aliquid errasse firmissimè credam I have learned to yeeld this reverence and honour to the canonicall Scriptures Onely that I most firmely beleeve no Author of them to have erred any thing in their Writing Yea the Writings of all others he saith are to be read non cum credendi necessitate sed cum judicandi libertate not with a necessitie to beleeve them but with a libertie to judge of them For The Authoritie of the sacred Scriptures cannot deceive And by those Bookes saith hee de caeteris literis fidelium vel Infidelium liberè judicemus We may freely judge of the Writings of all other men whether they be Christians or Infidels And this freedome or libertie S. Augustine againe challengeth to himselfe in quorumlibet hominum Scriptis in the Writings of all men vvhosoever and addeth this reason once more Quia solis canonicis debeo sine ulla recusatione consensum because I owe my consent without any refusall saith hee to the canonicall Scriptures onely Yea it is manifest that not onely singly or severally but iointly also with one consent manie ancient Fathers together have erred For example with S. Cyprian in his error of rebaptization manie of the ancient Fathers then living yea even great Councils also tooke part Againe did not all these Iustine Irenaeus Papias Tertullian Victorinus Lactantius Severus Apollinaris and others hold the Chiliastick error otherwise called the Error of the Millenarians In the Question also concerning Antichrist although verie manie ancient Fathers with one ioynt consent held he should come of the Tribe of Dan yet doth Bellarmine himselfe for all that hold this to be an opinion not certaine because it is not well and sufficiently proved by the Scriptures for the texts of Scripture which are wont to be alledged for maintenance of that opinion himselfe answereth and sheweth that they prove no such matter And therefore Turrecremata also saith thus The Writings of the Doctors are to be received vvith reverence yet they binde us not to beleeve them in all their opinions but wee may lawfully contradict them vvhere by good reason it appeareth that they speake against the Scripture or the truth And thus also speaketh Marsilius that he will receive whatsoever they bring consonant to the Scripture but what they bring dissonant from it hee will reject with reverence upon the Authoritie of Scripture vvhereunto he will leane Yea whereas some suppose that the ancient Fathers because they lived much neerer to the times of the Apostles then the late Writers did therefore see more and further into truth then the late Writers Andradius holdeth the contrarie saying God hath revealed manie things to us that they never saw Agreeably whereunto Dominicus Bannes another learned Popish Writer likewise saith thus It is not necessarie that by how much the more the Church is remote from the Apostles times by so much there should be the lesse perfect knowledge of the mysteries of faith therein because after the Apostles time there were not the most learned men in the Church which had dexteritie in understanding and expounding the matters of faith We are not therefore involved in the more darkenesse by how much the more in respect of time vve be distant from them but rather the Doctors of these later times being godly and insisting in the steps of the ancient Fathers have attained more expresse understanding in some things then they had for these be like children standing on the shoulders of Giants vvho being lifted up by the tallnesse of the Giants no marvaile though they see further then they Seeing then the ancient Fathers have erred and may erre even in the opinion of Papists as well as of Protestants it must be concluded that therefore they also cannot be this infallible Iudge What then May-Traditions not written or not specified in the sacred Scriptures alledged to be Apostolicall be held to be anie infallible Iudge or anie infallible rule of Faith I answer no. For first how can a man be assured that those Traditions be Apostolical which be alledged and affirmed so to be when he seeth no proofe or evidence for them in anie of the Writings of the Apostles or in anie of the sacred and canonicall Scriptures If you say that some of the ancient Fathers do testifie them to be Apostolicall That is no sufficient proofe that therefore they came originally and assuredly from the Apostles because even those ancient Fathers themselves taking them upon report of others might possibly be deceived And so pretious is mens faith and so deare unto them is and ought to be the salvation of their soules as that in those regards no Authoritie or testimonie of men without the Authoritie and testimonie of God therewith concurring can give them an undoubted or assured satisfaction For our Faith is not to be builded upon the credite Authoritie or testimonie of men but upon the testimonie and Authoritie of God himselfe Irenaeus in Eusebius declareth what maner of Traditions those were which Polycarpus delivered and said he had heard and received from the Apostles and testifieth of them that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all consonant to the Scriptures Traditions of this sort namely which be consonant and agreeable to the holy Scriptures we refuse not but willingly embrace but such Traditions as be dissonant and repugnant to those holy Scriptures there is ever iust reason to refuse or if they be not thereby warranted none is necessarily tyed or bound to beleeve them to be undoubtedly divine and Apostolicall It was not therefore without good cause that S. Paul himselfe gave caveats even touching Traditions and matters delivered as comming originally from the Apostles because sometimes some things were reported to come originally from them which indeed did not so come A cleere example wherof Eusebius sheweth in Papias who was himselfe so deceived under the name and supposition of Apostolicall Traditions and thereby also occasioned others to be deceived This Papias was schollar to Iohn the Apostle schoole-fellow to Polycarpus before mentioned and for the credit of his Traditions said thus I am not delighted with them that make mention of strange precepts and commandements but in them that teach those things that be true and bring such things as are delivered by the Lord to our fidelitie and came from the truth it selfe So vvhen anie came that was a Disciple of the Elders I enquired the vvords of the Elders What Andrew What Philip What Thomas or anie other of the Disciples of the Lord said and he saith moreover that hee laid up all those things well in his remembrance Howbeit notwithstanding all this his care diligence and vigilancie about Apostolicall Traditions he brought in as Eusebius saith sundry paradoxes and strange opinions and such as vvere full of fables amongst which was the Chiliastick opinion Yea this great liking and affection to unwritten Traditions deceived not onely Papias but as Eusebius witnesseth
good ends and purposes and not to satisfie the severity of his Iustice by that meanes for their sinnes and the punishment thereto belonging p. 125. c There is no iust cause to be shewed vvhy the pretended Catholicks should refuse to take the oath of Supremacy or refuse to come to our Churches Their obiections and reasons answered p. 1 2 c p. 407 c. See also throughout the vvhole booke for this purpose Concerning auricular Confession and to vvhom confession of sinnes is to be made and that it ought to be free and voluntarie and not forced or compelled pag. 302 303 c. pag. 253 254 D FOr vvhom Christ Dyed and to vvhom hee is a Redeemer pag. 187 188 189 c Every sinne Deadly in his owne nature although all sinnes be also veniall and remissible in respect of Gods mercie grace and bounty except the sinne against the holy Ghost pag. 114 115 E THe Emperor in ancient time had the Supremacy and not the Pope pag. 30 The Emperor in times past had power to place and displace Popes pag. 27 The Emperor in ancient time banished imprisoned and otherwise punished aswell Bishops of Rome as other Bishops pag. 22 Hee did make Lawes concerning Ecclesiasticall causes and religion pag. 24 As also Commissioners in an Ecclesiasticall cause and the B. of Rome himselfe vvas one of those Commissioners pag. ibid. An appeale to the Emperor in an Ecclesiasticall cause pag 24 Generall Councils in ancient times called by the Emperor and his Authoritie pag. 24 The Christian Emperor did and vvas to meddle in matters of the Church and concerning Religion pag. 25 The Christian Emperor in ancient time did nominate and appoint Bishops of Diocesses and Provinces and even the Bishop of Rome himselfe pag. 25 Emperors in ancient time did ratifie the decrees of Councils before they vvere put in execution pag 28 Miltiades Leo and Gregory all Bishops of Rome in their severall times subiect to the Emperor and at his command pag 24.26 Ancient Fathers Popes of Rome and Councils aswell generall as provinciall may erre even in matter of faith aswell as in matter of fact pag. 49 50 51 52. c See also the Preface for this point The Romane Empire dissolved ever since the Emperors have ceased to have the soveraigne command and rule of Rome and that the Popes have gotten to be the heads and supreme Rulers of that City and to be above the Emperors pa. 331.332 and pag. 391.392.393 The Pope of Rome hath no power or authoritie from Christ to Excommunicate any pag. 299 c Excommunications be they never so iust and lawfull be by Gods law and appointment of no force to depose from Earthly kingdomes or to dissolve the dutie and allegeance of subiects pag. 299 300 301 c F OVr Forefathers and ancestors not to be followed in any vices or errors they held pag 34 35 Foretold in the Booke of God that an apostacie from the right faith and a mysterie of iniquitie otherwise called an Antichristianisme should come upon the Church and that so the Church by degrees should grow corrupted and deformed pag. 35 36 280 Foretold also how long the Church should lye in those her corruptions and errors and vvhen she should begin to be clensed and reformed pag. 35 36 VVhat is to be thought of our Forefathers that lived and dyed in the time of Popery pag 39.40 41 42 Foretold that a strong delusion to beleeve lyes shouâ—d possesse them of the Antichristian Church because they received not the love of the truth extant in the divine Scriptures pag. 307 308 Men are iustified in Gods sight and before his tribunall by Faith only and good vvorkes be the fruits and declarations of that faith pag. 99 100 101 c. to the end of that chapter and pag. 116 117 118 c. to the end also of that chapter G God is not the author of sinne pag. 168 169 c. H NOt Protestants but Papists be the Heretickes pag. 72. and Schismaticks pag. 37 38. pag. 413.414 c Not the Pope but Christ onely is the Head of the universall militant Church as well as of the triumphant pag 94 95 96 97 98 I VVHo is to be the infallible Iudge of controversies in religion or vvhich commeth all to one effect in the conclusion vvhat is the infallible Rule vvhereby men must iudge and be directed for the finding out of truth in those controversies pag. 49 50 51 c. See also the Preface for this matter The Implicita fides of Papists reproved pag 78 79 80 K KIngs have the Supremacie over all maner of persons aswell Ecclesiasticall as Civill vvithin their own Dominions pa. 1. to p. 5 Their Supremacie in all kinde of causes aswell Ecclesiasticall as Civill pag. 5 c Kings and Princes although they have the Supremacie yet thereby claime not nor can claime to preach to minister the Sacraments to excommunicate absolve or to consecrate Bishops or to doe any other act proper to the function of the Ecclesiasticall ministers pag. 32 c Kings and Princes be notwithstanding their Supremacies under God and subiect to him and his vvord pag. 33 Even heathen Kings may command and make Edicts and Proclamations for God and his service pag. 7. c Christian Kings and Queenes are by Gods appointment to be nursing fathers and nursing mothers to his Church and Religion p. 7. The authoritie of a Christian King in respect of contemptuous disorderly and unruly persons requisite and necessary in the Church as vvell as in the Common-weale pag. 6 c Kings and Princes may command and compell their subiects to externall obedience for God pag. 6 7 8 9 10 Christian Kings may make lawes about matters Ecclesiast p. 7 8.24 Hee may make Commissioners in Ecclesiasticall causes pag. 24 He may have Appeales made unto him in a cause Ecclesiastical ib. He may nominate and appoint Bishops of Diocesses and Provinces pag. 27. Councels and Convocations to be assembled by his authoritie and the decrees thereof by him to be ratified and confirmed before they be put in execution pag. 26 27 28 Christian Kings doe punish offendors in Ecclesiasticall causes not Ecclesiastically but Civilly pag. 6 7.32 Subiects ought not to rebell against their Kings and Princes though they be adversaries to the Christian Religion and though subiects have power force enough to do it pa. 20 21 22.299 300 Kings of Rome did sometimes send the Bishops of Rome as their Ambassadors pag. 22 How thankefull subiects ought to be unto God for Christian Kings and Princes pag. 33 The power of the Keyes most grossely abused by the B of Rome to vvorke his owne exaltation above Kings and Princes pag 299 300 301 c The Keyes of the kingdome of heaven no more given to S. Peter then to the rest of the Apostles pag. 292 293 294 295 L NO Licentiousnesse or impiety in the doctrine of Iustification by faith or in the doctrine of predestination or
but two Sacraments of the new Testament properly so called and that Confirmation Penance Mariage Orders and Extreme unction be not Sacraments properly pag. 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 c That the Sacraments doe not give grace ex opere operato by the verie vvorke or action done by the Minister but grace commeth and is given another vvay pag. 215 216 T TRaditions not specified in the Scriptures affirmed to be Apostolicall there being no assured proofe that they came undoubtedly and originally from the Apostles be not to be urged or imposed upon the faith of men pag. 57 58 c How men in ancient time vvere deceived by Traditions said and supposed to be Apostolicall See the Preface That these Traditions be needlesse because the sacred and canonicall Scriptures vvithout them be perfectly and completely sufficient for all instruction of truth concerning divine and heavenly matters pa. 57 58.64 c. See also the Preface V THat the Bishop of Rome if hee vvere a good and orthodoxe Bishop is no more the Vicar of Christ then other Bishops are pag. 97 To vvhat Vse and end God gave his Law of the Ten Commandements pag. 151.152 it being impossible to be exactly and perfectly fulfiâ—led by men by reason of the vveâ—kenesse that is in all flesh and â—hat God therein is neither cruell tyrannicall or uniust p. 151 152. and pag. 108 109 c W GOod Workes be the effect and fruite of a iustifying faith and doe not iustifie in Gods sight pag. 101 c. p 112 c There is a reward belonging to good Workes but it is a reward of bountie and grace and not of merit or due desert by men pag. 113 114 c. Good Workes be the vvay that men must vvalke in towards the kingdome of God but they be not the cause of their comming thither pag. 105 c. Good Workes and a good life and godly conversation must be observed but not to purchase or merit heaven thereby for it cost a greater price but for other godly uses and ends pag. 110.111 112 c. pag. 121.122.123 124 pag. 151.152 â—o good Workes in Gods sight and censure before faith received pag 147 â—â—od Works done after faith received do not merit at Gods hands â—or iustifie in his sight pag. 148.149.150 â—orkes of supererogation most abominable pag. 151.152 â—orkes of mens owne invention and devising done for and in the â—way of Gods service and religion not commanded by him nor warranted by his VVord whatsoever good intention is pretended â—e neverthelesse not good nor approved in his sight and censure pa. 145.146 FINIS TABULAE ERRATA PAg 1 in marg 1. Pet. 5.12 for 1. Pet. 5.1 2. pag. 3. l. 1. audiens for erudiens p. 10. l. 6. knoâ— for knew p. 11. l. 17. otger for other p. 27. l. 25. Grantzius for Crantzius p. 74. l. 10. hirdly for thirdly p. 96. l. 19. alwayes to be blotted out p. 109 l. 22. Clesiphontem for Ctesiphoâ—â—â—â— p. 111. l. 29 manifested for magnified p. 116. l 18. reade in this sense p. 128. l. 28. able to dye 〈◊〉 able to doe it p. 130. l. 31. highest for highest p. 139. l. 37. himselfe to be blotted out p. 148. â— marg Psal 3.12 for Phil 3.12 ib. Gal. 5 1â— for Gal. 5.17 p. 159 l 4. sim for sum p. 177. l â— hâ—â—gh for though p. 190. l. 28. bloud for beloved p. 193 l. 1. sinnes for sinne p. 200. l. 14 of to 〈◊〉 blotted p. 207. l. 13. outward for inward p. 211. l 31. end for and p. 212. l. 25 popist for â—â—â—pish p. 216. l. 1. in marg Graces for Grace p 222. l. 7 member for members p. 231. l. 25. Traâ—â—substation for Transubstantiation p. 232. l. 6. aswell sense for aswell as sense l. 7. Transubstaâ—â—tiation for Transubstantiation p 239. l. 30. manet for manent p 43. l 13. ef for of p. 184. â— marg Ioâ— 4.10 for 1. Ioh. 4.10 Ioh. 4.19 for 1. Ioh. 4.19 p. 253. l. 8. it for is and l. 26. â— in good measure to be blotted p 254. l. 26. Espencaelus for Espencaeus p. 256 l. 6. continuaâ—â—â— for câ—â—ntenance p 263. in marg Exod. 23.8 for Exod 32.8 p. 271 l. 28 due for done p. 283. l. â— reade Titus Vespasian and the rest c p. 296. l. 1 althought for although l. 25. Legall 〈◊〉 Regall p. 318. l. 3. fable for fables p. 331. l. 31. Imperio for l. 'imperio l 37. had led for hanâ—â— p. 332 l 1. for for so p. 341. l. 6 no for not p. 343 l. 11. redigerint for redegerint and l. 9 â— qurdringentos for quadringentos l. 23 Empires for Empire p. 361 l 9 Doranus for Dorâ—â—nus p. 380. l. 15 21. et for est p 387. l. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 39â— l 5. Apostles for Apâ—â—stle p. 393 l. 26. or three to be blotted p. 395. l. 1 2. in the Church relation to Antichrist 〈◊〉 whose spirit they speake as S. Iohn affirmeth to be blotted p. 400. l. 20. true-Christians 〈◊〉 true-Christian p. 410. l 22. bni for bin p. 243. l 4. heree for here p. 296 in marg l 6. petrus â—â—â—spondet for unus respondit p. 380. l. 20. Theodorum for medorum p 48 Finis libri primi 〈◊〉 Finis primae partis hujus libri p. 63 l 26. that for the. l. 5. uphold for hold p. 64. l. 37. prâ—â—structae for praestructa p. 27. l. 21. Minister for Ministers p. 69. l. 1. perish for passe p. 119. l â— for not p 16 l. 15. by them for to them p. 88. l. 4. strang for strange p. 100. l. 5 truth for trutâ—â— p. 113. l. 26. to superfluous p. 38â— l. 34. odoravit for adoravit p 345. l 19. velunt for velut 〈◊〉 358. l 24. Apostolici for Apostoli p. 365. l. 3. after peace add and ioy p 375. l. 32. of prohibiâ—â—â—on for of a prohibition p. 40. in marg for Cyprian in psalmo ad quid Iustificationes meas 〈◊〉 assumis Testamentum meum per os tuum read Cyprian lib. 2. Epist. 3. ad Caecilium p. 3â—â— l. 1. howres to be blotted p. 401. l 26. licentiousnes for covetousnes Other faults may also escape in the printing which I desire the Reader to correct witâ— his pen. THE FIRST PART of the BOOKE CAP. I. Concerning the Kings Supremacie and the Oath in that behalfe to be taken HIS MAIESTIES Supremacie is chiefly considerable in two respects namely in respect of Persons and in respect of Things or Causes First then concerning his Supremacy in respect of Persons Ecclesiasticall as well as Civill within his owne Dominions who can iustly denie it him Doth not S. Peter expresly require of all Christians that live within the Dominion of anie King that they should submit themselves unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as unto the chiefe or supreame person over them It is evident that hee calleth the King
he changeth the good lawes and establisheth his owne he prophaneth he raveneth he spoyleth he defraudeth he massacreth even that man of perdition doth this vvhom they are wont to call Antichrist in vvhose forehead this name of blasphemy is written I am a God I cannot erre He sitteth in the Temple of God and Ruleth farre and wide c. Petrus Blessensis likewise verie earnestly adviseth all good men to depart from Rome as from the midst of Babylon And Sigebertus also witnesseth that for the most part all that were good just open hearted ingenuous and plaine-dealing men held That the kingdome of Antichrist vvas then and in those dayes About which time also the VValdenses and Albigenses in France did openly sequester themselves from the Romish Church holding and maintayning amongst other articles as the bookes of their adversaries themselves doe witnesse That Popish Rome is the Babylon mentioned in the Revelation and that the Pope is the very Antichrist foretold in the Scriptures And about the yeare 1230 one VVilliam Bishop of Paris likewise feared not to call Rome Babylon Egypt Sodome and her Prelates Profaners and spoylers of the True Spouse of Christ that established Lucifer againe in the heaven of Christs Church Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincolne Sebaldus Archbishop of Yorke and Probus Bishop of Thoul did in their times also mightily inveigh against the Pope One Haiabalus a Franciscan preached openly in Avinian That the Pope and his Cardinals were Antichrist and that the Popish Church was the VVhore of Babylon mentioned in the Revelation And being sent for by Pope Clement the sixt he affirmed that he was commanded from God to publish it and that hee could not otherwise doe Francis Petrarch Archdeacon of Parma and a Chanon of Padua who lived about the yeare 1350 and who for all kinde of learning might be called the light of his age not onely in his Sonnets but even in his Epistles also exclaimeth against the Pope his Court and Church saying That the Popes Chayre is the Chayre of lying that it is a Defection a Revolt an Apostasie of a people that under the Standard of Christ rebell against Christ and fight for Sathan That the Papacy and no other is the Babylon the mother of all the vvhoredomes of the earth c. Nicholaus Oresmus also who lived about the yeare 1364. feared not to say before Pope Vrban the fift That the Church of Rome vvas vvorse then vvhilom vvas the Iewish Synagogue That the Time of Antichrist spoken of in 2. Thess. 2 vvas come seeing the Romane Empire vvas desolated and that betweene the desolation thereof and the comming of Antichrist there vvas no middle time thereby signifying plainely enough that Antichrist then was in being and had his seate in Rome Which thing also Iohannes de Rupe scissa a Franciscan Frier was bold to affirme before Pope Vrban the sixt for which hee was prisoner a long time in Avinion These to pretermit sundrie other Authorities and Testimonies which might be further cited if need were sufficiently declare that manie hundreth yeares before King HENRY the Eight or LUTHER or CALVIN were borne the Pope of Rome was held published to be Antichrist and the Beast spoken of in the Revelation and that Popish Rome was the Whore of Babylon as also they shew where our Church was all that while untill they made an actuall separation from the Pope and Poperie And where it hath been ever since is a thing so well knowne and apparant that it needeth not to be shewed And thus much may suffice to have spoken generally Now let us proceede to other matters FINIS LIBRI PRIMI THE SECOND PART of the BOOKE CHAP. I. Wherein that point concerning the infallible Iudge of these controversies is amplified and further debated and declared And what Scriptures be Canonical and what not Of the perfection and sufficiencie of the Scriptures without Traditions That the Church is to be tryed and decided by the Scriptures And who be the right Catholikes That the Scriptures in their originals be incorrupt and to be preferred before that which is called S. Hieromes Translation and before all other Translations whatsoever That the publique Service should be in such a Tongue as the people may understand That Lay-people may and ought to reade the Scriptures And whence all right exposition of them is to be had AS wee are all under one God and under one King and the same a most worthie learned vertuous and Christian King so were it very consonant and convenient if by anie good meanes it might be brought to passe that we did all hold and professe one and the selfe same true faith Christian Religion For indeed not anie unitie or agreement in falshood or errors but an unitie or agreement in the truth and true Religion is the thing that ought of all to be sought after and desired But now which is that one true Christian Religion which all ought to embrace is that which is made the great Question namely whether it be Protestancy or Papistry inasmuch as both these lay claime unto it Wherein if God speaking in his owne sacred and Canonicall Scriptures may be as is most fit he should be allowed to bee the Iudge then is this which is made so great a question soone decided and at an end it being by him there cleerely resolved that not that which is called Papistry but that which is called Protestancy is the right and true Christian Religion For what be Protestants as they be in this Controversie distinguished against Papists but such as professe to build their Faith and Religion wholly and altogether upon that undoubted word of God the sacred and Canonical Scriptures And what is Papistry on the other side but a profession of such a Faith and Religion as is not so grounded but relieth partly upon unwritten Traditions partly upon the determination of the Popes partly upon the Decrees of their Councels and voice of their owne Church and Teachers and upon such like strengthes and staies as whereby they may easily be deceived Howbeit what cause is there why the pretended Catholicks should not allow God speaking in his divine and Canonical Scriptures to be the Iudge in these Controversies For is there or can there be anie higher better juster or surer Iudge to trust unto then hee or is there anie equall to him or comparable with him What meane they herein Would they have their owne Church Clergie Councels and Pope to be the Iudge That were not fit nor equall yee know that such as be parties should also be the Iudges in their owne cause Yea if their Councell of Constance and Councell of Trent or anie other of their Councels were much better then they be as they be indeed none of the best sort yet were they not to be held for sure or infallible Iudges in this case for anie to build his faith upon or to trust unto them
Relatum where it is said Non enim sensum extrinsecus alienum extraneum debetis quaerere Sed ex ipsis Scripturis sensum capere veritatis oportet For yee ought not to seeke for a strange and forraine sence from vvithout but out of the verie Scriptures themselves yee must take the sence of the truth So that although the Church of Christ and the Bishops Pastors and Ministers therein be to expound the Scriptures yet wee see by what rule they are to be directed namely by the Scriptures themselves and not to expound it at randome or as they list If they wil have their expositions to be right and sound and such as shall be deemed to come from the holy Ghost 3 Yea the verie Church it selfe is also thus to be tried and decided namely by the Scriptures For so S. Augustine holdeth directly saying thus Let us not heare I say and thou sayest but let us heare Thus saith the Lord. There are verily the Lords bookes to the authoritie vvhereof vvee both consent vvee both beleeve vvee both serve There let us search the Church there let us discusse our cause And againe he saith That all that should be remooved vvhatsoever is alleaged on eyther side against other saving that vvhich commeth out of the Canonicall Scriptures And againe he saith Let them shevv their Church if they can not in the sayings and fame of the Affricanes nor in the determinations of their Bishops nor in any mans reasonings nor in false signes and vvonders for against all these vvee be vvarned and armed by Gods VVord but in the things appointed in the Lavv spoken before by the Prophets in the Songs of the Psalmes in the voyce of the Shepheard himselfe and in the preachings and painefulnesse of the Evangelists that is in the authoritie of the bookes Canonicall And a little after he saith againe thus To that eternall salvation commeth no man but he that hath the head Christ and no man can have the head Christ vvhich is not in his bodie the Church vvhich Church as also the head it selfe vvee must knovv by the Canonicall Scriptures and not seeke it in divers rumors and opinions of men nor in facts reports and visions c. Let all this sort of them be chaffe and not give sentence before hand against the vvheat that they bee the Church But this point viz. vvhether they be the Church or no Let them shevv no other vvay but by the Cononicall boâ—kes of the holy Scriptures For neither doe vvee say that men ought to beleeve vs because vvee are in the Catholike Church of Christ or because Optatus Bishop of Millevet or Ambrose Bishop of Millain or innumerable other Bishops of our Communion doe allâ—w this doctrine that vvee hold or becaâ—se in Churches of our Companions it is preached or because that through the vvhole world in those holy places vvhere our Congregations resorted so manie wonders either of hearings or of healing be done vvhatsoever such things be done in the Catholicke Church the Church is not thâ—refore proved Catholicke because these things bee done in it The Lord Iesus himselfe vvhen he vvas risen from death and offered his ovvne bodie to be seene vvith the eies and handled vvith the hands of his Apostles least they should for all that thinke themselves to bee deceaved hee rather iudged that they ought to bee established by the testimonie of the lavv Prophets and Psalmes shevving those things to be fulfilled in him that were there spoken so long before of him And hereupon a little after he saith againe These are the doctrines these are the stayes of our cause vvee read in the Acts of the Apostles of some faithfull men that they searched the Scriptures vvhether the things vvere so or no vvhich they had heard preached vvhat scriptures I pray did they search but the Canonicall of the Lavv and of the Prophets To these are ioyned the Gospels the Epistles of the Apostles the Acts of the Apostles The Revelation of S. Iohn Search all these bring forth some plaine thing out of them vvhereby you may declare that the Church hath remained onely in Affricke So farre Augustine Chrysostome also speaketh to the same effect saying VVhen you shall see the abhominable desolation stand in the holy place that is as he expoundeth it VVhen you shall see vngodly Heresie vvhich is the army of Antichrist stand in the holy places of the Church in that time let them which are in Iurie flie vnto the hills that is saith hee Let them that are in Christendome resort vnto the Scriptures for like as the true Ievv is a Christian as the Apostle saith he is not a Ievv vvhich is one outvvard in like manner the verie Ievvrie is Christianitie the hills are the Scriptures of the Apostles and Prophets But why doth hee command all Christians at that time to resort to the Scriptures Because in this time sithence Heresie hath prevailed in the Church there can bee saith hee no proofe nor other refuge for Christian men desirous to knovv the truth of the right Faith but onely by the Scriptures And the reason hereof he further sheweth For saith he such things as pertaine to Christ the Heretickes also have in their schisme They have likevvise Churches likevvise the Scriptures of God Bishops also and other orders of Clerkes and likevvise Baptisme and the Sacrament of the Eucharist and to conclude Christ himselfe vvherefore he that vvill knovv vvhich is the true Church of Christ in this so great confusion of things being so like hovv shall he knovv it but onely by the Scriptures And afterward againe he saith thus For if they shall looke upon anie other thing but onely the Scriptures they shall stumble and perish not perceiving vvhich is the true Church and so fall into the abhominable desolation vvhich standeth in the holy places of the Church So farre he Now then these being times of Schisme and heresie and of much contention and variance betweene the Protestants and the Papists and the great question betweene them being VVhether of them is the true Church Yea these being the times wherein the verie grand Antichrist himselfe with his armie of Bishops Priests and Clerkes hath place in the world as before in some sort but afterwards is more fully declared It followeth necessarily by this rule of his as also by the former Rule and direction of S. Augustine likewise that all people that bee desirous to know the truth in these times and which is the true Church must resort and betake themselves for the true tryall discerning and deciding hereof vnto the holy Scriptures only for all other waies and courses be uncertaine and unsure and such as whereby a man may possibly and easily be deceived as those ancient Fathers do there expresly teach and affirme And to give you some little tast here also that these be the times of Antichrist and that Antichrist is long sithence come and that the Pope of Rome
in respect of his bodily presence and manhood departed from the world and in that respect is as himselfe affirmeth no more in the vvorld but in heaven untill the day of the general judgement as S. Peter also and our Creede doe teach us how grosse and absurd yea what misbeleevers be Papists that dare affirme him cleane contrarie to his owne testimonie and the testimonie of S. Peter and the rest of the Scriptures and contrarie also to the verie Creed it selfe to be still in the world in that his manhood and bodily presence It is high time therefore for all to renounce and forsake this monstrous and detestable errour if they will be right Christians and right beleevers As for that Text where it is said No man ascendeth up to heaven but he that descended from heaven even the sonne of man vvhich is in heaven It is easily answered and resolved for most true it is that the Sonne of man Christ Iesus was even then in heaven in his Deitie at such time when hee was also upon the earth in his humanitie So that in respect of that his Deitie or Godhead it is that being upon the earth he was neverthelesse also in heaven and not in respect of his manhood or humanitie for his manhood or humanitie or bodily presence was then on the earth and could not also be in heaven at one and the selfe same time as is before declared S. Iohn saith that Every spirit vvhich confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but this is the spirit of Antichrist Now what is it else to denie Iesus Christ to be come in the flesh but to denie him to be true man and like unto men in all things sinne onely excepted Whilest men therefore thus denie Christ to be come in the flesh that is to have all the properties of a True man and to be like unto other men in all things sinne onely excepted how can they cleere themselves but that they must be enforced to yeeld and confesse that they be herein led not by the spirit of Christ but by the spirit of Antichrist Yea whilest they thus say that Christ is in his manhood and natural bodie present upon earth what doe they else but denie or impugne not onely those Articles of the Creed viz. that Christ is ascended into heaven and that there hee sitteth at the right hand of God his Father and that from thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead But this Article also that Iesus Christ vvas borne of the Virgin Mary and was incarnate and made man of her substance For this doubtlesse is the right Iesus Christ in whom wee are to beleeve but by this their doctrine they contrariwise beleeve in another Iesus Christ namely in such a one as they affirme by this their Transubstantiation to be made of another substance namelie out of the substance of a piece of bread And how can such a Christ so made of the substance of a piece of bread be the true Christ Of which and of all other sorts of false Christs the true Christ Iesus himselfe hath given us sufficieÌ„t forewarning Fiftly they herein make their Massing Priest after their words of consecration uttered to be the maker of his Maker namelie of Iesus Christ And that Iesus Christ is thus made anew everie day or so oft as their Masse is celebrated How manie thousand Iesus Christs by this meanes will they have in the world But can anie be so absurdlie impious as to beleeve or suppose that Christ Iesus can be made out of the substance of a piece of bread by a Priest by vertue of anie words of consecration uttered or by anie devise whatsoever Can anie creature possibly make his Creator or the thing made make his maker Fie on these and all other such senselesse detestable abominations Diverse other absurdities also of the Papists might here be further alledged but these before mentioned will I hope suffice to declare the most grosse and most notorious false exposition of the Popish Church concerning those wordes of Christ This is my Body in the Lords Supper wherby they strangely suppose a Transubstantiation and a carnal eating of Christ his verâ—e natural bodie contrarie to the Scriptures and contrarie to all sense reason right faith and true Religion For ye must learne so to expound Scripture as that yee make all the rest of the Scriptures to stand and agree with that sense you set upon it so that there may be no repugnancie But the sense and exposition which the Popish church setteth upon those words of Christ namely This is my Body is cleerely repugnant to other Scriptures and even to the verie Articles also of the Creede aswell as to all sense and reason as is before apparant and therefore it cannot possibly be the right sense nor true exposition What remaineth then but that the right and true sense and meaning of those words is and must needs be the same which the Protestants set upon them because that their exposition is consonant agreeing to the rest of the Scriptures and to all the Articles of the Creede aswell as to all sense and reason and is also sutable and correspondent to the like usuall ordinarie phrase and manner of speech in other and former Sacraments amongst the Iewes the old people of God under the old Testament according to which maner of speech Christ also spake when he instituted this Sacrament of his Supper under the new Testament calling according to the usuall Sacramental phrase the signe by the name of the thing signified Which thing I trust is now so cleare and evident as that none can iustly anie longer make anie doubt or question of it 5 But yet for the fuller discussing hereof it will not be amisse here to speake a few words touching Consecration because upon Consecration it is that they seeme to build their before mentioned error of Transubstantiation Let us therfore consider what Consecration is and what it importeth or worketh To Consecrate then is to take a thing from the prophane or ordinarie and common use and to destinate or appoint it to some holy use and end And if wee would know how things come to bee consecrate or sanctified S. Paul saith that everie Creature of God is good and nothing to bee refused if it bee received with thankesgiving For it is sanctified saith hee by the word of God and prayer Sanctification then or Consecration of a thing doth here appeare to bee by the institution and word of God and by praier or invocation whereof thankesgiving is a part And therefore the Lord Iesus before he brake the bread and gave it hee Blessed that is he gave thankes to his Father that hee out of his love to men had appointed him to bee the Redeemer for the satisfying of his Iustice in the behalfe of his elect and had given him authoritie to institute this
by the controversies that are betweene the Protestants and the Papists how much even the learned professed Divines themselves be divided in opinions In this case what shall we doe that be Lay-men shall wee bee of no religion untill these be agreed But when will that be or what if in the interim anie of us in such a case should die were it not extreamely perillous or shall a man at all adventures betake himselfe to one of the two Religions not caring or not knowing whether it be right or wrong which he betaketh himselfe unto were not that over-great levitie a blinde resolution and a strange inconsiderate rashnesse Yea doe we not all say and hold that extra veram Ecclesiam non est salus out of the true Church there is no salvation There is then so farre as I perceive a direct necessitie laid upon as manie of us as be able to make search not onely to search but to finde out also whether of these be the true Teachers and which is the right faith and the true Church and to ioyne our selves thereunto For which purpose ought wee not studiously and diligently to reade and revolve the Scriptures For is there anie other sure rule of truth beside them or anie other infallible or better Iudge for the deciding of these controversies then God himselfe speaking unto us in those his sacred and divine Writings But to take away all doubts let it be examined Would anie then have the Church to be the Iudge Why the Church it selfe is the thing that is chiefly in question the grand and principall Question betweene the Protestants and the Papists being Whether of them is the true Church and when the Church it selfe is in question she is not to iudge but to be iudged as even Bellarmine also himselfe declareth Or would anie have Councils to be this Iudge Godly Councils that be assembled in the name of Christ and aime onely at truth and that have the Word of God onely for their rule and direction be I confesse much to be honoured and respected but Councils at all times follow not nor doe according to that rule whereupon it commeth to passe that they sometimes erre and goe astray and consequently cannot be infallible Iudges For first it is granted aswell by Papists as by Protestants that Provinciall Councils may erre even in matters of faith and why then may not generall Councils also possibly erre in matters of faith sometimes For is not the holy Ghost the spirit of truth if he so please as well able to keepe a Provinciall Councill at all times from erring as a generall What then is the difference or wherein doth it consist Will anie say it consisteth in this that in a generall Councill there is a greater number or multitude then is in a Provinciall But truth goeth not alwayes by multitudes or the greatest number but is somtimes found in the lesser number and in few against manie as in times past it was found in one Michaiah against foure hundreth For which cause it is also written Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe evill nor agree in a controversie to decline after manie to overthrow the truth Neyther indeed do the Popish Teachers themselves hold the reason of their supposed non-errabilitie of general Councils to be because of the greater number or multitude but because of the promise of the holy Ghost made unto them which holy Ghost they neverthelesse cannot denie to be promised aswell to a Provinciall as to a generall Councell yea Where but Two or Three be gathered together in my Name saith Christ there am I in the midst of them Seeing then it is granted that a Provinciall Councill may erre notwithstanding this promise of the holy Ghost it must be granted that a generall Councill may sometime also erre by the same reason that a Provinciall may notwithstanding that promise For as touching the reason that some bring that if a general Councill may erre then the whole Church may erre faile in faith it is no consequent inasmuch as all the Bishops and Pastors within Christendome without exception be not alwayes present at a generall Councill much lesse be all the faithfull throughout the whole world there present and therefore also doth even Panormitan himselfe reiect that reason and inference as frivolous For saith he though a generall Councill represent the whole universall Church yet to speake truth the universall Church is not there precisely but by representation because the universall Church consisteth of All the Faithful and this saith he is the Church which cannot erre Wherby it is not un-possible that the true faith of Christ may abide in one person onely therefore the Church is said not to faile or not to erre if the true faith remaine in anie one And thus saith Pighius also though an Arch-Papist Certum est Concilia non esse universalem Ecclesiam it is a thing certaine that Councils be not the vvhole or universall Church Where he further affirmeth those two Councils of Constance and Basil to have erred notwithstanding they were generall Councils Yea this is so cleere a case with him that Generall Councills may erre even in matter of Faith that hee saith againe most directly and expressely thus In fidei definitionibus errasse etiam universalia sanctorum Patrum Concilia comperimus Testimonio sunt de universalibus Concilijs imprimis Ariminense Vniversale haud dubie c. Insuper Ephesinum secundum ipsum Vniversale c. Testimonio inquam haec sunt errare posse etiam universalia Concilia etiam legitimè congregata We finde that even generall Councils of holy Fathers have erred in their decrees or determinations of matters of faith Witnesse hereof concerning generall Councils is especially the Councill of Arimine a generall Councill without doubt c. And moreover the second Ephesine Councill which was likewise a generall Councill c. These I say be Witnesses that even generall Councils may erre though they be never so lawfully assembled For although most true it is that the holy Ghost cannot possibly erre and that the same holy Ghost is promised and given to godly Councills as likewise he is to everie godly man faithfull member of Christ yet it pleaseth the holy Ghost not to extend and shew forth his vigor force and power at all times but sometimes to withhold it and so to leave men to themselves in which case it is then a verie easie matter for Councils either Generall or Provinciall as also for anie other godly man or particular member of Christ to erre sinne or goe astray neither is it Gods Spirit which doth disagree from his Word And consequently whosoever teacheth anie thing concerning Faith and Religion not according to Gods Word but out of his owne braine and fancie must be supposed to speake not by Gods spirit whatsoever he pretendeth but by his owne as S. Chrysostome also informeth us Wherefore
not verie ancient as being given of later times to those Christians that have protested against the errors abuses in Poperie yet that hindreth not but that the Faith Religion by them professed may be nevertheless as it is the most ancient Apostolick Catholick Christian Divine As likewise the name of Papists is not verie ancient as being also of later times given by their adversaries unto them for that they depend so much upon the Pope his doctrine decrees designes yet do the Papists neverthelesse hold the faith and religion which they professe to be verie ancient yea the most ancient and the Apostolick Catholick and Christian. Howbeit both these Religions they being so repugnant contradictorie one to the other cannot be right but one of them must needs be wrong and that is Poperie as this Booke declareth That which wee meane and comprehend under the name of Poperie being nothing else but the errors heresies and corruptions which the Church of Rome holdeth and be accrued and growen unto it since the first institution and planting of it by the Apostles For what the Church of Rome rightly holdeth or beleeveth the Protestants impugne not nor have cause to impugne but they onely impugne her errors heresies and corruptions As for the terme of Catholicks which Papists have put upon themselves their calling themselves so doth not therfore prove them to be so for the Arrians in times past likewise called themselves Catholicks who were neverthelesse not so but Hereticks in verie deed But as we dislike not but well approve of that name of Catholicks when it is rightly used and applyed and given to those to whom it properly belongeth so doe wee preferre the name of Christians before it as being indeed the more ancient and the more honourable name it being derived from Christ himselfe the Head of his Church and the Author of the Christian religion Who be the right Catholicks and the true-Christians who not yea which be the Christian and which be the un-Christian and which be the Antichristian people doth afterward appeare that so every man may know what name doth rightly properly belong unto him and may ranke himselfe in his due place For whosoever knoweth Antichrist well wil abhorre detest him and will love honour and adhere unto Christ the puritie of his religion so much the more If then the Pope of Rome shall here appeare unto you to be as hee is the grand Antichrist foretold in the Scriptures I doubt not but you wil speedily renounce him his Antichristian Supremacie his Antichristian Religion together with all his seducing and Antichristian Teachers and wicked and Antichristian courses against the Church of God For no true-Christians ought nor will give anie better respect to Antichrist especially after that they once know him have him discovered manifested unto them God therefore open reveale his truth more more unto us all and incline all our hearts and affections to embrace it evermore to walke in the wayes of it AMEN An Alphabeticall Table of the principall matters handled in this Worke following A ANtichristianisme a mysterie of iniquitie and not any open hostilitie or professed enmitie against Christ and Christianitie pag. 208. pag. 39. p. 61.62 pa. 285.286 pag. 394 395. c. Antichristianisme began in the Apostles dayes pag. 280.321 VVhat maner of adversarie the speciall and grand Antichrist is pag. 285.286 and pag. 394 395.396 pag. 334.335 Antichrist is the falseâ—Prophet amongst Christians and not amongst the Turkes and other Infidels of the world pag. 341. c Miracles signes and wonders done in the Antichristian Church to seduce and deceive people with all pag. 280.281 VVhat maner of miracles or vvonders they be that be done in the Antichristian Church pag. 280.281.282 pag. 306.307 pag. 341. pag. 98.99 A difference betweene Christian un-Christian and Antichristian people pag. 286 Antichrist is not one singular or particular man that shall continue iust three yeares and an halfe but is a State or succession of men that is to have continuance for many hundreth yeares in the world pag. 312.313.314 315.316.317.318.319.320.321 c. Antichrist is to sit in the Temple of God that is in the Church and amongst those that professe Christ and Christianitie p. 283.284 The speciall and particular place vvhere the grand Antichrist is to sit is not Constantinople nor Hierusalem nor any other Citie but Rome pag. 283.284.285 pag. 246.247.248 p. 377. c That the Pope of Rome is the grand Antichrist shewed out of 2. Thes. 2. pag. 279.280.281 c The Pope of Rome further shewed to be Antichrist out of Rev. 13. pag. 325.326.327.328.329.330.331.332 c Againe the Pope shewed to be Antichrist and the Popish Church to be the Antichristian out of 1. Tim. 4. verses 1 2 3 4 5. pa. 353 354.355 c Sundry obiections of the Papists concerning Antichrist answered pag. 377.378.379 380 381.382 c. That Papall or Popish Rome is the vvhore of Babylon shewed out of Revel 17 pag. 244.245.246 c The Romane Empire standing in the height and glory vvas the let or impediment that Antichrist could not shew himselfe in his height untill that impediment vvas removed pag. 304.305 pag. 391.392 393 That Antichrist is come long sithence pag. 391.392.393 394. pag. 43.44 c. pag. 61.62 Antichrist the man of sinne the sonne of perdition pag. 396.397.398 399.400 c. The reason vvhy men are so seduced and misled by Antichrist pag. 307.308 The most fearefull and vvofull estate of those vvho receiving many admonitions to the contrary vvill neverthelesse live and dye in obedience to Antichrist and his religion pag. 309 and p. 397 c. Assurance of salvation in this life and how it is 〈…〉 and mâ—y be obteyned pag. 158.159 160.161 c B IN vvhat sense some ancient Fathers call Peter Bishop of Rome and vvhether he vvere properly so to be called pag. 90 91 92 How unlike the Bishop of Rome is to S. Peter pag 92 93 94 c VVho that Beast is that is mentioned in Rev. 13 and in diverse other places of the Revelation pag 308.309 pag 325 326 327 328 c. and pag. 249.250.251.252.253 C WHere our Church vvas during the raigne of Poperie pag. 36.37 38 Councels aswell generall as Provinciall may erre in matter of Faith as vvell as in matter of fact pag. 50 51 52 54 c. See also the Preface VVhat Church that is vvhereof it is said that it cannot erre and vvhen and how farre it may erre and how farre not pag. 81 82. See also the Preface Concerning universalitie antiquitie perpetuitie visibilitie unitie succession of Bishops and doing of miracles vvhether all these be in the Popish Church and vvhether they be inseparable markes of the true Church pag. 83.84 85. c. to the end of that chapter Chastisements and afflictions in this life be sent of God upon his children out of his love toward them for other
by making lawes for Christ but they may also command and externally compell their subiects if they stubbornly be Reâ—â—sants and wilfull to become obedient in that behalfe For so did the godly and religious Kings of Iudah as for example King Asa King Manasseth and king Iosiah The Donatists were the first that denied this authoritie of Kings in matters Ecclesiasticall Against whom therefore S. Augustine disputeth at large in sundry places VVhy doe the Donatists saith he acknowledge the force of the laws to be iustly executed against other malefactors and deny the same to be done against heretickes and schismaticks seeing that by the authoritie of the Apostle they be alike reckoned with the same fruits of iniquity yea if a King should not regard such things why then saith he doth he beare the sword Againe hee saith Mirantur quia commoventur potestates Christianae adversus detestandos dissipatores Ecclesiae Si non ergo moverentur quo modo redderent rationem de Imperio suâ— Deo They marvaile that these Christian Powers be moved against the detestable wasters of the Church If they should not be moved against such how should they render an account to God of their rule or governement Thinkest thou saith he to Vincentius that no man ought to be forced to righteousnesse vvhen as thou readest that the Master said unto his servant Compell all that you finde to come in c. Where is now saith he to Bonifacius that vvhich these Donatists harpe at so much viz. That it is free for a man to beleeve or not to beleeve what violence did Christ use whom did hee compell Behold Paul for an example Let them marke in him first Christ compelling and afterward teaching first striking and then comforting Let them not mislike that they be forced but examine whereto they be sorted And cyting that part of the second Psalme Be vvise ye kings understand yee that iudge the earth Serve the Lord in feare hee saith thus How doe kings serve the Lord in feare but when they forbid and punish vvith a religious severitie those things which be done against the commandements of God As Ezechias did serve him by destroying the groves and Temples builded against the precept of God As Iosiah did in like maner As the king of Nineveh also did forcing the vvhole City to please God As Nebuchadnezar likewise did restraining all his subiects from blaspheming God with a dreadfull law 3 As for the reason of Gaudentius that the peace of Christ invited such as were willing but forced no man unwilling the same S. Augustine again answereth it speaketh on this manner VVhere you thinke saith he that none must be forced to truth against their wils you be deceived not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God vvhich maketh them willing afterward vvhich were unwilling at the first Did the Ninivites repent against their will because they did it at the compulsion of their king VVhat needed the kings expresse commandement that all should humbly submit themselves to God but that there were some amongst them vvhich never vvould have regarded nor beleeved Gods message had they not beene terrified by the kings Edict This princely power and authoritie giveth many men occasion to be saved vvhich though they vvere violently brought to the feast of the great Housholder yet being once compelled to come in they finde there good cause to reioyce that they did enter though at first against their wills And when Petilian also obiected that no man ought to be forced by lawes to godlinesse S. Augustine still answereth and saith Preposterous vvere discipline to revenge your ill living but vvhen you first contemne the doctrine that teacheth you to live vvell And even those that make lawes to bridle your headinesse are they not they that beare the sword as Paul speaketh not in vaine being Gods ministers and executors of wrath on him that doth ill Yea S. Augustine teacheth further directly that it is the office dutie of Kings and Princes to compell their subiects although not to faith yet to the outward meanes of faith which is comming to the Churches and assemblies of Gods people there to heare the word of God read and preached and to doe other Christian dueties there used For howsoever it be granted that God only worketh faith in mens soules and not Men nor the power of Kings yet thereupon it followeth not but that Kings may neverthelesse command and compell them to external obedience and cause them to present their bodies in those Churches and assemblies where the ordinarie meanes of faith and salvation is to be had And as for Gods inward working upon their soules and his blessing upon that outward meanes when they be in those Assemblies Kings and Princes doe and must leave those things unto God alone as being things not included within their power to give nor within the power of anie earthly creature whosoever Some of the Donatists in ancient time rather then they would be forced from their fancies were so wilful unnaturall and impious as that they slew themselves yet did this nothing hinder the Church of God but that Donatists for all that were compelled by vertue of Princes lawes to their due obedience without anie respect or regard had to such their wicked and desperate doings I vvas once so minded saith S. Augustine that I thought no man ought to be forced to Christian unity but that vvee should deale by perswasion strive by disputing and conquer by reasoning lest they proved dissembling Catholickes vvhom we know to be professed Heretickes But afterward as himselfe sheweth he altered this opinion upon better advisement teaching That as it is fit that men that be in error touching Religion should be admonished instructed and dealt withall by perswasion so if they neglect scorne or contemne admonitions and instructions or doe grow wilfull stubborne perverse and obstinate upon no ground of reason they are iustly worthie to be punished according to the lawes For what a vaine idle thing is it for anie to say It is against their conscience to come to our Churches there to heare Gods word read and preached to pray unto God with us to thanke him for all his benefites to be present and partakers of his Sacraments and of other godly and religious exercises there used and yet can shew no reason at all for this their doing A blinde conscience such as this and every other is that hath not anie good reason to shew for it selfe is to be corrected and reformed and not to be followed And therfore doth S. Augustine yet further say expresly touching this matter That it is enioyned Kings from God ut in Regno suo bona iubeant mala prohibeant non solum quae ad humanam societatem pertinent verum etiam quae ad Divinam Religionem that in their Kingdomes they should command good
some have done that the King is therein called Supreme head of the Church they are deceived The words of the Oath at this day to take away all offence that any might conceive in that point being not supreme HEAD but supreme GOVERNOR And as touching this Title of Governor within his owne Dominions none can with anie reason gainesay it inasmuch as beside that which is before spoken King Alfred reigning long sithence was likewise called Omnium Britanniae Insulae Christianorum Rector The Governor of all the Christians vvithin the Isle of Britanny The Councell also held at Mentz in Germanie the yeare 814 in the time of the Emperor Charles the great and Pope Leo the third calleth likewise the Christian Emperor Carolus Augustus Governor of the True Religion and Defendor of the holy Church of God c. And a little after they say thus VVee give thankes to God the Father almighty because he hath granted unto his holy Church a Governor so godly c. In the yeare 847. there was also held another Councel at Mentz in the time of Leo the fourth and Lotharius the Emperor where they againe call the Emperor Verae Religionis strenuissimum rectorem a most puissant Governor of the true Religion The like was ascribed to King Reccesumthius in a Councell held at Emerita in Portugale about the yeare 705 in these words VVhose vigilancie doth governe both secular things vvith very great piety and ecclesiasticall by his vvisedome plentifully given him of God Where you see it expressely acknowledged that the King is a Governor both in causes secular and ecclesiasticall And this Councell of Emerita had also good allowance of Pope Innocent the third in his Epistle to Peter Archbishop of Compostella as Garsias witnesseth So that the Title of Governor even as touching matters ecclesiasticall as well as civill or secular attributed to the King he governing in them after a Regall manner and not in that Ecclesiasticall manner which Bishops and Clergie men use can no way justly be misliked but must in all reason be well approved and allowed Howbeit I grant that King Henry the eight and King Edward the sixt had that Title of Head in their times given unto them but not of the universal Church upon earth as the Pope hath but of the Church onely within their owne Dominions and not within their owne Dominions neither in such sort and sense as the Pope taketh upon him to be Head over all the Churches in the world that is to rule and governe them at his own pleasure and as he lift himselfe Indeed Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester when he was in Germanie upon the Kings affaires was there a very ill Interpretor of that Title Supreme head of the Church vvithin his owne Dominions given to King Henry the eight reporting that the King might thereby prescribe and appoint new ordinances in the Church concerning faith and doctrine as namely forbid the marriage of Priests and take away the use of the Cup in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and in things concerning Religion might do what he listed This manner of declaring the Kings power and authoritie under that Title did so much offend the reformed Churches that Calvin and the writers of the Centuries did complaine of it and that iustly and worthily bearing that sense but in no other sort or sense did they dislike it Yea even that Title of Supreme head being rightly understood needed not to have offended anie for they had iâ— in no other sort or sense then the King of Israel likewise had the title of Head of the Tribes of Israel of which Tribes the Leviticall Tribe was one Or then Theodosius that Christian Emperor had the like within his Empire of whom Saint Chrysostome saith that non habet parem super terram He hath no peere or equall upon earth and affirmeth moreover of him that hee was summitas Caput omnium super terram hominum the Head and one that had the Supremacy over all men upon earth Yea by the Title of supreme Head attributed to King Henry the eight and King Edward the sixt was no more meant but the verie same that was afterward meant to the late Queene Elizabeth of blessed memorie or to King Iames our now Soveraigne Lord under the title of Supreme Governor for that they are both to be taken intended in one the selfe same sense is verie manifest even by a direct clause in an Act of Parliament viz. the Statute of 5. Eliz. cap. 1. in which also is declared how the Oath of Supremacie is to be expounded And the words of that Statute be these Provided also that the Oath viz of Supremacie expressed in the said Act made in the said first yeare of her raigne shall be taken and expounded in such forme as is set forth in an Admonition annexed to the Queenes Maiesties Iniunctions published in the same first yeare of her Maiesties raigne that is to say to confesse and acknowledge in her Maiestie her heyres and successors none other authoritie then that vvhich vvas challenged and lately used by the noble king Henry the eight and king Edward the sixt as in the said Admonition more plainly may appeare Where first you may observe the Authoritie attributed to King Henry the eight and to King Edward the sixt and to Queene Elizabeth as touching this point intended and declared to be all one And secondly you see it enacted how the Oath of Supremacy is to bee expounded namely that it is to be taken expounded in such forme as is set forth in an Admonition annexed to the Queens Majesties Iniunctions published in the same first yeare of her Raigne The words of which Admonition therefore as more amply conteyning the explanation of the same Oath I have here thought good to adde for your better and most full satisfaction in this matter The Title whereof is this An Admonition to simple men deceived by the malicious HEr Maiesty forbiddeth all her subiects to give eare or credite to such perverse and malicious persons vvhich most sinisterly and maliciously labour to notifie to her loving subiects how by the vvordes of the Oath of Supremacy it may be collected that the Kings or Queenes of this Realme possessioners of the Crowne may challenge authoritie and power of Ministery of Divine offices in the Church vvherein her said subiects be much abused by such evill disposed persons for certainly her Maiestie neyther doth nor ever vvill challenge any other authority then that vvhich vvas of ancient time due to the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme that is to say under God to have the Soveraignety and rule over all maner of Persons borne vvithin these her Maiesties Dominions and Countries of vvhat estate eyther Ecclesiasticall or Temporall soever they be So as no forraine Power shall or ought to have any superioritie over them And if any person that hath conceived any other sense of the
Paschall the second would have warre made upon the Emperor promising to give remission of sinnes and assurance of everlasting life to all that would doe it and on the other side to excommunicate all those that would shew obedience to him They say thus Because VVee keepe the Law of God they obiect against us that vvee transgresse their new Traditions But God saith unto them vvhy do you transgresse the commandements of God by your Traditions God commandeth to give unto Cesar the things vvhich are Cesars and to God that which is Gods which S. Peter and S. Paul doe lâ—kewise teach honour the King let every soule be subiect to the hâ—gher powers Hee that commands every soule to doe this whom doth hee exempt from this earthly power Because therefore wee honour the King and serve our Lords and Maisters in the simplicitie of our hearts are wee therefore excommunicated c vvho can reprehend a Bishop for keeping his faith and loyaltie to his Prince and yet they that teare in sunder the kingdome and Priesthood with new Schismes and new Traditions promise to absolve them from the sinne of periurie that breake their faith to their king Suppose say they our Emperor vvere an hereticke yet is he not to be repelled as such a one by us by taking armes against him yea they alledge that the Prophet Ieremy praied for Nebuchadnezzar and S. Paul for Nero and adde further VVhich of the Popes of Rome hath by his Decrees given authoritie that a Bishop should use the sword of vvarre against any offendors All from Gregory the first used the spirituall sword alone unto the last Gregory vvho was the first that armed himselfe and by his example others vvith the sword of warre against the Emperor c You say that if a man be excommunicate for vvhat cause soever if he dye in that estaete hee is damned But the Authoritie of the Church of Rome say they helpeth us in this point vvho teach that the Bishop of Rome hath power to absolve any that is uniustly excommunicated by others If then the Bishop of Rome may doe this vvho will say that God cannot absolve whomsoever the Pope hath uniustly excommunicated yea the Popes curse of Excommunication they make no reckoning of but contemne and despise it but above all say they vvee feare that which the spirit of God by the mouth of the Psalmist hath said viz. Cursed are all they that decline from his commandements That Curse of excommunication vvhich Pope Hildebrand Odoardus and this Third have by a new Tradition indiscreetely brought in vvee vvholly reiect and vvee hold and reverence those first holy Fathers unto this day vvho by the motion of Gods spirit not carried vvith their owne affections have otherwise ordeyned c. forasmuch therefore as vvee sticke to the Ancient rule and are not carried away vvith every winde of Doctrine we are called Excommunicates false Clerkes c. Howbeit let Pope Paschall lay aside his spirit of presumption and let him advisedly consider vvith his Counsaylors how from Silvester to Hildebrand the Popes have obtayned the chaire at Rome vvhat and how manie outrages have beene committed by the Ambition of that Sea c. As for those Legats à latere vvho run through the world to fill their purses vve say they wholly reiect them according to those Councels of Affricke held in the times of Zozimus Caelestinus and Boniface for that vve may know theraby their fruits there proceeeds from their legations no correction of manners or amendment of life but the slaughters of men and the spoyle of Gods Church c. That there should be such desolation of the Church such oppression of the poore and vvidowes such crueltie such rapine and vvhich is worse such effusion of bloud without respect of good and evill and all this and worse then all this Done by the Commandement of the Pope vvho would beleeve it if his owne mouth had not spoken it VVee remayne astonished at the novelty of these things and vvee enquire from vvhence this new Example should come That the Preacher of peace with his owne mouth and the hand of another man should make vvarre against the Church of God c. Where further they directly affirme Rome to be Babylon and say that the Apostle so calleth it as foreseeing by a Propheticall spirit The confusion of that dissention vvherewith the Church at this day is torne in pieces c. And a great deale more is spoken in that Epistle of theirs which though it be long and large is worthie the reading over And this no doubt moved the Bishop of Florence also in the yeare 1106 publiquely to preach that Antichrist was borne and then in Esse which Pope Paschall understanding of and being much grieved therewith tooke the paines to goe himselfe in person to Florence to stop the mouth of this Bishop And fearing as it seemes to stirre in the matter too much contented himselfe onely to admonish him to desist from this bold enterprise lest otherwise indeed the truth of that matter should more strongly breake out But yet further about the yeare 1150. The letters of the Emperor Fredericke Barbarossa to the Princes of Germany be sufficiently knowne wherein he sheweth unto them that the Pope had no other drift but to set his foot upon the Emperors head that so hee might the more easily overcome the members And upon this it was saith Radevicus That the Pope vvas not ashamed to maintaine that the Emperor vvas his man and held the Empire of him Yea the Popes are gone so farre saith Aventinus that they affect both domination and deitie so that they vvill be feared of all as God yea more then God pretending that they are not bound to give account of their Actions to any That amongst them be many Antichrists and that indeede there be none more pernicious to the Christian Religion then the Popes The same Emperor in his letters to King VVencislaus saith that the high Bishops of Babylon that is of Rome doe sit long over the Temple of God and seise upon the divinity that to please the desire of these false Christs thâ— Princes doe ruinate one another and all states be in a combustion That they be blinde vvhich see not that they be cruel vvolves which under sheepes cloathing spoyle the flocke of Christ. And that this was the Iudgement also even of sundry of the Germane Church as wel as of the Emperor appeareth by the oration of an Archbishop to the States of the Empire for saith he He that is the servant of servants as if he vvere God coveteth to be the Lord of Lords hee disclaymeth the counsell of his brethren or rather of his Lords He feareth lest hee should be forced to give account of that vvhich he doth and usurpeth every day over the lawes Hee uttereth great things as if he vvere God Hee coyneth new devises in his minde to appropriate the Empire to himselfe
the Scriptures sentences misunderstood out of the vvritings of Bishops eyther of ours or of Hillary or of Cyprian Bishop and Martyr of the Church for vve must put a difference betwixt this kinde of vvriting and the Canonicall Scriptures for these are not so to be read as though a Testimony might be alledged out of them in such sort as that no man might thinke otherwise if they happen to iudge otherwise then the truth requireth And againe he saith VVe ought not to allow the reasonings of any men whatsoever they be be they never so Catholike and Prayse-worthy as the Canonicall Scriptures so that it shall not be lawfull for us saving the reverence that is due to those men to reprove and refuse any thing in their writings if it fall out that they have iudged otherwise then the truth is the same Truth being by Gods helpe understood either of other men or of us For I am even such a one in other mens vvritings as I vvould men should be in mine And againe he speaketh thus If any question be eyther concerning Christ or concerning his Church or concerning any other matter vvhatsoever which belongeth to our faith and life I will not say If vvee but that which the Apostle further addeth in Gal. 1. 8.9 If an Angel from heaven should preach unto you any other thing praeterquam quod in scripturis legalibus Evangelicis accepistis Anathema sit Beside that which ye have received in the scriptures of the Law and the Gospel let him be accursed Ambrose likewise upon that Text before mentioned of Gal. 1.8.9 giveth this observation The Apostle saith he doth not say If they preach contrary but if they preach any thing beside that which vve have preached that is if they adde any thing to it at all hold him accursed And therefore Si quid dicatur absque Scriptura Auditorum cogitaâ—io claudicat If any thing be spoken vvithout the Scripture the cogitation of the Hearer halteth saith Chrysostome Yea To leane to the Divine Scriptures which is the certaine and undoubted Truth is saith Irenaeus to build a mans house upon a sure and strong Rocke But to leave them and to leane to anie other Doctrines vvhatsoever they be is to build a ruinous house upon the shattering gravell vvhereof the overthrow is easie Here then you may prrceive that even those unwritten Traditions also which yee obtrude unto us under the name of Apostolicall that bee not specified nor found written in Gods booke the sacred and Canonicall Scriptures are iustly refusable as being unassured uncertaine and unwarranted stuffe For so also doth S. Ierome say All that ever vvee speake wee ought to prove it by the Scriptures And so also speaketh Chrysostome saying Therefore neither are they to be beleeved at all except they speake those things which be agreeable to the Scriptures To that which Faustus put forth upon the birth of Mary that shee had a certaine Priest to her father named Ioachim S. Augustine answereth Because it is not Canonicall saith he it doth not bind mee The like answer giveth Tertullian to Appelles which said that the Angels had a bodily substance which they tooke of the Stars There is no certaintie saith he in this matter because the Scripture declareth it not And indeed who can assure such Traditions to be undoubtedly Divine or to be originally and infalibly Apostolicall which have onely Men for the witnessing of them and whereof there is no testimonie in the Apostles writings or in Gods booke to be found For if they be not there specified who as S. Augustine speaketh can say That these and these they are Or if he dare be bould to say so hovv will he prove it But moreover we neede none of those Traditions as I said before inasmuch as the Scriptures themselves bee fully sufficient for us and for our direction and instruction in all things necessarie expedient for us For beside the Scriptures which declare so much Tertullian likewise saith Adoro scripturae plenitudinem I adore the compleatnes or the fulnes of the Scriptures And S. Basil also saith Manifestum est infidelitatis arrogantiae crimen vel reijcere aliquid quod scriptum est vel addere aliquid quod non est scriptum That it is a manifest fault of infidelitie and arrogancie either to reiect anie thing of that which is written or to bring in anie thing of that which is not written Yea such is the sufficiencie fulness perfection and compleatness of the Scriptures in all points and respects that as you heard before S. Augustine denounceth him accursed that shall preach or teach anie thing beside them or which is not therein conteined or thereby warranted And therefore also doth Scotus himselfe say Patet quod scriptura sufficienter continet doctrinam necessariam viatori It is evident the Scripture sufficiently conteineth all doctrine necessarie for a wayfaring man that is for a man whilst he liveth and travelleth in this world 2 But moreover even expositions also of Scripture are to be framed warranted by the Scriptures to be found consonant with them or otherwise they are likewise refusable For it is not any humane or private spirit as S Peter sheweth but it must be a divine spirit even the Spirit of God the holy Ghost from whence all true sence and right interpretation of the Scriptures is to be derived And this S. Paul also declareth saying that As no man knovveth the things of a man but the spirit of man vvhich is in him so no man knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God If therefore wee would know who they be that have this onely right interpreting Spirit that is the holy Ghost for their guide in that behalfe wee may know it by this If their expositions be such as bee sutable and agreeable to the Canonicall Scriptures without repugnancie of anie one place to another Therefore also doth Origen speake thus VVee must needes saith he call the holy Scriptures to vvitnes because our sences and expositions vvâ—thout those vvitnesses have no credite And so saith Irenaeus Secundum scripturas expositio legitima et diligeus sine periculo sine blasphemia est That is the right and legitimate exposition and the diligent and vvithout danger and vvithout blasphemie vvhich is according to the Scriptures Chrysostome likewise saith Scriptura seipsam exponit auditorem errare non sinit The Scripture expoundeth it selfe and suffereth not the learner to erre And this rule namely to expound Scripture by Scripture and by conferring one place with another giveth also S. Augustine Darke places ' are to be expounded by plainer places This is saith he the sure vvay to expound one scripture by another The same doth S. Augustine againe teach in other places as namely De doctrina lib. 2. cap. 6. 26.27.28 c And Clemens Epist. 5. and Dist. 37.6
is he besides that which is before spoken doe but consider what the Abbot Ioachim long sithence told King Richard the first King of England namely that Antichrist was then alreadie borne and had his seat at Rome and was to be advanced in that Apostolicall Sea And he further saith Non nulli sub specie sedis Dei id estâ— universalis Ecclesiae Facti sunt sedâ—s Bestiae quae est regnum Antichristi regnantis ubique in membris suis c. Sundrie saith he under pretence of Gods seat that is of the universall Church are become the seat of the Beast vvhich is the Kingdome of Antichrist raigning everie vvhere in his members consisting as he there further saith in the Cleargie men in the Monkes and Monasteries Againe he saith that Rome est in spiritu Babylon Rome is the spirituall Babylon And againe he saith Negotiatores terrae sunt ipsi sacerdotes qui vendunt orationes missas pro Denarijs facientes domum orationis Apothecam Negotiationis The Merchants of the earth be the Priests themselves vvho sell Prayers and Masses for money making the house of Prayer a shop of Merchandize Yea sundrie both Princes and Bishops of Germanie long agon have affirmed and published the Pope to be Antichrist as appeareth in Aventinus But I leave this to be as I said more fully handled afterward In the meane time if anie would know who be the right Catholikes as Papists verie boldly but verie uniustly take upon them that title let him consider these two sentences of Vincentius and conferre and ioyne them together The first is this Id teneamus quod VBIQVE quod SEMPER quod ab OMNIBVS creditum hoc est enim verè proprieque Catholicum Let us uphold that vvhich hath beene beleeved everie vvhere and at all times of all persons for this is rightly and properly Catholicke The second is this where he saith Ille est verus Germanus Catholicus qui quidquid universaliter ANTIQVITVS ecclesiam Catholicam tenuisse cognoverit id solum sibi tenendum creder dumque decernit He is the true and right Catholicke who iudgeth that he is to hold beleeve onely that which he knoweth the Catholicke Church to have formerly held universally in the old time This Vincentius lived above 1200. yeares sithence so that this Antiquitùs this old time whereto he referreth everie man that will be a right Catholicke cannot be intended the age and time wherein himselfe lived much lesse can it he supposed anie of those manie hundreth yeares that came after him and are sithence his time gone and past but it must needs be intended of an old time passed long before the time wherein hee lived and wrote these things which old time therefore which he so called what can it be but the Primitive and Apostolicke times If then yee will prove your selves to bee Catholickes and your Church to bee the Catholike Church by this rule and definition of Catholikes out of Vincentius then must you not take your patterne and proofe from that Councell of Trent nor from the late Councell of Constance nor anie of the times after Vincentius but you must transcend and goe to the times that were in the old Time long before the daies of this Vincentius even to the primitive and Apostolike times which were indeed the best and purest times and from thence must you take the patterne of your Church and Religion For that which alwayes formerly and every vvhere and of all Christians in That Old Time was held and beleeved is the thing that he accounteth and defineth to be Catholicke and such to be Catholickes which hold and beleeve only so much and no more Which faith doctrine and religion of those old Primitive and Apostolicke times was at first delivered by word of mouth by the Apostles but was afterwards as Irenaeus hath before enformed us committed to VVriting that so it might be for ever that The foundation and pillar of our Faith Yea this even Vincentius also himselfe teacheth saying Scripturarum canon sufficit ad omnia satis superque the canon of the Scriptures doth suffice for all matters sufficiently and more then sufficiently that is abundantly and overflowingly By this rule then and definition of a Catholike given so long agon by Vincentius it is evident that not yee but wee are to be held for the right and true Catholikes inasmuch as not yee but wee doe beleeve and hold that faith doctrine and Religion which those old and first Christians universally held in those ancient primitive and Apostolick times and which was afterwards written and is omni-sufficiently conteined in that written word of God the sacred and canonicall Scriptures Yea that and onely that wee hold and beleeve as Vincentius saith right and true Catholikes ought to doe and so doe not you therefore whether yee or wee be the right Catholiks is a verie easie and apparant matter to be decided Aufer Haereticis quae cum Ethnicis sapiunt ut de scripturis solis Quaestiones suas sistant stare non poterunt Take from the Heretickes saith Tertullian those things wherein they savour of Heathen wisedome so as that they bring their Controversies to bee decided onely by the Scriptures and they be not able to stand In which wordes men that will not suffer their Controversies to bee decided onely by the Scriptures may see themselves ranged within the compasse of Hereticks and so termed and entituled by him so farre are they off from being the right and true Catholikes And yet Papists have I grant for some of their errors a kinde of Antiquitie but it is an Antiquitie of a later date and it is not that most ancient Antiquitie which Vincentius and the rest of the ancient Fathers direct you unto and which should be in request For that is the True whatsoever is the first and that which is later or commeth in after the first is the adulterate or corrupted as Tertullian againe expressely affirmeth Yea he saith further Hoc mihi proficit Antiquitas praestructae divinae Literaturae Herein doth Antiquitie availe me if it be builded upon the divine Scripture Wherefore if yee will be good and right Catholikes ye must go and take the patterne and president of your Faith and Religion from those most ancient primitive and Apostolike times as we doe because as Eusebius also out of Egesippus noteth the Church so long as the Apostles lived remayned a pure Virgin for that if any vvent about to corrupt the holy rule vvhich was preached they did it in the Darke and as it vvere underneath the earth But after the death of the Apostles and that generation was past which God vouchsafed to heare the divine wisedome with their own eares the placing of wicked error saith he began to come into the Church For which purpose to shew that corruptioÌ„ grew in those after succeeding times ClemeÌ„s also alledgeth the proverb
That there were few sons like their fathers 4 And here whilest I am speaking of the Canonicall Scriptures I must crave leave to tell you that the Popish Church holdeth divers Bookes to be Canonical Scripture which the old and ancient Church held not to be Canonicall as namely Tobias Iudith VVisedome Ecclesiasticus otherwise called Iesus the sonne of Sirach the Maccabees and the rest which the Protestants with that old ancient Church hold not to be Canonicall for so doth Athanasius affirme of them that non sunt Canonici they be not Canonicall Cyrill calleth them Apocryphall biddeth men reade those XXII bookes of the old Testament Cum Apocryphis vero nihil habeas negotij But with the Apocryphall bookes saith hee have nothing to doe Cyprian or if you will have it so Ruffinus after he had rehearsed the Canonicall Bookes of the old Testament saith Haec sunt quae Patres inim Canonem concluserunt ex quibus fidei nostrae assertiones constare voluerunt Sâ—â—onâ—dunt tamen est quod alij libri sunt qui non sunt Canonici sed ecclesiastici à maioribus appellati sunt ut est sapientia Solomonis alia sapientia quae dicitur filij Sirach Eiusdem ordinis est liber Tobiae Iudith Macchabeorum libri Quae omnia legi quidem in Ecclesus voluerum non tamen proferri ad authoritate 〈◊〉 fidei confirmandam These be they saith he which our Fathers have included within the Canon out of which they would have the assertions of our faith to appeare But yet we must know that there be also other Bookes which be not Canonical but be called of our Ancestors Ecclesiasticall as is the wisedome of Solomon and the other wisedome which is called the sonne of Sirach otherwise termed Ecclesiasticus of the same sort is the Booke of Tobias and Iudith and the Bookes of the Maccabees All which they will indeed have to be read in the Church but not to be alledged to confirme out of them the authoritie of Faith Epiphanius likewise of the Booke of Wisedome and Ecclesiasticus saith that Howsoever they have use and profit in them yet in numerum receptorum non referuntur they are not reckoned in the number of the received books S. Hierome likewise saith that the bookes of VVisedome Iudith Ihesus the sonne of Sirach and Tobias non sunt in Canone be not Canonicall And againe in another place he saith thus Sicut ergo Iudith Tâ—biae Maccabaeorum librâ—s legit Ecclesia sed eos inter Canonicas Scripturas non recipit sic haec duo volumina sapientiae Solomonis Syrach legit ad aedificationem plebis non ad authoritatem Ecclesiasticorum Dogmatum confirmandam As therefore the Church readeth Iudith and Tobias and the bookes of the Maccabees but receiveth them not for canonicall Scriptures so these two Bookes likewise namely the Wisedome of Solomon and Ihesus the sonne of Syrach doth the Church also reade for the edification of the people but not to confirme thereby the authoritie of anie Doctrines or positions in the Church And so also doth Lyranus Hugo the Cardinal affirme Yea and Gregory the great also of the Bookes of Macchabees saith That they be not canonicall And these bookes doth likewise the Councell of Laodicea repell and reiect from being canonicall Whereby observe that when you or anie of your Church alledge anie saying or sentence out of Tobias Ecclesiasticus or the Maccabees or out of anie other Apocryphall writing which is not Canonicall to confirme thereby anie point of Faith or Doctrine that is in question yee doe that which the old and ancient Church alloweth not but utterly disalloweth you to doe as is apparant But moreover the primitive and ancient Church would have the common Praiers and publique Service and Liturgie not in such a tongue as the people understood noâ— but in such a tongue as they might and did understand For Origen saith Graeci Graecis Romani Romanis singulique precantur in propria lingua Deumque celebrant pro viribus The Grecians use Greeke words and the Romanes Romane wordes and men of everie Nation pray and praise God with all their might in their owne mother tongue Yea it was the doctrine of that hereticke Elxay to teach praier in such words or in such a tongue as was not understood Nemo quaerat interpretationem sed solum in oratione haec dicat c. Let no man saith he seeke for the interpretation or understanding of the words but only in his praier let him say these words c. Chrysostome also saith that unlesse the unlearned understand vvhat thou prayest he is not edified nor can give consent to thy prayer But herein I shall not need to spend more time for Lyran himselfe acknowledgeth this point saying In primitiva Ecclesia benedictiones â—aetera communia fiebant in vulgari lingua In the primitive Church blessings and the rest of the common or publique Services were done in the vulgar tongue And accordingly wee all know that it is the rule of the Apostle Saint Paul that all things in the Church should be done to the instruction and edification of the people But in praiers or Service said or celebrated in Latin to such as understand not Latin or in Greeke to such as understand not Greeke or in anie tongue to such as understand not the tongue is no profite instruction or edification at all to the people unlesse it be afterwards interpreted unto them in such a tongue as they understand And yet whensoever it is so interpreted being so done it is but double labour and needlesse expence of time which might better be done and easily remedied by having at first as were fittest the Praiers and Service aswell as the Sermons in such a tongue as the people might understand 5 But why doth your Church of late times further proceed and accuse the holy divine and canonicall Scriptures themselves whereby all questions and controversies in Religion are to be decided and determined of falshood or corruption in the Originals and therefore preferreth the Latin translations which yee call S. Hieromes before those Originals of the Hebrew and the Greeke Be not these strange accusations And doe they not lay a foundation and ground-worke for Atheisme Nullifidianisme and all irreligion For if the Originals be corrupted false and untrue what certaintie is there then left for men on earth to build their faith upon Or can either your Translation which you call S. Ieromes or anie other Translation of the Scriptures be then assured to be right and sound For if the Fountaine de defiled and poisoned how shall cleere pure and sound water run and be found in the rivers that issue and streame from thence If you will say as Gregory Martin and other of your Teachers say that the Greeke Hereticks have corrupted the Greeke text and the Hebrew Heretickes the
hee that doth truth commeth to the light that his deeds might be made manifest that they are vvrought according to God Yea most lamentable is his estate that will neither reade nor heare the Word of God for Christ himselfe saith thus Hee that is of God heareth the vvords of God yee therefore heare them not because yee are not of God Observe well those words But againe he saith My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow mee And yet further he saith Hee that refuseth mee and receiveth not my vvords hath one that iudgeth him The vvord that I have spoken that shall iudge him in the last day Together with the rest let this last alledged saying of Christ be ever remembred For if Christ will iudge men in the last day according to his owne word as is here expressely evident and not according to the word doctrine decrees canons and constitutions of the Pope or of anie men mortall whosoever is it not good reason and a point of wisedome in the meane time for everie one willingly desirously and earnestly to reade search and studie the Scriptures and to suffer himselfe and his opinions to be over-ruled and iudged by that word which must iudge him at the last day CHAP. II. Of Fides Implicita that is of the Infolded saith of Papists What Church may erre and when and how far Of those which the Papists commonly call the markes of the Church and that it is not so visible as to bee alwayes openly seene and knowne to the wicked world That Peter was not a Bishop of Rome in that sense the Papists make him That the Pope is nothing like S. Peter That the Pope is not the head of the universall militant Church but Christ onely THe Premises considered doe you not perceive of what little availe the Papists Implicita fides infolded faith is which consisteth onely in assenting to the Churches Faith though it know not what the Churches faith is nor what it beleeveth nor be able to distinguish the right Church from the wrong Is it sufficient for the salvation of a man to say hee beleeveth as the Church beleeveth without knowing what it is the Church beleeveth Can such a sottish and blinde kind of beleeving which hath reference onely to the faith of others bring a man to everlasting happinesse Is not everie man to live by his owne faith or shall anie man be saved by the faith of another or shall knowledge be excluded from the nature of Religion or Religion be placed onely in an ignorant assenting to that which others beleeve Is not this a devise notoriously tending to the maintenance of ignorance blindenes idlenes sloath and negligence in the people It were a most easie way for all lay people to come to heaven if such a blind sluggish idle imaginarie and absurd faith as this were sufficient They shall neede to take no great paines for it by this doctrine But Christ teacheth that it is not such a broad and easie way to come to heaven but that it is a narrow way and requireth much diligence labour striving and contending to attaine unto it Yea he sheweth directly that Ignorance will not excuse a man in the day of Iudgment or free him from punishment and that it is so farre from being the mother of anie good Devotion that contrariwise he declareth it to be the mother of Error saying Erratis nescientes scripturas yee erre because ye know not the Scriptures S. Paul also requireth not onely some knowledge but even plenty or abundance of knowledge in the people And therefore hee saith unto them Let the vvord of Christ dwell in you plentifully or abundantly And indeed how shall anie of us be able certainely to know the doctrine of our Teachers whether it be true or false or to discerne true Teachers from false or the true Church from the false unlesse we grow acquainted with the Scriptures and be diligent and conversant in them The blinde man they say eateth manie a flie and no marvaile then is it if poore ignorant soules that be so hoodwinked and kept blinde in Poperie receive and swallow downe anie doctrine and opinion of their Teachers be it never so grosse false or erroneous especially when they are withall taught as Bellarmine teacheth them that they must reverence the doctrine of their Teachers but not examine it In this case I would demand of him or of anie other What if the blinde leade the blinde doe they not both fall into the ditch Or what if they be false Teachers or false Prophets must their hearers reverence receive their doctrine whatsoever it be Christ biddeth the people to beware of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Saducees of those times And againe he saith to all Christians Beware of false Prophets vvhich come to you in sheepes clothing but inwardly they are ravening vvolves How shal they beware of them if they may not examine their Doctrines It is true that Christ saith Yee shall know them by their fruits But by what fruits For false doctrines be chiefly the fruits of false Teachers inasmuch as they be properly called false-Prophets in respect of their false doctrine For as touching their life and conversation we see that Christ himselfe here telleth us that how wicked soever they be inwardly yet outwardly they will put on sheepes-clothing and so make faire shewes externally of innocencie sanctitie and pietie to entangle and deceive people withall Not without good cause therefore did S. Basil say that It behoveth the hearers that be learned in the Scriptures to try those things vvhith are said by their Teachers and receiving that vvhich agreeth with the Scriptures to reiect the contrary And this also Gerson affirmeth saying that the examination and triall of doctrines concerning faith belongeth not only to a Councell and to the Pope but to every one also that is sufficiently learned in the Scriptures because every man is a sufficient Iudge of that he knoweth Neither ought anie Teacher to be hereat offended for was not Saint Paul himselfe though an Apostle content to have his doctrine thus tried and examined by his hearers And are not they much commended that made that search and examination of it by the Scriptures Yea which is more was not even Christ Iesus himselfe who is incomparably greater then anie Apostle or then all the Apostles put together yea then the whole world consequently farre greater then all that be the Bishops Pastors and Doctors in the same content neverthelesse to have himselfe tried by the Scriptures whether he were the Messias or no Seeing then Christ the Head of his Church was thus content to be tried shaâ—l the Church or anie Bishops Pastors or Doctors which be his servants yea servants to the Church scorne or disdaine it or take it ill For when mens Doctrines bee thus brought to bee tried and examined by
the sacred and canonicall Scriptures this is not as Papists affirme to make a private spirit or anie private man but a Divine spirit even God himselfe speaking in those his sacred and canonicall Scriptures to be the Iudge in the matter To whose voice and judgement all Churches Men Angels and all creatures must stoope and obey And therefore as I said before all the insolencie and most intollerable pride and arrogancie that is in this case is not in those who for their owne safetie and securitie make search and examination but in such Bishops Pastors and Teachers as will not endure this triall and examination of their doctrines by those Scriptures Pure and uncounterfeit gold will endure the Touch-stone but no marvaile though the drossie corrupt and unsound doctrine of Poperie will not admit of such a course 2 But you say the Church cannot erre that therefore you may boldly and confidently relie and build thereupon without anie further search or examination Howbeit you should first find out and know which is the Church that cannot erre before you relie so confidently upon it For you will easily and readily grant that the false Church may erre And indeed the Text that you alledge where S. Paul calleth the Church Columnam firmamentum veritatis the Pillar and ground of Truth sheweth that he speaketh not of anie false but of the True Church namely as himselfe expresseth of that which is the Church of the living God His words put all together be thus These things I vvrite unto thee saith hee to Timothy trusting to come shortly unto thee But if I tarry long that thou mayest yet know how thou oughtest to behave thy selfe in the house of God vvhich is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of Truth In these words thus rehearsed by mee that ye might the better observe them consider that Timothy who was the Teacher and overseer of this Church at Ephesus had his direction and instruction from the writings of S. Paul the Apostle for so he saith These things I vvrite unto thee c. The Church then which is the ground and Pillar of Truth appeareth even by this verie Text to be such a one as receiveth her instructions and directions from the sacred and canonicall Scriptures whereof those Apostolicall writings of S. Paul to Timothy be a part From whence therefore you may rightly conclude this which we hold namely that so long as anie Church followeth and is guided by these holy and canonicall Scriptures it is the pillar and ground of Truth and doth not erre or goe astray but if it decline from them and goe another way it doth and must then needs fall into error Howbeit if when you say The Church cannot erre you meane it of the whole universall Church of Christ that is of all and everie one of the faithfull members thereof it is true that cannot erre totally nor fundamentally that is to say All and everie one of those faithful members of Christ as Panormitan and the Glosse also upon the Canon Law have before told us cannot erre in such points as be necessarily required to salvation for Gods Church shall never utterly perish or be extinguished but that in some or other it shall continue to the worlds end and consequently so must the saving faith thereto belonging But if you meane it of anie visible particular Church such as is the church of Rome the Church of Ephesus the Church of Corinth or anie such like it is as cleere that may erre and goe astray yea and fall from God to Idolatry and false worship Were not the people of Israel in times past the true Church of God and yet did even that Church erre fal verie grievously even unto Idolatrie and false worship when they and Aaron also the high Priest with them made the Golden Calfe and did worship before it And manie sâ—ch declinings and falls from God to Idolatrie and false worship in that people are sundrie other times likewise to be found in the old Testament But besides what is now become of the seven Churches in Asia mentioned in the Revelation of S. Iohn which were once the true Churches of Christ Hath not Turcisme and Paganisme overflowed and drowned manie that in former times were famous Christian Churches Yea did not God himselfe also sometime complaine even of that Church and Citie of Ierusalem saying thus How is the faithfull Citie become an Harlot No marvaile then is it though Rome which was once a faithfull Citie and a true spouse of Christ be now long since fallen away and become an Harlot even the vvhore of Babylon as was long agon prophesied and foretold of her that she should be For neither was it anie more impossible for her to degenerate into Antichristianisme then it was for sundrie other Christian Churches and cities to degenerate and to be turned into Turcisme or Paganisme Yea S. Paul also hath long since prophesied and foretold of this great Apostasie or departure from the right faith and religion which hath now of a long time so amply prevailed in the world under the head of that Apostaticall and Antichristian kingdome the Pope of Rome and therefore this ought not now to seeme anie new or strange thing unto anie Christian. 3 Howbeit ye usually alledge these namely universalitie antiquitie perpetuitie unitie succession of Bishops and doing of Miracles or vvonders amongst you to bee markes of the true Church But first if by universalitie ye meane that faith doctrine and religion which was taught universally in the world by the Apostles of Christ and at his appointment Wee tell you that yee are farre from that universalitie For that faith doctrine and religion which was taught universally in the world by the Apostles is comprised in the sacred and canonicall Scriptures and is the same that wee hold and not you as appeareth by conferring and comparing both the religions with those Scriptures But moreover remember that the great Whore of Babilon as shee is called sate upon many waters that is ruled over manie people and multitudes and nations and tongues as the text it selfe expoundeth it And it is further said that with that VVhore the Kings of the earth have committed fornication that the Inhabitants of the earth were drunken with the wine of her fornication Yea it is again said That all Nations have drunke of the vvine of the vvrath of her fornication the Kings of the earth have committed fornication vvith her Behold here the universalitie belonging to your Church which being thus foretold the event being correspondent none should with such universality be any longer deluded As for Antiquitie unlesse truth and true religion be ioyned with it which is not in the Popish Church it is but Vetustas erroris Antiquitie of errors as S Cyprian rightly calleth it Yea Antiquity of the ancientest date our religion hath and not yours for
the Church of the Gentiles to continue untill the second comming of Christ. It is true that the Church of Christ shall never bee extinguished But is there anie such promise that the Church of Christ shall never be hidden For persecutions even of the Christian Church have sometimes beene so great and cruell as that the Christians by reason thereof have beene enforced to lye hid and to be unseene and unknowne to the wicked world as in the daies of Dioclesian and Maximian persecuting Emperors who impiously boasted that they had utterly abolished the superstition of Christ and name of Christians The like divelish boasting also made Nero in his time Yea it is indeed expresly foretold in the Scriptures that such should be the state of the church sometime as that shee should be enforced to flie into the desert or wildernesse where shee should have a place prepared of God to cherish hide and keepe her from all her persecutors And therefore the church is not alwaies conspicuous and openly shining and shewing her selfe to the malignant world Neither doth that Text which yee alledge of Dic Ecclesiae tell it to the Church prove the church to bee alwaies openly conspicuous to the ungodly world It onely sheweth an order of Ecclesiasticall discipline for sinnes and offences how they should be proceeded in amongst brethren and such as professe one and the selfe same religion of Christ which order of discipline may well be observed even in a Christian church and among themselves though the wicked world neither see them nor the exercises of their religion nor know where they are But you say that if they make profession of their faith and religion as all Christians ought then the world cannot choose but take notice of them It is true that they are to make profession of their faith with their Mouth when cause so requireth aswell as to beleeve with their heart yea and to answer everie one in authoritie before whom they shall be convented and called and that with mildenesse and reverence concerning the same their faith and hope as S. Peter declareth But it doth not continually evermore so fal out that Christians be brought before Kings Princes and Magistrates of the earth to be examined and to make answer of their faith but at sometimes it so falleth out and at some other times againe it sufficeth that they make profession of their faith among themselves Neither were it indeed safe or a pointe of christian wisdome in them whom Christ willeth To bee as wise as Serpents though as innocent as Doves and to whom hee giveth an expresse caveat to take heede of men rashly or unadvisedly or without good and urgent cause to manifest and lay open themselves unto the view rage and furie of the malicious and persecuting world But you alledge further that Christ said to his Disciples Yee are rhe light of the world A Cittie that is set on a hill cannot be hid Neither doe men light a candle and put it under a Bushell but on a candlesticke and it giveth light to all that are in the house But none of these words doe proove the Church to be alwaies and evermore apparant to the eies of the wicked world though sometimes it bee For first though it be called the Light of the world yet thereupon it followeth not that therefore it is alwaies and at all times to bee seene Inasmuch as the Sunne and the Moone which be the great lights of the World and so appointed of GOD in the begining be not alwaies brightshining and appearing unto us but are sometimes unseene and covered with clouds and darkened and suffer strang Eclipses And therefore doth S. Augustine compare the Church to the Moone which is often obscured and hid yea he acknowledgeth that the Church may be so hid and secret as that the very members therof shal not know one another And whereas ye further alledge that it is like a Citty set upon a hill neither doth it thereupon follow that it is alwayes to be seene For in a great Mist or a darke night an Hill or Mountaine be it never so great will not be seene So if men be stricken with blindnesse it cannot be seene of them as the Aramites were that could not see the mountaine that was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha nor knew that they were in the midst of Samaria till God opened their eies Likewise though a Candle be set on a Candlesticke and giveth light to all that are in that house yet neither doth it give light to them that be in another house nor to anie that be blinde or shut their eies against it And yet the candle-light it selfe also will somtimes be much dimmed darkned with sundrie occurrents accidents that doe befall it When therfore the world either by reason of their own blindnesse or by reason of fierce and terrible persecutions or by reason of clowdie smoakie and mistie errors raised up bee not able to see and discerne the Church of Christ Is that anie iust cause for anie to quarrell against her as if therefore she had no being at all Yea when the fift Angell blew the Trumpet and the Bishop of Rome being in that time as a Starre fallen from heaven to the earth had no longer the keies of heaven in his custodie but the keies of hell even of the bottomlesse pit and that the smoake of the pit arose as the smoake of a great furnace so that the Sunne and the ayre were darkened by reason of the smoake Is it anie marvaile that the Church was then obscured Your selves doe grant that in the daies and times of the grand Antichrist foretold by S. Paule the church should lye obscured and be hidden And wee say and proove vnto you that those daies and times be come long since and therefore this ought not to seeme anie new or strange thing unto anie in these dayes Yea in the Revelation of S. Iohn you further reade that the Temple of God that is his Church which is there said to be in heaven because from thence she is descended and hath her minde treasure and affection there with Christ her head Phil. 3.20 Coloss. 3.1.2 was sometime shut and sometime opened For in that it is there said sometime to be opened therein is included that it was at other sometimes shut and closed and not open to the view of the world So that the Church of God is not alwaies openly and splendently seene to the persecuting World but is sometimes patent and sometimes latent as I trust you now sufficiently perceive and withall I trust you perceive that the Church was then in esse and had a continuance even when it was most latent For unlesse they even then had been in esse and in being they could not have beene à latent oppressed or persecuted Church Now as touching unitie I must tell you
that unlesse you ioine veritie and the truth of Gods Religion with it which is not in the Popish Church it is no better then a wicked and plaine conspiracie against the Truth which kind of unitie being amongst them is indeed a marke not of the true but of the false erring and Antichristian Church For so is it accordingly recorded of those that followed the Beast That they were of one minde or of one consent 4 And as for the Succession ye talke so much of That Succession in place to so manie good Bishops of Rome which were Orthodoxe and of the right Religion can no way serve to iustifie and defend those degenerate and Apostaticall Bishops of Rome which have sithence that time for the space of manie hundreth yeares succeeded no more then the Succession of manie wicked and Idolatrous Kings in a kingdome unto divers godly vertuous rightly religious Kings which were their predecessors is able to iustifie and defend those ungodly and degenerate successors Those high Priests which conspired and consented to put Christ to death were never the lesse wicked nor anie jot the more to be commended or allowed because they succeeded diverse godly Priests which were their predecessors The vertue then and right religion of anie predecessors can no way serve to countenance and defend the vice and false religion of the successors Non locus sanctificat hominem nec Cathedra facit Sacerdotem The place sanctifieth not the man nor doth the Chaire make the Priest saith Chrysostome Neque sanctorum filij existimandi sunt quicunque tenent loca sanctorum sed qui exercent opera eorum Neyther are they to be esteemed the children of the Saints vvhosoever hold the places of the Saints but they vvhich exercise their vvorkes saith Hierome Qui praesunt ecclesijs non ex loci aut generis dignitate sed morum nobilitate non ex urbium claritate sed fidei puritate debent innotescere They vvhich be rulers of the Churches ought to be knowne not by the dignitie of their place or ancestors but by the noblenesse of their manners not by the famousnesse of their Cities but by the puritie of their faith saith Gregory Albeit therefore the Pope otherwise called the Bishop of Rome succeedeth in place to manie godly and vertuous Bishops that were his predecessors in former and ancient times yet what doth all this make for him except he were like unto them and did succeed them in veritie pietie humilitie right faith and true religion aswell as in place The local succession without the other is nothing worth but serveth rather to shame reprove and condemne the successors then anie way to commend or allow of them when they be so exceedingly degenerate and unlike to those their good and godly predecessors 5 And here they are wont to alledge that Peter was Bishop of Rome and that the Pope is his Successor But first it is not true that Peter was Bishop of Rome in that sense they speake of that is to say He was not tied limited and restrained to that citie of Rome as to his particular Diocesse or Province as Bishops in these daies be for it is cleere that S. Peter was by his proper office and function one of the Apostles of Christ who by their office of Apostleship were not restrained to anie particular place as a Bishop is to his Diocesse or Province but were permitted to goe into anie part of the world and to preach the Gospel as the verie commission given unto them from Christ Iesus himselfe doth plainly declare Againe it is well knowne that ancient Writers doe also call S. Paul Bishop of Rome as well as S. Peter and therefore Peter is in no other sense to be accounted Bishop of Rome then S. Paul was Yea S. Ambrose calleth all the Apostles Episcopos that is Bishops And Iudas the Apostle is also said in the verie Scripture it selfe to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Episcopatum that is a Bishoprick You see then that whosoever either in the Scripture or in the ancient Fathers is said to be a Bishop is not by and by to be supposed a Bishop restrained to a particular place as a Bishop of a Diocesse or Province is For this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke and Episcopus in Latin commonly Englished a Bishop signifieth in the originall nothing else but an Overseer or one that hath anie charge to looke to in which ample and generall signification it is rightly attributed to anie of the Apostles whosoever and consequently well might S. Peter though he were by his proper office and function an Apostle be called by some of the ancient Fathers a Bishop in respect of that his Apostolicall charge and Ministerie which he performed But thereupon to inferre that he was Bishop of Rome in this sense namely as a Bishop affixed and restrained to that place as to his proper and peculiar Diocesse or Province and as though he might not goe from thence into other parts of the world to performe the Office of an Apostle aswell as thither is besides the inconsequencie of it verie absurd Whatsoever stay or abode then either S. Peter or S. Paul made at Rome or elsewhere or wheresoever they lived or died it is manifest that they were Apostles and executed everie where that their Apostolicall office and function and lived and died Apostles and therefore are not in proper and strict appellation to be termed and deemed Bishops of Diocesses and Provinces For neither can he that is by Christ his Lord and Maister designed and appointed to be an Apostle lawfully forsake that his office and calling of Apostleship and at his owne or other mens pleasure become of another and that an inferior degree and calling as namely to be a Bishop tied restrained to a Diocesse or Province But admit Peter had beene Bishop of Rome in that strict signification of the word yet then secondly was he farre from being Bishop of the whole world for to be Bishop of one Citie in the world or of one particular Diocesse or Province in the world is not all one with this namely to be Bishop of the whole world or to be universall Bishop over all the Churches in the world for Episcopus orbis and urbis doe farre differ Yea thirdly let us admit if you will that S. Peter was Bishop of Rome and that by being Bishop of Rome he was also Bishop of the whole world or of all the Christian Churches in the whole world which neverthelesse is verie absurd to be admitted yet what would all this advantage the Bish. of Rome that now is or any other of the Bishops of Rome that have beene in these later times for the space of diverse hundreth yeares that they be successors to him in place whom they are nothing like unto in conditions and vertues humilitie faith and religion For how unlike the Pope is to S. Peter iudge
signes or vvonders wee say that those which were done by Christ and his Apostles and in those ancient and primitive Churches be sufficient for the confirmation of that most ancient primitive Christian and Apostolicke faith and religion conteined in the booke of God which wee professe Yea now in these daies saith S. Chrysostome the vvorking of miracles is ceased and they be rather counterfeit miracles saith he vvhich be found amongst them that be false Christians Againe he saith There be some that aske vvhy men vvorke not miracles novv in these dayes If thou bee beleeving saith he as thou oughtest to be and if thou lovest Christ as he should be loved thou needest no miracles for signes be given to unbeleevers and not to beleevers Againe S. Cyrill saith that to vvorke miracles maketh not a man one iot the more holy seing it is common to evill men and to such as he obiects or reprobates For so the Lord himselfe witnesseth saying Manie shall say unto mee in that day Lord Lord have not vvee prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out divels in thy name done manie great vvorks And yet will he neverthelesse professe unto them I never knevv you depart from me ye vvorkers of iniquitie And on the other side working of no miracles hindereth not a mans holinesse for Iohn wrought neither signe nor miracle and yet was this no derogation to his holinesse for amongst them that are borne of vvomen arose there not a greater then hee as Christ himselfe testifieth Yea that miracles signes or wonders may be done by false Prophets and false teachers is further manifest for even Christ himselfe saith that There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and they shall shevv great signes and vvonders so that if is vvere possible they should deceive the very Elect. S. Paul also directlie testifieth that in the Antichristian Church there shall be the vvorking of Sathan vvith all power and signes and lying VVonders Which saith S. Augustine be called lying signes and VVonders for this cause that either mens senses be deceived thinking that to be done which revera is not done or else because if they be done in deed they draw men to beleeve that they could not be done but by the power of God whereas they know not the power of the Divell For S. Iohn in the Revelation mentioneth spirits of Divels vvorking Miracles to deceive those that be of the Antichristian Church By all this then you see that the Miracles wrought in Poperie be no argument or proofe that therfore it is the right or true Church or that the Teachers therein be the right and true Teachers for they may be false Prophets and false Teachers and the Popish Church may be as indeed it is the false and Antichristian Church all these their Miracles notwithstanding But hereof I shall have occasion to speake more fullie afterward when I come to speake of Antichrist and his Miracles In the meane time concerning this point thus much may suffice CAP. III. Of Iustification by Faith onely The right sense and meaning of that position and of the truth of it And that being rightly understood it excludeth not good workes nor importeth anie licentiousnesse at all in it but the cleane contrarie IT is a thing well knowne how busie and earnest Popish Teachers be not only by word of mouth but by their books writings also to perswade you all that ever they can against ours the most ancient most pure and only right Religion and amongst other their bad devises which they plot contrive for their owne advantage and behoofe this is not the least that they accuse our Religion to be a doctrine and religion of much licentiousnesse and that in sundrie points which therefore must be answered And manie there be also that be too hastie and over credulous to beleeve them as if all that they speake and write were to be held for undoubted truth and oracles without further enquirie or examination But howsoever they thus boldly presume they for all that be not able to take anie iust exception against our Religion or to shew or prove it in anie point whatsoever to be an allower of anie the least impietie or licentiousnesse if it be rightly understood It is true that sundrie that professe Protestancie live licentiously and wickedly and so doe manie also that professe Poperie likewise live wickedly licentiously If therefore they allow not this for an argument sufficient to convince their religion of wickednesse licentiousnesse which is taken from the wicked lives manners and conversations of men Why will they be so unequall as to make it of anie force against our religion Wise men can easily distinguish inter vitium rei personae betweene that which is the fault of the thing and the fault of mens persons For the religion may be good though some persons that professe it live not answerably thereunto yea the Protestant that is the Christian Religion which we professe is so good godly divine holy and pure as that it neither alloweth nor tolerateth the filthie Stewes nor anie other impuritie nor anie treasons or rebellions nor perjuries nor lying or deceitfull equivocations nor anie other wickednesse or impietie whatsoever but utterly condemneth them all So that for true pietie puritie integritie and all manner of good life and godly conversation the religion of Poperie commeth farre short of it and is in no sort to be compared with it If then anie professing our religion live wickedly or licentiously as too manie do it is the fault of the men that live so dissolutely and not of the religion which requireth and commandeth the cleane contrarie at their hands But for all that they persist and say that even the Protestants religion it selfe is licentious because it teacheth and holdeth that men are justified in Gods sight and before his Tribunall onely by faith in Iesus Christ which doctrine say they maketh men licentious and carelesse of doing good workes Howbeit both they and you must understand that when the Protestants doe say or have said at anie time that Faith onely iustifieth in Gods sight it is and ever was meant and intended howsoever some seeme purposely to mistake it not of anie dead faith which hath no life in it to bring forth anie good workes but of a true and lively faith which is accompanied with good works and is fruitfull and working by love as S. Paul and S. Iames and S. Peter and the rest of the holy Scriptures cleerly declare Whilst therefore they teach both in their Sermons writings with S. Iames and the rest of the Scriptures That the faith that is vvithout vvorks is dead and that such a faith cannot save or iustifie a man but that it must be a true and lively faith that is such a faith as produceth bringeth forth good workes I hope you sufficiently perceive that the doctrine of
sufficient and abundant to condemne himselfe but if renouncing all confidence in himselfe as he ought he finde himselfe to be a firme beleever in Christ and so consider himselfe as he is in Christ Iesus the Saviour and remembreth withall Gods immutable promise of eternall life to as manie as have that firme true and lively faith in him hee cannot as I said before but rest assured of his salvation except which were most abominable he will make God a liar It is true that even Gods children sometimes are cast into Dumps and very great perplexities and have not their consolation and faith at all times strong alike but yet as God still raiseth them after their falls so doth he also in his good time remove againe all those doubtfull perplexities distrusts and dismayes and maketh their faith at last so strong and eminent as that the power and gates of Hell it selfe be not able to prevaile against it For Gods children which not onely heare the word of God but be carefull also to doe it be by Christ Iesus himselfe likened to the vvise man that built his house upon a Rocke and the raine fell and the floods came and the vvindes blew and beat upon the house but it fell not because it vvas builded not upon the sands but upon a sure Rocke Whereby we see that whatsoever stormes doe arise or windes and tempests doe come upon Gods children yet God supporteth them and maketh them to stand for all that invincible Yea they are in the end more then Conquerors as S. Paul speaketh through him that loved them Howbeit it is a good Caveat and admonition against rash Presumption and arrogant and deceitfull confidence which S. Paul giveth saying Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall for a man may thinke himselfe to stand when he standeth not so may easily deceive himselfe if he take not verie good heed And therefore doe both those Apostles S. Paul S. Peter require a great search triall and examination diligence and endevour to be used in this matter that so men through an overweening conceit or false perswasion deceive not themselves It is true likewise that Gods elect and sanctified people are to vvorke out that is to proceed or to goe on forward in the race of their salvation vvith feare and trembling as S. Paul admonisheth to make them the more carefull and watchfull over themselves but this trembling in the presence of Gods great powerfull and incomparable Maiestie and this awfull feare which they beare and are to beare unto him doth not hinder but doth rather affirme and confirme this assurance of salvation before spoken of within themselves For the feare toward God which all Gods children have and are to have is not a slavish or servile feare such as Reprobates and Divels have which is onely in respect of punishment torments and of condemnation â—nor anie such feare as is ioyned with a continuall distrust and doubting of Gods love but it is a filial feare such as kinde well natured and dutifull children beare to their fathers and such a feare as is mingled with faith and with a sense and feeling of the love even of the everlasting love of God toward them in Christ Iesus For which cause S. Paul saith expressely that They have not received the spirit of Bondage to feare any more but the spirit of Adoption vvhereby they cry Abba Father So that such is the feare ioyned with faith and love that is in Gods Children as that they have neverthelesse in the end Bouldnesse even in the day of Iudgement as S. Iohn expreslie testifieth for if God be on their side vvho can be against them And sith God hath iustified them who can condemne them Yea who can lay anie thing to their charge as S. Paul speaketh and in an holy and heavenly sort exulteth and triumpheth But all this while doe you not perceive how miserable the popish Church is wherein no such faith or confidence is to be found but at the most no better but doubtfull or uncertaine hopes which yeeld a verie poore or no comfort to the soule of a man CHAP. VIII Concerning Reprobation wherein Gods doings and the Doctrine of the Protestants bee justified against Objections Cavills and Calumnies of Adversaries THat there is a Reprobation aswell as an Election is a thing manifest for S. Paul saith of some that God hath delivered them up unto a Reprobate minde to doe those things vvhich are not convenient being full of all unrighteousnes fornication wickednes covetousnes malitiousnes c. Hee saith againe of some that they bee abhominable and disobedient and to everie good worke reprobate And again he saith of some that they be men of corrupt mindes and reprobate concerning the faith Yea if there were nothing else the verie terme of Electing some unto salvation importeth that there is a Reprobation or refusal of the rest that were not Elected For what is Election if you well observe the force and nature of the word but the choosing or singling out of some from the rest so that Reprobation is the opposite or contrarie to Election as Damnation is the opposite or contrarie to Salvation To be a Reprobate then is nothing else but to be refused or reiected as touching salvation or not to bee elected thereunto For the better understanding whereof wee must know that God made Adam good and righteous in the beginning but he afterward through the temptation of the Divell and his owne consent thereunto fell from that his Integrity and puritie and so all Mankind being inclosed in his loynes fell togethet with him and in him for In him all sinned as S. Paul expreslie affirmeth and were all by nature thus corrupted become the Children of vvrath as hee likewise speaketh in another place God beholding this fallen Lumpe of Mankind who by this their sinne and transgression had all alike deserved condemnation was pleased neverthelesse to take elect some of them to salvation in Christ and to relinquish the rest leaving them in that their sinfull estate to goe to condemnation And therefore be the Elect upon whom God was thus pleased to shew mercie called Vasa misericordiae The vessells of mercie as contrariwise the rest which were not so Elected but relinquished and reiected that is to say the Reprobates be called Vasa Irae the vessells of vvrath fitted as S. Paul speaketh through their owne sinne and corruption to destruction So true is it that their perdition or destruction is of themselves and that the salvation of the rest namely of the Elect is of God and of his meere grace and bountie For as the Elect bee elected in Christ and given to him to bee redeemed and to bee saved from Wrath and the curse of the Law and bee therefore in the times appointed of God quickened renevved regenerated iustified and sanctified and so come in the
in that place as a similitude to represent the neere coniunction betweene Christ and his Church but contrariwise hee bringeth and mentioneth the great love of Christ and the neere mistical coniunction between him and his Church as a similitude and argument to declare and enforce the love that shold be of the husband toward his wife For that is the maine matter scope and point of exhortation the Apostle there aymeth at as is expresse and apparant by the 25. Verse and so from thence to the end of that Chapter 5 Now concerning Orders By Orders wee understand the ordination of Ecclesiastical Ministers to their ministery by Imposition or laying on of hands Here then I would be glad to know why or for what reason they should hold this to be a Sacrament Is it because it is a good worke and an holy action But it is answered before that everie good worke and godly and holy action is not to bee reckoned for a Sacrament Or doe they make it a Sacrament because it hath in it an outward signe of an holy thing accounting the ordination or consecration to the ministerie to bee the holy thing and the imposition or laying on of hands in that action and for that purpose to bee the outward signe But hereunto is answered that everie outward signe of an holy thing or of an holy action is not sufficient to make a Sacrament for then Prayer with lifting up of hands should bee likewise a Sacrament end sundrie such like But it must be an outward signe of this particular holy thing namely of the remission of our sins and of our coniunction and communion with Christ or otherwise it is no Sacrament in that sense of a Sacrament which wee speake of Yea it must bee not onely a signe but a seale also of that our uniting and coniunction with Christ as is before declared which thing because the act of Ordination of Ministers by imposition of hands is not therefore it can be no Sacrament Againe the Sacraments be such as bee common belong to all sorts and degrees of Christians aswell to the lay sort as to Ecclesiasticall Ministers as appeareth by the example of these two confessed and undoubted Sacraments viz of Baptisme and the Lords Supper but these orders be proper and peculiar unto those onely that bee of the Ecclesiasticall Ministerie and extend no further and therefore they can bee no Sacraments in that sense of Sacraments that wee speake of 6 The last supposed Sacrament in the Popish Church is Extreme unction or last anointing or annealing as they cal it But how do they prove this to be a sacrament We reade indeed in Mark 6.13 that the Apostles of Christ being sent abroad did cast out Divels and annointed manie that were sicke with oyle and healed them But wee see this reckoned amongst the rest of the miracles which those Apostles had power given them to doe in those times of the first preaching and planting of the Gospell to win the greater credit unto it Agreeably whereunto it is said that They went forth and preached everie where the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signes following But beside that it is thus reckoned among the rest of the miracles the effect or event did also declare it to bee miraculous because as manie as were in those daies annointed by them were healed as the Text it selfe affirmeth Now can or doe Popist Priests in like sort in these daies by their annointing with oyle cure and heale the sicke and diseased as they in the Primitive and Apostolicke Church miraculously did All men know they neither doe nor can S. Iames likewise saith to the Christians of those Primitive and Apostolicke times in this sort Is anie sicke among you let him call for the Presbyters or Elders of the Church and let them pray for him and annoint him with oyle in the name of the Lord and the prayer of faith shall save the sicke and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sinnes they shall be forgiven him For Sinnes commonly bee the cause of mens sicknesses and diseases And because God pardoneth such as repentantly acknowledge and confesse their sinnes and faults and not such as hide them and will iustifie themselves therein hee addeth further saying thus Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another that yee may bee healed for the prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it bee fervent teaching them hereby that they ought freely to conferre one with another touching their diseases and sicknesses to confesse the sins which bee the cause of them one to another that so they might helpe one another with their praiers unto God for their recoverie for S. Iames doth not say that it was the bare anointing with oyle that did heale or save a man from death or raise him up from that his sicknesse wherewith hee was visited but it was Annointing with oyle in the name of the Lord that is such as had prayer invocation and calling upon the name of the Lord ioyned with it And therfore in the next words he sheweth that praier was added and that it was the prayer of faith that did preserve or save the sicke and that recovered and raised him up againe What then is there in all this to prove this Vnction or the annointing with oyle to bee a Sacrament Is it because in this healing there was used an external ceremonie or an outward visible signe but it is before shewed that that is not sufficient to make a Sacrament yea then might the curing of the diseased by the water of the Poole of Bethesda Ioh 5.2 3 4. c. be called a sacrament the annointing of the blind mans eies with clay made with spittle together with his washing in the Poole of Siloam Ioh. 9.6.7 might also by as good reason bee termed a Sacrament and sundrie other such actions wherin outward visible signes were used should become Sacraments which it were absurd to affirme in that sense of the Sacraments we here speake of But this Vnction or annoynting with oyle in the Apostles times can be no Sacrament in that sense of a Sacrament that wee speake of for sundry reasons First because it served onely for the healing and curing of the bodie For as for the forgivenesse of sinnes there mentioned and prayer used for that purpose they tended all in this case to this end to worke the effect of healing for the cause of the sicknesse which was sinnes being remooved by the prayers of the faithfull the effect which was the sicknesse or disease caused by those sinnes was also remooved Secondly it was a gift of healing that was in those daies miraculous to cure and heale the sicke in that manner which miraculous and extraordinarie power of healing is now long since ceased and because it was a thing miraculous and extraordinarie and is not ordinarie and perpetual it
cleere that there was then no citie in the world noted knowne by these seven hills or mountaines but Rome onely and therefore doth Virgil say of it Pulcherrima Roma Septem quae una sibi muro circumdedit arces That Rome onely hath seven hills vvithin her vvall For which cause also it is commonly termed Septicollis that is the seven hild City And Propertius also saith of it that it is Septem urbs alta Iugis toti quae praesidet orbi A City high vvith seven Hills that ruleth over all the world The names also of the seven hills are to this day knowne namely Palatinus Caelius Capitolinus otherwise called Ianiculus Aventinus Quirinalis Viminalis and Esquilinus Seeing then there was in that time of S. Iohn no citie in the world that was noted and knowne by the seven Hills and which also in those daies raigned over the Kings of the earth and had the Empire but Rome onely even by these two markes and demonstrations conioyned it is infalliby manifest that not anie other citie in the world but Rome onely is and must needs be the Woman and vvhore of Babylon there described And this is so cleere and evident that the Papists themselves confesse it to be Rome But then for an evasion Bellarmine some other Papists say that thereby onely Heathenish Rome and such as it was in the time of Infidelitie and before it embraced the Gospel and Religion of Christ is signified and intended but how untrue and vaine an evasion this is let all men iudge that have anie iudgement or indifferencie in them For first why is that woman that is the citie of Rome there called an Whore but to shew that shee was once an honest chaste and obedient spouse of Christ and that she afterward revolted and became an Whore and so fell from that obedience saith and true Religion which shee had formerly professed and embraced For is anie called an Whore but shee that was once an honest woman And doth not that word Whore import that shee was now at this time when shee thus became an Whore departed from that her former faith and fidelitie And indeed most true it is that the citie of Rome did once embrace the faith and religion of Christ and was an honest dutifull and true spouse unto him as S. Paul himselfe and other Ecclesiastical Histories doe witnesse But afterward in processe of time Ambition Pride Covetousnesse and Licentiousnesse growing in the Church and Churchâ—men and an Apostasie or departure from the right faith and religion being also foretold to come into the world for the neglect and contempt of the Gospel it came to passe that the once faithfull and Christian citie of Rome departed from that her former true faith and obedience and became an Harlot or Whore so that now and long sithence it may be said of Rome as God himselfe sometime spake of Hierusalem saying How is the faithfull City become an Harlot It being therefore manifest and a thing confessed even by the Papists themselves that by this Woman the citie of Rome is intended thereupon must needs be further granted that inasmuch as the Woman afterward became an Whore that is that Rome afterward became an Adulteresse against Christ her head and husband not the Heathen and Infidell citie of Rome but Rome after it had once received the Christian faith and religion and afterward fell from it to follow her owne false doctrine and religion is to be understood For how could the citie of Rome whilest it was Heathenish and before it ever embraced Christianitie be properly or rightly termed an Harlot or Whore that is a violater or breaker of anie faith formerly plighted by her unto Christ Iesus when as yet whilest shee was Heathen shee had plighted no such faith unto him The citie of Rome therefore which S. Iohn thus saw beforehand in vision to be such a one as should afterwards become an Whore and a great VVhore even the vvhore of Babylon as shee is entitled must needs be intended of Papal or Popish Rome for with the Heathen Rome that had never betrothed her selfe to Christ and consequently could for that time be no Whore or violater of her faith unto him it hath no fit or apt coherence and agreement Secondly as touching the Heathenish estate of Rome in that respect and for that purpose S. Iohn needed not anie Revelation at all for he knew it otherwise sufficiently even by his owne banishment into Pathmos and other daily experiments that Rome was then Heathenish and governed by Heathen Emperors and was by that meanes a great persecutor of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus but that the same citie should be afterward governed by Popes and so fall into the spiritual whoredome of Poperie that hee could not foresee or foreknow or foretell without a Revelation and therefore hath he a Revelation given him of that matter And hereat the Text also saith that He vvondred and that with great marvaile This great vvondering of S. Iohn also Thirdly declareth what maner of Rome this was for even thereby likewise appeareth that not the Heathen citie of Rome at whose persecutions they being so frequent and common in those dayes he had no cause at all to wonder but the once true Christian citie of Rome which afterward revolted from that her true Christianitie to her Antichristian and persecuting courses whereat there was indeed iust cause to wonder is the thing there meant and intended Fourthly Rome governed by the Emperors is in that Chapter distinguished from Rome as it was afterward governed by the Popes yea Rome as it was governed by the seven heads or principal Rulers of it from the beginning of it to the end is there decyphered For this vvhore or vvhorish vvoman is not onely there said to sit upon a scarlet coloured beast with which kinde of colour the Romish Popes aswell as the Romane Emperors were and are delighted as appeareth in the Decret dist 96. but it is there further said that this beast that is this State or Dominion for so by the Beast is understood a State or Dominion as afterward is shewed which thus bare up and supported this woman the citie of Rome had seven Heads ten Hornes The seven Heads be in the Text it selfe expounded to be seven Hills or mountaines which are before named and mentioned And they be also there further said to be seven Kings that is seven sorts of principal or soveraigne Rulers whereby Rome hath beene governed namely by Kings Consuls Decemvirs Dictators Tribunes Militarie with consular Authoritie Emperors Popes Five of these were fallen saith the Text in the dayes of S. Iohn namely Kings Consuls Decemvirs Dictators Tribunes and one is saith hee that is the governement by Emperors For then in S. Iohns time was Rome governed by Emperors and one is yet to come saith the Text that is the governement by Popes For as yet the
likewise touched him I say why should not all and euerie of these be by the same reason worshipped and adored with divine honour You see then what weake most poore reasons Papists have for this their Idolatry in worshipping a wooden Crosse in stead of the true God that made heaven and earth S. Ambrose directlie brandeth it and calleth it an Heathenish error to vvorship the Crosse vvhereon Christ dyed And yet neither are yee able to prove that all and everie of those severall Crosses which in so manie distant places of several Kingdomes and Countries amongst Papists be thus worshipped bee that verie Crosse whereon Christ our Saviour died and was crucified Yea it is a thing impossible that they all and everie of them they being so manie and diverse should or can bee that verie Crosse. 7 I shall not neede here to shew how the Pope of Rome is made a god or rather exalted above God himselfe in the Papacie because this is declared partlie before and partlie and more fully afterward But yet consider here whether they make not also the Church a God whilst they not onelie beleeve it but beleeve in it For accordinglie the Rhemists teach it to be lawfull to beleeve in Men and in the Church The Creede contrariwise teacheth us Credere sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam to beleeve that there is an holy Catholik Church but it doth not bid us to beleeve in the holy Catholike Church Yea it teacheth everie Christian to beleeve onelie In God for thus it saith I beleeve in God the Father c. and in Iesus Christ his only Sonne c. and I beleeve in the holy Ghost And this distinction of creatures and mysteries in the Creede from the Creator by the preposition In is likewise so observed and taught by the Ancient Fathers For Ruffinus saith thus Non dixit in sanctam Ecclesiam c. He said not I beleeve In the Catholicke Church nor In the remission of sinnes nor In the resurrection of the Body for if he had added the preposition In there should have beene the same force of meaning vvith that vvhich went before But now in those vvords in vvhich is set forth our faith of the Godhead it is said In God the Father and In Iesus Christ his Sonne and In the Holy Ghost But in the rest vvhere the speech is not of the Godhead but of Creatures and Mysteries the preposition In is not added that it should be said In the holy Church but that vvee should beleeve that there is an holy Church not as God but as a Church gathered unto God And men should beleeve that there is a remission of sinnes but not In the remission of sinnes and they should beleeve the resurrection of the Body but not In the resurrection of the Body Therefore by this syllable of Preposition the Creator is distinguished from the Creatures and things pertayning to God from things belonging to men Agreeablie to him writeth also Eusebius Emissenus saying Aliud est credere Deo aliud In Deum credere c. It is one thing to beleeve God and another thing to beleeve In God we ought of right to beleeve both Peter and Paul but to beleeve In Peter and Paul that vvere to bestow upon the servants the honour due to the Lord vvhich vve ought not to doe To beleeve him that is to give credite to him every one may doe it to a man but this to beleeve In him know that thou owest onely to the Divine Maiestie And this also is to be marked It is one thing Credere Deum to beleeve that there is a God and another thing Credere in Deum to beleeve in God for the Divel is found to beleeve that there is a God but to beleeve In God none is found to doe this but he vvhich hath devoutely trusted in him And therefore to beleeve that there is a God is to know naturally but to beleeve in God is faithfully to seeke him and vvith our vvhole love to passe into him So likewise touching the Articles of the Catholicke Church Remission of sinnes Resurrection c. he saith Let us beleeve In God These other things vve doe rehearse vve doe not beleeve in them but vve beleeve them These things I say vvee confesse not as God but as the benefites of God Primasius also observeth this distinction saying Fides perfecta est non solum Christum sed etiam In Christum credere It is perfect faith not onely to beleeve that Christ is but to beleeve In Christ. If you would know what it is to beleeve In God S. Cyprian will further informe you Non credit In Deum qui non in eo solo collocat totius foelicitatis suae fiduciam He doth not beleeve In God saith hee vvhich doth not repose in him alone the confidence of his vvhole felicity Credere in Creaturam est divinitatis offensio To beleeve in a Creature is an offence against the Deity saith Greg. Baeticus ad Gallam Placidiam Yea Cursed is the man that putteth his trust in man saith the Lord God himselfe Thus then you see a difference betweene Credere Deum and Credere Deo and Credere in Deum namelie that Credere Deum is to beleeve that there is a God and Credere Deo is to beleeve all that God speaketh to be true and thus farre Divels and Reprobates may goe but Credere in Deum to beleeve in God that is to repose the confidence of a mans whole felicitie not in his owne or in other mens merits nor in Saints or Angels or in the Church or in anie creatures but in God onlie is the faith and beleefe proper and peculiar to the true Christian. And herewithall you may perceive that Credere Ecclesiam Catholicam is to beleeve that there is a Catholike Church and Credere Ecclesiae Catholicae is to give credite to the catholik-Catholik-Church that is to beleeve that to be true which the Catholike Church teacheth and that Credere in Ecclesiam Catholicam is to repose a mans trust affiance faith and confidence in the Catholike Church which what is it else but to make a god of it and so to have moe gods then One and consequentlie to commit a most grosse Idolatrie For what greater dishonor or wrong can be done then to put the Church in the place of God or to attribute that to men or Angels or to anie creatures which properlie belongeth to the Creator But the Rhemists alledge three Texts of Scripture to prove it lawfull to beleeve in men The one is in the Epistle to Philemon where S. Paul speaketh thus unto him Hearing of thy love and faith vvhich thou hast toward the Lord Iesus and toward all the Saints c. But reddendo singula singulis it is easie to be perceived that Faith is there to be referred to Christ and Love to all the Saints for S. Paul himselfe who is the best expositor of his owne words
doth in other places declare that they are so to be referred and expounded saying thus in his Epistle to the Ephesians Having heard of the Faith vvhich ye have in the Lord Iesus and love toward all the Saints c. So againe hee speaketh in his Epistle to the Colossians Having heard of your faith in Christ Iesus and of your love toward all the Saints By conferring of which two Texts with that to Philemon it is verie evident to everie one that is not wilfully contentious or perverse that Faith is as well in the one place as in the other to be attributed to Christ and Love to all the Saints The other Text they alledge is Exod. 14.31 where the wordes are not They beleeved in God and in Moses but the words be thus The people feared the Lord and beleeved the Lord and his servant Moses And so is your owne translation Crediderunt Domino Mosi servo eius They beleeved the Lord and Moses his servant The third Text they alledge is 2. Paral. 20.20 where your owne translation likewise is thus Credite in Domino Deo vestro securi eritis Credite Prophetis eius cuncta evenient prospera Beleeve in the Lord your God and yee shall bee sure Beleeve his Prophets and all things shall fall out prosperously But the Rhemists here seeme to appeale to the Hebrew Text because they see their owne Latin Translation to make against them and yet the Hebrew Text will also nothing helpe them inasmuch as it herein agreeth with the same their owne Latin Translation But yet they further alledge that ancient Fathers did reade indifferently I beleeve in the Catholicke Church and I beleeve the Catholicke Church It is granted that some of them did so and therefore to beleeve in the Catholicke Church was with them and in that speech of theirs all one with this to beleeve that there is a Catholike Church as they said likewise I beleeve in one Baptisme I beleeve in the Resurrection of the dead in the life to come So that although their speech herein was somwhat improper as appeareth by that which is before delivered by the ancient Fathers upon the Creede yet their meaning in those wordes being as is evident no more but to beleeve that there is a Catholike Church and not that wee should put our trust faith and confidence in the Church it maketh nothing against that which is here intended and spoken And therefore still for anie to beleeve in the Church in this sense viz. to put his faith affiance tâ—ust and confidence in the Church is to attribute that to the Church which rightly and properly belongeth unto God consequently is to make a god of it which is abominable Idolatrie 8 I here forbeare to speake of their superstitious reserving and worshipping of Reliques that is of dead bodies and insensible bones of Saints and Martyrs which it were far more meet honestly and decently to burie then so to abuse yea of some that are by Papists supposed to be Saints and Martyrs and yet are not so For all be not Saints nor the Martyrs of Iesus that are supposed to bee so neither doe all die â—or religion that are supposed by Papists to die for that cause As for example there was a Booke set forth of late entituled Martyrium c. The Martyrdome of Conoghor O Deveny which was a Popish Bishop and of Gilpatrick Ologran which was a Popish Priest which two neverthelesse were not put to death for the cause of Religion as that Booke would perswade but for Treason as the Enditements against them both extant of Record in the Kings Bench of Ireland doe expresly and openly testifie and as all the multitude of people then present at their arraignement can also witnesse Which is ever sufficient to confute the most slanderous and most notorious untruth of that Booke But Popish Rome being before verie evidently proved to be the vvhore of Babylon and consequently the Persecutor of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus it is thereby an easie matter to collect who be the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus and who not namelie that the Protestants be the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus and that the Papists be the persecutors So that if anie be so wilfull as to die in defence of the Pope or Popish Religion they appeare to be therein no Martyrs of Christ but of Antichrist And therefore also as touching this point of martyrdome let them be no longer mistaken as heretofore they have beene CHAP. II. Wherein is further shewed that the Pope of Rome is the Grand Antichrist out of 2. Thess. 2. BVT concerning this point that the Pope of Rome is that verie grand Antichrist and consequentlie that the Popish Church ruled and governed by him is the very undoubted AntichristiaÌ„ Church and therefore of everie one to bee utterlie forsaken and detested Although that cleere and evident testimonie before going of S. Iohn in his Revelation discovereth the same sufficientlie yet shall you have it manifested further by the direct testimonie also of S. Paul for your better and fuller satisfaction S. Paul therefore in his second Epistle to the Thessalonians foretelling of the great Apostacie or departure from the right faith and religion which was then to come writeth thus Let no man deceive you by anie meanes for that day namelie of Christ to Iudgement shall not come except there come a departure first and that that man of sinne bee disclosed even the sonne of perdition which is an Adversarie and exalted above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that hee doth sit in the Temple of God as God shewing himselfe that hee is God Remember yee not that when I vvas yet vvith you I told you these things and now yee knovv what withholdeth that hee might be revealed in his time for the mysterie of iniquitie doth already worke Onely be vvhâ—ch now vvithholdeth shall let untill hee bee taken out of the vvay and then shall that vvicked man bee revealed vvhom the Lord shall consume vvith the spirit of his mouth and shall abolish with the brightnesse of his comming even him whose comming is by the vvorking of Sathan with all povver and signes and lying vvonders and in all deceaveablenesse of unrighteousnesse amongst them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might bee saved And therefore God shall send them sâ—rong delusion to beleeve lies that they all might be damned vvhich beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse In these words ye see first that S. Paul fortelleth of an Apostaâ—y or Departure from the right faith and religion which should come and bee in the world which apostacie or departure namelie from the faith hee alâ—o mentioneth in his Epistle to Timothie 1. Tim. 4.1 And this Apostacie or departure from the faith least wee should be mistaken in it hee sheweth that it should bee A mystery of Iniquity
be understood Yea howsoever Christ spake in the Syriacke tongue using the word Cepha in both places yet in the Greek text which taketh away all ambiguitie declareth the verie true sense of those words as also in the latin translations there is a cleer expresse difference and distinction made inter Petrum Petram betweene Peter and the Rocke for the words bee not as you suppose Thou art Peter and upon thee vvill I build my Church but thus Thou art Peter and upon this Rocke I will build my Church that is upon my selfe whom thou hast thus confessed to bee the Messias or Christ the Sonne of the living God will I build my Church So that howsoever the Church is builded upon Christ and such faith in him and confession of him as S. Pâ—â—er had and delivered yet it is not builded upon the person of S. Peter as is apparant And so also doth S. Augustine teach and expound those words Thou art Peter saith hee and upon this Rocke vvhich thou hast confessed upon this Rocke vvhich thou hast acknowledged in saying Thou art Christ the Sonne of the living God I vvill build my Church that is upon my selfe being the Sonne of the living God I vvill build my Church I vvill build thee upon mee and not mee upon thee For men vvilling to build upon men said I hold of Paul I of Apollo and I of Cephas that is of Peter but others that would not build upon Peter but upon the Rocke said I holde of Christ. Be not these things then verie plaine and evident It is true that in the numbring of the names of the Apostles Peter is reckoned first but as they could not all be reckoned at once but that of necessitie some must bee reckoned before the other so Theophilact telleth you the reason of it to bee namely because hee and Andrevv his brother were the first that were called by Christ to the Apostleship as is indeed manifest in Mat. 4.18 19. c. And therefore doth S. Ambrose also acknowledge that Paul was not interiour to Peter or to anie of the rest of the Apostles that went before him in Dignitie but in Time And in his Booke De Incarnat Domini cap. 4. hee affirmeth the Primacie of Peter to bee Primatum confessionis c. A. Primacie of confession verely but not of honour a primacie of faith but not of Degree And likewise doth S. Augustine say of him that hee was ordine primus the first in order or reckoning Although then Peter bee granted to have a Primacie yet you see what manner of Primacie it was that it was not anie King-like or Emperour-like primacie but a Primacie onelie of order or of Excellencie in other respects For Christ Iesus himselfe when the Apostles contended for a Maioritie one over another sheweth directly that they might not expect to raigne or beare Domination one over another although they saw Kings and Princes to doe so over the people of those nations that were subiect to them Vos autem non sic Yee may not doe so Agreeablie whereunto S. Cyprian also hath told us that Christ gave to all his Apostles the same or equal authoritie And againe hee saith that Peter tooke nothing proudlie upon him as to say That hee had a Primacie whereby others that were his after-commers should bee obedient to him And so likewise testifieth the Greeke Scoliast of him saying thus Behold hovv hee doth all things vvith common consent And further hee saith of him that hee did nothing Archicos that is Imperiously or with Commanding authoritie Much lesse did hee anie thing Monarchicos that is like a Monarch or King over all So that Peter had no more primacie in respect of anie Legal Princely or Monarchical authoritie over the rest of the Apostles then the rest had over him nor was anie more the Rocke or foundation of the Church then the rest were Yea when S. Paul sheweth that the Church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe Corner-stone and when it is likewise said in S. Iohn to haue tvvelve foundations and in them the names of the Lambes tvvelve Apostles It is by both those places verie apparant that Peter by being a foundation hath therein no more preeminence or prerogative then the rest inasmuch as the rest bee there expresly said to bee foundations as well as hee The Church being founded aswell upon the rest of the Apostles as upon Peter and the strength of the Church being equally builded upon them all as S. Hierome hath also before affirmed But then secondly they alledge Luk. 22.31 32. where Christ saith thus unto Peter Symon Symon behold Satan hath desired you to vvinnow you as vvheat But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fayle not therefore when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren In which words Christ foreseeing how Satan would sift and shake them all but especiallie Peter who by thrice denying him and forswearing of him was to fall more grievouslie and dangerously then the rest therefore telleth him that hee had praied for him especiallie that his faith faile not that is as Beda expoundeth it That after hee vvas fallen by denying Christ hee might rise again by repentance and being so raised up to repentance by Gods special grace and Christs prayer hee might bee afterward able even by his owne example and experience to comfort strengthen others in the like case S. Chrysostome likewise so expoundeth it Oravi pro te ne deficeret fides tua hoc est ne in fine pereas I have prayed for thee that thy faith fall not that is saith hee that thou finallie perish not Againe hee sheweth you the true cause why Christ did there so speciallie mention Peter by name If saith hee Satan desired to sift the miall vvhy did not Christ pray for them all It is evident as I said before that to touch him the more deepely and to shevv his fall to bee farre more grievous then anie of the rest Christ turned his speech to him in particular Againe he saith thus I have praied for thee particularly that thy faith faile thee not This Christ spake to touch Peter the more vehemently signifying that his fall should be much fouler then of his fellovves and therefore that hee needed the more helpe This text then sheweth a greater weaknesse in Peter and a greater danger towards him then toward the rest and from whence it was that hee had his strength and stabilitie whereby hee was kept that hee did not utterlie perish in that his so grievous and dangerous a fall but it is far from proving or intending anie Monarchical or Princelie rule or authoritie in him over the rest It hath no such scope purpose or meaning in it And here also is answered the third Text they cyte of Ioh. 21.15 16 17. where Peter having formerly denied Christ thrice
shall vvalke after the Lord your God and feare him and shall keepe his commandements and hearken unto his voyce and yee shall serve him and cleave unto him But that Prophet or that Dreamer of dreames hee shall bee slaine because hee hath spoken to turne you avvay from the Lord your God vvhich brought you out of the Land of Egypt and delivered you out of the house of Bondage to thrust thee out of the vvay vvherein the Lord thy God commanded thee to vvalke Wherby we are admonished that if anie Miracle be wrought or wonder done to leade a man out of the right way from God and his religion or for the confirmation of anie Idolatrous erroneous or false religion or of anie point of Error or Vntruth wee must not regard it or bee moved by it And therefore wee are first to examine whether that point of faith and religion which in these daies is so attempted or intended to bee proved by Miracle or Wonder bee consonant and agreeable to the word of God delivered unto us in the holie and Canonical Scriptures For if it be not found to bee thereby warranted the Miracle or wonder wrought for the confirmation of that untruth must beare no sway with us how great soever it seeme but must be reiected as here you see And this is one cause amongst the rest why they bee called Lying Miracles and wonders which are done in Poperie the Antichristian Church because they bee done to this end to maintaine lyes and lying doctrines and an untrue and false religion whereby they deceive men and bring them first to Impietie and misbeleefe and afterward to utter ruine and destruction 7 For as this Antichristian Poperie was to prevaile by the subtiltie and deceiveablenesse therof and by the working of Satan and by the lying miracles and wonders that be therin so S. Paul further sheweth amongst vvhom it should prevaile namelie Amongst them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved and that therefore God did sent them strong delusion that they should beleeve lyes that they all might be damned vvhich beleeved not the Truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse In which words you see first the cause and reason which God had to punish the world with this great plague of Antichristian Popish blindenesse namely the neglect and contempt of his Word and Gospell and their preferring mens traditions doctrines lies and devises before his truth in his Scriptures contained For saith he because they received not the love of the Truth that they might bee saved therefore it is that Satan with his fraudes and deceiptfull practises should so prevaile among them Againe hee saith And therefore shall God send them strong delusion that they should beleeve lyes that they all might be damned vvhich beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse Observe here well that hee calleth it as most apparantly it is indeede a strong delusion wherewith Papists are possessed and carried and that it is also a strong delusion to beleeve lyes and such as that they take pleasure in that unrighteousnesse Doe not all devoted Papists finde this to be true And is not Popish Antichristianisme also rightly worthily called Iniustice or unrighteousnesse when most iniuriously it hath robbed God and men Christ and his Church and the sacred and canonical Scriptures and not only Bishops and Clergie men but Kings Princes and Emperors also and people of the rights and dues to them belonging Yea it breaketh the strength and sinewes of Common weales also aswell as of the Church by lying and deceiptfull equivocations by dispensing with oathes and with other things by their doctrine and Decree that Faith is not to be kept vvith Heretickes by their dissolving of the allegeance of subiects by their doctrine of deposing Kings by their Gun-powder plots and most detestable devises of treasons rebellions murders and massacres of Christian and Protestant Princes and their people and by sundrie other wayes rufull to be told and most shamefull to be either professed or put in execution Can there be greater points of iniustice or unrighteousnesse then these But all this while forget not I beseech you amongst what manner of people it is that this Antichristian Poperie prevaileth namely that it is amongst them that perish that all they might be damned vvhich beleeved not Gods truth extant in his Scriptures but take pleasure in that unrighteousnesse For doe you not hereby perceive the most fearefull estate and most wofull condition that all Papists be in that notwithstanding they be often admonished will not for all that forsake Antichrist and his religion to embrace the truth and the most pure religion of Christ taught in the holy Scriptures Bee they not here expressely affirmed to be such as perish and are to be damned if they persist obstinate and will not be reclaimed or converted Agreeably hereunto is also that which is written in the Revelation of S. Iohn where the Angel uttered it with a lowd voice to the end that all men should take notice of it saying If any man vvorship the beast and his image and receive his marke in his forhead or on his hand the same shall drinke of the vvine of the vvrath of God yea of the pure vvine that is poured into the cup of his vvrath and hee shall be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy Angells and before the Lambe and the smoake of their torment shall ascend up evermore and they shall have no rest day nor night vvhich worship the beast and his image and whosoever receiveth the print of his name Consider these things seriously yee that are wont to say and hold that None can be saved but he that is a pure Papist Doe yee not see the cleane contrarie here directly affirmed and that by warrant from God himselfe that whosoever is a pure Papist and in contempt of all admonitions will so live and die is not a saved but a damned soule Wee wish your salvation and if your selves wish it likewise as no doubt ye doe yee will then take the right course for it and be content not onely patiently but thankefully also to receive these christian and friendly admonitions and so be moved in time to relinquish and utterly to detest and abandon this Antichristian Poperie that thus directly and certainely leadeth to Hell and damnation 8 But consider yet further the other words of S. Paul where he saith of Antichrist thus VVhom the Lord shall consume vvith the spirit of his mouth and shall abolish with the brightnesse of his comming For hereby appeareth that Antichrist and his religion shall be consumed by the voice and preaching of the word of God which he calleth the spirit of his mouth and that hee shall be utterly abolished at the bright and glorious comming of Christ to iudgement so that here you may observe the decay and destruction of that Antichristian monster namely
that they further obiect that there bee manie names which make that number of 666. and thereupon would inferre that anie of those may be the name there spoken of aswell as Latine or Romane they talke likewise very idely and to no purpose for although there bee many names that conteine that number of 666 yet none of them conteyning that number can be the name there spoken of unlesse it bee the name first of a Beast that is of a State or Kingdome secondly unlesse it be the name of that verie Beast with seven heads there mentioned nor thirdly unlesse it bee such a name as agreeth with that Beast in every other respect and circumstance of which sort none is or can bee shewed to bee but onely that which is the Latine or Romane State Inasmuch then as the Pope of Rome counterfeiteth the Lambe but acteth the Dragon in verie deede and exerciseth all the power and authoritie of the first Beast that is of the Romane State and that before his face and seeing that the deadlie wound given to the Empire was cured and healed in him and that hee with his Clergie and holie men and holy women hath by their Miracles done in the sight and viewe of the Romane State together with his doctrine and other his devises so bewitched and inchanted the Inhabitants of the Earth that they have as verily beleeved the Popes Supremacie and his religion to be of God as if they had beene ratified and approoved from God himselfe by some miraculous sending of fire from heaven for the confirmation of them and hath also caused an Image of the Beast to be made namely the Papall State in lieu of the Imperial whereof himselfe is now the Head and Monarch hath moreover put such a spirit into this Image of the Beast so that it did speake and give forth such terrible Edicts Iudgments that whosoever did not obey it the decrees therof should be put to death and hath also caused and commanded all professors of Christianitie under his rule and dominion to receive the Marke of the Beast which in respect of Religion is manifestly Poperie and hath willed also and ordained that none within his Dominions professing the name of Christ should buy or sell or use the trade of Merchandizing unlesse hee have the marke of the Beast that is unlesse hee professe the religion of Poperie or have his name which is to bee a Romanist or Latine man that is a man of the Romane or Latine Religion professing subiection to him or have the number of his name that is unlesse hee so carrie and demeane himselfe as that hee bee numbred and reckoned amongst them as if he were a verie true Latine or true Romane indeed and seeing that the number of the name of the Beast conteyning 666. doth also fitly and fully agree to the Latine or Romane State yea seeing the Pope hath all the Markes whatsoever mentioned in the holy Scriptures to belong to Antichrist for no instance can be given to the contrarie I conclude that hee is and must needs be helde to bee the verie undoubted Grand Antichrist and that there is no other to bee expected CHAP. IIII. Shewing also the Pope to bee Antichrist and the Popish Church to be the Antichristian out of the 1. Tim. 4. Vers. 1 2 3 4 5. THE words of this Text bee these But the spirit speaketh evidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heede to spirits of error and doctrines of Divells which speake lyes in hypocrisie having their consciences seared with an hot Iron forbidding to marrie and commanding to abstaine from meates vvhich God hath created to bee received with thankesgiving of them which beleeve and know the truth for every Creature of God is good and nothing to bee refused if it be received vvith thankesgiving for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer Beside the former notes and markes of the Antichristian and Apostatical Church the Apostle here hath for our fuller and better satisfaction in that point notified also and set downe unto us two other marks and those not the worst but the most sensible nor the most wicked though wicked enough but the most easie to bee knowne that none might anie longer erre or goe astray therein The two markes whereby to discerne and know this Antichristian Church which hath made an Apostacie or departure from the right faith and whose teachers bee false teachers hee specifieth to bee these namely 1. Forbidding people to Marrie which by Gods law bee not prohibited 2. A commanding to abstaine from meates for religion sake which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving Which two notes or markes bee apparantly found in the Papacie For there namely in the Papacie are divers persons forbidden to marrie which by Gods law be not forbidden as namely their Bishops Deacons Priests Monkes Friers Nunnes c. And there also is a commanding to abstaine from some kinde of meates for religion sake as is sufficiently knowne and as shall afterward appeare and therefore in the Papacie it is that the Church is Apostatical and Antichristian But touching the point of Marriage the Rhemists and other Papists answer that S. Paul here speaketh onely of the Manichees Encratites Marcionites of the heretickes called Apostoloci Ebionitae and the like whose heresie about Marriage was say they that to marrie or to use the Act of Matrimonie is of Satan and that the distinction of Male and Female came of an ill God And thus would they have the old Heretickes onely to be branded and themselves noe way to bee touched herein But indeede if you well observe the words not so much those old heretickes as the later hereticks namely the Papists bee there noted and branded yea these chiefely and especially if not altogether For those old hereticks that attributed the institution of Matrimonie to Satan and the distinction of male and female and procreation of Children to the Divel did not speake lies or falshood in hypocrisie as these are here said to doe but in palpable and open blasphemie which might therefore easily bee discerned of Christians and avoided But the Papists that under pretence of holinesse religion puritie and chastitie forbid Marriage bee those that utter this their doctrine in hypocrisie and therefore bee such of whom the Apostle here speaketh and had the more neede to give the Church a forewarning that they might beware of them and bee the better armed against them But because they confesse the old Heretickes to be here condemned let them tell mee how much differeth in this point the Church of Rome from those old Heretickes the Manichees For even the Manichees permitted marriage to the Lay people which they called their hearers but in no wise to their Clergie which they called their Elects or chosen men as S. Augustine declareth Seeing then they are in the same heresie with them in this very point how can they
chiefly in respect of the world to come For it hath as you see Gods owne expresse commandement bidding all his people to depart from that mysticall Babylon Popish Rome When therefore God himselfe thus speaketh and would have none that bee his people to adhere to such a Mother as the Whore of Babylon is but cleane contrariwise would have them to depart from her and utterly to renounce abhorre and detest her as being indeed the Mother of VVhoredomes and abhominations of the Earth as she is intitled is it not good reason and your bounden dutie to give eare unto him and to obey his voyce herein as you tender your owne salvations and desire to be His People It appeareth that ye have been of a long time mistaken as touching the right Mother-Church For not Popish Rome but Hierusalem which is from above is the Mother of us all as S. Paul expressely witnesseth Yea what maner of Mother Popish Rome is I trust yee now sufficiently perceive Bee no longer therefore so much abused or so extreamely deluded as to take the wrong Mother for the right and him that is the grand Antichrist to bee Christs Vicar the head of his Church S. Peters successor and the Bishop that cannot erre in matter of Faith For what christian charitable and good minde doth not grieve to see so manie honourable and honest-hearted men to bee so farre carried away and misled to their owne perdition Howbeit if anie amongst you rest not satisfied herewith but thinketh that hee can answer this Booke and will take upon him so to doe I desire him first that hee will doe it not by parts or peece-meales but wholly and entirely from the beginning of it to the end Secondly I desire him to doe it not superficially or sophistically but substantially soundly and satisfactorilie if hee can Thirdly as I would haue him to doe it in love and charity and with an affection onely to follow Gods truth so doe I also desire him to set his name unto it as I have done here to this But if none amongst you can make anie solid sound sufficient and satisfactorie Answere unto it as I rest assured before hand none can or will bee able For who was or ever will be able to Answer or confute that Word of God whereupon the Protestants Doctrine Religion is apparantly grounded then is there so much the more reason for you all to yeeld to that which you see to bee evident unanswerable and irrefutable God Almightie if it bee his will open all your eies to see his splendent and invincible truth in his sacred Canonical Scriptures conteined and grant both to you and to us that wee may all acknowledge professe and observe it to his glorie the discharge of our duties and our owne everlasting comforts and salvation through Iesus Christ. Amen VVisdome is iustified of all her Children Luk. 7.35 Vnto the King everlasting Immortal Invisible unto GOD onely wise be honor and glorie for ever and ever AMEN 1. Tim. 1.17 FINIS AN EPISTLE VVRITTEN BY THE REVEREND FAther in God James Vssher Bishop of Meath concerning the religion anciently professed by the IRISH and SCOTTISH Shewing it to be for substance the same with that which at this day is by publick authoritie established in the Church of ENGLAND WORTHY SIR I Confesse I somewhat incline to be of your minde that if unto the authorities drawen out of Scriptures and Fathers which are common to us with others a true discoverie were added of that religion which anciently was professed in this kingdome it might prove a speciall motive to induce my poore countrey-men to consider a little better of the old and true way from whence they have hitherto beene misledd Yet on the one side that saying in the Gospell runneth much in my minde If they heare not Moses and the Prophets neyther will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead and on the other that heavie judgement mentioned by the Apostle because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve lyes The wofull experience whereof wee may see daily before our eyes in this poore nation where such as are slow of heart to beleeve the saving truth of God delivered by the Prophets and Apostles doe with all greedinesse imbrace with a most strange kinde of credulitie intertaine those lying Legends wherwith their Monks Friars in these latter dayes have polluted the religion and lives of our ancient Saints I doe not denie but that in this countrey as well as in others corruptions did creepe in by little and little before the Divell was let loose to procure that seduction which prevayled so generally in these last times but as farre as I can collect by such records of the former ages as have come unto my hands eyther manuscript or printed the religion professed by the ancient Bishops Priests Monkes and other Christians in this land was for substance the verie same with that which now by publick authoritie is maintayned therein against the forraine doctrine brought in thither in later times by the Bishop of Romes followers I speake of the more substantiall points of doctrine that are in controversie betwixt the Church of Rome and us at this day by which only wee must judge whether of both sides hath departed from the religion of our ancestours not of matters of inferior note much lesse of ceremonies and such other things as appertaine to the discipline rather than to the doctrine of the Church And whereas it is knowne unto the learned that the name of Scoti in those elder times whereof we treate was common to the inhabitants of the greater and the lesser Scotland for so heretofore they have beene distinguished that is to say of Ireland and the famous colonie deduced from thence into Albania I will not follow the evill example of those that have of late laboured to make dissension betwixt the daughter and the mother but accompt of them both as of the same people Tros Rutulúsve fuat nullo discrimine habebo That wee may therefore fall upon the matter in hand without further preambles two excellent rules doth S. Paul prescribe unto Christians for their direction in the wayes of God the one that they be not unwise but understanding what the will of God is the other that they be not more wise then behoveth to be wise but be wise unto sobriety and that wee might know the limits within which this wisedome and sobrietie should be bounded hee elsewhere declareth that not to be more wise then is fitting is not to bee wise above that which is written Hereupon Sedulius one of the most ancient writers that remaineth of this countrey birth delivereth this for the meaning of the former rule Search the Law in which the will of God is contayned and this for the later He would be more wise then
had deserved that the due judgement of God should have condemned even those that are justified unlesse mercie had relieved them from that which was due that so all the mouthes of them which would glory of their merits might be stopped and he that glorieth might glorie in the Lord. They further taught as S. Augustin did that Man using ill his Free will lost both himselfe it that as one by living is able to kill himselfe but by killing himselfe is not able to live nor hath power to rayse up himselfe when he hath killed himselfe so when sinne had beene committed by freewill sinne being the conqueror freewill also was lost forasmuch as of whom a man is overcome of the same is he also brought in bondage 2. Pet. 2.19 that unto a man thus brought in bondage and sold there is no libertie left to do well unlesse he redeeme him whose saying is this If the Sonne make you free yee shall be free indeed Ioh. 8.36 that the minde of men from their very youth is set upon evill there being not a man which sinneth not that a man hath nothing from himselfe but sinne that God is the author of all good things that is to say both of good nature and of goodwill which unlesse God do worke in him man cannot doe because this good will is prepared by the Lord in man that by the gift of God hee may doe that which of himselfe hee could not doe by his owne free-will that the good will of man goeth before many gifts of God but not all of those which it doth not go before it selfe is one For both of these is read in the holy Scriptures His mercie shall goe before me and His mercie shall follow me it preventeth him that is unwilling that hee may will and it followeth him that is willing that hee will not in vaine and that therefore vvee are admonished to aske that we may receive to the end that what we doe will may be effected by him by whom it was effected that vvee did so will They taught also that the Law was not given that it might take away sinne but that it might shut up all under sinne to the end that men being by this meanes humbled might understand that their salvation was not in their owne hand but in the hand of a Mediator that by the Law commeth neyther the remission nor the removeall but the knowledge of sinnes that it taketh not away diseases but discovereth them forgiveth not sins but condemneth them that the Lord God did impose it not upon those that served righteousnesse but sin namely by giving a just law to unjust men to manifest their sinnes and not to take them away forasmuch as nothing taketh away sinnes but the grace of faith which worketh by love That our sinnes are freely forgiven us without the merit of our workes that through grace wee are saved by faith and not by workes and that therefore we are to rejoyce not in our owne righteousnesse or learning but in the faith of the Crosse by which all our sinnes are forgiven us That grace is abject and vaine if it alone doe not suffice us and that wee esteeme basely of Christ when we thinke that hee is not sufficient for us to salvation That God hath so ordered it that he will be gracious to mankinde if they doe beleeve that they shall be freed by the blood of Christ. that as the soule is the life of the bodie so faith is the life of the soule and that wee live by faith only as owing nothing to the Law that he who beleeveth in Christ hath the perfection of the Law For whereas none might be justified by the Law because none did fulfill the Law but only he which did trust in the promise of Christ faith was appointed which should be accepted for the perfection of the Law that in all things which were omitted faith might satisfie for the whole Law That this righteousnesse therefore is not ours nor in us but in Christ in whom wee are considered as members in the head That faith procuring the remission of sinnes by grace maketh all beleevers the children of Abraham and that it was just that as Abraham was justified by faith onely so also the rest that followed his faith should be saved after the same maner That through adoption we are made the sonnes of God by beleeving in the Sonne of God and that this is a testimonie of our adoption that we have the spirit by which we pray and cry Abba Father forasmuch as none can receive so great a pledge as this but such as be sonnes onely That Moses himselfe made a distinction betwixt both the justices to wit of faith and of deedes that the one did by workes justifie him that came the other by beleeving only that the Patriarches and the Prophets were not justified by the workes of the Law but by faith that the custome of sinne hath so prevayled that none now can fulfill the Law as the Apostle Peter saith Act. 15.10 Which neyther our fathers nor wee have beene able to beare But if there were any righteous men which did escape the curse it was not by the workes of the Law but for their faithes sake that they were saved Thus did Sedulius and Claudius two of our most famous Divines deliver the doctrine of free-will and grace faith and workes the Law and the Gospell Iustification and Adoption no lesse agreeably to the faith which is at this day professed in the reformed Churches then to that which they themselves received from the more ancient Doctors whom they did follow therein Neyther doe wee in our judgement one whit differ from them when they teach that faith alone is not sufficient to life For when it is said that Faith alone justifieth this word alone may be conceived to have relation either to the former part of the sentence which in the schooles they terme the Subject or to the latter which they call the Predicat Being referred to the former the meaning will be that such a faith as is alone that is to say not accompanied with other vertues doth justifie and in this sense wee utterly disclaime the assertion But being referred to the latter it maketh this sense that faith is it which alone or only iustifieth and in this meaning onely doe wee defend that proposition understanding still by faith not a dead carkase thereof for how should the iust be able to live by a dead faith but a true and lively faith which worketh by love For as it is a certaine truth that among all the members of the bodie the eye is the only instrument whereby wee see and yet it is as true also that the eye being alone and seperated from the rest of the members is dead and for that cause doth neyther seâ—
great house he doth not understand the Church as some have thought which hath not spot nor wrinkle but the world in which the tares are mingled with the vvheate that yet in the holy Church also the evill are mingled with the good and the reprobate with the elect and that in this respect it is resembled unto the wise and foolish virgins as also to the Kings marriage by which this present Church is designed wherein the good and the bad doe meet together So that in this Church neyther the bad can be without the good nor the good without the bad whom the holy Church notwithstanding doth both now receive indifferently and separate afterwards at their going from hence They taught further that the Church sometimes is not only afflicted but also defiled with such oppressions of the gentiles that if it were possible her redeemer might seeme for a time utterly to have forsaken her and that in the raging times of Antichrist the Church shall not appeare by reason that the wicked persecutors shall then exercise their cruelty beyond all measure that in those times of Antichrist not onely more often and more bitter torments shall be put upon the faithfull then before were wont to be but which is more grievous the working of miracles also shall accompany those that inflict the torments as the Apostle witnesseth saying Whose comming is after the working of Satan with all seduction signes and lying wonders namely juggling ones as it was foretold before They shall shew such signes that if it were possible the very elect should be deceived by such a phantasticall power as Iamnes and Mambres wrought withall before Pharao What unbeleever therefore say they will then be converted unto the faith and who is hee that already beleeveth whose faith trembleth not and is not shaken vvhen the persecuter of piety is the worker of wonders and the same man that exerciseth crueltie with torments that Christ may be denyed provoketh by miracles that Antichrist may be beleeved And vvhat a pure and a single eye is there need of that the way of wisdome may be found against which so great deceivings and errors of evill and perverse men doe make such a noyse all which notwithstanding men must passe through and so come to most certaine peace and the unmoveable stabilitie of vvisedome Hence concerning Miracles they give us these instructions First that neyther if an Angell should shew himselfe unto us to seduce us being suborned with the deceipts of his father the Divell ought he to prevayle against us neyther if a miracle should be done by any one as it is sayd of Simon Magus that he did flye in the ayre neyther that signes should terrifie us as done by the Spirit because that our Saviour also hath given us warning of this before hand Matth. 24.24 25. Secondly that the faith having increased miracles were to cease forasmuch as they are declared to have been given for their sakes that beleeve not and therefore that now when the number of the faithfull is growen there be many within the holy Church that retayne the life of vertues and yet have not those signes of vertues because a miracle is to no purpose shewed outwardly if that be wanting which it should worke inwardly For according to the saying of the Master of the Gentiles Languages are for a signe not to the faithfull but to infidells 1. Cor. 14.22 Thirdly that the working of miracles is no good argument to prove the holinesse of them that be the instruments thereof and therefore when the Lord doth such things for the convincing of infidels hee yet giveth us warning that vvee should not be deceived thereby supposing invisible wisedom to be there where we shall behold a visible miracle For he saith Many shall say unto me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophecyed in thy name and in thy name cast out Divels and in thy name done many miracles Matth. 7.22 Fourthly that hee tempteth God who for his own vaine glory will make shew of a superfluous and unprofitable miracle such as that for example was whereunto the Divel tempted our Saviour Matt. 4.6 to come downe headlong from the pinnacle of the Temple unto the plaine every miracle being vayne vvhich vvorketh not some profite unto mans salvation Whereby wee may easily discerne what to judge of that infinite number of idle miracles wherewith the lives of our Saints are everie where stuffed manie wherof we may justly censure as Amphilochius doth the tales that the Poëts tell of their Gods for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fables of laughter worthy and of teares Yea some of them also we may rightly brand as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnseemely fables and Divells documents For what for example can be more unseemely and tend further to the advancement of the doctrine of Divels then that which Cogitosus relateth in the life of S. Brigid that she for saving the credite of a Nunne that had been gotten with childe blessed her faithfully forsooth for so the author speaketh and so caused her conception to vanish away without any deliverie and without any paine which for the saving of S. Brigids owne credit eyther Hen. Canisius or the friars of Aichstad from whō he had his copie of Cogitosus thought fit to scrape out and rather to leave a blanke in the book then to suffer so lewd a tale to stand in it But I will not stirre this puddle anie further but proceede on unto some better matter And now are we come at last to the great point that toucheth the Head and the foundation of the Church Concerning which Sedulius observeth that the title of foundation is attributed both to Christ and to the Apostles and Prophets that where it is said Esai 28.16 Behold I lay in Sion a stone etc. it is certaine that by the rock or stone Christ is signified that in Ephes. 2.20 the Apostles are the foundation or Christ rather the foundation of the Apostles For Christ saith he is the foundation who is also called the corner stone joyning and holding together the two walls Therefore is he the foundation and chiefe stone because in him the Church is both founded and finished and we are to account the Apostles as ministers of Christ and not as the foundation The famous place Matth. 16.18 whereupon our Romanists lay the maine foundation of the Papacie Claudius expoundeth in this sort Vpon this rock will I build my Church that is to say upon the Lord and Saviour vvho granted unto his faithfull knower lover and confessor the participation of his own name that from petra the rock he should be called Peter The Church is builded upon him because only by the faith and love of Christ by the receiving of the sacraments of Christ by the observation of the commandements of Christ vve come to the inheritance
as an answer unto the Bishops of Ireland that did submit themselves unto him whereas the least argument of anie submission of theirs doth not appeare in anie part of that epistle but the whole course of it doth clearely manifest the flat contrary In the next place steppeth forth Osullevan Beare a wilde Beare indeed rather then a Christian man who in his Catholick Historie of Ireland for so he stileth his trayterous and barbarous Collections lately published would have us take knowledge of this that when the Irish Doctors did not agree together upon great questions of faith or did heare of any new doctrine brought from abroad they were wont to consult with the Bishop of Rome the Oracle of truth That they consulted with the Bishop of Rome when difficult questions did arise wee easily grant but that they thought they were bound in conscience to stand to his judgment whatsoever it should be and to intertaine all his resolutions as certaine Oracles of truth is the point that we would faine see proved For this he telleth us that when questions and disputations did arise here concerning the time of Eâ—ster and the Pelagian heresie the Doctors of Ireland referred the matter unto the See Apostolick Whereupon the error of Pelagius is reported to have found no patron or maintayner in Ireland and the common course of celebrating Easter was embraced both by the Northren Irish and by the Pictes and Britons as soone as they understood the rite of the Romane Church Which saith hee doth not obscurely appeare by the two heads of the Apostolick letters related by Bede lib. 2. cap. 19. But that those Apostolick letters as he calleth them had that successe which he talketh of appeareth neither plainly nor obscurely by Bede or anie other authoritie whatsoever The error of Pelagius saith he is reported to have found no patron or maintayner in Ireland But who is he that reporteth so beside Philip Osullevan a worthy author to ground a report of antiquity upon who in relating the matters that fell out in his owne time discovereth himselfe to be as egregious a lyar as anie I verily thinke that this day breatheth in Christendome The Apostolick letters he speaketh of were written as before hath beene touched in the yeare of our Lord DCXXXIX during the vacancie of the Romane See upon the death of Severinus Our countreyman Kilianus repayred to Rome 47. yeares after that and was ordayned Bishop there by Pope Conon in the yeare DCLXXXVI The reason of his comming thither is thus laid downe by Egilwardus or who ever else was the author of his life For Ireland had beene of old defiled with the Pelagian heresie and condemned by the Apostolicall censure which could not be loosed but by the Romane judgement If this be true then that is false which Osullevan reporteth of the effect of his Apostolicall Epistle that it did so presently quassh the Pelagian heresie as it durst not once peepe up within this Iland The difference betwixt the Romanes and the Irish in the celebration oâ— Easter consisted in this The Romanes kept the memorial of our Lords resurrection upon that Sonday which fell betwixt the XV. and the XXI day of the Moone both termes included next after the XXI day of March which they accounted to be the seat of the Vernall aequinoctium that is to say that time of the Spring wherein the day and the night were of equall length and in reckoning the age of the Moone they followed the Alexandrian cycle of XIX yeares whence our golden number had his originall as it was explained unto them by Dionysius Exiguus which is the account that is still observed not only in the Church of England but also among all the Christians of Greece Russia Asia AEgypt and AEthiopia and was since the time that I my selfe was borne generally received in all Christendome untill the late change of the Kalendar was made by Pope Gregory the XIIIth The Northren Irish and Scottish together with the Pictes observed the custome of the Britons keeping their Easter upon the Sonday that fell betwixt the XIIII and the XX. day of the Moone and following in their account thereof not so much the XIX yeares computation of Anatolius as Sulpicius Severus his circle of LXXXIIII yeares for howsoever they extolled Anatolius for appointing the bounds of Easter betwixt the XIIII and the XX. day of the Moone yet Wilfride in the Synod of Strenshalch chargeth them utterly to have rejected his cycle of XIX yeares from which therefore Cummianus draweth an argument against them that they can never come to the true account of Easter who observe the cycle of LXXXIIII yeares To reduce the Irish unto conformitie with the Church of Rome in this point Pope Honorius the first of that name directed his letters unto them Exhorting them that they would not esteeme their owne paucitie seated in the utmost borders of the earth more wife then the ancient or moderne Churches of Christ through the whole world and that they would not celebrate another Easter contrary to the Paschall computations and the Synodall decrees of the Bishops of the whole world and shortly after the clergie of Rome as we have said upon the death of Severinus wrote other letters unto them to the same effect Now where Osullevan pardon me if I honour the rake-hell too much in naming him so often avoucheth that the common customeâ— sed by the Church in celebrating the feast of the Lords resurrection was alwayes observed by the Southerne Irish and now embraced also by the Northren together with the Pictes and Britons who received the faith from Irish Doctors when they had knowledge given them of the rite of the Church of Rome in all this according to his common wont hee speaketh never a true word For neyther did the Southerne Irish alwayes observe the celebration of Easter commonly received abroad neyther did the Northren Irish nor the Pictes nor the Britons manie yeares after this admonition given by the Church of Rome admit that observation among them to speake nothing of his folly in saying that the Britons received the faith from the Irish when the contrarie is so well knowne that the Irish received the same from the Britons That the common custome of celebrating the time of Easter was not alwayes observed by the Southerne Irish may appeare by those words of Bede in the third booke of his historie and the third chapter Porrò gentes Scottorum quae in australibus Hiberniae insulae partibus morabantur jamdudum ad admonitionem Apostolicae sedis antistitis Pascha canonico ritu observare didicerunt For if as this place clearely proveth the nations of the Scotts that dwelt in the Southerne parts of Ireland did learne to observe Easter after the canonicall maner upon the admonition of the Bishop of Rome it is evident that before that admonition they did observe it after another maner The word jamdudum which Bede
dissented from the Church of Rome in the celebration of Easter and manie other things made no scruple to prefixe this loving respectfull superscription to their letters To our Lords and most deare brethren the Bishops or Abbots throughout all Scotland Laurentius Mellitus and Iustus Bishops the servants of the servants of God For howsoever Ireland at that time received not the same lawes wherewith other nations were governed yet it so flourished in the vigour of Christian doctrine as Abbot Ionas testifieth that it exceeded the faith of all the neighbour nations in that respect was generally had in honour by them It now remaineth that in the last place we should consider the Popes power in disposing the temporall state of this kingdome which either directly or indirectly by hook or by crook this graund Usurper would draw unto himselfe First therefore Cardinall Allen would have us to know that the Sea Apostolick hath an old claime unto the soverainty of the countrey of Ireland and that before the covenants passed betweene king Iohn and the same Sea Which challenges saith hee Princes commonly yeeld not up by what ground so ever they come What Princes use to yeeld or not yeeld I leave to the skanning of those unto whom Princes matters doe belong for the Cardinalls Prince I dare be bold to say that if it be not his use to play fast and loose with other Princes the matter is not now to do whatsoever right he could pretend to the temporall state of Ireland he hath transferred it more then once unto the Kings of England and when the ground of his clayme shall be looked into it will be found so frivolous and so ridiculous that wee need not care three chippes whether he yeeld it up or keep it to himselfe For whatsoever become of his idle challenges the Crowne of England hath otherwise obtained an undoubted right unto the soveraintie of this countrey partly by Conquest prosecuted at first upon occasion of a Sociall warre parâ—ly by the severall submissions of the chieftaines of the land made afterwards For whereas it is free for all men although they have beene formerly quitt from all subjection to renounce their owne right yet now in these our dayes saith Giraldus Cambrensis in his historie of the Conquest of Ireland all the Princes of Ireland did voluntarily submitt and binde themselves with firme bonds of faith and oath unto Henry the second King of England The like might be said of the generall submissions made in the dayes of King Richard the second and King Henry the eighth to speake nothing of the prescription of diverse hundreds of yeares possession which was the plea that Iephte used to the Ammonites and is indeed the best evidence that the Bishop of Romes owne proctors doe produce for their Masters right to Rome it selfe For the Popes direct dominion over Ireland two titles are brought forth beside those covenants of King Iohn mentioned by Allen which hee that hath anie understanding in our state knoweth to be clearly void and worth nothing The one is taken from a speciall grant supposed to be made by the inhabitants of the countrey at the time of their first conversion unto Christianity the other from a right which the Pope challengeth unto himselfe over all Ilands in generall The former of these was devised of late by an Italian in the raigne of King Henry the eighth the later was found out in the dayes of King Henry the second before whose time not one footsteppe doth appeare in all antiquitie of anie clayme that the Bishop of Rome should make to the dominion of Ireland no not in the Popes owne records which have beene curiously searched by Nicolaus Arragonius and other ministers of his who have purposely written of the particulars of his temporall estate The Italian of whom I spake is Polydore Vergil he that composed the booke De inventoribus rerum of the first Inventers of things among whom he himselfe may challenge a place for this invention if the Inventers of lyes be admitted to have anie roome in that companie This man being sent over by the Pope into England for the collecting of his Peter-pence undertook the writing of the Historie of that nation wherein he forgatt not by the way to doe the best service hee could to his Lord that had imployed him thither There he telleth an idle tale how the Irish being moved to accept Henry the second for their King did deny that this could be done otherwise then by the Bishop of Romes authority because forsooth that from the very beginning after they had accepted Christian religion they had yeelded themselves and all that they had into his power and they did constantly affirme saith this fabler that they had no other Lord beside the Pope of which also they yet do bragge The Italian is followed herein by two Englishmen that wished the Popes advancement as much as he Edmund Campian and Nicholas Sanders the one whereof writeth that immediatly after Christianitie planted here the whole Iland with one consent gave themselves noâ— only into the spirituall but also into the temporall Iurisdiction of the See of Rome the other in Polydores own words though he name him not that the Irish from the beginning presently after they had received Christian religion gave up themselves and all that they had into the power of the Bishop of Rome and that untill the time of King Henry the second they did acknowledge no other supreme Prince of Ireland beside the Bishop of Rome alone For confutation of which dreame we need not have recourse to our owne Chronicles the Bull of Adrian the fourth wherein he giveth libertie to King Henry the second to enter upon Ireland sufficiently discovereth the vanitie thereof For hee there shewing what right the Church of Rome pretended unto Ireland maketh no mention at all of this which had beene the fairest and clearest title that could be alledged if anie such had beene then existent in rerum natura but is faine to flie unto a farre fetcht interest which he saith the Church of Rome hath unto all Christian Ilands Truly saith he to the King there is no doubt but that all Ilands unto which Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse hath shined and which have received the instructions of the Christian faith doe pertaine to the right of Sainct Peter and the holy Church of Rome which your Noblenesse also doth acknowledge If you would further understand the ground of this strange clayme whereby all Christian Ilands at a clap are challenged to be parcell of S. Peters patrimonie you shall have it from Iohannes Sarisburiensis who was most inward with Pope Adrian and obtayned from him this verie grant whereof now wee are speaking At my request saith he he granted Ireland to the illustrious King of England Henry the second and gave it to be possessed by right of inheritance as his owne