Zuarez teach as well by preseruing her from sinne by his preuenting grace before she were touched with any infection as by cleansing her after she was once defiled As a man may be saued out of a dangerous pit eyther by warning giuen before or succour yielded after his fall 6. Our Blessed Lady reioyced in God her Sauiour she was the Queene of his chosen flocke redeemed by him by speciall preuention that she might not sinne not by subuention after her ruine Some peraduenture more curious in reading then iudicious or cunning in expounding the Fathers will vrge out of S. Augustine Nullus redimitur nisi is qui verè per peccatum fuerit antea captiuus No man is redeemed but he that hath serued vnder the yoke of sinne Which because the good Angells neuer did our Sauiour Christ who merited grace glory to them is not properly sayd to haue redeemed them No more can he be sayd to eÌ„sranchise our Blessed Lady if she were neuer subiect to the bondage of sinne I answere it is true that he who is redeemed must haue beene first captiued either in himselfe or in the roote and origen from whence he springeth The good Angells were neither of these wayes euer inwrapped ad Rom. 3. v. 23. in the bandes of iniquity but the Virgin Mary howbeit she neuer sinned neither actually or originally in her selfe yet she truely proceeded from that roote or Hest. c. 15. vers 13. In Lege princeps §. de legibus Gen. 34. v. 16. v. 19. Aug. l. de natura gratia cap. 36. Cyp. ser de natiuitat Christi Amb. ser 22. in Psal 118. virgo per gratiaÌ„ ab onmi integra labe peccati Nissen ho. 13. in CaÌ„tic. Ansel l. de concep virg l. de exâ—ellen virg c. 3. Bonauent in 3. sent d. 3. Richard Victor â—an 39. Cant. 4. Iob. c. 6. v. 2. of spring in her parents from whence she should haue drawn by naturall propagation the corruption of sin had she not beene miraculously preserued and after this manner most perfectly redeemed had she not been by a singular prerogatiue exempted from that generall senteÌ„ce of S. Paul All haue sinned and need the glory of God Had she not beene priuiledged by God as Hester was by Assuerus when he spake vnto her Non pro te sed pro omnibus haec Lex constituta est Not for thee but for all this Law was enacted To which purpose Vlpianus sayth The Prince is not subiect to his owne Lawes and the Empresse although she be subiect yet the Prince graunteth her the same priuiledges himself enioyeth The Mother of God was the Queen the Lady the Empresse of the world to whome as her Sonne imparted that vnmatchable fauour to be free from the common malediction imposed vpon women In dolo reparies In dolour and griefe shalt thou bring forth thy children to be free from the vniuersall decree inflicted vpon all both men women In puluerem reuerteris Thou shalt returne into dust so likewise from the generall and absolute sentence of the Apostle All haue sinned c. 7. Therefore S. Augustine reckoning vp all the Patriarkes Prophets and iust persons to haue beene stayned with the blemish of some venial fault excepteth alwayes our Blessed Lady Of whome sayth he for the honour of our Lord when we talke of sinnes I will haue no question With whome S. Cyprian S. Ambrose Gregory Nissen S. Anselme S. Bonauenture and Richardus Victorinus agree who attribute vnto her that saying of the Canticles Thou art wholy beautifyed my beloued and there is no spot or blemish in thee No spot no blemish of sinne suffering notwithstanding many dolorous griefes she abounded with great satisfaction treasured vp in the store-house of the Church 8. Iob abounded with the like affirming of himself I would to God my sinnes by which I haue prouoked the wrath of God and the calamity which I suffer were waighed in a ballance like the sand of the sea this would seeme more heauy S. Mary Magdalen Colos 1. v. 24. the Apostles sundry Martyrs and other holy persons haue abounded with the like Especially S. Paul who writeth thus I accomplish those thinges that want of the Passions of Christ in my flesh for his body which is the Church Fulke in c. â— ad Colos sect 4. And what was this which was wanting to the sufferings of Christ Was there any defect in his PassioÌ„ No. Was this suffering then of the Apostle only as M. Fulke answereth for the glory of God and confirmation of the Church in fayth of the Ghospell No. It was also as th wordes enforce to fullfill the plenitude of Christs and his members passions for the benefit of the Church and behoofe of others to Aug. in Psal 6â— whome they be communicated For as Christ our head withall his elect make one mysticall common and publicke body so his sufferings with the afflictions of his members concurre to make vp as S. Augustine sayth one common and publique weale one generall and publicke treasure To which when we add we accomplish with S. Paul Aug. ibid. Orig hom 10. 24. in Num. that which is wanting to the Passions of Christ and for the debt of sinne according to our meane ability to speake with the same S. Augustine we pay that we owe. Which Origen also taught long before him and strengthned with some testimonyes of holy Writ 9. Touching the second point that this common treasure of penall afflictions is dispensable vnto others by them to whome God hath committed the gouernement Matth. 18. of his Church is likewise plaine by those wordes of Christ Whatsoeuer yee shall loose vpon earth shall be loosed in heauen And principally by those he vsed to S. Peter Matth. 16. Whatsoeuer thou shalt loose in earth shal be loosed also in the heauens which being generally spoken without restriction are not only to be expounded of all spirituall power to forgiue sinnes in the holy Sacraments by application of Christs merits but also to release punishment out of the Sacrament by dispensing his owne and his Saints satisfactions 1. Cor. 2. Theodoret vpon this place Cyp. ep 13. 14. 15. Tertul. l. ad Martyr Concil 1. Nicaen can â—1 Thus S. Paul graunted Indulgence to the incestuous Corinthian of his deserued punishment whome at the intercession as Theodoret writeth of Timothy and Titus he pardoned in the person of Christ Thus the Bishops of the Primitiue Church gaue many pardons and Iudulgences to sundry Penitents by the mediation of Confessours or designed Mattyrs of which S. Cyprian and Tertullian make mention Thus the first Councell of Nice appointed mercy and Indulgence to be vsed to such as perfectly repented wheras others should performe and expect their whole tyme of pennance All these pardons and many morâ— which S. Gregory the a Tho. in 4. sent dis 20. q. 1 art 3. Great b Abbas Vrspergen in chron Fulke in c.
his spirit which secretly he powreth into Infants also as they then so likewise we are iustifyed not by actuall and imputatiue but by habituall and inhabtant Iustice inwardly cleansing and adorning our soules 8. Sixtly as no man can be truly accounted the obiect of Gods hatred and worthy of damnation by the meere imputation of fault vnles he be faulty indeed and guilty of crime so as Gabriel Vasquez solidly disputeth none can be reputed the obiect of his loue and worthy Gab. Vasquez in 1. 2. disp 206. cap. 3. of heauen by the extrinsecall will of God not imputing sinne or imputing Iustice vnles he be truely free from sin and endowed with Iustice Againe as no man can be made truly and formally wise by the wisdom which is in another or liue by the life which another enioyeth so neither formally iust by the iustice which is in another Abbot in his defence c. 4. fol. 423. 424. and so not by the Iustice which is in Christ M. Abbot in his defence answereth That a man may be formally iust two manner of wayes A man is one way formally iust in quality another way formally iust in law And then he graunteth That it were absurd indeed that a man should be formally iust in quality by the iustice of another But he may be sayth he formally iust in law For in the course of Law and iudgment the forme of Iustice is not to be subiect to crime or accusation he is formally iust against whome no action or accusation is lyable by law c. And this is the state of our Iustice and righteousnes in the sight of God Hath not he shaped a fine answere very sutable to Scriptures and much to the credit of Christ his Maister For did he giue Tit. 2. v. 24. himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all antiquity and might cleanse to himselfe a people acceptable Did he shed his pretious bloud to take away our sinnes purging vs by the lauer of water in the word And hath he only performed it by immunity from punishment not by cancelling and purging Ioan. 1. v. 29. z. loan 3. v. 5. ad Ephes 5. v. 26. Ioan. 17. v. 19. Rom. 8. v. 15 2. Petr. 1. v. 3. ad Ephes 4. v. 14. Feild l. 3. c. 44. of the Church fol. 178. our faults The Scriptures manifestly teach That he sanctifyed himselfe that we might also be sanctifyed in truth giueth vs his spirit of adoption most great and pretious promises that by these we may be made partakers of the diuine nature created a new in iustice and holynes of truth And is all this done in the externall proceeding and course of law remaining in our selues still tainted with the inherence of sinne 9. All Philosophers accord that the denomination of a subiect is more truly and properly taken from the inherent quality which abydeth in it then from the outward forme which is referred vnto it as a Black Moore although he be apparelled in a white liuery is properly notwithstanding tearmed blacke of his innate blacknes not white of his outward habit Therefore if vve be truly sinners by invvard infection If the inherence of sin as Field confesseth be acknowledged in euery iustifyed person notwithstanding his iustification howsoeuer the iustice of Christ be Feild ibid. imputed vnto vs to free vs from the processe of the Law yet we cannot be truly tearmed iust holy innocent and imâ—aculate the children of God and heires of heauen as we are often called in holy Write Being as I say in very deed impure defiled channels of sinne by the inherence therof and consequently in our selues slaues to Sathan worthy hell worthy damnation Neither is it inough to say we may be accounted innocent because no inditement can be drawne no accusation heard no attachement take place against vs for as the guilt of sinne and heynousnes of treason goeth before the desert of punishment much more before the action or accusation which is layd to our charge so the exemption or immunity from the executioÌ„ of the law is no acquittance or freedome from the desert much lesse from the guiltynes or treachery of our harts Therefore the holy Ghost who iudgeth of vs as we are indeed should falsly tearme vs holy iust c. once darknes now light in our Lord if we be still darckned with the mists of sinne and are only freed from the punishment thereof 10. Moreouer what if M. Feild the polisher of the rough and crabbed speaches of other Protestants the refiner of their impure doctrine what if himselfe auow that sinne still lurketh in the faythfull not wholy exempted from all action in law but only from dominion and Feild 3. l. c. 44. f. 178. guilt of condemnation Read his wordes once againe and returne your verdict of him The inherence of sinne the iustifyed man acknowledgeth in himselfe notwithstanding his iustification which still subiecteth him to Gods displeasure and punishments Feild ibid accompanying the same Againe in the same page continuing his discourse of the iustifyed he sayth They are not already freed actually from the inherence of sinne and the displeasure of God disliking it But how can he be formally iust by course of law free from all crime action and accusation in whose spotted soule sinne still inhereth lyable to punishments and which is worse obnoxious to the disfauour of God hating and disliking it Shall I not thinke these iarring Ministers like the ancient Southsayers of whome Tully reporteth laugh the people to scorne and make merry among themselues in their secret meetinges when they remember with what contrary tales and lying fables they beguile their Readers For shall not I thinke this a cosening deuise a most exorbitant course that the Father of heauen should not absolutly extinguish but wincke at our faults cloake our iniquityes fauour whome he hateth wrong his Iustice and falsify his word in not punishing sinners according to the rate of their misdeserts for the loue of his Sonne vvho either vvould not or could not offer an equiualent ransome for Cal. 4. v. 6. the cleansing of our soules heere vpon earth 11. The seauenth is that we all participate of the same spirit with Christ our Sauiour Because you are sonnes Ioan. 1. v. 16. God hath sent the spirit of his Sonne into your harts We liue with his spiritual life of his fullnes we all haue receaued We receaue of the same fullnes life of grace in substance although not in perfection that in substance which the Angels enioyed in their state of merit for all the members of one mysticall body partake of one life the members enioy the same property of life with the head the branches are nourished with the sapp or iuyce which springeth from the vyne but the spirituall life and Iustice of Christ both is and was heere vpon earth inherent the Iustice of Angells inherent and pleasing to God therefore ours must of necessity
8. 2. ad Cor sect 3. 2. Cor. 1. v. 6. Collos 1. v. 24. Rom. 9. v. 3. Orig. hom 10. 24. in Num. 2. Cor. 8. v. 14. Leo the third c Anton 2. p. hist tit 16. cap. ◠§. 23. Vrban the second d Ludgerâ—â— ep de S. Swiberto apud Surium tom 2. Innocentius the third and others graunted were alwayes dispensed out of the publike treasure of the Church 10. Moreouer it is conformable to Gods iustice auswerable to the Communion of Saints which we professe in our Creed agreable to the mutuall intercourse between members of the same body that the wants of one be supplyed by the store of others and that there be as I say a communication of benefits not only from the head to the members but also from one member to the rest of his fellow-members After which manner not only the chiefe Magistrates and Stewards of Gods house to whom he hath giuen commission to dispense his misteryes all his goods but euery particular man may by speciall intentioÌ„ apply not his spirituall merits as M. Fulke contentiously cauilleth but his satisfactory workes with which he aboundeth to such as need them So S. Paul offered his afflictions one while for the Corinthians another while for the Colossians now he desired to dye for the Romans then to be Anathema that is A Sacrifice as Origen expoundeth it for the Iewes For this cause he exhorteth the Corinthians to contribute largely to the poore of Hierusalem saying Let in this present tyme your aboundance supply their want that their aboundance may supply your want As if he should say communicate you now vnto them the superfluity Chrysost Theod. Thom. Haymo Primas Ambros Oecum Theophil in hunc locum Fulke ibid. sect 3. of your worldly wealth that you may interchangeably receaue from them the supererogatioÌ„ of their spirituall good deeds Of their integrity of life and trust in God sayth S. Chrysostome Of their commendable patience Theodoret Of their prayers S. Thomas Of their fastings Haymo And of many other such spirituall blessings which Primasius S. Ambrose Oecumenius and Theophilact insinuate So as M. Fulkes saucines is detestable in forcing most of them to his priuate sense against their words and meaning against the text of S. Paul and this profitable exchange of spirituall fauours for temporall gifts 11. In fine King Dauid plainely acknowledgeth the mutuall communication of which now I treate saying Psal 118. Psal 12â— v. 3. I am made partaker of all that feare our Lord. And speaking of the Church which he calleth Hierusalem he sayth It is built as a Citty whose participation is in it selfe that is as in a politicke Common-wealth or publike Citty there is a generall trafficke for the common good of all euery particuler mans necessity so in the Church or Citty of God there is a participation or communion of spiritual workes of all to one end to one publike benefite and for the behoofe of euery priuate person In our naturall body one member sayth S. Augustine speaketh in behalfe of the Aug. in Psal 30. con 1. August tract 33. in Ioan. other The foot is troden on the tongue cryeth Why doest thou hurt me And in another place The eye only seeth in the body But what Doth the eye see to it selfe alone It seeth to the hand it seeth to the foot it seeth to the rest of the members c. The hand only worketh But what Doth it worke to it selfe It worketh to the eye So the foot walketh and laboureth for the rest of the members c. The same we see in a body Politicke One Cittizen taketh paine and dischargeth the debt of his fellowcittyzen Why then in this mysticall body of the Church 1. Cor. 12. Matth. 5â— Luc. â— which S. Paul compareth to a naturall our Sauiour to a Politike body why I say may not one member suffer affliction and by satisfying the iustice of God according to his weaknes redeeme the fine of punishment which is laid vpon another Because sayth M. Fulke it is written Fulke in c. 1. ad Colos sect 4. Ezech. 18. v. 20. ad Gala. 6. v. 5. Psal 48. v. 8. The soule which sinneth euen that shall dye Euery one shall beare his owne burden And No man can redeeme his brother or giue a price to God for him A weake battery to shake the Fort of my former reasons For there is no questioÌ„ but the soule which sinneth mortally of which Ezechiel speaketh incurreth without sorrow and repentance eternal death No question but euery one shall beare his owne burden in way of merit or demerit albeit he may be holpen by others in way of satisfaction It is likewise out of doubt Basil in comment in hunc locum that no man can giue a ransome to deliuer his brother from the guilt of sinne and danger of damnation as S. Basil expoundeth that passage Neuertheles he may giue a price dedicated in the bloud of Christ to redeem him froÌ„ the punishment the fault being pardoned 12. But M. Fulke obiecteth Our Buls or Plenaryes are giuen à culpa poena Both from the fault and paine They M. Fulke in ca. â— 2. Cor. sect 4. 6. graunt a full remission of all sinnes as may be seene in the grand Iubiley of Pope Boniface the eight and in that which Leo the tenth granted to the Hospitall of S. Spiritus in Saxia Almae Vrbis I confesse such wordes may be sometyme inserted not that by the force of Pardons the guilt of sinne is released but because they alwayes require as a necessary disposition in sinners either the benefit of absolution or perfect Contrition when absolution cannot be obtained Therefore they are sayd to giue a Plenary or full remission of sinnes to pardon the fault and punishment the fault by contrition or by the Sacrament of Confession the punishment which remayneth by the Charter of Indulgence 13. Then M. Fulke excepteth against the number of M. Fulke in ca. 2. 2. ad Cor. sect 7. yeares some Pardons containe as thousands of yeares and Lents besides full remission of all sinnes I answere when any pardon expresseth many thousand yeares Indulgence they are vnderstood of the years or Lents of Pennance which by the ancient Canons of the Church were inflicted vpon sinners For whereas they assigned sometymes 7. sometymes 10. now 12. now 15. now 30. yeares punishment sometyme the mourning of the whole remnant of our Vide Burchar Epis VVorma de poenit Decret l. 19. de fornicat Decret l 17 Vbi haec probat ex Conc. Ancyran c. 15. ex poenitentiali Theod. ex Decrâ—t Eutychi Papae ex poen Romano Iob. c. 15. 1â— life for certaine enormous crimes and often 40. dayes or a Lent of Pennance for lesser sinnes How many thousand yeares and how many Lents of such due correction are they behind on the score who haue a commoÌ„ custome of sinning drinke
29. Act. 9. v. 17. Act. 23. v. 11. 1. Cor 15. v. 5. Act. 23. v. 11. Act. 22. v. 78. 15. depart from the right hand of his Father as Scripture teacheth and Protestants do confesse He must needes therefore be at the same tyme in heauen and vpon earth in most remote and separate places For if M. Sparkes answere with Caluin and his consortes that Christ appeared either in the heauens to S. Paul or that these were not true but imaginary apparitions S. Luke himselfe reproueth them saying That Christ appeared to S. Paul not in the heauens but in via in the way Not a farâ—e off but neere at hand assistens ei standing by him Not as to S. Steuen but as to Cephas to Iames to the fifty brethren Not aboue the cloudes in any vnknowne place but vpon the earth in the Castle of Claudius Lysias Tribune of the souldiers Not in a traunce or illusion by night but in a cleare vision in a plaine conference at noone day so as he might see the iust one and heare his voyce out of his owne mouth Lastly not by any imaginary reprâ—sentation but by such a true and perfect apparition as the Resurrection of Christ is proued therby 1. Cor. 15. Chrys hom 38. in c 15. 1. Cor. Tho. 3. p. 4. 57. art 6. ad 3. Bils 4. par pag. 793. Chrys lib. 3. de Sacer. For which cause either at some of these tymes he appeared truly to S. Paul as S. Chrysostome and S. Thomas conclude euen in his owne proper person and with his naturall body or S. Paul deceiptfully proueth Christs Resurrection by his apparition vnto him To accuse S. Paul is to appeach the holy Ghost of fraud and deceipt to graunt he truly appeared is to subscribe to his being in many places And consequently that of S. Chrysostome which M. Bilson phraseth an Hyberbolicall vehemency is an absolute verity In the tyme of our Sacrifice he that sitteth aboue with his Father at that very instant and moment of tyme is handled with the hands of all 22. Another repugnance against which M. Bilson Bils 4. par pag. 794. 795. c. mightily inueygheth is That we make the body of Christ in the Eucharist without the propertyes of humane shape length extension c. because we defend it to be wholy and indiuisible in euery part of the Blessed Host as the soule of man is wholy in the head wholy in the feet and wholy in euery part of the body But this likewise by the Almighty hand of God may easily be effectuated For to be corporally or locally confined to any determinate place is no such absolute and inherent necessity no essentiall Bils locis citatis property as M. Bilson how diligent soeuer in other points not diuing in this into depth of Philosophy inconsideratly mantayneth but only an accidental quality relation or sequell which naturally followeth euery bodily substance as heate floweth from the nature of fire and grauity or weight from the condition of any earthly or heauy thing Yet as God supernaturally suspended Dan. 3. v. â—0 Matth. 14. v. 26. the actioÌ„ of heate in the Furnace of Babylon froÌ„ burning the three Children the poyse of his earthly body when he walked vpon the waters so he may also separate and seclude all locall extension from the quantity of his flesh and bloud whose essence only consisteth in the inward proportion of shape extension of parts in respect of themselues wherby one part is truely distinguished and immediatly conioyned to this and not to that other which inward extension distinction and proportion the body of Christ retayneth albeit it be wholy in the whole and wholy in euery part of the consecrated Host Eutychius the Patriarch of Constantinople Euty apud Nic. lib. 3. â—nnal about one thousand yeares agoe expressed this by the voice of man which being one only collision or beating of the ayre is wholy notwithstanding heard of many hundred togeather and wholy receaued into the Organ of euery particuler mans hearing as the body of Christ is wholy contayned vnder euery particle of the sacred host 23. The third false supposed implicancy by our Aduersaryes is the separation we affirme of the externall formes of bread and wine and making them abide without their substances for therein we destroy as they imagine the Nature it selfe of accidents whose innate and essentiall property is in their conceite to inhere in their subiects But heere in they bewray the like ignorance as before Because all the best Philosophers deny inherency to be any essentiall condition of an accident and the chiefe of Peripatetickes Aristotle himselfe Arist lib. 3. de anima tex 9. sayth greatnes is one thing and the existency of greatnes another Now if the existency be different much more the inherency which is the quality and manner of existency Basil in Hexam ho. 6. The same is taught and proued by S. Basil who affirmeth that the accident of light was first created in the beginning and remained without a subiect and that the spheare or globe of the Sunne was after made as a waggon or chariot for that original light Then meeting with this our Protestants cauillation that an accident caÌ„not be without a subiect he addeth Say not vnto me it is impossible that the light should be separated from the body of the Sunne For neither do I affirme this separation possible to thee or me but I iudge it auoucheable that such thinges as by the thought and cogitation of the mind may be seuered the power of him that created both can actually and indeed part and disseuer The adustine and burning force of the fire thou truly canst not separate from the gloming brightnes thereof but God diuided them in the fiery bush wherin he appeared to his seruant Moyses Yea and the like strange anatomy his mighty hand will make as that great Doctour goeth forward of the whole element of fire when in the later day he will separate according to him The hoat and scorching violence from the cleare light or Basil ibid. splendour thereof and depute that to hell for the due punishment of the reprobate aduance this to heauen for the comfort of his elect Besides al learned deuines auer the personality of Christ S. Thom. â— part q. 4 art 2. Cyril epist ad Nestor 5. Synod can 5. â—ulg lib. de incar c. 4. which is a substantiall mode or manner of being alike intrinsecal to substaÌ„ce as inherency is to any accident to be secluded froÌ„ his humane nature the humane nature to subsist without his proper person which although it be a greater and deeper mistery theÌ„ that we haue now in hand yet this parity I find betweene them that as the humane nature of Christ doth efficiently subsist supported by the person of the word without the formal effect of subsistency so the accidents of bread and wine doe heer remaine efficiently preserued by the
chastise all the members of Christs mysticall body Thirdly he subioyneth Whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth it shall be bound also in the heauens Fourthly whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth it shall be loosed also in the heauens that is whatsoeuer punishment thou shalt inflict either of excoÌ„munication suspension interdiction or degradation or whatsoeuer other spirituall Censure for he speaketh without restriction the same shall be ratified by Almighty God whatsoeuer of these thou shalt release the same shall be released in the heauens aboue Vpon which words Origen obserueth no small Orig. tract 6. in Math. difference betweene Peter and the rest of the Apostles because to them the Keyes of one heauen were giuen to Peter of many Whereupon he inferreth they had not authority in such perfection as Peter to bind and loose in all the heauens 5. Our Aduersaryes not doubting of the highest soueraignty M. Reyn-in his CoÌ„ference with M. Hart c. 2. diuis 1. M. Bils in his booke of Christian subiection par 1. fol. 62. 63. Reyn. ibi diuis 2. which by these singular priuiledges are betokened apply some to Christ some to all the Apostles but none peculiar to Peter alone For the first prerogatiue both M. Reynoldes and M. Bilson attribute vnto Christ affirming either him to be the Rocke vpon which the Church is built or the fayth which Peter pronounced of him and not Peter pronouncing the same The second the third and fourth Reynolds extendeth to all the Apostles because to them all the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen were giuen the power of binding and loosing and not only to Peter Silly men who see not how they crosse themselues in their owne answeres For our Sauiour speaking of one matter to one person in one and the same sentence to whomesoeuer he made the first promise to him he made the rest Therefore if he promised the Keyes to all the Apostles vpon them all he promised to build his Church and not vpon Christ Or if he promised to build his Church vpon himselfe to himselfe he promised the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen to himselfe he promised all power of binding loosing which had beene as impertinent to our Sauiours discourse as dissonant from truth For Christ had all that power before euen from the first houre he began to plante his Church he already enioyed those priuiledges not giuen by himselfe as the iurisdiction heere mentioned but imparted by his Father from whome he was sent 6. Againe as those answeres encounter one another The words of Christ import some extraordinary fauour to S Peter alone so they offer violence to the Text ech of them depriuing Peter of that soueraigne dignity which the whole passage of the place conueyeth vnto him For the wordes of Christ are purposly addressed to the person of Peter his name is only changed at this tyme and not any of the other Apostles he is called Rocke and none of the rest he only speaketh and professeth Christ to be the Sonne of the liuing God our Sauiour only nameth him and continually vseth the singular number yea he addeth the name of his Father to distinguish him not only from the Apostles in generall but also from the other Simon And shall not all these particiculer descriptions denote something in Peter more then in the rest If we appeale to the Greeke to the Hebrew especially to the Syriacke text in which Fabri in diction Syro-caldaicolero in c. 2. ad Gala â— language our Sauiour vttered this whole discourse it so euidently sheweth the very first promise to haue beene made to Peter and not to Christ as nothing can be more cleere For he speaking in Syriacke sayd vnto Peter Thou art Cephas and vpon this Cephas will I build my Church where the same word Cephas signifying as Guido Fabritius and S. Hierome testify a Rocke or Stone is vsed in both places And the Greeke wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though different in termination signify the same Wherefore as if Christ speaking in English had imposed vnto Simon the name of a Rocke therupon had sayd Thou art a Rocke and vpon this Rocke will I build my church there would haue beene no doubt but that he had builded his Church vpon Simon the Rocke so neither in this present speaking the same in Syrtacke 7. M. Reynolds not able to resist confesseth at length Rain c. 2. diuis 1. pag. 24. that Fabritius translateth Cephas a Rocke But Fabritius sayth he sheweth further that Cephas signifyeth a Stone also And in the page immediatly following he addeth Cephas in Greeke is expounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in English signifyeth a Stone Whereupon he counteth this a fit traÌ„slation of the former Syriacke wordes Thou art a Stone and vpon this Stone will I build my Church And what is this but to graunt the substance of the thing and wrangle about wordes For whether Peter were tearmed Rocke or Stone as long as he was that stone that singular stone which after Christ vpholdeth the frame of the militant Church of which the Apostles were part he was the fundamentall Cyr. l. 2. in Ioan c. 2. Cyâ— ep ad Quintum Tertul. l. de praescript Epipha in Ancorato Amb ser 47. Nazianz orat de moder ser Basil l. 2. in Eunomium Aug. in Psal conâ— partem Donati Bils part 1. pag. 62. Stone vpon which both they and all others were built And seeing the foundation is the same to a house which a head to a body he was the head of the whole body of the Church 8. The Fathers generally fortify the same S. Cyril writeth that Christ called Peter by the name of Rocke because on him as on a stedfast rocke or stone immoueable he was to build his Church S. Cyprian sayth Christ chose Peter vpon whome he builded his Church Tertullian tearmeth him Ecclesiae Petram The Rocke or foundation of the Church Reade the like in Epiphanius S. Ambrose S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Basil and S. Augustine of whome M. Bilson most wrongfully and slaunderously writeth That Peter is the Rocke on which the Church is built S. Augustine and others do plainely deny But what if S. Augustine deny it not plainely What if he deny it not at all What if he plainely auouch it and that in diuers places Will you euer giue credit againe to M. Bilsons writings Therfore he vpon the Psalmes sayth O Church that is O Peter because vpon this Rocke wâ—ll I build my Church Read the like vpon the 69. Psalme in his Sermons Our Lord named Peter the foundation of his Church therfore the Church rightly honoured this foundation vpon which the height of the Ecclesiasticall edifice is raysed Againe Only Peter August conc 2. in Psal 30. in Psal 69. Et ser 15. de Sanct. ser 29. qui est 5. de S. Petro Paulo Aug. l. 1. Retract cap. 21. Bils â—
O Peter enioy thy primacy and rare preheminence glory in thy dignity graunted thee by Christ and be alwayes vigilant ouer his flocke Raigne O supreme Pastour raigne thou still as head vnder him as leader of his campe as Prince of his people and that which now thou canst not performe by thy self discharge at least by thy successor the Pope of Rome in whose care and vigilancy the exercise of thy function still continueth as the subsequent Treatise shall declare THE ELEVENTH CONTROVERSY VPHOLDETH The Popes Supremay against D. Bilson and D. Reynoldes CHAP. I. MASTER BILSON treading the sleps of his fore-father Caluin requireth Bils par 1. p. 10 4. of vs to proue three things before we install the Pope in his Pontificall Sea First You must shew saith he That Peter was Supreme Gouernour of all the Church Next that this dignity was not proper to Peters Person but common to Peters Successour c. Lastly you must shew which of Peters Chaires must haue Bilson ibi Peters Priuiledge that is why Rome rather then Antioch or as Caluin vrgeth rather then Ierusalem where Christ died Caluin l. 4. â—nst c. 6. § 21. and yielded vp as it were the visible head-ship of his Church I am content to obserue this method and satisfie him in these three points The first I haue already demonstrated in the precedent Treatise the second and third I am now to declare 2. Touching the second the wordes which Christ spake the reasons which moued him to impart a Supremacy to Peter do consequently conuince it be deuolued to his Successour The words of Christ are these Thou art Peter vpon this Rocke will I build my Church c. My Church Mat. 16. saith he not a patt or portion of his Church not that part only which florished in Peters daies but all his whole Church which euer was since Christ his time or euer shall be vntill the end of the world But this could not be Chrysost Demonstr quod Christus fit Deus Ioan 21. built vpon Peter in his owne person he being deceased so many yeares agoe therefore it must be builded vpon some other insteed of Peter and so as Iohn Chrysostome eloquently discourseth still continue In like manner when our Sauiour said to Peter Pasce oues meas Feede my Sheepe did he not command him to feed all his Sheepe did he not lay a charge vpon him which he should neuer forgoe Chiefly seeing the office of a Pastour is an ordinary and perpetuall office and as long as there are any Sheepe to be fed so long there ought to be some Pastour to feed them which because Peter performed not in his owne person these many hundred yeares there must needes be some other to execute it in his roome in respect of whom S. Peter may be still said to accomplish his duty and feed the Sheepe entrusted to his charge Whereupon Ieo sâ—r 2. de sua assumpt S. Leo writeth of Peter In whom the care of all Pastours with the custody of the Sheepe committed vnto him still perseuereth and whose worthy dignity in his vnworthy Successour faileth not In the Councell of Calcedon when an Epistle of Leo the Pope Concil Calcedon act 2. act 3. was read all the Fathers cried out that Peter spake by the mouth of Leo. And when sentence was pronounced against Dioscorus the Patriarch of Alexandria the whole Councell deliuered that Leo endued with the authority of Peter the Apostle deposed Dioscorus 3. Whereby it is euident that the Pastorall priuiledge granted to Peter was not restrayned to him but extended to others not giuen him as a priuate but as a publike person and therefore still to continue to them that succeed I presume you are not ignorant that a King being a publike person still continueth that he is said in the Law neuer to dy and the dignities granted to him are common to all the heyres and inheritours of Stow in his Chronicle in the yeare of our Lord 1521. pag. 865. his crowne As the thrice worthy Title of Defender of the Faith giuen to King Henry the eight by Leo the tenth Pope of that name for writing against Luther descended to king Edward passed to Queene Mary and Queene Elizabeth and now perseuereth in our most potent and dreadfull Soueraigne King Iames. The honour likewise M. Bilson enioyeth of being Prelate of the Garter is annexed to his Sea and deriued to him from his Predecessors The same is seene not only in Titles and Prerogatiues of honour but in priuiledges also of power imparted to Citties Dukedoms Common-wealths or publike Magistrates both Ecclesiasticall and Temporall who as they neuer faile so neither the honours dignities and prerogatiues they once enioy Such was the Primacy communicated vnto Peter not personall but publike Chrysolog in epist aâ— Eutyâ—h Read S. Aug. in Psal 44. vpon those words For thy Fathers Sonnes are born to thee that is For Apostls Bishops succeding in their roome not proper to him but common to his Successours in whom he euen now suruiueth speaketh and feedeth the Sheepe of Christ with the food of heauenly doctrine as S. Peter Chrysologus Bishop of Rauenna declareth writing thus in his daies Blessed Peter who liueth and gouerneth in his owne proper seat deliuereth the verity of faith to them that seeke it 4. The reasons which caused our blessed Redeemer to aduance Peter to this soueraigne dignity were all for the behoofe and benefit of the Church First to preuent schismes Secondly to appease dissensions Thirdly to settle it in peace Fourthly to endow it with a most perfect forme of a Common-wealth All which enforce that it was not a priuate grace annexed to Peters person but a publike priuiledge conueyed to his Successours For if these things be now as behoofull and necessary to the Church as then why should she not still enioy them Is Christ become lesse carefull of his Church then heretofore Or hath this faultlesse Virgin the pure Spouse of our Lord committed any fault by which she should be depriued of the benefit he bestowed vpon her If she be the same well ordered Campe how is she disappointed of her guide and Captaine If the same Ship how sayleth she without a Pilot If the same body how is she separated from her Head How is she become so prodigious a monster as to haue a visible body with an inuisible head because if none succeeded Peter the visible body of the Church hath had this long time no other then Christ Titus Liuius The Protestants will haue the church first gouerned by Christ alone next by the Apostles then by al Bishops after by Kings and Free stats wheÌ„ they were conuerted to the faith by Queen Elizabeth a woman by King Edward a Child Dan. 2. Luc. 1. her inuisible head 5. If none succeeded Peter the whole state of the Church is altered and changed changed from a Monarchy to Aristocracy from the administration of one
to the rule of many It was a Monarchy when Christ alone planted and founded it a Monarchy when Peter ruled it and is it now fallen to a more vnperfect forme of gouernment The Common-wealth of the Romans which flourished aboue all others was at last vtterly ruined by her manifold alterations by altering the sterne of regiment from Kings to ten Gouernours from them to Consuls from Consuls to Tribunes of souldiours from Tribunes to Dictatours from Dictatours to Trium-viri and could not our heauenly Law-maker preuent in his spirituall Common-wealth these great inconueniences Would he subiect his Church to such chops and changes to be gouerned first by one then by many after by more now by the Cleargy then by the Laity one while by Bishops then by Kings and Princes heere by Women there by Children whome you make heads and Gouernours of your Church Daniel prophesied that the God of Heauen would raise a kingdome which should neuer be dissolued and the Angell Gabriel foretould it should neuer haue end But neither the wordes of the Prophet nor voice of the Angell do you regard who rent and deuide the kingdome of Christs Church into as many seuerall Common-wealthes as there be seuerall Kinges seuerall Courts of Parlament seueral estates and manners of gouernement absolute and independant in the whole Christian World 6. The Synagogue of the lewes long triumphed in the lineall succession of her High Priests First in Aaron next in Eleazarus then in Phinees and in others after him vntill the end and abrogation of the Law and is it not meete the Church of Christ should glory in the like Being Heb. 8. v. 6 established in better promises and hauing greater necessity theÌ„ euer the Synagogue had For we find by experience many strifes contentions daily happen among the people of God who shal appease quiet theÌ„ The Bishops But how often do they arise among the Bishops themselues The Primates and Patriarches And what if they be also at variance as Flauianus and Dioscorus Cyrillus and Nestorius Euphemius and Petrus Mogus were The temporall Prince or Ciuill Magistrate But they ought not to intermedle with Ecclesiasticall affaires their factions may be more dangerous then any of the former To whome shall we then repaire To a Generall Councell But who shall sommon who shall order who shall direct and guide this Assembly What if they decline from the truth as the Councell of Ariminum the Councell of Milan the second Councell of Ephesus did who shall iudge their cause Who shall compose their dissentions vnles some one be appointed by the prouidence of God whose decree is iÌ„nuiolable and whose infallible censure all ought to obey Couell in his exam against the Plea of Innocents pag. 107. Cartwright in his second Reply part 1. pag. 582. 7. Otherwise as D. Couell our English Protestant affirmeth The Church of Christ should be in a farre worse case then the meanest Common-wealth nay almost then a denne of theeues if it were left destitute of meanes either to conuince heresyes or suppresse them A little before he sayth Authority which cannot be where all are equall must procure vnity and obedience And Cartwright This point of keeping peace in the Church is one of those which requireth as well a Pope ouer all Arch-bishops as one Arch-bishop ouer all Bishops in a Realme Melancthon pursueth the same reason The Bishop sayth Melanct. in Centu. Ep. Theol. Ep. 74. iuxta edit Bipont an Domini 1597. Luâ—h in lo. com Clas 1. cap. 37. p. 107. he of Rome is president ouer all Bishops and this Canonicall policy no wise man as I thinke doth or ought to disallow c. For the Monarchy of the Bishop of Rome is in my opinion profitable to this end that consens of Doctrine may be retained Which Luther his maister taught before him Whereas God would haue one Catholike Church throughout the whole world it is necessary to haue one people Yea and of this one people one Father ought to be chosen 8. Thus these Protestants depose against their own confederates and no maruell though some in so cleare light of Scripture in such a general consent of Councels 1. Cor. c. 12. vers 21. Io. 10. v. 16. Fathers and all antiquity should voluntarily approue a truth so manifest maruell no more approue it great maruell they remember not all the comparisons of S. Paul resembling the Church to a body in which the head Concil Nicen. can 6. Concil Brach. can 28. 23. Concil Constant apud Theod l. 5. Hist c. 9 Concil Lateran c. 5. Florent in Declarat fidei Conc. Chal. Act. 3. in relatione Sanctae Synodi ad B. PapaÌ„ Leonem 6. Synodus general cannot say to the feete as Christ might you are not necessary for me The prophesy recorded by S. Iohn There shal be one fold and one pastour Which as it was not verifyed in Christ his tyme so it cannot be now vnderstood only of him our inuisible Pastour but the flocke and fold being visible the Pastour whose office is ordinary and charge perpetuall must likewise be visible 9. What shall I adde the approbation of generall Councells Of the first Councell of Nice in Bithynia of the Councell of Brachara in Spaine of the Councell of Constantinople in Thracia of the Councells of Lateran and Florence in Italy especially of the Councell of Chalcedon in Asia one of the foure which our English Protestants allow where Pope Leo is called The vniuersall Arch-bishop The vniuersall Patriarch The Bishop of the vniuersall Church The Pope of the vniuersall Church Where the whole Councell tearmeth Leo The Interpreter of S. Peters voyce to all the world Where they acknowledge him their head and themselues his members Where they all confesse That the custody or keeping of the vineyard that is of the whole Church is committed by our Sauiour to Leo. Likewise the sixth Generall Synod confesseth that S. Peter was with them by his Successour Agatho and that S. Peter spake by Agatho his mouth 10. From the Councels I passe to the Fathers to S. Chrys l. 2. de Sacer. Hiero. Ep. ad Dam Hiero. ibid. Aug. in Psal cont part Donati de Vtilitate Cred. c. 17. Aug. in Epist. 162. Aug. lib. 1. con 2. Ep. Pela c. 1. ad Bonifa Prosper li. de ingrat Victor l. 2. de persecu Vandal Vincen in suo CoÌ„mo â—ustinian Ep. ad Io. quae habetur in Codice Iraen l. 3. cap. 3. Chrysostome Why did our Lord shed his bloud Truely to redeeme those sheep the care of which he committed both to Peter also to his Successours To S. Hierome writing to Damasus the Pope of Rome With the Successour of the Fisher-man and with the Disciple of the Crosse I speake I following none chiefe but Christ hold the fellow-ship of Communion with your Holynesse that is with Peters Chaire Vpon that Rocke I know the Church to be built Whosoeuer shall eate the Paschall Lambe out
Christ by water and the holy Ghost in the regenerate it is wholy cleansed and washed away against our Protestants who stifly contend Originall sinne to be an inheritable peruersnes an vniuersall corruption spread ouer the whole man and defiling him in all parts powers both of body and soule Whereby from the head to the foote he is so ouerwhelmed as with an ouerflowing of water that no part of him is free from sinne Neither doth this prauity in their opinion euer cease but like as a burning fornace bloweth out flame and sparkles or as a spring doth without ceasing cast out water So that peruersnes neuer ceaseth in vs but continually bringeth forth the works of the flesh In so much as whatsoeuer we thinke speake or labour to effect is stayned with the floud of this infectious streame and which is worst of al they affirme this cankred corruption to cleaue so fast vnto vs as it can neuer be scoured forth not by the oyle of grace not by the strength of fayth not by the pretious bath of Christs sacred bloud not by any help of vertue or fauour from aboue as long as coÌ„cupiscence the law of the flesh which perseuereth vntill death according to them is formally sinne inordinatly resisteth or stubbornely rebelleth against Greg. de valent 12. disp 6. q. 12. tom 1. Field in his 3. booke of the Church c. 26. f. 131. Feild ibid. Abbot in his defence cap. 2. VVhitaker l. de pecca origin the law of the mind 3. Whose grosse absurdityes concerning this point chiefly spring from these three heades of falshood first that Originall sinne doth nor formally consist in the losse or depriuation of any iustice grace or perfection euer restored by the merits of Christ in this earthly warfare as we maintaine but in the defect and want of the whole righteousnes which Adam enioyed before his fall The property whereof according to M. Field is to subiect all vnto God and leaue nothing voyd of him Not any inordinate appetite not any contrariety betweene the flesh and the spirit which still abyding Originall sinne also remayneth Secondly that this Originall righteousnes was essentially required to the integrity of Nature Thirdly that all declinings and swaruings from that perfect subiection vnto God and entyre coniunctioÌ„ with him which grace worketh are sinnes and decayes of natures integrity and consequently that concupiscence being a declyning from that entier subiection c. is truely and properly sinne Thus they We againe otherwise teach that the former disorders be defects woundes and decayes of Nature but not properly sinnes which that I may more clearely demonstrate I will briefly declare from whence our concupiscence or rebellion naturally ariseth what Originall sin is and what was the originall Iustice of our first Parents before they fell or felt in themselues those dangerous coÌ„flicts 4. Great was the felicity and thrice happy was See S. Iohn Damas l. 2. de fide ortho cap. 11. S. Greg. in prol 3 psal Poenit. Pererius l. 5. in Genes the state and condition of Adam at his first creation when being framed in the terrestriall Paradise by the immediate hand of God he had his soule beautifyed with grace or inherent iustice his vnderstanding endued with the perfect knowledge of all naturall and supernaturall misteryes his will rectifyed by the loue of God and strong bias of his owne inclination directly carryed to the mark of vertue he had the inferiour powers of his soule the motions of his flesh subiect vnto reason the sterne of reason pliable to the spirit the spirit alwayes obedient vnto God he had no ignorance no errour no perturbation of passions in his mind no inordinate concupiscence no Aug. l. 14. de ciuit Dei c. 26. rebellion in his flesh no propension to euill no difficulty to good No corruption sayth S. Augustine in his body no trouble or distemper by his body bred or ingendred in his senses no Read Pererius in Genes l. 5. de statu innocentiae and Gab. Vas quez in 2. 2. q. 8. dis 131. c. 7. intrinsecall disease could breake from within no extrinsecall hurt was feared from abroad perfect health in his flesh and all peace tranquility raigned in his soule There were the admirable effects this the sweet harmony which Original iustice caused betweene the flesh and the spirit Now whether these extraordinary priuiledges flowed from iustifying grace which was formally all one as the best Deuines accord with Originall Iustice or whether they were caused by the seuerall habits of sundry vertues infused to this purpose or whether some of them proceeded from the sweetnes of diuine contemplation or from the speciall care and prouidence of God I will not heere dispute only I say they could not be any naturall propertyes springing from the roots of nature because in some thinges they eleuated and perfected nature far aboue her naturall course in others they stooped bridled and restrained the maine current of her naturall desires and sensuall appetites as God supernaturally suspended the heat Originall iustice no naturall property but a gift supernaturall of fire in the furnace of Babylon or as he tempered and asswaged the naturall and irreconciliable fiercenes of the wild and sauage beastes in the Arke of Noë neither of which could proceed from nature the one being as I say aboue the other repugnant thereunto for who can think that the dowry of grace is the right of nature or that the gift of immortality is essentially due to a morall body or that contrary qualityes should not naturally resist and oppositely fight the one against the other Who can think that Adam and Eue our first progenitours were essentially iust a prerogatiue only due vnto God or dismantled of that iustice were impayred yea changed in their essence And so not the same after as before their fall in parts essentiall The righteousnes therefore which they lost especially the chiefe and formal part was a diuine accident or heauenly quality not essentially required Feild in his 3. booke of the Church chap. 26. which M. Field misdeemeth to the integrity of nature for that implyeth if nature be taken as it ought to be distinct from that which surmounteth nature but supernaturally added to the perfection thereof and with this couenant imparted to Adam that if he had not trespassed it should haue beene perpetually propagated and transfused Augu. de peccat merit remis l. 2. c. 22. l. 13 de ciuit Dei cap. 13. to his posterity But he transgressing and disobeying the Commandment of his Lord and Maister was iustly plagued with the disobedience of his flesh his hand-mayd vnto him a reciprocall punishment so S. Augustine tearmeth it of his disobedience vnto God Hence proceedeth the rage of concupiscence the commotions of the inferiour and baser parts rebelling against the superiour the auersion from good the proâ—esse to euill hence the disorder of passions the infirmityes of the mind