holie scriptures The Samaritanes were heretiques and did fortifie them selues with the texte of the law of Moyses Our sauiour hath condemned them with his owne mouth when being asked of the Samaritane whether God should be worshipped in Hierusalem or in Samaria he answered you worshippe that you know not wee worshipp that Iohan. 4. we knowe the saluation is of the Jewes For it is as yf he had sayd yow Samaritanes which be distracted from the Iewes you shal haue nothing in the treasure of saluation and you can not but erre This only voice thundering from heauen you worshipp that you know not is a sufficient flash of lightening to ouerthrow all that these deuided felowes frō the Curch can imagine to haue eyther holie or godlie Let no mā be ouertakē by the deuil through ignorance of this doctrine S. Augustin teacheth vs clearly that although heretikes S. August in Enchrid ad Lauren. do preache the name of Iesus Christ yet that name is not their seur groūd as it is to Catholikes but remayneth proper to the Church only for if one consyder aduysedly that which belongeth to Iesus Christ he shall not fynde it amongst heretikes what so euer but in tytle and shew only the effect of the vertue shal not be there they sound out with full mouth that they holde the sonne of God for the redeemer of the worlde but notwithstandyng after they haue pronounced those woords because they spoyle hym of his vertue dignitie that which S. Paule sayth Collos 2. is truly proper vnto them that they keepe not the heade whereof the whole body which is the Church by ioyntes bandes being compacted groweth to the increase of God And according to this Optatus properly sayth that the buylding Opt. li. 3. 6. of heretykes is but only a wal which hath no corner stone nor couerture aboue in such sorte that if they make a gate he that entreth in is alwayes without subiect to wyndes rayne tempest theeues and to wylde beasts But the Catholike Church is an entier howse in the which God doth dwel and he dwelleth not in any other Al that which is inclosed therein is couerd wel assured out of daunger of the incommodytyes of the ayre of theeues and of all external harme Furthermore he compareth heresie to artificial trees which fowlers fashion in likenes of a natural tree hauing the shew of a true tree but full of snares and of glew where the brides searching their life fynde their death wheras the Church is a true tree in deed full of good fruits without snares and fraude But aboue al. S. Cyprian hath very wel sayd that heresie and idolatrie be in Lib. de vnit Eccles the same damnatiō as daughters of the same father when sayth he by the coming of Iesus Christ the light being reuealed vnto the gentiles and the sonne of saluation shyning to the face of al people the darknes of idolatry was chased out of the world Satan seing his seates and temples desolate and his Idols forsakē of al people on te earth which did runne vnto the Churches of Iesus Christ he found a new craft vnder the self same name of Christian to intangle them that were not wel aduised and to make them fal from the grace of Iesus Christ that is he hath sturred vp heresies with the which he hath subuerted the fayth corrupted the truth and broken the vnite of concorde in such sorte that those whom he can not longer hold in the auncient way of blyndnes he hath deceaued by the error of a new way so spoyleth men euen within the Church deceauing them with an other kynd of darkenes to the end that not contynewing in the vnitye of the Church they may yet cal them selues Christians and walking in darkens they may perswade them selues to haue the light making them blinde without perceauing their blyndes yea then when they thinke them selues most sure of the light For as he is a cunnyng woorkeman to transforme him self often into an Angel of light he leadeth them in to likelihoodes of truth that he may so deceiue them in the truth affirmyng the night for day death for life infidelitye for faith Antichrist vnder the name of Iesus Christ And ther is not any absurditye how monstrous and foule so euer it be that he doth not make them receyue and that very greedelye and hauing once bleared them with his iugling tricks he holdeth theyr iudgements so fast tyed and hampered that they can not see the very open and manyfest truth so that hauing now no more roote in God they be cast into a reprobate sense turnyng to their owne destruction al that is presented vnto them and sticke not now to stād and fyght agaynst God him self Now to them wich suffer them selues to be deceiued it happeneth sayeth S. Cyprian for not searching the truth of faith by the right way according to the direction of our heauēly Maister who doth send vs to the chayer of S. Peter which of his proper auctoritie by prerogatyue he hath ordeined to be head as the fountayne roote of his Church And this was a greate benefit of God that he hath giuen a certaine seat to his Church as auncyently was the chayre of Moyses to the end that in the doubtful points of faith men myght haue a place to resorte vnto as to a certeine Vniuersite to receiue their iudgement and resolutiō and so to kepe the vnitie of faith among so many dyuers nations that were to enter in to the Church This is certeinly the point whereby all heretikes in the world haue perished doe perishe now and shall alwayes perishe for that they like not not sauour not the Sacramēt of the vnitie of faith in the vniuersal brotherhood of the Church nor acknowledge that there is one certain Church the only mother of al the children of God which is only holie Catholike and Apostolike vnto whom Iesus Christ her spouse head hath giuen the character of the order of his eternall Priesthood the keyes of the realme of heauen all aucthoritie ouer his howshould vnto whom he hath promised assistance of his holie spirit vntil the end of the worlde in whom is the wil of God the forgiuenes of sinnes and the distribution of graces who only hath the woord of God in keeping the pure doctrine of the Gospell the true vse of Sacraments to whom only therefore doth appertain to iudge of the true sense of the holy scriptures and to decyde the controuersies of faith that rise among men whose iudgements in earth be ratified in heauen which Church being but one and vndiuided in faith yet extending it self in her cōmuniō as the beames of the sunne as long and as wyde as the whole world encreasinge multiplyinge dayly without end or lymit continueth inseparably vnited to her head as the beames to the body of the sunne not liuinge but of his grace not breathing but of his
indiuisible than the beames of the sunne it is not to be holden by halues it is a gift of God and a grace infused and the gifts of God are perfite For concerning faith who so euer faileth in one article is culpable in all And he is no lesse drouned which is but two fingars ouer head in water than he which is an hundred fathoms dieper A mans faith eye and honour are thre things that can not endure to be hurt or impared how litle soeuer it be Many of them which haue yet some liuelie roote in the Church and hate heresie doe giue to them selfes some times libertie to blame or contemne certein obseruances and ceremonies of the Church as in their opinions vnprofitable These lo do daungerouslie erre besides that they shew herein their beastlines and ignorance for nothing vniuersallie receiued in the Church is of small consequence or importance And vnwoorthie are they to haue any place in the Church and to be partakers of the Sacraments of euerlasting life which doe disagree with her in the least point that a man can think of Men ought with more reuerence to iudge of such things as are approued and alowed of the vniuersal Church When men debate of humain matters let then humain reason take place but in the doctrine of faith the only authoritie of the Churche ought to rule It is not for vs to take vpon vs to cōfirme and establish that whereunto we must obey We must in al submit our selues wholie to her iudgemēt without exception of any thing what soeuer it be For so soone as faith is seuered from the Sanctuarie of the Church she is out of her natural element she hath no more vital spirit The Church hath secret motiues considerations tending to the vtilitie and preseruation of her vniuersal familie incomprehensible to any one priuate person yet notwithstanding they haue theyr foundacions and grounds verie firme and sure The most excellent Philosophie that euer was in the worlde is that of Abrahā which Philo describeth Abraham Philo. He reduced all the effects of the second causes to the first cause immediatlie he dyd not attribute to the sunne the light of the day nor to cloudes the rain nor to eyes the sight nor to eares the hearing nor to other next instruments of sense the cause of their facultie not to the feet force to goe not breathing to the lunges not concoction to the stomak not to trees and seeds their yerelie fruits but he reduced all things immediatlie to him onlie which spreadeth abroad his benignitie and beneuolence largelie franklie and freelie in all places he bendeth all his forces to hym alone hoping by hym only to be ayded and staying him self vpon him only neither trusting vpon heauē nor vpon earth ayer beasts plants or rootes with intent to loue them as causes And as a man may say he trauersed through all the rankes and troupes of the host of all second and instrumental causes apperteining to the OEconomie or general disposition of the vniuersal nature for to approche vnto the soueraign head the Creator of substances the giuer of formes the first mouer first cause and cause of causes to the ende to loue him only and to giue him only thankes for all benefits receiued And this Philosophie of Abraham was as a shining beam of the innocencie of nature before sinne which innocencie consisted in cleaning wholie to God and depending vpon God in all things not resting vpō him selfe nor vpon any creature whereupon also God loued him more and was more reuealed to hym than to those that loue the second causes and search deeplie in to them not satisfied otherwise with the first In like maner in matters of faith those which doe rest altogether vpon the Church shal rather be illuminated of the holy Ghost than those which doe not giue credit to her but vpon a caution or condition of some natural reason If any would know the way how to render a reason of his faith and of all obseruances of the Church S. Peter thereunto doeth exhort him And in 1. Petr. 3. dede the studie of such a science is the most noble and most worthie that is in the world only let him be humble and holde this for a principle or maxime though he vnderstandeth not the reason of any obseruances yet notwithstanding the same is grounded vpon some iust reason aboue his capacitie And when he hath layed for his ground this humilitie and comyng afterward to searche the motiues and reasons of the Churche then the knowleige of the general disposition and gouernement of the Church shall teach him considerations more deep more excellent more ample more confortable and shall replenish his mynde with a cleerer light than the knowleige of al Naturs vvorkes and therein he shal take more pleasure than if he had in his head the collectiōs and gatherings of al the knowleige in the worlde fast sowed one to an other and coulde giue a reason of the whole disposition of natural things in al parts of the whole frame of this worlde In the primatiue Church Sinesius the great Sinesius philosopher called by Christians to the state if a Bishop vvould not accept the same but with reseruation of some opinions of the ethnical philosophie The fathers condescended to his desire assuring them selues that so excellent a wit would easilie cast of al those reseruations of his philosophical folie by cōference with wise and learned men of the Church And in dede this learned man being made Bishop did soone cast away al reseruations of his seueral opinions and conformed him selfe in al points to the Church cōdemning him selfe and deriding his own vanitie proceding rather from the root of folie and pryde of a philosopher than of malice And truelie to addict him selfe obstinatlie to some particularities of opinions against the vniuersalitie Genes 27. it is the part of one that is ignorant of the first elements and principles of Christianitie and a token of a short and feeble iudgemen that hath a verie shmal beam of brightnes and is so poore of vnderstāding as he is not hable to conceiue that the riuer which he dwelleth next vnto is much lesse than the Ocean sea and that the sterres be much greater thē they appear to his eyes esteming the greatest things that he knoweth to be the most that God can doe in that kynde and considereth but one thing onlie where he ought to consider an hundred thousand persuading him selfe euermore to haue in the compasse of his brain all that God is hable to doe or wil doe mesuring all things by his own capacitie and sufficiencie which is not onlie an extreme folie but also verie daungerous for such folk vpon the least motion of the deuil wil throw them selues from the high pinacle of the temple down to the ground I mean from the firmament of the Church to the bottomles pit of heresie Wil we then be assured neuer to erre and to
faith of the Romaine Church And it is not many yeres ago syns that some Turkes some Ievves vvere baptized at Rome and other places in the Romain Church The Lutherans Caluinists can not boaste them selues to haue conuerted to their sect neither Panimes nor Turkes nor Iewes vvhervpon it doth appeare that they be of the spirite of the deuil sithens that all their force is no maner of waye to get the Infidels but only to distroy the Christians The seuenth marke is the conformitie of doctrine with the Primitiue Church Now that the auncient fathers did teach the same doctrine that we doe at this day and condemned for heretical that whiche we condemne their bookes beare vvitnes therof of the vvhich I wil say further that who so euer readeth them shal necessarelie frame to him self a catholike spirit and shal neuer after drinke the venim of any heresie For all thies fathers as they vvere well instructed vpon what states the holy Ghost doth rest him self so doe they breathe out nothing but humilitie abatement of presumption abnegation or denial of them selues a soueraigne reuerence to the Church a perpetual flame of charitie and a care of spiritual vnitie and as a man might saye an indiuisibilitie with the Church The eight marke is holines of doctrine that is to saye vvhen the profession of doctrine doth not contein any falsehood concerning matter of faith nor iniustice concerning maners by the vvhich marke it is conuicted that there is no true Church in the vvorld but the catholike Church For there is not a sect in the vvorld be it of the Panimes Iewes Turkes or of heretikes as vvel olde as new but it doth contein in her doctrine some manifest impietie or some iniustice directly contrary to reason as the sect of Caluin doth make God authour of sinne and as much the cause of the treason of Judas as of the conuersion of S. Peter and doth teache that the christiaÌ„ can not do any good worke Besyds that al theyr writings be impugnours of chastitie of virginitie of Religion inveihing against fasting against vovves against all orderlie deuotion in the church establishing all vice prouoking to dispaire laboring to extingwishe the seed of immortalitie in the hartes of men But the Church catholike is perfaictlie holie and immaculate in her doctrine she doth teach many things in her misteries aboue reason but nothing against reason she doth teache to auoide sinne she doth correcte transgressors she doth comfort the penitentes she doth exhorte all her childreÌ„ to walke holilie iustlie religiouslie in all their wayes and to haue their verie thoughts holie purging illuminating making them perfect for to present them holie to God Come sayth S. Augustin to our Churches there is nothing set foorth to see or to follow vvich is impossible nothing vniust nothing impure there be insinuated the comandementes of the true God or his marueilles declared or his giftes praysed or his graces demaunded And ther is no perfect ioye nor true consolation in the vvorlde but there for that there is not any remissioÌ„ of sinnes in the world but there The ninth marke is holines of lyfe aswel in priests as in the people I know that this marke although many doe cauil at it yet is it forceible more notorius in catholikes thaÌ„ in all the sectaries of the world S. Chrysostome sayth that all the kindes of Iustice that the seruants of God haue in truth the seruants of the deuil may haue the same in dissimulation The deuil sayth he hath his meeke men and his humble men he hath his chaste men his almes giuers his fasters and all kinde of goodnes that god hath created for the saluation of men The deuil hath brought in the same kind for to deceiue them to the end that between the true good and the good faigned there should be a confusion by the which the symple not being easelie hable to discerne the true good from the good faigned whiles they searching the men of God they light vpon men of the deuil and there is not any thing but onlie charitie that the vncleane spirit can not counterfeit All apparence of Iustice is found in deceiuers except onlie charitie which is not found but in the onlie seruants of God The holie Ghoste hath reserued to him self onlie this vertue of charitie in such sort that by no other action of Iustice a man may so wel discerne where the holie ghost is as by the vertue of charitie All heresies at te beginninge come masked with a superficial holines whiche for that it is not of the spirit of God can not soundlie be there setled And as the ape learned by arte to hold the candle after he hath stode some small while in stead of a candelstik at the sight of a nut caste before him leaueth all for to runne after it euen so they can not long time indure without manifesting the spirit wherof they be And as theyr father was a morderer from the beginning so they be come straight waies theeues kindlers of Ioh. 8. discention worse then Panimes and Barbarians and aboue all other vices Pride is to them peculiar whereof S. Augustin sayth Insundrie places there be sundrie heresies but one Aug. l. de past only mother pride hath ingendred them all as also our onlie mother the Catholike Church hath brought foorth all faithfull Christians dispersed throughout the world And all thes heresies doe springe by accident of some euil occasion Egesippus speaking Egesipp apud Eus lib. 4. hist cap. 22. of the first heretike sayth thus then the church was called a virgin not being yet corrupted by adulterous doctrine but one Theobutes for that Theobutes he was denied a bishoprike did beginne to trowble and corrupt all things It apeareth in the ecclesiastical Act. 8. Tert. con ValeÌ„ Epiph. he â—4 Theod. l. 3. 5 historie that SimoÌ„ Magus Valentin Marrian Arrius and all those olde monsters did spring out from theÌ„se for disdeining that others were preferred before them they made a secte for to reuenge them selues Apoc. 16. I. Coch. in actis Luth. 15 17. Luth. in ep ad Argen l. con Aug. l. de missa sing being eloquent and of great witt and of those that S. Iohn calleth false Prophetes issued out of the throat of the dragon vncleane and deuelish spirits practising the kinges of the earth Luther witnessed his owne motiue in the first disputation aginst Ecchius crying out this cause is not begunne for the loue of God Him self hath written that willinglie he would haue denied the presens of Iesus Christ in the Eucharist if the scripture had not bene so cleare for that therby sayth he he did see that he might do much hart to the Papacie He boasteth him self that kinges Princes and Popes were not worthie to vntie the latche of his shoes he sayed that he would that they should holde him for a holie man whether men would or no that he did not
if the Church had had no need therof after him But it is the custome of GOD to make the first formes of thinges as moulds and afterwardes to let the same be continewed by succession propagation according to their nature TESTIMONIES OF THE fathers and of Councels for the supremacie of S. Peter IT should not be neede full to procede here any farder But because heretikes be so impudent liars as to sey that the auncient fathers haue neuer geuen to S. Peter nor to his successours Bishops of Rome those names of Prince of Head or of Soueraigne I will bring forth some testimonies for to confound them S. Irene being nere to the tyme of the Iren. l. 3. c. 3. Apostles sayd That it muste necessarilie be that all the vniuersall Church that is to say all the faithfull which be in all the world should resorte to the Romain Church for her most high principalitie and doth adde that in this Church the true traditions of the Apostles and the faith vvhich geueth life hath always bene kept S. Ciprian he which forsaketh the Chaire of sainct Peter vpon the vvhich the Cyp. l. de vâ—ita eccl ep 55. 69. Church is founded doth he think to be in the Church Moreouer he doth call S. Peter the head the fountain the Roote and the matrice of the Church He doth attribute to him the supremacie of the Apostles in preheminence of excellent grace he saith that vnfaithfulnes can not haue accesse to the chaire of S. Peter and that the cause of all heresies procedeth of this that men be not obedient to one onelie Bishop vicar of Iesus Christ S. Hierome Among the twelue Apostles one ys chosen head for to take away all occasions Hieron cont Ioâ—â—a 71. of schisme And being in the holy place of our lords natiuitie in Iurie he did write to Rome to Pope Damasus in these termes Loe here the faith which I haue learned Hieron ad Damas pap in the Catholike Church If I doe erre in any maner of fassion as Ignorant or as misaduised I desire that you correcte me sithens that you haue the seate and the faith of S. Peter And if you allow my confession I protest then bouldelie against whosoeuer shal reproue me that I am not ignorant that he is wicked or an heretike Your citie of Rome is happie where the faith of the fathers kepeth it selfe vncorrupted Here the euil children haue consumed their Patrimonie Here the good graine is degenerate into cockle whereas your Rome being allwayes fertile with diuine seede watered with heauenlie graces fructified in one selfe same puritie Now in the vvest the sonne of Iustice doth rise Here in the East that Lucifer vvich did fall from heauen hath set his throne I pray yow therefore to teach me that which I ought to keepe secret or vtter concerning the fayth I shunne euerie heretike I folowe yow onelie I am the sheepe vvhich demaundeth succour of the Pastour I speake to the successour of the fisher to the disciple of the Crosse I hould me to your holines that is to say to the chaire of S. Peter I know that vpon this Rocke the Church is gronded that vvhosoeuer out of this house doth eate the Lambe he is prophaned he is not of Iesus Christ he is of Antechrist Moreouer he calleth the Romain Church a verie pure fountain vvhich doth not receiue Illusions against the faith vvhich hath neuer norished heresie vvhich hath allwayes continued immaculate Ruffinus Ruffin in sym sayd also that neuer heresie tooke beginning at Rome S. Augustine who knoweth not the principalitie of the Apostleship of S. Peter is Aug. tract 55. 124. Ep. 164. lib. de Bapt. to be preferred before any Bishoprike The Principalitie of the Apostolike chaire hath allwayes had force in the Romain Church S. Peter as concerning his person by nature was but a man by grace a Christian But by more abundant grace that on selfe same man is the cheef Apostle and for the supremacie of his Apostleship doth represent the vniuersall Church And speaking of the Repentance of S. Peter Our Lord sayth he hath healed the disease of all the bodie in the head and in the verie toppe of Aug. ser 144. de paen Pet. the Church And praying for S. Peter he hath prayed for all for that the benefit of the head doth redounde to the people He doth moreouer call the Pope father of the Christian Aug. in q. vet nou Test q. 75. Amb. ser 47. people S. Ambrose saith our Lord ascending into the onely ship of the Church whereof S. Peter is the gouernour that ship doth so swimme in the high See of the world that the vvorld perishing she shall kepe safe as did the Arke of Noe in the shipwrake of the world those whome she shall haue receaued And as the flud being passed the doue brought into the Arke the signe of peace euen so after the burning of the vvorld to those whom the Arke of the Church shall represent Iesus Christ shall bringe the signe of his peace of his Ioye He sayth further that Peter is the vicar of the Loue of Iesus Christe towards vs that he is the stone of Churches which as an vnmouable Rocke conteineth the heape and Ioining together of all Christian building That not S. Andrew but S. Peter hath had the primacie and care of Churches Optatus emong the markes of the true church putteth the chaire Optat. li. 2. of S. Peter for the first and cheefe There is saith he but one onely chaire which hath bene set at Rome where the head of the Apostles S. Peter hath bene president in whom the vnitie of the chaire is kept of all and he should be a Schismatike and wicked man who against that singular chaire would set vp an other S. Leo. Of all the world onely S. Peter Leo ser 3. is chosen president for the vocation of the gentiles for all the fathers of the church And allthough there be many priestes and many pastours emong the people of God Yet S. Peter doth gouern them all And it was so ordained by great prouidence that in euery place there should be one head in the great townes other superiour heads hauing more ample Iurisdiction by whose meanes the care of the vniuersall Church should come to the seat of S. Peter and that nothing should be disagreing with his soueraigne head Prosper Rome is the seat of S. Peter A Hatchet of heresies the head of all the Prosp lib. de Ingratis world That which she can not possesse by Armes she doth hold the same by religion S. Gregorie It is most cleere vnto al those that know the Gospel that the care principalitie of the whole Church hath bene giuen to S Peter Prince of all the Apostles by the voice of our Lord him selfe S. Bede S. Peter hath specially had the keyes Bed in vigil S. Andr. of the kingdome of heuen
of the Church vicar of the souerain head essential Iesus Christ and successor of S. Peter in that vicareige to whom al Catholikes which are dispersed throughout the world are ioyned as members to their head Loe here 12. markes of the true church That is to say 1. The possessiō propertie of the name Catholike 2. The succession of the Apostolike priesthood 3. Antiquitie 4. The long cōtinuance without interruptiō 5. The largenes of the kingdome 6. The victorie of the whole world by efficacie of doctrine 7. The conformitie in doctrine with the primitiue Church 8. The holynes of doctrine 9. The holines of life of the possessours 10. The gloire of miracles 11. The Infelicitie of the impugners and prosperitie of the Protectours 12. And the vnion of the members with their head the successour of S. Peter These are comprised in fower woordes of the Creed that is to say in that she is one Holy Catholike and Apostolike I doe not enter here into the groundes of the doctrin of the Catholike Church The principal scope of this present treatise was onely to shew that out of the Catholike Church man can not be saued whatsoeuer thing he doth whereunto I haue added these outeward markes the which without farder disputation may be sufficient to euery Christian mā to resolue him selfe touching all difficulties whatsoeuer for all the controuersies which haue bene are and euer shal be in the faith doe rest therein and are reduced to that onely head to finde the true Church Which being ones found a man is out of all hazard and peril of errour For all agree vpon this principle that there is but one Church and that the same can not erre being as saith S. Paul The piller and seur grounde of truth And therefore whosoeuer shall doubt of any thing as of Sacramentes of the Inuocation of saincts of praying for the dead or of any other point of lerning he must onely marke that which the Church doth teach thereof and then therevpon to resolue him selfe more assuredly then if an Angel of heauen were descended expressely to informe him of the same And euery other cōgregation which shal call it selfe the church teaching the contrary must needes be conuinced of falsehood of being sent from sathan of heresie and of impietie All the markes of the Catholike Church are euidenly found in the Romain Church The respect of the name Romain is not to the town of Rome but the to chaire of S. Peter which hath that highnes of glory to haue bene cheefely and especially priuileged by the prayer and promise of our sauiour who prayed for S. Peter to that ende that his faith might not faile and founding vpon him his Church hath promised vnto him that the proud gates of hel shall neuer preuail against her as in fact we see that sathan hath ouercome the Churches of the other Apostles and ouerthrowen their chaire In Hierusalem in Alexandria in Ephesus and els where But not the chaire wherewith S. Peter hath innobled the citie of Rome This Church is onely inuincible insupplantable immouable frō her foundation It is she that hath born away the victory of the whole world She hath destroyed Paganisme ouerthrowen Idolatrie expelled al heresies tamid kingdomes Empires ouercome the Philosophers driuen away the darkenes of the world hath gained to god all men of good will She hath troden down and always shal tread down the head of sathan She hath ben euer sithēs S. Peter an obiect vnto the world very apparant as a moūtain of vnderstāding A burning light not to be quenched and an infallible Pole starre directing the way of God To her onely in the troublesome and tempestous sea of variable opinions of men we must haue regard She is the quickening plant that God hath planted in earth hauing her Roote in heauen Yt is not possible for men to root her out no more than it is to throw downe God from his heauenlie seat vpon whom she is founded All the heresies of the world haue bent them selues against that Church Titans Hypocrites and euel Christians haue assaulted her but she remaineth victorious ouer all her enemies not by the merits of men but by the efficacie of that prayer which our sauiour made to his father for the faith of S. Peter and to make his promise effectuall The promises of the truth it selfe can not be vaine Iesus Christ sayd of the temple of Hierusalem that there should not one stone remayne vpō an other and so it came to passe The Iewes edeuonred them selues with might and maine to build the same again but fier came from heauen and placed it self in the foundations for to hinder their intreprise He said of his church that it should endure as long as the world shal remain And men doe see that hither to she remaneth as long as the world hath indured heauen and earth shall passe but the woordes of our Sauiour shall not passe Let these wicked Spirites heretikes Schismatikes Hypocrites and deuelishe men lay their embushes conspire make warre and doe all they can against that Church yet shal they get nothing They fight against the prayer and promise of our Sauiour they doe fight against GOD him selfe The deuils haue not gotten the victory in heauen against the Angels neitheir shall they get it in earth against the Church Many Angels did fall many members of the Church doe fall dayly But as the kingdom of Angels was neuer wholly ouerthrowen so the whole Church shall neuer be vanquished Hel may shake the earth but not the heauens The Church is not an earthly building a building of Adam a building of no other foundation then natural It is an heauenly building whollie supernatural and diuine whereof not man but God him selfe is the foundation and founder and the holy Ghost is the Architect which hath gathered together the liuely stones This building is not made of men borne by nature as the children of Adam but of men made heauenlie regenerate by grace as the children of God Faith which is the bond of the bodie of that Church is aboue the heauen the obiect of that faith which is IESVS Christ Author of that regeneration doth appertain more to heauen by his diuine person then to earth by that humain nature Therefore a thowsand hels shal neuer be able to preuaile against that church whosoeuer thou art therfore which hast separated thy self from that Church what so euer thing thou doest thou art not apparteining to IESVS Christ thou art a member of sathan and a pray of euerlasting damnation Goe about the earth and the see trott vp and downe the world and goe where thou wilt searching the truth thou shalt not find the same out of this Church The Church Catholike Apostolike and Romain is the same of whom doth spring rise as from a center all the droctrine of Christianitie the chaire of S. Peter is the chaire of Iesus Christ and of the truth it self al other
spirit and not seing but of his light and who so euer kepeth not this vnitie he kepeth not the law of God he hath no faith and he can neyther haue the life nor the saluation of Iesus Christ It is S. Paul him Ephes 4. self that teacheth this Sacramēt of the vnitie of faith in the vniuersalitie of the Church as there is not saith he but one sole God lord father of all so there is but one faith one hope one trust one bodie one spirit the head of which bodie is the sonne of God Iesus Christ who being him self the spring of lyfe euerlasting doth inspire lyfe to all the bodie doth furnish it dayly with strength by his holy spirit Whosoeuer is not a member of that bodie can not take lyfe of the spirit of Iesus Christ he is a straunger he is prophaned he is an enemie he is dead drye and wythered without moysture of all diuine grace and that no part of the promises and rewards of Iesus Christ he is the braunche Iohan. 11. cut from the true stocke appointed to the fyer to be burned If any of those which were out of the Arcke of Noe vvere saued those also shal be saued which are founde out of the Arke of the Church If the riuer cut from his spring dryeth not vp if the braunche diuided from the tree can bear fruit if the member cut from the bodie can take lyfe of the same bodie then also the man that is diuided and cut from the Church shal liue of Iesus Christ He can not haue God for his father which wil not haue the Church for his mother and he can not be vnited with God which is not vnited with the Church At the same instant that man doth separat him self frō the Church he dyeth from Iesus Christe and leeseth the grace of the holy Ghost For euen as the vniuersal sensible light is tyed to the bodie of the sunne which doth spread and distribute it to all the world in the absence wherof there is nothing but darknes euen so al grace of reconciliation to God was annexed to the bodie of Iesus Christ yea to this bodie of his which dayly groweth by increase of the chosen preordinate to lyfe euerlasting which is the bodie of the Church which he doth gather together taking out from the heape of mankynd al men of good wyl which haue bene are and shal be to the end of the world out of which bodie there is but the wrath and malediction of God Search where you wil out of this Church you shall fynde nothing but death To be short he which is not in the Church hath no God he hath his owne proper iudgement his phantasie and his owne presumption for his God he maketh him selfe an Idol doth worship only his owne imagination in place of God If such a man calleth him self a Christian that is as the deuil often sayth he is Christ and if he be kylled for his heresie that is no martirdom bur the reward of his heresie which is not yet al purged by his owne death Dying he goeth to yeld and ioyne him self eternally to the darkenes which he hath worshiped and to his head which is the deuil There is no martirdom nor death pretious before God but in the catholique Church in the which only is the grace of the Gospel of Iesus Christ the which only she doth preach in sinceritie and truth and without any hazard or possibilitie to erre because she taketh her direction of the holy Ghost of the tradition of the Apostles and of the holy scriptures together which be the three grounds set downe by the holy scripture it self the which doth shew that not shee only buyldeth vp the Churche but is also holpen of the traditions of the liuely voyce of the Apostles to the which she often tymes referreth men Kepe sayeth S. Paul the traditions 2. Thess 2. Tenete traditiones quas didicistis siue per sermonē siue per epistolā nostrā Act. 15. 16 which you haue learned of me be it by woord or by our epistle and it is written in the Actes of the Apostles that in al places whear S. Paule passed by he recommended to the Churches to kepe the ordinances of the Apostles and of the elders which were things not written When the Apostles had planted the Gospel they did not say al things at one time nor in one howre nor wrote al that they sayed but according as occasion was giuen they planted their doctrine so that the holy scripture which we haue of the Apostles and of the Euangelists is not so muche a full doctrine of faith as a witnes of the faith that they preached Now if wee will goe higher the law of Moyses cōsisted no lesse in tradition than in writting and not only the sense but the letter and text thereof was to be learned by tradition For they had the scriptures in maner but by half the pointing beeing not yet put to the hebrew text But the holy Ghost alwayes hath in formed the Church of the true traditions and the true sense of the scripture in such sorte as the Church and the holy scripture are so linked together that they both be as an indissoluble cheyne of golde The Church is not aboue the scripture but the authoritie of the Church doth shew the true scripture And when the Church hath need of wholsome information she doth goe to the scriprure and if there be any darknes in the scripture the holy Ghoste is giuen to the Church for to interpret the same Euen so in the olde law in al difficulties that rose the law of Moyses ordained that they should goe to the hygh priest for the tyme being and that they Deut. 17. Malach. 2. should folow his verdit not turnyng either to the right syde or the left vpon paine of death The Prophets also sent them thether and in the Gospel it self our sauiour commaundeth that if any obey not the Church Matt. 18. he be degraded from the name of Christian and holden for an Eathnike let no man now seeke excuses in a corner God hath appointed at al tymes the priests of the Church present to iudge the present controuersies and willeth that men should repayre vnto them his holy spirit assisteth them to that end He hath not promised vs in them more then in other men example of holynes but he hath promised vs by them the Oracles of his truthe Oh that al those that do erre in faith did know the vertue of the name Catholique and the horror of the name heretike how the Catholique in his faith doeth renounce his own reason his own iudgemēt his vnderstanding his wil and all his senses for to hearken simplie and absolutely vnto that that the Church doth teache how on the cōtrarie side the heretike doth groūde builde his fayth vpon his owne iudgement They should knowe that the name Catholique is a name of
repose in God a name vtterlie denying him selfe to the end he may be ouerwhelmed in God and that to leane and staie vpon the Church is to leane and staie vpon God him selfe and that contrarie wise to staye vpon him selfe that is to say vpon his owne iudgement is to stay him selfe vpon the deuil they should knovve that the Church teacheth the people faythfully and that she is assisted of the holie Ghost that she hath the trevve traditions of the Apostles and doth take the scripture in the Euangelical sense sayeth nothing of her selfe putteth nothing of nevve dothe not make any article of fayth but only giueth vvitnes of the Euangelical sense and discerneth the good from the euil pasture euen as the holy Ghost doth reueale to her in common And contraryvvise that the heretike is not stirred but of his ovvn particular spirit hath not any tradition but of his owne proper making taketh the scripture in a sense by him self inuented handling the same as if him self were the authour making him self a prophet to hym self and iudge of God and somtymes setteth him self aboue al that which is God in som much that he doth iudge by his owne priuate sense the eternal woord of God in such sort as al heresie maketh a new paradox putteth a new sense neuer Euangelized not of the holy Ghost but inuēted of Satan by the mouth of one particular man The spirit of God is not particular but common and the same is in common to the Church to whom hath bene giuen the assurance of the holy Ghost to shew vnto her al truthe in such sorte that as it is certein that the holy Ghost is authour of the scripture so is it certein that the holy Ghost is the soule and lyfe of the Church by whose direction she can neuer erre for which cause S. Paul doth cal her the piller and ground of trueth And 1. Tim. 3. this is it that S. Augustin did confesse o lord S. August lib. 12. cōfess c. 25 sayeth he thy trueth is not myne nor this mans or that mans but it is euerie mans whom thou publikly Veritas tua est domine nōmea nec illius aut illius sed omnium nostrū quos ad cōmuniomem publice vocas terribiliter admones ne priuatam veritatē habeamus ne priuemut ea Ioan. 8. calleste to the communion therof warnyng vs terribly that we take greate heed to chalenge that in priuate lest so we be vtterlie depriued of it For he which speaketh of his owne telleth a lye And as many particular opinions as are in the world so many banners are there displayed by the deuil A true catholique doth estrange him self as much as he can from all particular opinions and from al attributing to him self his being his liuing his power and knowledge and neuer doth vse these termes I am I can I wil as for me this is my opinion and such like speches which be termes of deuelish arrogancie He dares not so much as to say of him self that he is a part of Christendom standing as it wear by him self alone but holdeth this for a principle that he can not so much as thinke any thing that good is without the continual dependence of God and instruction of the Church vnto whom in all simplicitie and in deep humlitie he leaueth him self to be edified and instructed euen as a litle childe of his mother so that it is in a maner easier to plucke a sterre out of the element than to plucke a true catholique out of the bosome of the Churche Litle Iacob when Rebecca his mother commanded him to faigne him self to his father that he was Esau to get thereby his blessing he answered like a childe that he feared lest the deceit being discoueced he should procure hym self malediction in stead of benediction but then his mother sayd to him that maledictiō Genes 27. my sonne be vpon me only obay thou my voyce in that I commaund the which he did and was blest euen so it is in our obedience to the Church If the Church should deceiue vs then vpon her be the maledictiō to vs doth apperteyn the glory of obedience with the which we be very wel assured to obteyn the euerlasting benediction But now the Church can not deceiue vs yea I say further that the iniquite of him that is in the Church is better that is to say is lesse dānable then the good works of him which is in heresie For if one of the howshold of the Church haue sinned he hath but committed that sinne wherein he is fallen the which is blotted out by pennance in the Churche and he may obtein the promisses of the kyngdome of heauen but he which is fallen out of the Church sinneth alwayes in al that he doth for al that which is not of faith is sinne as S. Paul saith Yea although he do pennāce yet cā he obtein no pardō because in the societie where he is there is no remission of sinnes there is no good worke meritorius no pennance no vertue to be rewarded withe life euerlasting where faithe is not and that persone dothe not fruitfully fulfil any comaundement of God which doth not fulfil the same in the Church The pretended good works of those which be out of the Church be like a swyft running out of the way and lyke great paynes taken for a matter of nothing where no reward is to be gotten He which runneth out of the listes shal neuer carie away the price he must be first with in the barriers of the Church seing that the course of good woorkes shal be crowned according to the merits of the rightuousnes of eache one I meane according as euery one shal shevv hymself valiant and couragious in christian spirit and according as the new regenerat man in him hathe brought foorth due fruits and effects of his regeneration There is no good without the soueraign good The soueraign good is God God Iesus Christ and the Churche are three things coherent and fast vnited together There is no accesse to God but by Iesus Christ and there is no accesse to Iesus Christ but by the Churche let no man sayeth S. Ambrose accept good woorks done before faith Faith is the soule of good woorkes without the which they be dead and be not to be rewarded with lyfe euerlasting faith is the soule of our soule the substance of man in such sorte as man without faith is without substance True it is that an heretyke renouncing his heresie is straight wayes cleane and incorporated againe to the Church and as a member partaker of the prayers of all the vniuersal Church he is made woorthy of the body of Iesus Christ after he hath purelie and entierlie renounced his heresie in which case a Ioh. Clim grad 15. fornicator repenting hath need of teares of tyme to be throughly clensed and to extinguish vtterly the concupiscence which hath occupied the
soule and defiled the body the reliques of the one being harder to be healed then of the other but if the one and the other die in their sinne the heretike shal carie a more rigorous iudgement than the fornicator This point then is without contradiction that in all the vniuersal vvorld there is but one only Church vvhich doth administer eternal lyfe vvhich hath the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen in vvhich good deeds be revvarded vvith lyfe euerlasting vvhich dravving out of the holy Scriptures the right line of interpretation both prophetical and Apostolical according to the sense that hath bene preached and taught geueth her children assured certentie of the good pasture knowledge of the euil whō who so obeyeth not shal neuer see God For this cause S. Paul according to the care vvhich he had more then fatherly of the saluation of men doth exhorte very earnestly to be carefull to kepe the vnitie of spirit which is to hold them selues ioint firme and locked in the bosome of the Churche knowing that euerie where out of the same dwelleth death and that euerie particular assemblie out of the same is the Synagog of Sathan All diuinitie out of the Church is vaine false basterdly cōfuse ful of deceit impietie When the heretike alleageth woordes of the Gospel that is now no more saieth S. Hierom the Gospel of God The Gospel in their mouth becometh the woord of man and the woord of the deuil the trueth is poysoned by their leauen in suche sorte that it is altogether vnlike to it selfe wherin they fare as the false and leud counseilors of a prince or state whoe in giuing counceil redounding to ther owne particular profit and not of the Prince or common welth doo betray the Prince and the comon welthe euen so the heretiks be traitors to God and to the holy scriptures And let no man be deceiued if somtimes they seeme to teach the same doctrine that the catholikes do betwene the true and the false there is but a hears difference But now suppose they preached in all throughout the self same doctrine of faith and Sacraments as the catholiques doe that they be also otherwise irreprehensible of their life in external honestie yea finallie though they spend their bloud for the name of Iesus Christ all this notvvithstāding fith S. Aug. lib. de fide ad petro they make a bodye apart and hold not the vnitie of the catholike Church they be in state of perdition The vse of the Sacraments the woorks of mercie and the gloriouse confession of the name of Iesus Christe can not profit but vnto him which is in the vnitie of the catholique Church Which vnitie who holdeth not he diuideth the body of Iesus Christ which is one and indiuisible and his Church hath not two bodyes Iesus Christ is not diuided sayth S. Paul and that point is of so great importance as the creed of the faith which is dayly songe in the Church doth expressely shew that there is but one Church to the end that all men might know that out of the same there is no saluation Such as come near the brinke of a deep pit or of any dovvneright pitche conceiuing the horrour of tēporal death all trembling they retier far of for fear to fall therin but there is not any deep pit or dovvneright pitche or peril vvhat so euer in this vvorld vvherein a man should conceiue so much feare to fall as into heresie For in all heresie dvvelleth the horrour of eternall death And to fall from the assured firmament of the Churche in to heresie is to fall from cleaning to God to the bottomles pit of him self vvhich is as the fall of Satan vvhen he vvas headlonge throvven dovvne from heauen to hell Let vs then take heed God Christian people of separating of our selues hovv litle so euer it be from the catholike Church no not in one only litle thought let vs yeeld vniuersallie to all that the Church doth teach vvithout reseruing any thing vvhat soeuer it be to our particular iudgement against the iudgement of the Church Looke hovv much any man reserueth to his ovvn resolution vpon his ovvn proper sense in matters of faith so nigh he is to the losse of his lyfe so farre is he in darknes of errour so near is he to death so much diuided from God so fast cleaueth he to the deuil Farre from all those vvhich haue care of their ovvn euerlasting saluation be that deadlie presumption vvhich would share his faith vvith the Church that is vvould make a choise and particular separation of the points vvhich it pleaseth him to beleeue or not to beleeue vvith the Church as if that syde vvhereunto by our ovvn direction vve resolue to leane vvere to vs a better euidence and cleeret testimonie than the vniuersal Churche This is in verie deed to censure the Church and to make our selues iudges of the Church and of the holy Ghost also vvhich teacheth her This is to be too too much ignorant of our own ignorance vveaknes and mesure of our ovvn state and condition The iudgement of one particular mā hovv vvise so euer he may be is but as a litle candle in the darknes of the night the which giueth light scant fovver or fiue pases in circumference but is incōtinent obscured inuironed with the exceding force of vniuersal darknes Wher the Church vvhich as S. Iohn sayeth is clothed with the sunne hauing the moon Apoc. 12. vnder her feet dothe cast her beames vpon the face of the vvhole earth taking her brightnes from aboue and drawing her light out of the sea of the Intelligence diuine Avvay say I vvith this presumption farre be it from all our friends farre from the chosen and elect of God farre from al those vvho haue an earnest desire of their ovvn saluation wolde vvillinglie forsake this worlde to see God eternallie and to attain vnto the glori of eternal felicitie Avvay vvith this rashenes of particularities in opinions seuered from the Church This is the verie cockle of wicked spirits This is the vvay to fall in to the hands of the deuil vvho being not able to wound a man to death by making him to forsake the Church absolutelie dothe yet vvound and disfigure the integritie and sincere purenes of a Christian in this point at least that novv he is not sound and sincere nor such a one as the beautie and state of a christian requireth Deformed is that member sayth S. Augustin which is not conformable to the whole Raither suffer the soule to be diuided August Turpis est omnis pars vniuerso suo non congruens from the bodie with all the torments in the worlde than to be diuided from the Church or to dissent from the Church in any one iote only or in any one sole litle point He that would agree with the Church in all except one only point is not a catholike Faith is more
throwgh the world doe not stumble against de litle stone but against the mouÌ„taine Esaie expressely fortold that the Church Esa 2. 54. 66. shal be as a mountaine manifestly lifted vp aboue the mountaines whervnto all nations Matt. 5. shall resort vvhich our Sauiour him selfe confirmed saying that his Church is a citie set on a montaine which can not be hidden what shal I say more sayth S. Augustin the Churche is shee not manifest doe not we shew it with our fingar and those that doe not see so great a mountaine be they not blinde which against the shining candle put in a candelsticke do shut theyr eyes S. Bernard writeth elegaÌ„tly hereof against the heretikes of his time the stone cutt without the hand is becomme the mountaine filling the vvorlde and thincke you saith he that it is within your dennes this is to caluÌ„niat al the vniuersal vvorld Thou maiest easily see the citie sett vpon a mountaine the Church catholique which can not be hiddeÌ„ Moreouer S. Augustin saith that by Gods prouidence it Aug. in psal 101. hath bene so disposed that the testimonies of Iesus Christ are obscure in the olde prophets but those of the church are manifest to the end that men should haue recourse to the Church for couÌ„seil to learne of hir their saluation And he saith forther that the Church sithens the Apostles time hath not only not lost any part of her light but also hath alwayes augmented the same still proceeding and encreasyng as the new moone from smal light to a greater If any one saith he doe not perceiue the moone in the first point of hir increasing one might excuse the vveakenes of his eyes but he that doth not perceiue the same in her fulnes that man is starke blinde From the tyme of the Apostles vvhen the Church did not shew as yet very much hir face vpon the arth simple men were deceiued by false teachers saying here is the Church here is Christ vvounding as it vvere in the dark of the moon simple and plain meaning folke but now how blinde is he that erreth in the ful moone Pope Leo the S. Leo. first S. Hilaire and other auncients vvhich liued in the mayn course of mightie heresies S. Hilarie doe vvitnes that the Church vvas neuer darkenid sithens the Apostles by the infectioÌ„ of heresies The Church say they may be diminished in the Globe of multitude of children but not in light and clearnes much lesse by the persecutions of tyrannes for as sayeth Tertullian the bloud of Christians is the seed of the Church and euerie martyr is as the grayne of wheate falling on the earthe which bringeth foorth manye Poore Cicero Cic. l. 2. q. Ac. searching the soueraigne God complaineth saying by the dissention of philosophers vve are constrained to be ignorant of our Lord and can not know vvhich is he that vve ought to worship for Lord and gouerner of the world This can not besayd of the Church the contradictions which heretikes doe make against her doe not darken her but make her rather better knowne and as Vincentius Lyrinensis sayth Vinc. Lyr. doe scoure her and make her brighter geuing occasion to catholikes to vnderstand cleerlie and feruentlie that vvhich before they beleued couertly and coldly And it is certeiÌ„ that the Church had more knowleige of God in some certein articles in the tyme of S. Augustin then in other tymes before and in the tyme of S. Bernard then in the tyme of S. Augustin and at this day more then she had since the tyme of the Apostles so that ther is now none that seeth not cleerly in the light of the Church except those vvhose eyes satan hath put out and vvhich are willingly blynde sith all now doe know vvhere is the cheire of S. Peter the Church Catholike Apostolique and Romain which hath the name of Catholike the succession of Bishoppes sithens S. Peter to this day the consent of people and nations and many other wel knowen markes whiche do distingwishe the same from all false religion of panims of Iewes and of heretikes and doth make it sufficiently euident that none can be excused neither those which refuse to ioyne vnto her nor those that do depart from her I wil not here sett downe all the markes of the true Church as if this present treatice were to that end but I shal touche only some few TWELVE MARCKES OF the true Church THe first marke of the true Church is the name Catholike which although all heretikes would pretend to be theirs yet neuer could they obthain thus much sayth S. Augustin S. August lib. cont epi. fund c. 4. that if a Panime demaunded of an heretike the place where the Catholikes doe assemble them selues he durst not shew his owne Sinagogue And S. Ciril sayth if thou goest in a Cyril cat 18. citie doe not aske vvhere is the Church nor where the house of GOD is for the heretikes say that they haue the Church and the howse of god but aske where is the Catholike Church for that name Catholike is proper to the holy Church mother of vs all that are of right beleif and an heretyke vvould be mocked and laughed at to shew his Churche for the catholike Pacianus hath treated of this point expressely where he saith Christian is my name Catholike is my surname that doeth name me this maketh me knowne the name catholike is not deriued of any one man it doth not sound any thing of an heretike it is not referred to any particullar Authour it agreeth to the principal head body of that tree vvhose braunches beinge cutt of are the sectes of heretikes but the tree it selfe liueth mainteined by his roote and coÌ„tineweth alwaye the same vvhich is all one whole body and called Catholike but euerie heresie taketh the name of some one which is the authour therof where vpon S. Athanasius â—than serm â—â—â—nt Arria against the Arrians sayth Christian people neuer tooke their names of their Bishoppe no we are christians and so named not of the Apostles them selues but of our lord in whome we haue beleued by the voice of Bishoppes and Apostles Those which haue taken their faith of others are by good right surnamed from the cheefe of their heresie Lactantius sayth the only Catholike â—ct li. 4. c. 3. Church is that which keepeth the true worshippe of God this is the fountein of trueth the house of faith the temple of God in whom if any do not enter or from whom if any doth depart he cutteth him self of from hope of lyfe and of euerlasting saluation but euerie sect of heretikes doth pretend that the catholike Church is on ther syde how be it bearing the names of Marcionites or Arrians they are no more Christians they haue lost their name christian in taking straunge names of men Likewise Iustine the martyr S. Ireneus S. Iohn S. Chrys hâ— 33 in act Apost Iust mar contriph S.
Emperours by kynges by lerned men making innumerable books out of the vvhich a man vvoulde haue sayed that they could neuer be blotted And notwithstanding by the wonderfull prouidence of God thei be so weeded out of the earth that there remaineth nothing at all nether of the followers nor of their bookes nor of theyr doctrine nor any signe at all but that which is found in the bookes of catholikes who if they had not written their names in their books vve had not knovven that such heresies had euer bene in the vvorld and there is no doute but the flouds of heresies of theis tymes vvil also slyde avvay shortly The fyueth marke of the true Church is the largenes of the raigne And this marke is verie euident in the Catholike Church the which doth fructifie throughout the vniuersal vvorld in both the hemispheres And the sunne doth not streache his beames further then she I know vvel that she hath not the temporal regiment of external Iustice throughout the whole vvorld but she hath euerie where obedient childrē So that there is no tonge nor people nor climat of countrie inhabited vvhere if perhaps the most parte be not carholikes yet at the leaste there are some I say some notable number which assamble them selues in the Church and cōmunicate Catholiklie in the Sacraments of the Church among the Turkes among the Persians among the Tartarians among the Panymes throughout the compasse of the earth for the carholike Church is not restreined vvithin the bonds of Italie Fraunce Spaine Germanie England Polland Rome Hungarie Greece Siria Armenia Ethiope Egipt and other countries vvherof the names are vvel knovvn vnto vs and where the Catholikes be in infinite number but she doth spread her self in to the new world and in all those foure partes of that nevv vvorld vvhere she hath many Churches without mingling of heresies of the East syde in the Indians of the west syde in America towardes the north in Iapon towards the south in Brasilia what heresie is that that euer had such largenes As for the sectes of Lutherans and Caluinists they haue not passed in Asia nor into Africa nor in to Grece nor into many prouinces of Europe Yea euen in the verie springs of mischief in the North where heresies haue most might there are not two townes neighbours possessed of one self sect All heresie is as a serpent A serpent neuer S. August lib. de pasto ca. 8. lib. de vtil credendi cap. 14. 17. departeth farre of from his denne And S. Augustine sayth very wel that the Church is euery where heresie also euery where But the Church is one and the self same euery vvhere where as heresies be not the same euery where but be of great diuersitie the one not knowinge the other Wherof it doth appeare sayth he that none of those is the Catholike Church And he compareth heresies to boughes cut from the vine which abide in the place vvhere they fall vvithout fructifying wher as the Church is the liuelie stocke which doth bring fruit in all hir braunches throughout whereso euer she doth extend her self The sixt marke is the conquest of the world by efficacie of doctrine which is the doctrine of the true Church being liuelie mightie more pearsing then any two edged swoord and cōuerting effectuallie the soules to God The Philosophers sayth S. Athanasius with loftines of learning and magnificence of speche could neuer perswade any one citie to take their laws of them for that sayth he their doctrine was dead and without force and their speche did not proceed of the spirit of God but of the spirit of man Neither did any man euer read that the heretikes conuerted Idolators or Iewes to the faith Their care sayth Tertullian is not to conuert straungers to Iesus Christ but to peruert hys domesticals Tert. lib. de presc har and those which he alredy gotten to him not to geue lyfe to the dead but to giue deadlie poison to the liuing not to lifte them vp which be on the grounde but to make them fall that stand vpright The efficacie of their doctrine is not to edifie it serueth but to distroy and this marke doth shew it self very openlie in thies our dayes Here is now the very large harvest of the new world in ripenes It behooueth to send workmen but from whence doth the Lord of the haruest take them The Church catholike and heresie making both profession to be of Iesus Christ their dueties are to increase the howsehold of Iesus Christ asmuch as they can by conuerting the infidels to the faith This notwithstanding because IESVS CHRIST vvil not be planted in the hartes of straungers by other handes then of his deare spouse therfore the catholikes only are they which preache the Gospel to Idolators and gaine them to Iesus Christe The heretikes haue neuer drawn the least prouince from Paganisme to Christianitie when we haue conuerted thē to Iesus Christ the heretikes come afterwardes to deceiue them But men see that God doth not permit the worke of conuerting them to any other then to his true Church as we being those Soc. l. 4. c. 27. Soz. l. 6. ◠37. Theod. l. 4. only which be the fishers of men those alone which draw the soules of men from the sea of infidelitie to the shoar of Christianitie The heretiks neuer throwe their nettes in sea but after that we haue put the fish vpon the shoar then they put all their gloire to rob and carie away some litle fishe as theues not as fishers Euen so the Gothes being alredy made Catholike demaunding Catholike Bishops for to gouern their churches Valence sent them Arrians for to subuert them The cause why the heretikes can not conuert the infidels to the faith is for that propounding the scripture they doe not propound the true sense vvhich is properlie the svvoard of the spirit The vvordes of the scriptures are but as the sheath which holdes the sworde of the spirite They then fighting not vvith the sworde but vvith the sheath onlye it is no merueil if they doe not pearse the hartes of Infideles Besydes that the heretikes and Idolaters belonge all to one self maister But in the Romain church not onlie at the beginning but euen at all tymes this efficacie hath bene found This is the Romain Church vvhich did first conuert the Englishe men to the faith in the tyme of S. Gregorie the Pope This is the Romain Church vvhich did conuert the Saxons and the vvhole coutrey of Almains in the times of Pope Conon and of Pope Zacharie This is the self same Church that conuerted the Vandales Bulgarians Sclauonians Polonians Danes Norwaies Hungarians Morauians vvith infinite kinges people And it is not past twoo hundred yeares ago syns rhat one only mounke S. Vincent of the order of S. Dominike did conuert to the faith 25000. as vvel Iewes as sararins It is in our tyme that the new vvorlde receiued the
that the gates of hell should neuer preuaile against the same that he would giue him the keies of the kingdome of heauen and that all that he sholde bynde and vnbynde in earth should be bound and vnbound in heauen he hath not spoken of giuing the keyes to the other Apostles So the church is builded vpon the faith and confession of S. Peter And the faith which is the seed of our regeneration is called the faith of S. Peter Let that also be considered which is spoken of in S. Luke that the people pressing Luc. 5. on our sauiour for to heare the word of God our Sauiour seing neare the lake two shippes went vp into the one which belonged Luc. 5. Io. 21. to S. Peter where being set he did teache the people And those that sailed in the other shippe transported them selues into that of S. Peter with Iesus Christ Let it be further considered that the two miracles done by our sauiour in the taking of fishes were done in the ship of S. Peter and by the ministerie of S. Peter That S. Peter also is only he among the Apostles that our sauiour made goe vpon the waters for whom only he paied tribute for whom only in particular he praied to his father to the end his faith should not fayle to whom onlie he gaue charge to confirme the faith of his bretherē of whom as head of others he did require more loue then of others whose feet he did first vvashe accordng to S. Augustin to whom he did first appeare after his resurrection to whom only he foretould his death and death on the crosse to whom onlie he said three tymes feed gouerne my sheepe meaning his Church whome more preciselie than others he commaunded to folowe him who onlie vvhen the disciples were scandalized at the vvordes of our sauiour saying that he vvolde giue his bodie to eate answered for all the Apostles and sayd Lorde thow hast the wordes of life euerlastlng and we beleeue the same whom onlie among all the disciples our sauiour did baptize with his owne handes First Euodius immediat successor of S. Peter in the Bishopryke of Euodius in lib. Anthioche hath written that our sauiour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did baptize onlie the virgin his mother among women and S. Peter onlie among men and that S. Peter did baptize S. Andrew S. Iames S. Ihon and the others That S. Perer also as head of the Apostles after the ascension of our sauiour did assemble the church for to chuse an Apostle in the place of Iudas That S. Peter after the sending of the holie ghost did first preache and conuert in two sermōs eight thowsand soules That he Act. 1. did the first miracle on the lame man which was at the gate of the temple That he as soueraine iudge did condemne the fraude and hipocrisie of Ananias and Saphira whom he did kill with his woord That he knew and did condemne the first notable Archeheretike Simon Magus that to him was directed as to the head the vision of that sheete Let downe from heauen hauing of all sortes of beastes and comandement to preache to the Act. 1◠gentiles the which vision doth concerne the direction of the vniuersal Church that for him as head of the Church prayer was made without intermission in al the Church Act. 15. which is not sayd of anie of the others That he in the Councel of the Apostles did speake first as head That he in the most holie Creed of the Apostles did begin first by that high woorde Credo therby making the christian religion a religion of faith for whose sake S. Paul saith that he went vp expresselie into Hierusalem note also that S. Peter him selfe doth testifie that God chose him emong the Apostles that by his mouth the Gentiles should heare the woord of the Gospel and beleeue Let it be also considered that after that the twelue Apostles had receiued the holie Ghoste and the gifte of all tounges hauing distributed among them selues all the earth therin to plant euerie one in his quarter the Gospel of Iesus Christ S. Peter as head of the twelue is sent to the head of the world to the Queene of cities the cheif citie of the Romain Empire to the end that the law of trueth which did reuele it self for the saluation of all people might sprede it self abroode more easilie from the head to all the bodie of the world and vvhere the vvorld had the head of his Empire there the prince of the Apostles hath had his seate in the citie of Rome in the which hauing first giuen order to the affaires of the East he comes him self to make his aboade for to forme and set in order the affaires of the west and of all the world where hauing ended his course before the tyme of his death 2. Pet. 1. Iesus Christ made vnto him yet one prerogatiue more by appearing vnto him and saying to him that he would be glorified by his martirdome within the citie of Rome Let it be further considered that the Churches founded by S. Peter that is to saye Antioche and Alexandria haue bene named the chief In Con. Calced Patriarchal Churches and did goe before all the others in the Councels Let it be considered Optatus lib. 2 that in the primatiue Church in the testimonial letters that they gaue to those that went in to farre coūtries did chaunge their habitations to the end they might be receiued where they went to the cōmunion Sidon Apol. l. 7. ep 2. there was put downe in subscription after the first letters of the names of the father of the sonne and of the holie ghoste the first letter of the name of S. Peter for witnes that such a one was Catholike Finallie let it be considered that the Church hath made a feast or holie dare of the chaire of S. Peter fos to praise God for the soueraign benefit that he hath done to his Church to giue him a chaire eminent aboue the others which shold alwais be certein vnto whom al the world may haue recourse of whom all the world ought to be instructed as sayth Optatus the which feast is very auncient For Bede and S. Augustin make mention therof Optat. li. 2. Bed in Thetl Aug. ser 15. de sanct But in none of the other Apostles are the prerogatiues found to be called of our sauiour into the feloushippe of his name and of his office and pastoral care and euen of his death to be the mouth of the other Apostles in all occurrent affaires nor the other prerogatiues the which haue bene attributed of all the aucients to the supremacie and principalitie of S. Peter which being euident in S. Peter it is superfluous to speake of them in his successors For it is well knowen that our sauiour giuing a head to his Church hath not intended to giue onlie the same for the time of S. Peter as
the principalitie of Iudicial power to the ende that al the faithful which are in the world might vnderstaÌ„d that whosoeuer doth separat him self from the vnitie of the faith of the societie of S. Peter he can not be absolued from the bandes of his sinnes nor be brought in at the gate of the kingdome of heauen S. Bernard A man doubtles very holy and very farre of from al flattery obseruing euery where the seueritie of brotherly correction vsed these termes to Pope Innocent we must Ber. ep 190. bring to your Apostleship all the perils and scandals which rise in the Church being a thing mete that the detriments of the faith may be restored in that place where the faith caÌ„ not receiue detrimeÌ„t for this is the prerogatiue of that seat And to Pope Eugen. Thou Bernar. l. 2. de consider art the great priest the soueraign Bishop Prince of Bishops Inheretour of the Apostles In Primacie Abel In Patriarchie Abraham Moises in authoritie S. Peter in power Iesus christ in vnctioÌ„ The others haue euerie one flokes assigned a part to the all flockes are coÌ„mitted thou art not onely Pastour of Sheepe but Pastour of Pastours Among the Greekes Origen saith that the gouernement of the Church hath bene giuen to S. Peter that S. Peter is the cheefe or head of the Apostles hauing more power and perfection then others S. Greg. Nazianz. The disciples of Iesus Christ all great excellent wourthie to be heades haue neuer the lesse bene very wel content to be put behind S. Peter vpoÌ„ whose faith the church hath her foundation Io. Chrisost Our lord hath shed his blood Chrysost lib. 2. de sacerd for to get together the sheepe of whoÌ„ he hath giueÌ„ the charge to S. Pe. to his successours Hieremie was father to one nation but Iesus Christ hath set S. Peter ouer all the world S. Basil Iesus christ him self is trulie the Basil de paenit immouable Rocke S. Peter is so by Reason of that Rocke Iesus christ giuing him his dignities doth not spoyle him selfe of them nor hath any thing lesse Theoph. in illae verba Confirma fratâ—es tuos Theoph. bringeth in our sauiour speaking to S. Pet. Thou whoÌ„ I haue made Prince of the disciples who after thou hadest denied me hast again receiued the Primacie of all the preheminence of the whole world who art after me the stone and the foundation of the Church confirme the others and be to them a good example of repentance S. Thomas citeth out of S. Cirill these woordes As Iesus Christ hath receiued of the father the scepter of the Gentiles eueÌ„ so hath he plainlie coÌ„mitted it to S. Peter and to his successors and hath not geuen that which is his own to any other but vnto S. Peter Epiphaneus Oecumenius Euthymius and all the rest of the auncient Greekes doe speak of this matter conformably to the Latines And Origen and S. Hierome haue applied that place of S. Paule to the Romaines your faith is preached through the vniuersall world in the sence of the principalitie of the Romain Church As if S. Paul should giue thancks to GOD for the conuersion of that place which should be the oracle of the vniuersal Church and wherof dependeth the conuersion of the whole whorld Ephrem the Syrian saith that as Moises was head of the societie of the Hebrewes euen so was S. Peter of the Church of Christians And as the one was Prince of the olde Testament so the other is likewise head of the new One Eritrianus in the time of Emperour Emmanuel It doth appear manifestlie by euidence of the thing it selfe that our sauiour hath appointed S. Peter Prince head for euer not onely of the Latines and of Greekes but of Armenians of Arabians of Iewes of Madianites of all the people of the East and of the West of the South of the North. The General Councels which be as it were the cheefe seat of the holy Ghoste doe testifie the Primacie of the chaire of S. Peter as it doth appeare in the first Councel of Nice where it is sayd that the Romain Concil Nice Church is the Rule of the others In the Councel of Calcedon where Pope Leo is caled Bishop of the vniuersal Church Chncil Cal. 1. Act. 16. to whom the keping of Gods vineyarde was committed by our sauiour In the Councel of Constantinople where Menas the Patriarche was president it is said Concil Const we folowe the Sea Apostolike it we obey with them which communicate with it we communicate those which are condemned by it we condemne also In the seuenth Synod of Carthage the seat of S. Peter hath primacie through al the world being head of all the Churches of God In the Councel of Laterane where the Greekes the Latines were In the general Councel of Lions in the Councel of Florence Conci Lat. c. 5. by consent of the Greekes of the Latines it is sayd defined that the holie Apostolike Seate and Bishopricke of Rome doth hold the Primacie ouer all the vniuersal worlde that the Pope is the true vicar of Iesus Christ father and doctor of all the Christians and head of all the Church He should make a great volume which would gather together all the testimonies of the supremacie of S. Peter of his successors ouer the Church This point was so cleere in the primitiue church that certain heretikes Theod. lib. 5. c. 14. act coll Carthag for to procure authoritie to their sect did faigne to haue coÌ„munion with the Romain Church so farre forth that the Donatistes did suborn a Bishop of their sect whom they caused to remain at Rome secretely that they might say that they had that marke of the true church which is of the chaire of S. Pet. And they suborned an other which did practise Optat. lib. 2. with some raskall fugitiues of the citie of Rome coming froÌ„ thense for to proue by theÌ„ that he was bishop of Rome successour of S. Peter but these coÌ„panions being conuicted of this falshood were coÌ„founded and made ridiculous The Emperours theÌ„ selues haue acknowleged the bishop of Rome to be head of the vniuersal Church and they haue called him Pastor of Pastors father of fathers and the toppe of the crown of the Clergie And that so publiklie as the Paymin Authors make mention therof as it appeareth in Amianus Mancellinus which named Pope Liberius souerain Bishop of the Christian law and the Emperour Constance caused S. Athanasius Bishop of AlexaÌ„dria to be sent to the same Pope of purpose to cause him to be condemned by him which hath the soueraign authoritie ouer the Christians Thus by these testimonies as wel of the Gospel as of the ancieÌ„t fathers Councels and by the practise of the Church it selfe sithens the Apostles to this day it is manifest that there hath bene one soueraiÌ„ head in the ministerie
chaires are the chaires of pestilence Take away frō before thy eyes those clouds of euil opinions heaped together and thickened by false reportes against ecclesiasticall persons and doe hinder the to see the truth if there be any spottes in those persons which be sett in the chaire of S. Peter it must needes be that all the true children of God find them selues therby inwardlie woūded and praye to God to make them cleane But in the meane time what so euer they be in their maners those are particular matters personal and separated from the chaire which is a dignitie authoritie and matter vniuersal I know that in manie ther is not a cromme of the holines of S. Peter that they be scandelouslie gone a straie from the life Apostolike but they teach the faith of S. Peter the Apostolike doctrine Looke not then vpon the faultes of the persons haue regard to the promise and to the prayer of our sauiour If the defectes of the ministers be of more force with the or beare more swaie with the for to alienate the from the church than the reuerence of the prayer and promesse of our sauiour to kepe the there thow art vnwoorthie of any other prayer and promesse of our sauiour The chaire of S. Peter is the maistresse of the faith I wold that she were also the example of holie life But what so euer scandal there hath bene in some thou shalt find others in the priesthood and people that better know the faults wherin they are then thei self more learned also and lesse reprocheable in their maners and in all pointes lesse imperfect then they self and are in ioye and in peace of their conscience in this Church There they receiue the sacraments of life euerlasting they exercise the workes of charitie and there attend the iudgement of God Doe not say apart to thy selfe that thou doest worshippe Iesus Christ that thou doest beleeue the Gospel and that thou doest resolue thy self according to the expresse word of God euen so sayd Arrius Manicheus Pelagius and all the auncient heretikes Thou doest not worship Iesus It is thy imagination and thy particular fansie wherof thou doest make an Idol which thou doest worshipe Thou doest bowe thy self downe before the woord of the deceiuer that hath seduced the not before the woord of God That which the Church doth teach is the expresse woord of God That which the heretike doth teach is the expresse woord of the deuil which doth vsurp the iudgement of the expresse woord of God and doth vse the same for a baite to make the swallow vp the hooke of error This now is the verie greatest of al synnes for wheras al that a mā may say of the formalitie of sinne it is no other thing but the turning away and goyng farre of from God There is no crime which seperateth more from God than heresie and there is not a sinner that Iesus Christ doth hate so much as the heretike The sinnes of workes Adulterie Meslanghter couetousnes and other doe depriue men of the grace of God but thei doe not driue a man from the Church neither doe they cut away the roote of life which is the faith by the which a man may find the way to enter againe into grace but heresie doth not onlie take away grace but doth also cut away the root of life doth depriue men of the participatiō of all good things that be in the church The scripture sayth that faith is the substāce of thinges to hoped for that without faith it is impossible to please God that the iuste of God do liue by faith that is to say breflie that faith is the foundation of all Christian building Now heresie doth take awaie from vs faith then onlie heresie is a sufficient cause why the heretike can neuer wel ground his hope can neuer doe worke agreable to God nor can neuer haue the life of the iust of God The other sinnes be as a tyle taken from the couerture or as a stone drawen from the wall which doth much hurt to the building But heresie is as it were the vndermyning of the foundation which doth destroye the whole building To be short this kinde of argument is plaine and verie true that no man can saue him selfe without the Sacraments of the Church The Sacraments be not administred but by the priest the priestes be not made but by the Bishoppes Bishoppes be not made but in the Romain Church then what so euer thing that man doth it is impossible by all impossibilitie to saue him self out of the Catholike Apostolike and Romain Church Doe not resist thees argumēts the more thou doest enforce they self to auoide them by euasions so many more halters doest thou put about thine owne neck smitest the axe in to thine owne foot And what so euer thy tounge doth speake to the contrarie thy soule doth fight against the and thy conscience shal neuer be in rest as longe as thou shalt be in heresie And S. Hierom vpon those words of S. Paul Hier. in epi. ad Tit. c. 3. that an heretike is subuerted and condemned by his owne proper iugement sayth verie wel thus the fornicator the adulterer the manslaer and other euil doers be driuen out of the Church against their willes by the priestes But the heretikes of them selues without constraint do depriue them selues of the Sacraments of saluation and of all the good things which be in the Church damning them selues wittinglie and throwing them selues downe hedlonge from their proper fredome in to the bottomlesse pitt of euerlasting perdition For conclusion I will exhort the as the Angels of God did exhort the handmaide Agar that was departed with her sonne from the house of Abraham whom to bring home again finding her in the wildernes taking the waie towardes Aegipt he saied to her poore il aduised Agar seruant of Sara from whence comest thou and whether goest thou tourne again to thy maistres and humble thy self vnder her hand as if he wold say thinke on thy estate that thou comest from a noble house riche ful of the blessings of God that thou goest to cast thy self as a strayed sheepe into the throte of the woolf in the land of malediction And all these things well thought on turne again to thy maistres and humbling thy self vnder her hand thou shalt be happie in that house Euen so will I say to euerie heretike thinke that thou comest from the house of the lyuing God which is the Catholike Apostolike Romaine Church in the which onlie is the grace of Iesus Christ and the remission of sinnes and all blessings of God and thou goest in to the sect of a deceiuer which is one particuler man by whose mouth sathan hauing diuided the from the bodie of the only Church it must neds folow that thou fall in to the bottomlesse pitt of heresie which is the bottomlesse pitt of death and euerlasting damnation Take then the exhortation of the Angel comforter of Agar if not thou shalt soone mete an other Angel which shal be thy destroyer 1. Cor. 10. Heb. 9. If thou hast erred vntil this tyme cut the threde of thy errours renounce heresie and all newnes of opinion be the disciple not of any particular man what so euer he maye be were he more holy and more eloquent then an Angel but only of the Catholike Church the which can neuer erre for so much as she is gouerned by the holie Ghost and that IESVS Christ is her head which is the seur ground of the Catholikes vnto the which I pray God giue vs the grace to cleaue and continue firme and sure that we be found lyuelie members of his body when we shal-be iudged SO BE IT Libellum hunc Gallice intitulatum Du firmament des Catholiques contre l'Abisme des heretiques fideliter è Gallico in Anglicanum idioma per nobilem virum Joannem Pauncefote translatum ac per eximium Dominum Dom. Thomam Stapletonium Anglum S. Theologiae professorem examinatum ac manu eius propria approbatum Ac postremo ex primaria copia manu dicti D. Stapletoni subsignata fideliter teste venerabili Domino D. wilhelmo Clederow Prefbytero Anglo transscriptum tuto posse imprimi ac prelo committi praesentium tenore attestor ego infrascriptus Antwerpiae 9. Octob. Anno 1590. Michael Hetsroey Bruegelius S. Theologiae Licentiatus Canonicus Cathedralis Ecclesiae B. Mariae Antwerpiensis librorum Censor