob. 5. God forbid that our Prelats should haue condemned a man of such honesty for an Hereticke c. §. 3. This mans doctrine as the said Bulles of the two Popes did say agreed with the doctrine of Marsilius Patavians and Johannes de Ganduno i Abbot ib. This Marsilius a very learned man in that Age about the yeere 1324 had written a booke entituled Defensor Pacis in defence of the Emperor Lewis of Bauier who was mightily laid at by three Popes successiuely demoÌ„strating the supreme authority of the Emperour and beating down the iniquity of the Popes vsurpations ouer Christian Princes and generall Councels shewing that things are to be decided by the Scriptures that learned men of the Laity are not to be debarred voyces in Councels that the Clergy and pope also are to be subiect to Princes That the Church is the whole company of the faithfull that Christ is the foundation and head of the Church hath not appointed any one to be his Vicar that Priests may be married as well as other Christians that S. Peter was neuer at Rome that the Popish court or Synagogue is a denne of theeues that the doctrine of the Pope is not to be followed because it leadeth to euerlasting destruction The popes being informed that this was also Wiclifes doctrine must needes condemne him or yeeld themselues guilty Many other positions were attributed vnto him also some bad enough and vndoubtedly false as had been before to the Waldenses and the Primitiue Christians but what hee truely held may be seene in his owne workes that remaine and in Mr. Foxe writing his life and in Catalogo testium veritatis lib. 18. Gabr. Powel De Antichristâ— In Prafatione n. 25. The summe whereof Mr. Gabriel Powel a diligent searcher and obseruer deliuereth thus Hee taught that there ought not to be one supreme Bishop in the Church that the pope is not only not Christs Vicar but also that he is Antichrist that his priuiledges bulles dispensations and indulgences are not onely idle and vnprofitable but also wicked and impious that to spirituall men is not to be giuen the politicke Dominion
goodnesse who calleth things that are not as though they were euen in that Ministery gaue grace vnto his Saints Bishop Carlton wrote a booke of purpose entituled Consensus Ecclesiae catholica contra Tridentines to shew that although the doctrine of Christian Religion was much altered in the chiefest Articles of Faith by Fryers yet a great number of godly learned men held the ancient truth and preserued the Church vntill the times of Reformation and that the Reformed Churches still continue the same and are separated onely from the Roman Court so farre as the Roman Court had separated it selfe from the Roman Church and that our Fathers and Ancestors liuing dying in the Roman Church had sufficient meanes to bring them to saluation And this he sheweth in the seuerall discourses of the principall fundamentall points of faith See of this matter also Bishop Vsher De successione Ecclesiarum cap. 6 § 8 9. and his Sermon And Archbishop Abbot against Hill Reason 5. § 28. And Mr. Richard Hookers discourse of Iustification §. 2. Their Reasons are I. The corruptions in the Roman Church sprung not vp all at once nor came to their full height vntill these late yeres and were not so dangerous in their Spring as in their full growth and strength D. Field book 3. chap. 6. Of the Church Append to the 5. booke part 3. pag. 8. c. II. They were not generally receiued by all men nor as the vndoubted determinations of the Church but controuerted and variously disputed among the learned and holden with great liberty of iudgement by the greatest Doctors as appeares by thier owne bookes of Controuersies written by Bellarmine Suares Azorius c. which confute their owne writers as much as they doe Protestants and by those 27 points which D. Field mentions in his Appendixe to the seuenth Chapter of the third booke of the Church printed at the end of the fourth booke for had they beene the vndoubted doctrines and determinations of the Church all men would haue holden them vniformely entirely and constantly as they held the doctrine of the Trinity and other articles of the Faith As long therefore as men yeelded outward obedience to the Church-ceremonies without scandall and in other things were suffered to abound in their owne sence there was no such danger in holding the right faith III. Our forefathers held the true foundation of Religion that is Iustification and Saluation by Iesus Christ his merits onely and so were taught ordinarily in their bookes of visitation and consolation of the sicke * As we shall shew in the article of Iustification and they erred onely in points inferiour of lesse moment and danger which defaced indeed and blemished but did not nullifie or take away the beeing of the Church Diseases in the heart braine liuer and vitall parts are dangerous and deadly but wounds or blemishes in the fleshly sensuall or organicall parts onely as the hands feet eares eyes c. doe onely impaire the beauty and actions but endanger not the life nor cut of hope of recouery Greg. Nissen de opific. hom cap. vlt. It is Saint Gregory Nissens Simile So saith he it is with the Church of God and Religion A man is a man while he hath life though he be sore diseased as Naaman was in his leprosie IIII. They misliked and derided as Chawcers plowman many of their ceremonies and idle things as holy water pardons relickes c. and deplored the greater corruptions and abuses and cryed for reformation most readily receiuing it when it came V. In what they erred they erred ignorantly Aug de vtilitate credendi ad Honorat Idem epist 162. ad Donat. with mindes ready to be reformed vpon better information Saint Augustine puts a difference betwixt Heretickes and them that beleeue Heretickes And he saith They that defend an opinion false and peruerse without pertinacious animosity especially which not the boldnesse of their owne presumption hath begotten but which from their seduced and erroneous Parents they haue receiued and themselues doe seeke the truth with care and diligence ready to amend their errour when they find the truth they are in no wise to be reckoned among Heretickes This was the case of our fathers vnder the Papacy VI. If any did erre in points fundamentall as long as they denyed not the foundation directly See of this more chap. 4. sect 3. for that is plaine infidelity or apostacy and quite cuts them off from the Church if they did it onely vpon meere ignorance with a mind ready to reforme their errour vpon better instruction those were still the accounted members of the true Church For this was the case of the Corinthians denying the resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15.10 and of the Galatians erring dangerously about Iustification Gal. 3.3 4 5. 5.4 whom yet Saint Paul calles Churches of God 1 Cor. 1.2 Gal. 1.2 and doubtlesse he would not haue taken such paines to write vnto them except he had so thought them and had hope to find them tractable and recouerable §. 3. Antiquus Sir I heartily thanke you I need heare no more nor trouble you any longer since you allow the Church of Rome to be the true Church of God wherein saluation may be had and you alledge great Doctors of your owne side and good reasons for it I am satisfied I haue no reason to cleaue to your Church which all our Catholickes condemne for hereticall and schismaticall and to leaue the Roman which you acknowledge to be the true Church wherein saluation is to be had The Roman Church is iustified on all hands by friends and enemies to be safe yours is condemned of all but your selues I will take my leaue See this more at large in D. Field in the places before alledged and B. Carlton Iurisdiction consensus c. Antiquissimus Stay good sir and draw no more out of my words then they yeeld you I spake of the Church of Rome as it was till Luthers time and you conclude of the Church of Rome as it is now Deceiue not your selfe there is great difference betwixt them betwixt the times then and now and betwixt that Church then and now In those times the errours of our forefathers were of meere ignorance what they perceiued to be euill they misliked they desired knowledge they wished many things reformed and gladly embraced reformation when they found it comming But now it is all otherwise now men are admonished of their errours offer is made them to be better instructed and yet either they dote on their owne old opinions vnwilling to be instructed in the reuealed truth or after sufficient knowledge and conviction for some worldly respects they wilfully and obstinately persist in their old errours and which is farre worse they hate and persecute the maintainers of the truth Saint Cyprian saith if any of our predecessors Cypr. ep 63. §. 13. either of ignorance or simplicity
hath not obserued and held that which our Lord hath taught vs by his Word and example by the Lords indulgence pardon may be granted to his simplicity but to vs that are now admonished and instructed of the Lord pardon cannot be granted The ignorance therefore wherein our Fathers were bred and trained freed them from the danger of those things which being well vnderstood and knowne B. Vsher serm at Wansâ—ed pag. 39. might haue beene preiudiciall to their soules health They knew not these depthes of Satan they could not diue into the bottome of such mysteries of iniquity This was a good and a happy ignorance vnto them But this ignorance is now taken from you Reuel 2.24 and a more happy knowledge offered you happy if you haue grace to receiue it if not then remember that Iohn 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loued darkenesse more then the light And Iohn 15.22 If J had not come and spoken vnto them saith our Sauiour they had not had any sinne but now haue they no cloake or excuse for their sinne There is therfore great difference of the former times and these then meanes of better knowledge was denied to our Fathers now it is afforded to you that gaue some excuse to them this takes all excuse from you They that walke in the night though they stumble and fall foile and soile themselues yea hurt their bodies and teare their cloathes by rushing vpon bushes or into bogges yet are ordinarily pittâ—ed and pardoned yea and commended for their desire and paines to finde home but so are not they that rush into the same euils in the faire day-light God pittieth the blinde that would faine see and cannot but will hee pitty them that may see and will not that harden themselues in their affected wilfull blindnesse He deliuered Jonas from drowning in the bottome of the Sea Vsher ibid. pag. 41. will you plunge your selues therefore to see if God will deliuer you Because wee grant that some may scape death in Cities and Streets infected with the plague will you therefore chuse to take vp your lodging in a Pest-house If you doe we may well say Lord haue mercy vpon you but you may iustly feare that you dangerously tempt the Lord to deliuer you vp to the efficacy of delusion and damnation 2 Thess 2.10.11.12 You see therefore a manifest difference of the times the times of darkenesse before and the times of light now §. 4. Marke now also another difference of the Roman Church as it was in those times and as it is now In those times the errours that were D. Field Church booke 3. chap. 6. cap. 47. Append. were the errours of some men onely in that Church now they are the errours of the whole Church In those times men might be of that Church and not of that faction now that Church and faction are all one B. Carlton The faction hath so preuailed by the Art of the Councell of Trent that the errours which some held before now all of that Church must hold Before they were held with much liberty of iudgement they were not determined men might assent or dissent and abound in their owne opinions now they are all made De fide the absolute determinations of that Church and imposed vpon all men vnder paine of Anathema or curses annexed That Councell being wholly ruled by the meere faction of the Papacy hath quite altered the state of that Church taking away all liberty that former Ages enioyed in many things and making many new points of faith which were not so before Therefore before the Councell of Trent D. Hall Columba Noe. men might doe well in that Church when meat being set before them they might picke out the worst and eat the best picke out the vnwholsome and feed on the wholsome picke the worme out of the apple pare away the corrupted and eat the sound take the Spider out of the bowle of Wine before they drinke it But now where they are cursed if they eat not all and compelled to drinke downe all they that loue their liues must take heed of that society To answer your question therefore directly Where was the Protestant Church before Luthers time that is where was any Church in the world that taught that doctrine which the Protestants now teach Sect. 2. subsect 2. I say it was not onely apparant enough in the Greeke and Easterne Churches and in the open separatists Waldenses Section 3. c. from the Romish corruptions in these Westerne parts Section 4. but it was also within the community of the Romish Church it selfe Euen there as in a large field grew much good corne among tares and weeds Lib. 1. cap. 1. there as in a great Barne Heape or Garner was preserued much pure Graine mixed with store of chaffe And as I said in the beginning of our Conference there is no other d fference betwixt the Reformed and the Romish Church then betwixt a field well weeded §. 5. D. Field Church Booke 3. cap. 6. and the same field formerly ouergrowne with weedes or betwixt heape of corne now well winnowed and the same a heape lately mixed with chaffe And if it be a vaine and friuolous thing to say B. Vsher ser ibid. pag. 48. It is not the same field or the same Corne now after the weeding and fanning as vaine and friuolous it is to say the Church is not the same it was or in the same place after it is swept and clensed of the filth and dust or to say the Churches of Corinth and Galatia after their reformation occasioned by Saint Pauls writing were new Churches and not the same they were before because that in them before the Resurrection was denied Circumcision practised Discipline neglected Christs Apostles contemned which things now are not found in them or to say Naaman was not still the same person because before he was a leper and now is clensed As long as we can demonstrate that nothing is altered that doth constitute the Church or is of the true essence or being of it the Church is the same it was onely the leprosie and other corruptions are clensed away and the health beauty and better habit restored that it may more comfortably breed and bring vp children to God and heires of saluation And this is the blessed and long-wished alteration that we haue made And I would to God you had not made an vnworthy altration from a corrupt Church to a farre worse and either altogether or very neere none at all by continuing encreasing establishing the corruptions you found making them now De fide points of faith compelling all to receiue them and persecuting euen to extirpation as farre as by power and policy you can the gainesayers of them See before sect 4. §. 4 initio If the Protestant Church be new yours is newer The
Tridentine faith is not so old as Luther neuer seene in the world of many yeares after his death CHAP. 2. Answering the vaine alleadging of some words and customes and corrupt alleadging of the Fathers words against Protestants § 1. Obiection None alleadged in the former chapter agree with Protestants in all things ergo are not of their Church or Religion 2 Answered It is no consequent For so also euery one of them differed from the present Romish Religion and yet are accounted theirs Protestants haue iustly abstained from some words and phrases of some Fathers 3 And also haue left off some ceremonies and customes 4 As the Church of Rome hath left many knowne to be ancient and thought to be Apostolicall 5 Which confutes the vanity of W.G. his booke and shewes his owne alleadged authors by his owne argument to bee none of his Church and Religion 6 By the same argument many Fathers for example Athanasius Ierom Gelasius Gregory Chrysostome Augustine are plentifully proued to be against the present Church and Religion of Rome 7 Foure seuerall wayes at the least the Romish make shew of the Fathers to be for them The first by alleadging counterfeit books falsely bearing the Fathers names Many examples hereof 8 The second by corrupting the bookes which the Fathers wrote putting words in or out and altering the text to speake contrary to their meaning 9 The third by blinding or perverting the sense of the Fathers sentences by glozes and interpretations 10 The fourth by citing the Fathers to proue that which is not in question §. 1. Antiquus NOw that you haue said what you can or will to shew that Protestants had a sufficient visible Church in all Ages since Christ I reply you neuer had any For neither the Fathers nor Greeke Church nor Waldenses nor the Church of Rome before Luthers time were of your Religion Campian Ratio 5. For the Fathers it was Mr. Campians fifth reason why he challenged combate with the Protestants because all the Fathers backed him Ad Patres si quando licebet accedere confectum est praelium If we may try it by the Fathers the fight is at an end For they are as sure ours as Pope Gregory the 13. These and the other three sorts euery one of them either in many points or at least in one or other differed from you As the Rhemists say in their Annotation vpon Rom. 11. ver 4. We will not put the Protestants to proue that there were 7000 of their sect when their new Elias Luther began but let them proue that there were seuen or any one his either then or in all Ages before him that was in all points of his beleefe Thus the Rhemists §. 2. Adrationes Campians G. Whitakeri responsio ad rationem 5. Antiquissimus The vanity of Campian you may see by D. Whitakers answer who shewes that euery one of the Fathers whom Campian picked out and named held points directly against him and for vs. Euen Dionysius Cyprian Athanasius Basil Nazianzin Ambrose Ierom Chrysostome Austen Gregory The vanity of your Rhomists and other lipellers following them is palpable in that they thinke euery smal point of doctrine or practice yea euery small rite or ceremony vsed by some and not vsed by others makes a difference of their Religion We doe not deny but that we haue left off and disused diuers traditions ceremonies and phrases which were vsed in the ancient Church but we constantly affirme we carefully and entirely hold all the substance of doctrine and all things necessary for saluation not onely for the essence but for the perfection beauty and ornament of the Church so that notwithstanding the things left off wee are wholy and fully of the Primitiue and ancient Religion Aâ—tiquus Why haue you left off any words and phrases of the ancient Fathers if you hold their doctrine why forsake you their words Antiquissimus Bellar. De cultu Sanctorum lib. 3 cap. 4. Ad testim patrum dico De Romano Pontif. lib. 3. cap. 13. §. Ratio autem cur Apostoli in Scripturis nunquam vocant sacerdotes Christianos sacerdotes sed solum episcopos presbyteros c. See Here. cap. 5 sect 9. See this matter handled aâ— large by B. Morton Appeal lib 2. cap. 7. B. Andreâ—es Ad Bellarmini Apologiam Responsio cap 8. pag. 184. Because those words are now taken to signifie such doctrines as then they intended not Their doctrine we hold though some of their words we doe not so frequently vse you vsurpe those words but refuse their doctrine Your Bellarmine tels vs truly that the Apostles and first Christians abstained from the words Temple and Priests vsing the words Ecclesiae Episcopi Presbyteri And thus Iustinus Ignatius and the other most ancient Fathers vsed to speake The reason was lest people might vnderstand them as if they meant that the Iewish ceremonies continued with the Temple of Salomon and the sacrificing Priests But afterwards in Tertulliâ—ns time when the danger of that misconceit was worne out Christians began to call Presbyters and Bishops by the name of Priests c. So that the words which the Apostles and first Fathers neuer vsed for feare of mistaking the following Fathers ordinarily vsed hoping after that long disusing they should not be mistaken they vsed the words Priests or Sacerdotes altars sacrifices oblations and such like not properly but by allusion to the Priests altars and sacrifices of the Iewes which were types figures and as it were foretokens or foreprophesies of Christs sacrifice offred once by himselfe for the sinnes of the whole world which was the Antitype verity of those of the Jewes and was continually to be remembred againe as oft as the blessed Sacrament of his Body and Blood was celebrated â—useb demonstr Evang. lib. 1. c. 10. Chrysost hom 17. in Hebr. Ambr. in Epist ad Hebr. 10. 〈◊〉 August in Psal 75. Jdem lib. 20. aduers Faustum Manichaeum cap. 21. tom 6. Thus the Fathers haue expressed their owne meanings Eusebius Christ hath offered a marvailous sacrifice for the saluation of vs all commanding vs to offer vnto God a memoriall instead of the sacrifice of his Body and Blood Chrysostome wee offer vp the same sacrifice which Christ offered or rather a remembrance thereof the like hath Ambrose Augustine saith when we doe not forget our Sauiours gift is not Christ daily offered for vs Christ was once offered for vs and by that memory he is so daily sacrificed for vs as if he daily renued vs. And more fully Sacrificij nostri vera caro caro Christi olim in veteri lege per victimas pollicebatur in passione vero Christi in cruce per veritatem reddebatur at hodie in nostre sacrificio per sacramentum memoriae celebratur Sententiarum lib. 4. distinctio 12. lit g. The Master of the Sentences asketh whether that which the Priest holdeth may be called properly a sacrifice or
marriage which the Church of England still obserueth Concil Laodice cap. 25. Bellar. De Matrimonio lib. 1. cap. 31. §. Alterum imped §. Ratio hujus Concil Trident. session 24. ca. 10 1 From Aduent to the Epiphany 2 From Septuagesima vntill a weeke after Easter 3 From the dayes of Rogation vntill a weeke after Whitsontide But the late Councell of Trent hath onely continued the first entire cut the second shorter by 16 dayes beginning with Lent and ending a weeke after Easter and the third it hath quite cut off Concil Trident. sess 24. canon 3. 2 The degrees prohibiting marriage both enlarged and abridged For the Councell of Trent hath this Canon If any man say that the degrees onely expressed in Leuiticus of consanguinity and affinity doe hinder the contracting of Matrimony and dissolue it being contracted and that the Church hath not power to dispense in some of them or constitute that more degrees may hinder and dissolue let him be Anathema Here is a change of Gods law loosing where God hath bound binding where God hath loosed And they accursed that grant not this power to the Roman Church Bellarmine de Matrimonio lib. 1. cap. 29. initio And here is a change of the Churches custome also For Bellarmine addeth Recte Catholica Ecclesia conjugia prohibuit olim vsque ad septimum postea vero vsque ad quartium gradum consanguinitatis affinitatis The Catholicke Church in former time rightly forbad marriage to the seuenth degree and afterwards to the fourth degree of consanguinity and affinity Concil Trid. sess 21. cap. 3. canon 1 2 3. 3 And yet the Church of Rome is bolder euen to change Christs owne Ordinance and Institution of the Blessed Sacrament of his Body and Blood denying the Cup to the people and accursing them that hold it necessary for the Laity although the whole Church vsed it aboue a thousand yeeres together And yet they hold themselues to be one and the same Catholicke Church that so long vsed it In their opinion therfore the abrogating or changing of traditions or ceremonies howsoeuer they declaime against Protestants for such matters cuts not men off from being of the same Church that vsed them Antiquus Indeed ceremonies are inuentions of men and therefore alterable by the wisedome of the Church as times place and occasions require And the Church may ordaine new ceremonies also as Bellarmine teacheth lib. 2. de effectu Sacramentorum cap 31 § tertia propositio c. Antiquissimus I let passe much superstitious and sacrilegious doctrine which Bellarmine there vttereth attributing almost as much to Ceremonies inuented by men as to the Sacraments ordained by Christ And I accept what is granted that being invented by men they are alterable by men and not being of the substance of Religion the vsing or disusing of them makes no alteration or difference in Religion Saint Augustine discoursing of the diuersity of ceremonies and customes in seuerall Churches and Countries tels a story of his mother Monica Aug. epist 118. who comming to Milan and finding that they fasted not vpon Saturdayes as in her countrey they did was much disquieted in her mind as at diuersity of Religion and knew not what to doe but she was resolued by Saint Ambrose Bishop of that City that such things made no difference of Religion When I come to Rome saith he I fast on the Saturday when I am at Milan I fast not So you to what Church soeuer you come Ejus morem serua si cuiquam non vis esse scandalo nec quenquam tibi Obserue the custome of that Church if you will not be offensiue to others nor others to you Here obserue Rome and Milan two great Cities in one Countrey both in Jtaly yet had seuerall customes and ceremonies which to some weake consciences through ignorance might be offensiue yet were they all of one Religion in substance and for rites or ceremonies at that time Milan was no more bound to obey Rome then Rome to obey Milan §. 5. As your Rhemists insinuate Annot. vpon Rom. 11. ver 4. But now if a man be not in all points though neuer so small nay in all traditions rites and ceremonies conformable to the ancient Church or to the Church of Rome late before Luthers dayes you count him not of the same Religion One of your idle Pamphleters idle for the matter he brings but too to busie in lying and rayling one W. G. ashamed belike to adde his full name professor in Diuinity writes a Booke points and repoints it Permissu superiorum 1619. entituled A Discouery of shifts c. His principall matter is to shew that before Luthers time No man was euer of the Protestants Religion His reason because all men held one point or other at least tradition rite or ceremony different from the Protestants which he labours to shew by running thorow a great number of Instances not considering that by the same reason it might be as well prooved that neuer any man vntill the late Councell of Trent was of the Papists Religion For he asketh thus First was Dionysius Areopagita a Protestant and answereth No for he maintained traditions spake of Altars places sanctified rasuâ—e of Priests burning of incense at the Altar c. Answer To omit that many doubt and some censure the bookes imputed to him to be counterfeits as Casetan Valla Erasmus Possevin and Bellarmine see Censura librorum Roberti Coc. pag. I aske againe was Dionysius Areopagita a Papist No for he hath many things of the Eucharist which condemne Priuate Masses Communion vnder one kinde onely and Transubstantiation See Câ—talogus testium veritatis lib. 1. Secondly Was Papias scholler to Saint Iohn Evangelist a Protestant No saith W. G. for hee defended Traditions and Peters primacy and Romish Episcopality How then was he a Papist No say we for hee taught such traditions as Papists condemne as namely the errour of the Chibiasts or Millenaries and said it was a Tradition deliuered from the Apostles Baronius anno 118. n. 5. c. n. 2. Thirdly was Ignatius a Protestant No for he approued traditions limbus patrum merits and the reall presence Not so But was he then a Papist no for Protestants cite him against Transubstantiation and Communion vnder one kinde priuate Masses and the Popes supremacy Catalogus testium lib. 2. appendice pag 2087. Bellarmine reâ—ects the Greeke copies of his workes being against the Papists Fourthly was Tertullian a Protestant no for hee hold the Montanists heresie Was he a Papist then no for the same reason also he writes sharpely against the Popes budding supremacy and against Transubstantiation and for the sufficiency of Scriptures to confute heretickes See Catal. test lib. 3. Fiftly was Saint Cyprian a Protestant no saith he for he was a Montanist also was he then a Papist no for Papists condemne Montanists as well as Protestants also he equals all the Apostles with
ad Rom. as soone as man beleeueth in him he is presently instified Consequently o In Psal 142. Ne intres in iudâ—cium man can haue no merits to trust vnto there is nothing properly his owne but sinne p In 1. cap gen hom 2 serm de fide de lege nat Yet faith wrought in vs by Gods grace will be fruitfull in good workes or else it is a dead faith and vnprofitable He taught q Hom. 4. de penitentia hom 12. in Mat. in 15. de muliere Chananaea prayer to God only and directly without running about to Patrons or Intercessors Mediators Porters naming Iames John Peter and the Quire of Apostles take saith he repentance for thy companion to supply the place of an aduocate and goe to the head fountaine it selfe Of the Eucharist though he haue many rhetoricall and hyperbolicall speeches in the vehemency of his mouing the people to humble deuotion as Thou seest touchest eatest Christ and hee suffereth teeth to bee fastned in his flesh and to be made red with his bloud which r Bellar de Euchar lib. 1. cap. 2. §. quinta Regula de Missa lâ—b 2 cap 10. §. ad illad Valentinian tom 4. in Thom. disp 6. quest 4. punct 3 §. quare non est assentiendum Alano Iesuites confesse cannot be vnderstood properly without impiety but tropically of the signes onely not of the body which cannot suffer of vs nor be violated yet he hath much against Transubstantiation for he saith Å¿ Hom. de Eucharist The Table is furnished with mysteries thou seest bread and wine but thinke not that you receiue the diuine body of a man Ne putetis quod accipiatis divinum corpus ex homine And t Hom. 11. Op. imperfect in Mat. in his vasis sanctificatis non est verum corpus Christi sed mysterium corporis ejus continetur In these hallowed vessels there is not contained the true body of Christ but the mystery of his body Also u Hom. 83. in Matth. if thou wast incorporeall hee would haue giuen to thee his incorporeall gifts naked but because thy soule is ioyned to a true body in sensibilibus intelligenda tibi traduntur in things sensible are deliuered vnto thee things to be vnderstood Againe x Hom. 7. in 1 Cor. An vnâ—eleeuer seeing the water of Baptisme thinkes it is simply water but I doe not simply see what I see but I consider the purging of the soule by the spirit and the burying resurrection sanctification iustice redemption adoption inheritance and Kingdome of heauen For I iudge them not by sight but by the eyes of my mind He writes also y Jn 1 Cor. hom 27. against priuate Communions when people doe not communicate called now priuate Masses and z Hom. Oportet haereses esse halfe Communions without ministring the Cup to the people Against Purgatory after this life he saith * In Matth. hom 4. hom 3. de poenit hom De Lazaro Hee that washeth not away his sinnes in this life shall finde no comfort afterward * Hom. 7 in Matth. as when a ship is sunke or a man dead neither can the Saylor nor Physitian helpe it When we are once gone nothing is lest to satisfie for vs. * Homilia 2. de Lazaro while we are heere we haue faire hopes but being once departed it is not in vs to repent afterward or to wash off our sinnes Saint Augustine writes fully and plentifully a Aug. De vnitate Ecclesiae alibi p. sâ—â—n for the perfection and sufficiency of the Scriptures to determine where the true Church is and to end all Controuersies and b De doctr christ lib. 2. ca 9. plaine enough to ground all necessary doctrines vpon c De Bapt. contra Donatistas lib. 6. cap. 3. that the Church to which the promises of grace and saluation belong is the company of faithfull beleeuers and that wicked men doe not belong vnto it d Ib. lib. 7 cap. 51. de vnitatate Eccl. cap. vlt alibi saepe they may be in the Church but not of the Church in the house but belong not ad compagem domus e Retract lib. 2. cap. 21. That Peter was not the Rocke wherein the Church is built but Christ f In psal 44. psal 60. and that we are Christiani not Petriani c. the Rock was Christ g De verb. Dom. serm 13. in mat tract 124. and vpon the Rock which Peter confessed saying Thou art Christ the Son of the liuing God I will build my Church Vpon mee not vpon thee They that would be built vpon men said I am of Paul and I of Apollos and I of Cephas that is Peter but others that would not be built super Petrum but super Petram said Ego sum Christi Quomodo nec in Pauli sic nec in Petri sed in nomine Christi vt Petrus aedificaretur super Petram non Petra super Petrum He writes that h Tract 118. 114. in Ioan. libro quaest vet novi test quaest 93. the Keyes of binding and loosing were not giuen onely to Peter alone but in him to the whole Church that all the Church might haue power to binde and loose sinnes Of Antichrist he saith i De civ Dei l b. 20. cap. 19. He shall sit in the Church of God and k In psal 9. extoll himselfe aboue all that is worshipped and come by wicked arts to that vaine height and domination and l De civ Dei ibid. when the Roman Empire is taken away then Sathan by Antichrist shall worke mirabiliter sed mendaciter with lying wonders Saint Augustine reports and applauds Saint Cyprians speech to the Donatists thus m De Baptismo contra Donatist None of vs makes our selues Bishop of Bishops nor doth by tyrannicall terror compell his fellowes to the necessity of obedience seeing euery Bishop for the license of his liberty and power hath his proper iudgement as if hee could not bee iudged of another as himselfe cannot iudge another but we must all expect the Iudgement of our Lord Iesus Christ who alone hath power both to set vs in the gouernment of his Church and to iudge of our acts A doctrine plaine against the popes supremacy Against Transubstantiation though Bellarmine cite him for the truth of Christs body deliuered which we deny not he writes plainly deliuering a Rule how to know figuratiue from proper speeches in the Scriptures n De doctrinâ— Christiana lib 3. cap. 15. ib. that When a precept seemes to command a fowle or wicked act or forbid a good and profitable thing then it is to be taken figuratiuely He giues this for an example Except you eat the flesh of the Sonne of Man and drinke his Bloud you haue no life in you this in the proper sense seemes a foule and wicked thing
and primacy he would not haue failed to vse them being so pregnant for his purpose In the same edition of Manutius Bedel ibid. See D. Field 5. cap. 42. fol. vlt. the Epistle of Firmilianus Bishop of Cesaria beginning Accepimus per Rogatianum is quite left out although Saint Cyprian thought it worthy his translation and publication and good cause why For that Bishop tartly vilifieth the Bishop of Romes both place person farre beneath that height which they now assume Firmilianns reproueth the folly of Stephanus that boasting so much of the place of his Bishopricke and succession of Peter bee stirred vp contentions and discords in all other Churches and bids him not deceiue himselfe he is become aschismaticke by separating himselfe from the communion of the Ecclesiasticall vnity for while hee thinkes he can separate all from his Communion hee hath separated himselfe onely from all He taxeth him for calling Cyprian a false Christ a false Apostle and a deceitfull workeman which being priuy to himselfe that these were his owne due preuentingly he obiected to another This Epistle is omitted in the new prints And thus graue Authors are shamefully curtalled and corrupted when they speake against the Pope and his doctrine their tongues are cut out contrarily words and sentences are foysted into their workes to make them seeme to speake for him when they neuer meant it Franc. Iunius reports that he comming in the yeare 1559. to a familiar friend of his Junius in praesatione ante Indicem expurgatorium Belgicum à se editum 1586 named Lewes Sauarius Corrector of a Print at Leydon found him ouerlooking Saint Ambrose Workes which Frellonius was printing Whereof when Junius commended the elegancy of the Letter and Edition the Corrector told him secretly it was of all Editions the worst and drawing out many sheets of now-waste-paper from vnder the Table told him they had printed those sheetes according to the ancient authenticke copies but two Franciscans had by their authority cancelled and reiected them and caused other to be printed and put in their roomes differing from the truth of all their owne bookes to the great losse of the Printer and wonder of the Corrector Gretzer De iure prohib libros lib. 2. cap. 10. The Iesuite Gretzerus defendeth these doings and writing of the purging or altering of old Bertram hee saith the Index hath done him no iniury when it hath done him that fauour which is done to some of the ancients as Tertullian and Origen Them and some others though very ancient Gratian quite cut off and the Church hath this authority saith hee to proscribe whole bookes or any parts of them great or small Thus Gretzerus And indeed of the two it were better to proscribe or cut them off as no witnesses then to corrupt and make them false witnesses to speake what they thought not or what is not true But for a Particular Church to proscribe or corrupt all the witnesses that speake against her is vntollerable See more in D. Morton Apologia Catholica part 2. lib. 2. c. 17 In the former point of Counterfeits the Children begot the Fathers In this point of Corruption the Children will teach the Fathers to speake and alter their testimonies and testaments at their pleasure §. 9. Index Expurg Belg. fol. 4. per Iunium edit pag. 12. 3 By deuised glosses and witty but wrong interpretations they wrest the sentences of the Fathers to meane otherwise then the Fathers intended This is confessed by the Diuines of the Vniuersity of Doway speaking of Bertrams booke The title Vt liber Bertrami presbyteri de Corp. sang Domini tolerari emendatus queat Iudicium Vniversitatis Duacensis Censoribus probatum Then their iudgement followes with some reasons why they rather mend the book then forbid it lest the forbidding should make men more desirously seeke it and greedily reade it and condemne the Church for abrogating all antiquity that is alleadged against them c. Therefore they will vse it as they doe other ancient Catholike bookes which they deliuer in these words Cumâ— in Catholicis veteribus alijs plâ—â—â—os feramus errores extenuemus excusemus excogâ—â—â—â—omento persaepe negemus commodum ijs seasum â—ffingamus dum opponuntur in disputationibus aut in confactionibus cum aduersarijs non videmus cur non candem aequitatem diligentem recognitionem mereatur Bertramus c. that is Seeing in other ancient Catholike writers we beare with many errors and we extenuate excuse and oftentimes by witty expositions deny and dâ—uise a commodious sense vnto them when they are opposed in disputations and conflicts with our aduersaries we see no reason why Bertram may not deserue the same equity and diligent recognition In this passage we may obserue these things 1 They acknowledge many errours to be in ancient Writers whom yet they account Catholickes and of their owne Church or Religion Otherwise they must haue a small and the Protestants a large Church 2 That those opinions though many which they Call errors make for their aduersaries the Protestants and are against Romes present doctrine and so obiected by the Protestants 3 How they auoyd them euen by applying their Art Wit and Learning Gods talents committed to them to obscure the Truth corrupt the witnesse thereof deceiue the simple and gull the learned making all beleeue that the ancient Writers are nothing at all against them but fully for them by peruerting their allegations to speake quite contrary to the Authors meaning O wit and learning wickedly bestowed conscience seared poore people miserably deluded And note further 4 the generality of this practise Iudicium Vniuersitatis Duacensis Censoribus approbatum confessed professed by a whole Vniuersity at once and deliuered for their deliberate iudgement and approoued by the most learned and iudicious censors appointed to that great office by the Hierarchy of the Church of Rome though this practice was a long time closely carried in darkenesse yet now it is defended in the open light by Gretzer the Iesuite §. 10. 4 The Roman Doctors may bring in whole Armies of witnesses on their side when they change the question and proue what no body denies a Bedel letters to Wadworth pag. 109. As when the question is whether the pope haue a Monarchy ouer all Christians an vncontroulable Iurisdiction an Infallible Iudgement c. b Bellar. de summo Pontifice lib. 2. cap. 15. 16 answered by D. Field lib. 5. cap. 35 36. Bellarmine alleadgeth a number of Fathers Greeke and Latin to proue onely that Saint Peter had a primacy of honour and authority which is farre short of that supremacy which the popes now claime and which is the question So to proue the verity of Christs Body and Blood in the Lords Supper c Bellar de Eucharistia lâ—b 2. toto Bellarmine spends the whole booke in citing the Fathers of seuerall Ages To what purpose when the
following the Scotists The Councell of Basil ratified the Franciscans doctrine for the vnspottednesse of the Blessed Virgin The Dominicans excepted against that Councell as not lawfully called The contention continued and grew so great that Pope Sixtus was faine to interpose his authority commanding by a solemne decree that the matter should neuer be disputed afterward Hist of the Councell of Trent Notwithstanding in the Councell of Trent either of the sides contended with great earnestnesse to haue it determined on their side But to auoyde the endlesse offence of both sides the Cardinall de Monte President of the Councell told them The Councell was called to end Controuersies with Heretickes not to meddle with Controuersies of Catholickes And so it continued vndecided Lately Cardinall Bellarmine hath written much hereof on the Dominicans side but yet without resolution And so they stand irreconciliably contentious 5 Cardinall Caietan a deepe learned Diuine Arch. Abbot ib. and much imployed by the pope against Luther wrote many bookes of seuerall matters Sixt. Senensis Bibliotheca sancta libro 4. 6. against which Ambrosius Catharinus Archbishop of Compsa wrote sixe sharp bookes of Annotations and Inuectiues as Sixtus Senensis records and reckons vp the particular points leauing to euery man his free iudgement thereof 6 In the great piont of Iustification Cardinall Contarene agrees with the Protestants in his booke printed anno 1541. some few yeares before the Councell of Trent 7 Albertus Pighius also taught the Protestants doctrine of Iustification in a booke published anno 1549. which he dedicated to Paulus then pope complaining of the Schoole-Diuines who had much obscured the doctrine of Iustification and who he feared would contemne his iudgement 8 The learned Diuines of Colen also taught the Protestants doctrine of Iustification by faith in Christs merits and wrote against the merit of our workes in their Antididagma and Enchiridion Antididagma pag. 30. as Bellarmine confesseth And yet both Pighius and the Doctors of Colen are excused by Bellarmine Bellar. de Iustif lib. 2. cap. 1. § in candem sent § Deinde quod est discrimen they were no heretickes though they erred because they kept community with the Church of Rome and submitted their writings to the censure thereof 9 Their great Doctor Durandus had many errours which Bellarmine meets withall and confutes in many Controuersies And concerning the Eucharist he held that the matter of the bread remained still after the Consecration and that there was onely a transformation Bellar. de Fucharistia libro 3. cap. 13. initio but not a transubstantiation of the matter Whereof Bellarmine saith Sententia Durandi haeretica est licet ipse non sit dicendus haereticus cum paratus fuerit Ecclesiae iudicio acquiescere The opinion of Durand is hereticall though he is not to be called an hereticke seeing he is ready to rest vpon the Churches iudgement Sentent lib. 4. distinct 11. litera a. 10 Peter Lombard Bishop of Paris Master of the Sentences found such variety of opinions concerning the elements in the Sacrament that he knew not what to determine Some held that the substance of the bread remained some that it vanished or was resolued into his first matter some that it was turned into Christs body But for his owne part what kinde of conuersion it should be whether formal or substantiall or of some other kinde he saith Definire non sufficio I am not able to define Ibidem dist 13. b. in sine 11 Lombard also saith that bruit Beasts that eare the consecrated hoste doe not eate the body of Christ What doe they eat then He answereth Deus nouit hoc God knowes that Aquinas Summa 3. part qu. 80 ut 3. ad tertium But Tho. Aquinas teacheth the contrary that Christs body is still vnder the species as long as the species remaine though a Mouse or Dog should eate them For it is no dignity saith he to Christs body to be eaten by Beasts when they touch not the body in its proper species but onely according to the Sacramentall species Lombard ibid. dâ—st 11 lit 12 Lombard also saith that the Eucharist is to bee receiued in both kinds And Gerardus Lorichius a great Papist protesteth that they are false Catholickes Lerich de missa publica proroganda hinderers of the Reformation of the Church and blasphemers who deny the people the Cup in the Eucharist 13 Bellarmine himselfe a great learned Iesuite and Cardinall late Reader of Controuersies at Rome Bellar de Euchar lib. 3. cap. 18. §. Ex his colgimus c. teacheth that the substance of the bread in the Sacrament is not turned into the substance of Christs body productivè as one thing is made of another but that the bread goes away and Christs body comes into the roome of it adductivè as one thing succeeds into the place of another the first be voyded and this saith he is the opinion of the Church of Rome But Suarez another learned Iesuite Suarez tomo 3. in Thom. disp 50 sect 4. §. tertio principaliter pag. 639. who hath written many great volumnes and is Reader of Controuersies at Salamanca in Spaine confutes Bellarmines opinion terming it Translocatio not Transubstantiatio and saith it is not of the Churches opinion Thus these great Master-builders are confounded in their language and thus hard it is to know what the Church of Rome holdeth Her owne dearest and learnedest sonnes know not Either Doctor Bellarmine or Doctor Suarez mistooke it and doubtlesse either of them haue multitudes of followers and all on both sides Catholickes Yea I hope both Suarez and Bellarmine Durand and Lombard the Dominicans and Franciscans Cajetan Catharine Contarene Pighius and the Colen Doctors shall still be counted good Catholicks and all of one Church notwithstanding their differences 14 Beside these See before lib. 1. cap. 4. sect 12 13 â—4 you may remember a number of learned Catholickes with their numberlesse followers which I reckoned before which differed from you in some points and wrote against your doctrine and practises as Saint Bernard Ioannes Salisburiensis Cardinalis Camericensis Cardinalis Cusanus Robert Grosthead B. of Lincolne Ockam Cesenas Clemangis Gerson Valla Bradwardin Ariminiensis Contarene Bonaventure Scotus Clethoveus Rhendius c. Doctor Field reckons aboue 20 Fathers and later Doctors See aboue lib. 1. cap. 4. sect 14. B. Vsher Answer to the Irish Iesuite pag. 500. seq that accounted those bookes onely Canonicall which wee so reckon and the rest Apocryphall Bishop Vsher reckons vp against your doctrine of Merit aboue 50 authors new and old wherof some are manifold as Liber Caroli Magni composed by a great number of Diuines Instructions of the sicke approued by all the Diuines of the Kingdome The Canons and Vniuersity of Colen The Chancellour and Diuines of Paris And both they and all the rest had infinite followers of their
opinion All which to let passe * See D. Field Appendix 1. part pag. 100. seq and Appendix of 27 Articles to the seuenth chapter of the third booke printed at the end of the fourth multitudes of others you still count Catholickes and of your Church though they taught many things against you And therefore out of your owne iudgement we may conclude that some few differences in some points betwixt Protestants doe not hinder them from being all of one Church and Religion §. 3. Antiquus Yes for your differences are great and many ours small and few Antiquissimus When you looke through false spectacles things may be seene greater or smaller then they are take heed you looke not on our differences through the spectacles of malice which makes euery small thing great and vgly and on your owne differences through the spectacles of selfe-loue which makes them seeme small and tollerable One speciall point of the manner of Christs being and being receiued in the Sacrament Archb. Abbot ag Hill Reason 5 §. 26. makes the maine difference bewixt the Lutherans in Denmarke and some places of Germany and the other reformed Churches Anthony sometime King of Nauarre said to the Ambassadour of Denmarke Comment Relig. Reip. in Gal. lib. exhorting the reformed French to be of Luthers doctrine There bee forty points wherein Luther and Calvin doe differ from the pope and in 39 of them they agree betweene themselues and in that single one they dissent Their followers therefore should doe well to ioyne in the greater number against the pope till they haue ruâ—nated him and when his heart is broken they should fall to compound that last single difference God in his good time grant it Now in that one speciall point Zanchius de dissidio Cana Dom. Iudicium tomo septimo in fine Miscelaneorum D. Field Church lib. 5. Appendix part 1. pag. 114. the difference is nothing so great as you would haue it thought For as the most learned and iudicious Zanchius obserueth and our Doctor Field out of him In all necessary points both the parties agree and dissent in one vnnecessary which by right vnderstanding one another might easily bee compounded First both parties agree in the necessity of the receiuers due preparing themselues with knowledge of their sinnes repentance of them faith in Christ for pardon of them and resolution to liue according to Gods Law Secondly both sides agree in the acknowledgement of the excellent vse of the Sacrament for a perpetuall memoriall of the death and passion of Christ for our saluation and that with him we should dye to sinne and be raised againe to newnesse of life be made one with him and nourished by him in a spirituall life here to eternall life hereafter Thirdly both sides agree that the very body and blood of Christ are to be receiued in that Sacrament that thereby we may be partakers of the life of Grace and also be strengthened confirmed and continued therein Fourthly both sides agree that the elements of bread and wine presenting to our consideration and faith the spirituall nourishing force that is in the body and blood of Christ are not abolished in their substance but onely changed in their vse which is not onely to signifie but also to exhibit and communicate vnto vs the very body and blood of Christ with all the gracious working and fruits thereof Fiftly both sides agree that the meaning of Christs words This is my Body This is my Blood when hee gaue them the Bread and Wine was this This which outwardly and vâ—sibly I giue you is in substance Bread and Wine and in mystery or exhibitiue signification my Body and Blood but this which together with them I giue you inuisibly is my very Boâ—y that is to be crucified and my very Blood which is to be shed for the remission of your sinnes Sixtly both parties agree and professe they firmely beleeue that the very Body and Blood of Christ which the Sacraments doe not onely signifie but exhib t and whereof the faithfull are partakers are truely present in the Sacrament and by the faithfull truely and really receiued Thus farre all parties agree that is in the whole necessary and sufficient substance of the doctrine of this Sacrament for the other matter wherein they differ De modo of the manner how Christ is present in the Sacrament seeing it is not expressed in the Scriptures In the iudgement of Zanchius it might be well omitted themselues confesse when they haue gone as farre as they can to determine it still it is ineffable and not possible to be fully vnderstood It is enough for vs to beleeue the Body and Blood are there though how and in what manner we cannot define §. 4. Antiquus Whether it be of so little importance or no I dispute not but I am sure the Controuersie still remaines and is hotly pursued and yet this is not the onely difference betwixt your Protestants there are many other Antiquissimus The more greatly to blame is your pope and Romish Hierarchy that when many grieuous corruptions of your Church both in Doctrine and gouernment were manifestly layed open See D. Field Appendix to the fift booke of the Church part 1. pag. 71. Gerson 3. part Apologet. de concilio Constantion Idâ—m de concilio vnius obedientiae would not for al the importunity of Princes Prelats people yeeld to any wholsome reformation but with obstinate resistance hindred all publicke proceeding in Reformation by the course of a general Councell so that seuerall States and Kingdomes were faine to redresse things amisse seuerally within their owne compasse without sufficient Intelligence and consultation one with another which could not bee done without some differences and it is lâ—ttle lesse then miraculous that the differences were not many more and greater Cassander saith when many were moued out of a godly affection sharply to reproue certaine manifest abuses Cassander consultation art 7. they were repelled and disdainfully contemned by them who were puffed vp with the swell ng conceits of their Ecclesiasticall power which caused the great distraction or rent of the Church and no firme peace is to be hoped for vnlesse the beginning thereof be from them that gaue the cause of this diuision that is vnlesse they that haue the gouernment of the Church remit something of their too great rigor and listning to the desires of many godly ones correct manifest abuses according to the rule of sacred Scripture and the ancient Church from which they are departed c. Thus writes your Cassander though a papist yet moderate and truely Iudicious Contarenus in confutatione Articulorum Lutheri Also your Cardinall Contarenus writing of the grieuances and complaints of the Lutherans for the manifold abuses brought into the Church makes a prayer to God that he would moue the hearts of the Prelats of the Church at the last to put away most pernicious selfe-loue and be
perswaded to correct things manifestly amisse and to reforme themselues There needs no Counsell thoâ—e need no syllogismes there need no alleadging of places of Scripture for the quiering of these stirres of the Lutherans but there is need of good minds of loue towards God and our neighbour and of humility c. Thus writes Contarenus I might cite your Thu anus and many others that lay the fault of the diuisions rents and differences in the Church vpon your Pope and Prelats Bad Statists and worse Christians But I pray you what other differences of moment do ye finde among the Protestants Antiquus When the Diuines of the Reformed in France were called to the Mompelgart colloquy in the yeare 1586 they looked for no more differences then of our Lords Supper which you spake of but they found more of the Person of Christ of Predestination of Baptisme of Images in Churches Antiquissmus They found those fiue indeed And it was a wonderfull prouidence of God that so many seuerall Countries Kingdomes and States abandoning the abuses of the Church or rather Court of Rome and making particular Reformations in their own dominions without generall meetings and consents should haue no more nor greater differences then these And of these the first two of Christs presence in the Sacrament and of the communication of properties of the diuinity and humanity in the person of Christ are in a maner all one and reconciled both alike Concerning the two next the differences among the Fathers who notwithstanding still continued members of the same true Catholik Church may well excuse the differences among the Protestants And for the fifth difference concerning Images it proued no difference at all Both sides therin fully agreed But these are not the Tithe of the differences amongst your men and in these fiue which you reckon many of your owne men differ one from another and yet with you are good Catholiks Antiquus Happily I might insist vpon many other differences among you if I carried a minde rather to number then to weigh them But I will name onely one more the great and scandalous dissention among you about the gouernment of your Church betwixt the Bishops and Formalists on the one side and the Puritans or Separatists on the other side Antiquissimus Both these sides agree in all necessary sauing points of doctrine But in this very point of gouernment D. Field Appen first part pag. 120. first pull out the beame out of your owne eyes before you stare vpon our motes Some of your Doctors hold that the Pope is aboue Generall Councels some that he is not Some hold that the pope hath the vniuersality of all Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction in himselfe Others hold the pope to be onely the Prince Bishop in order and honour before other which are equall in commission with him and at the most but as the Duke of Venice among the Senators of that State Some hold that the pope may erre Iudicially Others that the pope cannot erre Iudicially Some hold the pope to be temporall Lord of al the world Others hold that he is not so Some hold that though the pope be not temporall Lord of the world yet in ordine ad spiritualia he may dispose of the Kingdome of the world Others hold that the pope may not meddle with Princes States in any wise §. 5. Antiquus The differences among Protestants you say are not great but I am sure their dissentions are great bitter scandalous and odious while they write most virulent inuectiues one against another damne one another most grieuously for their different doctrine without shew of any touch of Christan mortification or moderation Antiquissimus Those that do so are much to blame It is farre from mee to defend them Yet you know sometimes very holy and well mortified men may happen into strange contentions euen for smal matters Saint Paul and Barnabas appointed by the Holy Ghost to ioyne for the worke of the ministry in planting Churches among the Gentiles Acts 13.2 which they did very laboriously cheerefully with good successe and though they suffered persecution in doing it yet were comfortably deliuered and allwayes found God who had sent them present to protect and blesse them and afterwards they were sent by the Church to Ierusalem to the Apostles and elders Acts 15.1 2. about questions that troubled the Church and by the whole Councell of Apostles they were sent againe Iointly to the Churches of Antioch Syria and Cilicia and other Nations to giue them notice of the decrees of the Councell to direct and confirme the brethren now hauing deliuered their message and done their businesse imposed at Antioch and were so to go forward to Syria and Cilicia They fell to contention and for a matter of no great moment to wit Barnabas would haue Iohn to goe with them and Paul refused him the contention grew so sharp that they parted company and went seuerall wayes See how flesh and blood boyled in these good mens hearts Euen in those mens hearts whom God had made speciall choyce of and Ioyned them together for his most especiall and extraordinary workes vpon whom the Church of God after fasting and prayer had laid their hands and separated them to goe Ioyntly together about that holy busines who had power to doe many miracles and extraordinary workes Acts 15. who made report of the wonderfull successe which God gaue them in conuerting the Gentiles to the great admiration and consolation of the Apostles whom the Apostles sent againe with their decrees to the Churches euen these holy men fell out for a light cause and parted company Haply some man might say Are these to be accounted truely mortified and holy men who were carried away with such a humor of pride and sâ—lfe will that neither of them would yeeld to other are these guided by the spirit of God the spirit of peace loue concord humility are these fit to teach others that cannot ouerrule their owne passions or haue they no part of the spirit of God but are men ouerborne with haughtinesse wilfullnesse stubbornesse vnfit for men of this profession able to make men vtterly distaste and abhorre whatsoeuer they preach Thus would some men gather out of this action But Saint Paul a chosen vessell yet still an earthen vessel who knew well he had his cracks and his flawes himselfe gathereth another thing 2 cor 4.6 2 Cor. 4.6 God who hath commanded the light to shine out of darknes hath shined in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Chirst But we haue this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of vs. Secondly At the first Councell of Nice many Churchmen offred vp to the Emperor Constantine Bills of Complaint one against another Zozomen hist lib. 1. cap. 16. which the Emperor tooke very ill and said this was worse then
was driuen out Notwithstanding within a few dayes after to appeale the tumults of people he was recalled Socrates lib. 6. cap. 16. placed agâ—ine in his Bishopricke restored to preaching and so continued a while but not without tumults wherein many were wounded and many killed And when hee was banished againe the Cathedrall Church at Constantinople with the Senate hâ—use were set on fire and burned to the ground in the pursuit of reuenge Baronius beginning the story of this contention Baron tomo 5. anno 400. nu 51. saith thus I take in hand a great and lamentable narration of strife and direfull persecution not of Gentiles against Christians nor heretickes against Catholickes nor of wicked men against good and iust but which is monstrous and prodigious euen of Saints and holy men one against another Ninthly Socrates lib. 7. cap. 33. D. Fâ—eld church lib 5 cap 33. â—pâ—end 1 part pag 116 117 118. c D Hall Columbâ— Noe pag. 44. In the first Councell of Ephesus being the third generall Councell there arose great contâ—ntions bâ—twixt Cyril of Alexan ria and Iohn Bishop of Antioch two Patriarkes either of them thundring Anathematismes againâ—t other and depriuing each othâ—r of their Churches Theodores vnhappily thrust his sickle into Iohns haruest against whom at the â—nstigation of Euoptius Cyrillus grieuously inueighed Theodoret accused Cyrill of Apollinarisme and Cyrill accused Theodoret of N storianisme And this fury spred so farre that it drew almost the Christian world into sides So that when afterwards Theodoret would haue come into the Chalcedon Synod the Aegyptian and other reuerend Bishops cryed If we receiue Theodoret we cast out Cyril the Canons cast out Theodoret God abhorres him This was done in the first action of the Chalcedon Councell and againe in the eight action the Bishops crying out openly he is an Hereticke he is a Nâ—storiâ—n away with the Hereticke Yet when the matter was fully knowen and that Theodoret had willingly subscribed to the Orthodoxe Creedes and to Leo's Epistles The whole Synoâ— cryed with one vâ—yce Theodoret is worthy of his Ecclesiasticall Sea let the Church receiue her Catholike Pastor Antiquus Your discourse hath â— t me into a mixture of griefe and â—oâ— Griefe that any of the holy ancient Fathers haue held any errours at all and that there were such bitter contentions among them Ioy that seeing there were such they are not hid from me For that will make me more moderate in thinking of them though reuerently as holy men yet still as men subiect to humane infirmities and not in all things to make their sayings rules of my faith or their doings patâ—ernes of my life but altogether to make the most holy perfect infallible and vnstained word of God the guides of both and it shall make me also more wise in esteeming men now liuing reuerently for the graces of God which I see in them notwithstanding their humane fraâ—lties such as I perceiue the best Saints of God haue had But yet I see not any sufficient rule to leade mee to Iudge how you can challenge the Fathers to be of your Religion more then the Romans may challenge them to be of theirs I perceiue well they diffâ—red from both in many things wherein you both refuse them Antiquissimus You make that vse of my discourse that I wish For the Rule to direct your iudgement I haue pointed at it often and now I will briefely and as fully as I can lay it open vnto you CHAP. 4. Of the Rule to iudge the soundnesse and purity of all Christians and Churches by This Chapter hath foure Sections The first Section of the Rule vsed in the Primitiue Church The second of the Rule enlarged and approued in this Age The third of Obiections arising from the former discourses and their answeres The fourth of the necessity of Preaching still to them that hold the Rule The first Section § 1. The Rule in generall § 2. Opened by distinctions of the foundation of Religion § 3. A necessity to haue a short rule drawne out of the Scriptures § 4. This rule is described by Saint Paul § 5. The practise of it by the Apostles who onely deliuered the most necessary fundamentall points to the Iewes and then baptized them § 6. The like practise vsed by the following Primitiue Church to their Catechumeni before Baptisme §. 1. THe Rule to Iudge all Christians and Churches by is this They that hold the same fundamentall points of Christian Religion which doe sufficiently constitute the Church of Christ and hold no other opinions wittingly and obstinately that ouerthrow any of these fundamentall points they are vndoubtedly of the same true Church and Religion §. 2. For the vnderstanding of this Rule note 1 Saint Paul distinguisheth betwixt the foundation and that which is built vpon the foundation 1 Cor. 3.10 As a wise Master-builder I haue laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon The word Foundation is taken two wayes First for the principall thing which is to be beleeued and wherupon our saluation is builded that is Iesus Christ as Saint Paul saith there verse 11. Other foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Iesus Christ Acts 4.12 There is no saluation in any other there is none other name vnder heauen giuen among men whereby we must be saued 1 Tim. 3.16 This is the great mystery of godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh c. This was Saint Peters confession Matth. 16.16 Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Vpon which confession as Saint Augustine and Chrysostome expound it Christ said he would build his Church and the gates of Hell should not preuaile against it Secondly the word Foundation is taken for the Doctrine of the Scriptures which teach saluation onely by Iesus Christ as Ephes 2.20 The house that is the houshold or Church of God is built vpon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe the chiefe Corner stone And so the Apostles are called twelue foundations Reuel 21.14 to wit in respect of their doctrine whereby they laid the foundation of the Church and of mens saluation by Iesus Christ §. 3. 2 Although the whole Scripture and euery thing therein contained or from it necessarily deduced be a fit obiect for faith to apprehend Yet that all Christians should thorowly conceiue and vniformely professe them all is not to be hoped B. Vsher Serm. at Wansted pag 22. nor in any Age hath beene found As we haue manifestly proued * In the former Chapter Variety of Iudgements in some points of lesser moment which are not plainely deliuered in the Scriptures may be tollerated and must not dissolue the vnity which all must hold in the fundamentall principles Heauen was not prepared for deepe Clerkes onely which vnderstood all or for such as neuer differed in any opinion 1 Cor. 132 12. but euen for such also as knew but in part and saw through a
the Eunuch who embraced the Old Testament Acts 8 28-35-37 c. And by Saint Peter to Cornelius and his company who had before receiued the Religion of the Iewes Acts. 10.2 22 35 43. And by Saint Paul Acts 13.14 16 -32 -38 39. c. The Apostles receiuing the Conuerts to Baptisme vpon adding to their former knowledge these few principles of true Faith in Christ Iesus and good life shewed that in their Iudgement they wanted no essentiall thing necessary for the making of them true members of the Church and perfect Christians or as our Catechisme calles them members of Christ Children of God and inheritors of the Kingdome of Heauen and that if God should take them out of this world in their first entrance into these principall grounds of saluation without further knowledge or practise yet vndoubtedly they should die sufficient Christans and in the state of Grace §. 6. Conformable to the Apostles practise the Christians of the Primitiue Church baptized those that were Catechized in the grounds of sauing doctrine as the essentiall points of Religion that constitute a Christian as appeareth by Irenaeus and Tertullian See Irenaeus and Tertullian cited before chap. 1. sect 2. sub 1. §. 2. whom I alleadged before and by the Creeds which were ordayned as Badges of Christians and differences of true beleeuers froÌ„ either vnbeleeuers or hereticks The Westerne Churches vsed in their Baptisme that short form of confession comoÌ„nlly called the Apostles Creed which in the more ancient times was breefer then now it is as our Learned Bishop Vsher hath punctually obserued B. Vsher serm at Wansted p. 28. The mention of the Fathers being Maker of Heauen and Earth the Sonnes death and descending into Hell and the Commuion of Saints being wholly omitted happily as not necessary for all men to know as Suarez saith or sufficiently implied in other articles or knowen by the light of reason and so not making difference betwixt Christians and heathen these reasons some for one point some for another But being in time made for better explication so full as it is now the whole Westerne Church hath long receiued as a badge of their Faith distinguishing the Beleeuer from the vnbeleeuer The Eastern Church vsed in Baptisme a larger Creed Vsher ib. p. 30. Euseb ep apud Socrat l. 1. hist cap. 8. al. 5. Theodoret. lib. 1. cap. 12. the same or very little different from that we call the Nicene Creed because the greatest part thereof was repeated and confirmed in the Nicene Councell to which it was presented by Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea with this Preamble As we haue receiued from the Bishops that were before vs both at our first Catechising and when we receiued Baptisme and as we haue learned from the holy scriptures and as we haue both beleeued and taught when we entred into the Ministery and in our Bishoprick it selfe so beleeuing at this present also we declare this our Faith vnto you To this the Nicene Fathers added a more cleare explication of the Deity of the Sonne against the Arrians which then troubled the Church professing him to be begotten not made and to be of one substance with the Father The second generall Councell assembled 56 yeares after at Constantinople approuing all the former added also something concerning the holy Ghost which then was oppugned by the Macedonian Heretickes The same Fathers also then added the Articles concerning the Catholicke Church and the priuiledges thereunto belonging The Roman Church after the dayes of Charles the Great added the Article of Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Sonne And the late Councell of Trent recommended it vnto vs Concil Trident. seff 3. as That principle in which all that professe the faith of Christ doe necessarily agree and the firme and onely foundation against which the gates of Hell shall neuer preuaile And by which alone our Fathers sometimes drew Infidels to the faith ouercame Heretickes and confirmed the faithfull Such are the words of the Trent Councell So that in this Creed they confesse That onely foundation and principle of faith is to be found in the vnity whereof all Christians must necessarilly agree Section 2. § 1. The rule enlarged and approued in this Age. § 2 By Azorius out of the School-diuines in 14 Articles § 3. Some obseruations and censures of those 14 Articles § 4. The rule set downe by Bellarmine more briefly § 5. By D. Field farre more sufficiently in 6 Articles with his iudgement of the deductions therefrom euident or obscure § 6. B. Vshers distinction of superstructions vpon the foundation § 7. Consequents of this doctrine §. 1. But because we see this foundation of faith hath from the Apostles times continually been enâ—â—ged by reason of errours and heresies arising in sâ—â—erall Ages let vs search a little further how the most Iudâ—cious men doâ— bound it in these our dayes §. 2. Azorius the Iesuite deliuers the vnanimous consent of all the Roman Diuines in 14 Articles Azorius Institu tionum moralium part 1. lib. 8. cap 5. § At iuxta ibid § tertio quaeritur seq whereof seuen concerne the Diuine nature and seuen concerne the humane all which are to be beleeued explicitè with distinct vnderstanding of all men Of the first seuen there is taught in the First That God is in Nature and Substance eternall infinite immense and in maiesty highest euery where not onely in power might and efficacy but also in deed and truely present who hath power of life and death is the supreme Lord of all things who can with his becke and at his pleasure doe all things which he will who knoweth seeth careth for and moderateth all things Secondly The first person in nature and diuine substance to wit The Father is the beginning of two diuine persons and therefore the begetter of the Sonne and breather of the Holy Spirit vnbegotten subsisting of himselfe and by himselfe not receiuing and hauing his essence of another Third The second person in the Diuine nature is true God begotten of the Father onely from all eternity the naturall Sonne of God consubstantiall and equall to him in all things the onely Word and expresse Image of the Father most perfectly representing and expressing him Fourth The third person in the diuine Nature the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne from all eternity is true God coaeternall to them both coâ—quall and consubstantiall and to be worshâ—pped with the same faith and with equall seruice and honour Fifth God is the creator of all things who by his onely becke and word out of nothing produced all things visible and inuisible or the whole frame of the worlâ— in the beginning of time and hauing produced them preserues directs cares for and gouernes them with great goodnesse and wisdome And as he is the creator of all things from whom all things be ng made of nothing did in time proceed so he is the end of all
to whom all things are referred Sixt. God is the giuer of all righteousnesse holines and grace He forgiueth sinnes and restoreth sinners by the grace of adoption to his fauour and friendship Seuenth God is the bestower of eternall glory and heauenly felâ—city in whom the highest happinesse of blessed soules consisteth Of the other seauen Articles concerning the humane Nature The First sheweth that the Sonne of God for our sakes debased himselfe from Heauâ—n to these inferior parts descended and assumed the humâ—ne Nature and coupled it to himselfe with a maruelous knot and bond in such sort that after that coniunction there was one person of both subsisting in two Natures diuine and humane and therefore in time he was conceiued without Father of an vncorrupt Virgin the power of the holy Ghost so working in her that the word was made flesh and God Man The Second sheweth the same Sonne of God taking humane Nature of the vndefiled Virgin was borne into the world in such sort that Many was at once the Mother of God and a pure V rgin The Third sheweth how Chriâ—â— our Lord did most excellently performe the office of teaching working miracles died and made his end vnder Pilate the Iudge and President and vnder him endured an vniust condemnation and suffered the most shamefull kinde of punishment of the crosse and sustayned the most bitter death for vs and refused not buriall offered vnto him in another Mans sepulcher The Fourth article teacheth how Christ after he had died vpon the crosse descended in his soule into * Or the lower parts inferoâ— hell both that he might shew himselfâ— conquerour of death and Diuells and also the dâ—liuerer of the Fathers there detayned and in his body he lay three dayes in the sepulcher The Fifth professeth that Christ the third day returning conquerâ—nâ— from the lower parts to lâ—fe immortall and full of glory by his owne force and power did rise from the dead The Sixt sheweth how Christ hauing performed the worke of Mans redemption the fortieth day after his resurrection by his owne power ascended into heauen that in his humane Nature he might be exalted aboue all things and he aboue all might be chiefly worshipped of all who sits in heauen at the right hand of the power of God and as God exercising equall power with the Father and shining with diuine Maiesty The Seuenth article setteth out the last Iudgement day when Christ in his humane Flesh shall descend againe from the highest heauen and performing the office of the terrible Iudge of the whole earth shall openly render vnto euery one according as he hath done in his body whether it be good or euill before whose tribunall all men both good and euill shall stand whether that day of Iudgement finde them yet aliue in the flesh or dead before These 14 articles I haue set downe at large and in the full wordes of Azorius not that I approue euery word and point therin but to shew what is the generall doctrine of the present Roman Church what and how much is necessary for euery man to know and to beleeue explicitè to his saluation Note he is said to beleeue explicitè who assenteth to any thing that is told him or which he conceiueth in his thought and hee beleeueth implicitè which beleeueth any thing in generality and in that thing beleeueth many other things which are contained in it as when a man beleeueth all things which the Church beleeueth Azor ib. cap. 6. in calce Thus saith Azorius out of Gabriel the Schoolman §. 3. Abundant in superfluis deficiunt in necessarijs Beâ—â— sâ—prâ— l tâ—k See â—ellar in thâ—t chapter at large First These Articles vpon due consideration will bee found to haue two faults they containe too much and too little Too much for all things in them are not taught in the Scriptures as namely that of the fourth Article of the Humanity that Christ descended into hell to deliuer the Fathers there detained as by Bellarmines confession and the ancient Fathers testimonies they should be Costerus â—uchir cap. 1. pag. 49. § Caterum Costerus the Iesuite saith also that the chiefe heads of faith necessary for all Christians to know and to beleeue vnto saluation are plainly enough contained in the Apostles writings Secondly these Articles also containe too little for here want somethings that are deliuered in the Apostles Creed which Creed was ordained for the necessary instruction of all Christians and called Symbolum a badge or signe to dâ—stinguish Christians from Infidels and wicked people Axor ib. cap. 5. § Postremo obâ—â—tes There were indeed three Symboles or Creedes receiued in the Church for briefe comprehensions of the publicke necessary doctrines thereof for all Christ ans to know and professe the Apostlâ—s Creed the Nâ—cene and Athanasius his Creed which three do not containe diuers doctrines but rather one and the same faith set forth more largely oâ— briefly â—n more or fewer words more cleerely and distinctly to confute heresies as they sprung vp in the Church In these Creedes we are taught that there is one holy Catholicke Church and Communion of Saints c. which in these fourteene Articles are not mentioned Thirdly Besides some other things which the Romanists account very necessary Articles of their faith as that of transubstantiation that of Purgatory that of the Popes supremacy which they haue wholly left out as they haue done also the worshipping of Images Inuocation of Saints Prayer for the dead and generally all other things almost which wee refuse shewing thereby and so much gratifying vs that in their own iudgement these things are not necessary for ordinary Christians to beleeue to saluation Fourthly and the view of these Articles may confirme any man in the sufficiency of the Protestants Religion because they stedfastly beleeue excepting that one clause of one of them all these Articles which the Romanists themselues say are sufficient for saluation Neither doe the Protestants hold any thing at all that crosseth them §. 4. But Bellarmine touching vpoÌ„ this point Bellar. De verbo Dei lib. 4. c. 11. initio in answering to Irenaeus and diuers other Fathers that say The Apostles wrote all that they preached saith more briefely There are some things simply necessary for all men to saluation as the knowledge of the Articles of the Apostles Creed and of the ten Commandements and of some Sacraments other things are not so necessary that without the manifest knowledge faith and profession of them a man cannot be saued if so be that hee haue a ready will to receiue and beleeue them when they shall be lawfully propounded vnto him by the Church And this distinction saith he is gathered from hence that without the knowledge and faith of the Mysteries of the first kinde no man of a ripe Age is admitted to Baptisme but without the knowledge and Faith at least explicit of the latter men were ordinarily
erre he can hardly be saued A third sort of things there are which are not so clearely deduced froÌ„ those first indubitate principles as namely concerning the place of the Fathers rest before the comming of our Sauiour Christ concerning the locall descending of Christ into the hell of the damned c. Of this third sort a man may be ignorant and erre in them without danger of damnation if errour be not ioyned with pertinacy §. 6. The like doctrine doth our Bishop Vsher deliuer B. Vsher Sermon at Wansled pag. 33. 1 Cor. 3.12 in words of analogy to Saint Pauls similitude of building Some build vpon this foundation gold Siluer pretious Stones Wood Hay Stubble Some saith he proceed from one degree of wholesome Knowledge vnto another increasing their maine stocke by the addition of those other sacred truthes that are reuealed in the word of God and these build vpon the foundation gold and siluer and pretious stones Others retaine the pretious foundation but lay base matter vpon it wood hay stubble and such other either vnprofitable or more dangerous stuffe and others goe so farre that they ouerthrow the very foundation it selfe The first of these be wise the second foolish the third madde builders When day of triall commeth the first mans worke shall abide Ibid. v. 14 15. and hee himselfe shall receiue a reward the second shall lose his worke but not himselfe The third shall lose both himselfe and his worke together And as in buildings there is great difference to bee made betwixt such parts as are more contiguous to the foundation and such as be remoter off So the doctrines or conclusions neerely conioyned to the first principles of Religion and grate vpon the foundation may more establish or endanger the building then those that come not neere the foundation and therefore the nearer they are to the foundation the more important be the truthes and the more perilous be the errours And againe the farther they are remoued off the lesse necessary is the knowledge of such verities and the swaruing from the truth lesse dangerous §. 7. Out of all this we may deduce these consequents First to these fundamentall points which are absolutely necessary to saluation the vnity of faith is to be restrained and beyond them not to be extended So that such as hold diuersity of opinions in other points of lesse moment not crossing these may still be of one faith or Church and heires of saluation as long as they hold the true foundation Secondly by this rule the ancient Fathers are cleared to be sound Christians This we haue shewed in the former chapter For though many of them as is aforesaid held the millenary errour many held that the soules of iust men shall not see God till the resurrection many that the very Deuils should not be tormented in hell till the Iudgement Many taught free-will before Grace Some taught the Omnipresence and Omniscience of Saints departed Cyprian and many more held rebaptization necessary for such as were baptized by Heretickes Saint Augustine and the greatest part of the Curch for sixe hundred yeeres held a necessity of the Eucharist to Infants and in many other things they differed one from another and from the Church in the aftertimes See D. Field Church book 3. chap. 5. § All these Yet because they all entirely and stedfastly held all the necessary fundamentall principles which these errours did not infringe neither held they these errours obstinately or incorrigibly but onely for want of better information they were certainely of the same Church and Relâ—gion whereof we are and whereof all are that hold the same principles vnweakned by any other Thirdly the lâ—ke is to be said of the Waldenses though many of those smaller errours were true which as I haue shewed before were falsely imputed vnto them Fourthly the same may be said also of our Fathers that liued in the Communion of the Church of Rome before Luthers time and bâ—fore the Councell of Trent Their holding and professing thâ—se necessary fundamentall points as I haue shewed before * See before chap. 1. sect 4. per tot was sufficient to make them true Christians if in life and death they shewed the power and vertue thereof and maintained not obstinately any grosse points that infringed the foundation Fiftly the same may be also said of all the Churches in the world where the ancient foundations are retained B. Vshers serm at Wansted pag. 43. The Greeke Armenian Aeâ—hiopian Russian c. For if we should take a generall view of them all putting by the points wherein they differ one from another and gathering into one body the rest of the Articles wherein they all did generally agree wee should finde that in those propositions which without all controuersie are vniuersally receiued in the whole Christian world so much truth is contained as being ioyned with holy obedience may be sufficient to bring a man to euerlasting saluation B. Vsher ib. D. Field church book 3. chap. 5. This is Bishop Vshers opinion and Doctor Fields of these Churches Section 3. § 1. Obiection If holding the foundation will serue then we may safely obtaine saluation in the Church of Rome § 2. Answer The Curch of Rome holds many things which by consequent destroyes the Foundation by master Hookers Iudgement § 3. Obiection This crosseth what was said before That many before Luthers time might be saued in the Roman Church Answ no for they liued in those errors of ignorance not obstinacy and not knowing any dangerous consequence of them § 4. Such men by particular repentance of sinnes knowne and generall repentance of vnknowne might by Gods mercy be saued § 5. Obseruations hereof § 6. Other learned Protestants ioyne in opinion with master Hooker §. 1. Antiquus If this be so then to omit other Churches I see no reason but wee may well and safely continue in the Roman Church and therein receiue saluation because as you haue said and it appeares by Azorius and all the schoole-diuines that Church holdes the Foundation which is by your owne confession sufficient to saluation though she hath added many otheâ— things not necessary absolutely to saluation yet profitable for the fuller seruice of God beauty of the Church and pious life §. 2. Antiquissimus If shee added none but such things wee should account them not onely tollerable but commendable But wee charge her with addition of such doctrines and practises as being obstinately pursued spoile and ouerthrow the Foundation which shee professeth to hold Whereof heare one man Mr. Richard Hooker a man of great account for learning Iudgement and moderation who vsed very carefully to waigh in the ballance of impartiall discretion all the words sentences and phrases which he wrote and whose workes haue been already sixetimes printed without any alteration Hookers Discourse of Iustification § 17. Hee grants that the Church of Rome holds the foundation in profession but
neither was there any full sufficient setling of the truth of that point in the Church before their times nor the euill consequence thereof discerned And heresie is the obstinate maintaining of such errours after the truth is plainely taught sufficient to convict them The like may be said of the Millenary errour See ibid. and many other which diuers of the ancient Fathers held as afore is mentioned §. 5. Here you may obserue First the Church of Rome is charged with errours Hock ibid. § 17. by consequence whereof the very foundation of faith is plainly ouerthrowen and the force of the blood of Iesus Christ extinguished Secondly the wilfull and obstinate maintainers thereof after wholesome admonition are guilty of vnauoydable condemnation without actuall repentance Thirdly our Fathers that liued in those errours D. Whiâ—â— Woy pag. 448. Mornâ—y church cap. 9. end and held them onely vpon ignorance as they were taught not thinking they did amisse and neuer vnderstanding the dangerous consequence of them might by their generall hatred and repentance of all sinne though vnknowne be saued through Gods mercy and by holding the foundation and nothing in their knowledge and intent contrary therevnto were to bee accounted members of the true Church of God Fourthly this ignorance in these times cannot giue any colour of excuse since by reason of Luthers opposition these things haue beene better discussed the errours discouered and the dangerous consequence of them sufficiently published to the world not onely by the Diuines of other Countries but euen by our owne English So that after so large a publication thereof we may say as Saint Paul 2 Cor. 4.3 2 Cor. 4.3 4. If our Gospel he hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of them which beleeue not lest the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ who is the Image of God should shine vnto vnto them 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. And 2 Thess 2.10 In them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued for which cause God sendeth them strong delusion that they should beleeue a lie that they might all be damned who beleeue not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse §. 6. Antiquus You bring forth but one man and make him great with praises as if with his great person and big words like Goliah he were sufficient to scarre and and fright the whole army of God Antiquissimus No Sir I bring him forth as humble Dauid against your Goliah of Rome and I will if you require it adioyne vnto him many other Worthies like Dauids able to quell all your Giants not with bigge words but with sound blowes D. Field appendix to the fift booke pag. vlt. Secondly Our worthy Doctor Field in his whole fiue bookes of the Church euery where sheweth your corruptions and refuteth them But for the present read onely the last page of his whole worke where hee layeth to the charge of the present Church of Rome 2 number of erroneous points wherein men liuing and dying can neuer be saued and wherein that Church sheweth her selfe to be the Synagogue of Sathan the faction of Antichrist and that Babylon out of which we must flie vnlesse we will be partakers of her plagues Thirdly our worthy Bishop Downam in his bookes De Antichristâ— sheweth the same His whole third booke setteth out the opposition of the Pope to Christs especially the sixt and seuenth Chapters containe a Catalogue of the errors and heresies of the present Roman Church and the eight Chapter sheweth her opposition against the offices and benefits of Christ euery where alledging your owne authors for confirmation of that the saith Fourthly The like doth D. Gabriell Powell in his two bookes De Antichristo De Ecclesia Antichristi If I should but reckon vp the names onely of Protestants which write of these points Punctually as these aboue named or otherwise other largly or briefely either purposely or occasionally and obiter by the way I should be needlesly tedious Fifthly M. Perkins vpon the Epistle of S. Jude pag. 261. I will therefore conclude with one in stead of all to wit Mr. Perkins In his Lectures vpon Iude verse 19 he saith we may not separate from the visible particular Church 1 for the corrupt manners of Men except from the priuate society of notorious offendors onely in priuate conuersation 1. cor 5.11 but onely for errors in doctrine 2 and not for all errors but onely for errors great and waighty for smaller errors cut not of saluation and therefore must not cause a seperation 1 cor 3 15 and 3 for those waighty errors euen in the substance of doctrine or in the Foundation if they beheld onely of frailty we may not seperate but if they be held and maintained with obstinacy then with good conscience we may and must seperate from the maintainers of them 1 tim 6.3 4.5 Acts 19.9.2 Chron. 11.4 16 17. Antiquus I like well of Mr. Perkins Iudgement that we may not make seperation for any other cause but onely for great and waighty errors against the foundation of Religion and for those onely when they are held with obstinacy But where doth he charge the Church of Rome with any such Antiquissimus Euen in the same Exposition of that Epistle of Saint Iude verse 3 where he speaketh of the points of Common Saluation from pag. 37 to pag 97. There he describeth 21 grounds of Faith and 11 groundes of Gods seruice and good life which the Church of Rome as there he sheweth doth very much infringe and in many things ouerthrow by the points of doctrine and practise which it maintaineth Reed and waigh them aduisedly Section 4. § 1. There is a necessity or great profit of Preaching euen to them that are well grounded in all necessary Principles § 2. As Israel needed all helpes after the giuing of the Law and all were too little § 3. The profits of Preaching in generall § 4. Some particulars for continuall spirituall food cordiall medicine and comfort memory armour c. § 5. The continuall need thereof was found in all Churches planted euen by the Apostles and in their times §. 1. Antiquus I will reade them at my better leasure But now by the way by your allowing these principall grounds of Religion to be sufficient for all men to saluation You seeme to cut off all necessity of so much preaching as is vsed amongst you For what needes so much preaching and hearing when men are already instructed in all points necessary to saluation Antiquissimus Preaching is still necessary because faith and regeneration must continually receiue increase 2 Pet. 3 1â— As S. Peter exhorteth in the last words of his later Epistle Grow in grace and in knowledge c. If knowledge and grace were so perfect in all beleeuers at the first instant that no reliques of blindnesse or
corruptions remayned in their vnderstanding 1 Cor. 13.9 12. rom 7.23 gal 5.17 eph 6.11 12 13 c. will and affection no temptation auocations suffocations and seductions in the world to withdraw them your speech were to some purpose But since these things are so common in this world and so powerfull it is most necessary to vse of all those meanes which God hath prescribed especially the continuall vse of the publike Ministery which by the inward working of the Holy Ghost reneweth raiseth and bloweth vp as Bellowes doe the fire our faith and loue which else would soone waxe cold die out and be extinguished 2 Cor. 4.10 But by these meanes whatsoeuer become of the outward Man the Inward man is renewed day by day §. 2. When the Israelites were already taught the grounds of Religion in the ten Commandements Exod. 20. Yet the Lord thought it necessary to adde Interpretations and fuller explications thereof and many ceremonies for their better training and exercise in those grounds and for the better keeping of them from the Idolatry of the Gentiles He thought it also necessary to giue them a Deuteronomie or Repetition of the Law Deut. 1.3 6. c after it had beene fully deliuered Beside the extraordinary testimonies of his continuall presence with them Exod. 13.21 16.11 14. 17.5 by the pillar of fire by night and the cloud by day by Manna from heauen Quaiks from the Sea water from the Rock strange victories deliuerances signes wonders blessings and punishments all which were Sermons vnto them of Gods power and loue to keepe them in his obedience and seruice And in the land of Canaan Acts 15.21 where they were setled they had continuall reading and interpreting of the Law euery Sabboth day continuall vse of the Sacraments Circumcision and the Passeouer and of all sacrifices and ceremonies to keepe them in memory of the Couenant to stirre them vp and exercise them to obedience comfort faith and hope in the Promised Messias the saluation and glory of the world And yet all these were too little to keepe them in the true seruice of God or from falling away to the Idolatry of the Nations See 1 Cor. 10. the 11. first verses For all this many fell to Idolatry Adultery tempting of God murmuring and other sinnes so that multitudes of them were one way or other destroyed And all these things happened vnto them for our examples §. 3. Therefore we also haue need not only of the grounds well layed but of continuall explications and applications thereof excitations of our affections exhortations to obedience renouations of our memories armour against temptations of seductions or prophanenesse comforts against all afflictions food against all faintings and phisicke against all the maladies of the soule All which the contiunall vse of the Preaching of the word Ministreth vnto vs. Col. 3.16 Heb. 10.25 Heb. 3.12 13. Psal 1.1 Deut. 6.6 7 8 9. Heb. 6.1 Eph. 4 11 12 13 14. 2 Pet. 1 5-10 And therefore wee are euery where exhorted that the word of God may dwel plentifully among vs that wee forsake not the assemblies that we exhort and stirre vp one another that wee meditate vpon the law of God day and night that we grow vp to perfection to a full measure of knowledge and holines that wee be not as children tossed to and fro and caried about with euery wind of doctrine by the sleights of men and cunning craftines that by adding to Faith vertue and to vertue knowledge by continuall adding further degrees to our first graces wee make our calling and election sure and put our selues out of danger of falling away Something 's are absolutly necessary Necessitate finis to attaine the end as are these Fundameâ—tall doctrines other things are also necessary but Necessitate mediâ— as profitable meanes to be vsed for that end such are the remouing of all hindrances and the vsing of all furtherances wherein the Preaching of the word of God is a principall Instrument §. 4. Luke 8.11 1 Pet. 2.2 Heb. 5.12 13 14. 1 Gods word is not onely seed to be once sowen but food to be often Ministred milke for babes and strong meat for men growen As our bodies by corporall so our soules by continuall vse of spirituall food must grow increase and be strengthened 2 Not onely food but wine See psal 119.49.50 9â— 2 Cor. 1.4 5. Acts 2.46 3.15.31 or medicine to comfort the fainting heart in all afflictions in life or death The beleeuers did eate their meat with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart And receiuing letters from the Apostles reioyced for their consolation 3 And for renewing of weake memories 1 Pet. 1.12 13. Rom. 15.14 15. Phil. 3.1 2. Thess 2.5 St. Peter saith he would not be negligent to put them alwayes in remembrance though they knew the things before and were established in the present truth The like saith Saint Paul to the Romans Philippians Thessalonians Vpon which last place Saint Chrysostome Commenting saith thus much in effect that we had need often to review and renew the seed we haue sowne couer it well from the Fowles of the ayre hedge and fence it from the beasts of the field weed and water it that it may grow c. 4 For preseruing the doctrine of saluation pure and sound from corruption which may come into the Church by wicked teachers and witlesse hearers Some may teach other doctrine and turne aside to vaine jangling yea to loose faith and a good conscience 1 Tim. 1.3 6 19. 4.1 2 Tim. 3.6 7 8. to depart from the faith and giue heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Deuils Some creepe into houses and lead captiue silly women laden with sinnes led away with diuers lusts euer learning and neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith And of witlesse hearers Saint Paul saith also 2 Tim. 4.3.4 The time will come when men will not endure to heare sound doctrine but after their owne lusts they will heape to themselues Teachers hauing itching eares and will turne away their eares from the truth and will be turned vnto Fables To preuent which mischiefe 2 Tim. 4.1 2. Saint Paul for an especiall remedy seuerely chargeth Timothy to preach the Word be instant in season out of season reprooue rebuke exhort withall long suffering and doctrine And giues him especiall warning To hould fast the foundation the forme of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 which Saint Paul had taught him in Faith and loue which is in Christ Iesus §. 5. These warnings which Saint Paul gaue to Timothy we shall finde needefull in all Churches euen in those of the new Testament where the foundation was substantially layed by the Apostles themselues Saint Paul had planted a glorious Church at Rome Acts 28.30 31 continuing there two yeares together in his owne hired house receiuing all commers
and preaching the kingdome of God no man forbidding him He called them in his Epistle Beloued oâ— God Rom. 1.7 8. Saints and saith their Faith was spoken of throughout the whole world Rom. â—5 14 and that they were full of goodnesse filled with all knowledge able also to admonish one another And yet Saint Paul was faine to admonish the same Romans to marke them which caused diuisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which they had heard and learned and to auoid them For such serue not our Lord Iesus but their owne belly and by good words and fayre speaches deceiue the hearts of the simple Rom. 16.17 18 The same Saint Paul had planted a famous Church at Corinth continuing there a yeare and an halfe so famous that he said of it 1 Cor. 1.5 I thanke God that in euery thing ye are inriched by God in all vtterance and knowledge c. But that Church of Corinth which Paul had planted Acts 18.11 Apollo watered and God so encreased The Diuell and wicked men corrupted both in life 1 Cor. 5.1 to suffer such wickednesse as was not so much as named among the Gentils and in doctrine to embrace such points as made the Apostles preaching vaine 1 Cor. 15.14 19. and their faith vaine Yea and made Christians of all men most miserable Whâ—ch Saint Paul was faine laboriously to reforme by writing two large Epistles vnto them The Galations erred so dangerously about the doctrine of Iustification Gal. 5.2 4. that Saint Paul told them if they reformed it not they were fallen from grace and Christ profited them nothing The Philippians had among them dogs euill workers Phil. 3.2 18 19 enemies to the crosse of Christ whose God was their belly whose glory was in their shame whose end was damnation Of whome Saint Paul tels them weeping Saint Paul praised the Colossians Col. 1.3 4 6. Col. 2.8 16 21 22. yet he found it necessary to warne them of the danger of vaine philosophy traditions worshipping of Angels and other fruitlesse obseruations after the commandements and doctrines of men He praised the Thessalonians also 1 Thes 1.2 3. c. 2.13 14. ib. cap. 3.7 5. 2 Thes 2.2 3. Yet he found it fit to send Timothy to strengthen and comfort them least the tempter should by some meanes tempt them and frustrate his labour And by two Epistles he stirres them vp to continuance and stedfastnesse in the truth and giues them many good precepts of life As he doth also in all his other Epistles to other Churches The seuen Churches of Asia had their imperfections Reu. 2.4 5. their dangers and their need of helpes against them Ephesus fell from her first loue verse 7. Smyrna dwelt by the Synagogue of Sathan Pergamus by Satans seat verse 13. in danger of Balaams stumbling blocks and the Nicolaitans hatefull Doctrine Thyatyra tempted by Iezabels fornication and Idols verse 20. Sardis had a name to liue and was dead Reu. 3.1 Philadelphia had but little strength verse 8. verse 15. Laodicea was neither hot nor colde thought all well and knew not she was wretched miserable poore blinde and naked These Churches to which it may be presumed all other may in some sort more or lesse be resembled and ranked had the foundation well layed in them but yet they stood in need of continual renewed instructioÌ„s excitations exhortations consolations armour against temptations physicke against diseases and food against faintings and consequently of the Word of God which is all these to dwell plentifully among them and duely and daily to be ministred vnto them I verely thinke the want of frequenting our Sermons is the cause that so many fall away to the Romish It is the policy of your seducers to keepe them by all meanes from hearing and knowing the truth 2. Thes 2.10 11 12. Otherwise they could neuer be so blinded to beleeue lies to take Nouelty for Antiquity Idolatry for Gods worship treasons and massacres for holy acts to take pleasure in vnrighteousnesse and be carried away with such other strong delusions and withall deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse to their owne perdidition and not rather receiue the loue of the truth that they might be saued Psal 58.4 â— These deafe Adders might be charmed if they did not willfully stop their eares against the voice of the Charmer Heb. 4.12 2 cor 10.4 5. charme he neuer so wisely For the word of God iâ— quick and powerfull and sharper then any two-edged sword piercing euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the Ioints and marow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart The fruit whereof you may see where it is plentifull and graceously preached obseruing how religious deuout iust and truely honest the people become how temperate sober charitable vpright dealing and blessed people abhorring all sinne desirous and diligent to practise all good duties that tend to the honor of God and the good of men I doe not thinke but if your backsliders would carefully heare many of our Preachers they would be as Saint Paul saith conuinced of all 2 Cor. 14.24 25. and iudged of all the very secrets of their hearts made manifest and so falling downe on their faces would worship God and report that God is in the Preachers of a truth Antiquus Oh Sir so we thinke of our Priests wee reuerence them as Gods Angels we heare them as sent from God as God himselfe or as men sent and endued with power from God to teach vs the true way to heauen to absolue vs from our sinnes to offer vp the reall sacrifice of Christs body and blood for vs and to giue vs the true naturall body of Christ himselfe into our moothes to our eternall saluation Which priuiledges your titulary Ministers haue not They are no Priests they are meere secular men without any power and authority from God to doe any of these things And therefore we haue no reason to heare them or to reuerence them otherwise then we doe other ordinary men for their personall honesty or ciuility not for their offices You haue therefore offered mee iust occasion to proceed and vrge this thing as CHAP. 5. Of the succession of the Protestants Bishops and Ministers from the Apostles Section 1. The necessity thereof vrged without which there can be no such Church 2. This succession is clamourously denyed to Protestants 3. But manifestly proued and the slanders confuted 4. Particularly in Cranmer our first Archbishop 5. Jn other Bishops of King Henry 8 his time 6. And of Edward 6. and of Queene Maries time 7. And of Queene Elizabeths time 8. The false reports hereof doe alienate many from the Reformed Religion 9. A proofe of the sufficient ordination of Ministers in forraigne Reformed Churches 10. Which is further confirmed by the Doctrine and practise of the Romish Section 1. Antiquus ANother
principall argument to proue that you Protestants haue no Church at all because you haue no Priests or true Ministers sent and authorized by the Lord. In vrging whereof giue me leaue somewhat to enlarge my selfe Antiquissimus Say what you will I hope to giue you a sufficient and satisfactory answer Antiquus First there can be no Church without true Ministers to teach the holy Doctrine to performe the holy seruice of God and to minister the Sacraments vnto Gods people and bring them to saluation a Ephes 4.8 c. And therefore when our Sauiour ascended into heauen he gaue all necessary gifts vnto men making Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors Teachers for the worke of the Ministery gathering and perfecting of the Saints and edifying of the Church to continue by succession to the end of the world b Jb. verse 13. That all might be kept from errour and vnited in the Truth These are the Lords Ambassadors c 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. planters waterers husbandmen builders yea co-adjutors and workers-together-with God d 1 Cor 3.6 9 Secondly therefore these Ministers must be furnished by the Lord with two things 1 With authority to meddle with this holy seruice 2 with power effectually to performe those ancient acts of gracious efficacy belonging to their office as teaching of true sauing doctrine forgiuing of sinnes and administring the admirable holy Sacraments which no man of any other ranke can doe and which they onely can doe who are sent of God and furnished with his authority and power and with whom God effectually worketh To which end the Sacrament of Order giuen to Priests by the hands of Gods officers imprints a Character in the Receiuer e Bellar. de sacraÌ„ in genere lib. 2. cap. 19. § propositio sexta § prop. tertia in sine that wheresoeuer it is God is present * By Couenant or promise ex pacto and concurreth to the producing of supernaturall effects which he doth not where his Character is wanting Therefore when Christ sent his Apostles with this Commission As my Father sent mee euen so send J you f Ioh. 20.21 c. He breathed on them and said Receiue yee the Holy Ghost whose sinnes soeuer yee remit they are remitted vnto them and whose soeuer sinnes yee retaine they are retained Where he gaue them both Commission and power to performe it And in the end of Saint Matthewes Gospell g Matth. 28 18 19 20. first mentioning his vnbounded power both in heauen and earth he sends his Apostles to teach and bring the world into his subiection adding that he would be with them to the end of the world to wit with their persons while they liue and with their successors while the world lasteth with his power and effectuall working with them So that Christ must send and he must furnish with gifts and power And no man taketh to himselfe this office or honour but he that is called of God as was Aaron h Heb. 5.4 Thirdly then As the Father sent the Sonne and the Sonne his Apostles i Ioh 20.21 so the Apostles k Bellar. De notis ecclesiae lib. 4. cap. 8. afterwards chose and ordained other Bishops and gaue them the like power to ordaine others both Bishops and inferiour Priests and Deacons as Timothy at Ephesus Titus in Creet l As appeareth by the Epistles to Tim Tit. By this meanes all true Bishops and Priests haue their succession and ordination from hand to hand from the very Apostles And none are to be accounted true Bishops that were not ordained by the imposition of hands of former true Bishops and they by other former and so vpwards ascending to the very Apostles to Christ Iesus from whoÌ„ they must deriue their authority and power for all workes of the Ministery Therefore Saint Ierom saith m Hieroâ—ym contra Luciferianos Ecclesia non est qua non habet sacerdotem It can bee no Church that hath no Ministery And Saint Cyprian that the Church is nothing else but n Cypr. Plebs Episcopo adunata lib. 4. ep 10. citat à Possevino bibl select lib. 6. cap. 31. ad interrog 4. D. Field Church lib. 3. cap. 39. People vnited to the Bishop And Tertullian further o Tertull. lib. De praescript Bellar. quo supra Let Heretickes shew the originall of their Churches and runne ouer the order of their Bishops comming downe by succession from the beginning so that their first Bishop had some Apostle or Apostolicke man for his author and Predecessor For thus the Church of the Romans reckons Clement ordained by Saint Peter And Saint Cyprian saith p Cypr. lib. 1. ep 4. ad Magnum Nouatianus is not in the Church neither can bee accounted a Bishop who contemning the Apostolicke tradition succeedeth no man but is ordained of himselfe The like haue many other Fathers alleadged by Bellarmine q Bellar. quo supra And by the Canons of the Apostles and many ancient Councels r So Bellarm. sheweth lâ—o citato D. Field lib. 3. cap. 39. lib. 5 cap. 36. A Bishop must receiue his Consecration by three Bishops at the least which were formerly consecrated in like manner And all inferious Ministers must receiue orders of such a Bishop or else they are not Canonicall Lawfull nor to be receiued They that come in other wayes then by this doore are theeues and robbers Å¿ Iohn 10.8.9 10. All this describing and prouing the nature succession and ordination of true Bishops and inferiour Ministers is the first proposition or major of my Argument Then comes my Assumption or minor proposition thus But the Protestant Ministers are not such 1 Kings 20.11 namely their Bishops were not consecrated by three Bishops so formerly consecrated as abouesaid neither did their inferiour Ministers receiue their orders from true Bishops The conclusion will necessarily follow Ergo the Protestant Ministers are no true Ministers of the true Church And consequently they haue no true Church among them An argument inuinsible vnanswerable Sect. 2. Antiquissimus Good Sir triumph not before the victory let not him that putteth on his harnesse boast himselfe as hee that putteth it off It is your mens fashion first to confirme that with glorious words and arguments which we sticke not at as you haue done your Major to make the world beleeue it seemes that we denyed all that which you so busily and so brauely proue and so to make vs odious And your other fashion is as ill to leaue the maine matter in controuersie vtterly vnproued as here your Minor thinking to carry it away with out facing and great words This is a charming and bewitching of the credulous world without all truth and honesty As I shall make it plainly appeare For why else doe your Rabbins so generally declaime against vs and neuer proue it Your 1 Bristow Motiue 21. Bristow 2 Harding confut Apol.
they obserued the number of three to consecrate others In like manner your Baronius l Baronius anno 555. n. 10. sticks not to record that pope Pelagius the first was consecrated by two Bishop onely when more could not be procured and a Priest And yet was he accounted a good lawfull Bishop and in his time he ordained 29 Priests and 49 Bishops If his consecration were a nullity then so were all theirs and all other consecrated by them and so there followed a world of nullities in the Church of Rome Euagrius Patriarke of Antioch was consecrated by Paulinus alone and yet accounted a lawfull Bishop n Ioannes Maior in 4. Sent. dist 24. q. 3. inter opera Gerson Paris 1606. pag. 681. as m Theodoret lib. 5. cap. 23. Theodoret sheweth Joannes Maior a Doctor of Paris saith that Rusticus and Eleutherius who came into France with Dionysius were not Bishops But Dionysius alone ordained the Bishops of France He saith also o Maior quo supra who ordained Peter they will not find vs three ordainers Therefore I say it is an humane constitution that a Bishop shall be ordained by three S. Paul did not seek for two more for the ordination of Titus and Timothy And Petrus de Palude p Petrus De Palude De potestate Apostol cited by B. Iewel Defens 2 part cap 5 diuision 1. p. 130 saith one Bishop is sufficient to consecrate another and it is onely for the greater solemnity a deuise of the Church that three shall concurre This is therefore no essentiall part but an accidentall ornament of the Consecration a complement of honourable conueniency fit to be vsed where it may be had no substanciall point of absolute necessity making a nullity of consecration where it wanteth The like may be said of orders to be giuen by 〈◊〉 Bishop onely Pope Gelasius saith q Gelasius epist 9. Bâ—n t. 2. pag. 243. Priscis pro sua reuerentia manentibus consâ—itutis qua vbi nulla vel rerum vel temporum per vrget necessitas regulariter conuenit custodire when no necessity of things or times compell to the contrary it is fit reuerently to keepe the ancients constitutions So saith Leo also r Cited by Ioh. 8. epist 8. Bin. c. 3. paâ—t 2. pag. 977. Omittendum esse inculpabile iudicandum quod intulit necessitas but he addeth that may be omitted and iudged vnblameable which necessity inforceth And Foelix Å¿ Ib. apud Bin. Aliter tractandaâ— necessitatis rationem aliter voluntatis the respect of necessity is to be handled one way the respect of voluntary minde another way Andradius affirmeth t Andrad De gen conciliorum autoritate pag. 115 116. that humane lawes made vpon the best counsell and aduise are varied by the variety of times and may be inuerted and changed by the necessities of men and so are dispensable whervpon Saint Austen u Aug. De lib. arb cap. 6. calls humane lawes temporall because though they bee iust yet they may be iustly changed according to the times Binius saith x Bin. t. 2. p. 243 in marg Pro temporum necessitate rigor canonum relaxatur Haec pleraque apud Mason Canones Apostolorum 85. cum Ioannis Monachizonare commentarijs set â—ut in Latin by Iâ— Quintinus Haeduus printed with Zonaras and others at Frankford by Faâ—rubendiuâ— 1587. according to the necessity of the times the Rigor of the Canons is released But you make this necessity of times farre larger then Protestants may for of the Canons of the Apostles you brake some willingly yea you decree the contrary and make it vnlawfull to keepe them as the fift Canon that saith that Bishops or Priests that put away their wiues for occasion of Religion shall be excommunicated and the ninth Canon which will haue them excommunicated also that after hearing the Scriptures and prayers depart and doe not with other faithfull receiue the communion This Canon and that of thrice dipping in Baptisme the 49 or 50 Canon and diuers other are abolished contraria consuetudine saith your Canus y Canus De lâ—cis theol lib. 3. cap 5. pag. 195. Christs Doctrine saith hee may not be changed but must stand firme but the Apostles Rules for the gouerment of the Church are not so fixed but they may be remoued And your Michael Mediâ—a saith z Medina lib. 5. de sacrorum hom continentia cap. 106. as D. Reinolds alledgeth him Defence Thes 5. Morton appeal lib. 2. c 25. sect 10. that of the 84. Canons of the Apostles which Clement Bishop of Rome and the Disciples of the same Apostles gathered together scarse doth the Latin Church obserue 6 or 8 entirely But as I said you draw mee from our owne Country into others and yet therby you gaine nothing for if they be censured for their necessary and ineuitable breach of some ancient Church Canons to maintaine the substance of Christs Doctrine much more must you be condemned for breaking them ordinarily and willfully without necessity And on the other side if their Ministery be cleared though necessity hath enforced the breach of some Canonicall circumstance then much more is ours of England cleared who neuer found any such necessity nor euer brake them Nay we haue euermore obserued them farre more precisely then you haue done that thus accuse vs and boast of your strictest owne obseruations CHAP. 6. Of the Popes supremacy ouer the whole Church Section 1. The necessitie thereof vrged § 2 As the maine pillar the matter and method of the answer propounded § 3 The ancient Church yeelded to Rome the greatest City of the world to haue the dignity of one of the fiue Patriarchs § 4 And among them sometime the chiefest place § 5 Which dignity their ambition and couetousnesse haue impaired § 6 Bellarmine gathering the strength of all learned Writers sheweth no strength in them to maintaine the Papacy either by vrging Mat. 16.18 § 7 Or Ioh. 21.15 c. § 8 The Romish strange extractions out of the words Feed my Sheepe § 9 And vaine allegations of diuers other Scriptures § 10 The Scripture is against the supremacy of Peter § 11 The Fathers vrged for it in vaine § 12 The Fathers are against it § 13 St Peters prerogatiues descended not to his successors § 14 The conclusion collecting the parts of the chapter briefly and iustifying the Protestants §. 1. Antiq. I Am satisfied that your Ministers haue true succession from the Apostles and ordination according to the Canons And for the present I will suppose that all that you haue said is true that your Church hath had a visible succession deriued from the Apostles without interruption that it deliuereth all the substantial points of doctrine necessary to saluation sufficiently Suppose all this and yet further Suppose that in the Church of Rome there are some things now taught and vsed which were not in the Primitiue Church as the vse of Images
conuersion and for the better gouernment of the Church Bishops were by the Apostles placed in the Cities with power of iurisdiction to gouerne and of Ordination to institute Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in euery towne as was Timothy in Ephesus Titus in Crete If any difficulty arose either in doctrine or gouernment too great to be ordered by these Bishops the wise policy of the Church ordained it should be referred to the determination of higher Bishops called Archbishops that is chiefe Bishops Metropolis in the Greeke tongue signifies a Mother City by some fatherly authority ouer the other Bishops and Clergy or being Bishops of the chiefest or Mother Cities within the Nation whereof they were called Metropolitans And ouer these Archbishops or Metropolitans in seuerall Lands or Nations some one was made the Primate for better vnity and commodity of gouernment and calling together and guiding of National Councels vpon occasions It was thought conuenient also for the better keeping of all Christian Nations in the vnity of Faith Holinesse and peace to appoint yet a higher degree of Patriarchs in some of the most eminent Cities of the world who might haue some ouersight authority ouer all the Primats Archbishops and other Clergy of all the Nations which were vnder their Patriarchall Iurisdiction Of these Patriarchs we read in the Counsell of Nice and before that in the whole Christian world there were but three B. Carlton The Bishop of Rome for the West parts of Antioch for the East and of Alexandria for the South D. Field ib. li. 3. chap. 1 Concil Nicon cant 6. The Bishop of Rome had these fiue principal Nations within his Patriarchship Italy Spaine France Germany and Brittany The other had their Patriarchships bounded also by the Councell of Nice Afterwards when the Emperours had translated the seat of the Empire from Rome to Constantinople whereupon that City was called new Rome and that City was grown very great Noble and Magnificent it was thought fit there to erect a fourth Patriarch the Patriarch of Constantinople And lastly for the honour of Ierusalem where our Sauiour liued and dyed and from whence Christian Religion was propagated into all parts of the world the Bishop of Ierusalem was made a fifth Patriarch and their dominions were assigned vnto them D. Field ib. Bellar. praefat in 16. de pontif Rom Concil Constantinop sub Theodosio seniore can 1. Socrat. lib. 5 cap. 8. Concil Chalcedon can 23. Eliensis Responsio ad Apologiam Bellarmini pag. 170 171. §. 4. Amongst these the Bishop of Rome had the first place of dignity and in the second generall Counsell holden at Constantinople anno 383. the Bishop of Constantinople obtained the second degree of honour among the Patriarchs next vnto the Bishop of Rome and before the other of Alexandria and Antioch And in the great Counsell of Chalcedon anno 454. it was decreed that Rome and Constantinople should haue all Rights Priuiledges and Prerogatiues equall because as Rome was before Sedes regia the seat of the Empire so now was Constantinople this was the reason then alleadged But not long after the magnificence of Constantinople encreasing and with it the haughtinesse of her Bishop he challenged to be superiour to the Bishop of Rome and encroached vpon the right of all other as greater and more honourable then all the rest and to be the chiefe Bishop of the whole world because his City was then the chiefe City of the world See before lib. 1. cap. 4. §. 4. About this was the contention betwixt Gregory the first of Rome and Iohn Bishop of Constantinople whereof I haue spoken before But Iohn carried away the title and honour for ten yeeres during his life by fauor of the Emperour Mauricious and Cyriacus his successor for eleuen yeeres more Phocas is thus described by Zonaras who calls him pessimus tyrannus postis humani generis saith he was worthily slaughtered by Heraclius who cut off his wicked hands and fee and then his genitals by peecemeale Paulus Diacouus in Phoca The same writeth Bibliothearius in Bonifacio 3. Platina in Bonifacio 3. and Sabellicus 8 6. thoâ—gh Bellarmine lay that Boniface sued not for that title in Apologia pro Torto Baronius anno 606. nu 2. But when Phocas the Emperour succeeded a wild drunken bloody adulterous tyrant who like another Zimry hath slâ—yne his Master Mauricius Boniface the third Bishop of Rome who had been Chancelour to Phocas obtained of him by earnest suite to haue that title and honour of Primacy transferred from Constantinople to Rome And thus saith Paulus Diaconus at the entreaty of Boniface Phocas appointed the seat of the Roman Church to be the head of all Churches or as Baronius deliuers it onely the Roman Bishop should be called vniuersall Bishop and not the Bishop of Constantinople But the contention betwixt the two Patriarchall seas ended not thus for they of Constantinople vpon euery occasion stirred againe vntill at length difference growing betwixt the two Churches the Greek the Latine about the proceeding of the holy Ghost either pronounced other to be Heretiks and Schismaticks In the yeere 869 aboue 400. B. Vsher De Ecclesiarum successione c. 2. §. 28 yeeres after the two Patriarchs were equalled at Chalcedon in a Councell at Constantinople wherin Image-worship was established the two Patriarchs were made friends and it was agreed that the one should be stiled Vniuersall Patriarch Onuphrius in Platinam in vita Bonifaci 3. Gâ—nebrard l. 4. Chronograph Vniuersalis Patriarcha Vniuersalis Papa and the other Vniuersall Pope and so the word Pope which before that time had beene common to all Bishops became then the proper title of the Bishop of Rome Hereby we may obserue 1. That this Primacy or Supremacy of the Bishops of Rome was of no such Antiquity as is pretended 2. That in those times it was not thought either by the Emperours or by the Councels to haue beene giuen to the Bishops of Rome or established vpon any at all by the diuine Scriptures as now the Popes do claime but left at the discretion of Princes and Wise-men to giue it to whom they would and to order or alter it as occasion serued and the respect or dignity of Cities and times required For neither were their arguments that then claimed it drawne from the Scriptures but from ciuill reasons of State and Policy neither was it vpon any other reasons setled and the controuersie proceeded not from any institution of the Omnipotent God but from the ambition of Impotent men 3. The author that setled it vpon the Roman Bishop was Phocas one of the Diuels eldest sonnes a murderer of his master a drunken adulterous tyrant a scourge and plague to mankinde §. 5. 4. Obserue the Romish Bishops ambition in those times swaruing from the most honored humility of a number of their first Ancesters holy men and Martyrs to whom the ancient Fathers
cause of the Popes primacy and power is the greatest of all other as himselfe saith it is De summa rei Christianae the summe totall of Christianity depends vpon it In it the question is whether the Church shall stand any longer or bee dissolued and fall to nothing for what is it else to demand whether wee may not take the foundation from the building the Sheephard from the Flocke the Generall from the Army the Sunne from the Starres the head from the body but to aske whether we may not let the building fall the Flocke be scattered the Army dispersed the Stars obscured the body lye dead Bellarm. ibid. Therefore secondly to make this piece of the stately height wealth and magnificence of the Papacy which is forsooth the foundation of Religion most strong the choycest men for wit learning and all other habilities haue beene set on worke to doe their vttermost to maintaine it of which Bellarmine reckoneth the chiefest of sundry Countries In Polonia one in France two in Germany fiue in Low Germany six in England six in Spaine six in Italy eight in Graecia two And thirdly if there be any strength in any of their writings Bellarmine hath it and sets it out to the vttermost therefore if thou finde him weake know for certainty there is no strength in the cause He musters indeed Scriptures and Fathers and rangeth them into goodly rankes but all ad Pompam rather than ad pugnam For neuer a one of them strikes a sufficient blow for him nor against vs. Against his vrging of the place of Math. 16. when he hath with all his wit stretched it as farre as he can he is faine to admit three exceptions of the Protestantâ— which ouerthrow all that he would proue First that as Christ asked not of Peter onely but of all Whâ—m say yee that I am Peter answered for all Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God for all could not speake at once neither was it decent one must be the speaker So also Christ replyed vpon him as vpon all and therefore what was spoken vnto him belonged to them all And thus the ancient Fathers interpret it Chrysostome vpon the place and Ierome and Austine as Bellarmine himselfe h Be lar de pont lib. 1. cap. 12 §. Secunda obâ— citeth them and reciteth their words neither saith he any thing to auoid their testimonies but addeth this onely Peter answered for all as the Prince and Head of all which in the true sence wee deny not neither makes it any thing for them Secondly the Protestants say It was not vpon Peters person but vpon Peters faith which was the saith of all the Apostles whereupon Christ would build his Church to wit That Christ was the Sonne of the liuing God that is the great Messias promised from the beginning the Sauiour of the world Thus the Fathers also teach as Bellarmine i ib cap 10. §. quarta senten confesseth Hilarius k lib 6. de Trin. Ambrose l lib 6 cap. 9. in Luk Chrysostome m Hom. 55 in Mat 83. iâ— Mat. Cyrill n ib. 1. de Trin. Hee might haue added also Augustine o De â—erbâ—s â— om serm â—â— who saith The Rocke is Christ not Peter vpon this Rocke which thou hast confessed vpon this Rocke which thou hast knowne saying Thou art Christ the son of the liuing God will I build my Church I will build thee vpon mee not mee vpon thee c. but this your Doctor Stapleton o De â—erbâ—s â— om serm â—â— p Princip doctr lâ—b â— cap â— See 〈…〉 Hâ—â—t pag â—0 â—â— calleth humanus lapsus in Saint Austin To all this Bellarmine saith they meant not Peters faith without some relation to his person What is this to the purpose This wee admit both in him and in all the Apostles their persons may bee said to bee foundations in some sort as in Ephes 2.20 Reuel 21.14 yet that is in regard of the Faith and Doctrine which they taught the subiect and substance whereof was Iesus Christ Thirdly the Protestants alleadge that whatsoeuer was promised to Saint Peter in the 16. of Matthew was certainly performed to all in Ioh. 20.23 where Christ said to all the Apostles Whose-soeuer sinnes yee remit they are remitted and whose-soeuer sinnes ye retaine they are retained And this the Fathers also plentifully teach q Cypr. de simplicitate praelatorum siue de vnitate Eccl. Cyprian r Hilari lib. 6. de Trinit Hilary Å¿ Hieron lib. 1. ad Iouinianum At inquit dicis super Petrum fundatur ecclesià licet id ipsum in alio loco superomnes Apo â—olos siat cuâ—cti accipâ—ant c. Ierome and Saint Augustine in many places hath the like All which t Ib. lib. 1 c. 12. § Obiâ—â—tio vltima Bellarmine confesseth adding still lest he say nothing that yet Peter was a chiefe man among the rest which is not the question and none of vs denies it Thus he granteth first that what was there spoken to Peter belonged to all the rest secondly that the Church was built vpon Peters Faith which was the common faith of all the Apostles and not vpon Peters person either wholly or principally and thirdly that which there was promised to Peter was afterward performed to them all and so this place of Mat. 16. makes nothing to the end for which your men so often and so gloriously alleadge it Antiq. Were it not that I see it with mine eyes and read the whole tract aduisedly I should neuer haue beleeued that Bellarmine had yeelded thus much but yet he doth it with modifications Antiquis Hee must needs make some flourishes to satisfie his owne side but you see the substance of the matter is flat against him But note what he grants further u Bellar de Pont Rom li. â— cap. 11. §. Alterum arg Peter was made the foundation of the Church by those words of Christ Mat. 16.18 vpon this Rock will I build my Church so all the Apostles were foundations and all the three wayes that Peter was First as efficient causes by founding and planting Churches some in one Country and some in another for x Rom. 15.20 Paul would not build vpon another mans foundation and y 1 Cor 3.10 he layd the foundation in Corinth and another built thereon And thus were all the Apostles equally the foundations of the Catholike Church Reuel 21.14 Secondly as materiall causes by their Doctrine first reueiled vnto them by the Lord and then taught by them in all Churches which was pure without mixture of error infallible being inspired by the holy Ghost and sufficient both for true faith and holy life whereupon the Church for euer was to rest without need of any addition And thus is the Church built equally vpon all the Apostles z Ephes 2.20 And in this Saint Peter was no greater then the rest nor
more infallible Thirdly as formall causes by their gouenment for all the Apostles were Capita Rectores Pastores Ecclesiae Vniuersae Heads Gouernors and Pastors of the Church Vniuersall Antiq. This Bellarmine saith indeed but he addes a difference in this third point the other were onely heads as Apostles and Legats but Peter as the ordinary Pastor they had fulnesse of power yet so as Peter was their head and they depended vpon him not hee on them Antiquiss What Bellarmine yeelds and proues against his owne side wee may well take as true and wrested from him by the euidence of the truth This last which hee addes in fauour of his side hee onely saith but proues not as behoued him For how depended the Apostles more on Peter then hee on them where doe we reade that euer hee appointed enioyned limited or reâ—â—rained any of them or shewed any authority ouer them but contrarily a Acts 11. Wee reade that he was censured by them and caused to giue an account of his actions Act. 11. b Gal â— And that hee was reproued to his face and openly by St. Paul who protested also that hee was not inferiour to St. Peter neither receiued they ought from him And further euen c lib. 4 depoâ—t Rom. cap. 23. Bellarmine himselfe saith they were all equall in the Apostleship which they râ—ceiued equally of Christ immediately and none of them of Peter as he proueth against many d Cardinalis Turrecremata Dominicus Iacobatius c. great men of his owne side in a whole chapter of set purpose e ibid. For the better to make all the Clergy depend vpon Peter though many succeed the other Apostles many great Catholikes hold that the Apostles receiued not their authority and iurisdiction of Christ immediately but Saint Peter only and all the rest of Saint Peter which f ib. Bellarmine soundly confutes both by Scriptures and Fathers shewing that Christ himselfe gaue them all parem potestatem equall power that not Peter but Christ himselfe did chuse Matthias by Lot at the instant prayer of the Apostles that Paul was an Apostle not of men neither by man but by Iesus Christ and God the Father Gal. 1.1 c. All which makes for the equality of Peter with the rest and not for his superiority ouer them Antiq. Yet surely he holdeth the same Supremacy which other Catholikes hold though he think it cannot be grounded so firmely vpon these places Antiquis You may well imagine he giues not ouer without much compulsion and reluctation these castles and holds which other great Captaines with all their power and policy held and maintained §. 7. But there is one poore castle more which hee laboureth to hold though very weakely that is in Iohn 21.15 Bellar. de Rom. pontif l. 1. c. 12 â— vt autem See D. Field Church book â— chap 22. where it appeareth saith hee that Christ gaue more to Saint Peter then to the other Apostles for hee said vnto him Louest thou mee more then these and then addes Feed my sheepe To him that loued more he gaue more to wit the care of his whole Flocke euen the care ouer his brethren Apostles making him generall Pastor ouer them also for there can no cause or reason be imagined saith Bellarmine why vpon Peters answere of his singular loue aboue the rest Christ should singularly say to him Pasce oues meas if he gaue him not something aboue the rest To which we say the Fathers shew another cause or reason Peter had denied Christ more then the rest and being forgiuen was to loue more then the rest Luk. 7.43.47 and therefore Christ vrged him singularly by thrice asking Louest thou mee Cyril super Ioan. lib. 12. cap. 64. Augustin tract in Ioan. 123. See this largely handled betwixt Raynolds Hart. p. 135. seq answerable to his three denials to performe the office enioyned in generall to all the Apostles So saith Cyril Because he denyed him thrice at his Passion therefore there is a threefold confession of loue required of him and so the glosse and Saint Augustine saith A threefold confession answereth to a threefold negation that the tongue may expresse as much in loue as it did in feare And so in very truth Christs words were rather a stay of Peters weakenesse then a marke of his worthinesse or a proofe of his supremacy Thus we haue the onely place of Scripture whereupon Bellarmine insisteth of performance and bestowing supremacy particularly vpon Peter Bellarmin saith De iustifâ—t 3. c. 8. initio Non potest aliquid certum esse certitudine fidei nisi aut immediate contineatur in verho Dei aut ex verbo Dei per euidentem consequentiam deducatur c. and that not a plaine and euident place of Scripture or by deduction of euident reason such as necessary points of diuinity should haue but onely their owne infirme and vnsound interpretation a poore and weake ground of so great a building The transcendent supremacy of the Pope of Rome ouer the whole Church of Christ and the many Doctrines and practises that depend thereupon haue no other ground in Scripture but this their owne conceited and forced interpretation of this place Peter louest thou mee more then these Feed my sheepe that is Take thou authority more then these to make thy successors aboue all theirs heads of the vniuersall Church with such power as themselues shall list to take or exercise Antiq. I cannot but ingenuously confesse this inference to be weake indeed and it doth much amaze me and makes me quake and stagger to consider how confidently I haue beene perswaded that the Scripture is most plaine and euident for the Popes supremacy and now to see that nothing of any moment can thence be alleadged for it §. 8. Isa chus Casaubonus excrcitatio ad Baronium Epist dedic pag. 19. Luk. 22.25 26. Gasper Scioppius in Ecclesiastico suo ex pos cap. 47 Is not this quidlibet e quolibet or rather Contrarium é contrario Antiquis By such alleadging of Scriptures they may make quidlibet è quolibet make any substance of any shadow The learned Frenchman Casaubon wonders at them Pasce oues meaâ— that is as Baronius interprets it Supremum in ecclesia dominium tibi assere Feed my sheepe that is Take to thy selfe the highest dominion in the Church or as Bellarmine Regis more impera Rule and command after the manner of Kings as if he would of set purpose contradict Christs words The kings of Nations exercise dominion ouer them but yee shall not doe so Nay further and more strangely Gaspen Scioppius saith that Christ by those words hath taken away Kings power and dominion ouer the Nations and forbidden it to be exercised among Christians and hath established that infinite power in the Pope ouer Princes by this and such like places of Scripture The pious world wonders at the Popes challenge to be the highest Iudge
in controuersies of Faith which heretofore was the office of Councels by the word of God but this power and right Bellarmine drawes out of the word Feed Men wonder at the Popes Immunity from error and infallibility in points of Faith but Bellarmine also rayseth it out of the words Feed my sheepe Men wonder at the Popes clayme of power of many ages neuer heard of to make Lawes in the Church to binde conscience yea as some say to make new Articles of Faith but this also Bellarmine findes in the same words Feed my Sheepe They that are practised in reading the Scriptures and Fathers wonder at the superabundant merits of the Saints which the Pope dispenseth at his pleasure but let them cease to wonder the Scripture giues it to the Pope in that word of Christ to Peter Feed my Sheepe For so teacheth Bellarmine in his booke of Indulgence Those that will not be rebels to their Prince the Lords annoynted wonder and that with indignation that the Pope corrupted by his flatterers should assume to himselfe a power to transferre kingdomes absolue subiects from the oath of fidelity and make Kings no Kings but this power of the Pope Bellarmine and others extract out of the word Feed Nay there want not them that gather out of the same word a power in the Pope to chastise with temporall punishments yea with death such Princes as are vndutifull to him So taught Becanus and Suarez famous Iesuites in their most infamous bookes such things writes Casaubon If the word Feed should signifie all these it would be very inconuenient for the Pope for then all Ministers which are bidden feed * Acts 20.28 1 Pet. 5.2 should haue all that power and priuiledges which the Pope by that word challengeth The Fathers tooke the meaning of Christ to be onely feed by doctrine and that they bet vpon and vrged See Tortura Torti p. 52 seq the Pope takes it to gouerne Regio moro impera Indeed the greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though most commonly it signifie to feed yet sometimes signifies to gouerne but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes to feed Yet marke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is twice in the Text for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once but they catch at gouernment and let goe feeding what Christ meant not nor Peter euer vsed that they lay hold on gouerning the whole Church the feeding that Christ meant and Peter vsed they leaue to others to labour in the Word and Doctrine is too laborious a feeding for them and the Friars or Iesuits to whom they leaue that labour feed vere strangely It is strange feeding to teach men to be Law-breakers vow-breakers Oath-breakers breakers of all Lawes and duties this is not to feed the sheepe but to scatter them to kill their leaders tread downe their pastures muddy their waters stop vp their wells not to feed but either to starue or to poyson them In like manner they make Receiue the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen to bee also exclude from the kingdomes of the earth Christ restraines the keyes to sinnes Iohn 20.23 Whose sinnes ye loose they extend them to Lawes Othes and Vowes Whatsoeuer thou bindest that is whatsoeuer league of wickednesse conspiracy treason rebellion thou tyest shall be ratified in heauen and whatsoeuer thou loosest be it bonds of Lawes duty faith oath obedience or allegiance it shall be loosed in heauen If this be so Christ should rather haue said to Peter Luk. 12.32 When thou art not conuerted but preuerted by such Doctrine strengthen thy brethren strengthen thy brethren in euill in their euils with hope of rewards from God for breaking his Lawes This is most damnable doctrine not onely against Gods word and the analogy of Faith but against common ciuility sence and reason Thus they abuse the Scripture to wrong purposes and peruert it contrary to the meaning to strengthen euill §. 9. Antonim suma mai dist 22 c. 5. Psal 8. ver 7 8. Marta Par. 1. c. 24. Tortura Torti pag. 177. Some haue very ridiculously turned the eighth Psalme to serue the Popes turne Thou hast put all things vnder his feet that is vnder the Popes gouernment all sheepe and Oxen and the beasts of the field that is men on earth the fowles of the ayre that is Angels the fishes of the sea that is soules in purgatory And lately D. Marta out of the same Psalme very seriously brings both Christians and Saracens vnder the Popes power for sheepe saith he signifies Christians and oxen Saracens and so he makes the Pope not onely a sheephard but a Neat-heard much like to that of Lumbard Sent. lib. 3. d 25. Aquin. 2. 2. q. 2. art 6. interpreting a sentence of Iob 1.14 The Oxen were plowing and the Asses feeding in their places the oxen plowing that is saith he the Priests reading the Scriptures Archb. Abbot ag Hill Reason 8. §. 5. the Asses feeding are the people not troubling their heads with such matters but content to beleeue in grosse as the Church beleeues A trim text and finely applied to keepe the people from reading the Scriptures Such lewd childish and ridiculous expounding and alleadging of Scriptures shewes first their want of Scripture proofes for the maintenance of their errors secondly their bad mindes striuing against their owne knowledge and conscience to blind and gull the world with a false shew of Scriptures when in truth the whole Scriptures are rather against them thirdly the base opinion they had of people and Princes too whom they thought they could coozen with any false shadowes The obseruing whereof Bedel letters to Wadsworth pag. 62. 64. 66. Carerius de potestate Pape l. 2 cap. 12 â—x C. Solitae de maior obed Morton Appeal l. 5. cap. 26. sect 1. not onely in their other Authors but euen in their Decretals is able alone to make a man hate Popery For example in the Decretals Deus fecit duo magna luminaria God made two great lights that is the Pope and the Emperor and that the Pope is so much bigger then the Emperor as the Sunne is bigger then the Moone which Clauius saith is 6539. times and one fift A notable text to shew the Popes greatnesse aboue the Emperour and that the Emperour receiues all his power and glory from the Pope as the Moone doth her light from the Sunne and is light onely on that side that is toward the Sunne and darke on the side that is auerse Also Mat 16.18 alleadging that text Tu es Petrus super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam The Lord saith he taking Peter into the fellowship of the vndiuided vnity oh foule blasphemy would haue him to be called that which he was himselfe that the building of the eternall temple might by the maruelous gift of God Cap. FundamentuÌ„ de clect in 6 consist in Peters firmnesse that from Peter as a certain head he should as it were
for the Faith of Christ contra Northumbrot infideles as your histories tell vs n Galfrid Monum hist lib. 1. cap. 12 13. In these latter times our Aduersaries reckon examples enow o Azorius Iesuita Institut moral part 1. lib. 8. cap. 20. §. Decimo quar of Greekes Armenians Ruthenians Aegyptians Aethiopians and other remote parts of the world which doe not acknowledge the Pope to bee their superiour no more than the Protestants doe And yet your Azorius a choyce man deliuering the doctrine of the Roman Church dare not affirme them to be heretikes but excuseth their opinions different from the Romists and cals them onely Schismatikes because they refuse the Roman superiority To say nothing of the Protestants whereof there are innumerable in Germany France Britaine Pelonia Dauid Bohemia Hungaria Heluetia Suetiâ— Silesia Morana Transiluania and other parts which in this age make the greater part of Christendome which all reiect the Roman Hierarchy as contrary to the Apostles doctrine and the Primitiue Church for many ages It may seeme strange that any man that hath any dram of Christian Charity or come of Christian salt in his heart should perswade himselfe or force his heart to thinke that so many learned Bishops of old time and Christians suffering Martyrdome for Christs sake and such infinite store of people of all nations in these latter ages professing Iesus Christs religion holding all points necessary to saluation and for them suffering losse of goods imprisonment banishment death and depriâ—ation of all earthly comforts besides it should cease to be Christians and become damned creatures onely because they will not become subiects to the Pope of Rome as to their superiour who as they are verily perswaded sitteth as Anrichrist in the Church of God abrogating many of Gods Lawes and establishing his owne Or shall they that in tendernesse of Conscience haue reformed many grosse abuses in life and errors in doctrine which had crept into the Latine Church bee condemnâ—d for reforming them and not communicating with him in his continued abuses though they hold all good things with him and refuse nothing which the Scriptures and pure Antiquity hath deliuered No my friend Be you Antiquus if you will and sticke to Hildebrands dictates broached eleuen hundred yeeres after Christ when Satan was newly loosed or to Boniface the eights decree 200. yeeres after Hildebrand for that is your greatest Antiquity I will bee Antiquissimus and hold the old Religion which the Apostles taught which the first Churches held the East the South the West the middle Churches yea all Churches euen the Roman Church it self for many hundred yeeres next after Christ according to which patterns the Protestants haue reformed their Churches in these latter ages as neere as was possible for them and make no more doubt of saluation therein then of the holy Fathers Saints and Martyrs of former times which reiected the Popes superiority and soueraignty as we doe CHAP. 7. Of the Popes infallible iudgement in guiding the Church by true doctrine § 1. It cannot be proued by Scriptures or Fathers or by the Analogy to the chiefe Priests of the old Testament § 2. Neither is such infallibility now necessary in any man § 3. But if in any man most improbably in the Popes whereof some haue been children and many most wicked men and monsters of men § 4. And many Popes haue erred De facto in Iudgement § 5. Which the Romists distinctions and euasions cannot auoyd § 6. The manifold and manifest Iudgement of Antiquity ouerthroweâ— this supposed infallibility For § I. The Ancients euer accounted the Pope fallible § II. And neuer in their writings mentioned their Infallibility § III. But reiected often both their iurisdiction and Iudgement § IIII. Which if they had beene established and beleeued the Fathers studies and commentaries vpon the Scriptures had beene in vaine § V. And Councels had beene called to no purpose §. 1. Antiquus SVppose the Popes claymed-supreme-gouernment ouer the whole Church cannot bee proued by Scriptures nor Fathers yet if he haue infallibility of iudgment in all points of heauenly doctrine we are bound to submit vnto him Antiquissimus Proue that hee hath such infallibility and we wiil submit to his iudgement Antiq. It is proued by the text a Be lar de Rom Pont. lib. 4 cap. 3. Luk. 22.31 32. Simon Simon Behold Sathan hath desired to winnow you like wheat but I haue prayed for thee that thy Faith should not fayle and when thou art conuerted Strengthen thy brethren Antiquis These words are no way appliable to Peters successors except you will haue them first deny Christ outwardly though faith fayle not in their heart and secondly conuert and afterward strengthen their brethren Else these things are proper to Peter who indeed was so grieuously tempted by Sathan that in that triall through the extremity of feare he denied Christ and that with bitter imprecations but yet by vertue of Christs prayer he denied him not by infidelity the perswasion of his heart remayned the same it was before then repenting bitterly for his outward Apostacy and receiuing the sweetnesse of Gods mercy in forgiuing conuerting and strengthening him hee was able and fit to strengthen his brethren to preuent their like fals or restore them after their fals by hope of the like mercy Thus your Iesuite b Sa Iesuita schol in Luk. 22 id est sicut ego orando te prote i inquit interlinearis glassa ne deficeres sictu infiâ—miores sratres exemplo tuae poenitentiae consorta ne de veâ—ia desperent Seâ— Ar as Mortanus Aquinas Catena on this place Sa interprets this place truely alleadging the interlineall glosse for it And thus doth c Theophylact. vpon Luk. 22. Theophylact also attributing the confirmation of his brethren not to Peters constancy in the true Faith but to his sence of Gods tender mercy recalling and recouering him by which he was able to strengthen the weaâ—e to comfort the sorrowfull to confirme the doubtfull and to rayse them vnto assured hope of finding mercy that otherwise were ready to despaire For who will not be confirmed saith the same Theophylact by Peter in the comfortable perswasion of Gods gracious mercy to repentant sinners that seeth him whom Christ had so much hoâ—oured after so shamefull and execrable fault of Abnegation of his louing Master the Lord of life not onely receiued to mercy but restored to the dignity of the prime and chiefe Apostle Bellarmine bringeth some reasons and allegations to proue those words of Luk. 22 to make for Saint Peters and his successors infallibility but all farre too weake to proue his purpose See them fully examined and answered by D. Field d D. Field Church booke 5 chap. 42. who answers also the other allegations of Mat. 16.18 Vpon this Rocke I will build my Church and of Iohn 21.15 16 17. Feed my sheepe seed my lambes Vpon which the infallibility of the
Pope cannot possibly be grounded neither doe the Fathers come neere to proue it which are alledged for it as he sheweth Antiq. For the places of Saint Matthew 16. and St. Iohn 21. Vpon this Rocke and Feed my sheepe since you haue proued by the Fathers iudgement e Before chap. 6 section 6 7. that they belong as well to the other Apostles as to Saint Peter I relye not vpon them nor vpon the Fathers who by f ib. sect 12. refusing the Popes supreme gouernment seeme thereby also to deny his infallibility But there is another thing vrged by g Bellar. de pont lib. 4. cap. 3. §. quarto probatur many and seemes to be of great force to proue this questioned infallibility That the high Priest of the old Testament had in his brest-place the Vrim and Thummim Exod. 28. 30. that is Doctrine and Verity which is expounded in the 17. 9. of Deuteronomy where the Lord commands them that doubt of the sence of the diuine Law to repayre to the Chiefe Priest and enquire of him adding That he shall tell them the truth of iudgement Therefore both by signes and by words the Lord hath promised that in the brest of the Chiefe Priest shall reside Doctrine and Verity and therefore that he cannot erre when he teacheth the people And if this was fit for the Aaronicall chiefe Priest much more for the Christian Conformable whereunto h Ioh. 11.51 Rhemists thervpon Caiphas the Iewes high Priest in a Councell prophesied truly that Christ should dye for the Nation Vpon which Text the Rhemists do note That the gifts of the holy Ghost follow the Order and Office not the merits and persons of men as Caiphas a man many wayes wicked and in part an vsurper in the time when the Priesthood began to decline and giue place to the new ordinance of Christ had yet some assistance of God for vtterance of truth which Caiphas himselfe meant not therefore we should not maruell that Christ deliuereth his truth by Prelats his officers though wicked and vnworthy of their office as also i Canus loc theol lib. 5. cap. vlt. §. Ad id Canus saith alleadging the same text and Bishop Fisher also k Roffensis contra Assert Lutheri veritat 3. pag. 12. Antiquis The high Priests by their education office reading study and conference must in all reason haue knowledge farre beyond ordinary people for signe whereof they might weare the Vrim and Thummim and the people were to repayre to them for direction in their doubts as now to their learned Ministers whose lips must preserue knowledge But the people were not to take all for infallible which they said l B Morton Appeal l. 3 c. 15 sect 3. D. Field Church booke 5. c. 42. The Iewes had a glosse vpon that text If the Iudge shall tell thee that the right hand is the left and affirme â—he left to be the right thou must beleeue him But this is absurd saith their Lyranus for no iudgement that is manifestly false must be beleeued from any man of what authority soeuer he be But the people are appointed onely to doe all things which the high Priests shall teach according to the Law Deut. 17.11 Whereupon Christ saith m Mat. 23.2 The Scribes and Pharisees sit vpon Moses Chayre and therefore are to be harkened vnto not in all things generally whatsoeuer they say but onely when they vtter and deliuer pertinentia ad Cathedram things agreeable to Moses doctrine as the author of the ordinary glosse noteth n Glossa in â—undem locum See Raynolds Hert. This therefore proues no infallibility in the high Priest nor in the Pope no more doth that of o Ioh. 11.49 c. Caiphas to whom wee wonder that you in earnest parallell your Pope For he spake once in the Councell truely and prophetically God directing him and the euent confirming it but he spake also in the Councell most vntruely and blasphemously when he said that Christ blasphemed p Mat 26.65 as Bellarmine saith well q Bellar. lib. 2. de conciliis cap. 8. § alii dicunt Therefore to establish an opinion of an infallible Iudge by an example of a Iudge blasphemously erroneous in iudgement is little better then to erect a Roman Caiphas §. 2. You see therefore by the insufficiency of your proofes first that you haue no probability of your Popes infallibility Now I tell you secondly there is no necessity of any such thing in any one man in the Church of God because a Bellar. de Verbo Dei li. 4. c. 11. §. hic notatis Costerus Enchir ca. 1. §. caetorum we haue all the points of Christian doctrine necessary to saluation b Coster ib. Aug. Doctr. Christiana l 2. c. 9. Bellar de iustif lib 3. cap. 8. § primara plainely and infallibly deliuered in the Scriptures Saint Peter was c Mat. 16.17 infallibly guided by the holy Ghost and freed from all error in doctrine either by teaching then presently or deliuered by writing to posterity so were all the other Apostles And e Bellar. de verbo Dei l. 4. c. 11. § his notatis what they taught necessary for all men to beleeue vnto saluation d 2 Tim. 3.16 Gal. 1.12 2 Pet. 1.21 1 Thes 1.13 what they wrote and left for the instruction of the Church in succeeding ages to the end of the world whereupon all true Christians may and must stay themselues for all points touching the foundation of Religion necessary to saluation If it were possible f Gal. 1.8 9. for an Angell from heauen to come and teach otherwise St. Paul doth confidently and doubly pronounce him Anathema As long as any men or Churches hold fast what the Apostles haue deliuered they doe g Bellar de verbo Dei lib. 1. c. 2. § quare caÌ„ Faber Stapulensis praefatione in Euangeistas vnfallibly hold the truth when they swarue from that they swarue from the Rule of truth and may quickly lose themselues in inextricable errors The latitude of this vnfallible necessary sauing knowledge I haue described before h In the 6. chapter next before and it is that wee must earnestly contend for as Saint Iude saith Earnestly contend for the Faith which was once deliuered to the Saints i Iude vers 3. once deliuered that is first and once for all deliuered by the Apostles to the first Church and neuer after to be altered for that contend earnestly and for other profitable doctrines that are thence deducted by manifest consequence of Reason contend also but more moderately For things obscurely thence deducted and not profitable at all contend not Let euery mans iudgement submit to the rule of the absolutely necessary points sufficient for saluation once and first giuen and we shall need no more nor further infallibility in any man §. 3. But if this so much spoken of
infallibility of iudgement for teaching and gouerning the Church should be giuen to any one ranke of men it is very vnlikely the Popes should be the men Is it reasonable to thinke that children in yeeres and vnderstanding or men of corrupt and filthy liues monsters of men such as many of your Popes were should be Gods chiefe infallible gouernours of his Church Benedict the 9. was made Pope at 12. or 10. yeeres old as Baronius confesseth a Baronius anno and ruled that Church 20. yeeres A likely Sheephards boy in Saint Peters place to feed his sheepe the flocks they say of all Christendome by doctrine and example more likely to be a plague to the flocke as God threatning a plague to the Common wealth b Esay 3.4 said Children should reigne ouer them Aristotle iudged a Youth not a fit hearer of Morall Philosophy and yet must this childe bee thought a fit teacher of heauenly doctrine yea to be the Vniuersall Oracle of the world that hath neither possibility to erre himselfe nor misleade others Such a vertue hath the Popes Chayre to infuse learning and all habilities into a Schoole-boy that knowes not his Grammar to serue the Roman turn well enough to interpret the Scriptures assoyle all questions resolue all doubts sit at the sterue and guide the shippe of the Church call Councels and iudge of all their decrees ratifie some nullifie others as one of farre greater iudgement than all the learned of the world yea to determine all causes depose Kings command Angels open and shut both heauen and hell and doe euery thing as well as Saint Peter himselfe How thinke you is it reason for any man to thinke so Antiq. Many defects may bee supplied by learned Cardinals graue and wise Counsellors Antiquis A miserable head that hath his wit to seeke in another mans brains but you c Greg Val. Anlys fidei l. 8. c. 10. §. Ex quo This were to giue infallibility not to the Pope but to the Pope with his Cardinals place not infallibility in the Counsellors but onely in the Pope himselfe his faylings are not to be amended by theirs but theirs by him and indeed if he be infallible they are superfluous and so are all Councels and learned men See another Pope somewhat elder but a great deale worse Iohn 12. d Banonius anno 955. He was made Pope at 18. yeeres of age the Romish Church thought it a lesse euill to endure one head though monstrous Monstruosum quantum libet caput ferre saith Baronius d Banonius anno 955. than to be infamed with two heads and one body to be cut in two Vpon Saint Dunstans comming to him to receiue his Pall to bee Archbishop of Canterbury at last Baronius addes Vidisti extrema duo Episcopum sanctissimum pontificem vero moribus perditissimum Thou hast seene two extreme contraries A most holy Bishop Dunstan and a most wicked liuing Pope Iohn the twelfth e Baron anno 963 n. 17. Baronius saith this Iohn was accused of many most notorious crimes of adultery with Rainerius his widdow and with Stephana â—is Fathers concubine and the widdow Anna and with his or her neece and that he made the holy pallace a stewes and brothell house that hee put out the eyes of his ghostly Father Bened who died vpon it that hee cut off the stones of Iohn the Cardinall subdeacon and so killed him that he dranke to the loue of the Diuell in wine that in playing at dice he would inuocate the ayde of Iupiter Venus and other heathen gods that the whole Councell of the Bishops of Italy wrote vnto him that he was accused of murder periury sacriledge yea and incest with his own kindred and his two sisters c. they required him to come and answere for himselfe promising him to doe nothing but according to the Canons He wrote againe thus ridiculously and childishly Ionnes episcopus seruus seruorum Dei omnibus episcopis Nos audiuimus dicere quod vos vultis alium papam facere si haec feceritis excommunico vos de Deo omnipotenti vt non habeatis licentiam vllum ordinare missam celebrare f Platina in Ioan. 13. Platina in his life reckoning him Iohn 13. cals him sceleratissimum hominem vel monstrum potius a most wicked man or rather a monster and againe Virum omnium qui vnquam ante se in pontificatu fere perniciosissimum sceleratissimum A man of all that euer were before him in the Popedome the most pernicious and wicked When this Iohn fled the Emperor Otho made Leo Pope in his roome but assoone as the Emperour was gone Iohn by the helpe of his kindred and clients put downe Leo and reygned againe shortly after committing adultery with another mans wife he was thrust thorow and slayne or as g Baron anno 964. n. 17. Baronius thinkes he was in his adultery strucken in the Temples by the diuels and so dyed Was this a man likely to be the infallible mouth and organ of the holy Ghost If Baronius and Platina be not witnesses sufficient reade â—he same story in your owne h Sigonius l. 7. de regno Italioe Sigonius the Popes hyred reader in one of his Vniuersities who writes it somewhat fully following Luitprandus Martinus Polanus Tritâ—mius Platina Krantzius all your owne Catholike Historians I omit a number of wicked Popes fellowes and equals to these for I should both weary and stinke you out if I should rake long in the dunghill of these Popes liues whereof there were fifty in one plumpe as your owne i Genebrard l. 4. Chronologiae seâ—ulo 10 anno 90 pag. 546. Genebrard writeth rather Apostaticall than Apostolicall in the space of an 150. yeeres I will onely shew you a briefe of the story of a few Popes in a short time and their strange Vnity Infallibility and Holinesse k These things yee may reade in Platina Luit prandus and Bellarmine also lib. 4. de Rom. pont cap. 12. §. vigesimus septimus and in Baronius anno 897. Who onely differeth in attributing to Stephanus that which others doe to Sergius Formosus a Cardinall and Bishop was cursed deposed and degraded by Pope Iohn the 8 whom Platina reckons Iohn the ninth who driuing him out of Rome caused him to sweare neuer to returne either to the City or to his Bishopricke But Iohn being dead his successor Martin 2 absolued Formosus from his oath and restored him to his former dignity Not long after the same Formosus obtained the Popedome wherein hee liued fiue yeeres After him succeeded Bonifacius 6 liuing Pope but twenty six dayes then Stephanus 6. Who abrogated Formosus his decrees disanulled his acts in a Councell tooke vp his body dispoyled it of the pontificall habite as vniustly made Pope after periury cut off two of his fingers wherewith hee had consecrated cast them into Tyber and buried him in lay-mens garments This Steuen reygned
but one yeere and three months After him succeeded Romanus 1. Who abrogated the decrees and acts of Steuen and reygned but three months then came Theodorus 2. who restored also Formosus his acts and followers liuing Pope but twenty dayes Then succeeded Iohn 9. Platina cals him Iohn the tenth who fully restored the acts of Formosus and abrogated Steuens confirming all by a Councell Notwithstanding all this Sergius 3. restored Steuen and condemned Formosus agayne admitted them to priesthood againe whom Formosus had deposed and whom Formosus had ordered hee againe degraded and caused them to take new Orders and againe tooke vp Formosus his body out of the sepulcher beheaded it and cast the body into Tyber as vnworthy the honour of buriall Whereupon saith Baronius l Baron anno 908. one Auxilius then wrote a dialogue betwixt Infensor and Defensor against this inbred discord of the Romish Church and of the Popes ordinations exordinations and supeâ—-ordinations c. m Nauclerus generat 31. initio Thus were Saint Peters successors whirled about not with the spirit of godlinesse but with the spirit of giddinesse Vertigo rotabat Petri successores saith Krantzius n Krantzius Metrepolis l. 2 c. 22. Martin Polon Nanclerus ib. saith there were 8. Popes in one King Lodowicks time who reygned not aboue 12 yeeres and the head of the Church was long without a brayne Where was then the infallibility of these Popes iudgement in the gouernment of the greatest affayres of the Church where was their charity and holinesse nay where was ordinary honesty ciuility or humanity Here was indeed a most bestiall rage reaching not onely to the death-bed but to the graue with digging vp bones dismembring dead carkasses derogating from their persons abrogating their acts disanulling their ordinations disgracing their Fauorites degrading the Prelats by their predecessors preferred Pope against Pope one head of the Church against another and Councells against Councells setting the world in amaze dissoluing religion and gouernment that men knew not what to thinke nor what to doe Where was the vnity of minde and peace among inferiours when the heads were so brainsicke or so hare-braind or rather wolfe-braind Antiq. Enough enough you haue wearied and stuncke mee out indeed with these filthy storyes which I would neuer haue beleeued had you not turned mee to their owne authours to reade them with mine owne eyes But it is most admirable that God did yet preserue his Church by such wicked instruments for you know the doctrine and sacraments deliuered by Iudas were good and profitable though hee was wicked Antiquiss o Genebrard quo supra â— tanto numero pontificuÌ„ quinque modò satis tenuiter landatur Our Sauiour in chusing Iudas had a purpose to saue vs by working good out of his treason but had hee chosen ten Iudasses for one or two good Apostles the world would haue muttered at him as improuident Your Genebrard reports of 50 Popes Apostaticall together and scarce fiue of them any whit Apostolicall and doubtlesse hee speakes the best for his owne side and the after times grew worse rather than better Also though the ministeriall acts being ordinary and receiued of the Apostles you will say might bee effectuall though wicked men performe them which to deny is contrafidem and so condemnes them that abrogated Formâ—sus his ordinations p Bellar. de Rom. pont l. 4 cap. 2. § vigesimus sept §. sed obiicies yet their infallibility being an extraordinay priuiledge in things not ordered by the Apostles hath no probability at all but rather the crossing one of another in their Decrees and in their Counsells called and confirmed by themselues vtterly confutes it §. 4. Antiq. These things you draw in à latere sidelings shew mee some Popes that haue directly and facto indeed erred in the Faith and then I shall thinke them fallible See D. Field Church booke 5. cap. 43. Bellar. de Rom pont lib 4. Antiquis Bellarmine himselfe yeelds you enow though he labour with all his art and wit to excuse all for some haue erred too grossely to be excused too manifestly to be denied 1 Pope Gregory 3. Ex ignorantia lapsus est saith Bellarmine i Bellar. ib c 12. §. sed contra hoc est c. when he permitted a man to take a second wife his first yet liuing but vnable to pay her debt vnto him and taught that in some case a man might with the license of his wife marry another and so haue two at once which indeed is false doctrine and so defined by the Councell of Trent sels 24. can 2. 2 ib cap. 8. §. Decimus est Marcellinus 2 Pope Marcellinus beyoÌ„d decreeing proceeded to fact sacrificed to Idols teaching Idolatry and Hetheamsme by fact and example But it was for feare of death saith Bellarmine And 3 ib. cap. 9. 3 Pope Liberius subscribed to the Arrian heresie set his hand against Athanasius wrote wicked Epistles but saith Bellarmine it was for feare of death or torments A man may by the same reason excuse Peters deniall of Christ and say it was no sinne if this was no error Pope Vigillus wrote to the Empresse 4 ib. cap. 10. and to the heretikes confirming their heresie and cursing the Catholike teachers that confessed two natures in Christ wicked letters vnworthy a Christian man But saith Bellarmine hee did it for desire of the Papacy and in great strayts into which his ambition had cast him As though wicked affections could excuse mens errours Pope Honorius was condemned for an heretike 5 ib. cap. 11. by the sixt generall Councell and againe by the seuenth and in an Epistle of Pope Leo but all these were corrupted saith Bellarmine or misinformed See this man liuing but yesterday knowes better than whole Councels Popes and authors liuing in that age and is bold to accuse whole generall Councels of corruption to keepe one Pope from corruption Pope Celestine 3. 6 ib. cap. 14. § cricesimus tertius cannot bee excused from heresie saith their Alphonsus de Castro for teaching that by heresie Matrimony is so farre dissolued that the innocent party may marry againe the contrary whereof is defined by the Councell of Trent Sess 24. Cannon 5. and by Innocent 3. Bellarmine saith This was indeed Celestines opinion but not any decree a poore excuse 7 ib. cap. 14. See many Popes crossing one another in iudgement ex diam etro noted by Erasmus annot in 1 Cor. 7. pag. 373 374. Basilea 1522 cited by B. MortoÌ„ Appeal l. 3. c 15 § 1. p 403. Pope Iohn 22. held opinion that the soules departed came not to see God till after the resurrection Bellarmine answers hee might so hold without danger because yet there had beene no definition of the Church in this point also he purposed to define the question but was by death preuented A slender answer leauing him still infallibly faulty §. 5. Antiq. Sir you
know the Catholikes haue many distinctions The Pope may erre in manners but not in doctrine in matters of fact but not in Faith in person but not in office before hee be fully setled as Vigilius but not confirmed in his seate in the premisses but not in the conclusion by way of conference but not in determining in a priuate letter but not in a Decretall Epistle in his chamber but not in his Consistory in his pallace but not in the Pulpit In a word he may erre as a man but not as Pope Antiquis Your men like the Foxe being hunted out of one hold flie to another their distinctions are but meere euasions and illusions to gull the world withall Their first hold was that the Pope could not erre at all neither ought to bee iudged by any man but being driuen from that hold they flye to another He may erre in manners or in matter of fact but not in matters of doctrine or faith Well wee driue them from that also for Gregory 3. Liberius Vigilius Honorius Celestine and Iohn erred in points of Faith Then they flie to another hold they erred in Faith indeed but yet as men onely not as Popes I thinke our learned King Iames hunts them from this hold also King Iames Remonstrance to Card. Peron pag. 99. in demanding wherefore then doth not the Pope instruct and informe the man or wherefore doth not that man require the Popes instruction shall we say that Esay and Daniel might sinke into heresie as men but not as Prophets would not the man Esay consult with the Prophet Esay to be free from error if he cannot assure himselfe how shall hee assure vs of his freedome from error I adde that the world by such distinction is gulled and abused Bellar. de Pont. Rom. l. 4 c. 2. §. Deinde catholici pontificem solum siue errare posset siue non esse ab omnibus fideliâ—s obedienter audienâ—um for the Romists labouring to proue their Pope infallible onely in some few things would haue the world obey him in all things Some of them draw his infallibility into a narrow scantling first he must enter canonically else hee is not a true Pope and so wants the priuiledge secondly hee is free from error onely when he sets himselfe as Pope to decree matters of Faith and thirdly to the end to teach or guide the whole Church and fourthly See Greg. Val. Analysis fidei lib. 8. totum Specially ca 4. 10. Bellar. de Pont. Rom. l. 4. c. 2. â— quarta opinio c. proceedeth aduisedly and maturely vsing all due meanes to finde out the truth Into these narrow limits straits some are compelled all are compellable to bound the Popes infallibility by the manifest histories of their errors both in fact Doctrin both as men as Popes in euery degree But obserue I pray you whether it bee likely that the Pope vsing all these meanes be infallible for would he not then vse them and quickly cut off all contentions would hee suffer troublesome controuersies among his owne people to be endlesse The Dominicans following Thomas teach that the Virgin Mary was conceiued in originall sinne Archb. Abbot against Hil. pag. 110. Bedels letters pag. 52. Concil Basi sess 36. the Franciscans following Scotus teach the contrary and these two families like the Guelfes and Gibelines are at mortall feood for the point the Councell of Basil was troubled with it and decreed on the Franciscans side the Dominicans excepted against it as a Councell not lawfully called and the dissention continued still so great that to quiet all Pope Sixtus was fayne to make a decree and command that the question should not be disputed of afterwards and yet they are still hot in it vpon any occasion and Bellarmine Bellarmine himselfe hath lately disputed it and leaues it with a piè creditur on the Franciscans side Why did not the Pope decide this and giue perfect vnity to his Church whereof there are so great brags and that other also of Grace and Free will betwixt Dominicans and Iesuits and all other controuersies whereof their books are ful so that their exactest writers Suarez and others spend more leaues in confuting their own men then vs May it not be suspected they know well enough that this infallibility of the Pope is but a meere fiction shadow so that the Pope dare not trust himselfe to determine such matters wherin witty learned men are engaged lest they fall to quarrell and deny not onely his infallibility but authority and therefore it is obserued he seldome proceeds to determine such questions Obserue againe that if the Pope be onely infallible when he vseth such meanes it argueth there is no diuine inspiration extraordinary from the holy Ghost proper to the Pope but onely Gods ordinary assistance vpon the vse of the meanes promised to all Gods seruants And so is hee no more infallible than another man Obserue thirdly that the world hath no sufficient meanes to be assured that such was the Popes entrance and such meanes vsed by him that all men may without hesitation obey him Pighius lib. 4. hierarch eccl c. 8 Valentia Anaâ—ysis fidei part 8. cap. 10. Bellar. de Pont. Rom l. 4 c. 10. To auoyd all inconueniences Bellarmine and Gregoririus de Valentia teach that whether the Pope in defining vse diligence or no hee shall define infallibly Well but yet how shall we know whether he be a true Pope or no Entring canonically without simony violence or other euill meanes for Vigilius erred most heretically saith Bellarmine because hee was not yet true Pope truely setled though he carried himselfe as Pope and many Popes were rather Apostaticall than Apostolicall saith your Genebrard because the Emperours put them in vncanonically it seemes and there haue beene often two and sometimes three Popes together when the world could not know which was the true Pope Anno à Christonato 13â— Ã Christo passo 1000. Greg. Heymburgensis in Confutat Primat Papae part 2. citatus a Iacabo Vsserio De ChristianaruÌ„ Ecclesiarum successione statu c. 4. §. 19. Three Popes sate all at once in seuerall places in Rome Benedict 9. Syluester and Gregory 6. of whom an Heremite wrote thus to the Empâ—rour Imperator Henrice Omnipotentis vice Vna Sunamitis Nupsit tribus maritis Dissolâ—e connubium Et triforme dubium But to let this passe miserable is the state of that people that is ouer-ruled by your distinctions to obey the Pope without distinction For example Suppose there comes a Breefe Bull or Decree from the Pope enioyning his Catholicks to refuse the oath of allegiance to their naturall Prince as from Paul the fift to the English by which refusall they shall bee suspected to bee Traytors in heart and all the Kingdome shall bee iealous of them that vpon any occasion they will bee ready to cleaue vnto the Pope or to any that
Sacra Scriptura est Regula credendâ— certissima tutissimaque saith Bellarmine i Bellar. de verbo Dei l. 1. c. 2. § quare cuÌ„ The Scripture is the most certaine and safe rule of Faith and Spiritus dominatur in conscientijs fidelium The holy Spirit rules in the faithfuls consciences making them all to submit to the word of God and though disioyned in Nations Lawes and Languages yet still to consent in the substantiall points of reformed Religion and constantly to suffer for them in persecution which vnity is not wrought by any Kingdome inter nos among vs such as the Pope assumeth but by Christs Kingdome intra nos within vs ruling our hearts by his Word and Spirit which Kingdome hee saith is not of this world but meerely spirituall and diuine §. 3. But now as if Gods truth stood need of our shadowed lies to maintaine it or that humane policy could deuise better means for the gouernment of Gods Church then either he by his own prouidence hath prescribed or the Ancient Primitiue Church practised or else which is the truth because there are some newer doctrines and practises to be maintained neither imposed by God nor able to stand of themselues we forsooth must deuise to set vp a man as blinde and corrupt as our selues and attribute vnto him infallibility in iudgment and vnbounded iurisdiction in gouernment which neither Scripture Fathers nor any reason doth giue him and by him we must suffer our selues to bee ledde blindefold in a conceit of greater peace and vnity than the Truth and Gods Spirit at first afforded which is a meere dreame and not onely a carnall but a most deceiuable policy and no better than the Priests of Antichrist may plot in being content to yeeld themselues to the whole guiding of their wicked Master and attribute vnto him infallibility of iudgement without ground or reason §. 4. That the Popes infallibility and iurisdiction haue no ground in the Scriptures or Fathers I haue shewed before with many reasons against them both Now since you vrge the profit thereof I will shew you the vnprofitablenesse and the intollerable inconuenience thereof to the Church Princes and Common-wealthes Antâ—q If you can doe so you shall goe beyond my expectation Antiquis I haue done it in part already See before book 1. cap. 5. §. 3 5 c. when I shewed you how the Popes earthly kingdome erected and maintained by many vniustifiable practises and polices spoyleth Christs heauenly Kingdome and robbeth earthly kingdomes of wealth peace comfort and many other blessings as by exempting all the Clergy both their persons goods and lands from the gouernment right or maintenance of secular Princes and Magistrates By making the Pope superiour to Emperours and Kings to depose them and dispose of their Kingdomes to others if he thinke it good for the Church and to that end freeing subiects from their sworne fidelity and arming them against their Soueraignes A doctrine fruitfull of treasons and rebellions Ib. sect 7. By dispensing and dissoluing oathes couenants and leagues and all other bonds and sinewes of humane society peace and security Ib. sect 8 9. By dispensing with Gods Lawes in matrimoniall causes and in other matters of great moment Ib. cap. 6. per totum As also by many hurtfull policies to maintaine this power depriuing Gods people of Gods word and authorizing Monks and Friers to preach where they list without controule of Bishops corrupting diuinity by Schoolmens subtilties Iesuits Statists and Incendiaries and many other deuices to draw to their faction the Wealth and Soueraignty of the word Meditate and consider well of that which then I declared and you will be satisfied that a number of things in the Papacy practised are most vnprofitable to the Church and vntollerable to Princes and Common-wealths §. 5. But to satisfie the more thorowly I will shew you some examples Hildebrand who as Onuphrius saith first set vp the Popes princedome made himselfe Pope by help of the Diuell so he was accused by a Synod a Trithem chroÌ„ Hirsaugiens an 1081. Auentin annal Boior l. 5. Marian chroÌ„ l. 3. an 1081 c of 30. Bishops of Italy France and Germany and by the ayd of armed men with some few of the Clergy and furthered by the great riches of Maud a powerful Gentlewoman of Italy his familiar friend without either the b Carlt. iurisd cap. 7. §. 103. Benno Naucler generat 36. This story I collect out of those histories and our learned men K. Iames BB Iewel Morton Carlton Bilson Vshâ—â— c. Emperours consent or the Cardinals hee called his name Gregory the seuenth Being now warme in the Popes Chayre he cites the Emperour Henry the fourth anno 1076. to appeare and answere in a Synod at Rome to crimes obiected against him vpon paine of present deposition Henry cals a Synod at Wormes where all the Teutonick Bishops except the Saxons renounce Hildebrand from being Pope and to their decree the German and French Bishops and most of the Italian Bishops assembling at Papia subscribed taking their oathes neuer to obey him more as Pope With this decree Caesar sends his letters to Hildebrand renouncing him and pronouncing him deposed from the Popedome The letters and deposition were deliuered in a Synod at Rome whereupon Ioannes Portuensis episcopus rushed vp and cried out Capiatur let him bee taken at which word the Prefect of the City and souldiers were at point to take and slay him in the Church But he stoutly catching vp a sword and calling vpon the name of Peter Prince of the Apostles with solemne words cursed the Emperour depriued him of his Empire absolued all Christians from their oath of fidelity made vnto him and forbade them to obey him as King And this was the first time that euer any Emperour or King was pronounced deposed by the Pope and subiects set free from their Alleagiance as c See Onuphrius cited before Booke 1. cap. 4. §. 9 10. Vrspergens fol. 226. B. Carlton Iurisd c. 7. §. 105. Malmsburiensis hist in Willm primo Angl. Reg. Otho Frising in vita Henrici 4. l. 4. c. 31. B. Vsher De Eccles succes cap. 5. §. 6. Onuphrius and many other historians say This Emperor Henry saith Vrspergensis was valiant and fought 62. set battles in number surpassing M. Marcellus and Iulius Caesar of whom the one fought 30. the other 50. This fact of Hildebrand opened all mens mouthes with outcries against him calling him Antichrist and that by deuising fables corrupting histories abusing Scriptures through his headlong ambition hee sought the rule of the world vnder the title of Christ and played the rauening wolfe in sheepes cloathing spoyling all religious piety raysing warres seditions rapes murders periuries and all euils Thus cryed the world saith Auentine Meane season Hildebrand prosecuting the deposition of Henry stirred vp the Saxons against him offring to make them Kings of the whole West besides
Pope had actually pronounced published by his Bull Elizabeth to be excommunicated and deposed that since that publication all her actions were by the Law of God disanulled and to be held for nought her Magistrates were no Magistrates her Lawes no Lawes Yea some of them denied not in publike hearing that they were sent for no other cause into England than to absolue euery one particularly from their obedience to the Qu. as the Bull had absolued all in generall and this they did in taking confessions of their Reconclliation to their Church priuately and promising absolution from all mortall sinne so doing most safely and secretly These Seminaries were not erected to teach true Religion and points of doctrine necessary to saluation for those might bee taught and learned in all places without such cost but principally to fit young wits and fiery spirits to become instruments to vphold the Papacy with the dominion greatnesse Camd. ib p. 844. alibi passim and wealth thereof and to regaine those that were fallen from it though it were with the destruction of Kings dissipation of kindomes bloodshed murthers insurrections treasons poysonings massakers and many other euils as the histories following will declare most plainly and by their owne confessions may appeare 1. This story and the rest of the treasoÌ„s against Q Elizabeth are set out at large by B. Carlton in his booke entituled A thankful remembrance whose chapters I here note in the margent To come therefore to the Plots and Treasons practised against Queene Elizabeth effects of the Popes excommunication The first was The rebellion in the North stirred vp by one Nicholas Morton a Popish Priest the chiefe leaders within the land were the Earles of Westmerland and Northumberland who were to ioyne with the Duke of Norfolke entending a marriage betwixt him and the Scottish Queene thereby to make clayme to the Crowne of England Queene Elizabeth being deposed by the Popes Bull. With them also was to ioyne the Duke of Alua with his power from the Low-Countries the Earle of Ormond at the same time raysing tumults in Ireland and all procured by Pope Pius 5. who also secretly wrought the mindes of many English by one Ridolph a Gentleman of Florence Camden Annal. an 1568. p. 146. an 1572. p. 227. an 1569. p. 158 166 vnder colour of Merchandise by whom the Popes Bulles letters and money to wit an hundred and fifty thousand crownes were conueighed for the managing of this businesse The Pope further promising to the King of Spaine to engage all the goods of the Sea Apostolike Chalices Crosses and holy vestiments to further it But God preuented this mischiefe for the Northerne Earles preparations being discouered and rising before the other associats were ready were dispersed the Duke of Norfolke taken and put to death and the whole plot defeated to the great griefe of the Pope and the Spaniard The King of Spaine said before the Cardinall of Alexandria the Popes Nephew that neuer any conspiracy was more aduisedly begunne more constantly concealed nor more likely to prosper than this For that an Army might be sent out of the Low-Countries in 24. houres space which might suddenly haue taken the Queene and the City of London vnprouided restored the Popes authority and set the Queene of Scots in the Throne especially hauing so mighty a faction within land and Stukely an English fugitiue made Marquesse of Ireland by the Pope vndertaking at the same time with the helpe of 3000. Spaniards to bring all Ireland to the Kings of Spaines obedience and with one or two ships to burne all the English Nauy This story is written at large by Hieronymus Catena in the life of Pius the 5. and printed at Rome anno 1588. by the same Popes authority and priuiledge by which we come to the knowledge of the whole plot B. Carlton ib. c. 3. Camden ib. pag. 72. 2. I passe by the treasonous leagues made by the Earle of Ormonds Brethren with Iames Fitzmorice of Desmonds Family and others to serue the Pope and Spaniards designes against Queene Elizabeth And the Earle of Darbies sonnes with Gerard Hall Rolston and other Darbishire mens conspiracy to set vp the Queene of Scots And other conspiracies of B. Rosse Henry Percy c. and of Powel and Owen for the Queene of Scots Also of don Iohn of Austria his plotting to marry the Q. of Scots and put downe Elizabeth with the fauor of the Pope and Guises for these plots miscarried in their Infancy Thomas Stukely hauing rioted out his State in England Ibid. cap. 4. Camden Annal. part 2. pag. 193. 229. passed to Rome and made Pius 5. beleeue that with 3000. Italians he would driue the English out of Ireland and burne the Queenes Nauy Pius dying Gregory 13. employed Stukely to get Ireland for his bastard sonne creating the said Stukeley Marquesse of Lagen Earle of Wexford and Caterlogh Vicount of Morough and Baron of Rosse famous places in Ireland and made him Generall of 800. Italian souldiers But Stukeley comming by Portugal ioyned with the King in a warre in Africa that the King afterward might goe against England with Armes as he against Ireland but in Africa they were both slayne and two other Kings died also at the same battell 1572. Whereupon the Spanish King turned his forces prepared for England to subdue Portugall Note here the Popes zeale not to win soules to Christ but Kingdomes to their Bastards Note also two Popes proceed in malice and malediction against Queene Elizabeth and one English fugitiue makes them both fooles And note thirdly how God can diuert the great preparations of puissant Princes and turne their wise policies into fooâ—ishnesse Nicholas Sanders D. of Diuinity Ibid. cap. 5. Reaâ—e Camd. Aâ—nal parâ—t 3. pag. 371 372. hauing written a witty and wicked booke to maintaine the Roman visible Ecclesiasticall Monarchy comes into Ireland 1579 with the Popes legantiue authority and a consecrated banner with three shippes to ioyne with the rebels against Queen Elizabeth where much mischiefe was done supplies sent of men money and armour from the Pope and Spaniard but after diuerse yeeres diuerse fortunes the Earle of Desmond chiefe of the rebels wandering and poore was killed by a common Souldier and D. Sanders for griefe ran mad and finally died miserably being hunger-starued Ibid. cap. 6. See Camdens Annals p. 315. c. Anno 1568. began the Seminaries deuised by Cardinall Allen an Englishman as Sanders was first at Doway for English fugitiues but remoued to Rhemes by the Guises and another erected at Rome by Gregory 13. In them were trayned vp many fit instruments for Rome and Spaine traytors to England issuing out thence when they were fitted as Campian Parson Sherwin Kirby Briant and multitudes of others not in the habits of Priests but of Gallants Seruingmen Summoners or any other the better to insinuate into company and peruert men without danger of discouery
yea Deicides for Kings are callled gods and regnicides the quellers of the Common-wealth Neuer was any Doctrine so fruitfull of Treasons and Rebellions The desire to mainetaine it the hunger to plant it againe hath beene the onely cause to the superstitious and pretence to the couetous and ambitious of all late treasons The traytors euer confirmed by the Doctrine of their books the exhortations of their tongues and the Sacrament deliuered by their haÌ„ds many of their Priests partakers and actors of their crimes The knowledge and experience of the intollerable mischiefe of this doctrine doth iustifie our Lawes that were sharpened against the practisers of it See Cambd. Annals 4. pa t. 842 843. as many of your owne Priests haue confessed Secondly you may note that neuer any Nation was so often so strangely so strongly so diuellishly assaulted and endangered with treasons as this our land and on the other side neuer any Nation so strangely and mightily defended and the traytors confounded Thirdly consider whether these actions bee not manifest tokens of a false religion If we must iudge the tree by his fruits as Christ teacheth vs how can the tree be good that bringeth forth such fruits Mat. 12.33 Are those true Prophets howsoeuer they come in sheepes clothing that doe the acts of Wolues No you shall know them by their fruits to bee false Prophets Mat. 7.15.16 Beware of them Your Bellarmine giueth it for one note of the true Church Sanctity of life and doctrine If these things so taught and practised taste of sanctity what is villany Your Gospell is not the Gospell of peace but of confusion and mischiefe in stead of building the Church it ruines Common-wealths and kingdomes Fourthly looke well Bellarm. â—e notis Ecclesiae Nota 15. if Gods protection and blessings be notes of the true Church as your Bellarmine teacheth what thinke you of ours which God hath so mightily defended and blessed euen when Balaam most cursed Though you neuer ceased heauing at our foundations Church and Princes in these two last Princes times Queene Elizabeth and King Iames yet they haue both liued to see all your wicked practises ouerthrowne the practisers ruined their people 's defended Gods truth maintayned they liued happily dyed in their beds peaceably and left a blessed memoriall behind them Our one Queene brought more happinesse to vs then nine Popes did to Reme who all liued in her time Paul 4. Pius 4. Pius 5. Gregory 13. Sixtus 5. Vrbanus 7. Gregory 14. Innocent 9. Clemens 8. They wrastled against her and cursed her in vayne and their curses fell vpon their owne heads and King Iames wounded the learnedst of thâ—ir leaders with his penne Lastly consider well whether they that perswade you to be absolute Roman Catholikes doe not in deed and effect perswade you to be traytors troublers of the world cursed and deuilish people for perfect and absolute Papists are no better as you may see by these manifold examples of these treasons and therefore it is a wonder that Princes doe not concurre to root out this wicked Sect that make wickednesse godlinesse yea that make a traffik of Kings sacred liues to set vp an Idoll of mans inuention at Rome aboue them all §. 13. Antiq. Good Sir I doe not hold that the Pope hath any such power ouer Kings to depose them and set vp others or to dispense with subiects oathes of alleagiance or to rayse warres or other troubles against ciuill Magistrates I finde many good Catholikes doe reiect and condemne such doctrine and practises they take the oath of alleagiance willingly and write in defence of it I hould with all my heart a Conference of D. Rainolds M. Hart. in Hartâ— preface to the Reader that the Pope hath onely a fatherhood of the Church not a princehood of the world or dominion ouer Princes temporall states to depose or dispose any way of them For Christ said His kingdome was not of this world b Ioh. 18.36 he payed ribute to secular Magistrates c Mat. 17.27 medled not with temporall matters no not with diuision of inheritance amongst brethren d Luk. 12.14 he acknowledged Pilate to haue power to crucifie him and power to release him euen lawfull power giuen him from aboue e Ioh. 19.10 1â— Saint Paul acknowledged Caesar to bee his lawfull Iudge f Acts 25.10 and Saint Peter the first Bishop of Rome taught thus g 1 Pet. 2.13 Subiecti estote omni humanae creaturae propter Deum siue regi c. Be sâ—â—iect to euery humane creature for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as excelling or to rulers as sent by him to the reuenge of malefactors but to the prayse of the good Saint Paul taught euery soule to be subiect to the higher powers h Rom 13 1. By those higher powers meaning secular and ciuil Magistrates i As the Iesuits Pererius and Tolet in locum obserue out of the Fathers that beare the sword be subiect to them not onely for feare of wrath but for conscience sake k Rom. 13.5 And who must be subiect to them all sorts of people both Ecclesiasticall and secular euen Apostles Euangelists and Prophets saith Saint Chrysostome l Chrysost in locum Ista Imperantur omnibus sacerdotibus monaâ—his noÌ„ solum secularibus Omnis anima etiamsi Apostolus sis si Euangelista si Propheta siue quisquis tandem fueris And Saint Bernard m Bernard epist ad Episcopum Senonensem Omnio anima tum vestra quis voâ— excipit qui tentat excipere tentat decipere writing to a Bishop tells him hee is not excepted from temporall subiection to Princes he that excepts him deceiues him Our late gracious Soueraigne King Iames n King Iames Apology for the oath of Alleagiance pâ—g 23. deinceps alleadgeth many Fathers Saint Augustin Tertullian Iustine Martyr Ambrose Optatus Gregory Bishop of Rome for subiection euen of Bishops and Popes to the secular Emperours and Princes Hee alleadgeth many Councels six vnder Charles the Great to wit of Frankford Arles Towres Chalons Meâ—tz and Rhemes yea all the Generall Counceâ—s that of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon and the rest who submitted themselues to the Emperours wisedome and piety in all things and desired from him power and validity to their decrees and for the oath of Alleagiance he alleadgeth diuerse Councells These Scriptures Fathers Councels are so playne so plentifull so powerfull with me for giuing dominion to Princes and subiecting all both Clergy and Laity vnto them in all ciuill things that all the world shall neuer draw me to deny my Alleagiance and subiection to my Soueraigne but I will readily take Armes in his defence as Gods Lieutenant and Deputy though the Pope should excommunicate him Antiquis I ioy to heare your good resolution built vpon so good grounds I hope then you iustifie vs Protestants for departing from the Popish
he had power to ruine the Lombards his sworne enemies and to bring them to extreame confusion yet for the feare of God settled in his heart he neuer had any such intent And he writeth to Mauritius the Emperour that although a certaine Law which the Emperour commaded to be proclaimed was in his iudgement vniust Greg. lib 2. Indict 11. ep 61. cited also by King Iames. Apol. pag. 24. yet he as a dutifull subiect and vnworthy seruant of his godlinesse had caused it to be sent into diuers parts of his dominions paying to both parties what he ought to wit obedience to the Emperour and speaking what hee thought for God Espencaeus in Tit. digress 10. aedit Paris 1568. Whereupon B. Espenceus saith Gregorius primus idem magnus lib. 2. epist 64. Gregory the first called also the Great ingenuously acknowledged that God had granted the Emperours a dom nion ouer Priests This Gregory I and his predecessors were plaine contrary to Gregory VII and his successors Bozius makes it one of the signes of the Church of God that it yeelded so many Martyrs Bozius de signis Eccles tomâ— 1. lib. 7. cap. 5. §. 5. suffering patiently vnder cruell Emperors and Princes seuen and twenty Roman Bishops for their onely cleauing to the doctrine and honour of Christ Greg Tolossan 1. V. Doctor lib. 26. de Repub. cap. vlt. 〈◊〉 10. And Gregorius Tolossanus Doctor of the Lawes saith That for 300 yeares after Christs Passion though Christians suffered most cruell torments and death yet wee neuer read they rebelled against their Princes nor moued against the Commonwealth though they had number and power sufficient But by that argument they shewed that they and their Religion were to be preferred before all other because their pâ—â—us doctrine taught theâ— to obey Magistrates Whiles therefore the Church continued such a schoole of good life among Christians and of faithfull loyalty true subiectâ—on to Princes Rom. 13.5 whom they obeyed not onely for feare of punishment but especially because they were bounâ— in conscience and so taught by their holy Relig on B. King Sermon at Yorke on the Queens day 1595. Religion was â—he ioy glory and happinesse of the world It was the glorâ— of Princes and Emperors to maintaine it and it was the glory of the Chuâ—ch to maintaine them Constantius the father of Constantine the Great made more reckoning he said of those that professed Christianity then oâ— gâ—eat treasures Jouianus after Julian refused to be Emperour albeit elected and sought to the Emp re except he might gouerne Christâ—ans Great Constantine and Charles the Great had their surnames of greatnesse not so much for authority Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 5. 6. 24. as for godlinesse Saint Auâ—ustine saith Emperours were not therefore happy because they raigned long or left sonnes to raigne after them or tamed enemies or quieted rebelling subiects c. but because they ruled iustly remembred they were men when men almost made them Goâ—s vsed their power to promote Gods honour loued feared worshipped God loued that kingdome best wherein they feared not to haue partakers slâ—wly reuenged easily pardoned punâ—shed for necessity to preserue the Commonwealth not to serue their priuate hatred pardoned not to impunity of euill but for hope of amendment and if compelled to deale more sharply recompenced it with mercy lenity and larges of benefits â—f their luâ—ury was so much the more restrained as it might bee more free if they had rather rule their euill lusts then any Nations and all these not for desire of vaine glory but for the loue of heauenly felicity Such a happy Emperour was Great Constantine Ibid. cap. 25 26. Constantine was celebrated in the old Marbles with these titles Vrbis liberator quietis fundator reipubilicae instautator publicae libertatis auctor restitutor vrbis Romae atque orbis Magnus maximus invictus And in the lawes Qui veneranda Christianorum fide Romanum munivit imperium Divus Diuae memoriae Divinae memoriae c. Camden Britannia in Yorkshire describing Yorke City II. Of the euils of false or corrupted Religion Esay 1.21 Rome Reuel 17.9 18. becante Babylon v 5 2 4. 6. Nauel generat 39 H Mulius Chron. German lib 18. Vsher De eccl succes c. 7. §. 17. whom the Lord blessed also with all other happinesse and such an one was Theodosius who desired rather to be a member of the Church then a King ouer Peoples Then was the world happy when the Church bred and trayned vp the best people and subiects in the world and Emperours Kings and Princes were the nuâ—sing Fathers of the Church and so the one vpheld the other and the one was happy in the other But alas for griefe that euer so excellent a blessing should be corrupted and turned to a curse and scourge to mankinde that Ierusalem the whilome faithfull City should become an Harlot And Rome the Imperiall City whose faith was spoken of through the whole world Rom. 1.8 should be turned into Babylon the seat of Antichrist and inebriate the Kings and Inhabiters of the earth with the wine of her fornications her selfe becomming drunken with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus that Emperours and Princes should shut the Cardinals out of their Churches and Cities and write to the Pope their reason because they found them nor Predicatores sed Predatores Non pacis corroboratores sed Pecuniae raptores non orbis Reparatores sed auri Insatiabiles corrasores denique superbiae detestabilem bestiam vsque ad sedem Petri reptasse So wrote the Emperour Fredericke Barbarossa to the Pope to wit your Cardinals come not to preach vnto vs but to pray vpon vs not to strengthen our peace but to ransacke our purses not to repaire the decayed world but vnsatiably to rauine after gold Finally we see the detestable beast of Pride hath crept euen into Saint Peters seat The Hierarchy of Rome is here charged with vnsatiable couetousnesse the roote of all euill 1 Tim. 6.10 and Ambâ—tion or Pride the cause of the fall of Angels in heauen and men in Paradise froÌ„ which two euils proceeded many mischiefes corruptioÌ„s into the Church Sabellicus obserueth that the feare and reuerence of Potent Princes Sabellicus Ennead 9. lib. 1. Genebrard Chronol lib 4. in 10. saculi initio Baron tomo 10. anno 900. §. 1. Matth. 8.24 25 kept the Popes of Rome a long time in some good moderation but when they were out of feare of such Princes they rushed into all impudency and wickednesse And Genebrard speaking of the tenth Age saith Then was the world exhausted both of learned men and potent Princes and good popes and confesseth that in 150 yeares there were about 50 popes vtterly swaruing from the vertue of their predecessors and were rather Apotactici Apostaticive quam Apostolici debosht Apostataes rather then Apostolâ—cke Bellarmine and Baronius complaine of the ninth and tenth Ages wherein powerfull and sordid Whores ruled at Rome
one to him his sword could not discerne them so he might make way for his Master all was one to him How vnlike are the Romish Religions of this age to the Ancients As the pure Primitiue vncorrupt Religion was the greatest blessing both to Prince and subiects so this corrupt ambitious and turbulent visor of Religion hath beene an vntollerable scourge and Plague vnto them meanes more likely to make Religion stinke in the nostrils of men then to make it sweet and comfortable vnto them All these vnâ—atholike courses I grant the secular Priests lay vpon the Iesuites as if all other Papist were cleare of them Which is nor so 1 For who were in the fault â—n the troublâ—s of the German Emperours and other Kings before there wâ—re any Iesuites in the worlâ— whose first beginning was little abâ—ue an hundred yeares agone and their plotâ—ing Statizations within halfe that time 2 Secondly all Papists in common seculars not excepted hold the Apostolicke power and necâ—ssity of obeying it Quodliâ—et 8. art 9 â—ag 277. 3 The secuâ—ars often bewray it in their writings though somewhat couertly because the times fit not so well to vtter their mindes plainely See Watsons Quodlib iâ— 9 art 3. pag. 293 art 5 pag. 306. quodl 8. art 6. pag 243. 4 They also submit themselues and all their writings yea euery word and tâ—ttle to the censure of the Roman Church as Quodl 8. art 8. pag. 267 361. 362. and Important Considerations pag. â—3 in the Postscript 5 The seculars sometimes plainly confâ—sse it Jmp Con. pâ—g 15 hauing spoken of diuers attempts of the pope and Spâ—niard in England and Ireland to depriue Queene Elizabeth of her Crowne they say plainely in all these plots none were more forward then many of vs that werâ— priests adding that if they the priâ—sts had opposed those designments the Laity would haue beene ouer-rulâ—d by them 6 Beyond all this Watson himselfe a secular priest who had set forth the said Important Considerations with a flourishing Epistle before as also the Qâ—odlibets c. to cleare the secular priests from all treasons euil practises became himselfe a Traitor and a Ringleader of diuers others in the beginning of King Iames his raigne for which he and Clarke his fellow were executed and the Traitor Ballard 1586 was a secular priest And many secular priests were in the Spanish army against England anno 88 as saith the Quodlibet 8. art 7. Doctor Sanders Morton and Webb were secular priests So that howsoeuer they would excuse themselues and lay all vpon the Iesuites it iâ— certaine that all perfect papists are conscious or guilty in heart and many of them in action of these courses vntollerable to the Church and State Isaacus Cosaubonus pist dedic ad â—bum Regem praefix Excercitatâ—n Baronium But concerning the corruptions of the Church both in doctrine and practises and our happy Reformation thereof I present the Reader with the substance of a worthy discourse of learned Casaubon Who after hee hath shewed that neither Truth nor Christians nor Christ himselfe the Way the Truth and the Life euer wanted enemies and that amongst those enemies two troopes haue euer beene most infest and most infectious Nonatores Veteratores the Introducers of new Doctrines and they that vnder colour of forged antiquity oppugne the true antiquity as some oppugned the most ancient true worship of the true God to maintaine old Gentilisme the worship of Idols he proceedeth to shew the old enemy of mankinde seeing himselfe shut out of the gates crept in at the backâ—ore into the Christian Church and not being able to hinder the sowing of good seed he secretly sowed Tares amongst it as in our Europe the Westerne part of the world the worship due to God alone to be many waies giuen to creatures Ceremonies vnder whose burden the Church groaned in Saint Augustines time wonderfully encreased drawing men from the substance of Religion to place all their hope of saluation in obseruing them from whence grow the worship of sacred Reliques beyond custome and due measure the trust in the aide of Saints and the carefull inuocation of them the worship and adoration of Images which we see at this day increased which nouelty when it was first brought in set the East and West at jarres and warres and droue the Emperour out of Italy Thence came also new idle worships deuised by mans brain and new rites of new superstition and the better to keepe the world from mistrusting or misliking such Innouations the holy Scriptures were by the vncredible fraud of Sathan withheld not onely from the Laity but from the greatest part of the Clergy And to top vp all these euils was introduced a terrible domination of one man The seat of Rome which before thought it sufficient to bee accounted the first among the Patriarkes seates now would bee the Lady and Mistresse of the whole Church And when her Bishop had lifted vp her power in spirituall things to the highest top not content with that height set his heart also to bring all temporall power vnder him and would neuer be quiet till hee saw himselfe lifted aboue Emperours Kings and princes and looked vpon them as persons farre beneath him vpon whom he might tread with his feet as oft as he list or iudged expedient for his affaires Thus the light of the Gospell was turned into darknesse the golden simplicity of true piety into innumerable superstitions Christian liberty into horrible seruitude the Rights of the Church together with the Crownes of Emperours and Kings made subiect to that Monarches Miter who challenged to himselfe alone the power to giue and take away Empires and Kingdomes Which he practised by bringing in all kinde of calamities wars and vexations wherewith Europe was so often and mightily shaken wh le the truth lay hid euery where neglected and deepely ouerwhelmed drowned and buried Thus Gasaubon of the former times III. Then hee proceedeth to the times of Reformation The great blessings of the Reformation of Religion After a long suffering saith he of vnspeakeable euils after long sighings and gronings of Emperours Princes Clergy and Laity after much expectation of many Ages for reformation in the head and members often promised neuer performed At last there were some found which brake the patience and shewed themselues leaders to them that sought the truth from their hearts What they were or what infirmities they had it mattereth not to argue Malice neuer speakes well of the best and most innocent This is certaine by the very euent that they as men stirred vp by God awaked and rowzed vp the world to looke into the corruptions of Christian Religion which long-time had brought in and to thinke of the grieuances and complaints which both Princes and people throughout Europe had shewed And if then the Bishop of Rome had carried the mind to suffer himselfe to be ouercome with the entreaties prayers publâ—ke or priuate of the Emperors
aduanced by her countenance forces and treasure Scotland releeued by her loue Netherlands by her power Portugals King by Her bounty Poland by her commiseration likewise Germany Denmarke Sweueland often tooke vp and laid down Armes at her becke and dispose The great Emperour of the Turkes in honour of so great a Mediatresse granted peace vnto the Polonians outworne with warres Her Kingdome was a receptacle and her Court a Sanctuary for the banished Protestants as was the Palace of Constantius the Husband of our Helena for the persecuted Christians when he sate Emperour of the West in this Iland of Britaine Whereby as in her life-time shâ— attained to be stiled by forraigne Churches so at Her death was she by them generally lamented as the Nursing Mother of the French Beza in ep prafiu Comment in Iob. Dutch Italian Exiles for Christs Name and the vnconquered Defendresse of the whole Christian Religion Thus our Land became as Gods Paradise his Eden his blessed Garden replenished with all necessaries both for sufficiency and delight Aboue all the Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of Life are planted plentifully in it and all men permitted perswaded commanded to seed on them the Knowledge of God and the Bread of Life and all other blessings consequent and appendant vnto them Whereof our feeling and experience out-strippeth all possible words and discourses I will therefore shut vp all with the Royall testimony of our late most Learned and Iudicious King Iames. King Iames to the Reader of his â—asilicon Doron towards the end First of Queene Elizabeth he writeth thus She hath so long with so great wisedome and felicity gouerned her Kingdomes as I must in true sincerity confesse the like hath not beene read or heard of either in our time or since the dayes of the Roman Emperour Augustus And he caused this Epitaph to be set vpon her Tombe Speeds Chron. quo supra Sacred vnto memory Religion to its Primitiue sincerity restored Peace throughly settled France neere ruine by intestine mischiefes releeued Netherland supported Spaines Armado vanquished Ireland with Spaniards expulsion and Traitors coertion quieted both Vniuersities reuenues by a Law of prouision excellently augmented finally all England enriched and 45 yeeres most prudently gouerned Elizabeth a Queene a Conqueresse a Triumpher the most deuoted to Piety the most Happy after 70 yeeres of Her life quietly by death departing hath left here in this most famous Collegiat Church which by her was established and refounded these Remaines of her mortality vntill at Christs call they shall againe rise Immortall She dyed 24 March 160â— of her Raigne 45 of her Age 70. Secondly of himselfe his owne times and Kingdomes he writeth thus One thing is necessary King Iames in his answer to the Oration of Cardinall Perene pag. 243. namely the feare and knowledge of my God vnto whose Majesty alone I haue deuoted my scepter my sword my penne my whole industry my whole selfe with all that is mine in whole and in part I do it I do it in all humble acknowledgement of his vnspeakable mercy and sauour who hath vouchsafed to deliuer mee from the erroneous way of this age to deliuer my Kingdome from the Popes tirannicall yoke vnder which it hath Fen in times past most greeuously oppressed My Kingdome where God is now purely serued and called vpon in a tongue which all the vulgar vnderstand My Kingdome where the People may now read the Scriptures without any speciall priuiledge from the Apostolike sea and with no lesse liberty then the people of Ephesus of Rome and of Corinth did read the holy Epistles written to their Churches by Saint Paul My Kingdome where the people now pay no longer any tribute by the poll for Papall indulgences as they did about an hundred yeares past and are no longer compelled to the Mart for pardons beyond the Seas and mountaines but haue them now freely offred from God by the Doctrine of the Gospell preached at home within their owne seuerall parishes and Iurisdictions And in another place he saith thus Ibid. pag. 274. Greater blessings of God greater outward peace and plenty greater inward peace with spiritual and celestiall pleasures were neuer heaped vpon my Great Britaine then haue beene since my Great Britaine became great in the greatest chiefest respect of all to wit since my Great Britaine hath shaken of the Popes yoake since she hath refused to receiue and to entertaine the Popes Legates employed to collect Saint Peters tribute or Peter pence since the Kings of England my Great Britaine haue not beene the Popes Vassals to doe him Homage for their Crown and haue no more felt the lashings the scourgings of base and beggarly Monkes Of Holland Zeland Friesland what need I speake Yet a word and no more Were they not a kinde of naked and bare people of small valew before God lighted the torch of the Gospell and aduanced it in those Nations were they not an ill-fed and scragged people in comparison of the inestimable wealth and prosperity both in all military actions and mechanicall trades in traffick as Marchants in marting as men of warre in long nauigation for discouery to which they are now raised and mounted by the mercifull bleâ—â—ing of God since the darknesse of Popery hath beene scattered and the bright Sunshine of the Gospell hath shined in those Countries Behold the Venetian Republik hath she now lesse beauty lesse glory lesse peace and prosperity since she hath lately fell to bicker and contend with the Pope since she hath wrung out of the Popes hand the one of his two swords since she hath plumed and shaken his temporall dominion Vpon these considerations I. Of the excellency of the first primitiue Christian Religion II. Of the intollerable euils which the corruptions of Rome brought into the world with the grones and cries of men for Reformation and III. of the great blessings which the Reformation hath brought vpon the countries which receiued it Mee thinkes there should need no further perswasion to men of any reasonable vnderstanding and Iudgement to forsake the vncatholike corruptions of the Romish Church and imbrace this so blessed a Reformation with all due thankfulnesse to God for the true doctrine of Saluation and peace of Conscience with the desired peace of their estates loue of Prince and Country wealth ioy and happinesse and all both earthly and heauenly blessings that mans heart in this world can desire O fortunates nimium bona si sua norint Angligenas O happy English if they knew their happinesse But if they will not open their eyes to see nor their hearts thankfully to imbrace the happinesse so graciously offered vnto them if they will still blinde their eyes harden their obstinate hearts and striue against all reason and Religion to returne backe into the Egyptian darkenesse and bondage alas what can I doe but with greife of heart say with the Prophet Ieremy Ieremy 2.12 13. Bee astonished O yee heauens at this My people haue committed two euils they haue forsaken me the fountaine of liuing waters and hewed themselues out Cesternes broken Cesternes that can hold no water Or with the Poet Horace Eia Nolint at qui licet esse beatis They may Horace Serm. lib. 1. Satyra 1. but will not be happy For be a man neuer so happy Non est beatus esse se qui non putat He is not happy that thinkes himselfe not so And then as Horace addes Miseros iubeo esse libenter I can but bid them wilfully be wretched But in hope of better successe I haue vndertaken this great labour which I beseech our gracious God to blesse to the good of euery Reader whose good acceptance of my loue and paines I craue with their prayers to God for me Glory be to God on high on earth Peace and good will amongst men Luke 2.14 FINIS
dissolving the whole frame of Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy and forme of gouernment settled by Christ was thought no lesse hurtfull then the bringing in of heresie and false doctrine by all that wrote against it and therefore they impute vnto it Heresim pestilentissimam and all such things as belong onely to Antichrist and his followers And indeed the desire of worldly wealth and honour drew on many corruptions of doctrine For when the ouer-politicke Popes found but few learned iâ—dicious men able to maintaine the truth and few potent couragious Princes able to maintaine their right against them then they fell to make their owne greatnesse wealth and honour the very rule to square out the Canons of Faith and Gouernment and then set Clerks on worke to deuise arguments to maintaine them The Church at that time abounding with rewards to quicken their wits and spurre on their diligence From this root proceeded doubtlesse the forged Donation of Constantine and the Decrees and decretall Epistles of ancient Bishops then newly brought to the knowledge of the world and neuer before seene and in these more learned Ages rejected by their owne Doctors and from this root sprung a new generation of Schoolemen moulding a new Doctrine mixed of Philosophy and divnity to amuse and amaze the world and keepe it in blindnesse and much corruption of Scriptures which now must haue no other sense then their Philosophy and the Rules of their Gouernment will giue it This desire of wealth and greatnesse brought in Image-worship which the holy Scriptures so plainly and plentifully condemne For when it might easily haue been abolished See the Histories of those times as but then creeping in and that Leo Jsaurus Emperour seeing the Sarazens take offence at Christians to abhorre and massacre them for their Images in Churches which offence Leo tooke away and burned the Images Pope Gregory the second that ought to haue Ioyned therein opposed him and tooke the hint to make the Emperour odious to all Italy as an enemy to Religion to the Saints and to their Memories And while the Emperour was weakned by the Sarazens in the East the Pope made this an occasion to make the West to reuolt from him and quickly depriued him of Italy to the great iniury of the Emperor scandall to the world and hurt to Christendome And then Image worship must be defended that had been the meanes of so much wealth to the Pope with opposing Councell to Councell Princes and learned men one against another to the great trouble of Christendome The worshipping of Images therefore did the Pope good seruice and so it doth still for it drawes multitudes of deuout people to Rome and other places with their offerings and other spendings to enrich them §. 14. But to leaue these things and come to particular doctrines held then by many otherwise then they be now by the Romans The Fathers held those bookes for Canonicall Scriptures which we now doe D. Field of the Church lib. 4. cap. 23. Appendix part 1. pag. 100. See all their allegations in D. Field lib. 4. cap. 23. and separated those from the Canon which we doe separate Namely Melito Bishop of Sardis Origen Athanasius Hilarius Nazianzen Cyril of Jerusalem Epiphanius Ruffinus Hierom Gregory and Damascene So did also many other learned men liuing in the corrupt state of the Church vnder the Papacy as Hugo de Sancto victore Richardo de Sancto victore Petrus Cluviacensis Lyranus Dionysius Carthusianus Hugo Cardinalis Thomas Aquinas Richardus Armachanus Picus Mirandula Ockam Caietan and Dredo In this point they were all Protestants and desired the reformation that we haue made That man after the Fall Field Appendix ad lib. 5. part 1. pag. 101. vntill he be restored by grace can doe nothing spiritually good or that is not sinne nor can any way dispose himselfe to a true conuersion vnto God without preuenting grace was the doctrine of S Augustine Prosper and more lately of Thomas Bradwardin Gregorius Ariminensis Cardinall Contaren and Bonaventure cited by Cassander Consult art 8. Iustification by Christs imputed righteousnesse not by our inherent was taught by S. Bernard Epist 190. Bernard Geâ—son lib. 4. de consulatione theologiae See these alleadged in my second Booke in the chapter of Iustification Assignata est homini Iustitia aliena quia caruit sua To man is assigned the righteousnesse of another because he had none of his owne And serm 61 Jn cantica And Gerson and Cardinall Contarenus and the Diuines of Colen in their Enchiridion and Antididagma and Albertus Pighius That man cannot merit any thing properly at Gods hand See D. Field Church appendix ad lib. 4. cap. 11. Scotus Ariminensis Waldensis are plaine So Pope Aâ—rian on the 4 of the Sentences cited by Cassander Consult art 6. and Clicthoveus cited there also And Bernard serm 1. in festo omnium sanctorum and oft elsewhere he saith our good workes are via regni non causa regnandi the way to heauen but not the cause meriting heauen See these Authors words cited at large in Bishop Vshers booke D. Field Church appendix part 1. pag. 103. c. And Cardinall Contarenus epist ad Cardinalem Farnesium To which adde out of Bishop Vshers answer to the Jrish Iesuite pag. 500. seq A great number more of ancient Fathers and later writers That Christs merits are to be apprehended by a liuely faith which faith is a motion of the spirit when men truely repenting of their former life are raised and lifted vp to God and doe truly apprehend the mercies of God promised in Christ and doe indeed feele in themselues an assurance that they haue receiued remission of their sinnes and reconciliation by Gods goodnâ—sse and by the merit of Christ and doe cry Abba Father Cited by Cassander consult aâ—â— 4. This is expresly deliuered in the booke exhibited by Charles the fift Emperour to the Diuines of both sides and the Diuines agreed vnto it And in the Enchiridion cited by Cassander ibid. well approoued by all the learned Diuines of Jtaly and France and by Cardinall Contarenus in his Tract of Iustification and by the Diuines of Colen in their Antididagma De duplici fiducia and by Saint Bernard serm 1. de Annuntiatione dominica The Communion in both kindes is deliuered to the people in all Churches of the world vnto this day sauing in the Roman Church and in the Roman Church it so continued for more then a thousand yeares in the solemne ordinary and publike dispensation of that Sacrament Cassander consult art 22. As Cassander sheweth and Beatus Rhenanus And it hath been called for with great earnestnesse by many Nations and Churches Rhenanus vpon Tertullian de corona militis both before and in the Councell of Trent and is still stiffely denyed by the Pope and his Prelates Against priuate Communions called priuate Masses where none of the people present receiue but the
Consider the Doctrine of the Fathers §. 4. B. Vsher grau quaest cap. 6. §. 5. and of your owne learnedest men speaking especially of the time of Sathan let loose c Aug. epist 80. aâ— Hesychium Saint Augustine saith Ecclesiam non appâ—rituram impijs tunc persecutoribus vltra modum saeuientibus The Church shall not appeare the impious persecutors then beyond measure raging d Greg. in Iob lib. 9. cap. 29. Gregory The Church as one weakned with old age will scarce bring forth children by preaching e Sermâ—n dâ— consummatione mundi Antichristo edit Coloâ— 1603. pag. 219 Ephraim Syrus Men will earnestly enquire whether the Word of God be any where vpon earth and it will be answered No where f Soto in 4. Sâ—nt dist 40. q. 1 â—rt 1. Dominicus à Soto your great schooleman saith That faith will be extinguished in the world and vnder the leading of Antichrist the City of God will be ouerthrowne And of preaching the Word of God your g Aquin. Comment in cap. 9. Apocal. Aquinas saith At first when Antichrist is borne before he haue enlarged his power there will be preaching but after he is in his greatest domination then preaching he meaneth preaching of the truth will be particular and not as now generall nor so solemne as now And before Aquinas This wrote h Apud Vsher ibid. Valent. post lit t. Vsher ib. §. 7. Joachimus Abbas Florensis The whole Church of the Saints will be hidden for so the Elect of God will bee wise for themselues that they will not presume to preach publikely the darkenesse preuailing not that they will cease to encourage and exhort the faithfull more secretly but because they will not dare to preach openly §. 5. Haply you will appropriate this to be the last times of Antichrist which your Doctors hold to be very short but your Valentinianus extends it to other former times and applies it to the times of the Arrian Heresie Of which i Nazian initio Orat. 25. ad Arianos Nazianzen writes thus Where are they now that obiect pouerty vnto vs and insolently brag of their riches which define the Church by multitude and scorne the little flocke whereof k See Hilar. contra Aurent Bâ—sil â—pist 70 71. Vitam Aâ—tonij inter oâ—â—ra Atâ—anâ—â—ij other Fathers say l Vâ—ncen◠〈◊〉 commâ—â—iâ—oâ—â— that almost the whole world was shooken with the cruell tempest of that sudden heresie 〈◊〉 Bâ—câ—â—ri 〈…〉 so that it defiled not onely the parts of the East and West but entangled also the South and North and the Ilands with the perfidiousnesse thereof n Hieronymus contra Luciferianos So that the whole world groaned and wondered that it was become Arrian But the o Athanasius epist ad solitariam vitam agentes godly true followers of Christ as that great Prophet Elias were hidden and thrust themselues into holes and dennes of the earth or continued wandring in the Wildernesse For p Basil epist 69. auoyding the houses of prayer which were then become schooles of impiety they were compelled to lift vp their hands to the Lord in deserts and q Vincent Lirin in commonitorio the greatest part being thrust out and banished from the Cities were among the deserts holes sauage Beasts and rockes with hunger thirst nakednesse afflicted worne and wasted And r Basil epist 17. when they suffered the same things that their Fathers suffered yet they were not thought to suffer for Christ because their persecutors also were called by the name of Christians Thus was it with the true Christians in the Arians times thus with the Church of God in the middletimes after Sathans loosing thus with the Protestants in those later times all persecuted by them that called themselues Christians and Catholicks and held the chiefest places in the Christian world And such was the paucity and obscurity of Christians in the Arians times that S. Å¿ Basil ib. Basil cryes out An Ecclesias suas prorsus reliquit dominus Hath God verily forsaken his Church Is it now the last houre and doth the defection or departure thus take beginning that now henceforth that man of sinne that sonne of perdition may be reuealed c. But let vs heare the very words of your owne learned Iesuite t Greg. de Val. Analysis fidei lib. 6. cap. 4. probatione 4. §. Iam vero §. 6. Gregory de valentia who grants as much as we desire Now to refute the cauils of Sectaries saith he Note we doe not say The Church is alwayes alike conspicuous or alwayes alike easie to be discerned For we know it is sometimes tossed with the waues of Errours Schismes Persecutions so that to the vnskilfull not wisely esteeming the reasons of Times and Circumstances of things it is hard to be knowen Which then specially happened when the perfidiousnesse of the Arians domineerd well neere in all the world For at that time wrote Saint Ierom that the ship of the Church was almost ouerwhelmed And Hilary admonished in many words that the Church at that time was not to be sought Jn tectis exteriori pompa sed potius in carceribus speluncis not in houses or Temples and outward pompe but rather in prisons and caues Therefore we deny not but that it is harder to discerne the Church one time then another But this we affirme that it may alwayes be knowne of them that weigh things wisely For in that very time when it seemed to be hid compared with the times foregoing it might be perceiued that the Church was not with the multitude of Innovators but rather with those few who followed that which the ancient Fathers of the Church and all the faithfull held with great consent and long continuance Thus writes Gregory of Valence §. 7. Out of which testimony I obserue 1 That he excludes the perpetuall and vn-interrupted glory of the Church as not necessary nor any marke of the Church as you and many of your side make it 2 He grants that the Church may be in a few and not alwayes in the great multitudes 3 It may be onely in secret places prisons dennes and caues and not be found in temples and houses 4 It may be hard to be discerned and knowne 5 It is discerned and knowne not to euery one but to them that weigh things wisely 6 It is not with Innovators such as bring in nouelties or new doctrines but with them that hold what the ancient Church and Fathers held with great consent and long continuance This note makes wholly for the Protestants who reform the Church according to the first and best times and against the Church of Rome which hath brought in the worshipping of Images the Popes supremacy halfe Communions priuate Masses sale of Pardons and other things vnknowne to the Fathers and the Primitiue Church Antiquus Of these things we shall consider hereafter §. 2. The
ouerthrowes it by the consequence of many opinions and practises now generally retained in it As the Galatians held the foundation to wit saluation by Iesus Christ and yet withall held a necessity of ioyning circumcision with Christ which doctrine by consequence destroyed the very foundation for so Saint Paul wrote vnto them Gal. 5 2 4. If they were circumcised Christ profited them nothing he became of none effect vnto them they were fallen from grace In like manner saith he The Church of Rome professâ—ng to hold the foundation of faith yet by ioyning other things with Christ and by teaching many things pernicious in Christian faith doth by consequence plainely ouerthrow the foundation of faith Plainely saith his Margen in all mens sight whose eyes God hath enlightned to behold his truth for they which are in errour are in darkenesse and see not that which in light is plaine One of their pernicious errors he toucheth there in the Margensaying Ibid. §. 11. They hold the same with Nestorius fully the same with Eutiches about the proprieties of Christs Nature More he mentioneth else where in the text calling them such Impieties as by their law they haue established and wherevnto all that are among them either doe indeed assent or else are by powerfull meanes forced in shew and appearance to subiect themselues See also ibid. § 2â— For example In the Church of Rome is maintained that the same credit and reuerence that we giue to the Scriptures of God ought also to be giuen to vnwritten verities that the Pope is supreme head ministeriall ouer the vniuersall Church militant That the bread in the Eucharist is Transubstantiated into Christ That it is to be adored and to be offered vnto God as a sacrifice propitiatory for quicke and dead That Images are to be worshipped Saints to be called vpon as Intercessors and such like §. 3. Antiquus How agrees this with that you said before that the Church of Rome excepting the Papacy therein continued to be the Church of God till Luthers time for euen those whom you call the Church of God liued and dyed in the profession of these errours which now you say destroy the foundation of the Church of God Antiquissimus Vnderstand vs right They that hold these and such like errours for worldly respects knowing them to be heresies and make semblance of allowing that which in heart and iudgement they condemne as also they that heretically maintaine them by holding them obstinately after wholsome admonition Mr. Hooker makes no doubt Cyprian cited beâ—ore cap. 1. Sect. 4 § 3. T it 3 1â— 11. so alâ—o â—il 3.2 gal 3. â—0 12. 1 7 8 9. but their condemnation without an actuall repentance is inevitable And this is confirmed by Saint Cyprians famous sentence by me cited before and by Saint Paul saying A man that is an hereticke after the first and second admonition reiect knowing that he that is such is subuerted and sinneth being condemned of himselfe But many liued in these errors in the Church of Rome not knowing them to be errors or heresies Hooker ibid. § 12. nor euer vnderstanding that the consequent thereof destroyed the Foundation of Faith They following the conduct of their guides and obseruing exactly what was prescribed them Ibid. § 13. thought they did God good seruice when indeed they did dishonour him They did but erroniously practise what their guides hereticallly taught And though the pit bee ordinarily the end both of the guide and of the guided in blindnesse yet Gods mercy might saue them that sinned onely of erroneous piety and were merely deceiued by thinking too well and trusting too much their hereticall teachers not being in the rank of them who receiued not the loue of the truth to beleeue it and had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse and so were worthy to be giuen ouer to strong delusions and damnation 2 thes 2.10 11 12. This is confirmed likewise by the former sentence of Saint Cyprian Cyprian cited before cap. 1. sect 4. sect 3. Augustine cited before cap. 1. sect 4. in the V. Reason 1 Cor. 1.2 15.14 gal 1.2 5 2 4 10. Hook ib. § 26. and by the iudgement of Saint Augustine formerly alleadged and by Saint Pauls imbracing the Corinthians and Galatians as Churches of Christ notwithstanding the errours which they held being of mere ignorance and seduced by false Teachers For the false teachers of circumcision or the froward stiffe-necked and obstinate defenders thereof after wholsome admonition Saint Paul calleth dogges Phil. 3.2 and wisheth them cut off Gal. 5 12. and pronounceth them accursed Gal 1.8 But them that held the same errour of ignorance not knowing the dangerous consequence of it and retained a mind docible and desirous to be instructed in the truth and to follow it Them Saint Paul pittieth to them he writeth as to the Church of Christ Gal. 1.2 them with fatherly tendernesse he admonisheth instructeth and imbraceth as his children §. 4. And although many of our Fathers in the Church of Rome dyed in their errors not knowing them to be errors and therefore may be thought neuer to haue repented of them yet the same may be said of the Corinthians and Galatians that many of them dyed before S. Paul either heard of their seducing or had time to reduce them but of their the liuing also in the very beginning of his Epistles before he deliuered his instructions he spake comfortably and saluted theÌ„ as the Churches and Saints of God Hooker ibid. § 18. 20. And Mr. Hooker giues a reason why they that hold the foundation of Christian Religion cannot be said to dye without some kind of Repentance euen for vnknowen sinnes The least sinne in deed word or thought is to be accounted deadly without repentance and Gods mercy Yet many sins escape vs without knowledge of them many which we obserue not to be sinnes and without actuall and particular knowledge or obseruation of them there can be no actuall or particular repentance of them yet for as much as all that hold the foundation of religion inviolable in their harts haue a general hatred of all sin thogh for actuall knowne sinnes an actuall and particular repentance is required See Archb. Abbot ag Hil. reason 5. § 28. yet for secret and vnknowne sins as common ouersights errours and such as we either know not or know them not to be sins a generall hatred and a generall repentance of all obtaines the mercy of God through the mediation of Iesus Christ Psal 51. title Psal 19.12 Dauid repented actually particularly and punctually for his knowne particular sinnes but of others he saith in generall who can vnderstand his errours or know how oft he offendeth Lord clense thou me from my secret faults See heere chap. 3. § 1.13 Many ancient Fathers erroneously held free-will and yet were not accounted heretickes because it was of meere ignorance whereof they were neuer conuicted
Purgatory Indulgence the doctrine of transubstantiation Communion of the Laity in one species priuate Masses and such like yet all this cannot proue yours to bee the true Church nor the Roman to bee false because yet you are defectiue in this That the Church being one onely true entire body of Iesus Christ you are seperate from it and will not be vnder the gouernment of that visible-hood which Christ hath appointed ouer it to wit the Bishop of Rome the successor of Saint Peter to whom is giuen the highest iurisdiction and gouernment of the whole Church vpon earth and the infallibility of iudgement to guide it right and keepe it from error so that they that are not vnder his gouernment and guidance are out of the Church in which saluation is to be found and no where else Neither can the things now vsed which were not vsed in the Primitiue Church any way nullifie or disgrace the Church since in the wisedome of him that is infallibly assisted by the holy Ghost for the guidance of the Church they are iudged profitable in these times which were not so necessary in former ages All inferiour and priuate spirits must submit to the iudgement of that Head whom Christ hath constituted ouer his Church and doth assist with his spirit that hee shall not erre That Saint Peter was made Prince and Head of the Apostles by our Sauiour Christ the Proofes are plaine in the Scriptures and Fathers Mat. 16.16 In the 16. of Saint Matthew when Saint Peter had confessed Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Christ answered Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it To thee will I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to open and shut to bind and loose In the 21 of S. Iohn Christ saith to Peter Ioh. 21.15 Since thou louest mee more then these the rest of the Apostles Feed my Sheepe Be thou the generall Pastor ouer my whole flocke euen ouer the rest of the Apostles In the 22. of Saint Luke Christ saith I will pray for thee Peter that thy faith shall not faile Luk. 22.32 and when thou art conuerted strengthen thy Brethren Conformable to these Scriptures the Fathers doe ordinarily giue vnto Saint Peter the Primacy of the Apostles call him the Mouth the Chiefe the Top the Highest the Prince the President of the Apostles the head and foundation of the Church all which laid together and well considered doe proue such a prerogariue in Saint Peter that the Church taught and guided by him and his Successors shall neuer erre in matters of Faith and good life but bee infallibly lead into all truth that bringeth to holinesse and happinesse And this is not promised to Saint Peters person or for his life onely but to all his Successors when Christ promiseth to bee with them to the end of the world Mat. 28. in the last words Whereupon these things will follow 1 That the Church of Rome See the Relation of the Religion in the West parts pag. 15. now gouerned by S. Peters Successors is vndoubtedly the true Church of God deliuering and practising the true meanes of saluation and hath the prerogatiue to keepe men from erring in matters of Faith and from falling from God hath the keyes of heauen in custody to admit in by indulgence such as shall be saued and shut out by excommunication such as shall bee condemned so that in it there is a happy facility and without it an vtter impossibility of saluation 2 And consequently It is of the necessity to saluation that all particular Churches and all men be subiect to the Bishop thereof Christs Vicar and the visible head of the Catholike Church vpon earth and whosoeuer or what Nation or people soeuer are not subiect to him in spirituall things are no part of the Catholike Church of Christ §. 3. Antiquis Were all this true and substantiall it were able to charme all the world to be of your Church and to make the Pope absolute Lord of all And you do politikely to keep this point for your last refuge and final ground of all controuersies betwixt vs for if you can euict this you need no more If your Popes bee Saint Peters successors in all those things which you ascribe vnto Saint Peter and thereby haue full iurisdiction ouer the whole Christian world and cannot erre all is yours Stapleton principio doctr lib 6. cap. 2. Sanders Rocke of the Church Bristow Motiue 47. c. See Bellarm. letter to Blackwell there is an end of all controuersie and disputation And therefore your Chieftaines haue great reason to fortifie this piece with all the art and artillery their wit learning and power can afford them thereby to cut off all particular controuersies wherein they finde we are too strong for them This Gorgons head alone is able to affright the simple that they shall not beleeue their owne eyes or see your palpable corruptions or beleeue that any thing can be amisse with you be it neuer so foule and and manifest But alas deare friend I shall shew you plainely that all this is but an Imaginary Castle built in the Ayre without ground or foundation and that all your men stretch the Scriptures and the sayings of the Fathers farre beyond their meaning B. Iewel B. Bilson B. Morton B White D. Rainolds D. Field c. To answere their bookes and arguments punctually would aske too great time and be a needlesse labour because our Learned men haue done it sufficiently and often already But for your satisfaction I will shew you first what dignity the ancient Church hath yeelded to the Bishop of Rome Secondly that the Supremacy now claymed cannot be proued to bee giuen to Saint Peter either by the Scriptures or thirdly by the Fathers but coÌ„trary that both the Scriptures and Fathers are against it Fourthly that the true primacy and Prerogatiues of Saint Peter aboue the rest of the Apostles were personall and did not descend to his successors §. 3. 1. For the first Aeneas Syluius who was afterterwards made Pope Aeneas Syluius epist 288. Ante conciliuÌ„ Nicenâ—â— qu sque sibi viuebat paruus respectus habebatur ad ecclesiam Romanam and called Pius Secundus saith plainly that before the Councell of Nice 327. yeeres after Christ little respect was had to the Church of Rome yet was Rome the chiefe City of the world by reason of the Antiquity Magnificence Dominion and the residence of the Emperours there at that time The Apostles vsed to plant Churches in the chiefest Cities from whence the Gospell might best be propagated into the Countries adioyning Cities therefore were first Christians the people dwelling in Country Pagis Villis in Pages and Villages being not conuerted See D. Field Church book 5. epist to the Reader cap. 27. 30 31. were called Pagans or Infidels But for their
Odonel and shortly after Tyrone with Oroik Raymund Burk Mac Mahim Randal Mac Surly Tarrel the Baron of Lixnaw with the choice Nobles making 6000. foot and 500 horse confident of victory being more and in better plight then the trauelled wearied English which were also pinched of victualls I tell you this thus largely to shew the greatnesse of the danger and our mens valour Tyrone now went about to put 300. Irish and other supplies of Spaniards into Kinsale but our Deputy preuented him gaue him a great ouerthrow and slue many Tyrone Odonel and the rest flung away their weapons and fled Alfonso O Campo and six Ensigne bearers were taken prisoners nine Ensignes were borne away by the English and 1200. Spaniards slayne Don D' Aquila sought peace confessed the Deputy to be an honourable person the Irish vnciuill and perfidious Peace was granted for the Spaniards to be gone to haue victualls and ships for mony at reasonable prices the ships to passe and returne safely hostages giuen and so they departed The Deputed pursued the rebels from hole to hole building ramparts still as he went and receiuing many Fortts Tyrone finally came in submitted and when he was to be sent into England Queene Eâ—izabeth a Conquerour of all her foes dyed King Iames entring pardoned Tyrone But he afterwards stirring agayne and fearing deserued punishment fled out of Ireland and left it to bâ— planted with more ciuill people Cap 17 Reade this story in Speeds Chronicle 22. In King Iames his time Watson and Clarke Papist Priests entred a strange conspiracy to surprize the King ere he was crowned and Prince Henry to keep them in the Tower or conuay them to Douer Castle and seize vpoÌ„ their treasures til they had obtained their purpose to wit to get their pardons alteration of Religion remouall of some Counsellors and some other proiects executed In this practise were inuolued Henry Brooke L. Cobham Thomas L. Gray of Wilton Sir Walter Raleigh Sir Griffin Markham Sir Edward Parham George Brooke Bâ—rtholomew Brooksby and Anthony Copley who were all apprehended committed and condemned saue Sir Edward Parham who onely was acquitted by the Iury Watson Clark and Brook executed the rest pardoned their liues A foolish conspiracy hauing neither strength to act the businesse nor heads to carry it Cap. 18. Speeds Chronicle 23. The vpshot of all the Romish irreligious practises was the powder treason anno 1605. contriued by Henry Garnet the Arch-priest or chiefe gouernour of all the Iesuits and Priests in England or with his knowledge and allowance by Catesby Robert Winter Thomas Winter Thomas Percy Iohn Wright Christopher Wright Guy Fauks Francis Tressam Iohn Graunt Bates Catesbies man Robert Keyes St Euerard Digby Ambrose Rookwood Some of these wrought in a secret mine beginning in Percies hired house to bee continued through a strong wall vnder the Parliament house with very great labour and difficulty But ere that mine was made through the wall they found meanes to hire the roome iust vnder the Parliament house to lay in prouision of wood and coales In which roome they couched secretly at one time twenty barrels of gun-pouder and afterwards more couering them with Faggots and Billets which they purposed when the King Prince Nobles and all Parliament-men were assembled aboue to set on fire with a trayne of gun-powder to blow vp the house and murder all therein in one instant And at the same time they appointed a great hunting to bee at Dunnesmore heath to draw multitudes of people get certaine great horses into their hands and to seize on the Lady Elizabeth the Kings daughter lying neere that place to proclayme her Queene vpon newes of her Fathers and Brethrens death seruing her a while till they had made themselues strong enough to sway the State and to set vp another fitter for their purpose crying out continually of the Puritans as authours of the Kings death and of blowing vp the house This most mischieuous plot came to light by occasion of a letter sent from an vnknowne person to the Lord Mount Eagle warning him to absent himselfe from the Parliament for that there should a great blow be giuen which might endanger him and the danger might be past as soone as hee had burned the letter With this letter the Lords being acquainted shewed it to the King who presently conceiued some treason by Gun-powder and appointed the roomes vnder the Parliament to be searched The search was made secretly in the dead of the night and Fanks was found and taken with his matches and powder layd hold of and vpon the remouall of the Billets and Faggots 36. barrels of Gun-powder found all which when Fauks saw discoâ—ered hee confessed what hee meant to haue done Winter and the two Wrights hasted from London to carry the newes of the discouery of their plot to their fellow hunters neere Couentry where Graâ—rt with helpe of other violent Papists had broken one Benoks stable and taken out some great horses sent thither by some Noble men to bee managed for which the Countrey rose to pursue them But vpon this newes they rose into open rebellion hoping to draw multitudes vnto them But the Sherifs of the Counties preuenting the swiftnesse of proclamations raising the Countries pursued them so that finally the chifest of them entred into Steuen Littletons house at Holbeach in Staffordshire to shroud themselues and the house being assaulted by the Sheriffe as they were drying some Gun-powder in the house the fire tooke it blasted and disabled the faces of some of the chiefest rebells and discouraged them that God by such powder as they meant to destroy others themselues were scourged so that they fell on their knees and cryed God mercy for their bloudy intents and presently opened the gates and desperately sought their owne destruction Catesby Percy and Winter ioyning backe to backe the two first were slayne with one shot the third taken aliue the other whole or lightly hurt carried away prisoners and sent to London where with the rest of their fellowes as they had formerly liued blindly and practised desperately so they by the iust doome of the Law died miserably leauing their memory to bee cursed throughout all generations First by all this you may see how vaine your conceit is that the Popes in these latter times haue beene more moderate and become more like to their first Ancestors nay you see the abuse of their Supremacy hath encreased and growne more vntollerable In these last times they haue set vp Schools at Rome and Rhemes to trayne men vp to the defence and practise of Idolatry and treasons See before Book 1 c. 6. §. 4. Camd. Annaâ— pag 315. 348. a libi passim out of which as out of the Troian Horse haue proceeded innumerable wicked instruments troublers of the Church and Common-wealth Incendiaries homicides for Kings are men parricides for Kings are Fathers of the Common-wealth yea Christicides for Kings are the Lords Annointed