our aduersaries makes nothing for their purpose for if Cyprian say that Infidelitie cannot come to the Romans whose faith was praised by the Apostles mouth then can none of the people of Rome erre because the faith of them all was praised by the Apostles mouth but the trueth is this holy Father speakes not there of matters of faith nor of the stabilitie of the Romane Church although most Romanists so translate it and apply it but of the tumultuous and disorderly courses of certain lewd persons who being censured by the Bishops of Africa fled to the Bishop of Rome for protection of their cause and therupon vpbraideth them that they came to Rome with lyes and tales which could finde no admittance nor harbour there Nauigare audent et à schismaticis et profanis literas ferre nec cogitare eos esse Romanos quorum fides Apostolo praedicante laudata est adquos persidia non potest habere accessum Cypr. lib. 1. Epist 3. when as they might wel vnderstand that the Romans were men whose Faith was commended by the Apostle Et ad quos perfidia non potest habere accessum vnto whom perfidiousnesse could haue no accesse that is they would giue no eare to their perfidious and calumnious suggestioÌ„s This therefore I must needs say is vnfaithfulnesse and perfidiousnes in the Church of Rome wilfully to misapply those things which make nothing for them I proceed from the infallibilitie of the Church to the authoritie of it wherein you shall likewise obserue the Romanists doe insist especially vpon that knowne confession of St. Austen Ego vero Evangelio noÌ„ credereÌ„ nisi me Catholicae Ecclesiae coÌ„moueret authoritas Aug. contr Ep. Fund cap. 5. I should not haue beleeued the Gospell except the Authoritie of the Church had mooued mee thereunto But I pray what doe these words concerne the Roman Church why should they bee applied rather to the Roman then to his owne Church in Africa or our Chuch in England for hee speakes not of the Roman Church or any particular Church but of the Church indefinitly Moreouer their owne Canus professeth Canus loc Theol. lib. 2. cap. 8. that St. Austen had to doe with a Manichee who would haue a certaine Gospell of his owne admitted without further dispute In this case saith he St. Austen puts the question What if you finde one which doeth not beleeue the Gospell what motiue would you vse to such a one to bring him to your beliefe I for my part saith hee should not haue beene brought to imbrace the Gospell if the Churches authoritie had not swayed with me 〈…〉 reâ— Cyâ— Epiâ— And from hence also Bishop Canus drawes this sound conclusion The faith of the Gospel is not founded vpon the authority of the Church This Exposition of their Romanist is agreeable to our belielfe for wee professe that the first outward motiue to bring men to the knowledge of the Scriptures is the authoritie of Gods Church Hooker Eccles Polit. lib. 3. If I beleeue the Gospell saith Hooker yet is Reason of singular good vse for that it confirmeth me in this my beliefe the more If I doe beleeue as yet neuerthelesse to bring mee to the number of beleeuers except reason did somewhat helpe and were an instrument which God doeth vse to such purposes what should it boot to dispute with infidels and godlesse persons for their conversion and perswasion in that poynt Hee therefore that shall conclude from St. Austens doctrine which he professed in the name of an heretike let him receiue his answer from the same Father when he makes his confession as a true Catholike Ex veritatis ore agnosoo Ecclesiam participem veritatis Aug. in Psal 57. By the mouth of God which is the trueth I know the Church of God which is partaker of the trueth But as it happeneth sometimes that hee who hath fallen into the hands of an vnskilfull Physician is loath afterwards to commit himself euen to a good one Aug. lib. 6. Confess c. 4 So was it in the state of my soule saith Austen which could not bee healed by beleeuing and for feare of beleeuing false things it refused to be cured by true ones And in the Chapter following whilest hee was yet a Manichee hee makes this humble confession Thou Lord Idem Confess l. 6 c. 5. didst perswade mee thus I say not that they were blameable who beleeued thy Bookes which thou hast grounded by such authoritie throughout almost all the nations of the earth but that they indeed were blameable who beleeued them not and that no â—are was to bee giuen to any if peraduenture they should say to mee How dost thou know that these Bookes were imparted to mankind by the Spirit of that one God who is true in himselfe and most true when hee speaketh to vs for that is the very thing it selfe which is especially to bee beleeued Thus St. Austen the Catholique interprets Austen the Heretique After his conversion to the trueth the blessed Spirit did perswade him that there was no eare to bee giuen to those men which made such doubts and questions as are dayly made in the Church of Rome viz. How doe you know the Scriptures to bee the Word of God but as the Samaritans beleeued that Christ was the promised Sauiour vpon the report of a woman yet afterwards when they heard him themselues they professed they beleeued him for his owne sake and not for the womans report So likewise this holy Father first conferred with flesh and blood as the most knowne familiar meanes to introduce a sauing knowledge but after hee had receiued the Spirit and word of trueth he like the Samaritans beleeued the Gospel not for the Churches sake but for Christs own authoritie and his Gospels sake The Authoritie of the Church is rightly compared to a Key which openeth the dore of entrance into the knowledge of the Scripture now when a man hath entred viewed the house and by viewing it likes it and vpon liking resolues vnchangeably to dwell there hee doeth not set vp his resolution vpon the key that let him in but vpon the goodnesse and commodiousnes which he sees in the house I omit diuers Expositions of the learned Romanists touching this saying of Austen Durand l. 3 Dist 24 q. 1 Diedo de Eccl. Script dogm lib. 4. c. 4. Geâ—s de vita spir Animae lect 2. Coroll 7. Durand Driedo and Gerson tell vs That those words of Saint Austen had relation to the Primitiue Church which both saw Christs person and his miracles heard his doctrine Aquinas saith Augustinus de Ecclesia vt causa praeponente non vt fundamento fidei loquitur A quin. in 2 2. quaest 2. art 7. that St. Austen spake of the Church as an ouer-ruling cause but not as a foundation of Faith And for a conclusion of this poynt The minde of the faithfull beleeuer doth not rest in the
iudgement of the Church for saith Stapleton Although the Church by reason of her Ministerie and Mastership receiued of God Stapl. lib. 3. de author Scrip. c. 12. doth cause vs to beleeue yet the reason wherefore wee beleeue is not the Church but God speaking within vs and witnessing his trueth vnto vs by his holy Spirit Thus briefly touching the authoritie of the Church now I proceed to our aduersaries claim touching the Vniuersalitie of it Lessius the Iesuite tells vs The Church of Rome Sola Ecclesia Romana eique adhaerens multitudo Ecclesia Catholica c. Less in Consult Consid 6. and that Church onely and the multitude adhering to it is the Catholique Church the Religion of this Church is Catholique the faith is Catholique the doctrine is Catholique and their followers are tearmed Catholikes What is properly vnderstood by the Catholike Church St. Austen deliuers in these words Non haec aut illa It is not this Church Toto orbe diffusa Aug. de rudibus Catech c. 20. or that Church but the Church dispersed throughout the whole world Maiores nostri Catholicā nominarunt vt ex ipso nomine ostenderent quia per totum est Aug de Vnit Eccles cap. 2. and from hence Our Ancestours named the Church Catholique that by that name they might demonstrate the Vniuersall If then the Church of Rome can prooue their Church Vniuersall there would be an end of all controuersies for we professe our selues to bee members of the vniuersall Church wee say that Church can neither erre totally nor finally and wee willingly grant that out of that Church there is no saluation But certainly this last Tenet doeth strongly euince that the Roman Church is not Vniuersall for Saint Stephen and St. Iames and others suffered Martyrdome and were saued in the Church of Hierusalem and in the Church of Antioch before the Church of Rome was euer heard of and they were all members of the vniuersall Church But let the Church of Rome claime what title or prerogatiue she list shee is in danger to fall vpon a Rocke for if shee confesse that shee is a particular Church shee stands subiect vnto errour if shee assume the title of Vniuersall she is altogether invisible for Vniuersale sentitur non videtur That which is Vniuersall is vnderstood not seene It is the Article of our Creed I beleeue the Catholique Church and Hoc enim veracitèr dicitur credi quod non potest videri Greg. Dial. 4. c. 4. that is truely said to bee beleeued which is inuisible saith Gregorie And that the world may know the Romanists are Nominals such as vaunt of the name of Catholikes as the Donatists did in the Primitiue Church when they want the nature of the thing it selfe their owne Waldensis who well vnderstood how to make a difference betwixt the particular Roman and the Vniuersal Catholike Church tels vs Wald. de doctr Fidei lib. 2. art 2. cap. 19. The Church whose faith neuer faileth according to the promise made to Peter is not any particular Church as the Church of Africa nor the particular Romane Church but the Vniuersall Church not gathered together in a Generall Councell which hath sometimes erred but it is the Catholique Church dispersed through the whole world from the Baptisme of Christ vnto our times which doeth hold and maintaine the true Faith and faithfull testimony of Iesus Neither was this the particular opinion of one priuate man but many Bishops and learned Doctors did professe publikely in the Councell of Ferara Quacunque facultate Romana Eccles praedita sit vniuersali Ecclesiae inferior sit Concil Ferar Sess 10 With whatsoeuer power the Church of Rome is indued yet it is inferiour to the Vniuersall Church And if wee require a cloud of witnesses behold both Princes and Cardinalls and Bishops in the great Councell of Basil resolued and declared Ecclesia Romana non est vniuersa sed est de vniuersalitate corporis mystici Concil Basil in Appendice That the Church of Rome is not Vniversall but a part of that vniversall mystical body of Christ as appeareth by Gregorie Therefore for as much as it is a member of the said body it is not neither can it be the Head of the same body since there is a difference betwixt Head and members Thus if wee looke for Infallibilitie it is not found in the Romane Church If wee looke for the Authoritie of the Church it is inferiour to the Scriptures vnlesse they say the Scripture is vnder the Church as some say the Sunne is vnder a cloud when it is aboue it If wee looke for Vniuersalitie the Romane Church is but a member and no sound member of the Vniuersall Let vs therefore examine in particular where or in whome wee shall finde this Church which doeth assume those great and glorious Titles to her selfe SECT XIX The Church which our Aduersaries so much magnifie amongst themselues is finally resolued into the Pope whom they make both the Husband and the Spouse the Head and the Body of the Church SAint Matthew tels vs that our Sauiour Christ gaue charge to Saint Peter as well as to the rest of his Disciples that if any dissention did happen which they could not well reconcile among themselues they should tell the Church If Saint Peter himselfe was commaunded to tell the Church and the Pope bee St. Peters Successor it would somewhat trouble a doubtful Recusant how to vnderstand and beleeue the Pope for the Church for if Christ had taken Peter for the Church it is not probable hee would haue bid him tell the Church for that had beene all one as to bid the Church tell the Church Yes Postremò dicere Ecclesiae id est sibi ipsi Bel. de Concil author lib. 2. cap. 19. saith Bellarmine the Pope ought to tell it to the Church that is to himselfe I take not vpon me to answer this learned Cardinall but I dare avowe that this Exposition of Scripture is not according to the Article of his faith with the vniforme consent of Fathers Howbeit by this solution of Dic Ecclesiae wee are informed where and in whom wee may finde the Romane Church Gretzerus the Iesuite puts the question touching the Pope and returnes his answere in this manner Ais tertio interpretátur Ecclesiam Papā non abnuo quid tum Gretz def c. 10. l. 31. de verbo Dei Thou saiest they interpret the Church the Pope I graunt it what then yet wee may doubt of his sentence for how can wee bee certaine that he erres not Yes saith hee from these sayings I will giue thee the keyes c. The gates of Hell shall not preuaile c. Whatsoeuer thou bindest shall bee bound c. But who shall iudge of the sense of these places How shall I know those things are spoken of the Pope From Ecclesiasticall Tradition from the consent of our Elders from the Suffrage of
and Aquinas Bellarmine tells vs Bellarm. de Euch. lib. 5. cap. 15. They were not carefull of that which is now in question viz. the daily renewed reall sacrificing of Christ Touching Scotus their own Suarez tels vs Suar. in 3. Tho. Euch. disp 5. sect 2. he was to bee corrected for his opinion of the Sacrament Touching Durand Bellarmine professeth That saying of Durand is hereticall Bellar. de Euch. lib. 3. cap. 13. although hee is no heretike because hee is ready to submit to the iudgement of the Church Thus for want of that sure rule of faith which is squared by the Word of God both Priests and people rest doubtfull of the issue and their successe in controuersie 1 Cor. 14.8 and if the Trumpet giue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe vnto the battell saith the Apostle It is no difficult matter to runne through all ages and all points in difference betwixt vs and to shew that many Priests and Bishops who liued and died members in the Roman Church taught different doctrine from the now Roman faith This way therefore is certainly vncertaine and this was easily discouered by their Superiors insomuch that Stapleton by way of preuention prescribeth this direction for the common people Non quid sed quid loquatur fidelis populus attendere debet Ordinarius Ecclesiae Doctor audiendus est non indicandus Stapl. princ fid doct contr 4 lib. 8. c. 5. 9. They must not intend what is spoken but attend to him that speaketh for hee is to be heard and not iudged And because through such blind obedience and implicit beliefe it might be thought a poore lay man will not bee able to render an account of his faith the Rhemists proclaime it for sound and Catholike doctrine that if an ignorant Papist be conuented before the Commissionere for his Religion he shall appeale onely to the Romane Church and his owne Church shall sufficiently warrant his beliefe Rhem. Annot in Luk. 12.11 He saith enough and defendeth himselfe sufficiently say they when hee answereth he is a Catholike man and that hee will liue and die in that Faith which the Catholique Church throughout all Christian Countreys hath and doeth teach and that his Church can giue a reason of all the things which they demaund of him How poore an Apologie he makes for his Religion that saith he is a Catholike and thinkes to be saued by another mans faith who doeth not vnderstand Saint Peter who is pretended to be the Popes predecessor taught the Catholiques of former ages an other lesson 1. Pet. 3.15 Be ready saith hee alwayes to giue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of that hope that is in you with meekenesse and feare But obserue the policie of the Church of Rome they pretend that Ignorance is the Mother of Deuotion and therefore say they it will be sufficient for the lay people to beleeue the Priest and to rest vpon the authoritie of the Church and for that purpose Bellarmine instructeth his Disciples that the learned must labour and search out the mysteries of Religion but the ignorant may sit and take their ease The oxen did plow and labour Roues arabāt et asinae pascebantur iuxta eos docet per boues significari homines doctos per asinas homines imperitos qui simplicitèr credentes in intelligētia maiorum acquiescunt Bell. lib. 1. de Iustif c. 7 saith Gregorie and the asses fed by them By the oxen saith the Cardinall are meant the learned Doctors of the Church by the asses are meant the ignorant people which out of simple beliefe rest satisfied in the vnderstanding of their Superiors I will not applie the Cardinalls illustration for I speak not this out of scorne and disgrace but out of shame and pitie to see the poore ignorant soule not onely abused in the name but in the nature of that thing which concernes the saluation of his soule Canus their owne Bishop of Canaries professeth openly that it was the custome of vnlearned men of Saracens of Pagans of Heretiques Canus loc Theol. lib. 12. cap. 4. to receiue the blind and senselesse opinions of their Sects without iudgement and examination And Espenceus tells vs Espenc in 2 Tim. 3. Num. 17. It was the Colliers faith who being demanded what hee beleeued made answere he beleeued what the Church beleeued and the Church beleeued what hee beleeued Is not this the practise of the church of Rome at this day Are they not fully perswaded that without deepe ignorance of the people it is not possible for their Church to stand doe they not in this point particularly vrge these the like Scriptures Obedience is better then sacrifice Heare the Church The Priests lips preserue knowledge and the like How fitly may I say prophetically doth St. Hierome reflect vpon the Priests of these latter times wherein they chase the people from the Scriptures and suffer them vtterly to know nothing Nolint discipulos ratione aiscutere sed se Praecursores sequi Hier. in Esay lib. 9 cap. 30. These men saith hee challenge vnto themselues such authoritie that whether they teach with the right hand or the left whether they teach good things or bad they will not haue their disciples with reason to examine their sayings but onely for to follow them being their leaders And certainly herein they much resemble the Iewes who as Lyra reporteth had that conceit of their great Rabbies in so much they made it their open profession Respōdendū est quicquid hoc modo proponitur etiamsi dicant dextrā esse sin strā Lyra in Deut. ca. 11. Whatsoeuer they say vnto vs we must needs receiue it yea although they tell vs the right hand is the left And this is the actiue authority the Bishop or Parish Priest doth exercise toward the people and this is the passiue obedience with an implicite faith the people submits vnto the Priest Giue me leaue therefore to speake vnto the Roman Bishop or Parish Priest in the words of St Austen the ancient Father Aug. contr Epist Manich c. 5. Athanas Tom 2 in Serm. contr eos qui iubent simplicitèr credere quae ipsi dicunt Vsque adeò me stultum putas c. Doest thou thinke mee such a foole without reason rendred I should beleeue what you would haue mee and what you dislike I should not beleeue Shall I beleeue without iudgement or reason shall I not inquire nor consider what is what may bee what is profitable what is decent what acceptable to God what sutable to Nature what agreeable to Truth Since then no humane authoritie can bee the Rule of faith since there can bee no certaintie no infallibilitie foūd in any particular Priest or Bishops for particular men may erre I will conclude with that safe and infallible rule which St. Chrysostome gaue to the Christians of his time Let vs not haue the opinions of
attentiue that the words of the dead may bee read and heard He lyeth voyd of life and feeling in his graue and his words preuaile Christ doth sit in heauen and is his Testament gainsaid Open it let vs reade we are brethren why doe we striue Let our mindes be pacified our Father hath not left vs without a Testament he that made the Testament is liuing for euer Hee doeth heare our words he doth know his owne words let vs reade why doe we striue SECT III. The Scripture according to the Iudgment of the ancient Fathers is the sole Iudge of Controuersies and Interpreter of it selfe BVsaeus the Iesuite knowing that the Scriptures were not such euident testimonies of the Roman faith Si non potes effugere vel disputationeÌ„ vel collationeÌ„ de rebus fidei cuÌ„ haeretico cui tameÌ„ de doctrinâ inferiorem non esse existimas primuÌ„ ab eo percuÌ„ctare vnde argumenta suav lit depromere coÌ„trà fideÌ„ Catholicam si respondeat vt solent ex scripturis diuinis oppone illi nul laÌ„vel incertaÌ„ ex Scripturis sperari victoria nisi prius constet veri sint possessores scripturae illi an nos vbi sit vera fides et potestas exponeÌ„di scripturas Busaeus in Panatio Tit. Haeres as his fellowes pretended by way of preuention giues this caueat to his disciples If you cannot auoyd disputation with an heretique touching poynts of faith although you finde you are able to match him yet first demand of him from whence hee will deriue his arguments against the Catholique faith if he answere as commonly they doe Out of the sacred Scriptures tell him there is no victory at least but vncertaine to be hoped for from them vnlesse it may appeare who hath best right to the Scriptures and to whom belongs authoritie to expound them By this Iesuites confession the poynts in controuersie are sub judice in question to which side the right of Scriptures doe belong and to whom authoritie to expound them and sooth to say the controuersies of this age are now brought to this narrow issue that our aduersaries are well content to trie their cause by Scriptures if the Reformed Churches would graunt them but this one poore request That they may be sole Iudges and Interpreters of the Scripture A request no doubt which in most mens vnderstanding will seeme vnreasonable that Christ and his Apostles should bee iudged by man or that a man should bee Plaintiffe and Iudge in his owne cause It was the constant profession of Saint Austen August lib. Confess 13. c. 23. Men spirituall whether they rule or bee ruled iudge according to the Spirit but they iudge not of the spirituall knowledge which shineth in the firmament of the Scriptures for it is not lawfull for any man to judge ouer so high authoritie for bee the man neuer so spirituall yet must hee be a doer not a Iudge of the Law And in the conclusion of the Chapter hee giues his speciall reason for it There a man is said to bee Iudge where he hath power and authority to correct He therefore who shall first dare to correct the scripture let that man by S Austens rule assume authoritie to iudge them and as touching that Tenet that a man should be Plaintiffe and Iudge in his owne cause it was a doctrine so different from the Primitiue Church that in the midst of heresies I say in the first and best ages wherin Saint Austen and Epiphanius mention aboue fourescore heresies euen then when the Fathers had greatest reason to stand vpon the priuiledge of their Church they neuer made answere like the Romanists You must heare the Church and our Church is that Catholique Church that is the sole Iudge of controuersies and according to our Interpretation whose right it is to iudge of the Scriptures it is so and so but on the contrary they made the Scriptures sole Iudges of their cause and withall professed the Text of Scripture was the truest Glosse in expounding of it selfe I speake not this as if our reueren'd Diuines did make the Scriptures sole Iudges of our cause excluding the testimonie of the Church for we haue a church as wel as they we haue churchmen as well versd in Scriptures and Fathers as themselues neither doe wee denie the authoritie of the Fathers which ioyntly agree in poynts of faith for the right expounding of the Scriptures onely wee say the Authour of the Word who best knew his owne meaning was best able to expound himselfe and in this manner the ancient Fathers as they grounded their Church vpon the Scriptures so likewise they referred backe the meaning of the Scriptures vnto the Authour of them as if hee that was Iudge of all men should bee iudged of none and such wee know is the wisdome and goodnesse of God Eaverò quae in mysteriis occultat nec ipsa eloquio superbo erigit quo non audeat accedere mens cardiuscula et in erudita quasi pauper ad diuitem sed inuitat omnes humili sermone quos noÌ„ soluÌ„ manifestâ pascat sed etiaÌ„ secretâ exerceat veritate hoc in promptis qd â—â—reconditis habens Aug. Ep. 3. that hee hath oftentimes hidde these things from the wise and learned which he hath reuealed vnto babes and sucklings and as for those things which it hideth in miseries saith Austen it lifteth them vp not with stately speech whereby an vnlearned minde should not presume to approach as a poore man to a rich but with a lowly speech inuiteth all men that it might not only feed them with manifest but also exercise with obscure trueth hauing that in manifest that it hath in obscure places and as concerning obscure places the same holy Father tells vs Illi verò qui ea quae in diuinislibris obscura sunt intueri nequiuerint arbitrentur se digitum quideÌ„ meuÌ„ ineuers posse sydera verò quibê° demoÌ„strandis intenditur videre no posse et illi ergo et isto me reproheÌ„dere desinant et lumen oculorum diuinitùs sibi praeberi depreceantur Aug. de doct Chris l. 1. Prolog that if they cannot see the things which are obscure and dark in the Scriptures the fault is in themselues not in the precepts as if I should poynt with my finger at a starre which they would gladly see and their eye-sight were so weake that although they did see my finger yet they could not see the starre at which I poynt let them cease to blame me and let them pray to God that hee will giue them eye-sight And in his foure Books of Christian Doctrine where he purposely treateth of expounding the Scriptures he plainely prooueth that the meaning of the Word is learned out of the Word and the obscure places are expounded by the manifest and heerein hee toucheth the freehold of the Romane Church Magnificè et salubritèr spiritê° sanctê° ita Scripturas sanctas modisi auit vt
the true Canon of Scripture in their dayes how comes it to passe that Bellarmine cites the Councell of Nice for the booke of Iudith Why doe the Romanists claime the antiquitie of their Canon from the Councell of Carthage Why doe they professe in honor of that Councell that it was generally receiued and that S. Austen subscribed to it when as that Canon touching the Apocryphal Scriptures was not decreed nor confirmed by that Councell by their owne confessions But admit the Councell of Carthage had decreed it yet can any man prooue that the Church at that time did receiue the bookes of Iudith of Hester of the Maccabees and the rest for the rule of faith Shall we thinke that Saint Austen maintained the Canon of Scriptures contrary to Saint Hierom must wee beleeue that the Councell of Carthage within lesse then thirtie yeeres did decree contrary to the Councell of Laodicea nay more is it so much as probable that both those Councells should bee confirmed by one and the same generall Councell of Trullo and yet one should decree a contrary Canon of Faith against the other And as touching Saint Austens subscription to that Councell it is a sufficient allegation against it that the 47 Canon was neuer decreed in that Councell and the rather it appeares by this for that St. Austen did not allowe the booke of Iudith of Wisdome of Ecclesiasticus and the Maccabees for Canonicall all which are expressely decreed in the Councell of Carthage for Canonicall Touching the booke of Iudith St. Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 18. c. 26. l. 17. c. 20 he tells vs the Pewes neuer receiued it in to the Canon of Scriptures withal there he professeth that the Canon of the Iewes was most authentical Touching the bookes of Wisedome and Ecclesiasticus hee tells vs Solomon was a Prophet as his workes namely the Prouerbes the Canticles and Ecclesiastes doe witnesse all which are Canonicall August de Ciuit. Dei lib. 17. c. 20. but Ecclesiasticus and the booke of Wisedome were onely called his for some likenesse of stile but all the learned affirme them none of his yet the Westerne Churches held them anciently of great authoritie And lastly touching the bookes of Maccabees hee declareth by pregnant and seuerall reasons that they are Apocryphall First by way of distinction hee tells vs this reckoning is not found in the Canonicall Scriptures but in other bookes which the Church receiueth for Canonicall Secondly hee tells vs they are accounted Canonicall for the suffering of holy Martyrs whereas the Canonicall bookes are simply and absolutely of themselues and for themselues Canonicall Thirdly hee tells vs the Church did receiue them not vnprofitably which is as poore a testimony as hee could haue giuen of his own works Fourthly they are receiued with this condition if they be soberly read in the Church And lastly hee giueth this speciall reason in behalfe of the true Canon of Scripture Christ giueth his Testimonie to those bookes as namely to the Law to the Prophets to the Psalmes because all they beare witnesse of him but the Apocryphall bookes neither witnes any thing of Christ neither are they conteined vnder all or any of those bookes which Christ himselfe diuided into the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes It is true Proto canonici Deuterocanonici there was Canon Ecclesiasticall wherein all or most part of the Apocryphall bookes which are now read and receiued in our Churches were anciently read for example of life and instruction of manners and for that cause were commonly called Canonicall and in this manner Saint Austen speaking of thâ— Maccabees tells vs Hos libros non Iudai sed Ecclesia habet pro Canonicis Aug. de ci uit Dei lib. 18. cap. 36. These books the Church did account Canonicall which the Iewes did not yet withall he professeth in the same Tract that those bookes which were not in the Iewes Canon and yet were receiued of the Church for Canonicall were of lesse force and authoriritie when as it cannot bee denied that all the bookes truely and diuinely Canonicall were alwayes reputed of equall force and authoritie Againe there was Canon diuinus Aug de Ciuit Dei lib. 17 cap. 20. a diuine Canon which was held the rule of Faith wherein was numbred onely the twentie two bookes of Scripture committed to the Iewes and this Canon St. Austen who termed the bookes of Maccabees Canonicall doth distinguish from the Canon Ecclesiasticall and giues his very instance in the bookes of Maccabees In Machabaeorum libris etsi aliquid MirabiliuÌ„ de diuini Canonis Mirabilibus exiguaÌ„ expositioneÌ„ tangeremus Aug. de Mirabil sacrae Scrip. lib. 2. cap. 34. There may be something saith he found in the books of Maccabees worthy to bee ioyned with the number of those miracles yet hereof will wee haue no care for that we intend the miracles Diuini Canonis which are conteined in the diuine Canon And thus he distinguished the bookes of Maccabees which he termed Canonicall for instruction of life from the diuine Canon of Scriptures Canon MoruÌ„ Canon Fidei Caiet which were receiued for confirmation of faith and that diuine Canon onely hee acknowledgeth to be giuen by inspiration from God and to bee of most certaine credit and highest authority in the Church and for that cause hee giues this further rule Bell de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 10. The bookes which were receiued of all Churches such as were in the diuine Canon among the Iewes were of greatest authoritie and ought to bee preferred before those which were not generally receiued of the all Churches Diuum AugustinuÌ„ fuisse certissimuÌ„ omnes libros Canonicoâ—esse infallibilis veritatis sed noÌ„ fuisse aequè certum de omnibus libris quos enumerauerat qui esseÌ„t canonici na si ità sentiebat rem noÌ„ fuisse adhuc à generali Concilio definitam et proptereà potuisse sine labe haeresios quosdaÌ„libros ab aliis non recipi IdeÌ„ ibidem and thereupon Bellarmine confesseth by way of solution That Saint Austen was most certaine that all Canonicall bookes were of infallible truth but was not alike certaine that all the bookes of Scripture were Canonicall for if he did think so yet hee knew the poynt was not as yet defined by a generall Councell and therefore without any staine of heresie some books might not bee receiued of some persons for Apocryphall Since therefore the pretended Canon of the Nicene Councell is not extant since their suggested Canon of the third Councell of Carthage by their owne confessions is not confirmed in that Councell since the bookes of Maccabees which are ioyned with the Apocryphall bookes in the Latine copies are not to bee found in the Manuscripts of the ancient Greeke coppies nay more since contrariwise wee haue the testimonie of Christ and his Apostles for the intire Canon comprehended in the Law in the Prophets and in the Psalmes since
sword in the scabberd that is the true sense of the Scripture in the sheath of the letter The Scriptures doe not containe clearely all the mysteries of Religion for they were not giuen to that end to prescribe an absolute forme of faith but Tradition containes in it all truth it comprehends all the mysteries of faith and all the estate of Christian Religion and resolues all doubts which may arise concerning faith and from hence it will follow that Tradition is the Interpreter of all Scriptures the Iudge of all Controuersies the Remouer of all errors and from whose judgment we ought not to appeale to an other Iudge yea rather all Iudges are bound both to regard and follow her judgement Now if we looke backe and consider those blasphemous speeches vsed against the Scriptures and compare those passages with the reuerend regard they giue vnto Traditions wee cannot but conceiue there were some speciall reasons that induced the Pope Trent Councell to set Traditions in the first place Quam TraditionuÌ„ authoritateÌ„ si tollas nutare iam vacillare videbuntur Andrad de Orth. expli lib. 2. Andradius who well vnderstood the state of the Church of Rome being present at the making of that decree giues this generall lesson in their behalfe Many poynts of Romane doctrine would reele and totter if they were not supported by the helpe of Traditions But it may not bee forgotten Sutor de Translat Bibl. c. 22. their owne Monke Petrus de Sutor more particularly shewes one speciall cause why the Scriptures were denied vnto the lay people viz. Because many things being taught by the Romane Church and not contained in the Scriptures would more easily drawe the people from the traditions and obseruances of their Church And another reason why Traditions are in that speciall request aboue the Scriptures is rendred by their owne Bishop Canus Canus loc Theol lib. 3. cap. 3. Because Tradition is not onely of greater force against heretiques then the Scripture but almost all disputation with heretiques is to bee referred to Traditions Thus you see by the confessions of two learned Romanists there was great cause why traditions should haue the first place amongst the Articles of the Creed for the one saith they preuent the reading of the Scriptures which otherwise would discouer the doctrine of their Church the other saith they are more availeable then the Scriptures to confute the doctrine of heretiques These testimonies premised for the honour and authoritie of Papall Traditions let vs examine what are meant by Traditions and next which are those Traditions that are of that high esteeme in the Romane Church for if their Traditions bee of equall authoritie with the Scriptures and yet are not contained in the Scriptures there is great reason they should bee approoued by testimonies and witnesses aequiualent to the Scriptures Kellis Suruey l. 8. c. 3. Doctor Kellison tells vs that Tradition is nothing else but an opinion or custome of the Church not written in holy Scriptures but yet deliuered by the hands of the Church from time to time from Christians to Christians euen to the last age And Saint Austen declareth more properly VVhatsoeuer the Vniuersall Church doth hold Aug. lib 4. contra Donat c. 24. not being ordained by Councells but hath beene euer held that is beleeued most rightly to be an Apostolicall Tradition It appeares therefore that Papall Traditions which are of equall authority with the Scriptures must haue Vniuersalitie of Churches and consent of ages or to vse the wordes of their Trent Councell Such as are preserued by a continuall succession in the Catholike Church All doctrinall Traditions of this nature are receiued by the Reformed Churches for wee all professe with the same Father Conc. Trid. Sess 4. Whatsoeuer is vsed by the Church throughout all the world is to bee obserued and it would bee most insolent madnesse to dispute against the same Let vs heare therefore out of their owne mouthes what are those Traditions which are not written in any Apostolique Authour and yet haue those requisite conditions and speciall characters of the Roman Church viz. Antiquity Vniuersality and Succession Pet. à Soto in lib. cont Brentium Petrus à Soto giues vs to vnderstand that the sacrifice of the Altar the vnction of Chrysme Inuocation of Saints Prayers for the dead the Popes Supremacie Consecration of water in Baptisme the whole Sacrament of Confirmation Orders Matrimony Penance Extreame vnction Merit of workes Necessitie of satisfaction and confession to a Priest are all Traditions of the Romane Church Canis in Catech. c. 5. de precept Eccles Coster in refut script Wallesij antith 6. Canus loc Theol. li 3. ca. 3. Canisius and Costerus referre to Traditions the worship of Images set times of fasting all the Ceremonies of the Masse Melchior Canus tells vs the imploring helpe of holy Martyrs and celebrating their memories the worshipping of Images the consecrating and receiuing of the body and blood of Christ by the Priest the Sacraments of Confirmation and Orders not to bee reiterated are no where happily to bee found in Scriptures but amongst all the Romanists as it is obserued by reuerend Whitakers there is none doth so fully and punctually set downe the Traditions of the Romane Church as their Bishop Lindan who amongst other Traditions Whit. coÌ„tr 1. c. 5. quest 6. mentions the Reall presence the Communion vnder one kinde priuate Masse Indulgences Purgatory Peters liuing and dying at Rome All or most of these Traditions are substantiall and fundamentall poynts and the denyall of them makes a man an heretike in their Church Now it is very obseruable in the first place that no vnwritten Tradition hath any ground or foundation in the Scripture Peres de Tradit p 4. for Tradition is so taken saith Peresius that it is distinguished against the doctrine which is found in the Canonicall bookes of Scripture and consequently touching all or any of the Papall Traditions there is no vse at all of Scriptures Herein then stands the difference betwixt the Church of Rome and vs Multa pertinere ad Christianorum doctrinam et fideÌ„ quae nec apertè nec obscuâ—è in sacris literis coÌ„tinentur Canus loc Theol. ca. 3. fund 3. There are many things saith Canus belonging to the doctrine faith of Christians which are neyther contained in the sacred Scriptures manifestly or obscurely and this he vnderstands by the Traditions of his owne Church There is no point of Faith taught in our Church which is not expressely contained in the Scriptures or by necessarie consequence deduced from thence and if we receiue the witnesse of men yet the witnesse of God is greater 1. Ioh. 5.9 But that which is incongruous to common sense and altogether different from the Romish doctrine those men which generally professe that vnwritten Traditions are so called because they are distinguished from the word written as Bellarmine confesseth
whereby the people answered the Priest continued long in the East and West Churches And it plainely appeares by the ancient Liturgies ascribed to Chrysostome and Basil which are in vse at this day the diuine Seruice in the Greeke Church was publiquely deliuered in a known tongue And agreeably to this custome the Armenians Egyptians Acthiopians Muscouites and generally all the Easterne Churches doe consecrate the Sacrament in the language of their owne countrey This doctrine therefore wants the requisite conditions of Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession and therefore can bee no Apostolique Tradition no Catholique doctrine as is pretended in the sixt place Single life in the Clergie Single life in the Clergie is reputed a Tradition in the Roman Church and made of equall authoritie with the Scripture yet this doctrine wants Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and succession Touching Antiquitie Their owne Doctors tell vs Dist 84. § Cum in praeterito Nichol. Cusan ad Boem Ep. 2. post aliquot tempora visum fuit c. Nec ratione nec authoritate probatur quòd absolutè loqueÌ„do Ordo Sacerdotalis vel in quantuÌ„ est Ordo vel in quantuÌ„ sacer est impeditivus est matrimonii siuè antè siuè post seclusis omnibus legibus stando tantuÌ„ his quae à Christo Apostolis haebentur Caiet Tom 1. tract 27. that vntill the time of Pope Syricius that is to say for the space welneere of foure hundred yeeres after Christ it was lawfull for all Priests to marrie without exception neither vow nor promise nor Law nor ordinance nor other restraint being then to the contrary And their learned Cardinan Cajetan professeth If we stand onely to the Tradition of Christ and his Apostles it cannot appeare by any authority or reason that holy Order can bee any hindrance to marriage either as it is an order or as it is holy Touching Vniuersalitie It is the confession of Pope Stephen the second The Tradition of the Easterne Churches is one the Tradition of the holy Church of Rome is an other for the Priests Deacons and Sub-deacons of the Easterne Churches are ioyned in Matrimony Dist 31. Aliter This confession is agreeable to the Decree of the ancient Councell holden at Ancyra where it was ordained Hii si post moduÌ„ vxoores duxerint in Ministerio maneant Concil Ancyr Can. 9. That Deacons as many as be ordered if at the time of receiuing their Orders they made protestation and said that they would marry for that they finde not themselues able so to continue without Marriage if they afterwards marry let them continue in the Ministerie Touching Succession This doctrine was not generally receiued no not in the Westerne Churches a thousand yeeres after Christ for in the time of King Rufus Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury in a Dialogue between the Master and the Scholler makes this Quaere Desideramê° certificari tuâ solutio ne super vul gari in toto orbe quaestine quae ab omnibê° quotidie ventilatur scil An liceat Presbyteris post acceptuÌ„ OrdineÌ„ vx ores ducere Anselm Di al. Inquisitione primâ Wee are desirous by your answere to bee certified about this common question that is now tossed through the world and yet lyeth vndiscussed I mean Whether a Priest being within Orders may marry a wife Whereby it appeares that the Law of Single life was a poynt questionable and not resolued for an Apostolique Tradition in the Roman Church for many ages About 400 yeeres after Bell. de scri Eccles ab An. 1400. to 1500. p. 288. Panormitan an Archbishop a Cardinall and a principall Proctor for the Pope resolues the question about marriage in this manner Si clare coÌ„stet de matrimonio Papa tunc aut vxor inducetur ad coÌ„tinentiaÌ„ aut si noluerit reddaet debitum nihilo minùs stet in Papatù quià non repugnat substantiae Papatus seu Clericatus naÌ„ et Petrê° habebat vxoreÌ„ cuÌ„ promoueretur in Papam vnde videmê° qd Presbyteri Graeci sine peccato contrahunt matrimoni um Extr. ce Elect. C. licet de vitaÌ„d Abb. Patriarch resp 1. c. 21. If it may clearely appeare saith hee that the Pope hath a wife as hauing married her before hee was Pope then either his wife must bee perswaded to liue single or if shee will not let the Pope yeeld her mariage duties and yet neuerthelesse remaine in the Popedome still For marriage dutie is not contrary to the substance and Office neither of Popedome nor of Priesthood for Peter had a wife when hee was promoted to bee Pope As for the rule of single life it was brought in by the Ordinance of the Church Hence is it that we see the Priests of Graecia being within Orders doe marrie wiues and wee see they doe it sine peccato without sinne or breach of Law either of God or man Looke vpon the confession of the Greeke Patriarch since Luthers time We allow saith hee marriage to Priests before Ordination Looke vpon the confession of their owne Cardinall Caietan Caiet tract 27. test Greg. de Val. disp 9. q 5. It was held lawfull in the Easterne Church to marrie after Ordination Adde to these the Traditions of other Countreys as namely the Priests in India in Armenia in Syria in Russia in Cyprus in Muscouia daily marry and execute their offices of Priesthood being married persons The Lawe therefore of single life wants the requisite conditions of Antiquity vniuersalitie and Succession and consequently can bee no Apostolicall Tradition no Catholique Doctrine as is pretended in the seuenth place Invocation and worship of Saints Invocation and Worship of Saints Is reputed a Tradition Apostolicall and is receiued for an Article of faith in the Roman Church yet this faith notwithstanding their great braggs of Catholike doctrine wants Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession Apostoli scribere hoc in sacris literis noluerunt ne ambitiosi viderentur honorem istum sibi ipsis ambire ne sub cultu illo defuÌ„ctoruÌ„ GeÌ„tilium cultum inferre viderentur Ecch. Ench. cap. de vener Sanct. Touching Antiquitie I appeale to their owne Ecchius The Apostles saith he would not insert this doctrine into the written word lest they should seeme ambitiously to assume that honour to themselues and vnder pretence of worshipping the dead might bring in the worship of the Gentiles This doctrine then as it wants a foundation in scripture which a point of faith ought to haue so likewise it is most certaine for the same reason the Apostles would not deliuer it by Tradition for without doubt they would neuer teach that doctrine of faith by word of mouth which they refused to publish by their writings This is not onely probable but certain true and therefore Ignatius the Apostle St. Iohns Scholler who could not bee ignorant of a poynt of Faith teacheth the virgins of that time another lesson he doth not teach them to direct their prayers and supplications to Saints and Angels
Hierome in the question betwixt him and St. Austen whether St. Paul reprooued Peter colourably or in earnest alleadgeth seuen Fathers against St. Austen and withall desires him to giue him leaue to erre with seuen Fathers But what answere maketh Austen He appeales to St. Paul Ipse mihi pro his omnibê° et suprà hos omnes Apostolus Paulus occurrit ad ipsum confugio ad ipsum ab omnibus qui aliter sentiuÌ„t literaruÌ„ tractaetoribus prouoco Aug. Ep. 19. and saith he Instead of all and aboue all I haue Paul the Apostle to him doe I runne to him I appeale from all Writers that think otherwise Here wee see seuen principall members of the Church against the meaning of one Apostle and yet all they were not able to remooue St. Austen from that one authoritie which was preualent against all and I thinke it cannot be denied but that this Father went the right way to the Gospel Againe when hee was pressed by Cresconius a Gramarian with a testimony out of Cyprian hee returnes this answere I am not bound to bee tyed to that Epistle because I doe not account of Cyprians Epistles as of the Canonicall Scriptures Ego Epistola huius authoritate noÌ„ teneor quia c. Aug. contr Cres lib. 2. c. 32. but I examine them by the Canonicall Scriptures and what I find in them agreeable to that word I receiue it with commendations what I finde to disagree from it with his good leaue I leaue it This was the account the ancient Fathers made of their owne writings and their fellow Bishops euen at that time when the Church was most visible and when the Fathers were in chiefest estimation in the Christian world I speake not these things as if there were lesse hope to find the truth in the writings of the ancient Fathers then in new and vpstart opinions of some priuate spirits It is the voice of God and Nature Aske thy father Deut. 32.7 and he will shew thee thine ancients and they shall tell thee and herein we are obedient children and according to our dutie Leu. 19.23 Wee rise vp before the hoarie head and honour the person of the aged We agree with the Fathers wherein they agree with the Scriptures and with themselues and if in some particular poynts wee dissent from some particular Fathers yet it is in those things which want vniuersalitie and consent or are doubtfully vttered or are deliuered as priuate opinions and not as Articles of Faith wee follow the Anciens as Leaders not as Masters for their writings are no rules of faith Scriptae Patrum non sunt regulae fidei nec habent authoritatem obligandi Bell. de CoÌ„cil author lib. 2. c. 12. neither haue they authoritie to binde This is Bellarmines confession this is ours And that the world may know our aduersaries haue no such cause as they pretend to bragge of the authorities of the Fathers let any Protestant or Romanist examine the substantiall poynts of Controuersie as they are now published Bulla Pij 4. and decreed by the Popes Bull and Councell of Trent let them I say obserue the questions as they are now stated with Anathemas for Articles of faith compare them with the doctrines of the ancient Fathers and they shall easily discerne that our aduersaries oftentimes obtrude the Tenets of particular persons for the generall consent of Fathers and produce doubtful opinions to proue Articles of faith for I dare confidently avow that in all fundamentall poynts of difference either they want Antiquitie to supply their first ages or Vniuersalitie to make good the consent of Christian Churches or vnitie of opinions to proue their Trent Articles of beliefe And for tbe better manifestation of this my assertion I will giue you instance in the principall poynts of the Roman faith and doctrine that by comparing the doctrine of the Fathers in the first place with the Tenets of the Romanists in the later it shall appeare that the Northerne and Southerne Poles shall sooner meet together then their opinions standing as they doe can be reconciled Hee therefore that will take vpon him to proue out of the ancient Fathers that Christ is really present in the Sacrament to all faithfull Communicants let him spare the labour I will confesse it for wee acknowledge that Christ is really present both spiritually by faith and effectually by grace conferred vpon all worthy receiuers But let him proue that Christs body is substantially corporally and carnally in the SacrameÌ„t vnder the accidents of bread and wine and that Reprobates and creatures void of reason much more of faith may really partake of his flesh and blood as is now taught and beleeued de fide in the Roman Church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that the Sacramentall bread and cup were carried home to mens houses in the time of persecution and sometime priuately receiued let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him shew me that priuate Masses that is the receiuing of the Eucharist by the Priest alone without a competent number of Communicants was the pulique practise of the ancient Church as it is now vsed in the Romane and I will subscribe Het at will proue out of the ancient Fathers that the consecrated bread was somtimes giuen without the cup to sicke folkes to impotent and abstenious persons let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him proue that the Fathers did generally forbid the Lay people and the communicating Priest to partake of the Sacramentall cup and that the bread alone was adiudged sufficient without the Cup as it is now receiued in the Roman Church De fide as an Article of Faith and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that Prayers and Seruice in the Roman Church was commonly taught and practised in the Latin tongue let him spare the labour I will confesse it for it was the common and knowne language of the Latin Church but let him shew mee that Prayers and Seruice was deliuered in a tongue vnknowne and not vnderstood of the common people as it is now vsed and receiued with Anathema in the Roman church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that Images were allowed for memory for history for ornament let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him prooue that they were allowed by the Fathers for publique and priuate veneration or religious worship and that such worship was established as a doctrine of Faith as it is now vsed in the Roman Church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that the Bishop of Rome and all other Bishops had power to dispence with the rigour of Ecclesiasticall Penance by Pardons and Indulgences let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him proue that those Indulgences were the treasure of the Church
Nunnes be not Stewes of filthy Harlots if the consecrated Monasteries be not Faires Markets and Innes Cathedrall Churches dennes of theeues Priests vnder pretence of mayds keepe harlots consider whether so great variety of pictures and Images be fit and whether it occasion not Idolatrie in the simple looke vpon the number and varietie of religious Orders the Canonizing of new Saints though there bee too many already as Bridget of Swetia Charles of Britain the feasts of new Saints more religiously kept then those of the blessed Apostles enquire if there be not Apocryphall Scriptures and prayers in processe of time eyther of purpose or of ignorance brought into the Church to the great hurt of the Christian Faith consider the diuersitie of opinions as the conception of Marie sundry other things Againe in his Consolatory tract of Rectifying the Heart amongst many other considerations hee complaineth There is intolerable superstition in the worshipping of Saints innumerable obseruations without all ground of reason vaine credulitie in beleeuing things concerning the Saints report in their vncertain Legend of their liues superstitious opinions of obtaining pardon and remission of sinnes by saying so many Pater nosters in such a Church before such an Image as if iâ— the Scriptures and authentical writings of holy men there were not sufficient direction for all actes of Pietie and Deuotion without these friuolous addititions nay which is worse see if these obseruations in many countreys and kingdomes of the world be not more vrged then the Lawes of God euen as wee shall finde in the Decrees and Decretals a Monke more seuerely punished for going without his Cowle then committing Adultery or Sacriledge and more grieuously corrected in going against one of the Popes Decrees IdeÌ„ de Directione cordis Consid 29. c. then offending against the diuine precepts and the Gospell of Christ This learned Author was Director of the Councell of Constance and there complained of 75 exorbitant abuses and errours that were crept into the Roman Church but found no amendment nay more saith hee Wee must not looke for a Reformation in things that concerne Faith and Religion or doctrine or manners except the Secular powers do seriously take it in hand Experto crede Experto crede c. Idem in Dial Apologetico Beleeue me in what I say I haue tryed it dispute no more of it speake not to deafnesse it selfe thou shalt neuer bee heard Lastly when hee found there was little hope of reducing Religion to the former purity of the Primitiue Church in Christs time yet hee wished at least a restoring of the ancient Faith in the Fathers time Ecclesia si non ad statuÌ„ Christi et ApostoloruÌ„ saltem ad statum Syluestri resti tuenda Gers de Concil Gener vnius obedientiae In diebê° istis in ore cuius libet bonum fuit argumentuÌ„ tenens tam de formâ quaÌ„ materiâ Hic est Frater ergo est mendax Wals Hist Angl. in Rich. 2. p. 281. and saith he If the Church may not bee reformed according to the stateâ— it was in the time of Christ and his Apostles yet at least it should be brought to the state it was in the time of Syluester which was about 300 yeeres after Christ. To let passe the obseruation of Tho. Walsingham that in those dayes it was the common argument in euery mans mouth He is a Fryar Ergo a lyar At this time Aluarez Pelagius wrote a Booke De Planctu Ecclesiae of the Churches complaint wherein hee tells vs The Church which in her Primitiue state was adorned of her Spouse with many royall graces Aluar. de planctu Eccles l. 2. art 5. lit Aleph was clouded and ecclipsed with the blacke mists of ignorance iniquitie and errour In like manner Et prasertim qd magis prodigiosum est Pontificibus qui suas Traditioneâ— diuinis longè mandatis anteponunt Clem. de Corrup Eccles statu ca. 14. 26 Nicholaus Clemangis Archdeacon of Baieux wrote a Booke of the corrupt estate of the Church wherein he complaines The studie of Diuinitie was made a mocking stocke and which was most monstrous for the Popes themselues they preferred their own Traditions farre before the CoÌ„maundements of God What doest thou thinke saith he of the prophecie of the Reuelation of St. Iohn doest thou not thinke that in some sort it belongs to thee thou art not grown so shamelesse as to deny it consider therefore of it and reade the damnation of the Great Whore sitting vpon many waters there contemplate thy worthy actes and thy future fortune Abusiones quoque Paganica superstitiones Diabolica taÌ„ multa Romae qd diuinari benè non possuÌ„t Camer de Squaloribus Rom. Eccles p. 34. Cardinall Cameracensis wrote a Booke De Squaloribus Romanae Ecclesiae touching the Deformitie of the Roman Church which book is to be seene in the Library at Westminster wherein amongst many other complaints touching the Roman Church he tells vs That Pagan abuses and diabolicall superstitions were so many at Rome that they could not well bee imagined Câ—mer de Reform Ecclesiae but saith hee as there were seuen thousand which neuer bowed to Baal so it is to bee hoped that there are some who desire the Churches Reformation and accordingly it happened Consil Pisan Sess 20. for Pope Alexander the Fift in this age and in the yeere 1411 Dixit quod ipse volebat vacare circa reformationeÌ„ Ecclesia c. promised solemnly to intend a Reformation and for that purpose to assemble the most learned of all nations and at the Councel of Senes 1423 the proposition of Reformation was reuiued but withall it was adiourned de die in diem and the Reformation is not yet come In the sixteenth Age Ann. 1500. to 1600. Hieronymus Sauanarola a Dominican by Profession and for his Doctrine and sanctitie of life termed a Prophet was examined with tortures saith Guicciardine for inueying against the Cleargie and Court of Rome Vpon which examination a Proces was publishd to this purpose that he was not moued thereunto out of any euill intent but this one thing he onely respected that by his meanes a Generall Councell might be called wherein the corrupt manners of the Clergie might bee reformed Guicciard lib. 3. in fine and the degenerate state of the Roman Church as farre foorth as was possible might be reduced to the likenes of that it was in the Apostles time or those that were neerest vnto them and if hee could bring so great and so profitable a worke to effect hee would thinke it a farre greater glory then to obtaine the Popedome it selfe Comin lib. 8. cap. 2. And Philip de Comines giues vs likewise to vnderstand that hee told the French King Charles the eight He should haue great prosperity in his voyage into Italy and that God would giue the sword into his hand all this to the ende he should
locis apertioribus fami occurreret obscurioribus autem fastidia detergeret Nihil enim fere de illis obscuritatibus eruitur qdâ—â—on planissimè dictuÌ„ alibi reperitur Aug. de doct Chris lib. 2. â—a 6. for saith hee In this great plentie of Scriptures wee are fed with plaine things and exercised with obscure those driue away hunger these contempt the holy Ghost hauing tempred them so of purpose and then he concludeth with the Tenet of our church There is scarce any thing drawn out of these obscure places which hath not been spoken quod non planissimè most plainely some other where Neither was this the opinion of this learned Father only but it was the confession of S Ambrose Multa obscuritas in Scripturis propheticis â—â—d siâ—â— anu â—â—â—aÌ„ meÌ„â—â—â—ā◠〈◊〉 a scrâ— tuâ—aruÌ„ â—â—aÌ„â—eâ— qua sunt occulta diligentèr examines paulatim incipies rationeÌ„ colligere dictoruÌ„ et operietur tibi Non ab alio sed à verbo Dei Amb. in Psal 118. Serm. 8. There is much obscurity in the Scriptures but withall if thou knocke at the doore with the hand of thy vnderstanding thou shalt gather by little and little the reason of that which is there spoken and the doore shall bee opened vnto thee non ab alio sed à verbo Dei and that by no other but by the Word of God it selfe And with these Doctors of the Latin Church agreeth the Greeke Fathers Behold saith Basil and heare the Scripture expounding it selfe Basil HexaÌ„ Hom. 4. Yea saith he what things be or seeme to bee couertly spoken in some places of holy Scripture Quae ambigua sunt tectè dicta esse in quibusdaÌ„ diuinae scripturae locis videntuâ— ab aliis locis manifestis declaraÌ„tur IdeÌ„ quaest coÌ„p Expl. quaest 267. Ad ipsuÌ„ diuina Script scopuÌ„ incedamus quaeseipsam interpretatur quaÌ„uis sacra Scriptura cum nos tale quiddaÌ„ docere vult seipsaÌ„ exponit et auditoreÌ„ errare non sinit Chrys HoÌ„ 13. in Gen. Chrys in 1. Thes HoÌ„ 7. SiquideÌ„ empturê° vesteÌ„ quaÌ„uis artis Textoriae imperitê° sis haec verba non dicis Nescio emere illudunt mihi sed facis omnia vt discas fac illa quae facienda et rectâ ratione quaere à Deo et ille tibi omnino reueâ—abit IdeÌ„ Homil. 33. in Act. the same are expounded by other plaine places elsewhere And saith Chrysostome Let vs follow the scope of the holy Scripture in interpreting of it selfe when it teacheth some hard thing it expoundeth it selfe and suffereth not the hearer to erre Let vs not feare therefore saith hee to put our selues with full saile into the sea of Scriptures because wee shall be sure to find the Word of God for our Pilot. And lastly as it were forestalling that Popish opinion that the Scriptures are obscure and therefore not to be read by the vulgar people hee elegantly incites a Gentile to the reading of the Scripture by a familiar and common reason When thou buyest a garment though thou haue no skill in weauing yet thou sayest not I cannot buy it they will deceiue mee but thou dost vse all meanes to learne how to know it doe therefore those things which are to bee done seeke all those things of God and hee altogether will reaueale it vnto thee So that if any doubt or difference happened in the Primitiue church amongst the true beleeuing Christians they referred the determination of it to the Inquest of Christ his 12 Apostles and they onely were made the sole Iudges of the question And that wee might know this Protestant doctrine continued for many ages in the Church Pope Clement the first almost sixe hundred yeeres since professed it for the Catholike doctrine of his time Integra firma regula veritatis ex Scripturis Dist 37. cap 14. that a man must take the sense of truth from the Scripture it selfe seeing that euery man may haue the full and firme rule of faith and truth in the Scriptures If we descend froÌ„ the Pope to the great Councell of Basil it was the general vote of many B. and Cardinalls and confirmed likewise by the Pope himselfe The Diuine Law or holy Scripture the practise of Christ of his Apostles Lex diuina praxu Christi Apostolica et Ecclesia primitina vnâ cum CoÌ„ciliis Doctoribusque fundantibê° se veracitèr in eadeÌ„ pro verissimo et indifferente Iudice in hoc Basiliensi Consilia admittatur Conc. Basil Sess 4. and the Primitiue Church together with Councels and Doctors grounding themselues truely vpon the Scriptures shall bee admitted for the most true and indifferent Iudge in the Councell of Basil The resolution of the ancient Father Optatus in the question betwixt the Catholiques and the heretiques whether one should bee twise baptized may serue for a proofe and a full conclusion of the premisses You say it is lawfull wee say it is not lawfull betweene yours it is lawfull and ours it is not lawfull the peoples soules doe doubt and wauer De coelo quaerendus est Index sed vt quid pulsamus ad coelum cum habemus in Euangelio Testamentum Opt. lib. 5. contr Parmen Donat. let none beleeue you nor vs wee are all contending parties Iudges must be sought for if Christians they cannot be giuen on both sides for truth is hindred by affections A Iudge without must bee sought for if a Paynim hee cannot know the Christian mysteries if a Iew hee is an enemie to Christian Baptisme no iudgement therfore of this matter can bee found on earth a Iudge in heauen must bee sought for But why knocke we at heauen when wee haue the Testament of Christ in the Gospell And thus I haue briefly shewed you the deputed Iudges and Interpreters of the Scripture in the Primitiue Church now let vs obserue by what Rule the Scriptures are expounded in the Roman Church SECT IIII. Our aduersaries howsoeuer they pretend by taking an oath to make the Fathers Interpreters of the Scriptures yet indeed they make themselues sole Interpreters of Scriptures and Fathers Bulla Pij quarti Art 2. IT is an Article of the Romame Creed published by Pope Pius the fourth and by the oath their Foreman hath taken all Priestes and I suites are sworne Not to receiue or interpret the Scriptures but according to the vnifoâ—me consent of Fathers It is a large and faire promise and deliuered vpon oath and for my part if the church of Rome can make good the vniforme consent of Fathers for all their twelue newe Articles of Faith which hath been often promised but neuer as yet by any one performed I shall willingly listen to their interpretation and preferre it before any priuate or latter Exposition It was the profession of our late King of famous memory Apolog. for the oath of Alleag pa. 36. What euer the Fathers of the first foure hundred yeeres did with one vnanime consent agree vpon to be beleeued
as a necessary poynt of saluation I will beleeue it also or at leastwise will bee humblie silent not taking vpon mee to condemne the same I speake not this as if we should decline the practise of the ancient Church in expounding Scripture by Scripture Concil Trid. Sess 1. but to demonstrate to the world that our aduersaries in this poynt of their faith haue neither followed the ancient Church nor the Decree of their Trent Councell whereby it shall appeare that either this Article was newly created or the former Popes and Councels haue disagreed from the latter Cardinall Caietan was so farre from subscribing to the Popes Creed in this poynt that on the contrary hee giues this Praemonition to the Reader of the Scriptures Not to loathe the new sense of the holy Scriptures for this Nullus itaque detestetur nouuÌ„ sacra scripturae seÌ„sum ex hoc qd dissonat à priscis Doctoribus sed fcrutetur perspicacius textuÌ„ ac cótextuÌ„ Scripturae si quadrare inuenerit laudet DeuÌ„ qui noÌ„ alligauit expositionem ScripturaruÌ„ sacrarum priscoruÌ„ Doctorum sensibus Caiet in Genes 1. that it dissenteth from the ancient Doctors but to search more exactly the Text and coherence of the Scriptures and if hee finde it agree to praise God that hath not tyed the exposition of the Scriptures to the sense of the ancient Doctors This Protestant doctrine is farre different from the Tenet of the Roman Church insomuch that Bishop Canus his fellow Romanist was much troubled that a prime Cardinall should oppose an Article of the Romane Creed one while he chargeth him that acutiùs multò quam foelicius hee expounded the Scriptures in some places more wittily then happily an other while he would so seeme to excuse him that hee might be convinced by this or the like argument To follow the Fathers in all Canus ibid. were to condemne our owne witts and depriue our selues of the meanes to finde out the trueth What arguments might preuaile with the Cardinall I cannot tell but sure I am his doctrine disagreed from the Article of the Roman faith And Doctor Payna Andradius a principall Pillar of the Trent Councell rebuketh Canus for his rash reproouing of Caictan and defendeth his Tenet with the same doctrine Andra. def fid Tricen lib 2. Hee teacheth that when the Fathers seeke the literall sense of the Scriptures they doe not alwayes find them but giue diuers senses one vnlike to an other Hee professeth Wee may forsake their senses all and bring a new vnlike to theirs He addeth further that experience forceth vs to confesse vnlesse wee will bee vnthankefull to most excellent wits that very many things in Moses and the Prophets are in this our age expounded more exactly through the diligence of learned men then euer they were before And thereupon he concludeth that the holy Ghost the onely and faithfull Interpreter of the Scriptures would haue many things to bee knowne to vs which our Ancestors knewe not and hath wrought by meanes vnknowne to vs knowne to him that the Fathers noted good and godly mysteries out of very many places of the Scriptures whereof the right and naturall sense hath been found out by posteritie And thus Canus against Cajetan and Andradius against Canus and Cajetan and Andradius both against the Trent Article allowe the Exposition of Scripture by Scripture and somtimes against the streme of Fathers I proceed to the examination of more witnesses and I call Cardinall Bellarmine to testifie the same doctrine that neither hee nor his associates doe holde themselues tyed by their new Article of faith to the Exposition of the Fathers It is one thing saith hee to interpret the Law as a Doctor Aliud est interpretari legem more Doctoris a liud more Iudicis c. Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 3. cap. 10. an other thing as a Iudge of the one is required Learning of the other Authoritie the opinion of the Doctors is to be followed according to reason but the Iudges opinion is to bee followed of necessitie Saint Austen and the Fathers in their Expositions supplyed the places of Doctors Scripta PatruÌ„ noÌ„ sunt Regulae nec habent authoritatem obligandi Idem ibid. which we may follow as wee see cause the Pope and Councell supply the places of Iudges with a Commission from God and therefore they must be obserued and followed of necessitie Thus we haue seene three seuerall Iudges and Expositors of the Scriptures First the ancient Fathers made the Scriptures the onely Iudges and true Interpreters of themselues next the Trent Doctors decreed the ancient Fathers for Interpreters and now at length the later Schoolemen haue proclaimed their Popes and Councels for their chiefest Iudges and best Interpreters of the Scriptures and These say they must bee followed of necessitie Durum telum Necessitas Pardon them Necessitie is a deadly dart there is no necessitie by their doctrine to obey the expositions of Fathers which is the second Article of their Faith but there is a necessitie to obey the authoritie of their late Popes and Councels in their Exposition which is but matter of opinion and from hence it will follow that either the Articles of the Râ—man Creed were newly created by Pope Pius the fourth and that creation was not in his power or that those Doctors and Cardinals had not the oath administred vnto them or we may iustly suspect they haue forsworne themselues Neither was this the opinion of these particular men onely but the Roman Church notwithstanding their solemne protestation by which they are enioyned to interprete the Scriptures doth in many things by her owne confession waue the Interpretation of the Fathers Sanctissimos Patres quos Doctores Ecclesiae ob illoruÌ„ sublimem eruditionem meritò nominamus quantuÌ„libet spiritus sancti gratia prae aliis imbutos liqueat in interpretatione scripturaruÌ„ non semper ac in omnibus Catholica Ecclesia sequitur Baron Ann. Tom 1 ad ann 34 nu mar 213 It is the testimony of Cardinall Baronius Although the most holy Fathers whome for their great learning wee rightly terme the Doctors of the Church were indued aboue others with the grace of Gods holy Spirit yet the Catholique Roman Church doth not follow them alwayes and in all things expounding of the Scriptures Here is an other confession of a great Cardinall who was not ignorant of the Articles of his faith that notwithstanding the Trent Decree and the Popes Bull the Church did not alwayes follow the exposition of the Fathers Now if any shall require a reason why the Pope and Cardinalls of former ages dissent from others of these later times in expounding of the Scriptures Frier Stella who doth not condemne the Exposition giuen by the ancient Doctors Benè tameÌ„ scimus Pygmaeos gygaÌ„tum humeris impositos plusquaÌ„ ipsos gygantes videre Stel. enarrat in Luc. ca. 10. protesteth Hee knoweth full well
that Pygmeis being put vpon Gyants shoulders doe see further then the Gyants themselues But Bishop Fisher doth more warily excuse it and with plausible reasons assure vs that Many things Nec cuiquaÌ„ obscuruÌ„ est quin posterioribê° inge niis multa sint tam ex Euangeliis quaÌ„ ex scripturis c. Roffeas Consur Assert Luther Art 18. as well in Gospells as in the rest of the Scriptures are now more exquisitely discussed by later wits and more clearely vnderstood then they haue been heretofore eyther by reason that the yee was not as then broken vnto the Ancients neither did their age suffice to weigh exactly that whole sea of Scriptures or because in this most large field of Scriptures euen after the most diligent reapers some eares will remaine to bee gathered as yet vntouched How forcible motiues these reasons may seeme to other men I will not heere dispute sure I am they are vaine excuses for Romane Bishops and Cardinals who are bound by their generall Councell and the Popes Bull to obey the Exposition of Fathers as an Article of their faith But admit these opinions should bee excused for the particular Tenets of some priuate men let vs see how faithfully the Popes Pastors of these latter times haue interpreted the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers Moses saith Whit. Durae â—s in Camp 9. Reason pag. 269. God made man after his Image Pope Adrian interpreteth therefore Images must bee set vp in Churches Saint Peter saith Behold De obed maior vnaÌ„ sanctaÌ„ c. here are two swoâ—ds Pope Boniface concludes Therefore the Pope hath power ouer the spirituall and the temporall Saint Matthew saith Giue not that which is holy vnto dogs Iewels Defence p â—2 Mr. Harding expounds it Fiet vnum ouile et vnê° Pastor quod quidem de Christo intelligi non potest sâ—d dâ—â—liquo alio Ministroqâ—â— bresâ—t loco eius Ioh de Par sâ—de pot Reg Papati c. 30. therfore it is not lawfull for the vulgar people to reade the Scriptures Saint Iohn saith There shall bee one Fold and one Sheepherd Iohannes de Parisijs tels vs This place cannot bee expounded of Christ but must bee taken for some Minister ruling in his stead The Prophet Dauid saith Thou hast put all things vnder his feet Antoninus expounds it Anton. in sum part 3. tit 22. c. 5. Haebr 2. Thou hast made all things subiect to the Pope the cattle of the field that is to say men liuing in the earth the fishes of the sea that is to say the soules in Purgatory the fowles of the ayre that is to say the soules of the blessed in heauen And lastly whereas our Sauiour Christ witnesseth of himselfe In Concil Later sub Leo 10. p. 671. All power is giuen to me both in heauen and earth Stephen Archbishop of Patraca applyed it to Pope Leo the tenth in the Councell of Lateran in the audience of the Pope himselfe who thankfully accepted it and suffered it to bee published and printed and as it is rightly obserued by learned Du Moulin Pope Innocent the third in his Booke of the Mysteries of the Masse Buckler of faith pa. 30. the booke of sacred Ceremonies Durants Rationalls Tolet and Titleman and others do most ridiculously wrest the Scriptures altogether different from their right meaning and the Expositions of the Fathers as for instance The Scripture saith The Rocke was Christ therefore say they the Altar must bee of stone It is written I am the light of the world therfore Tapers must be set vpon the Altar It is written Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth therefore the Priest must kisse the Altar It is written Thou shalt see my back parts Exod. 33.23 therefore the Priest must turne his backe to the people It is written Laua me ampliús Psal 51. Wash mee againe therefore the Priest must wash his hands twise It is written Exod. 3.5 Put off thy shooes for this place is holy therefore the Bishop at Masse changeth his hose and shooes And lastly the Pope himselfe at the time of his coronation casteth certain copper money amongst the people vsing the words of Peter Siluer and gold haue I none but that which I haue I giue thee These and the like Expositions doe much resemble the strict order of Monkes who reading the words in Matthew Districtissimi MonachoruÌ„ simplicitèr intelligentes fecerunt sibi cruces ligneas easque sibi iugiter humeru circuÌ„ferentes c Ioh. de Polemar orat in CoÌ„cil Basil pag. 385. Hee that taketh not vp his crosse and followeth me is not worthy of mee made themselues woodden crosses and so carried them on their backes continually causing all the world to laugh at them for howsoeuer they may seeme to bee the expositions of some priuate spirits yet hee that makes oath in verbo Sacerdotis to receiue expound the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers and shall render such Expositions of the Text can bee no true Catholique Hieron 24. q 3. cap. Haeresis For whosoeuer doeth otherwise vnderstand the Scripture saith Hierome then the sense of the holy Ghost who is the Penman of the Scripture requires although hee hath not departed from the Church yet hee may bee tearmed an heretique But as the Fryar said wittily in his Sermon the trueth which hee preached was like holy water which euery one called for apace yet when the Sexton cast it on them they let it fall on their backs in like manner the Romanists seemingly call for the Scriptures they commonly vaunt that they expound and receiue them according to the vniforme consent of Fathers but as Vincentius Lyrinensis said of the heretiques of his time When they shall begin not onely to vtter those sayings Vbi caeperuÌ„t illas voces noÌ„ iam proferre sedetiam exponere non ad c. VinceÌ„t Lyrin c. 36. but also to expound them then the bitternesse then the sowernesse and madnesse is perceiued then a new deuised poyson will be breathed out then are prophane Nouelties disclosed then may you see the bounds of the ancient Fathers to bee remooued the Catholique Faith to bee then butchered and the doctrine of the Church torne in pieces Pope Pius the fourth who first published the Articles of the Creed was not ignorant that the Scriptures must be farre fetched and hardly strayned to make them speake for the Trent doctrine hee well vnderstood that it was too generall and strict a tye vpon euery Masse Priest to receiue and interpret the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers knowing well that many Masse Priestes were vtterly ignorant of the Fathers and therefore to qualifie the rigour of that oath adioyned these words to the aforesaid Article Artic. 2. Also that sacred Scripture according to that sense which the Mother Church hath holden whose right is to iudge of the true sense and
our aduersaries owne confessions the true and Orthodox Church did reiect those Apocryphall bookes which our Church refuseth which the Trent Councell allowes at this day for Canonicall And thus briefly I haue produced a Catalogue of ancient Fathers and moderne Writers in the Romane Church who haue witnessed with vs the same Canon of Scripture which wee professe at this day whereby I haue giuen you a taste of that challenge which God willing I purpose heereafter to make good in the principal points of our Religion that our Church and doctrine hath continued Visible in all ages euen to the dayes of Luther SECT VI. Our Aduersaries pretences from the authorities of Fathers and Councels to prooue the Apocryphall bookes Canonicall answered THe former Testimonies are so true and pregnant in our behalfe that our learned aduersaries are inforced to confesse that most of those Authours did reiect the bookes in question for Apocryphall To say nothing of the Trent Anathema layd vpon those reuerend Fathers and learned Doctors of the ancient and moderne Churches who reiected those bookes in all ages let vs weigh their chiefest reasons and arguments for defence of their cause and it will appeare there are no solid and certaine authorities to proue the Apocryphall books in question for canonicall Bell. lib. 1. de verbo Dei c. 12. To instance in particulars Bellarmine saith the booke of Iudith was held by Hierome for Canonicall and withall pretended this reason for it This booke hath a singular testimony from the famous and first generall Councell of Nice It is true that both contending parties subscribe to this first and best Councell of Nice but I pray where is that Canon to be found and sure I am there is no such testimony extant Asseruit esse ApocryphuÌ„ Salm. Com. in Hebr. disp 2. Acost lib 2. de Christo Reuel c. 13. Quod mihi dubituntis suspicionem subindieare videtur naÌ„ Nicena Synodus olim hunc libruÌ„ in Canonem redegerat cur annis 80 post non accenset eum Synodê° Laodicena cur Nazianzenus eius non meminit quid sibi vult quod idem c. Lind. Panopl lib. 3. cap 3. as is pretended by the Cardinall nay more Salmeron his fellow Iesuite protesteth Saint Hierome affirmed the booke of Iudith Apocryphall And Acosta the Iesuite professeth è Canone exemit hee exempted it out of the Canon and as touching the Councell of Nice their owne Lindanus proclaimeth that this assertion giues him great cause of doubting for if the Nicene Councell did anciently reckon the booke of Iudith in the Canon why did not the Councell of Laodicea reckon it why did not Nazianzene make mention of it what meant hee to say the Church at that time did reade the bookes of Iudith Tobie and the Maccabees but did not receiue them amongst the Canonicall Scriptures Againe looke vpon the Councell of Laodicea called in the yeare 364 there you shall finde the booke of Iudith Bin. Not. in Concil Rom sub Syluest by the testimony of Binius himselfe reiected for Apocryphall and this Councell is confirmed by the second Canon of the sixt Generall Councell of Trullo which the Fathers of that Councell would neuer haue done if the first Generall Councell of Nice had decreed the contrary I proceed to the examination of the chiefest ground and principall cause of their Trent Decree The third Councell of Carthage called in the time of Siricius Bishop of Rome about the yeere 399 Placuit vt praeter scripturas Canocas nihil in Ecclesiâ legatur sub nomine diuinarum scripturaruÌ„ sunt autem Canonicae Scripturae Tobias Iudith Hester Esdrae libri duo MachabeoruÌ„ libri duo Conc. Carth. 3. circa tempora Syriâ—ij Canone 47. touching the Apocryphall bookes makes this declaration It pleaseth vs that nothing be read in the Church besides the Canonicall Scriptures and there they publish for the Canonicall bookes Tobie Iudith Hester Esdras and the two bookes of Maccabees And to this Councell say the Romanists Saint Austen subscribed This testimony I confesse is extant in the 47. Canon of this Councell but giue mee leaue to tell you the Church of Rome doth not generally avowe that Canon of that Councell It is the confession of Cardinall Baronius Haud omnes Haudomnes Canones in hâc Synodo sanciti probantur sed diuersisaliis coÌ„ciliis Carthaginensibus vt inter alios iste quo sacroruÌ„ libroruÌ„ certus numerê° definitur Baron An. 397. nuÌ„ 46. Canones 50. quoruÌ„ tituli hîc assignaÌ„tur non omnes in hâc Synodo sed diuersisaliis coÌ„ciliis CarthagineÌ„sibê° sanciti probaÌ„tur inter alios 19.30 et 47. which last Canon is the CanoÌ„ in question Bin. in CoÌ„cil Carth. 3. c. Not all the Canons of this Councell are established but they are allowed in diuers other Councels of Carthage as namely that Canon wherein the number of sacred bookes were defined And Binius the publisher of the Councells makes the like acknowledgment that the 50 Canons which were intituled to that Councell were not all confirmed by it but by other Councells of Carthage as namely the 47 Canon and that which argues suspition of a forged Canon the bookes of Maccabees which are inserted in the Latine copie of that Councell are not to bee found in all or any of the ancient Greeke copies or Manuscripts Hic Canon Carthaginensis Concilii extat in collectione CanonuÌ„ Cresconii Africani Episcopi nonduÌ„ edita sed ibi Machabee ruÌ„ libri non recensentur ne in omnibê° Gracis codicibus editis Mss Christ Iustellus obseru Not. in Cod. CanonuÌ„ Eccle. Africanae Bell. de Roman Pont. lib. 2. ca. 31. Quintum Bell. de CoÌ„cil author lib. 2. cap 8. Decimo Neither is this Councell of that authoritie as the Romanists themselues pretend for when our learned Protestants doe otherwise produce this Councell against the head of their Church Bellarmine makes answere This Prouinciall Councell ought not to bind the Bishop of Rome nor the Bishops of other Prouinces If wee oppose against it the Councell of Laodicea which decreed those bookes for Apocryphall Bellarmine makes answere The Councell of Carthage is of greater authoritie then that of Laodicea because it is later and because it was Nationall but the Councell of Laodicea was prouinciall In the one place when it seemingly makes for him hee termes it a Nationall Councell in the other when it plainely makes against him hee termes it Prouinciall But Oportet esse memorem Falsehood had need haue a good memory It is vsuall with Bellarmine with Canus with Costerus and the best learned Romanists to excuse Saint Hierome Saint Austen Saint Gregorie and many others which denied the Apocrypha for part of the diuine Canon with this generall Answere It was no sinne Bell de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 10. no heresie in them to reject those bookes because no Generall Councell in their dayes had decreed any thing touching them If therefore no Generall Councell had decreed
by the application of Saints merits and that priuate satisfactions which were left to the discretion of euery Bishop were transferred wholly to the power of the Pope and so receiued de Fide as an article of faith as it is now vsed in the Romane Church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimonie are oftentimes called by the name of Sacraments let him spare the labour I will confesse it But let him proue the poynt in question that al those Sacraments were instituted by Christ in the new Testament and that there are neither more nor lesse then seuen termed by the name of Sacraments and those onely were properly so called and that number of seuen was receiued de fide as an Article of faith and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that St. Peter had a primacie of Order amongst the Apostles and that the Bishop of Rome had the first place amongst other Bishops let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him proue that Peter had iurisdiction ouer the Apostles and that the Bishop of Rome was helde Christs Vicar generall and Head of the Vniuersall Church and that such his power and Supremacie was receiued de fide as an article of faith as it is now taught in the Roman Church and I will subscribe Lastly he that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that out of the Cath. church there is no saluation let him spare the labor I will cōfesse it but let him proue that the present Roman Church is that Catholike Church as it is decreed de fide by their last Article of their Creed and I will subscribe Thus briefly I haue giuen you my poore opinion how to examine the Trent Faith and doctrine whereby you may easily discouer the vanitie of those men who challenge an interest in all the Fathers in behalfe of their Religion and certainly if this rule bee rightly obserued and pursued by any indifferent Iudge he shal finde there is not greater distance in the times then difference in their doctrine This is so well knowne to the best learned on their side that when wee charge them that they haue created new Articles of Faith vnknowne to the first and best ages by way of preuention they giue this solution that true it is many poynts of doctrine were not explicitè reuealed and publikely declared as Articles of faith in the dayes of the ancient Fathers because no heretikes did then oppose them but say they they were implicitè obscurely secretly reseruedly knowne and receiued of the Ancients with an implicit faith by which confession their later errour will bee greater then the first for as one way they would seemingly auoyd the creating of new Articles of faith so by acknowledgement of an implicit faith they ouerthrow by consequence the Visibilitie of their Church for if the Church of Rome had but an implicite beliefe in those things which are now publikely declared without doubt the Church at that time was not visible in the faith it was not like a Citie vpon a hill knowne and conspicuous to all persons and thereupon the grand poynt of Visibilitie which they so much magnifie among themselues will easily be called in question For a conclusion of this poynt I will giue you but one instance whereby you may the better iudge of the rest Looke vpon the learned Treatise of the right Reuerend Bishop of Meath now Primate of Armach wherein the iudgement of the ancient Fathers An Answer to a challenge made by a Iesuite in Ireland 1624. touching seuerall poynts of controuersie is faithfully deliuered in our behalfe what Reply might wee thinke could bee made by our aduersaries to those Authorities so rightly produced Behold a Iesuite by Order W. Malone by name A Reply to Mr. Vshers answere hath made a Reply wherein hee hath produced in number many more authorities of Fathers in behalfe of the Roman Church and Trent Doctrine The encounter being made the end of the victory may seeme doubtfull for the Fathers are produced by both contending parties and seemingly they adhere to both sides as if they made both for Papist and Protestant in one and the same substantiall poynts of doctrine The reason being examined it will appeare the Fathers do not vary from themselues nor from vs in poynts of faith but the Iesuite produceth Authorities impertinent to the poynt in question As for instance in the first Article of Traditions Our Reuerend Bishop tels the Iesuite by way of preuention B Vsher cap. Traditions p. 35. that Traditions of all sorts are not promiscuously strucke at by vs but such vnwritten traditions which are obtruded for Articles of Religion As for example It is the first part of the Article of the Roman Creed I admit and imbrace the Apostolicall and Ecclesiesticall Traditions To this first part of the article the reformed Churches doe subscribe but the other Obseruances and Constitutions of the Church which is the latter part of the Article we thinke it great reason to gainesay for vnder the pretence of other Obseruances the Church of Rome doeth vphold her priuate Masse her Latine Seruice her halfe Communion her Inuocation of Saints her worship of Images the like all which are admitted for part of Gods worship and accepted by them for Apostolike Traditions when as in truth they are flat contrary to the doctrine of the written Word The question then is not whether the doctrine deliuered by Christ or his Apostles by word of mouth were of equall authoritie with the Word written for this neuer any Protestant denied but whether the vnwritten Doctrine now taught in the Romane Church were deliuered by Christ and his Apostles whether their Ecclesiastical Obseruations and Constitutions now vsed bee of equall authoritie with the written Word whether their Papal Traditions were alwayes or euer admitted into the rule of faith and lastly whether the Scriptures are not sufficient for the saluation of the beleeuer without the helpe of those Traditions Let these questions bee rightly propounded in our behalfe and the multitude of the Iesuites authorities will fall to ground of themselues for what Father hath hee produced to proue that the Papall Traditions now receiued de fide in the Church of Rome were deliuered by word of mouth by the Apostles what Father hath hee cited to prooue that the Constitutions of their Church had a constant and continuall succession from the time of the Apostles as Articles of faith ought to haue what Fa her hath he vrged that admitted doctrinall Traditions vnwritten into the Rule of faith Lastly what ancient Father hath hee truely alleadged that denies the Scriptures to bee sufficient for all beleeuers without the helpe of Romish Traditions It were no difficult matter as I conceiue to giue a full answer to the Iesuits replie in the right stating of the Questions wherby it might easily appeare that hee
and his associates haue taken great paines to little purpose but I submit my opinion to the iudgment of the learned proceed from the Fathers in generall to particulars wherin I wil instance in two principall Lights of the Westerne Church St. Austen and St. Gregory the one Bishop of Hippo the other Bishop of Rome whereby you shal plainly discerne how the later Popes and Bishops doe differ from the former and how these two Fathers of the Church concurre expresly with the doctrine professed in the Reformed Churches different from the Roman SECT XII Saint Austen in particular is much disparaged by the Romanists and for instance in many seuerall poynts of moment wherein he professedly concurreth with vs is expresly reiected by them TOrrensis the Iesuite hath abbreuiated all St. Austens workes and published them in honour of his Church by the name of Augustiniana Confessio Austens Confession Brerely the Priest hath contracted his doctrine into a lesser modell and more particularly applyed it to the Roman faith by the name of Saint Austens Religion as if Saint Austen and the Romanists did professe one and the same Religion made one and the same confession of their faith To say little of their great brags of this holy Father I will giue you but one instance and so descend into particulars Is Author est Augustinus vt eius sententia si vel nulla scriptura nulla ratione nullis aliis authoribus probaretur sola personae reuerentia satis magna authoritatem meretur Mal. in Ioh. 6. num 68. Maldonat the Iesuite tels vs that Saint Austen is an Author of that esteeme that his opinion were it neither proued by â—cripture nor reason nor any other Author yet the sole reuerence of his person deserues sufficient authoritie of it selfe Here is an ample testimony touching the great light of the westerne Church but look we backe to the Iesuits proceeding in that very Tract vpon the same Chap. within six foregoing Verses of the same Text where he giues this free full approbation of this learned Father and finding that S. Austens Exposition of an other Scripture did disagree from the Romane Church Non nego me huim interpretationis authorem nemineÌ„ habere sed hanc eò magis probo quaÌ„ illaÌ„ alteraÌ„ Augustini caeteraâ—uÌ„alioqui probatissimam quòd haec cuÌ„ Caluinistarum sensu magis pugnat Mald. in Ioh. 6 n 62. and accord wholly with the Protestant faith instantly as it were with the same breath cryes out against him I confesse I haue no author for my Exposition but I rather allow it then that of Austens although his of the rest be most probable because this of mine doeth more crosse the sense of the Caluinists I will descend into particulars and notwithstanding our aduersaries great brags of St. Austen I will giue you instances in many principal poynts of doctrine wherein they plainely intimate by their owne confessions he is wholly ours 1. Touching the proofe of Purgatory whereas Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 3. The fire shall trie euery mans worke of what sort it is for the day shall declare it Aug. de fide oper c. 16 St. Austen interprets by this fire is meant the fire of tribulation in this world Bell de Pur. lib. 1. cap. 5. but this opinion of his we haue reiected saith Bellarmine 2. Saint Austen saith When Peter receiued the keyes hee represented the holy Church § Quarto Aug. Tract in Ioh. 50. and therefore the power of the keyes was not giuen to Peter onely Albertus Pigghius is a witnesse against him that hee is the onely man De Augustino possem dicere quod vnus homo fuerit hâc in re nec firmitèr secum nec cuÌ„ aliis consentiens Hier. Eccles lib 6 cap. 4. who in this poynt neither agreeth constantly with himselfe nor with others 3. Saint Austen saith by the daily sacrifice spoken of in the Prophet Malachie is meant the prayers and praises of Saints Azorius makes answere Aug. lib. 2 contr lit cap â—6 Reliquum veteruÌ„ PatruÌ„ coetum atponimê° et Concil Tridentini testimonium Azor. Instit Moral part 1. l. â—0 c. 11. Aug contr Adim c. 12. Iewel Art 12 pa 346. Wee oppose against him the generall consent of other Fathers and the testimonie of the Councell of Trent 4. St. Austen saith Christ spake these words This is my body when hee gaue a signe of his body Master Hardin makes answere that St. Austen fighting against the Mâ—nichees oftentimes vseth not his owne sense and meaning but those things which by some means howsoeuer it were might seeme to giue him aduantage against them so as he might put them to the worst 5. St. Austen saith Those words of Saint Luke August de Consens Evang lib. 3. cap. 1. I will not hencefoorth drinke of the fruit of the Vine are to be vnderstood of the Sacramentall Cup and consequently the fruit of the vine was wine in substance after consecration Dico Augustinum non expendisse hunc locum diligenter Bellar. de Eâ—ch li. 1. cap 11. Bellarmine is a witnesse against him that hee did not well consider of that text which appeares by this that hee passed it ouer lightly 6. Saint Austen saith The Israelites eate of the same spirituall meate Aug in Ioh. Tract 26. but not the same corporall which wee eate for they eate Manna wee an other meat but both the same spirituall meat Maldonat confesseth this is the doctrine of the Caluinists Hoc dicopersua um me habereâ— D. AugustinuÌ„ si nostrâ fuisset aetate longè alitèr censurum Mâ—ld in Ioh. 6. n. 50. but saith he I am verily perswaded that if Austen had been liuing in these dayes and had seene the Calutnists so interpret Saint Paul he would haue beene of an other mind especially being such an vtter enemy to heretikes 7. Saint Austen saith Sine fide etiaÌ„ quae videÌ„tur bona opera in peccata vertuntur Aug. contr duas Ep. Pelag. ad Bonif l. 3. c. 5. Non sequeÌ„da illa opinio quam TridentinuÌ„ Concilium nuper merito damnauit omnia infidelium opera esse peccata quaÌ„uis maximuÌ„ authorem DiuuÌ„ AugustinuÌ„ habuisse videatur Mald. Com. in Math. 7.18 The workes which are done without faith though they seeme good are turned into sinne Maldonat answers Wee may not defend that opinion which the Councell of Trent did of late iustly condemne although the great Father S. Austen seeme to be of that opinion 8. Saint Austen saith He crowneth thee Coronat te quia dona sua coronat non merita tua Aug. in Psal 10â— Bish in his Refor of a Cathol deformed because he crowneth his owne gifts not thy merits M. Bishop protesteth that Saint Austen was too wise to let any such foolish sentence to passe his pen. 9. Saint Austen saith I know certaine worshippers of Tombes and Pictures August de Mor. Eccles li. 1. c. 34. Bell.
example of life and instruction of manners but yet it doth not apply them to establish any doctrine Conc. Trid. Sess 4. Church of Rome If any shall refuse the books of Maccabees for Canonicall Scriptures let him be accursed In hoc volumine omnia quae crudiuÌ„t cuncta quae aedificant scripta coÌ„tineÌ„tur Greg. in Ezek. l. 1. Hom 9. Aâ—tic 6. Scripturae sine Traditionibê° nec fueruÌ„t simplicitèr necessaria nec sufficientes Bell. de ver D noÌ„ scrip c. 4. et Conc. Trid. Sess 4 decret 1. The sufficiencie of the Scriptures Gregory Whatsoeuer serueth for edification and instruction is conteined in the Volume of the Scriptures Church of England Holy Scriptures containe all things necessarie to saluation Church of Rome Scriptures without Traditions are neither simply necessary nor sufficient Reading of the Scriptures Gregorie The Scripture is an Epistle sent from God to his creature that is to Priest and people If thou receiuest a letter from an earthly King Greg. lib. 4. Epist 40. ad Theedor Medicum This instructioÌ„ was to a Physician a lay man thou wilt neuer rest nor sleepe before thou vnderstand it The King of Heauen and God of men and Angels hath sent his Letters vnto thee for the good of thy soule and yet thou neglectest the reading of them I pray thee therefore studie them and daily meditate of the words of thy Creator and learne the heart and mind of God in the words of God Church of England The Scriptures are Manna and gi-giuen vs from heauen to feed vs in the desert of this world Iewel in his Treatise of the holy Scriptures pag. 46. 47. Let vs reade them and behold them and reason of them and learne one of another what profit may come to vs by them for all haue right to heare the word of God all haue need to know the word of God Index lib. prohib in obseruat circa Regulam 4. Church of Rome Wheras it is manifest by experience that if the holy Bible should be permitted to be read in the vulgar tongue it would bring more danger then benefit by the rashnesse of men therefore they are forbidden to the common people See Hard. in Iewel Art 15. diuis 3. yea and to Regulars to reade or retaine any vulgar Translation without the licence of their Bishops or Inquisitor The Reall Presence Gregorie Preciosi saÌ„guinâ— effusione genus humanum Christus redemit sacrosancti viâ—â—sficies car poris sui sanguinis mysterium meÌ„bris suis tribuâ—â— cuius perceptione corpus suum qd est Ecclesia pascitur potatur abluitur sanctificatur Greg. in 6 Psal poenitent Christ with the effusion of his most precious blood redeemed mankind and giueth vnto his members the most holy mysteries of his quickening body and blood by the participation whereof his body which is the Church is nourished with meat and drinke and is washed and sanctified Here Gregorie makes a plaine difference betweene the body of Christ offered on the Crosse and the mysterie of that body offered in the Sacrament and that we might know it was not a corporall but a mysticall body he tels vs Christs Body is the Church and that wee might yet further know the members of Christ were not fed with reall flesh and blood for there is nothing more absurd saith Bellarmin then to think the substance of our flesh should bee nourished with the flesh of Christ Bellar. de Euch. lib. 2. cap 4. hee tels vs they are nourished with meat drinke and withall are washed and sanctified by the mysterie of his body And to remoue all imaginations of a carnal presence hee proclaimes it elsewhere in the words of an Angel Greg. Hom. in Euan 21 Hee is risen hee is not here Christ saith hee is not here in the presence of his flesh yet hee is absent no where by the presence of his Deitie Church of England The Body of Christ is giuen Iewel Art 5. p. 238. taken and eaten in the Supper onely after a heauenly and spirituall maner Wee seeke Christ aboue in heauen and imagine not him to bee bodily present vpon the earth Church of Rome Conc. Trid. Sess 13. c. 1. In the Sacrament of the Eucharist after consecration our Lord Iesus Christ true God and man is truely really and substantially contained vnder the forme of sensible things Si fuissent mille hostiae in mille locis eo tempore quo Christê° perpendit in cruce Cristê° fusset crucifiâ—ous in mille locis Holcot in Sententque Insomuch as Holcot the Iesuit professeth If there had been a thousand Hosts in a thousand places at that very time when Christ hung vpon the Crosse then had Christ been crucified in a thousand places Priuate Masse Gregorie Let not the Priest alone celebrate Masse for as hee cannot performe it without the presence of the Priest and people Sacerdos Missam solê° nequaquam celebret Greg. in lib. Capitulari cap. 7. apud Cassand Liturg. 33. p. 83. so likewise it ought not to bee performed by one alone for there ought to be present some to whom he ought to speake and who in like maner ought to answere him and hee must withall remember that saying of Christ Where two or three are gathered together in my name I will be present with them Church of England The breaking of bread which is now vsed in the Masse Iewel Art 1. in fine signifieth a distribution of the Sacrament vnto the people as Saint Austen saith vnto Paulinus It is broken to the end it may bee diuided Church of Rome If any shall say that Priuate Masses in which the Priest alone doth Sacramentally communicate Conc. Trid. Can. 8. Sess 22. are vnlawfull and therefore ought to bee abrogated let him bee accursed Communion in both kinds Gregorie You haue learned what the blood of the Lamb is not by hearing De Consecrat Dist 2. Qâ—iâ— sit sanguis §. but by drinking Againe The blood of Christ is not powred into the hands of vnbeleeuers but into the mouthes of the faithfull people Church of England The Cup of the Lord is not to bee denied to the lay people Artiâ— 30. for both the parts of the Lords Sacrament by Christs ordinance and commandement ought to be ministred to all Christian men alike Church of Rome Although our Sauiour did exhibite in both kinds Conc. Trid. cap. 3. Sess 21. yet if any shall say the holy Catholique Church was not induced for iust causes to communicate the lay people vnder one kinde and shall say they erred in so doing let him be accursed Merit of workes Sunt nonnulli qui saluos se suis viribê° exultaÌ„t suisque praecedentibus meritis redemptos se esse gloriantur quorum profectò assertio inuenitur sibinetipsis contraria quia dum Innocentes se asserunt et redemptos hoc ipsuÌ„ in se redeÌ„ptionis nomeÌ„ euacuant In 28 1. Iob l. 18. c.
is confessed by ingenious Romanists ECckius the Romanist tells vs the authoritie of Councells is of that consequence Tollatur Cōciliorum authoritas et omnia in Ecclesia erunt ambigua dubia pendentia incert◠nā omnes mox redibūt haereses Ecck. Ench. Art de Concil that if they should be taken away All things would become ambiguous doubtfull wauering vncertaine and all heresies would reuiue againe And that the Romish proselyts might knowe what obedience ought to be giuen to Councels Gregory de Valentia giues them this caueat Si Synodus Episcopalis aut cōmunis cōsensus plurium Theologorū statueret aliquam propositionem esse propositā ab Ecclesia vt de fide tunc talis teneretur c. Valent. in Tom. 3. disp 1. q. 2. punct 5. If you finde but an Episcopall Synod or consent of diuers Diuines onely affirming such a doctrine to bee the sentence of the Church you are bound to beleeue it though it be a lie Pardon me if I beleeue them not for our aduersaries giue iust cause of suspition when their chiefest respect tends to the honour of Traditions of Fathers of Councels and the sacred Word is made a by-word of Obscuritie and Insufficiencie I speake not this as if our Church did decline the authoritie of Councells for wee professe that Generall Councels are the representatiue Body and as it were a little Modell of the whole Church We approoue the first foure Generall Councells confirmed by our Church Eliz. 1. Whitak Rat. 4. vers Camp and Acts of Parliament wee acknowledge with reuerend Whitakers The name of Councels is honorable their credit singular and their authority of great esteeme nay more wee testifie with learned Bellarmine Bell de Eccles Cōcil li. 1. c. 10 in Initio that Generall Councells are very profitable and in some sort necessary for the suppressing of heresies yet saith hee they are not absolutely and simply necessary and of this I am easily perswaded for this reason First because the Primitiue Church for the first three hundred yeres had no Generall Councells and yet perished not Againe as the Church during those three hundred yeeres continued safe without generall Councells so without doubt it might haue continued three hundred yeres more and againe six hundred yeeres after that and so likewise a thousand yeeres more for in those first times there were many heresies many schismes many vices abuses all which notwithstanding they wanted the assistance of generall Councells could not indanger the Catholike Church But admit that Councels were simply necessarie which Bellarmine denies yet their calling must be answerable to their beginning and therefore let vs first inquire by what authoritie they were first called and obserue how the Commission hath beene executed from time to time by warrantie of the first Author We reade in the booke of Numbers Num. 10.1 2. that the Lord commanded Moses to make two Trumpets of siluer that hee might vse them for calling of the Assembly Moses according to Gods Law did assemble the people and saith the Text Deut. 33.5 Moses was king in Iesurum when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel gathered together Moses then had Ius Regale a Regall power although in proprietie of speech hee were no King and by this Regall power hee assembled the people and this authoritie was executed by him as by a King This right was assumed after him by King Dauid by king Solomon by king Iosiah by king Iehoshaphat and so from Moses to the Maccabees they all practised the same power of calling assemblies as Kings Princes and there was none of Gods Prophets I say not any one that either opposed or prohibited these assemblies At the comming of Christ this commission was renewed but not altered there was no new order for calling them other then had bin taken in the old Law assoon as kings receiued the Christian faith they executed the same power of the Trumpets which was first granted to Moses The first Councel of Nice it was the first and best Generall Assembly that was summoned in the Christian world after the Apostles time and this was called by the Emperor Constantine the Great The 2d. generall Councell at Constantinople was called by the Emperor Theodosius the elder The third at Ephesus by the Emperor Theodosius the younger The fourth at Chalcedon by the Emperor Valentinian and Martian These foure generall Councels are likened by Gregorie to the foure Euangelists and these had their right calling by Kings and Emperours and not by the Bishop of Rome If wee looke vpon particular Councels it will appeare they were likewise called by Kings and Princes in their seuerall dominions for many ages The first Councell of Arles was called by Constantine the Great The Councell of Aquileia was called by the Emperors Valentinian and Theodosius The first of Orleance by king Clodoueus the second of Orleance by Chidelbert the French King and this maner of calling assemblies by Kings and Emperors continued from Moses to Constantine and from Constantine to Arnulphus aboue 2400. yeeres for otherwise if this new assertion must take place The Pope must call Councels the first foure Generall Councells which all Christians had in such reuerence not one of them is a lawfull Councell nay saith our Reuerend and learned B. Andrewes D. Andrews in his Sermon of calling Assemblies The Church of Christ hath to this day neuer a General Councell Vnâ liturâ with one wipe wee dash them out all wee haue neuer a one no not one And that you may know it is not the testimonie of the Protestants alone Cardinall Cusanus doth witnesse with vs Cusan Cōcord Cath. lib. 3. ca. 13. 16. that all the Generall Councels to the eight inclusiuely were all called by the Emperours and that wee may iustly charge the Pope of Vsurpation both in calling and assuming a preheminence of place and dignitie in Councels Semper inuenio Imperatores et Iudices suos cum Senatu Primatum habuisse officiū Praesidentia per interloquutiones et ex consēnsu Synod◠sine mandato conclusiones et iudicia fecisse Cusan de Con. lib. 3. c. 16. the Cardinall makes this confession I euermore finde that the Emperors and their Iudges with the Senate had the gouernement and Office of Presidence by hearing and conferring of matters and that they made Conclusions and Iudgements with the consent of the Councel and without any further Commission Those men therefore that are so earnest in calling vpon vs for Councells should first shew vs the lawfull calling of their assemblies If Demetrius and his fellowe craftsmen will assemble together of their owne heads and keepe a shouting and crying for the great Diana of their Religion this rowt will prooue a ryot and is punishable by the Lawes of God and man away therefore with this confusion away with Demetrius assemblies If Pope Innocent the Third will assemble in his owne name contrary
that some Councels rightly called are discarded by our aduersaries when they make against their Trent faith In the fourth Age In the yeere 317 The 4. Age Ann. 300. to 400. the Councell of Sinuessa is pretended to consist of 300 Bishops besides Presbyters and Deacons and this Councell is cited especially for the Popes Supremacie yet Binius the publisher of the Councels professeth Doctissimorū plurimi hac Acta spuria nullius ponderis esse validis sanè argumentis probare conati sunt Concil Sinuess Bin. p. 184. that this Councell Although it deserue great credit for the Martyrologies of the Church yet very many learned men account the Actes to bee spurious and of no force and validitie And this may shew the faith of their Supremacy is grounded vpon vncertain doubtful Coūcels The first Generall Councell of Nice was called in the yeere 325 and is cited by Bellarmine in the 69 Canon Bellar. de Vnct. li. 1. cap 4. to proue Extreame Vnction a Sacrament and Mr. Hart saith This Councell hath 80 Canons and in those Canons the Patriarkes are said to rule their subiects as the Pope is head of all the Patriarkes like Peter Yet 60 of these Canons were denied by Alipius Bishop of Tagasta by Cyril Bishop of Alexandria by Atticus Bishop of Constantinople and by St. Austen and the Councell of Africa who allowed only twentie and Raynold Hart. cap 9. Diuis 2. p. 575. saith Contius their Lawyer Their bastardie is proued euen by this that no man no not Gratian himselfe durst alleadge them And this may serue to shew that some counterfet Canons by their owne confessions are produced for their doctrine of Faith and Sacraments The Councell of Eliberis In the yeere 328 decreed Placuit picturas in Ecclesia non debere Canon 36. Suspicor in illo Canone imposturam Bar. An. ad an 57. nu 121. Bell de Imag l. 2. c. 9 That no Images should bee set vp in Churches Baronius answeres I suspect some iugling in this Canon Bellarmine answers It was a Councell consisting but of nineteene Bishops a Prouinciall Councell not confirmed by the Pope and it seemeth to haue erred in other Decrees Heere one Cardinall seemes to allow the Councell but not the Decree against Images the other disallowes the whole Councell as fallible both in that and other Decrees Howsoeuer this may serue to shew that there were Protestant Bishops in those dayes who made publique protestation against making and worshipping of Images and yet neither Canons nor Councels must be allowed if they make against an Article of their new Creed The Councell of Millan was cited in the yeere 355 and was vniuersall and consisted of three hundred and more Bishops and yet this Councell did erre in the cause of Athanasius Dyonisius Eusebius Paulinus Lucifer Rodanus Zozom l. 4. c. 8. for saith Zozomen Whereas 300 of the Westerne Bishops had consented that Athanasius should bee deposed from his Bishopricke there were onely fiue against fifteene score that withstood it The Councell of Ariminum was cited in the yeere 360 and was vniuersall and consisted of 600 Bishops Multis paucorum fraude deceptis Aug. contr◠Maxim lib. 3. cap. 14. but saith Austen Hereticall impietie vnder an hereticall Emperour assayed to ouerthrow the trueth the multitude being deceiued by the subtiltie of a few And saith Hierom Nomine vnitatis et fidei infidelitas scripta est Hier. advers Lucif In the name of vnitie and faith Infidelitie was decreed and written And these are Euidences that generall Councels haue erred may erre In the fift Age In the yere 455 The 5. Age Ann. 400. to 500. the generall Coūcell of Chalcedon was called it consisted of 630 Bishops and decreed Conc. Chal. Can. 28. that the Church of Rome should haue the primacy because the city of Rome was the Empire of the whole world This reason was so vnpleasing to Pope Leo at that time and the Romanists in these daies Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l. 2. c. 17. that C. Bellarmine cōplaines It was the Decree of a great Councell but not lawfully made and therefore of no force and authoritie for saith he not onely the Popes Legates reiected that Decree in the Councell but Pope Leo himselfe who confirmed the rest of the Decrees condemned it And this may serue to shew that the reasons and decrees of 630 Bishops are no decrees no reasons if the Pope or his Legats doe not allow them The 6. age Ann. 500. to 600. In the sixt Age The fift Generall Councell of Constantinople was called in the yeere 553 wherein both Pope Vigilius himselfe Crak def Eccl. Angl. cap. 12. and three Chapters of his Decrees were condemned as hereticall and accursed Lege Liberati Breuiarium ca. 22. Pont. ficale in vitâ Vigilij And this may serue to shew that the Pope may bee an heretike that a Coūcell is aboue the Pope who haue authority to condemne him or his Decrees as they find occasion and that the Decrees of former Councels may be corrected by the latter and consequently there is no certaintie no infallibilitie in Pope or Councels In the seuenth Age The sixt Generall Councell was called at Constantinople The 7. Age. Ann. 600. to 700. in the yeere 681 and is pretended by Crabbe Surius to haue nine Canons whereof the seuenth is cited by Bellarmine for Inuocation of Saints Bel de fact Beat. l 5. c. 19. l. 2. de Confir cap 40. Surius Candid lectori yet their owne Surius tells vs Those nine Canons are falsely ascribed to the sixt Synod yea those Canons are false and counterfet Caranza Sum Conc. in Concil 6 Constant saith Caranza Againe this Synode condemned Pope Honorius for a Monothelite Put saith Bellarmine wee may safely say Tutò dicere possumus Bel de Pōt lib 4. c. 11. the Fathers did vndeseruedly reckon Honorius amongst heretikes being deceiued by false reports and not vnderstanding the Epistles of Honorius Hence we may obserue that sometimes an Article of Faith as namely Inuocation of Saints is confirmed by our aduersaries from the authoritie of a generall Councel when it is knowne and confessed by themselues to bee counterfet and sometimes the Pope himselfe is adiudged an heretike by a Generall Councell when as for the honour of the Popes Supremacie and Infallibilitie the whole Councel must bee condemned Lastly if from the Decrees of this Generall Councel we shall note the errours of Councells in generall Albertus Pigghius a learned man saith Canus doeth demonstrate by many arguments Canus loc Theol. li. 5. cap. 1. that the Acts which beare the name of the sixt and seuenth Generall Councels containe many errors In the eight Age The second Councell of Nic◠The 8. Age Ann. 700. to 800. called in the yeere 788 and termed the Seuenth General Councell pronounced Anathema against Pope Honorius What answere therefore can bee
Platin. in Greg. 12. and Benedict the thirteenth were deposed as Heretiques and Schismatiques nay more when Gregory who was a true and lawfull Pope by the testimony of Binius had commanded his Cardinals Anton. 3. part ca. 5. Bin. in Conc. Pisa Gobe Pader de hoc Conc. exeo Bin. that they should not attempt it they not regarding the Popes Supremacy appealed from the Pope to a Generall Councell And hence wee may obserue that neither Councel nor the Popes Cardinalls receiued the Popes Supremacie for a point of Faith as it is now taught beleeued for then certainly as they would not haue opposed him so they could neuer haue deposed him And as concerning the validitie of Councels it is manifest that as two Popes were condemned by a Councell so likewise that Councell and the like may befall any Councell that tends to the preiudice of the Popes prerogatiue is reiected by the Inquisitors with a Deleatur not to bee named amongst Councells Briefly there is no infallibilitie no certaintie in Councels nor in their Decrees Canons when they may be receiued or reiected at their pleasure accordingly as they make for the Pope and his doctrine or against it as may appeare by the ensuing testimonies of this Age. The Councell of Constance was called in the yeere 1414 by Iohn the 23 This Councell saith Bellarmine touching the first Sessions where they define the Councell aboue the Pope was reiected by the Councell of Florence Bellar de Concil Eccles lib. 1 c. 7. and the last Councell of Lateran but touching the last Session wherin the Communion in one kinde contrary to Christs Institution was decreed Ab omnibus Catholicis recipitur Pope Martin the Fift and all Catholikes receiue them And herein if you please you may likewise credit their owne Gregory de Valentia who affirmeth vpon his credit that the Decrees of the Councell of Constance Greg. Analy Cath. l. 8. c. 7. haue no certaine authoritie but those onely which were approued by Martine the Fift The Councel of Florence was called in the yeere 1430 whereby it is pretended that the Christians of Armenia and India consented to the Roman Church but Binius the compiler of the Councels tells vâ—â—t is doubtfull and vncertaine Whether the Armenians continued at the Councell of Florence Bin. Tom. 4 Conc. p. 503 or whether after the departure of the Grecians and Armenians there were some other Sessions of the Councel continued which haue not been recorded or whether there had beene an other Synod gathered the same yeere Heere is nothing but certaine vncertaintie in this Councell The Councell of Basil was called in the yeere 1431 and is reputed Generall yet it is neither generally approued nor receiued For the Dominicans obiect it was no lawfull Councell the Minorites on the other side answered it was true and hâ—ly and called the Dominicans Heretikes for slandering the authoritie of the Councell Iud. Viv. in Aug. lib. 20. de Civit. Dei c. 26. and saith Viues the matter had come to a shrewd passe if Pope Sixtus had not forbid that dispute any longer And for a conclusion of this poynt Albertus Pigghius confidently affirmeth Piggh. in Hierarch That both the Councell of Constance Councell of Basil erred shamefully they decreed against the order of Nature against the manifest Scriptures against the authoritie of Antiquitie and against the Catholike Faith Conc. Constant Sess 4. And if you require a reason how they fell into this shamefull errour Conc. Basil Sess 33. the reason is pregnant They decreed the Councell aboue the Pope Thus if wee reflect vpon the Decrees and Canons of Councels many counterfet and spurious Acts are suggested and forged in behalfe of their Romane Doctrine Aquin. in opusc cont errores Graecorum ad Vrbanum 4. Pont. Maximum The Councell of Sinuessa is cited by Bellarmine to proue the Pope aboue a Councell yet this is condemned saith Binius by many learned Writers The Councel of Chalcedon is cited by Aquinas to proue the Pope vniuersal Patriarke of the world yet there is no such Decree extant in the Councel The Councel of Nice in the 69 Canon is cited by Bellarmine to proue Confirmation a Sacrament yet that Canon is reiected by Baronius The Councell of Constantinople in the ninth Canon is produced for Invocation of Saints yet this Canon is reiected as counterfet saith Caranza Againe looke vpon the true Canons and Decrees of Councels if they be found to make against the Roman faith and doctrine they are reiected or condemned as erronious The Councel of Eliberis decreed against the making and worshipping of Images what saith Baronius to this Councell I suspect some iugling in this Canon The Councel of Pisa is condemned by the Inquisitors amoÌ„g the forbidden books why the cause is euident it toucheth the Popes Supremacie for Gregorie the twelfth and Benedict the thirteenth were deposed saith Platina The Councell of Laodicea is corrupted and instead of Angels they haue inserted the word Angles why the reason is pregnant it forbids Inuocation of Angels The General CouÌ„cel of Constantinople did erre and the Popes Legats did contrary to the Popes Instructions why the reason is euident the Councell decreed that the Pope should not absolue whom the Patriarke did depose The Councell of Constance is condemned of errour onely in the first Sessions Why they decreed the Councell aboue the Pope Againe their Canons are receiued in the latter Sessions Why they decreed the halfe CoÌ„munion which is now receiued for an Article of Faith And thus some Canons and Councels are forged some true and Orthodox are condemned some Sessions are approued by the Popes Legats others reiected by the Popes Cardinals and Prelates insomuch it was rightly obserued by Ludouicus Vâ—v in Aug. de Ciuit. Dei l. 20. cap. 26. Then the Councells are of account with them when they make for them but if they make against them they make no more account of them then of a Couent of women pratling in a common bath or a Weauers Shoppe I proceed to the sixteenth Age wherein the Grand and admired Councell of the Papall world I meane the pretended Generall Councell of Trent shal be examined SECT XVI The Councell of Trent which is the maine pillar and last resolution of the Romane Faith is of small or no credit at all because it was neither lawfully called nor free nor Generall nor generally receiued by the Romanists themselues AVgustus Thuanus a chiefe Senator and Counsellour to the King of France tels vs that Pope Paul the third summoned a Councell at Mantua and from thence translated it to Vincentia and because the Princes of Germanie could not agree vpon the place assigned Trent a citie seated vpon the confines of Germanie and Italie where this Councell was called in the yeere 1546. This CouÌ„cell then was called by the Popes vsurped power not by the Emperor for that cause falls within
doctrine so likewise there was speciall care taken and caution giuen Ne quum aâ—atui quo â—llius Maiestati praeiudâ—â—ium vlluÌ„ fieret si quis in hoc peccat Concilio pellatur Valer. in vita Marcel 2 Canus loc Theol. li 12 c. 12. § Extat that whosoeuer should speake against the Maiestie of the Pope should be banished the Councell We haue examples of both in this kinde Cornelius Bishop of Bitonto professed openly in the Councell that Christ in his last Supper did not offer vp his reall body and blood but the Trent Fathers because it was contrary to the Roman Faith condemned and exploded him Paulus Vergerius was but suspected for a Lutheran Sleid. comment li. 21. yet thereupon the Pope comanded him to depart the Councell Guilielmus Venetus a Dominican would prooue the Councell of Constance was aboue the Pope Valer. in vita Marcel 2. because the Councell did depose him but hee was thought too lauish of his tongue and therefore was banished the Councell The Bishop of Chioza professed in the Councell Craken p. 158. that hee disliked the Decree which made Traditions equall with the Scriptures but he was expelled the Councell And as touching the Popes Holinesse when a zealous and good Bishop had declared Molin CoÌ„sil de Trid. Conc. nu 22 that God in the Scriptures was termed Holy and therefore it was honour sufficient for the Pope to bee called Holy and not most Holy the Bishop was sent from Trent to Rome there the Pope grieuously handled him for this capitall offence Neither doe I denie that there was safe conduct promised as well to the Lutherans as to those which were vowed creatures to the Pope and his doctrine but saith Fabritius the learned Princes of Germany were kept so farre from the Castle of Disputation that they could not bee suffered to approach to the entrie of it Fateor extensioneÌ„ c. I grant saith he there was libertie extended to other Nations but withall it is added that the same forme of liberty should appertaine to none others but only to them that would repent and returne to the bosome of the Church If we look vpon the Tenour of the conduct we shal find it was very doubtfull and in trueth it might well bee thought strange that a free and Generall Councell of all sorts of Christians which should meet for Gods glory and Christian peace should come in feare and danger of their owne safetie for say they History of Trent lib. 4 p. 341. 343. Engl. The holy Synod as much as it can grants publike faith and full securitie that is safe conduct but saith the Historie the Protestants thought the forme of the safe conduct very captious because as well in the Decree as in the Tenor there was this clause of reseruation As much as it can when as no man demandeth of an other that which is not in his power to grant To let passe the like Conduct giuen to Hierome of Prague and Iohn Husse at the Councel of Constance can they prooue that there was free libertie of speech granted as it is in all publike Consultations Was there open conference and dispute allowed about the controuersies of Religion was the Scripture appointed to be Iudge or the plea being against the Pope ought the Pope to be plaintife and Iudge in his owne cause I confesse the Electors and Princes of Germanie being assembled at Newburg in the Popes name and by the Popes Legats were summoned to the Councel but withall they returned this answere Mirari se c. Epist ReruÌ„ gest sub Ferd. ann 1561. apud Scard They wondred vpon what grouÌ„d or reason the Pope should bee so bold how he durst proclaime a Councell to them and call them to Trent And there they giue this reason for it Because it was neither lawfull Craken p. 156. nor agreeable to Diuine or Human equitie that the Pope should supply the place of a Iudge when as both the dissention and ruine of the Church proceeded from himselfe Thus if wee consider this Councels calling it was by vsurpation not of ancient right If we respect the nature of it as it was Generall many Kings and Princes were so farre from allowing it that they made protestation againâ—â— it if we obserue the number of Bishops in their aâ—semblie when the greateâ—â— points of controuersie weâ— handled and resolued there were but fiftie three If we looke vpon the free accesse it was doubtfull and limited to certaine conditions And lastly if wee respect a free conference Historie of Trent lib. 2 p. 126. The Pope made knowne by his Legats that the Iudges were tyed to him by oath whereas the plea being against the Pope and his doctrine he himselfe ought not to bee Iudge I conceiue it was but a harsh proceeding that how many or how great soeuer the differences were concerning Religion yet there could bee no dispute nor yet admittance to the Councell but by an inforced protestation vowed obedience to the Pope and his doctrine insomuch their owne Thuanus giues vs to vnderstand that the fault was not in the Protestants for notwithstanding they conceiued their Conduct was not safe yet they came to the Councell and desired the Popes Legat to haue libertie to dispute and being made knowne that the Protestants were ready to make good their confessions which at that time they exhibited to the Councell The Trent Fathers were greatly offended Thua hist Tom 1. li. 9. ann 1552. neither could the Protestants haue answer to their confessions and therefore they desired leaue to be gone which being easily granted them they commended their cause to the Emperours Oratour and so departed from the Councell I will giue you a short and generall view of the actions in this Councell Andraeas Dudithius an Ambassadour sent to this Councell from the State and Cleargie of Hungarie a man highly fauoured by Ferdinand and Maximilian the second and a knowne Actor in this assembly giues the substance of their proceedings in few words very remarkable and worthy of all mens reading What good saith he could be done in that Councell Andr. Dudith in Epist ad Maximil 2. CaesareÌ„ de Calice Sacerdotum Coniugio which onely numbred but neuer considered the weightinesse of any opinion if either the cause or reason might haue made the encounter or if a few assistants had but sided with vs the day had been ours albeit the enemy was very strong but when only number fought the field in which wee fell short of them though our cause was neuer so good we could not come off with victorie to euery one of vs the Pope was able to oppose one hundred of his owne and if a hundred seemed but a few hèe could suddenly raise a thousand and send them to helpe their fellow Labourers so that you might daily see seruile poore Bishops for the most part young men and almost beardlesse wasted with
of the holy Ghost were wholly at the Popes command to breath onely where hee will haue him It is confessed on both sides that Christ is the Way and Trueth and by his word he hath prescribed a sure an infallible rule to find out the truth If the Scripture were but a partiall rule yet by Bellarmines owne confession it is the most certaine Scriptura â—egula credendi cerrissima tutissimaque est Bell. de Verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. and most safe rule of faith Now â—et vs see what is the most certaine rule of the Roman â—aith and on what assured meanes their proselytes may â—est satisfied and infallibly â—nstructed for the saluation â—f their soules Suarez the â—esuite tells vs It is the Catholike truth Veritas Catholica est Pontificem definientem ex Cathedrâ esse RegulaÌ„ Fidei quae errare non potest quaÌ„do aliquid authenticè proponit vniuersa Ecclesia tanquaÌ„ de fide c. Suarez de Tripl virt Theol. Sect. 8. disp 5. de reg pag. 214. Censeo esse rem de fide ceâ—taÌ„ Suar. ibid p. 214. that the Pope defining in his Chaire is the rule of Faith which cannot erre that is wheÌ„ he doth propose any thing authentically to the vniuersall Church to be beleeued 〈◊〉 a diuine faith and thus saith he all Catholike Doctors teach in these dayes and I thinke it 〈◊〉 be a thing certainly to be beleeued This Iesuit maintainâ—â— the Infallibility of the Pope yet speakes but as he thinks and withall tells vs It is thâ— Catholike doctrine of these times when as hee should haue prooued it by ancient Records that it was the Catholike doctrine of all ages For there is no man liuing let him be Papist oâ— Protestant if hee be a man of â—nderstanding but will holâ— it most requisite and absolutely necessary that the rule of faith should be declared by Christ and his Apostles by Catholike Traditions by Generall Councels by the consent of Fathers and the whole Christian world and certainly if the Popes Decrees conclusions be that rule of faith they ought to be confirmed by al those testimonies since on his judgment both Councels Bishops do depend but especially since the error of the Pope is adiudged to be the error of the Vniversall Church Againe he that deliuered what hee thought was the Catholike doctrine of these times touching the Popes Infallibility in generall tels vs of an other point at that time questionable viz. Whether it was to bee beleeued as an Article of faith Idem ibid. pag. 218. that the or that particular Pope were 〈◊〉 true Pope This doctrine saith he I taught at Rome affirmatiuely in the yeere 1585 but withall professeth that many at that time thought otherwise He that proclaimed it to the world that the Popes definitiue sentence in his chaire was the rule of Faith withall professeth that within these few yeeres it was not resolued whether this or that particular Pope might erre or no. And as it was obserued by a judicious and religious Gentleman M Noy of L. Inne for I shall gladly acknowledge any thing that I receiued froÌ„ any man this later question produced a new Quaere viz If the Pope were not a true Pope and Canonically elected then that person which worshipped a Saint canonized by that Pope commits flat Idolatry by reason the Saint wants his right Canonization for want of the Popes true and Canonicall election Many such doubts said he were mooued touching this Rule of Faith which neither the Iesuite was able to resolue nor the Church had as yet determined Hee that can but spell and put these things together would feare and tremble to think he hath no better assurance of his saluation then a doubtfull vncertaine questionable and vrresolued way to guide him into the paths of sauing knowledge And that the world may know the Rule of Faith which ought generally to bee receiued De Fide of all the faithfull is altogether doubtfull in the Roman church I haue summoned 12 of the Popes disciples to deliuer their seuerall opinions concerning the Popes Infallibilitie but how they concurre in witnessing the trueth of this Doctrine I leaue it to bee iudged Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 6. 1. Bellarmine It is probable that the Pope not onely as Pope cannot erre but as a priuate man cannot fall into Heresie or hold any obstinate opinion contrary to the Faith 2. Albertus Pigghius Piggh. de Eccle. Hier. lib. 6. c. 13. The Iudgement of the Pope is more certaine then the Iudgement of a Generall Councell or else the whole world 3. Hosius Hos lib. 2. cont Brent Bee the wickednesse of Popes neuer so great it can neuer hinder but that this promise of God shall euer be true The Popes shall shew thee the truth of Iudgement 4. Iohannes de Turrecremata Ioh. sum de Eccles lib. 2. cap. 112. It is better to rest vpon the sentence of the Pope which hee deliuers out of Iudgement then the opinions of whatsoeuer wise men in matters of Scripture for euen Caiphas was a High Priest and although hee was wicked yet hee prophecied truely 5. Siluester Prierias Whosoeuer leaneth not to the Doctrine of the Romane Church I'tier contr Lutherum and Bishop of Rome as vnto he Infallible rule of God of which doctrine the holy Scripture hath taken force and authoritie hee is an heretike Episc Bitont Conc. ex Rom. 1. cap 14. Romae habit 6. Cornelius Mus I must ingenuously confesse I would giue more credit to one Pope in matters of faith then to a thousand Augustines Hieromes or Gregories c. For I beleeue and know the chiefe Bishop in matters of faith cannot erre because the authoritie of the Church in determination of things belonging to faith is resident in that Bishop and so the errour of that Bishop should come to be the errour of the vniuersall Church Thus the great Mountaines were in labour and at last appeares Ridiculus Mus This man cares neither for Fathers nor Councells he knowes the Pope cannot erre and he is a man of experience You may beleeue him for hee was a Preacher at twelue yeeres old saith Sixtus Senensis but there are six more of the Popes sworne seruants they are Legales homines and craue audience hauing the said power and iurisdiction with the rest onely they say they cannot flatter they must and will speake the trueth in this howsoeuer the rest bee diuided from them and first concerning the first of the second ranke 7. Alphonsus de Castro We doubt not Non dubitamus an hareticum esse et Papam esse coire in vnuÌ„ possint Non enim credo esse aliquem adeò impudentem Papae assertatoreÌ„ vt ei tribuere hac velit vt nec errare nec interpretatione sacraruÌ„ literarum hallucinari possit cum constet plures Papas adeò illiteratos esse vt Grammaticam penitus ignorent qui fit vt
performe an act meritorious The beliefe then of the Romish doctrine doeth not consist altogether in the trueth of it but in the faith of the beleeuer for let it be true or false if it bee receiued with an affected ignorance and a blinde obedience the partie shall be safe as it were by fire that is as they elegantly vnderstand it shall goe through the fire of Purgatory to heauen Cardinall Cusanus hath giuen his voice with Cardinal Tollet that it is the safest and surest way to relie vpon the Priest as Ruler of the people without further inquirie of the trueth and thereupon he cries out with admiration as if hee would astonish his Disciples with the name of the Church QuaÌ„ firma est aedificatio Ecclesiae quia nemo decipi potest etiam per maluÌ„ praesidentem Si dixeris Domine obediui tibi in praeposito hoc tibi sufficiet ad salutem tu enim per obedientiam quam facis praeposito queÌ„ Ecclesia â—olerat decipi nequis etiaÌ„si praeceperit alia quaÌ„ debuit praesumit enim ecclesia de illa sententia cui si tu obedieris magna erit meâ—ces tuâ— Obedeenâ—â—â—t â—tur irrâ—â—tionalis est coâ— suâ—mâ—ta obedientia et per fectissima scil quando obeditur sine inquisitione rationis sicut tumentuÌ„ obedit domino suo Cusan Exist lib. 2. lib. 6. O how strong is the building of the Church for no man can be deceiued no not by an euill Bishop if thou say vnto God O Lord I haue obeyed thee in my Bishop this shall suffice thee vnto saluation for thou canst not bee deceiued by thy obedience that thou yeeldest to the Bishop whom the Church suffereth although hee commaund thee other things then he ought to doe for the Church presumeth his sentence to bee good which sentence if thou obey thy reward shall bee great Obedience therefore without reason is a full and perfect obedience that is when thou obeyest without inquiring of reason as a horse is obedient to his Master The Bishop or Priest then is the man we must obey and beleeue for his lips preserue knowledge his tongue will tell no lies but what if hee faile in his doctrine what if hee erre in his opinion are we sure he doeth euer deliuer the constant Tenet of his Church Admit then Saint Bernard were aliue and if a poore ignorant soule should come vnto him and demand of him whether hee thinke it possible for a man to keepe the Commandements will he say that a man may keep them for the Church teacheth so Bernard in Can. Serm. 50. when as he himself confidently affirmeth Therin thou shalt yeeld vnto vs that the Commaundements neither haue been fulfilled by any man in this life nor indeed can bee Admit that Thomas Aquinas were aliue and one of his disciples should desire to be resolued what worship to giue an Image would he tell him it must be worshipped with Dulia an inferiour honour when as himselfe protesteth Quod eâdeÌ„ reuerentia exhibeatur Imagini Christi vt ipsi Christo Aquin. p. 3. q. 25. art 3. that the Image of Christ is to bee honoured with the same honour that Christ himselfe is Admit that Cardinal Caietan were aliue and one should desire to know whether the Bookes of Macabees were canonical Scriptures would hee teach they were Canonicall when his fellow Canus professeth Canus li. 2. loc Theol. cap. 11. hee was so farre from teaching it that hee maintained the contrary Looke vpon the grand fundamental point of Transubstantiation if a Romanist will consult with the Priests and Bishops of these late ages it will appeare there could be no certaintie for an ignorant lay man to build his faith vpon the resolution of his Priest or Prelate As for instance in this particular poynt If a lay Papist had required satisfaction of Bishop Fisher Whether the doctrine of Transubstantiation was grouÌ„ded vpon the authoritie of the Scripture it is presumed he would haue answered according to his owne writing Roffens contr Capt. BabylonicaÌ„ c. 10. N. 8. O. Non potest per vllam Scripturam probare It cannot bee proued by any place of Scripture If hee had appealed from the Bishop to a Court of Cardinals Cardinall de Aliaco would haue told him Patet quod ille modê° sit possibilis nec repugnat rationi nec authoritati Bibliae c. Pet. de Alliac in 4. Sent. q. 6. Art 1. Caier in 3. part q. 79. Art 1. The maner which supposeth the substance of bread to remaine is possible neither is it contrary to reason nor the authoritie of the Scriptures Card. Caietan would haue told him That part which the Gospell hath not expressed wee haue receiued expresly from the Church viz. the conuersion of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ Card. Bellarmine would haue told him It is not altogether improbable that there is no expresse place of Scripture to prooue it Bellar. de Euch. lib. 3. cap. 23. and it may iustly bee doubted whether the Text bee cleare enough to inforce it Againe admit an ignorant lay man would require the iudgement of particular Priests in former ages Bertram a Priest would haue told him Bertr of the body and blood of Christ ann 1623. In respect of the substance of the creatures looke whatsoeuer they were before Consecration they are euen the same after Bellar. de Euch. l. 5. c. 15. Peter Lombard and Aquinas would haue told him that the Sacrament of the Altar was a commemoratiue sacrifice because it communicated the effects of the real killing of Christ Ante Lateranense CoÌ„cilium non fuit dogma fidei Scot. in 4. Sent. dist 11. q. 3. Scotus would haue told him Transubstantiation was not beleeued as a point of faith before the Councel of Lateran about 400 yeeres agoe Durand would haue told him The materiall part of the consecrated bread was not conuerted Durand 4. d. 11. q. 1. Bell. de Euchar. lib. 3. cap. 13. All these were Priests and members of the Romane Church they were Defenders of the Roman Faith in their times they declared by their Writings and Instructions to the people that doctrine which was altogether different if not flatly opposite to the Tenet of the now Roman Church And from hence it will follow that either the Roman Church doth want that Vnitie in poynts of Faith which they so much magnifie amongst themselues or otherwise it is an vnstable and a doubtfull way to relie vpon the instructions of his Bishop or Priest for the assurance of his right beliefe Moreouer that the Cardinals Bishops maintained a different doctrine from their owne Church it will appeare by the seuerall confessions confutations of their own Church-men Touching Bertram Bellar. de Script Eccles Tom. 7 p 121. Bellarmine saith Paschasius Ratbertus liuing at that time wrote a booke against him and confuted his errour Touching Peter Lombard
many but let vs search the things themselues for if it bee not absurd for vs not to beleeue and giue credit to others in receiuing of moneys but that we will reckon and tell it after them why doe wee in matters of greater moment simply and in good faith follow the opinions of other men especially seeing wee haue the most exact ballance square and rule of diuine Scriptures for the auouching of any authoritie Obsecro et oro vos omnes vt relinqua tis quidnaÌ„ huic vel illi videatur dâ—que his à Scripturis haec omnia in quirite Chrys Homil. 13. in 2. C. l. I request therefore and beseech you all to leaue forsake what seemeth good to this or that particular man and of these matters search yee all things by the Scriptures And thus briefly I proceed from the doctrine of Papal Infallibility vnto the grand point of the Visibility of the Church SECT XXIII Eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie is no certaine Note of the true Church but the contrary rather as is prooued by Instances from Adam to Christ. THe Materials which hitherto haue beene brought haue beene imployed onely to the laying the foundation of the Church wherin I must confesse I haue been somewhat long and yet not without reason for wee all know that a good foundation being once layd the whole frame stands the more sure Now as Foundations are not verie conspicuous till the building be reared higher so likewise in succeeding Ages when the whole building was coupled together and became a glorious Temple in the Lord yet eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie was no sure Note of the true Church as shall appeare both by particular instances from the time of Adam to the comming of Christ as also by the testimonies of learned Romanists who in part were witnesses of a latencie and obscuritie in their owne Church I speake not this to decline the Visibilitie of the Church for their own Ioachim Abbot above 400 yeeres since tells vs Ann. 1195. Ioach. Abbot in Reu. p. 2. that The whole Congregation of Saints shall bee hidden for so shall the Elect of God being wise be wise vnto themselues so that they shall not presume to practise openly because that darkenesse shall prevaile not that they shall leaue to animate and exhort the faithfull in secret but because they dare not aduenture to preach Publique by And Bonauenture another Schooleman who liued in the Age following Ann. 1260. giues the reason how such obscuritie may befall the true Church insomuch as it can hardly bee discerned by the true members amongst themselues Bonauent lib. 1. Dist 1 The Church saith hee may bee hindred from our sight three manner of wayes First Propter defectum organi for want of a fit organ if the eyes of our bodie or minde be wanting Secondly Propter defectum voluntatis for want of will when our affections are so depriued that we will not see it though it bee visible Thirdly Propter defectuÌ„ luminis for want of light So in the time of Persecution and Arrianisme it did not then visibly appeare Now if our Aduersaries would reflect upon themselues and examine their owne thoughts they should find that either their affections are wandring or their will wanting or their opinions forestalled or else it would proue no such hard matter for them to discouer an ouerspreading Schisme in their owne Church with a long and grieuous Persecution in ours which caused this obscuritie This did Gregorie de Valentia well perceiue and thereupon he aduised his Proselytes to bee wary and quick sighted Diligenter animaduerti debet non sic accipienduÌ„ esse quod dicimê° Ecclesiam esse semper conspicuaÌ„ quasi velimus eaÌ„ omni tempore dignosci posse aequè facilè Nouimus enim c. Greg. de Val Annot fid lib. 6. cap 4. in discouering and finding out the true Church For saith hee when we say the Church is alwaies conspicuous this must not bee taken as though wee thought this might at every season be alike easily discerned for wee knowe that sometimes it is tossed with the waues of Errors Schismes and Persecutions that to such as are vnskilfull and doe not discreetly weigh the circumstances of things times it shall bee very hard to bee knowne That this doctrine may the better appeare let vs looke backe to the first Ages and wee shall see in what state the Church began and how it continued in changes and alterations and became more and lesse visible in all Ages till the dayes of Christ and his Apostles Before the Law we finde in Adam with whom the Church began that being in Paradise full of the blessings of God and hauing a Freewill to all good lost at once both himselfe and it And as the power of his will and the faculties of his Vnderstanding were ecclipsed by his fall Aliquando in solo Abel Ecclesia erat et expugnatê° est â— fratrema lo et perdito Cain â—li quando in solo Henoch Ecclesia erat et traÌ„slatus est ab iniquis aliquando in sola domo NoeÌ„ ecclesia erat et pertulit omnes qui diluuio perierunt et sola arca natauit in stuctibus euasit ad ficcumi aliquaÌ„do in solo AbrahaÌ„ ecclesia erat es quanto pertulit ab iniquis nouimê° in solo filio fratris eius Loth et in domo eius in Sodomis Ecclesia erat et per tulit Sodomorum inâ—quitates August in Psal 128. in not regarding the voice of God So did his fall foretell that the best Churces in their most flourishing State had a possibilitie of falling into darkenesse and obscuritie if they neglected the Word of GOD. Now we must knowe as this number was small at the beginning so it was subiect to Persecution The Church saith Austen was sometimes onely in Abel and he was slaine by his wicked brother Kayne sometimes it was solely in Henoch and hee was translated from the vngodly sometimes it was in the sole house of Noah and hee swomme in the waues sometimes in Abraham and his family and he suffered of the wicked sometimes it remained in sole Lot and his house and he was vexed by the Sodomites Againe the Church was vnder a cloud when Tobias went alone to Hierusalem and serued God and all the rest worshipped the Calfe in Nepthali The Church doubtles was vnder a cloud in the time of Achas Manasses 2 Chron. 34 31. when those Kings made the Temple to bee shut vp when Vrias the High Priest placed a a Pagan Altar in the Temple The Church doubtles was vnder a cloud when the good King Iosias called for a Reformation 2 Chron. 29 6 7. and made a couenant to performe the words which were found in the House of the Lord so that there was many times a cloud of errors that darkned the true Church when there wanted a cloud of witnesses to testifie her truth In the kingdome of Israel vnder Ahab
erred in Doctrine when they thought the Kingdome of Christ to be earthly and not heauenly Actes 1.6 for When they were come together they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdome to Israel They did Imagine his Kingdome to bee like the Kingdomes of this world presently to come not after to be looked for proper to Israel not common to all Nations by vertue of the Promises Nay more when they had receiued the Holy Ghost in a greater measure from heauen Peter saith the Text went not the right way to the Gospell Galat. 2 14. Iohn would haue worshiped an Angell once or twice Reu. 19.10 22.8 The Apostles and Brethren who were in Iudea thought that the Word of God was not to be Preached to the Gentiles Acts 11.2 These Examples doe sufficienty witnesse that the Elect and Chosen of God may take a fall but fall away they cannot and their errors in doctrine and manners foretell a possibilitie of failing and consequently an obscuritie in the true Church and heereupon their owne Panormitan concludes Possibile est quod vera fides remanerâ—t in vno solo atque ita veruÌ„ est dicere quod fides non deficit in Ecclesia Hoc patuit post passionem Christi nâ—m fides remaÌ„serat tantuÌ„ in beata virgine Extr. do Elect. Significast Alb. It is possible that the faith of Christ may remaine in one alone and so it is true to say Faith failed not in the Church this thing appeared in Christs passion for then Faith remained only in the blessed Virgin And with him consenteth Nicholaus Clemangis The Church saith he may by Gods gracâ— maine in a woman alone as it is reported to haue remained in the blessed Virgin at the time of Christs Passion In sâ—la potest muliercula per gratiaÌ„ manere Ecclesia sicut in sola Virgine teÌ„pore passionis mansiffe fertur Clemang super Mat. generalis Concil Thus in the Colledge of Christ there were but twelue and scarce twelue in the Councell among the Iewes there was but one Iosepth of Arimathea that stood for Christ there was but one Gamaliel in the Councell of the Pharises that stood for the Apostles So that the number of true beleeuers was but small which did visibly appeare euen at that time when the Church was most glorious and therefore Eminent and perpetuall visibility is no certaine Note of the true Church Ann. 100. to 200. In tâ—â— second Age Egesippus tels vs Quod ad ea usque tempora Ecclesia pura incorrupta permanserit Virgo in locis obsuris caliginosis c. Niceph. lib. 3. cap. 16. The Church remained a pure Virgine vnto Traians time which was 110 yeeres after Christ for saith he such as indeauored to corrupt the perfect Rule and sound Preaching of the Word if there were any such did hide themselues in secret and obscure places but after the sacred company of the Apostles was come to an end and that the generation was wholly spent which by speciall fauour had heard with their eares the heauenly wisedome of the Sonne of God then the conspiracie of detestable errour through the deceit of such as deliuered strange doctrine tooke rooting and because that none of the Apostles suruiued they published boldly with all might possible the doctrine of falsehood and impugned the manifest and knowne truth In the third Age Ann 200. to 300. there arose a great contention about the keeping of Easter when as Victor Bishop of Rome went about to Excommunicate all the Churches of Asia from their CoÌ„munion as not sauouring aright And at this time the heresie of Artemon who affirmed Christ to be a meere man daily increased Those heretikes saith Eusebius were many Euseb lib. 5 ca. 25. and they corrupted the holy and ancient Scriptures without any reuerence they reiected the Canon of the ancient Faith they were ignorant of Christ not searching what the holy Scriptures affirmed And St. Cyprian makes a grieuous complaint of the Apostacie in his time from the Christian Faith as appeares by diuers passages in his booke De Lapsis In the fourth Age Ann. 300. to 400. Eusebius testifies as an eye witnesse Wee saw the Church ouerwhelmed to the ground Sacras aedes precibus dicatas è sublimi in solum fundamentis ipsis conquassatis deiectas diuinas sanctas Scripturas medio foro in rogum impositas Ecclesiarum Pastores hos in latebras hic illic se cum ignominia abdentei illos non sine dedecore prehensos et ab hosti bus ludibrio expositos oculis nostris aspeximus c. Euseb lib. 8. cap. 2. yea the very foundations themselues digged vp the holy and sacred Scriptures burnt to ashes in the open Market place the Pastors of Churches some shamefully hid themselues here and there some others were ignominiously taken and derided of their enemies and thus it was commanded by Proclamation by the Emperour Dioclesian the Churches should be razed to the ground the holy Scriptures should bee abolished and the Pastors throughout all Parishes should bee imprisoned Heere we see the Church was driuen into straights and corners till the time of Constantine the Great the first Christian Emperour about 300 yeeres after Christ but you shall likewise obserue that no sooner did this good Emperour appeare as an eminent part of the visible Church but Arrius the grand Heretique sowed his wicked Heresies Ingemuit totus orbis et ArrianuÌ„ se esse miratus est Hier aduers Luciferium which Like a Canker so spread it selfe that the Shippe of the Church saith Hierom was almost suncke and the whole world groaned and wondred at it selfe that it was become Arrian And with this holy Father agreeth the complaint of Vincencius Lyrinensis Vincent Lyrin c 6. The poyson of the Arrians did not infect a little portion but in a manner the whole world insomuch that all the Latine Bishops partly by force and partly by cunning were intrapped and had a kind of myst cast before their eyes And when the Arrians did vaunt of the multitude of beleeuers as if Amplitude and Splendor had been certaine markes of the true Church Gregorie Nazianzene makes this Quaere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian in Orat 11. ad Arrianos Where are those men which define the Church by a multitude and despise the little flocke And as touching the perpetuall and eminent visibility of the church it was so farre from his knowledge that hee professeth by reason of the scarcitie of true beleeuers in his Church They were often termed the Arke of Noah Persaepe Arca Neê vocati sumus vt qui soli orbis vniuersi diluvium effugissemus Greg Nazian orat 12. as those who onely were escaped drowning in the flood In like manner when Constantius an Arrian Emperor had obiected the multitude of his Arrian side and the paucitie of Catholike Professors on the
other Pope Liberius returneth the Emperour this answere Non referre numeruÌ„ esse magnuÌ„ aut paruum Nam c. Salm tract 23. in verba Luc. It mattereth not whether the true professors be more or fewer for the Church of the Iewes was once reduced to the number of three Now there is no man will deny but there were many excellent and famous lights of the Church in this Age yet by reason of Persecutions it was so much darkened and obscured that the holy Father Athanasius who had a fellow-feeling of the persecuted members in the Church puts the Question and resolues it Quae nunc Ecclesia libere adorat siquideÌ„ si pia est periculosa subiacet si alicubi pii et Christi studiosi vt magnus ille Propheta Elias absconduntur Athan ad solit vitaÌ„ agentes What Church doth now freely serue Christ For if it be godly it is exposed to dangers if there be in many places faithfull seruants of Christ as in all places there be many they like the great Prophet Elias are secret and hide themselues in dennes and caues of the earth or wandring vp and downe remaine in the wildernesse And without doubt the latencie and obscuritie of the true Church was such MoÌ„tes mihi et sylua et lacê° et carceres et voragines suÌ„t tutiores Hillaâ— cont Auxent that St. Hillarie professeth at that time it was not to bee sought in houses I rather reckon saith hee hills and woods and prisons to bee places of more safetie for in those either the Prophets abiding of their owne accord or forced thither by violence prophesie by the Spirit of God And from these few instances it may plainely appeare that eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie is no sure and certaine Caracter of the true Church Ann. 400. to 500. In the fift Age St. Austen tels the Church was like a Citie vpon a Hill Ipsa est enim ouis quae perierat ipse Pastor mons est ouis ergò in humeris eius ciuitas est in moÌ„te Aug Serm. de Tempore 218. but that Citie vpon the hill saith he was the sheepe which was lost and went astray and the shepheard is the hill and the Sheepe vpon his shoulders is the Citie vpon the hill And thus the true meÌ„bers of the Church may wander like stray sheepe till the Shepheard finde them and bring them home to the company of the faithfull Moreouer he that termed the Church a Citie vpon a hill in his time well vnderstood that it was not visible at all times that is to say in a great mist or in the night time yea on the contrary he tels vs Epist ad Vincent Epist 80. ad Hesych Enarrt in Psal 10. De Bapt. coÌ„t Donat. lib. 6. c 4. The Church shal be sometimes obscured and the cloudes of offence may shadow it Somtimes it shall not appeare by reason of the vnmeasurable rage of vngodly persecutors Sometimes it is like the Moone and may bee hidde yea so obscured that the members thereof shall not know one an other And howsoeuer in St Austens time the Church was very glorious and flourishing yet vnder correction of better iudgements I doe conceiue he did extoll the visibility of the Church because the Donatists at that time did appropriate the Church wholly to their own Faction excluding all other Churches but their owne in the South of Africke For the trueth is by reason of the multitude of Heretikes at that time preuailing it could not chuse but bee much darkened and obscured when as himselfe makes mention of fourescore and eight seuerall heresies in the Church Aug. de Vnit Eccles ca. 2. 16. Besides both Austen and Chrysostome who were liuing in this age tell vs That the Heretikes did so abound in multitude and they had such outward marks of the trueth in Traditions in Fathers in Councels in Miracles vnder the very name and Title of the Catholike Church in outward shew and semblance of the true Church that there was no way left to find the true Church Nisi tantuÌ„modo per Scripturas Chrys Homil 24. but only by the Scriptures And Saint Chrysostom alluding to the desolation in the Temple in the latter dayes aduiseth his profelytes Idem in 1. Cor. Hom. 36. to flie to the mountaines of the Scriptures And as touching the Discipline of the Church hee complaines that Shee was like a woman which had quite lost her modestie and did beare certaine badges and tokens of her former felicitie and being vtterly bereft of her treasure kept the emptie caskets and boxes of the precious things shee had before And although in this age the Church since the Apostles time was most flourishing yet it was not so conspicuous as any earthly Kingdome Bell de Eccles lib 3. cap. 13. as Bellarmine would haue it for at this time St. Hierome likewise complained of an Hereticall tempest rising in the countries of the East Haretica in his prouinciis exorta tempestas naueÌ„ plenaÌ„ blasphemiaruÌ„ intulit portui et Romanae fidâ—i purissimum fonteÌ„ coeno luiÌ„osa promiscuêre vestigiae Hier. ad Princip Marc. Epit. Tom. 1. carried a ship of blasphemies into the hauen of Rome and vncleane feet did mingle with mud the most pure fountaine of the Roman faith yea he tels vs further The faith of the Apostles was violated in most things the Priests and people were drawne into the same consent and the Bishop of Rome was abused by simplicitie and Marcella a poore widdow did first openly resist it And this may briefly serue to shew that in the first and best ages eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie was no sure and certaine note of the true Church In the sixt Age Ann. 500. to 600. Pope Vigilius secretly fauoured Seuerus and Anthemius two Heretiques who refused the faith established in the great Councell of Chalcedon Liberatus who was liuing at the same time giues vs to vnderstand of his writing to the Heretikes in this maner I signifie to you Liberati Breuiarium cap. 22. that I haue held and doe hold the very same faith which you also do hold No man must know that I write these things vnto you but your wisedome must thinke it best to haue mee in suspition before all others that I may with more ease worke and bring that to passe which I haue begun Pontificale in vita Vigilij This Vigilius if wee may beleeue their owne Pontifical was a false witnes against his predecessor Pope Syluerius he sought vndue means to remooue him and to place himselfe he kept him in prison and sterued him for hunger he gaue a great summe of money to procure the Popedome to himselfe Hee killed his owne Notary he killed a young man being a widowes sonne and of these and other crimes being accused before the Emperour hee caused him to bee drawne by the necke round about the Citie of Constantinople and cast into prison