784. a. initio Ingenuè tradimus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei nomen Patri propriè ascribi insinuating so thereby that the name of God is attributed to the Son and the Holy Ghost but improperly and as it were after a secondary respect And ibid. pag. 773. b. post med Absurdum negamus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei nomen interdum Patri ascribi quia ut alibi dictum est fons est ac principium Divinitatis In like manner he forbeareth not to call Christ the Vicar of God occupying the second degree of honour saying in Harmon in Matth. 26. v. 64. Dicitur autem Christus sedere ad dextram Patris quia summus Rex constitutus quasi secundam ab eo honor is imperii sedèm obtinet sedet ergo ad Patris dexteram quia ejus est vicarius c. And in admonit ad Polenos extant in tract Theolog. c. pag. 794. b. initio he saith Sententia Christi Pater major me est restricta fuit ad humanam ejus naturam ego verò non dubito ad totum complexum extendere And see there pag. 792 a. initio And in Matth. 22. v. 44. and in 1 Cor. 15. v. 27. As also Amlungus a prime Calvinist did let fall that Christ was inferior to his Father according to his Divinity Osiander in Epitom c. cent 16. pag. 965. initio reporting the conference at Hertzburg Anno 1585. between the Divines of Saxony and the Calvinists of Hennalt and in his praecipuus Anâ—lâ—â—ngus of whom Amlungus saith he was the chief saith Inter caetera Amlungo haec impia vox excidit Christum etiam secundum Divinitatem esse minorem Patre There are also other sayings of our Adversaries which seem to sound dangerously against the equality and consubstantiality with God the Father Master Jewel and Master Fulk affirm that [y] Of this confessed opinion of Mr. Jewel and Mr. Fulks retentive pag. 89. paulo ante med and see his confutation of the Papists quarrels Printed 1583. pag. 64 65. Christ was according to his Deity his Fathers Priest and [z] See Fulk against the Remish Testament in Hebr. 5. in sexto sect 4. fol. 399. b. paulo post mâ—d offered Sacrifice not only according to his Manhood but also according to his Godhead An error confuted by St. Austine in Psalm 109. saying According to that he is born of God the Father God with God c. all with him who begetteth him he is not a Priest but a Priest for his flesh assumpted And Theodoret in Psalm 109. saith accordingly Christ exerciseth Priesthood as man and receiveth Sacrifice as God In respect of sundry which premises Stancarus in most other things a Calvinist doubted not to affirm contra Ministros Genevenses Tigurinos fol. 94.95 and fol. 118.123 that the reformed Churches professing the Faith of Geneva and Tigure be Arian And he further saith Conclusum est ô Calvine Doctrinam tuam de Filio Dei esse planè Arianam à quâ resilias quà m primùm te oro atque obtestor It is concluded ô Calvin that thy Doctrin concerning the Son of God is wholly Arian which I earnestly beseech thee to abandon with all speed 42. To which further purpose is no less apt and memorable the further confessed testimony of Adam Neuserus a learned Calvinist and [a] The Protestant Writer Osiander in Epitom c. centur 16. pag. 818. fine saith Adam Neuserus Pastor Heydelbergensis ex Calvinismo prolapsus est in Arianismum And Conradus Schlusselburg Theolog. Calvinist l 1. art 2. fol. 9. b. tearmeth him Adâ—m Neuseruâ— olim Heydelbergensis Ecclesiae primarius Pastor c. chief pastor at Heydelberg who after his revolt unto Arianism and from thence again unto Mahometism [b] See this thus reported by Osiander in Epitom c. cent 16. pag. 208. fine and Osiander there pag. 209. initio affirmeth that D. Gerlachius hath at Tubinga the original writing or letter it self so written to him by Neuserus did write to Doctor Gerlachius a Protestant Preacher from Constantinople 2. Junii Anno 1574. saying None is known in our time to be made an Atian who was not first a Calvinist as Servetus Blandrata Paulus Alciatus Franciscus David Gentilis Grebaldus Silvanus and others all of them Calvinists revolted to Arianism Therefore who so feareth to fall into Arianism let him take heed of Calvinism Thus far Neuserus Neither may it suffice here for our adversaries to answer that Calvin and the fore-alleged Protestant Writers do notwithstanding their foresaid sayings all of them acknowledge the Doctrin of the three Persons and one God for in vain or at least not well but coldly is that acknowledged in general which is either reputed for matter of [c] Fulk in answer to a countersect Catholick pag. 15. prope finem affirmeth that the true Church under the Emperours Constantine Constans and Valens was greatly infected with the Heresy of the Arians as though the Church with Arianism could be a true Church What else is this but to repute Arianism for a matter of â—ndifferency Also Mr. Thomas Morton in his treatise of the kingdom of Israel and of the Church dedicated to Queen Elizabeth pag. 94. fine affirmeth that the Churches of Arians are to be accompted the Churches of God because they do hold the foundation of the Gospel which is faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God and Saviour of the world And ibid. p. 91. ante med be further saith Whensoever a company of men do jointly and publickly by worshipping the true God in Christ profess the substance of Christian Religion which is faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God and Saviour of the world which as before in his opinion the Arians do that there is a true Church notwithstanding any corruption whatsoever c. So evidently doth he affirm the Arians Church to be the Church of God and a true Church indifferency or else again impugned by other contrary inferring particulars which are as before so many and divers in the forenamed Protestants that sundry of their own [d] The learned Lutheran Pelragus in admonitione de Arianis having pag. 41.42.43 excused in what be can Melancthons dangerous sayings doth yet pag 45. say Non hic Calvinianos in praecipuis de Divinitate Christi locis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laboriosè ostendam non Adami Neuseri non Blandratae non Pauli Alciati Francisci Davidis Gentilis Grebaldi Silvani aliorum facilem è Calvini Schola ad Arianos lapsum progressum commemorabo And Jacobus Andraeas in praefat refutationis Apologiae Danaei pag. 54. saith Minimè mirandum est ex Calvinianis in Polonia Transilvania Hungaria aliisque in locis quam plurimos ad Arianismum quosdam etiam ad Mahometismum accessisse quorum impietati haec Calviniana doctrina iter parat And see the like affirmed by Schlusselburg in Theolog. Calvinist l. 1. Art 2. fol. 9.2 post med And Hunnius in his
saith of Baptism of Infants Cogitare illos decebat rem externam effe quae charitatis lege dispensabilis est ad aedificationem proximi fatemur non esse legem Baptizandi pueros sed etiam non est lex quae arceat pueros And see him further pag. 301. prope finem And so accordingly Peter Martyr in his Epistles annexed to his Common places in English Ep. 34. to Robert Cooch pag. 133. b. circa med tearmeth him his dear friend in the Lord his dear friend in Christ Ibid. pag. 115. a. initio and yet did the said Robert as appeareth there pag. 114. b. circa med deny Baptism to Infants as likewise Oecolampadius in libro Epistolarum Oecolampadii Zuinglii pag. 300. prope finem writeth of this very point to Baltazar Pacimontanus tearming him there Charissime Frater and yet was he a chief Anabaptist Fourthly this Sebastianus Franeus was so far enemy to the other barbarous Anabaptists that be specially reprehendeth them apud Brereley tract 2. cap. 3. sect 5. subd 1. at x. Chron. part 111. fol. 236. b. seq where also he numbreth up seventy of the Anabaptists different opinions and concludeth their further differences to be so great as no man can either know or number them affirming further that scarce two of them are found to agree in all things Statim post Apostolos omnia inversa sunt c. Presently after the Apostles times all things were turned upside down c. And that for certain through the work of Antichrist the external Church together with the Faith and Sacraments vanished away presently after the Apostles departure and that for these 1400. years the Church hath been no where external and visible 15. Fifteenthly to seal up as it were the premisses whereas Master Whitgift doth against Mr. Cartwright learnedly and truly urge this general rule or proof of Apostolick Doctrine saying [m] Mr. Whitgift in his defence pag. 351. post med And see also further hereof D. Field of the Church l. 4. cap. 21. pag. 242. the title of that Chapter being Of the Rulâ—s whereby true traditions may be known from counterfeâ— For so much as the Original and beginning of these names Metropolitan Arch-Bishop c. such is their antiquity cannot be found so far as I have read is to be supposed they have their Original from the Apostles themselves for as I remember St. Austin hath this rule in his 118. Epistle In so much as he yet further saith in proof of this rule [n] Mr. Whitgift ubi supra pag. 352. ante med and sce Zuinglius his words hereof tom 2. fol. 94. b. circa med it is of credit with the writers of our time namely with Master Zuinglius Master Calvin and Master Gualter and surely I think no learned man doth dissent from them It is now by the premisses and by manifest [*.] Mr. Whitaker in resp ad Camp rat 7. pag. 101. initio confesseth that the time of the Roman churches change cannot easily be told And Master Gabriel Powel in his consideration of the Papists supplication pag. 43. circa post med being provoked that if our Catholick Doctrin be error then to tell us when it came in who was the Author of it c. answereth thereto acknowledging and saying We cannot tell by whom or at what time the enemy did sow it c. Neither indeed do we know who was the first Author of every one of your blasphemous opinions c. confession of sundry learned Protestants made more than evident that the several Doctrines of our Faith are according to this rule no less free from all noted and known beginning fince the Apostles times then are the other foresaid Doctrines of Metropolitans and Bishops a thing so manifest that Master Cartwright though our adversary doubteth not yet further to acknowledge the same saying therefore of this very rule in plain words [o] Mr. Cartwright his words in Mr. Whitgifts foresaid Defence c. pag. 352. initio that thereby a window is open to bring in all Popery And [o] Mr. Cartwriâ—ht alleged ibid. pag. 103. paulo ante med I appeal saith he to the judgement of all men if this be not to bring in Popery again to allow of St. Austins saying c. So evidently do our learned adversaries and the [2.] Apparent probability For seeing Pastors and Doctors must be in the Church till the end of the world Ephes 4.11 12 13. and Mr. Fulk against the Rhemish Testament in Ephes 4. fol. 335. a. initio and that they shall not be silent Esay 62.6 and the marginal notes of the English Bible in Esay 62.6 but shall alwaies resist all false opinions with open reprehension Mr. Fulk in his answer to a counterfeit Catholick pag. 11. initio and 92. ante med And that the Religion being of God no fear of man shall keep them back Mr. Dearing in his Reading upon the Epistle to the Hebrews in c. 2. ver 12. lect 10. cirea med and seeing also that all new and strange Doctrine is at its first beginning against and contrary to the other then before general received opinion as being for the time but private and singular in the first teacher thereof Yet it doth therefore upon these premises most evidently follow as well that all such new doctrine was ever at its first beginning resisted and openly withstood as also that by reason of such open and known resistance such said beginning is discovered and left known to posterity Which point as it is abundantly verified in the many examples of all such confessed heresies as are out of question between our adversaries and us whose resistance and secondary beginning since the Apostles times is yet to us discovered and left known So again to think that it should hold in all other and fail only in these matters now in controversy between our adversaries and us may be thought no less than very partial strange and inforced Vpon all which is necessarily deduced that according to Master Whitgifts foresaid rule and assertion whatsoever opinion is not known to have begun since the Apostles times the same is not new or secondary but received its Original from the Apostles themselves apparent probability of this foresaid rule in it self confirm and prove our foresaid Catholick Religion whereto we were so many ages since converted to be not new or secondary to the Apostles times but only Primitive and undoubtedly Apostolick 16. As [*.] Brereley tract 1. sect 7. subd 4. concerning Transubstantiation Master Whitaker giveth example in Innocentius the third saying [o] Whitaker l. 7. contra Duraeum pag. 480. circa ined saith Qui transubstantiationem primus excogitavit is fuit Innocentius tertius in Lateranesi Concilio And Brereley in his Omissions of pag. 183. saith And Mr. Sutcliff de Mâ—ssa Papistica l. 2. c. 5. fol. 196. b. circa med saith Transubstantiationis nomen Incentius 3. primùm publicè recipendum decrevit nec rem nec
eternal memory And whereas according to histories he was born in Britain and of British Progeny and governed that Kingdom with great piety and vertue he now returneth to your Highness representing to you that State of the Church which in his time illustrated the whole world with the splendour thereof That man must needs have an iron heart which is not moved with the godly succesful and laudable proceedings of his Ancestors Seeing therefore your Majesty is adorned with all good learning we doubt not but that Constantines Ecclesiastical history shall be to your Highness most pleasant and grateful c. 24. Pu. Now good Reader out of the foresaid Premises that the antient holy Fathers are even by Protestants themselves confessed to stand for us thou canst not but conclude First That either our Doctrines do not exclude Salvation or else that all those whom even Prostestants stile Holy and Antient and acknowledge them to be Saints in Heaven were incapable of Salvation which to affirm is no less than most temerarious and cruel blasphemy implying that our Blessed Saviour had no true Church on earth when Luther appeared and that Gentiles were converted to Christian Religion from Paganism and worship of false Gods with no better effect than to be damned 25. Secondly That no man who hath care of his soul will not judge that for interpreting Scripture and in matters of Faith more credit is to be given to the Fathers who were so neer yea who were of the Primitive Church and holy mortifyed and induced with all dispositions making them capable of Gods holy impressions and inspirations than to Luther and other Novellists appearing so lately for time and for doctrine and manners teaching and living so carnally and wickedly as Protestants cannot dissemble it as hath been proved in the first Consideration and consequently more open to receive the suggestions of Satan than the motions of the Ho-Ghost 26. Thirdly that if Luther and his followers could not have been excused from Heresie and Schism if they had lived in those antient days and had opposed the Doctrine and forsaken the Communion of those Fathers so neither can they avoid the just imputation of Heresie and Schism in opposing the Doctrine and abandoning the Communion of us Catholicks who are confessed to agree with the Fathers and antient Christians of those times 27. Fourthly that in a word we cannot but be safe since our very Adversaries confess that we agree with those holy Fathers whom they confess to be saved 28. Fiftly that this our agreement with Antiquity and of Antiquity with Truth is so manifest and forcible that among all the chief points wherin Protestants do disagree from us there is not any one of moment wherein divers chief learned Protestants do not agree with us against their pretended Brethren so that by the confession of all sides if either Antient Fathers or modern Sectaries cannot be saved we are secure And that this agreement of Protestants with us is truly affirmed by me the Reader will find evidently proved in the next Consideration THE THIRD CONSIDERATION Chief Protestants stand for us in the most important points of Religion against their Protestant Brethren BRereley tract 3. sect 7. saith The sundry Articles of our Catholick Faith defended and that most earnestly against the other opinions of our learned Adversaries by sundry of their own no less learned Brethren and all this by either party upon pretended certainty from the Scriptures are many known and evident as may appear by the seventy and above examples thereof here particularly alleged 1 First as concerning the Real Presence of Christs Body in the Sacrament to the bodily mouth it is affirmed by Luther and Lutherans and contradicted for Popish by Calvin and his followers Secondly the Reall presence not only of the efficacy of Christs body but also of the body it self after a wonderfull and incomprehensible manner to the mouth of Faith is affirmed by Calvin Institut l. 4. c. 17. sect 7. 10. 32. by Mr. Rider in his friendly Caveat c. the third leaf a. circa med And by Mr D. Whittaker contra Duraeum pag. 169. by the confession of Belgia in the English Harmony pag. 431. By Bucer in Script Anglican pag. 548. post med 549. And by Mr. Hooker in his Ecclesiasticall Polity l. 5. sect 67. pag. 174. circa medium pag. 177 post med vide Apolog. modest ad acta conventus quindecim Theolog. Torgae nuper habit c. pag. 19. pag. 13. initio 23 47. And contradicted as inclining to Popery to omit the known Doctrine of Oecolampadius and Zuinglius whereof see Mr. Hooker l. 5. sect 67. pag. 174. ante med Lavat in Hist Sacramentar pag. 4. Calvin in libello de Coen Dom. versus finem extant in Calvin's tract Theolog. pag. 12. a. Schlusselburg in Theol. Calvinist l. 1. fol. 78. b. 82. b. by Peter Martyr in his Epistles annexed to his common-places in English pag. 107. b. Ep. 25. ibidem pag. 98. a. pag. 108. a. for which Bucer in his Scripta Anglicana pag. 548. post med 549 ante post medium reproveth Peter Martyr Also by Aretius Serm. 3. de Coena by Szegedine in loc commun pag. 182. at 12. 15. and by our English Puritans in their Christian letter to M. R. Hooker pag. 35. paulo post medium and by certain French Protestants mentioned by Hospinian in hist Sacramt par altera fol. 344. a. post med b. initio And by others mentioned by Mr. Rogers in his Catholick Doctrine c. pag. 176. circa med And by Ludevicus Alemannus in positionibus apud Lugdunenses editis Anno 1566. who said hereof neque etiam per fidem seu incomprehensibili modo ut vocant quia hoc totum imaginarium repugnat appertissimè Dei Verbo of whose opinion see further Beza Epist 5. Thirdly that Sacraments do not only signifie but also confer Grace is affirmed by Osiander in Enchirid. Controversiarum quas Augustanae Confess Theol. habent cum Calvinianis pag. 272 post medium in Epitom Histor Eccles c. centur 16 pag. 527.529.531 538. by Jacob. Andraeas in Epit. Colloquii Montisbelgar pag. 58. prope initium pag. 42 initio and by M. D. Bilson in his true difference c. part 4. pag. 539. ante med and 592. post medium 368 post medium by Mr. Hooker in his Ecclesiasticall Polity l. 5. sect 57. pag. 127 128. and by M. D. Whittaker contra Duraeum l. 8. pag. 662. paulo ante medium 664. post medium Melancthon in c. 4. Ep. ad Rom. after the first Edition saith Repudienda est Zuinglii opinio qui tantum civili modo judicat de signis scilicet Sacramenta tantum notas esse professionis c. apud Ulembergium causa 20. pag 697. And contradicted for Popish by the Survey of the book of Common prayer pag. 103 104. by Mr. Willet in his Synopsis
Scripture may have divers understandings and all of them true against our Adversaries practise who to make the same plain by one example for many if they can shew that St. Augustin or some other Father doth by Fire 1 Cor. 13.15 upon occasion of other application understand the tribulation of this life do therefore urge this Exposiâ—ion thus given against the other common received sense of Purgatory though also given elswhere by the very same and other Fathers which the said Fathers by their other foresaid firster sense never meant to gainsay This slight being usuall by our Adversaries is hereby once for all prevented affirmed by the Translator of the English Bible published 1576. in his Epistle to the Brethren of England Scotland and Ireland circa med by the Divines of Geneva in their Propositions and Principles disputed in Geneva c. cap. 52. pag. 149. post med by Hierome Zanchius de facra Scriptura pag. 422. fine 424 425. and by Aretius in loc com loc 59. pag. 187. circa med pag. 177. circa med with whom herein agreeth St. Augustine de Civit. Dei l. 11. c. 19. initio l. 12. confess c. 31. de Doct. Christ l 3. c. 27. lib. 1. c. 36. de util cred c. 3. de Gen. ad lit l. 1. c. 21 Yet contradaicted by Mr. Fulk in his confutation of Purgatory pag. 151. and M. Willet in his Synopsis pag. 26 fine 65 The distinction of Order and Jurisdiction whereby the greatest Archbishop and the meanest Bishop or Priest are said to be equal or unequal the equality being in respect of Order and the inequality in respect of Jurisdiction which distinction serveth to explain the seeming repugnant sayings whether of Scripture or Fathers which otherwise might be thought to affirm somtimes a superiority at other times an equality between Peter and the other Apostles and so likewise between the Pope and other Bishops Affirmed by Mr. Whitgift and [y] Brereley tract 2. c. 3 sect 10. subd 2. sine in the margent at m. Mr. Bridges in his defence c. pag. 313. 445.446 1156. fine and Mr. Whitgift acknowledgeth this distinction affirming in his defence of the Answer to the Admonition pag. 303. post med that Archbishops quoad ministerium doe not differ from other Pastors but touching Government affirming also pag. 386. ante med and answering to a common objection out of Hierome who equalleth the meanest Bishop with the Pope that they are equal quoad Mnisterium but not quoad politiam And see him there further pag. 320. fine 461. initio pag. 390. prope initium and contradicted for Popish by Mr. Cartwright alleged in Mr. Whitgift's defence pag. 389. prope finem and by many others 66 That the true visible Church cannot wholly erre affirmed by Mr. Fox in his Martyrs as by Philpot Act. Mon. pag. 1401. a. prope finem by Bilney Act. Mon. 464. b. art 4. by Ridley Act. Mon. pag. 1361. b. post med pag. 1286. b. prope finem by James Baynham Act. Mon. pag. 493. b. prope finem also by Mr. Fox himself Act. Mon. pag. 999. a. fine at art 36. by Mr. Bancroft in his Sermon and page mentioned next hereafter in number 67. by the Divines of Geneva in their Propositions and Principles disputed c. pag. 141. sect 12. 13. and most expresly by Bertrand de Loque Minister of Delphinine who in his discourse of the Church c. 12. pag. 198. saith of this very question The Controversie in my judgement is not of the Catholike or universal Church for we all agree herein that she cannot erre touching Faith c. wherefore this question is touching only a particular Church Impugned by Mr. Fulk who in his answer to a counterfait Cathotholike pag. 8â— fine saith The whole Church militant consisting of men which are all liars may erre altogether as every part thereof And by the Puritans who in their Brief Discovery of untruths in a Sermon preached 1588. by D. Bancroft pag. 34. do expresly reprove Mr. Bancroft for his teaching our Catholike Doctrine herein 67 An external Judgment or difinitive sentence and not only Scripture appointed for the ending of Controversies affirmed by Mr. D. Field in his words alleged heretofore in this Consideration num 51. by M. Bilson in his perpetual government c. pag. 372. initio by Mr. Bancroft in his Sermon preached February 8. 1588. pag. 42 43. see his saying alleged and reprehended in the Puritans foresaid Discovery c. pag. 34. by Mr. D. Covell in his Modest Examination c. pag. 108. paulo ante med 109. prope finem by Mr. Hooker in his Ecclesiastical Polity in the Preface sect 6. initio pag. 26. circa med pag. 28. ante med by Melancthon in Consil Theolog. part 2. pag. 1. 2. And in the end after much winding in and out by Mr. D. Reynolds in his Conference with Mr. Hart pag. 99. post medium and by the Puritans whereof see M. Bancroft's Survey c. pag. 304. fine Yet contradicted vulgarly by over many to be named Sectaries of all sorts who thereby to exempt themselves from all triall do pretend that the Church may erre and therefore that only Scripture is to be our Judge See this at large pretended by the Protestants throughout the late Conference at Ratisbon printed Lavingae Anno 1602. 68 Those that be learned know that the Government of the Church is neither Popular nor Aristocratical but a Monarchy affirmed in these words by Mr. Whitgift in his defence c. pag. 641. post medium by M. D. Covell in his Examination c. against the Plea of the Innocent pag. 109. 107. alleged heretofore in the second Consideration num 10. after 15. at a. b. c. e. by Luther alleged there afterwards in the margent under * next before 18. and vulgarly by many other Protestants who affirm the temporal Magistrate to be the head of the Church But yet many others who discern the known difference between the several Common-wealths of forein Nations governed by several Princes and the particular Churches of those Nations as namely that those sundry Common-wealths be each of them of it self a several absolute politike body governed severally by distinct lawes whereas yet all those several National Churches professing all of them one Faith and Religion make but one Catholike Church one Body Ephesians 2.16 3.16 One visible Church of Christ Hooker l. 3. sect 1. pag. 126. prope finem do therefore impugn Mr. Whitgift's foresaid Assertion foreseeing that by sequell thereof the several Churches of Forein Nations making as aforesaid all of them but one visible Church one Body should be accordingly governed by one visible Ecclesiastical Head or Monarch And hence it is that Mr. Jacob in his Reasons taken out of Gods word retorteth how probably we refer to judgement Mr. Hookers Assertions saying there pag. 24. paulo ante med It followeth from this necessarily that there ought to be a Catholike
in his Commentary upon the Epistle to the Galatians englished fol. 35. circa med kept chastity poverty and obedience was onely given to fasting watching praying saying of Mass and such like and (x) Luther ibid. fol. 35. a. circa med honoured the Pope of meer conscience c. and was so thereby most undoubtedly a professed member of our Catholick or as they tearm it Popish Church So likewise upon his pretended reformation or preaching afterward against the Pope he did not say they thereby (y) M. D. Covel in his defence of M. Hooker Art 11. pag. 73. post med saith As it is strange for any man to deny them of Rome to be of the Church so I cannot but wonder that they of Rome will ask where our Church was before Luther as if any were of opinion that Luther did erect a new Church c. And see the like saying in M. Hooker in his Ecclesiastical Policy l. 3. pag. 129. post med erect a new Church then before not in being for that were most directly against themselves and therefore did not depart from the Church he was of before but continued still a member thereof Which thing both M. Hooker and M. D. Covel speaking thereof do very plainly (z) M. Hooker l. 3. pag. 130. M. D. Covel in his defence of M. Hooker pag. 68. say We gladly acknowledge them of Rome to be of the Family of Jesus Christ therefore we hope that to reform our selves is not to sever our selves from the Church we were of before In the Church we were and are so still as also we say that they of Rome notwithstanding their manifold defects are to be held a part of the House of God a limb of the visible Church of Christ acknowledge to the great (a) In the Christian Letter of certain English Protestants unto that Reverend man M. Hooker pag. 18 19. they reprove at large M. Hooker for this opinion of not severing themselves from the Church they were of before dislike of the Puritans as also M. Bunny prosecuteth the same more at large affirming therefore (b) M. Bunny in his Treatise tending to Pacification sect 18. pag. 108. paulò post med that of departing from the Church there ought to be no question at all among us (c) Ibidem pag. 113. post med We are saith he no several Church from them nor they from us and therefore there is no departing at all out of the Church for any to depart from them to us nor from us to them all the difference between us is concerning the truer members whether we or they may be found more worthy of that account As for the other we allow no such question Insomuch as he doubteth not to say (d) Ibidem pag. 109. circa med It was evil done of them who first urged such a separation confessing further our great (e) Ibidem sect 15. pag. 92. circa med he saith of this separation Our Adversaries see themselves to have advantage if they can win us to acknowledge it advantage given thereby which our advantage he afterwards very plainly to this purpose expresseth to be (f) Ibid. pag. 96. circa med For that saith he it is great probability with them that so we make our selves answerable for to find out a distinct and several Church from them which continued from the Apostles age to this present else that needs we must acknowledge that our Church is sprung up of late or since theirs And hence perhaps it is that their learned writers to the better enabling of our Church to be howsoever according to their opinion in part erroneous yet withall a true Church doubt not to affirm of the sundry points of our Catholick faith in particular that they are though in their opinion errours yet not †To give some few and chief examples hereof First M. Perkins in his exposition of the Creed pag. 402. saith A weakning errour is that the holding whereof doth not overturn any point in the foundation of salvation as the errour of Free will and sundry such like M. Cartwright in his reply pag. 14. sect 1 2 and in M. Whitgists defence pag. 82. post med affirmeth the like indifferency of the doctrines of Free-will Prayer for the dead and a number of other as necessary doctrines wherein saith he men being mis-led have notwithstanding been saved And a little there before he further saith If you mean by matters of faith and necessary to salvation those without which a man cannot be saved then the doctrine which teacheth there is no Free-will or Prayer for the Dead is not within your compass For I doubt not but divers Fathers of the Greek Church who were great Patrons of Free-will are saved And the like is yet further affirmed of Prayer for the Dead by John Frith Act. Mon. pag. 501. by M. Fulk in his Confut. of Purgatory pag. 336. ante med and by M. Penry in his Book entituled M. Some laid open in his colours pag. 99. Secondly M. Spark in his answer to M. John d'Abbines pag. 382. ante med discoursing of the honouring of Saints Reliques and Prayer for the Dead saith thereof to his Adversary We are not so hasty to pronounce sentence of condemnation of any for such errours for you know well enough that we make not these matters such as that either we think that all must be saved that hold the one way or all condemned that hold the other As touching invocation of Saints M. D. Goade and Fulk do in the disputation had in the Tower with Edm. Campian the 2. daies conference Arg. 8. R. 11. R. 111. affirm thereof that it doth not exclude from being members of the Church c. Thirdly concerning the Real Presence Jacobus Acontius in lib. 3. Stratagematum Satanae pag. 135. paulò ante med saith It is evident concerning as well those who hold the Real Presence of Christs body in the bread as those others which deny it that although of necessity the one part do erre yet both are in way of salvation if in other things they be obedient to God And M. D. Reynolds in his 5. Conclusion annexed to his Conference c. pag. 722. affirmeth the Real Presence to be as it were the grudging of a little ague if otherwise the party hold the Christian faith And John Frith Act. Mon. pag. 503. a. fine saith hereof The matter touching the substance of the Sacrament bindeth no man of necessity to salvation or damnation whether he believe it or not And see Luthers like judgement of Transubstantiation in magna Confessione cited by Amandus Polanus in his Sylog Thesium Theologicarum pag. 464. initio and in the Book entituled Orthodoxus consensus printed Tiguri 1578. in folio fol. 12. b. initio Fourthly as concerning the receiving under one or both kinds Luther in epistola ad Bohemos saith thereof Quamvis pulchrum quidem esset utraque specie in Eucharistia uti Christus hac
misero hoc fuco tuum ornas commentnm And ibidem fol 229. b. ante med going about to prove that Luther may not deliver the Sacrament to himself alone he allegeth the example of the other Sacraments which a man cannot use for himself saying Non est absolutio si quis absolveret seipsum non est inunctio si quis inungeret seipsum non est conjugium si quis nuberet sibi ipsi c. Haec enim sunt vestra septem Sacramenta so plainly yet was Luther in these points then Catholick si nunc nullum ex Sacramentis vestris aliquis ipse pro se facere potest aut tractare qùi fit ut tibi soli hoc Summum Sacramentum facere velis And Brereley in his Omissions of pag. 737. saith And ibid fol. 229. a. circa med The Devill yet further saith to Luther Stas ibi solus putas so evidently is Luthers then present opinion then signifyed Christum propter te instituisse Sacramentum protinus in tua privata Missa te conficere Corpus Sanguinem Domini Thirdly [r] Brerely ibidem Sect. 9. in the text prope sinem as to the supposall of Luthers then having abandoned the Masse it is likewise but supposed and false as appeareth by the Devills foresaid often speaking to him in the present [Å¿] Bâ—ercley in his Conclus to the judge â—â—â—ct 8 〈◊〉 and z in the margent tense to whom Luther answers ibidem fol. 228 b. initio as not disclaiming from the Masse or that he had then or before given it over but as yet standing in the defence thereof justifieth to the Devill his saying of Masse to that end alleging saith he that I was an anointed Priest Cui respondi sum unctus Sacerdos accepi unctionem consecrationem ab Episcopo haec omnia feci ex mandato obedientia Majorum and in regard of such his then Catholick opinion in that point using yet further saith he ibidem fol. 229. b. post medium those weapons whereto I was accoustomed in the Papacie objecting the intention and faith of the Church and that I celebrated Masse in the intention and faith of the Church c. And that the Chuch did righty believe and think In his angustiis agone contra Diabolum volebam retundere hostem armis quibus assuetus eram sub Papatu objiciebamque intentionem fidem Ecclesiae scilicet quod Missas privatas in fide intentione Ecclesiae celebrassem si ego inquam non rectè credidi aut sensi tamen in hoc rectè credidit sensit Ecclesia But saith he Sathan replyed more vehemently verum Sathan è contrae fortius vehementius instans c. Hereby and other the premises it appeareth that Luther yet hitherto defended the Mass in respect of which his then opinion the Devil [t] Brereley ibid. Sect. 9. in the text fine beginneth his suggestion of doubt saying What if such Masses were horrible Idolatry Which had been improper if so Luther had then before thought the Mass to be Idolary [u] Luther tom 7. Wittemberg Anno. 1558. in Libro de Missa privata unctione Sacerdotum fol. 228. a. fine tom 9. Germ. Jenensi fol. 28. in Libro de Missa Angulari and see these words acknowledged and set down by Mr. Fulk in his defence of the Censure pag. 234. and 235. and 236. Fourthly as concerning the main point which is that the Devil intended hereby no disputation against Luther but only a temptation upon evident truths by Luther then and before known and confessed it is of all other most false as appeareth by Luther himself who expresly tearms it a disputation Also by the [x] Apud Brereley ibid. Sect. 7. at S. Protestant like Arguments as namely among other the Priests not preaching but receiving alone against the institution of Christ his not communicating to the people in both kinds that of a Sacrament he made it a Sacrifice and made gain thereof sicut tu facis in Missa tua as thou saith the Devil to Luther dost in thy Mass at large there by the Devil begun and prosecuted purposely to give colour against the Mass and most evidently by example of the sundry other points whereto the Devil in like sort then endeavoured to perswade Luther but could not prevail For first it appeareth by Luther tom 7. Wittemberg fol. 229. a. that the Devil perswaded Luther that he could not consecrate because he was a wicked man which errour peculiar to Wickliff and some others Luther ever abhorred as appeareth by the Protestant Treatise intituled Orthodoxus consensus c. Printed in fol. 1578. in proleg pag. 14 b. and in Brerely tract 2. c. 2. sect 10. subdivis 7. at p. q. r. where Luther holdeth that even Lay-persons and the Devil himself might Minister Sacraments observing the words of institution Also Sathan perswaded Luther against the indifferencie of Communion under one or both kinds whereof see here in the Margent at [y] Luther tom 7. Wittemberg An. 1558. fol. 229. b. initio And fol. 228. bâ—circa med the Devil further saith Sacerdos enim veâ—us est Minister Ecclesiae constitutus ad praedicandum verbum porrigenda Sacramenta sicut hoc habent verba Christi in Coena sicut Paulus 1 Cor. 11. de Coena Domâ—ni loquitur unde à veteribus Communio appellata est quod non Solus Sacerdos debeat uti Sacramento sed reliqui unà cum ipso Nunc annos quindecim totos semper solus privatim pro te in Missa usus es Sacramento non communicast aliâ—s adeâ—què interdictum tibi erat ne porrigeres totum Sacramentum aliis c. cojâ—smodâ— es tu Sacerdos qui non pro Ecclesia sed pro te ipso ordinatus es c. Tu vero Missator privatus in omnibus Missis tuis ne semel quidem praedicasti c. Haeccine institutio Christi c. Institutio Christi est ut Sacramento communicent alii Christiani verum tu unctus es non ad distribuendum Sacramentum sed ad Sacrificandum contra institutionem Christi Missa usus es pro Sacrificio c. Et quod Christus instituit ad edendum bibendum pro tota Ecclesia porrigendum a Sacerdote unà communicantibus c. ex hoc tu facis Sacrificium propitiatorium O abominatio super omnem abominationem c. And ibid. fol. 229. a. paulo post med he saith Solus bibis c. Nemini tecum communicas ut in more vobis positum fuit tanquam bonum opus pro pecunia vendâ—s And ibidem fol. 228. b. ante med He further saith to Luther Confugiebatis ad S. Mariam Sanctos illi erant Mediatores inter vos Christum sic crepta est gloria Christo Is not all this with much more there objected by the Devil very Protestant like which indifferencie notwithstanding the Devils Arguments to the contrary
all his works did not deserve Heaven Which sentence their Martyr John Teuxbury defendeth for [c] Act mon. ibidem plain enough and [d] Act Mon. pag. 487. b. pauâ—o post med true as it lyeth to omit that Calvin himself condemneth this Doctrine of Christs meriting to himself though expressed in Scripture [e] Calvin Institut l. 2. c. 17. sect 6. saith Quaerere an sibi meruerit Christus non minus stulta est curiositas quam temeâ—aâ— a definitio And a little after Quibus enim meritis affequi poâ—uit homo ut jâ—dex esset â—â—undi caput Angelorum And see further Calvin in Epistolas Pauli in Philip. 2 ver 9. pag. 466. b 467. a. in so much that in his Books of Institutions l. 2. c. 17. sect 1. He saith against Christs meriting for us Equidem fateor si quis simpliciter per se Christum apponere vellet judicio Dei non fore merito locum quia non reperietur in homâ—ne dignitas quae possit Deum promereri for a foolish curiosity and rash opinion the said Tindall was so much bent against all opinion of Good Works that he affirmed and taught that as concerning [f] Acts Monu pag. 488. a. initio the preaching of the Work and washing of dishes there is no difference as touching to please God Which saying as their foresaid Martyr Teuxbury affirmeth is a [g] Acts Mon. pag. 488. a. initio plain Text as needing no further explication and that as for pleasing God saith he all is one for saith Tindall [h] Acts Mon. pag. 1336. a. ante med there is no work better than other as touching to please God to make water to wash dishes to be a Sowter or an Apostle all is one to please God 20 Having at length written out what Brereley delivers concerning Luther's Doctrine and Manners [i] Finally we may conclude the life of Luther with the words of Erasmus a man highly esteemed by Protestants writing to Luther Anno 1526 11. Aprilis in these words Optarem tibi meliorem mentem nisi tua tibi tam valde placeret Mihi optabis quod voles modo ne tuam mentem nisi tibi Dominus istam mutaverit taking his proofs from witnesses above all exception that is from his own words and the writings of Protestants themselves as I could not without a deep sense of grief reflect how many have been and are yet deceived in that unhappy man whom they conceive to have been sent by God to the World for Reformation thereof so now in order to the help of persons so seduced I must beg of them to ponder well these ensuing Reflections First as for his Doctrine whether they can acknowledge him for their Father or Brother or a Protestant in any degree who taught Doctrines so wicked Carnal Absurd Temporizing Inconstant Seditious and Blasphemous as both Protestants and Catholicks and all Christians yea and all men of common Reason and human Civility must abhorr and detest whether I say this man can be said to have been of the Protestant Religion and consequently that their Church remained without any being no less after than before Luther appeared Secondly For his Life and Manners by his own Confession and the Testimonie of Protestants after he undertook to reform the whole Church of God they grew to be so abhominable and shameless as we may well judge that God Almighty out of his Wildome Goodnes and Justice permitted him to fall so openly and shamefully that whosover did follow his Doctrine should become inexcusable it being a thing very evident that men chosen by the Holy Ghost to enlighten and reform others are first to be freed from intollerable Errours in their Understanding and Viciousnes in their Will and not to fail notoriously in both even upon their very begining that pretended great worke having before led a commendable life as Luther did which cannot but manifest to the World that his pretended Reformation could not proceed from God but from that Enemy who perpetually seeks whom he may devour And although all the followers of Luther were inexcusable in adhering to such a man against the whole Church of God united in Peace and Union for as much as concerned Faith and Religion yet they who persevere still to embrace and pursue such a Reformation are less excusable than they who followed him in the begining when men came to the knowledg of his Vices and abhominable Errours in Faith not all at once but by degrees as he day by day profited to the worse whereas now every one may at one view see his Vices and Heresies put together published and acknowledged by his own confession and the confession of Protestants themselves When the Holy Ghost moves us to some worke he doth it suaviter fortiter with Sweetness and Efficacie inspiring Constancy Perseverance Meekness Humility and Satisfaction to the Soul according to that of the Apostle The Gifts of God are without Repentance Whereas we have seen that Luther confessed himself to have opposed Indulgences when he knew not what the name meant and would have renounced his reforming the World if for sooth he might have done it with his credit and wished that he never had begun that business in Coll. mensal affirming futher that he fell Into those troubles casually and against his will Casu non voluntate in has turbas incidi Deum ipsum testor not so much as dreaming or suspecting any change which might happen Act. Mon. pag. 404. whereby it appears that Luther was moved by Ambition Pride Lust and Envy and not led by any true desire of Reformation which if he judged to be aecessary what a huge wickednes was it in him to promise silence if his Adversaries would do the like or to submit himself to the Pope so that he might not be compelled to Recant or if the Reformation were not necessary as certainly the Church can never need Reformation for matters of Faith how can he and they who follow him be excused from damnable Schism and Heresie And accordingly it is no wonder if he fell into that deep sense of remorse and perplexity of Soul so farr as to wish his Books were all abolished as we have seen above It is also reported Oecolampadium à Landgravio privatim admonitum de perspicuitate ac certitudine verborum Christi cum gemitu respondisse optare se dextram sibi fuisse praecisam antequam de hac Controversia scribere quicquam ordiretur But let us now with Brereley go on to other chief Protestants Of Jacobus Andreas 21 AS concerning [k] Brereley tract 2. cap. 3. sect 9. sudivis 2. Jacobus Andreas the prime Lutheran of this age and the greatest enlarger of Luther's Doctrine and Chancelor of the Universitie of Iubinge no less honored and famous in Germany than ever was Calvin or Beza at Geneva The Protestant writer Hospinianus discoursing briefly of his life from testimony of the learned
Castalio in defen trans pag. 170. Castalio that learned Calvinist and most learned in the tongues reprehendeth Beza in a whole Book of this matter and saith that to note all his errours in Translation would require a great volume And Mr. Parkes saith [x] Parks in his Apology for three testimonies of Scripture c As for the Geneva Bibles it is to be wished that either they may be purged from those manifold errors which are both in the text and in the margent or else utterly prohibited All which confirmeth King James his grave and learned Censure in his [y] In the Conference before his Majesty pag. 46. thinking the Geneva Translation to be worst of all and that [z] Ibid. fol. 47. in the marginal notes annexed to the Geneva Translation some are very partial untrue seditious c. Lastly concerning the English Translations the Puritans say [a] Master Christopher Carlile in his Book that Christ descended not into Hell pag. 116. a. 117 c. Our Translation of the Psalms comprised in our Book of Common Prayer doth in addition subtraction and alteration differ from the truth of the Hebrew in two hundred places at the least In so much as [b] Purita Petiti to his Majesty pag. 76. initio they do therefore profess to rest doubtful whether a man with a safe conscience may subscribe thereto And Master Carlile saith of the English Translators that they have [c] Carlile pag. 118. depraved the sense obscured the truth and deceived the ignorant that in many places they do detort the Scriptures from their right sense And that they shew themselves to love darkness more than light falshood more than truth And the Mininisters of Lincoln [d] In their Book delivered to King James 16. of Decem. pag. 11. Diocess give their publick testimony tearming the English Translation a Translation that taketh away from the text that addeth to the text and that sometime to the changing or obscuring of the meaning of the Holy Ghost Not without cause therefore did his Majesty affirm [e] In the confer before his Majesty fol. 46. that he could never yet see a Bible well translated into English Thus far Brereley 34. Pu. Now let Protestants consider duly these points First Salvation cannot be hoped for without true Faith Faith according to them relyes upon Scripture alone Scripture must be delivered to most of them by the Translations Translations depend on the skill and honesty of men in whom nothing is more certain than a most certain possibility to erre and no greater evidence of truth than that it is evident that some of them embrace falshood by reason of their contrary translations What then remaineth but that truth faith salvation and all must in them rely upon a fallible and uncertain ground How many poor souls are lamentably seduced while from Preaching Ministers they admire a multitude of texts of Divine Scripture but are indeed the false translations and corruptions of erring men Let them therefore if they will be assured of true Scriptures fly to the alwaies visible infallible [f] St. Aug. l. 4. de Trinit c. 6. saith Contra rationem nemo sobrius Contra Scripturas nemo Christianus Contra Ecclesiam nemo pacificus senserit Catholick Church against which the gates of Hell can never so far prevail as that she shall be permitted to deceive the Christian world with false Scriptures Translations or Interpretations wherein there is a main and clear difference between us Catholicks who rely upon an infallible and living Guide the Church and Protestants who believe not only every private man but the whole Catholick Church to be fallible and subject to error and if it were but for this cause alone we ought to believe the Catholick Church to be infallible without the belief whereof we can have no absolute certainty what Books be Canonical nor what is the certain interpretation of them and the end of all will be that we cannot believe Christian Faith to be infallible and certainly true in so much as Luther himself by unfortunate experience was at length forced to confess thus much saying [g] In lib. cont Zuingl de ver ta Corporis Christi in Eucha If the world last longer it will be again necessary to receive the decrees of Councels and to have recourse to them by reason of divers interpretations of Scripture which now reign On the contrary side [h] Brereley tract 1. sect 10. subdivis 4. pag. 259. as our learned adversaries do thus agree to disagree in their own translations mutually condemning as before each other so also have they upon a second and more advised consideration afforded honourable testimony of our vulgar Latin translation had from Rome which Master Witaker otherwise in splene and spirit of contradiction tearmeth [i] Whitaker in his answer to Mr. Reynolds Preface pag. 2. fine 26. initio an old rotten translation c. full of faults errors and corruptions of all sorts [k] Whitaker de Sacra Scriptura quaest 5. c. 11. pag. 543. initio then which nothing can be more faulty or desteined and [l] Whitaker in his answer to Mr. Reynolds pag. 223. fine vide pag. 218. fine of all others most corrupt To this purpose Beza saith [m] Beza Annot. in Cap. 1. Lucae ver 1. The old Interpreter seemeth to have interpreted the holy Books with mervyllous sincerity and Religion Vetus Interpres videtur summa Religione sacros Libros interpretatus which Religious observation of the old Interpreter is acknowledged in like sort by D. Humfrey de ratione interpret l. 1. pag. 74. where he saith Proprietati verborum satis videtur addictus vetus Interpres quidem nimis anxiè quod tamen interpretor Religione quadam fecisse non ignorantia Also Beza further saith in praefat novi Testam Anni 1556. Vulgatam editionem maxima ex parte amplector caeteris omnibus antepono the vulgar Edition I do for the most part imbrace and prefer before all others Carolus Molinaeus in nov Testam part 30. signifieth his no less answerable liking thereof saying aegerrimè à vulgari consuetaque lectione recedo quam etiam enixè defendere soleo I can very hardly depart from the vulgar and accustomed reading which also I am accustomed earnestly to defend In so much as he professeth [n] See Molinaeus in Luc. 17. to prefer the vulgar Edition before Erasmus Bucer Bullinger Brentius the Tigurine translation also before John Calvin etiam Joannis Calvini omnibus aliis and all others Whereto might be added the like further answerable commendation thereof given by that famous Protestant Writer Conradus Pelicanus who in praefat in Psalterium Anni 1534. saith Tanta dexteritate eruditione fide Hebraica quoad sensum concordare deprehendimus vulgatam editionem Psalterii ut eruditissimum pariterque piissimum verè Prophetali Spiritu fuisse interpretem Graecum Latinum non dubitem And
and next before 18. Martin Luther agreeth for otherwise saith M. D. Covel [a] Mr. Covel ubi supra pag. 107. paulo post med By what course of authority inforcing obedience can the Churches divided members dispersed in other several Kingdoms and Nations be governed unless according to these principles laid down by Mr. Covel some one have authority over them all If it rest in the several other Princes of those other several Kingdoms who then shall have authority to command those Princes severally absolute in Government disagreeing also perhaps in Religion and some of them as in the times of the Primitive Church not yet Christian And if no assured means be in this case left how then is that avâ—yded which Mr. Covel here saith of the Church being in far worse case than the meanest Commonwealth For howsever the said several Kingdoms of such said several Princes make each of them on absolute and several Common-wealth yet the several Congregations dispersed throughout those several Kingdoms do all of them make but one spiritual Common-wealth and Church so Christ obliged in duty to the belief and profession of one and the same faith See further hereof in the next Consideration num 68. and in Brereley tract 3. sect 7. after o. at the figure 7. the Church which though dispersed in several Kingdoms under several Christian Magistrates maketh yet but one Church should be in a far worse case than the meanest Common-wealth nay almost than a den of Thieves if it were left destitute of means either to convince Heresies or suppress them yea saith he further which is much to be noted though there were neither help nor assistance of the Christian Magistrate c. Hitherto of Peters Primacy Now as concerning that only preheminence or Primacy which Jacobus Andraeas thought necessary [b] Hospinianus in his Historia Sacramentaria parte altera fol. 389. a. circa med reporteth of Iacobus Andraeas a prime Lutheran Demonstrare conatur Ecclesiarum tranquillum statum tueri difficile esse nisi ad aliquem tanquam ad summum Administratorem Pontificem rerum summa deferatur to establish the Church quiet which also our learned and so greatly [c] See Melancthon greatly commended for a man raised up of God by Luther in praefat primi tomi oper Melancth And also in Act. Colloquii Altembergensis pag. 94. paulo ante med and pag. 230. paulo post med commended Adversary Melancthon [d] Melancthon in the Book entituled Centuria Epistolatum Theologicarum c. Epist 74. quae est Melancthonis pag. 244. paulo post med saith from the opinion of himself and other his Brethren Quemadmodum sunt aliqui Episcopi qui praesunt pluribus Ecciesiis c. As certain Bishops are president over many Churches so the Bishop of Rome is President over all Bishops and this Canonical Policy no wise man as I think doth or ought to disallow c. For the Monarchy of the Bishop of Rome is in my opinion profitable to this end that consent of Doctrin may be retained wherefore an agreement may easily be established in this article of the Popes Primacy if other articles could be agreed upon And see Melancthons other like saying set down by Conradus Schlusselburg in Catalog Haereticorum l. 13. ult pag. 633. acknowledged as due and appertaining to the Roman Sea and which as the learned Puritans freely confess doth by way of proportion necessarily arise and follow upon the Protestants acknowledgement either of a Catholick visible [e] Mr. Iacob in his reasons taken out of Gods word c. pag. 24. saith By acknowledging a Catholick visible Church it followeth necessarily that there is and ought to be on earth an universal Government Ecclesiastical c. for if there be properly one visible Church and Government Ecclesiastical throughout the world then this must be in some one place eminently for some whither must we go when Christ biddeth us tell the Church now there is no place in all the world so likely as Rome is to be the visible and spring-head of universal Government of the Catholick Church And see more evidently in subdivis 13. at 2.3 Brereley tract 1. sect 4. Also Martin Luther in loc com class 1. cap. 37. pag. 107. post med saith Cum Deus voluerit habere unam Ecclesiam Catholicam per totum Orbem necesse fuâ—t unum aliquem populum imo unum aliquem Patrem istius unius populi eligi and quem suâ—s posteros spectaret totus Orbis fieret unum ovile fic ex omnibus gentibus in infinitum variatis moribus tamen unica fieret Ecclesia Church or else but of Bishops [f] M. Cartwright in M. Whitgifts defence c. pag. 380. ante med saith if it be necessary for keeping of unâ—ty in the Church that one Arch-Bishop should be Primate over all why not as meet that for the keeping of the whole universal Church there should be one Archbishop over all And in his 2. reply part 1. pag. 582. paulo post med he further saith This point of keeping peace in the Church is one of those which requireth as well a Pope over all Arch-Bishops as one Arch-Bishop over all Bishops in a Realm And the very same is more fully as yet affirmed by Beza see his words at large in Sarav a de diversis Ministrorum gradibus c. pag. 491. fine 492. initio Government confessedly [g] Of the confessed Government of Bishops and Arch-Bishops in all ages since the Apostles see Mr. Whitgifts defence pag. 470 471. testified and practised in all succeeding ages since the Apostles and without which foresaid Papal Primacy as is inferred by Mr. Cartwright and others [h] Mr. Cartwright in his 2. reply part 1. pag. 582. med saith If an Arch-Bishop be necessary for calling a Provincial council when the Bishops are divided it is necessary there be also a Pope which may call the general Council when division is between the Arch-Bishops for when the Churches of one Province be divided from other as you ask me so I ask you who shall assemble them together Who shall admonish them of their duties when they are assembled If you can find a way how this may be done without a Pope the way is also found whereby the Church is disburdened of the Arch-Bishop See also this point more plainly confessed by Conradus Schlusselburg Sir Edwin Sands and others alleged hereafter in the third Consideration cannot be assembled any general Council which is yet nevertheless the confessed only hope remaining ever to asswage Protestants contentions In respect whereof Melancthon did as before assent to acknowledge the Popes foresaid Primacy As touching this only Primacy we allege that Mr. Fulk affirmeth in general that not some few but [i] Mr. Fulk in confirmation of Papists quarrels c. Printed Anno 1583. pag. 4. initio many of the antient Fathers were deceived to think something more of Peters Prerogative
[*] Mr. Fulk ubi supra prope initium immediatly after the Apostles times errors and abuses crept into the true Church With whom agreeth Mr. Downham affirming that [9.] Mr. Downham in his treatise of Antichrist l. 2. c. 2. pag. 25. prope finem This mystery of iniquity which St. Paul 2 Thess 2. ver 7. affirmeth to be working in his times is more than boldly perverted by Mr. Downham and our other Adversaries to be as then working in the Church of Christ directly against St. Paul himself who tearmeth the Church the pillar and stay of Truth 1 Tim. 3.15 The working therefore of this mystery of iniquity in the Apostles times was not in the Church but in the Churches then persecutors and sundry heresies of those first times As also it is yet working in the heresies of this time the same being as some Divines hold the very next and ultima or at least penultima myst cal working before the Revelation of Antichrist himself the general defection of the visible Church foretold 2. Thess 2. began to work in the Apostles times And Melancthon saith accordingly that [10.] Melancthon in 2 Cor. cap. 3. Hamelmannus de traditionibus col 460. saith Post mortem Joannis Apostoli caeperunt defectiones a fide doctrinae daemoniorum sub specie verbi Dei prohibitiones nuptiarum ciboruth vota caelibatus c. presently from the beginning of the Church the antient Fathers obscured the doctrine concerning the justice of faith increased Ceremonies and devised peculiar worships As also Peter Martyr affirmeth in like manner that in the Church [11.] Martyr de Votis pag. 477. errors did begin immediatly after the Apostles times And that [12.] Martyr de Votis pag. 490. fine presently after their Age men began to decline from the word of God and that therefore [13.] Martyr de Votis pag. 476. paulo post med saith Quamdâ—â— consist mus in Conciliis Patribus versabimur semper in iisdem orroribus so long as we do insist upon Councils and Fathers we shall be alwaies conversant in the same errors In so much as Beza and others doubted not if not most arrogantly read and judge to prefer in [14.] Beza in Epist Theol. Ep. 1. pag. 5. initio saith Itaque dicere nee immerito quidem ut opinor consuevi dum illa tempoâ—a Apostolicis etianâ— proâ—ima cum nostris comparo plus illos conscientiae scientiae minâ—s hâ—buiffe nos contra scientiae plus conscientiae minus habere haec mea sententia est c. And Mr. Whitgift in his defence of the answer to the admonition pag. 472. fine pag. 473. ante med saith to Mr. Cartwright The doctrine taught and professed by our Bishops at this day is more perfect and sounder than it commonly was in any age after the Apostles c. how greatly were almost all the Bishops and learned writers of the Greek Church and Latines also for the most part spotted with Doctrines of Freewil of Merits of invocation of Saints and such like other points of Popery surely you are not able to reekon in any age since the Apostles times any company of Bishops that taught and held so sound and perfect Doctrine in all points as the Bishops of England do at this day knowledge of the truth their now Protestant Writers even before those other that flourished immediatly and next after the Apostles times Caelius Secundus Curio a principal Protestant writer expressing further to that end [15.] Caelius Secundus Curio in his Book de amplitudine regni Dei lib. 1. pag. 43. circa med which said Book is greatly commended by Beza in Epist Theolog. pag. 232. saith An ignoramus quantis in tenebris quantaque caecitate ignorantia versatus sit mundus ab Apostolorum fere aetate usque ad haec tempora in quibus Dominus praeter omnem expectationem se ipse caepit apetire in how great darkness blindess and ignorance the world hath continued almost from the Apostles age to these very times in which above all expectation our Lord began to manifest himself And an other learned Protestant writer affirmeth accordingly that [16.] The Author of the Book intituled Antichristus sive Prognostica finis mundi apud Brereley tract 2. c. 1. sect 6. subd 1. at g. pag. 12. fine saith Spiritus qui annunciat futura non operatur nisi eunte Evangelio quod sub finem ex confesso Lutherus primus invexit And pag. 13. post med he further saith Non manifestatur autem Psuedo propherarum surrectio nisi Evangelio quod inde primitivo Apostolorum Evangelâ—o ante Lutherum ut diximus nunquam ivit Ne quis autem Hussiticuâ— Evangelium pertinere huâ— putâ—t id prohibet â—uod Christus illud Evangelium edicit quod sub finem per universum forbem esseâ— ituâ—um Porro Hâ—â—â—ticum Evangelium â—ohemis tantum venit signo orgo esse non potest Naâ— commune Orbis Evangelium signo esse voluit non illud unius gentis Lutheri Evangelium per Orbem volat tam voce quam prelo from the Apostles times till Luther the Gospel had never open passage not so much as in Huss his time In respect of which their so common received opinion Sebastianus Francus concluded for certain that [17.] Sâ—bastianus Francus in Epistola de abrogandis in universum omnibus statutis Ecclesiasticis If our Adversaries do hereunto answer that this Sebastianus Francus denyed the Baptism of Infants and being so an Anabaptist his testimony is not to be regarded it is replyed thereto First that being otherwise a learned writer and no less enemy to us than our Adversaries his testimony as against himself and them is therewith of no less force than theirs Secondly that the denyal of Childrens Baptism till they be of years of belief is osspecially by our adversaries who deny the necessity of Baptism to infants excepted against unworthily in comparison of their own far greater differences concerning Real presence Christs descent into Hell his suffering in soul the pains of Hell Reprobation and many more of like consequence notwithstanding which they yet profess to be Brethren of one Church Thirdly that accordingly Zuinglius and Oecolampadius do affirm the Baptism of Infants to be but a matter of indifferency and such at the Church may worthily omit and rightly take away For Zuinglius apud Brereley tract 2. cap. 3. sect 9. subd 3. at e. f. tom 2. l. de Baptismo fol. 96. a circa med saith Num enim tanti momenti res haec est ut tantas turbas diffidia propter hane excitâ—re conveniat etiamsi parvulorum Baptismus nullis omnino Scripturarum testimoniis inniteretur Externum quiddam est ceremonale quo ut aliis rebus externis Ecclesia dignè honestè uti potest vel idem hoc omittere rite tollere c. And in Zuinglii Oecolampadii Epistolarum libro secundo pag. 363. post med Oecolampadius
O Paul O Christ if we be deceived you have deceived us this you taught us c. And again concerning no fewer than twenty and seven several articles by him specially repeated to insist and further say [e] Mr. Jewel in his publick Sermon And see his words alleged by D. Humfrey ubi supra pag. 125. circa med And in his reply to Mr. Harding fol. 1. As I said before so say I now again I am content to yield and subscribe if so any of our learned adversaries or if all the learned men that be aliveâ— be able to bring any one sufficient sentence out of any old Catholick Doctor or Father or out of any old general Council c. for the space of six hundred years after Christ c. protesting withall that he affirmeth thus much not [f] See this in D. Humfrey in his foresaid Treatise pag. 123. fine as carried away by the heat of zeal but as moved with the simple truth whereas [*] Brereley tract 1. sect 3. subdivis 16. paulo ante sinem in the margent at k. concerning this his pretended appealing to the Fathers M. D. Humfrey saith of him that therein he was injurious to himself and after a manner spoyled himself and the Church And the learned Protestant writer Jacobus Acontius in a special Treatise dedicated to Queen Elizabeth tearmeth it a most pernicious course and altogether to be avoyded Also Peter Martyr de Caelibatu votis pag. 462. circa med signifieth his answerable dislike saying Quod ad alterum attinet de Patrum judicio quoniam adversarii nostri in hac causa in aliis controversiis semper provocare solent ad eos pronuntio mihi non videri esse hominis Christiani ad hominum judicia provocare à Scripturis Dei And pag. 476. post med he saith Quamdiu consistimus in Conciliis Patribus versabimur semper in iisdem erroribus What also meant Mr. D. Whitaker thus confidently likewise to say therof to us [g] Whitaker in respons ad rationes Campiani rat 5. fine pag. 90. ante med saith Audi Campiane quam ea die Juellus vocem verissimam ac constantissimam emisit quando ad sexcentorum annorum antiquitatem provocavit vobisque obtulit ut si vel unicam ex aliquo Patre aut Concilio claram dilucidam sententiam asterretis non recusaret quin vobis palmam concederet ea est nostrûm omnium professio idem omnes pollicemur fidem non fallemus The speech of Mr. Jewel was most true and constant when provoking you to the antiquity of the first six hundred years he offered that if you could shew but any one clear and plain saying out of any Father or Council he would grant you the victory it is the offer of us all the same do we all promise and we will perform it To which publick testimonies thus confidently delivered by Master Jewel and Mr. Whitaker men of chief [h] Concerning Mr. Jewel Mr. Hooker in his Ecclesiastical Policy l. 2. sect 6. pag. 112. prope finem tearmeth him the worthiest Divine that Christendome bred for some hundred of years Also Lubbertus de principiis Christian dogmat l. 1. c. 5. pag. 48. circa med saith of Mr. Whitaker Qâ—od ante me observavit illud decus Angliae Whitakerus And concerning them both they were such eminent men that their lives were specially written Mr. Jewels as before by Mr. D. Humfrey and Mr. Whitakers by Mr. Abdy Ashton in Latin and Printed at Cambridge 1599. rank and place in our Adversaries Church might be further added sundry like bold assertions of divers other learned Protestants who with like pretended vehemency of asseveration have claimed [i] Mr. Sutcliff in his examination of Mr. D. Kellisons Survey pag. 17. ante med saith The Fathers in all points of Faith are for us and not for the Pope Master Willet in Antilog c. pag. 163. saith I take God to witness before whom I must render accompt c. that the same Faith and Religion which I defend is taught and confirmed in the more substantial points by those Histories Councils Fathers that lived within five or six hundred years after Christ And pag. 264. he blusheth not to say It is most notoriously evident that for the grossest Points of Popery a Transubstantiation Sacrifice of the Mass worshipping of Images Justification by works the Supremacy of the Pope prohibition of Marriage and such other they Papists have no shew at all of any evidence from the Fathers within five hundred years of Christ the antient Fathers to be on their part not forbearing also to charge us with the unworthy and hatefull note of Novellism and Innovation In which their bold demeanour with the Fathers whereof some few [†] See heretofore in this Consideration num 18. initio in the margent at * their pretending of St. Austin to have denyed or rested doubtful of Purgatory And see Brereley tract 1. sect 7. subd 9. throughout their like pretending of St. Gregory against the Bishop of Romes then claymed Primacy examples are in this Treatise casually mentioned they have so far proceeded that they have not doubted to inforce their many testimonies not only against us but also which is exceeding gross even against the Fathers themselves and which is most even one and the same Father against himself So but in the only question of Traditions omitting in this hast all examples of other kind Mr. Whitaker saith of Basil [k] Whitaker de Sacra Scriptura pag 670. post med Secum ipse pugnat he is contrary to himself And Lubbertuus saith accordingly [l] Lubbertus de Principiis Christian dogmat l. 2. cap. 10. pag. 675. ante med saith Oppono Basilium controversum Basilio non controverso That the Book and the very saying there controverted was most clearly St. Basils St. Damascen so many ages since in orat 1. pro imaginibus sufficiently proveth specially there reciting the very said Book 27. Chapter and particular controverted saying and all of them under the name of Basil In so much as almost no Protestant Writer doth deny the said saying to be Basils I oppose Basil against Basil and of Damascen he saith [m] Lubbertus de Principiis Christian dogmat pag. 678. fine sibi non constat he is contrary to himself and of Chrysostom [n] Lubbertus ubi supra pag. 676. paulo post med Ego Chrysostomum Chrysostomo oppono I oppose Chrysostom against Chrysostom And Mr. Whitaker saith of him [o] Whitaker de Sacra Scriptura pag. 678. circa med secum ipse pugnat he doth vary from himself Also Mr. Whitaker saith of Cyprian [p] Whitaker ubi supra pag. 686. circa med Let us not attend what Cyprian said but let us examin him by his own Law And of St. Austin [q] Whitaker ubi supra pag. 690. post med although in this place he may be thought to favour Tradition yet in other
ut Constantiâ—â—s daret potestatem Bessiae quam statim Julius exercuit nam etiam Conrtantinus magnus ferebat arma draconis in insigniis suis c. ita ut ipse sit Draco qui dedit potestatem bestâ—ae typus Draconis serpentis antiqui qui Bestiae potestatem dedit Apoc. 13.2 fatally to have given power to the beast (d) The Centurists cent 4. col 653. line 26. report this opinion of Acesius signisied to the Emperour to be ad paenitentiam quidem admoneri homines spem verò remissionis non à sacerdotibus sed ab ipso Deo expectare qui possit potestatem habeat remittere peccata Cum haec Acesius dixisset subjunxit Imperator pone scalam ô Acesi solus ascende in caelum Socrates l. 1. c. 7. And see this error of the Novatians further confuted by Ambrose And Pacianus alleged heretofore in this Consideration num 21. in the margent at g. He reproved Acesius the Novatian for denying the power given Priests to remit sin under pretence (*) Vbi supra that God only remitteth sin Of [7] Eusebius de vita Constantini l. 4. c. 45. his Priests or Clergy by him assembled to the Dedication of the Temple not only some of them did preach and interpret the holy Scriptures but also others of them who could not so do appeased the Deity with unbloody [*] Alii qui c. horum nihil poterant officere incruentis consecrationibus divinum Numen placabant supplices Deo preces offerebant pro communi pace pro Ecclesia Dei ipsoque Imperatore c. By these Vnbloody Sacrifices and mystical consecrations thus particularly distinguished as several from the foresaid Preaching and prayer cannot be understood other than the said Priests celebration of the blessed Sacrament as is plainly acknowledged by D. Abbots in his answere to D. Bishops Epistle to the King pag. 183. ante med 184. paulo post med Which in regard of the then external oblation thereof by those sundry Priests Eusebius tearmeth Unbloody Sacrifices so thereby distinguishing the same in manner of Oblation from Christs other bloody oblation upon the Crosse according to which sense it is often by the other Fathers tearmed the Unbloody Sacrifice as by Chrysostome in Psalm 95. Athanasius alleged heretofore in this Consideration Num. 3. at * next after h. in the margent Cyril Alexand in interpretatione Anathemat 11. Nazianzen orat funeb in Basilium and orat 1. in Iulianum In so much as they are therefore reproved by Calvin in Epist ad Haebr c. 9. vers 26. pag. 946. b. fine 947. a initio So that if unto these Unbloody Sacrifices thus mentioned by Euschius we do adde the foresaid appeasing of God thereby by him also mentioned we do then hereby find not onely Sacrifice but also propitiatory Sacrifice Sacrifices and mystical Consecrations and prayed for the health of the Emperour At [8] Eusebius de vita Constantini l. 4. c. 61. the time of his last sickness he intended to expiate his sins by efficacy of the holy mysteries and the imtiation of the healthfull lavar of regeneration at those times purposely [†] Osiander in epitom c. cent 4. pag. 248. ante med saith Veteres Baptismum distulisse videntur c. ut deinde Baptisma suscipiendo universa delicta simul abluerent deferred and so [9] Eusebius de vita Constantini l. 4. c. 61. it is said Humi procumbens genibus in ipsa Martyrum aede errata sua confessus c. And of Confession made to the Priest long before these times see heretofore in this Consideration num 9. at 10. prostrating himself upon his knees confessed his sins in the house of of the Martyrs and thereupon received [10] Eusebius vbi supra imposition of hands [e] Centur. 4. col 454. line 26. it is said Turba frequens preces cum fletu pro anima imperatoris fuditâ— And see Eusebius de vita Constant l. 4. c. 71. After his death prayer was made for his soule and the mystical [f] Eusebius vbi supra saith Adhuc quidem licet contemplari ter beatae animae tumulum c. divinis ceremoniis mystico sacrificio sanctarumque precationum societate perfrui Sacrifice offered And [*] In the brief discourse of the Churches Estate c. annexed to Crispinus his book of the Estate of the Church it is affirmed how that about the end of this period which continued untill Constantine the love of solitude and monkery the abstinence from mariage and from certain meats on particular dayes many seasts and other seeds of superstition after succeeding took a marvailous root so the commencement of Prayer for the dead and Sacrifice of the Masse did discover themselves c. as concerning the Churches doctrine of that age it was in like manner so evidently our now professed Catholick faith that to forbear much other particular proof and what is by certain our other adversaries confessed in this behalf the Century-writers of Magdeburge whose writings are by our English Protestants affirmed to be [11] So saith M. Willet in his Tetrastylon Papismi pag. 21. fine An excellent work and [g] So saith M. D. Hill in his defence of the article that Christ descended into Hell fol. 23. b. post med worthy of immortal memory in their fourth Century by them dedicated to Queen Elizabeth in which they specially undertake to deliver to her Highness [12] The Centurists cent 4. in Epist dedicatoria Serenissimae Reginae ac Dominae Elizabethae c. prope finem say to the Queen concerning that fourth Century Redit hic Constantinus jam ad te adferens statum ejus Ecclesiae quae suo tempore totum Orbem suo splendore illustravit c. And there again Non dubitavimus Constantini Britannici Ecclesiasticas res tuae Majestati jucundissimas atque acceptissimas fore that state of the Church which in Constantines time illustrated the whole world do professe to [h] Centur 4. col 287. line 16. the title there of that special Tract is Inclinatio Doctrinae complectens peculiares incommodas opiniones â—â—ipulas errores Doctorum set down the peculiar supposed errors of the Doctors of those times and do joyn with others in charging sundry of them severally and respectively with some or other particular opinions by collection from their own writings which in general are as followeth namely with [i] Centur. 4. col 291. line 7. it is said Patres omnes ferè hujus aetatis de libero arbitrio consusè loquuntur And immediatly after they do there recite and reject the particular sayings of Lactantius Athanasius Basil Nazianzen Epiphanius Hierom c. Freewil [k] Cent. 4. col 292. 293. there under the titles de Justificatione and de bonis operibus Iustification by works (l) Ibid. col 293. throughout and there line 59. where they conclude saying Jam cogiter pius
[o] Brereley ibidem in the margent at a. Lobechius in disput Theolog. pag. 358. fine 359. initio saith Immediatam porrò vocationem cum mediata ab Apostolis permutatam esse Scriptura testatur c. credimus immediatae vocationis usum Deo in hoc mundo nullum amplius futurum nullam quippe de ea dedit promissionem nullum mandatum and D. Saravia in his book of the divers degrees of Ministers pag. 9. initio tearmeth extraordinary Calling an unknown Coast out of which the now Defenders thereof can no waies wind themselves And see Mr. D. Covell in his defence of Mr. Hooker pag. 86. fine 87. initio and see Saravia in defen tract c. contra resp Bezae pag. 306 307. and ibidem pag. 37. circa medium he saith Sed speciem illam extraordinariae vocationis ad Ecclesiae ministerium c. cum nullo testimonio Scripturarum nec exemplo certo doceatur non admitto est enim periculi plena novi malique exempli c. ea sola fretus nemo se ministerio Ecclesiastico ingerere debet and see there pag. 35 36 38 c. Insomuch that pag. 59. fine 60. post med 74. fine he reprehendeth Beza for that in the Disputation had by him and other Protestants with Catholikes in the Conference at Poysy being demanded of their calling Beza affirmed the same to be extraordinary See hereof more in Brereley tract 2. c. 2. sect 6. at y z a. and see the contrary affirmed by others in Brereley tract 2. c. 2. sect 6. at f. tract 2. c. 2. sect 10. prope finem at r. sect 11. subd 3. at * 47 The indelible Character imprinted by certain Sacraments affirmed in expresse terms by Mr. D. Covell in his defence of Mr. Hooker pag. 87. fine 91. initio circa med where he allegeth St. Augustin for it And for the Doctrine thereof see Mr. Hooker l. 5. pag. 228. circa paulo post med yet impugned by other Protestants whereof see Mr. Willet in his Synopsis pag. 419. and see him reproving Mr. Hooker herein in his meditation upon Psalm 122. printed 1â—03 pag. 91. fine 48 The baptism of Women and Lay persons in case of necessitie affirmed by Jacobus Andreas in epitom Colloquii Montisbelgar pag. 46. prope initium 58. circa med by Mr. Hooker l. 5. sect 61. pag 137. circa med prope finem sect 62. initio pag. 139. ante med by Mr. D. Covell in his defence of Mr. Hooker pag. 91 fine 92. ante med by Mr. Whitgift in his defence c. pag. 518. ante med who also there allegeth Zuinglius by Schlusselburg in Theolog. Calvinistarum l. 1. fol. 68. b. and many others yet contradicted by Calvin as appeareth in Schlusselburg in Theolog. Calvinist l. 1. fol. 60. b. ante med 61. a. initio and contradicted by Mr. Willet in his Synopsis pag. 432. fine 433. and by many others 49 The known intention of the Church needfull to the Administration of the Sacraments by Mr. Hooker in his Ecclesiastical Polity l. 5. sect 58. p. 126. versus finem and by D. Covell in his defence of Mr. Hooker pag. 103. ante med and more plainly 104. post med 106. post med And yet impugned specially in Mr. Hooker by certain English Protestants in their Christian Letter to Mr. R. Hooker pag. 29. fine 30. initio post med and promiscuously by others 50 Seven Sacraments by the Protestant Divines assembled in the Conference at Lipsia teste Illyrico inadhortatione ad Constantiam in agnita Christi religione c. printed in Octavo Magdeburg 1550. paulo post initium ante med and by the Protestant Divines assembled in the Conference at Ratisbon anno 1541. whereof Bucer in Actis Colloq Ratisbon saith Protestantes non gravatim admiserunt septem Sacramenta 51 Implicite Faith commonly tearmed Fides implicita affirmed by Dr. Field of the Church l. 3. c. 2. pag. 65. circa med and in his Epistle Dedicatory to the L. Archbishop neer the begining of that Epistle he-saith [o] Alleged by Brereley tract 2. c 3. sect 11. subdi 1. in the margent under 1. For seeing the Controversies in Religion in our time are grown in number so many and in nature so intricat that few have time and leasure fewer strength and understanding to examine them what remaineth for men desirous of satisfaction in things of such consequence but diligently to search out which among all the Societies of men in the world is that blessed company of Holy ones that Houshold of Faith that Spouse of Christ and Church of the living God which is the Pillar and ground of Truth that so they may imbrace her Communion follow her Directions and rest in her judgment So that Implitite Faith is here by Mr. D. Field implied and allotted to those that want strength of understanding to examine Controversies In respect whereof he directeth them as before said to rest in the Churches Judgment Affirmed also by D. Baro l. de Fide ejus ortu pag. 40. initio pag. 91 92. initio 94. ante med 97. initio by Mr. Jacob in his Reasons taken out of Gods Word pag. 55. ante med Insomuch as we are taught to rest in other judgements by the French Confession in the Harmony pag. 319. prope finem and by Jacobus Acontius stratag Satan l. 4. pag. 203. paulo post initium by Mr. Hooker in his Ecclesiasticall Polity in the Preface sect 6. pag. 28. paulo ante circa med by Melancthon l. 1. Epist ep ad Regem Angeliae pag. 49. fine yet impugned as Popish by certain Eng. protestants in their christian letter to M. Hooker pag. 30. post med and generally by others 52 Usury alltogether unlawfull affirmed by D. Pie in his Treatise intituled usuries sprite conjured with his answer to a treatise written in defence of Usury printed 1604. and in his Epistle Dedicatory he allegeth Mr. D. Powell and sundry others who have written herein against Usury yet contradicted by sundry Protestants mentioned there pag. 20. fine 32. initio Contradicted also by Bucer in script Anglican pag. 789 790 791. c. and contradicted by Geneva it self witness whereof is Mr. Hutton in his second part of the answer c. In his Preface to his fellow Brethren c. where he saith Two Ministers at Geneva were deposed and banished for speaking against Usury allowed in that State See all so Usury further defended by Matthew Virell in his principal grounds of Religion Englished and printed 1595. pag. 148. post med 149. ante med 53 That Antichist is yet to come affirmed by [q] Brereley tract 1. sect 9. subdivis 3. in the margent at 18. and in the margent and Text at †Franciscus Lambertus in his book intituled Antichristus sive prognostica finis Mundi pag. 74. post med 75 79. and see Franciscus Lambertus his Commentarie upon the Revelations And by Zanchius
or universal government Ecclesiastical This is a Conclusion whereunto Mr. Hooker setteth down both the Proposition and Assumption viz. Every visible Church truly and properly so called ought to have a correspondent Ecclesiastical government but there is a Catholike or Universal visible Church on earth to which premises every Child can adde the Conclusion ergo there is and ought to be on eartha Catholike or Universal Ecclesiastical government Thus far Mr. Jacob upon supposall of a Catholike visible Church and Monarchical government 69 That Children have not actual Faith affirmed by [z] Brereley tract 1. sect 6. subd 3. in the margent at r. Mr. Cartwright in M. Whitgift's defence pag. 611. and by Beza in respons ad Acta Colloq Montisbelgar part 2. pag. 124. initio in the propositions and principles disputed in the Uuiversity of Geneva pag. 178. sect 4. and by Jacob Kymedoncius in his Redemption of mankind l. 2. c. 15. pag. 164. fine and by Mr. Whitaker contra Duraeum l. 8. pag. 682. initio Yet impugned by Luther in loc commun class 2. pag. 12. fine and generally in his Writings and by David Rungius in his disput in Academia Wittemb printed at Wittemb 1606. pag. 195. sect 144 145 146. c. by Jac. Andraeas see his words in Beza's Respons ad Acta Coll. Montisbel part 2. pag. 124. ante med and see there part 1. in praefat pag. 21. fine 22. circa med and impugned generally by the Lutherans see further of this confessed Controversie Musculus in loc commun pag. 309. post medium and Jacobus Kimedoncius in his Redemption of Mankind l. 2. c. 15. pag. 164. post med 165 166. 70 That the Controversie of the Scriptures as which be sacred which not is not to us determined otherwise than by the Churches tradition affirmed by Mr. Hooker in his Ecclesiastical Polity l. 1. sect 14. pag. 86. ante med and lib. 2. sect 4. pag. 102. fine 103. initio l. 3. sect 8. pag. 147. circa medium and by M. Whitaker adversus Stapletonum l. 2. c. 6. pag. 370 prope initium pag. 357. prope initium l. 2. c. 4 pag. 300. ante med p. 298. post med and see Peter Martyr in his Common places part 1. c. 6. sect 8. initio pag. 42. b. and Lubbertus de principiis Christian dogmat l. 1. c. 4. pag. 18. circa med Pu. and Chillingworth also proves through his whole book that we receive the certainty of Scripture upon the Authority of the Church Yet impugned by certain English Protestants in their Christian Letter to Mr. Hooker pag. 9 10. by Ursinus in his Doctrinae Christianae compendium in prolegomen pag. 13. circa med by Calvin Institut l. 1. c. 7. sect 4. post med and generally by divers others who to avoid the Churches Authority do referre the proof and knowledge of the Scriptures to the testimonie of the Spirit 71 That the Church of Rome is part of the house of God a Limb of the visible Church of Christ c. is affirmed by [a] Brereley tract 1. sect 6. subd 1. in the Text and margent at e.f.g.h. 1. k.l.m.n.o. Mr. D. Baro in his four Sermons and two Questions disputed ad clerum c. Serm. 3. pag. 448. fine saying I dare not deny the name of Christians to the Romanists sith the learneder Writers do acknowledge the Church of Rome to be the Church of God by Mr. Hooker in his fifth book of Ecclesiastical Polity pag. 188. initio saying The Church of Rome is to be reputed a part of the House of God a limb of the visible Church of Christ and Johannes Regius in his liber Apologeticus c. in Considerat Censurae c. pag. 95. fine saith In Papatu autem cum fuerit Ecclesia vera c. and Mr. Hooker ubisupra pag. 130. ante med saith We gladly acknowledge them to be of the Family of Jesus Christ by Mr. Bunny in his Treatise tending to Pacification sect 18. pag. 109. circa med saying Neither of us may justly account the other to be none of the Church of God and pag. 113. post med saying of Catholikes and Protestants We are no several Church from them nor they from us also by D. Some in his defence against Penry and Refutation of many absurdities c. in Mr. Penries Treatise pag. 164. ante med saying That the Papists are not altogether Aliens from Gods Covenant I have shewed before and ibidem pag. 182. initio saying In the judgement of all learned men and all Reformed Churches there is in Popery a Church a Ministrie a true Christ c. and pag. 176. prope finem saying If you think that all the Popish sort which died in the Popish Church are damned you think absurdly and dissent from the judgement of the learned Protestants Likewise by M.D. Covell in his defence of Mr. Hooker his five bookes of Ecclesiastical Polity pag. 77. ante med saying We affirm them of the Church of Rome to be parts of the Church of Christ and that those that live and die in that Church may notwithstanding be saved Insomuch that he doubteth not ibidem pag. 68. paulo post med to charge the Puritans with Ignorance for their contrary opinion Yet impugned so generally by others as to name any is needless 72 The Patriarchship or Primacy of one over the Church in several Nations and Kingdomes is acknowledged by Melancthon alleged heretofore in the second Consideration num 10. paulo post initium in the margent at 17. by Jacobus Andraeas alleged there in the Margent at * next before 16. by Luther alleged ibidem in the Margent at * next be 18. and by Sir Edwin Sands who more than infinuateth the known want hereof in the Protestants Church to be to them as matter of defect and imputation [m] Brereley tract 2. c. 3. sect 5. subd 3. in the margent at l. saying in his Relation c. fol. S. 2. on the B. side The Papists have the Pope as a common Father Adviser and Conductor to reconcile their jarres to decide their differences to draw their Religion by consent of Councils unto Unity c. whereas on the contrary side Protestants are as severed or rather scattered Troops each drawing adverse way without any means to pacify their quarrells no Patriarch one or more to have a common superintendance or care over their Churches for correspondency or Unity no ordinary way to assemble a general Councill of their part the only hope remaining ever to asswage their Contentions and by [n] Brereley in his Omissions and Aditions of pag. 702. l. 19. Andraeas Friccius de Ecclesia l. 2. c. 10. pag. 570. 73 Unwritten Traditions necessary to be observed are confessed even by such Protestants as are professed Adversaries thereto As namely Mr. D. Field in his Treatise of the Church l. 4. c. 20. pag. 241. fine where having impugned unwritten Traditions in the end yet as inforced confesseth and concludeth
saying Let us come to those Traditions which concern the Manners and Conversation of Men that the Apostles delivered many things of this nature to the Churches some by way of Precept some by way of Counsell only some to continue but for a time some to continue for ever we make no doubt Of this sort is the observation of the Lords-days and sundry other things there are which doubtless the Apostles delivered by Tradition And see the unwritten Traditions of the Lords Day and of the Canonical Scriptures further acknowledged next heretofore under the several numbers of 57 58 60. and see also in Mr. D. Field ubi supra pag. 239. circa med the Tradition of Lent-Fast And Mr. D. Covell in his Answer to John Burges pag. 139. circa med affirmeth the moderate use of the Cross to be an Apostolical Constitution as also the said Mr. D. Covell in his Examination against the Plea of the Innocent c. 9. pag. 104. paulo post med referreth expresly the tearmes of Archbishops unto Apostolical ordination and the then Bishop of London and late of Canterbury in the Conference before the King pag. 11. initio referreth likewise Confirmation to Apostolical Institution signified not but necessarily proved from Heb. 6.2 also Mr. Whitgift in his defence c. pag. 539. fine affirmeth and proveth abundantly the Apostles Tradition of Easter and Oecolampadius doth affirm the baptism of Infants not to be taught in the Scriptures in libro Epistolarum Zuinglii Oecolampadii pag. 301. post med 363. post medium and so likewise doth Zuinglius tom 2. l. de Baptismo fol. 96. a. circa med and Mr. D. Field pag. 239. tearmeth it a Pradition because saith he it is not expresly delivered in Scripture either that the Apostles did baptise Infants nor any expresse precept there found that they should do so only undertaking that Scripture delivereth to us the ground thereof which is impertinent unless he shew that it withall delivereth also to us a necessary proof thereof which his former words deny for which cause he tearmeth it as before a Tradition and see lastly Mr. Hooker in his Ecclesiastical Polity l. 2. sect 7. pag. 118. post med 119. where he maketh special answer as we do to divers Testimonies of the Fathers as namely of Irenaeus Hierome and Augustin alleged there by Mr. Cartwright and usually by other Protestants in behalf of only Scripture and see there sect 5. pag. 106. 74 Concerning Equivocation or doubtfullness of Answer affirmed by some Catholikes not in matter of Faith for it is evident to the contrary that we refuse to go to Protestant Churches or to make the least dissimulation of our Faith neither in Civill Contracts for who confessedly more credible or of better performance therein than Catholikes neither in the case of our Prince or Countrey for concerning either of these we are bound in Conscience to make our selves Transparent insomuch as to conceal any thing prejudicial to these were in the sight of God grievous and multiplied Iniquity but only as in case of unlawfull Demands to betray the Professors of Religion to the Persecuters thereof or to reveal to the hurt of others that which the party demanded is in Conscience bound to keep secret For so much as the Doctrine hereof is objected as a special imputation to Catholikes we will forbearing the question thereof only but briefly examine whether any like if not worse Equivocation or doubtfulness of speech be affirmed by our Adversaries Peter Martyr in his Common places part 2. c. 13. sect 39. pag. 547. a. post med after much discourse of this matter concludeth saying In these cases I think it is not forbidden nay I rather think it is most lawfull to speak doubtfully Zuinglius tom 3 fol. 45. a. initio intreating of Abraham's speech to his servants when intending to sacrifice his Son he said to them abide you here and I and the Child will go yonder and worship and come again to you Gen. 22.5 saith of Abraham's reserved meaning Mentitus non est neque enim mentitur qui secretum aliquod celat ne quid periculi inde nascatur Mr. Willet upon Genesis 27. pag. 290. ante med teacheth by many examples of Scripture that dissimulation in outward gesture is tollerable pag 292. circa med he saith It is one thing to conceal the Truth an other to lye As Abraham did hide the Truth when he said Sarah was his Sister Gen. 26.7 Melancthon in loc commun printed Basilliae 1562. pag. 763. paulo post initium saith Non enim nemino mendacia figuras quibus ex probabili causa aliquid tegitur quod non necesse est dici ut Raab negat speculatores domi suae esse tales figurae nominantur officiosa mendacia Of these figurative Locutions or as Melancthon tearmeth them Officiosa mendacia Luther tom 6. Wittemberg fol. 352. b. prope finem saith Simile est mendacium Raab Josuae Est igitur mendacium officiosum quo saluti famae corporis vel animae consulitur c. Igitur honestum pium mendacium est ac potius officium Charitatis appellandum Zegedine a learned Calvinist in loc commun pag. 422. initio affirmeth Mendacia licita bona quae commendantur In proof whereof he there allegeth from Scripture the example of Raab and of divers others Wolfangus Musculus in loc com pag. 106. paulo post initium saith Alius mentitur ex timore Dei sic obstetrices Aegyptiae Exod. 1. Alius ex charitate vel fide debita sic Michol 1. Sam. 19. Alius ex fide sic Raab Haeb. 11. c. To come now to Adversaries known practise Mr. Fox reporteth of Wiccliff saying Wiccliff to avoid the rigour of things answered with intricate words c. To forbear the like known and confessed example of the Waldensis who for peace and tranquillity sake used to be present at Masse which they held and professed to be Idolatricall alleged in Brereley tract 2. c. 2 sect 3. subd 4. in the Text and margent at 17. John Careless Protestant Martyr being demanded by the Magistrate if he knew such a man recordeth his own Answer thereto in these words No forsooth I do not know any such nor have I not heard of him that I wot of But yet saith he I lyed fasly for I knew him indeed Act. Mon. pag. 1530. a. post med As concerning the Equivocation or doubtfull speaking and writing even in matter of Religion used by Martin Bucer it is reported in the example of the Sacrament by the Protestant-Writers Schlusselburg in Theol. Calvinist l. 2. fol. 129. a. post med from the words of Lavater the Calvinist and by Osiander in epitom Hist Eccles c. Centur. 16. pag. 249. initio and by Josias Symlerus Bucer's dearest friend who in his Oration of the Life and Death of Peter Martyr annexed to the end of his Common-places in English fol. Q q. on the a. side paulo post initium reporteth that
approving their poverty and extolling their perfection retaining also his former Catholike opinion as Brereley proves out of Wiccliffs own writings concerning Holy water the worshiping of Reliques and Images the intercession of our blessed L. St. Mary whereof he saith in Serm. de assumptione Mariae Videtur mihi quod impossibile est nos praemiare sine Mariae suffragio c. the apparrell and Tonsure of Priests the Rights and Ceremonies of Masse extream Unction and all the seven Sacraments and all those sundry other Points of our Catholike Faith now in question with denyall whereof he is not found so much as charged 81 Husse as Brereley tract 2. c. 2. sect 5. proves out of Protestant Writers beleived seven Sacraments Transubstantiation the Popes Primacy the Masse it self and being a Catholike Priest he said Masse even to his dying day and observed the Vowes of Priestly Chastity in the Doctrine concerning Free-will Predestination informed Faith the cause of Justification and merit of good works Images he agreed with Catholikes 82 To the aforesaid learned Protestants I may adde two famous men the one an Englishman the other a Stranger I mean D. Andrews pretended Bishop of Winchester and Hugo Grotius a man of great estimation among Protestants 83 As for D. Andrewes in his Stricturae or A brief Answer to the 18. chapter of the first book of Cardinall Perron's Reply c. n. 1. he disclames from the opinion of Zuinglius and also saith plainly It cannot be denyed but reserving the Sacrament was suffered a long time in the Primitive Church From whence we must inferre that Christ is present in the Sacrament permanently and not only in the Action or use Yea he grants that in time of persecution Christians were permitted to carry away how great a part they would and to keep it by them and to take it at times to comfort them that those that lived in remote desart places as Anchorets and Hermets were permitted to carry with them how much they thought good because a long time together they were not to come back to places where any Churches were that they did carry it about with them in their journey c. Out of which Concessions I inferre by the way that Christians did not alwaies receive the Sacrament under both kinds seing it is clear that Wine could not be so long conserved in hot countries nor delivered to so many in different Vessels to be kept at home or carried up and down in journies c. n. 9. he saith For offering and praying for the dead there is little to be said against it it cannot be denyed but that it is antient n. 10.11 He acknowledges the Fast of Lent and that Protestants fast not on Christmas day though it fall upon a Friday or a Saturday n. 12. He professeth the restraint of Priests from marrying not to be against either Jus Naturale or Divinum From which grant it follows that the Arguments which Protestants are wont to allege out of Scripture or natural reason to prove the unlawfulness of such restraint are of no force For if they were of force it should be against Jus Naturale or Divinum and no positive Law could ordain it n. 13. He grants that Vows of a single life made orderly and duly are to be kept and cannot be broken without offence n. 14. He doth not disallow the mingling of Water with Wine in the Eucharist as also n. 17. He doth not reprove in the Ceremonies of Baptism the sign of the Crosse and the consecration or hallowing of the Water and confesseth that Crism indeed is very antient n. 18. He confesseth the necessity of Baptism via ordinariâ n. 20. He confesseth that the antient Church had the five Orders of Ostiarius Lector Exorcist Acolythus Subdeacon which we hold and keep but Protestants reject n. 20. He saith the Church of England doth hold that there is a distinction between Bishop and Priest and that de jure divino n. 23. He tells us that the Protestant Church of England holds Good workes necessary to Salvation and that Faith without them saveth not that no man is predestinate to do evill nor that it is safe for any man peremptorily to presume himself predestinate From whence it follows that men are not justifyed by an assured and certain beleif that they are just and predestinate for with such a Faith it could not be presumption but certainty to beleive himself predestinate n. 25. He grants that in time of persecution and after in the time of Peace so long as the Christians dwelt mingled with the Heathen they shewed plainly by making and using the Crosse that they were not ashamed of that sign wherewith the Heathen men did use to deride them What then shall we say of Protestants who deride us Catholikes for not being ashamed of that sign wherewith the Heathen men did use to deride Christians and much more what shall we say of those who sacrilegiously abuse and break down that holy sign Ibidem he grants that the primitive Christians in time of persecution used Lights and Incense though voluntarily he faign to himself the reason for which they used them and after when Peace came Christians retained both the Lights and the Incense to shew themselves to be the Sons and Successors of those antient Christians which in former times had used them shewing their Communion in the former Faith by the communion of the former Usages What then shall we say of Protestants who in us deride those things as superstitious but that they shew themselves not to be the Sons and Successors of those antient Christians nor to have communion of that former Faith In the Brief of the 26. Heads he saith The Church of England holds Feasts in Memory of the Saints and Martyrs with other points which I omit In his Sermon upon the 20. of St. John n. 23. he saies confession to a Priest is necessarie urging that of St. Augustine hom 49. de 50. homil Nemo tibi dicat occultè ago paenitentiam apud Deum ago ergo sine causa dictum est Quae solveritis in Terra soluta erunt in Coelo ergo sine causa claves datae sunt Ecclesiae Dei frustramus Evangelium Dei frustramus Verba Christi Finally to joyn his deeds with his words when the Bishop of Spalata by way of complaint said to some of Andrews iste Episcopus toruè me aspicit this Bishop shews me a soure countenance Andrews not denying the thing answered This man could have no good meaning in coming to England from a place where he had in abundance all things for the salvation of his Soul 84 Now to shew how far Grotius stands for us against other Protestants I will cite only and that breifly what I find in two Books which he wrote in his ripest age after long study and mature consideration The one book he calls Votum pro pace Ecclesiastica the other Rivetiani Apologetici pro Schismate contra
votum pacis facti discussio 85 First then he teacheth that Good-Works are not only a way to but also a cause of reigning vot pag. 26. Secondly that there is true merit vot pag. 27. Discuss pag. 46.50.53 line 1. 2. Thirdly that we are not certain of our salvation certitudine fidei vot pag. 28. Discuss pag. 55. and ibidem Fourthly that with Gods Grace we may observe the Covenant between God and Man Fifthly that the Pope is constituted above all Bishops to take away the occasion of Sciusm vot pag. 32. Sixtly that antient Churches and Fathers were wont to have recourse to him in doubts concerning Faith Discuss pag. 23. That the Popes power and primacy is necessary for deciding Controversies in Religion Discuss pag. 63. ibidem pag. 66. sequentibus he proves the primacy and prerogative of the Pope by divers excellent proofs of the antient Fathers and times and to conclude he saith that there can on Union in matters of Faith and Religion be hoped for except under the Pope Discuss pag. 255. his words are these Restitutionem Christianorum in unum idemque corpus semper optatam a Grotio sciunt qui eum norunt Existimavit autem aliquando c. incipi posse à protestantium inter se conjunctione Postea vidit id plane fieri nequire quia praeterquam quod Calvinistarum ingenia firme omnium ab omni pace sunt alienissima Protestantes nullo inter se communi Ecclesiastico regimine sociantur quae causae sunt cur factae partes in unum Protestantium corpus colligi nequeant imo cur partes aliae atque aliae sint exsurrecturae Quare nunc plane ita sentit Grotius multi cum ipso non posse Protestantes inter se jungi nisi simul jungantur cum iis qui Sedi Romanae cohaerent sine qua nullum sperari potest in Ecclesia commune regimen Ideo optat ut ea divulsio quae evenit causae divulsionis tollantur Inter eas causas non est primatus Episcopi Romani secundum canonas fatente Melancthone qui eum primatum etiam necessarium putat ad retinendam unitatem Neque enim hoc est Ecclesiam subjicere pontificis libidini sed reponere ordinem sapienter institutum c. Seventhly that the Baptism of St. John Baptist did not forgive sins but was imperfect in comparison of Christian Baptism Discuss pag. 76. vot pag. 38. Eightly that Saints hear our prayers and that the antient Writers did beleive that Saints hear us Vot pag. 68. 69. 70. 71. That the antient Fathers defended and practised Invocation of Saints he proves at large Discuss pag. 101. 102. 103. 104. 105. 106. 107. out of Chrisostom Augustine Hierom Prudentius Basil Theodoret Ambrose Origen and concludes that from so great consent of Fathers it appears that praying to Angels and Saints was approved by the Churches of those times and that if it be Idolatry there was no Church of God upon Earth Yea he saith that K. James acknowledges that in the fourth Age there is to be found examples of Invocation of Saints and that it is free from Idolatry he proves it out of Luther in Epistola ad Georgium Spalatinum and ad Erfordienses and out of Oecolampadius in Annotationibus ad Chrisostomum and that Bucer doth not condemn it Ninthly that Catholiks are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Bread-adorers or Idolaters in worshiping Christ in the Sacrament Tenthly that Communion of the Laity under both kinds is not necessary nor any divine command vot pag. 81. Discuss pag. 249. Eleventhly he saith that anointing the sick was used in the primative times and lasted through all Churches without interruption till Luthers time vot pag. 82. Discuss pag. 128. Twelfthly he defends learnedly the authority and certainty of Tradition and answers what may be objected to the contrary vot pag. 101. 102. 103. 104. Discuss pag. 26. 179. 189. Thirteenthly that the vulgar Translation of the Scripture of all others is the safest Quae saith he nullum habet malum dogma sicut tot saeculorum gentium concensus judicavit which contains no ill Doctrine as the consent of so many Ages and Nations have judged Fourteenthly he holds works of supererogation Vot pag. 112. 15. Seven Sacraments Discuss pag. 75. 76. 128. 16. Works of satisfaction Discuss pag. 84. 220. That they who teach Justification by Faith alone run in a circle and utter unintelligible things 17. Prayer for the dead and Purgatory Discuss pag. 144. 145. 146. 147. 148. 149. c. 18. That Grace may be lost 19. Distinction of Mortal and Venial sins Discuss pag. 206. 207. c. 20. He doth not deny that God may be painted ea forma qua se patribus conspiciendum dedit which he proves even from the learned Jews as also from Philosophers Discuss pag. 114. 86 But to shew that we may in Favour of Catholiks allege not one or many particular men but the whole Protestant Church of England it is to be observed that their Communion book together with the Articles and book of Ordination were composed in the year 1547 by the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishops of Rochester Ely Hereford Worcester Lincoln Chichester wherein is Invocation of Saints and prayer for the dead as hath been said in the first Consideration num 28. 87 The further I proceed in this so important an Argument and Consideration the more matter offers it self We have shewed divers waies how many learned Protestants stand for us against their Brethren There remains yet a Demonstration of the same Truth taken from a great pretended Protestant who proves and grants this to be true even by denying it to be true The case stands thus Mr. Chillingworth in his book approved by three principall men of Oxford c. 5. n. 91. pag. 292. speaketh thus to the Author of the book intituled Charity maintained by Catholikes who part 1. c. 5. n. 31. pag. 196. saith to D. Potter You cannot be ignorant but that many cheif learned Protestants are forced to confesse the Antiquity of our Doctrine and practise and do in several and many Controversies acknowledge that the antient Fathers stand on our side Now seeing we have in this third Consideration proved that many cheif Protestants in the most important differences between us and them hold our Doctrine to be true and consequently to be most antient I wonder how Mr. Chillingworth will answer the now alleged words of Charity maintained His Answer consists in alleging some particular points wherein he pretends that our Doctrine is not confessed to be antient in which enumeration if we can demonstrate his Instances to be either untrue or impertinent this our third Consideration will remain true That chiefest Protestants in chiefest points hold with us against their pretended Brethren For it is a true Axiom Exceptio firmat oppositam regulam If he can shew only some particulars wherein Protestants agree not with us he yields ipso facto that for the rest they
any such objection as this at that time when Protestants did much affect the use of lights Altars Pictures in their Churches In the meane time who would not I know not whether to say laugh or conceive just indignation to see so great a Champion as M. Chillingworth was esteemed to object such matters as these and as causes sufficient to forsake Gods Church 96. Ninthly he specifyes our saying of Pater-nosters and Creeds to the hono◠of Saints and of Ave-Maries to the honor of other Saints besides the Blessed Virgin This is not unlike to the former neither can I imagine what difficulty he can find that any good work as saying of Pater-nosters and Creeds is even in the account of Protestants and the saying of Ave-Maries must be sapposed to be in the opinion of these Protestants who allow prayers made to Saints may be offered in honor of Saints What will he say to the known doctrine of S. Augustine that although Sacrifice be offered to God only yet it may be offered in honor of Saints And much more why may not Pater-nosters and Creeds be offered in honour of Saints and Ave-Maries in honor of other Saints though the words be directed only to the Blessed Virgin In the mean time I return to say can such matters as these be alleged in the day of judgement as sufficient to excuse Luther and his followers from the grievous sin of Schism in forsaking the Communion of all Churches then extant 97. Tenthly He names the infallibilitie of the Bishop or Church of Rome Answer It cannot be expected that Protestants or any other divided from the Church of Rome will in expresse termes acknowledge her to be infallible under that word of Infallible but it hath been shewed that if they will speak with consequence to themselves they cannot deny her to be infallible while they give her such titles and grant her such Prerogatives as we have seen heretofore and deny not but that the ancient Fathers yielded her a preheminence before all other Churches and took her Doctrine and Practise for a Rule and proof of the Truth or falshood of what was believed or practised through all Christian Churches Yea and we have heard Protestants confessing that the Popes Authority for conserving unity and deciding Controversies in matters of faith is altogether necessary and that there cannot be expected any peace and union among Christians except by submitting to the Pope Besides Protestants commonly grant that the true Church is infallible in fundamental points and we must either say that the Roman Church was the true Church when Luther appeared or that Christ had no true Church on earth at that time nor hath any at this present seeing even the chiefest Protestants agree with us in many of those very points for which the first Protestants pretended to forsake all Churches extant when they appeared 98. Eleaventhly He objects our prohibiting the Scripture to be read publickely in the Church in such languages as all may understand Of this we have spoken heretofore Neither is it true that there is any general prohibition to read any Scripture in the Church in such a language as all may understand for some Preachers are wont to read in a vulgar language the Gospell of which they are to preach but our doctrine is that there is no Divine precept to use vulgar languages in the Liturgy or publick Offices recited in the name of the Church But what would he say to the custome which I have understood to have been used in Ireland of forcing people of that Nation to be present even at Sermons made in English of which they understand not one word which is a case far different from the use of an unknown tongue in the Liturgie or publick Offices ordained to the publick worship of God by the Church and not referred immediately for a Catechism or Instruction of the people as Sermons are 99. Twelfthly He strangely mentions our doctrine of the Blessed Virgines immunity from actual sin and our doctrine and worship of her immaculate Conception Answer It is a sign you want better matter while you object these points Your conscience cannot but tell you that you know we are so farr from making the immaculate Conception a point of Faith that there is a severe prohibition that neither part censure the other of Heresie Error or the like so that this Instance is manifestly impertinent The reader may be pleased to read Bellarmine tom 4. de amissione Gratiae statu peccati lib. 4. cap. 15. where he saith Quod ad primum scilicet non haberi apud Catholicos pro re certa explorata ac fide Catholica tenenda beatam Virginem sine peccato fuisse conceptam Joannes Pomeranus unus ex primis Lutheri discipulis in comment cap. 1. 44. Hierem. scribere ausus est pro articulo fidei apud Catholicos haberi B. Virginem sine ullo peccato immo etiam de Spiritu Sancto fuisse conceptam Sed hoc impudentissimum mendacium satis apertè refellunt duae Pontificum constitutiones Concilii aecumenici decretum quibus constitutionibus ac decretis Catholici omnes libenter obediunt Sixtus IV. Pontifex Max. in ea Constitutione quae incipit Gravè nimis de reliquiis veneratione Sanctorum desirtis verbis pronuntiat nondum esse quaestionem istam de Conceptione B. Virginis ab Ecclesia Romana Apostolica sede definitam ideò paenam excommunicationis statuit in eos qui alterutram sententiam ut haereticam damnare audent Judicium Sixti Pontificis sequutum est Concilium TRIDENTINUM ses 5. ac demum nostro tempore PIUS V. in constitutione quam edidit de conceptione Beatissimae Virginis Mariae Besides Protestants themselves acknowledge this point to be a thing indifferent excusable and not defined as may be seen in the fift Consideration num 4. at †next after f. in the margent at Fifthly and as Brereley tract 2. c. 2. sect 14. in the margent at †next after f. at Fifthly tract 2. c. 3. sect 5. subd 2. at f. in the margent proves saying Touching our B. Ladies being preserved from Original sin and the worshipping of Images Mr. Bunny in his Treatise tending to pacification sect 17. pag. 104. paulo ante med pag. 105. saith If any think it more honor able for the Blessed Virgin yea for Christ himself that took flesh of her to have been without sin and thereuppon for his part do rather think that by special praerogative she also was preserved from original corruption c. in these or such like whosoever will condemn all those that are not perswaded as we are committeth an uncharitable part towards those his brethren And D. Field ibid. apud Brereley pag. 499. in the margent at * expresly affirmes lib. 3. of the Church c. 42. pag. 174. post med the point concerning the Conception of our Blessed Lady to be a controversie not [ſ] Not defined saith M.
is so patently insufficient that directly it may be retorted by saying that although it were supposed but in no wise granted that they who were first acquainted with the arguments of Luther against us might be excused by ignorance yet none can be excused at this time seeing not only we Catholicks but also the best learned Protestants upon further advice better Consideration long accurate strict and even partial and passionate examination of the doctrines and grounds of Luther and other pretended Reformers have finally forsaken them and are come to us and therefore they who at this day oppose themselves to all Christian Churches extant when Luther appeared and to us of this time and even to their own learned Protestant brethren cannot pretend ignorance or any other lawfull or probable excuse 109. Fifthly The demand which even now we made concerning Heresie may be with proportion applyed to Schism by asking whether the Communion of those Protestants who hold with us against their pretended brethren ought to be forsaken or no by those who intirely and constantly dissent from us in all points controverted at this day if there can be imagined any one such as it is not easy to believe there is or morally speaking can be any considering the great liberty which Protestants for want of an infallible visible guide have to believe what they apprehend as true to day with freedome to forsake it to morrow If their Communion must be forsaken Protestants will be divided into nothing by perpetually forsaking one another yea the same man by forsaking himself at different times If they need not be forsaken for such doctrines we inferr that the first pretended Reformers could not forsake our Communion for the very same doctrines which now chiefest Protestants hold and yet are not forsaken by the rest and therefore Luther could not be excused from the grievous sin of Schism in forsaking our Communion 110. Sixthly It is very carefully to be observed that all the different Sects of Protestants and every single person of these Sects whether they agree with us against other Protestants or disagree one from an other and also from us or the same man at different times disagree from himself It is I say to be observed that in all these differences and contrarieties against us against their brethren and against themselves they still pretend evident Texts of Scripture in favour of their opinions for the then present time wherein seeing it is clear they must be deceived it being impossible that the word of God can deliver contradictions we must evidently conclude that Scripture alone cannot be to them a sufficient Rule of Faith but that we must finally acknowledge a living judge of Controversies namely the Church of God which therefore must be believed to be absolutely infallible in all her Definitions concerning matters of faith Otherwise we can have no certainty in Articles of Religion 111. Seaventhly Considering what hath been said in the next precedent second Consideration That many learned Protestants acknowledge the Ancient Fathers to stand with us against Protestants we may by the confession of our Adversaries with all truth and sincerity use that exclamation and Protestation which in M. Jewell was false hypocritical reprehended even by his greatest earned'st Protestant friend as we have seen heretofore O Gregory O Austine O Hierome O Chrysostom O Leo O Dionyse O Anacletus O Calixtus c. If we be deceived you have deceived us this our Adversaries confess you taught us c. and further considering what hath been proved in this third Consideration That many of the most learned Protestants in many of the most important points of faith agree with us against other Protestants we may use an other more strange and unexpected exclamation and truely say O Luther O Calvin O you other most famous Protestants if we were deceived you are deceived this you teach with us and you teach with us those very points which your brethren are wont to call Popish and for which a thing to be well considered the first Reformers took a pretence to divide themselves from all Churches of Christ extant before Luthers time 112. Eightly every one who hath care of his eternall salvation is deeply to consider That this agreement of protestants with us against their brethren demonstrates that they are not the Church of which unity in matters of Faith is a most inseparable necessary and essentiall note Whereof Brereley tract 2. cap. 3. sect 5. subd 1. saith As concerning unity in doctrine it is said [y] 1. Cor. 1.10 I beseech you that you all speak one thing be yee knit together in one mind and one judgement [z] Ephes 4.3 endeavouring to keep the unity of Spirit in the bond of peace [a] Philip. 1.27 1. Pet. 3.8 continue in one spirit and one mind [b] Philip. 2.2 of one accord and of one judgement Thus in the first times [c] Act. 4.32 1.14 were the multitude of them that believed of one heart and one soul Thus our Saviour in his special prayer [d] Hebr. 5.7 heard no doubt for his reverence instantly prayeth for the members of his Church [e] Joan. 17.11 that they may be one And thus the holy Ghost describeth the Church of Christ saying [f] Cantic 6.8 My Dove is one As also on the contrary it is said of dissention [g] 2 Cor. 1.10 I beseech you brethren that there be no dissentions among you [h] Hebr. 10.25 not for saking the fellowship that we have among our selves [i] Proverb 6.16 19. God hateth him that raiseth up contentions among Brethren This want of Unity is so improper to God that he is therefore tearmed [k] 1 Cor. 14 33. the God not of dissention but of Peace and it is so certainly the means to dissolve continuance that the holy Scriptures which cannot lye say thereof [*] Galat. 5.15 If you bite one another take heed you be not consumed one of another [l] Luc. 11.17 Every Kingdome divided in it self shall perish [m] Psalm 55.9 see Gen. 11.6 7 9. Destroy O Lord and divide their Tongues [n] Osee 10. â— Their heart is divided they shall now perish c. By this Brand or mark of want of Unity did the antient Fathers [o] Irenaus l. 1. c. 5. initio saith Videmus nunc corum inconstantem sententiam cum sint dâ—o veltres quen admodum de â—â—dem cadem non dicant And cap. 18. fine he saith Cum autem discrepant ab invicâ—â—â— doctrina traditione qui recentiores 〈◊〉 adnoscuntur affâ—ctant per singulos dieâ— norum aliquid invenire c. Darum est enim omnium describere sententias Irenaeus [p] Tertullian de Praescrip advers haerer c. 42. saith Mâ—ntior si non etiam à regulis suâ—â— variant inter se dum unusquisque proinde modulatur quae accepâ—t quâ—â—nadmodum de suo arbitrio
Bellarminum pag. 369. paulo post medium saith Bernardum verè sanctum suisse existimo He was Abbot of Clairevaux as testifieth Simon de Voyon upon the Catalogue c. pag. 126. and ho acknowledged so plainly the Popes Primacy whereof see S. Bernard l. 2. de consider ad Eugenium l. 3. c. 8. and Epist 125. 131. 190. ad Innocentium that he is therefore reproved by D. Fulk against the Rhemish Testament in Luc. 22. sect 11. fol. 133. b. post initium and by M. Whitaker lib. 2. contra Duraeum pag. 154. ante med and was so evidently a professed Catholick that Gomarus in speculo Ecclesiae pag. 23. versus finem allegeth him to us saying Bernardus Sanctus vester and M. Whitaker in respons ad rat Camp rat 7. pag. 105. ante med saith Bernardus quem Ecclesia vestra multis annis unum tulit pium virum c. And the Century-writers cont 12. c. 10. say of S. Bernard that coluit Deum Maozim ad novissimum vitae iuae articulum acerrimus fuit propugnator Sedis Antichristi c. And the Lutherans in libro Germanico quo causas recusati Concilâ—i Tridentini reddunt sol 257. do tearm S. Bernard an impudent writer heaving the Pope up into an Idoll a corrupter of Gods honour and preacher of Antichrist Lastly this point is made yet surther evident both in Malachias and Bernard that it is manifest that they both lived Anno Domini 1140. When the profession of our new Catholick faith was most storishing Which thing M. Jewell in his defence of the Apology printed 1571. pag. 557. paulò ante med confesseth saying S. Bernard lived in the midst of the Popes rout and Tyrannie Whereupon it followeth that for so much as neither of them is found to have been troubled for any one point of Doctrine disagreeing from those times but were to the contrary both of them in high favour as then with the Roman Sea the one of them being the Popes Legate the other an Abbot that therefore they were agreeable in Religion to the professed Doctrine of those times so improbably do our adversaries pretend S. Bernard to have been a member of their Church for his only then zealous reproving the corruption of life and manners in the Clergy of that age members of our now professed Catholick faith 2. This [h] Brereley tract 2. c. 3. sect 7. per totam gift of Miracles is so necessary to the Conversion of the Heathen in all ages that the Apostles therefore made speciall [i] Act. 4.29.30 prayer for this gift and our Saviour saith accordingly [k] Joan. 15.24 If I had not done among them the works which no other man did they had not sinned In so much as S. Austine placeth the same among those [l] Aug. tom 6. contra Ep. Manich c. 4. and in his l. 22 de Civ Dei c. 8. initio he ossâ—â—metâ— that before the world believed Mâ—racles wâ—â—e necessary to this end that the world should believe Pu If miracles be necessary to convert Nations much more necessary must they be to reverse what all Christ an Churches have once embraced and therefore it was inexcusable temerity to follow the first pretended Resormers who did not so much as pretend Mira cles against the whole Church extant before their time Even amongst men Possession is a string Plea many things which most justly held me in the Churches bosome Thus did this gift of Miracles accordingly continue and that most wonderfully in the times of [m] See this heretofore in the precedent num at * Irenaeus and no less wonderfully afterwards for four hundred years after Christ as appeareth by [n] Zozom hist l. 7. c. 26. post med see the words alleged in the precedent num of this Consideration at â— next after m. Zozomene and also by St. Austine who speaking of the Miracles of his time telleth how [a] Aug. l. 9. Confess cap. 7. S. Hierome in vita Hilarionis telleth how the dead body of Hilarion was after ten months found uncorrupted yielding forth a fragrant smell And see the like miracle testifyed by S. Bede of S. Cuthbert l. 4. hist c. 30. the dead Bodies of Gervasius and Protasius were after many years found uncorrupted and that [b] Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 22. c. 8. inicio at their dead Bodies a blind man received his sight A Miracle saith St. Austine done at Milan where the said Bodies lay when I was there a great number of people being witness thereof In like manner doth he make mention of sundry persons who being dead were by God [c] Aug. de Civit Dei l. 22. c. 8. post med restored to life at the Monument of St. Stephen and mentioneth further [d] Aug. ibidem versus finem another Miracle done saith he with us so known and manifest as I think there is none in Hippo the City where it was done who either had not seen or learned it This miracle by his report made thereof more at large was that ten infirm persons were in presence of himself and the whole people miraculously cured at the said Monument of St. Stephen These miracles were so evident in his time and the number of them so many that having already mentioned divers others he yet saith [e] Aug. ibidem post medium saith Quid faciam Vrget hujus operis implendi promissio ut non hic possim omnia commemorare quae scâ—ò proculdubio plaerique nostrum cum haec legent dolebunt metam multa pretermisisse quae utique mecum sciunt ques jam nunc uâ— ignoscant rogo c. Quid faciam c. What must I do I am not able to remember all that I know and doubtlesse sundry of ours when they read these will grieve that I have omitted so many which likewise they know as well as I and concludeth that it would require [f] Aug. ibidem saith Si enim miracula saâ—itatum ut alia taceam modò velim scribere quae per liunc Martyrem id est gloriosissimum Stephanum facta sunt in coloÌ„nia Calamensi in nostra plurimi conficiendi sunt libri nec tamen omnia colligi poterunt sed tantum de quibus libelli datâ— sunt qui recitarentur in populis c. many books to set down the miracles of healings to omit others done only at the memory or monument of S. Stephen Thus much briefly out of S. Austine only And like mention of other miracles in this kind is further made by sundry other [g] See Basil orat in Mamant Nazianzen orat in Cyprianum Chrysostom in lib. contra Gentiles fine and Ambrose in serm de S Gervas Protas Hierome contra Vigilantium in Epist ad Eustochâ—um de vita Paulae and in vita Hilarionis and Sulpitius in vita Martini Fathers of that age in so much as M. Whitaker saith hereof to Duraeus * Whitaker contra Duraeum
l. 10. pag. 866. ante med I doe not think those miracles vain which are reported to have been done at the Monuments of Saints This continuance of miracles in the true Church since the Apostles times to this present is so undoubted and certain that our very adversaries the [h] The Century Writers of M. gdeburge make this their report in their 13. Chapter of every several Century Century writers do for thirteen hundred years next after Christ accordingly report in particular out of the credible writers of those several times many of the miracles done in every succeeding age whereof a great number are reported by the antient Fathers to have been done by [i] Of the wonderfull miracles done by Monks see Zozomen hist lib. 3. c. 13. l. 6. c. 28. Evagrius hist l. 6. c. 22. Socrates hist l. 4. c. 18. fine c. 9. and Hierome in vita Hilarionis and Palladius in his historia Lausaci throughout and Theodoret in his Theophil throughout and Osiander cent 4. pag. 369. 370. and the Century writers cent 4. col 493. line 18. sundry of those miracles being many resuscitations or raisings up to life of the dead curing of diseases by word prayer or touching commanding of the Sea to return or stay its passage or course of inundations and sundry other like which could not but proceed from God Monks whose confessed [k] As concerning the great and almost incredible aâ—sterity of sundry the Monks of those times as namely in inclosing or muring up themselves in Cells or Pillars of stone in loading and chastizing their bodies with weight of iron bands their wearing privately of sackcloth their lying on the ground their going barefooted their abstinence from flesh fish cheese eggs wine c. their cating of bread by weight and drinking of water by measure with much more of like nature see testimonie thereof in general in Epiphanius haer ult fine Evagrius hist l. 1. c. 21. in Luc. Osiander in epitom c. cent 4. pag. 368. 506. and in the Century writers cent 4. col 471. line 23 col 473. 474. and see particular examples hereof testifyed by Socrates hist l. 4. c. 18. Zozomen hist l. 6. c. 29. l. 3. c. 13. post med Evagrius hist l. 5. c. 21. l. 6. c. 22. but most specially by Theodoret in his Theoph. or historia Sanctorum Patium cap. 26. cap. 4. and also cap. 2. Which is the life of James and cap. 3. in the life of Julianus his speciall mention of both which last persons in this very Treatise he remembreth with reference thereto in his other historie l. 1. c. 7. l. 3. cap. 19. In like manner see the like particular examples in Palladius in hist Lausaica cap. 43. 52. 70. and thoughout of this Palladius and this his book mention is made by Socrates hist l. 4. cap. 18. fine See also further testimonie of like austere life in Osiander in epitom c. centur 4. pag. 99. 100. 101. 103. and see heretofore in the 2 Consideration num 23. at 49. 50. austerity of life is by our adversaries condemned for [l] Osiander in epitom cent 4. pag. 99. circa med 100. paulo post med pag. 103. superstitious and many also are by the Fathers reported as directly done in confirmation of some one or other [*] Brereley in his Omissions and Additions of pag. 527. addeth directly against M. D. Field who in his book of the Church pag. 185. saith We peremptority deny that ever any miracle was done to confirm any of the things controversed between the Papists and us particular point of our Catholick faith as namely to omit many other particulars of [m] Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 22. c. 8. prop. finem telleth how that in the presence of him and others a devout woman called Palladia who being before diseased and repairing for health to the monument of S. Stephen Ad sanctum Martyrem saith S. Austine orare perrexerat quae mox ut cancellos attigit collapsa similiter velut ad somnum sana surrexit c. And see a little before in the same Chapter the like miraculous example of one Florentius of Hippo and of Eucharius a Priest of Spain Prayer to Saints [n] Nazianzen in Cyprianum saith Omnia potest pulvis Cypriani cum side ut sciunt hi qui ipsi experti sunt miraculum usque ad nos transmiserunt And Chrysostom in libro contra Gentiles speaking of the Reliques of the holy Martyr Babylas saith Sententiae nostrae abundè fidem faciunt quae quotidiana à Martyribus eduntur miracula Insomuch as Mr. Fox act mon. printed 1576. pag. 61. b. ante med reporteth which thing Chrysostome also ubi supra and Theodoret l. 3. c. 9. affirm how that after the bringing of the dead body of the said Babylas into the Temple of an Idol the Idol ceased to give any more Oracles saying That for the body of Babylas he could give no more answers Gee further examples of Miracles done at the Reliques of Saints in Palladius in his Historia Lausaica cap. 62. in vita Philemonis in S. Austin de Civit. Dei l. 22. c. 8. in Hierom contra Vigilantium in Basil in orat in Mamant in Gregorius Turonensis l. de gloria Martyrum throughout and see what Mr. Whitaker confesseth next heretofore at * next after g. Reliques [o] Eusebius hist l. 7. c. 14. maketh mention of the Image of Christ erected by the woman whom he cured of her flux and of an unusual herb growing at the bottom thereof which after that growing up it had touched the garment of the Image it had power to cure all diseases See further mention of Miracles in confirmâ—tion of Christs Image in Athanasius de passione imaginis Christâ— in Berito alleged in 2. Concil Nicen. act 4. and in Gregorius Turonensis de gloria Martyrum l. 1. c. 22. in both which is mentioned that upon violence offered by the Jews upon Christs Image blood did miraculously issue from thence the Image of Christ [p] S. Chrysost de sacerdotio l. 6. c. 4. reporteth that Acertain venerable old man to whom many mysteries were revealed by God told that in time of Sacrifice he once beheld a multitude of Angels with shining garments compassing the Altar with bowed heads as Souldurs do in presence of their King Which attendance of Angels Chrysostom in the words next before affirmeth to have been performed by Angels present saith he at that wonderfull Table and compassing it about with reverence in honour of him that lyeth thereon And that it hath pleased God in satisfaction of the incredulous to have turned the outward Sacrament into visible flesh is testified by St. Gregory whereof see Paulus Diaconus in vita S. Gregorii and â—oannes Diaconus in vita S. Gregoriâ— l. 2. c. 4. and D. Humfrey in Jesuitismi p. 2. rat 5. pag.
626. And of another like Mâ—racle Cyrus Theodorus Prodromus who lived Anno 440. in Epigram in D. Bâ—sil saith Intuitus panem nigrum in cratere Lyaeum Riserat Hebraeus sacra mystica Christicolarum Haec ubi Basilius persenseraâ— utraque edenda Porrigit illa statim cruor caro versa resultant And see the Century Writers cent 4. col 431. lin 39. And of sundry other like miraculous appearances see Paschasius de corp sangu Christi cap. 14. where he saith of the miracles before his time Nemo c. None that read the examples and lives of the Saints can be ignorant that these mystical Sacraments of the body and blood of our Lord either in respect of those that were doubtfull in faith or of them that more ardently loved Christ have often appeared in the visible form of a Lamb or in the colour of flesh and blood c. that what was latent in Mysterie might to the doubtfull appear clear in Miracle Real Presence [q] S. Austin de Civit. Der l. 22. c. 8. circa medium reporteth of his own time and Country how that one Hesperius having his house infested with wicked spirits to the affliction of his beasts and servants desired saith S. Austin â—n my absence certain of our Priests that some would go thither c. one went and offered saith he there the Sacrifice of the body of Christ praying what he might that the vexation might cease and God being thereupon mercifull it ceased In like manner doth S. Gregory hom 37. in Evang. and S. Bede hist l. 4. c. 22. ante mâ—d tell of two several persons taken prisoners in the wars for the pardon of whose souls as supposing by their friends they had been slain Mass was said at which very time of Mass so said their bands were loosed and fell fròm them S. Gregory also and S. Bede report these things as particularly known to be done in their own times And in behalf of Sacrifice is also appertaining the foresaid other Miracle recited by Chrysostom here next before at p. Also S. Gregory l. 4. Dâ—â—â—iog cap. 55. telleth of a Monâ— called Justus who saith he was obsequious to me and watched with me in my daily sickness this man being dead I appointed saith Gregory the healthfull host to he offered for his absolution thirty adies together which done the said Justus appeared to his brother by vision and said I have been hitherto evil but now am well c. And the brethren in the Monastery counting the daies found that to be the day on which the thirtieth oblation was offered for him See certain of these Miracles reported by the Century Writers centur 6. col 819. lin 51. centur 7. col 577. lin 37. Sacrifice of Christs body Purgatory and [r] These foresaid Miracles alleged next before from Gregory and Beda are available also for Purgatory and prayer for the dead prayer for the dead the great [s] The Miracles reported by the Fathers concerning the sign of the Cross are almost infinite Insomuch as M. Covell in his answer to M. John Burges pag. 138. paulò post medium confessâ—th accordingly saying Noman can deny but that God after the death of his Son manifested his power to the amazement of the world in this contemptible sign as being the instrument of many miracles He that would desire to see certain of those Miracles in particular let him read Hierom in vita Hilarionis versus finem Athanasius in vita Antonii Palladius in Historia c. 1. in vita Isidori Theodoret in his Theoph. c. 2. ante med in vita Juliani Lactantius l. 4. c. â—7 â— vertue of the sign of the Cross [t] Epiphanius haer 30. ante med maketh report of certain inchantments dissolved by Joseph his sprinkling of water signed with the sign of the Cross c. and Theodoret. hist l. 5. c. 21. telleth that Marcellus dissolved the like inchantments by sprinkling of holy water which done saith Theodoret the Devil not enduring the vertue of the sprinkled water fled away Read the place See also the like report made of Macharius by Palladius in Historia Lausaica cap. 19. In like manner do the Fathers mention miraculous cures wrought by the means of holy water whereof see S. Gregory l. 1. Dialog cap. 10. and S. Bede histor l. 5. c. 4. and Palladius cap. 9. 20. and Theodorer in his Theoph. c. 13. Holy water [u] Of a memorable Miracle done concerning Church-lights read Eusebius hist l. 6. c. 8. Lights in the Church [x] Cyprian in sermone de lapsis post med reporteth concerning a cortain woman who saith he when she would with unworthy hands have opened her Coffer wherein was reserved the holy thing of our Lord fire did spring up whereby she was so terrified that she durst not touch it And S. Ambrose in orat Funebri de obitu fratris sui Satyri cap. 7. reporteth how that his brother Satyrus being by shipwrack thrown into the Sea and having tyed the divine Sacrament in a stole and fastned the stole about his neck was thereby miraculously saved from the water c. and being delivered went to the Church that he might give thanks and acknowledge the eternal Mysteries And see no less Miracles in Evagrius hist l. 4. c. 35. in Gregorius Turonensis de gloria Martyrum l. 1. c. 14. and also next hereafter at y. reservation of the Sacrament [y] Optatus l. 2. contra Donatistas reporteth how the Hereticks caused the reserved Eucharist to be thrown to Dogs which Dogs thereupon all raging rent in pieces their Masters as guilty of the holy body they also saith Optatus ihrew out of the Window ampullam chrismaâ—is a Vial or little Bottle of Chrism or holy Gil to the intent to break it the wâ—â—ch being staid by an Angels hand God preserving it light safe among the siones In like manner of latter times doth S. Bernard remember how Malachias cured a lunatick Child in confirming him saith Bernard with sacred Unction A Miracle saith Holinshead seen and confessed by many hundreds of people and thereupon blown through the world Hereof see Holinshead in his Chromcle of Ireland the edition of 1577. in the historie thereof next after the description pag. 13. a. lin ult pag. 13. b. lin 1. and after the last edition pag. 55. a. lin 56. and see also S. Bernard in vita Malachiae Holy Chrism [z] See in Evagrius l. 4. c. 25. a Miracle reported upon his own knowledge and another like miracle in the Tripartite historie l. 2. c. 19. post med Adoration of the Cross [a] Of the sundry miraclâ—s shewed that confession of sins to the Priest should be made entire without concealment of any see Joannes Climachus in libro qui dicitur Climax grad 4. Petrus Damianus in epist ad Desiderium Petius Cluniacensis l. 1. de mirac c. 3 4 5 6. And concerning neglect of Confession see Beda hist l. 5.
1592. pag. 1058. post med counterfeit spirit in the wall practiced against Queen Mary with such like To omit that deceits of this kind †See example hereof in our Church reported by our Adversary Osiander in epitom c. centur 16. pag. 222. ante med 770 771 And see the Treatise entituled Two Treatises the first of the lives of Popes c. the second of Mass c. also of false miracles wherewith Marie de la Visitation Prioress de la Annunciada of Lisbone deceived very many and was discovered and condemned Englished and printed 1600. Of our Churches Inquisitors severe inquiry discovery and punishment of that hypocritical woman see there pag. 362. initio pag. 424 425 427. And see there in the addition after the end of the Book another like discovery and punishment in Sevil of one Father Lyon And see the like discovery of false miracles in Sir Thomas Moor's dialogue of veneration of Images Reliques c. lib. 1. c. 14. And see Osiander epitom c. centur 16. pag. 32. initio an example of a woman counterfeiting of her self to live without meaâ— and sleep c. discovered and punished by our Church are by our Church carefully enquired of may the particular blemish of certain such forged examples suffice to discredit a general received truth then much more by this reason away with the true Scriptures of the New Testament because there were many more writings [b] Of the very many writings forged under the Apostles names see Eusebius hist l. 3. c. 19. l. 6. c. 10. and S. Austin contra advers Leg. Prophet l. 1 c. 20. and Gelasius in decret cum 70. Episcopis and Zozomen hist l. 7. c. 19. post med and see also the Protestant writer Hamelmannus de traditionibus Apostolâ—cis c. primae partis l. 1. col 251. part 3. l. 3 col 841. lin 15 22. In which places mention is made of sundry writings forged under the name of Paul Peter Barnabas Thomas Matthew Andrew John and divers others and S. Paul 2 Thess â— 2 insinuateth the then forging of Epistles in his name counterfeited under the Apostles names than are now remaining true and undoubted many also of those foresaid true writings now remaining having been as the learned Protestants [c] In the Tower disp Anno 1581. had with Edm. Campian the first daies conference D. 1. the Deans of Pauls and Windsor do thus report of themselves for proof whereof we allege the testimony of Hierom. in Catal. where he thus writeth The Epistle of James is said to be published by some other under his name and of the second of Peter he saith that it is denied of many to be his we also allege Eusebius writing thus Those books that be gain said though they be known to many be these the Epistle attributed to James the Epistle of Jude the latter of Peter the second and third of John And in the fourth daies conference fol. 2. b. M.D. Walker saith Hierom saith concerning that Epistle which is written to the Hebrews many have doubted of it And also concerning the second of Peter he saith it was doubted of by many and so with some were the two Epistles of John c. affirm greatly suspected and doubted of even in the times of the Primitive Church This pretence therefore being most unreasonable to impugn the matter of fact in our miracles which is so evident as is often times [d] This appeareth in sundry of the examples before mentioned and alleged from Protestant writers confessed by learned Protestants themselves Their next or second refuge is confessing the matter of fact withall to affirm the same to be in many cases but by the Devils counterfeiting as in our antiently continued Catholick [e] Exorcist being one of the inferiour Orders leading to Priesthood is mentioned as one of them by Ignatius in epist ad Antiochenos by Cornelius apud Eusebium l. 6. c. 35. and by Cyprian l. 4. epist 7. post med where he saith Quod hodie etiam geritur ut per Exorcistas voce humana potestate divina flagelletur uratur ut torqueatur Diabolus And see further hereof the Protestant writer Zepperus l. de Sacramentis printed 1606. pag. 362. initio And whereas Protestants usually answer that this was not any peculiar Order but a miraculous gift such as was the gift of healing peculiar to those beginning times of the Primitive Church for planting and enlargement of the Christian faith and that it is now ceased this answer appears many waies frivolous as first in that the foresaid antient Fathers placed and numbred it with the other Ecclesiastical Orders conferred by the Church among which they forbear to mention or number any such peculiar Order of healing Secondly it is in like sort numbred among the Ecclesiastical Orders long afterwards even when and where the Christian faith was already greatly enlarged as appeareth in Concil Laodicen can 26. in Concil Antioch can 10. Also in the fourth Council of Carthage can 7. the Exorcist is specially named as one of the Ecclesiastical Orders together with the special rite of his ordination And in Sulpitius in l. de vita Martini cap. 4. it is most plainly mentioned as a peculiar Order Thirdly whereas the possessing of men by unclean spirits was likewise during the old Law whereof see Josephus l. 8. antiq c. 2. paulò post initium in remedy whereof there were Judaical Exorcists at 19.13 it is strange that our Adversaries can affirm either the thing it self or the cure thereof to be now ceased but the reason is evident in that they discern the daily dispossessing powerfully practiced in our Catholick Church whereof see next hereafter at f. and the known defect or want thereof in theirs for as for their onely example of M. Dorrel and Will Summers their deceitfull confederacy is now at last by our Adversaries themselves discovered and for such published in print as appeareth next heretofore in the margent at Z. exorcisms or casting forth of unclean spirits in persons possessed whereof many [f] To forbear the known successfull daily examples hereof in our Catholick Church which impudency it self dare not deny we remâ—t the Protestant Reader to the report of D. Boord the Physician a report so indifferent that in his extravagantes annexed to his breviary of health printed 1575. at the 11. chapter of a Demoniack he maketh mention of his travel to Rome with exceeding Protestantlike invectives against the Pope City and Clergy there and yet with all dâ—th in the same chapter report himself to have been an eye-witness of a Gentleman possessed with Devils brought from Germany to Rome to be made whole there the course whereof was saith he stupendious and above all reason if I should write it and the cure so evident as he there attributeth the same to the vertue of the holy words that the Priest did speak And see in
appeareth most plainly 1. By their own most evident testimonies 2. By their like confessed examples thereof given And 3. By their undoubted answerable practice To give proof of every of these parts 1. And first concerning their testimonies in this kind M. D. Baro saith [e] M. D. Baro in his four Sermons and two Questions dispâ—ted ad Clerum c. Serm. 3. pag. 448. fine I dare not deny the name of Christians to the Romanists sith the learneder writers do acknowledge the Church of Rome to be the Church of God And M. Hooker also saith [f] M. Hooker in his fist Book of Ecclesiastical Policy pag. 188. initio and Joannes Regius in his Libeâ— Apologeticus c. in considerat Censurae c. pag. 95. saith In Papatu autem cùm suerit Ecclesia vera c. The Church of Rome is to be reputed a part of the House of God a limb of the visible Church of Christ and [g] M. Hooker ubi supra pag. 130. ante med We gladly acknowledge them to be of the Family of Jesus Christ M. Bunny likewise saith of Catholicks and Protestants [h] M. Bunny in his Treatise tending to Pacification sect 18. pag. 109. circa med Neither of us may justly account the other to be none of the Church of God [i] M. Bunny ubi supra pag. 113. post med we are no several Church from them nor they from us In like sort doth M. D. Some in defence thereof against Penry the Puritan say [k] M. D. Some in his defence against M. Penry and refutation of many absurdities c. in M. Penry 's treatise pag. 164. ante med That the Papists are not altogether aliens from Gods covenant I have shewed before for [l] M. D. Some ubi supra pag. 182. iâ—icio in the judgement of all learned men and all reformed Churches there is in Popery a Church a Ministry a true Christ c. [m] M. D. Some ubi supra pag. 176. propè finem If you think that all the Popish sort which dyed in the Popish Church are damned you think absurdly and dissent from the judgement of the learned Protestants Also M. D. Field saith †M. D. Field Of the Church l. 3. cap. 46. fine pag. 182. initio We doubt not but the Church in which the Bishop of Rome with more than Luciferlike pride exalted himself was notwithstanding the true Church of God that it held a saving profession of the truth in Christ and by force thereof did convert many from errour c. In like sort doth M. Thomas Morton affirm in express words that †M. Morton in his Treatise of the Kingdome of Israel and of the Church pag. 94. fine Papists are to be accounted the Church of God because saith he they do hold the foundation of the Gospel which is faith in Christ Jesus the Son of God and Saviour of the world Lastly to omit many * Peter Martyr as it appeareth by his Epistles annexed to his Common Places in English pag. 153. a fine desired at the Conference had at Poisy between the Catholicks Protestants that they should not for diversity of opinion break brotherly charity nor call one another Hereticks And see the same opinion yet further affirmed by the Protestant writer against Nicholas Machiavel printed at London 1602. pag. 80. post med 83. paulò post med 85. propè finem others M. D. Covel in his late Treatise published by authority and dedicated to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury defendeth this opinion at large and concludeth saying [n] M. D. Covel in his defence of M. Hooker 's five Books of Ecclesiastical Policy published by authority pag. 77. ante med We affirm them of the Church of Rome to be parts of the Church of Christ and that those that live and dye in that Church may notwithstanding be saved Insomuch as he doubteth not to charge the Puritans with [o] M. D. Covel ubi supra pag. 68. paulò post med ignorance for their contrary opinion Hitherto concerning their testimonies before undertaken 2. Secondly as concerning now their like confessed examples we will out of very many allege onely some few It will not we think be denied but that our late Soveraign King Henry the eighth did after his breach with Rome believe and maintain the whole frame and substance of our Catholick faith the Article of the Popes Primacy onely excepted To which end their own Author Sleydan saith of him [2] Sleydan in English l. 13. fol. 174. a. initio He exiled the name of the Bishop of Rome but kept still his doctrine and M. Fox saith accordingly [3] Fox Act. Mon. pag. 1472. b. fine He set forth and by full consent of Parliament established the Book of six Articles containing the sum of Popish Religion And it is evident that he himself in person not onely as then disputed [4] Act. Mon. pag. 530. a. 〈◊〉 b. initio but also [5] Act. Mon. pag. 533. a. circa med commanded [5] Act. Mon. pag. 533. a. circa med sentence to be pronounced against Lambert as also the Lord Cromwel read and [6] Act. Mon. pag. 533. a. pronounced that sentence and at his own death protested himself [7] Act. Mon. pag. 598. b. circa med and see Holinsheads Chronicle pag. 591. to dye in the Catholick faith not doubting in any Article of faith or Sacrament of the Church though saith he many have slandered me to the contrary And yet he is commended by M. Fox to dye as [8] Act. Mon. pag. 598. b. post med a valiant Souldier and Captain of Christ As also the Church under the reign of King Henry the eighth is by M. Fulk affirmed to be a true [9] M. Fulk against Hâ—â—kitâ—s Sanders c. pag. 564. sect 80 82. Church and the King himself acknowledged in like manner for [10] Fulk ubi supra sect 82. and se D. Humfrey in jesuitismi part 2. rat 3. pag. 304. circa med a member of the Catholick Church of Christ In like sort [11] Osiander cent 12. pag. 309. post med S. Bernard lived some 400 years since as M. Jewel confesseth even [12] Jewel in his defence of the Apology printed 1571. pag. 557. paulò ante med and see Whitaker contra Duraeum l. 2. pag. 154. ante med in the midst of the Popes rout and tyrannie And as we find he was not troubled or gainsaid so much as in any one Article different from the doctrine of the Roman Church at that time so we find confessed to the contrary that he acknowledged even the [13] Bernard l. 2. de considerat 2d Eugenium vide Epist 125. 131. epist 190. ad Innocentium and see this confessed by M. Fulk against the Rhemish Testament in Luc. 22. sect 11. fol. 133. b. post initium and by M. Whitaker l. 2. contra Duraeum pag. 154 ante med Popes
Supremacy and was so conformable to the Doctrine of the Roman Church that he was made [14] Osiander in epitom c. cent 12. pag. 309. Simon de Voyon in his Catalog c. Abbot of Clairevaux being also [15] Ofiander abi supra pag. 309. fine saith Centum quadradraginta monafteriorum Author fulsse creditur and Danaeus in primae partis altera parte contra Bellarminum pag. 940. saith Hieronymus Bernardus suerunt monachi istius erroris Authores Fautores Author of many Monasteries both in France and Flanders Insomuch as our Adversaries alleging him to us do call him Sanctus vester [16] Gomarus in speculo Ecclesiae pag. 23. fine our Saint and [17] Whitaker in respons ad rat Campianiâ— â—at 7. pag. 105. ante med saith Bernardus quem Ecclesia vesâ—ia multis annis unum tulit piuni virum a man brought forth by our Church who in regard of Christian communion was dearly [18] Osiander â—bid See his words heretofore in the fourth Consideration num 1. sine in the margâ—nt at the figure 3. initio familiar to Muiachias whom our Adversaries reject for a confessed Catholick or Papist As also the * The Câ—rturists câ—rt 12. col 1637. l n. 45. â—o say therefore of S. Bernard Coâ—uâ—t Deum Mâ—ozim ad novissimum vitae suae articulum col 1638. lin 16. they say farther of him Acerrimus propugnator Sedis Antichristi suir c. Centurists do for such in most plain tearms reject S. Bernard and yet this his known Religion notwithstanding our Adversaries do acknowledge him for [20] Whitaker de Ecclesia pag. 369. paulò post med saith Ego quidem Bernardum verè fuisse Sanctum ex stimo And see the like in Whitaker against M. William Reynolds pag. 125 126. a true Saint [21] Osiander cent 12. pag. 309. post med a very good man [22] See this in Pasquds return into England pag. 8. 13. a good Father and one of the Lamps of the Church of God In like manner S. Bede who lived about 900 years since was so evidently of our Religion that our Adversary Osiander therefore saith of him [23] Osiander in epitom c. cent 8. l. 2. c. 3. pag. 58. initio Beda was wrapped in all the Popish errours wherein we at this day dissent from the Pope for he admired and embraced the worship of Images the Popish Mass invocation of Saints c. Which thing appeareth also yet more undoubtedly to omit his evident writings by his [24] See M. Fox Act. Mon. printed 1576. pag. 128 129. confessed credit and estimation had with the Popes of that age whom M. Fulk tearmeth * M. Fulk in his retentive against Bristow c. pag. 278. post med reciteth Bede ' s authority saying The last testimony out of Beda who lived under the tyrannie of Antichrist I will not stand upon M. Sanders may have great store of such c. Antichrists and yet is he all this notwithstanding acknowledged by our Adversaries to have been [25] Osiander cent 8. pag. 58. ante med a good man [26] M. Cowper in his Chronicle at the year of our Lord 734. fol. 171. b. renowned in all the world for his learning and godly life for which he was also privileged with the sirname of [27] Of this title see Holinshead 's Chronicle at the year 735. and M. Cowper in his Chronicle at the year 724. fol. 168. b. and M. Fox Act. Mon. printed 1576. pag. 128. b. vide 129. a. Oecolampadius in libro Epist Zuinglii Oecolampadii pag. 654. post med Reverend and by D. Humfrey specially registred among [28] Hum fredus in Jesuitismi part 2. rat 3. pag. 326. initio the godly men raised up by the Holy Ghost Hitherto also appertaineth the like examples of Gregory and Austin both of them acknowledged for [29] Hereof see Brereley tract 1. sect 2. aâ—d 2. 3. e. confessed Popish Catholicks and yet is one of them called by our Adversaries [30] M. Godwin in his Catalogue of Bishops pag. 3. ante med that blessed and holy Fatner S. Gregory and the other [31] M. Godwin ubi supra pag. 7. initio ante med S. Austin our Apostle Whereunto to omit others might be added the fore-mentioned example of your Highness dearest Mother whose undoubted Salvation her known Religion notwithstanding was even in that opposition of time by the learned Adversary as before [32] See Brereley in the beginning of this 6. section of tract 1. at z. publickly acknowledged What now can our Adversaries answer unto these confessed examples Is there [33] James 1.17 with God variableness or [34] Ephes 6.9 Deut. 10.17 Ro. 2.11 1 Pet. 1.17 any acception of persons or is he [35] Num. 23.19 as the Son of man that he should change so as one and the same Religion which was before in them holy should now be in us damnable And thus much briefly concerning certain undoubted examples of this kind 3. Thirdly to make this point more evident as yet by the like confessed answerable practice of almost all the Protestant reformed Churches Whereas they hold that [p] In the Propositions and Principles disputed in the university of Geneva pag. 166. 25. the Sacraments are onely to be administred to those that are taken for known members of the Church which no man can be without faith because that [q] Hebr. 11.6 without faith it is impossible to please God for which cause they teach concerning Infants who in their opinion have not [r] That Children have not faith is affirmed by M. Cartwright in M. Whitgifts defence pag. 611. and by Beza in respons ad Acta Colloquii Montisbelgar part 2. pag. 124. initio and in the Propositions and Principles disputed in the university of Geneva pag. 178. sect 4. and by Jacobus Kimedoncius in his redemption of mankind l. 2. c. 15. pag. 164. fine and by M. Whitaker contra Duraeum l. 8. pag. 682. initio faith which as the Scriptures witness [Å¿] Râ—m 10.17 cometh by hearing which Infants cannot accomplish that [t] So say the Divines of Geneva in the foresaid Propositions and Principles disputed pag. 178. sect 4. Also Oecolampadius in libro Epistolarum Oâ—colampadii Zuinglii l. 2. pag. 301. circa med saith hereof Parentum compatrum fides pueros sanctificat And Praetorius l. de Sacramentis pag. 108. saith Respectu fidelium parentum infantes fideles habentur c. credunt igitur infantes sed in parentibus they are comprehended within the Covenant of eternal life by means of the faith of their Parents and * In the Propositions c. pag. 178. Luther l. de praeparatione cordis pro suscipiendo Sacramento Eucharistiae saith Parvulus alienae fidei merito baptizatur salvatur and see him further tom 2. de captiv Babyl fol. 77. a. fine And
M. Perkins in his works printed 1605. fol. 585. o. post med affirmeth that Parents believe for themselves and their Children and that the Child by the Parents faith hath title to the Covenant and fol. 585. b. initio it is said that Infants are Gods children not by vertue of their birth but by means of their Parents faith are for that cause to be baptized and that therefore the Children of Jews Turks and such like professed Infidels [u] In the Propositions and Principles c. ubi supra sect 8. pag. 179. and M. Whitaker contra Duraeum l. 8. pag. 679. fine saith Infidelium liberos ut Turcarum Judaeorum Ethnicorum Calvinus meritò verè negat esse baptizandos and the like is taught by Kimedoncius in his redemption of mankind l. 2. cap. 15. pag. 167. fine and see M. D. Some in his defence against Penry and resutation c. pag. 150. are not to be baptized as not being comprehended within the Covenant by reason that their Parents do not believe All this yet notwithstanding they profess [x] Taught by M. Whitgift in his defence c. pag. 623. ante med by M. Hooker in his Ecclesiastical Policy l. 3. sect 1. pag. 131. by D. Some ubi supra pag. 149 150. and in the foresaid Propositions and Principles c. pag. 179. sect 9. it is said by the Divines of Geneva We are of mind that the Children of Papists may be received into Baptism to teach and practice their baptizing of Infants born of Catholick or as they tearm Popish Parents not saith M. Hooker in regard of [y] M. Hooker ubi supra Gods promise which reacheth unto a thousand generations for by this reason the Children of Turks and as M. Hooker saith [z] M. Hooker ibidem all the world may be baptized insomuch as no man is a thousand descents from Adam but their said baptizing of them is according to the other premisses of their Doctrine by themselves practised and holden good though as M. D. Some affirmeth to [a] M. Some in his foresaid defence c. cap. 22. pag. 165 167. Penry they were the Children of Popish West Indians whose other former Ancestors never knew the Christian faith And though saith he those West-Indians [b] M. Some ibid. pag. 167 were baptized by Popish Shavelings yet they received true Baptism and were ingrafted into Christ and for this reason because there is a Church in Popery For saith he [c] M. Some ibid. pag. 149. post med And Amandus Polanus in partit Theolog. pag. 305. post med saith Hodierna Ecclesia Romana est adhuc Ecclesia Christi sed omnium impurissima c. alicquin ii qui in Papatu sunt Baptizati extra Ecclesiam Christi ac proinde nec baptismo Christi fuissent baptizati c. if there were no Church at all in Popery then the Infants of Papists were not to be baptized in any reformed Church By which premisses of their confessed practice it appeareth First that the Children of Catholick or Popish Parents are to be baptized Secondly as being comprehended within the Covenant of eternal life Lastly and that by reason of their Parents faith So evidently in their Doctrine and practice is the faith of the Catholick or Popish Parent holden for available to his Child And shall it then be thought damnable to himself or holden worthy to be yet further persecuted by our so implacable and unrelenting Adversaries 4. This foresaid Truth is further proved by Brereley tract 2. cap. 2. sect 14. saying That the more sober and learned Protestants whom headstrong and inconsiderate zeal hath not altogether blinded for the preservation of Christs Church in Being which according to [r] M. Whitaker against M. Reynolds in his answer to the Preface pag. 33. saith We believe to the comfort of our souls that Christs Church hath continued and never shall fail so long as the world endureth And we account it a prophane heresie to teach otherwise And the same is yet further affirmed by Fulk in the Tower disput with Edm. Camp the 2. daies conference And also by the Confessions of Belgia in the Harmony of Confessions pag. 321. and by the Confession of Helvetia ibid. pag. 306. by the Confession of Saxony ibid. pag. 324 325. 473. Insomuch as the Divines of Wittemberg in Colloquio Badensi apud Osiandrum in epitom c. cent 16. pag. 1064. ante med say Ecclesiam inde ab ascensione usque ad haec tempora nunquam interruptam sed perpetua successione in terris permansisse firmiter credimus And ibid. pag. 1065. post med it is said Contra omnes furores Satanae Ecclesia vera in terris usque adventum Christi ad extremum judicium est mansura all opinions must evermore continue without failing or ceasing to be not so much as for any one moment of time do acknowledge as well that their own Succession Calling and Ministry is and hath been for former times †Apud Brereley tract 2. c. 2. sect 6. post med in the margent at * next before d. M. Bridges in his defence of the government c. pag. 1276. post med resteth so wholly upon the calling conferred to their Protestant Ministers from and under our Catholick Church that saith he of our Catholick Bishops and their calling If our Brethren will make them but meer Laymen then are neither they nor we any Ministers at all but meer Laymen also For who ordained us Ministers but such Ministers as were either themselves of their Ministry or at least were made Ministers of those Ministers except they will say the people can make Ministers c. See hereof further in Brereley ibid. at g. h. preserved in and by the onely succession and calling continued in our Catholick Church as also that the true Church immediatly before Luthers time had its * Luc. Osiander in epitom hist Eccl. cent 16. part altera pag. 1073. in fine saith Ecclesia quae sub Papatu fuit eo tempore quo Lutherus natus est suit Ecclesia Christi c. Ideoque qui sub Papatu ad ministerium Ecclesiasticum fuerunt ordinati ut Lutherus multi alii Evangelici Doctores revera habuerunt legitimam ordinationem being in our Catholick Church To this end M. D. Field saith †M. D. Field in his Treatise of the Church l. 3. c. 6. pag. 72. ante med Where some demand of us where our Church was before Luther began We say it was where now it is if they ask us which Church we answer it was the known and apparent Church in the world wherein all our Ancestors lived and dyed wherein Luther and the rest were baptized received their Ordinance and power of Ministry And our other learned Adversaries do accordingly teach that like as Luther himself before his preaching against the Pope was an (t) Sleydan l. 1. initio Augustine Friar and as himself saith (u) Luther
6. fine in his Treatise tending to Pacification sect 14. circa med pag. 89. acknowledgeth a particular blessing of God in the Church of Rome and an evident work of the Holy Ghost saying That the Church of Rome hath ever continued after a sort in profession of the faith since the time that by the Apostles it was delivered to them c. and hath also in some manner preserved and hitherto maintained both the Word and Sacraments that Christ himself did leave unto us which surely saith he is a very special blessing of God and an evident work of the Holy Ghost c. To make good saith Brereley ibidem in the margent at †M. Bunny's words of the evident work of the Holy Ghost in preservation of the Roman Sea the same hath appeared many waies extraordinary and admirable As first in that the other four Patriarchal Seas are noted and known to have been pestered every one of them with confessed Arch-hereticks or Inventers of new doctrines against some principal Article of our Christian faith As at Antioch Paulus Samosetanus at Hierusalem Joannes and Arsenius at Alexandria Dioscorus at Constantinople Macedonius and Nestorius onely the Sea of Rome hath been preserved free from all such known note or touch For howsoever our Adversaries do pretend some one or other Pope to have had his private errour yet to charge any Pope with being an Arch heretick as before-said they have not any colour Secondly in that the Cities of all the other Patriarchal Seas and the Bishops belonging to them now are and of long have been oppressed with Infidels and their succession is either none or but inglorious whereas God hath yet hitherto disposed otherwise of the City and Sea of Rome Thirdly in the example of so many great Christian Kingdomes and Countryes in Asia Africk and Europe which forsaking the Communion of this Sea became not long afterwards barbarous and subject to Infidels accordingly as it is foretold of the true Churches prerogative The Nation and Kingdome that will not serve thee shall perish and those Nations shall be utterly destroyed Esay 60.12 Fourthly in that this is the onely Sea or Church which is confessed by our Adversaries to have continued known and visible for these last thousand or 1300 years whereof see Brereley tract 1. sect 2. at k. l. sect 8. in the margent at c. tract 2. c. 2. sect 7. fine at 3 4 5 6 c. converting also to the Christian faith during all that time by its Legats and Preachers so many confessed Nations and Kingdomes of the Gentiles agreeable to the predictions of the Prophets in that behalf whereof see Brereley tract 2. c. 1. sect 4. initio in the margent at* Fifthly in that this Sea hath been persecuted by the contrary factions of so many Christian Princes by the very Citizens and Cardinals of Rome by the Schisms Factions and wicked lives of the Popes themselves by the implacable hatred and contradiction of so many confessed heresies and hereticks of every age conspiring all of them howsoever divided otherwise among themselves to malign and impugn this Sea as the principal object of their daily continued malice So Hell gates may be said to have assaulted her and yet not prevailed Matth. 16.18 Upon which consideration but duely had of all Hereticks though divided among themselves yet joyning so together in malice against the Roman Sea how can that out-faced opinion of our Adversaries be possibly true which M. D. Downham in his treatise concerning Antichrist l. 2. pag. 22. ante med delivereth saying We hold Antichrist to be the whole body of Hereticks in the last age of the world c. The head of which body is the Papacie The Pope to be their Head and yet he ever against them all and they all ever against him is it possible 6. Pu. Besides what hath been said out of Brereley of this point that Protestants confess that the Roman Church wants nothing necessary to salvation I will shew the same yet more at large D. Potter in his Answer to Charity mistaken pag. 63. saith The most necessary and fundamentall Truths which constitute a Church are on both sides unquestioned And for that reason learned Protestants yield them Romanists as he calls us the name and substance of a Christian Church Where we see that he saith in generall learned Protestants yield them c. In proof whereof he cites in his margent Iunius D. Reinolds and sayes See the judgement of many other writers in the advertisement annexed to the old Religion by the Reverend Bishop of Exeter and adds The very Anabaptists grant it Fr. Johnson in his Christian Plea pag. 123. So that with this one Testimonie of Potter we have many other even of our greatest Adversaries And pag. 62. he saith To those twelve Articles which the Apostles in their Creed esteemed a sufficient Summary of wholsome Doctrine they Catholicks have added many more Such are for instance their Apocryphall Scriptures and unwritten dogmaticall Traditions their Transubstantiation and dry Communion their Purgatory Invocation of Saints Worship of the Images Latine service trafficke of Indulgences and shortly the other new doctrines and decrees canonized in their late Synod of Trent Upon these and the like new Articles is all the contestation between the Romanists and Protestants And then he adds the words which we have cited The most necessary and Fundamentall truths which constitute a Church are on both sides unquestioned and for that c. Where we see he grants we believe the twelve Articles of the Apostles Creed which he teaches at large to contain all Fundamentall Points of Faith and that we hold all the most necessary and Fundamentall truths which constitute a Church Therefore those Points of our Doctrine which he gives for instance are no Fundamentall errors nor the contrary Articles necessary and Fundamentall truths and yet he names all the chiefest Points controverted between us and Protestants even Transubstantiation Communion in one kind and Latine Service which are the things they are wont most to oppose Yea he comprises all the Doctrines and Decrees of the Councill of Trent Therefore we are free from Fundamentall errors by the confession of our Adversaries pag. 59. he further saith The Protestants never intended to erect a new Church but to purge the old The reformation did not change the substance of Religion but only cleansed it from corrupt and impure qualities If the Protestants erected not a new Church then ours is still the old Church and if it were only cleansed from corrupt qualities without change of the substance the substance must be still the same it was and that which was must be still the same with that which is pag. 61. The things which the Protestants believe on their part and wherein they judge the life and substance of Religion to be comprized are most if not all of them so evidently and indisputably true that their Adversaries themselves do avow and receive them
that many learned Protestants do not believe all such Doctrines and consequently are not capable of Salvation Pag. 269. n. 45. A man may possibly leave some opinion or practise of a Church formerly common to himself and others and continue still a member of that Church Provided that what he forsakes be not one of those things wherein the Essence of a Church consists For this cause he saith That although Protestants leave the external Communion of the Church yet they left not the Church because they left her not in any thing essential to a Church as Fundamental points are Therfore he supposeth the Church before Luther did not erre in any Fundamental Article Otherwise Protestants had left her that is they had disagreed from her in a Fundamental point P. 272. n. 52 and pag. 283. n. 73. He denies that Protestants divided themselves from the Church absolutely and simply in all things that is ceased to be a member of it which still supposes that the Church before Luther believed all essential and fundamental Points which Protestants also pretend to hold and for that cause say they left not the Church Pag. 272. n. 52. He saith In the reason of our separation from the external Communion of your Church you are mistaken For it was not so much because she your Church as because your Churches external Communion was corrupted and needed Reformation But if we erred in Fundamental points Protestants must have forsaken us chiefly for that reason that our Church was corrupted with Fundamental errours of Faith Therefore he grants that we erred not in any such necessary Points Pag. 401. n. 26. He confesseth that D. Potter saith indeed that our not cutting off your Church from the Body of Christ and hope of salvation frees us from the imputation of Schism Pag. 133. n. 12. He saith expresly By confession of both sides we agree in much more than is simply and indispensably necessary to salvation It is well he makes so open a confession that we believe much more than is simply necessary to salvation But as I said before we will not because we cannot yield so much to Protestants And here I must ask again how he could say Pag. 401. n. 27. As for our freeing you from damnable Heresie and yielding you salvation neither D. Potter nor any other Protestant is guilty of it Seeing he saith that by the confession of both sides we agree in much more than is simply and indispensably necessary to salvation If we believe much more than is necessary to salvation by what Logick will he deduce that we believe not as much as is necessary 8. These so many and so clear words of D. Potter and M. Chillingworth may justly make any man wonder with what pretence of truth or modesty he could say Pag. 280. n. 95. As for your pretence that your errours are confessed not to be Fundamental it is an affected mistake as I have often told you And Pag. 308. 108. As for your obtruding upon us that we believe the Points of difference not Fundamental or necessary you have been often told it is a calumny The oftner the worse it being a Saying void of all truth and a shamefull calumny in him 9. To these testimonies of Potter and Chillingworth many other might be alleged out of other Protestants as we have seen divers other alleged by Potter D. Laud in his book against Fisher Pag. 299. saith I doe acknowledge a possibility of salvation in the Roman Church But so as that which I grant to Romanists is not as they are Romanists but as they are Christians that is as they believe the Creed and hold the foundation Christ himself Behold not only a possibility of salvation but also the reason thereof because we believe the Creed c. which is the very reason for which Protestants hold that they themselves may be saved though they differ in many points from one another This I say is the reason of D. Laud which other Protestants must approve though in true Divinity it be of no force at all for though one believe the Creed and hold the foundation Christ himself that is that he is God and Saviour of the world yet if he deny any point evidently delivered in Scripture or otherwise sufficiently propounded as revealed by God he cannot be saved even according to Protestants who therefore doe in this as in many other things speak inconsequently and contradict themselves Pag. 376. he saith The Religion of the Protestants and the Romanists Religion is the same nor doe the Church of Rome and the Protestants set up a different Religion for the Christian Religion is the same to both but they differ in the same Religion Therefore say I we hold no Fundamental errors wherein whosoever differ cannot be of the same but must be of a different Religion And Pag. 129. The Protestants have not left the Church of Rome in her Essence not in the things which constitute a Church And Pag. 282. he saith The possibility of salvation in the Roman Church I think cannot be denyed and in proof hereof Pag. 281. he alleges Luther Field Joseph Hall Geor Abbot Hooker Mornaeus Prideaux Calvin And D. Jeremie Taylor in his liberty of Prophecying Pag. 251. sect 20. teaches that we keep the foundation and believe many more truths than can be proved to be of simple and original necessity to Salvation And therefore all the wisest Personages of the adverse party allowed to them possibility of Salvation whilst their errors are not faults of their will but weaknesses and deceptions of the understanding which as I said may easily be believed of us Catholicks who suffer so much for our Religion so that there is nothing in the foundation of Faith that can reasonably hinder them to be permitted The foundation of Faith stands secure enough for all their vain and unhandsome superstructures And in particular he shews that Prayer for the dead and the doctrine of Transubstantiation are not Fundamental errours and also saith these two be in stead of the rest Yea he affirmes Pag. 258 that there is implyed as great difficulty in the mystery of the B. Trinity as in the Doctrine of Transubstantiation and shewes that we are not in any danger of sinning by Idolatrie in adoring the Sacrament 10. Thus good Reader having proved out of the Confession of Protestants That the first Protestants who pretended to reform all Churches extant when they appeared led such lives and taught such Doctrines as no man of judgement can think them to have been fit Instruments for that Work That Protestants confesse the Ancient Holy Fathers to stand for us That the chiefest Protestant Writers joyn with Catholicks against other Protestants in the most principal Articles of Religion Yea even in those very points for which Luther and his followers opposed our Doctrine and forsook our Communion which deserves well to be considered That our Doctrines have been confirmed by Miracles and finally That all
the New Grace conferred by imposition of hands in the Sacrament of Confirmation Also in the sacrament of Order Deaconship a distinct order from Priesthood and a step unto it n. 41 2 3 4 5 p. 325. Extraordinary calling is ceased n. 46. p. 327. An indelibel Character imprinted by some sacraments n. 47. p. 328. Baptism by Lay persons and women in case of necessity n. 48. p. 328. The known intention of the Church needfull to administer Sacraments n. 49. p. 328 9. Seven Sacraments n. 50. p. 329. Implicit Faith n. 51. p. 329 30. Usury unlawfull n. 52. p. 330. Antichrist not yet come n. 53. p. 331 Distinct degrees of Angells Angells Protectors of several Countries By Michael the Arch-Angell is not meant Christ n. 54 5 6. p. 331 2 3. Sunday for our Sabboth is unalterable and an Apostollicall Tradition n. 57 8. p. 333 4. Get Fasts and Abstinence from certain meats for spirituall motives n. 59. p. 334 5. Vows not obrogated n. 60. p. 335 6. Fasting Chastity giving ones Goods for pious uses and Vlountary poverty are more pleasing to God than their contraries n 61. p. 336 7. Who hath the gift of Continency may lawflly marry or refrain n. 62. p. 337 8. The sin against the Holy Ghost is onely final impenitence n. 63. p 338. One Text of Scripture may have divers under standings n. 64. p. 339. Ecclesiasticall persons equal in Order unequal in Jurisdiction n. 65. p. 339 40. The whole truc Church cannot erre n. 66. p. 340 1. Scripture without external judgement cannot end Controversies n. 67. p. 341 2. The Church Government is monarchical n. 68. p. 342 3. Children have not vertual Faith n. 69. p. 343 4. Sacred Books onely determined by the Churches Tradition n. 70. p. 344. The Church of Rome is part of the Church of God n. 71. p. 344 5 6. One Primate over the Church in all Nations n. 72. p. 346. Unwritten Tradition must be observed n. 73. p. 146 7 8. Equivocation n. 74. p. 348 9 50 1 2. Use of the sign of the Cross n. 75. p. 352 3. Many other added n. 76. p. 353. Most points in which we disagree from them held by some or other of their chiefe men indifferent matters n. 77. p. 3â—3 4. Protestants to continue a Succession alledge such as hold against them n. 78. p. 354. c. They cannot with consequence deny the Roman Church to be infallible n. 97. p. 376 7. They judge the Faith of Catholikes saving c. 5 p. 437. per totam Protestants clear testimonies that the Catholike Faith is saving c. 5. n. 1. Many confessed by them to be true Saints yet rigid Roman Catholikes n. 2. t. m. They allow that Infants baptised are saved by the Faith of their Catholike parents which then must needs be saving in the Parents themselves n. 3. t. m. That our Church is a true Church one with theirs not differing in Fundamentalls both good and saving and onely controverted which is the better n. 4. Divers Protestants drew from Luther's Life and Doctrine that Lewdnes was an Evangelicall Institution and serious Christian Discipline a new Popery c. 1. n. 1. Pultrot strangely taken after he had by Beza's counsell and encouragement murdered the Duke of Guise n. 49. R THE Reall Presence in the blessed Sacrament confirmed by Miracle c. 4. n. 1. Reliques acknowledged by the holy Fathers c. 2. n. 12. Confirmed by Miracles c. 4. n. 2. Rome acknowledged by Protestants to be the Seat of and fittest for the Primate of the Church c. 2. n. 10. t. m. And the Bishop of it to have exercised what now he doth for the first 500 years p. 213 14 c. And the Church to be uniform and constant in its Doctrine n. 20. They cannot fancy it to be infallible c. 3. n. 97 It is evidently shewed to be sigularly protected by the Holy Ghost c. 5. p. 450 1 2 3. S WHat is confessed by Protestants concerning Sacraments vide Protestants and c. 2. n. 13. Of the sacrifice of the Altar c. 2. n. 3. t. m. The Antiquity of it p. 196. t. m. see more n. 17. and c. 3. n. 89. t. m. It is offered for the dead p. 368 t. m. Prayer to Saints impugned by the Divell c. 1. n. 7. Held by the holy Fathers and they reproached for it by the Protestants c. 2. n. 7. Scriptures manifold and corrupted translations c. 1. n. 28. to 33. inclusivè which forced Luther to confesse that the Conncills must be received again n. 34. The vulgar Translation preferred by Protestants before all other n. 34. What Scriptures are Canonicall must be learnt from the Church c. 2. n. 12. t. m. Liberty of reading Scriptures confessed by Protestants to be the cause of so many Heresies c. 1. n. 29. Siricius Pope was not the first that made the Decrees of Priests Chastity c. 2. n. 2. Socrates his false relation of Paphnutius His hereticall writing of the celebration of Easter and of other things p. 189 90. Sorrow necessary for remission of sins c. 3. n. 102. Mr. Sparkes excuse of Beza's liconciousness refuted c. 1. n. 48. Sutcliffs impertinent and false interpretation of Luther's Conferrence with the Divell c. 1. n. 7. He falsly sayd that Innocentius the third was the first that brought in Transubstantiation c. 2. n. 16. T ONes testimonie against himself is most strong c. 3. n. 106. Tindall and Teuxbury Fox's Martyrs held Good Works hurtfull to salvation That all Christs works did not deserve Heaven That God is no more pleased with one work than with another c. 1. n. 19. t. m. Traditions c. 2. from n. 12. to 16. inclufivè whence it is concluded that those of which no certain beginning is known were introduced by the Apostles Transubstantiation not first brought in by Innocentius the third n. 16. But held as Protestants confesse by most antient Fathers n. 2. t. m. The Antiquity of it n. 16. t. m. V VOws acknowledged by Protestants to be held by antient holy Fathers lawfull and obligatory c. 2. n. 1. By the first Faith 1 Tim 4. is understood by holy Fathers the Vow of continency p. 172 3. W WAldo and Waldenses no Protestants They pretended an Order of begging Friars but could get no confirmation Some of their Tenets c. 3. n. 79. Water to be mingled with Wine in the Consecration of the Eucharist c. 2. n. 2. t. m. Wicliff no Protestant his and his Disciples habit c. 3. n. 80. Whitaker's impudent justification of Calvin's branding c. 1. n. 37. His false imputation upon Pope Siricius c. 1. n. 2. t. m. He condemns the antient Fathers for holding that Antichrist is one single person n. 3. t. m. He falsly saies that Innocencius the third began Transubstantiation n. 16. His impudent provocation to the first 600. years n. 22. Continent Widdows the Sanctuary of God n. 1. Mr. Wotton falsifies St. Ignatius n. 6. m. X ST Xaverius his miracles in the Indies and the incorruption of his body acknowledged by Protestants c. 4. n. 3. Xenaias the first opposer of Images c. 2. n. 12. t. m. Z ZOzomenus followed Socrates in his false report of Paphnutius and is affirmed by St. Gregory to have lyed much in his Writings c. 2. n. 2. Of Zuinglius c. 1. from n. 22. to n. 39. To cloak his acknowledged incontinency he affirms that St. Paul found no other cause of Marriage but to sattisfie Lust n. 22. He was taught in a dream which Hospinian calls a Revelation to impugne the Masse n. 23. t. m. He taxes Luther for contradicting himself to temporise n. 24. m. Himself did shamfully the same but saies he Invenite Domino p. 80 1. He calls Gods promise of reward Hyperbolicall p. 81. Original sinn no sinn but a Disease which deserves not Damnation n. 25. t. m. and is reproved for it by his Brethren p. 82. t. m. He teacheth that Heathens never beleiving in Christ are saved if they have a pious mind For this also his Brethren reprove him n. 26. t. m. That neither St. Paul or any of the Apostles thought their own Writings Canonicall or could think so but with extream Arrogancy n. 27 Wheresoever be finds in Scripture This is my Body This is my Blood for is he puts signifies for which Schlusselburg reprehends him p. 84 5. He saies that to God who is bound by no Law 't is an honor to move to sinn but in man who is bound by Law it is a sinn n. 35. That Civill Magistrates opposing his Doctrine must be resisted by the Sword and deposed n. 36. Armed in this quarrell he was killed and died as Protestants affirm a Child of Hell n. 36. t. m. FINIS ERRATA PAg. 22. Line 18. in the text read Charke p. 25. l. ult t. r. Charke p. 30. l. 28. t. r. est p. 72. l. 26. t. r. lecto p. 94. l. 18. t. r. Parker p. 158. l. 31. t. r. graves p. 159. l. 13. t. r. vocasse p. 162. l. 9. t. r. mulierem p. 102. l. 11. t. r. cohabitante p. 200. l. 26. t. r. Apostolos p. 221. l. 31. m. r. Archiepiscope p. 222. l. 36. m. r. latere p 231. l. 2. m. r. Eusebius p. 257. l. 16. m. r. constat p. 273. l. 29. t. r. to p. 276. l. 29. m. r. negare p. 346. l. 21. t. r. a divers p. 349. l. 26. t. r. nomine p. 350. l. 24. t. dele not p. 352. l. 24. t. r. cubitum p. 360. l. 6. t. r. no. p. 375. l. 24. t. r. is p. 367. l. ult m. r. for p. 368. l. 35. m. Annuas p. 389. l. 31. t. adde next to the word error to free her from actuall sinn if c.