the tyme of Boniface the third vz. anno 606. was inuisible and fled into the wildernes there to remayne a long season M. Napper includes more ages within this inuisibility thus confessing Vpon the Reuelat c. 18. froÌ„ the tyme of Constantine vntil our daies euen one thousand two hundred and sixty yeares the Pope and the Clergy haue possessed the outward visible Church of ChristiaÌ„s And againe M. Napper vbi supra in c. 11. 12. during the space of twelue hundred and sixty yeares the true Church hath abyded latent and inuisible D. Fulke as forgetting the tyme afore limited by him granteth thus In his answer tâ— a counterfeit catholike p. 33. The true Church immediatly decayed after the Apostles tyme. With whome Peter Martyr seemes to agree thus confessing Lib. de Votis pag. 477. Errours he meaning our Catholike Articles did begin in the Church presently after the Apostles tyme. And the Protestant Authour of the booke called Antichristus siue PrognosticoÌ„ finis mundi hath the like saying vz. Pa. 13. froÌ„ the Apostles times till Luther the Gospell had neuer open passage And with both these conspires Sebastianus Francus that noted ProtestaÌ„t who thus hath left recorded In epist de abrogandis in vniuersum omnibus statutis Ecclesiasticis For certayne the externall Church togeather with the fayth and Sacraments vanished away presently after the Apostles departure and that for these thousand and foure hundred yeares the Church hath beene no where externall and visible But D. Downham with whome I will close feareth not to include euen the Apostles tymes within this granted lateÌ„cy of his owne Church he thus writing L. de Antichrist l. 2. c. 2 pa 22. The Generall defection of the visible Church foretould 2. Thes 2. began to worke in the Apostles tyme. I heer passe ouer how our learnedest Aduersaries confesse all want of ordinary Calling of their Ministers at the first arysing of Luther which want euer includeth an interruption of the Protestant Church at that tyme for if that Church had then beene in Being it had not then stood in need of such their imaginary Extraordinary calling but might haue rereceaued it by Imposition of hands from their owne Cergy of those dayes But no such men of their Clergy then were and therefore we haue the lesse reason to meruayle why Caluin of this poynt thus writeth Lascicius the ProtestaÌ„t reciteth this saying of caluin lib. â—e Russ Muscouit c religione cap. 13. Quia Papae Tyrannide c. By reason of the tyranny of the Pope true Succession of OrdinatioÌ„ was broken of therefore we stand in need of a new course herein and this function or Calling was altogether extraordinary With whom D. Fulke iumpeth in these wordes Against Stapleton and Martial pag. 1â— The Protestants which first preached in these dayes had extraordinary Calling Thus far My deare fryend touching the continuall radiancy and resplendent Visibility which is necessarily exacted to be in Christs true Church at all times without the least interruption and yet which neuertheles is not to be found in the Protestant Church And all this prooued from the often ingeminated and inculcated acknowledgments of our owne most learned Aduersaries Now then to encircle the concluding force of all the said Protestants authorities within this ensuing Argument that therby the ineuitable resultaÌ„cy out of the Premises may more intensly strike your iudgment I thus dispute The true Church of Christ euen by the doctrine of the Protestants must euer and at all tymes be Visible But the Protestant Church euen by the Protestants Confessions hath not euer and at all times byn Visible Therefore the Protestants Church euen by the Protestants Confessions is not the true Church of Christ. Which last Proposition is the Compound made of the two former Ingredients What can any learned Protestant reply hereto 1. Will he maintaine that the ProtestaÌ„ts aboue alledged in teaching a Necessary Visibility of the Church of Christ at all times were deceaued But this is weakly said because all of them or the most do reiect the doctrine of Traditions as holding nothing to be belieued but what hath its warrant from the expresse written word of God and therefore they did in their iudgments build this their doctrine vpon the Written word which in diuers most cleare passages both of Prophesyes and of other Texts heere Esa 2. 49. 54. 60. 66.1 Psalm 18. 28.1 Daniel 2. 3. Miâ—oâ—as 4. â—ecâ— Ierem. 33. Ephes cap. 4. cited in the Margent doth inculcate this so necessary a Visibility of the Church And according hereto Melancthon the former Protestant after he had alledged diuers places of Scripture to this end thus concludeth In loc com edit 1. 61. cap. de Ecclesia Hi similes loci c. these and such like places of Scripture non de Idea Platonica sed de Ecclesia Visibili loquuntur do not speake of Plato his Idea but of a Visible Church 2. Or secondly Will the ProtestaÌ„ts say that though the former Protestants do graunt that the Protestant Church for so many ages together aboue set downe hath bene Inuisible yet that there are other most learned ProtestaÌ„ts who confidently auer that the Protestant Church hath euer bene Visible and therefore that by their former Brethrens Confessions they are in no sort endangered But obserue the insufficiency of this second euasion and the disparity betwene them that do acknowledge the Inuisibility of their owne Church and the others maintayning the euer Visibility of it Seing the first sort of men being graue candid and learned euen through the rack of truth do confesse and this to their owne mayne preiudice the Inuisibility of their Church for so many ages together so speaking in behalfe of the Catholikes their Aduersaries against themselues which they neuer would haue done but that the vndeniable euidency of the Truth compelled them thereto Whereas these others which perhaps may be alledged do speake in their owne behalfe and in defence of their owne Religion and consequently such their wordes are to be accounted more partiall and therein lesse to be regarded And heere the words of Tertullian may most truly take place In Apologetico Magis fides prona est in aduersus semetipses confitentes quà m pro semetipsis negantes Credit rather is to be giuen to those that confesse against themselues then to those that deny in their owne behalfe Agayne why will not such Protestants as are so impudent as to maintayne their owne Churches euer Visibility insist plainly and sincerely in the alledging of the Visible Members therof if any such Visible Members were for euery age the which to performe not any one Protestant hath bene able For when they are vrged therto by vs Catholikes then they flye to the Scripture through the false vnderstanding of it the mayne Ocean of Heretikes as it fell out in the Conference some yeares since betwene D White D. Featly on the one syde and certaine
be Luthers termeth (b) In his defence of M. Hooker pag. 42. Harsh and iustly called in question by the Church of Rome Vpon this former doctrine these men further teach (c) Luth. serm de Moyse that the keeping of the ten Commandements doe not belong to vs Christians And the Deuines of Wittenberg as also Melancthon are also charged with this errour by (d) Hutterus in his explicat libri Concordiae printed 1608. art 5. c. 1 pag. 478. Hutterus publike Protestant Professour at WitteÌ„berg He calling the defendours of this position Anti-nomi that is Enemyes to the Law The same doctrine is to omit others taught by M. Fox thus saying (e) Act. Mon. 1335. The ten Commandements were giuen vs not to keepe them but to know our damnation and to call for mercy of God With whom agreeth herein D. Whitakers in these wordes (f) Contra Camp rai 8. Qui credunt ij non sunt sub lege sed sub gratia c. They which belieue are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace What is more to be said Christians are freed from the curse of the Law meaning from the punishment due for the breach of the Commaundements I will conclude this point with D. Willets wordes (g) Synops Pap. pag. 564. The law remayneth still impossible to be kept by vs through she weakenes of our flesh c. Thus by these mens doctrine we sinne not in breaking any of the Commaundements as in stealing committing adultery and the like for man sinneth only in breach of those precepts which are giuen him to obserue and keep To conclude this passage of good workes in generall Luthers iudgment of workes is this (h) Luth. in Assert Art 32â— All good workes God iudging them are mortall sinnes God resting propitious veniall and more pardonable Now if Luthers doctrine be here good then followeth it that who laboureth to performe a good worke is of the diuell my reason is this we read that (i) 1. Iohn 3. who committeth sinne is of the Diuell but who doth a good worke sinneth because by the former doctrine of Luther we are taught that euery good worke is sinne Thus according to Luthers doctrine he sinneth who prayeth who practiseth the workes of faith hope and Charity seeing all these in the iudgment of Luther are sinnes Agayne Gods word commandeth vs to flie sinne (k) Psal 36. Declina à malo Therefore we are commanded by God to flie the doing of any good worke because euery good worke in Luthers iudgment is sinne See how forcibly this doctrine of Luther by necessary sequels deductions withdraweth vs from the practising of vertue and exercise of Good Workes Now to come to good workes in particuler The three principall Good workes which necessarily and essentially concurre to the vowes of euery Religious order are to wit Chastity by the which a man voweth perpetuall continency from the pleasures of the flesh according to that (l) Math. â—9 Sunt Eunuchi qui seipsos castrauerunt propter regnum caelorum Pouerty by the which is voluntarily renounced the enioying in priuate of any temporall goods as riches honours c. only resting content with poore fare or diet and apparell (m) Math. 19. Si vis perfectus esse vade vende omnia quae habes da pauperibus habebis the saurum in caelo Obedience through which the will mind of one staÌ„ds in all lawfull things subiect to the will and disposall of his superiour Now marke how these three vertues are betrampled vpon by our Aduersaries with all indignity and scorne Touching Chastity D. Whitakers iudgment is That (o) Contra Camâ—rat 8. p. 15â— Virginity is not simply good but after a certaine manner But Luther proceedeth further saying (p) Tom. â— VVittenberg ad cap. 7.1 Cor. Yf we respect the nature of Matrimony and single life Matrimony is as gold and the spirituall state of single life as dung Concerning Voluntary Pouerty D. Willets censure is this (q) In his Synops pag. 245. He is an Enemy to the glory of God who changeth his rich estate wherein he may serue God for a poore Touching Obedience you may see how they stand disaffected towards it euen out of their owne not practising of it since they loath all Obedience with a most inexplicable dislike I will close this point with their doctrine of fasting to which vertue the Religious men of the Catholike Church are most deuoted M. Perkins iudgment is that (r) In his reformed Catholike pag. 220. fasting in it selfe is a thing indifferent as is eating and drinking And D. Willet accordeth thereto thus writing (s) In Synops pag. 241. Neither is God better worshipped by eating or not eating And more particulerly touching the deniall of set tymes of fasting appointed only for spiritual ends (1) D. Fulk against the Rhemish Testam in Math. 15. D. Fulke is not ashamed to obiect and insist in the authority of the old Heretike Montanus for the deniall therof And D. Whitakers blusheth not to call the Catholike Churches vse therein (2) D. VVhitak cont Duraeum l. 9. pa. 839. The doctrine of Diuells Thus far of the former points of Vowed Chastity voluntary Pouerty voluntary Obedience and fasting in the depressing whereof our Aduersaries do withall depresse our Catholike doctrine of Euangelicall Counsels which teacheth man to arriue to more high points of perfection in vertue then the vulgar and common sort of Christians are accustomed to exercise And vpon these grounds and doctrines they deny the lawfulnes of Monasteries and other Religious houses whitherunto men and women retire themselues for the better seruing of God in austerity of life abandoning the pleasures of the world so pernicious and exitiall to mans soule 4. In the next place we will touch a little vpon our Aduersaries doctrine of Imputatiue Iustice by which they teach that man hath no true and reall Iustice contracted of fayth hope and charity inherent in his soule but that his Iustice is meerely relatiue as being only an application of Christs Iustice vnto him By the which neuertheles Caluin teacheth that (t) L. 3. Instit c. 2. numb 28.42 a man is as secure of his saluation as if he did already enioy heauen And accordingly hereto our Aduersaries further teach that (u) Illyricus in varijs libris de Originali peccato Calui Insti l. 2. c. 3. Kempnit contra cens Col. the Image of God is wholly obliterated in man all his fayre impressions are so extinct as that the regenerate and Holy man is intrinsecally nothing els then meere Corruption or contagion Now these doctrines are forged by them therby to withdraw vs from seeking to be truly vertuous seeing by this their former doctrine man is not possibly capable therof but that therby we disburdening our selues of keeping the Commandements or exercising of vertuous actioÌ„s may only by fayth seeke to lay hands vpon the kingdome of
rather to hide themselues in solitude and obscurity and to liue vnder the hatches of a priuate state then to be placed vpon this glorious yet most dangerous Theater or Stage of supreme soueraignty and domination 14. To this former may be adioyned their doctrine of Parity of Ministers in the Church by the which they teach that there ought not to be any Bishops but that euery Minister should haue equall authority and Iurisdiction All the Puritanes are so precipitate and headlong in this doctrine as that it would be needles to set downe their many sentences thereof Therefore I will content my selfe with the wordes of our English Puritanes who thus write (a) This is to be seene in the booke entituled Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiasticall printed 1604. The gouernment of the Church of England by Archbishops Bishops and Deanes is Antichristian and repugnant to the word of God Now if all Ministers should haue one and the same authority and that there should be no subordination amongst them what a distraction and confusion would follow to be in the Church And how ready would euery illiterate Minister be to veÌ„t out new doctrines and Heresies without all controule such Heresies as would not only infect the vnderstanding with falshood and errour but also the will with Sinne and wicked conuersation Againe who then would there be to chastise the Ministers theÌ„selues for their great dissolution of life touching drinking fornication adultery too much vsed by many of theÌ„ at this day in England to the great disedifiing of many more sober and temperate ProtestaÌ„ts 15. To the former I may range their doctrine of extraordinary calling by the which they teach that there is extraordinary of calling Ministers immediatly froÌ„ God himselfe without the concurrency therto of maÌ„ or imposition of any Bishops hand And accordingly we find Caluin thus to writ of himselfe and other first Preachers of the Protestant Religion (b) The Protestant Lascitius reciteth this saying of Caluin l. de Russor Muscouit c. c. 23. Quia Papae Tyrannide c. Because through the tyranny of the Pope true Succession and Ordination was broken of therefore we stood in need of a new Course heerin and this function or calling was altogether extraordinary To which accord the wordes of M. Perkins saying (c) In his workes printed 1605. fol. 916. The calling of Wickliffe Hus Luther Oecolampadius Peter Martyr c. were extraordinary As also those of D. Fulkâ— (d) Against Stapleton Martiall c. pag. 2. The ProtestaÌ„ts who first preached in these dayes had extraordinary Calling But how repugnant is this their calling to the calling of the ministery mentioned in holy Scripture (e) Hebr. 5. No man taketh the honour vz. of Priesthood to himselfe but he that is called of God as Aaron was And agayne (f) Rom. 10. How shall they preach except they be sent But now heer I vrge that as Caluin and the rest by challenging to themselues an extraordinary Calling broached the former new doctrines touching liberty and licentiousnes of life neuer before heard of so why may not others in like maÌ„ner heerafter as of late the Libertins the family of loue and other sectaries haue done aryse and assuming to themselues the like priuiledge of Extraordinary Calling from God alone dogmatize other new doctrines as pernicious to manners vertue and good life as these former wicked doctrines are 16. In this place I wil touch the string of the most wicked doctrine of Swinglius other his fellow-Ministers who teach plainly That Heathens not belieuing in Christ and so euer continuing may yet be saued For first Swinglius doth thus gentilize (g) Swingl in l. epist. Oecolamp Swingl l. 1. pag. 39. Ethnicus si piam mentem domi foueat Christianus est etsi Christum ignoret A Heathen leading a good life is a Christian though he know not Christ. And Swinglius further particularly writeth that (h) Swingl tom 2 fol. 118. Hercules Theseus Socrates c. are now in the same Heauen with Adam Abel Enoch Finally Swinglius proceedeth also further teaching thus (i) L. epist Oecolamp Swingl l. 2. p. 513. Gentilium liberos nulla lex damnat No law damneth the Children of Gentils This Opinion of Swinglius is also defended and himselfe for teaching the same highly extolled by (k) Vid. Swingl tom 2. fol. 550. Bullinger as also by (l) â—n vita Bullingeri Symlerus the Protestant and others This doctrine is so resolutely maintained by Swinglius and others that Echarius a learned Protestant thus by way of complayning therof writeth (m) Echarius in his fasciculus Controuersiarum printed Lipsiae anno 1609. cap. 19. Quòd Socrates Aristides Numa Camillus Hercules c. Swinglius writeth to the King of France that Socrates Aristides Numa Camillus Hercules the Scipions the Catoes and other Gentills are partakers of eternall life And Swinglius is defended for teaching this doctrine by the Tygurine Diuines Bullinger Gualterus Hardenburgius c. Thus farre the foresayd Echarius O what Scholia or Paraphrase can Swinglius and his compartners cast vpon those choaking wordes of diuine Scriture (n) Acts. 4. There is not any other name vnder heauen giuen to men then that of IESVS wherein we must be saued And (o) Iohn 4. Christ is the Sauiour of the world (p) 1. Ioan. â— The reconciliation for our sinnes and not onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world But now what indignity to the Redeemer of the world and to all ChristiaÌ„ Religîon doth this former most blasphemous doctrine of Swinglius and his fellowes exhale and breath forth Are they Christians who teach thus Were the many Prayers watchinges whipping his most sacred body crowning his reuerend head with thornes buffeting of him by the Iewes and finally his most painfull and pretious death and passion of all which paines euery litle touch in regard of the impretiable and infinite worth of the person so tormented was able to redeeme thousands of worlds so needles and superfluous as that Prophane Heathens who only belieue in generall if so much that there is a God or a Diuine Prouidence though wholly disclayming in the beliefe of Christ and treading all Christian fayth and Religion vnder their feete can neuertheles be saued (q) Hier. c. 2. O you Heauens be astonished at this be afrayd and vtterly confounded 17. Here may occurre the Aduersaries doctrine touching their deniall of all Miracles since the Apostles tymes A doctrine which secretly leadeth the way to Atheisme For the greatest reason that the Atheists alledge in defence of their blasphemous Atheisme is that they hould Nature that is the connexions of Physicall causes with the effects to be the supreme cause of all thinges and therefore these incredulous persons desire nothing more in tryall of this their misbeliefe then to see any thing performed aboue the ordinary and vsuall course of nature which they absolutely deny
c. vvere not vulgarly called Puritans Because in those firster times of Protestancy the name of Puritan vvas scarce heard of But novv this denomination is peculiarly applied to such Protestants vvho belieuing certaine most damnable doctrines expressed in this Treatise first taught by the former eminent Protestants do differ by such their beliefe froÌ„ the more graue learned Protestant vvholy denying them Well My simple and vprightly-meaning Puritan for I presume diuers of You to be such vvhose Iudgement is vvronged by giuing assent to thy more learned but vvithall more vvicked Brethren I vvill remit thee to the perusuall of this ensuing discourse vvhich vvheÌ„ thou hast maturely vveighed found and all by the confessions of the Aduersaries themselues that the most flagitious Liues of the first teachers of Puritanisme vvere in practise most conformable to their ovvne exitiall doctrines therin their vvicked conuersations thus seruing as a Comment to paraphraze their vvicked Positions Then I hope thou vvilt cast off all thy Puritanicall doctrines hitherto imbraced by thee or at least vvilt haue iust reason to censure vvith greater indifferency both of the doctrines of the first Authours thereof and then thou maist cal into thy remembrance our Sauiours vvords vpon vvhich sentence be bold securely to anchour thy Iudgement (c) Math. 7. Do men gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles And vvith this I cease Thine in Christ IESVS B. C. A Table of the twenty Puritanicall Doctrines alleaged in this Treatise which tend to Vice Sinne and Impiety in Fayth Life and Manners 1. THe Doctrine of the Priuate reuealing Spirit 2. The Doctrine That God is the Authour of Sinne. 3. That Good workes are not only not conducing but rather hurtfull to Saluation and therfore That Fayth only iustifieth 4. The Doctrine of Imputatiue Iustice 5. The Doctrine touching the lessening of Sinne in respect of Mans Saluation 6. The deniall of Freewill 7. The Doctrine of Reprobation 8. The Doctrine of Predestination 9. The deniall of Purgatory 10. The deniall of Auricular Confession 11. The deniall of the Necessity of Baptisme 12. The Doctrine of Diuorce of Maried Persons 13. The deniall of all Authority in Princes and Magistrates 14. The Doctrine of Parity of Ministers 15. The Doctrine of Extraordinary Vocation 16. The Doctrine touching Saluation of Heathens 17. The deniall of Miracles 18. The deniall of Holy dayes Ceremonies and Images 19. The Doctrine of the Inuisibility of the Protestant Church 20. The deniall of all Prayer by necessary Inferences drawne from diuers of the former Doctrines The names of those six Chiefe Protestants whose flagitious Liues being answerable to their wicked Doctrines are briefly discoursed of in this Treatise 1. Beza 2. Caluin 3. Ochinus who first planted Protestancy in England in K. Edward the sixt his reigne 4. Iacobus Andraeas 5. Swinglius 6. Luther PVRITANISME THE MOTHER SINNE THE DAVGHTER The I. Part. BEFORE we begin to vnfould the particular doctrines and Positions of Puritanisme all being euen great and as it were in labour with Libertinisme in manners I hould it will not be reputed a superfluous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or By-matter but rather a point much conducing to our proiect in generall if I briefly touch vpon the necessiity of Holines of doctrine in the fayth of Christ For the better vnderstanding of which poynt we are to conceaue that Gods sacred Writ describeth two waies of a Christian man the one it termeth The straite way meaning of austerity and piety which leadeth (a) Math. 7. Luke 13. to life This is (b) Math. 22. the way of God (c) Esay 26. The way of Iustice (d) Hebr. 19. in which we ought to walke pleasing God So deseruedly did the Psalmist celebrate the doctrine of God touching manners in these wordes of prayse (e) Psalm 29. Lex Domini immaculata testimonium fidele praeceptum Domini illucidum To this way the Scripture opposeth the way called The broad way This is that (f) Math. 7. lata porta spaciosa quae ducit ad perditionem the broad and spatious gate which leadeth to destruction (g) â— Pet. 3. promising liberty and (h) Iude l. 4. transferring the grace of God into wantonnes Thus we see that the fayth and doctrine of Christ by which we are to regulate and gouerne our coÌ„uersation and manners ought to be in it owne nature most incontaminate pure and holy voyding the soule of man of vnlawfull concupiscence and desires That the Catholike Fayth of the Romane Church teacheth this strayte way of vertue and piety is most euident For it teacheth her children to make restitution for wrongs committed It teacheth Confession of sinnes most vngratefull to mans nature and tyeth the Confitent to sorrow for his sinnes and to performe his enioyned Pennance It teacheth the keeping of set Fasts and of prescript tymes of Prayer It teacheth the practising of all good workes It teacheth the perfection of Euangelicall Counsells to wit voluntary Chastity Pouerty and Obedience briefly it teacheth and instructeth her children in points most opposite and contrary to all those licentious Positions of Puritanisme insisted by me in this ensuing Treatise A course of life so peculiar to the members of the Catholike Church as that some of our Aduersaries thus fully coÌ„fesse hereof (i) Iacob Andraeaâ— in Concione 4. in c. â—â— Lucae A serious and Christian discipline is censured with vs as a new Papacy and a new Monachisme And Caluin himself acknowledgeth no lesse of our Professours of former tymes reprehending them for the same in these wordes (k) Calu l. 4. instit cap. 12. sect 8. Qua in parte excusari nullo modo potest c. In which course meaning a rigid course of life and pennance the immoderate austerity of the Ancients cannot be excused which did wholy differ from the Commandement of the Lord and was also otherwise in it selfe most dangerous Thus Caluin But now if on the contrary we cast our iudgments to the behoulding of the many Theses and Speculations of Puritanisme wherof I haue made choyce only of Twenty hereafter layd open in this short Treatise all which are euen fraught and loaden with liberty of doctrine and withall if we do obserue how no meaner men then the first broachers of them as willing to be most firme and true to their owne Principles haue incorporated the said doctrines in their owne most wicked lyues both which points are the Subiects of the two different Parts of this small Worke and both proued from the Aduersaries owne expresse wordes we shall rest euen amazed thereat such a conformity and precise correspondency did their lyues beare to their doctrines We obserue that Nature which is Gods subordinate Instrument or Lieutenant as I may call it gouerning vnder his diuine Maiesty the Vniuerse of the whole world is endued among many others with this one Priuiledge to wit that if no preueniency be made through the
that it can be performed And accordingly hereto I know a man witty inough but dissolute in manners and partly suspected of Atheisme but in externall show a Protestant who is accustomed to say that he would gladly see the diuell because he would gladly see something aboue the ordinary course of nature I beseech God that his desire in the end of his life be not accomplished Now how forward our Precisians are in denying all Miracles since the Apostles tymes may appeare from the liberall Confessions in this point of D. Fulke who thus acknowledgeth (r) Against the Rhem. Testamēt in Apocalyps p. 13. It is knowne that Caluin and the rest whom the Papists call Arch-Heretikes worke no miracles And of D. Sutcliffe (s) In his Exam. of D Kellisons Suruey printed 1606. pag. 8. We do not practise miracles nor do we teach that the doctrine of truth is to be confirmed with miracles Thus we see that these men are in their Iudgements so strongly persuaded that all Miracles by the which God suspendeth stupendiously the working of nature are so fully ceased since the dayes of the Apostles as that they freely confesse all want of working Miracles to haue beene in the plantation of their owne Religion directly impugning that course of working Miracles granted by our Sauiour to his Apostles at the first preaching of the Gospell (t) Math. 10. As you go preach heale the sicke cleanse the leprous raise vp the dead cast out the Diuels c. 18. Our former Aduersaries do in great riot of splenefull acclamations cry out in their Pulpits and writings against Holy-dayes the Sabaoth day only excepted with great auersion dislike of them This their so much affected doctrine wholly introduceth a forgetfulnes of the Misteries of Christian faith for those daies were instituted by the Church of Christ in her Primitiue tymes to put vs in mind of the misteries of our Fayth As for example Christmas day in remembrāce of Christs birth and Natiuity Innocents day or Childermas day as it is vulgarly called in remembrance of the slaughter of the Infants at the tyme of our Sauiours birth New yeares day in remembrance of our Sauiours Circumcision Epiphany or Twelft day in remembrance of the Comming of the three Kings with presents to our Sauiour The Annunciation day in remembrance of the Angels salutation of our Blessed Lady bringing her that most ioyfull message that she shall bring forth the Sauiour of the world Good Friday in remembrance of our Sauiour Christ his death passion on that day Easter day in remembrance of our Lords resurrection from the graue Ascension day in remembrance of his ascending in Soule and body into Heauen Pentecost or Whitsuntide in remembrāce of the descending of the Holy Ghost Trinity Sunnay in honour and remembrance of the most Blessed Trinity finally Corpus Christi day in remembrance of our Sauiours Institution of the most blessed Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist Now most of these great festiuall dayes are much neglected and vilifyed by our Aduersaries nor for the most part do the Puritane Ministers instruct their Proselites and followers why those Feasts and vpon what occasion they were first instituted which want of care in the Maisters and ignorance in the Schollers do beget a great forgetfulnes of our Christian Mysteries And this my Assertion is warranted with all experience The like we may proportionably conclude of our Aduersaries small respect they beare to the Feast dayes of the Apostles or of diuers other great Saints For example the ignorant Protestant knowes when Midsomer day as they call it commeth but that that day was instituted in the honour of S. Iohn Baptist as being the Precursor of our Sauiours comming few of them know In like sort our Aduersaries reiect with full mouth all Ceremonies in Fayth styling them superstitious and Idolatrous though the said Ceremonies were first instituted and are still vsed the better to recall to the mind of the ignorant the Mysteries of Christian Religion And vpon the same ground they mainely vociferate and cry out against the true vse of Pictures which serue only to put vs in mind of the vertues and liues of the Saints of which they are the Pictures Neither can they endure the sight of the Crosse though it be only to put vs in mind of our Sauiours death and passion suffered vpon the Crosse so willing they are to extinguish and wholy blot out all remembrances prints and cognizances of Christian fayth Thus we see that our Aduersaries proceeding herein finally tends to the obliterating cancelling of most of the chiefe Mysteries of our Christian fayth and Religion and of the most godly Professors of it 19. The Aduersaries acknowledged doctrine of the Inuisibility of the Protestant Church hath induced many to forsake the Christian Religion and in lieu thereof to become Arians Iewes or Turkes For first seeing the Old Testament is most full in its authorities for a (u) Esay 60. Dan. 2. Psal 28. Continuall splendour and visibility of Christs true Church and further seeing that this exacted visibility hath bene wanting in the Protestant Church by their owne Confessions whereof I will heere for breuity alledge the acknowledgment of Sebastianus Francus a learned Protestant who thus confesseth (x) In epist de abrogandis in vniuersum omnibus statutis Ecclesiasticis For certaine through the worke of Antichrist the externall Church together with the fayth and Sacraments vanished away presently after the Apostles departure and for these fourteene hundred yeares the Church hath not bene externall and visible To whose iudgment D. Fulke subscribeth in these wordes (y) In his answer to a Counterfeyt Catholike p. 1◠The true Church decayed immediatly after the Apostles And lastly seeing such Protestants as acknowledge the want of the visibility of their owne Church will not acknowledge the Catholike Roman Church to be the true Church of God though they do acknowledg that that Church hath beene euer visible for these fourteene hundred yeares Therfore diuers of the said eminēt Protestants through the want of fulfilling of the Prophecies touching the Churches visibility in their owne Protestant Church haue therevpon Apostated from Christianity some of them imbracing the doctrine of the Iewes others of the Turkes and therupō haue employed all their dayes after with infecting other Christians with their new imbraced doctrines wherby they haue secretly instilled into their followers minds and wills the poyson both for doctrine impious conuersation of life which Iudaisme or Turcisme do teach and warrant Many examples of diuers learned Protestants forsaking their Christian Religion through the acknowledged doctrine of the Inuisibility of the Protestants Church may be alledged As of (z) So witnesseth Beza in epist 65. p. 308. Alamannus a great Protestant who became a Iew. Of (a) In historia Dauidis Georgij printed at Antwerpe 1568. Dauid George once Professour at Basill who became a blasphemous Apostata Of Ochinus who
first brought Protestancy into England with Peter Martyr in King Edwards dayes who finally turned an (b) As witnesseth Zanchius in his booke de tribus Elohim and Conradus Slussenburg a Caluinist in Theol. Caluinist l. 1 fol. 9. Apostata Neuserus chiefe Pastour at Heydelberge who became a (c) So witnesseth Osiander the Protestant Cent. 16. part 2. p. 818. Turke and diuers others here for breuity omitted So certayne and vndoubted it is that the confessed doctrine of the Inuisibility of the Protestants Church hath caused diuers to forsake the Christian fayth and wholly to disclayme from our Sauiour ingulfing themselues into all those wickednesses and Impieties which Iudaisme or Turcisme at this day maintayne defend 20. The last doctrine heer to be alledged to omit that (d) Vsury is defended by Bucer in Script Anglican p. 789. 790. 791. By Geneua it selfe for M. Wotton in his second part of the Answere c. in his preface to his fellow Brethreâ— thus writeth Two Ministers at Geneua were deposed and banished for speaking against Vsury allowed in that state DefeÌ„ded also by Mathew Vâ—rell in his principall grounds of Religion englished printed 1595. pag. 148. 149. As also defended by many others mentioned by D. Pye in his epistle dedicat in his Answere written against a Treatise in defence of Vsury pa. 20. 22. Vsury is defended by our Aduersaries which resulteth necessarily out of some of the premises is that our Aduersaries howsoeuer they make shew to practise in some sort the contrary do take away all Prayer as is aboue intimated as a thing needles vnprofitable and superfluous This I proue seuerall wayes And first our Aduersaries teach that only fayth iustifyeth then if fayth only iustifyeth it iustifyeth without prayer or any other good workes Yea it iustifyeth according to Luther and others aboue cyted being accompanyed with the greatest sinnes seeing they teach as aboue is shewed that nothing looseth their fayth or hope of saluation but only infidelity or want of fayth Secondly they teach that there is no merit in any of our good workes therfore not any in Prayer for if our Prayers do nothing merit they nothing obtayne because impetration and obtaining doth import some desert at least de congruo if then our Prayers do neyther merit nor satisfy for the offence nor for the punishment due to the offence to what end then are Prayers to be powred out Thirdly to what purpose should we pray for example that we shall not sinne heerafter seeing God as Luther Caluin and the rest aboue specifyed do teach so forcibly impelleth vs to sinne as that it is not in our power to resist his ordinance and decree therein But who dare pray to resist what God hath infallibly appointed shal be Fourthly it is shewed aboue that according to our Aduersaries Principles and Theses Fayth consisteth in that a man firmely belieueth that his Sins are already forgiuen him that he is one of the Elect that he shall infallibly obtayne saluation Now this fayth preuenteth taketh away all Prayer for remission of Sinnes and mans saluation The reason is in that Fayth doth precede all this prayer according to that Quomodo inuocabunt in quem non crediderunt Rom. 10. Therefore it followeth that we are assured by faith of our saluation and eternall life and this before we pray for it Fifthly Prayer is euer for the obtayning of that of which who prayeth is though hopefull yet partly doubtfull and vncertayne of his obtaining of it For if he be certayne before his praier that he shal obtaine his request to what purpose theÌ„ are his Prayers made and to pray for that which we eyther already haue or are certayne that heerafter we shall haue is most ridiculous and absurd Now from this ground it riseth as in part aboue is intimated that we cannot nor ought not to pray for the remission of our Sinnes or for obtayning of eternall lyfe seeing our Fayth according to our Aduersaries former doctrines instructeth vs that we are aforehand assured of both And thus vpon this ground he no more foolishly prayeth for the remission of his Sinnes or for eternal life then a man should pray that the Sunne might shine to day seeing that already it hath shined or that it would shine to morrow of which he is assured that it will shine Thus according to the force of these reasons ineuitably rising out of our Aduersaries former doctrines no man ought to pray or so much as to recite by way of Praier our Lords Praier Our Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name c. Thus far now of these former twenty seuerall doctrines of our Aduersaries displayed in the precedent leaues all which we see breath nothing but Sensuality Enormities Sinnes in the wills of the belieuers of them Now here we are to conceaue that these former Positions as they are doctrines do consist in speculation and rest in the Vnderstanding yet because the Obiect of most of them is manners vertue vice and the like therefore the beliefe of them is the more dangerous for mans will For the better vnderstaÌ„ding whereof we are to conceaue that there is such a strayt entercourse betweene the Vnderstanding and the Will in mans soule that the will worketh not but as the Vnderstanding out of its owne receaued Principles doth dictate to the Will as true or false and so the Will puts in execution those said Principles in its operation in manners Yf the Theories and speculations be true then the Will by working accordingly worketh well and laudably Yf false then the Will worketh viciously and of this nature are the former aboue recited doctrines of our Aduersaries so as they being most false wicked as tending to extirpate all vertue and to plant impiety in mans soule they most forcibly beate vpon the Will neuer cease their battery till they haue forced the Will to exercise all its operations and actions touching manners conuersations of life according to the said false doctrines and therefore the Will of man is so much the more endangered by such impious and blasphemous Principles and doctrines but otherwise and in this respect with lesse or no danger it falleth out in those merely speculatiue doctrines though false which haue no necessary reference to the working of the Will according to them Such were the Heresyes of Origen who taught that the Diuels should in the end of the world be saued of Cyprian in defending Rebaptization and the lyke from which though erroneous the Will sucketh no poyson But to passe on further in the speculation of these former doctrinall Positions let vs by way of recapitulation see how potent and forcible they are for the patronage and defence of the most flagitious crimes and sinnes as also on the other syde for the preuenting of all good workes of Vertue and Piety though both these points haue in part beene aboue touched And as concerning the first
damnation is taken away only by force of the said Sacrament and yet the Penitent must confesse such his Sinne with an absolute determination not to commit it or any other Sinne hereafter and must haue Contrition or at least Attrition and sorrow for his committing his said Sinnes or els the very confession of his said Sinnes is so far from affording him any absolution of them as that by such kind of confessing his Sinnes he committeth a new sinne Agayne where it is aboue obiected that the Pope by his Indulgence can pardon the greatest Sinne that is heere agayne I say is the lyke ignorance or malice For the eternall damnation for any mortall Sinne though of the least cannot be remitted by any Indulgence but only as is sayd aboue by the Sacrament of Pennance and Confession The reason hereof is because the Obiect of an IndulgeÌ„ce is only a temporall punishment due for the guilt of Sinne already remitted by the Sacrament of Confession therefore it followeth that no maÌ„ can take the benefit of any Indulgence but at the same time he must be in state of grace to which state he is brought by the vertue of a sincere and sorrowfull Sacramentall Confâ—ssion with a resolued purpose neuer to sinne more Now this being the true acknowledged * See S. Thom. Aquin. 4. sent dist 10. art 5. Sotus 4. sent d. 21. Bellarm. de Indulg c. doctrine of the Catholiâ—e Church herein I refer to any indifferent Reader whether this our doctrine doth not rather much deterre a man from sinne then inuite and impell him thereto But to returne to the deformity and vglines of these former doctrines of the Puritans It is to be obserued that commonly the Professours of them are the only men who vsually haue in their mouthes so wickednes mâ—sketh it selfe in wordes of deuotion (1) Math. 5. the sauing fayth Abba (2) Rom. 8. Galat 4. Father the Vnction (3) 1. Ioan 2. of the Holy One and other such passages of Scripture wherewith they may the better varnish ouer the foule graine of these their documents that so they may appeare in other mens eyes more specious and regardable From hence now may the Reader discerne what he is to conceaue of other doctrines different from the fayth of the Church of Rome maintained by Luther and other his Brethren aboue alledged For if they did grosly erre in these their positions touching Vice and Vertue why may they not also erre in other speculatiue articles of fayth taught by them which do not concerne Morality or conuersation of life seeing the certainty of erring in one point necessarily implieth a possibility of erring in any other point And from the mature consideration of all the former passages it may be further irrepliably inferred that once granting the former Theses and Tenets of Luther and the other Protestants to be false that the Protestant Church is not the true Church of God since we read (r) Ephes 4. Vna fides vnum baptisma And therfore Christs Church is one entyre and perfect in fayth not brooking the entertainemeÌ„t of any one dogmaticall Errour (s) De vnitate Eccles post initium Adulterari non potest sponsa Christi sayth S. Cyprian incorrupta est pudica And with this I close the first part of this Treatise THE SECOND PART Touching the vvicked liues of the first Broachers of Puritanisme IN the precedent Part good Reader there is layd before thee a Synopsis of the Theory or Speculation of such Puritanicall doctrines which inuite man to vice and deterre him froÌ„ vertue In this Section now we will shew how the first stampers of the former doctrines haue incorporated the sayd doctrines in their owne liues and actions I meane how they haue giuen themselues ouer to al dissolutioÌ„ in manners and so haue caused their owne vitious liues and deportment to comment their owne doctrinall PositioÌ„s Thus they beare themselues like to honest and well meaning Phisitians who are loath to giue any thing to their Patients either good or euill but themselues afore will tast it I will not heer expatiate into any long discourse by alledging the liues of many of the former Protestants whose names are aboue mentioned I will content my selfe by displaying though in part the liues of sixe of them to wit Luther Zwinglius Iacobus Andraeas Ochinus Caluin and Beza Of these I particularly make choice because these men were chiefly and with greater bent endeauour busied in first planting the sayd former Paradoxes and the rest of the Authours aboue coÌ„parting with these in their doctrines were but their Schollers as it were followers But by that which heerafter will be deliuered of these meÌ„ we shall haue full reason to recall to our memory those wordes of Christ (*) Math. 7. Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheepes cloathing but inwardly are rauening wolues I will begin with Beza and so ascend higher And first that the Reader may see how some of our first Publishers of this their new Ghospell and fayth wholy different from the ancient fayth of Rome did practise the most execrable Sinne of Sodomy and therein led the way to other Sodomiticall persons I wil set downe certaine verses made by Beza himselfe touching a boy called Andebertus which Beza kept as his Adonis or Ganimede by abusing the boyes body and his whore Candida In which verses he coÌ„pareth the pleasure of the one with the other Sinne and in the end preferreth the sinne with his boy before the Sinne of fornication with his woman This Epigrame of Beza touching his Ganimede Andebertus and his whore Candida is extant among other of his Epigrames printed at Paris in the yeare 1548. by Robertus Stephanus The verses are these following which shame forbids me to English but euery one that vnderstandeth Latin may pick out the sense Abest Candida Beza quid moraris And bertus abest quid hic moraris Tenent Parisij tuos amores Habent Aurelij tuos lepores Et tu Vezelijs manere pergis Procul Candidula amoribusque Immo Vezelij procul valete Et vale Pater valete fratres Nam Vezelijs carere possum Et carere parente his illis At non Candidula Andebertoque c. Next there followeth Sed vtrum rogo praeferam duorum Vtrum inuisere me decet priorem An quenquam tibi Candida anteponam An quenquaÌ„ anteferam tibi Andeberte Quid si me in geminas secem ipse partes Harum vt altera Candidam reuisat Currat altera versus Andebertum At est Candida sic auara noui Vt totum cupiat tenere Bezam Sic Beza est cupidus sui Andebertus Beza vt gestiat integro potiri Amplector quoque sic hunc illam Vt totus cupiam videre vtrumque Integris frui integer duobus Then next after followeth Praeferre tamen alterum necesse est O duram nimiùm necessitatem Sed
Basil Ierome for their commending defending of Monachisme and austerity of life I will omit all other Controuersyes between the Catholikes and the Protestants in all which Caluin opposeth himselfe to the ioint consent of all the Ancient Fathers of the Primitiue Church and I will conclude with his reprehension of Chrysostome Austin Epiphanius and others concerning the doctrine of praying and offering vp Sacrifice for the dead his wordes for close of all are these (k) In Tract Theolog. de ver Eccles reform pag. â—94 Fateor eiusmodi preces c. I confesse that the custome of these prayers was ancient and that such prayers were allowed by Austin Chrysostome and Epiphanius as receaued by succession from their Ancestours the vsage wherof the aforenamed Fathers followed without reason c. Thus we see that Caluin doth fully parallell and equall Beza in contempt of the Fathers of the Primitiue Church such a fastidious Magistrality pride in the highest degree do their former doctrines of their Reuealing Spirit and extraordinary Vocation beget in the mindes of the belieuers thereof But to conclude with relating of Caluins death which was most sutable to his life for (l) Psal 33. Mors peccatorum pessima Conradus Schlussenburg the foresaid Protestant deliuereth it in these wordes (m) â—n Theolog. Caluin printed 1594 lib. 2. fol. 72. Deus manu sua potenti c. God in the rod of his fury visiting Caluin did punish him before the houre of his death with his mighty haÌ„d for he being in despayre and calling vpon the Diuel gaue vp his wicked soule swearing cursing and blaspheming He dyed of the disease of lyce and wormes increasing in a most loathsome vlcer about his priuy parts so as none present could endure the stench These things are obiected against Caluin by Publike writings in which also horrible things are declared concerning his lasciuiousnes his sundry abhominable vices and Sodomiticall lusts for which last he was burned by the Magistrate at Noyon where he liued being branded vpon the shoulder with a hoat burning Iron Thus far the foresaid Slussenburg an earnest Protestant and as great an Enemy to the Pope as Caluin euer was and therfore his Testimony is to be reputed lesse partiall and more indifferent The foresaid miserable death of Caluin is confirmed with the vnanswerable Testimony of Herennius a Caluinist Preacher and therefore the rather heerin to be credited His words are these (n) In libello de vita Caluini Caluinus in desperatione siniens vitam c. Caluin ending his life in despaire dyed being consumed of a most filthy and loathsome disease and such as God is accustomed to threaten to the wicked and such as be rebellious against him This of Caluin I dare testify to be most true because I my selfe being there present did behould that calamitous tragical end of his euen with these mine owne eyes Thus the said Herennius and thus far of Caluin though most briefly This one obseruation touching his death I will add to wit that it is the lesse to be wondered that Caluin should dye despayring of his Saluation seeing it may wel be thought that Christ by way of speciall punishment in withdrawing his grace from Caluin did inflict this particuler kind of death vpon him because Caluin taught that Christ himselfe was for the time * Caluins words in Latin are these in Math. 27. Sed absurdum videtur Christo elapsam esse desperationis vocem Solucio facilis est c. and in the same place thus more Sic videmus Christum omni ex parte vexatum vt desperatione obrutus ab inuocando Deo absi steret in despayre and as being ouerwhelmed in desperation gaue ouer prayer O monstrous and neuer afore heard of Blasphemy The next shall be Ochinus This man with the helpe of Peter Martyr first broached Protestancy heer in EnglaÌ„d in K. Edwards the sixth reigne as * Osiander Cent. 16. l. 2. c. 67. Osiander witnesseth and the whole world knoweth Ochinus was first a Religious maÌ„ of the Catholike Romane Church but being weary of seruing God in that austerity of lyfe left his (o) So sayth Sleydan l. 9 at anno 1547. fol. 297. Monstery with breach of all his former vowes of Religion This Ochinus did write a booke (p) Lauather in histor Sacrament fol. 50. against the Masse and him Caluin thus exalteth in these words (q) Lib de scandalis extat in hâ— Tract Theolog. printed 1597. p. 111. Whome can Italy oppose for they were both Italians against Peter Martyr and Bernardine Ochine There is not written against Ochinus so much touching his extraordinary licentiousnes of lyfe as touching his doctrines for first he began to defend by wryting of certayne Dialogues the doctrine of Polygamy or hauing many wyues at one and the same tyme of which Dialogues (r) Beza in lib. de Polygamia p. 4. Beza maketh mention But Ochinus did not content himselfe with this but proceeded to the height of all Impiety For he confessing the doctrine of the euer necessary Visibility of Christs true Church grounding himselfe and but truly vpon the predictions thereof in the Old Testament and on the one syde not acknowledging the Catholike Roman Church to be the true Church though in it he could not deny but that it euer enioyed a continuall visibility and on the other syde seeing the predictions of the Churchs vninterrupted Visibility were not accomplished in the Protestant Church did heerupoÌ„ wholy forsake Christ and Christian Religion and betooke himselfe to the imbracing of Iudaisme That Ochinus became an Apostata is witnessed by Beza who calleth him thus (s) L. de Polygam p. 4. Ochinus impurus Apostata And further Beza more fully enlargeth himselfe thus writing (t) Beza in epist 1. pa. 11. Ochinus Arianorum clandestinus fautor Polygamiae defensor omnium Christianae Religionis dogmatum irrisor Ochinus is a secret fauourer of the Arians a defender of Polygamy and a scoffer of all the doctrines of Christian Religion The Apostasy of Ochinus is further witnessed by (u) In his booke de â—ribus Elohim printed 1594. l. 5. c. 9. Zanchius the Protestant by Conradus Slussenburg the afore meÌ„tioned ProtestaÌ„t writing heerin agaynst Ochinus most particularly the title of which passage in this Protestants booke is (x) In Theolog. Caluinist l. 1. fol. 19. Responsio ad Ochini blasphemiam Thus farre touching Ochinus his Apostasy of his imbracing Iudaisme and finally dying therein One thing chiefly I referre to the iudgment of any indifferent Reader seeing this Ochinus was one of the two Apostles who first planted Protestancy in England to wit whether it sorteth with the accustomed proceeding of God who euer vseth meanes proportionable and sutable to their ends to vse as his Instruments for the planting of true Christian Religion suppose Protestancy be such a man who should afterward turne his pen to the absolute denyall of the Redeemer of
of Christ admitting it had vanished away for many ages afore as is pretended to be restored to Christians by the instruments and meanes of such most prophane sensuall beastly and flagitious men as these former six Authours are coÌ„fessed by their own Brethren to haue beene their very soules being become euen the sinkes or channells for the receite of all ordure and filth of Sinne and abominable impiety No it is impossible it should be so Let no man therefore thinke his diuine Maiesty would euer for the re-establishing of his Church the most supreme end that can be conceaued make choyce of a company of obscure petty Doctours and these but few lately stept vp but competently learned iointly broching in their doctrines sensuall liberty and finally in their conuersation most wicked prophane and execrable so certayne it is that the wine euer tasketh strongly of the vyne the water of the fountaine the fruite of the tree and the life of the Doctrine But now good Reader to reflect backe Heer thou may see what Puritanisme is eyther in speculation or in the practise or execution Yf then whether we respect the doctrine or the coÌ„uersation in life of such men as were the first Institutours thereof we do find all to be seated or rather grounded vpon sensuality and impiety how caÌ„st thou be persuaded that Puritanisme is a Religion wherewith God himselfe will be honoured To the which thou canst neuer giue thy full consent except thou be first persuaded that God is a Patron and defendour of Sinne impiety Therefore least any such prophane conceite should by the suggestioÌ„ of the Enemy seize vpon thy soule I will for the close of this Treatise partly display the vglines and deformity of Sinne and consequently the infinite and invtterable hatred which God beareth to Sinne Iniquity My first proofe hereof shall be taken euen from the Nature of sinne in it selfe to the which God beareth an infinite hatred Which infinitenes of hatred is proued by this reason To wit euery offence committed against another is the more great by how much the Personage against whom it is committed is greater but God against whom ech Sinne is perpetrated is of infinite Maiesty worth and dignity therefore it followeth that euery Sinne committed against God deserueth infinite hatred and consequently deserueth to be punished with infinitenes of paynes Agayne by how much God doth transcend man in goodnes by so much he loueth goodnes and hateth Sinne more then man doth but he surpasseth man infinitely in goodnes therfore his loue to goodnes and hatred to sinne is infinite And more we may obserue that euery tyme a man committeth a mortall Sinne there passeth through his iudgment a practicall discourse by the which he compareth together God and the pleasure of the Sinne which he is to commit and thus in this trutination and ballancing he finally preferres the pleasure before God and therfore the wrong done to his Diuine Maiesty by making choyce of a base fading pleasure before him is infinite and inexplicable The second Reason shewing the atrocity of Sinne may be taken from Gods comminations and thundering of punishments most aboundantly in his holy Scriptures against Sinne and the perpetratours thereof As where we read (y) Esa 1. Behold I will be reuenged vpon mine enemies speaking of Sinners and will comfort my selfe in their destruction Agayne (z) Psalm 91. Sinners and workers of iniquity do perish euerlastingly (a) Psalm â—â— God shall rayne snares of fyer vpon sinners brimstone with tempestuous wynds shall be the portion of their Cup. (b) Ecclesiastic 40. Death bloud contention edg of sword oppression hunger contrition and whips all these things are created for wicked sinners (c) Prouerb 14. Sinne bringeth all men to misery (d) Ecclesiastic 21. Flie from sinne as from a serpent (e) Eccl. 20. the end of a wicked mans flesh shall be fyre and vermine And to conclude omitting infinite other passages all seruing to denounce Gods future reserued punishment for Sinne and consequently his hatred thereto that most dreadfull relegation of Sinners (f) Math. 25. Depart from me you accursed into euerlasting fyre The third Reason which setteth out the hainousnes and atrocity of Sinne and that more fully then either of the former two is the consideration of the mistery of the Redemption of mankind Which God in the inscrutable Abysse of his wisedome would not otherwise performe then by descending so low as that himselfe being of infinite power and Maiesty (g) Esay 66. Whose seate is Heauen and the earth his footestoole and (h) Iob. 9. vnder whom do crouch and tremble euen they that do beare vp and sustayne the world should be content to become Man to conuerse here vpon earth thirty-three yeares to tast in the meane tyme all kynd of afflictions griefes indignities and in the end to suffer at the hands of most base and vnworthy persons vpon the Crosse a most ignominions and dishonourable death and all this for the expiating of our sinnes and Redemption of mankind He is (i) Iohn 4â— the Sauiour of the world (k) 1. Iohn 2. the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours only but also for the sinnes of the whole world sayth the holy Scripture But now to wind vp in few wordes and so to giue the last stop to my pen the force of the necessary inferences and deductions resulting out of all the former Reasons of this whole discourse Thus then I conclude Yf on the one syde Puritanisme be a Religion defending all turpitude of Sinne and Vice as also wholy discouraging men from the exercise of all Vertue and that the first broachers thereof haue beene men of most flagitious conuersation incorporating in their vitious liues their owne positions and doctrines And if on the other syde the atrocity of Sinne be such and the hatred of God to sinne so infinite and inexplicable as that the vnderstanding not only of Man but euen of the Angels cannot comprehend it much lesse in words vnfold it what then can follow but that Christ should sooner cease to be Christ then resolue first to institute Puritanisme and the former doctrines therof aboue mentioned and willingly to suffer himselfe to be truly worshipped therewith and to ordayne as a meanes necessarily conducing to mans saluation a fayth or Religion so prophane vicious and blasphemous And with this I end this short Treatise FINIS A FVNERAL DISCOVRSE by vvay of Appendix Touching the late different Deathes of two most remarkable Protestant Deuines The one Doctour Pryce Deane of Hereford who dyed Catholike The other Doctour Buts Vice-Chancelor of Cambridg who hanged himselfe Written by a Catholike Priest in England to his Protestant friend in Amsterdam Pretiosa in conspectu Domini Mors Sanctorum Psal 115. Mors Peccatorum pessima Psal 331. Permissu Superiorum 1633. A Funerall Discourse of the late Deaths of tvvo most remarkable Protestants Doctour Price Deane of
Antichristian and repugnant to the word of God Now to requite the Puritanes Charity herein we find them thus charged by other English Protestants In the Suruey of the pretended discipline c. 5. c. 24. cap. 35. The Puritanes peruert the true meaning of certaine places both of Scripture and Fathers to serue their owne turne And agayne in this sort The word of God is troubled with such choppers and changers of it M. Parks is no lesse sparing in his reprehension thus writing In his epist. dedicatory p. 3. The Puritanes seeke to vndermine the foundation of fayth And finally M. Powel thus doth recriminate the Puritanes In his Considerations The Puritanes are notorious and manifest Schismatikes cut off from the Church of God Neither do the Protestants thus inueigh one against another in short sentences or Periods of speach but they haue written seuerall hundred whole Treatises in reproofe of ech others doctrines and haue printed them in Protestant townes and Vniuersities as appeareth from the Catalogues heretofore yearely returned from Frankefort mentioned by Hospinian the ProtestaÌ„t in his Historia Sacramentaria part altera and by Coccius his Thesaurus tom 2. The very Titles wherof sufficiently discouer that the Protestants do hould one another for Heretikes and therfore not capable of saluation see here the viperous brood issuing from the loynes of one Luther Apostata Fryar For greater expedition I will here content my selfe with setting downe the Titles only of Ten of their Bookes of which not any of them touch the sole Doctrine of the Eucharist because perhaps it may be replied that the one syde speakâ— therin rather like Papists then Protestants And out of these ten you may easily coniecture with what spirit of Contention and diuision the rest of the Bookes are written The ten Bookes are these following 1. Conradi Schlussenburgi Theologiae Caluinisticae libri tres in quibus seu in tabula quadam quasi ad oculum plusquam ex ducentis viginti tribus Sacramentariorum publicis scriptis pagellis verbis proprijs Authorum nominibus indicatis demonstratur eos de nullo ferè Christianae fidei articulo rectè sentire Printed Francofurti 1594. 2. Oratio de Incarnatione filij Dei contra impios blasphemos errores Swinglianorum Caluinistarum Printed Tubingae Anno Domini 1586. 3. Alberti Graueri Bellum Ioannis Caluini Iesu Christi Braptae 1598. 4. Gulielmi Zepperi Dillinburgensis Ecclesiae Pastoris Institutio de tribus Religionis summis Capitibus quae inter Euangelicos in Controuersiam vocantur Hannouiae 1596. 5. Aegidij Hunnij Caluinus Iudaizans Hoc est Iudaicae glossae corruptelae quibus Ioannes Caluinus illustrissima Scripturae sacrae loca testiâ—onia de gloriosâ Trinitate Deitate Christi Spiritus Sancti cum primis autem vaticinia Prophetarum de aduentu Messiae Natiuitate eius Passione Resurrectione Ascensione ad caelos Sessione ad dextram Dei detestandum in modum corrumpere non abhorruit Wittembergae 1593. 6. Pia defensio aduersus Iohannis Caluini Petri Boquini Theodori Bezae Gulielmi Ctebitij c. similium calumnias Item Refutatio Pelagiani seu Anabaptistici Caluinistarum erroris de Baptismo peccato Originali Adduntur Collectaneae plurimorum Caluini contra Deum eius Prouidentiam Praedestinationem Erfordiae 1583. 7. Christiani Kittelmanni decem graues perniciost errores Swinglianorum in doctrinâ de peccatis baptismo ex proprijs ipsorum libris collecti refutati Magdeburgi 1562. 8. De gaudijs aeternae vitae quomodo Sacramentarij nobis illa gaudia imminuant Erfordiae 1585. 9. Ioannis Mosellani Praeseruatiuae contra venenum Swinglianorum Tubingae 1586. 10. Denominatio Imposturarum fraudum quibus Aegidius Hunnius Ecclesiae Orthodoxae doctrinam petulanter corrumpere pergit Bremae 1592. Thus we see My worthy Friend in what inueterate intestine and irreconciable simulties dissensions and Booke-warres the Protestants of all kinds and sorts doe liue among themselues from the true consideration of which point it may euidently be inferred that the Protestants by such their disagreements cannot nor do affoard the hope of saluation to other Protestants dying in a contrary faction to themselues except the said Protestants should graunt contrary to the Scriptures to all Antiquity and to the force of all reason that men who are Heretikes and Aliens from the Church of God who vrge only a shadow of the word of God but not the word it selfe who are Heretikes maintayning two Gods whose Religion is erroneous Antichristian and repugnant to the word of God who peruert the Scriptures to serue their owne turnes who vndermyne the foundation of fayth as being manifest schismatikes are cut of from the Church finally who are charged by other Protestants their owne Brethren and this in set Treatises not to belieue aright almost any one Article of Christian fayth but to maintayne blasphemous and impious errrours as to wage war against Iesus-Christ to defend Pelagianisme and Anabaptisticall errours and lastly to corrupt the most illustrious passages of Scripture vrged by all antiquity in proofe of the most glorious Trinity of the Diuinity of Christ and of the holy Ghost except I say that such men as these dying in this state irrepentantly can be saued But now if we will turne the leafe ouer and obserue what the most learned Protestants do confesse and teach in behalfe of the Papists dying Papists we shall fynd that both by necessary Inferences resulting out of their owne graunted Premises as also in expresse tearmes they maintayne that the Papists dying in their owne Religion may be saued This shall be proued seuerall wayes therby to iustify Doctour Pryce his election and choyce in dying a Catholike member of the Roman Church and not a member of the Protestants late erected Conuenticle And first this Verity takes its probation from that other acknowledged Verity of the Protestants who confesse that the Roman Church is the true Church of God and that in the same Church Saluation is to be obtained To this purpose we may alleadge D. Field in his owne wordes In his booke of the Church lib. 3. c. 46. We doubt not but that the Church in which the Bishop of Rome with more then a Luciferian pryde exalted himselfe was notwithstanding the true Church of God that it held a sauing profession of the truth in Christ M. Hooker thus worthily honoureth the Church of Rome In his booke of Ecclesiast policy agâ— 88. The Church of Rome is to be reputed a part of the house of God a limme of the Visible Church of Christ we gladly acknowledge them to be of the family of Iesus Christ. D. Barrows In his Sermons and two questions disputed ad Clerum pag. 448. I dare not deny the name of Christians to the Romanists sith the learneder writers do acknowledge the Church of Rome to be the Church of God M. Morton In his treatise of the Kingdome of Israel and of the Church pag
94. Papists are to be accounted of the Church of God because they do hould the foundation of the Gospell which is fayth in Christ Iesus the sonne of God and Sauiour of the world But I hope no man of iudgment will deny but that such as are of the family of Iesus Christ whose Church is the Church of God and who hould the foundation of the Gospell which is fayth in Christ Iesus may be saued But to proceed Doctour Some thus more expressely writes of this point In his â—â—â—â—â—e against Penry pag. 176. If you thinke that all the Popish sort which dyed in the Popish Church are damned you thinke absurdly and do dissent from the iudgment of all learned Protestants D. Couell In his defence of M. Hooâ—ar pa 77. We affirme them of the Church of Rome to be parts of the Church of Christ and that those that liue and dye in that Church may notwithstanding be saued Yea this Doctour so farre proceedeth herein as that he chargeth the maintayners of the contrary doctrine to vse his wordes D. Coâ—â—l vbi sâ—â—ra with ignorant zeale But to presse more particularly this point D. Whitakers Cont. râ—â— Camp pag. 78. granteth that diuers ancient Fathers houlding the doctrine of Satisfaction merit of workes are neuertheles saued M. Cartwright thus fauourably writeth In his reply against D. Whitguif a defence pag. 82. I doubt not but that diuers Fathers of the Greeke Church who were Patrones of freewill are saued I will add one annotation hereto which is that we commonly find the more graue temperate and learned Protestants to affoard in their writings the title of Saint to Augustine Ierome Ambrose Cyprian and to most of the Fathers of the Primitiue Church All which Fathers by Luth. lib. de seruo arbitrio printed anno 1551. pag. 434. Luther and almost all other Melancth in 1. Cor. c. 3â— D. Humfrey in vita Iuelli pag. 212. and D. VVhitak contra Duraeum l. 6. p. 413. Protestants of reading are acknowledged for Papists from which ascribed title giuen to the Fathers the Protestants must needs grant that the said Fathers are saued since only such as are saued are Saints But to descend yet more articulately I will insist in some particuler men who are acknowledged and but truly by the Protestants for Papists and yet the Protestants do afford them such Encomia high prayses and extollings as that they could not giue to them truly the said laudes except such men were saued I will ex professo picke out only foure or fiue who were so notorious Papists as I may say as that no forehead is so meretricious and shamelesse as to deny the same And first S. Dominick who was Authour of the Religious Order of the Dominican Fryars His great holines is at large acknowledged by the Cent. 13. col 1â—79 Centurists and Pantaleon the Protestant celebrateth it in these wordes â—n Chronico pag 100. Dominicus erat vir doctus bonus Praedicatorum ordinem instituit S. Bernard who was an Abbot and Osiander epitom Cent. 12. p. 309. Authour of many Abbyes and Monasteries in France and Flanders receaueth from the pen of D. Whitakers this commendation L. de â—â—â—les pa. 3â—â— Ego quidem Bernardum verè fuisse Sanctum existimo Which Saint Osiander stileth a very Osiand 〈◊〉 supra good man from both which Commendations it followeth that Osiander and D. Whitakers thought that Bernard was saued since who are saued if not those who are truly Holy and who are very good men To Gregory the Great and Austin who planted in England all the Romish Religion taught at this day as In Iâ—◠〈◊〉 part â— râ—â— 5. D. Humfrey truly affirmeth D. Goodwin affoards this worthy prayse In his catal of Bishops pag. 1. That blessed and holy Father S. Gregory and S. Austin our Apostle And no small prayses are giuen to these two by D. Fulk against Heskins Sanders pag. 561. D. Fulk Lastly Beda is so extolled by D. Humfrey as that he pronounceth him to vse his owne wordes In Iesuit part 2. rat 3. To be of the number of Godly men and to be raysed vp by the holy Ghost And yet so great a Papist Beda was as that Osiander thus writeth of him In epitom cent 8. lib. 2. cap. 3. Beda was wrapped in all Popish errours wherein we at this day dissent from the Pope Thus farre of these men to whom we see that the Protestants do ascribe such transcendent prayses as are only compatible and agreeing to such as are in state of saluation And thus far my learned friend of this subiect in generall to wit of the Saluation of a Papist dying in his owne Religion where we haue seene how abounding the Protestants haue beene in their testimonies of seuerall sorts for the truth of this vndenyable Verity And now good friend if we call to mynd how the Protestants deny through their immortall mutuall dissensions saluation to ech other withall if we will rest vpon the cauen and impartiall iudgments of other sober dispassionate and most learned Protestants who fully teach and mantaine that hope of saluation belongeth to the Catholikes dying in their ancient Roman fayth what man then of iudgement can iustly conceaue any dislike against Doctor Pryce for his dying a Catholike and no Protestant O no. The Freewill and election of Man in things but of small moment naturally enclines to the choosing of the Best shall then the Soule be so treacherous and disloyall to it selfe as to choose the worst when it concerneth Eternity either of ioy or torments And heerewith I will cease to enlarge my selfe further vpoÌ„ this our Daniel who by his happy end auoyded the iawes of the Lion that 1. Pet. â— 5 Leo rugiens circumiens quaerens quem deuoret That roaring Lion going about seeking whome he may dedeuoure Concerning Doctour Butts NOW in this next place to come to D. Butts Vice-Chancelour of Cambridge whose death ought to be deliuered in the Dialect of blacke notes of Contumely and dishonour and whose disastrous End affoards a greater lustre to the glorious death of the former Doctour so shadowes placed in a picture giue greater light to the Picture This man theÌ„ as the world knowes was aduanced for his presumed sufficiency and Vertue to sterne and gouerne the most famous Vniuersity of Cambridge yet his Death was so calamitous by a voluntary making away of himselfe the yeare 1632. as that his best friends are neuer able to vindicate his name from eternall reproach And therfore what learning he had I know not but certayne I am his Vertue wherby he seemed gratefull to the eyes of others was meerely extrinsecall hypocriticall and his Religion but a shadow or image of Religion So a duÌ„ghill or any other foule place couered with snow is not for the time discouered from a fayre meadow What were the Motiues of this his death is seuerally rumour'd by seuerall tongues Some diuulge for Fame oftentimes variously
here in England certaine Fayth-skirmishes as I may terme them both of vs labouring to maintayne our owne Station I grant you are learned but therein perhaps more hardly to be drawne to acknowledge the truth since it oftentimes falleth out that that eye which seeth nothing at all is more easily cured then that which is of an imperfect sight But to redresse this fault imitate the Iron which we see moueth not to the iron more like but to the load stone lesse like so suffer not your iudgement to be enthralled to those Positions or Placita which are best sorting to your owne Priuate Spirit or Conceite but force it to be drawne in matters of fayth with the Magneticall and attractiue tuch of the Authority of Gods Vniuersall Church how strange otherwise this Authority may seeme to you to be But now to renew this our former Duellisme by Pen in a friendly well-wishing manner for the aduancement of your soule in her chiefest good I haue thought it expedient to referre to your iudgment at this time two forcing reasons such as well may draw you to make an intense introuersion vpon your owne dangerous state in matters of Religion Well then The first shall consist in displaying from head to head of proofes the graduall Euasions of the Protestants made to the seuerall kinds of the said proofes produced by the Catholiks in defence of their Religion by which course the Protestants discouer themselues to be most fugitiue fleeting in their grounds of fayth since they will not staÌ„d vnappealably to any kind of proofes whatsoeuer produced against them and accordingly hereto by this Paragraph following you shall discouer that though the chayne as I may say of our Catholike Proofes is made of many linkes yet that the Aduersary will not suffer himselfe to be tyed to any of them but through the violence of his owne Priuate Spirit breakes them all 1. As first let vs draw our Proofes from many congruentiall Arguments taken from the force of Reason being Gods peculiar Character impressed by himselfe in mans soule The ProtestaÌ„ts answere that besides this is but an humane inducement they can produce as many Counter-reasons to the contrary ouerballancing in their iudgments the weight of ours 2. Let vs repayre to most authenticall Histories recording matter of fact which matter of fact is touching the Visibility of the Church the Administration of the word and Sacraments Vocation and Ordination of Ministers The Conuersion of Nations to the Roman fayth and some others necessarily to be enquired after D. Whitakers repels all this by making a subtill transition from History to Scripture in this sort Contra Duraeum l. 7. p. 478. To vs it is sufficient by comparing the Popish opinions with the Scriptures to discouer the disparity of fayth betweene them and vs. And as for Historiographers we giue them liberty to write what they will In like sort touching the supposed change of Rome in fayth the sayd Doctour disclaimeth from the authority of all Histories saying Contr. Duraeum p. 277. It is not needfull to vs to search out in Histories the beginning of this change Thus he And yet all experience sheweth that Truth or falshood of Matter of fact many ages since sayd to be performed is eyther to be discouered by History or not to be discouered at all 3. Let vs go on forward rest for the proofe of our fayth in the particuler authorityes of Austine Ierome Basill Cyprian Tertullian Origen and the rest of the Doctours of the Primitiue Church we being instructed to this Methode by those wordes Deuteronom 4. Interroga de diebus antiquis Luther answereth heerto auerring That In Colloq mensal câ— de Paâ— Eccles l. de seruo arbitrio The Apology of Philip Melancthon doth farre exceede all the Doctours of the Church and excell euen Austin himselfe Luther further thus inueighing Luth. vbi supra In the writings of Ierome there is not one word of the fayth of Christ and perfect Religion Basil is of no worth He is wholy a Monke Cyprian is a weake Diuine Origen is long since accursed Tertullian is superstitious See you not my good friend with what a bould forehead Apostasy rayles at the true auncient Religion of Christ But to proceed Another great Arch of the Protestant Church is not afrayd to aduance the Protestant fayth in respect of those times in this manner The Archbishop of Canterbury in his Defence of the Answere to the Admonition p. 472. 473. The Doctrine taught and professed by our Bishops at this daey is more perfect and sounder then it commonly was in any age since the Apostles 4. Let vs vrge whole Generall Concells of firster tymes to which our Math. â—â— Sauiour himselfe hath promised his assistance Luther basely casts them of by auouching That the decrees of the Nicene Councell are Luth. lib de Concil foenum stramen lignum stipulae And Beza thus censureth all the ancient Councels In his preface of â—â—e 〈◊〉 Testament anno 1â—87 The ambition ignorance and lewdnes of Bishops was such as that the blind may easily perceaue that Satan was President in their assemblies and Councels And if we appeale to more moderne yet Generall Councels Peter Martyr replyes thus confessing Li. de votis pag. 476. As long as we insist in Generall Councells so long vs shall continue in the Papists errours 5. Let vs call to mind the vn-interrupted practise of Gods Church euen froÌ„ Christs tyme to these dayes the answerable Apostolicall Traditions deriued to vs by a long hand of time both being the securest Scholia or Paraphraze of the true Christian fayth Beza bloweth all this away in two wordes saying See hereof Doctour Bancroftâ— Suruey p. 219. Ad verbum Dei prouoco 6. Let vs according to Beza his prouocation anchour our selues vpon Gods Word as vpon Ecclesiasticus Toby the Machabees and some other parcells of the Old Testament In his answere to M. Reynoldâ— refutation pag. 21. 231. D. Whitakers and the rest of his syde reiect all such Bookes as Apochryphall In like manner if we insist in the Epistle to the Hebrews in the Epistle of S. Iames in the second third Epistle of S. Iohn or in the Apocalyps do we not fynd the Epistle to the Hebrews to be reiected by Exam. Concil Tridentâ— Sess 4. Kempnitius Confess VVittenberg de sacra scrip Brentius and the Cent. l. 2. c. 4. Col. 55. Magdeburgenses As also who knoweth not but that the Epistle of S. Iames is vtterly discanoned by In Prolog huius epistolae Luther and that the foresayd Kempnitius Brentius and the Magdeburgenses in the place aboue alledged rest doubtfull whether the second and third Epistle of S. Iohn be Scripture or no And lastly doth not Luther in most vnworthy termes discard the Luth in prolog huius libri Apocalyps as holding it neither Propheticall nor Apostolicall to whose iudgment Brentius Kempnit locis supra citatis Brentius Kempnitius do subscribe 7. Let vs
drawne out by vs in proofe of our Catholike Religion Our Aduersaries most scornefully traduce all such Miracles For Osiand Cent. 10. 11. 12. Osiander and the Cent. 4. Col. 144â— Cent. 5. Col. 1486. Centurists obserue heer the humility of this Priuate Spirit terme all such Miracles Antichristian wonders and flying signes But D. Whitakers more strangely answereth to all such Miracles for thus he writeth D. Whitak l. de Eccles p. 349. God doth giue power of working true Miracles to false Teachers not to confirme their false opinions but to tempt those to whome they are sent Thus he Galat. c. 3. O insensati Galatae quis vos fascinauit Thus my Deare Friend you see how your Protestants in matter of Fayth and Religion endeauour to waue all proofes and to breake with all Authority both Diuine and Humane and seeke to reduce all finally to the triall and touch-stone of the Priuate Spirit which Spirit is with them the Oedipus which must resolue all Enigmaticall doubts And thus the Protestants being but parties will eyther finally iudge all QuestioÌ„s of faith or els they will suffer no iudgement to passe on the at all Is there any candour ingenuity or vpright meaning in this their proceedings Or is it hard to defend any Religion how false wicked soeuer if so the maintayners of it could iustly reiect all sorts of Arguments and Authorities produced for the impugning of the sayd false Religion aduancing their owne priuate iudgements aboue all proofs whatsoeuer But seeing our Aduersaries will admit no Authorities but their owne I will therefore in this next place and in proofe of my secoÌ„d Reason which shal be to euict that The Protestant Church is not the true Church of God tye my selfe only to the Testimonyes and authorities of the learned Protestants themselues forbearing purposely all other kinds of proofes whatsoeuer so ready my good friend I am for the tyme to humour our Aduersaries in their owne Methode and this chiefly for your more full satisfaction My Media or Premises for the proofe of this foresaid Position which potentially inuolues all other Controuersies within it selfe shall rest in two points both clearly and abundantly taught by the most learned Protestants that euer with their pens endeauoured to honor their Religion My first Medium shal be that the Protestants teach that the true Church of Christ must at all tymes without the least interruption be visible and enioy her Pastours and administration of the word and Sacraments For proofe of this vndenyable verity I produce these following Testimonies from the Protestants own penns And first D. Field thus writeth Li. of the church â— 10. p. 190. The persons of whome the Church consisteth are visible their Profession known euen to the Prophane And againe thus he sayth Vbi supra pag. 21. Bellarmine in vayne laboureth to proue that there is and alwayes hath beene a visible Church and that not consisting of some few scattered Christians without Order of Ministery or vse of Sacraments for all this we doe most willingly yield vnto M. Hooker thus writeth Ecclesiast Policy p. 126. God hath had and euer shall haue some visible Church vpon earth Hunnius the great Protestant thus acknowledgeth In his Treatise of Free-will p. 91. God in all tymes hath placed his Church in a high place and hath exalted it in the sight of all Nations Iacobus Andreas In his booke against Hosius pa. â—10 we are not ignorant that the Church must be a visible Company of teachers and hearers Melancthon is most strong in this point for thus he discourseth Loc. com edit 2561. c. de Eccles whensoeuer we thinke of the Church let vs behold the company of such men as are gathered together which is the visible Church neither let vs dreame that the elect of God are to be found any other place theÌ„ in this visible Society neyther let vs imagine any other visible Church And againe the said Melancthon Melancth in Concil Theolog. part 2. It is necessary to confesse that the Church is visible c. Whither tendeth then haec portentosa oratio this monstruous speach which denyeth the Church to be visible Peter Martyr In his Epist annexed to his common places printed in English pag. â—53 We doe not appoint an inuisible Church but do define the Church to be a Congregation which the faythfull may know that they may adioyne themselues thereto D. Humfrey thus teacheth In Ieisuitism part 2. c. 1. Non clancularij secessus CoÌ„uocationes sunt Christianae c. The Societies of Christians are not secret meetings And he thus endeth Oportet Ecclesiam esse conspicuam Conclusio est clarissima The same D. Humfrey also giueth a reason why the Church must euer be visible thus writing D. Humf. in Iesuitism part 2. tract â— rat 3. Dum Ministri docent alij discunt c. Whiles the Ministers do teach others do learne whiles these Men do Minister the Sacraments those do communicate of them whiles all do call vpon God and professe their fayth He that doth not see these things is more blynd then a Moale Instit c. 1. parag 10. Caluin In his defence of the censure pag. 81. D. Whitgifâ— Contra Camp rat 8. D. Whitakers Art 7. The Confession of Augusta almost with all other ProtestaÌ„ts do teach that the Preaching of the word c. administration of the SacrameÌ„ts are essentiall Notes of the Church that the preaching of the word doth constitute a Church as Contra Duraeum l. 3. pag. 249. D. Whitakers words are the want of it doth subuert it But how can eyther the Word be preached or the Sacraments ministred but to such men as are visible according to the former iudgement of D. Humfrey And thus farre in proofe of my first ground or PositioÌ„ to wit that the True Church of Christ must euer be visible Now I come to the second Proposition or grouÌ„d which is That the Protestant Church euen by the doctrine acknowledgment of the most remarkable Protestants hath beene wholly latent and inuisible for more then a thousand yeares togeather To proue this first I produce M. Perkins His wordes are these In his exposition of the creed pa. 400. we say that before the dayes of Luther for the space of many hundred yeares an vniuersall Apostasy ouerspred the whole face of the earth and that our Church was not then visible to the World Caelius Secundus Curio a Protestant of extraordinary Note acknowledgeth no lesse thus writing De amplitud regnî Dei pag. 12. Factum est vt per multos iam annos Ecclesia latuerit c. It is fallen out that the Church for many yeares hath beene latent and that the Cittizens of this Kingdome could scarcely ac ne vix quidem and indeed not at all be knowne of others D. Fulke setteth downe in his iudgment the tyme of the Inuisibility of the Protestant Church he thus saying In his answer to a Counterfeit catholike p. 16. The Church in