thou hast receiued and not deuised that which is brought downe vnto thee and not brought forth by thee that wherein thou art a scholler and not a maister a follower and not a guide c. 7. SECONDLY because the rule of S. Å¿ Contra Donatist de Baptismâ— l. 4 c. 24. Augustine which D. t pag. 242. Field himself doth accept was so cleare and waighty that I could not resist the power thereof viz. VVhatsoeuer is frequented by the Vniuersall Church and was not instituted by Councells but was alwayes held that is belieued most rightly to be an Apostolicall Tradition Such is the custome of Prayer for the dead For first It was practised in all ages and in all places as the most venerable Authours do constantly and vniformely teach Supplications for the soules of the dead were powred foorth by the Vniuersall Church in u de curâ prâ— mort cap. 1. S. Augustines time and the like testimonies were affoorded vnto me by the Fathers of the Primitiue Church namely S. x Epist 1. It is mentioned by Concil Vasens 1. c. 6. Clemens the Martyr in the yeare of our Lord 110 y de Coron Milit. Tertullian in yeare of our Lord 210 who z de Monogam prescribeth according to the doctrine of the Catholick Church vnto the wife that she should pray for the soule of hir husband to procure his rest and ease Secondly I could not possibly designe any Councell Oecumenicall Nationall or Prouinciall any Bishop Supreame or Subordinate by whom this custome was brought into the Church And here I considered that heresy doth alwayes spring from some certayn Person Time and Place VinceÌ„t Lir. and so it is discouerable by theis circumstances But if the Authour cannot be specially named which is a rare accident yet this was sufficient vnto me to conceiue that as Catholick Religion implieth three things viz. Antiquity Vniuersality and Consent so Heresy being opposite thereunto implieth necessarily the three contraries viz. Nouelty Particularity and Distraction 8. My THIRD reason to belieue that this is an Apostolicall Tradition was deriued from the liberallity of D. a pag. 242. Field himself VVhatsoeuer all or the most famous and renowned in all ages or at the least in diuers ages haue constantly deliuered as receiued from them that went before them no man doubting or contradicting it may be thought to be an Apostolicall Tradition This rule was very appliable vnto my purpose For first I had many pregnant demonstrations and conformable testimonies of the most famous and renowned in all ages constantly deliuering this thing as receiued from them that went before See the 2. Part chap. 2. And secondly I found that no man did contradict or doubt herein but such onely as were damned hereticks and are so recognized by the publick voyce of the Church Wherefore I concluded ineuitably by D. Fields allowance that Prayer for the dead may be thought to be an Apostolicall Tradition and b Decad. 4. serm 10. Bullinger himself feareth not to say that this is the iudgement of the Fathers WheÌ„ce I was compelled to inferre that D. c against D. Bishopp part 1. pag. 80. Abbott doth willingly deceiue himself saying that Prayer for the dead is a Tradition and an ordinance of the Church to which purpose he misinforceth the testimony of d Hares 75. Epiphanius whereby he would exempt Aërius from the crime of heresy iustly layed vnto his chardge by S. e Hares 53. Augustine and many others Lastly I was compelled to disallow the groundlesse opinion of f de Naturâ Dei lib. 4. c. 4. Zanchius and some others who referr the origin of prayer for the dead vnto humane affection and imitation of the Gentiles § 3. The mutuall dependency of Purgatory and Prayer for the dead 1. VVHen I had thus ascended vnto the fountayn of Prayer for the dead I reflected vpon my self and demanded of mine own heart saying but what is this vnto PVRGATORY For that was the issue vnto which my thoughts did finally incline 2. Wherefore for better illustration of this matter information of the Reader I will here lay downe a necessary point deriued out of the testimonies which ensue in the next section of this chapter and so you shall clearely perceiue the connexion and dependency of theis things 3. Though Purgatory and Prayer for the dead are things seuerally distinguished in their nature yet they are so inseparably tied in their bond that each doth mutually prooue the other Prayer for the dead prooueth Purgatory per modum signi by the way of a signe or declaration for it doth presuppose a penall estate wherein some soules are afflicted temporally after this life Purgatory prooueth the necessity of prayer for the dead per modum causae by the way of a cause for we are obliged by the law of Charity to make supplication vnto God in behalf of our brethren of the Church Patient in Purgatory Qui securi estis de vobis soliciti estâ—te de nobis S. August meditat cap. 24. as they being translated into the Church Triumphant in Heauen are led by the abundance of their charity to make intercession for vs of the Church Militant in Earth Which triple distinction of the Church I did embrace willingly forasmuch as it was confessed solemnely by Sir Iohn Oldcastle himself howbeit M. Fox seing that this was no small disreputation vnto the faith of our trayterous Martyr mingleth a * if any such place as Purgatory be found in the Scripture few wordes to abate the force of his confession This poore subtility of Fox is dismasked in the g Part. 2. chap. 9. num 18. three Conuersions of England 4. Thus I considered that not the Name but Thing and that things not accidentall but essentiall were to be inquired by me in this dispute I obserued farther that men are not the Authours to make but Expositours to declare their faith And as we do penetrate more excelleÌ„tly into the knowledge of any thing so we are inabled accordingly to expresse the same in proper and significant words For as the imposition of words ariseth from the freenesse of our will so the aptnesse of their imposition floweth from the clearnesse of our vnderstanding 5. Finally I called vnto remembrance that the Church of God hath drawen many lardge doctrines into compendious names as Trinity Sacrament and the like Thus the doctrine of Homousia or the coÌ„substantiality of the Father the Sonne Io. 10.30 is really contayned in the holy Scripture I and my Father are one See before Chap. 1. §. 3. num 3. a playn Text howsoeuer it be Arrianically violated by Caluin but the word it self was established by the first sacred Councell of Nice Thus also I saw that in the opinion of the Papists the doctrine of Metousia or TransubstantiatioÌ„ in the SacrameÌ„t is implied in the Scripture This is my body which little sentence is distracted by vs
impenitent heart euen vnto death and be not conuerted from enimies into sonnes doth the Church now pray for such men that is to say for the Soules of men thus deceased He resolueth Some priuate men were ledd into an errour herein but saith S. Aug. the Church was not no that is not the intention of the Catholick Church For S. Augustine doth there well obserue that in this life we pray for all men and yet we haue a reference precisely vnto such as pertayn vnto the secret election of God Likewise in prayer for the dead the Church maketh a e S. August de cura pro mort cap. 4. generall commemoration of all that so they who want friends or kinsmen to performe this duty on their behalf may be partakers of this benefit by the meanes of hir who is the pious and common mother of vs all and yet hir purpose in this generall commemoration is restrayned particularly vnto such as are conceyued to stand in exigence of hir relief For of some mens good estate she hath a certayn euidence of some a probable reason of others a comfortable hope But if she haue singular and playn inducements to perswade hir otherwise she affordeth not this kind of piety vnto incapable persons And here I remembred a domesticall example which I had lately read in our venerable contreyman S. f Eccles histor l. 5. c. 15. Beda of a certayn Brother who liued an ignoble life in a noble monastery and deceased without repentance for which cause no man durst presume to celebrate Masse nor to sing psalmes nor to pray for him after his decease Wherefore I considered that though S. g Enchirid. ad Laur. cap. 110. Augustine pronounceth thus Whom theis things do profitt it is vnto this effect either that there may be a full remission or a more tolerable damnation yet he doth not intend that the soules of Reprobates haue vtility by theis things for then he should oppose the Catholick Church whose iudgement he doth often relate to be otherwise yea he should here also absurdly contradict himself within the compasse of three lines for he saied immediatly before that theis things are not helpes for mē very euill but such onely as suffer temporall DAMNATION for to want the ioyes of heauen and to endure the sharpenesse of Purgatory it is poena Damni poena Sēsus though each be for a little time And thus it is true that theis things do auayle vnto a full remission or vnto a more tolerable damnation because the temporall payn of some soules in Purgatory is thereby either shortened in time or lessened in degree 14. Thirdly he saieth that for mē not very good nor very euill theis things are PROPITIATIONS that is to say certayn meanes which we adhibit to intreat mercy at the hāds of the souereigne Iudge They are propitiations not by the payment of the price of sinne for that is * 1. Ioh. 2 2. proper onely vnto that bloud which was of inestimable value but through application thereof Mater mea desiderauit memoriam sui ad altare tuum fieri vnde sciret dispensari victimam sanctam c. S. Augustin Confess lib. 9. cap. 13. ministerially by the Priest and effectually by our Lord for the first vseth his petition and the second bringeth his performance This I knew to be the doctrine of the Papists for thus I found it expressed long since by D. h Answ to M. Iewells challendge Artic. 19. Harding our contreyman of great esteeme 15. Thus farr I proceeded in the First testimony of S. Augustine And though it were cleare and ponderous in mine opinion yet it was inferiour vnto that which now ensueth for I must freely confesse that it sealed vp my heart and left no place vnto any farther doubt 16. The SECOND testimony is this i Serm. 17. de Verb. Apost See also Tract 84. in Ioh. The faithfull because I desired to be in the number of the Faithfull therefore I was mooued powerfully with this consideration do know according to the instruction of the Church therefore it was not a new nor a priuate opinion and this I considered diligently with my self that when Martyrs are recited at the altar of God this is not done with intention to pray for them it being an iniury to pray for a Martyr vnto whose prayers we ought to be recommēded but we pray for * Theis other were not knowen to be in the same acctual blisse with Martyrs otherwise the Church would haue prayed for thē no more then she prayed for the Martyrs other deceased men whose commemoration is there made Oh how vnlike a Protestant doth S. Augustine speake and how much Popery as the vulgar hath it is contayned in this little passadge Where could I find any euasion against so manifest a testimony as this is Should I renounce the instruction of the Church It were intollerable pride Should I say vnto S. Augustine thou art a foolish Papist and thou knowest not the instruction of the Church in this behalf It were a miserable conceipt 17. This was the secrete dispute of mine owne heart which now beloued Contreyman I present vnto thy Christian view that so either I may learne by thee what answere is to be framed vnto this difficulty or els thou mayest learne with me to follow the way of that Catholick doctrine which descended vnto S. Augustine See before num 8. and vnto the Church in that blessed time §. 5. D. Fields collusion in deliuering the sense and purpose of the ancient Church touching Prayer for the dead 1. BEing now mightily conuinced in mine vnderstanding I beganne to compare S. Augustine with D. k Pag. 98. D. Field maketh the Ancients speake like Protestāts Field who had informed me much otherwise in this particular deriuing it in this manner The ancients did name the names of the departed at the holy Table in the time of the holy mysteries and offering of * The Sacrifice is Eucharisticall in respect of our thankfulnesse performed therein vnto God but it is Propitiatory also in respect of his helpe intreated thereby for vs. Eucharist that is the sacrifice of praise for them c. The ancients kept in this manner a commemoration of the Patriarchs Apostles Prophets yea of the blessed Virgin at the Lords table to whom they did not wish deliuerance from Purgatory sith no man euer thought them to be there but if they wished any thing it was their deliuerance from death which as yet tyrannizeth ouer one part of them to witt the body c. Here he quoteth the Liturgy of S. Chrysostome in theis wordes VVe offer this reasonable seruice that is the Eucharist of praise and thanskgiuing to thee o Lord for all that are at rest in the faith euen for the Patriarchs Prophets c. 2. But hauing now attayned vnto some experience of M. Doctours vnfaithfull dealing I could not suffer my self to be deluded by such
Religion Which though it be such an ignoble and an vngodly deriuation of the Church as tendeth vnto the great contempt and ignominy of Religion yea the pure subuersion and annihilation thereof yet necessity hath inforced vs Protestants vnto theis paradoxicall fancies for thus no otherwise can we sustayn the essence and existency of our Church 8. The conclusion which yealded it self vnto me out of the former consideration was this Whereas there hath bene no visible Church nor member thereof for many hundred yeares which was not HERETICALL in an high degree as our doctrines do clearely import it followeth either that the PROVIDENCE of God hath fayled or that the true Church was inuisible or els that the true visible Church may err damnably in faith None but Atheists will affirme the first the learnedst Protestants deny the second Scriptures and Fathers conuince the third Wherefore reflecting vpon our accusation of this doctrine I saw that it was vniust and thus I resolued by a powerfull demonstration issuing from the premisses that Purgatory is no heresy nor Antichristianisme as we pretend with greater violence then reason but a parcell of the true ancient Catholick and Apostolick faith as the Papists do confidently belieue CHAP. II. The WISEDOME of God in designing fitt Instruments to be the Messengers of his will and Reformers of his Church doth confirme the aforesayd doctrine of Purgatory and Prayer for the dead §. 1. VVho were the first enimies of this doctrine what was their condition 1. IT is a graue waighty testimony which S. Iohn Damascen deliuereth in his Oration concerning them who are departed in the faith Our mercifull Lord doth appoynt saith he and gratefully accept our duty in that mutual relief which we exhibit one to an other both in our life and after our decease For otherwise he would neuer haue ministred this occasion vnto vs to remember the departed in the time of the holy Sacrifice vnlesse this seruice were approoueable in his sight Neither is there any doubt if this were a ridiculous and fruictlesse act but that whereas there haue bene many holy men Fathers Patriarchs and Doctours inspired with the holy Ghost he would haue putt it into some of their minds to represse such an errour But there is none of them all no not one that euer intertayned a conceipt to subuert or impugne the same 2. As this laudable custome of prayer for the dead was thus perpetuated without any interruption opposition or dislike of the best men in the best age euen of Constantine himself so the first enimy thereof AERIVS was an insolent and gracelesse wretch Anno Dō 354. a disciple of the Arrian heresy and such perfidious doctrines as x Contra Campian pag. 261. D. Humfrey himself doth liberally confesse though otherwise there are some things in Aërius which were not distastfull vnto his palate 3. But this rare illuminate did not contayn himself within theis limits Wherefore pretending a farther accesse of heauenly light as the nature of heresy did incline him for it is full of vanity * Idē licuit Martionitis quod Martioni Lutheranis quod Luthero de suo ingenio fidē innouare c. Tertul. praescrip cap 42. innouatiō making poore seduced people to hunt counter in their owne fancies and prescribing no certayn rule vnto the instability of their hearts he vented three peculiar heresies deuised and fabricated in the shopp of his owne brayn The FIRST that there is no disparity betwixt a Bishopp and a Priest The SECOND that it is a folly to pray or offer sacrifice for the dead The THIRD that it is against Christian liberty to haue any generall and appoynted dayes of fasting for then we should seeme to be vnder the Law c. 4. Theis heresies are no small part of the Geneuian Ghospell and therefore I haue obserued it diligently in our Authours as a very remarqueable poynt that howsoeuer they corrade and heape vp sondry heresies fiercely obiecting the same vnto the Papists yet they are silent in three Vigilantianisme Iouinianisme and * The true Caluinists admitt the 3. heresies of Aërius as we foe in France Scotland c. this Aërianisme whereof I now intreat For theis are goodly starres in our firmament and shine most brightly in our Sphere Notwithstanding my learned Authours do exceede Aërius also forasmuch as he did not wholly impugne the dreadfull Sacrifice but esteemed it vnprofitable for the the dead whereas they reiect the thing it self and this vse of it with like contempt 5. This Aërian heresy was extinct and buried some few scattering fellowes excepted vntill the yeare of our Lord 1156 when it was raised See afterward chap. 3. §. 4. and enliuened agayn by Henricus a Frenchman in whom our Protestanticall Religion did more spectably reare vp it self then before furbishing vp some old ragges of S. * Sainted by D. Fullees authority in his answ to the Rhem. Testam in 1. Timoth. 3. Annotat. 7. Vigilantius and others for the resplendency and completenesse of his ghospell 6. Nunc audi quis ille sit saieih y Ep. 240. S. Bernard vnto Hildefonse the Earle of S. Giles now it may please you to vnderstand what was the quality and condition of this Apostle First a Monk and then an Apostata from his order So was our S. Luther Secondly a pretendent of Apostolicall life Such sheepebiters were our freese-gowne Preachers whose doctrines enkindled the furious people See the statutes of King Rich. 2. c. and seasoned them with the principles of rebellion Thirdly a violatour of Chastity So was S. Luther euen * M. Powell de Antichr pag. 324. Magnus ille Reformator he our Great Reformer An example vnknowen to reuerend Antiquity and reserued vnto our ghospell that a vowed Monk should conioyne himself in mariadge with a professed Nunne which though it be not adultery yet peius est adulterio it is tarr worse in S. * De bono Viduit c 11. Augustines censure howsoeuer D. Field minceth it and saieth Pag. 153. Augustine MISLIKETH them that vow and performe not 7. Finally I saw a cōnfluence of impieties in our French Apostle whether I respected his Religion or Conuersation And therefore I could not withstand this iust sentence pronounced by S Bernard Ibid. saying Non est hic homo à Deo qui sic contraria Deo facit loquitur this man is not sent from God who acteth and speaketh things so repugnant vnto his will §. 2. God vseth no such instruments to reforme his Church 1 HEre inlardging my meditations I considered more exactly that the supreame Maiesty of heauen earth is respectiue of his honour the incolumity of his Church and as it is against his gratious Prouidence that the Spouse of his Sonne and the Mother of the faithfull should suffer a generall and diuturnall eclipse in hir profession so now it is farther against his high WISEDOME that when she wanteth
extend vnto the generall practise iudgement of the Church it is not nor may not be iustified Whereas he sayeth it is not iustified by Protestants that is not true whereas he sayeth it may not be iustified that is very certayn Wherefore I desire you to stand constantly vnto this position and not to flye your ground The THIRD proposition 3. THe iudgement and purpose of the ancient CATHOLICK Church is discouerable vnto us by two meaenes viz. the perpetuall succession of PRACTISE and the conforme testimony of the FATHERS For where we find no substantiall mutation of PRACTISE All men know that the practise of praying for the dead is the same now sustaÌ„tially as in S. August time and I hope it was not begunne then but continued See before pag. 25. but see it perpetuated in all descents and deriued vnto vs by the long hand of time we may infallibly conclude that the later ages of the Church conspiring with the former are free from just reproof Agayn the testimony of the FATHERS conuaigheth vs vnto the knowledge of the Churches judgement so that we require fidelity in them authority in it they are the witnesses she the judge they relate hir voyce she pronounceth the sentence Theis propositions as they are very perspicuous ponderous so they will excellently and forcibly apply themselues in decision of this controuersy touching PVRGATORY and PRAYER FOR THE DEAD The testimony of S. AVGVSTINE The faithfull do know according to the instruction of the Church that when MARTYRS are recited at the Altar of God this is not done with intention to pray for them it being an injury to pray for a Martyr vnto whose prayers we ought to be recommended but we pray for other deceased men whose commemoration is there made Now for your full satisfaction in this poynt you must here obserue three things viz. the quality of the WITNESSE the competency of the IVDGE the resolution of the MATTER 1. Concerning the FIRST it importeth the witnesse onely to expresse what was the intentioÌ„ of the Church in this practise And as S. Augustine is a most faithfull witnesse of Antiquity in M. Inst l. 3. c. 3. §. 10. c. Caluins opinion so it goeth hard if for a MATTER OF HISTORY the Fathers can not find creditt at your hands they should know as well as you what was then in FACT Which sentence being very justly deliuered against the Presbyterians by the Suruay pag. 338. L. of Cant in the question of BISHOPPS c. ought to be considered exactly in this issue 2. Concerning the SECOND you see that the Churches instruction touching this matter was knowen familiarly vnto all the faithfull so that you must either vnnaturally and impiously as Aërian hereticks reiect your Mothers instruction or els as dutifull and obsequious children you must submitt your selues vnto hir doctrine Which least you should intemperately renounce I pray you to remember that famous sentence of S. Augustine viz. Ep. â—18 to call any thing in question which is frequented by the VNIVERSALL CHVRCH it is the part of most INSOLENT MADNESSE 3. Concerning the THIRD you can not but perceiue the clearnesse thereof expressed in this distinction VVe do not pray for Martyrs and VVe do pray for other men By which manifest difference S. Augustine doth sufficiently declare that the memory of Martyrs was celebrated at the Altar by way of THANSKGIVING and gladnesse but the names of other men were remembred by way of PETITION and desire The reason whereof ariseth out of their estate VVe pray not for a Martyr and it were an iniury to pray for him Why Because we know that he is in heauen and to haue any diffidence of his beatitude it were injurious vnto his cause and derogatory from his passion therefore we pray not FOR him as though he wanted our relief but VNTO him rather that he may assist vs with his charitable intercession But we pray for others that is to say for all them of whose actuall felicity the Church hath not yet attayned a secure and infallible perswasion otherwise if she knew that they were in present possession of ioy it were as great as injury to pray for them also as for the Martyrs themselues since the reason why she prayeth not for Martyrs is because she is confidently resolued that they being in heauen stand not in any exigence of hir deuotion Wherefore since the CATHOLICK Church prayed for other meÌ„ as not being in heauen or not certainly knowen to be there she did conceiue that they were or might be for ought she knew to the contrary in some third place and consequently in some temporall payn and so necessarily she did belieue that there is a PVRGATORY after this life To contend about WORDS and NAMES it is a vanity for it is sufficient to haue a sure apprehension of the THING it self To litigate about things ACCIDENTALL it is a folly for it is inough to be certayn of the SVBSTANTIALL point the rest haue their probability in their seuerall degrees and are permitted vnto free dispute Finally later ages may amplify not alter the doctrine of the former fayth hath an augmentation to perfitt hir progresse not innouation to chandge hir purenesse IESVS proficiebat sapientiâ Luca. 2.53 aetate c. Now since he that is WISEDOME it self did profitt in sapience and he that is ETERNITY did increase in age it may well become the Church to shew a conformity vnto hir head and Lord. The petition of S. AVGVSTINE Confess l. â— c. 13. Inspire o Lord my God inspire thy servants my brethren that at thy Altar they may remeÌ„ber Monica thy handmayd with Patricius sometimes hir husband FINIS TRY BEFORE YOV TRVST OR AN ADMONITION Vnto the credulous and seduced Protestants to examine the fidelity of their VVriters and particularly of tvvo principall Doctours viz. D. FIELD D. MORTON A Detection of their falsehood in some matters of great importaÌ„ce and a discovery of sondry vanities in the new Gospell according to LVTHER ZVINGL and others BY T. H. Maister of Arts and lately Minister Added by way of APPENDIX vnto his FIRST MOTIVE 1609. TO THE WORTHY GENTLEMAN Maister S. E. SIR though the propriety of this little Treatise be yours it being first addressed for your priuate information yet the vse thereof may be deriued vnto others vnder your honourable name buried here and intombed in a parcell of it self For as my hearty affection did single you forth to be the principall obiect of my thoughts so my compassion enlardgeth it self toward all my louing contreymen wholy insnared with you in the same danger and are held captiue therein by the same credulity and facility of belief Popidum qui sibi credat habet S. Bernard de Henrico haeretico ep 240. which hath preuayled with your noble heart to admitt the assertions of your guides without a triall of their exactnesse In which course though I may commend the goodnesse of your
S. Cypriaen doth record it that there is one God one Christ one holy Ghost and that there ought to be ONE Bishopp in the Catholick Church not one without others but one aboue others as S. (u) Epist 84. Leo the Pope writeth vnto a Grecian bishopp We haue called thee in partem solicitudinis non in plenitudinem potestatis into a part of our care not into the fulnesse of our power and this sentence (w) De CoÌ„siderat l. 3. S. Bernard bringeth vnto the consideration of Eugenius the Pope sometimes his (x) Ibid. l. 1. praefat sonne by institution but now his father in administration of the Church To conclude the inequality of all other Bishopps is by humane law the Popes superiority is by diuine right Other bishopps are equall vnto him in respect of their ORDER he is superiour vnto all in respect of his IVRISDICTION I proceed 8. Compare this seuere iudgement of D. Fields WORTHY GVIDE with the violent opinion of M. Powells GREAT REFORMER and behold as great difference therein as betwixt the light of the Sunne and Aegyptian darknesse And that you may conceiue it fully see I pray you the censorious temerity of Luther as it is represented by M. Powell in the end of his inhumane (y) De Antichr pag. 68. compellation vnto the Iesuites in this manner S. LVTHERVS Non potest is salutem consequi qui non ex toto corde Antichristum * Tâ—CEâ—Tò SCIO Papam esse magnuÌ„ diuÌ„ Antichristum quà m Dâ—uÌ„ ipsâ—m esseâ—m coelis c. M. Powells protestation in the first leafe in his booke Papam Papatum oderit I Will not aske M. Powell by what authority he hath canonized Martin Luther for I know that he hath a warrant from z Luther himself saying Iam by the grace of God one of the TRVE SAINTS Wherefore as the Athenians made a decree Quoniam Alexander vult esse Deus esâ—o so since Luther will be a Saint let him be so by my consent 9. But now for the correspondency betwixt Gerson and Luther the second effectuating that which the first desired if you will belieue D. Field in their Reformations consider I beseech you the resemblaÌ„ce and similitude of theis things He that rejecteth the Pope shall not be saued saith the one He that doth not hate him and the Popedome with his whole heart shall not be saued saith the other Thus they damne themselues mutually in a capitall poynt and exclude each other from the possibility of saluation And if M. Powells judgement be of any value I may vndoubtedly pronounce that Gerson is damned vnto the nethermost hell For the truest formality and essence of a PAPIST is his vnion and conjunction with the Pope Whence it followeth by (a) de Antich pag. 453. M. Powells rule No man dying a Papist that is to say truly and formally a member of the Papacy or Popish Church did euer obtayn the kingdome of heauen or escape hell that Gerson liuing and dying a true formall Papist could not be made partaker of Luthers beatitude in the number of the SAINTS What And yet hath Luther accomplished that Reformation which Gerson did expect risum teneatis amici 10. I will knitt vp this matter with the counsayle of (b) part 1. de Eupt â—hriâ—â— Ecclesiae Gerson which he prescribeth vnto the spouse of Christ saying The Church must intreate the Pope the vicegerent of Christ in * the holy Ghost is Vicarius Christi by spirituall influence c. externall administration with all honour and call him FATHER for he is hir Lord and Head We may not expose him vnto detractions c. And hence it is that he maketh his protestation Nolo de Sanctissimo Domino nostre Christo Domini velut os in coelum ponendo loqui I will not speake of our most holy Lord and the Lords anoynted as it were by setting my face against heauen But did the Cham of Saxony thus demeane himself toward his spirituall Father No but setting his face against heauen he vttered the words of blasphemy and intolerable reproach against all dignity withstanding his violence Papall Imperiall and Regall And thus he discouered himself to be guided by the Spirit of AERIVS concerning whom it is (c) EpiphaÌ„ haeres 75. reported that ipsi sermo furiosus magis quà m erat humana conditionis Doth not (d) pag. 64. D. Field also approximate vnto them both VVe haue not receiued saith he the marke of this Antichrist the Pope and child of perdition in our foreheads nor sworne to take the foame of his impure mouth and froth of his words of blasphemy Truly you neuer learned this tempestuous language from your worthy guide but from your great Reformer 11. I haue insisted long in the particular euidences Wherefore I will deale more briefly in the GENERALL out of which I haue selected theis two ensuing 12. The FIRST concerneth the infallibility of the Romane Church A QVA CERTITVDO FIDEI PETENDA EST sayth (e) Part. 1. Serm. coram Alexandro Papa 5. Gerson from whence we must receiue the certainty of our faith From thence we Englishmen receiued our faith by the vigilancy of S. GREGORY the glorious Pope of blessed memory for euer From thence the Britannes receiued their faith in their second conuersion by the fatherly prouision of Eleutherius a renowned Martyr From thence the Indians and sondry people who sate in darkenesse and shaddow of death haue lately receiued the abundant light of the ghospell Meane while the Protestants disseminate * See Tertull praescript cap. 42. Old hereticks followed the same course as Protestants now do heresy at home and reuile them who plant the Catholick religion abroad 12. Now for this particular assertion deliuered here by the worthy guide of Gods Church I will remitt me vnto the consideration of the discreete and ingenious Reader to take a resolution from his owne heart whether Gerson or any man who maintayneth the same principle with him can tolerate the Protestanticall Reformation which is reared vp against the faith of the Romane Church and founded in the ruines thereof 14. The SEGOND generall euidence is yet more potent and effectuall then the rest for it shall now sensibly appeare vnto you that Gerson damned your articles and detested the truest Progenitours of your ghospell Obserue therefore a memorable protestation of this worthy guide (f) Part. 3. dialog Apoget de Concil ConstaÌ„t The Councell of Constance was celebrated especially for the extirpation of * Protestants Religion heresies and errours which was attempted first by imprisoning the offendours and by committing some of them Husse and Ierome of Prage vnto the fire The Bohemians exhibited 45. errours of VVICKLIFFE vnto the Councell the English men brought in more then 200. For the condemnation whereof I was as zealous as any other and preached publiquely in Constance to this effect 15. Here you may perceiue that Gerson had an eminent
then enacted by the Church to regulate such exorbitancies as were incurred by the second What Councells what constitutions what sanctions did he or could he propose vnto himself Wherefore since Gersons lawes are such as â—end vnto the castigation and suppression of VVickliffians Hussites and all other sectaries proseminated from such fathers it followeth clearely that Luther hath performed the contrary vnto his designement and consequently that D. Field hath deliuered a vast vntruth not onely vnto his owne iust disreputation but vnto the certayn euident ineuitable ruine and subuersion of his Church 27. Here also the wise and ingenious Reader may obserue the great disparicy betwixt the Catholicks and Protestants in their courses The first prooceed in legitimate manner against the second by virtue of Canonicall and Ecclesiasticall processe The second proceed against the first by lawes temporall and by Parliamentary decrees The first proceed against the second directly and without circuitions as guilty of schisme and heresy and to this effect they bring forth the ancient and the moderne constitutions of sacred Councells Oecumenicall Nationall Prouinciall c. The second proceed against the first really and meerely for their Religion it self but vnder the name of treason and disobedience and such like pretenses Which preposterous order of vniust iustice doth irrefutably conuince the Protestants of heresy and impiety against the Catholick faith For doth not euery man indued with any measure of vnderstanding conceiue that the Church of God the pillar of truth as it hath and must preserue the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ pure and immaculate from the contagion of heresy or els there was no Catholick Church and then there is no Christ no God no hell no heauen no immortality no retribution so it is and was furnished and strengthened with proper lawes for the due correction of hereticks and for the extirpation of their errours I say that to suppose the contrary it is a senselesse imagination and to affirme the contrary it were an Atheisticall position Reflect now I pray you vpon your owne Congregation she that hath inuested hir self with the glorious title of the CATHOLICK Church Where are hir ancient Ecclesiasticall lawes hir Canons hir constitutions wherewith she is armed and assisted to proceed against the Papists whose heresies you exclayme against with violence supporting your mighty accusations with slender proofes But I returne vnto the farther prosecution of D. Fields vntruths for theis things are manifest vnto all men and need not any copious explication 28. Whereas it pleaseth the learned Doctour to say that it was not possible but some diuersiâ—y should grow betwixt Luther Zwinglius c while one knew not what an other did this excuse also is too short to couer the turpitude of their dissensions For you see that the lawes which were of force in Gersons time had bene an infallible rule to preserue conformity in their procedings if their intention had bene sutable vnto his prescription in this behalf But theis immoderate Reformers intertayning no such rule for their direction VVord and Spirit was the burthen of their song were necessarily distracted in their actions while they followed the variable illuminations of their vncertayn fancies 29. Let me proceed yet a little farther to consider the inordinate and distempered passion of theis men They rejected lawes as you see because they attempted a lawlesse action and this is sufficiently prooued vnto you by the graue authority of Gerson a WORTHY GVIDE of Gods Church Now also you may behold their pride temerity and singular precipitation for this shall be prooued vnto you by D. Field himself who hath accused them by his owne defence saying one knew not nor expected to know what an other did Why did they not know were they disterminated by sea and had they not meanes of accesse each vnto the other Was there a great * Luk. 16.26 chaos betwixt them so that they could not haue passadge and transmeation from Zuâ—ick vnto Wittemberg and from VVittemberg vnto Zurick No man be he of meane capacity will suffer himself to be abused with this pretense 30. But did they not expect to know what an other did It is an argument of their folly and insolency who in a matter of such consequence as from the first plantation of Christianity can admitt no example to parallele it by innumerable degrees would not consult nor retayn familiar intercourse in so important affayres 31. I must now addresse my self vnto the playn narration of this matter wherein the learned Doctour hath trifled with you all this while and concealed the truth from your knowledge by his false paradoxicall and impertinent sugestions For you must vnderstand that all Sacramentaries in which number you are fell away from Luther and departed from the communion of his Church Do you require my proof The demonstrations are many and irrefragable but I will content my self with the protestations of them whose authority is free from all exceptions Let Bullâ—nger know sayth * Recognit propheticae Apostolica doctrinae c. pag. 10. Brentius a venerable old man in M. Iewells verdict that from the beginning since the Zwinglians departed from vs that is to say from the true doctrine I was not a clandestine but an open aduersary of their impious opinion concerning the supper of the Lord c. 32. What need I drink of the riuers when the fountayn it self is so neere at hand Behold therefore the constant asseueration of M. LVTHER the third Eliah the Germayn Prophet a true Euangelist a singular Apostle the great Reformer the man of God the flying Angell c. for this and much more is spoken of him by your ghospellers who * Tom. 3. in Genes cap. 41. sayth that now the refined doctrine of the ghospell hath gayned many who where oppressed by the tyrany of Antichrist but yet withall the Anabaptists the †See before pag. 6. SACRAMENTARIES and other fanaticall men are gone out from vs c. They were not of vs though for a time they were with vs they sought their owne glory and estimation 33. Agayn There is no wickednesse sayth * Tom. 2.345 he not cruelty which Zwinglius layeth not vnto my chardge so that the Papists mine enimies do not teare me as those my friends who without vs and before vs were nothing and durst not stirr one iote but now being puffed vp with our victory they turne their force against vs. Theis perturbations in the ghospell which he beganne and preached alone without any copartner as * See Iustus Caluinus in apolog pag. 78 himself doth often witnesse did work great affliction and vexation within his bones yea they did excruciate and torment his soule as †See locos com Luth. part 5. pag. 36. he complayneth euen vnto the extreame danger of his faith Howbeit resumpsi animum dixi c. I tooke couradge agayn and sayd theis things are done without my fault therefore let the authours