the profound doctrine of these diuynes and this is belieued for verity of their ignorantes was it not Christ sayes S. Amb. offic lib. 5. who sett Rome in so great honour Is it not Antichrist that hath set Rome in so great honour to be the see of Christ and his chief disciple Peter as it hath alwayes euer had that honorable fame to be called the seat of the Apostle of Christ Neyther was it Antichrist but Iesus Christ who made his Apostles togeather to die there and to haue a perpetuall succession of Byshops in that city without any infidelity or proffessed heresie coming betwixt the lawfull successors to this present day Neyther vvas it Antichrist but Christ who gaue the crowne of martyr-dome to thirty two Popes of Rome Moreouer did Christ prepare the way for Antichrist by the chief of his Apostles The Heretyks accuse Christ to be the setter vp of Antichrist Could God make no man foreruner of that cursed-man but the sone of God and the redeamer of the world O blasphemous tongues o wycked thoughts vnto this day how many generall counselles haue ben how many faithfull Princes and Kings what nations people vnto this tyme haueth honored Rome and the Pastor sitting in it as honor done to Christ in his Vicare The Heretiks sayes all nations haue committed spirituall whordome in honoring S. Peters see in Rome and now really is called and belieued to be Antichrist Haue all good Christians Kings and People committed fornication with Antichrist Had Christ no man els vpon whome he might haue permitted Antichrist to be builded then vpon his chief Apostle vpon whome he hath builded his Church Hath he promised that the gates of Hell shall not preuail against this foundatioÌ„ coÌ„trary wise Hell gates hath so preuailed that Antichrist himselse doth sit in the seat The Heretiks would say that Hell gaites haue preuealed against his Church and foundation of the Apostle Did Christ so much labour to preferre S. Peter that in the end Antichrist might haue a more honorable seat prepared for him by the labores of the Apostle for his abominable inter pryses are they worthy to be called Christians who fear not to say and teach such blasphemous doctrine and detestable speaches What ignorance In vaine is christs promis to S. Peter and vnlearned iudgment are these men of what hath bewitched and inchanted their spirits How giddy and lunatick are their heade that they should nominat the successor of the blessed Apostle Peter Antichrist who is a peculiar certayn man according to the iudgment of all writters as witnesse Hereticks haue a bewicthed and an inchanted spirit Isai n. dan. 8.9 n. Mat. 24. Ioh. 5. 2. epist cap. 2.2 Thes 2. Apoc. 13. Who is farr opposit to the Pope of Rome for the Popes are not any certayn man but their succession is the continuance of a certaine office The Popes are not oncertayn man but a coÌ„tinuall succession in which many men haue succeeded on after an-other therefore the Popes are not neyther can be called Antichrist For as the name of Christ was giuen in old tymes to many Prophets Priests The name of Christ was comon to many in the old law and yet one Christ came so is the name of Antichrist comon to many and yet one must come and Kings who were anoynted as a figure of the truth vvhich was to be fullfylled did not hinder and lett but that there should come a certaine singular persone vvho should be the Sauiour of man-kynd in that name In lyke manner euen so the name of Antichrist being giuen to many wicked aduersaries of Christ and namely to all Heretickes doth not hinder but rather helpeth to proue that some one singular man shal come at length vvho shall surpasse all other men in setting himself against Christ and this Christ verifyeth saying to the Iewes Ioh. 5. I haue come in the name of my Father and ye receaue me not if auother come in his owne name him ye will receaue The which words the Doctors of the Church confesse to be spoken prophetically of Antichrist and makes the comparison betwixt them saying as Christ was a certayn man so shall Antichrist be a certaine man the difference is that Christ is from God The differeÌ„ce betwen Christ and Antichrist and Antichrist from the Diuell Christ doth saue and the other distroyeth Christ doth vnite his people with concorde and peace the other doth deuyde and scatter Yet in this they agree that each of them is a singular man and as Christ is the man of righteousnes so is Sathan the man of synne 1. Thess 2. VVho shal be made knowne to all men that he shal be wholly addicted to synne And therfore seing that Antichrist shal be a singular man Antichrist is not a Diuel or spirit but a reall man in whom the Diuel shall corporally inhabit and not many men neyther the Popes kingdome whom S. Hier. in cap. 7. dan. n. Let vs think him to be sayth he not the Diuell or a spirit but a man of the propagation of man-kynd in whom the Diuell shall corporally dwell Lykewyse S. Ambros in epist. 2. Thess cap. 2. sayes that as the sone of God tooke fleesh so Sathan shall appeare in man And S. Aug. de ciuitate dei lib. 20. cap. 19. Confessing many Antichrists with S. Iohn called one of them the very head and the last Antichrist for the wordes of the Apostle 2. Thess 2. Prince and last agree to one only persone and not to a whole succession of men in one state of lyfe To this S. Chry. in 2. Thess 2. That Antichrist shal be a certayn man hauing in him the power of the Diuell In lyke maÌ„ner Theod. in 2. Thess cap. 2 That as the Sonne of God tooke flesh to procure our saâ—uation So shall the Diuell choose him a man by whome he may worke mischeif and all iniquity to these subsâ—rybs S. Greg. in 106. lib 14 cap. 11. That in the last dayes the Diuell shall enter in that vessel of perdition which thalbe called Antichrist All these famous witnesses declare sufficiently that it is not the order and estate of the Byshops of Rome that are Antichrist Antichrist is not the order of Byshops or an estate but a man possessed of the Diuell but a certayn man shal be properly Antichrist who shal sett himself against Christ more singularly then euer any Heretyck as yet hath done hitherto For he shal withstaÌ„d Christ so much that none is able to withstand him more for he shal not withstand a peice of the faith but the whole faith and shall deny Christ to be God and man or to be mediator And as Hier. quaest 11. ad Algas sayes He shall exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God that he may tread vnder foote the Gods of all nations and all true He shall abolish all true Religion He shall persuade
beateth the windes but runnes to obtaine and fightes to vinne the reward And lykewise that we late not goe the steadfast hold of our hope but holding it sure and cleauing fast to the Rock of our faith against which the gates of Hell cannot preuaile neyther infidelity to haue accesse Cyp. Epist 55. ad comm PP If therefore we see by the verdict of the Apostle that Heresies must be which in effect brust out in the dayes of the Apostles as bade weeades springs vp amongst the cornes in the good husbandrie of our Lord and as cockle owersowede of the enemy in the good feild of God For in the dayes of the Apostles there waÌ„ted not most wicked Heretickes as Simon Magus Her nogines Philectus Hymenaeus Alexander Nicolaus who are mentioned in the Scripture to haue wauered and been inconstant in the faith and after the knowledge of righteousnes to haue turned back from the verity and to haue maintayned erroneous opinions and teached false doctrine for lucre cause VVith those also brust out others as the Ebionists Cerinthus MarcioÌ„ against whom S. Paul S. Peter S. Iohn and S. Iude hath writen discouring theÌ„ their doctrin vvth there manners the which wicked persones were so druÌ„ned in the sees of Heresies and delighted themselues in their poysonable opinions of errors yealous and fyrie to mantaine the same with their blood So that to this preseÌ„t day there hath been no age free of Heresie neyther was the world so perfect in Faith and Religion in the dayes of the Apostles more then now neyther is the world so perfect yet as not to haue many simple people in it neyther is the simple people so happy as to keepe themselues securly humble and in the obedience of the doctrine of the Church neyther is the obedient fully secure not to be deceaued of subtill and crafty men neyther is the subtill crafty Heretick so carefull of his credit honesty to moderat his peruerse opinioÌ„ and malice to spare and forbeare to maintain opeÌ„ falshoods old dampned opinions to intangle and snare the ignorantes and simple people VVherfore the Apostle prognosticates Heresies to be that meÌ„ ben forewarnde and fortold that as Heresies must be with it subtility and malice that wheÌ„ men beholde the one to be circumspect not to be deceaued and trapped in the other against whom Christ our Saluiour exhortes vs totake head of false Prophets who are clothed in sheape skinnes and are inwardly reaweing wolues Matth. 7. And S. Iohn biddes not belieue euery spirit but try them and decerne them whether they be of God or no But who is this prudent and wyse that can not be deceaued and who hath that gift to decerne spirits seing Heresie it selfe is of the Scripture and deceit and malice is of the diuell that old serpent for made not Sathan this potion out of Scripture when he said Gen. 3. Eritis sicut dij his deceat and malice is discouered in calling him an Serpent as it is writen erat serpeÌ„s calidior cunctis animantibê° terrae gen 3. Therefore how shall men of good iudgement know theÌ„ farelesse how shall the ignorant and lai-persones try truth from falshood sounde doctrine from error heresie froÌ„ true Religion seing it is coÌ„mon in this age and taught euery man to read the Scriptures and by them to decerne spirites truth and falshood heresie and true Religion I wish froÌ„ my hart if it please God that as holy Scripture is the true tryall therof that it were as euident and plaine to all men to seike the tryall therin which the whole learned holy men froÌ„ the Apostles tymes hath iudged the contrary that the Scripture is a book of difficulties as S Aust saith lib. 2. de doct Christi cap. 6. Many things are darke and obscure in the Scriptures and it hath been so prouyded of God to the inteÌ„t that our pryd may be taymed with traueill and our knowledge not cloyed with facility which quickly contemneth what hath been easily learned In this same mynd is S Hier. in Ezech. cap. 45. saying All prophesie and interpretation of the Scriptute containes the truth in darknes and obscurity to the intent that the scollers learned within may vuderstaÌ„d but the rude people without may not know what is said least we should cast precious perles before hoges if the treasure of Gods secrets should be opened to euery maÌ„ To amplifie at more lenght the difficultie therof Epiph. in Anchoratu saies The Scripture telleth all truth but we haue need of a good vnderstanding and perseuerance to know God and his word Lykewyse Orig lib. 7. in leuit There is in the Gospel saith he the letter that killeth and this destroying letre is not only in the old buc also in the new TestameÌ„t to him that vnderstandes it not spiritually what is said VVhich difficultie Tert. in praesc affirmes saying I am not a feared to say that the Scriptures themselues haue been so disposed by the will of God that they might minister matter vnto Heretickes And therfore seing the Apostle prognosticates that Heresie must be which could not be without the Scripture which is an ample field for all sectes the greater should be our prudence and wisdome to beweere of their deceat and subtilities lest they bring to passe which S. Paul feared saying that as the Serpent deceaued Eua through his subtility euen so your senses may be corrupted and to fall away from the simplicity vvhich is in Christ Iesu For such false Apostles are decetfull workers transfigurating themselues in the Apostles of Christ Neyther is it marueil that they so appeare for their master Sathan can transfigure himselfe in an Angell of light therfore it is not a great matter if his ministers can transfigurat theÌ„selues in the apparance of ministers of righteousnes vvhose end shal be according to their vvorks Secondly to deceat and craft is neuer anexed malice enuy ialousie caluÌ„nies vvhich must proceed from Heresie as Christ himself defines saying ex fructibê° eoruÌ„ cognoscetis eos mat 7. vvhich fruicts are so manifest and euident that they cannot be obscured and denyed is their slanderous reportes inuections lyes skooffs and blasphemies against God and his Church vnknown to the vvorld no in vvhich doing they haue follovved and imitated the Manicheis as vvitnes S Aug. lib. de vtilit cred c. 1. vvho exceeded all other Hereticks before them that vvith open mouth selaÌ„dered the Church of Christ and charging her vvith sensles prodigious dostrines and errours outfaceing their blasphemies vvith bitter inuections and calumnies to affray the ignorant people froÌ„ the bosome of the Catholik Church and by setting them selues in the stoll as fearfull bogelles to affray children that they might not knovv the verity through ther deceat and malice neyther vvhether the Church is but their synagogue manasseing and treatning to ioyne all to there coÌ„uentickle lyke foullars vvho hauing layd the lyme vvands by the spring
one new doctrin and of these som were called Marcionists Basilidanes other Saturnists others agane of late Lutheranes Thair names and profession is after the name of men and so faile to be called Catholik Caluinists Protestants Puritanes and therfor in this they faile to be called Christianes as sayes Athan. in apol secund Lact. firm lib. 4. c. 30. de vera sapientia Therfor heretikes and ther Reformed faith is not lerned of the Apostles fathers and predecessors of the Church but partly borrowed of som other heresie or partlie by phantasticall and new inuention and so no faith but inuention neither Apostolicall but Pharisaicall The reformed faith â—is lyk a painted man nether Catholik but particular which is no more faith in effect than a painted man is a man For this cause S. Hieron Epist. ad Pamach reproches taxes the heretiks saying Wheir for after fourhundrith years past labor ye to teach which befor we haue not knowne for vnto this present day The world wes Catholik Christian befor thair faith was knowne without your doctrin the world was Christian And Tertull. de praes haeretic repelles their vaine boast concerning any Catholik tytle saying who ar ye from whence and when cam ye where haue ye lurked so longe And S. August no lesse scornes them saying to the Donat. S. Aug. admiration from whence they ar come From whence haue ye apeared of what soile haue ye sprunge out ouer what sea haue ye comed or what heauen haue ye faln from And lykwise Opt. Melet. lib. 2. contr Parm. Sayes in dirision to the heretiks Opt. Mel. derides them asking the originall of thair church Show the original of your Church who would chalenge to you the holy Catholick-Church And as Valer. Max. lib. 6. in principio sayes for conclusion that as the name of God is a most certaine pledge of humane saluation As the name of God is a sauegard to saluation so is the Catholike name a sauegard to al beleueres and a sauegard for man so is this name Catholike a sauegard to al Christian belieuers and theirfor we haue great reason to adheere and ioyne our selfe to the Catholik-Church and not to your reformed which hath no affinitie nor any thing of a Catholik Church or name in it Morouer these and diuerse reasones persuade me Reasone persuades man to beleue the RomaÌ„-Church to be Catholik the only Roman Catholik faith to be accepted as true Apostolicall doctrin but yours and others suchlyk vnder pretext colour of reformation to be repudiat as very fleeting dregges of heresie Which shall not be difficill to proue For the Apostle sayes Ephes 4. that there is one comen and sauing faith in expressing these wordes there is one God one faith one Baptisme This Church is praised of the Apostles own mouch And first for that is the trew and Apostolicall faith which the Apostel praising God and writting the Romans cap. 1. doth say your faith is published through the whol world But our faith which is hated and dispraised by name of Papistry and proprie is that same Roman faith This Catholik church is hated of all heretikes and calumniated Seing no man as yet by any sure reason could shew the Roman Church from that tyme to discrepat or disagree in any substantiall point or that eyther Bishope counsell or any Catholick person do dissent from the Roman Church in essentialles or yet the pastors of our Church Amongst the pastors of the RomaÌ„ Church ther is no variaÌ„ce in essentialles at any tyme to varie from them in substantiall things yea in the smal-lest artickles what soeuer but all to accord and agree with the Catholik faith and to fauour no opinion of heresie Therefor our Papisticall and Roman faith hath obteined the title of the Catholick and Apostolicall name That richtly others sectes discouered this is only to be adiudged and belieued of all men for trew Catholick and Apostolicall and yours for heresie Trew faith most be receaued and belieued of hearing and not by reading of books or reuelations The second reason is the trew faith which who ordinarly declares or teaches to any other it must be first by the ear receaued of the Church of God by the preaching of Christ as the apostell affirmes Rom. 10. faith is by hearing and hearing is by the word of Christ as he would say trew faith is conceaued not immediatly by reuelation or reading of the Scriptures but by those things which are hard of the preacher and mediatly by external doctrin and the doctrin trewly that is harde or to be harde consistes in the word of God preached by the Church But the reformed faith teached by Luther and Caluin and their faith is not by hearing and externall doctrin which they euer receaued in the Church from any pastor doctor bishope or any other hauing authoritie of mission The ProtestaÌ„ts preiching is nether by the word of God nether of the church or euer had commission of any man to preach that reformed faith Therefor their reformed faith is no trew faith The minor is euident becaus they can not produce any doctor nor pastor if they can do it from whome they haue receaued their doctrin For the assertiones written by Luther him self declare the contrary Who in his book of Seruill libertie Luthers glorie him to dissent from all the fathers of the Church obiectes against Erasmus Rotterd in the cause of frewill publiquely to vant boast him to depart and dissent from the doctrin of all the former pastores of the Church and declared by the mouth of the Church and to oppose him self coÌ„traire to Dion Areop Iren. Clem. Cypr. Arnob. August c. Whos 's doctrin in the course of frewill deliuered of the elders to be trew Catholik doctrin and authorised of the mouth of the Church We sayes Luther beliue Luther adiudged all the fathers blind ignoraÌ„t in the Scriptures and preach that the fathers all these many ages past plainly haue ben blind and most vnexpert ignorant and vnlerned in the holly Scriptures And therefor for conclusion of this minor theyr preaching and doctrin is not of the Church nor of any pastor of the Church and consequentlie no faith nether word of God Trew faith should beginne at IerusaieÌ„ The thrid reason is the preaching of the trew faith ought to beginne at Ierusalem and after to go abrod through all the partes of the world as it is writen in S. Luc. 24. it behoued that penance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name to all nations beginning at Ierusalem but the preaching of Luther and Caluins reformed faith hath not begonne at Ierusalem The reformed faith begane in Germany in Geneue in particulare cornes nether is it spred abrod through the world and therefor it is no trew faith The minor is euident for Luther begane in Wittemberg in Saxonie and Caluin in
consequentlie froÌ„ god him self for as S. August sayes he shall not haue god for his father that will not haue the church for his mother OBIECTION OVr faith is pure reformed and is Catholik forasmuch as it is free of the errors and superstitions of the papistis and therefor this our reformation is to be preferred and is more Catholik then the papistes faith is ANSVER TOo late hast thou spruÌ„g vp vaine boaster that with these vaine wordes and suchlyk illusiones thow labores to seduce and blind so many learned men in the church of God or perchance thou thinkest them to be children lying in craddles that in singing of such triflinge songs thow canst mak them slumber or rather stumble The protestants reformation admittes no power spirituall or temporall What puritie â—s in yowr faith how reformed and how long catholike that more iustlie it may be called deformed and the in bringer of all deformatioÌ„ and distruction of all ecclesiasticall powere the which reformation admits no policie and no ecclesiasticall forme but damnes the rites of all former ages Derides the cannones of the Church They deride the canons of the Church and Scoffes at the fathers mockes and scoffes the holy fathers howsoeuer they weer neere the tyme of the Apostles for euidence doth not Cal. lib. 3. instit cap. 4. § 38. condemne all the ancieÌ„t fathers whose bookes ar extant in speaking of satisfaction and that in his fourth booke of instit cap. 12. § 20. sayes he Caluin condeÌ„nes the ancieÌ„t fatheres and presseth them to haue sown superstition in the Church In all he will not excuse the ancient fathers but that they haue sowed the seede of superstition and haue giuen occasion to Tyrannie which therafter a rose in the church and than furth with beganne the superstitious obseruance of Lent thus he and thus is the beginning of the reformation and the puritie of the gospell to bolster heresie for treuth and veritie It may be called a renouation of old damned heresies harken good frends and I shall declare the assumtion and the effect of this reformatioÌ„ first the trew church of God visible in all the countries of the world in this reformed churches opinioÌ„ to haue perished and to remaine and a byde in som certaine places of the world obscure and hidde of this mynd was the Donatists as witnes Opt. meleu lib. 2. cont parm and S. Ang. lib. de Vnit. Eccl. cap. 12. this same doctrin of reformed faith The Church to haue perished was the old heretikes opinion with the reformers hath Caluin teached that the church of Christ hath perished and remaines inuisible aganst the plain tenor of the Scriptur Cal. lib. 4. cap. 2. § 2. Secondlie the Arrianes taught the sonne not to be aequall to the father in deitie as witnes Epiph. heresie 69. The sone is not equall with the father And the same groundes hath Caluin for his reformation lib. 2. inst c. 14. § 3. God is the author of sinne Thirdlie Florinus held opinion God to be the author of sinnes as Euseb lib. 5. c. 20. And the same opinion is stoutly defended of Caluin lib. 1. iust cap 18 § 4 5. lib. 1. cap. 15. § 16. Man is instified by onlie faith Fourtly man to be iustifyed and saued by only faith and not by workes was the opinion of Simon Magus and Eunomius as S. Aug. haer 54. Iren. lib. 1 cap. 20. The same doctrin teaches Luth. in Serm. de piscat Petri We should come only with Ysaac sayes he that is with faith and the seruantes and asses that is workes it behoweth to leave them below and a syde And in an other Sermon in that subiect Sic Deus dilexit munduÌ„ if thow com sayes he with Sackes full of good workes it behoveth thee to lay theÌ„ down otherwayes thow canst not enter into heauen And Caluin ther mak his bragg in his thrid book of inst cap 11. § 14. Now plainly the reader doth behold sayes he with what oequitie the Sophisticall papistes do cauill and iudge our religion when we say Aman is iustified by only faith Man hath no freewill Fyftlie Manicheus condemned and denyed frewill as S. Aug. haeres 49. The same hath Luther renewed as in his book of Servill will cont Eras and suchlyk Cal. lib. 2. cap. 2. § 4. This name of frewill hath euer beene extant with the Latines but with the Grekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word much more arrogant Mariadge and Virginitie is alyk in merit Sixtlie Iouinian made Mariage alyke in dignitie and merit to Virginitie and plainly to haue taught fasting and abstinence to be of no merit as S. Hier. obserues lib. 1. 2. cont Iouian These same subiectes teaches Luther and Caluin Luther in his epithalamio and Cal. lib. 4. c. 12. § 19. cap. 13. § 3. what if I should repeat the erroneous opinions of the Albigenses Waldens Wiclif Hussites Abailardes Baerâ—â— garians Almarik and suchlyk abominable sectes condemned long since of the Church and of all generall counsells accursed and yet not withstanding these are the patrones The old heretikes ar the patrones of the newe heretikes and Rabbies of the reformed who weer renewers of Heresie inuentors of noualties whose begininge and progresse is knowen to be wrapped in errore and superstitioÌ„ while they think to be free ar snared in blindnese of vnderstanding and in hardnes of hart They ar blind through the hardnes of ther hart and indured goeth headlonge to perditioÌ„ as reprobated of God through the hardnes of their own hart and therfore if any maÌ„ censure and iudge with equitie the reformed they haue no faith no religion no name but the name of particular men as Caluinists and Lutherans and of suchlyk monsters already condemned And therfore for conclusion let the catholik RomaÌ„ faith liue and reigne to whose campe I admon she all aduersaries not to approch for treuely it is plesant and delectable to be a protestant but more Secure to die a Catholik therfore let euery good Christian eschewe and flee from the Lutherans and Galuinistes who ar particular sectes seing each Gentell reader flee the heretikes for they promise much and porforme but little one of them promisseth with Faustus Manicheus to giue a new illumination and a new reformation euery on of them endeuoreth to draw the into his sect but take heed and be warned and cry with S. Hieron epist ad Damas Meletius Vitalis and Paulinus also Luther Caluin and Rotman and all other sectaries doe say that they haue the trew and Christian faith so said the heretikes of old so sayes the moderne perchance aman might beleue if one said it but two and three do say and they all do lie what hunting mak they to mak a proselite and a child of hell o tymes o maneres o monsters what absurdities followeth this new reformation as is rehersed that Christian men are
how the reformed belieue this article of the creed to wit the remission of synnes Cal. doctrine can not agree accord with this article Good workes are synne seing that they say that all our workes ar mixed and defyled with synne and what soeuer good workes shal be done of the most holyest man by the vncleannes and the impuritie of the fleshe are polluted corrupt and putrifyed Man is not fre neither of originall nor actuall synne by any Sacrament Only faith by imputatiue iustice maketh man fre Lyckwise he teaches that we are not free of originall synne neither are we absolued or remitted from any other synnes howsoeuer confessed and satisfyed but only couered by the imputatiue righteousnes of Christ neither are these synnes imputed to the fault nor to the punishment as Rabbi-Caluin teaches lib. 3 inst cap. 14. § 9.10 11. lib. 4. inst cap. 15. § the which doctrine doth subuert and ouerthrow the very article of our creede to wit the remission of synnes Cal. reiectes the iudgment of S. Aug concerning synne in the regenerat He teaches that in the sainctes synne reignes All the regenerat ar in aid cleaue by imputatiue iustice which stoutlie he defendes by reiecting and casting of the opinion and iudgment of S. Austen de concupiscentia in renatis We teach sayes he in the holy Sainctes euer to be synne vntill they be freed and vnclothed of this mortall body lib. 3. inst cap. 3. § 10. and proceeding more deeplie to iustify his doctrine of only faith moues this doubte and solues it him self But how is it sayes he that God doth purge his Church of all synne and that he promiseth to hir the graces of fredome and puritie by baptisme and doth fulfill it in his elect It is referred and fulfilled in communicating his imputauiue iustice and this God performes and exhibites in regenerating his own that in them the kingdome of synne may be distroyed abolished by subministratinge to them vertue of the holy Spirit by which they are superior and victors in the fight lib. 3. instit cap. 3. § 11. Synne to reigne and not imputed for a faust is false doctrin And a litle after those reliques of synne which be in his sainctes we cōfesse them not to be imputed as if they were not of the which doctrine it followes synne absolutlie not to be remitted for it implicates a contradiction synne to reigne and not to be imputed for a fault for Caluin affirmes Cal. sayes synne reignes not but dwelles Synne failes to reigne in the sainctes but not to dwell as an other contradiction Contrariwise catholikes exhort all men firmely to belieue assured lie confide that there is remission of synnes in the holy Church and this remission is to vs and to yow and to Iudas the triator and to euery mortall synner and to those that now are and to those that shal be hereafter and to those that are in purgatorie for Christ hath promerited to all abundantlie who hanging in the crosse is made a propitiation for our synnes and not for ours only The Catholikes firmly belieue remissiō of synnes but for the synnes of the whole world But that we Catholikes belieue all men to haue receaued and obteined remission of their synnes de facto sola fide credendo not onely we Catholikes deny and gainstand but also the Scriptur for treuly Christ hath tasted the death for all But that all men haue remission of synnes de sacto is against the Scriptur and Christs death We belieue the remission of synnes by the power of the Church but all do not apply to them the fruite of his most pretious death for in deed he is made the cause of saluation to all but yet the Scriptur sayes Heb. 5. v. 9. He was made the author of eternall saluation vnto all them that obey him Therefore wee belieue most firmly the remission of synnes but not to be remitted in particular by onely faith but that power is giuen to the Church to remitt synne and to reteine synne Howbeit we admitt the heauenly promisses of the remission of synnes iustification and eternall lyfe Remission of synnes is not made to any in particulat The promises of God are to all a lyke are made with condition and such lyke which generally is denounced to perpeteyne to euery man to wit so farr as lyeth in God who without acception of persones promisseth and giueth to all men abundantly but with that condition that he do worthy pennance for his synnes and to keepe the commandementes of God as Ezech. cap. 18. v. 21. If the vngodly man shall do pennance for his synnes which he hath wrought and shall keep my preceptes and do iudgment and righteousnes he shall liue the lyfe and shall not die and lykwise Matth. cap. 10. v. 22. Yow shal be hated of all men for my name saks but who shall perseuer vnto the end shal be saued No mā is certaine of perseuerance in vertue But because a man is vncertaine of his owne righteousnes and perseuerance in virtue and lykwise vncertaine of his saluation therefore it is said in the holy Scripture Apocalyps 3. v. 11. Hold fast what thow hast that no man tak thy crown for there hath falne Saul Salomon Iscariotes Many haue falne those they stoode as of the Caluin som are made Turkes Paulus Alciatus Sartor Blandrata Socimus Lysmannus Luther Calu. and many more of the protestantes companious abiuringe their faith are falne to Turcisme Mahematisme and Atheisme as witnesseth Beza in the history of Valentine Gentill and Caluino-Turcismus lib 1. cap. 2. Wherevpon we may gather that the great maxime of the Caluinistes Theologie is falne and is conuniced of falsehood affirming that only faith once gotten neuer doth faile or decayes as stoutly Cudsemius in his Hyperaspisce declares but when we see their owne turned from their owne faith to infidelitie what iudgment is against them and what condemnation fall they into no lesse treuly than in the same iudgment and damnation of the heresiarches who by the doctrin of this only faith minister subiectes to Paganisme and Atheisme OBIECTION I. THerefor what Dost thow commande and bids vs dispaire ANSVVER GOd forbid for as we deny that any can firmly belieue certainlye persuade him self of the remission of his synnes euen so no lese we affirme cōstantlie that euery Christian man is bound to belieue and with faith to do what is in him to expect the effect of faith What Christiās ar bound to hope with firme and sure hope in this lyf of true remission of synnes by the Sacrament of baptisme and pennance and in the world to come to eternall lyf which hope except we haue it firme and constant in vaine we ar called Christians OBIECTION II. THow speakes a paradox and a contrary thing for firmly to belieue and assuredly to persuade thow denyes and yet thow commaundes and biddes euery one to be
their faith and be separated froÌ„ the Church as Ethnikes and Infidels dâ—facto neuerthelesse in name and externall showe they are within as holy Scripture makes mention as Matth. 13 in the feyld of corne was togeather tares and wheat in the net good fysh and bad in an hous foolish and wyse virgines Euen so such persones hauing faith without workes not obscurly but plainly doe pertayn to the Church howbeit they are damned therefore it happeth to faith without charity eyther to be formall or informall but the effect and Vertue depends in his will in whome charity is and for this cause The effect of faith depends in his will in whome is charity the Heretickes forceing falsy the contrary are deceaued for whilst they presuppose and iudge with themselues that trew faith cheifly is placed in only persuation by which a man may persuade certainly assure himself because of the imputatiue righteousnes of Christ de facto that his sinnes be remitted to him and that graces and charity concomitanter are infused into his soule with his assured persuasion of only faith The hereticks folish persuasion concerning faith that this persuasion in their iudgmeÌ„t is a most trew thing neyther think they euer at any tyme that this can be separated from grace charity which is false and absurde as we haue before proued for they lay great weight vpon a weake foundatioÌ„ and build castelles vpon a sandy-mount for it is not only fayth that iustifyes a man nether is it euer annexed conioyned with charity grace but is separated OBIECTIO FAith consists in the knowledge of Christ but Christ cannot be knowne but by sanctification of his spirit Therfore faith can no way be separated froÌ„ charity For the Apostle sayth Rom 10 v. 10. VVith the hart man belieueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation ANSVVER THE Apostle vnderstandes not in these words sanctification of the spirit including charity but he sayth the hart belieueth to ryghteousnes in which wordes he plainly signifyeth that faith is way and mean to gett and obtaine righteousnes but this faith doth not euer include necessarily the actuall stat of righteousnes and charity and therefore the knowledg of Christ may be in man without charity and so it is separated Other expounde this place of the good affection of will requisit in man to belieue and not annexed absolutly to the action of loue and charity OBIECTIO FAict without workes is dead as the Apostle sayes Iac. 2. Therfore as a dead man is not a trewe man so neyther is fayth in sinneres a true faith without workes and charity ergo faith and charity cannot be separated ANSVVER THE Apostle to the contrary assimilated and compared faith not to a dead man but he assimilated and compared such to a dead body as v. 26. for as the body sayth he without the spirâ—t is dead concerning the vitall operatioÌ„s whereby it failes not to be a trew body euen so without workes faith is dead concerning the vtility meryt and saluation albeyt it failes not to be trew faith for the Apostel affirmeth the Diuels to belieue albeyt not to saluation how much more a sinner may belieue and haue true faith and yet not to his saluation Because it is without workes which are the operations of the vytall spirit and so faith is separated from charity and compared to a dead man without the spirit when he wanted the operatioÌ„ of the vitall spirit and yet cannot be called otherwyse then a body Ergo and so is fayth OBIECTION THE Fathers in whose doctrine thow Papist so oft dost boast teach faith without workes not to be true faith as S. Cyp de simplic pral Beda in cap. 2. Iac. c. Ergo â—rew faith is neuer without workes ANSVVER THE Fathers deny such to be true faith that is not liuely and perfyt and to be such as it ought to be as laughter is not full ioy yet it is accounted for ioy and gladnes So S Hier. cap. 5. ad Gal. When charity is farr of and suchlyke fayth is remote and absent we say it is not perfect charity and true faith not that it is farr of and absent as concerning his essence but concerning his perfection operation and lyfe And hereupon the Fathers teache the verity and the Heretikes lye and teache false doctrine QVAESTIO V. Of the necessity of myracles WHerefore require the Papists myracles of vs for confirmation of our reformed faith seyng long since it was maruelously confirmed of the Apostels Martyres Confessores So that there is no neede of newe myracles Caluin praef instit ad Franc. gal reg ANSVVER Luther atteÌ„ptâ— to rayse the dead He also attemptes to cast out diuels If their doctrine be trew from the Apostles how flee they to extraordinary things Caluin makes for a myracle of a liuing maÌ„ a dead He would haue wrought a myracle for confirming his doctrine of predestination I Aske wherefore Luther that great Prophete Elias and a cheif Apostle yea the Angel of God so called of his successores for confirmation of his Euangel made his recourse to myracles whilst he assayed and attempted to rayse from death one William Nesone drowned in the ryuer of Albus as Staph. in respons vlt. beareth witnes Also he attempted to work a myracle in the casting out of a Deuill out of the possessed but in vayne Wherfore I say went Luther to vse an extraordinary meane if his doctrine be the doctrine of the auncient tymes that myracles are not now necessary Lykewyse to the same effect wherfore attempted Caluin to work a myracle to rayse a dead man who by caluines policy dissembled himself dead for the confirmation of his doctrine of predestinatioÌ„ and the preordination of God concerning the fall of man as Bols in vita Calu. lib. 13. Againe I ask if Caluin was scrupulous to sowe the doctrine of the Catholyk faith yet wherfore induces he a new faith and if he hath purged the error of the Paptsts Church wherfore runnes he to working of a false myracle wonderfull to the world Lykwyse a certayn ringleader of the Anabaptists attempted to worke a myracle in the kingdome of Polonia who inuyted all his fellow compagnions to be present at his baptisme promysing to them that they should see the holy Ghost come downe from the heauen to confirme his baptisme An Anabaptist in Polonia attempted to cause the holy Ghost appeare to proue his doctrine from heauen to be from heauen the day is prefixed the place is appointed the rumor spred abroade all are desyrous to see this myracle and first of all this Arch-heretick entreth into the water but in place of the holy-Ghost and of the spirit of truth anone the Diuell appared with a horrible and fearfull countenance offering himself to them all The Anabaptist is beaten of the diuell and taking the Heretick by the hair of his head lifteth and caryeth him in the ayre letting
Church and approued by authority for trew doctrine according to the iudgment of men and of them who haue authority to iudge in matters of Fayth Otherwayes their mission and doctrine cannot be receaued nor belieued who without this ordinary authoritie by thēselues approue doctrine to be sufficient or insufficient and must be moued thēselues by some other preacher and his authority to belieue and therfore if there want myracles I know not how they shall approue their doctrine discusse ambiguities resolue doubtes neuer I say by their owne reasoning and vnderstanding of their priuie spirit but their doctrine shall euer be held suspect No doctrine can be known trew without myracles zuing affi mes the same And for the verity of this assertion Zuing. Tom. 2. eccl sayes how many haue vsurped the function to Preach and teach or to worke myracles were called of God cōfirmed by eléctiō of the pastores of the Church Thus he I hope Zuingl hath sayd as much as I would say that ordinary vocation is necessaey that therby God workes often tymes myracles for the maitayning of the same and therefore both lawfull mission and myracles are of God The heretycks make themselues Pastors without ordination to their shame and ignominie who sitting in the Chayre of pestilence contemne and blaspheme all lawful succession and ecclesiasticall ordination calling themselues and presuming to gouerne vvithout lawfull ordination and taking the name of Byshop on them and no man gyuing it to them as sayth S. Cyp. de Simpl. prael They succeed to none but beginne at themselues Hereticks are prophane persones Calu. flyeth to extraordinary vocation and are prophane and enemies to our Lords peace and his diuyne vnity But Caluin teaches in his book de vera eccl reform That God rayseth vp pastores extraordinarily by the inspiration of his owne spirit who should restore his decaying and ruinous Church as long since he did in the Synagogue of the Prophets And so in our tyme by the ordinary vocation of man he hath raysed Prophets and Pastors for the building of his Church as Luther Zuingl c. Whose commendations of their owne Bretheren of the Gospel is wonderfull and first The commendation of the extraordinary Pastores Towit luth and zuingl Bez. to Sanctezij calles Luther the wonderfull instrument of God most heauenly inspyred and an admirable seruant of God in whom who acknowledgeth not the spirit of God knowes nothing Iewell calls him the most excellent man of God sent of him to lyghten the world Apoc. part 4. cap. 4. § 2. Mathesius calles him the Supreme Father of the Church con 8. de lut pag. 88. Amdorff sayes that there was none lyke in the world in spirit and faith vvisdome and profunde knowledge of the Scriptures Amdorff praef tom 1. Luther Albertus calls him a trew Paul and Elyas and a man sufficient to appease and diuerte the vvrath of God from men to whō Augustin myght think no shame to be his Scholler lib. cont Carollost lib. 7. Some other call him the Angell of God Austen might haue bene Luther Scholler flying throw the myddest of heauen hauing the eternall Ghospel in his hand Illiricus in apoc cap. 14. Schussinburge sayth that Elyas and Iohn Baptist vvere but figures of Luther Elias Iohn baptist were figures of Luther Luther vituperation and disprayse of his owne professors Theol. cal lib. 2. fol. 124. in the end this extraordinary Prophet is descrybed of his owne for Schulss lib. 2. art 12. de Theol. cal calles him proude furious intolerable full of errour impudent a forger and a deprauer of Gods word deceyptfull a seducer a false Prophet lunatyck presumptuous a crucifyer and a murtherer of Christ Lykewyse Zuing. calles him a drunken dreamer and a head full of lyes Moreouer Caluin vvould be numbred amongst these Prophets Caluin would be accounted a Prophet and extraordinaryly called as is obserued in diuerse of his sermons saying I am a Prophet I haue the spirit of God am sent of God I cannot erre if I erre it is God that deceaues me and puts me in errour for the synnes of the people His myracles and lyf his Propheticall extraordinary vocatiō is rehersed of Schlussinburge one of their owne professiō His myracles and vocatiō is commēded of the professors of the Gospel lib. 2. art 12. fol. 72. de Theol. Calu. who sayes that God would not be mocked by men hath shewed his iudgment in the world against Caluin visyting him in the scourge of his fury punishing him before the day of his death for he strok this sacramētal heretyck in such sorte that he dyed desperate swearing and inuocating the diuells to whom he randered his spirit vvhich isued out of his priuy members and out of his vlcerous soores and lay so stincking that the people was notable to endure the stinck and thus miserably ended his lyf Besides this he vvas infamous by sodomy Calu. dieth desperat cursing God and inuocating the diuels his bad lyfe The Catholyckes haue registred the myracles of the Sainctes for a memory all as S. Luc did the actes of the Apostles cruell bloody tyrannous deceytfull treacherous a babler a contemner a sophist an epicure and a tosser of the Scriptures as Quid in his metamorphosis thus he So that this way they haue made their extraordinary vocation conformable to their extraordinary myracles but for the Catholyck part all the holy Fathers haue accounted of myracles and haue written the admirable lyues of the Sanctes and haue them in regyster from Christ tyme imitating S. Luc admirable and miraculous relation of the actes of the Apostles and Dauid praysing God in his Sainctes as also to follow their deuotion and holynes of because the Prophet sayes Ps 14. He that glorisyeth them that fearour Lord shall dwell in his tabernacle and rest in his holy hill For their myracles done on earth haue made them glorious in heauen for Caluin confesseth In heb 2.4 2. cor v. 12. That myracles are seales of doctrine Calu. is contrary to himselfe for now he sayes that myracles are seales of trew doctrine The Heretyks wāt myracles Myracles The ouerthrow of Idolatrie Myracls were the cause of the conuersiō of Scotland and do establish faith and Scripture Wherupon all the Sectaries haue great cause to distrust their faith as a nouelty vnsealed and vnestablished by the vertue of God for they are knowne altogeather to want myracle as also good lyfe Far otherwayes was the conuersion of Scotland from Idolatry to the Catholycke fayth which was not only by the preaching of the vvord but also was in the working of myracles as trew faith reuealed and approued from heauen with admirable holynes of lyfe and modest conuersation both in clergie and lay persons that many ages after death and solution of mortality we see and read the lyuing Lord honoured and worshipped in them whose bodyes whilst they liued were the temples of the holy Ghost
that rock was the reward of the confession The prayer of Christ for Peters faith was the warrand of perpetuity of his strong confession The prayer of Christ is a warrant of pâ—rpetuity Peters primacy The power to feede Christ sheepe was to make Peter such a rock as should stay vp his Church by teaching and ruling the faithfull whose voyce we are bound to hear as Chry. in Iohn hom 18. Cyril in Ioh. l. 2. c. 12. Hill de Trin. l. 6. Tertul. de praesc aduers Haeret. Hippol. de consum mundi Origen hom 5. in exod Cyp l. 1. Epist 3. l. 4. Epist 9. Hil. c. 16. in Matth. S. Amb. 68. S. Bas in conc de paenit S. Hier in 16. Matth. Epiph. in anchoratu Theod. in cant cant Damasc in Iosaphat Barlaam Theoph. in 22. Luc Euthym. in 26. Mat. Aug. retract l. 1. c. 21. cont Epist Don. Prosp de vocat geÌ„t lib. 2 c. 28. S. Greg. epist l. 6. epist. 37. In fine we haue many reasons why S. Peter aboue all others was this rock to wit the excellency of his faith The excelleÌ„cy of Peters confession and faith is the cause that he is the rock In Peter is vnity and an euerlasting Preisthood the auoyding of Schisme an ecclesiasticall iorisdictâ—oÌ„ These are Peters prerogatiues which declare him head of the Church and are collected and conferred of the Scripture set in order as followes Peters prerogatiue of primacy The keyes of heauens are promised to him Christ compares Peter with himself in paying tribut Christ made choise oâ— Peters but to preach in and the excelleÌ„cy of his glory the vnity of the church built on him are a lone the signifying of Christ to be the only euerlasting sheepheard And last for the eschwing of Schisme and for receauing of ecclsiasticall power for the whole Church So that the Apostle Peter passeth farr the other Apostles in ecclesiasticall dignity in so much that these his prerogatiues may be easly gathered out of the Scripture it selfe as first he is only named first of all the twelue Matt. 10. For asmuch as he had the promise to be called Cephas that is to say a rock and this promiss was made before the twelue were choosen and was really named Peter at the tyme of his choise Ioh. 1. For asmuch that although both S. Iohn Baptist had confessed Christs Godhead before and Naâ—hanieli had sayd Thow art the sone of God thow art the King of Israel Marâ— 3. Ioh. 1. Yet only Peters confession being made after was most heighly esteemed and rewarded For asmuch as he is called Peter and Christ doth say to him Matt. 16. Thow art Peter vpon this rock I will build my Church For asmuch as the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen are namely promised to Peter alone Matt. 16. And for asmuch That the tribut of didragma was dewe for the first begotten of euery famille num 3. loseph de antiq lib. 18. cap. 12. Yet Christ payed both for himself for Peter also as being the vnderhead and first begotten of his family the Church Chry. in Matt. Hom. 59. For asmuch as also Christ although an other boate was a hand yet he taught the people out of Peters boate Luc. 5. to shewe that in Peters chayre his doctrine should alwaies be firmely professed Christ prayeth for Peters faith Peter entered first into the sepulture of Christ Peter of the Angel is nominated specially Peter walkes on the sea as aprerogatiue to rule the world Peter more then others loued Christ and is commaunded to feed his sheepe Christ fortelleth Peter that he shall suffer death on the crosse for christs sake Peter answered for the rest of the Apostles Peter giues sentence on iudas to depose him Peter after receipt of the holy Ghost taught the faith to the multitude Amb. in 5. cap. Luc. For so much as the Apostles were sure to be sifted of Sathan Yet the faith of Peter allone is prayed for that he being once conuerted might strenghthen his bretheren Luc. 22. Leo serm 2. de nat Pet. Paul For so much as when the tidings of Christs resurrection was sent to his disciples Peter was first that entred into the sepulâ—hre Luc. 24. For asmuch as he was not coprehended with the rest but was seuerally named by himselfe whil the Angel sayd Teil his disciples and Peter Marc. 16. For asmuch as the other Apostes sayled in the sea in a boat yet Peter alone walked in the sea without a boate as a token that the whole world was as a sea and was to be subiect to his turisdiction Iohn 22. Bern. de considerat lib. 2. For asmuch as some other Apostles standing by Peter alone is shewed to haue loued Christ more then they Ioh. 21. And he alone is commaunded to seed Christs sheepe and to rule his lambes Aug. ibid. For asmuch as it is sayd to Peter alone Thow shalt strech-forth thy handes and foâ— ow thow me which way in following was by suffering death on the Crosse prophesied by Christ Ioh. 21 For asmuch as Peter answered alwayes for the Apostles as being the mouth of them all Iohn 6. Matth. 16. For asmuch as after Christs ascention Peter allone gaue sentence vpon Iudas and pronunced him deposed Act. 1. And an other to be choosen in his place Act. 1. Chry in act Apost hom 3. For asmuch as when the Holy Ghost came downe Peter aboue all the test first of aâ— taught the faith and the multitude being conuerted saye to Peter and to none other what shall we do c Act 2 Peter exhortes the conuerted to peÌ„nance and baptisme Peter wrought the 1. miracle Peter first publickly confessed Christ before the counsell Peter knew the secrets of Ananias and Saphiras harts Peters shadow wrought myracles Peter excommunicated enioyned pennance to SimoÌ„ Magus For asmuch as Peter made answere for all that they should repent and be baptized Act. 2. For somuch as Peter did the first miracle after the comming of the holy Ghost and first healed the seete of the lame because he being the head shewed mistically that he established the feete of others Act. 3. Amb. serm 68. For so much as Peter confessed Christ first not only before priuat men but also at the seat of iudgment Act. 4. For asmuch as Peter perceaued the secrets of the hartes of men some to do in simplicitie and some in deceipt He therefore extended his power on Anania and Saphira stryking them dead with one word Act. 5. Greg. lib. 1. Epist 24. For asmuch as all the Apostles did miracles yet Peter was so famous aboue the rest that his shaddowe wrought myracles Act. 5. For asmuch as Peter excommunicated and enioyned pennance to Simon Magus the first Heretick Act 8. For asmuch as he was the first after Christs AscentioÌ„ who rayted a dead persone to lyfe called Tabitha Act. 9. Peter by visioÌ„ is made to know of the conuersion of the gentils For
lyk in all things and equall in degrees of dignitie ANSVVER SAINCT Paul might do it iustly because they were bretheren in the office of Apostleship also for that he had the same holy Ghost with Peter Yet it is to be obserued that no doctrine of S. Peters was then reproued as false but only his behauiour in an outward act as Tertul. lib. de praes Haeret. witnesseth For all the fault was in his conuersation and not in doctrine for he conuersing with the Gentils without respect of the keeping of the law for he belieued the law to binde no man yet at the comming of certaine Iewes he abstained from the Gentils thinking thereby he should do more good to the Iewes to abstaine froÌ„ some meates so that Paul reprehended his dissembling in that the Gentels also were compelled to plaie the Iewes as S. Aug. Epist 19. ad Hier. notes vpoÌ„ this place Yet no lesse S. Paul in this fault is also culpable in tollerating the obseruance of the law in that he circumcised Timothie against the doctrine of the Ghospell Act. 20. Now in that fashion of reproufe S. Paul belieued that the tyme was proper that no man should winke at the ceremonie of the law and to dissemble longer for it was vnprofitable for they belieued the tyme was come to professe Christ plainly c. OBIECTION CHrist is the Head of the Church as the Apostle sayes Eph. 4. He hath constituted him head ouer all the Church but if Peter be head and consequently after him the Pope of Rome there shal be two heades of one body which is absurde Ergo. ANSVVER HOw impertinently doth Luther inferre this argumeÌ„t against vs to proue the body of the Church to be a monster with two heades For we doe not say that Peter is a lyk equall head with Christ but vnder Christ that is to say head-vicar substitute in the place of Christ and so a second head after Christ that is an head of all others froÌ„ Christ or of his misticall body which of all men groweth in Christ and so he is not the head of the full body seing he is not the head of Christ but Christ is simpliciter absolute head of the whole Church yea of Peter who is a member of this whole body notwithstanding more worthy then others As a Vice-roy is truly head of that Kingdome of which he beares charge neuer-theles the King is superior and first head of all his Kingdomes euen so Christ and Peter who is called a rock Matt. 16. and a foundation 1 Cor. 3. vers 11. but not first for Christ is only the first stone layed in the foundation of the Church but Peter is the second foundation and rock vpon whom the rest of the Church is founded by Christ OBIECTION IF the Pope succeed to Peter Ergo he is an Apostle which is false ANSVVER THe sequell is friuolous for more things are requyred to the Apostleshipe then to succeed to the Apostle to wit that immediatly he be called of God moreouer that he be taught of God his doctrine and sent with authority to effectuaâ— the same and lykewise to be indued with the gift of the holy Ghost to write canonicall Scriptures Which things the Pope hath not although in the meane tyme he doth obtaine the Apostolicall power in the whole Church in which he hath succeeded to S. Peter from whence it is called the Apostles seat because of the iurisdiction and authority which the Apostls had and was giuen immediatly by Christ OBIECTIO THE Counsell may depose the Pope therefore the Pope is not supreame head of the Church when the Counsell may depose him ANSVVER THe assumption is false absolutly for a counsell with iudiciall authority caÌ„not depose the Pope because the first seat is iudged of no man the reason is because the Pope hath receaued authority in the whole Church immediately from Christ so that the Church can no way take away that authority Put the case that he should be a manifest Heretick he should not be deposed of men but of God who will not retayne such a vicar who de facto declars himself an heretick cuts himself of so manifestly from his body eyther by euidence of deed or by declaration of a generall counsell QVAESTIO IX Of the Roman Sea of S. Peter WHerefore doth the Roman-Papists boast so much of the succession of the Roman Byshops seing S. Peter was neuer at Rome Welenus Illyr Magdeburg Sebast Franc c. ANSVVER IT is probable that Peter was not only in Rome and to haue made his residence in it but to haue been crucifyed there Howsoeuer the impudeÌ„cy of Heretickes doth prate against the tradition of all antiquity It is probable that Peter was in Rome by his owne epistles First it is proued out of his owne first epistle cap. 5. v. 13. saying The Church collected in Babilon salutes yow that is to say Rome which he calles Babilon because it was full of riches persecution superstion and idolatrie with all manner of sinnes reygning in it as witnesseth Eus lib. 2. cap. 15. Lykwise Papias the disciple of S Iohn sayes that Peter in his first epistle which he wrote from Rome hath remembred Mark whom he calleth his sonne Rome is called Babylong in which figuratiuely he hath nominated Rome Babilon when he sayes that Babylon salutes yow Lykwise Hieâ— de Vir. Illust in Marc. sayes that Peter in his first Epistle vnder the name of Babylon figuratiuely signifieth Rome Moreouer to haue houlden and kept the Episcopall Chayre at Rome At Rome he ouercame Simon Magus and there to haue ouercome and been victor ouer Symon Magus This S. Aug. declares lib. 2. cont lit petil cap. 51. repreheÌ„ding the Hereticks in this manner saying VVhat hath the Chayr of the Roman-Church done to thee S. Aug. defendeth the seat of Rome in which Peter hath sitten and in which at this day Anastasius doth siâ—t Moreouer speaking of Simon Magus lib. de Haer. ad quoduult Har. 1. sayes that he Heretick gaue the images both of himself Simon Magus superstuious dealing in Rome and of the whorishe citie to his disciples to be worshiped the which at Rome he had set vp by publick authority as the images of the heathen Gods in the which city the blessed Apostle Peter ouerthrow him by the true vertue of God omnipoteÌ„t thus he For all the Hystories His ouerthrow at rome by the power of God and Holy writers with generall traditions in all ages haue testified that S. Peter came to Rome as sayes Egisip lib. 3. cap. 2. Ireâ— lib 3. cap. 3. But and Euseb the professors of â—â—â—ditious sayes in Châ—on Eccl. Hist. lib. 2. cap 15 That in the secoÌ„d yeare of Claudius the Emperour Peter the Apostle when he had first founded the Church at Antioch he went to Rome Peter preached at Rome XXV yeares wher preaching the Euangely twenty-fyue-yeares he remained Byshop of that same towne And S.
and so all things hard and pondered A iudge and a witnes diâ—fers greatly he giueth sentence therfore seeing an Hereticke and Catholicke both sayes that they haue searched the Scriptures these Scriptures beare testimony of their doctrine so that in this debate the searching of the Scripture is not a sufficient way seing these Scriptures are interpreted of euery one at his pleasure but there is need of a iudge who may giue sentence of the true interpretation and sense of Scriptures and this iudgement and sentence is due and proper to the Pope and his counsell and not to the searching of Scriptures But this is the ambition and pryde of all Heresies who set at nought the vniuersality of the whole Church because they will credit them selues their owne proper iudgement Hereticks wil credit themselues and noe other and that all men from the primitiue tymes haue erred and they only haue not erred let scriptures fathers counsels vniuersalitie and practise do all what is right they will belieue themselues and remaine iudges in their owne cause as though they were gods not men and neyther subiect to sinne nor error OBIECTION THe Generall counsell doth represente the whole Church as defyneth Martyn 5. in the ende of the counsell of CoÌ„stance which counsell representeth the persone of the wholl Church which Church can noe way be gathered togeather but so farr as the Prelates assemble in one place and in the name of all the faithfull But it followes that the vniuersall Church cannot erre Ergo neyther the Generall counsel which is the vertue of the whol Church ANSVVER SEcluding the Pope as head the counsell is only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neyther doth it represent perfectly the wholl Church and so it may erre because they are particular counsels as the couÌ„sell of Carthage and Areminense as Caiet Tractat. de Auth. Concil cap. 9. OBIECTION IF the infallibilitie of the counsell depende on the Pope in vaine it seemes to call a counsell for truely alswell by the Pope himself without a counsell the matter may be defyned as wish the counsell ANSVVER NOt so neyther are couÌ„sels instituted in vaine for how much more inquisition is made of the groundes of verity and is decerned by the iudgement of many the verity is made the clearer and errour is taken away because those things in which the Pope defines with the counsell are of greater weight then those which he defynes of himself that the very Heretick may persuade himself that it is true solyde which by so great labour and exquisit diligence is found out and with so many consentes is defyned for veritie wherefore the Pope doth wysly in censuring of heresie and other weightie causes to conuocate counsel and to defyne the same with them In which definition of counsell although the Byshops are iudges yet notwithstanding they are inferior iudges but the Pope is supreame iudge And as a King in the kingdome may recall the sentence of an inferior iudge when the greater part is left out euen so the Pope as head of the Church may approue and reiect with the assistance of the holy Ghost and when the greatest part of the Church condiscendes and defynes therupon with him OBIECTION IN many counsels the Pope of Rome is absent and only his Legates are present Ergo they may err very much ANSVVER I Grant such counsels may erre except those Legates haue instruction from the Pope and do followe the same and that the definition of the counsell be conformable to his instruction in soe doing the counsell agreeth with the head in the same doctrine and such a counsell is adiudged lawfull when the Pope before hath giuen them instruction and hath pronunced his iudgement what shal be done But if the Pope send no instruction by his legates albeit his legates do coÌ„sent vnto the definition of the counsel it is of no effect neyther is that definition infallible because the authority to define and conclude is not in the Legats who are but only messengers betwixt the counsell and the Pope But for conclusion all coÌ„uselles before they conclude any thing after longe deliberation and inquisition in euery matter with their iudgements and sentence they vse to seeke confirmation of the Pope as we read of the counsell of Trent in the bull of Pius 4. by which confirmation both the counsell is approued lawfull and all things are confirmed and ratifyed and this is the manner of all Catholick Counsels that for many no heresie dare show one to be an vniuersall counsell for them although they had for protectors of their heresie most puissant and potent Emperours and Kings as Valence and Constance Arian Emperors the Vandals and Gothes as also all sectaries haue attempted but as yet neuer could assemble a generall counsell QVESTIO XII Of the veritie of the Roman-Church and of her notes WHerefore doe the Papistes promise to all men saluatioÌ„ to be only in the Roman Church Conf. Aug. art 6. Calu. lib. 4. inst cap. 1. § 10. Brent in conf Wittemb cap. de Eccl. ANSVVER BEcause it standeth with reason for that the Papistes haue certaine markes of credible euidence that only that multitude of men who obey at the present tyme the Pope of Rome The true Church is knowne by her markes are the true Catholick Church which we proue after this manner Seing that congregation of men is only the Church of Christ which is videlicet one holy Catholick and Apostolicall Church So that all the auncient counselles were decerned by those tokens from other sectes and not by the preaching of the pure word neyther by the pure vse of the Sacramentes The Hereticks marks are as obscure as their church which is inuisible the which the Heretickes assigne for notes of their Church alyke obscure with their Church For what is he of the fift EuaÌ„gelists profession who proues not by those marks that the Church of Christ is with him and with no other Because saith he only in his congregation is the true preaching of the word and sincere vse of the Sacraments but markes ought to be euident otherwise they are no markes but the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ that obeyes the Pope of Rome hath those euident markes which is One Holy Catholick and Apostolicall Church therefore this is the true Church and only in her is expected saluatioÌ„ For first the Church of God is One partely in the head The Church is one for diuerse respects in so farre that all Byshops acknowledge the Pope for head to whom they agre and accord in doctrine and in administration of the Sacramentes Partly in diuyne worship for withall Catholikes is offered the same sacrifice and the same Sacramentes with the same administration of Ceremonies And partly amongst the members themselues to wit in the doctrine of Faith for all belieue one thing and condemne heresie In this one Church vnity is kept In one church vnity is kept and taught as witnesseth
the Priestes keepe wisdome and they shall aske the law at his mouth and not of the reading of the Scriptures which rashnes S. Hier. epist. 103. reprehendes that euery one will chalenge Scripture this the chatting old wyfe this the doting aged this the babling sophister this euery one presumes to teach before he learne And lykewyse Tert. de Prasc sayes all are swelled vp all do professe knowledge yea euen very hereticall women how male pert and bould they are to teach and dispute in Scriptures therefore to auoyd these absurdities it is not lawfull to reade the Scriptures OBIECTION CHrist gaue thanks to his Father that he had hid these things from the wyse and prudent and had reuealed them to babes Matth. 11. which doth manifest the greater ostentation of Gods diuine righteousnes mercy and light of the Ghospell therefore the Scripture is no lesse commended to the vnlearned of spirituall vnderstanding then to the iudgement of the prudent and wyse but the Papists doe interdict the people this knowledge in reading the word of God in remitting them to the Doctores of their vniuersities ANSVVER I Admit the antecedent and deny the subsequēt for by litle ones is not vnderstood the vnlearned people but the humble and meke that is not puffed vp with vaine science such were the Apostles and Disciples fishers who altogeather were not vnlearned in that whole three years they were conuersant with Christ the Master of veritie who by his diuine doctrine illuminated their mynds and vnderstanding to haue knowledge of the Scriptures But such little ones were not old-doting-foles prating-old-wyfes Barbers Smythes c. who hauing alwayes false passadges search not the vnderstanding of them but prate bable and read them in their shopps esteeming more of their owne iudgement then all the Doctors and vniuersities in the world OBIECTION THE Scripture is the booke of the faithfull Therefore it is to be read and is plaine to euery mans mynd and vnderstanding ANSVVER I Graunt it is but not to be expounded of all because S. Ambrose calleth it the Priests booke neyther was it without a cause that the bookes of the old Testament were most surely kept in the Temple by the Priestes as relates S. Aug. lib. 16. de cruit cap. 13. And therefore the Priestes bookes are not bookes for the vulgar people OBIECTION THEY shal be all taught of God Ioa. 6. v. 45. Therefore there is no need of any other Doctor for the people then the Scripture ANSVVER I Deny the consequent for it is not there signifyed that all people shall vnderstand all Scriptures without any externall Doctours of God by his inspiration as they dreame but he sayes all shal be taught of God in the last tymes which doctrine is fulfilled by Christ and after him of the holy Ghost in powring in his Pastores of the Church true faith So that this doctrine of Christ and true faith is publickly denounced by the Catholicke Church whereby euery one may be taught in the knowledge of God and not by naked reading of the Scripture For the assumption maketh against themselues To what end are ministers and preichers admitted amongst the Protestantes if all men by reading the Byble may be sufficiently taught in the knowledge of God of God by inward inspiration and of his owne reading aswell as by their preaching OBIECTION THe Scripture is the Key of knowledge but this Key ought to be knowne to all Ergo. and the Scripture ANSVVER ORigine lib. 4. de princ cap. 2. sayes that the inter pretatiō of the church is the key of knowledge drawne from the self same Scriptures but the Scripture it selfe is not the Key of knowledge because the Scripture cannot warrant it self withour the authority of the Church and this authority and spirituall interpretation of the Church is the spirituall Key of knowledge and not the reading of Scripture OBIECTION THe reading of the Scripture bringeth consolation of the spirit to the people therefore it is good and necessary to be read of the vulgar for consolations cause ANSVVER IT is true but not to the purpose for there are many other things which giue consolation to the spirit as the expositions of the Scripture Sermons Meditation receiuing of the Sacraments and not the naked reading of the Bible Otherwise if it be of necessity how shall the poore miscrable and idiots who can not read haue any consolation for the word of God consisteth not only in externall sound but in the true sense and vnderstanding OBIECTION CHrist commanded the Iewes to search the Scriptures Iohn 5. vers 39. And the same lykewyse is commanded to Christians to try the doctrine of fayth according to the rule of scripture and that they may iudge of his interpretation ANSVVER THe word search both in Latin and Greeke may be in the indicatiue and imperatiue moode if it be in the indicatiue as D. Stapeltō saies the sense is you diligently inquyre the Scriptures and yet will not belieue that there you doe fynde of me and these were the bookes of the old Testament for there were none other then writiē If it be in the imperatiue Christ hath not here spoken to the vulgar sorte but to the Scrybes Psiests Leuites and Pharisies with whom was the Key of knowledge who had their dayly conuersation in the Scriptures the which for probability Herod affirmeth whill he assembled the Scrybs Matt. 2. to inquyre of them where Christ should be borne OBIECTION THe Beronenses doe search the Scriptures after the preaching of S. Paul and are commēded that they bestowed thēselues dayly in searching the Scriptures cōcerning those things which were affirmed by Paul and Silas Therefore it is necessary to read the Scriptures ANSVVER THe Beronenses search the Scriptures after the preaching of the Apostles not as doubting of the word but diligently attending least with new doctrines cōtrary to the scriptur they might also be deceaued for as yet the Beronenses had not made professiō of Christ name neyther were they boūd to credit the Apostles except their doctrine had ben proued with myracles or els by testimony of Scripture But farr other wayes the reformed vse to do who will mix their priuate interpretation with the Scripture repugnant to the Scripture Church in raysing new opinions and renewing old damned Heresies OBIECTION LVther de ser Arbit Teaches and constantly affirmes that the Scriptures in thēselues are easy of vnderstanding and need no interpretor yea all men are taught of God and his spirit need not to be taught of any other Therefore as they are facill in vnderstanding so should they be cōmon to all men without interdiction ANSVVER WHere difficulties are it is not plaine neyther facill to all men but the Scripture is full of difficulties for it is the storehouse of Gods Secrets Ergo. Moreouer the disciples hearing Christ disputing about the mysterie of his body And because they were his disciples should haue better digested Christs words thē the people
then beasts are the which God hath not created to misery farelesse to eternall condemnation Whereupon it followeth that God shall first be a reuenger before man be a sinner the which S. Austen euery where reclames that it doth repugne the infinit goodnes of God and in so doing God should be more cruell then the wyld bere and lyons for there is no beast so souadge who do intend to procread their birth and whelps to a extreame misery other is none that do not nourish and promote what in them lyeth to perfection And to the contrary God shal be more vnnaturall then the brut beasts after the doctrine of Caluins theology I cannot see by what reason men can promise assure ther soules whether to presume of their saluation or to dispayer in this doctrine of predestination How shall it be in our liberty and will to perseuer in good things and hope to be saued if predestination without frewill good workes and perseuerance make a consummation what hath Christ sayd in vayne Matth. 19. If thou wilâ— enter into lyfe kept the commandements Againe he that perseuereth to the end shal be saued But this Protestant predestination annihillate the wordes of Christ for it freeth vs of the commandements and of the vertu of perseuerance and sayth all good works are vnprofitable Moreouer there followeth another absurdity that if God of his own wil without forseen sinne What absurdiues follow the ProtestaÌ„ts doctrine of predestinatioÌ„ doth reprobate men there shal be fewer reprobat then elected which is false as Matth. 7. 22. by the consequent of the Scripture is probable for God is more propense and ready to haue mercy then to condemne therefore if predestination coÌ„sist in his owne will it is to be supposed to be fare fewer reprobat to death then to haue been predestinat to lyfe wherein consisteth electioÌ„ and reprobation and of his distinctioÌ„ For it is an idle argument that you Gather of predestination to make the vindictiue iustice of God to shyne seing by reason it is rather obscured who will God first to be a reuenger before man or Angell be and to forsee and predestinat them sinners before they be creatures for by all reason it ought to be first produced what is to be punished before the punishmeÌ„t be decreed and secondly the decree of the punishmeÌ„t is to be measured according to the fact So that the difference in election and reprobation consisteth in this distinction to wit that immediat election in perfect yeares subsist in his prescience with preuision of following merites presupposing cooperating grace and mediat knowledge And in children by preuised application of the Sacraments against sinne originall Reprobation is by apositiue act of his diuyne will by which God hath decreed to condemne some to eternall punishements The cause is giuen meritorious of the part of the reprobate to wit perseuerance in mortall sinne or in originall For where there is a reason giuen wherefore the Kingdome of God is prepared for the elect before the beginning of the world is there good workes and merits for it is sayd Matth. 25. that Christ in the day of iudgemeÌ„t shall say Forseen merits and demerits are causes of election reprobation come ye blessed of my Father by predestination from eternity and by grace in the present possesse yow the Kingdome prepared for yow from the beginning of the world that is to say from eternity Adiecting the reason wherefore not only it is giuen to them to possesse but also was prepared froÌ„ the beginning because sayth he I was hungre thristie naked c. and you succoured me contrariwise to the reprobat Goe from me accursed into hell fyre which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels for I was hungre thursty naked c. and you secoured me not so that the predestinat is elected to glory for their forseen merits and the reprobate are ordayned to Hell fyre for their forseen demerits Wherupon is the common maxime that the vulgares and idiots holde and is mantayned of all sectaries that a maÌ„ predestinat to eternall lyfe howbeit he doth euill cannot be a member of the Diueil The vulgars opinion of predestinatioÌ„ reprobatioÌ„ and contrariwyse the reprobat whatsoeuer good he doth or how well he liue cannot be a member of God By this doctrine righteous and good men are turned away from doing good workes and makes away for sinne and all vyces for hereby a man shall neyther merit nor demerite seing this Paradox teaches an infalibility that the predestinat caÌ„ do no euill and the reprobat can do good Which is false for it is not sayd to reprobat Cain disparing of the diuyne mercy of Gâ—d for which he was damned and to preuent him of reprobation he sayes Genes 4. v. 6. VVherefore art thow angry and why is thy countenance cast downe if thow doest well thow shalt be rewarded In which wordes it is euident that God promisseth to a reprobate man the reward of good things if he will worke them But the Protestants cheife designe is to extinguish all power and will to work any good thing The ProtestaÌ„ts will is to extinguish all power to merit or demerit through predestinatioÌ„ so that the predestinat cannot sinne nor the reprobate cannot merit withstanding the holy Scripture which sayes that Peter was predestinat to eternall glory and yet committed a most haynous sinne by swearing denying our Lord Matth. 26. whome before he confessed the sonne of God and King of Israell Matth. 16 Lykewyse is not S. Paul predestinat yet he himselfe confesses that he had been a blasphemer a persecuter and a wicked liuer which is the workes of reprobatioÌ„ except you would say that a blasphemer is worthy of an eternall reward then was he a blasphemer of necessity or then was he a member of the diuel for all wickednes must be of the Diuell for as S. Gregor Hom. in domin 1 Quadrag The head of all the wicked is the Diuell and the members of this head are all the wicked Thus he Who would thinke S. Paul to be predestinate and S. Peter whose deeds are opposed or how did their concurre with predestination ensuing seing as they say the predestinate cannot sinne How then haue they others sinned lyke fooles assuring your selues of predestination and eternall lyfe who cannot faill no more then Christ himself with Caluin you are not ware of presumption lib. 4. inst cap. 17. § 2. Whilst you trust in your own suppositions concerning predestination and reprobation for many haue perished who haue thought to haue ben predestinat and many hath been saued vvhose lyfe appeared to others reprobate OBIECTION THe Scripture sayth Rom. 9. v. 11. when as yet they were not borne nor had done eyther good or euill that according to election the purpose of God should remayn sure not of works but by him that calleth it is sayd that the elder shall serue the younger as it is writen
in him that men shall not belieue in Christ Sathans policies that men shall not belieue in Christ and at length shall possesse a certaine accursed man by whom he may worke his wycked thoughtes and deedes against Christ And this wycked man is so much more dangerous how much the more priuy Antichrist is a most dangerous man and shal be indued with the power of the Diuel and closer he lyeth being couered with mankynd with the name of a Christian And for that ende the Diuell shall giue his strength and power most specially to that cursed man and he is called by the Diuells name as S. Paul 2. Thess cap. 2. The aduersary sayth he and S. Iohn 1. Ioh. cap. 2. Showes whose aduersary he is by naming Antichrist that is to say that Antichrist who is sett most dispytfully against Christ Antichrist is an open enemie to Christ who is most certainly fortold to come and therfore of all ChristiaÌ„s most carfully is to be eshewed and feared There are three kynds of Antichrists but one speciall aboue the rest Now whereas there are three kyndes of Antichrists and the first is the Diuell who is only a spirit next false teachers thirdly a certayn man who shal be possessed of the Diuell vvho shall oppunge Christ manifestly And albeit euery Heretyck and fals teacher be a certaine Antichrist and an enemy to Christ as S. Iohn sayes 1 Ioh. 2. there are many Antichristes Ech Heretick is a certayne Antichrist yet as there is one aboue all other so he sayes as it were pointing him you haue heard that Antichrist commeth You haue heard saith he not only that Antichrist cometh but that the same most notable Antichrist cometh Why Antichrist is permitted to come The effects wherfore this singular Antichrist shal be suffered to come are First for tryall and reuealing of the inuincible truth which God hath giueÌ„ to his elect Secondly to shew how inexcusable the Iewes are who pretending to belieue the old Prophets and to looke for the Messias The Iewes are made inexcusable yet hauing repelled Christ Iesu who most euidently was descry bed of the law and Prophets shall in the eâ—â—de imbrace Antichrist for their Messias whom the Prophets haue willed them to be ware of that as S. Paul 2 Thess 2. sayth because they receaued not the loue of truth that they might be saued therfore God hath sent on them the working of errour that they may belieue lyes to the end that all men may be iudged who haue not belieued the truth but haue consented to iniquitie But the question moued and the affirmatiue defended is that the Pope of Rome is this chief All Horeticks hold opinion that the Pope is Antichrist but falsely proued and principall Antichrist who was prophesyed to appeare towards the ende of the world In this extasy of mynd and lunatick frenesie are all Heretyckes that auouch the same in their sermons and printe in bookes and sett abrooad to the world to draw all men vnto their opinion their comon doctrine about this effect is brought out of the reuelation so that the mysticall book and prophesie of God The clout-the churches asseÌ„bly vnderstandeth best the reâ—elation can apply it to the Pope for Antichrist precsâ—ly at four aclock in which as S. Hier. sayes how many wordes so many Sacramâ—utes â—â—herome so comon and facill to vnderstand that the howling-sighing-â—ypping-purâ—â—ane sisters of ech city in Scotland can apply euery â—ord of this booke to the Pope of Rome for Antichrist as druâ—â—k brut-beast without reason and vnderstanding not knowing what they speake with their preacher passing the boundes of all modesty and shamsastnes to speake against anthority For if God so generally commaunded and sayd to the hard harted Iewes speaking of their gouernours rulers with the whole multitude saying God commaunds to speack reuerently and touch not men of authority The Apostles are beloued of Christ for their coÌ„staÌ„cy but chiefly Peter whoÌ„ loued Christ aboue the rest is also of Christ beloued S. Peter by Gods prouidence glorifyeth Christ by his death Zac. cap. 2. He that toucheth you toucheth the aple of myne eye and moreouer speaking more particularly concerning his Prophets and Priests sayes in the Psal 104. Touch not myne anoynted Lyckewyse Luc. 22. He that heareth yow heareth me and he that dispyseth yow dispyseth me If therefore his Apostles were nearer him then any other men and aboad with him in his temptations and for that cause were beloued of him Yea if amongst the rest Simon Peter loued him best as it is sayd Ioh. 21. out of doubt also of him he was beloued aboue the rest who of himselfe in singular loue is ordayned Pastor of his flock Moreouer if Christ prouyded by singular prouidence that Sainct Peter should glorifie him by suffering death at Rome vnto this day S. Peters Chayr and the succession of Priestes with great reuereÌ„ce hath byn acknowledged at Rome Moreouer if the whole Fathers S. Peters chayr is holden in great renereÌ„ce to this day from the primityue age haue euer so esteemed of the succession of S. Peter that without the vnity of that Chayr they account no saluation and in it they haue reckened the true Catholycke fayth as witnesse these following No saluation without vnity of this chayr Iren. lib. 3. cap 3. Cypr. lib. 1 epist. 3. Hippoliâ— de Antichrist Tripart hist. lib. 4. cap. 15 Atha in psal 106. psalm 138 Arnob. in psalm 106. 138. opt meleu lib. 2. de Schism S. Hier. ad dam. Ambros in 1. tim cap. 3 Augin psal cont don epist 162. Now if God hath prospered that succession against the enuy The successioÌ„ of Peter chayr stands firme against all enuy of Heretycks and hatred of all Heretycks to the comfort of all Catholyckes in all ages to come and past if out of this Catholyck succession the fayth of Christ hath byn dilated and spred abroad in diuers countries working thereby the gratious and miraculous works of Christ for confirmation of the same And now in the end of the world new vpstarts lyke brute-beasts are not ashamed to charge the welbeloued see of God Heretycks lyk brut-beastes knowe not what they chalenge and the successors of his blessed Apostel not only with errour and Heresy nor with the begetting hatching nourishing and fostering of Antichrist but to be really in effect very Antichrist himself What raging madnes is in these mens heades what inteÌ„d they els then to burden Christ himself Heretycks are mad headed to call the Pope Antichrist with the bringing forth and commending Antichrist vnto the world What blasphemie vomite these men who cannot only be contented to chardge the Roman see with abuses errours and Heresy neyther vouchsafe to esteeme the Pope a frend or a member of Antichrist but really the very Antichrist and chief captayne of all Gods enemies to sit in S. Peter Chayre This is
priestly vnity began neyther do they consider them to be Romans whose faith is praysed by the Apostles owne mouth to whom infidelity can haue no accesse This he For this Seat Emperours and Kings honoured and reuerenced Ruff. lib. 10. Eccl. Hist. cap. 2 Lykewyse Byshops To the sea of Rome infidelity can haue no accesse and Prelates haue made their appellatioÌ„s to Rome as Cyp. cont epist. Steph. ppae Hist. tripart lib 4. cap 15. Arnob. in ps 106. Opt. mel cont parm Donat lib. 2. Hier. Epist ad Dam. Papa By her authority Generall Counsells haue been indicted and appointed By the authority of the roman see Hereticks Schismaticks are accused No Heretick Byshop euer found in the sea of Rome Schismaticks and Hereticks by the same authority or accursed and condemned In this succession and authority noe Heretick Byshop euer was found as witnes S. Aug. epist. 165. And therefore as S. Aug. sayes to the Donatists in ps cont par donat Come yee bretheren if yee wil be grafted in the vyne it grieues vs when we see youly thus cut of Nomber ye the Byshops euen from the very seat of S Peter and consider who succeded whoÌ„ in that order that himself is the rock which the proud gates of hell do not ouercome What greater testimony can be said for the primacy of the Byshop of Rome and successor of S. Peter whom all good Christians ought to honour and reuerence as the high priest of God and gouernour of his Church OBIECVIO THe Protestants affirme that Peter himself is not called this rock but eyther Christ alone or the faith which Peter confessed is called this rock So that the wordes of the text are thus meant Vpon this faith and confession of thyne which thow hast testified of me vpon this rock which I am or on this stronge faith which is confessed of me I will build my Church And wheresoeuer this faith is there is the rock vpon which Christ buildeth his Church ANSVVER ALbeit the faith coÌ„fession of Christs-goodhead be indeed a most stronge rock wherevpon the Church is builded yet that is not all which Christ meanes at this present For these wordes thow art Peter haue a respect vnto three diuerse tymes First to the tyme past because they are spoken to him who was promised to be called Peter And secondly to the present tyme because they are spoken to him who now confessed Christs-goodhead And thirdly to the tyme to come because they are spoken to him to whom Christ sayes he wil giue the keyes of Heauen and vpon whom he will hereafter build his Church which thing he performed when he sayd to him Peter louest thow me c. Io. 21. For the proposition is qualified with the persone to whome it is spoken and with the diuersity of three tymes To conclude the Protestants deny Peter himself who make the confession te be this rock and deuyde the confession from the promise going immediately before which wrought the effect which ensued after for somuch it is affirmed true but in respect of that which is denyed it is a maine falshood for Christs wordes doe teach that this rocke wherupon Christs Church is built is S. Peter in respect of the promise past present confession and the authority of feeding of Christs sheepe Io. 21. OBIECTIO PETER alone was not made the sheepheard of Christ flock aboue all others but that in him Christ spake to all the Apostles ergo ANSVVER PEter alone is spoken to and commanded to feede Christs sheepe in the presence of al the other Apostles to none of theÌ„ Christ speaketh any thing therof at this tyme. Ergo Peter alone is preferred OBIECTION AL Hereticks cry out that all the Apostles were equall and the rest were the same thing which Peter was which thing say they S. Cyp de vnit Ecclaes doth witnes and lykenwyse the very practise of the Apostles in so much that Paul withstood and reproued Peter who was not one of the twelue Ergo. ANSVVER SAINCT Peter was not only an Apostle in which office duringe their lyues all the Apostles were his equalles but also both chiefe Apostle and also ordinary sheepheard and high Byshop wherin they all were inferiors to him as the members and body to the head Ergo. OBIECTION THe old Catholik Fathers haue written and pronunced that no mortall man as Peter was but Christ himself the sone God can be this head Ergo. ANSVVER IT is manifest false for all the ancient Fatheres agree and affirme that Peter receaued the building of the Church on him as Bas aduers eunom lib. 2. Hilar. lib. 6. de Trinit S. Cyp. ad Iubatan S. Aug. de past S. Hier. lib. 1. de Iouin lâ—b 2. aduers Iouinian Leo in assumpt serm 3. Aug. Epist 165. in Tract Io. 124. OBIECTION SAINCT Aug. de verbis Domint sayes Christ was â—he rock vpon which foundation Peter himself â—as also built Ergo. ANSVVER WHo doth not know that one rock might be built on another the lesse on the greater is not the house of God built of many stones Christ is the chief Rock and the corner-stone vpon him lyeth S. Peter a Rock in comparison of Christ very small in comparison of vs very great Vpon S Peter the rest of the Church which liued vnder him was built who is also a Rock since euery man in his degree is a liuely stone concurring to the building vp of the whole Church which are ioyned togeather and fastned by faith and charity make also a Rock of themselues beside that they are built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles 1 Pet 2 1. Cor. 10 Ephes 2. Neyther doth one of these verities contradict or disproue the other Ergo c. OBIECTION VVHEN the Apostles who were in Ierusalem had â—eard that Samarta had receaued the word of God They sent to them Peter and Iohn Act 8. But no man is sent but by a higher power Therfore Peter was not head of the Apostles ANSVVER THe holy Ghost is sayd to be sent of the Father and of the Sone is not yet the holy-Ghost of equal honour and dignity with them Is it therfore because he is sent that he is inferiour But we vnderstand that he is inferior that is sent by commandement Otherwyse equals and superiors are sayd to be sent from theÌ„ at whose request counsel they go chiefly if those from whom they come be of great authority with those to whom they are sent And such was the college of the Apostles in Samaâ—ia For indeed it was much to moue them that the Prince of the Apostles with the beloued disciple of Christ by iudgemeÌ„t and decree of all the Apostles came to their conuersion OBIECTION IT is sayd that Peter did suffer an heauie reprehension of the Apostle Paul Gal. 2. to wit that to his face he withstood him but this was not decent in a subiect or inferior Therfore the Apostle did not acknowledge Peter Superior but a