are driuen to yeeld the keyes to all the Apostles as well as to Peter and yet they thinke he alone had the primacie which sheweth clearly that the keyes containe it not Fourthly they which expound the power of the keyes to shew what they containe mention therein no more but as I haue answered The Councell of Colen vnder Hermannus x Bell. de poen l. 1 c. 1. penned by Gropper y Defens of the Cens whom the Papists cal the rare man of our age proceedeth thus z Enchir. concil Colon. de sacr confess But what keyes Christ when he departed hence left the Apostles and their successors in the Church that is to be explicated And truly this is plain that he committed to them his owne keyes and no other euen the keyes of the kingdome of heauen as himselfe said to Peter Whatsoeuer thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shal be loosed in heauen These keyes the Fathers deuided into the key of order and the key of iurisdiction And againe each key into the key of knowledge and of power The key of order is the power of priestly ministery which containeth power to preach the Gospell consecrate the bodie of Christ remit and retaine sinnes and to minister the sacraments The key of iurisdiction is power to restraine the faultie this is that power of excommunicating such as offend openly and absoluing them againe In which explanation of the power mentioned in the keyes we see nothing touched but onely the ministery of the word and Sacraments and the execution of discipline But Marsilius a Defens part 2 c. 6. speaketh more fully that the authoritie of the keyes according to Saint Austin and Hierom is that iudiciarie power that standeth in dispensing the word sacraments and discipline although the opinion and title of the fulnesse of power which the Bishop of Rome ascribeth to himselfe tooke his beginning from these words Whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted and whatsoeuer you shall bind vpon earth shall be bound in heauen 20 The second text alledged is Luk. 22.32 where Christ saith to Peter I haue praid for thee that thy faith faile not and thou being conuerted strengthen thy brethrē which the Iesuit expoundeth as if our Sauiour had specially prayed for S. Peter and the Pope that their faith should not faile at least so farre as to teach the Church a false faith to the intent they might alway be able to confirme their brethren if at any time they should faile in the doctrine of faith which all Catholicke men knowing do confesse the Popes definitiue sentence to be always an infallible truth and thereupon submit themselues thereunto and so liue in vnitie But this exposition is soone confuted for first here is no mention of the Pope but of Peter onely whereby it is plaine that no certaintie can be concluded out of the words for any but for the Apostles onely or if they reach to any besides Peter then according to the opinion of the most iudicious Papists the Church is it and not the Pope So saith b Qu. Vesper d. 3. art 3. prob 1. lit G. Cameracensis That which in Scripture is promised to the whole must not be attributed to any part but alway to hold the true faith and neuer to erre against it is promised by Christ to the whole company of beleeuers alone It is plaine therefore that Christ promised Peter his faith should not faile vnderstanding it not of his personall faith but of the generall faith of Gods Church committed to his regiment And Frier Walden c Doctr. fid l. ◠c. 19. saith Peter bare the type of the Church not of the particular Romane Church but of the vniuersall Church not gathered together in a generall Councell but dispersed through the world from Christ to our times Of the same mind are d Concord l. ◠c. 11. Cusanus and e Defen part 2. c. 28. Marsilius So that in the iudgement of foure of the learnedst among our aduersaries the purpose of Christ was not by this text to indow Peter or the Pope but the whole Catholick Church and so accordingly the right of gouernment and freedome from erring should remaine not in the Pope but in the vniuersall Church cleane cōtrary to that which the Iesuit here supposeth 21 Secondly the direct and immediate purpose of Christ in these words is to forewarne Peter of the sinne whereinto he fell afterward by denying him and the meaning is that though Satan desired thereby to destroy him yet he had prayed that his faith might not by the temptation be vtterly extinguished admonishing him that as by his fall he would weaken his brethren the members of the Church so by the example of his true conuersion he should strengthen them againe vnderstanding this faith for which he prayed not of Peters teaching or directing the Church in doctrine but of the habit of faith abiding in his heart whereby he beleeued in Christ and confessed his name and f Confirmandi vocabulo authoritatem in docendo significari saith Greg. de Valen. to 3. pag 197. e. by strengthening his brethren not that he should be supreame head ouer his fellow Apostles but that g Esto a his poenitentiae exemplar ne desperent Theophyl Infirmiores fiatres exemplo tuae poenitentiae comforta ne de venia desperēt Gloss by the exāple of his repentance experience of Gods mercy to him in his infirmitie he should encourage all people against temptation This exposition is proued to be true because first there is no word in the text importing either all infalliblenesse of faith or any authoritie ouer the other Apostles See h Comment in Luc. 22. saith Caietan how Christ biddeth Peter account the Apostles not his subiects but his brethren see how he putteth him in office not to rule ouer them but to confirme them in faith hope and charitie Secondly the words going immediatly before forbid all absolute power of one ouer another The Kings of the nations beare rule and exercise authoritie ouer them but it shall not be so among you Thirdly Bellarmine acknowledgeth i Ex quibus priuilegiis primsi fortasse non manauit ad posteros De Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 3. § Alterum priuilegium Quoad prima non agit Petri successorē Boz de sign eccl tom 2. l. 18. c. vlt. pag. 594. that to persist alway in the faith without falling from it is a prerogatiue that possible is not deriued from Peter to the Pope which being so it followeth that the Iesuites exposition is false and no Papist can be certain that by vertue of this text the Pope can teach no error any more then he is assored he cannot erre himselfe but it is cleare he may erre himselfe and all Papists yeeld it therefore it is also vncertaine whether he be enabled to teach the Church so that in teaching he
it is agreed between vs u Bell. vbi sup c. 12. §. Thomas Caietanus that the whole power of the keyes is contained in binding and loosing x Alexand. 4. q. 79. p. 316. 317. Mag. 4. d. 18. Dura 4. d. 18 q. 1. Ouand breuilo qu. in 4. d. 18 pro 16. Sylu. verbo clauis nu 1. Rosell verbo clauis nu 1. and defined thereby so that to be the rocke or to haue the keyes supposeth or includeth no more then to haue authoritie to bind and loose which authoritie is expresly giuen in the 18. of Math. verse 18. to all the Apostles and the selfe same words touching binding and loosing are there vsed that Christ vsed before to Peter yea y Iansen concord c. 72. RheÌ„ vpon Mat. 18.18 the Papists themselues confesse that all the fathers of the Church thinke that as before to Peter so in these words to the other Apostles and their successours our Lord gaue the power of Binding and loosing Again in Ioh 20.21 our Sauiour after his resurrection breathed vpon his disciples and said to them all As my Father sent me so I send you receiue the holy Ghost whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained where the ceremony of breathing vpon them seemeth to giue them all a like portion and power of the spirit and his words As my Father sent me so I send you to imply that he sent all with equall authoritie no mans iurisdiction flowing from Peter to him but euery mans coming immediatly and alike from Christ that sent them But the last words whose sinnes ye remit or retaine they are remitted and retained signifie the same that he had said before of binding and loosing and so consequently giue them all the power included in the rocke or keyes for z Ema Sa. Iansen vpon Io. 20.21 Bella. de Ro. Pont. l. 1. c. 12. §. Dices si non in this place is giuen what Mat. 18 was promised Thus all the power of the rocke and keyes is included in binding loosing remitting and retaining and authoritie to do this is giuen to all the Apostles as much as to Peter and yet the Iesuite by meanes of the rocke and keyes thinketh Peter is made chiefe aboue them all Let him and his partakers vntie this knot say directly what they thinke at the argument Peter had no more power giuen him a Planus sensus illorum verborum tibi dabo claues quodcunque solueris c. iste est vt primò promittatur authoritas seu potestas de signata per claues deinde actiones siue officiuÌ„ explicetur per illa vocabula Soluere Ligare ita vt omnino sit idem Soluere aperire ligare claudere Bell. vbi supra §. verùm haec then that which is contained in the keyes mentioned Mat. 16. But all the Apostles had this power giuen them for binding and loosing remitting and retaining include the whole function of the keyes therefore Peter had no more then the rest of the Apostles And if they answer that Peters iurisdiction ouer them was giuen Iohn 20. when Christ bad him feed his sheepe let the zealousest Papist that is lay aside wrangling and say bona fide why is the text of Matthew 16. touching the keyes and rocke vsed then to proue his Primacy if it giue him nothing beyond his fellowes and why go they not directly to worke vrging the 20. of Iohn and letting the rocke and keyes alone as making nothing for them 13 This that I haue answered is also the iudgement of ancient Doctors in that with one consent they all expound the rocke whereupon Christ said he would build his Church b August de verb. Dom. Ser. 13. in Ioan. tract 120. Hilar de trin l. 2. 6. Ambr coÌ„ment in Eph 2. v. 20. Chrys hom 55. in Mat. Basil homil de poenit Emissen hom in natal Pet. Andotâ—ers either of Christ himselfe or of the faith and confession that Peter held whereupon it followeth that they could not thinke those words gaue Peter any more then the rest c De vnit Eccl. Cyprian saith Verily the rest of the Apostles were the same that Peter was indued with equall fellowship both of honour and authoritie but the beginning proceedeth from vnity that the Church might be shewed to be one d Aduers Iouin l. 1. Hierome saith All the Apostles receiued the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and the strength of the Church was stablished equally vpon them all e In Math. 16. Theophylact saith Although it was said to Peter onely I will giue the keyes to thee yet were they also granted all the Apostles When Where he said whose sins ye remit they are remitted f In Math. 16. Anselm saith It is to be noted that this power was not giuen alone to Peter but as Peter answered one for all so in Peter be gaue this power to all My purpose is not to heape much together out of the fathers but by a few places to shew the reader how and in what maner they vsed to speak concerning this matter There are diuers great Papists also who confesse the same whose names I haue set downe in g Digress 30. nu 41. another place 14 The next place of Luc. 22. I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not therfore when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren I confes was spoken to Peter in regard of the sin whereinto more weake then all his brethren he fell shortly after yet notwithstanding it coÌ„taineth nothing which our Sauior meant not to the rest For as he prayed for him so he prayed for all Iohn 17.11.15.17.20 and the contents of his prayer was that their faith should not faile and the very office of Apostleship whereto he called them bound them to strengthen their brethren as h Gal. 2.11 Paul did Peter by reprouing him and made them i Gal. 2.9 pillars and k Eph. 2.20 Apoc. 21.14 foundations wherupon the world being built should recouer strength in which regard our Sauior telleth them they must be l Mat. 5.13.14 the salt and light of the earth m Mat. 28.19 and biddeth them go teach all nations which is as much as he saith to Peter in this place touching the strengthening of his brethren Besides n Plerique patres rectè intelliguÌ„t hanc Christi orationeÌ„ etiam pertinere ad totam Ecclesiam Iansen coÌ„cord c. 133. the Papists cannot deny but this prayer of Christ belongeth to all the Church which it could not if it had bene meant for the making of Peter Prince and head of his brethren whose prerogatiues I hope they vse not so liberally to impart to the whole Church and indeed the ancient writers vse this text indifferently to proue the perseuerance of the elect in faith which were no good kind of reasoning if Christ therein had meant none but Peter 15 The
thereof but suffereth it selfe to fall into opinions and with the conceits thereof as it were with irons and fetters like a prisoner to be shut vp in the bottome of a lothsome dungeon where they can find nothing but the crawling of blind error and vnsetled opinions and irksome vncertainties as vermine creeping round about them If euer any thing deserued k Agathias hist lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pitie it is to see ignorant men and women that know nothing themselues thus to be imprisoned in the iayle of opinions by the deceit of cunning seducers l The Quodlibets make ful demonstraâ—â—â— of all this besides that which we see with our eyes that seeke nothing hereby but to rob and spoile them possessing the wiues leading the children vsing the goods to swagger and serue their owne luxuriousnesse that since the Harpyes were chased away and Bel was ouerthrowne neuer was there such a greedy and rauenous idoll as the Seminary with his backe and belly sinking and drowning all that entertaine him I neuer thinke hereof but Moloch the idoll of the Ammonites cometh into my mind m Paul Pagius paraphr Chaldaic in Leuit. 18.21 It was an Image hollow and had seuen chambers or ambries in it they opened the first and offered meale into it in the second they put pigeons the third receiued a sheepe the fourth a ramme the fift a calfe the sixt an oxe and if any man would offer his sonne or daughter the seuenth was ready for him his face was like a calfe and his hands altogether framed to receiue gifts of the standers by the liuely portraiture of these seducers if we please but a little to compare the shape and conditions of the one with the other 5 And would to God they had made our land their natiue country but a stage for these fooleries and not turned it into a theater of their tragedies and n Vide pater si tunica filij tui sit an noÌ„ apud Math. Westm pag. 71. vnpriestly practises or had planted their superstition in the heart of the subiect so as a little more roome had bin left for loyaltie to the magistrate For what conclusions are these to be brought into a kingdome o Posseuin Biblioth select pag 17. It is iudged that no Christian monarch hath his crowne wholly giuen him from heauen vnlesse it receiue firmnesse and strength also from Christs Vicar the Pope And p Roderic Sancius Episco Zamorensis alledged and followed by Cárerius de potest Rom. Pont. pag. 131. againe It is to be holden according to the Natural Moral and Diuine law with the right faith that the Lordship of the Roman Bishop is the true and only immediat Lordship of al the world not as concerning spirituall things onely but also as concerning temporall things and that the imperiall Lordship of Kings dependeth vpon it and oweth seruice and attendance thereunto as a meanes minister and instrument and that by him it receiueth institution and ordination and at the commaundement of the Papall Lordship it may be remoued reuoked corrected punished In the gouernment of the world the secular Lordship is not necessary either of pure or meere or expedient necessitie but when the Church cannot Resoluing this article therefore we say that in all the world there is but one Lordship and therefore there must be but one vniuersall and supreame Prince and Monarch who is Christs Vicar according to that of q Dan. 7.14 Daniel He gaue him dominion and honor and kingdome and all people and languages shall serue him In him therefore is the fountaine and originall of all Lordship and from him the other powers flow All their religion is full of this doctrine and hence proceed the monsters of conspiracies against our State Whereby it appeareth IT IS NOT RELIGION THEY STRIVE FOR BVT SOVERAIGNTIE and not the consciences of men yeelding to their ceremonies and superstitions will satisfie them vnlesse they may also haue their willes in ouerruling all and the Crownes of Princes and the Scepters and subiects of the Kings of the world be at their deuotion Whereby they haue branded themselues for euer with the indeleble character of the Ministers of Antichrist that being but Priests and confined to their bookes and hauing r Mat. 16.19 ibi Ferus § Tertiò obseruandum illud quòd signanter dicit no other commission but TO PREACH AND TEACH yet thus they creepe into thrones filling the world with Anarchy and confusion and whose soules they should winne to God by ministring the word and sacraments their bloud they sacrifice to the diuell by stirring them vp to treason and rebellion and canonize them for MARTYRS when they haue done We thinke it lamentable that is Å¿ Anton. Magin geograph pag. 168. written of the great Turk how at Constantinople in the place that sometime was the pallace of Constantine now he keepeth fierce Elephants and a thousand other cruel beasts and in a stately Church neer to adioyning where God was wont to be honored he feedeth sauage monsters and to euery pillar therof tieth Lions Beares Wolues Tygers * Witnesse the murders of the infant of Spaine the Prince of Orenge the French King King Iohn of England the Irish warres the English rebellion in the North the FreÌ„ch massacres the infinite treasons against Qu. Elizabeth and his Maiestie and aboue all other the Powder treason in Nouemb. 1605. This is the practise of the Man of Rome in the pallace of Constantine where formerly of old godly Bishops had wont to be entertained he stalleth vp purpled Machiavellians and vnreasonable beasts to prey vpon Constantines successors and deuoure the Princes of the earth and to euery pillar of our Churches welnigh in Europe he chaineth Wolues and Libards to flie at our throates whensoeuer we come within their reach And those heards that we see of Friers Seminaries Masse-priests Iesuites pretending to be the Pastors of our soules be nothing else but so many Beares and bloudie Tygers chained to the pillars of our Churches the fatall enemies of Princes and their people to suck their bloud saue that the Turks lions at Constantinople with feeding and familiaritie of their keepers become tame and gentle but the Popes sauages of Rome by no forbearance or mercie shewed them can be mollified no gentle vsage can tame their nature no clemencie will reconcile them no diet will swage their thirst of bloud no benefits no patience no endurance can alter their hearts from practising against their mercifullest Prince and dearest countrey Alas for our people that haue made choise of such maisters I remember t Q. Curt. l. 6. Sequidem gratulari quòd in numerum deorum receptus esset Alexander caeterùm misereri eorum quibus viuendum esset sub eo qui modum hominis excederet the speech of Philotas touching Alexander what time he would be made a god That he was glad Alexander was receiued into the number of the
that it should be the Popes right to Lord it thus ouer the Scriptures Fathers Councels Church and all the world What possibility is there that the kingdomes of the world should be subiect to him What likelyhood is there that Images should be worshipped our workes should merit heauen the cup should not be allowed to the people the Seruice should be in a language vnknowne the Body of Christ should be in ten thousand places at once the Priest should haue iudiciall power to forgiue sinnes the Saints in heauen should be made mediators for vs to God He that will indifferently compare these and many points more shall finde them manifestly against the principles of religion and the light of nature What man can thinke it to be the true Church that teacheth to equiuocate to murther the King to pay no debts to BLOW VP THE PARLIAMENT to dispense with murther and whoredome The fift is their intemperate and vnchristian proceeding against vs. For if they were of the truth they would not defend themselues and confute vs with grosse lying vncharitable railing and irreconcileable malice which are the weapons of darkenesse but with grauitie and sinceritie as becometh Christs Gospell Who will beleeue that any can be so impious that holdeth there is a God as to make him the author of sinne and yet n Posseuin bibl select p. 533. they shame not to say we do it Who can thinke that any man is so absurd as to deny the necessitie of good workes and a godly life and yet they say our Church doth it There is very little of our doctrine but maliciously they traduce and misreport it That we haue neede to put them in minde of Philoxenus the Poet o Hesych Illust vit philosoph in Arcesilao who hearing certaine Potters singing his verses vndecently brake their pots For saith he I breake your pots and you marre my verses What truth or sinceritie is it to publish abrode to the world that in England Catholickes so they call themselues vntruly are so cruelly persecuted p Nonnullae de castissimis virginib vestris in Lupanaria aliaque loca inhonesta praeclarissima in hoc Agnetis Luciaeque virginum exempla secutae protrusae sunt Alan consolat pag. 159. That young women which are found to be of that religion are put into the stewes and such like vntruthes mentioned thicke and threefold in their q Concert eccl Cathol writings r Aquiponta de Antichristo p. 110. post Sander visib monarch l. 7. p. 664 That ten thousand Churches and aboue are ouerthrowne more then two hundred Martyrs slaine an infinite multitude of all sorts and sexes imprisoned banished and bereaued of their goods One Cardinall three Archbishops eighteene Bishops one Abbot foure Priours foure whose Couents thirteene Deanes foureteene Archdeacons six hundred Priests seuentie seuen Doctors one Queene eight Earles ten Barons sixe and twentie Knights foure hundred Gentlemen What could they haue said more if Queene Elizabeth had bene as cruell as Queene Marie was against vs in her time Yea their hatred against vs is such that they hold vs to be ſ See Lindan de suga idol possesse◠not simply seduced but euen possessed by the diuell and thereupon when any of vs reuolteth to the Papacie and is reconciled to them they haue an order to exorcize the party t Pontifical Rom. pag. 206. who kneeling vpon his knees the Bishop saith I coniure thee vncleane spirit by the name of God that thou depart out of this seruant of God whō he hath vouchsafed to deliuer frō thy errors and to bring backe to his holy Church he cōmandeth thee thou cursed and damned spirit who suffered for the saluation of man c. Besides their malicious u Staplet promptuar moral aestiu pag. 493. Answer to the libel of Engl. Iust pag. 170. inde threatning of the peace of our Land euen then when it had the happiest time and vnnaturall treasons against vs shew the true sanctification of Gods spirit not to be among them which teacheth meekenesse and forbearance not rankor and impatience and rebellion Saue that hauing said x Id. They were but thriftlesse yonkers vulgar readers common persons that would not be perswaded our countrey and state to be in the greatest and most daungerous termes in the Queenes time that euer it was since or before the conquest and in far worse then any countrey in Christendome it pleased God by the coming of his Maiestie to deride these their Prophecies and in scorne thereof at this day we enjoy the very same peace and libertie that we then had 13 The sixt is the prodigious ignorance whereinto they fall that liue in Papistry For as their Church commendeth it so their people follow it most desperatly euen in the chiefest things touching their saluation I will not speake how vnable they are to render account of the faith to vnderstand the points of the Catechisme to iudge of things lawfull and vnlawfull and such like I will only mention what I saw and learned dwelling among them concerning the saying of their prayers for what man is he whose heart trembleth not to see simple people so farre seduced that they know not how to pronounce or say their daily prayers or so to pray as all that heare them shall be filled with laughter And while superstitiously they refuse to pray in their owne language with vnderstanding they speake that which their leaders may blush to heare These examples I haue obserued from the common people * The maner how the vulgar sort of people addicted to Papistry say their praiers the which I haue obserued by liuing and conuersing with them and set downe for no other purpose but to note the pitiful ignorance and confusion whereinto the Church of Rome plungeth her children Non verenda reteg◠sed inuerecūda resuto vtinam nobis reliquerint moderni Noc vnde à nobis possent aliquaten operiti Bern. ep 42. The Creed Creezum zuum patrum onitentem creatorum eius anicum Dominum nostrum qui cum sops virigini Mariae crixus fixus Ponchi Pilati audubitiers morti by sonday father a fernes sclerest vn iudicarum finis a mortibus Creezum spirituum santum ecli Cathóli remissurum peccaturum communiorum obliutorum hitam turnam again The little Creed Little Creed can I need Kneele before our Ladies knee Candle light candles burne Our Ladie prayed to her deare Sonne That we might all to heauen come Little Creed Amen This that followeth they call the White Pater noster White Pater noster Saint Peters brother What hast i' th t 'one hand white booke leaues What hast i' th t'other hand heauen yate keyes Open heauen yates and * Shut steike hell yates And let euery crysom child creepe to it owne mother White Pater noster Amen Another Prayer I blesse me with God and the rood With his sweet flesh and precious blood With his Crosse and his
this consent a man may infallibly know or else in vaine had g Act. 17.11 the Beraeans searched the Scriptures to see whether those things were so as Paul and Silas preached and in vaine did h Isa 8.20 the Prophet send the people to the law and to the testimonie if thereby one could not be secured But many perswade themselues they are taught by the spirit and yet are deceiued and this may be such a perswasion I answer i Greg. de Valē tom 3. disput theol disp 1. q. 1. punct 1. Stapl. princip doctr l. 8. c. 22. Triplic in admonit ad Whitak the Papists cannot denie but there is a heauenly light which assureth the children of God of it selfe and Saint Luke k Luc. 1.4 saith the writing of his Gospell was able to giue the certaintie of those things whereof Theophilus was instructed and l Col. 2.2 Saint Paul was exceeding carefull that the Laodiceans might haue the full assurance of vnderstanding to know the mysterie of God Now will the Iesuite denie all this assurance and call it but a perswasion which is concluded from the testimonie of the word Will he reiect the light of the Scripture and witnesse of the holy Ghost which worketh all things in all men m 1. Ioh. 5.10 Ioh. 7.17 that they may see it n 2. Cor. 4.4 whose eyes the God of this world hath not blinded But some are deceiued True o 2. Thess 2.11 such as haue strong delusions to beleeue lies p 2. Cor. 3.14 or a veile ouer their heart in reading but how followeth this some are deceiued therefore all But who without testimonie of miracle or some other infallible proofe dare arrogantly affirme that he onely is not deceiued I answer the triall maybe made without miracles which q His booke against the transt of the Scripture cap. 3. D. Standish a Papist saith were giuen but for a time as Austine in his dayes did witnesse saying he that would looke for a miracle then was a miracle to the world himselfe But without some other infallible proofe it cannot which proofe is the Scripture it selfe more infallible then either r Luc. 16.31 miracles or ſ 2. Pet. 1.19 visions and to rely vpon it is no arrogancie but obedience which some men doing against the Romish heresies not they onely saw the truth but more saw it with them whom t 1. Reg. 29.18 God reserued to himselfe in all countries though the Iesuite and his partakers were none of them 5 His third argument followeth No man teaching against the Catholick Church can assure others that he is taught of God vnles he haue the testimonie of miracles therefore no priuate man can be this infallible rule of faith I answer granting the conclusion that no priuate man is the rule of faith yet a priuate man as I haue distinguished teaching against the Romish church falsly termed Catholick may giue infallible assurance of his teaching without miracle as I haue said already here wil declare further by answering the Iesuits confused discourse more particularly 6 First he saith It is not Gods manner to teach men immediatly by himself but by meanes of his Church and Pastors Whereto I answer that neither do we say these priuate men of whom the question is were taught immediatly by inspiration but had their knowledge by meanes of the scripture truly taught in the Church according to the manner touched in u Rom. 10.17 Mal. 2.7 Eph. 4 12. the three texts alledged onely we say the Papacie was not this Church nor the Priests thereof those pastors and doctors whom God had put in his Church that from their lips the faith might be required but they were degenerate into rauening wolues and Antichristian heretickes and such these priuate men both Pastors and people proued them to be by the Scriptures as when the Pharises x Math 5.20 15.3 16.6 12. 23.13 had generally corrupted the law y Marc. 14.64 Ioh. 7.48 8.13 9.22 42. denying Iesus to be Christ z Ioh. 5.39 he reproued them by the Scriptures But suppose one thinke himselfe to be immediatly taught of God how should he giue assurance to others that he is so taught vnlesse he had miracles I answer assurance of immediate teaching he can giue none neither is it needfull for I know no particular man or Church of the Protestants that pretendeth immediate teaching but we all confesse and proue the Scriptures and Pastors of Christs true Church haue taught vs and hereof we dayly giue assurance to those that haue hearts to beleeue But how can priuate men be assured without miracles This is answered alreadie a Hom. 3. de Laz. Chrysostome saith God hath left vs the Scriptures more firme then any miracle And to them Austine reuoketh vs from miracles b De Vnit. eccl c. 16 Say not these things are so because such a one did such and such maruels but let them proue their Church by the canonicall bookes of the Scripture and by nothing else these are the demonstration of our cause these are our foundation these are our grounds whereupon we build But no man can giue assurance he teacheth true that teacheth men to forsake the Catholicke Church that is taught of God I answer the Iesuite saith true in this and c Mat. 28.20 Ioh 14.16 16.13 the texts alledged proue well that Christ abideth with this Catholicke Church for euer But he should haue remembred that these priuate men taught vs to forsake nothing but the Papacie prouing the same to be the kingdome of Antichrist And as for the Catholicke Church it consisteth in these men alone whom the Iesuite calleth priuate though he and his fellowes very foolishly haue arrogated the name to themselues For they are Catholickes which be of sound faith and good life saith d Qu. in Mat◠c. 11. Austine not they e Apoc. 2.2 which say they are Apostles and are not but are found liers or f vers 9. calling themselues Iewes are the synagogue of Satan 7 Therefore also the Iesuite may preach his text of vae prophetis Ezech. 13.3 to his Cleargie at home g Dist 40. Si Papa who are bound to the Popes spirit though he leade them to hell For to follow the Scripture and Gods spirit speaking publickly in the same is not to follow a mans owne spirit which the Prophet condemneth And whereas he concludeth that it is not sufficient to alledge words of Scripture because euery sectmaster yea the diuell alledgeth Scripture for his opinion I answer that neither do we thinke it enough to alledge words of Scripture but the Scripture truly applied which neither the diuell nor sectaries nor Papists can do But what a loose kind of reasoning is this the diuell alledgeth Scripture therefore the Scripture is no sufficient warrant For did not our Sauiour confute the diuell by only Scripture rightly vnderstood
hoc feratâ— pag 440. Tho. Bozius de signis Ecc. tom 2. l. 16. c. vlt. such as the Iesuite is can ill digest this saying 3 And to set on foote the question of the visiblenesse of the Church for the prouing hereof me thinketh is game faire and farre off For when he hath assigned a state of the Church perpetuall visible which he can neuer do yet will there remaine a doubt whether all the teaching thereof haue the conditions mentioned For this visible coÌ„pany though liuing men that can conforme their teaching to the capacity of al sorts may yet be subiect to error or want immediate authority to assure mens consciences but what it borroweth froÌ„ the Scriptures or may haue commssion to teach no further then is written or may ouer see now and then some points of faith which the holy Ghost teacheth as well as it doth some points of manners in which cases who seeth not that it may both faile in teaching some truths sometime and the best teaching will not be so easie or certaine to vnderstand and beleeue as the Iesuite pretendeth So that the visibilitie of the Church argueth the easinesse and vniuersalitie thereof in teaching but sortly and were a question not greatly needfull for this place but that Papists haue a humor to be discoursing thereof and loue to make their people beleeue it troubleth vs ill as d Vpon 1. Tom. 3 15. the Rhemists say This place pincheth all heretickes wonderfully and e Gregory of Valence f Comment Theolog. Tom. 3. pag. 142. The propertie of the Church to be alway visible maketh heretickes in ill case And therefore let him go on and see what he will make of it and alway marke his reach that still he pleadeth for the Romane Church shewing hereby the vnhappie condition wherin it standeth that at euerie triall passing betweene vs her miserable children are enforced to beg from doore to doore Of your charitie giue our mother leaue to be iudge herselfe in the triall that she be not ouerthrowne § 17. This question I decide by this onely conclusion that the Church of Christ must needs alwayes be from Christ his time to the end of the world and being it must needs be alwayes visible This conclusion hath two parts The first whereof to wit that Christ his true Church must be alwayes without interruption to the end of the world needeth no other proofe then those promises of our Sauiour before mentioned wherein is declared that Christ and his holy Spirit shall be with his Church continually vnto the worlds end Matth. vlt. Omnibus diebus vsque ad consummationem seculi which promise is not fulfilled vnlesse the Church without interruption be continually all the dayes vntill the end of the world For if the Church for anie time dayes or moneths or yeares do ceasse to be for those yeares moneths and dayes Christ cannot be said to be with the Church consequently cannot be truly said to haue fulfilled the promise wherein he said he will be with the Church all the dayes vnto the end of the world The Answer 1 The first part of this conclusion with the confirmation thereof might well haue bene spared For we confesse the Church neuer ceasseth to be but continueth alwayes without interruption to the worlds end and against all Papists whatsoeuer we make it good that the very faith we now professe hath successiuely continued in all ages since Christ and was neuer interrupted so much as one yeare moneth or day and confesse a Dan. 7.27 Psal 102.26 Mat. 16.18 Luc. 1.33 the contrary were sufficient to proue vs no part of the Church of God yet the Iesuite you see very soberly standeth vpon the matter shewing that the Church cannot be extinguished which is a tricke of his owne thereby to make his friend beleeue that we thinke it may So b Ann. vpon 1. Tim. 3 15. Ap. 12 6. the Rhemists write as if we held it is fallen from Christ these many ages being knowne neither to friend nor foe And Reinolds c Caluinoture l. 1. c. 10. p. 106. 107 Lutheranide toto orbe terrarum EcclesiaÌ„ periisse mentiuntur Posseu bibl select l. 6. c. 4. p. 445. reports we should say The Church of Christ was vtterly fallen for a thousand yeares together yea all that time there was no Church at all whereas we hold the very contrary And if our testy aduersaries will not be satisfied with this our profession but continue their ordinarie practise in charging vs with opinions which we neuer held then let them hearken what d Bellarmin de Eccl. mil. lib. 3. cap. 13. a friend of their own telleth them They do but trifle away the time which stand prouing that the Church cannot absolutely faile because the Protestants grant it cannot The question therefore is onely of the outward state of the Church whether it be alway visible to the world or not that in euery age those congregations may euidently be discerned and pointed to which are the true Church for we say not Wherein though the Iesuite will reason against vs in the sections following and the Papists generally censure vs yet the truth is themselues when the matter cometh to a iust triall in effect say as much as we and the very same of their Church that we do of ours but that of verie frowardnesse they will not receiue the word inuisible Digression 17. Wherein it is shewed in what manner the Church is said to be inuisible and that the Papists say no lesse concerning this matter then we do 2 Indeed they set downe enough in the question e Bellar. de Eccl l. 3. c. 13. that God hath at all times a Church consisting not of a few people but a great multitude as conspicuous as any earthly kingdome f Idem de Ro. Pout l. 4. c. 4. part whereof and alwaies the head shall be visible at Rome and the rest of it wheresoeuer is visibly subiect to the Bishop of Rome and g Greg. de Valent tom 3. p. 142. Câ—ster Enchitid c. 2. Bell. de Eccl. l. 3 c. 2. § Atque hoc interest that this company perpetually holdeth a visible succession of Pastors and people as sensibly as any other societie of men so that at any time one may point with his finger and say this is the Church h Rhem. vpon Act. 11.24 of the Protestants inuisible Church they heare not one word Thus they enlarge their sence when they will set forth their wealth to beguile the poore widow whereas at other times they are content to let downe a great deale of this reckoning and to confesse as much of their owne Church as we say of ours 3 For when we say the Church is sometime inuisible the meaning is not that it is extinguished or that it is alway inuisible or that none of the faithfull can see any part thereof or that it is as much hidden from the faithfull as
it is from the world but we meane three other things First although it abide alwayes vpon the earth holding the whole faith without change and containing a certain number that constantly professe it yet this number may be very small and their profession so secret among themselues that the world and such as loue not the truth shall not see them they remaining so hidden as if they were not at all This point concerning the smalnes of the number is confessed by i Alexan. part 3. qu. vlt. nu 5. art 2. Dur. ration l. 6. c. 72. nu 25. Panorm de elect electi potest c. significasti Tur recrem de CoÌ„secr d. 2. semel Christus nu 4. theÌ„ that hold that about the time of Christs passion the true faith remained in none but onely the virgin Mary and by k Refert Fr. Suarez tom 2. difâ— 54. sect 6. pag. 649. such Catholicke writers as say that in the times of Antichrist the true faith shall perish throughout the whole world And the secretnesse of their profession is acknowledged by Pererius the Iesuite who l In Daniel pag. 714. writeth that in the time of Antichrist there shall be no sacrament in publick places neither shall any publicke honour be giuen it but priuately and priuily shall it be kept and honored And Ouandus the Frier m Breuiloqu in 4. Sent d. 18. prop. 3. p. 602. who thinketh the Masse at that time shal be celebrated but in very few places so that it shall seeme to be ceassed Secondly all the externall gouernement thereof may come to decay in that the locall and personall succession of the Pastors may be interrupted the discipline hindered the preachers scattered and all the outward exercise of gouernment and religion suspended whereby it shall come to passe that in all the world you cannot see any one particular Church publickly professing the true faith whereto you may safely ioyne your selfe by reason persecution and heresies shall haue ouerflowed all Churches as n Gen. 7.18 Noes floud did the world or obscured their light as the Sun is eclipsed or corrupted the sinceritie of religion as a leprosie or scab sometime groweth ouer the whole body of man and hideth euery member till by little and little it fall off againe Thus in effect say the Papists Acosta o De Temp. Nouiss l. 2. c. 15. saith All the light and reputation of Ecclesiasticall order lieth worne out and buried in the time of Antichrist the Priests lamenting the Church doores destroyed the altars forsaken the Church empty because there are none to come to the Lambes solemnitie And p Vpon 2. The. 2 3. the Rhemists It is verie like be it spoken vnder the correction of Gods Church and all learned Catholickes that this great defection or reuolt shall not be onely from the Romane Empire but specially from the Roman Church and withall from most points of Christian religion For that neare to the time of Antichrist and the consummation of the world there is like to be a great reuolt of kingdomes people and Prouinces froÌ„ the externall open obedience and communion thereof For the few dayes of Antichrists reigne the externall state of the Romane Church and publicke intercourse of the faithful with the same may ceasse q Aquipontan contra Sâ—hn de Antich pag. 23. Tho. Boz de Sign Eccl tom 3 l. 24 cap. 9.10 Others thinke that then the sacrifice of the Eucharist shall be taken away And r Dom. à Soto 4. d. 46. qu 1. art 1. some affirme The departure and reuolt of the whole world froÌ„ the sea of Rome shall be a signe of the end of the world the faith being extinguished by reason of this reuolt Thirdly Å¿ Apo. 13. 17. that which the world and the kingdomes thereof followeth as the Church may fall out to be the synagogue of Antichrist whose doctrine is poyson whose Pastours be Wolues in sheepes clothing and whose people be the bastards of the whore of Babylon that none can discerne the true beleeuers but such as are specially enlightened by Gods Spirit therunto Thus writeth Gregorie of Valence When we say the Church is alway coÌ„spicuous t Annal. fid l 6. c. 4 coÌ„ment Theol. tom 3. pag. 145. saith he this must not be taken as if we thought it might at euery season be discerned alike easily For we know that sometimes it is so tossed with the waues of errors schismes and persecutions that to such as are vnskilfull do not discreetly enough weigh the circumstances of times and things it shall be very hard to be knowne Which then specially fell out what time the falshood of the Arrians bare rule almost ouer all the world therefore we denie not but that it will be harder to discerne the Church at some times then at other some yet this we auouch that it alway might be discerned by such as could wisely esteeme things To the same effect u Relect. controâ— 1. q 3 pag. 30. writeth D. Stapleton 4 Whereby it appeareth that if our aduersaries would set contention aside the matter of the visible and inuisible Church were at an end for themselues thinke it may be driuen into the same straits that we complaine of as will appeare by examining the places alledged And no doubt they could haue bene contented to haue called it the inuisible Church too as we do buâ— that as in all other matters so in this it was their lucke to come after vs and we by euill hap vsed the terme before them and so matred x See Rhem. vpon 1. Tim. 6.20 2. Tim. 1.13 the Catholicke phrase that now it cannot relish in their mouthes But in the meane time let the Iesuite speake indifferently what fault we haue made that our Church must be condemned for no Church because it was sometime obscured and yet his be the Romane Catholicke Church though it be subiect to the very same inconueniences For though he say their Church is neuer thus obscured but in the times of Antichrist yet this granteth as much as we say that it may be hidden and then we reply that all those dayes of the Churches inuisibilitie were the dayes of Antichrist § 18. The second part to wit that Christs Church must as long as it is be alwayes visible I proue First because Christ our Sauiour ordained this his Church to be the light of the world according to these words Matth. 5. Vos est is lux mundi and to be a rule or meane by which all men at all times may come to an entire and infallible knowledge of the true faith as hath bene alreadie proued but how can it be the light of the world if it selfe be inuisible or how can it be a meane by which at all times the infallible truth in all points of faith should be made knowne to all sorts of men if it selfe at anie time could not be knowne of men Or if you
the rocke of Christ and his faith c In Mat. 16. Lyra of whom d L. 4. Biblioth sanct they say that for expounding the Scriptures he had not his match and e In Mat. 16. the interlineary Glosse and f Ibid. Burgensis do all thus g Concord l. 2. c. 18. 13. Cusanus followeth Saint Austins exposition set downe immediatly before h In d. 19 ita Dom. § â—t super hanc petram The Glosse vpon Gratian saith He cannot thinke that by the rocke our Lord pointed at any other thing then the words which Peter answered him when he said Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God because vpon that article of faith the Church is built therfore God founded the Church vpon himselfe Marsilius i Defens pacis part 2. ca. 28. saith Vpon this rocke that is vpon Christ in whom thou beleeuest for Peter as long as he liued might erre and sinne by the libertie of his will and such a one could not be the foundation of the Church Petrus de Alliaco Chancellour of Paris and a Cardinall k RecoÌ„mendat sacrâ—â— Scripturae pag 269. writeth thus We must enquire what is the rocke whereupon the Church of Christ was to be built notwithstanding it seemeth not that by the rocke Peter should be vnderstood but Christ for who may establish the firmitie of the Church in Peters infirmitie whereof aske the maide that kept the doore and let her answer at whose speech as Gregorie saith while he feared death he denied the life Therefore seeing Peter had wauered and his Vicar is not firmely grounded l Cumque iam discrepent de summo Petri sacerdotio Pontifices litigeÌ„t de summo Pontificio sacerdotes seeing the Popes differ about Peters high priesthood and the Priests agree not about the Popes high bishopricke who dareth presume to say that any man of what holinesse or worthinesse soeuer whether Priest or high Bishop whether Peter or Peters Vicar or any other but Christ himselfe is the foundation of the Christian Church Christ therefore vpon himselfe as vpon a most steadie foundation established his Church against the Church of the diuell and vpon this firme rock he steadily confirmed Peter himselfe saying of him the sentence premised Vpon this rocke will I build 17 Thus it appeareth that our Sauiour saying Vpon this rock I will build my Church meant thereby no more but that he would ground it vpon the true faith of Christ that whosoeuer would desire to be ioyned to this Church should beleeue the same things that Peter then professed or else perish for euer And the words are thus to be expounded Thou art Peter thy name is Stone and thou hast professed a profession like thy name answering the nature of that whereby thou art called and therefore thy name is stone or rocke and the profession thou hast made is like it for thereupon I will build my Church and they which hold it shall neuer be moued This is farre from giuing Peter and the Pope any primacie and yet this is all the fathers obserued and as much we see as the discreeter sort of Papists haue collected And it is no matter though in the language that Christ spake the same word be vsed for Peter and the Rocke thus Thou art Cephah and vpon this Cephah I will build or if in the Greeke vsed by the Euangelist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie one thing to wit a rocke or stone as if Christ should say thou art rocke and vpon this rocke I will build for in the first place the word is vsed properly to signifie Peters name in the second appellatiuely to lay downe the nature of his profession which the Papists might haue obserued from m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phauor Lexic Phauorinus Camers their owne Bishop out of whose Lexicon they borrowed their speculation concerning the synonymie of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 18 To the other part of the text concerning the keyes I answer that neither do they proue Saint Peter or the Pope to be chiefe Pastor to whose definitiue sentence all the Church must be subiect but that he had the ministery of the Gospell committed to him with the other Apostles which ministery is signified by the keyes in this respect because mankind through the fall of our first parents lay plunged in the miserable bondage of sinne and Satan vtterly shut out of heauen vntill it pleased our merciful God to reueale the Gospel by preaching whereof the mind of man being enlightned the fetters of spiritual darknesse begin to fall from him and he riseth into the knowledge of Gods will so that by beleeuing in Christ he is set at libertie from the prison of sinne and condemnation and the doore of grace and life is opened to him This is done by the ministerie of the Gospell n Esa 49.9 whose nature is to say to the prisoners go forth and to them that sit in darknesse shew your selues and as o Esa 61.1 a key to open the prison doore to them that are bound and to bring liberty to captiues or if men loue darknesse better then light then hath God put p Ioh. 15.22 2. Cor. 2.16 Apoc. 11.6 an effectuall power into it to shut vp against them the kingdome of heauen and to straine them harder q Pro. 5.22 with the cords of their sinnes that they might perish This ministery being executed partly by preaching and sacraments partly by Church censures is called the keyes by reason of the likenesse thereunto and described by binding and loosing in regard of the effect 19 This exposition must needs be granted first because it sufficiently expresseth the vse and effect of keyes which is onely to let in and out or at the least that is the proper vse thereof Next r Shewed before nu 12. this is all that is meant by binding and loosing and binding and loosing containeth whatsoeuer is signified by the keyes Thirdly the Papists that most stifly defend the primacie yet confesse that all the Apostles receiued the keyes equally with Peter The promise of Christ concerning the keyes appertained not onely to Peter but was transmitted to all the Apostles Å¿ Concil ColoÌ„ sub Adulph an 1549. § Sextum medium saith Adolfus the Archbishop of Colen and his Councell t Surius comment an 1547. a man so addicted to the popish religion and carefull to restore it that he was thought meet to succeed Hermannus whom the Pope thrust out Cusanus u Concord li. 2. c. 13. saith Nothing was spoken to Peter but that which was said to the rest for as it was said to Peter whatsouer thou shalt bind so was it said to the rest whatsoeuer ye shall bind and though it were said to Peter Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I wil build yet by the rocke we vnderstand Christ whom he confessed Thus they
praying and shriuing as the Church of Rome teacheth them are so many heresies and directly leade men to sinne inspiring them with pride of their owne works and filling them with hypocrisie idolatrie and sensualitie as I haue shewed particularly in them all in the digressions vnder the 40. section whereas being rightly vnderstood and practised they are the doctrine of our Church also as I haue shewed before And for confession we thinke it lawfull for any man excluding the opinion of necessitie to reueale his secret sinne to his Pastor that so he may receiue particular instruction when his conscience is troubled therewith so the same be done wisely and discreetly And that which he addeth touching the saying of Protestants when they see a Papist do amisse You should not do thus is a weake proofe that we think Popery directeth them to no euill For we speake to them either as to hypocrites going against their proud profession or as to ignorant persons transgressing Gods law And our words with this relation are so far from shewing that we thinke they do against their religion that they proue we thinke the contrary For saying You should not do thus we shew them their hypocrisie in taking vpon them a profession that hath no power in it to reforme their liues and therefore aduise them to imbrace the truth that may direct them better I would not haue mentioned this obiectiō it is so contemptible but that I perceiue they are inamoured of it For Campian in g Concertat Eccl. cathol in Angl. pag 24. an epistle to the General of the Iesuits sendeth it with other newes out of England to giue hope of good successe to the Catholicke religion 4 The conclusion therefore that the Romane Church is the holy Church because the doctrine thereof is holy and leadeth to holinesse and the holy Saints are in it c. is denied because the reasons whereupon it is grounded are false and haue failed in the triall Yet it soundeth you see sweet in his eare like his sacring bell for he repeateth it often Digress 46. Naming certain points of the Popish religiō which directly tend to the maintenance of open sin and libertie of life 5 But yet in this I commend this Iesuites wit that declaring the holinesse of his doctrine he mentioneth onely certaine of the plausiblest points thereof freewill keeping the law merit fasting praying shriuing and concealeth the rest For they which commend Moyles neuer mention the Asse that begat them who yet is the one halfe of their pedigree but talk all of the Mares that beare thē So play our aduersaries in this point for some parts of their doctrine are so fowle and profane euen at the first sight without any discourse that they may not I thinke for shame offer them as patterns of their holy doctrine I name these for example that follow The h Azor. Instit mor. tom 1. p. 663. Aquipontan de Antich pag. 72. depriuing of kings and i Turrecr Sum. de eccles l. 2. c. 114. prop. 5. absoluing subiects from their obedience yea k Baron ann 1089 11. the murthering of them whensoeuer it shall be the Popes pleasure Which doctrine hath filled all parts of the world with treason and allowed any man to be a traitor against his soueraigne in case he be a Protestant Prince The worship of images whereby the people may easily be drawne to idolatry as l Durand ratio p. 13. Polyd. Inuent l 6. c. 13. some of themselues deny not and m Concil Mogūt tom 3. con pag. 938. their owne experience hath shewed thē The doctrine of pardōs n Tho. supplem q. 25. art 1. wherby they hold any sinne may be forgiuen without satisfaction This imboldened certaine o Chemnit exam de poenit Germans to rob the Popes pardoner because he had giuen them a pardon to remit the next sinne they should commit though it were a great sinne And it is not likely but in the abundance of pardons some will take courage to sinne if it be but to tast their bountie p Staphyl p. 53. The Colliars faith to beleeue as the Church beleeueth induceth the world to brutish ignorance Their doctrine touching the sacrament q Suar. tom 3. pag. 783. that a dog or a swine eating a consecrated hoast eateth the very flesh of our Sauiour of it selfe is blaspemy and atheisme r Altisiod l. 1. p. 27. Worril 1. d. 43. 4. d. 21. 26. Durand 4. p. 462. c. Some teach that soules damned long since in hell may be deliuered and returne into the body againe and do penance and be saued as diuers haue bene This giueth hope to the worst liuers that be and in part confirmeth the error of Origen ſ Hard. confut apol d. 161. Graff part 1. l. 2. c. 75. nu 3. Tho. Bergom rab v. meretrix They say the stewes are for a commonwealth This maintaineth open whoredome Yea the Pope alloweth the Curtesans in Rome and other places vpon a rent to professe bawdry They forbid the mariage of Priests that directly leadeth many of them to hell For Panormitan t part 3. cum olim de clericis coniugat saith It were for the good and saluation of their soules who cannot containe if they were suffered to marrie For experience sheweth that the law of continency hath produced contrary effects in that men liue not therein chastly but grieuously sinne by whoredome whereas it were chastity if they had to do with their owne wiues u Fr. Ouand 4. d. 13 p. 347. They hold that all hereticks stand depriued of the right of dominion both natural oeconomical and ciuill This teacheth all inhumanitie and ouerthroweth all societie For first x Ouand ib. no father hath any longer command ouer his child nor master ouer his seruant if once the Church of Rome repute him for an hereticke Secondly Princes lose their kingdoms as I said before Thirdly all Catholickes as Papists call themselues are discharged of all bond toward them y Concil Constant pag. 528. edit Crab. so that no promise or oath bindeth them any longer neither are they boūd to pay them any debts z Ouand ibid. Sum. Angel p. 101. n. 15. For he that is bound by oath or otherwise to make paiment at a certaine day if he faile yet he sinneth not because the other mans heresie hath discharged him Debtors may excuse themselues by excepting against their creditors that they are heretickes This is cosenage Fourthly a Tolet. Sum. pag. 700. it is lawfull to equiuocate by reseruing another meaning to himselfe of his words then he that heareth him shall conceiue b Rhem. art 23. 12. Yea to speake contrary to his oath if it be to detect a Papist This is lying and periury 6 Againe their doctrine not onely inferreth but expresly alloweth most palpable wickednesse directly tending to the desolation of publicke gouernment and priuate honesty
might be here in the sacrament yet it was not in the beginning so manifestly beleeued as concerning this conuersion o D. 11. q. 3. §. Quantum ergo ad istum But principally this seemeth to moue vs to hold transubstantiation because concerning the sacramēts we are to hold as the Church of Rome doth where in the margin it is noted that our faith as concerning this sacrament is onely by reason of the Churches determination And he p §. Ad argumenta pro prima addeth We must say the Church in the Creed of the Lateran Councell vnder Innocent the third which beginneth with these words FIRMITER CREDIMVS declared this sence concerning transubstantiation to belong to the veritie of our faith And if you demand why would the Church make choise of so difficult a sence of this article whē the words of the Scripture This is my body might be vpholden after an easie sence and in appearance more true I say the Scriptures were expounded by the same spirit that made them and so it is to be supposed that the Catholicke Church expounded them by the same spirit whereby the faith was deliuered vs namely being taught by the spirit of truth and therefore it chose this sence because it was true q Canon lect 41. Biels words are to the same effect Which sheweth the point was neither holden nor knowne vniuersally in the Church before the Lateran Councell and that then it began to be receiued as a matter of our faith And yet since that time these men enquiring so boldly into the congruēcie of the opinion and casting so many dangers about it they shew plainly that they mistrust the proceeding of the Councell though they may not disclaime it Durand r 4. d. 11. q. 1. saith It is great rashnesse to thinke the body of Christ by his diuine power cannot be in the sacrament vnlesse the bread be conuerted into it But if this way which supposeth the bread to remaine still were true de facto many doubts which meet vs about the sacrament holding that the substance of bread remaineth not were dissolued But forsomuch as this way must not de facto be holden since the Church hath determined the contrary which is presumed not to erre in such matters therefore I answer the arguments made to the contrary holding the other part which saith the bread is changed Would our aduersaries thus backwardly come into the opinion if they had seene it to haue bene holden in all ages before in the Church or is it not rather an infallible signe that it was brought into the Church by the strength of some mens conceits without all warrant either of Scripture or fathers the want whereof so dazled those that imbraced it that they could see no reason for it but are all glad to lay it vpon the necke of a silly Pope in his Lateran Coūcell Besides ſ Scot. 4. d 11. q. 3. Bell Euchar. l. 3. c. 23. they confesse There is no Scriptare to inforce it vnlesse ye bring the Church of Romes exposition that is to say the Popes authoritie in whom t Turrect tract 73. quest q. 49. they thinke the power of the vniuersall Church in determining matters of faith principally resides if not alone u 3. part q. 75. art 1. p. 153. Caietan laieth downe diuers opinions holden among the Schoolemen touching the conuersion neuer a one whereof reacheth the transubstantiation and disallowing such as expounded Christs words This is my body metaphorically he saith his reason is because the Church hath vnderstood them properly I say the Church saith he because in the Gospell there is nothing that compelleth vs to vnderstand them properly headdeth that the conuersion of the bread into Christs body we haue receiued of the Church Now put all this together that we beleeue transubstantiation vpon the authoritie of the Church and this Church was Pope Innocent in the Councell of Lateran before which time there was no certaintie nor necessitie of beleeuing it and the Councell might haue chosen another sence of Christs words more easie and in all appearance more true for there is no Scripture sufficient to conuince it and the contrary were liable to fewer difficulties let this I say be put together and it will plainly shew that this point came in contrary to that which was vniuersally holden in the ancient Church because things vniuersally holden were certainly knowne and expresly beleeued without all this ado § 48. Let him shew also what countrey there is or hath bene where Christian faith either was first planted or continued where some at least haue not holden the Romane faith as we can shew them diuerse places especially in the Indies Iaponia and China countreys where theirs is scarce heard of The Answer 1 This is answered before sect 46. nu 2. where I shewed that when countries were first conuerted frō Paganism which was for the most part in the Primitiue Church the present Romane faith was not knowne but the Church of Rome in those daies professed the same that we do and consequently the nations conuerted by it and professing the faith thereof were conuerted to our religion and professed it For the Iesuite deceiueth himselfe with the name of Romane faith wherewith in the beginning all nations indeed vnder heauen communicated but then it was not the same that now it is as I haue plainly demonstrated in the former sect digress 49. And although since the change many nations haue still retained the same faith with it yet that iustifieth not the faith because the said faith growing on by steps and peecemeale was a generall apostasie and the mysterie of iniquitie working throughout the whole Church so that of necessitie there must be some in all places to follow it As when a generall rebellion groweth throughout a kingdome the rebels haue partakers in euerie towne and yet the possession is not proued theirs by that but onely the greatnesse and strength of the rebelling faction is shewed The Papacy that is to say the Roman faith in as much as it differeth from vs is not imagined by vs to be in another Church distinct in place and countries from the true Church of Christ but we affirme it to be a contagion raigning in the middest of the Church of Christ it self and spreading throughout the parts therof wheresoeuer and annoying the whole body like a leprosie in which disease though all the parts be affected yet the inward and vitall parts retaine their operation and still worke to expell the leprosie which at the length they do In this case the man is possessed indeed with a vile contagion but yet the man remaineth there still though the contagion be not the man And the contagion possesseth euery part of him some more some lesse being vniuersally spread ouer the body and yet hereby it is not proued to be the true nature and sound constitution of the bodie but a preuailing humor and when
c. 9. pag 131. that the power Imperiall dependeth vpon the Popes authoritie and is subordinate to it and that the Pope hath power to remoue reuoke correct and punish Kings whose secular gouernment is not meerly necessary or expedient but when the Church cannot and this they say is to be holden with the right faith as the naturall morall and diuine law of God This is a peece of the present faith of the Church of Rome the execution and practise whereof affoordeth her such store of Martyrs in euery kingdome But that you may see how vainly they brag of their vncontrolled antiquitie marke what Waldensis hath left written almost three hundred yeares ago he b Tom. 1. p. 196. lib. 2. art 3. c. 78. saith The regall power of Princes is not by our mother the Church vsed to be set behind the priestly power as if it were nothing of it selfe but sprang from it and were the second after it They erre he saith that affirme the roote of earthly power hangeth so much on the Pope that by his commission the execution of the same is deriued to the Prince Thus he writeth in that booke which he calleth the DOCTRINE OF THE ANCIENT FAITH that we might see the Church of Rome holdeth some things which in the records of her owne Court are noted for Nouelties and late incrochments against the ancient faith 10 The first restraint that euer was made of Priests marriage was by Siritius the Bishop of Rome 380. yeares after Christ For before that time it was beleeued and practised that Priests might haue wiues as all other men and Siritius was the first that euer forbad it The first part of this which I say that before his time maried men exercised the ministerie is proued before Digress 49. num 4. and is further proued by the confession of our aduersaries themselues For Alphonsus c Aduers haeres verb. Sacerdot haeres 4. writeth that in the Primitiue Church it was obserued that he which was maried might be promoted to priesthood though it were not required of him that he should first be maried And he addeth that this custome preuailed till the times of the Nicene Councell The second part that Siritius was the first that forbad maried Priests appeareth first by the decree it selfe extant in d D. 82. plurim the Canon law next by the confession of our aduersaries For e Inuen l. 5. c. 4. Polydore affirmeth it and the Glosse vpon the f D. 84. Cum in praeterito Glos §. Qui sacrameÌ„ Canon law saith Siritius brought in the continencie of Priests and Deacons yea some affirme that of old before the time of Siritius Priests might contract mariage g Index Expur pag. 308. nu 26. This Glosse Pius Quintus the late Pope hath commanded to be wiped out because it is cleare against the Papacie but Nauclerus h Tom. 2. generat 13. pag. 537. saith in effect as much that Siritius commanded Deacons to be continent And Clictoueus i De continen sacerdot c. 4. Quem refertâ— Bellar. Greg. Valent. writeth that it is a commaundement of the Church first brought in by Siritius that maried men should not be ordained Priests vnlesse from that time forward they would containe Here he confesseth that Siritius brought in that k Greg. Valent. to 4. d. 9. q. 5. p. 5. § 1. p. 1571. a. which the Iesuites thinke to be the chiefest thing whereunto the law of single life bindeth Thus Siritius began the matter but yet l Inuen l. 5. c. 4. saith Polydore it could neuer be effected that their mariage should be taken away till Gregorie the seuenth came to be Pope in the yeare 1074. The which thing when he attempted in Germanie as m Sigeb anno 1074. Lambert pag. 201 207. Auentin annal l. 5 Naucler vol. 2. generat 36. Baron an 1074. n. 37. Sigon reg Ital. l. 9. anno 1074. the stories with one consent record he was resisted as one that brought in a new custome neuer receiued before Auentine writeth n Pag. 448. that in those dayes Priests had wiues openly as other men had and begat children their wiues being called by a seemly name Presbyterissae o Pag. 460. And when the Pope forbad them mariage this to many Bishops and other learned and good men seemed a new doctrine and a pestilent heresie as euer troubled any Christian kingdome And he saith the Bishops of Italy Germany and France met together and for this cause decreed that he had done against Christian pietie and deposed him for that among diuers other things he diuorced men and their wiues denying such as had their lawfull wiues to be Priests when yet in the meane time he admitted to the altars whoremongers adulterers and incestuous persons Let any man iudge if it had bene possible the Bishops and Cleargie of Italy France and Germanie should thus bitterly haue censured and withstood this doctrine of Hildebrand if the Church had receiued it alwayes before 11 The Images of the Trinitie p Posseâ—in biblioth l. 8. c. 16. Vasq adorat l. 2 disp 3. c. 3. Bellar c. 8. which the Church of Rome now vseth and adoreth came not in of seuen hundred yeares after Christ For q Can. 82. Carranz ibi the sixt generall Councell holden anno 687. forbiddeth the making of the holy Ghost in the likenesse of a Doue and r Apud Baron an 726. pag. 87. Gregorie the second liuing anno 726. in an Epistle to Leo Isauricus writeth that in his time they vsed not to paint or represent God the Father Vpon which words Baronius hath noted in the margent that AFTERWARDS the custome grew to paint God the Father and the holy Ghost in the Church If it grew afterwards then it was not vsed at the first 12 So likewise the beginning of all image worship was in the second Nicen Councell for Å¿ Act. 7. Zonar tom 3. pag. 95. Geo. Cedren Compen p. 387 that decreed it Whereas but a little before when Serenus a Bishop in France in detestation thereof had cast out of a Church and broken certaine images Gregory the Bishop of Rome t Lib 7. Ep. 109 wrote vnto him The zeale which you had that nothing made with hands should be worshipped we commend but we are of mind that you should not haue broken those images for painting is therefore vsed in Churches that they which are vnlearned might by sight reade vpon the wals that which in bookes they cannot Your brotherhood should therefore haue spared the breaking of them and yet withall haue kept the people from worshipping them that such as are simple might haue had meanes whereby to come to the knowledge of the story and yet the people not sinne in worshipping the picture Which words shew that howsoeuer he fauoured the historicall vse of images which we deny not to haue bene brought into the Church before his time