shall be truely gathered together in his name And to speake in fewe wordes where that true seede is sowen there is the Lords field and there that haruest groweth which shall neuer be burned But againe because it falleth out partly thorough the weaknesse of mans wit euen in the moste excellent men partly through the wickenesse or negligence of the pastors that scarce at any time since the time of the Apostles the doctrine of Christ hath beene so preached in the Church but that some blemish hath priuely crept in which thing appeareth to bee done euen by the Epistles of the Apostles and that whilest they also were liuing Finally because the Lord hath apointed not onely that the worde shoulde be taught but also that it shoulde not be taught of euery man And for this cause hath appointed certaine lawes touching this order I must here again declare two things to wit how farre it shoulde be necessarie that that onely marke of the true Church that is to say the preaching of Gods worde shoulde be pure and how much we should giue to the ordination and succession of the Pastors themselues Therefore How farre it is necessary that the doctrine of fayth should be pure in the Church that the Church eyther particular or general may be a true church as touching that former point I put downe three thinges One is that although there be nothing set out vnto vs in the holy Scriptures which is not most profitable and verie necessary as it were vnto saluation yet there are certaine chiefe points and as it were grounds of our religion which are to be discerned from the rest The second point is that there haue beene some matters which in times past haue beene rudimentes of the Catholique Churche and may in other times also be rudiments of some particular churches yet for all that those points cease not to belong to the true Churche The third is that the religion and marke of the Churche either vniuersall or particular is not to be measured by some thing that this or that Pastor teacheth by worde or writing neither by that that some sheepe by them selues haue thought this Or by the disputations of some whether they be many or few but by that doctrine which is commonly receiued in the Churches so that it be agreable to the word of God That all the points of christian religion are not of the foundation thereof Now because these questions are called into controuersie go to let vs confirme them by sure reasons examples As touching the firste the thing it selfe sheweth that there may be variaunce touching some things yet the soundation of christian religion remaine safe And againe some things cannot be taken away but that the whole building be vtterly ouerthrown He that denieth Christ to haue come in the fleshe Iohn 4.3 is not of God but is the spirit of Antichrist Therefore the companies of the * They denied Christ to haue come in the flesh Dochitae of the * The Marcionistes of whome he speaketh here did hold that Christ was not true man Marcionits and of such like be not the Church of Christe whereby it is prooued that the point touching both the natures of Christe is an article of Christian religion belonging to the foundation Againe the Churche of Ierusalem wherin who was better learned than Peter knew not the calling of the vncircumcised and yet what true Churche was there then in the worlde if the Church of Ierusalem were not it Therefore the point concerning the calling of the vncircumcised is not of it selfe of the points of Christian religion which concerne the foundation Therfore there is some difference betweene those thinges which are set forth vnto vs in the scriptures to be beléeued The second also may be prooued by a more euident example For who doubteth That there are some rudiments of particular Churches VVhich thing also in times past fall out in the Catholique church but that if euer there were any where a true and almost onely and wholy Catholique Churche that was Christes owne houshold being conuersaunt and that according to the fleshe with those his twelue disciples Who likewise is ignoraunt that the point of the resurrection the foundation wherof is the resurrection of Christ himselfe is of so great waight that the Apostle doth rightly pronounce that that beeing abolished the whole fruit of the Gospell shoulde be abolished but that very congregation could scarce beleue that Christ was yet risen And Thomas gaue not credite to his own very fellow disciples yea the disciples would not haue beléeued euen their owne verye eyes if the Lorde had not sayd Luke 24.39 VVe may not determine of the falshood or truth of any church by the doubting of either many or few A spirit hath not flesh and bones And that third thing is confirmed by the examples of the Churches of Achaia and Galatia which doubtlesse the Apostle would not haue called the churches of Christ and therefore true churches if hee had therfore thought that the church of Corinth had denied that article of the resurrection of the flesh the churches of Galatia had reiected the benefite of their liberty purchased by Christe because some in Corinth yea perhaps some of the pastors themselues did doubt of the poynte of the resurrection and the most part of the Galathians called backe agayn the vse of circumcision and other ceremonies seeing that yet notwithstanding Gal. 5.2 the same Paul sayth If ye be circumcised Christ doth profite you nothing and seeing that he affirmeth that those which vrged circumcision not of ignoraÌ„ce but of stubbornnes they were remoued alway vnto another gospel Gal. 1.6 Phil. 3.2 therefore he openly calleth theÌ„ Apostatates or fallers away and compareth them to Dogs that is to say to vncleane beastes But it is an other thing to erre through igâ—â—â—aunce than obstinately to resist the truth as wiful fellowes are wont Heresie which is without the Church if it be of some point of the religion that toucheth the foundation is an other thing than being deceiued or an error which requireth and suffereth it selfe to be taught To be shorte the Eclipse of the Sunne is an other thing than the absence of the same and the euening is an other thing than the darkenesse of the night yea the night it selfe which the day succeedeth is an other thing than the darknesse were Gen. 1.2 when they couered the depth These things then being put downe That some errours may creepe into the Catholique church yea and that in some point of faith which concerneth the foundation it shal be easie to iudge that euery error doth not take away the name of the true church and with al that to be most false which the aduersaries say to wit that the Catholique Church caÌ„not erre and yet that euery error doth not abolish the name of the Catholike Church For as touching this latter point if
of the Apostles as they call it But Gelasius the Pope him selfe doth recken these Canons amongst the writinges counted Apocrapha to wit I suppose at the least for the titles sake For he must needes be too impudent that woulde deny these Canons to haue bene made in more ages than one so farr is it of that ridiculous inuention attributed to I cannot tel to what Clement and lately published in Greeke and Latin in which the Apostles are brought in one by one establshing these matters may bee allowed of any man that is of any sound sense or iudgement But to what end should we handle these thinges so largely That the Euangelists were aboue the ministers of which we speake for otherwise Peter the Apostle calleth euen him selfe a fellow minister with thē 1. Pet. 5.1 these men dare not deny because the Apostle him selfe setteth them before Pastors and Doctors Ephe. 4.11 But euen Paul him selfe witnesseth that Timothie not appointed a Bishop to Ephesus or any other Churche but an Euangelist and the companion of Paule the Apostle did not receiue the imposition or laying on of handes no not from Paule him selfe but from the presbiterie that is from the companie or felowshippe of Elders Wherfore if these men that mind to defend the false bishoply tyrannie be disposed to reason let thē dispute not with Geminianus as the ciuil lawiers are wont to say but with Paul him selfe We verely thinke those to be lawfully ordayned who hauing according to the Apostles rule and exact inquirie of their doctrine and maners going before and a free and holy election by the consent of the whole Churche which they are to gouerne are consecrated and dedicated to God by solemne prayes and the very rite of laying on of handes vsed if men shall so thinke good but yet simple and of it selfe and not defiled with any traditions of men Now seeing these things are so The conclusion of the vvhole Treatie I say that the fauourers of the false Romishe Churche doe in vayne set out or obiect those three notes of the Church to wit succession méerely personall a calling sundred from the doctrine of the Apostles and the laying on of hands And I say this both because that none of these by it selfe can be either a true or simple necessary or perpetuall note of the vniuersal Church and also because that though it were so yet that no one of these notes at all can be founde in the false Romishe Church which doth notwithstanding cal hir selfe though most falsely the vniuersall Church and on the other side I affirme that that onely true necessary and perpetuall marke of the Catholique Churche that is to say that doctrine which is most perfectly contayned in the wrytings of the Prophetes and Apostles doth once agayne shine bright and cleere in our Churches and to be shorte that the very personall succession vocation and ordination of the holy and right ministrie are restored in the same our Churches and that we haue not forsaken Syon but haue fled out of Babylon as the Lorde warneth vs Reuel 18.4 that wee haue not rent in sunder the Church but following Pauls fact in the Church of Ephesus mentioned Acts. 19.9 haue seperated Disciples to the Lord and that we haue not by the example of Ieroboam 2. King 16.10 c. or the Donatistes set vp altar against altar but casting the altar brought from Damascus out of the Lordes house we haue begun to restore the true and sincere worship of God which worke also I hope although Sathan do by his ministers set himselfe against the same both within the Church and without it shall yet notwithstanding when that sonne of perdition 2. Thes 2.8 shall at the last be thorowly ouerthrowen by the spirit of Gods mouth be blessedly atchieued and finished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imprinted at London by Robert Walde-graue dwelling without Temple-barre in the Stronde neere vnto Somet-set house
A DISCOURSE OF the true and visible Markes of the Catholique Churche VVritten by M. THEOD BEZA Vezelius GOD IS MY HELPER GOD IS MY HELPER Psal 7.11 AT LONDON ¶ Printed by Robert Walde-graue dwelling without Temple-bar in the Strond neere vnto Sommerset-house ⧠TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull Sir George Carey knight knight Marshall of her Maiesties bousholde c. T. VV. his poore welwiller wisheth aboundaunce of all good thinges in this life and eternall blessednesse in the life to come through Christe HOVVE glorious and excellent a thing the church it selfe is may appeare Right VVorshipfull by many meanes And amongst the rest euen by this that all both good and bad do challenge and claime whether justly or vnjustly I minde not much novve to dispute not onely the name and tyâ—le thereof but the verie possession of it also I hope I shall not neede much to busie my selfe in the proofe of this point Because as it manifestly appeareth by sundry examples of former times and particularly by the people of the Iewes in the dayes of Ieremiah the prophet who cried out The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord this is the Temple of the Lorde as is to be seene in the seuenth chapter of his booke So haue vve a most euident and playne testimony of the same in this declining and doting olde age of the world For whereabout are those large disputations which at this daye are handled betvveene the catholiques as they would be called and the true professours of Christs Gospel moste occupied I pray you but speciallye about this question and other controuersies concerning the same The thing rather that in my mind is more to be stoode vpon is this namely to see what shoulde be the cause why that notwithstanding that same greedye desire that the greatest number haue to retaine with them both the name of the Church and the Churche it selfe yet so fewe haue it hold it fast All men haue in them notwithstanding the defacing of God his image in them through sinne by some small sparkes of reason and iudgement which yet remayne in them vndefaced A certaine thirsting after Blessednes and the hope of a better life And this is the more inkindled in mennes hearts and heads when it pleaseth God to vouchsafe them in some measure of his mercy some light and knowledge of his holy truth by which they see that with out the Church there can bee no saluation And that causeth them to presse on forward to vvish to be of that number that hath so gracious a Priuilege graunted vnto the same And yet all this notwithstanding it is a vvonder to see how the greatest part of the vvorlde is deceiued vvith a bare shadow and shevve of the same For that I may speake nothing of the Infidelles in their idolatries nor of the Turkes cleauing fast to their Mahomet Nor of the Ievves openly dispiting Christe the Sauiour of the vvorlde and therefore all of them of necessitye out of the Church and consequently void of saluation also because they hold not the head which is Christ To let all these passe I say and to come to them vvhich in outvvard shevv make profession of Christianitie and true religion hovv many of them are there that are violently carried avvaye vvith as grosse and palpable Idolatrie as the heathen VVhat infinite multitudes perish thorough ignorance and want of the sound knovvledge of God in Christe hovv many are drovvned to the hazarding of their ovvne soules vvith horrible erroures and heresies And what a number are there in the vvorlde beside that shaking handes as it vvere vvith Atheists ye the vvorst people of al do lye vveltring in the pleasures and profits of this life making no account at all either of God in heauen or of his Church here in earth And vvhat would the Lord teach vs by al this verely first that vve must haue better eyes to discern his congregation by then the light of our ovvn reason for if euen then vvheÌ„ vvee haue his vvorde vvee can yet hardly discry it partly because it is discerned spiritually and partly because by the hard dealings of the enimies it is sundry times brought to so lovv an eb that it seemeth to be shut vp in one mans person And therfore do say in the confession of our Christian faith that vve do beleue that there is a holy catholique Churche that then vve shall neuer be able to seperate it from the Synagogue of Satan by our ovvne vnderstanding and vvit vvhich consideration is yet further profitable euen for the confutation of that immagination and conceit which our aduersaries haue and hold concerning mans freevvil for if vve cannot by our ovvn coÌ„prehension perceiue eyther the place in vvhich or the personnes amongst vvhome the Church it selfe is but that vvee must haue from aboue for that purpose greate enlightning both of knovvledge and fayth much lesse shall vve bee able to comprehend those vvonderfull treasures of most sounde comfortable and profitable doctrine that the Lord hath freely bestovved vppon his sayde Church Of vvhich the Apostle saith that the eye hath not seene them the eare hath not hearde them neither can mans heart comprehend them 2. Cor. 2.9 VVherefore the case standeth not vvith vs as heretofore wee haue beene borne in hand And as yet to this day is openly defended amongst Papistes that man in his meere naturall gifts hath vvill to desire and povver to perfourm suche thinges as are good for if it bee God that worketh in vs both the vvill and the deed that according to his ovvn good pleasure Philip. 2.13 And that vve are not sufficient of our selues as of our selues to thinke a good thought 2. Cor. 3.5 It must needes follovve that vve can not claime any such thing vnto our selues vvithout robbing God of his glorie without lifting vp of our selues aboue measure and trueth and vvithout impeaching the authoritie and credite of the Scriptures which in many places affirmeth and namely Genes 6.5 that all the immaginations of the thoughtes of mans heart are only euil euery day But to let this passe and to come to the thinges we haue in hande VVe are hereby in the second place instructed that vvee muste haue more sure and infallible markes to knovve God his Churche by than those vvhich the Papistes giue vs to wit vniuersalitie Antiquitie and consent for if beside that great number of Idolatours and misbeleeuers mentioned before vvho also can alleadge for themselues great antiquity agree and as he that is not vvilfully blinde may easilye see there are and that euen in the lappe and bosome of the Church many hypocrites and heretiques also vvhich yet shall not be saued we may then safely conclude that the forenamed things are not only not the assured notes but no notes at all rather of the true Church of God both because they are common to many things besides the Churche yea euen to euill thinges and also because that though that
assemblye vvhich pretendeth to bee the Church shoulde haue them and yet haue not therevvithal the trueth and sinceritie of God his doctrine it is no vvhit at al the better for all that All these thinges tende to this end that for as much as in trueth there is but one Churche euen as the heade thereof is one and therefore so must the body be or else it shoulde be monstrous notvvithstanding that there bee sundry particular partes and members thereof as vvee see in a mans body all yet making but one and the selfe same body And forasmuche also as vvithout that Church there can be no saluation because vnto it alone is it that the Lord hath made such large and gracious promises as The gates of Hell shall not preuayle agaynste it and that to it onely belongeth the forgiuenesse of sinnes in this life and euerlasting saluation in the life to come And lastly forasmuch as it behoueth euery one euen as he tendeth his ovvne peace of conscience and regardeth the hope of eternall blessednes to be vvatchfull in discrying and knovving this Church and carefull in vniting himselfe vnto the same euerye good man therefore should earnestly labour not onely to knovve it but also stedfastly to ioyne himselfe vnto it in the religious exercises thereof That so in the holye feeling of the communion of Saints he may bee a fruitfull partaker of all those excellent graces that God in great mercie hath bequethed to the same True it is that Satan the common enemy of mankinde vvho in his ovvne person and the personne of his instruments and ministers laboreth to hinder vvhat he maye the vvorke of oure saluation hath in all ages vsed and yet presently doth vse manye subtile and slie shiftes to let vs from the apprehension and vnderstanding of these great graces for somtimes he maketh men vtterly and altogether carelesse of the Churche and of the benefites and blessinges of God promised thereto As vvee maye see in that troup of prophane Atheistes and vvorldly minded men vvho make no more account of the Church and the holy exercises therof than of a vaine tale or vnholy matter no nor so muche neither many times for the one they embrace vvith greedines vvonderfull delight the other they doe either most dispitefullie contemne or most negligently vse vvithout any spirituall profite at all vnto themselues But to beate dovvne these men there is no better VVeapon vvay then to send them to the fearefull iudgementes of Almightie God and to the horrors of hel and eternal condēnation which many times they feele in themselues though thorough the profites and pleasures of this present euil vvorlde they vtterly put them out already prepared for them and in due time to be perfourmed to them Sometimes againe hee discourageth men by setting before them the feareful persecutions and troubles that follovve and take holde of the particular members of the Church for the syncere profession of God his vvorde for the surmounting of vvhich assaulte men muste often meditate vppon those same large comfortable discourses that are put dovvn and conteined in God his vvord for their comfort in that behalfe and to holde them back from the fearful fall of renouncing god his truth hauing their eye fast fixed also vpon the particular deliuerances that God in al ages hath vvroght for his children vvhich are as it vvere so manye seales set vnto the vvriting that he vvill alvvaies deale so graciouslye vvith his children as shall make most for his ovvne glorie and their eternall comfort Sometimes he deceiueth other somme and that no small some by the bare name and vizor of the Churche alone as vve may see in that miserable sect of seduced Papists vniustly called and claiming vnto themselues the name of Catholiques vvhoe vvillingly embrace vnder the title of the Churche euery fabulous falshood corruptiō vvhatsoeuer not only not looking vpon the things giuen or offred vvhich euery vvise man vvill doo least he receiue poyson in steede of vvholsom and nourishing foode but also not considering the personne of the giuer neither yet vvhat right and authoritie he hath to bestovv the thinges giuen vvhich blockishnesse of the aduersaries is rather to be lamented because it is altogether voide of common sense and reason than largely or learnedly confuted And yet vve see that manye good men haue not spared to take great paines in that behalfe both by preaching vvriting to vvinne seduced souls vnto Cod. Somtimes hee setteth before other some either the hardnesse that there is to discrie the true Church from the false Church by remember I pray you that vvhen I giue the name Church to corrupted and counterfaited assemblies I do it by abusion as they say or else layeth out the great iarres and dissentions that many times are in the same that so he may discourage them from ioyning themselues to that holy societie And indeede by this assault he specially preuaileth against them that are in some forvvardnes to encline to the truth And yet by reason of some certaine vveakenesse in them are easely turned the one vvay or the other but these men for the better staie of themselues are to knovv that there must be heresies euen among the godly that they vvhich are approued among them might be knovvne 1 Cor. 11.19 and to be exhorted that they labour to abounde in al holy knovvledge of God his vvil reuealed in his vvord For therefore they erre and are so vnstable in their opinions because they knovv not the Scriptures nor the povver of God Novve therefore necessarie is it that these stumbling blocks cast by Satan his seruants in our vvaies to hinder vs in the race and course of Godlines should be remoued that so vvee maye the more cheerefully and readily goe forevvard vvith faith patience and constancie euen to the goal that is set before vs. In vvhich respect that excellent instrument of God in his Churche M. Theodor Beza hah notably trauailed by publishing in the Latine tongue a most learned Treatie of the visible Notes of the visible Church And I for the same consideration haue according to my small measure faithfully turned the same into our vulger speech offring these my poore trauailes vnto you right vvorshipfull and in you to the vvhole Church of God in this land as a sure testimonie of that vnfained good vvill vvhich in the Lorde I haue carried and vvill carry tovvards you all the dayes of my life I hope I shall not neede to spend many vvords eyther in commending the vvorke it self or in declaring the resons that haue moued me to attempt this matter for if either the man vvho is the author therof or the matter vvhich is propounded or the maner that he vseth in laying out of the thing may add cōmendation vnto it it shal not vvant any grace that may bring it into loue and lyking vvith the Godly for as touching the man himselfe hee is euen the miror of the
they shall proue that there are more wise men than fooles Now then I thinke it doth sufficiently appeare that by this bare successiō which they brag of that true catholike church wherein we must abyde cannot be discerned from the false Churche from which we ought of necessitie to depart But yet before that we conclude this place we muste refell an argument which these Sophisters would haue to be deemed such a one as cannot be ouercome For say they Hovv the fathers vsed the argumēt of personall succession the fathers so dispute from the succession of bishoppes against auncient heretiques But againe what can be more corrupt than this subtle kind of reasoning for this is that which is well knowne euen to children which they are wount to call an elench [a] The fallacie of composition or diuision is a false conclusion made by a wrong application of wordes alleadged or spoken referring that to one which is alleadged or spoken to an other or a fallacy of composition and diuysion First therfore I deny that any of the auncient fathers were mynded to vse the recitall of Bishops but to haue recourse rather euen to the Apostles And why so that the authoritie of doctrine rather than of persons shoulde be mainteined But these men obiect vnto vs the succession of their bishops not in déede bishops so far letting passe the mention of that Apostolicall doctrine that they woulde haue it accounted a wicked thing to demaund it at his handes that woulde proue him selfe to succeed the auncient byshoppes Now I pray you howe many authors of blasphemies haue sit in those chiefe seates of Alexandria Antioche Constantinople yea what seat will these men shew me somewhat more famous where some hereticall bishops haue not helde their seate And as touching the Romish chayre from which these men by a rottē coard hang the catholique church Honorius the [a] Monothelites were certain heretiks about the yeare 565 who affirmed that there vvas but one will and one action in Christ denying that ther was in him two naturall willes and actions which might aunsvvere to his two natures Monothelite openly condemned of the sixt general councell and priuately of Agatho another Roman Bishoppe And Iohn the 22. thinking euill touching the soule of man in like manner condemned of the colledge of Sorbon in Paris were sounde to haue sit in that seate To let passe [a] Liberius for ambitions sake fell into the Arrian heresie Liberius [b] He while Siluerius the Pope liued by the ayde of Belisarius the captaine of the Emperors armie obteined the popedome Vigilius and [c] He meaneth of Anastasius the 2. who fell into the heresie of Arrius and Eutiches which heresies Acatius also him selfe did propound about the yeere 484. Anastasius whom I see of some to be excused although Gratian. 2. Disti 19. reckeneth this last also as an Acatian heretique amongst the condemned Popes But if any man would obiect that these are blotted out of the number of Byshops and therfore are not comprehended in that title or role of succession yet this he shal be inforced to graunt vs to wit that the succession of the seat of Rome was then at the least broken of when these were therefore blotted out which persons notwithstanding they themselues as yet number in their Catologue because they had declined from the Apostolicall doctrine Whervpon followeth that which Tertulian rightly affirmeth that religion ought to be proued or tried not by the persons Tertulian but the persons by religion But here truly I confesse that I do somwhat ouershoot my self for seeing the question is of doctrine what doth this appertaine to the Byshops of the Churche of Rome whome all Christendome knoweth nowe so manye yeeres to haue beene for nothing lesse carefull then for anye doctrine eyther true or false but onely for to establishe and enlarge theire owne tyrannie But they will say no man hath condēned these Popes I confes it For who would haue taken to himself this lawful authority against their tiranny who had perswaded all men that they ought to be iudged of none Therefore there hath bene not of late onely but many ages together not an interruption but a full abruption or renting of the succession of Rome from the body of the catholique true church except peraduenture these men iudge that it is something lesse eyther to belleeue nothing or to teache nothing than to be an Heretique And I beséeche you what impudencie is this True doctrine ought to go before true succession to haue the knowledge of trueth to hang vpon succession wheras on the contrary these men themselues can not deny but that the trueth ought necessarily to go before succession And these Sophisters The Christian church in the time of Christe coulde not be knovvne by the succession of Persons if they had bene in the times of Christ by what Bishoply succession would they haue acknowledged the true church surely not by the title or name of the Leuiticall high priests because that priesthood was then at an end and Christ cannot be called the successour of Aaron vnlesse Iudaisme be agayne established wherefore also he is sayd to be made a high priest Heb. 7.16.17 not according to the order of Leui but according to the order of Melchisedec Therefore the holy men at that time acknowledged the Catholique church without the marke of personall succession to wit by the comparison of the doctrine of the Prophetes with the doctrine of Christe him selfe and the Apostles Which is so farre true that on the contrarye none haue lesse acknowledged Christe than they that haue cleaued to a Byshoply succession Therefore that personall succession is no true and perpetuall marke of the Catholique Church These men happely beeing driuen from the Leuiticall succession will againe obiect another succession from the Prophetes But neyther so shall they speake the truth if they sticke in the persons them selues for the succession of Prophetes was not perpetuall no more than the succession of Priests yea rather it was broken of a long time especially after Malachie They wil also obiect vnto vs that saying Mat. 23.2 The Scribes Pharises sit in Moses chaire But agayne they shold remember the same Christ to haue said Take heed of the leauen of the Pharisees Mat. 16.6 And therefore by that saying of Christ we are not called backe to a succession of persons but to a succession of doctrine But I haue besides an other thing more peremptorye as they them selues speake to aunswere againste that in which these men falsly boast themselues to followe the authoritie of the Fathers in discrying the church by which thing also their wilines may more and more be made manifest I denie therefore The auncient fathers vsed not the argument of personall succession against all heretiques that any of the auncient fathers haue at any time made mention of this succession but either against Schismatiques whilest
yet a lawfull succession remayned as it was done against the Donatistes or againste them whiche brought forth new bookes of our religion as were in the beginning almost an infinite nūber as [a] I suppose that he speketh here of Simō Magus mentioned in Act. 8. of whom many thinges are writtē in the old writers specially he affirmed that Christe was not come neither suffered any thing of the Iewes but that he himself was Christ Simon [b] He amongst other things taught that Christ the sonne of God tooke not mans flesh of the virgin but that he had a spirituall or heauēly body which passed thorow the virgin Marie as water thorovv a pipe or Conduit He vvas about the yeere 150. Valentine [c] He affirmed that Christ appeared not in the substance of flesh but in a phantasticall body that one Simon vvas crucified in his steede about the yeare 124. Basilides [d] He taught that Christe vvas not very man and that he ascended into heauen vvithout his flesh and first made lavves for abstinence from meates and marriages hee vvas in the yeare 180. Montane to conclude the whole troup of most shamelesse men After this sort the Fathers of right iudgement gathered and reserued against these Such as pretended to be inspired vvith reuelations The Messalian heretiques vvere so called who affirmed that baptisme and the Lords supper did neither profit nor hurt but that those whiche gaue themselues to prayer onely or sleeping should be inspired vvith the spirite vvhich being once receyued aftervvards they had no need of the word or any other exercise of godlines but that he that vvas so inspired vvas altogether vvithout sinne and did foresee thinges to come and did sometimes behold God with their eies Enthusiasts saying If your doctrine be true eyther there hath not beene euer yet anye churche or the doctrine which you alleage is old and ancient But that both these thinges are false appeareth by that both because the apostles haue gathered together the churche of Christe and you teach your doctrines as taken not out of the writings of the Apostles but as newely reuealed vnto you by the holy ghost And agayne sayd the fathers both these things appeare by that that we count the beginnings of our churches by ascending vpward euen to the Apostles themselues but you could not haue receiued from the Apostles your thinges which ye first deuised Here remained one thing which the moste subtile of those moste fantasticall persons obiected to wit that all things were not reuealed to the apostles and therfore that men ought to beleeue their reuelations also But Tertulian whom I maruail could afterward be deceiued which Montanus holy ghoste most plentifully and strongly confuteth this prescription shewing that the Lord hath neither kept backe any thing from the apostles the chiefe builders of his church nor agayn that the apostles haue concealed any of those things which they had receiued of Christe After this sort I say the fathers vsed the argument of the succession of persons agaynste those heretiques altogether by demonstration as it were But they vsed it not in like sorte against the [a] So called of Paulus Samosatenus vvho denied the sonne of God to haue descended from heauén but that Christ did proceed from Marie in the earth hee was about the yeare 372. Samosatans [b] So called of one Sabellius who taught that there was but onely one person in the godhead confessed that the trinity was distincted in respect of names only not in respecte of persons He was about the yeare 320. Sabellians [c] So called of one Arrius who affirmed that the Son was not truly naturally God neither coeternall with the father but to haue had a beginning to be made of nothing he was about the yere 320 Arrians [d] So called of one Pellagius who held free will and that euery man might obtayne saluation by his owne workes that infants were borne vvithout originall sin and that Adam hurt himselfe onely by his fall He vvas about the yeare 466. Pelagians to be short againste anye with whome the questyon was not of the very bookes but of the meaning because this had beene verie foolishe Briefly therfore I answere these two thinges that the auncient Fathers whose authoritie these men shameleslie abuse haue neither at any time seperated the succession of their bishops from the succession of the Apostolical doctrine nor haue set this succession against any other heretiques but against those of whom some new reuelation was pretended As at this day of the [a] They mayntaine amongest other errors reuelations and take avvay the baptisme of infants Anabaptistes [b] They casting a side all feare of God vvhat so euer hold that men may lyue as they list Libertines [c] So called of one Casper Svvingfeldius vvho held the same matters that the Anabaptistes do Swingfeldians And therefore for as muche as now the controuersie is betwixt the Romanistes and vs for two thinges onely to wit for the interpretation of the Scripture and whether the wrytinges of the Prophetes and Apostles doe most fully contayne what so euer we ought to beleeue it is prooued that they in the first point impudently abuse the example of the fathers in alleadging against vs the argument of succession and in the other is ministred vnto vs a sure weapon to confute them And that this succession also was alleadged against the Donatistes as Schismatickes this nothing toucheth vs whom these men account not properly for Scismatickes but for heretiques of which thing notwithstanding we will say some thing in his proper place a That the false church of Rome is not onely not propped vp by the argument deriued frō the personal succession of the apostles but also ouerthrown although the questiō be not of the doctrine But go to let vs gratify them a litle and which thing may be done without any preiudice of the trueth Let vs graunt vnto these men how much force soeuer they can imagine of that their personall succession What shall this I besech you help their cause b That there vvas neuer any Apostolicall vniuersall ministeriall head and therefore that his succession is not Apostolicall For that we may begin at the highest step of their Hierarchie or priestlike gouernement as they call it that is at that vniuersall mynisteriall head vnto whome they afterwarde appropriated the name of Pope which before was common to all Bishoppes they shal as easely finde the Diuell him selfe in the kingdome of God as any such head either in the bookes of the◠newe Testament or in the auncient church For verie children know this how false folish and absurd arguments they be whatsoeuer they bring out of the scriptures to proue the same And as concerning the history of that auncient purer church that is to say in this behalfe verelie euen to the tymes of that manslaier Phocas they shall finde
of the true church heresies might be distinguished from errors and haye stubble from those things which eyther of themselues or by reason of the opinion of worship brought in are either vngodly or superstitious and yet that all the gouernours of the Chucch ought to vnderstand that as the alter was not in time past to be builded of stones garnished by the diligence of man neither yet that it was lawfull for them so much as to fasten a naile in the Tabernacle but according to the paterne which Moses had seene in the mount euen so now also all godly magistrates indeede and all true shepheards ought to endeuour that in restoring the temple of the Lord by so many means fallen down they shoulde not onely restore those thinges which haue beene ouerthrown by Antichrists but also that they should most diligentlye wipe awaye all euen the lightest spottes that haue proceeded from the same Antichrists although they be as it were waxen hard vpon the walles of the temple and that marking partly by the story of former ages and partly by the beholding of the present ruins of the Churche these former euils of Satan they should at no hand suffer themselues to be mocked by the allegation of the fragmentes of certaine of the auncient fathers or by any vayn shew of custom but rather that they should not leaue of vntill by doctrine both the Ceremonies and all the Ecclesiasticall gouernment also be apted not vnto some figuratiue Image of shew which was needful vnder the schoolemastership of the law but exactly framed according vnto the moste perfect paterne which the sonne of God him selfe by his owne mouth his Apostles after him haue moste perfectly set forth vnto vs in their writings But cōcerning this matter we wil elswhere speake more fully as I hope when we shal answere those notable meane men who reprehend vs as ouer seuere exactors of that work especially whē we shal seuerally answere vnto the writing of Cassander to the end al men may vnderstand that none more hinder the worke of the Lorde than these Samaritans VVhich be the principal points of the Catholique faith or religion Now because I sée some not yéelding vnto these things which we haue spokē in general cōcerning the fundamental or principall points of our religion again to demād what those shold be I answer that these articles are to be called grounds or principles which being laid the whole building remaineth which being ouer thrown al things builded therupon fall to the ground And al these things we profes to haue bene described with great shortnesse plainnes out of the word of God in the Créed which they cal the Apostles Which thing ought to be added to the ten commandements the Lords praier of the which that to wit the ten commaundements doth verie compendiously set out the order of Christian life and this that is the Lords praier doth very briefly also set out right inuocation and praier This I say is that fundamental true and perpetuall mark of the Catholike church which shall neuer bee blotted out vnto the worlds end but which neuerthelesse ought to be expounded out of the wrytings of the Prophets and Apostles frō whence it is taken that al men may vnderstand it and keepe it as much as in them lyeth Now the order of this exposition is 2. VVhat exposition of Catholique doctrine is required in the Church fold one more familiar which is necessary for al men an other more large and far more plentiful as we sée that the Apostles creed was afterwardes expounded by some other Creedes of the holy Synodes that heresies might bee met withall the Consciences established more and more in sound doctrine Therfore albeit that to the ende that some man might be a true member of Christ it be not necessary that he should most exactely vnderstande for what cause thinges are spoken and set downe and should know the determinations of disputations in diuinitie Yet euery one ought to know according to his capacitie what he doth beleeue and why he doth beleeue and not to rest in the deuilishe inuention of faith which they call vnfolded that is to beleeue as the Churche hath determined and to aske no further but to adde also vnto that familiar instruction the exposition of holy writings That the true yea the Catholique church hath more then once wanted an ordinary and lawful ministery and therefore that that ordinarie and lawfull ordination and succession of Pastors vvas for a time broken off of which Paul setteth before vs foure pointes 2. Tim. 3. to wit doctrine reproofe correction and comfort All which are by diligent Pastors and teachers publikely and priuately to be applied to the capacities of the beleeuers It remayneth that we declare howe much we ought to giue to personal succession and ordination We haue sayde that the onely true perpetuall and necessary marke of the catholique Church is that doctrine which diuersly and sundry maner of wayes first by worde and afterward by wrytings hath bene deliuered by the Prophetes and at the last most perfectly declared by Christe him selfe and that by his owne mouth and by his Apostles For this word as euen after Christe him selfe Peter sayth is that seede by which the Catholique Churche both at the beginning of the world appeared and by which also it shall continue euen vnto the ende of the world But seed is to no purpose except it be sowen and the Lorde who both vnder the olde and vnder the new Testament appoynted an order for the sowing of this seed by the ministry of men hath I say necessarily appointed this sowing for otherwise the spreading abroade of this Churche woulde quickly end to endure to the ende of the world Be it so truely Then thou wilt saye ordination also and succession of those persons is a true perpetuall and necessary mark of the catholike church agréeing altogether with that other to wit the mark of sowing So our aduersaries do conclude but falsly and foolishly For that I may let passe those two thinges already confuted by vs that is to say because they babble of the succession of persons omitting the succession of that Apostolicall doctrine Moreouer because that they propoūd an other succession than that which hath beene begun by the Apostles them selues either they do not see or they dissemble that they do see albeit the sowing also and the sowers are required no lesse than the seede to the tilling of this fielde of the Church that the same order hath not alwaies bene kept either of sowing the seed or of ordeyning them vnto whome this sowing is committed And this notwithstanding they ought to haue learned both by the fore tellings of the prophetes and also by the holy histories which things remaineth to be proued of vs. The Church therfore I confes was neuer without the worde of God But let these men also shew vs that there hath bene some one
not with their good leaue liking think speak and write But these men wil say although we were nothing lesse than we will séeme to be doth it followe that the name of Catholique Church which yee take frō vs doth agree vnto your Churches No verely Wherefore we haue in vayne now a long time agoe desired triall to be made by the matter it selfe That our Churches haue all the true markes of the Catholique Church and specially the pure vvorde of God if their bare deniall may be accepted We therfore affirme that the three notes of the Catholique Church to wit the seede of the written worde and the right and lawfull Ecclesiasticall calling and succession all which we haue restored are in our possession and stand on our side These things they stoutly deny In déed this controuersie cannot be decided in a few words neither do I at this present goe about it But that which I had taken in hand to prooue I hope I haue perfourmed to wit that the false and counterfeit notes of the Church which they alleaged are sufficiently confuted and the true notes of the Churche set forth and approoued For it is one thing to dispute of those markes which they are and another to dispute who haue them Notwithstanding because I haue in few wordes declared that they haue not those marks this thing also I may now speake that we haue at least two very waighty coniectures which make for vs agaynste them to wit that in discerning and triyng of opinions we stay our selues vppon the only written word of God that is the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and that we require the interpretation of it by the onely conference of places and proportion of the articles of fayth Neither do we refuse the writinges of any either old or new author so that they may be examined by the rules afore sayd by Gods worde and the proportion of faith But what these mē obiect against these vpright requestes it sufficiently appeareth Now in the question of succession and ordination they haue thought that not many yeares agoe they haue found out That our Churches haue the true Apostolicall succession a more certain reason to dispute against vs. For they demaund euen with great loftinesse and pride that we shoulde shew them whom they haue succeeded which in our times haue established our Churches as though we were no better able to shew our original thā the Donatistes coulde theirs We aunswere that the doctrine which we defend hath euen from the time of the Apostles although heresies haue assaulted it the Romish false bishops and others made drunke by the harlot haue by al the means they could and that for the space of certaine yeres polluted it continued notwtstanding euen vntill our times shall continue euen to the end of the world and that about 200 yeeres since this light of the Gospell began againe and that thorow the singular goodnes of God in the west to apeare out of the filth of popery those hiddē places into which these mē had thrust it vntill the cādelsticks which were takē away were set again in their places by that means the elect people of God did from all quarters flow together vnto the sayd truth But as concerning the succession of the holy ministery 2. The. 2.7 we say that that mistery of iniquity which the Apostle witnesseth in his time to haue beene begun was not accomplished but in some processe length of time and therfore that that old Church of Rome became that but by little litle of Apostolical Apostatical that is fallen from the truth and we affirme that other Churches as it is euident by histories did not straightwaies fall away from the foundation but thē verely when as in the church the false bishop 2. The. 2.4 and sonne of perdition in deed calling him selfe the vniuersall head of the Church did at the length exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God And that this was don when the kings and Princes yea and the very Pastors them selues in other countries being bewitched by this harlot had submitted them selues to the feet of Antichrist Now when by what degrees and sleights that hath bene brought to passe cannot else wher be better not only known but euen perceiued almost by the very eyes than by the very liues of the bishops thē selues declared by good and sufficient writers the euents and falling out of things iustlye agrreing with the foretellinges of the Apostles and the expositions of the learned both ancient and also certaine new writers which our very aduersaries dare not refuse in so much that the which the Apostle heretofore spake of his ministry 2. Cor. 4.24 that his Gospell was had in deed frō them that should perish whome the God of this world had blinded that the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ should not shine vpon them the same we may now most truely affirme of this wicked Antichristian sinck faining or pretending the name of the Catholique Churche Therefore we haue next after the Apostles for successors those very right iudging pastors not onely of the Roman church but of other churches also whose succession beeing broken of by these wolues tirants we haue begun thorow Gods goodnes at the last to restore so farre of is it either that we are destitute of the lawful argument of succession or that they shoulde bee able to alleage any Apostolicall succession That the Catholique Church hath bene and in some respect as yet is in the Popedome thogh the Popedome be not the Catholique church nor any part thereof Math. 21.33.34 Therefore say these men where was that Catholique visible Church aboute two hundred yeres past Christ himself maketh answere for vs that it hath bin heretofore and as yet in some respecte is in the handes of the wicked busbandemen who themselues slewe the seruauntes of the Lorde being sent vnto them and with all as much as they coulde euen the Sonne himselfe beeing cast oute of the Vineyard and in steede of him they haue placed a Christ in words wherwith thei mocke the people but in deede euerye one euen the wickedst of theire owne sort that they can or could get But it is well that neyther the eternall keeper of that vine can againe in déede be caste out neither could againe be slaine who liueth vnto God and who also nowe againe appearing hath begun to lette out that Vineyard to good and faithfull husbandmen Paule also aunswereth in oure behalfe foretelling that which wee sée fulfilled To wit that that wicked one shoulde vsurpe to him self the Temple of the Lorde 2. Thes 2.4 vntill the Lorde shoulde agayne discouer him Iohn also aunswereth that that woman hauing lately brought foorth hir Childe bath togeather with hir Childe layen hidden in the wildernesse free from the Dragon who trusted to and vsed also and was euen as it were vpholde with the power of