this â—endeth Those irreproueable laâ—ours which the present age admireth and posteritie shall rather â—nuie than equall That admirable facultie wherewithall the Author of â—uerie good gift hath blessed our most heauenly Prelate aboue all the â—onnes of men all is blowne away with a puffe as if it were nothing but froth and to what end but to eleuate his authorite and by bringing his â—erson into dis-esteeme to eneruate â—is writings This is the artifice wherwithall some men at once doe thrust out others and worke themselues into the estimation of the common people But if Wit and Rhetorick be banished what shall succeed in the stead thereof why sound reason and substantiall demonstration Buâ— are these incompatible or is it noâ— Rhetorique argumentatiue as well â— Logick did not Zeno compare Logiâ— to the fist and Rhetorique to the opeâ— hand the one a more strict the other indeed a more apert way â— reasoning and by so much doth Rhetorique the Queene of humane anâ— excell Logicke by how much thâ— open hand is a more elegant form than the shut Hee was some bodâ— â—aâ—rentius 〈◊〉 that thought hee could conuinâ— of error most of the Philosopherâ— for that they wanted Elegancie â— speech Ac mea quidem sententia saiâ— Praâ—at ad lib. 4. 〈◊〉 he si quis ad scribendum in Thedogia accedat parui refort an aliquaâ— aliam facultatem affer at an non niâ—â— enim fere catera conferunt at qui ignarus cloquentiae est hunc indignum â—rorsus qui de Theologia loquatur existimo et certè sols eloquentes columnae Ecclesiae sunt etiam vt ab Apostolis vsque repetas inter quos mihi Paulus nulla alia re eminere quam eloquentia videtur In my opinion if a man come to write in Diuinitie it greatly mattereth not whether hee bring any other facultie or no but if hee bee not Eloquent â—aur Valla. ib. 〈…〉 aâ—ter loqu◠〈◊〉 cogitationes suas liteâ—iâ— mandat in Theologia praesertim â—mpudentissimus est siid conâ—â—â—â—â— sacere se art insamsamus quanquam 〈◊〉 est qui nolâ—te leganter facunde dicere quod cum 〈◊〉 non continâ—iâ— videri volunâ— vt sunt pâ—rueâ—â—â— nâ—lâ—â— aut 〈…〉 debere sic 〈◊〉 he is vnworthy to speake thereof for they are Eloquent men which are the pillars of the Church if wee looke backe to the verie Apostles amongst whom St. Paul excelleth in Eloquence And againe To presume to write Diuinitie without eloquence is impudencie and if it be purposely done madnesse although there is no man but would expresse his conceipts in clegancie of speech which because some cannot attain vnto they pretend such is their peruersenesse that they will not or indeed that they ought not so to speake Let vs then see what discourse that is which hath in it neither finenesse nor wit nor Rhetorique But you will say wee shalâ— haue sound reason and demonstratiue proofe in steed thereof So we hearâ— tell But I assure thee Reader if thou weigh it iudiciously thou wilâ— finde but a little wooll for this greaâ— cry and as the Prouerb saith Pro thesauro carbones in stead â—â— treasure coales and some of them so hot that they burne our fingers iâ— we touch them CHAP. III. Mr. Burtons Argument answered touching the Markes of a true CHVRCH TO come to the disputation iâ— selfe I finde but onely one passage which is like an Argument for the rest that wee may see how good â—n Orator he is in causa Iudiciaâ—â— hee amplifies before hee proues and to shew vs his skill in Logicke he proues that which is granted him inueighing against the impieties of the Church of Rome wherein so long as he speakes the words of soberâ—esse and truth no man will bee his Aduersarie and shewing how iniurious their Doctrines are to the Foundation of our Faith by consequent ouerthrowing it which is nothing to the purpose His onely Argument which hee produceth is delâ—uered in this forme A true visible 7. Vialls p. 34. Church hath the true Markes of a true Visible Church namely pure and sound Doctrine and the Sacraments administred according to Christ his holy institution but these Markes are not to bee found vpon the Church of Rome therefore shee is no true Church This Argument he professeth to take Ibid. from the Doctrine of the Church of England if the Homilies containe any part thereof If Mr. Burton doe doubt of that wee can succour him with the nineteenth Article of Religion the vnquestionable doctrine of our Church where the same words are For answer whereunto we professe that wee esteeme these tokens such genuine Markes of the true Church of God that the more apparant they are in her the more glorious shee is in his sight and the more perfect in respect of her selfe And herewithall wee iustly defend ouâ—selues against the whole Antichristian Band that so long as wee haue that Doctrine which Christ and hiâ— Apostles deliuered vnto his Church purely taught amongst vs and the holy Sacraments rightly administred it is not the want of their vnwritten rotten traditions vnwritten truthes vntrue writings which can take away from vs the Appellation of a true Church Yet we know that these markes are not so essentiall to the true Church that so soone as vnsound Doctrine is mingled with the truth of Gods Word and the Sacraments vnduely administred that which was a Church should cease to bee one The Children of Israel did abide many dayes without a Sacrifice and Ephod c. yet then Hos 3. 4. did not God cease to bee their God nor they to bee his Church The Perkins Cases of Conscience Booke 2. Chap. c. quest 1. Sacrament of Baptisme saith one of note in the lawfull vse thereof is a note whereby the true Church of God is dâ—scerned and distinguished from the false Church not that the Church of God cannot bee a Church without the Sacrament for it may want Baptisme for a time and yet remaine a true Church as well as the Church of the Iewes in ancient times wanted Circumcision for the space of forty yeares Iosh 5. 6. and yet ceased not to bee a true Church and loued of God Thus he Besides wee are giuen to vnderstand See Rogers on the nineteenth Article prop. 8 by the authorized Commentary vpon the Confession of our Church that although the Church of England make these the Markes of the Visible Church yet doth she not so strictly tye the Church to the signes articulate as if all were excluded the Church which doe not rightly participate of the Word and Sacraments for it may fall out that they may bee corrupted as in the times of blindenesse and superstition or intermitted as in persecution Thus this Argument alledged concludes affirmatiuely Wheresoeuer Gods Word is purely preached and the Sacraments duely administred there is a true Church but not negatiuely Wheresoeuer these are not found in such sort as were to be desired there is no
Christianis essent Haeretici audiebant nuper exortus nobis Tortus qui Christianos negat In former times Heretickes were not reckoned amongst Turkes or Iewes or Infidels much lesse amongst Diuels neyther were any called Heretickes but such â—â— were Christians of late some peruersâ— men are risen vp which deny them to be at all Christians But why must we not grant them to bee Christians Because they are not able to demonstrate themselues to bee such But what if they haue not all your facultie of reasoning demonstratiuely shall they be no Christians therefore Can no man bee a Christian except hee bee a Logician But it is further obiected that No Papist can vndoubtedly perswade himselfe that hee is a Christian Ibiâ— pag. 42. and this reason is giuen He is not certaine of the Priests intention in his Baptisme nor yet of the Bishops intention by whom that Priest was ordained Therfore no Papist can be sure whether he bee a Christian or no. Well then for answer to this first it is granted That admission into the Church by Baptisme maketh men Christians Christianitie maketh them a true Church So that all wee haue to doe now is to proue their Baptisme good which if we euince we haue gotten the day First then All that is alledged to make their Baptisme a nullitie is a possibilitie that the Priests intention might bee absent when they were baptized but à posse ad esse non valet consequentia from a possibilitie of the Priests not intending to his not intending actually the Argument followes not So that if this reasoning were found the most that can be concluded from thence is That perhaps Papists are no Christians It is vncertaine whether they be so or no now in things which are doubtfull we are not to learne which way charity should encline But secondly It is vnreasonable that another mans spite or ill-meaning should doe mee hurt Delictum cum capite semper ambulat That mens owne faults are their owne harmes is an vndeniable Rule of Equitie Thirdly It matters not whether the Baptisme according to their Tenents bee good or no you must proue it not to bee auaileable according to vs and according to the Word of God Wee are no Papists whatsoeuer you thinke of vs neyther will we betyed to their opinions There be two things essentiall to Baptisme the Matter and the Forme Water and the words of Christs Institution If with Water they were baptized In the Name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost their baptisme was good wee care not what become of the Priests intention But fourthly to come home to you Eyther the baptisme in the Church of Rome is true or not if it be true baptisme then haue we gained and you are ouercome if not then it must bee iterated when they turne to vs and so you rush vnawares into the exploded Heresie of rebaptization your ground being the same vpon which the Masters of that error built their opinion which See Hooker Eccles Pol. lib. 3 § 1. was That knowing how the Administration of Baptisme belongeth onely to the Church of Christ they thought that Heretickes are not at all any part of the Church and therefore rebaptized them Dum vitant Docti vitia in contraria Currunt But wherefore doe you now depart from your fore-alledged Classicall Author the learned Dr. Field See our reuerend Bishops Apology who saith that the Church of Rome ministreth the true Sacrament of Baptisme to the saluation of the soules of many thousand Infants This is too grosse an ouer-sight for him that promised nothing but substantiall reason demonstratiue proof Therefore be aduised against another time though the Priests wits bee a wool-gathering let not yours bee so But why trifle we Why should we grant Papists to be Christians Wherefore should not wee grant them that which wee cannot deny them For howsoeuer the Priest at the baptizing or the Bishop at the ordaining had another meaning yet the words Dr Chaloner creâ—â—â—â—â—les Sanct Catâ—ol wherewith they baptized and ordained beeing the words of Christ are to be taken in Christs meaning in as much as hee which receiueth a thing from another is to receiue it according to the intention of the principal Giuer and not the instrumentall Giuer He which conferres Baptisme and Orders as the Principall Doner is Christ the Bishop or Pastor conferres them onely as his Instruments See if this bee not the Catholicke Doctrine of the Church of England in the 26. Article But is it credible that Mr. Burton should bee all this while in iest For he addeth For the bare Name of Christians and a pag. 4â— Church wee will not stand with them What more doe wee require Why contend wee But he kickes it down againe with his heele So they doe not hereupon nor any for them incroach and challenge the beeing and reality yea or the very Visibility of a true Church When you make this sense wee will giue you an Answer The next page I wholly omit as iudging it vnfit for a Christian to vtter against any that beare the Image of God where he doth nothing but compare Papists with the Diuels making them worse contending that the Diuels are as good a Church as the Papists But the ill lucke is that hee cannot proue them Visible CHAP. X. How from the Councell of Trent Mr. Burton would proâ—e that the Church of Rome doth directly deny Christ Iesus TO draw to an end I come now to the head of the Cause wherein he would proue That the Church of Rome not by a circle of Consequence but ditectly denieth Christ Iesus Directly not by Consequence onely directly I say shee denieth pag. 51. and destroyeth the Foundation of Faith I haue borne with him all along hitherto but now I must craue pardon to challenge him for an egregious contradiction Directly not by Consequence onely Can the Foundation bee ouerthrowne both by consequence and directly too None can ouerthrow by Consequence vnlesse they hold directly and can any man both hold directly and deny directly Wherefore then doe you take the paines to proue both vnlesse you meane to declaime rather than to dispute and howsoeuer you would bee thought to neglect Rhetorique affect the praise of Garneades the great Orator who hauing one day preuailed in Court by his Eloquence would come the next day and as strongly mainetaine the contrary Cause Otherwise that which you first alledge to proue that the Church of Rome by Consequence ouerthroweâ— the Foundation destroyes that which you bring in the last place to make it appeare that shee denies it directly and that which would shew her to deny directly makes voyde all that proues her to deny by Consequence And so both former and latter reasoning fall to the ground being nothing worth But that you may confesse and the Readers may see thaâ— you haue a faire Aduersarie wee will pardon you all this and binde our selues to grant
true Church Thus the maior proposition is answered For the minor which affirmeth That the Cburch of Rome hath not these Markes of a true Church we confesse that Gods Word is not purely taught amongst them but mingled with much drosse and error yet haue they not abolished all truth neyther can wee thinke but that they are much sounder in their Sermons than in their Disputations For the Sacraments it is true they haue defiled the Ordinances of God with their indecent Rites yet can they not hereby make them nullities much lesse by their erroneous opinions â—uacuate the force of them Their Baptisme for the substance of it is holy and good and effectuall no doubt to them that receiue it as ours The Eucharist is to them that partake of it if they be worthy Receiuers a true Sacrament notwithstanding their Teachers opinion of Transubstantiation That they are debarred of the Cup in the holy Communion is the sacriledge of the Masters of that Synagogue and the want thereof shall not be preiudiciall to those that vnfainedly desire it It is a rule of equitie Factum alterius â—lij nocere non debet The faultinesse of others shall not hurt those which doe not so much as consent with them and surely God will neuer lay that to their charge which through the perfidiousnesse of others it lay not in them to auoyde This part of the Reason then proueth the Church of Rome to bee an vnsound Church not no Church And Mr. Burton himselfe who thinks that these markes could not agree to the Church of Rome for these nine hundred yeares past yet denieth not that there was both a Church and Saluation there till the Councell of Trent Thus I hope wee haue giuen full satisfaction to Mr. Burtons greatest and his onely Argument and shewed it to bee neyther substantiall nor demonstratiue The Word of God purely preached and the Sacraments according to Christ his holy institution administred are Markes of the true Church If here by we examine the Church of England shee will appeare glorious and beautifull like Eden the Garden of the Lord if wee vrge them against the Church of Rome they shew her to bee not no Church at all but not an Orthodoxe Church CHAP. IV. Mr. Burtons cauilling at the Reuerend Bishops Similitudes examined FRom hence hee descendeth to examine those speeches which fell from the Reuerend Bishops Pen whiles he would set downe the extents of the differences betwixt vs Old Religion Chap. 1. and the Church of Rome Who iustly blameth those which dislike whatsoeuer is in the Church of Rome counting all Doctrine Popish that by them is maintained and all Discipline Antichristian which by them is vsed as if it were all errour no Church adding these words Neither for the chaffe doe we leaue the floore of God neyther for the bad fishes doe we breake his nets Mr. Burton But if pag. 36. the floore bee not now Gods floore but Antichrists floore where nothing is to bee found but chaffe and if the nâ—tâ— bee no other but such as catch onely the bad fishes which is not the property of Gods nets c. Stay a little Is there nothing in the Church of Rome but chaffe no good corne Pol ego illum perisse dâ—co quoi perijt pudor Is it all chaffe which they teach concerning the Trinitie Is it all chaffe which they teach touching many other fundamentall Points of Christian Religion Those studious endeauours of the Dominicans against the Iesuites maintaining Gods free grace against mans free wil are they all chaffe The Twelue Bookes of Aluarez De auxilijs gratiae which doe so trouble all the Fathers of the Societie is there nought but chaffe in them neither So long as M. Burton hath been in the Ministrie could hee neuer find any good graine amongst the writings of the Iesuites themselues how many sound and orthodox interpretations of Scripture do they lend vs Maldonat Lorinus and the rest if there be nothing but chaffe in them wherefore doe we lay out so much monie to buy their Commentaries It is not long that I haue been a Preacher yet in that short time I thanke God I haue found much good corne amongst them and haue deliuered many things professedly out of them yet neuer hitherto could any man accuse mee of teaching either Heresie or Schisme And doubtlesse hee himselfe is not ignorant hereof though he thinke good to dissemble it Againe It is true it is not the propertie of Gods Nets to catch onely bad fishes nor yet of any nets at all and for no other cause is the Kingdome of heauen that is the Visible Church of God compared to a Net but because that promiscuously it gathereth both good and badde Mat. 13. 47. fishes All truth saith the Bishop wheresoeuer it is found is Gods as the Kings coine is currant though it be found in any impure channell M. Burton True but when the truth of God is turned into Pag. 36. a lie and this lie put for Gods truth then the case is altered Here is a nimble conuersion But if all Men and Deuils should turne Alchymistes were it possible for them to Metamorphose Gods truth into a lie St. Paul speaking of the Gentiles how they abused that light of reason wherewithall God enlighteneth euerie one that commeth into the world and became vaine in their Imaginations saith of them that they changed Rom. 1. 25. the truth of God into a lie which was but a change neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a simple conuersion Thus M. Burton vnlesse you may haue leaue to wrest Scripture your answere is nothing If any man obtrude adulterate money of his owne stamping If a man take the Kings coyne and beaâ—e it into a thinne lease cat pag. 30 in the Kings name let him suffer as a Malefactor but when the Kings currant coine is profered let no maâ— reiect it as base and vicious least hâ— himselfe bee impeached for a Traitor Where by the way note that yoâ— haue already contradicted your selâ—e Euen now all was chaffe in the Church of Rome now Gods truth is there how else can it be pretended how else can they colour ouer lyes with it The Reuerend Bishop proceedes Fundamentall truth is like the Maroâ—ean Wine which if it bee mixed with twenty times so much water holds his strength He is pleased to bee merry with the Bishop and tels him that his Comparison is pretty if it did hold water Your Vibanity Mr. Burton pag. 37. is pretty if your manners were as good But saith hee what if twenty times so much poyson be put to it c What will that hold poyson now which before would not hold water We grant it yet let me tell you that all the poyson in the world cannot be operatiue vpon the truth of God to alter the nature of it Popery is poyson but fundamentall Truth is an Antidote a little quantitie of Antidote that is soueraigne