forma iuramenti professionis fidei Bull which calleth it THE PVBLICKE PROFESSION OF THE ORTHODOXAL FAITH TO BE VNIFORMLY OBSERVED AND PROFESSED z THE NEW CREED OF THE CHVRCH OF ROME I. N. do with firme faith beleeue and professe all and singular things contained in the Creed which the Romane Church vseth namely I beleeue in one God the Father almightie maker of heauen and earth and of all things visible and inuisible And in one Lord Iesus Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God borne of his Father before all worlds God of God light of light very God of very God begotten not made being consubstantiall with the Father by whom all things were made who for vs men and for our saluation came downe from heauen and was incarnate by the holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made man crucified also for vs vnder Pontius Pilate suffered and was buried and rose againe the third day according to the Scriptures and ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of his Father and shall come againe with glory to iudge the quicke and the dead whose kingdome shall haue no end and in the holy Ghost the Lord and giuer of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne who with the Father and the Sonne is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets And I beleeue one Holy Catholick and Apostolicke Church J beleeue one Baptisme for the remission of sinnes and I looke for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come Amen The Apostolick and Ecclesiasticall TRADITIONS and other obseruances and constitutions of that Church do I firmly admit and embrace Also the sacred Scripture according to THAT SENCE WHICH OVR MOTHER THE CHVRCH HATH HOLDEN AND DOTH HOLD whose right it is to iudge of the true sence and interpretation of holy Scriptures do I admit Neither will I euer receiue and expound it but according to the vniforme consent of the Fathers I do also confesse that there be truly and properly SEVEN SACRAMENTS of the new law instituted by our Lord Iesus Christ and necessary to the saluation of mankind though all be not for euery man that is to say Baptisme Confirmation the Eucharist Penance extreme Vnction Order and Mariage and that they confer grace and that among these Baptisme Confirmation and Order cannot be reiterated without sacriledge Also the receiued and approued rites of the Catholicke Church vsed in the solemne administration of all the aforesaid Sacraments I receiue and admit All and euery the things which concerning ORIGINALL SIN and IVSTIFICATION were defined and declared in the holy Councell of Trent I embrace and receiue Also I confesse that in the MASSE is offered to God a true proper and propitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and the dead and that in the holy EVCHARIST is truly really and substantially the body and blood with the soule and Diuinitie of our Lord Iesu Christ and that there is made a conuersion of the whole substance of the bread into his body and of the whole substance of the wine into his bloud which conuersion the Catholick Church calleth TRANSVBSTANTIATION I confesse also that vnder ONE KIND ONLY all whole Christ and the true Sacrament is receiued I do constantly hold there is a PVRGATORY and the soules detained there are holpe by the suffrages of the faithful And likewise that the SAINTS raigning with Christ are to be worshipped and prayed vnto And that they offer their prayers to God for vs and that their RELICKS are to be worshipped And most firmly I auouch that the IMAGES of Christ and the Mother of God alwayes a Virgin and other Saints are to be had and retained and that to them due honor and veneration is to be giuen Also that the power of INDVLGENCES was left by Christ in the Church and I affirme the vse thereof to be most wholsome to Christs people That the Holy Catholicke and Apostolicke ROMANE CHVRCH is the mother and mistris of all Churches I acknowledge and I vow and sweare true obedience to the Bishop of Rome the successor of S. Peter the Prince of the Apostles and the Vicar of Iesus Christ And AL OTHER things likewise do I vndoubtingly receiue and confesse which are deliuered defined and declared by the sacred canons and generall Councels and especially the holy Councel of Trident and withal I condemne reiect and accurse all things that are contrary hereunto and all heresies whatsoeuer condemned reiected and accursed by the Church and that I will be carefull this true Catholicke faith out of the which no man can be saued which at this time I willingly professe and truly hold be constantly with Gods helpe retained and confessed whole and inuiolate to the last gaspe and by those that are vnder me or such as I shall haue charge ouer in my calling holden taught and preached to the vttermost of my power I the said N. promise vow sweare so God me help and his holy Gospels The Schoolmen Lawyers were long ago in hand with this question whether the Pope had authoritie to make a new Creed And because they were long tempering with it and the affirmatiue seemed a strange position we maruelled what they would make of it But now we see they meant in good earnest indeed and this belike was the Creed whereof the Pope was with child and all his Church must receiue it This is a strange presumption that taking vpon them to bring new matter of faith into the Church and to make that necessary to be beleeued for saluatiō which before was not so yet their people should be so blind as not obserue it Suarez the Iesuit a Tom. 2. p. 30. The matter may come to that passe that without any new explicate reuelation the Church may haue sufficient motiues for the defining of this or that veritie by the infolded and still reuelation of God for this manner of defining whereby that which was not before is now made an article of faith it is sufficient that any supernaturall veritie be infoldedly contained in tradition or Scripture that the common consent of the Church by which the holy Ghost often explicates traditions and declares Scripture increasing the Church at the length may bring in her determination which hath the force of a certaine diuine reuelation in respect of vs. This consent of the Church may so increase that at the length she may simply and absolutely define it This sheweth plainly that they thinke the Pope hath power to make a new Creed and hereby the world may see that vnder pretence of things lying hidden in the Church and the common consent of the Church increasing the Pope may multiply the matters of faith and so fit in the conscience as he pleaseth 16 It is no small griefe to all that are well minded to see this more then Egyptian bondage whererein so many people liue but yet if any man looke attentiuely vpon it the matter will not seeme
secreti regula Pastor erit Roma suis magna suis Brittannia normam Pandit in incertum ne rapiare caue Consilium Medici Pastoris consule vocem Iudicium certum PAGINA SACRA dabit Le. Asshaw ar A BRIEFE DISCOVRSE CONCERNING FAITH BY WHICH IS euidently declared how euery one that hath a desire to please God and a care to saue his soule the which should be the chiefe desire and care of euery Christian man ought to resolue and settle himselfe in all points questions and controuersies of faith The Answer IF the Discourse had performed what the Title promiseth you had bene beholding to the man that bestowed it on you the rather because the coÌ„trouersies of the present time haue changed the sweet Spring of our Church into a stormy Winter But seeing the author thereof vnder colour of directing you in the controuersies goeth about to make another Eue of you by seducing your minde from the simplicitie that is in Christ you haue little cause to thanke him and a Deut. 27.18 he lesse to reioyce in his labour For his reasons whereby he thinketh to declare his matter so euidently all tend to perswade you that the Pope of Rome b Gregorius decimus tertius filiorum ecclesiae pater amantissimus Camp rat 5. apud Posseu bibl l. 7. c. 21. his fast frieÌ„d c Nomine Ecclesiae intelligimus eius caput id est Romanum PontificeÌ„ Gregor de Valent. in Thom. tom 3. pag. 24. Venet. is this verie Rule that must resolue you in these points questions and controuersies of faith An vnreasonable position voyd of all indifferencie when common sense teacheth that he which is a partie cannot be iudge and d Niceph. Gregor hist lib 10. cap. vlt. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which it selfe is a thing wauering and inconstant cannot be the Rule to discerne the right by What father e Luc. 11.11 saith Christ if his sonne aske him bread will giue him a stone or if he aske a fish will giue him a serpent yet thus the Iesuite hath dealt with you But f Epicharm the heathen mans counsell is good Be sober and suspicious and g 1. Thes 5.21 the Apostles better Trie all things and sticke to that which is good Neither must you hope to learne truth in the schoole of lies for they that seeke Christ among heretickes shall lose him § 1. First it is to be suppoâ—ed and set downe for a certaine ground that there is but one faith which whosoeuer wanteth cannot possibly please God nor consequently be saued since none are saued which do not please God This is proued out of S. Paule who in one place saith Vna fides Ethes 4 and in another Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo Heb 11. The which two places make this sence in English Faith is but one and without faith it is impossible to please God Secondly this one faith without which we cannot please God must be infallible and most certaine because faith is the credite and inward assent of mind which we giue to the word of God the prime and first veritie which neither can deceiue nor be deceiued Fides saith the same S. Paule Rom. 10 ex auditu auditus per verbum Dei The sence of which words be that faith is bred in vs by hearing and yeelding assent to the word of Christ who is of God The Answer 1 Both these conclusions be true and you shall graunt them to be as himselfe calleth them certaine grounds wherein we all agree that there is but one faith wherein we can be saued and this faith must be infallible or certaine that is free from error and such as cannot deceiue vs beleeuing nothing that false is And this later is well proued Because faith is the assent of the mind that we giue to the word of God which word being the first truth neither can deceiue vs nor be deceiued it selfe This confirmation I say will serue meaning by the word of God the holy Scriptures for h Cyrill Hiero. fol. cat 4. the securitie of our faith ariseth from the demonstration of the diuine Scriptures i 1. Cor. 4.6 that no man presume aboue that which is written 2 But if by the word of God which cannot deceiue nor be deceiued he meane also the Constitutions of his Church and the Popes Decrees which they call Traditions then his confirmation is naught and we reiect it because the words thereof will be resolued into this sence That our faith or religion to this end that it may be infallible must be grounded partly on Traditions and partly on the Scriptures and the certaintie thereof dependeth no lesse on the former then on the later a point which no wise man will graunt considering that such Traditions are so farre from securing our faith that directly they leade it into a verie sea of errors and vncertainties and being once admitted euery Friers dreame and base custome of the Romish Church shall be thrust vpon you for an article of religion necessarie to eternall life And I dare vndertake the Iesuit in this place by the word of God of Christ meaneth these verie Traditions so farre that put him to it and before he wil forgo them or hazard the least of his Papall Decrees you shall see him k Vide as quaÌ„ti ponderis sit ipsa traditio vt ex ipsa noui testamenti scripta omnia authoritatem acceperint quam qui non admiâ—tunt ab ipsis etiam canonicis scriptis excidat necesse est Traditio est scripturarum fundamentum In eo scripturas excellunt quod illae nisi traditione firmentur non subsistant hae vero etiam sine scriptis suaÌ„ obtineant firmitatem Caes Baron annal tom 1. an 53. nu 11. verie strangely speake of the Scriptures as the l Demades Eras apop man of Athens that thought his countreymen should not by striuing for heauen in the meane time venter to lose the earth Digression 1. Prouing that the Papists grounding the doctrine of faith on Traditions make them equall to the written word 3 For the Trent Councell m Sess 4. decret 1. decreed they should be receiued with the same reuerence and affection wherewith we receiue the Scripture it selfe Canus n Loc. l. 3. c. 3. saith Many things belong to Christian faith which are contained in the Scripture neither openly nor obscurely o Confess Petric c. 92. Hosius saith the greatest part of the Gospell is come to vs by tradition very little of it is committed to writing p De Purgat cap. 11. Peltanus that many verities lye hidden in the Church which if she would reueale we were bound to beleeue with the same faith wherwith we beleeue the things reuealed in the Scriptures q Vaux Canisius English catech c. 1. The Popish Catechismes teach that Faith is a certaine light wherwith whosoeuer is enlightened he firmely agreeth to all such things as
God hath set forth by his Church to be learnâ—d of vs whether they be written or not written Doctor Standish in r Cap. 6. probat 3. his booke against English Bibles crieth out Take from them the English damnable translations and let them learne the mysteries of God reuerently by heart and learne to giue as much credit to that which is not expressed as to that which is expressed in the Scripture Å¿ D. 40. Si Papa in Annot. margin The Canon law newly set out by Pope Gregorie the thirteenth saith that Men do with such reuerence respect the Apostolicall seate of Rome that they rather desire to know the ancient institution of Christian religion from the Popes mouth then from the holy Scripture and they onely inquire what is his pleasure and according to it they order their life and conuersation So that you see howsoeuer the Iesuite say our faith cannot apprehend a falshood because it assenteth onely to the word of God yet by the word of God he meaneth Romish Traditions as well as the Scripture and so maketh those things of equall truth with it and then beareth you in hand that the certaintie of your faith and religion dependeth on their infallibility as much as on the infallibilitie of the Scripture a point which I would easily graunt him if the question were of the Romish faith for I confesse it dependeth vpon Traditions more then on the written word so farre forth that as t Andrad Orthodox explicat lib. 2. quam traditionum authoritatem si tollas nutare iam vacillare videbuntur pag 80. a Doctor of his owne side speaketh Many points therof would reele and totter if they were not supported with the helpe of Traditions But against this let the iudgement of u Regul contract 95. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 502. Basil be noted by the way It is necessary and consonant to reason that euery man learne that which is needfull out of the Scriptures both for the fulnesse of godlinesse and lest they inure themselues to humane Traditions § 2. Thirdly the one and infallible faith without which we cannot please God must be also entire whole and sound in all points and it is not sufficient to saluation to beleeue stedfastly some points and not other some So saith Athanasius his Creed receiued of all Quicunque vult saluus esse c. Whosoeuer will be saued before all things it is needful that he hold the catholike faith which vnlesse euery one keepe entire and inuiolate without doubt he shall perish euerlastingly Againe to beleeue some points of faith and to denie others is heresie as not to beleeue anie point of faith at all is absolute infidelitie But it is certain euen out of Scripture that neither infidell nor heretick shall be saued For our Sauiour hath absolutely pronounced Qui non crediderit condemnabitur Marc. 16. And the Apostle S. Paule Gal. 5. putteth heresies among the workes of the flesh saying Manifesta sunt opera carnis quae sunt fornicatio fictae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in English heresies of all which he saith Qui talia agunt regnum Dei non consequentur Moreouer the reason why anie one point of faith is vnder paine of damnation to be beleeued by Christian diuine and infallible faith is because God almightie hath reuealed it and by his Church hath proposed it vnto vs and commanded it to be beleeued for otherwise they be not points of faith but of opinion or of some other kinde of knowledge Therefore all points of faith are vnder paine of damnation to be beleeued The Answer 1 This third conclusion toucheth a second propertie required in sauing faith and it must be granted him with the confirmation thereof in a true sence namely that we are bound to beleeue the points of saluation by obtaining a particular distinct knowledge of the same in our selues and so assenting to them that our faith may include an apprehension also and knowledge of the things beleeued as well as an assent to the proposition thereof If this be the Iesuites meaning in this place then I embrace it as the truth 2 But peraduenture his mind runs vpon a further matter which his Church teacheth about infolded faith and then you may note the grosse heresie that he thrusts vpon you in his smooth words For x Implicita fâ—des est credere secuÌ„dùm quod ecclesia credit Vnde noÌ„ omnis Christianus teneturillos articulos fidei scire explicitè sed tantùm clerici Iacob de Graf decis lib. 2. ca. 8. nu 16. the Iesuites and Schoolemen teach how the lay-people are not bound to know what the matters of their faith be y Fides meliùs per ignorantiaÌ„ quà m per notitiam definitur Bellar. de iust l. 1. c. 7. ignorance is better it sufficeth if they consent to the Churches faith whatsoeuer it be assuring themselues it beleeueth and knoweth all things necessary but what those things are they need not enquire thus excluding knowledge from the nature of religion and placing it in assent onely as sufficient to make it whole and entire This being a sottish conceit deuised for the nonce to suppresse knowledge yet marke how boldly these men presse it on vs with the style of an entire faith which I manifest further in the Digression following Digression 2. Shewing the infolded faith of the Papists and confuting the same as not entire 3 For howsoeuer the Church of Rome pretend this whole complete faith yet when the matter cometh to scanning she vtterly refuseth knowledge sendeth her children to schoole to the Collier of him to learne to beleeue as the Church beleeueth For first whereas z Mat. 22.29 Chrys ho 3. in Laz. prol hom in Rom. the ignorance of the Scriptures is the roote of all error and the cause of vnbeleefe a Index lib. prohib Reg. 4. the Church of Rome forbiddeth the reading of them among the people b Franc. Ouan Mogol breuilo in 4. sent D. 13. prop. 3. pretending the vulgar translations to be one principal cause of heresies and therefore c Linwood in constitut prouinc l. 5. titul de magistris cap. Quia when the law was in their owne hand they vtterly forbad them d Mart. Peres de trad pag. 44. One of them saith he thinketh verily it was the diuels inuention to permit the people to reade the Bible e Thyâ—rae de Demoniac cap. 21. th 257. Another writeth that he knew certaine men to be possessed of a diuell because being but husbandmen they were able to discourse of the Scriptures Thus theeues put out the candle that discouers them 4 Next f Nauarr. Manual cap. 11. nu 16. Iacob de Graff decis l. 4. cap. 24 nu 23. they make it heresie for a lay man to dispute in a point of faith and g Magin Geograph pag. 104. Linwood lib. 5. tit de Magist c. periculosa suffer no
Iesuite now beginneth to auouch concerning the vnitie of his Romane Church is all vntrue as I will sufficiently shew in the three next Digressions and shall haue occasion further to manifest a Digress when I come to handle the note of Vniuersalitie This is the truth and all that can be said for it b Isid Pelus ep 408 lib. 3. which Pelusiota noteth in all heretickes that the name of peace is indeed euery where but the thing it selfe no where and as c Aug. epist 162 contra pertin Donatist it was among the Donatists They sacrifice in schisme and dissention and greet the world with the name of peace whom they driue from the peace of their saluation This their vnitie is of seuen sorts d Illyric de sect Whitak controu 2. de eccle q. 5. c. 8. as some learned men among vs haue sent them word and we thinke our iarres such as they be are better then it 2 The first is the vnitie of darknesse in that they are prouident to maintaine outward peace lest their kingdom should come to nought e Mat. 12.16 such an vnitie there is in hell and one Beare they say will lie with another f Petr. Martyr decad l. 3. c. 5. and the very Cannibals vse not to eate them of their owne countrey The second is a heathenish vnitie when men for their credite wiâ—l not seeme contentious as it is very certaine they see innumerable abuses in their Church and doctrine and yet may be content to agree in all lest the world should despise them The third is brutish vnitie when their people consent because they are beastly ignorant and know not their ownâ— abominations so g Staphyl apol part 1. the Colliar said he was of the same beleefe the Church is and yet he knew neither the Churches nor hâ—s owne beleefe The fourth is Iudas his vnitie who kept companie with the other Apostles because he gained by it as many cleaue to the Romane Church and agree thereiâ— because it enricheth them and now then as a sanctuary freeth them from the danger of their sensualitie The fift is tyrannicall vnitie when men by feare are constrained to agree the Popes Consistory and Spanish Inquisition preuaile more with their people then the conscience of religion as would soone appeare if they were taken away The sixt is Herods vnitie for as he and Pilate which were secretly foes yet agreed together to crucifie Christ so these men consent in one against the truth and conspire together more to suppresse vs then to establish any sinceritie among themselues The last is the vnitie of h Iudg. 15.4 Sampsons foxes which were tied together by the tailes but all their heads were loose and euery one looked a sundry way so these men sticke together by the tailes in their religion all embracing one conceit of Poperie but in the maintenance and exposition of the same looking and thinking as many wayes as there be heads among them onely the Pope and his gouernement they all professe because it is their vantage and in him all their tailes meete together This is the vnitie of the Iesuites Church and the true genealogie thereof which we are content to acknowledge vnto them Digression 22. Obiecting the behauiour of the Papists toward the diuine Scriptures thereby to proue their varying from that which in former times the Primitiue Church of Rome beleeued 3 But whereas he saith the Romane Church hath not swarued from any point which formerly it held this is vntrue because it is declined from the doctrine of the Scriptures which the old Romane Church till Antichrist brake into it held inuiolably and for proofe hereof I will not now stand to compare the present Romane faith with the Scriptures but onely touch certaine practises of the Papists about the Scriptures which are euident signes and cleare demonstrations of that I say And first their canonizing now after 1500. years of the vulgar Latine against the Hebrew and Greeke originals for i Sess 4. the Trent Councell chargeth all men to vse it as the authenticall text in all their readings disputations sermons and expositions and that they do not reiect it vnder any pretence whatsoeuer Yea k Galatin de Arcun l. 1. c. 8. Leo Castrens apologet lib. 2. and others the learned men among them accuse the Hebrew and Greeke of corruptions manifold and their generall opinion thereof may be discouered by the Bishop of â—oledoes conceit l F. Simen bibl Complut in prolog who putting forth the Bible in diuers languages and therein printing his Latine in the middest betweene the Hebrew and Greek saith he hath placed them as the two theeues on either side but the Romane or Latin Church he hath put in the middest betweene them as Iesus Christ And yet this their Latine so swarmeth with monstrous corruptions that m Lin la. de opt gen interp l. 3. ca. 4. Reg. bibl tom 6. in var. lect lat bibl edit vulg themselues complaine of it as well as we and n Molina in 1. Tho. pag. 399. Andrad defens Trid. lib. 4. Alph. Mendoz. controu theol q. 7 pag. 514. diuers of them iustifie with vs against their fellowes the Hebrew and Greek and some that mislike it yet confesse o Posseuin bibl select l. 2. c. 6. Sixt. Sen. bibl sanct l 8. pag. 318. b. the errors supposed to be therein are not of such weight as that they touch the perfection of the Scripture in things pertaining to faith and good manners Now it is vnlikely they would striue thus about an edition against all antiquitie and probabilitie but that they see some euidence in the originals which by their Latin they hope they can auoide 4 Next p See Digr 1.9 they complaine against the Scriptures that they containe not all things needfull to saluation but the best part of true religion is made knowne to vs by vnwritten tradition which if you take away many points of the faith will reele and totter which they might neuer say for shame if they were not declined from the Scripture and had not deuised this shift of tradition to flie vnto when the Scripture is pressed against them 5 Thirdly q See Digr 2. 3. they forbid the people to reade the Scripture and will not haue it translated into the mother tongue which is a signe they mistrust their faith and doubt lest the people by reading should find it departed from the Scripture 6 Fourthly r See Digr 16. they make the Pope iudge ouer the sence of the Scripture Å¿ Concil Trid. sess 4. forbidding all other sences then such as agree with the Church of Rome and that which is prodigious they blush not to say t Cusan ep 2.3.7 The Scripture is fitted to the time and variably vnderstood the sence thereof being one while this and againe another while that according as it pleaseth the Church to change her iudgement
LENITY TO REDVCE AGAINE THEIR SEDVCED NEIGHBOVRS bearing with their frowardnesse and praying instantly for their conuersion if at any time it may please God to release them of their errors and to giue them the knowledge of his truth by deliuering them from the Romane Emissaries which haue made them their wards that they might possesse them and prey vpon them And let them finally with faithfulnesse and instance pray God for the state wherein we liue so pitifully vexed with the discontent and fury of those that call themselues Catholickes who if they had any dram of religioÌ„ or conscience in them would not thus practise to make their owne deare countrey a theater of such tragedies as the world neuer saw before But our sinnes are the cause of these things and therefore let euery man eschuing his owne euill seeke that way to confirme himselfe and the Church wherein he liueth in the fauour of God that he may shew mercy and peace in our daies Amen FINIS An Alphabeticall Table of the seuerall matters and questions handled and disputed in this Booke The first number signifieth the section the second the number of the section Where the number is but one there the whole Section is meant A. ABbeyes See Monkes and Monasteries Accidents in the Sacrament where they inhere 35 21. how they haue power to nourish breed corrupt c. ibid. Adoration of the blessed Sacrament when it was brought in 51.9 absurdities about it ibid Alteration The Church of Rome is altered from that which it held in ancient times Digress 23. See Romane Church Anastasius his booke de Vitis Rom. Pontificum censured 55.7 Antiquitie of the Protestants doctrine demonstrated 44.1 Apocrypha not canonicall Scripture by the Papists owne confession 35 20. Appeales to Rome forbidden 36.27 Apostolicke How the Church is Apostolicke 52.1 Arnulfus his speech of the Pope 50.28 Auricular confession iustly reiected by the Protestants 40.6 The primitiue Church vsed it not ibid. It was the occasion and meanes of contriuing the horriblest sins that were 40.9 The saying of Chaucer touching it ibid Not agreed vpon by the Papists touching the time when it was instituted 35.20 and 40.6 and 58.7 whether it be simplie needfull 40.7.8 Austine the monke conuerted not England 49. Author of sinne God is not the Author of sinne 40.50 How God willeth sinne ibid. Touching this point the Papists haue belyed vs and say themselues as much as we do ibid. B. BErengatius 50.30 Bishops Lay men somtime made Bishops 5.11 The Bishops oath made to the Pope 31.6 Titular Bishops at the Councell of Trent 31.5 Bookes The practise of Papists in purging of bookes 35.18 Boy Pope of Rome 55.7 C. CAlling of the Protestant Ministers how demonstrated 52.5 It is necessarie that Pastors haue a calling 58.1 What calling the Protestants Pastors had ib. They need no miracles to confirme it and why 59. Canonizing See Saints Catholicke The Romish Church not Catholicke in place 46.2 nor in doctrine and time 46.3 Centuries how they haue taken exception against the Fathers 44.3 Certaintie of saluation See Saluation Church Our faith is not lastly resolued into the authoritie of the Church 6.9 How the teaching of the Church is called the rule 13.1 By the Church the Papists meane the Pope Digress 16. Why the Papists deuolue all power so to the Church Digress 16. How the Church is said to erre 14.2 and 15.6 25.2 The Church militant may erre 14.2 inde 15.6 The Church is the subordinate meanes to teach men and how 18.5 27.1 Church visible The true state of the question betweene the Papists and vs touching the visiblenesse of the Church 17.1 and Digress 17. 22. The Papists confesse in effect as much touching the Churches being sometime inuisible as we do Digress 17. The Church is not alway visible 18. The Arguments against this answered from § 18. to 24. The Papists say the Church when Christ suffered was in the virgine Marie alone 17.3 The Protestants Church hath alway beene Digress 48. Markes of the Church the Sacraments and doctrine of the Scripture are the right markes of the Church 24.1 and Digress 18. The Arguments against this are answered from 26. to 32. How the teaching and doctrine of the Church may be examined 30. The markes of the Church assigned by the Papists are not sufficient 32. How the Church mooued Saint Austin to beleeue the Gospell Digress 19. Change of the ancient Romane faith See Alteration and Romane Church Clergie The vilenesse of the Popish Clergie noted 38.5 How the Papists excuse it 38.7 Communion See Sacrament Commandements of God See Law Congruitie See Merit of congruity Conception of the virgin Mary without sinne a new doctrine 47.2 Consultation not debarred though man haue no freewill 40.48 Conuersion of countries by the Romane Church how it was 49.4 Contention What the contentions are wherewith our Churches can truly be charged 33.2 The Church was neuer free from al coÌ„tention Digress 21. Grieuous contentions in the Primitiue Church ibid. Discourse touching the contentions in the Romane Church Digress 24. They say they contend not in dogmaticall points answered 35.19 Councels aboue the Pope 36.28.30 the Pope not president in the ancient Councels 36.29 They may erre 15.6 44 6. They were called in ancient times by the Emperour or ciuill Magistrate 36.28 D. DEcree of God inclineth and ordereth mans will 40.47 Descention of Christs soule into hell denied by Papists 35. â—0 Doctrine of the Romane Church See Papistrie E. EAster Contention in the primitiue Church about the keeping of it 33.4 36.3 Election is not for works foreseene 40.49 how a man may know if he be elected 41.7 England not first conuerted by Austin the monke 49 nor by the Church of Rome ibid. Erre The Church may erre how 14.2 15.6 25.2 the Pope may erre euen judicially and be an hereticke 55.8 and Digress 28. Councels may erre 15.6 44.6 and so haue the Fathers 44.5 Eucharist How Christ is present therein explicated 51.10 Vile speeches of the Papists touching it 51.11 Euerard the Bishop of Salisborow his speech of the Pope 50.33 Examin The teaching of the Church and all men to be examined â—0 F FAith must be builded on the scripture 1.1 Papists build their faith on Tradition 1.3 It must be explicite 2.1 What infolded faith is 2.2 in marg x. pag. 6. num 6. Disputing in matters of faith forbidden by the Papists 2.4 The Colliars faith what 2.6 The last resolution of our faith is into the authoritie of the Scriptures 5.5 And not of the Church Digress 6. 11. Faith how a marke of the Church 25 1. See Church Faith onely iustifieth expounded and defended Digress 40. Iustifying faith described 40.39 A man may know if he haue faith 41.3 Faith of the ancient Roman Church how it began to faile 50 4. How the moderne Romane faith grew in the Church 58.1 Fasting Digress 32. The Protestants maintaine fasting ibid. The
brake touching the proceeding of the holy Ghost depeÌ„ded but vpon two prepositions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The monstrous heresie of Nestoâ—â—â—s lay but in the change of e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one poore letter and f Concil Ephesin Graec. p. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril would haue him euen in that to gratifie the Church and when he would not g Dalmat apolog in Concil Ephesin six thousand Bishops rose vp against him for it so religious were they that had religion that THEY VVOVLD NOT EXCHANGE h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil apud Theodorit l. 4. c. 19. A LETTER OR A SYLLABLE OF THE FAITH VVHEREVVITH OVR SAVIOVR HAD â—VT THEM IN TRVST Which is our iust defence that write in the controuersies against all our censurers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i Epist ad Cleric Constantinopol in Concil Ephes p. 72. saith Cyril 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Are we enemies to peace no we rather wil pul it to vs with violence so that the true faith withal may be confessed But when it cannot be obtained we cleare the truth and by expelling their errors labour to plucke the seduced out of the fire and bring them to knowledge that their soules may be saued and their life reformed and the State secured wherein they liue 9 And this my poore endeuour in this kind I humbly present to your Lordships vnder whose iurisdiction I exercise my ministery not in affiance of any thing therein worthy your reading whom our Church hath long since knowne to be the same that Eunapius saith of two other in his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor in hope to escape the disgracefull censures of intermedlers but in zeale to my countrey and assurance that it may do good therein going vnder so HONORABLE protection I am so meane a man and obscure euery way that I feared the truth would sustaine losse and be contemned for my obscuritie if some extraordinary fauor did not leade it forth And let it go forward indeed and shew it selfe abroad hauing THE TRVTH to support it and so acceptable an inscription to go before and the name of so VVORTHY PATRONS to leade it forth And so desiring pardon for this my boldnesse I humbly commit your Lordships to the mercifull protection of Almightie God who long continue your prosperous estate and make you happie instruments of much good vnto his CHVRCH Octob. 29. 1608. Your Lordships in all dutie IOHN WHITE THE PREFACE TO THE READER TOVCHING THE present controuersies betweene vs and the Romish Church IT is not as some thinke touching the questions between the Church of Rome and vs that there is no reall difference Would to God it were so But they that examine the points shall find it farre otherwise 1. Concerning the Scriptures the Church of Rome teacheth that a Can. loc pag. 251. Manie things appertaine to faith and Christian doctrine which neither openly nor obscurely are contained in holy writ b Totalis enim adaequata regula est Scriptura Traditio simul Deinde Traditio parem authoritatem habet cum Scriptura Becan circul Caluin p. 278. For the totall and full rule of our faith is Scripture and Tradition both together Tradition being of equall authoritie with the Scripture This assertion is directly against the doctrine of our Church and leadeth men into pernicious errors pretended to be deliuered by Tradition and withdraweth them from the obedience of onely Scripture to the following of vncertaine authoritie 2. Concerning the iustification of a sinner c Viguer Institut theol p. 286 whereby of a wicked vniust and vncleane person he is made cleane holy and simply iust it teacheth that this is done by the habite of our owne inherent righteousnesse and not by Christs Bellarmine expounding the Councell of Trent saith d De Iustif l. 2. p. 1032. c. Our owne inherent iustice is the formall cause of absolute iustification not the iustice of Christ imputed to vs and e Pag. 1071. d. besides the merits of Christ imputed to vs for our satisfaction there is in vs an inherent iustice which is the true and absolute righteousnesse whereunto by the iust iudgement of God not punishment but glorie is due This opinion containeth so reall a difference from the truth that S. Paule f Gal. 5.4 saith of it Ye are abolished from Christ ye are fallen from grace whosoeuer are iustified by the Law 3. Concerning the merite of our workes it holdeth g Mich. Bai. de merit oper p. 12 that when men hauing conuersed godlily and righteously in this mortall life to the end obtaine eternall life this is not to be deputed to the purpose of Gods grace but to the ordinance of nature appointed presently in the beginning when man was created Neither in this retribution of good things is it looked to the merite of Christ but onely to the first institution of mankind wherein by a naturall law it was set downe that by the iust iudgement of God the keeping of the commandements should be rewarded with life as the breaking of them is punished with eternall death Whereby we see that there is a plaine difference betweene the Church of Rome and vs in the principall article of our faith touching the saluation of our soules we beleeuing stedfastly that it is to be ascribed to the merits of Christ they expecting it for the merite also of their owne works 4. Concerning Images h Concil Trid. sess 25 it practiseth the hauing and worshipping of them yea i Azor. Instit tom 1. p. 737. the Diuines of that Church hold that euery Image is to be honoured with the same honour wherewith they worship the samplar No man can be so simple but he may see a substantiall difference in these points and the like may be shewed in aboue two hundred questions controuerted betweene vs though I will not denie that in many things the heate of the contenders hath deuised differences where there are none and to discredit one another they haue wrested that which might be well vnderstood 2 Besides the Church of Rome not onely requireth vs to professe her faith but also to do it k Bell. de laic c 19. p. 19 9 c. with subiection to the Pope and teacheth l Turrecr quaest ex S. Tho. q. 13. that this is absolutely necessarie to saluation A point so fully opposite to the gouernment of our Church that it can no way be reconciled forsomuch as we know the same to be a meere pretence to hide their tyrannie 3 And as the difference is reall and of long continuance so is there no hope to reconcile it The Papacie that standeth in opposition against vs was brought in by Satan at the first and is still continued onely to seduce the world and m 2. Cor. 6.14 what fellowship hath righteousnesse with
decree how reconciled together 40. 45. Touching Freewil and the determination thâ—reof by Gods prouidence 40. 46 Predestination not for works foreseene 40. 49. God is not the author of sinne The Papists in this point go as far as the Protestants 40. 50. Againe touching Freewil at large shewing all the questions in that point 40. 52. inde Wherein true holinesse standeth 41. 1. How good works become an infallible signe of true holinesse 41. Touching the certaintie of grace and saluation the point explicated 41. 5. The miracles of the ancient Church do the Papists at this day no good 42. 1. The ancient Monks were not like the moderne 42. 3. Touching miracles obiected by the Papists an answer 42. 4. inde Incredible miracles and ridiculous reported 42. 8. The abuses of Monks and Monasteries detected 42. 10. A proofe that the Protestants doctrine excludeth libertie of the flesh 43. 2. The Roman doctrine is an occasion of their sinfull liues 43. 3. Some points of Papistry named that inuite men to libertie 43. 5. inde The Roman faith a meere deuice inuented to maintaine ambition and couetousnesse 43. 7. The vniuersalitie of the Protestants Church is shewed and expounded 44. 1. inde Touching the ancient Fathers their authoritie and vsage with vs and the Papists compared 44. 4. inde Who are Fathers with the Papists and who All the Fathers 44. 9. The Pope vshers the Fathers 44. 11. The Papists are notorious for contemning all the ancient writers exemplified 44. 12. inde The Protestants answer to them that bid them shew their Church in all ages 45. 1. inde The Papists haue not the Church Catholicke either in time or place 46. The Romane Church hath forsaken her ancient faith 47. inde Transubstantiation a late deuice 47. 8. 9. The present Romane Church hath conuerted no countries to the true faith 48. 1. inde The Indies knew the true faith afore the Papists came there 48. 3. Touching the conuersion of England by Austin the Monke 49. How the Roman Church hath conuerted the Indies Spanish massacres 49. 5. inde The question When did the faith faile in the Roman Church answered and disputed 50. 4. inde The time maner of the coming in of some points in Papistry 50. 8. inde The resistance made in former times against the Papacy with a catalogue 50 18. inde An answer to some things obiected against the former catalogue 50. 40. Papistry came in secretly and by little and little expounded 51. 2. 3. Images notoriously resisted when they came in 51. 5. The Papists worship stocks and stones as well as the Gentiles 51. 6. inde Touching adoration of the Sacrament 51. 9. The maner of Christs presence in the Sacrament explicated as we hold it 51. 10. The Papists haue written most spitefully against the honour of the blessed Sacrament 51. 11. Succession is in our Church and of what kind it is 52. 1. The callings of Luther and our Bishops iustified and declared 52. 5. The Fathers commending the succession of the Roman church in their time doth not helpe it now 53. The places produced out of them are answered 53. 5. Ephes 4.11 alledged to proue outward succession answered 54. 2. 3. Externall succession of persons in one place is neither onely in the Romane Church nor there at all 55. 2. Seuen things obiected against the succession of Popes to shew it hath bene grosly interrupted 55. 4. inde Touching the credit of Anastasius booke of the Popes liues 55. 7. It is not knowne who succeeded Peter 55. 5. The sea of Rome hath bene long voide 55. 6. A woman was Pope 55. 7. Hereticks haue bene Popes and intruders and boyes 55. 8. 9. Popes haue bin made and cast out again at the willl of famous whores 55. 9. Popes for wickednesse more then monstrous 55. 9. Many Popes at one time and the right Pope not knowne 55. 10. The Fathers commendation of the Romane Church expounded 56. Imputations layd vpon the Protestants as if they had forsaken the Church answered 57. 1 2. Luther defended touching his departure from the Pope his writings his life his mariage and his death 57. 3. inde Monsters of lies deuised against Luther 57. 7. Luther an honester man then any Pope in his time and many more 57. 9. Againe the calling of our Ministers is defended 58. Touching the power of a Priest in remitting sinne and the sacrament of Penance 58. 4. inde Miracles not concurring with all extraordinary calling 59. 1. Extraordinary callings distinguished 59. 2. Luther needed no miracles and why 59. 3. All men haue not bene in loue with Papistry 60. The obiection that Luther made to himselfe when he departed from the Pope 61. 1. The Protestants haue not forsaken the high-beaten-way of the Catholicke Church 61. 2. Touching the saluation of our ancestors vnder the Papacie 61. 4. The Scriptuies are surer tokens of the truth then the Popish miracles 62. A briefe exhortation of the Author to his countrimen 63. A Table of the Digressions contained in this Booke with their Titles The number set before signifieth the number of the Digression The number following signifieth the §. vnder which it standeth 1. PRouing that the Papists grounding the doctrine of faith on traditions make them equall to the written word 1. 2. Shewing the infolded faith of the Papists and confuting the same as not entire 2. 3. Wherein by the Scriptures Fathers and reason and the Papists owne confession it is shewed that the Scripture is the rule of faith 5. 4. Containing the very cause why the Papists disable the Scripture so from being the rule 5. 5. Wherein against the Iesuits conceit secretly implied in his first conclusion it is shewed that the Scriptures ought to be translated into the mother tong and so read indifferently by the lay people of all sorts 5. 6. Declaring how the assurance of our faith is not built on the Churches authoritie but on the illumination of Gods Spirit shining in the Scripture it selfe 6. 7. Wherein the Trent-vulgar-Latine and our English translation are briefly compared together 6. 8. Shewing that the Scriptures are not so obscure but that they plainly determine all appoints of faith 7. 9. Declaring that the Papists haue reason to hold the Scriptures be obscure because the articles of their religion be hardly or not at all to be found therein 7. 10. Assigning the true cause of mens errors in expounding the Scriptures 8. 11. Prouing that the Scripture it selfe hath that outward authoritie wherupon our faith is built and not the Church 8. 12. Wherein it is shewed that the Scripture proueth it self to be the very word of God and receiueth not authoritie from the Church 9. 13. Shewing against the Iesuits assumption that all substantiall points of our faith are sufficiently determined in the Scriptures and the reason why the Papist call so fast for the authoritie of the Church 9. 14.
Containing a discourse of Saint Austins about mens errors against the Scriptures 10. 15. Shewing that priuate and particular companies may sometime be assured of the truth against a pretended Catholick company 12. 16. Shewing how the Papists pretending at euery word the Catholick Church yet meane nothing thereby but the Popes determination 13. 17. Wherein it is shewed is what maner the Church is said to be inuisible and that the Papists say no lesse concerning this matter then we do 17. 18. Prouing the true faith or doctrine contained in the Scripture to be a good marke to know the Church by 24. 19. Touching the place of Saint Austin contra Epist Fundam cap. 5. and the matter which the Papists gather from it 28. 20. Concerning the proceeding of the Trent Councell in determining the matters of faith 31. 21. Shewing that Gods true Church in all ages hath now and then bin troubled with contentions as great as are now among vs. 33. 22. Obiecting the behauiour of Papists toward the diuine Scriptures thereby to shew their varying frō that which in former times the primitiue Church of Rome beleeued 35. 23. Wherein by fiue examples it is shewed that the moderne Church of Rome is varied in points of faith from that which it beleeued formerly and since the time also that it began to be the seate of Antichrist 35. 24. Touching the contentions among the learned Papists of the Church of Rome and how the Papists liue not in that vnitie that is pretended 35. 25. Whererein it is shewed that in the Primitiue Church the Popes determination was not thought an infallible truth neither did the Christians for the maintenance of vnitie submit themselues thereunto 36. 26. Shewing that the Papists themselues do not so constantly and vniformly submit themselues to the Popes iudgement nor beleeue his infallible authoritie as is pretended 36. 27. Shewing that the Primitiue Church acknowledged not the Popes supremacy 36. 28. Shewing that the Pope is not of infallible iudgement but may erre and fall into heresie as any other man may 36. 29. Declaring the Pope not to be Saint Peters successor 36. 30. Wherein it is shewed that the Papists are not agreed among themselues to this day how Peters supposed primacie is proued or what it containeth but they are altogether vncertaine in expounding the maine texts of Scripture whereupon they build it 36. 31. Containing many complaints made by the Papists themselues against their owne Church and people whereby it appeareth their liues are worse then can be said of the Protestants 38. 32. Touching fasting and how we differ from the Papists therein and whether the doctrine of our Church be against it as the Papists charge vs. 40. 33. Concerning Auricular confession or Shrift to a Priest shewing the needlesnesse thereof and how it is an occasion rather then a remedy of sin 40. 34. Concerning the necessitie or requisite condition of good works for our saluation shewing that the Protestants hold it 40. 35. Touching the merit of our works and what is to be holden thereof 40. 36. Answering those that accuse the Protestants for holding that no man can keepe Gods commaundements and shewing what is to be holden concerning that matter 40. 37. Whether the Protestants thinke whatsoeuer we do is sinne 40. 38. Against the distinction of sinne into Mortall and Veniall 40. 39. Touching the satisfaction that men are bound vnto for their sinnes 40. 40. Wherein the doctrine of Iustification by faith onely is expounded and defended 40. 41 Intreating of Predestination and Freewill as the Protestants hold them and shewing that their doctrine concerning these points doth neither make God the author of sinne nor leade men to be carelesse of there liues nor inferre any absolute necessity constraining vs that we cannot do otherwise then we do 40. 42. Againe touching Freewill wherein the doctrine of our Church is methodically propounded and in euery point compared with that which the Papists hold that the seuerall questions betweene them and vs and the maner how and where they rise may be seene distinctly set downe 40. 43. Prouing that Gods children without miracles or extraordinary reuelation may be and are infallibly assured that they haue grace and shall be saued 41. 44. Answering that which the Papists obiect touching the miracles of their Church and Saints therein 42. 45. Touching Monkes and religious orders holden among the Papists which they say we haue reiected and forsaken 42. 46. Naming certaine points of the Papists faith which directly tend to the maintenance of open sinne and liberty of life 43. 47. Of the authoritie of the ancient Fathers in matters of our faith and religion wherein it is shewed what we ascribe vnto them and how farforth we depend vpon them and the practise of our aduersaries in contemning cluding and refusing both them and their owne writers is plainely discouered 44. 48 Containing a briefe and direct answer to our aduersaries when they say we cannot assigne a visible company professing the same faith in euery point that we do euer since Christ till now without intterruption 45. 49. Obiecting eight points for example wherein the Church of Rome holdeth contrary to that which formerly was holden The conception of the virgine Mary Latin Seruice Reading the Scriptures Priests mariage Images Supremacy Communion in one kind Transubstantion 47. 50. Of the conuersion of the Indies to the Romane faith by the Iesuites 49. 51. Naming seuen points of the Popish religion with the time when and maner how they gate into the Church thereby to shew that there is sufficient record to detect the nouelty of the present Romane faith 50. 52. Shewing that the present religion of the Romane Church was obserued and resisted in all ages as it came in and increased naming withall the persons that made the resistance and the points wherein and the time when from fiftie yeares to fiftie throughout all ages since Christ compendiously obserued out of history for the satisfying of their error that so much conceit the antiquitie of Papistry and thinke it was neuer controlled til Luthers time 50. 53. Obiecting seuen things against the outward succession of Popes in the Sea of Rome Whereby the same is clearely demonstrated to haue bene interrupted and not to be any certaine or infallible succession 55. 54. Containing a briefe narration touching the life and death of Martin Luther with the incredible reports therof made by his aduersaries shewing how sundry Popes in the Church of Rome haue liued and died worse then he though it were granted all reports made of him were true 57 55. Shewing how vncertaine and contrary the Papists are among themselues touching the power of their Priesthood in remitting sins and concerning the first institution of Shrift where it began De Iudice fidei admonitio Catholica ad Lectorem PVrus ab impuro num differt sanguine sanguis Differt iudicium laudo Galene tuum Ritibus in sacris secernitur hoedus ab agno Vox tua
bookes among them that examine their religion h Annot. on Act. 17. v. 11. The Rhemists say the hearers must not trie and iudge whether their teachers doctrine be true or no neither may they reiect that which they find not in the Scripture And this is also commonly defended by i Hosius de express Dei verb. Andrad defens Trident. l. 2. others And whereas k Prolegom cont Petrum à Sot Et Confess Wittenber cap. de sacr scriptur Brentius had written no lesse godly then truly that in the matters of our saluation we might not so cleaue to another mans opinion that we should embrace it without the approofe of our owne iudgement and it belongs to euery priuate man to iudge of the doctrine of religion and to discerne the truth from falshood l Bellarm. de verb. Dei lib. 3. c. 3. the Iesuites very scornefully reiect his saying 5 Thirdly they extoll ignorance to the skies and encourage their people to it m Rhem. annot â—n 1. Cor. 14. on Luk. 12. v. 11. They require no knowledge of the things we pray for but preferre ignorance nor yet abilitie to professe the particulars of our faith when possible we are to die in the defence of the same farre contrary to that which n 1. Pet. 3.15 the scripture so plainly teacheth And the rather to hearten the people in this blindnesse o Rhem. vpon 1. Ioh. 2. v. 20. they promise them a part in other mens gifts graces which haue knowledge p Conf. Petrie cap. 14. pag. 18. Hosius saith To know nothing is to know all things and ignorance in most things is best of all 6 This is the whole entire faith mentioned here in the Iesuites discourse whereby nothing is meant but the Colliars faith whereof q Apologie transtated by Staplet part 1. pag. 53. I spake and Staphylus writeth thus The Colliar being at the point of death and tempted of the diuell what his faith was answered I beleeue and die in the faith of Christs Church being againe demaunded what the faith of Christs Church was that faith said he that I beleeue in Thus the diuell getting no other answer was ouercome and put to flight By this faith of the Colliar euery vnlearned man may trie the spirits of men whether they be of God or no by this faith he may resist the diuell and iudge the true interpretation from the false and discerne the Catholicke from the hereticall minister the true doctrine from the forged I could scarce beleeue this to be their doctrine of entire faith vpon the report of so base a companion as Staphylus but when I saw the same conceit as grauely set foorth by r Hosius contra proleg Brentij lib. 3. pag. 146. Pigh hierarch lib. 1. cap. 5. Iacob de Graffijs decision part 1. lib. 1. cap. 26. nu 34. Antonin part 1. tit 5. c. 2. §. 1. skilfuller clearkes then he then I perceiued the Colliars faith was canonized for the Papists creed and the prouerb true that Like to like were the diuell and the colliar saue that it hath brought such a flood of ignorance vpon their people that Å¿ Imman Sa. aphor verbo Parochus pag. 298. a Doctor of their owne cries out vpon all the clergie for it Wo to our Parish Priests wo to our Bishops wo to our Prelates 7 And wo to them indeed from him that so plentifully in t Es 53.11 Ioh. 17.3 Ro. 10.14.17 Col. 3.16 Heb. 5.11 the Scriptures hath condemned this ignorance and in vaine did Christ u Ioh 5.39 commaund the people to search the Scriptures and x Rom. 15.4 Ioh 20.31 Paul and Iohn teach that whatsoeuer things are written were written for our learning and that we might beleeue if to assent to the Church without any knowledge thereof were a sound whole and an entire faith y Enarrat in Psalm 118. Hilary saith Many thinke the simplicitie of their faith shall suffice to accomplish their hope of eternall life as if the studie of innocencie according to the iudgement of the world needed not the precepts of heauenly doctrine It is written of z 2 Tim. 3.15 Timothy and a Basil Aschet prolog de iudic Dei Et epis 75. ad Neocaesar Basil that of children they were trained vp in the knowledge of the mysteries of religion And in the Primitiue Church b Iust Martyr apolog 2. Euse demonstrat euang l. 1. c. 6. Theod. de curand GraecoruÌ„ affect l. 5. the doctrines and seuerall points of religion were knowne and discoursed by the meanest of the people and c Chrysos hom 3. in Lazarum Orig in Num. hom 27. the Bishops exhorted them thereunto which practise declareth manifestly enough that in those dayes knowledge of the things beleeued was thought necessary to an entire faith though now the case be altered in the Church of Rome and the Iesuites owne reasons proue as much for d Thom. 22. qu. 1. art 10. 3. Athanasius creed is a rule of faith and therefore sheweth we are bound both to beleeue and know the things contained in it else he might as well haue pointed downe the Colliars creed Againe to what purpose should God propound all the points of our faith one as well as another vnlesse his will were that we should learne them all according to e Deut. 29.29 that of Moses Secret things belong to the Lord our God but the things reuealed belong to vs and to our children that we may do all the words of the law f In Ioh. tract 21. Austins saying is to be noted Some may obiect we do rashly in discussing and searching out the words of God but why are they vttered if they may not be knowne why haue they sounded if they may not be heard and why are they heard but that we should vnderstand them § 3. Fourthly as this one infallible entire faith is necessarie to the saluation of euery one as well the vnlearned as the learned so we must say that Almightie God Qui vult omnes homines saluos fieri ad cognitionem veritatis venire 1. Tim. 2. hath for proofe that this for his part is a true will prouided some certaine and infallible rule and meanes whereby euery man learned and vnlearned may sufficiently in all points questions or doubts of faith be infallibly instructed what is to be holden for true faith and that the onely cause why a man misseth of the true faith is that he doth not seeke and finde this infallible rule or hauing found it will not with an obedient mind captiuate his vnderstanding selfe-iudgement and contrarie opinion in obsequium Christi for the seruice of Christ and in all points yeeld infallible assent vnto it as euery Christian ought Credamus Deo saith S. Chrysostome hom 83. in Matth. nec repugnemus etiamsi sensui cogitationi nostrae absurdum videatur quod dicit Let vs beleeue God without
informe vs to euerie good work to teach vs Christ crucified g 1. Cor. 2.2 and Paul desired to know no more to giue vs light in darknesse to beget our faith Shall we be reuoked from al other teachers to theÌ„ and finally is there no councell no comfort no doctrine no resolution needfull for vs but there it may be found and yet it cannot be the rule it is impious to thinke it blasphemous to say it The primitiue Church spake farre otherwise 4 And consider how the Iesuit can answer the places without tergiuersatioÌ„ h Ep. 80. â—d Eustat medicuÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 334 Basil saith Let the holy Scripture be arbitrator betweene vs and whosoeuer hold opinions consonant to those heauenly oracles let the truth be adiudged on their side Optatus disputing against a Donatist thus presseth him i Cont. ParmeÌ„ lib 5. We are saith he to enquire out some to be iudges betweene vs in these controuersies the Christians cannot because both sides cannot yeeld them and by parts taking the truth shal be hindred The iudge must be had from without our selues If a Pagan he knowes not the mysteries of Christianitie if a Iew he is an enemie to baptisme therefore vpon the earth no iudgement concerning this matter can be found * De coelo quaerendus est iudex et qui in tumulo quiescit tacitis de tabulis loquitur viuus voluÌ„tas eius velut in testamento sic in Euangelio inquiratur the iudge must be had from heauen but to what end should we knocke at heauen when here we haue one in the Gospell k Contra Hermog TertulliaÌ„ calleth the Scriptures the rule of faith And l Hom. 13. in 2. Cor. Chrysostome a most exquisite rule and exact squire and ballance to try all things by And m Orat. de iis qui adeuÌ„t Hicrosol 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gregory Nyssen a straite and inflexible rule Austin n De bono viduit c. 1. tom 4. saith the Scripture pitcheth downe the rule of our faith And againe he o De. Nupt. concup ad Valer l 2. c. 33. saith This controuersie depending betweene vs requires a iudge let Christ therefore iudge and let the Apostle Paul iudge with him because Christ also speaketh in his Apostle And p Ep. 112. ad Paulin. againe If a matter be grounded on the cleare authority of the holy Scripture such I meane as the Church calleth canoniall it is to be beleeued without all doubt but as for other witnesses and testimonies vpoÌ„ whose credit any thing may be vrged vnto vs to beleeue it it is lawfull for thee either to credit or not to credit them according as thou shalt perceiue them of weight to deserue or not to deserue credit q De Error profan relig Arcana ProphetaruÌ„ veneranda paÌ„dantur ad sistat nobis sanctorum oraculorum fides pag. 61 Iulius Firmicus Let the mysteries of the Prophets be opened let the credit of the holy oracles stand by vs. r Ho. 1. in Ier. Origen We must of necessitie call the Scriptures to witnesse for our sences and interpretations without them are of no credit Å¿ De doctr Christ lib. 2. c. 9 Austin All points which concerne faith and good life are found in those things which are plainly set downe in Scripture t Ibid. c. 42. And whatsoeuer thing it be that a man learne out of the Scripture if it be hurtfull there it is condemned if it be profitable there it is found u Catech. 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag 15. Cyril the Bishop of Ierusalem Concerning the holy and heauenly mysteries of faith we must not deliuer any thing though neuer so small without the holy Scripture neither may we be led away with probabilities and shew of words neither yet beleeue me barely saying these things vnto you vnlesse thou also receiue the demonstration thereof from the Scripture For the security of our faith ariseth from the demostration of the holy Scripture x Theod. â—â—it lib. 1. c. 7. pag. 2â—4 The Empereur Constantine in his speech to the Bishops of the Nicen Councel hath this memorable saying y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We haue the teaching of the holy Ghost written For the Euangelicall and Apostolicke bookes and the decrees of the old Prophets do euidently teach vs the things that are needfull to be knowne concerning God Therefore lâ—ying aside all contention let vs out of the diuine-inspired Scripture take the resolution of those things we seeke for Thus the ancient Church would neuer haue spoken if it had bene of the Iesuites mind that the Scriptures alone cannot be the rule to direct our faith 5 And very common sense may confirme their iudgement For if the written word be granted to be the rule in one point as z August de Trinit lib. 15. cap. vltim in the Trinitie for example who may deny it to be the rule in another seeing the rule is but one for all and the nature thereof is to be perfect as the Iesuit himselfe requireth Again what father what councell or Churches iudgement is so absolute what doctrine or exposition so likely a Act 17.11 Ioh. 5.39 but it is examined by the Scriptures And when the Papists haue said what they can they are constrayned to grant that all other authority is finally resolued into the authoritie of the Scripture these are the words of Gregory of Valence b Comment Theolog. in Thom. tom 3. disp 1 qu. 1. punct 1. pag. 31. If a man be asked why he beleeues for example that God is one in nature and three in person let him answer because God hath reuealed it If againe he be demanded how he knoweth that God hath reuealed it let him answer that indeed he knoweth it not euideÌ„tly but beleeueth it infallibly by faith and that vpon no other reuelatioÌ„ c bene tamen ob insallibâ—lem propositionem Ecclesiae tanquam conditionem but yet the infallible proposition of the Church as a condition requisite for the beleeuing it doth wel moue him theruÌ„to d Sirursus vnde cognoscat propositionem Ecclesiae esse infallibilems fimiliter dicat se clarè noÌ„ nosse credere tamen fide infallibili ob reuelationeÌ„ Scripturae testimonio perhibentis Ecclesiae cui reuelationi noÌ„ credit ob aliam reuelationem sed ob seipsam If again you aske And how doth he know the proposition of the Church to be infallible let him likewise say he knoweth it not euidently but beleeueth it infallibly because the Scripture hath reuealed it giuing testimony to the Church which reuelation he beleeues not vpon the credit of any other reuelation but for it selfe though hereunto the proposition of the Church as a requisite condition be needfull Let this speech of the Iesuite be well noted 6 Finally the euidence of this truth is such that it conuinceth the Papists themselues many
admonish one another that there is more strength to confute heretickes in traditions then in the Scripture yea all disputations with them must be determined by traditions so little hope haue they of receiuing any vantage by the Scripture Therfore Bristow dealt surely and circumspectly for his Romane faith a Mot. vltim where teaching his scholler how to deale with a Protestant he biddeth him first get the proud hereticke out of his weake and false castle of onely Scripture into the plaine field of traditions miracles Councels and Fathers and then like cowards they shal not stand For I dare vndertake on a Papists behalfe that put the Scripture to silence and set the Pope as iudge and giue him authoritie to make and repeale lawes to vse traditions approue Councels expound Fathers and Scriptures declare the Churches mind b Papa dicitur coeleste habere arbitrium sententiam quae nulla est facit aliquam De translat episco C. Quanto in Glossa make something of that which is nothing and to vse his will for a lawfull reason and finally as Stapleton c Princip doctr fidei in praefat speaketh let vs imagine that we heare God himselfe speaking in him and therefore vpon his authoritie teaching vs the foundation of our religion must be laid and as Bristow wisely foreseeth the Protestants shall be proued to be cowardly conuicted hereticks indeed Saue that he did not foresee how by confessing so much of his religion to rely onely on tradition and the credit of his Church he hath debarred himselfe and all Papists for alledging the text for it and any man of meane capacitie will easily conceiue what small comfort can be in that religion which is thus acknowledged to haue no warrant from the Scripture And we Protestants cannot but note their conscience and smile at their confidence which are so loud in alledging texts for that which they know and graunt cannot be proued but by tradition and D. Saunders was but in an Irish fit when he cried out so vehemently d Rock of the Church pa. 193. How vnhappie are men now a dayes that hauing most plaine Scriptures not such as possible needs the Churches declaration but most plaine and expresse Scripture not in some which e Multoque maxima pars euangelij peruenit ad nos traditione perexigua literis est mandara Hosius confess c. 92. vide Eck. ench c. 4. de scriptur other Papists could haue bene câ—ntent with but in all points for the Catholicke faith and none at all against the same yet they pretend by the very Scriptures to ouercome the Catholickes If this had bene true traditions should haue bene in lesse account then now they are and the Scriptures more allowed Digress 5. Wherin against the Iesuits conceit secretly implied in his first conclusion it is shewed that the Scriptures ought to be translated into the mother tongue and so read indifferently by the lay people of all sorts 9 If the Iesuite by his generall exception against our English translation meant also to gird at the reading of the Scriptures in the mother tongues and the permission thereof to the common people according to the conceit of f Bellarm. de verbo Dei l. 2. c. 15. Rhem. praefat Staphy apol Petes de tradit part 2. assert 3. pag 43. Ouand breuilo in 4. dist 13. prop. 13. l. edesima c. such as very odiously exclaime against it for that the translated Bibles be in the hands of euery husbandman artificer prentise boy girle mistris maid man c you haue at hand wherewith to answer him For in vaine were the Scriptures giuen vs g Mat. 4 4.7 10. Ephes 6.17 to be our armour against Satan if we might not be exercised in them in vaine are we commaunded h Deut. 6.7 13.12 Ios 1.8 Ioh. 5.39 to search them if they may not be translated for our vnderstanding in vaine are we taught i Col. 3.16 2. Cor. 8.7 2. Pet. 1.5 Heb. 5.12 to abound in knowledge and vnderstanding if the Scripture k Psa 19.7 Prou. 1.2 2. Tim. 3.15 the meanes thereof be holden from vs and in vaine haue the words of Christ and his Church called them l Digress 3. the Rule if we may not vse them or if as Duraeus m Confut. resp Whitak 1. â—at 5. pag. 148. writeth God had left vs not the bookes of the Scriptures but Pastors and doctors or as n Apolo part 2. transl by Stapl. pag. 76. Staphylus counselleth a Portesse containing I know not what parcels were sufficient or if Hosius the Cardinall lie not that o De sacr Vernac legend ignorance of the things we beleeue is worthy not onely of forgiuenesse but also of reward and p De express Dei verbo pag. 91. it is fitter for women to meddle with their distaffe then Gods word 10 But whatsoeuer the conceit of these men may be certaine it is and the Ecclesiasticall stories make it cleare that in the Primitiue church the word of God was not onely permitted the lay people to reade but also for that cause translations were prouided and they called vpon to be diligent in them of what estate soeuer they were q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrat. l. 4. c. 33. Vlphilas a Bishop of the Goths translated the Scriptures into their language that so the barbarians might learne the words of God saith Socrates Auentinus r Annal. l. 4. sayth that Methodius translated them into the Slauonian tongue Å¿ Homil. 1. in Ioh. Chrysostome mentioneth Syrian Egyptian Indian Persian and Ethiopian translations yea others innumerable t De Curand Graecorum affect l. 5 Theodoret saith the Bible was turned into all languages vsed in the world Greeke Latin Egyptian Persian Indian Armenian Scythian Sarmatian which is also proued by this that diuers bookes and fragments of them are extant to this day And concerning our owne nation u Eccles hist gent. Angl. l. 1. c. 1. Bede sheweth that of old it had the Scriptures in all the languages thereof And finally x Rhem. praefac the Papists themselues cannot denie but this was the vse of those auncient times Let the testimonie of Austine be noted for the clearing of the point y De doctrin Christian l. 2. c. 5. It is come to passe that the Scripture wherewith so many diseases of mens wil are holpen proceeding from one tongue which fitly might be dispersed through the world being spread farre and wide by meanes of the diuers languages whereunto it is translated is thus made knowne to nations for their saluation the which when they reade they desire nothing else but to attaine to the mind of him that wrote it and so to the will of God according to the which we beleeue such men spake And what is more common with z Chrysos hom 3. de Laz. ho. 9. ad Coloss hom 2. 5. in Matth. hom 29.
common heresie of his Romane church maketh the matter of the Scriptures obscuritie so dangerous I wil demaund of him by the way how our reasons to the contrary may be satisfied For first the Scripture it selfe in euident places calleth vs to it g Ioh. 5.39 Esa 8.20 bidding vs search it and seeke to it and h 2. Pet. 1.19 compareth it to a light shining in a darke place yea i Hebr. 12.5 to the voice of a father speaking to his children and when men vnderstand it not k 2. Cor. 3.15 it saith a vaile is laid ouer their hearts not ouer the scriptures and Christ l Ioh. 10.27 saith his sheepe heare his voice and m Luc. 16.29 the rich glutton was told that his brethren if they would escape damnation should heare Moses and the Prophets which had bin to no purpose if they could not haue vnderstood them when they heard them 4 Secondly he can name no one necessary article of our faith but the word teacheth it as plainly as himselfe can as that there is one God three persons a generall resurrection and iudgement that Iesus is the Sauiour of mankind c. Bellarmine n Illa omnia scripta esse quae sunt omnibus necessaria De verbo Dei l. 4. c. 11. saith All those things are written that are necessary to be knowne of all men o Scripturis nihil notius Ibid. l. 1. c. 2. neither is there any thing better knowne then the Scriptures so saith p Rock pa. 193. Et Contaren de potest Pont. pag. 227. Luce meâ—idiana illustrius ostensum puto ex diuinae sapientiae vocibus Saunders We haue most plaine Scripture in all points for the Catholicke faith And in all controuersies the Papists with whom we deale crie plaine euident manifest Scripture 5 Thirdly all other questions at the last are determined by the Scripture the Fathers expositions are examined by it and q Greg. Val. to 3. disp 1. q. 1. punct 1. the Church receiueth testimony from it so that the finall resolution of all things dependeth vpon it which could not be if of all other things it were not the best knowne for things are not tried by that which is obscurer but by that which is plainer 6 Last of al what meant the Fathers of the Primitiue church so much to report this perspicuitie for r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Protrept pag. 25. Clemens Alexandrinus saith The word is not hid from any it is a common light that shineth to all men there is no obscuritie in it heare it you that be far off and heare it you that be nigh Austin Å¿ En arrat in Psal 8. saith God hath bowed downe the Scriptures euen to the capacitie of babes and sucklings that when proud men will not speake to their capacitie yet himselfe might Chrysostome and his scholler t Lib. 2. ep 5. Isidorus Pelusiota writeth the same u Homil. 1. in Mat. saith The Scriptures are easie to vnderstand and exposed to the capacitie of euery seruant and plow-man and widow and boy and him that is most vnwise x Hom. 3. de Laz. therefore God penned the Scriptures by the hands of Publicans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fishermen tent-makers shepheards neat-heards vnlearned men that none of the simple people might haue any excuse to keepe them from reading and that so they might be easie to be vnderstood of all men the artificer the housholder and widow woman and him that is most vnlearned yea the Apostles and Prophets as schoolemasters to all the world made their writings plaine and euident to all men so that euery man of himselfe onely by reading them might learne the things spoken therein Iustine Martyr a Dialog cum Tryphon pag. 213. grae commel saith Heare the words of the Scriptures which be so easie that it needs no exposition but onely to be rehearsed This was the perpetuall and constant iudgement of the auncient Church far from the Iesuites paradoxe that the Scriptures be so obscure and beyond the peoples capacitie that they can reape no instruction by them for the Fathers with one consent teach the contrary and yet you see the confidence of these new Romane diuines It is euident in it selfe b Bristo Mot. 48. saith one of them to any man not quite forsaken of God that the auncient Fathers make most plainly for vs c. The field is wonne c Campian rat 5. apud Posseâ— biblioth select l. 7. c. 21. saith another if once we come to the Fathers they are ours as fully as Pope Gregorie the thirteenth Their prisoners they may be but not their patrons either to erect them Seminaries as d Surius comment rerum in Orb. gest anno 1572. did Gregorie the thirteenth or to maintaine the doctrine which in those seminaries they learne and teach Digression 9. Declaring that the Papists haue reason to hold the Scriptures be obscure and hard because the articles of their religion be hardly or not at all to be found therein 7 And withall the Reader may here very opportunely be put in mind that these men haue good reason to beare the world in hand the Scriptures be very obscure because indeed the Popish religion is obscurely or not at all found therein that not the vnlearned onely but the skilfullest clearkes of their church haue much ado to find some points thereof and some they confesse cannot be found there at all And haue not these men good cause then to challenge it lustily of insufficiencie and obscuritie I haue touched alreadie the confession of Andradius that many points of their faith would reele and stagger if traditions stayed them not And that you may know the meaning of this confession to be not onely that they haue no expresse Scripture for them but also no collection from the Scripture Eckius e Enchirid. c. 4. writeth The Lutherans are dolts which will haue nothing beleeued but that which is expresse Scripture or can be proued out of the Scripture And Costerus the Iesuite f Enchird c. 1. hauing deuided Gods word into three parts that which himselfe writ as the tables of the law that which he commaunded others to write as the old and new Testament and that which he neither writ himselfe nor rehearsed to others but left it to them to do themselues as traditions the decrees of Popes and Councels c. concludeth that many things of faith are wanting in the two former neither would Christ haue his Church depend vpon them this latter saith he is the best Scripture the iudge of controuersies the expositor of the Bible and that whereupon we must wholly depend iust as Staphylus g § 2. nu 6. said before of the Colliars faith 8 Thus they sticke not to name diuers maine articles as for example h Tho. 3. q 25. art 4. Canis catech titul de praecep eccles nu 5. the worship of images
to enlighten the people so blind and ignorant are their minds But that which Andrew said There is a boy here which hath fiue loaues two fishes must be vnderstood of the rank of Saint Peters successors that which is added make the people sit down signifieth that saluation must be offered them by teaching them the seuen sacraments 16 And whereas the Iesuite vrgeth so diligently that somethings are hard to be vnderstood yet this proueth not that the truth therefore cannot be tryed by onely Scripture because one place thereof expoundeth another which if the Iesuite will deny he must be disputed with as he that holdeth the fire hath no heate in it for against such an absurd assertion we vse no reasons but onely bid the man that holdeth it put his finger into the fire and he shall presently see whether his opinion be true or no. So let triall be made and the Iesuite shall soone see whether the Scripture be so obscure that one place thereof cannot interpret another m De Doctrin Christian lib. 2. c. 6. Austin saith There is almost nothing amoÌ„g these obscurities but in other places one may find it most plainly deliuered n Hom. 9. in 2. Cor. Chrysostom saith The Scripture euery where when it speaketh any thing obscurely interpreteth it selfe againe in another place o Comment in Esa c. 19. Hierome saith It is the manner of the Scripture after things obscure to set down things manifest that which they haue first spoken in parables to deliuer afterwards in plaine terms p Regul contract qu. 267. Basil saith The things which are doubtfull and in some places of Scripture seeme to be spoken obscurely are made plaine by those things which are euident in other places And finally q In Gen. ca. 2. Steuchius a Popish Bishop confesseth God was neuer so inhumane as to suffer the world in all ages to be tormented with the ignorance of this matter the sence of the Scripture seeing he hath not suffered one place to be in al the Scripture but if we consider it well we may interpret it For as Theodoret saith the Scripture vseth when it teacheth vs any such high matter to expound it selfe and not suffer vs to run into error Digression 11. Prouing that the Scripture it selfe hath that outward authoritie whereupon our faith is built and not the Church 17 The Canon law r Dist 37. c Relatum saith expresly The diuine Scriptures containe the whole and firme rule of the truth and out of themselues the meaning thereof must be taken So that wel may the Church by her ministery commend the rule to vs and instruct vs how to secure our consciences out of the Scripture but by it authoritie it cannot assure vs. Our faith must resolue it selfe into the authoritie of the Scripture For the authoritie of the Church in respect of vs dependeth on the authoritie of the Scriptures and is examined thereby The Church by her authoritie cannot perswade all men which heare it but the spirit of God in the Scriptures alwayes doth The Scriptures alwaies had their authoritie euen before the Churches came to them the words of the Scripture are Å¿ Luc. 8.11 1. Pet. 1.23 an immortall seed t 1. Cor. 2.4 the demonstration of the spirit and power u Heb. 4.12 that which is liuely and powerfull x Luc. 24.32 making our hearts to burne within vs y Ioh. 5.36.39 it giueth greater testimony to Christ then Iohn Baptist could z 2. Pet. 1.18 19 a voice from heauen is not so sure as it a 1. Ioh. 5.6 it is the spirit that beareth witnesse to the truth thereof b 1. Ioh. 5 9. and if we receiue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater Finally our Sauiour c Ioh. 5.47 saith They which beleeue not Moses writings will not beleeue him and is the Churches authoritie greater then Christs d Ioh. 5.39 The Scriptures testifie of Christ e Ioh. 20.31 being written that we might beleeue in him f 1. Ioh. 5.10 and he that beleeueth in him hath a witnesse in himselfe g 2. Cor. 1.22 The earnest of the spirit is in his owne heart wherwith God hath sealed him h Ephes 2.20 We are all built vpoÌ„ the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Christ himselfe being the head corner stone in whom all the building is coupled together by the spirit i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil in psa 1â—5 In all humane arts there be certaine principles which are knowne of themselues and beleeued for themselues without any further demonstration The Scripture containeth the principles of our faith and shall not we beleeue them or cannot we know them infallibly of themselues without we let in the authoritie of the Church 18 Where then is the Iesuites credamus Deo in the captiuating of our iudgement in obsequium Christi Yea the very k Magist 3. dist 23. Scot. 3. dist 23. q vnica Ockâ—â— 3. q. 8. art 3. Gabr 3. d. 23. q 2. lit g. h. schoolemen say that faith is either Acquisita suasa gotten by discourse of reason and testimonie of the Church or Infusa inspirata immediatly put into our hearts by the holy Ghost inforcing the mind without further testimonie to yeeld obedience Now l Deut. 29 4. Mat. 16 17. the faith we haue of the points in Scripture is of the latter kind and so consequently not relying on the testimonie of the Church whose authority is but a created thing distinct from the first veritie m Princip fid doctrin lib. 8. cap. 20. saith D. Stapleton Alexander Hales n Part. 1. q. 1. memb 1. fides suasa inspirata saith Faith perswaded ariseth from the probabilitie of reason and faith inspired beleeueth the first truth for it selfe and this faith is aboue all knowledge * Et ad hanc disponit acceptâ—o doctrinae sacrae and the acceptation of the holy doctrine disposeth vs to it So that our conscience stayeth it selfe o Sed vt verè plenè credat necesse habet soli veritati primae purae nudae penitus inhaerere nullaÌ„ certitudinem extrinsecam requirendo Altisiod Sum. li. 2. pag 71. quem vide latiùs l. 1. praef onely vpon this diuine authoritie being of greater efficacie to perswade and hold vs then either the Church p Gal. 1.8 or an Angell from heauen 19 Let God himselfe q Lib. 5. ep 31. saith Ambrose teach me the mystery of heauen which made it not man who knoweth not himselfe whom may I beleue in the things of God better then God himselfe So also saith Saluianus r De prouid l. 3. All that men say needs reasons and witnesses but Gods word is witnesse to it selfe because it followeth necessarily that whatsoeuer the incorrupt truth speaketh must needs be an incorrupt witnes of it self Finally let these words of Å¿ Confess
the Church and those latter also are certaine to vs else could they not make the other so and why is the Churches authority so absolutely vrged here by the Iesuit when yet in so many cases it may be spared That is not the sole thing that must assure vs without which we may otherwise be secured Digression 13. Shewing against the Iesuits assumption that all substantiall points of our faith are sufficiently determined in the Scripture and the reason why the Papists call for the Churches authoritie 9 Whereas the Iesuite obiecteth against the Scripture that many substantiall points of faith are not expresly contained in the Scriptures this is true of his Popish faith which is in them neither expresly nor by analogie saue that they haue an answer ready t Hosius de express Dei verb. pag. 38. That which pleaseth the Church of Rome is Gods expresse word But of the true faith of Christ u De doctrin Christ l. 2. c. 42. Austin saith Whatsoeuer a man learneth from without the Bible if it be hurtfull there it is condemned if it be profitable there it is found all things which may be learned elsewhere are found there more abundantly x Regul contract q. 95. Basil saith It is necessary and consonant to reason that euery man learne that which is needfull out of the holy Scripture both for the fulnesse of godlinesse and lest they inure themselues to humane traditions which words saith y Non videtur author harum quaestionum admittere traditiones non scriptas Bellar. de amiss grat lib. 1. c. 13 a Iesuite seeme to debarre traditions and the Church of Rome authorizeth the scripture but by traditioÌ„ z In Mat. hom 41. Chrysostome saith Whatsoeuer is required to saluation is all accomplished in the Scripture neither is there any thing wanting there that is needfull for mans saluation Isidorus Pelusiota his scholler a Lib. 1. epi. 369. biddeth we should refuse whatsoeuer is taught vnlesse it be contained in the volume of the Bible b Lib. 12. in Ioh. in illud â—â—ec auteÌ„ scripta sunt vt credatis Cyril Such things as the Apostles saw sufficient for our faith and manners are written that shining in true faith and good manners we might come to heauen by Christ c Comment in Hagg. c. 2. Hierome Whatsoeuer things man find and faine without the authoritie and testimonie of the Scripture as if they were from Apostolicall tradition are smitten by the sword of God d Lib. 3. c. 1. Irenaeus We haue not knowne the order of our saluation by meanes of any but those through whom the Gospell is come to vs the which Gospell they then preached and afterwards by the will of God deliuered to vs in the Scripture to be the foundation and pillar of our faith These places of the Fathers e Bellarm. de verb. Dei lib. 4. cap. 11. Gregor de Valent. anal fid by the confession of the Iesuits themselues shew that all things are written which be necessary for the saluation of all men And so you see the Iesuites rashnesse For if many substantiall points of faith be not set downe then some things necessary are wanting for euery substantiall point is necessary for all men 10 But yeeld the Iesuite that the Church shall be the rule we speake of to assure our conscience and then aske him who shall be this Church whereto he wil answer none but the Pope and his crew of Cardinals nay none but the Pope himself as I haue shewed alreadie and shall declare hereafter who if he leade thousands of people by troupes to hell eternally to be damned with himselfe there yet no man might presume to reproue him because he is iudged of no man f Dist 40. c. Si Papa saith the Canon law which the Iesuit will kindly take too if ye put him to it 11 And how will this Church expound the Scripture when you haue yeelded your self vnto her for no doubt she will discharge the office faithfully which she laboureth for so eagerly Let Cusanus the Cardinall tell you how for I hope he neuer recanted this point as g Stapl. counterbl l. 3. c. 36. pag. 358. they say he did another of greater truth thus he writeth h Epist 2 pag. 833. The Scripture is fitted to the time and variably vnderstood so that at one time it is expounded according to the fashion of the Church and when that fashioÌ„ is changed the sence of the Scripture is also changed i Epist 3 pag. 838. Againe when the Church changeth her iudgement God also changeth his k Epist 7. pag. 857. And no maruell seeing the letter of the Scripture is not of the essence of the Church if the practise of the Church at one time interprete the Scripture of this fashion and another time on that And let the Popes lawyers tell you that say l De translat episcopi c. Quanto in Gloss § Puâ—i The Pope hath a heauenly iudgement and maketh that to be the meaning which is none because in those things that he pleaseth to haue go forward his will is a law neither may any man say why do you so for he may dispense aboue all law So that this is the plaine English wherinto all the Iesuites doctrine concerning the authoritie of the Church is resolued and whatsoeuer any of them say yet their halting in the end cometh all to it and good reason for the Pope is a fast friend to the Romane Church c. § 10. Fourthly this rule of faith which we seeke for must be such that whosoeuer do find it and hauing found it will diligently attend vnto it obediently in all that it teacheth yeeld assent vnto it shall sufficiently in all points be instructed as touching matters of faith in such sort that none that yeeldeth this obedient assent in all points to the teaching thereof can fall into errour of faith But there be many that hauing found the Scripture do with an obedient mind diligently reade it and yeeld assent to euery sentence and word written in it acknowledging whatsoeuer it saith to be the word of God and yet are not sufficiently instructed but may and do sometimes grosly and obstinately erre in matters of faith as it is most euident since men of contrarie minds in religion do in maner aforesaid reade the Scriptures acknowledging them to be the word of God and yet continue opposite in opinion and so one of them in errour Therefore the Scripture alone is not that rule sufficient of it selfe to instruct euerie one in all points of faith The Answer 1 This is the Iesuites third argument against the scriptures and it is thus framed That which doth not instruct such as find it and obey it in all points of faith and preserue them from error is not the rule But the Scripture doth not instruct such as find it and obey it in all points of faith and
death for vs which obedience both merited the remission of our sins and effectually wrought the righteousnes of the law For the deriuing whereof vnto vs two things must be done one on Gods behalfe another on our owne That which God doth is called imputation of Christs obedience to vs for the pardon of our sins and the making of our persons acceptable as if our selues had neuer sinned That which we do is beleeuing in Christ and so receiuing that which God offereth both which actions when they meet Gods offering Christ and our receiuing him the iustification of a sinner is then formally accomplished 39 The next terme is faith whereby we do not meane either a fleeting opinion of Gods fauour standing onely in imagination nor yet as our aduersaries define it onely an assent vnto all those things which God hath reuealed beleeuing them to be true but we hold it to be ouer and besides this * Nec fides excludit omnem dubitationem sed dubitationeÌ„ vincentem trahentem in oppositum credibilis Scot. 3. d. 23. an infallible knowledge and apprehension of Gods good will towards vs in particular whereby we apply the speciall promises of the Gospell to our owne selues the which knowledge we hold is obtained two wayes one is by the inward testimonie of Gods spirit witnessing with our spirit that God doth now accept vs for his sons in Christ the other leading hereunto is by the reuelation of the Gospell promising iustification to all that do the things required therein whereto when we by the grace of God and a liuing faith performe them our conscience enlightened with the truth answereth We haue done them By this meanes we say a man may be able to beleeue Christ to be his Sauiour and so beleeuing he apprehendeth the promise and is iustified by his faith as by an instrument that is to say this his consent and obedient yeelding himselfe to beleeue Christ Iesus his Sauiour and his speciall promises is as it were the hand whereby a sinner must receiue Christs obedience for his iustification And if it be obicted that no man can thus beleeue because he knoweth not the wil of God or if he do beleeue thus he may deceiue himselfe I answer that it is in no mans power to attain to this knowledge of himself but as God reuealeth it and worketh it in vs by his word and Spirit infusing it secretly into our consciences by the preaching of the Gospell and our faith and obedience thereunto as a man heareth his friend telling him a secret in his eare wherein if one be diligent and faithfull it will worke three effects in him First it will humble him and shew him his misery and so driue him to Christ for helpe Secondly it will conuert his life and of a profane person make him a godly man Thirdly it will infuse and drop into him by degrees the feeling of Gods good will toward him and so inspire him with comfort from all which he may as infallibly by faith conclude his redemption as if his name were written in the Bible Which I declare by a similitude of a King who sending a pardon to fortie thousand rebels setteth not downe their names in particular but putteth in a condition that all they shall be pardoned that wil lay by their weapons and come to him the which he sendeth a herald to proclaime and the people hearing it do accordingly and thereby know infallibly they are pardoned and if any man would molest them because their name is not expresly written in the pardon they might contemne him and securely conclude their deliuerance from the condition that is expressed In the same maner do we apprehend our iustification by faith For all men being sinners against God he hath sent out the pardon of his Gospell not writing any mans name therein particularly but putting in a condition that so many as will be saued by Christ repent beleeue and obey him the which being published by preaching as soone as the elect heare they receiue and so know infallibly they are pardoned And if any man would molest them as the Papists for example do because their name is not expresly written in the Creed they might despise them and both against theirs and the diuels accusations securely conclude their saluation from the condition expressed thus He that repenteth and forsaketh his sinnes and beleeueth and obeyeth the Gospell vnfainedly shall be saued But I repent and forsake my sinnes I beleeue and obey vnfainedly Therefore I shal be saued The first proposition is expresly contained in the Scripture the second is the perpetuall and constant testimonie of the conscience in such as are called * The Schoolmen confesse they are conclusions of faith which arise from two premises the one wherof is immediatly reuealed in the Scripture the other deduâ—ed by good consequeÌ„ce or naturally knowne and added to that which is reuealed Greg. de Val. tom 3. pa 34. A. B. Medin in 1. 2. q 112. art 5. pag 627. The conclusion therefore must needs be true and cannot deceiue because it is extracted out of the word of God and perfected by the worke of his owne spirit in the conscience where all the generall propositions of the law and Gospel are applied If the second proposition be false as it is in all that abide in their wicked life and impenitencie and infidelitie there is no way but to amend and vse the meanes of reformation vntill the conscience may without error assume it This conclusion thus grounded is that faith that we meane when we say we are iustified by faith and it is so farre from giuing libertie to sinne and excluding a good life that you see a good life and the promise made thereunto are the premises that beget it yea of absolute necessitie they must reform themselues afore they haue it and perseuere in all good workes if they will maintaine it 40 The third terme is Onely whereby the meaning is not to debarre repentance and good workes but to exclude them from being either the righteousnesse that maketh vs accepted to eternall life or the meanes whereby that righteousnesse is applied to vs though they haue their vse and absolute necessitie otherwise repentance in preparing and making vs fit to be iustified by faith and afterward the same with good workes in the life of man For the elect are brought to glorie not by iustification alone but by vocation and sanctification also In the former we say our workes haue no roome at all in as much as it standeth in the clearing of a sinner from the law and the making of him perfectly iust in the sight of Gods iudgement which no mans works can do but only the obedience of Christ communicated to vs by faith In the two other they are required because it is the ordinance of God that if any man come and be in Christ he should repent and be a new creature walking not according to the flesh but
doubt it for reuelation and miracle I am sure he can shew none because the miracles of his Legend which is all he can pleade concerne not him that neuer had them and yet he thinketh his holinesse and the holinesse of his people is a good marke of the Catholicke Church It is false therefore that he saith No man by his outward workes without miracle can be certaine he hath faith or charitie For c 1. Ioh. 3.7 Saint Iohn saith He that doth righteousnesse is righteous as God is righteous And Saint Iames d Iac. 2.18 Shew me thy faith by thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works And our blessed Sauiour e Mat. 7.16 By their fruites ye shal know them f Luc. 6 43. It is not a good tree that bringeth forth euill fruite nor an euill tree that bringeth forth good fruite For men gather not figs of thornes nor grapes of thistles A good man out of the good treasury of his heart bringeth forth good things and an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill And if charitie cannot be proued to be present by our workes because it is a thing hidden secretly within vs then no cause can be proued or knowne by the effects and no physitian can know the inward state of the bodie by the outward signes which were absurd And the word of God calling vpō vs g Mat. 5.16 to let our light so shine afore mē that they may see our good workes and h 2. Pet. 1.10 bidding vs thereby to make our election sure and promising an abundant entrance into Christs kingdome to all that follow vertue temperance patience c. should deceiue vs if when we had taken paines in so doing we could not be assured that our workes arise from faith without which faith no worke were good nor could minister any argument of our saluation to vs. 4 Our workes therefore being not founded on mens traditions as popish workes are nor directed to a false end but done according to the direction of the word and for the glory of God in the faith of Iesus Christ without any opinion of perfection either to iustifie vs or to merit or satisfie thereby are good workes and infallibly secure the doers that they haue true charitie and are the true Saints of God though they haue no miracles nor other reuelation then this of Gods spirit renewing them For of such workes our aduersaries themselues say i Tho. lect 4. in Gal. 3. They are the execution and manifestation of our righteousnes Yea the Diuines of Colen affirme expresly against that which the Iesuite here saith k Antididag Colon. pag 30. that we rely not principally vpon our inherent righteousnesse because it is vnperfect but thereby as by a certaine inward experiment we are certified of the remission of our sins who feele and proue in our selues such a renouation of our spirit and that the perfect iustice of Christ is imputed to vs and that so Christ by faith dwelleth in vs. In which words affirming the experiment and certificat that Gods children haue within them and the feeling of their renouatiō and Christ dwelling in them by faith all which they say ariseth from their workes they make it plaine how false and friuolous it is that the Iesuite assumeth that no man without reuelation or miracles can infallibly know whether he haue true faith and loue or not And I will make it yet plainer in the Digression following Digression 43. Prouing that Gods children without miracles or extraordinary reuelation may be and are infallibly assured that they haue grace and are in the state of saluation 5 For to the place of Eccles 9.1 I answer first the Iesuite hath misalledged it For the Hebrew is thus No man knoweth loue or hatred all things are before him And I care not though his Trent-vulgar-latine be as he alledgeth it for the Hebrew is the onely authenticall text and not the Latin whereof themselues haue a base conceit though the Councell of Trent haue canonized it For Dominicus Bannez l In 1. par The. q. 1. art 8. dub 4 reporteth that since this decree there are not wanting many great men in the Church of Rome that take vpon them to correct and censure it and say the interpreter missed it fouly in many things And himselfe is of the same mind and acknowledgeth that being at last conuinced by his owne experience he iudgeth the Hebrew text vncorrupt What vanitie therefore is it in our aduersaries to alledge a translation which themselues despise as corrupt and vicious Secondly to the words I answer that Salomon doth not say that No man can simply know the loue or hatred of God to him but in a compound sence that No man can know it by the outward euents of this life the which hindereth not but it may be knowne by the testimonie of Gods spirit renewing vs as Catharinus himselfe a Papist expoundeth it and this is it that we say m Rom. 5.5 Gal. 4.6 Gods loue is shed in our hearts and made knowne to vs by the holy Ghost 6 To the place of Prou. 20.9 I say briefly that it proueth euidently against the Iesuit that no man can keepe Gods commandements because he cannot make his heart cleane from sinne but it toucheth not the assurance of grace because grace is and infallibly knowne to be where the heart beginneth to be cleansed though yet as it neuer shal be in this life it be not perfectly cleane For we are not assured that charitie and faith dwell in vs by this that our hearts are perfectly cleane for then the text had bene against vs but by this that they are free from hypocrisie and begin to be cleansed and dayly increase therein 7 The manner how we know we haue grace and shall be saued is by the meanes of the holy Ghost whose worke it is to assure vs the which he doth first by producing in vs the effects of sauing grace and predestination which is the constant reforming of our life within and without Whereupon it followeth that he which giueth himselfe effectually and stedfastly to a godly life may infallibly be secured thereby of his saluatiō because God whose promises are infallible n Rom. 8.13 Heb. 5.9 hath vowed saluation to all such Next by infusing or inspiring into vs the motion of assurance and by inclining our heart to giue consent to the promises of the Gospell The which inspiration is a supernaturall work of God created in vs by the outward meanes of the word and the inward operation of his Spirit consisting in a certaine knowledge and feeling that we haue of Gods good pleasure toward vs when once we truly beleeue And as the eye in seeing hath a certaine propertie annexed that it knoweth it seeth so faith and grace in whom soeuer it is hath this condition that it knoweth it selfe to be such and it not onely
next point containeth neuer a true word For not one of the persons named professed the Roman faith as it is now holdē a Trithem For Thaumaturgus liued in the yeare 240. Anthonie in the yeare 330. and Benet in the yeare 500. All which time the present religiō of the Romane Church was vnborne except a verie few points of small moment brought in by the superstition of a few and controlled by the generall doctrine of the Church as I shall clearely proue in the sections following Bernard liued later by 500. yeares but he knew not the present Romane faith He was indeed a Monke in many things superstitious what maruell liuing aboue a thousand yeares after Christ but he was a Papist in none of the principall points of the religion For he held the sufficiencie of the Scripture without traditions iustification by faith alone that our workes merite not that no man can keepe the Law that a man by the testimony of Gods Spirit within him may be certaine of grace that there is no such freewill as the Popish Schoolemen teach he stood against the pride of the Pope and the opinion touching the conception of the blessed Virgine without originall sinne as I will make good against the Iesuite or anie that will take his part Who if he would deale faithfully and to the point should not say Bernard professed the Romane faith and was a Monke but he should haue shewed that he professed the present Romane faith as the Councell of Trent and the Iesuits haue set it downe at least in the fundamentall points thereof which he can neuer do As for Francis of Assise who liued about the same time neither was he of the present Romane faith because it was not holden then as now it is though I cōfesse the matter be not great what that b Ecquis credat D. Franciscum pediculos semel excussos in seipsum solitum esse immittere Can. loc l. 11. c. 7. Lowsie Saint were 2 And as concerning the miracles whereby this Iesuite saith it pleased God to giue testimony of these mens holinesse I answer that what is reported of Bernard and Francis and Dominicke and others of that ranke are lyes and deuices Which I demōstrate by this that they are found no where but in the Legends and liues of Saints written by the Friers whose authoritie our aduersaries themselues despise as I will shew in the next Digression The things written of Gregorie Benet and Anthonie and some others of that time haue more antiquitie but no more certentie as I will likewise demonstrate in the same Digression though allowing much thereof to be true yet the Romane faith is not iustified thereby because as I said before they were done when yet it was vnhatched and Rome professed another religion 3 And whereas he saith diuerse of these were religious men and founded religious orders which Protestants reiect this is easily answered by telling him againe first that if they were religious men founded orders yet their so doing conuinceth not that they were of the same faith for there might be orders and professions erected in a contrary religion as the Essens for example had their peculiar order of religion and yet were I thinke no Papists who would be loath to be tyed to the rigor which they professed A solitarie nation c Plin. l. 5. c. 17. Solin Polyhist c. 38. saith the storie of them and admirable beyond all others in the world No woman among them nor venerie without money dwelling among the trees it is incredible to speake it the nation is eternall through thousands of ages wherein no man is borne so fruitfull vnto them is other mens repentance of their liues Next it followeth not because they founded orders of Monkes that therefore they were the same which the Church of Rome now retaineth for they may be altered as indeed they are by the confession of our aduersaries themselues Thirdly such as Anthonie and Benet and Eustathius were erecting professions and orders of life without warrant from the word or at least not by commandement thereof it was lawfull for vs to vse our libertie in putting them away againe without incurring the censure layed vpon vs by the Iesuite And yet he might haue remembred that a Cardinall of his owne Church was the first that put downe Abbeyes in England Digression 44. Answering that which the Papists obiect touching the miracles of their Church and the Saints therein 4 We denie not but the gift of miracles was in the Church at the first reuealing of the Gospell and long after verie commonly whose proper end was to reuoke the minds of men to the marking of the doctrine that accompanied them that by marking it which they would not so easily haue done had not the same of the preachers miraculous workes allured thē the efficacie thereof might lay hold vpon them and conuert them which it did Wherby it appeareth that all their strength arose from the doctrine confirmed by them in as much as it distinguished them from delusions and such like wonders as may be done by naturall causes and the conveiance of Sathan and assured the beholders that their concurrence with so pure and holy teaching shewed them to be of God For d Bell. de not eccl c. 14. de grat lib. arb l. 6. c. 1. our aduersaries confesse that No miracle can certainly be knowen to be so afore the Church approue it vnlesse the wil by some meane be inclined to beleeue it Whereby it appeareth concerning the purest miracles that euer were that although as a signe they inuited men to come and see yet the men being come were assured by the efficacie of the doctrine that what they saw was a true miracle and when God withheld this efficacie that it inclined not the mind then e As appeareth in the vnbeleeuing Iewes the men beleeued not but said they were delusions 5 This I say to shew our aduersaries that that they must not be offended if we examine the miracles offred by the doctrine of the Scriptures For if they confirme any other doctrine we may safely reiect them as lying wonders But we haue an other issue with them easier to be tried then this touching the credit and certaintie of their miracles such I meane as they haue to stand vpon For all that they can alledge for themselues are either the miracles of Christ and his Apostles or of the Saints in the Primitiue Church or of their Legends Touching the two first we answer in a word that they do but trifle away the time in talking of them till they haue proued their religion the same that those men taught for the miracles must be adiudged to that side that retains the same doctrine Whence it followeth that the Iesuit hath no portion in the miracles of the Primitiue Church because he is not of that faith the which if he will denie then the triall must be made by the
42.11 Mortall sinne Digress 38. See Sin Monasteries were first throwne down by Papists 42.10 Of vile report in their time 42.12 The testimonies of diuers old writers touching the liues of cloisterers Digress 45. A bragge that the Papists make touching the order of Bennet 42.13 N NEcessitie of good works expounded and handled Digress 34. Notes of the Church See Church O OBscuritie of the Scripture not so great as the Papists obiect Digress 8. Why they make folke beleeue they are so obscure Digress 9. See Scripture Occham the Schoolman 50.35 Onely faith See Faith onely Opinions Variable exceedingly among the Papists 35.21 The saying that they vary not in dogmaticall points answered 35.19 Originall sin No agreement among the Papists touching the nature of it 50.17 Originall text of the Bible is the Hebrew and Greeke which is free frō all corruption 6.11 and 35.3 P PAinter The Painters iest 38.6 Painting Christs armes for what vse 40.35 Papists famous for controlling reiecting censuring and purging one another 44.14 An example of their impudent deniall of all antiquitie 44.15 50.18 They wipe our names out of bookes 45.2 Papistry is a complete doctrine of liberty and a meere witty deuice for the maintenance of their ambition and pleasure 43.3 and Digress 46. A new religion 48.1 Pardons when and how they came in 50.8 They release all satisfaction 40.33 The treasury whence they rise nu 34. A view of long pardons granted for short seruice nu 35. Penance The Papists cannot tell whē it was ordained nor by what Scripture it is proued Digress 55. Peter receiued no more power ouer the Church then the other Disciples did disputed 36.12 inde The Papists are not agreed how his supremacie is proued or what it containeth 36.39 inde Pope made iudge of our faith 5.8 and ouer the Fathers 44.11 His iudgement was not receiued as the rule in the primitiue Church Digress 25. but be was resisted ibid The Papists themselues will not yeeld to his iudgement 36.8 Manie Popes deposed nu 8. What kind of men they commonly are nu 9. He was tyed to his owne prouince in the primitiue Church 36.26 He may erre See Erre He calleth him selfe S. Peter 36.38 Popes what kind of men how they haue bene chosen 55.9 Manie at once nu 10. The liues of some of them described 57.9 How the Popes sinne is excused 57.11 Popes succession He is not S. Peters successor Digress 29. If the Pope be not effectually proued to succeed S. Peter in the conceited primacie all Papistrie will fall 36.24 Prayer in Latine misliked by some Papists 35.20 Long pardons promised to short Prayers 40.35 Predestination Our doctrin touching this point is belyed by the Papists 40.43 The doctrine thereof layed down n. 44. It imposeth no naturall necessitie vpon the second causes ibid. The reconciliation of it and Free will nu 45 46. The Papists make the will of man as subiect to Gods decree as we do num 46 47. It is not for works foreseene num 49. Presidencie ouer Councels belonged not to the Pope of old 36.29 Priests power to remit sinne denied by learned Papists 35.20 This power handled Digress 55. Their mariage allowed in ancient times 47.4 The foulenesse of their liues noted in the Papacie 38.5 A sillie Priest that beleeued all was true that was printed 42.8 Purging of bookes the Papists practise 35.18 Puritanes That name doth properly belong to Papists 40.19 Q. QVestions of faith must be decided by the Scriptures Digres 3. No end of Questions among the Schoolemen 35.21 R. REading the Scriptures forbidden by the Papists 2.3 The lay people did reade them in ancient time 47.3 Rebaptization a point wherein there was much contention 36.4 Reprobation not for works foreseene 40.49 Religious men Orders See Monks Resolution of our faith See Faith Romane Church How the world in former times communicated with it 46.2 The Greeks refuse it ibid. How it increased 47.1 When the faith of the ancient Roman church began to be altered into that which now is therein 50.4 inde Resistance made against the change nu 5. One meanes whereby it may euidently be demōstrated that the Romane Church hath changed the old faith nu 15. A full demonstration of the resistance made in all ages against the Romane Churches alteration Digress 52. The obiections that are made against the catalogue are answered nu 40. The Romane Church altered the faith by little and little how it is meant 51.3 How the Fathers praised the Romane Church 56.1 How the faith of the Roman Church grew 58.1 The Papists absurdly call the Catholicke Church the Romane Church 13.3 Rule of faith is certaine 3.1 Such a rule is simply necessarie ibid. but not reuealed to all ibid. It hath fiue properties 4.1 The Scripture is it ibid. and the Papists cannot denie it 4.6 How we call the translated Scriptures the rule 6.1 The rule is easie though some meanes be needfull to learne it 7.2 and 8.10 How the doctrine or teaching of the Church may be called the rule 13.1 See Church S. SAcrament Seuē Sacraments merrily prooued in a Sermon at the Councell of Trent 8.15 How the Sacraments are a marke of the Church See Church Sacrament in one kind against antiquitie 35.11 and 47 7. In both kinds best 35.20 Our doctrine touching the Eucharist layed downe and how Christ is present therein 51.10 The Papists haue no certaintie of the presence of Christ in the Sacrament 47.9 Saints What kind of Saints the Protestants haue 39.1 and what kinde the Papists 39.2 41.1 Obiectiōs against the Popes canonizing of Saints 39.3 The Papists claime kindred of manie Saints that neuer knew the Popish religion 42.1 Saluation A man may be assured thereof 35.20 by what meanes 40.39 The Papists not able to denie this 41.10 Sanctification of life absolutely necessarie to saluation Digress 34. Satisfaction What kinde of Satisfaction we require and teach Digres 39. and what kind the Papists ibid. The true state of the question touching Satisfaction 40.28 Note what the Papists teach concerning the Satisfaction of our workes nu 30. Our workes satisfie not nu 31. The Papists play with their Satisfaction nu 33. Pardons release all Satisfaction num 30. A view of the Papists vncertainties and contradictions in this question of Satisfaction num 34. Scripture The people allowed to read it in ancient times 47.3 The Scripture is a letter sent from God to man 62.2 The Papists forbid the reading of them 2.3 and disputing of them num 4. The knowledge thereof needfull num 7. They are easie to such as haue the meanes 4.2 It onely is the rule of faith 4.1 and 10.1 and 34.1 The true cause why the Papists disable the Scripture from being the rule Digress 4 It must be Translated See Translations It is not obscure 7.2 Digress 8. but onely in two cases 8.1 How the sence thereof is attained 8.2 It containeth all things needfull nu 3. Why learned men varie
vnrighteousnesse what communion hath light with darknesse or what concord hath Christ with Belial or the temple of God with idols It is in vaine therefore to hope for reconciliation of things so farre vnlike vnlesse our aduersaries would wholly renounce their parts and embrace the truth which n 2. Thess 2.11 they will neuer do Many meanes haue bene vsed but neuer anie could preuaile The Emperours Ferdinand and Maximilian trauelled painfully herein and by their appointment Cassander a great learned Papist drew o Consult de Artic. controu ad Iâ—app a proiect to shew his iudgement And in the time of Charles the fift it was much laboured in Germanie to accord the sides both by Papists and Protestants And it is p Act colloqu Ratisbon an 2â—41 Lindan L de querela pacis Praefat. reported that at a meeting at Regenspurge there was an agreement made of many weighty points touching Free will Originall sinne Iustification Faith Merits Traditions the Masse c. but this held not neither indeed can the wit of man auoide that q 1. Cor. 11.19 2. Thess 2.8 inde which God will haue for the triall of his Church and manifesting of his truth There is in our aduersaries that refractarie frowardnesse that they seeke nothing but to be contrarie vnto vs and euen hate the name of peace This opinion r De Grat. lib. Arb l 5. c. 1. saith Bellarmine we imbrace and defend so much the more willingly by how much it displeaseth our aduersaries and especially Caluin Å¿ Maldon comment in Ioh. 6. Another expounding a place of Scripture saith Though I haue no author for my exposition yet I allow it rather then that of Austin and others though it be most probable because this of mine more crosseth the sence of the Caluinists 4 Hauing therefore to do with aduersaries so contentious with doctrine so pernicious with a Church so diseased it is a better way to examine the questions and betake our selues to the true part then to hope for that which will not be And this was the course that the Christians tooke when the Church in ancient times was vexed with Arianisme and Pelagianisme They were not indifferent which side preuailed but they claue fast to the truth they did not neutralize betweene both they did not idly sit and deride those that contended for the truth they made not the questions of religion the matter of their quarrels and rude discourse in Tauernes and streetes and euery base companie but with godly affection they lamented the Churches trouble and with zealous consciences and earnest prayer and religious endeuour they sought the faith This is the way that all men should take now when the rumor of the contention groweth so great 1. with HVMILITIE to craue at Gods hand the direction of his Spirit 2. then with DILIGENCE to reade and learne the Scripture whereby to iudge 3. and so with LOVE to the persons of the men and with a mind prepared to yeeld to the truth to trauell through the questions The want of which no doubt is the true cause why contentions grow and questions multiply and all things are vncertain For the preachings and writings of learned men are licentiously censured afore they be vnderstood the most people making the same onely a matter to cauill at neuer considering with what religious hands they ought to touch the questions of faith wherin whosoeuer erreth loseth no lesse then his soule thereby The questions of faith and all matters of religion require in such as will profitably exercise themselues therein three things Humilitie of mind because they concern the holy things of God Diligence in attending because they are spiritually discerned and strength of iudgement because enemies and seducers are exceeding cunning to beguile a slothfull examiner and deceiue him that considereth not attentiuely 5 Our aduersaries that manage the Papacie if euer any haue expressed this cunning and skill in perswading and setting forth their heresie so farre that it cannot be denied they haue omitted no art that might set it forth nor no diligence that might adorne it We reade strange things of certaine painters how admirably they cast and shadowed their workes but the skilfullest painters that euer were are our Iesuits and Schoolmen and others the workmen for the Church of Rome Not the famous Zeuxis t Plin. l. 35 c. 9. who wrote vnder his table when he had drawne it that men should sooner enuy then imitate him was to be compared to these painters not the ancient Polignotus nor Parrhasius not Mycon Timanthes Bularchus Phidias did euer bestow such pains on their images as these haue done on their idol the Papacie specially the Iesuite who as Plinie u Lib. 35. c. 10. noteth of Parthasius is soecundus artifex sed quo nemo insolentius arrogantius sit vsus gloria artis a workman full of deuice but no man vseth the reputation of his skil more proudly and arrogantly then he Zeuxis being to make the image of Iuno to hang vp in her temple chose out certain virgins to put the seuerall beautie of them all into his picture so haue these painters made choise of the exquisitest deuices that all the heresy in the world could yeeld to put the same into their religion no policie in Machiauell nor Sophistry in Aristotle nor eloquence in Rhetorick but they haue contriued it into their Image that saue truth and sinceritie there is nothing wanting Tertullian saith As the Gentiles with their hands so heretickes with their words are the makers of idols for euery lie that they speake of God is a kind of idolatry The Prophet Esay x C. 44. v. 12. setteth downe a liuely description of this matter The Smith taketh an instrument and worketh in the coles and fasteneth it with hammers and worketh it with the strength of his armes the Carpenter stretcheth out a line he fashioneeh it with a thred and plaineth it and pourtrayeth it with the compasse and maketh it after the figure of a man and according to the beauty of a man that it may remaine in a house He heweth him downe Cedars and Pine trees and Okes and he taketh thereof and burneth it and warmeth himselfe and baketh his bread yet he maketh a god and worshippeth it an idol and boweth downe before it he burneth the halfe of it in the fire and vpon the half of it he eateth his meate he rosteth it and is satisfied also he warmeth himselfe and saith Aha I am warm I haue bin at the fire and the residue therof he maketh a god euen his idol wherto he boweth yea he worshippeth and prayeth vnto it saying Deliuer me for thou art my god In which words the God of heauen deriding the Gentile doth very fitly shew vs the idolatry of Rome and the maner how the idol religion therof was framed and set on foote At the first it was but a rude block and ragged trunk rough hewne by
thought this a fit course Dionysius Alexandrinus h Niceph. l. 6. c. 8. said of himselfe that he vsed somtime to be occupied in reading the writings and treatises of heretickes though it something polluted his mind with touching their vncleane opinions because he reaped this profit therby that he might the easilier refell them and the more execrate detest them If any will take vpon him to confute me the lawes of Christian conference specially in the points of faith bind him 1. to do it temperately abstaining from railing and reproaching 2. perspicuously that I may certainly know his meaning 3. honestly that what I say be faithfully set downe and what I proue my sayings by be not dissembled For I affirm nothing that concerneth the cause but I proue it either in the text by reason or in the margent by authoritie which I would not haue dissembled or according to an vsuall trade taken vp of late among them traduced with taunts and outcries as if it were false alledged vntill it appeare to be so indeed Which if he performe I shall thinke my lot the better to haue met with so profitable an aduersarie And so wishing the good Reader that with loue to all men and reuerence to Gods truth and care to leade a sanctified life he would pursue the cause of religion I take my leaue beseeching our Lord Christ by the power of his spirit to make way for the truth in all our hearts Amen A Table of the seuerall matters and questions handled and disputed in this Booke The first number signifieth the Section noted with this marke §. The other following the first signifieth the numbers of that Section VVhere the number is but one there the whole Section is meant THe true faith is absolutely necessarie to saluation 1. 1. No part of our faith stands vpon tradition 1. 2. Infolded faith is not sufficient without knowledge 2. 1. 7. There is a Rule whereby the true faith may be knowne 3. 1. This Rule is not visible and knowne to all men without exception 3. 2. The properties belonging to the rule of faith 4. The Scriptures translated into English are the rule of faith and how 5. The true reason why Papists deny the Scriptures to be the rule 5. 7. 8. The Scripture ought to be translated into the mother tongue that the people may reade it 5. 9. Touching the certaintie and truth of our translations and how we know it 6. The last resolution of our faith is into the authoritie of the Scripture 6. 9. 10. Our English translation is purer then that which the Papists vse 6. 11. The obscuritie of the Scripture disableth it not from being the rule 7. 1. All matters needfull are plainly laid downe in the Scripture 7. 3. Why the Papists pretend the obscuritie of the Scripture 7. 7. Whence it is that the Scripture is obscure 8. 1. The Scripture is vnderstood by it selfe and how 8. 1 2 3. How we are assured of the true sence of the Scripture which is it among many sences 8. 7 8. The true cause why men erre in expounding the Scripture 8. 13. Our faith is built on the Scripture not on the Church 8. 17. The Scripture is perfect containing all things 9. How I know this Scripture to be the very word of God 9. 5. All things needfull are fully comprehended in the Scripture 9. 9. The Papists hold that the sence of the Scripture varieth with the time 9. 11. Againe touching the errors of men in expounding the Scripture 10. The place of 2. Tim. 3.16 proueth the all-sufficiencie of the Scripture 11. How priuat men priuat cōpanies may see the truth against a multitude 12. By the Church the Papists meane nothing but the Pope 13. 2. Whether and how the Church of God may erre 14. 1. Tim. 3.15 expounded how the Church is the pillar of truth 15. The Protestants do not say that the true Church at any time failed was not 17. 1. The state of the question touching the visiblenesse of the Church 17. 2. The Protestants say no more touching the inuisiblenesse of the Church then the Papists themselues in effect do 17. 3. The arguments are answered whereby the Church is proued to be alway visible 18. inde The true faith is a sufficient marke of the Church 24. 2. The arguments against this are answered 26. to 31. 1. Ioh. 4.1 proueth that it is lawfull to examine the teaching of the Church 31. One Holy Catholicke and Apostolicke are not the marks of the Church 32. What the vnitie of the Church properly is 33. 1. The Protestant Churches want not true vnitie 33. 2. Gods true Church in all ages hath had some contentions 33. 4. inde The Protestant Churches haue the true meanes of vnitie 34. 1. What kind of vnitie the Papists haue 34. 1. 2. The Church of Rome vseth the Scriptures most despitefully fiue wayes 35. 3. The present Roman Church is departed frō the ancient primitiue faith 35. 9. The Church of Rome wanteth vnitie and liueth in manifest contention demonstrated 35. 16. The Popes authority was not receiued of old as the foundation of vnity 36. 2. The very Papists themselues do not yeeld to the Popes determinations 36. 5. The Popes supremacie is no sufficient meanes to preserue vnitie 36. 10. The places of Mat. 16.18 Luk. 22.32 Ioh. 21.15 handled at large shewed to make nothing toward the Popes authoritie ouer the Church 36. 11. inde The Primitiue Church acknowledged not the Popes supremacy foure experiences 36. 26. The Pope may erre euen iudicially and be an hereticke 36. 32. It is vnpossible to proue that the hope is S. Peters true successor 36. 36. No certainty among the Papists how the Popes supremacy is proued 36. 39. A place of Cyprian alledged for the supremacie answered 37. 1 2. The Protestants Church is truly holy and how 38. 1. Certaine words of M. Luther expounded 38. 2. Outward holinesse no proper and essentiall marke of the Church 38. 3. The vnholines wickednes of the Roman Church demōstrated 38. 4. inde What Saints the Protestants haue in their Church 39. 1. Canonization of Saints by the Pope a ridiculous conceit 39. 2. 3. The doctrine of the Protestants induceth not to libertie 40. 1. inde Fasting how the Protestants and how the Papists vse it 40. 2. Auricular confession or shrift iustly reiected 40. 6. Necessitie of good workes taught and defended by the Protestants 40. 11. Touching the merit of workes 40. 12. Touching mans power in keeping the commandements 40. 18. Whether all the good workes we do be sinne 40. 22. The distinction of sinne into mortall and veniall 40. 26. Satisfaction how taught by the Protestants and how by the Papists 40. 28. A short view of long Pardons 40. 35. The doctrine of Iustification by Faith only expounded and defended 40. 37. Predestination how holden by the Protestants 40. 43. What is the roote of Contingencie 40. 44. Freewill and Gods
cap. 4. Cyril that euen those things which are very easie yet to heretickes be hard to vnderstand And r In Anchor Epiphanius If a man be not taught of God to beleeue the truth all things to him are vneuen crooked which yet are straite and not to be excepted against to such as haue obteyned learning vnderstanding Austin hauing in his books of Christan doctrine propounded the rule of faith whereby all matters of faith must be determined yet notwithstanding thus concludes Å¿ Prolog in lib. de doctrin Christ To such as vnderstand not what I write I answer they must not blame me if they conceiue not these things as if I shewed them with my finger the moone or a star which they would see being not very cleare and they haue not eyes to see my finger much lesse a star they must not be offended at me if they see it not so they who vnderstanding these my precepts cannot yet see the things which in the Scripture be darke let them cease to blame me and rather pray God to giue them eye sight For I may point with my finger but I cannot giue them eyes to see the things I point to § 5. All these being set downe for certaine grounds the question is what in particular may be assigned as an infallible rule sufficient in it selfe to instruct all sorts of men in all points of faith This question I resolue by putting downe and prouing these foure conclusions * Diligens attenta frequensque lectio tum meditatio collatio â—cripturarum omnium summa regula ad intelligendum mihi semper est visa Acosta apud Possen l. 2. c. 15. The first conclusion is that the Scriptures alone especially as translated into the English tongue cannot be this rule This I proue The Answer 1 This conclusion hath two parts First that the Scripture is not the rule which God hath left to instruct vs in the points of faith Next that if possible it were yet as we haue it traÌ„slated into English it cannot Whereto I answer that the doctrine of our Church is t Artic. 6. cap. The doctrine of holy Scripture Iewel apol part 2. cap 9. diuis 1. that the Scriptures comprehended in the canonical books of the old and new Testament is the rule of faith so far that whatsoeuer is not read therein or cannot be proued thereby is not to be accepted as any point of faith or needfull to be followed but by it all doctrines taught and the Churches practise must be examined and that reiected which is contrary to it vnder what title or pretence soeuer it come vnto vs. 2 And as for translations we say that the diuine truth which is the infallible word of God is alike conteined in all translations as the meanes to shew it vs and the vessels wherein it is presented to vs yet with this difference that the same is perfectly immediatly most absolutely in the originall Hebrew and Greeke all other translations being to be tryed by them And therefore * Sacrae Scripturae infallibilis per omnia authoritas integerrima in omnibus veritas non pendet ex omnimoda incorruptibilitate alicuius editionis sed eius incorruptibilitas omnimoda in corde Ecclesiae ita conseruatur vt cum opus suerit opportunè prouideat ipsosque codices corrigat emendet Dom. Bann in 1. part Tho. pag 72. we relie vpon translations but in a certaine manner and degree namely with this caution that we trie them by the originall and finding them to agree in the matter we hold the translation to be the same canonicall Scripture that the Greek and Hebrew is Thus we say that euery translation consenting with the originall is canonicall Scripture because the matter of it is the pure doctrine of the holy Ghost and this doctrine conteined in it is the rule we seeke for Otherwise in the rigor of speech we cannot call the English translation the rule no not yet the Greeke and Hebrew because all language and writing is but a symbole or declaration of the rule and a certaine forme or manner or meanes whereby it cometh to vs as things are conteyned in their words And so to conclude because the doctrine matter of the text is not made knowne to me but by the words language therefore I say the scripture translated into English is the rule of faith whereupon I relying haue not a humane but a diuine authoritie For euen as I beleeue a diuine truth although by humane voice in preaching it be conueyed to me so I enioy the infallible doctrine of the Scriptures immediatly inspired by the holy Ghost though by a humane translation it be manifested to me And this is our meaning when we call the Scriptures translated into English the rule Which being explaned I will put the Reader in mind of three points to be noted about this conclusion which I will handle in the three next Digressions one after another Digression 3. Wherein by the Scriptures Fathers Reason and the Papists owne confessions it is shewed that the Scripture is the rule of faith 3 And first let any man iudge by that which followeth if this conclusion be not contrary to the cleare euidence of truth and Diuinitie For the text in plaine words free from ambiguitie saith u 2. Tim. 3.15 The Scriptures are able to make vs wise to saluation through the faith that is in Christ Iesus and are profitable to teach to improue to correct to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute and perfect to euery good worke or as Salomon x Pro. 2.1.9 speaketh They will make a man vnderstand righteousnesse and iudgement and equity and euery good path y Esa 8.20 We must repaire to the law to the testimonie if any speak not according to that word there is no light in them z Mal. 4.4 Lu. 16.29 Remember the law of Moses my seruant which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel with the statutes and iudgements a 2. Pet 1.19 We haue a more sure word of the Prophets whereunto we must take heede as to a light that shineth in a darke place till the day starre arise in our hearts b Luc. 1.4 Ioh. 5.39 20.31 These things are written that we might haue the certaintie of that whereof we are instructed and that we might beleeue in Iesus and in beleeuing haue life eternall c 1. Cor. 4 6. We may not presume aboue that which is written d Luc. 10.26 And when one asked Christ what he might do to be saued he referred him to the Scripture for his direction And so e Luc. 16 29. did Abraham answer the rich glutton They haue Moses and the Prophets And f Deut. 12.8.32 Pro. 30.5 Mat. 22.29 Gal. 1.8 Eph 2.20 Heb. 4.12 Ap. 22.18 infinite more testimonies be there to the same effect Now shall the Scripture be able to
point of the sence For we know the diuine doctrine to be one and the same in all translations immediatly in the originall and more obscurely in the translations and therefore we so vse them as that we examine all by the originall approuing the best and not hindering the mending of it if need require But this change implies no such error in the matter For one true sence may be vttered diuersly and though things be alwayes one and the same yet words be diuers In which sence our translations are of differeÌ„t sort and yet no materiall error As for example some playner or in phrase liker the original then othersome One translation is in verse another in prose one word for word another sence for sence one hath a higher obscurer phrase another a lower and playner yet how can it be inferred hereupon that therfore they be erronious when they all yeeld the same diuine sence Therefore Austins iudgement is more to be preferred who saith i De doctrin Christ lib. 2. c. 12. 14. the variety and multitude of translations doth not hinder vs from vnderstanding the text but very much helpe vs specially if we shall diligently compare them one with another And what shal become of the popish Authenticall vulgar if change and varietie be a signe of error which so often was changed before it came to that it is and since the Trent approbation hath so many different copies Yea what shall become of their Missals Portesses and Seruice bookes that so many times haue bin reformed and more should be but that the Seruice of the Church would be altered so farre that scarce any shew of the ancient Religion would be remaining in it k Loc. lib. 11. cap. 5. saith Canus a Popish Doctor 8 But the Iesuite obiecteth further that seeing the translatour being but a man may erre how shall an vnlearned man be infallibly sure that this or that translation erreth not or if it erre in on point that it doth not in another vnlesse the Churches authoritie be admitted to assure vs Whereto I answer l Psal 119 105. Prou. 6.23 2. Pet. 1.19 that the doctrine conteyned in the Scripture is a light and so abideth into what language soeuer it be translated and therefore the children of light know it and discerne it For m Ioh. 10.4 1. Cor. 2.15 1. Ioh. 2 20. Ioh. 7.17 14.16.17 God directeth them by the holy Ghost who openeth their hearts that they know his voice from all others and that the light of his truth may shine vnto theÌ„ Which light is of this nature that it giueth testimonie to it selfe and receiueth authoritie from no other as the Sunne is not seene by any light but his owne and we discerne sweet from sowre by it owne tast And for the opening of our eyes to see this light whereby our conscience may be assured we haue diuers meanes some priuate as skill in the tongues learning labour prayer conference c. Some publicke as the ministery of the word which is the ordinance of God to beget this assurance which act of the Church is not authoritie to secure me but ministery to shew me that which shall secure me which ministery is founded on the Scripture it selfe in that from thence it fetcheth the reasons that may perswade me and sheweth the light that doth infallibly assure me And thus we know our translations to be true Digression 6. Declaring how the assurance of our faith is not built on the Churches authoritie but on the illumination of Gods spirit shining in the Scripture it selfe 9 So then the vnlearned man is secured not vpon the Churches credit and authoritie but by her ministery which teacheth him he is directed to the light it selfe and this ministery we haue and vse for our translations but they that obey it know the translation and so proportionably all other articles of faith to be infallible because the matter therof appeares vnto them as a candle in a lanterne shewing it selfe in it owne light And that you may see the difference betweene these two the Churches teaching and the illumination of the spirit in assuring vs the spirit of God is an inward meanes the teaching of the Church an outward the spirit secureth vs by his owne authoritie the Church directeth vs by her ministery the spirit hath light in it selfe the Church borroweth hers from the Scriptures the spirit can secure vs alone the Church neuer can without the spirit But nothing can be playner to this purpose then the saying of Constantine the great in his epistle to the Persian n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. hist lib. 1. cap. 25. Marking the diuine faith I obtaine the light of truth and following the light of truth I acknowledge the diuine faith We need then a more certain authoritie then the voyce of the Church that may prostrate our mind with a lightning froÌ„ heauen and stand vpon his owne ground not drawing his resolution from any thing out of it selfe 10 This is not far from that which the learnedst of the Papists be driuen to acknowledge through the necessitie of the truth For thus writeth o Princip doctrinal lib. 8. cap. 22. Stapleton in that booke where he most defends the Churches authoritie The godly are brought to faith by the voyce of the Church but being once brought and enlightened with the light of diuine inspiration then they beleeue no more for the Churches voyce but because of the heauenly light And yet more plainely in p Triplicat inchoata aduers Gulielm Whittak in admonit ad Whitak the last booke that euer he wrote that one would wonder the Iesuite should see no authoritie to secure vs but the Churches The inward perswasioÌ„ of the holy Ghost is so necessary and effectuall for the beleeuing of euery obiect of faith q Nec absque illa quicquam à quoquam credi possit etsi millies Ecclesia attestetur per illam solam persuasiâ—nem quodlibet credenduÌ„ credi queat tâ—cente prorsus vel noÌ„ audita Ecclesia that without it neither can any thing by any man be beleeued though the Church testified with it a thousand times and by it alone any matter may be beleeued though the Church held her peace or neuer were heard Where is he then that saith we cannot be infallibly sure that this or that is doctrine of faith free from error vnlesse we admit an infallible authoritie in the Church to assure vs Digression 7. Wherein the Trent vulgar Latin and our English translation are briefly compared together 11 Which authoritie if we did admit supposing the Church were like theirs might we not speed possible as the Papists haue done in their authenticall vulgar and be assured of that which were starke naught For I thinke the Sun neuer saw any thing more defectiue maimed then the vulgar Latin yet r Concil Trid. sess 4. their Church hath canonized it for good
the holy Ghost Now to be inspired of God and to be the true word of God is all one The former is written we see expresly of all Scripture therefore of euery booke and therefore the latter is also written 4 If the Iesuite reply but where is it written that these bookes which we haue be the same of whom it is said they are inspired of God or how know you the Scripture that telleth you so is the word of God I answer this is nothing to the purpose for he desireth onely to know where it is written that these bookes be the word of God and I answer him by naming the places out of the bookes themselues Digression 12. Wherein it is shewed that the Scripture proueth it selfe to be the very word of God and receiueth not authority from the Church 5 It is another question how I know this Scripture that saith so of it selfe to be the word of God for this is knowne first and principally by the illumination of Gods spirit as by the inward meanes f 1. Cor. 12.7.11 and is giuen to euery man to profit withall which worketh all things in all men and then by the testimonie of the scriptures themselues which is the outward meanes which openeth the eyes of the godly the testimonie of the Apostles and Prophets that penned them as Gods secretaries and the ministery of the Church inducing vs to assent These three latter being onely the instruments euery one in his owne order whereby God doth enlighten vs. 6 So that the certaintie of the Scripture is not written indeed with letters in any particular place or booke thereof but g See Scot. prolog in sent q. 2. Cameracens 1. q. 1. art 2. part 2. concil 1. the vertue and power that sheweth it selfe in euery line and leafe of the Bible proclaimeth it to be the word of the eternall God and the sheepe of Christ discerne the voice and light thereof as men discerne light from darknes sweet from sowre h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil epist 1. ad Naz. and know children by their fauour resembling the parents the puritie and perfection of the matter the maiesty of the dispensation i Non mouent non persuadeÌ„t sacrae literae sed cogunt agitant vim inferunt Legis rudia verba agrestia sed viua sed animata flammea aculeata ad imum spiritum penetrantia hominem totum potestate mirabili transformaÌ„tia Ioan. fr. Pic. Mirand exam van doctr gent. li. 2. cap. 2. Which speech of Picus is reported and commended by Posseuinus in Ciceron c. 11. the maiestie of the speech the power that it hath ouer the conscience the certaine prophecies the strange miracles contained in it the great antiquitie beyond all bookes the admirable preseruation of it against time and tyrants the sweete harmony of euery part with other the diuels rage against them that follow it the vengeance that hath pursued all such as haue not obeyed it the successe of the faith contained in it the readinesse of so many millions of men to confirme it with their bloud the testimony of aduersaries and strangers for it the simplicitie of the writers all this and much more shining to vs out of the Scripture it selfe I hope is another maner of assurance then the Church of Romes lying traditions 7 Therefore the Iesuites collection is idle if we must needs admit some other rule beside the Scripture to assure vs that there is any Scripture at all why should we not admit the same to assure vs which is the true sence for we admit both alike that is to say as we reiect the Church froÌ„ being the rule of exposition so do we also disclaime the authoritie thereof in canonization But the Iesuite is of another mind holding possible that vnlesse the authoritie of the Church did teach vs that this Scripture is canonical it should be of small credit with him as k Lib. 3. de authorit Scripturae Hosius speaketh or All the authoritie which the Scripture hath with vs dependeth of necessitie on the Churches as saith l Hier. l. 1. c. 2. Pighius or as m Epist Synod respons de authoritate Concilij pag. 700. Crab. the Councell of Basil saith That is called the holy Scripture which the Church declareth to be holy not onely the decrees and opinions of the Church be authenâ—icke and such as we must without contradiction stand vnto but also her deeds and customes must be vnto vs * Instar habeaÌ„t sanctarum scripturarum in steed of the Scriptures for the Scripture and the Churches custome both require the same affection and fashion or as Wolfangus Hermannus said and n Vbi supra Hosius defendeth his saying as good The Scripture is of no more authoritie then Aesops Fables but that the Church and Popes approue it All which if the Iesuite hold too then you may see what he requireth when he saith we must put some other rule then the Scriptures to assure vs both of the Scripture and of the true sence 8 But in what a miserable case are these men thus presumptuously to tell their followers that which at another time when they are out of the heate of their disputations they dare not stand to but vtterly renounce for o Catech. cap. de praecep eccl nu 16. Canisius saith We beleeue adhere and giue the greatest authoritie to the Scripture for the testimonies sake of the holy Ghost speaking in it p De verb. Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. Bellarmine saith Other meanes may deceiue me but nothing is more knowne nothing more certaine then the Scripture that it were the greatest madnesse in the world not to beleeue them the Christian world and consent of all nations with whom they haue bene in credit so many ages can witnesse they containe not mens inuentions but heauenly oracles q 3. dist 25. dub 3. Biel saith The Catholicke verities without any approofe of the Church of their owne nature are vnchangeable and vnchangeably true and so are to be reputed vnchangeably Catholicke r Comment in Tho. tom 3. p 2. 31. Venet. Gregory of Valence saith The reuelation of the Scripture is beleeued not vpon the credit of any other reuelation but for it selfe D. Stapleton confesseth two things concerning this matter which bewray the weaknesse of the Iesuites assertion Å¿ Defens Eccl. authorit aduer Whitak l. 1. c. 9 first that all the former writings of the Bible may be assured to vs by the latter as for example the old Testament by the authoritie of the new t Triplicat inchoat aduers Whitak in admonit Secondly that the inward testimonie of the spirit is so effectuall for the beleeuing of any point of faith that by it alone any matter may be beleeued though the Church hold her peace or neuer be heard Now if the former may receiue authoritie from the latter then we may be assured of them otherwise then by
without testimonie of miracle giue assurance to others that he is thus taught especially in such sort to make them forsake the teaching of the catholike Church which by plaine proofes and testimonies of Scripture they do know to be taught of God Nay they ought not in anie sort to beleeue him but rather to esteeme him as one of those of whom it is said Ezech. 13. Vae Prophetis insipientibus qui sequuntur spiritum suum nihil vident dicunt ait Dominus cum ego non sum locutus Neither is it sufficient that these men alledge words of Scripture for that which they say because euery sect-maister alledgeth Scripture for his opinion yea the diuell himselfe for his purpose bringeth words of Scripture Math. 4. The Answer 1 These two conclusions might easily be granted without further examinatiō if the Iesuit had not a further reach in them thē the words pretend For what Protestant thinketh that any priuate mā or any company of men how learned soeuer or any mans naturall wit and learning is the rule of faith which honour we giue to the spirit of God in the Scriptures only But the Iesuit aimeth at those which in cōparison of the rest of the world being but priuate men particular Churches haue examined refused the Romane faith as Wicklieffe Hus Luther and the Churches of England Scotland and Germany haue done that so hauing in his former conclusion pluckt the Scriptures from you he might also in these two bereaue you of such faithfull Pastors as God hath stirred vp from time to time to instruct you and when he hath done in his last conclusion obtrude vpon you his Papall consistorie If he meant Priuate men wits learning and companies as they are opposed to diuine and spirituall he said well for no such priuate men wits learning or companies may be heard against the present doctrine and this is well proued in the Iesuits discourse but vsing it in that sence as it is opposed to common and vsuall a Priuatum accipio vt opponitur communi spiritui Mart. Peres de Tradit part 2 assert 4. pag. 48. which the Papists alway do his conclusions are vntrue viz. that nothing may be receiued which priuate men or particular companies teach against that which is surmized to be the Catholicke Church For in matters of religion it maketh no matter whether the teachers be many or few publicke or priuate persons as long as they teach the faith and expound the Scriptures truly For a true exposition is publicke though the companie that giue it be priuate and a false exposition is priuate though the Church that vrge it be neuer so publick yea though it came from a generall Councell And so this is to be holden concerning priuate men and companies that they may sometime be infallibly assured of the truth against a publicke multitude as the Romane Church for example and hauing the Scripture for their foundation may teach and beleeue against it in which case though their persons and wit and naturall learning be not the rule yet as long as they follow the Scripture which is the rule we are bound to heare them This being all that we hold and that which the Iesuite in these conclusions girdeth at now I come to examine his arguments against it 2 First he saith all mens wit and learning is humane natural and fallible therfore no mans wit or learning can be the rule which must sustaine our faith diuine supernaturall and infallible Wherto I answer granting the whole argument for we say not any mans learning is the rule or any companie of men the foundation of our faith but the contrary as I haue said onely we hold they may be so assisted by the holy Ghost that they may interprete the Scriptures truly and infallibly against a company as big as the Romane Church And this is a full answer to the second conclusion 3 Next in his third conclusion he saith No priuate man can be this rule at least when he teacheth contrary to the receiued doctrine of the Catholicke Church because Saint Paul saith If any preach any other Gospell then then which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed This text is b Rhem. vpon Gal. 1.8 commonly vrged against Luther and Caluin for preaching otherwise then the Romish Church beleeueth whereby you may see what the Iesuite driueth at in these two conclusions But I answer though this text proue that no priuate man is the rule of faith and that no teaching may be receiued against the Scriptures yet there is nothing in it against such as resist a false Church though they be men neuer so priuate For Saint Paul speaketh of the doctrine which he had taught not which euery Church calling it selfe Catholicke may possible hold and of it he saith Let him be accursed that preacheth otherwise Now c Phil. 3.1 Iren. l. 3. ca. 1. Niceph. Callist l. 2. c. 34. all that the Apostle preached is written in the Scriptures and so he accurseth none but such as teach against them forbidding all men to preach against the Churches doctrine consenting with the word But when any thing deflecteth from that it may and must be excepted against euen by priuate men else this very text accurseth them for consenting to it Thus d Contra lit Petiliā Donat. l. 3. c. 6. de Vnitate Eccles cap. 11. Austin expoundeth the place If we or an Angell from heauen declare vnto you either concerning Christ or his Church or any other matter belonging to our faith or life any thing but that which you haue receiued in the writings of the Law and the Gospell let him be accursed See Austine preferring the Scripture aboue all things expoundeth the place against such as teach any thing concerning faith and manners let the Iesuit mark this but that which is contained in the Scripture and the Iesuite begging the question talketh idlely of his Romane Church 4 His second argument to proue his third conclusion is that the priuate spirit is not infallible and plainly knowne Whereto I answer that this is false meaning priuate as the Iesuite doth I haue distinguished it for a smal company holding against a multitude as e 1. Reg. 22. 23. Michaiah did against 400. Prophets may be directed by the spirit of God in the Scriptures which are infallible plainly knowne But neither thēselues nor any other can be sure they are thus taught I answer this is vntrue for the Scripture is a light and knowne by the sons of light and by it they may be assured Now they that be thus assured are infallibly sure they are taught by the holy Ghost for f 2. Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is inspired of God and containeth the teaching of the holy Ghost But there is no promise in the Scripture to assure him he is thus taught Yes for the Scripture promiseth that euery doctrine is of God that consenteth with it and
though he alledged the words thereof absurdly wrested The sheepe therefore casteth not away her fleece though the wolfe sometime put it on else the Iesuite must renounce the authoritie of his Church also because sectmasters sometime alledge it But euen as he will say they alledge it indeed but yet either not the true Church or the true Church not truly so I say sectmasters alledge the scripture indeed but either not the true Scripture or the Scripture not truly And let the Iesuite remember that h Defence of the censure against Chark pag. 166. a good friend of his excuseth the blasphemous comparison of those that liken the Scripture to i CeÌ„sur Colon. pag. 112. Pigh hierarch l. 3. c. 3 p. 103. and others a nose of waxe by this that heretickes wrest and detort it as a nose of waxe is bowed into many formes Digression 15. Against the two former conclusions shewing that priuate and particular companies may sometime be assured of the truth against a pretended Catholicke companie 8 Because the Iesuite pleadeth so for his Catholicke multitude let him consider the Scripture k 1. Thes 5.21 1. Ioh. 4.1 biddeth all men trie what they are taught l Act. 17.11 commending them that examined euen the Apostles teaching and m Math. 7.15 24.4 Esa 8.20 Ier. 23.16 Rom. 16.17 commaunding to beware of false Prophets and n Ios 1.18 Ioh. 5.39 to search the Scriptures o Heb. 5.14 that we might haue our wits exercised to discerne good and euill all which were to no purpose if when we had done we neither could by reading attaine to any certaintie or hauing attained might not hold it against a multitude but were still bound to referre the matter to them which are suspected and whose iudgement is the very thing to be examined Againe p 1. Reg. 22.15 one Michaiah defended the truth against 400. Prophets q Niceph. lib. 8. cap. 19. one Paphnutius directed the whole Councell of Nice Christ and his Apostles withstood the whole Iewish synagogue and r Iob 32.6 Elihu one yong man rebuked the ancients 9 Saint Chrysostome hath a discourse about this point which I thought fit to be propounded A Gentile Å¿ Homil. 33. in Act. saith he cometh and saith I would be a Christian but I know not which side to cleaue vnto many dissentions are among you and I cannot tell which opinion to hold euery one saith I speake the truth and the Scriptures on both sides are pretended so that I know not whom to beleeue to this Chrysostome replieth Truly saith he this maketh much for vs for well might you be troubled if we should say we rely vpoÌ„ reasoÌ„ but seeing we take the Scriptures which are so true and plaine it will be an easie matter for you to iudge and tell me hast thou any wit or iudgement for it is not the part of a man barely to receiue whatsoeuer he heareth but if thou mark the meaning thou maist throughly know that which is good When thou buyest a garment though thou haue no skill in weauing yet thou satst not I cannot buy it they deceiue me but thou doest all things that thou maist learn how to know it say not then I am a scholler and wilbâ— no iudge I can condemne no opinion for this is but a shift and a cauill and let vs not vse it for all these things are easie To the same effect saith t Comment in Nah. c. 2. in fine Hierome It is alway the diuels endeuour to bring the waking soule asleepe therefore at the comming of Christ and his word and the Churches doctrine and when Nineueh that sometime was so beautifull a whore shall haue her end the people which before was lulled asleepe vnder their teachers shal be lifted vp and hasten towards the mountaines of the Scriptures the mountaines Moses and the Prophets and the Apostles and the Euangelists which are the mountaines of the new Testament and when they come to these mountaines and shall be occupied in the reading thereof if they finde none to teach them then their endeuours shal be approued because they flew to the mountaines and the slothfulnesse of their teachers shall be detested Did Hierome in these words expound a Prophet or Prophecy himselfe concerning these later times wherin the whore of Babilon drew toward her end and the profound sleepe of the Romish teachers was such that men were faine to flie to the Scriptures wherby they directed both the slothfulnesse of their labor and the coruption of their doctrine And why not when in many cases the peoples eares are holyer then the Priests heart as the same Hierome saith in u Ad PaÌ„mach adâ—e erro Ioh. Hierosolym another place 10 Moreouer let the Iesuite consider that the learned of his owne side haue left written as much as we say in defence of priuate men that so it may appeare what truth there is in his conclusion when his owne Doctors confute it For thus writeth x Part. 1. de Elect elect potest cap. significasti In concernentibus fidem etiam dictum vnius priuati esset praeferendum dicto Papae si ille moue retur melioribus c. Panormitan One faithfull man though priuate is more to be beleeued then the Pope or a whole Councell if he haue better reason on his side and authoritie of the old and new Testament y De exam doctrin part 1. consid 5. And Gerson more fully The examination and triall of doctrines concerning faith belongeth not onely to the Pope and Councell but to euery one also that is sufficiently seene in the holy Scripture because euery one is a fit iudge of that he knoweth And again some lay man not authorised may yet be so excellently learned in the Scripture that his assertion shall be more to be credited then the Popes definitiue sentence For the Gospell is more to be credited theÌ„ the Pope Therefore if such a lay man though he be priuate teach a truth contained in the Gospell and the Pope either know it not or will not know it yet it is euident that his iudgement is to be preferred z And yet if the Pope neuer so little anger theÌ„ they write asmuch at this day Non saluat Christian quod pontifex constaÌ„ter affirmat praeceptum suuÌ„ esse iustum sed oportet illud examinare se iuxta regulaÌ„ superius datam dirigere tract de interdict composit à Theolog. Venet prop. 13. I know not what these men would haue writ if they had now liued in the Popes Seminaries but this you see they writ before Luther was borne or Seminaries were erected that the Scriptures be the rule to try al things by and the priuatest man that is may by them iudge yea conuince and refuse the Pope and his Councels Which is all that we say for priuate men that hauing the Scripture for their foundation they taught and beleeued against the
Romish multitude and though their persons were not the rule yet when they followed that which is the rule we beleeued them § 13. The fourth and last conclusion of this question is that this infallible rule which we ought obediently to follow in all points of faith is the doctrine and teaching faith and beliefe of the true Church This I proue Because to this agree all the conditions which I said to be requisite in the rule of faith First this is a thing infallible as shal be proued Secondly it is a thing easie to be knowne Thirdly it is such a thing as may vniuersally resolue and determine vs in all questions and doubts and instruct all sorts of men in all points of faith And consequently whosoeuer will obediently yeeld assent to this rule in all points as we all professe in our Creed saying Credo Ecclesiam catholicam shall not erre in anie point That these three conditions of the rule of faith agree to the doctrine and teaching of the vniuersall or catholike Church I proue The Answer 1 We would not stand with the Iesuite about this conclusion but freely grant it if no more were meant thereby then the words make shew of that the doctrine and faith of the vniuersall Church is the rule of faith For that doctrine is onely the contents of the Scripture which we yeeld to be the rule For a In 1. Ep. Ioh. tract 3. Austin saith Our mother the Church giueth her children milk out of her two brests the old and new Testament But he hath a further reach and meaneth a higher matter First that the Churches word and authoritie is the rule without referring the same to the Scripture Secondly that the Church of Rome is this true and vniuersall Church Thirdly that all the authoritie and efficacy therof is in the Pope alone This is the plaine English of the conclusion howsoeuer the words be faire and cleanely and the Iesuite defending it must shew all the properties of the rule to appertaine to the present Church and Pope of Rome or else he doth but trifle and spend time Digression 16. Shewing how the Papists pretending at euerie word the Catholicke Church meane nothing thereby but the Popes determination 2 First howsoeuer these words be tollerable the doctrine teaching faith and beliefe of the true Church is the infallible rule in all points to be followed yet the Popish meaning is absurd that whatsoeuer the Church teacheth though it be not contained in the Bible must be accepted as matter of faith and that vpon her owne authoritie Yet thus they hold as I haue b Digress 1. c. 6.9 shewed and may further be perceiued by the Iesuites words in this section Whosoeuer will yeeld assent to the Church in all points as we professe in our Creed saying I beleeue the Catholicke Church shall not erre in any point Which words of the Creed meaning no more but c Ruffin expos Symbo that we beleeue there is one holy Catholicke Church whereof our selues are members he expoundeth of yeelding assent in all points to it which exposition may be further vnderstood by that which d Staplet def eccles potest adu Whitak l. 1. cap 9. Rhem. annot 1. Tim. 3.15 Bristo dem 44. other Papists say more fully I beleeue the Catholicke Church the literall sence whereof is that thou beleeuest whatsoeuer the Catholicke Church holdeth and teacheth are to be beleeued Which exposition is a glosse beside the text And yet this is tollerable in comparison of the next 3 For hauing deuolued all power ouer to the Church in the next place they define this Church to be the Romane company For e Mot. 12. in marg Bristo saith The Romane Church is the Catholicke Church and f Annot. Rom. 1 8. idem B. roÌ„ Annal. tom 1. an 58. nu 49. See Posseu bibl select lib. 4. c. 13. â— Interdum quoqueâ—aud sâ—â—iâ— the Rhemists The Catholicke and Romane faith is all one Wherein their meaning is to win authoritie to the Romish faction perswading men there is no saluation but in that religion and making roome for themselues in all those places of Scripture which commend vnto vs the Catholicke Church of Christ Which is a iest so grosse that it deserueth to be smiled at rather then confuted And yet it stayeth not here neither but goeth a degree further which me thinketh is a note aboue éla 4 For as they take all authoritie and sufficiency from the Scripture and giue it the Church so all the Churches authoritie they giue to the Pope So saith Gregory of Valence g Dispuâ— theo tom 3 â—isp 1. â—u 1. punct 1. p. 24. Item Cater 22 q. 1. art 9. 10. Dom. Ban ibid. apud D. Tho nam Pro eodem omnino reputatur authoritas Ecclesiae vniuersalis authoritas concilij authoritas sum mi pontificis By the Church we meane her head that is to say the Romane Bishop h Analys fidei pag. 136. In whom resideth that full authoritie of the Church when he pleaseth to determine matters of faith whether he do it with a Councell or without Thomas saith i 22. q 1. art 10. The making of a new Creed belongeth to the Pope as all other things do which belong to the whole Church k 22. qu 1 â— art 2.3 Yea the whole authoritie of the vniuersall Church abideth in him l Defens fid Triâ—ent lib. 2. Andradius saith All power to interpret the Scripture and reueale the hidden mysteries of our religioÌ„ is giuen from heauen to the Popes and their Councels Yea m Decis aur cas part 2 l. 2. c 7 nu 40 saith Graffius The common opinion is he may do it without them And so n De Christ l. 2 c. 28. saith Bellarmine Himselfe without any Councell may decree matters of faith And o Sum Syluest verbo fides nu 2. Syluester The power of the Catholicke Church remaineth all in him And p De Planctu Eccl. lib. 1. artic 6. Aluarus Pelagius We are bound to stand to his iudgement alone rather then to the iudgement of all the world beside And the canon Law saith q In Sext. extt. Ioh. 22 tit 14 c. cum inter in gloss It were heresie to thinke our Lord God the Pope might not decree as he doth r Dist 19. in Canonicis glos ibid. Yea his rescripts and decretall Epistles are canonicall Scripture Stapleton Å¿ Praefat. Princip fidei doctrinal saith The foundation of our religion is of necessitie placed vpon the authoritie of this mans teaching in which we heare God himselfe speaking And finally the Iesuite himselfe t §. hereafter saith All Catholicke men must necessarily submit their iudgement and opinions either in expounding the Scripture or otherwise to the censure of the Apostolicke seate and God hath bound his Church to heare the chiefe Pastor in all points By all which we see what is
per opera moraliter bona per influxum naturae communem potuissent gratiam Dei efficacem promereri de congruo Primò habuerunt lumen naturae deinde in illis erat etiam voluntas aliquo modo propensa ad honesta Ad gratiam efficacem prouocantia haec sunt praesidia moraliter opera bona studia conatus honesti studiam legendi audiendi precationes cleemosynae iciunia hisce natuae virtutis ac gratuitorum Dei bonorum adminiculis si vsi fuissent Gentiles absque dubio Deus omnes cum Cornelio ad notitiam fidei gratiam efficacem reliqua dona necessaria ad salutem perduxisset Ioan. Paul Wind. de efficac mortis Christi pag. 173. Syllog Gods will whereby he would all men to be saued which the Papists call his Antecedent will bindeth him to no more then for example he did to the Gentiles But his willing the Gentiles to be saued was such that yet he prouided not the meanes of the visible Church to instruct them Therefore his willing all men to be saued is such that yet it bindeth him not to prouide the meanes of the visible Church to instruct them there may be such a will where these things are not so manifested and consequently God may will their saluation and faith by antecedence though he prouide not that they haue these meanes but know they shal not attaine saluation as we see in the Gentiles who so farre as we know had not the outward calling or meanes of the Church and Gospell § 19. Secondly if the vniuersall Church were inuisible and such as could no way be knowne then the vniuersall Church should faile to professe outwardly that faith which in heart it did beleeue For if it did outwardly professe how should it not by this profession be made visible and knowne But if the vniuersall Church should faile to professe the faith hell gates should mightily preuaile against it contrarie to Christ his promise Matth. 16. Portae inferi non praeualebunt aduersus eam For were it not a mighty preuailing that the whole Church should faile in a thing so necessary to saluation as we know outward profession of the faith to be both by that of our Sauiour Matth. 10. Qui negauerit me coram hominibus ego negabo illum coram Patre meo and by that Qui me erubuerit meos sermones hunc filius hominis erubescet Luc. 9. He that shall be ashamed of me and of my words him the sonne of man will be ashamed of And by that of S. Paul Corde creditur ad iustitiam ore fit confessio ad salutem Rom. 10 Which place learned men interpret to signifie that profession of faith is necessarie to saluation The Answer 1 The Church according to the texts alledged neither faileth to professe outwardly the faith which in heart it beleeueth nor yet is made visible and knowne to all by this profession The reason is because the children of the Church professing among themselues when persecution will not suffer them to do it openly this is outward profession and satisfieth the Scripture alledged which requireth no more at our hand but first that we professe openly to the world as long as the same will suffer vs and be readie to seale the faith thus professed with our bloud when by necessary circumstance of time and place we shall be called thereunto Secondly that when persecution or any other impediment hindereth vs from this yet we professe one to another and maintaine the faith wheresoeuer or how few soeuer we be together Which latter degree of confessing of the beleeuers among themselues first is outward in that it is a sensible exercise of that which the heart beleeueth and so many as liue together know one another thereby Next the Scripture requireth no more for our Sauiour a Mat. 10.23 biddeth when they persecute vs in one citie flie to another and b Apoc. 12.6.14 promiseth to prepare a place in the wildernesse where he will feed the woman which signifieth the Church and keepe her from the presence of the Serpent which cannot be but by leauing the open confession which all men see and flying to that which is priuately outward among themselues And lastly it is not sufficient to make the Church visible to all for there was a Church in Israel of seuen thousand that neuer bowed the knee to Baal c 1. Reg. 19.10.18 Rom. 10.3 yet were they not made knowne by this profession And d 1. Cor. 10.6.11 the things that befell the Israelites are examples to shew what may befall vs. Neither doth the Iesuite and his company discouer themselues by their outward profession in all places where they are restrained would the profession and practise of other matters did not discouer them more But as the Sunne which neuer ceaseth to yeeld forth light but alwayes shineth aboue though some thing coming betweene sometime intercept the light from vs or men be blind and cannot see it or as a house shut vp and restrained that the persons therein cannot come abroade nor the towne see that which the family doeth within so the Church neuer ceasseth to professe and make her faith knowne to some though she do it not to othersome and some haue no eyes to see it § 20. Thirdly if the Church were not visible we could not fulfill the coÌ„mandement of our Sauiour Dic Ecclesiae Matth. 18. For how can we tell the Church anie thing when we cannot tell where to seeke it neither if we meete it by chance could we know which is it The Answer 1 We do not hold as the Iesuite vseth to speake in all this question the vniuersall Church is inuisible such as can no way be knowne we cannot tell where to seeke it neither if we meete it by chance can we know which is it it may ceasse to be these are shadowes of his owne making and confuting them he struggleth with a cloud a Palaeph de fab Scholiast Hom. Il. α. like Ixion and begetteth a monster and committeth b Primum vitiâ—â— sciomachia est quae auras vmbras magno conatu diuerberat Camp rat 9. that fault which the Papists so importunately charge vs withal But let our position be faithfully deliuered as c Digress 17. nu 3. I haue laid it downe that the Church may be hid or become inuisible sometime so that the world cannot see it and the state thereof is not alway so conspicuous that it shall make any open shew in the sight of men 2 Against this there is nothing in the words of Christ Tell the Church For this commandement onely concerneth the children of the Church liuing within any part of the same where Ecclesiasticall discipline is exercised and not the world that hateth it and despiseth Christian gouernement Which sheweth that how visible soeuer it be yet by vertue of these words it is so to no more but to the professors that liue in it because to
know which is the true Church of Christ can know it no wayes but onely by the Scriptures because all those things which belong to Christ in truth the heresies also haue in schisme Therefore if any man would know which is the true Church of Christ how shall he know it in so great confusion of likenesse but by the Scriptures onely For this cause the Lord knowing the confusion of things that should happen in the latter dayes commaundeth that such Christians as will receiue assurance of faith shall flie to no other thing but to the Scriptures else if they looke to other matters they shall be offended and they shall perish not knowing which is the true Church Againe vpon these words By their fruits ye shall know them a In c. 7. Math. he saith A mans fruite is the confession of faith and his workes are the conuersation of his life therefore if thou see a Christian man straightway consider that if his confession agree with the Scripture then he is a true Christian but if it be not as Christ commanded then is he a false Christian for Christ hath referred the triall of a Christian not to the name but to the confession c. Saint Austin hath left written an excellent booke against the Donatists who pretended as the Papists now do that the Church was onely among them wherein he handleth this question at large how the true Church may be knowne and by what markes Thus he writeth in b Liber con tâ— PetilianuÌ„ Donatist Epistol seu de vnitate Ecclesiae c. 2. that booke The question betweene vs and the Donatists is where is the Church What therfore shall we do shall we seeke it in our owne words or in the words of her head our Lord Iesu Christ I thinke we ought to seeke it rather in his words who is the truth and best knoweth his owne body c Cap. 3. Let not these speeches be heard among vs This I say and this thou saiest but let vs heare These things saith the Lord. There are certaine bookes of God vnto whose authoritie we both consent we both beleeue we both stand there let vs seeke the Church there let vs trie our cause Let those things therefore be remoued from vs which we bring one against another not out of the holy Canonicall bookes but aliunde Because I will not haue the holy Church demonstrated by mans teaching but by the holy oracles of God d Cap. 16. therefore setting aside all such matters let them shew foorth the Church if they can not by the speeches and rumors of the Africans not in the Councels of their Bishops not in the writings of euery disputer not in signes and false miracles because Gods word hath prepared and made vs readie against these things but let them declare it out of the prescript of the law the prediction of the Prophets the songs of the Psalmes the words of the Pastor himselfe I enquire the Church it selfe where it should be which hearing the words of Christ and doing them buildeth vpon the rocke let him then shew me the Church and let him so shew it that he say not this is true because I say it or because my fellowes haue said it or those our Bishops or this is true because Donatus or Pontius or some other hath done such or such miracles or because men pray and are heard at the monuments of our dead or because such and such things haue happened there or because such a brother or such a sister of ours hath seene such a vision or had such a dreame let these things be remoued either as the deuices of lyers or as no better then the miracles of deceitfull spirits for either they are not true which are reported or if heretickes haue any wonders done among them it standeth vs in hand to beware the more But whether they haue the Church or not let them declare onely by the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scriptures These be the instructions these be the foundations these be the supporters of our cause By all which discourse it appeareth that Austin thought the true faith was the note of the true Church or else to what purpose should he so earnestly reuoke the Donatists froÌ„ all other courses to the tryall of the canonicall Scriptures if he had not bene of mind that the faith alone consenting with them had bene the infallible signe of the Church as he speaketh also in e Epist 166. another place In the Scriptures haue we learned Christ in the Scriptures haue we learned the Church § 25. I proue it because by true faith either is meant true faith onely in some points or in all it is not a good marke to say that is the true Church which teacheth the true faith in some points onely for all heretickes teach truth in some points and though it be proper to the true Church to be so guided by the holy Ghost that it teach the infallible truth in all points as before hath bene proued yet this is not a good marke whereby all sorts of men may and ought to come to know which is the true Church of which if they will be saued they must needs learne an infallible faith The Answer 1 We do not think euery company to be the true Church that holdeth onely some points of the true faith for all heretickes teach the truth in some things and yet we deny them to be the Church of God but f Act. 4.12 1. Cor. 3.11 Eph. 2.19 it is requisite that the foundation be holden that is to say all such truths deliuered as are necessary for all mens saluation and such heresies auoyded as destroy the foundation which kind of teaching is an infallible note whereby all Churches and professions may be tryed and we meane it when we say the faith is a marke of the Church 2 Neither yet do we thinke as the Iesuite speaketh that any visible church teacheth this truth so infallibly that it erreth in nothing we thinke and g §. 14. 15. I haue shewed the contrary for this befalleth the Church that it may be ignorant of many truthes for a time it may hold the faith sometime more sometime lesse purely it may build hay and wood vpon the foundation it may be infected with the errors and heresies of some therein and some articles lying in the very foundation may be beleeued not so clearely as h Mark 16 14. Luc. 24 5.11.12.21.25.37 Ioh. 20.25 the resurrection of Christ was for a time not well vnderstood which things though they befall the Church the holy Ghost teaching it but by degrees yet is not the faith thereby taken from it but abideth â—ufficient to giue testimony of saluation to all that will follow it And this is confirmed by the confession of our aduersaries themselues who say i Bell. de Not. Eccl. c. 2. that to erre and yet to be ready to learne and when you haue learned to
be as ready to obey is one thing but neither to be willing to learne nor when you heare the truth to be satisfied therewith is another The first of these may befall the particular Church c. § 26. Because a marke whereby a thing may and must be knowne must be more apparent and easie to be knowne to all those men which should by that marke seeke out and find that thing then the thing it selfe otherwise there should come no helpe by the marke to the knowledge of the thing But to know which is the true faith in all points at least to some sorts of men to wit the vnlearned is more hard then to know and assigne which companie of men be the true Church For to know which is the true faith in all particular points requireth learning whereby one may vnderstand the termes and state of the question besides iudgement to discusse and weigh prudently the sufficiencie of the authorities and reasons oâ— both parts that vpon this pondering of reasons they may prudently conclude which is the better part Moreouer they must haue a supernaturall light of God his Spirit whereby they may discerne and see those things which be aboue all naturall rules and reasons Ad haec quis idoneus Who can say that he is sufficiently furnished with these helpes or who can be infallibly sure that he hath all these in such sort as is requisite for obtaining by his owne industrie an infallible faith in al points And as for the vnlearned they must needes confesse that in diuerse mysteries of faith they do not so much as vnderstand the termes and state of the question and much lesse are they able sufficiently to examine the worth of euery reason neither are all such as can perswade themselues that they are singularly illuminated immediatly taught of God his Spirit neither if they did thus perswade themselues could they be infallibly sure that in this their perswasion they were not deceiued since it is certaine that some that most strongly in their owne conceit perswade themselues to be thus enlightened are in this their perswasion deceiued Now for to know which is the true Church and by giuing credite to it consequently which is the true faith there are not so many things required nor anie great difficultie as shall be declared For this is the direct way which Esay as did foretell cap. 35. should be in the time of Messias which he said should be so direct that euen fooles to wit simple and vnlearned men should not erre in it Haec erit vobis directa via saith he ita vt stulti non errent per eam The Answer 1 This is his first argument the summe whereof is concluded in this Syllogisme That which is the marke whereby to know a thing must be more apparent and easier to be knowne then the thing it selfe otherwise it helpeth vs not in finding out the thing But the true faith is not more apparent or easier to be knowne then the Church but contrary the Church is easier to be knowne then the true faith for to know the true faith there is required learning iudgement and supernaturall illumination which no man sufficiently hath but to know which is the true Church these things are not required for the Church is the direct way Esa 35.8 Therefore the true faith is not the marke of the Church To this I answer denying the second proposition and the confirmation thereof that it is harder to know which is the true faith then to assigne which company of men be the Church For faith is the cause of the Church that is to say this is the thing that maketh a people to be the Church of God when they beleeue the word of God and euery cause as it goeth before his effect so is it more apparent to our vnderstanding and better knowne to our iudgement then the effect Aristotle saith a Analy Poste cap. 2. Causes are both before their effects and better knowne and b Ibid. Metaph l. 1. c. 2. l. 2. c. 2. Plato in Thraet the true knowledge of things ariseth from the knowledge of their causes yea those things are simply first and best knowne which are furthest from our sence and nearest our vnderstanding and so the doctrine and beliefe of the Church must needes be easier to know then the Church it selfe because it cometh first to my vnderstanding and of necessitie I must see it afore I can tell whether the Church be there or not For though that company which is offered to me as the Church be more apparent to my sence yet haue I no certaintie that it is the Church or a companie so qualified vntil I know the faith thereof to be true I see indeed a company of men and heare much of their greatnesse but I am not sure they are the Church vnlesse I know they hold the true faith and so the knowledge of this leadeth me to the knowledge of that and the faith is easilier discerned then the Church 2 The Papists themselues haue a saying which if this Iesuite would receiue might determine this matter We see indeed that companie of men which is the Church c Lib. 3. de eccl c. 15. saith Bellarmine but we do not see that this companie is the true Church of Christ we beleeue it For that is the true Church which prâ—fesseth the faith of Christ but who doth euidently know this faith to be the faith of Christ we rather beleeue this by a firme and most assured faith In which words this Iesuites assumption is thus disproued That whereupon I beleeue the Church so to be is more apparent and easier to be knowne sooner to be seene then the church it selfe But vpon knowledge of the Churches faith I beleeue it to be the Church therefore the Churches faith is more apparent and sooner knowne then the Church it selfe Againe By faith we beleeue this to be the true Church and the profession thereof to be the truth but d Rom. 10.17 all faith cometh by hearing the word of God therefore by the meanes of hearing Gods word I beleeue this to be the true Church and so consequently the knowledge of Gods word cometh sooner and easilier to my vnderstanding then the knowledge of the Church 3 And though it were granted that in some cases the Church were easier to know then the faith yet as things depend betweene the Papists and vs the faith is easier to know then the Church for the question betweene them and vs is who hath the true Church In which triall it is the greatest folly in the world for either of vs to offer our selues to the world as the true Churches of Christ till first we haue proued our selues so to be by the doctrine that we professe and in vaine shall we attempt this if as the case standeth this doctrine be not easier and plainer then the Church This is the confession of the Iesuites
e Bellar. de nâ—â— eccl c. 2. When the question is concerning the Church which it is and the Scripture is admitted on both hands then the Scripture is more apparent and easier to know then the Church So that the Papists do but spend time and mocke the world in obiecting to vs the authoritie and dignitie of their Church they may do it as they list one to another but in their controuersies with vs they may not not onely because we reiect it but principally for as much as the doctrine of the Scripture by their owne verdict is easier and plainer 4 Neither are the Iesuites reasons to the contrary of any value For I grant that to the finding out of the true faith we haue need of learning iudgement and illumination as the meanes Yea the doctrine hereof is so hard to natural men as we are all till God haue regenerate vs f Ioh. 7.17 8.31.43 14 17. 1 Cor. 2.14 2. Cor. 3.14 Mat. 16.17 Iob 32.8 that it goeth beyond the capacity of flesh and bloud But he should haue remembred the ministery of the Church and light of Gods spirit helpeth our infirmities the doctrine it selfe is a light shining through all these incumbrances These meanes are not such but the simple may attaine to a sufficient portion thereof and his Ad haec quis idoneus with that which followeth is denied as an idle conceit and g §. 7. 8. alreadie confuted And let the impediments be what they will yet shall the Iesuite finde them in the way of his owne Church and let him if he can free his owne notes from them For is his Catholicke Romane which so eagerly he putteth to his friend such a Church as needeth neither learning nor iudgement nor the light of heauen to discerne it If it be I am content he enioy it himselfe neither will I euer perswade my friends to communicate with that companie which is so famous that the very wind wil blow a man into it And yet h Staple relect controu 1. q. 3. Greg de ValeÌ„t commen theol tom 3. pag. 145. some of the Iesuites owne side will say sometime that they had need both of wisedome and skill that shall alwayes discerne the Church 5 The text of Esay speaketh of the ministery of the Gospell and it meaneth that it shall infallibly guide the meanest people that liue therein to eternall life which it doth by propounding to them the word of God that thereby they may know it to be the true Church and be drawne to walke in the paths thereof And though the Prophet call it a direct way yet I am sure he meaneth not that any can walke in it till he haue found it or any can finde it i Esa 35.5 till his eyes be opened k Ioh. 12.40 Act. 26.18 2. Cor. 4.4 which is done no way but by the doctrine of the Church Or if he think the way of the Church so easie because the holy Prophet calleth it a direct way that fooles may walke in it let him say vnfainedly if his affection to the Romane Helena haue not blinded h s eyes l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theocr. Bucoliast as louers are blind and besotted his conscience that he cannot see the doctrine of the Scriptures to be as easie seeing it is called m Psal 19.8 Pro. 1.4 a sure law giuing wisedome to the simple and light to the eyes sharpening the wit of the simple and giuing knowledge and discretion to children And Austine saith n Enar. in psa 8. The Scripture is bowed downe to the capacitie of babes and sucklings And Chrysostome affirmeth o Hom. 1. in Mat. They are so easie to vnderstand that the capacitie of euery seruant plow-man widow and boy may reach vnto them p Hom. 3. de Laz. yea the most simple that is of himselfe onely by reading may vnderstand them In which sayings we see as much affirmed of the doctrine of the Scripture as the Iesuite can say is affirmed in the place of Esay concerning the Church and yet possible he will turne him in a narrow roome afore he will yeeld and keepe possession still in his Church-porch against all the pulpits in England that speake for the Scriptures § 27. Secondly I proue the same because when we seeke for the true Church we seeke for it principally for this end that by it as a necessarie and infallible meanes we may heare and learne and perfectly know the true faith in all points which otherwise is in it selfe hidden obscure and vnknowne to vs according to that of S. Paul Animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt Spiriritus Dei 1. Cor. 2. For as no man by the onely power of nature can attaine this supernaturall knowledge of diuine mysteries which we beleeue by our faith so neither doth the Spirit of God who doth as the principall cause infuse this gift of faith into our soules ordinarily instruct anie man in the knowledge of true faith immediatly by himselfe alone but requireth as a necessary condition the preaching and expounding of matters of faith to be made by the true Church according as S. Paul saith Rom. 10. Quomodo credent ei queÌ„ non audierunt quomodo audient sine praedicante quomodo vero praedicabunt nisi mittantur Therefore the true Church is rather a marke whereby we must know the true faith then contrarie the true faith to know the true Church The Answer 1 This is the second argument and is concluded in this Syllogisme That is no marke or meanes to know the Church by which it self is vnknowne to vs till the Church teach it and is learned by the meanes and ministery of the Church But such is the true faith that we cannot know it til the Church teach it vs and it selfe is learned by the meanes and ministerie of the Church for God instructeth no man immediatly but by the preaching of the Church as Saint Paul saith Rom. 10. Therefore the true faith is not a sufficient marke to finde the Church by For answer to this argument it will easily be granted that the ministery of the Church is the ordinary meanes whereby we learne the faith of Christ and that no man of himselfe can attaine to the knowledge thereof but as the Church teacheth him This I say is granted so it be well vnderstood For the spirit of God in the Scripture is the principall schoolemaster from whom all truth cometh and which openeth the heart to beleeue and the Church is it which by her ministery holdeth this truth before vs and therefore except in some extraordinary cases the preaching thereof is required as a necessary condition as the text of Saint Paul speaketh 2 But hence it followeth not that therefore the Church is rather a marke of the faith then the faith a marke of the Church for these two the true Church and the true faith are like relatiues inseparably vnited together by a
5 when he said I would not beleeue the Gospell vnlesse the authoritie of the Church did moue me For though the testimonie of the Church by reason of mens infirmitie afore they beleeue be requisite to draw them on to consent to the Scriptures as children afore they can go hold themselues by the side of a stoole and so learne to go yet is not the credite of the Church or authority of men the thing whereby we know and distinguish the Scripture from other writings but the authoritie of Gods spirit is it that by the help of the Church worketh faith in vs. Digression 19. Touching the place of S. August cont epist. fundam cap. 5. and the matter which the Papists gather from it 4 The Papists haue a principle among them that the Scriptures receiue all their authoritie from the Church meaning thereby g Rhem. Gal. 6.2 that they are not knowne to be true neither are Christians bound to receiue them without the attestation of the Church h Ioan. de Turrecr suê‘ dist 9. Noli meis nu 4. Which testimonie declareth vnto vs which be the Scriptures and which not i Baron annal tom 1. an 53. nu 11. so that by the tradition of the Church all the Gospel receiueth his authority and is built therupon as vpon a foundatioÌ„ and cannot subsist without it Yea k Bosius de sign eccl tom 2 pag. 439. some of them write that the Scripture is not to be reckoned among such * Principia principles as before all things are to be credited but it is proued confirmed by the church * Quasi per quoddam principium as by a certain principle which hath autority to reiect allow Scripture And l D. Standish Treat of the Script c. 6. probat 3. a countriman of ours hath left written that in three points the authoritie of the Church is aboue the authoritie of the Scripture The second is for that the Church receiued the Gospel of Luke and Marke and did reiect the Gospels made by his high Apostles Thomas and Bartlemew The which speeches of theirs when the Papists haue expounded how they can yet this will be the vpshot that in all discourses concerning religion the last resolution of our faith shall be into the Churches authoritie 5 For confirmation whereof they bring you see this of Austine I would not haue beleeued the Gospel vnlesse the Churches authority moued me In which words he speaketh of the time past afore he was conuerted and according to the phrase of his countrey putteth the preterimperfect tense for the preterpluperfect tense meaning thus I had not now beleeued the Gospell and bene a Christian but that the Church by her reasons perswaded me thereunto speaking onely of the practise of Christians who by their perswasions conuert many to the Gospell And that he speaketh of the time pâ—st when he was an vnbeleeuer it is plain not onely by viewing the place but by the testimonie of a learned Papist m Can loc l. 2. c. 8. pag. 34. who saith Austine had to do with a Manichee who would haue a certaine Gospell of his owne without controuersie admitted therefore Austine asketh what they will do if they chance to meet with one * Qui ne Euangelio quidem credat which beleeueth not the Gospell and by what arguments they will draw him into their opinion n Certè se affirmat non aliter potuisse adduci vt Euangeliâ—m amplectâ—retâ—â— quà m Ecclesiae authoritate victum Verily he affirmeth that â—e for his part could not otherwise be drawne to embrace the Gospel but being ouercome with the authorie of the Church therefore he doth not teach that the credite of the Gospell is founded on the Churches authoritie Whereby it is plaine that Austine propoundeth himselfe as an instance of one that beleeueth not which he could not be when he wrote this but by speaking of the time past And though it were throughly proued that he spake of himselfe being a Christian and in that estate said he would not beleeue the Gospell vnlesse the authoritie of the Church moued him yet were it not proued hereby that he meant the present Church as it runneth from time to time or the Church of Rome or any other place as it now standeth For if some Papists misse it not he meant the Church which was in the Apostles times which saw Christs miracles and heard his preaching Durand o 3. d. 24. q. 1. in litera o. saith That which is spoken concerning the approbation of the Scripture by the Church is meant onely of that Church which was in the Apostles time Of the same mind are p Dried de var. dogm l. 4. c. 4. Gers de vita anima Occham dial l. 1. part 1. c 4. others whereby he may see that Austine giueth a kind of authoritie to the Church but it is not that Church which should serue his turne Neither is the authoritie giuen large enough to reach the Popish conceit or the Iesuites conclusion if we had not the testimony of the Church we could not be infallibly sure that there were any Gospell at all nor know these bookes to be Scripture for Canus a Doctor of his owne q Vbi supra confesseth I do not beleeue that the Euangelist saith true because the Church telleth me he saith true but because God hath reuealed it And r Triplicat incho 〈◊〉 uers Whitak in Admon Stapleton The inward testimonie of the spirit is so effectuall for the beleeuing of any point of faith that by it alone any matter may be beleeued though the Church hold her peace or be neuer heard And Å¿ Comment theol tom 3. pag. 31 Gregorie of Valence The reuelation of the Scripture is beleeued not vpon the credit of any other reuelation but for it selfe And t qâ—â— Sent. 1 q. 1. art 3. pag 50. liâ—eta C. â—â—ce Greg. Arimin prolog n sent q. 1. art 3. pag. 4. Cardinall Cameracensis The verities contained in the Canon of the Bible onely are the principles and foundation of Diuinitie and receiue not their authority by other things whereby they may be demonstrated And therefore this testimonie of Austine proueth not that he beleeued the Gospel through the Churches authoritie as by a Theologicall principle whereby the Gospel might be proued true but onely as it were by a cause mouing him to credite it as if he should say I would not beleeue the Gospell vnlesse the holinesse of the Church or Christs miracles did moue me In which saying though some cause of his beleeuing the Gosp ll be assigned yet u Compare this wâ—â— the place of Bozius alledged in the beginning of this Digress letter a. no former principle is touched whose credite might be the cause why the Gospell should be beleeued These speeches of our very aduersaries which the truth it selfe hath wroong from them deserue to be obserued the more because
not to the cleargie but to the people And the reason added why they should trie the spirits maketh it plaine who the parties be that should trie them for many false Prophets are gone out they must trie the spirits that are in danger to be seduced by false Prophets and such are the people and therefore they must examine them as Christ saith a Math. 7.15 Beware of false Prophets by their fruites that is by their doctrine ye shall know them and yet they cannot be knowne by their doctrine vnlesse it be first examined And Saint Basil b Eth. definit 72. pag. 432. Graec. Bas saith It behoueth the hearers which are learned in the Scriptures to examine the things which are spoken by their teachers and receiuing those things which are consonant with the Scriptures to refuse the contrary 2 And whereas the Iesuite auoucheth his conceit by a text of Ephes 4.11 wherein it is said that Christ hath left to his Church Pastors and Doctors that henceforth we be no more children wauering and caried about with euery wind of doctrine the Apostle saith not that our Pastors were giuen vs that henceforth we should no more trie the spirits but for the worke of the ministery for the gathering together of the Saints for the building of the body of Christ all which dutie of theirs is much furthered when the people vnder them trie all things and hold that which is good and by examining their teaching find them to be Doctors of the truth And if Saint Paul had misliked this then the men of Beroea had not bene c Act. 17.11 commended by the spirit of God for examining his doctrine neither would he haue d Heb. 5.14 warned the Hebrewes that through long custome they should haue their wits exercised to discerne both good and euill And to reply that they discerne it because the Church telleth them what it is is too grosse for they cannot tel whether the Church say true or no till they haue examined what it saith 3 In the second place he answereth that the spirits which must be tried are not the spirits of the Church which are of God but onely such spirits of which we may doubt whether they be of God or no then the which he could haue spoken nothing more vnaduisedly because if it be lawfull to trie such spirits as are suspitious or false then is it also lawfull to proue the true for two contrary spirits be relatiues so that we cannot proue the one to be false but we must needs withal proue the other to be true Againe when we doubt whether the spirit be of God then we are not certaine and if the false spirit be not certainly false then neither is the true spirit certainly true in my vnderstanding till I haue tried it Moreouer there is nothing so true in it selfe but it may be doubtfull to vs till we haue tried it and therefore the purest spirits are not exempt from examination specially considering that it is no iniury to the truth which loueth to be sifted if ye proue it by his word e Ioh. 18.37 that was borne to beare witnesse to the truth and the more ye trie it the clearer it is neither can it be grieuance to the spirit of God who f 1. Thess 5.21 calleth vpon vs to trie all things and hold that which is good and biddeth vs haue our wits exercised to discerne betweene good and euill 4 And his conclusion that when it is certaine the spirit is of God then we must no longer doubtfully examine it but obediently accept it saith very well for g 2. Tim. 3.7 the Apostle rebuketh such as are alway learning and neuer come to the knowledge of the truth but he forgetteth that so it neuer is till we haue tried it and therefore we may first examine it that afterwards we may be certaine and obedient And though it be most certaine that the spirit of the true Church is of God yet hence it followeth not that we must seeke this Church by other markes and not by her teaching for those other markes which the Iesuite meaneth are of God too as well as the teaching is and yet he will allow them to be examined And first to examine and trie and then obediently to beleeue are not contrary but subordinate and the one the way to the other And Christ was of God yet h Ioh 5.39 he bad men search the Scripture for his triall and all we being naturally the heires of vnbeleefe cannot haue this certaintie in our selues till the discourse of Gods word haue created it in vs. And if there were nothing else to leade vs yet the experience which we haue had of the Church of Romes dealing were sufficient to warne vs that we neuer giue ouer Saint Iohns lesson Beleeue not euery spirit but trie them whether they be of God Digression 20. Concerning the proceeding of the Councell of Trent in the determining matters of faith 5 For the Papists i Bone Deuâ— quae gentium varietas qui delectus episcoporum totius orbis qui reguÌ„ rerum publicarum splâ—ndor quae medulla theologorum quae sanctitas quae lacrymae quae iciâ—niâ— qui flores academici quae linguae quanâ—a subtilitas quantus labor quam insinita lectio quantae virtutaÌ„ studiorum diuitâ— t aug â—stuÌ„ illâ—d sacraâ—ium impleueruntâ— Posseuin biblioth pag 4â—2 commend their Trent Councell to the skies perswading themselues this very Church was there whose bare authoritie should leade vs and yet marke what course it tooke in the triall of religion For first none was admitted to haue any voice there but onely such as were fast to the Papacie and not all such neither if they were not pliable enough in euery matter to the Popes mind for some were remoued out of the Councell and sent away because they began to speake something freely and to make sure work there were more Bishops of Italy then of all the world beside who might ouer-rule the rest if need required of which matter k Claud. Espencae in epist ad Tit. c. 1. a Popish Bishop confesseth This is that Helena which of late ruled all at Trident besides l Innocen Gen tillet examen Concil Triden pag. 32. Nota quod holie multi sunt Episcopi sine administratione episcopatuum vt sunt isti qui vulgariter appellantur Nullatenenses Panor de offic ordin c. quoniam there were some that had the titles of Archbishops as Vpsalensis Armachanus which yet had neither church nor Diocesse but were created to fil vp the number m Id pag. 251. and wheÌ„ yet vpon a time the Pope wanted voices to sway the matter he sent a fresh supply of forty Bishops newly made as euery base towne in Italy hath his Bishop And when the Protestant Diuines required audience they could not be admitted vpon any equall termes but n Illyr protest contra Concil Trid Fabric recus
the particular Churches set down and name the articles of their faith the which confessions if the Iesuite can shew to iarre as he saith in dogmaticall points of faith I am content you beleeue him in all the rest Or if he can shew the Church of England since Papistry was first abolished hath altered one article of the present faith now professed 2 I will not deny but there are iarres among vs but this is that we say and for triall thereof we challenge all the Seminaries this day in England from whom the worst of our fallings out is not hid that these iarres are not in points of faith nor yet any contrarietie betweene Church and Church but onely they are quarels and dissentions betweene some particular men and me thinketh the Iesuite should not be so absurd as to hold the Church it selfe guiltie of euery fault committed by any priuate man therein no more then a ciuill state ordered by good lawes and wholesome gouernment can be discredited by some suites and quarels that now and then fall out betweene the subiects And yet it is false he saith that scarce three learned men among vs are in all points of one opinioÌ„ for that breach which is is not so great as these words imply but onely toucheth some particular men in matters not concerning faith the body of the Church in the meane time continuing in the vnitie of faith and vpholding her gouernment And for further proofe hereof our enemies haue taken infinit paines to collect and blaze abrode these our supposed dissentions but how haue they sped in the iourney what haue they performed the mountaine trauelled and was deliuered of a mouse For one part of these dissentions are falsly laid to our charge through the ignorance and fury of our aduersaries as drunken men in the pangs of their giddinesse speake of things not as they are indeed but as the impression is in their idle fancie Another part are not the iarres of the Church but the defects of some few therein whereof the Church is not guilty The rest are not dissentions in things of faith but strife about ceremonies kindled and nourished specially by the cunning of secret Papists lurking as the remnant of the Canaanites among vs wherein if any among vs haue exceeded yet f Ezek. 16.51 the Church of Rome iustifieth vs againe where neither three learned men nor three Popes can be giuen of one mind in all points but as Platina g In Steph. vi writeth This hath bin for the most part the maner that the later Popes haue either infringed or wholly taken away the decrees of the former And Papists h D. 40. Si Pap. edit GregoriaÌ„ in Annot. desiring to fetch religion rather from the Popes mouth then from holy writ cannot but change as they haue changed 3 Therefore the discord among vs being of no higher degree we say as Prudentius a Christian poet said of the vnitie of his time i Concordia laesa est Sed defensa fide quin concordia sospes Germanam comitata fidem sua vulnera ridet Psychom It hath receiued some hurt but is defended by faith her sister in whose company being safe come home she laugheth at her wounds And though we excuse not the oppositions of any who as k the twinnes of Rebecca shooke each others in their mothers wombe whereby she is made afraid and her burden becometh heauier and painefuller to her yet let not our enemies flatter themselues in this l Gen. 25.22 for Rebecca the Church among vs shall be safe God shall giue her Isaack the sonne of the promise and make her a fruitful mother after all her sorow Whose children though in some things they varie yea reproch one another yet so did Cyril and Theodoret Chrysostome and Theophilus Ierome and Ruffin and there is no impossibilitie why in the pursuite of their passion they may not be deceiued both For two brothers being in choler may one renounce the other yet still they remaine brothers for all that and their angry words proceeding not of iudgement but of choler l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aeschyl Sept. ad Theb. cannot make voide the band of nature Digression 21. Shewing that Gods true Church in all ages hath now and then bene troubled with contentions as great as are now among vs. 4 And because our enemies may hope by vrging these contentions such as they are to discredit our profession they must be put in mind that the vnitie of Gods Church was neuer so perfect or entire but sometime it hath bene blemished with dissention yea miserably rent in sunder with the inconsiderate strife of her owne children Saint Paul m Rom. 16.17 testifieth of the Church of Rome that there were therein which caused diuisions and offences contrarie to the doctrine And of the Corinths he n 1. Cor. 3.3 saith there was among them enuying strife and contention some holding of Paul some of Apollo some of Cephas and he o 1. Cor. 11.19 writeth to them that there must be heresies among them for the trial of such as were faithfull So p Act. 15.39 Paul and Barnabas yea q Gal. 2.11 Paul and Peter had their iarres so Polycrates and Victor Cyprian and Cornelius Cyril and Theodoret Chrysostome Theophilus and Epiphanius Hierome and Ruffin Paulinus and Meletius Leo and the Councell of Calcedon Nazianzen and the Councell of Constantinople all bishops of the Catholicke Church were at extreme contention one with another r Euseb hist l. 5 c. 23. inde Niceph. l. 4 c. 37. inde The strife betweene the East and West Churches about the keeping of Easter was such that they excommunicated each other Å¿ Euseb hist l. 7 c. 3. inde Cypr. ep 74. ad Pomp. Sabrat Concil Carth. apud Cypt. apud Cypr. ep 75 Hieron de script in Dionysio The question of rebaptization bred the like broiles betweene the Bishop of Rome and the Westerne Bishops on the one part and Cyprian Dionysius and Firmilianus three metropolitans with the most Bishops in Affricke Aegypt Cappadocia Galatia and Cilicia on the other part there was no Church or Catholicke Bishop therein which was not intangled in this opposition But the broiles stirred vp by Theophilus against Chrysostome were more then tragicall and rent in sunder all the Churches in the world yet were they the Bishops of the Catholicke Church that thus contended In this variance Theophilus the Patriarke of Alexandria and Epiphanius the Bishop of Cyprus were chiefe against Chrysostome and with them ioyned the other Bishops of the Prouinces as they fancied the euent was this t Socr. l. 6. c. 21. Chrysostome lost both his Bishopricke and life in banishment u Niâ—eph l. 13. c. 13 Epiphanius and he most grieuously cursed one another x Socr. l. 6. c. 17. Niceph. l. 13. cap. 17. 21. Many were slaine in the taking of parts y Sozo l.
be more edified they want therefore this fruit Thirdly touching Latin Seruice Thomas Aquine and Cardinall Caietan u in 1. Cor. 14 hold it is better for the edification of the Church to be in the vulgar tongue Fourthly touching the power of Priesthood to remit sinne x 4. d 18. §. Non autem the Master of Sentences and y Fr. Victor relect 1. de potes Eccl. sect 3. others with him hold that onely God forgiueth sinne and the Priest bindeth and looseth onely by declaring them to be bound or loosed himself working no spirituall effect Fiftly touching shrift z De poenit d 5 in poenit gloss Panot ibid. the Canon Lawyers say it was not ordained by Christ but taken vp by an institution of the Church and Michael Bononiensis a Expos in Ps 29. saith It is not needfull for our iustification or the pardon of our sinne and Caietan b 3. Tho. q. 80. art 4. holdeth A man by contrition without any confession is made clean a formall member of the Church 6. Touching iustificatioÌ„ by our own righteousnesse Th Aquin c In Gal. 3. lect 4. saith No workes either ceremoniall or morall are the cause why any man is iust before God For works are not the cause that man is iust but the execution and manifestation of his righteousnesse because no man is iustified with God by his works but by the habite of faith infused And againe d In Rom. 3. lect 4 1. Tim. 1 lect 3. he saith The Apostle sheweth iustification to be wrought by faith onlie there is in the workes of the Law no hope of iustification but by faith onely Seuenthly touching the imputation of Christs holinesse for our iustification and the apprehesion thereof by faith Pighius e Bell. de grat l. 1. c. 3. de iustific l. 2 c. 1. holdeth that there is in vs no inherent righteousnesse whereby we may be iustified but f Controu Ratispon contr 2. pag. 47. edit Paris 1549. that we are iustified in Christ not by our owne but by the righteousnesse of God and Christ interposing his iustice betweene his Fathers iudgement and our iniustice so we present our selues boldly before Gods tribunall not onely seeming but also being iust and the reason why our righteousnesse is placed in the obedience of Christ is because we being incorporate into him * Nobis illi incorporatis acsi nostra esset accepta ea fertuâ— ita vt ea ipsa etiam nos iusti habeantur it is imputed to vs and by the same we are accounted iust And the Diuines of Collen g Antididagm Colon. pag. 29. A booke written by Gropper of whom the def of the Cens saith he was the rare man of our age See his commondations in Sur. comment An. 1547. p. 424. say We are iustified by faith as by the apprehending cause such a faith as without all doubting assureth vs of the pardon of our sinnes through Christ whereof notwithstanding it behooueth vs to be assured by the testimony of the holy Ghost through faith and after the same manner we are iustified of God by a twofold iustice as it were by formall and essentiall causes whereof the first is the perfect iustice of Christ not as it is without vs abiding in him but as the same being apprehended by faith is imputed to vs. This righteousnesse of Christ thus imputed to vs is the principall cause of our iustification whereon we must chiefly trust and stay our selues Eightly touching the certaintie of a mans owne saluation h Enchirid. Concil Colon. tit de iustif c. noÌ„ habes ergo the same Diuines of Collen write thus We confesse the truth is that to a mans iustifiâ—ation it is required that he certainly beleeue not onely in generall that they which truly repent haue their sinnes forgiuen by Christ but that his owne selfe also hath forgiuenesse through Christ by faith i Innoc. Gentill exam Con. Trid. The same was also preached openly by Marinarius a Frier at the Trent Councell Ninthly touching merits k De iustif l. 5. c. 7. idem Waldenâ— tom 3. de Sacra c. 7. Bellarmine saith In regard of the vncertaintie of our owne righteousnesse and because of the danger of vaine glory the safest way is to put our confidence in the sole mercy and goodnesse of God 10. Touching the sacrifice of the Masse Cornelius Mus l Sixt. Senen bâ—blioth sanct lib 4. a Bishop so famous for his learning that he was a Preacher at twelue yeares old and all Italie ran after him defended m Fr. Sua. tom 3. d. 74. s 2. that Christ at his last supper offered no sacrifice at all 11. Touching the Apocrypha it is cleare n Lyra Hugo Caâ—et Sigonius and others that many deny them to be canonicall Scripture 12. Touching the communion vnder one kinde Ouandus o 4. d 9. Pro. 6. saith It were better to allow the cup to the people then to deny it and lesse hurt would grow by yeelding then by detaining it 13. Touching mariage p 4. d. 26 q 3. quem refert Ioh. Capreol ibid. Durand held it was no sacrament and Canus q Loc. l. 8. c. 5. saith it is none vnlesse the Priest by solemne words of the Church do it And r Tolet. Sum. cas l. 7 c. 21. that which some Papists call heresie that the innocent party may lawfully marrie againe after diuorce is affirmed by Å¿ Comment in 19. Mat. Caietan and t Annot in Caiet l. 5. Catharinus 14. Touching freewill Ariminensis u In 2 d. 26 p. 103. denyeth that a man can will any thing that is good by nature without the special helpe of Gods grace and Alphonsus x Lib. 9. verbo Libert holdeth our wil is free from constraint but not from necessitie 15. Touching the descention of Christ into hell y In 3. d 22. q 3 Durand and z Apol. qu. 1. Picus Mirandula deny it affirming that he descended not properly and in substance but onely by effect in that without any locall motion the power of his death reached thither By these few examples you may coniecture how well they agree that thus are diuided about the principal articles of their faith and nothing can be so generally or certainly receiued but some or other among them deny it 21 And to manifest this contention yet a little more you shal see what a number of opinions they haue among theÌ„ concerning any question which themselues moue in Diuinitie For example whereas in the Sacrament they thinke the substance of bread and wine passe away the formes or accidents onely remaining the question is in what subiect or substance these accidents abide Some say they remaine separated without any subiect this is the opinion of Occham Biel Cameracensis Maior and the Nominals Some that they obtain a way wherby to exist of themselues this is the opinion of
are so iealous of him in things concerning manners beleeuing also he may write and preach heresie and g Bellar. de â—o Pont. lib 4 c. 1. saith this is the opinioÌ„ of Gâ—rson Almaine Alphonsus and Pope Adrian define it too vnlesse he vse a generall Councel h Can. loc l 6. c. 8. pag. 206. which Councell also may erre in the reasons and causes whereon he buildeth the definition i Bellar. vbi supra and by proceeding rashly without mature deliberation finally k Stapl. princip doctr l. 8. c. 14. the Pope in euery thing but the conclusion it selfe may misse it they I say which thus farre forth misdoubt him are not in their conscience free from a further conceit if they might freely vtter it and that is that both Pope and Councels may erre and in such cases their decrees bind no man And out of question this was the common opinion of all Papists till of late for Canus l Loc. lib. 6. c. 1. these are Gerson Almain AdriaÌ„ Waldensis Gratian Turrecremaia and Erasmusâ— vnto whom many more may be added reporteth of seuen renowned Papists that in their time they beleeued the Apostolicke seate might erre euen then when it iudged of a question of faith the which is farre from the new vpstart opinion of m Greg. de Val. Anal. fidei some moderne Iesuites that the Pope may define things of faith either with a Councell or without whether he take heed or not 7 And I do verily thinke that they which most pretend the Popes soueraigntie and are loudest in magnifying his authoritie are not in good earnest for there are examples where they repine at his definitions and she outright from them The Pope n In the Councels of Trent and Florence decreed the Apocrypha to be canonicall Scripture yet since that decree o De script dogm eccl l 1. c. vlt. Driedo p Comment in Seuer Sulpit. Sigonius and Sixtus Senensis haue called them in question and reiected them And marke the words of S xtus concerning the booke of Hester The Councell saith q Biblioth l 1. pag. 4â— he meant the true and naturall parts of the bookes not ragged and patched additions such as these last chapters of Hester are much like a theme made by a schoole lad See what a pleasant distinction he hath at hand to saue himselfe from the Popes commaund and yet be counted a Catholicke of the vnion too And r Loc. l. 2 c. 9. Canus saith notwithstaÌ„ding the same decree that he dareth not call it heresie to reiect the booke of Baruch out of the Canon though they will make a poore Protestant beleeue it is heresie to refuse any thing decreed by a generall Councell Yea * Bellar. de verbo Dei l. 1. c. 7. 10. they boast that these Apocryphaes were decreed to be Scripture long ago by the ancient Councels of Carthage and Laodicea yet Lyra Carthusianus Hugo Cardinalis * Post hanc Sacri CoÌ„cilij definitionem tam expressam non desunt qui in Ecclesia varijs pratexâ—ibus hanc editioneÌ„ vulgarem plurimis in locis corrigere veimt Dom. Bann in 1. part Tho. q 1 art 8 p. 67. queÌ„ vide vsque ad p. 73. Loc. l. 11. c. 5. Turâ—ecremata Caietan and others in their time would not acknowledge them So likewise the Pope in the Trent Councell Å¿ Sess 4. decret 2. decreed that the Latin vulgar translation of the Bible should be holden Authenticke and in all publicke readings disputations preachings and expositions vsed as such and that no man should dare or presume vnder what pretence soeuer to reiect it Yet what is more common with all Papists then vpon euery occasion to start from it extreme necessitie indeed compelling theÌ„ therunto Hereof take an example in Canus Thus t pag. 311. saith he our Latin edition hath it where those three words ipse est Artaxerxeâ— are no part of the Scripture but by I know not what expositor they were peraduenture foisted into the margent and thence by the errors of writers clapt into our text Another example take in Galatinus Here u De Arcan l. 10. c. 7 See another example touching Marc. 13.32 in B. Medin in 3. part Tho. qu. 10. art 2. ad 1. saith he our edition hath two great corruptions the Hebrew veritie hath it farre otherwise and more agreeable to the truth of our faith This corruption I cannot but ascribe to the author of our edition Againe the Pope x Sess 11. in the last Councell of Lateran is decreed to be aboue a Councell yet since that time y Contra. haer l. 1 c. 6. Alphonsus à Castro hath writ the contrary The Councell of Trent z Sess 6. teacheth iustification by inherent righteousnesse condemning those that beleeue the imputation of Christs righteousnesse yet a Controu 2. Pighius submitteth not himselfe to this decree but holdeth against it the very beliefe of the Protestants b Sess 21 can 3. Bellar. de Eucha l. 4. c. 23. §. Sit vltima The Pope in the Councell of Trent forbiddeth the communion vnder both kinds and teacheth that as much grace is giuen to the receiuer in one kind as in both but c Breuiloqu in 4. d. 9 pro. 6. 7 Ouandus and d Gasp Cassal lib. de coen l. 2. c. 25. some others thinke for all that It were better all things considered to minister in both kinds wherin more grace is giuen the receiuer theÌ„ in one Againe e Sess 6. the Pope decreed against the certaintie of grace saluation defining that no man should beleeue these things of himselfe yet Catharinus euen against the Trent Councell f Asser tract de certitud grat defended the contrary and wrote h Quilibet de sua gratia formidare timere potest Conc. Trid. Sess 6. cap. 9. that a man may haue the certainty of faith touching these things And when the authoritie of Trent was obiected against him he eluded it by diuers shifts and flight distinctions and constrained g Dom. à Soto apolog c. 2. Andr. Vega. defens Trid. l. 9. c. 46. them that dealt against him in effect to gainsay the Councell as much as himselfe saying A iust man may be as certaine that he standeth in grace as any man can be that Rome is yea certaine without all doubting and feare the which is expresly against h the words of the Pope but this is an ordinary practise of the Papists first in good termes to make profession of all obedience to any thing the Pope shal decree and theÌ„ when the decree runneth against their mind with subtle expositions and witty distinctions so to hammer it that it shall dance after their pipe whatsoeuer the tune be as we see in Senensis and Catharinus The which may be done the easilier and with more shew of obedience because these decrees specially the Trent
haue done it This argument fowly troubleth our aduersaries and therefore they would faine out-face it by saluing such Popes as are touched from heresie But all in vaine for what saith g 4. d. 18. pro. 25 coâ—ol 2. Ouandus The which Popes though some Catholikes would faine cleare yet should they not denie as they do that they were heretickes seeing the Pope may erre at least as a priuate man Thus h Conc. Sinues apud Baron an 303. nu 89. Carranz in Marcellin Marcellinus committed idolatry and offered sacrifice to Iupiter Saturn Hercules the Pagan gods and was thereupon examined iudged and condemned by a Councell of 300. Bishops The which storie i Tom. 2. an 302 nu 102. Baronius confesseth was from the beginning beleeued with a generall consent and kept in the auncient martyrologues and breuiaries of the Romane Church k Athan. ep ad Solita Fascic temp an 353. Baron tom 3. an 357. n. 43.44 Liberius that was Pope about the yeare 350. fell into Arianisme subscribing to the vniust condemnation of Athanasius whereupon Athanasius fell from his communitie and himselfe as an obstinate hereticke was deposed and cast out of the Church l Anast Bibliot in Leone 2. Nilus de priâ—at pag. 23. Honorius the first that was Pope in the yeare 626. was a Monothelite hereticke holding that Christ had but one will and so withall but one nature for the which the Church condemned him in m Synod 6. act 4.12.13 Synod 7. act vlt. Synod 8. act 7. three generall Councels n See D Reyn. apolog thes nu 39 inde It is a world to see how the Papists striue to cleare this matter and cannot though they blush not in his defence to discredite all antiquitie yea to flie one in the face of another As Pighius o Hier. l. 4. c. 8. hauing taken great paines to discredite the storie p Pigh diatrib in ep ad lect a certaine learned man wished him to recant q Diatrib de act 6. Syn. whereupon he setteth afresh vpon the matter but Canus r Loc. lib. 6. c. vlt. asketh How can Pighius cleare him whom Psellus Tharasius Theodorus with his Councel at Ierusalem Epiphanius and Pope Adrian affirme to haue bene an hereticke But Å¿ An. 681. nu 31. Baronius turneth vpon Canus againe and t Quem voluissem sensibus potiùs Canum quà m nomine totus praeceps in ferenda de re tanta sententia descanting vpon his name shaketh him off as if he had bene a Protestant that I might a little by the way note the vnitie of Papists euen there where it were most conuenient they should agree 35 And of late dayes when they began first to broach this conceit of the Popes infallible iudgement it pleased God to check that fond opinion by sensible exaÌ„ples of some present Popes to teach them the vanitie thereof that if reason could not perswade them yet experience should conuince them or if they would beleeue none that had written he might be an hereticke yet they should see it with their owne eyes and then let them hold him the rule of faith at their perill u Theod. Nicmens de schism l. 3 c. 44. pag. 91. Antonin sum hist part 3. tit 22. c 5. § 3. For in the yeare 1408. in the Councell of Pisa consisting of a thousand Diuines and Lawyers they were faine to depose two Popes at once Gregory the 12. and Bennet the 13 the tenour of which depriuation calleth them notorious schismaticks obstinate maintainers of schisme heretickes departed from the faith scandalizing the whole Church vnworthy the Papacie cut off from the Church And whereas Bennet continued Pope still for all this x Conci Const sess 37. Anton. vbi supra c. 6. § 2. a second Councel holden at Constance deposed him againe and declared that he had no right to the Papacie commaunding all men to esteeme him as an hereticke and schismaticke y Sess 11. 12. The same Councell deposed also another Pope Iohn 23 where it was proued against him that he held and defended as his iudgement that there is no eternall life nor immortalitie of the soule nor resurrection of the dead z Sess 34. A while after the Councell of Basill deposed Eugenius the fourth declaring him to be a rebell against the sacred Canons a notorious disturber and scandalizer of the peace and vnitie of the Church a simonist a periured wretch incorrigible a schismaticke an obstinate hereticke Thus we see their owne selues in expresse termes lay to the Popes charge schisme heresie scandall breach of the Churches vnitie and for that cause depose him refuse to obey him and yet another while they will defend he cannot erre Christ hath giuen him infalliblenesse of iudgement and supremacy ouer all men all that wil be counted true Catholickes must submit themselues to him and the Protestants can haue no vnitie because they acknowledge not his authoritie Digression 29. Declaring that the Pope is not Saint Peters successor 36 This point is properly proued by shewing the difference between the Pope and Saint Peters faith For if the Pope be departed from that which Saint Peter taught then it will plainly appeare he is not his successor because true succession standeth in holding the same faith But I will not go this way to worke now because I haue touched it particularly in a Digr 22.23 other places and handle it generally throughout this booke and all our writings and doctrine and disputations tend to nothing else but to shew it 37 Next it is proued by this that as Ierome b Ad Euagr. saith and c D. 21. in Nouo the Popes owne canons graunt All Bishops succeed the Apostles For if all the Apostles were equall and all Bishops succeed them then what singular matter is there in the Bishop of Romes succession more then in the succession of others Or why should he be called Saint Peters successor more then others For as Marsilius d Defen part 2. c. 16. noteth They are all successors which in life and conuersation resemble them as e Mat. 12. vlt. Christ said They are my mother and my brethren which do the will of my father Besides if he were Saint Peters successor all the priuiledges giuen by Christ to Peter must be deriued to him as to preach the Gospell which some Popes haue not bene able to do and few of late will take the paines to do to worke miracles to be free from heresie to hold perfect the loue of Christ to indite Scripture which I thinke the Iesuite himselfe will not attribute to the Pope 38 But omitting these and such like reasons the principal thing I now desire to shew is that as loud as the Papists are with the Popes succession and although the triall of all papistrie depend vpon it yet is it but a humane constitution not onely because there is
are as ridiculous and sottish in answering the matter For what say they to all this when it is obiected against them Bellarmin h Tom. 1. praefat in gymnas Rom. answereth If a Catholicke man fall into sinne if he commit theft adulterie murther yet notwithstanding the foundation of his building abideth still he hath many and great furtherances to his saluation he walketh not in the darke he knoweth his Physitian he may through the faith that is in him call vpon God c. Happy Church where no mans sins may preiudicate him this I beleeue is it that maketh the world runne so fast to it for sanctuary But Staphylus more groslly after his maner As for the life of the Clergy i Apol. part 1. in fine saith he God is their iudge For as of maidenhead so of Priesthood man cannot iudge And the Canon law worst of all k 11. q. 3. Absiâ— in glo If a Priest embrace a woman it shall be construed that he doth it to blesse her And a Priest embracing a woman is presumed to do well Now if this be so there is no more to be said but that in silence and astonishmeÌ„t we adore the prerogatiues of this Roman Church and admire her liberties when they that will liue therein may without any danger steale the horse but professing the Protestants religion they must be hanged for looking ouer the hedge § 39. But chiefly their Church is not holy because there was neuer yet any Saint or holy man of it approued to be such by miracle or any other euident token as by reuelation from almightie God The Answer 1 This is false that the Iesuite saith there was neuer any Saint or holy man of our Church approued so to be by miracle reuelation or any other euident token For first the Prophets and Apostles and holy men of the Primitiue Church were all of our religion in euery point and beleeued not one article of the present Romane faith as we shew in euery question and I haue purposely declared in other places Now the Iesuite will not deny but these were Saints and by miracles approued so to be Next we haue true beleeuers iustified and sanctified by the blood of Christ who by vertue of their calling are Saints or holy men as a Rom. 1.7 1. Cor. 1.2 14.33 the Scripture calleth them though their name stand not written in red letters in the Calendar And we proue them to be such first by the miracles and reuelations wherewith their faith was confirmed when the Apostles began to teach it For the men and the miracles are theirs whose the doctrine is Secondly by the fruits of sanctification and the doctrine it selfe which they beleeue the former yeelding as perfect obedience to God in all things as this sinfull life will admit the later b Tametsi dicunt remissionem non pendere à conditione operuÌ„ neque poenitentiam aut fidem aut vllum actum nostrum esse causam aut meritum iustificationis tamen non negant requiti fidem poenitentiam fidem viuam poenitentiaÌ„ setiam sine his neminem iustificati Bell. de iustif l. 3. c. 6. euen by the confession of our aduersaries binding men to a liuing faith and true repentance the which doctrine cannot be without effect and that effect can be no other then the making such holy as entertaine it Thirdly we haue c Col. 2.2 5. Rom 8.16 the full assurance of vnderstanding and stedfast faith in Christ concerning our redemption obtained partly by the reuelation of the promises in the Gospell and partly by the Spirit of God bearing witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God and sanctified by the holy Ghost And this is a sufficient token of our holinesse and herby we know our selues to be the Saints of God the which if the Iesuite will deny then let him proue either that we teach not true iustification and sanctification or if we teach it and haue it yet it is no argument of true holines or if it be yet that it is not euident enough without miracles to demonstrate the Church or if miracles be so necessary then let him shew we haue no part in those which the Apostles did others after theÌ„ The which he cannot do but by examining the doctrine that all men may see how idly and circularly they dispute against the Protestants that do it by making holinesse or miracles the notes of the Church 2 But the Iesuites minde runneth vpon his Calendar and golden Legend wherein he thinketh to finde Saints and miracles to serue his turn But he is deceiued For let theÌ„ be examined and vpon triall it will fall out that one part were no Papists another part were not at all in rerum natura neither they nor their miracles but are meere deuices fictioÌ„s a third part consisteth of vncertainties that no man for his life can be sure it is true The last and the least part are canonized indeed and were Papists but that was of late and by the Popes doing whereupon no man that wise is will ground his faith 3 And touching this canonization because the Papists alway meane it when they talke of their Saints I obiect two things sufficient to discredit it First that it was the Popes owne inuention d Bell. de Sanct. beatit l. 1. c. 8. §. Dices 800. yeares after Christ at the least set abroach continued in policy for the confirmation of certaine idolatrous superstitions which he laboured thereby to aduance and now are made e Bell. vbi supra c. 7. the seuen points wherein the canonization consisteth setting them in a Calendar with red letters praying to them in the Church seruice erecting Churches and altars to them ministring the Eucharist and saying Canonicall houres in their honor dedicating holidaies setting vp images and worshipping their relickes Secondly f Sum. Rosell verbo Canonizâ—tio Can. loc l. 5. c. 5. q. 5. concl 3. Platin. in Bonif. 8. themselues cannot deny but it is subiect to error that is to say the Saint canonized may be no Saint and the miracles whereupon his canonization is grounded may be false as g Tract de concept de indulgent refert Catharin adu nou dogm Caiet p. 127. Caietan and others confesse disputing about the miracles pretended for the virgin Maries conception without originall sinne whereupon it followeth necessarily as h Si vnus sanctus vocatur in dubium etiam caeteri vocari possunt Quare veraces essent haeretici qui dogmatizant esse periculosum inuocare sanctos Catha vbi supra some Papists also complaine that all the Popes Saints may be doubted of and no man can inuocate or worship them without manifest perill of idolatry So that we see it is a weak kind of reasoning to proue their Church by such Saints And I am firmly perswaded themselues mistrust it in that many times they shake off as trifles
wist to haue a good pittance For vnto a poore order for to giue Is signe that a man is well yshriue For many a man is so hard of hart That he may not weepe though him smart Therefore in steed of weeping and of praiers Men more giue siluer to the poore Friers Now this answer being made to popish shrift for the remouing of the generall absolute and perpetuall necessitie thereof which the Papists vrge we are to adde concerning this point the doctrine of our Church which doth not denie or take away the free and godly vse of confession but teacheth that it is very profitable when it is discreetly done vpon iust occasion and a godly learned and trusty minister may be had for the searching of the wounds of sinfull soules and applying of fit counsell and comfort to distressed consciences and therfore our Church exhorteth when any cannot so wel by himselfe apply the means prescribed in the word to himselfe for the quieting of his conscience but requireth further counsell or comfort therein then to resort to some discreet and learned Minister of Gods word and to open his griefe that he may receiue such ghostly counsell aduice and comfort as his conscience may be relieued and that by the ministery of Gods word he may receiue comfort and the benefite of absolution to the quieting of his conscience and auoiding of all scruple and doubtfulnesse as it is in the second exhortation before the Communion For which purpose also a forme of absolution is prescribed in the visitation of the sicke to be vsed after speciall confession in sicknesse as well of mind as of bodie Our Lord Iesus Christ who hath left power to his Church to absolue all sinners which truly repent and beleeue in him c. Digression 34. Concerning the necessitie or requisite condition of good workes for our saluation shewing that the Protestants hold it 11 The third point of our doctrine charged as tending to libertie is the article of good works wherein the Iesuite accuseth vs two wayes first that we hold they are not necessarie to saluation next that we denie their merit This latter accusation we confesse but denie the former and say themselues know it to be a lie not onely by our preaching and writings wherein the learned of our Church vrge men to a godly life m Melancth corp doctrin Chr. in repetit cōfess Kemnit loc c. de operibus renat q. 6. Caluin Inst l. 3. c 16. §. 1. Polād thes de bonis operibus nu 14. defending the veritie of this proposition that good workes are necessarie to saluatiō but also by the cleare confessiō of their own side n Bellar. de iustificat l. 4. c. 1. who going about to fasten it vpō vs that we should hold against the necessitie of good works yet acknowledge it is rather a consequence of our doctrine and our secret meaning then our maner of speech or teaching Wherein they shew their desire of contention and vnconscionable misleading the people when they wil not suffer vs to expoūd our own doctrine nor giue vs leaue to declare our owne faith but o Math. 5.17 Rom. 3 31. as the Iewes did Christ and his Gospel slander our doctrine with that which themselues know is farre from it For how can they say we hold good workes not necessary when they see well enough and acknowledge our doctrine is that p Bell de Iustif l. 1. c. 12. § Itaque man is iustified by the grace of God not imputing our sinnes vnto vs which grace faith apprehendeth by beleeuing q Idem l. 3. c. 6. Stapl. de Iustif l. 9. c. 7. and this faith is liuing and worketh by charitie without which faith and true repentance no man can be saued so excluding not the necessitie but onely the merit of our workes Yea Bellarmine r Bellar. de Iustif l. 4. c. 1. § Ac primum Stapl de Iustif pag 334. Protestantes ipsi quamuis à formali nostra iustitia sanctificationē nouā obedientiam distinguant vt non sit pars eius essentialis adesse tamen cam certo infallibiliter volunt omnibus Dei filijs tanquam indiuidnam fidei iustificantis comitem propriam sinorum Dei notam saith expresly that Melancthon Brentius Kemnitius Caluin and Luther teach that good workes must be done and shew them to be necessary in some sort in that they affirme it is no true faith vnlesse it bring forth good workes and be accompanied with charity Wherein he hath truly reported that we teach and by reporting it shewed the wilfulnesse of his owne side in giuing it out against their owne knowledge that we denie the necessitie of a good life The point we denie is this that our owne righteousnesse is the thing that must answer the law of God or by way of merite procure acceptation with God to eternall life or make vs righteous in his presence For God of his iustice requireth that euery man afore he be saued or admitted into the state of his children to enioy his fauour and friendship bring a full satisfaction and righteousnesse or iustice of workes answerable to the law the which iustice say we is not the righteousnesse that we do but the perfect obedience of Christ imputed to vs and made ours by faith our owne workes being only the fruite of this faith and a requisite condition of our saluation as the way to walke in and no otherwise which way whosoeuer findeth not or hauing found it walketh not shall neuer be saued because God saueth none but by iustification and sanctification both the former is to acquit them from the condemnation of the law and it is by the bloud and obedience of Christ the latter is to conforme them to the Gospel and to go the way that leadeth to God and it is by our owne inherent holinesse Both these must therefore of necessitie be done the obedience of Christ to iustifie vs and our owne works to go the way whither our iustification calleth vs whereupon it followeth they neither iustifie nor satisfie nor merite before God nor answer the righteousnesse of his law and yet are absolutely necessary as the fruites of faith and markes of the way that leadeth to heauen And euen as the king freely bestowing a place in the Court vpon his subiect this his free gift bindeth him ouer to come to the Court and receiue it and hauing so done to discharge the place with all diligence and attendance and yet the subiect cannot say that either his going the way or attendance procured him the place but onely the kings free gift put him into it and if this mans friend sometime tell him you must go to the Court and do your attendance though when you haue done all you can your so doing is not worthy the kings fauour he hath shewed you he doth not thereby perswade him to neglect his iourney seruice but rather the contrarie that the
his hand who is the end of the law for righteousnesse to all that beleeue And the Papists teaching the contrary haue filled themselues ful of detestable presumption and hypocrisie and pestilent contempt of that righteousnesse which is through the faith of Christ Seeke not i Marc. Herem de lege spirit saith an old Heremite the perfection of the law in mans vertues for no man is found perfect in it * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The perfection thereof is hid in the crosse of Christ I end the point with Saint Austins speech k Retract l. 1. c. 19. All the commandements are holden to be kept when that which is not kept is forgiuen Digression 37. Whether the Protestants thinke whatsoeuer we do is sinne 22 l Answer to the book of Engl. iustice pag. 183. Our aduersaries confesse there is no hatred so capitall and deadly as that which ariseth from the contrarietie of religion This they speake out of their owne practise whose hatred against vs hath deuised and layd to our charge more lies then themselues beleeue truths which trade of lying and coining whensoeuer they lay away that very houre they shall be silent hauing no occasion to speake against vs if they will speake the truth For we do not hold that whatsoeuer we do is sinne as the Iesuite chargeth vs but that we hold is this m Math. 7.17 12 33. 1. Cor. 13 2. Heb. 11.6 first that euery work not directed to the right end which is the glory of God nor arising from the right cause which is faith is sinne and displeasant to God what shew soeuer it make before men as the workes of Gentiles and other vnregenerate men And herein not onely the Fathers hold with vs by n Sic que cleemosynae reiunia operaque pia infidelium peccata esse affirmant quia non sunt ex fide Idque Augustin multis in locis videtur docere ante cum Origenes Tolet. in Rom. 14. annot 15. the Papists owne confession but the Papists themselues Gregorius Ariminensis o 2. d. 38. art 1. d. 36. saith It is truly spoken that a worke is then vertuous or morally good when according to all the circumstances required it is conformed to true reason and euery morall action not so conformed is euill and vitious as if it want the due circumstances of the end c. The like say p 1. d. 1 q. 1. lit h 3. q. 12 lit yy solut 3. Occham and q Moral c. 11. tract 1. Almaine that nothing is a good deede vnlesse it proceed from the loue of God whereupon no worke of infidels is a vertue c. So that hitherto they condemne vs for that which themselues confesse to be the truth 23 Next concerning the workes of the godly done in the state of grace we do not say whatsoeuer they do is sinne but onely that sinne cleaueth to it and in part blemisheth it whatsoeuer it be as water running through a miry channell is mudded and wine put into a fustie vessell is changed thereby The which pollution yet we do not thinke either maketh the work lose the name of a good worke or put the doer into the state of damnation as a work that is formally sinfull wittingly committed doth by reason God for Christs sake forgiueth the imperfection and reputeth it good for that parts sake which himselfe worketh And as water mingled with wine in part delayeth it and yet receiuing the colour and tast by the mixture the whole is called wine so our naturall corruption mingling it self with the good that Gods spirit worketh in vs blemisheth it in part and yet being ouercome thereof the whole is called and reputed a good worke 24 The Scripture teacheth this plainly for r Exod. 28.35 God gaue the high Priest a plate of gold to weare on his forehead with the holinesse of Jehouah grauen in it that he might beare the iniquitie of the offerings the holy offerings of the people to make them acceptable Å¿ Apoc. 8.4 And Iesus Christ is faine to mingle the smoke of sweet odours with the prayers of the Saints when they go vp to God What better workes then the sacrifices of the synagogue and prayers of the Church Yet we see they had need to be purified afore they come into the iudgement of God Yea Chrysostome t Hom. 19. ad pop Antioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith of our praiers that such negligence and careleâ—â—â—â—esâ— groweth vnto them that we could not liue one day if God should straightly examine them To will is present with me u Rom. 7 18. saith Saint Paul but I find * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no power throughly to perform that which is good And he that beleeued in Christ yet cried Lord helpe my vnbeleefe For as a Scriuener teaching a child to write though he leade his hand yet the writing beareth witnesse of the childs imperfection so God by his spirit writing his law in our heart yet hath not giuen vs so great perfection but that the best workes he teacheth vs beare witnesse of our naturall infirmitie so farre that Saint Austine x Confess l. 9. c. 13. is of minde that wo be to our commendable life if God remouing his mercie should rip into it and y De ciuit Dei l. 19. c. 27. saith All our righteousnesse standeth rather in the remission of our sins then in any perfection of iustice 25 And it is the spirit of contention that chargeth this doctrine with making people carelesse to eschue sinne For what can more encourage vs to weldoing then when we consider the mercie of God that will not impute the imperfection of our obedience to vs but supply what is defectiue out of the treasurie of Christs perfection and as long as out of a good hart and an vnfained purpose we striue without fainting to serue him he is readie not onely to pardon vs but by exercise in sanctification to leade vs to more perfection And if our aduersaries thinke the merite of their workes and integritie of their holinesse be such a spurre to prick them forward z As this Iesuit himselfe disputeth § wherein yet by their owne confession they may be deceiued we are contented to relie on the promises of the Gospell a Rom. 8.1 which assure vs there is no condemnation to them that are in Iesus Christ which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit by reason the law of the spirit of life in Iesus Christ hath freed vs from the law of sin and of death Which hope including Gods acceptation of that we can do his pardoning that we cannot do Christs mediation for that I can and that I cannot do the holy Ghost vniting my worke and his together I hope is more to be trusted to then such a Pharisaicall perfection as may deceiue vs and by their confession that labour in it is subiect to error so
tying vs to repentance and amendment and patient bearing of the crosse though we do not thinke the doing hereof is it that answereth and explateth the iudgement of God due to our sinne but onely serueth as a condition subordinately required that we may be partakers of Christs satisfaction Thus the Papists themselues o Sum. Rosell v. satisfactio somtime describe satisfaction p De dogni c. cl c. 54. out of Austin to be the cutting off the causes of sin and the stopping of the wayes that suggest them and q Bavus de indulg c. vlt. sticke not to grant there is but one satisfaction onely to God euen that of Christ and we do not properly satisfie but only do some thing in respect whereof Christs satisfaction is applied to vs. Satisfaction to God thus described we confesse and thinke our selues blamelesse though we admit no more because we haue some Papists on our side herein And touching offences against our brethren we thinke it necessary that we satisfie such as we haue offended by confession restitution suffering punishment as the case shall require yea we beleeue r Iob. 36 8. Act 1â— 22 liâ— 2â— Heb. 12.6 that God in this life by temporall afflictions punisheth not onely the reprobate but euen his owne children whose sinnes he hath remitted thereby to humble and mortifie them and exercise their faith and whole sanctification by opening their eyes This is it we hold touching satisfaction wherein we acknowledge an absolute condition of working and suffering but deny the merit of the worke so done and beleeue no vertue therein ordained to expiate our sinne 29 Now compare this with that which themselues say and so you shall see the point they quarell at Å¿ Sess 4. sub lui c. 8 Câ—tâ—ch Râ—m traâ—â—â—â—e â—â—â—isfacâ—ione The Councell of Trent defineth that when God forgiueth a sinner yet he forgiueth not all the punishment but leaueth the party by his owne workes to satisfie till it be washed away t Greg de Valent tom 4. disp 7 q. 14 punct 3. Bell. de poenit l. 4. c 6. Herinq Sum. l. 5 c. 19. n. 8. The workes whereby this satisfaction is to be made are said to be all good actions proceeding from vertue either inward or outward all penance enioyned by the Priest at confession as praier almes and fasting and al the sufferings that befall men either in this life or in Purgatory The things which by these workes we are supposed to satisfie God for are holden to be u Bellar. coÌ„muâ—â—ter oâ—â—es the temporall punishment x Câ—nciâ— Tâ—â—d Catech. Ro. vbi sâ—pr the relickes of sinne y Tâ—â—peâ— expl art Loâ—â—aâ—â— 6 Vega 〈◊〉 c. 36. the fault it selfe yea z Tâ—â—â—h â—e poenit 4. c. 1. Caâ—â—t 1. qu. 4. de contâ—â—t the same punishment that should be suffered in hell excepting the eternitie Caietan a 21. qq Quoli quâ—â—â—â— saith The canonicall punishment enioyned by the Priest for satisfaction includeth the punishment which is due to sinne before the presence of Gods iustice And Gregory of Valence b Vbi 1. â—â—a punâ— 1. § Quod si vero writeth The recompence made by satisfaction respecteth not only the temporall punishment that is to be paied but some part of the offence also and the wrath of God which by the said recompence must be turnâ—d away The thing that giueth the workes their condition to be satisfactory c Rhem. Col. 1.24 they say is Christs grace but they adde that the passion of Christ and they together make but one masse of passions our sufrings applying the medicine of his merits to vs. d Bell. de purg l. 1. c. 1◠§. Tertius tamen Not that his satisfaction it selfe taketh away the punishment due to vs but in that it remoueth it so farre forth as we haue grace from thence to make our owne satisfaction of power The plaine meaning whereof may be knowne by two other speeches of theirs The first is e 3 d. 19. art 2. concl 5. Biels Though the passion of Christ be the principall merit for which the grace of God and the opening of heauen and the glorie thereof be giuen yet it is neuer the sole nor totall meritorious cause but alwaies there concurreth some worke of him that receiueth the grace The second is f De purgat l. 1 c. 14. Bellarmines That a righteous man hath right to the same glorie by a twofold title one of the merits of Christ by grace communicated to him and another of his owne merits Which he could not haue said but that he thought our owne workes to be satisfactory and effectuall as Christs are and able to do the same that his death can 30 So then the Papists condemne vs in this point because we beleeue not the merit of our workes and their vnion with Christs sufferings for the satisfying of Gods iustice due to our sinnes but thinke Christ satisfied for all both sinne and punishment and our owne workes are no more but dispositions or conditions whereunto God hath tied vs vpon other termes And what they thinke more then this that I haue touched the Lord knoweth but they speake desperatly g Soto Palud Caiet Ruard nonnulli ex recentioribus quos refert Suar tom 1. d. 4. l 9. That a sinner by the grace of God may satisfie for his sinne condignly and equally and by that satisfaction obtaine pardon Caietan h In 3. Tho. q. 1 art 2. ad 4. dub saith For so much as Christ the head and we the members make one mysticall person therefore my satisfaction being conioyned with Christs satisfaction is made simply equall as it is the satisfaction of a mysticall person yea sometime it is greater then the fault i Tom. 1. disp 41 sect 3. §. Vltimo tandem Suarez saith When the soules in purgatory obtaine remission of punishment not by pardons or suffrages * Quae potius est solutio quaÌ„ remissio poenae quia fit per coÌ„dignam satispassionem for so much as then it is by a condigne suffering of the whole punishment there is no reason why it should be an effect of Christs merits because there the man hath paid God as much suffering as he oweth him There be finally k Scot. Duran Biel. quos refert Suar. tom 1 disp 4. sect 11. some that hold a man by the power of nature without grace may be able to satisfie for veniall sins expell them These meÌ„ in their ordinary books made for the people to reade l Hopk memor tract of satisfact â— 1. sometime no doubt to conceale their impietie speake bitterly of vs for saying they teach a man may satisfie by his owne naturall power and in the state of sinne and for the fault of sinne and the eternall punishment as well as for the temporall paine which satisfaction is equall to Gods iustice and vnited with
what say you to forty thousand yeares of pardon Pope Sixtus the fourth granted it to whosoeuer will say a prayer of his making not fiue aboue fortie words long that his Catholickes might not complaine the Protestants satisfaction was easier then theirs And there is another prayer somewhat longer which Saint Bernard vpon a time saying before the Rood so pleased the said Rood that bowing it selfe it embraced him in his armes being belike of the same good nature that the Rood of Naples was f Anton. Chro. part 3. tit 23. c. 7. § 11. p. 206. which spake so kindly to Thomas Aquin or of the same mettal that the crucifixe was of g Sibi or anti crucifixi imaginem inclinare caput aspexit Baron annal to 11. an 1051. nu 1. which nodded his head to the monke Gualbertus Now such a praier as this that like h Dictus Amphion Thebanae conditor vrbis Saxa mouere sono testudinio prece blanda Ducere quò vellet Horat. art Poet. Amphions harpe could make stones moue by all likelihood would pierce further then the straightest satisfaction that could be taught Or if the Protestants haue an easier way yet at last they must giue place to one peculiar kinde of deuotion throughly plied in our country which is to haue the armes of Christs passion the crosse nailes whip lance heart and hands of Christ for example painted and them deuoutly to worship For this kind of satisfaction hath wonderfull priuiledges granted it by one and thirtie Popes and an hundred twentie eight Bishops The first Pope granting three yeares pardon to them that vse it the other thirty adding euery one a hundred dayes more and each Bishop fortie 36 And so I conclude that the premises considered our aduersaries haue no cause to disgrace the Protestants with their penance or any longer to raile vpon them for putting it away for as much as their owne doctors haue spoken so coldly and vncertainly thereof and contrary one to another and allowed such qualifications by contrition pardons as make it a thousand times easier then an hypocrites repentance Which they would neuer haue done being warie and wise but that they thought in their conscience the repentance taught in our Church to be the truth and their penance a discipline of their owne inuentioÌ„ And so froÌ„ henceforward we wil take their angrie words about this matter as spoken in zeale of their cause and iealousie of their pardons but neuer thinke they meane in good earnest to condemne vs thereby though they speake somewhat rigorously for feare of the worst lest their people should suspect them and buy no more pardons Digression 40. Wherein the doctrine of iustification by faith onely is expounded and defended 37 The ninth point whereof he accuseth vs is for teaching that by onely faith our sinnes be not imputed to vs the which we teach indeed or rather haue learned of him that teacheth all truth the Spirit of God who i Psal 32.1 Rom. 4.6 saith Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinne is couered blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne Now I neuer knew but k Sixt. Senens biblioth l. 6. annot 216. it was alwayes lawfull for Catholick men to vse the Catholicke phrase of the Scripture and speake as it doth For to say they are not imputed and by faith onely they are not imputed is all one because the not imputing of sinne is a mercie of God l Nazian orat in sanct bapt whereby he ascribeth it not to vs nor deputeth it to condemnation but as if we had neuer done it he forgiueth it and esteemeth vs no sinners The which mercy being in God alone supposeth somewhat on our behalfe that may receiue it which can be nothing but faith alone the Scripture saying m Gal 3.14 We receiue the promise of the spirit by faith and n Rom. 4.11 righteousnesse is imputed to all them that beleeue as o V. 3. Gen. 15.6 Abraham beleeued and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse The which our exposition making faith alone the instrument and not penance or workes if our aduersaries mislike then let them hearken what some of the learnedst among themselues haue written Forsomuch p 4. d. 15. q. 1. saith Bonauenture as man was not able to satisfie for so great offence therefore God gaue him a mediator who should satisfie for it whence it cometh to passe that by onely faith in his pâ—ssion all the fault is remitted and without his faith no man is iustified And q In Ioh. 19. â— 30 Ferus Our saluation is consummate not fully but in hope by reason maÌ„ beginneth to be iustified healed so that whilest he is iustified the rest of his sin remaining in his flesh through Christ is not imputed to him And r Antididagm Colonienf tit de Iustif hom pag. 29. Gropper By faith we are iustified as by the apprehensiue cause that faith whereby without doubting we firmly beleeue that hauing true repentance our sins are forgiuen vs for Christ whereof notwithstanding it behoueth vs by faith to haue the inward testimonie of the holy Ghost Whereby we see that iustification or not imputation of sin by faith onely is good diuinitie among our aduersaries themselues 38 But because either through ignorance or malice it is misreported to the people who are made beleeue that thereby we exclude the necessitie of a godly life therefore I will briefly expound the meaning of this proposition By faith onely we are iustified Wherein there are three termes the first is iustification and thereby we meane Gods acceptation of a sinner to grace and glorie For man being guiltie of the breach of Gods law and so subiect to the penaltie thereof which is condemnation cannot be restored againe vnlesse he bring a righteousnesse to satisfie this law againe that is to say which may answer both the obedience that it requireth and the punishment that it inflicteth The reason hereof is because the law being part of Gods will and being giuen to man out of the iustice of God must take his effect else God should leaue his iustice vnsatisfied and depart from his nature Å¿ Mat. 5 18. which is vnpossible This righteousnesse we affirme to be not our owne inherent iustice but the obedience of Christ alone whereby he fulfilled the whole law most perfectly for vs. We denie not but euery seruant of God hath in him true sanctification and holinesse enabling him to repentance satisfaction faith hope and charitie but we denie these or any of them to be the iustice whereby the bond of Gods law is answered and we appeare righteous before Gods iudgement seate partly because they are vnperfect and partly for that we do them not by our owne strength But the very thing that maketh vs accepted as iust is the obedience of Christ whereby he fulfilled the law and satisfied the punishment in his life and
according to the spirit Neither when we say faith onely do we thinke that the faith whereby we are iustified is alone and without loue and works any more then he that saith the heate onely of the fire burneth meaneth thereby that the heate is without light but we hold that iustifying faith is alway accompanied with workes as the Sunne is with his light and trees with their fruite and causes with their effects though the workes themselues iustifie not but being the effects of iustification haue their proper vse to sanctifie vs which is a condition in his due time and order necessarily required to saue vs as well as iustification because as I said God bringeth no man to glory by iustifying him alone but by sanctifying him also for whom he electeth them he calleth and iustifieth and sanctifieth both 41 And this is it we meane by saying our sinnes are not imputed or we are iustified by faith onely whereat as often as our aduersaries wonder they should be put in mind of that which Erasmus told them long since This word Only which now adayes they shout at so in Luther is reuerently heard and read in the writings of the Fathers For Saint Ambrose t Comment 1. Cor. 1. saith This is the worke of God that he which beleeueth in Christ should be saued WITHOVT WORKES FREELY BY GRACE ONELY receiuing the pardon of his sinnes Chrysostome u Hom. 7. Rom. 3. saith But what is the law of faith Euen to be saued by grace here the Apostle sheweth the goodnesse of God who not onely saueth vs but also iustifieth and glorifieth vs vsing no workes hereunto but requiring FAITH ONELY Basil x Hom. de humil saith This is true and perfect reioycing in God when a man is not lifted vp with his owne righteousnesse but knoweth himselfe to be void of true righteousnesse and to be iustified by FAITH ONELY in Christ Comment 2. Eph. Theodoret y saith We haue not beleeued of our owne accord but being called we came and being come he exacteth not puritie and innocencie of life at our hands but by FAITH ONELY he forgaue our sinnes Bernard z Cant. ser 22. saith Whosoeuer is touched with his sinnes and hungreth after righteousnesse let him beleeue in God that iustifieth sinners and being iustified by FAITH ONELY he shall haue peace with God Thus the Fathers in their time spake according to a Rom. 3.28 4 5. Gal. 2.16 the Scriptures whereupon we ground our selues whose words can no way be so wrested but they will yeeld our very opinion and plainly shew that in this point they held the same thing that we do 42 And out of all question our aduersaries themselues in times past haue thought it the truth For Aquinas hath left b Rom. 3. lect 4. Gal. 3. lect 4. written that workes be not the cause why a man is iust before God but rather they are the execution and manifestation of his iustice for no man is iustified by workes but by the HABIT OF FAITH infused yea IVSTIFICATION IS DONE BY FAITH ONLY And c Iac. 2. the ordinary Glosse Abraham was not iustified by the workes he did but by FAITH ONELY his oblation being a worke of his faith and a testimonie of his righteousnesse But Gropper with the Diuines of Colen d Antididagm pag. 29. speake more fully that By the faith of Gods word working in vs contrition and repentance and other workes of preuenting grace we are iustified as by a certaine preparatiue and disposing cause but by faith whereby without doubt we firmly beleeue our sins to be forgiuen for Christ we are IVSTIFIED AS BY THE APPREHENDING CAVSE So God iustifieth vs by a double righteousnesse as by formall and essentiall causes whereof one and the chiefe is the perfect righteousnes of Christ not as it is out of vs in him but as and when the same being apprehended by faith is imputed to vs for righteousnesse And this imputed iustice of Christ is the chiefe and speciall cause of our iustification whereunto we are principally to rely and trust 43 And thus we see the Protestants doctrine of onely faith and the not imputing our sinnes vnto vs was thought sound diuinitie among our aduersaries themselues till within these threescore yeares that the Trent Councell began to looke asquint at it which was no maruel for it is an ordinary thing that a man marrying a latter wife looketh strangely on his owne children had by a former yea giueth his land from them to their yonger brethren though once the time were when he was of another mind And so no wonder if the Church of Rome now begin to turne away her louing countenance from her former faith when she hath about her so many brats of latter opinions begotten by the Friers and Iesuites her new louers that would haue no nay Otherwise faith onely is a doctrine that might haue inherited her mothers lands euen this day in Rome had she not in her widowhood played the wanton And yet seeing in auncient times it was holden in the dayes of the Church of Romes first husband our aduersaries for reuerence of their schooles and credit of the Doctors should handle the matter as gently as might be and not so intemperatly reuile their mothers elder sonne calling it as this Iesuit doth a doctrine drawing men to leudnesse or as e Rom. 3.22 the Rhemists do a new no-iustice a fantasticall apprehension nor as f Whright art 9. another doth a Solifidian portion nor as g Apolog. ep sect 8. another doth a desolation of order a doctrine against a common wealth because such foule words as these will touch the Scripture it selfe and all the ancient Fathers and many Romane Catholickes as well as vs and they that are so lauish of their tongue in vsing them if they take not good heed may chance to haue his hap that threw a stone at a dog and vnawares hit his step-mother Digression 41. Intreating of Predestination and Free-will as the Protestants hold them and shewing that their doctrine concerning these points doth neither make God the author of sinne nor leade men to be carelesse of their liues nor inferre any absolute necessitie constraining vs that we cannot do otherwise then we do 43 In the last place he mentioneth our doctrine touching Predestination and Freewill as if thereby we led men to be carelesse in their actions because as this Iesuit vrgeth it God hauing predestinate all things mans free will is lost thereby that he cannot do otherwise then he doth but God himselfe is the author of sinne Wherein he sheweth his vnsatiable desire of contention and that besides h Pâ—â— 30.15 the graue the barren wombe the earth and the fire which neuer say I haue enough there is a fifth thing as vnsatiable as they the contentious spirit of an aduersarie neuer satisfied with lying and contradiction For let them say directly what is the point they mislike
haue seen affirme we may know it by our good desire comfort of minde and good workes Scotus g 3 d. 23. pag. 46 saith As I beleeue God is three in person and one in essence so do I also beleeue my selfe to haue faith infused whereby I beleeue this Dominicus Bannes h In Tho. 22. p. 359. c. saith Euery one that beleeueth seeth that he doth beleeue And i 1. 2. q. 112. art 5. Medina with whō he and k Caiet ib. Ban. vbi supra others consent saith A Christian man by the infallible certaintie of faith which cannot be deceiued certainly knoweth himselfe to haue supernaturall faith Vega l Refert Greg. de Valent to 2. pag. 957. saith Some spirituall men may be so certaine that they are in grace that this their assurance shal be free frō all feare and staggering m Dom. Soto apol c. 2. Others hold that a man may attaine to that certaintie of his owne grace that he may without all doubting be as sure thereof as he is that there is a citie called Rome And some hold n Catharin assert apolog the very certaintie of faith as we teach and define it Next touching the remission of sinnes and eternall life they say o Medin vbi supra pag. 630. I would haue euery beleeuer certainly to hope he shal obtaine eternall life Doctor Stapleton p De iustifie pag. 341. saith We leaue not a sinner hanging in the middest of wauering doubtfulnesse but we place him in good and firme hope when once his conscience witnesseth with him that he hath truly repented I grant indeed that some of these disallow the certaintie of faith in this case and admit a man onely to hope but this is but contention about words and they had as good haue said Faith confidence or trust as hope but for the preiudice of their stomacks For q Stapl. l. 9. c. 11 de iustif Dom. Ban. 22. q 18. art 4. they confesse the certaintie of hope is not any doubtfulnesse wauering one while to this side another while to that as a man thinketh himselfe sometime accepted of God and sometime not but it is a certaintie in the will of him that hopeth both firme and assured excluding all doubtfulnesse touching remission of sinnes The which in effect is as much as we say and full opposite to the Iesuites assertion Againe seeing r Medin p. 627. themselues grant that all conclusions are the conclusions of faith which arise from one proposition contained in the Scripture and another by good consequence added vnto it why should they denie this to be a conclusion of faith My sinnes are forgiuen me For the first proposition is expresse Scripture He that repenteth is pardoned The next assumed to it is euidently knowne in the conscience But I repent The conclusion therefore is of faith Therefore I am forgiuen or such like For no man knoweth he hath faith or any grace but by such and the same discourse that this is The euidence of which reasons haue driuen some Papists to allow vs the name also as wel as the thing For I shewed euen now that Catharinus at the Councell of Trent defended our very assertion that the child of God by the certaintie of faith knoweth himselfe to be in the state of grace The like is written by the ſ Enchirid. Christian instit in Concil Colon pag. 139. Diuines of Colen It is true and required for a mans iustification that he certainly beleeue not onely in generall that such as are truly penitent shal obtaine forgiuenes by Christ but also that the man himselfe which beleeueth shall be forgiuen through faith in Christ And againe This is true that no mans sins are forgiuen him vnlesse he beleeue that he hath obtained forgiuenes through Christ And a Frier in the time of the Councell of Trent u Refert Innocent Gentill exam Concil Trident. preached thus before the Councell Let man saith he abhorring the vaine confidence of his own worthines depend wholly on Gods mercy Let him make account that God as a most louing father is present with him frō whom let him alway expect things ioyfull and happie and let him neuer suffer that perswasion to be striken out of his minde though the difficulties be infinite which the world the flesh and the diuell procure thereby to leade vs from the confidence of God and his most religious seruice Wherefore they do not wander in the maze of doubtfulnesse which through Christ haue obtained righteousnesse but in the securitie of their minde and peace of their conscience and ioy of their heart being taught by the Spirit which testifieth with them that they are the sonnes of God they crie Abba Father 11 Why striue they then so bitterly against vs in this title and why do they racke torment the consciences of men by telling them that without miracle it cannot be known who standeth in grace when vanquisht by the truth they are forced in the end to eare their owne words and confesse it may be knowne by the testimonie of Gods Spirit within vs You shall see the peeuishnesse that is among them I will x Bart. Medina vbi supra pag. 630. saith one of them allow euery faithfull man to hope certenly that he shall obtaine eternall life but to be confident therein with the Lutheran confidence I vtterly forbid him Marke the vanitie and stomacke of our aduersaries they will allow vs to be certaine and confident and we require no more but not with the Lutheran confidence they will communicate with the doctrine vpon a little parly but they wil first giue it a new name to make it Roman-Catholike Luther belike did them some shrewd turne that they would endure his termes no longer in their church They seeme to be in the same taking with him u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the man in y Suidas was toward his Cat for eating vp his Partridge he loued his bird well as the Pope did his crowne and therefore the Cat that deuoured it must looke to dwell no longer in his house but be packing § 42. But hitherto it was neuer heard that almightie God did by miracle or any such certaine way giue testimonie that either Luther or Caluin or anie of their fellowes had this true holinesse or that they were Saints Whereas it hath pleased him to giue testimonie by miracles of the holinesse of diuerse that professed the Romane faith as of S. Benedict S. Anthonie S. Greg. Thaumaturgus S. Bernard S. Francis diuers others who all professed the Romane faith and diuerse of them were religious men and founders of religious orders which Protestants reiect and seeke by all means to disgrace The Answer 1 The first part of this is answered before sect 39. num 1. where I haue shewed how and in what maner God giueth testimonie that we are his Saints and our workes holy whither I referre the Reader The
p. 413. saith he will receiue whatsoeuer they bring consonant to the Scripture but what they bring dissonant from it he wil reiect with reuerence vpon the authoritie of the Scripture whereto he wil leane Turrecremata saith k In c. Sancta Romana d. 15 n. 12. The writings of the Doctors are to be receiued with reuerence yet they bind vs not to beleeue them in all their opinions but we may lawfully contradict them where by good reason it appeareth they speake against the Scripture or the truth l D. 9. Noli mei◠nu 4. And euen at this day there may some things be found in the Doctors worthy of reproofe and deseruing no credit c. And m Loc. l. 7. c. 3. Canus Euery one of the Saints except the writers of the Scripture spake with a humane spirit and erred sometime in things which afterward haue appeared to appertaine to the faith And n Bibliot select l. 12. c. 23. Posseuine Some things in the Fathers wherein vnwittingly they dissented from the Church are iudged and reiected Whereby we see not onely that the fathers haue their errors but also that we by the Scripture may be able to discerne and iudge of them and many times though vnwittingly they dissented from the doctrine of the Church that it is no such perillous matter if the Centuries denied sometime what they held The fathers themselues allowed vs this libertie Dionysius Alexandrinus o Apud Euseb hist l. 7. c. 24. saith Let it be commended and without enuie assented to which is rightly spoken but if any thing be vnsoundly written let that be looked into and corrected And p Hom. 13. 2. Cor. Chrysostom I pray beseech you all that leauing this and that mans opiniō you wil search all these things out of the Scripture And Saint Austine q Ep. 112. I will not haue you follow my authoritie to thinke it necessary you beleeue any thing therfore because I say it And put the state of this question as the Iesuits themselues do and this will answer it Gregory of Valenza r Tom. 3. p. 291. saith The question is whether at this day in the controuersies of faith the Christian people should assent to Saint Cyprian for example or to Saint Austine iudging their opinion to be agreeable with the Scripture or to Luther and Caluin and the sectaries thinking the same of their opinion notwithstanding that as well Luther and Caluin as Cyprian and Austine might erre and sometime in other things did erre In this case we pronounce that we must rather assent to Cyprian and Austine Wherein he speaketh absurdly and against that which not onely Austine and Cyprian but his owne Doctors also permit For you see it is agreed first that the fathers may erre then that many of them may erre together thirdly that the learned of this present time in many things haue more vnderstanding then they had and lastly that therefore with reuerence they may in some things be refused Which sheweth manifestly that we hold the truth and the same which the Papists themselues practise when we say Luther or Caluine or the Centuries are sometime to be beleeued rather then Cyprian and Austine The reason is because sometime they haue better meanes to see the truth then they had the which if it be denied then all libertie and possibilitie of discerning humane iudgements by the Scripture is taken away euen from our aduersaries and all For if the Papists in expounding the text or determining a question require sometime to be beleeued before a father yea many fathers yea all the fathers which they very ordinarily do as I will plainly demonstrate by and by why may not we take the same libertie 9 This being our iudgement touching the fathers now let vs proceed to see what our aduersaries ascribe vnto them and indeed it cannot be denied but they professe much subiection to them ſ Brist mot 14. They crie What they beleeued I beleeue what they held I hold what they taught I teach what they preached I preach But let vs enquire how they performe this Wherein the first point you haue to obserue is who they meane by the fathers And t Greg. à . Val. tom 3. pag. 29◠the Iesuites answer not onely the ancient Doctors that liued in the Primitiue Church but such also as euery age hath yeelded for the time present who are presumed neuer to haue swarued from the common consent of the auncient fathers And thus the Schoole-men are also to be put in the number And so to begin with you haue the Friers and Schoole-men Thomas Scot Biel Durand and such like that liued but yesterday and were parties which our aduersaries canonized for Saints and made them of the same companie with the auncient fathers that following their late conceits they shall yet be sayd to follow the fathers And indeede u Henriq sum mor. prooem they say Thomas of Aquine is the first Doctor of the Latine Church and the light of all the world who yet liued not foure hundred yeares since and shame not to say x Ban. part 1. pag. 79. the Schoole Doctors are the masters of the Church in things of faith and it is error in matter concerning faith or manners to contradict their sayings yea the matters wherein all of them agree may be defined as points of faith This is more then ridiculous first to talke so grauely of the auncient fathers and then to clap such Nouices into the definition 10 Next you shall obserue what they meane when they say All the Doctors or the fathers consenting in one For y Greg. à Val. vbi supra p. 293 the meaning is not that they know the iudgement at any time vnlesse it be very rare of all but this is it They are to be counted All the Doctors whose authoritie is such that the circumstances of their learning pietie and multitude considered they alone may iustly be regarded and the rest neglected as no body if they be compared with these And thus one or more Doctors erring may be pressed with the authoritie of the rest Thus you see another deuice that although they brag of all the fathers and say they will refuse nothing wherein they all consent yet when it cometh to scanning they haue no hope so much as to finde this consent of all but referre it to their owne discretion wisely to iudge by circumstances who are all and what the consent is that so when the streame of Doctors runneth against them they may turne it aside by this deuice 11 Thirdly you shall obserue that hauing defined their Doctors who they be then in the next place they giue soueraigne authoritie to the Pope ouer them to explane their meaning to allow them dissallow them purge them and fit them to their purpose and by his good permission euery Catholicke man may frame a fit exposition to that they say z Alua. Pelag. planct
an 400. n. 42. Ruffin runneth ouer all things idly and in many things he saith not truly He putteth on the guise of heretiks he persisteth ioyning sottishnes with his fury which is peculiar to all heretickes k Bell. cleric c. 20 Socrates to omit the rest in the 21. chapter of his 5. booke maketh three notable lies Both he and Sozomen were heretickes l Bell. ib. de poenit l. 3. c. 14. Sozomens story is full of lies therefore S. Gregory reiecteth it m Baron an 56 n. 26. There is as much credit to be giuen Socrates reporting the fact of Nectarius putting downe penance as all other heretickes deserue when they handle their owne opinions And because it is certaine that Sozomen also maintained the same matter with the Nouatians it is easie to shew how manifestly both of them doted n Baron ann 325. n. 6. Nicephorus heapeth greater lies then these together o Baron ann 774. n. 10. 12. 13 Sigebert is to be called to account as touching a point of great weight and reader when thou hearest it it will constraine thee tragically to cry out ô villany ô fraud ô cousenage he lieth too shamefully The things he writeth are forgeries deseruing to be blowen away and execrated with their author p Bell. de Pont. Rom l. 2. c. 5. We contemne Fasciculus temporum and the Passionall two of their owne stories specially seeing Fasciculus followeth Marianus who manifestly contradicteth both himselfe and the truth q Baron ann 996. nu 54. Auentine a beast infected with the scab of heresie whom Onuphrius a Catholicke most vnworthily claweth with an iuory combe when he calleth him an eloquent man r Index expurgator Toletan pag. 121. Let this commendation of Auentine Iohn Auentine a man famous in the knowledge of things and a diligent writer c. be wiped out of Cuspinian Å¿ Posseuin bibl l. 12. c. 16. Photius and Balsamon and the imperiall Constitutions must be read warily t Baro. an 853. n. 61. Turpin is a shop of fables u Bellar. Pont. Rom. l. 4. c. 7. Benno the Cardinals booke is full of most impudent lies there is no credit to be giueÌ„ to him x Baron ann 1048. n. 1. His lies are more then his words He is not a Historiographer but a Satyrist weauing falsehoods and patching fables together He taketh libertie to himselfe to lie carpe detract and faine monstrous things of godly men y Baron ann 774. n. 13. Gratian by his leaue was too credulous and improuidently writ out in so many words Sigeberts imposture and as if it had bene some firme decree or canon writ it into his booke of Decrees when it deserued rather with the author haue to bene execrated z Erro artic Parrhis p. 140. Gratians worke in some part therof is erronious and so is the Master of the Sentences and Anselme and Hugo a Aquipontan de antich p. 72. Would ye well knew we make no more account of the Glosse vpon the canon Law then the Caluinists of Heidelberg do of Brentius Catechisme b Victo relect 4. p. 138. Gerson was an enemy to the Popes authoritie and infected many with his poison His opinioÌ„ differeth but litle froÌ„ schisme I will easily grant that somtime these authors whoÌ„ you see they cast off so coÌ„tumeliously giue cause indeed to be refused but why do not our aduersaries deal plainly then and beare with vs if we do the like and why do c Camp rat 5. 7. they muster vp the catologues of al the authors they can find and yet when they haue done fall out with them about some thing or other that they haue written and giue them this entertainment For they should boast of no more then they haue to stand vpon neither should they vse that as an argument against vs that they are guiltie of themselues 14 And as they vse the fathers and the ancient histories and their owne elder authors so you shal see they vse one another to this day I said before how greatly in words they magnifie their Thomas and Posseuine the Iesuit d Biblio select l. 1. c. 10. saith His doctrine is embraced in all their vniuersities yet when he fitteth not their turne they cast him off as lightly as any other e Erro articul vbi prius c. 3. The vniuersitie of Paris saith It cannot be proued that Thomas his doctrine is allowed in all things the Church hath not allowed it so that we are bound to beleeue there is no erronious or hereticall matter in it For there is some doctrine more approued then his which yet is erronious and hereticall in points of faith It must not be thought strange or any rashnesse if yonger doctors reprehend him when they shew he erreth in matter of faith Peter Lombard Gratian Anselm Hugo and others are more authenticall then he And therefore thus the Doctors of Paris conclude it is presumption to extoll his doctrine so as if we might not auerre that he erred in faith as well as others did And his canonization which some pretend for a great colour hindereth not this c. Haue ye seene a Saint of their own making thus entertained but it is ordinary with all the learned men they haue Turrecremata d De consecrat d. 4. Firmissime nu 11. p. 101. saith that almost all the Schoolmen hold the virgin Mary had originall sinne yea that it is the common opinion among the famousest of them and he hath collected a 100. of that minde and yet now the Iesuites hold the contrary who censure all that liued before them and * Confutatur opinio Bellar. Saith Carer pot Pon. l. 2. c. 5 are daily censured themselues by others Scot. Durand and Gabriel e De grat lib. arb l. 5. c 4. saith Bellarmine three of the chiefest Schoolemen dispute more freely for mans will then were fit and Ariminensis Capreolus and Marsilius three more ascribe too little to it f Posseuin bibl l. 2. c 8. the Diuines of the inquisition commanded somethings to be wiped out of Andreas Masius his commentaries vpon Iosua that sauored of heresie g Posse ib. c. 18. Some things in Iansenius vpon the Gospels are not approued of by learned men h Bell. â—c imag l. 2 c. 8. It is to be noted that Carranza erred i Baron ann 432. n. 36. Valla was but a GraÌ„marian altogether vnskilful in matters of the Church a dead flie that must be blowne away Thus contemptibly they speake one of another to quit that which they obiect against vs touching the dissention betweene the Lutherans and Caluinists and some hasty words that haue passed betweene them Alas k Relect. 1. p. 39 saith Victoria the Glosers of the Canon Law flattered the Pope because they were poore both in learning and substance And the haire of our head is scarse growne since Baronius and
might be here in the sacrament yet it was not in the beginning so manifestly beleeued as concerning this conuersion o D. 11. q. 3. §. Quantum ergo ad istum But principally this seemeth to moue vs to hold transubstantiation because concerning the sacramēts we are to hold as the Church of Rome doth where in the margin it is noted that our faith as concerning this sacrament is onely by reason of the Churches determination And he p §. Ad argumenta pro prima addeth We must say the Church in the Creed of the Lateran Councell vnder Innocent the third which beginneth with these words FIRMITER CREDIMVS declared this sence concerning transubstantiation to belong to the veritie of our faith And if you demand why would the Church make choise of so difficult a sence of this article whē the words of the Scripture This is my body might be vpholden after an easie sence and in appearance more true I say the Scriptures were expounded by the same spirit that made them and so it is to be supposed that the Catholicke Church expounded them by the same spirit whereby the faith was deliuered vs namely being taught by the spirit of truth and therefore it chose this sence because it was true q Canon lect 41. Biels words are to the same effect Which sheweth the point was neither holden nor knowne vniuersally in the Church before the Lateran Councell and that then it began to be receiued as a matter of our faith And yet since that time these men enquiring so boldly into the congruēcie of the opinion and casting so many dangers about it they shew plainly that they mistrust the proceeding of the Councell though they may not disclaime it Durand r 4. d. 11. q. 1. saith It is great rashnesse to thinke the body of Christ by his diuine power cannot be in the sacrament vnlesse the bread be conuerted into it But if this way which supposeth the bread to remaine still were true de facto many doubts which meet vs about the sacrament holding that the substance of bread remaineth not were dissolued But forsomuch as this way must not de facto be holden since the Church hath determined the contrary which is presumed not to erre in such matters therefore I answer the arguments made to the contrary holding the other part which saith the bread is changed Would our aduersaries thus backwardly come into the opinion if they had seene it to haue bene holden in all ages before in the Church or is it not rather an infallible signe that it was brought into the Church by the strength of some mens conceits without all warrant either of Scripture or fathers the want whereof so dazled those that imbraced it that they could see no reason for it but are all glad to lay it vpon the necke of a silly Pope in his Lateran Coūcell Besides ſ Scot. 4. d 11. q. 3. Bell Euchar. l. 3. c. 23. they confesse There is no Scriptare to inforce it vnlesse ye bring the Church of Romes exposition that is to say the Popes authoritie in whom t Turrect tract 73. quest q. 49. they thinke the power of the vniuersall Church in determining matters of faith principally resides if not alone u 3. part q. 75. art 1. p. 153. Caietan laieth downe diuers opinions holden among the Schoolemen touching the conuersion neuer a one whereof reacheth the transubstantiation and disallowing such as expounded Christs words This is my body metaphorically he saith his reason is because the Church hath vnderstood them properly I say the Church saith he because in the Gospell there is nothing that compelleth vs to vnderstand them properly headdeth that the conuersion of the bread into Christs body we haue receiued of the Church Now put all this together that we beleeue transubstantiation vpon the authoritie of the Church and this Church was Pope Innocent in the Councell of Lateran before which time there was no certaintie nor necessitie of beleeuing it and the Councell might haue chosen another sence of Christs words more easie and in all appearance more true for there is no Scripture sufficient to conuince it and the contrary were liable to fewer difficulties let this I say be put together and it will plainly shew that this point came in contrary to that which was vniuersally holden in the ancient Church because things vniuersally holden were certainly knowne and expresly beleeued without all this ado § 48. Let him shew also what countrey there is or hath bene where Christian faith either was first planted or continued where some at least haue not holden the Romane faith as we can shew them diuerse places especially in the Indies Iaponia and China countreys where theirs is scarce heard of The Answer 1 This is answered before sect 46. nu 2. where I shewed that when countries were first conuerted frō Paganism which was for the most part in the Primitiue Church the present Romane faith was not knowne but the Church of Rome in those daies professed the same that we do and consequently the nations conuerted by it and professing the faith thereof were conuerted to our religion and professed it For the Iesuite deceiueth himselfe with the name of Romane faith wherewith in the beginning all nations indeed vnder heauen communicated but then it was not the same that now it is as I haue plainly demonstrated in the former sect digress 49. And although since the change many nations haue still retained the same faith with it yet that iustifieth not the faith because the said faith growing on by steps and peecemeale was a generall apostasie and the mysterie of iniquitie working throughout the whole Church so that of necessitie there must be some in all places to follow it As when a generall rebellion groweth throughout a kingdome the rebels haue partakers in euerie towne and yet the possession is not proued theirs by that but onely the greatnesse and strength of the rebelling faction is shewed The Papacy that is to say the Roman faith in as much as it differeth from vs is not imagined by vs to be in another Church distinct in place and countries from the true Church of Christ but we affirme it to be a contagion raigning in the middest of the Church of Christ it self and spreading throughout the parts therof wheresoeuer and annoying the whole body like a leprosie in which disease though all the parts be affected yet the inward and vitall parts retaine their operation and still worke to expell the leprosie which at the length they do In this case the man is possessed indeed with a vile contagion but yet the man remaineth there still though the contagion be not the man And the contagion possesseth euery part of him some more some lesse being vniuersally spread ouer the body and yet hereby it is not proued to be the true nature and sound constitution of the bodie but a preuailing humor and when
the bodie after a long time hath shaken it off and looked through it by reason the vitall parts kept out the poison we do not call it a new bodie for that were absurd as our aduersaries call the Protestants a new Church but a bodie recouered and deliuered from a leprosie In the same manner we compare the Church and the Papacie 2 To the second part wherein the Iesuite saith he can shew diuers places where our religion is scarce heard of specially the Indies Iaponia and China I answer he doth wisely to carrie his Reader into his new world because he knew the old world hath Protestants in euery part of it as I haue said and a Engl. voyage◠the Spanish Inquisition hath found some there too and may daily find more for any thing they know yet the time being vnder 120. yeares since their first discouerie And if the Iesuite were well put to it it would be exceeding hard for him to shew so many of his Romane faith in those countries as is pretended The Spaniards I grant that dwell and traffick there professe it but the questiō is of the inhabitāts For I hold him a weak man and easie of beliefe that giueth any credit to the Iesuits reports and their Indian newes concerning this matter the which I say vpon euident grounds For Franciscus Victoria in his publicke lectures at Salmantica b Relect. 5. pag. 201. affirmed that the Barbarians by warre could not be moued to beleeue but to faine they beleeued and receiued the faith which is horrible and sacrilegious c Pag. 200. and he addeth that the Christian religion was neuer yet sufficiently offered them And Bartolomaeus Casas that was a Bishop in the Indies and saw all that was done d Span. Colon◠informed the king of Spaine that the crueltie of the Spaniards toward the people and the leudnesse of the Priests was such that the Indians beleeued nothing but mocked at al that was shewed them of God being rooted in this conceit that our God is the worst and the most wicked and vniust of all gods because he hath such seruants But I will handle this point at large in the 50. Digression where I doubt not but to giue the Iesuite enough of his Indies conuersion 3 And whereas the Iesuite saith our faith was scarce euer heard of among the Indians this is rashly spoken and more then he knoweth For Bishop Iewel hath e Def. Apolog. pag. 37. shewed out of Vesputius that in the East Indies there were many godly Bishops and sundrie whole countries conuerted and baptized before the Portugals came there or the Popes name was heard of And if it be true that f Osor gest Eman l. 3. pag. 83. 107. Fred. Lumnius de extrem Indic l. 2. c. 8. Sur. cōmen an 1565. Baron an 57. n 113. the Iesuites owne histories report that the Apostle Thomas lieth buried in a citie there and that he conuerted them to the faith of Christ and that the people of the countrey by his doctrine haue Bishops and Patriarkes to this day and maried Priests and the Scriptures and the Eucharist in both kinds then belike there were at least some steps of the Protestants religiō there afore the Popes authoritie was heard of And vnlesse he can proue out of the scriptures that Saint Thomas was a Papist which is hard to do he must graunt also that their first conuersion was to our faith for Saint Thomas conuerted them and we beleeue the same that he preached § 49. Nay euen our owne Chronicles can beare witnesse that our deare countrey England was conuerted by Austin a Monke sent from S. Gregory the Pope and continued in that faith without any knowledge of the Protestants religion which then was vnhatched for diuerse hundred yeares The like record in other countreys conuerted by meanes of those onely who did communicate and were members of the Romane Church we may finde in other histories See Socrat. l. 1. c. 29. cap. 28. 30. Sozom. l. 2 c. 23. Niceph. l. 14. c. 40. Platina in vitis Pontificum Steph. 7. Adrian 4. Aeneas Syluius de origine Bohemorum cap. 16. Baronius his Annales the Indian and Iaponian histories letters other particular histories of peculiar Christian countries The Answer 1 Touching the conuersion of England by Austin the Monk wherewith our aduersaries make so much ado I answer two things First that supposing he did conuert it yet was it not to the present Romane faith but to that which was the faith at that time For neither was Gregorie that sent him such a Pope as now the Pope is inuested with his supremacie nor his doctrine in the chiefe things sutable to that which is now holden as may be shewed by that which he hath left written against a L. 4. ep 76. 80. 83. l. 6. ep 88 194. Images b L. 7. ep 109. the supremacie c Super 7 psal poenitent the merit of workes and diuers other points though I will not denie but the contagion of some errors were got in in his time and Austine arriuing in England might do his best to scatter them Which being granted our aduersaries are neuer the nearer that they shoote at because we can shew the said things so brought in to be errors and different from that which the Church beleeued long before Austins coming And for triall hereof let any man set downe what Austine taught in this his imaginated conuersion of the countrey and contrarie to our faith and I will demonstrate it to haue bene against the teaching of the Primitiue Church before him 2 Secondly I say he conuerted not our countrey at all excepting the planting of some trifling ceremonies For Gildas d An. 580. Polyd praefat ad Tonstal praefixa Gildae Austin came an 597. Baro an 597. n. 20. who liued afore Austins coming writeth that the Brittans receiued the Christian faith from the first beginning And this appeareth to be true in that the Apostles themselues or some of that time preached in the countrey Baronius e An. 58. n. 51. thinketh Saint Peter was here Theodoret f De Curand Graec. affect l. 9. saith Saint Paule Nicephorus g L. 2. c. 40. saith Simon Zelotes h Baron an 35. n. 5. Some Ioseph of Arimathea but whosoeuer they were certaine it is that very timely in the Primitiue Church the Gospell was planted for so i Tertul. aduers Iudae Origen hom 4. in Ezek. Theod. hist l. 4. c. 3. the auncient writers agree whereby it appeareth that Austine is not the Apostle of our land as k Three conuers par 1. c. 8. some vainly giue it out It is l Alan Cope l. 5. c. 18. 19. obiected that the faith thus planted at the first was extinguished againe by heresie and paganisme in that part of the land which was inhabited by the English Saxons whom Austine conuerted Whereto I answer three
things first that if religion were among the Brittans and extinguished no where but in Kent where Austine arriued then he conuerted not the land but one poore countrey in it and must be called no longer the Apostle of England but the Apostle of Kent which compasse I thinke our ambitious aduersaries wil not be content with because it is too narrow for their turnes Next m Three conuers part 1. c. 11 n. 4 the busiest aduersaries that we haue in this matter say all the land was conuerted about that time For Austine conuerted the kingdomes of Kent the East Saxons and all the rest were conuerted within lesse then threescore yeares after being seuen States in all The which narration ascribeth the same want of the true faith to all the land that in the obiection is layd to Kent alone Whence it followeth that the faith was not extinct in Kent because it was remaining still in the other six kingdoms The which to be true appeareth by Bede who n L. 1. c. 8.17.21 writeth that afore Austins coming the Brittans were troubled with Arrianisme and Pelagianisme but Germanus Lupus and Seuerus three French Bishops deliuered them Whereby it is plainly proued that the whole land was not conuerted by Austine but had the faith long before he came Thirdly touching Kent it selfe where Austine arriued ouer and besides that it cannot be proued to haue wanted the faith any more then the rest of the land did Bede o L. 1. c. 25.26 saith that the Queene thereof was a French woman called Bertha a good Christian and had a Christian Bishop euen at that time when Austine came p L. 2. c. 2. And he addeth further that when he arriued he found diuers Brittan Bishops and learned men with a Monasterie at Bangor all which were Christians and refused Austine for his pride which they found in him contrarie to Christs humilitie And touching the Brittans our aduersaries q Three conuers par 1. c. 9. n. 1. write that from king Lucius time vntil the comming of Austine which was foure hundred yeares and more they did not alter their faith but it remained among them when he entred for r Lib. 1. c. 17. Bede saith that when a certaine Bishops sonne broached the heresie of Pelagius in the land yet the people would not receiue it Which constraineth vs to thinke that Austine brought not the faith into the land with him but found it there whē he came His errand as it may probably be thought was about the planting of certaine ceremonies and the dealing with our countreymen about the obseruation of Easter and ſ Cassand ordo Rom. praefat Gregory that sent him about that time was busie in changing the Liturgies vsed in these Western parts and did change them and thrust his new ones vpon all the places he could It may be this was a part of the Monkes businesse into Kent 3 And as the Iesuite vntruly ascribeth the conuersion of England to the Monke so hath he as absurdly written that the Protestants religion was vnhatched for I know not how many hundred yeares after Which he would not haue said but that Papists are famous for their aduentures For before the conquest t Homil. Saxonic A Elfrici Aelfricus an Archbishop of Canterburie caused the people of the land to be taught the same doctrine touching the sacrament that we hold and u H. Huntingd. l. 7. Fab. chron the Priests were maried as now they be and x Bed l. 1. c. 1. the Scriptures were vsed in the mother tongue And after the conquest liued Iohn Wickliffe and the Lollards who held the same faith that we do and suffered persecution for it 4 That which he saith of other countries conuerted by meanes of such as were members of the Romane Church proueth not Papistrie to be either auncient or vniuersall For the three first authors in the places alledged speake of the time within the first fiue hundred yeares when the Church of Rome was of our religion and that which they report is not of any whom the Bishop of Rome sent or procured to conuert the countries but this y Socr. l. 1. c. 19.20 Soz. l. 2 c. 24 that Frumentius being sent by Athanasius the Bishop of Alexandria conuerted the Indians z Niceph. l. 14. c. 40. and a captiue woman conuerted the Iberians and a sort of Iewes in Creet were conuerted by the inhabitants and the Burgundians instructed by a French Bishop In all which there is neither mention of the Church of Rome nor of the present faith now professed therein but our aduersaries thinke that whatsoeuer is found in antiquitie concerning the auncient Church of Rome should belong to them wherein they finde themselues deceiued as often as the matter is put to triall and this one example may shew it for allowing all these countries to haue bin conuerted by such as were members of the Church of Rome yet this was a thousand years ago when that Church was the same that ours is and so the conuersions were wrought by persons adhering to the Protestants faith The three last authors Platina Eneas and Baronius are Papists liuing one of them at this day the other within the memory of our fathers and therefore I regard not what they writ touching this question because we haue more auncient records against them And yet whatsoeuer they haue written the present Romane faith is not iustified thereby For hereticks may conuert nations to heresie as a Oros hist l. 7. c. 19. the Arrians and b Cedren compend pag. 347. Mahomet haue done Therefore it is necessary that first they proue their faith to be agreeable with the word of God by comparing them together afore they boast of their conuersions Digression 50. Of the conuersion of the Indies to the Romane faith by the Iesuites 5 But that which he vrgeth concerning the Indies must be a little further looked into For c Epist Indic Bellar. not eccl c. 12. Hard. confut apol p. 18. our aduersaries make much ado and tell wonders of their miracles and conuersions there But marke the words of Franciscus Victoria their owne writer It doth not d Relect. 5. pag. 200. saith he sufficiently appeare to me that the Christian faith hath hitherto bene so offered and preached to the Indies that they should vnder the pain of sinne be bound to beleeue it This I say because they are not bound to beleeue vnlesse the faith be propounded to them with probable perswasion But miracles or signes I heare of none nor examples of life so religious nay the contrary I heare of many scandals and villanies and many impieties Whence it appeareth that the Christian religion hath not bene preached to them conueniently nor godlily The which how true it is you may perceiue by that which followeth concerning the prodigious crueltie of the Spaniards and impious behauiour of the Priests in those countries euer since their first
examples r Puer fermè decēnis Baron an 1033. nu 6. Glab Rodulf Bennet the ninth was a child about ten yeares old ſ Baro. an 955 nu a. 3. Iohn the twelft a mad lad eighteen yeares old at the most t Plat. Baro an 908. 1. Sergius the third entred violently casting out his predecessor Christopher imprisoning him with bands vntill he draue him to turne Frier and so end his dayes u Baro. an 912. nu 7. Iohn the eleuenth was created Pope by Theodora and violently intruded for his filthy loue x Baro. an 928 nu 2. Afterward her daughter Marozia by force of armes expelled him and caused him to be imprisoned where he was smothered to death Leo the sixt succeeded him y Baro. an 929 1. and he also was imprisoned and died The next but one was Iohn the twelft z Baro. an 931 nu 1. he was bastard to Sergius by Madam Marozia and being yet but a stripling was violently put into the Popedome by his mother and her husband Wido the Marquesse a Baro. an 940 nu 1. The next Pope but one was Stephen chosen by the Romanes without the Cardinals consent b Baro. an 955. nu 4. Iohn the twelfth was made Pope by the faction of Albericus his father when for his age he was not yet capable of the order of a Deacon c Luitpr l. 6. ◠11. In the end his Bishops forsooke him and one night as he was in bed with a mans wife he diuel strooke him and he died About ten yeares after d Baro. an 974. nu 1. Bennet the sixt was imprisoned and murdered by Boniface that succeeded him who got the Popedome by violence e An. 975. nu 1 and was againe himselfe as violently deposed and Iohn the 15. put in his roome f An. 985. nu 1 but he returned againe and apprehending Iohn imprisoned and murdered him This companion is one of the succession and yet Baronius saith of him he was a villaine and a theefe the murderer of two Popes the inuader of Peters chaire who had not so much as one haire of a Romane Bishop whether ye consider his entrance or going forward but deserueth to be reckoned among famous theeues and ransackers of their countrey such as were Sylla and Catiline all who might cast their cap at this theefe These are a few examples among many of such as haue succeeded in the Church of Rome taken out of our aduersaries owne writings May it please them to looke backe and make a stand a while and when they haue viewed the maner of their coming in and well beheld their order to say what they thinke of the Romane succession in their dayes and where it was And to remember that it is not the badnesse of their liues that I now vrge against them but the maner of their entrance which by all lawes of God and men maketh them apostaticall and as Baronius confesseth not fit to be put into the catalogue and yet they were aboue fiftie Popes together that thus entred and this order continued 200. yeares at that time beside all other times wherein the succession may be shewed to haue bin no better 10 Lastly g Onupht cro Ro. pont Bozi sign eccl l. 19 c. 1. there haue bin thirtie schismes wherein there were two or three Popes at once As for example about the yeare 1044. h Baro. an 1044 nu 1.2.5 Naucler vol. 2. gen 35. Onuph in Grego 6. ad Plat. Bennet the ninth Syluester the third and Iohn were all Popes at once and made their abode in three seuerall places of the citie diuiding among them the reuenues of the Patriarchies vntil Gregory the sixt hiring them with mony to giue ouer himselfe was created the fourth Pope and was presently expelled againe and Clement ordained Againe i Theod Niem l. 1. c. 7. about the yeare 1379. began the schisme betweene Vrbane and Clement which ended not till 70. yeares after At the first there were two Popes together the one in Italy the other in France k Naucler vol. 2. gener 46. Ioan Marian. de reb Hisp l. 18. c. 1. what time the most learned men aliue could not tell which was the true Pope but it was doubted throughout the Christian world l Naucler gen 47. Hereupon some thirtie yeares after the schisme began the Cardinals meeting at the Councell of Pisa elected a third Pope and so there were three Popes whereof Bellarmine m Rom. pont l. 4. c. 14. saith it could not easily be iudged which of them was the true and lawfull Pope euery one of them hauing most learned patrons n Naucler gen 48. Shortly after the Councell of Constance deposed them all three and created Martin which yet did not so extinguish the schisme but that in the Councel of Basil it brake out again where the Duke of Sauoy was made Pope against Eugenius and was called Felix o Clement elected an 1379. Felix resigned an 1449. betwene whose resignation and the election of Clement against Vrban was 70. yeares Here let any man bethinke himselfe what succession this was wherein so many Popes succeeded all at once and no man can tell which was the true Pope For if the Iesuite will haue me to beleeue the Romane faith because of the succession of Popes in that Church then it is needfull that he shew me who they were that thus succeeded and proue their entrance lawfull which he cannot do forasmuch as euery one of them will maintaine his owne right and as I haue noted had the most learned and conscionable men in the world on their side that no man could tel who succeeded § 56. And this conclusion I may also confirme with the authoritie of the ancient Fathers who in expresse words do affirme the Romane Church which was then gouerned by Popes as now it is to be the lawfull and Apostolicke Church Iren. l 3. c. 3.5 August contra Ep. fundam c 4. and in diuerse other places S. Ambros serm 47. de fide Petri. S. Hierome Epist ad Damas de verbo hypost S. Cyprian l. 1. Ep. 1. ad Cornel. l. 4. Ep ad Papianum and others The which since they did affirme for no other reason but because that companie of men which were Christians in Rome and which in their dayes communicated with the Romane Church had a lineall succession of people and priests deriued without interruption from the Primitiue Church which was planted by the Apostles themselues with which succession of Priests must needs be inseparably ioyned succession of doctrine since I say for this reason no other they did call the Romane the Apostolike Church this reason alway holding as well since the dayes of these Fathers as before we may say that in effect they affirmed the Romane Church at this day to be the true Apostolike Church See especially Irenaeus and S. Austin in the place alreadie cited
repugnance although that which he saith seeme absurd to our sence and thought This I proue For vnlesse there were such an infallible rule prouided it were impossible for anie man especially for anie vnlearned man in all points infallibly to learne and hold the true faith and since it is impossible it is no way to be thought but that almighty God who is so desirous that all men should come to the knowledge of the truth consequently to saluation did prouide that infallible rule or meanes sufficient to instruct euery one in all points by which it might be possible for thē to attaine to the true knowledge of infallible faith by that to saluation The Answer 1 This fourth conclusion conteineth two members First that God hath left in the world some certen rule and meanes wherby we may infallibly be instructed what is to be holden for true faith this you may freely grant him with that which he inferreth thereupon that the onely cause why a man misseth the truth is either because he doth not find this rule or hauing found it he will not obey it The second is that this rule is left to all men indifferently so that euery man without exception of what estate or faculty soeuer may haue accesse vnto it be instructed This mēber includes 2. sences First that the rule is of that nature that it is able to direct any man be he neuer so simple yea the most vnlearned aliue may conceiue vnderstand it sufficiently for his saluation This you shall also yeeld him as an vndoubted truth Next that all men at all times may haue accesse vnto it as being a thing concealed from none but visible and reuealed to all places ages and persons And this to be a part of the Iesuits meaning I gather by the words of his eighteenth section where he concludeth the Church to be the rule alway visible Because otherwise men sometimes viz. when it were inuisible should want a rule to instruct them contrary to that of Paul that God would haue all men to be saued and come to the knowledge of his truth this he could not haue said if his meaning in this place the ground of his speech there were not that the rule of faith is euermore and in all places visible and manifested to all men indifferently a point meerely false and smelling of Pelagianisme 2 For before Christ it was reuealed only to the Iewes and not to the Gentiles except some particular persons as appeareth plainly both by obseruation g Psal 76.1 103.7 147.19 Mat. 10.5 Act. 14 16. 16.6 Rom. 3.2 the text And experience sheweth how at this day the Lord hath concealed the meanes of saluation from the Turke and infinite other barbarous gentiles of whom it cannot be said that he hath left vnto them this entire rule but that in his iudgement many times secret but alway iust he hath denied it them seeing as h Rom. 1.16 the Apostle speaketh the Gospell of Christ is the power of God vnto saluation both to Iew and Gentile i 1. Cor. 1.21 and when the world by wisedome knew not God in the wisedome of God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue thē that beleeue And k Epist 107. ad Vital circa med Austin saith It is a most manifest truth that many cannot be saued not because themselues will not but because God will not and the contrary he confuteth as Pelagianisme But if I mistake the Iesuite and he meane the words in the first sence it is well and we both agree To the place of Timothy concerning Gods willing all men to be saued l Deus vult omnes homines saluos fieri id est omnes homines qui saluātur saluos sieri nullus enim nisi eo volente saluatur Vel sit distributio non pro singulis generum sed pro generibus singulorū quia de quolibet genere statu hominum vult aliquos saluos fieri Greg. Arimin pag. 165. l. 1. I shall answer in the 18. section nu 6. § 4. Fiftly this infallible rule prouided by almightie God as sufficient to instruct euery one aswell learned as vnlearned in all points of faith must haue three properties or conditions First it must be infallible most vndoubted sure For otherwise faith grounded and built vpon it cannot be infallible certaine and sure Secondly it must be such as may be easily and plainly knowne to all sorts learned and vnlearned For otherwise be it neuer so certaine and sure in it selfe yet if it be vnknowne or vncertainely knowne vnto them it cannot be to them a rule or infallible meane whereby they may attaine to the infallible knowledge of the true faith Thirdly it must be most vniuersall that it may not onely make vs know certainly what is the true faith in some one or two or more points but absolutely in all points of faith For otherwise it is not a sufficient rule whereby we may attaine to an entire faith which integritie of faith is necessarie to saluation as hath bene proued The Answer 1 To these three properties of the rule of faith we must adde two more if we will shew all the nature thereof First that it be not partiall addicted more to one side then another Secondly that it be of power and authority able to conuince the conscience of such as vse it and from the which there can be no appeale For neither can it be a rule of the truth which it selfe is crooked with affection neither may we safely rely vpon it if either it dismisse our consciēce wauering or admit a superior rule whereto we may appeale And the reason is because our faith and knowledge must be m Col. 2.2 Basil Reg. contract qu. 95. with full assurance and perswasion the which we cannot obtaine vnlesse the rule giue it vs and nothing can giue it but that which hath a coactiue power to bind the conscience and to stay it at his owne tribunal 2 Next the second property must be expoūnded that the rule be easie and plaine to all sorts of men learned and vnlearned to wit which vse the means and are diligent in attending it be enlightned by the spirit of God To all such it is plaine be they neuer so vnlearned to the rest it is not neither is it a necessary condition of the rule so to be Not because it selfe is obscure at any time but for that sometimes men haue not eyes to see into it For all meanes and rules are vaine vnlesse God giue eyes to see as n Gen. 21.19 he opened Hagars eyes to see the well of water according to that of Dauid o Psal 119.18 open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy law and p Esa 29.10 Pro. 14 6. Luc. 8.10 Ioh. 8.43.47 1. Cor. 2.14 2. Cor. 3.14 4.3 the Scripture teacheth the point manifestly So saith q In. Ioh. lib. 1.