he hath power to prouide these meanes and knoweth that without these meanes prouided it is vnpossible for men to attaine true faith and eternall saluation For knowing it vnpossible he cannot be saide to will it sith no wise man willeth that which he knoweth perfectly to be altogither vnpossible and much lesse may Almighty God be saide to will any thing which is absolutely vnpossible considering that his wisedome is infinit and that his will is alwaies ioyned with some worke or effecte by which that which he willeth at least is made possible to be done Wherefore to verifie that Almighty God would haue all men saued we must needes say that hee hath prouided for all men those meanes which bee necessary and without which it is vnpossible for them to come to the knowledge of true faith and therby to saluation One of which meanes is a visible Church of which they must heare learne the true faith which is the first and a necessarie steppe to saluation The Church therefore must needes be alwaies visible Thirdly if the vniuersall Churche of Christ should for any space of time be inuisible it should for that space cease to professe outwardly that faith which in hart it did beleeue For if it did outwardly professe how should it not by this profession be made visible and knowen But if the vniuersall Church should for such a time faile to professe the faith hell gates contrary to Christes promise did mightely preuaile against it For were it not a mightie preuailing that the whol church should faile in a thing so necessary to saluation as we know outward profession of faith to be necessary both by that of our Sauiour Qui negauerit me coram hominibus ego negabo illum coram Patre meo He that shall denie me before men I will denie him before my Father And Qui me erubuerit sermones meos hunc Filius hominis erubeseet He that shall be ashamed of me and of my wordes him the sonne of man wil be ashamed of And by that of Saint Paule Corde creditur ad iustitiam ore fit confessio ad salutem With hart we beleeue to iustice with mouth we confesse to saluation Which place learned men inteprete to signifie that profession of faith is somtimes necessary to saluatioÌ„ and they say further that this sometimes is so oft as either the glorie of God or the profit of our neighbour doth of necessitie require it the which cases of necessity do happen very often and great meruaile it were or rather vnpossible that they should neuer haue happened for so long a time as the Protestants would haue their Church to haue beene inuisible Fourthly if the Church were not visible wee could not fulfill that commaundement of our Sauiour wherein he said Dic Ecclesiae Tell the Church For how can we tell the Church any thing if wee can not tell where to seeke it neither if wee did by chaunce meete it could wee know it to be the Church Fiftly it is certaine that once the true Church of Christ was visible to wit when it first began in Hierusalem in the Apostles and Disciples of our Sauiour Christ and that companie which by their preaching was conuerted to the faith But there can no reason be shewed why it should be visible then and not now If it were needefull to be visible then because otherwise it could not bee a Church that is A Society of men lincked together in the profession of one faith in the vse of the same Sacramentes vnder the gouernement of lawfull Pastours For the same reason it must needes be viâ—â—ble now because as in the last chapter is proued there must be a Church now therefore it must be a society of meÌ„ professing the same faith vsing the same Sacramentes liuing vnder the gouernement of lawfull pastours For all this pertaineth to the very essence of the Church If also it were needefull to be visible theÌ„ that those offices functions which must bee done in the Church might bee well perfourmed to wit as there were in the Church some pastors some sheepe as S. Gregory Nazianzene saieth some to commaund some to obey some to teach some to be taught some to feede the flock of Christ some to be fedde so that euery one of these might doe what pertained properly to his duetie it was needfull that the pastours must know their sheepe and the sheep their pastours that those that should teach and rule and minister the Sacraments must see and knowe them whome they were to teach and rule and to whome they were to giue the Sacramentes And on the contrary syde the other had need to haue knoweÌ„ those of whome they must be taught whome they must obey and from whome they were to receiue the holesome food of the holy Sacramentes If I saye this reason proue that it was needefull then that the Church should be visible and knowen for the same reason it wil be also needefull to say that the Church must be visible now at all times For at all times there mâ—st be pastours and sheepe in the Church being the sheepefolde of Christ. And at all times these pastors must gouerne instruct and minister the holy Sacraments and the other must receiue gouernement instruction and the foode of the holy Sacraments at their hands And consequentely there had neede be some visible tokens at all times by which the pastours may knowe their sheepe least for want of this knowledge they may vnawares dare sanctum canibus prâ—iâ—cere margaritas ante porcos giue that which is holy to dogges cast margarites before hogges which our Sauiour commandeth them not to doe And on the other side there had neede be some visible markes by which the sheepe may know and discerne their lawfull pastours true preachers from false teachers and intruding vsurpers For otherwise they could not tell whome to heare obey whome to repaire to for the Sacramentes contrary whome to take heede of as of false prophetes whose voice to neglect as of strangers and whose poisoned foode of polluted Sacraments to reiect no lesse then a baite laide to kill them by theeues and robbers as it importeth greatly euery one to do If lastly it were needfull to be visible then that those which were out of it might ioyne themselues vnto it and become members of it thereby to participate the graces and benedictions which Christ our Lord communicated only to it and to escape the deluge of eternall damnation wherewith all was sure to be drowned that were found out of it as it were out of another Noë his arke This reason also requireth and vrgeth that the Church must be visible now and at al other times For if at any time it were not visible how could men that were out of it come vnto it or how could they attaine saluation if they did not enter into it sith at all times the merits and
praedicabunt nisi mittantur How shall they beleeue him whom they haue not heard how shall they heare without a preacher how shall they preach vnlesse they be sent Therefore the true Church which only hath preachers truely sent of God must first be found out that by it we may heare and know which is the true faith Therefore of the two the true Church is rather a marke whereby we may know the true preaching and consequently the true doctrine of faith then contrary that as heretiques say the doctrine should be a marke whereby all men must know which is the true Church Thirdly true faith is included in the true Church and as it were enclosed in her belly as S. Austen saith vpon those words of the Psalme Errauerunt ab vtero â—â—quuâ—i sunt falsa In ventre ecclesiae saith he veritas manet quisquis ab hoc ventre separatus fuerit necesse est vt falsa loquatur Truth remaineth in the belly of the Church whosoeuer is seperated to wit by difference in doctrine froÌ„ this belly of the Church must needs speake false Therfore like as if a man had golde in his belly we must first find the man before we can come to see the golde it selfe so we must first by other markes find out the true Church which hath the gold of true faith hidden in her belly before we come to see the gold of true faith it selfe Sith especially we cannot see it vnlesse shee open her mouth and deliuer it vnto vs that we cannot being spiritually blind certainely know it to be true not counterfeite but by giuing credit to her testimony of it According as the same S. Austen saith Euangelio non crederem nisi me ecclesiae authoritas commoueret I should not beleeue the Gospell it selfe vnlesse I were moued by the authority of the Church For if we had not the testimony of the Church how should we haue bin infallibly sure that there were any Gospel at all or how should wee haue knowne that those bookes which beare title of the Gospell according to S. Mathew Marke Luke and Iohn Are true Canonicall Scripture rather then those bookes which are writen in the name of Nicodemus and S. Thomas bearing the same title or inscription of Gospell Fourthly if the true doctrine of faith in all particuler pointes must bee fore knowne as a marke whereby to know the true Church then contrary to that which hath bin proued the authority of the Church should not be a necessarie meanes whereby men must come to the knowledge of the true faith For if before wee come to know which is the true Church we must by other meanes haue knowne which is the true faith what neede then is there for getting true faith already had to seeke or bring in the authority of the same Church Fiftly If before we giue absolute and vndoubted credit to the true Church we must examine and iudge whether euery particuler point of doctrine which it holdeth be the truth with authority to accept that only which we like or which seemeth in our conceipt right and conformable to Scripture to reiect whatsoeuer wee mislike or which in our priuate iudgement seemeth not so right and coÌ„formable then we make our selues examiners and Iudges ouer the Church consequently we preferre our liking or disliking our iudgement and censure of the interpretation sense of Scripture before the iudgement and censure of the Church of God But it is absurd both in reason and religion to preferre the iudgment of any priuate man be he neuer so witty and learned or neuer so strongly perswaded in his owne mind that he is taught by the Spirit before the iudgement definitiue sentence of the Church of God the which is a company of men many of which both are alwaies haue bin vertuous wise and learned which is chiefe is such a company as according to the absolute and infallible promises of our Sauiour hath vndoubtedly the holy Spirit among them guiding them and teaching them all truth and not permitting them to erre as before hath beene proued But you may perhaps say that in Scripture we are willed not to beleeue euery spirit but to try spirits whether they bee of God or no and that therefore we must examine and try the spirit of the Church by looking into euery particuler point of doctrine which it teacheth I answere That in that place of Scripture it is not meant that it belongeth to euery particuler man to try all spirits but in generall the Scripture giueth the Church warning not to accept euery one that boasteth himselfe to haue the Spirit and willeth that they should trie those spirits not that euery simple or priuate man should take vpon him to trie them but that those of the Church to whom the office of trying spirits doth appertaine to wit the Doctors and Pastors which almighty God hath put in his Church of purpose Vt non circumferaâ—ur omni vento doctrinae that we may not be caried away with euery wind of doctrine and Vt non simus paruuli fluctuantes that we may not be litle ones wauering with euery blast of those that boast themselues to be singulerly taught by the Spirit So that this trying of spirits is only meant of those spirits of which men may well doubt whether they be of God or no theÌ„ also this trial beloÌ„geth to the Pastors of the Church But when it is certaine that the spirit is of God we neither need nor ought doubtfully to examine or presuÌ„ptuously to iudge of it but submitting obediently the iudgement of our owne sense and reason wee must beleeue the teaching of it in euery point Now it is most certaine that the Spirit of the true visible Church is of God as out of holie Scripture hath bin most euidently proued And therefore our only care should be to seeke out those markes by which all men may know which particuler coÌ„pany of meÌ„ is the true Church of Christ whose doctrine we neither need nor lawfully may examine and try in doubtfull manner but must obediently and vndoubtfully in all points beleeue as the only assured and infallible truth CHAP. XV. That these foure properties Vna Sancta Catholica Apostolica that is to saie One Holy Catholique Apostolique are good markes by which men may know which is the true Church SITH our Sauiour Christ hath thought good to plant a visible Church vpon earth which he would haue to continue vntill the worlds end for this speciall inâ—ent and purpose that all men in all ages by meanes of it may learne the doctrine of the true faith the true worship of God the right vse of the Sacraments the holesome lawes of good life and generally all good thinges that appertaine to the glorie of God and the saluatioÌ„ of our soules wee haue not any reason to doubte but that the same our Sauiour for the exceeding loue which of his part
A TREATISE OF FAITH WHERIN IS BRIEFELY AND PLANLY SHEWED A DIRECT WAY BY WHICH EVERY man may resolue and settle his minde in all doubtes questions or controuersies concerning matters of Faith Isa. 30. Haec est via ambulate in ea This is the way walke in it A. D. Permissu Superiorum 1605. A TABLE OR BRIEFE Summary of the whole Treatise Cap. 1. THat faith is absolutely necessary to saluation Cap. 2. That this faith is but one Cap. 3. That this one faith must be infallible Cap. 4. That this one infallible faith must be entire Cap. 5. That Almighty God hath prouided some sufficient meanes whereby all sorts of meÌ„ may at all times learne this one infallible and entire faith Cap. 6. What conditions or properties are requisite in this rule or meanes prouided by almighty God Cap. 7. That Scripture alone cannot bee this rule or meanes Cap. 8. That no naturall witte of man or humane learning either by interpreting Scripture or otherwise can bee this rule of faith Cap. 9. That priuate spirit cannot be this rule Cap. 10. That the doctrine or teaching of the true Church of Christ is the rule or meanes wherby al men must learne the true faith Cap. 11. That this true Church of Christ of which wee must learne the true faith is alwaies to continue without interruption vntill the worldes end Cap. 12. That this same Church must alwaies be visible Cap. 13. How we should discerne or know which company of men is this true visible Church of which wee must learne true faith Cap. 14. That those Notes or markes which heretikes assigne To wit true doctrine of faith and right vse of SacrameÌ„ts be not sufficient Cap. 15. That these foure Vna Sancta Catholica Apostolica One Holy Catholique Apostolique be good markes whereby men may discerne which is the true Church Cap. 16. That these foure markes agree only to the Romane Church That is to say 〈◊〉 that company of men which agreeâ—â— in professioÌ„ of faith with the Church of Rome § 1. That the Romane Church onelyâ— One § 2. That the Romane Church onely is Holy § 3. That the Romane Church is onely Catholique § 4. That the Romane Church is onelie Apostolique Cap. 17. The conclusion of the whole discourse Viz. That the Romane Church is the onely true Church of Christ of which all men must learne the one infallible entire faith which is necessary to saluation And that the Protestants Congregation cannot be this true Church THE PREFACE BEing moued by some friendes to conferre with one of indifferent good iudgement and of no ill disposition of nature though very earnest in that religioÌ„ which he did professe I was desirous to doe my best endeuours to let him plainly see that the Catholique Romaine faith was the onely right For which purpose I did chose to let passe disputes about particular pointes and in generall to shewe First that it is necessary to admitte an infallible authority in the true Catholique church by reason whereof euery one is to learne of it onely which is the true faith of Christ. Secondly that those onely which professe the Romaine faith are the true Catholique church The which hauinge proued I did consequently conclude that the faith beleife which the authoritie of the Romaine church doth commend vnto vs ought without doubt to be holden for the true faith Vpon which pointes when he had heard my discourse he desired me for his better remembrance to sette downe in writtinge what I had said The which I had first thought to haue done briefely and to haue imparted it onely to him but by some other frieÌ„des it was wished that I should haÌ„dle the matter more at large they inteÌ„dinge as it seemed that it might not onely doe good to him but to others also that should haue need of it aswell as he Of which sorte of men standinge in this need as I could not consideringe their miserable case but take great pittie so I was easily moued especially at my friendes request to be willinge to doe my endeuour which might be for their reliefe succour and to take any course which might turne to their helpe and profit Now of all other courses which haue beene and might be vndertaken that which in my speach I did choose as most expedient for him with whome I did conferre seemed best also for me to prosequute in this my writinge for the benefit of him and others and this for foure reasons First because it is very briefe compendious and consequeÌ„tly such as euery one might haue leisure and should not be much weary to reade it Secondly because it standinge onely vpon few but most certaine conclusions and groundes is free from many cauils of the captions which more ample discourses are subiect vnto Thirdly because the matter handled in it is not very high nor hard but common easy plaine and such as may be vnderstoode of any who hauing but a reasonable witte or vnderstanding will carefully reade it as the importance of the matter requireth with iudgment deliberation which is chiefe with praier to God and a resolute good will to follow that which he shall finde to be right Fourthly because these few plaine pointes which are here sett downe include all other and whosoeuer shall by the help of Gods grace and the force of these or other reasons yeeld assent to the pointes proued in this discourse must by coÌ„sequence without farther disputing or difficultie yeeld to all particular pointes which the aforesaid church commeÌ„deth for pointes of faith and wil be moued to settle himselfe in the stedfast belefe of all For if he once admitte that there 〈…〉 Church or company of meÌ„ on earth infallibly taught by the holy gost what is the true faith in all pointes and that this church is by Gods appointemeÌ„t to teach all men in al matters of faith which is the infallible trueth and further that this Church which is thus taught and must teach vs is no other but that visible company which professeth the Romaine faith then he shall not neede to straine his wittes in studying or to wast wordes in wrangling about particuler pointes of controuersies or to vse any such trouble some and vncertaine meanes to finde out the trueth but may easely and most certainely be instructed in all by onely enquiring and finding out which all sortes of men may easely doe what is generally holden by the Church for truth in all particuler pointes whereof they doubt Of which pointes also If they be desirous they may haue sufficient authoritie and reason yeelded by the learned of the same Church though they should not so desire reason to be yeelded that without reason be giuen they would not beleeue at all or as grounding their faith vppon the reason giuen sith Christian beleife ought onely to be grounded vpoÌ„ the authority of God speakinge by the mouth of the church who ought to be beleeued in all matters without giuing
Scripture as it is the manner of euerie sect maister to confirme his errour with words of Scripture yea the Diuell himselfe doth sometime for his purpose alledge words of Scripture Wherefore there is no reason wherby wee may bee assured that such men haue the Spirit of God but we may finde many reasons to conuince that they haue not this Spirit And to omitte for breuity sake the seeking out of any other euen the singularity or priuatenes of their spirit is sufficient not onely to moue vs to suspect it but also to condemne it and to assure vs that it cannot bee the Spirit of truth as is very well signified by S. Augustine who saith Veritas tua Domine nec mea est nec illius sed omnium quos ad eius communionem publicè vocas terribiliter admonens nos ne eam habere velimus priuatam ne priuemur ea Nam quisquis id quod tu ad fruendum omnibus proponis sibi propriè vendicat suum esse vult quod omnium est à communi propellitur ad sua id est à veritate ad mendacium Thy truth O Lord is neither proper to mee nor him but common to all whom thou dost publiquely call to the common partaking of its warning vs terribly to take heede that wee will not haue it priuate to our selfe least we be depriued of it For whosoeuer doth challenge that to himselfe priuately which thou dost propose publiquely to be enioyed of all and will haue that his owne which is common to all he is driuen from the common to this owne that is to say from the truth to a lie CHAP. X. That the doctrine and teaching of the true Church is the rule of faith THE fourth Conclusion is that this infallible rule which euery one ought to follow in all points of faith is the Doctrine and teaching of the true Church or coÌ„pany of the true faithfull of Christ. This I proue by this reason If our Sauiour Christ hath promised to any coÌ„panie of men the presence of himselfe and the assistance of his holy spiritt of purpose to instructe teach them all trueth giuing withall peculiar charge commission to them to teache all natioÌ„s and to preache to euery creature giuing also warrant to all that they may safely heare them giuing also commandement whereby he bindeth all to doe in all thinges according to their saying and threatning greatly those who will not heare and beleeue them then certainely the doctrine teaching of these men is in all pointes most true and infallible such as if the other conditions required in the rule of faith be not as they are not wanting may well be proposed to all sortes as an assured ground whereupoÌ„ they may safely build an infallible Christian faith For looke what our Sauiour Christ hath promised must needes be performed and whatsoeuer he warranteth or commandeth may safely without danger of errour be done nay must of necessity be done especially wheÌ„ he threatneth those and will not doe it and consequently if he haue promised to sende his holy spirit to teach any company of men all trueth it is not to be doubted but that he sendeth this his holy spirit and by it teacheth them all trueth sith the teaching of this spirit is vnfallible we are not to doubt but that this company is in all pointes infallâ—bly taught the trueth If also the same our Sauiour gaue warrant and commandement that they should teach vs that we should heare them and doe in all thinges according to their saying we may not likwise doubt but that they shall be able to teache all sortes of men in all pointes the infallible trueth and that all sortes of men may if they will learne of that company what in all pointes is the infallible trueth For otherwise by this generall commaundement of hearing them and doing according to their saying we should be bouÌ„de sometime to heare beleeue an vntruth and to doe that which were not vpright and good which without blasphemy to Christ his veritie goodnes can no way be thought But so it is that Christ our Sauiour hath in holy Scripture promised giuen commission warranted commaunded and threatened in manner aforesaide Therefore we can not doubt but that their is a certaine company the which is called the true Church of Christ which both is in all pointes of faith infallibly taught by the holy spirit and is likewise to teach all sortes of men in all pointes of faith what is the infallible trueth and therefore the teaching of this companie may well be assigned and proposed to all men as an vndoubted sufficient rule of faith The promise of our Sauiour Christ we haue first in the Gospell of S. Mathew ego â—obiscum sum omnibus diebus vsque ad coÌ„sumâ—ationem seculi I am with you al the daies vntill the ende of the world in which wordes is promised the continuall presence of Christ himselfe who is veritas the trueth it selfe with his Church not for a while then or for a while now but all the daies vntill the end of the world Secondly we haue an other promise in the gospell of S. Iohn Ego rogabo patrem alium paraclitum dabit vobis vt maneat vobiscum in aeterâ—um spiritum veritatis I will aske my father and he will giue you an other paraelite the spirit of trueth that he may remaine with you not only for 600. yeares but for euer And againe in the same S. Iohn to shew vs for what purpose he would haue his holy Spirite remaine among vs for euer he saith Paraclitus quaÌ„â—ittet pater in nomine mâ—o ille vos docebit omâ—â—a suggeret vobis omnia quaecunque dixero vobis the paraclite whom my Father will sende in my name shall teach you all things shal put you in mind of al things whatsoeuer I shall say vnto you And againe Cum venerit ille spiritus veritatis docebit vâ—s omneÌ„ veritateÌ„ WheÌ„ that spirit of truth shall come hee shall teach you all truth The charge and commission is plaine in S. Mathew cuntes docete omnes gentes Going teach all nations And in S. Marke euntes in mundum vniuersum praedicate Euangelium omni creaturae Going into the whole world preach the Gospell to euery creature The warrant we haue in S Luke Qui vos audit me audit Hee that heareth you heareth mee By which wordes appeareth plainely that our Sauiour Christ would haue vs to heare and giue credit to his Church no lesse then to himselfe The commandemeÌ„t is expressed in S. Mathew Super Cathedram MoysisederuÌ„t Scribae Pharisaei Omnia ergo quaecunque dixeriâ—t vobis seritate facite The Scribes Pharisies haue sitten vpon the chaire of Moses All things therfore whatsoeuer they shall say vnto you obserue and doe Out of which words we may gather that wee are bound in all pointes
is the true Church we must haue speciall regard to assigne those things which in some matters may be apparant to all sortes of men sith all sortes of men had neede to seeke out and according to their capacitie discerne which is the true Church we must also assigne those thinges which agree to no other companie but that which is the true Church to th' intent that a man shall see all those thinges which be assigned as marks to agree to any companie he may streightwaies conclude that company to bee the true Church as on the contrarie side if he perceiue either all or any one of them to be wanting in any company he may be sure that that company is not the true Church CHAP. XIIII That those markes of the Church which Haeretiques assigne be not good markes OVT of that which in the former chapter I briefely noted about the nature of a good marke we may easily gather that those markes which some Haeretiques assigne to wit the true doctrine of faith and the right vse of the Sacraments are no good markes by which all sortes of men may come to knowe which is the true Church but are meanes as Haeretiques vse them to cast a myste ouer the whole matter when as they know that they can most easily conuert all the Sacramentes and holy wordes of Scripture Ad imagines phantasmatum suorum vnto their owne imaginations and phantasticall opinions as out of S. Austen we may gather that the manner of Haeretiques is especially when the authoritie of the Church which should correct those deprauations and false expositions is not first by other markes knowen and admitted The doctrine of faith therefore I say and the right vse of Sacramentes be not good marks whereby men may discerne which is the true Church This I proue First for that by the true doctrine of faith which they assigne for a marke of the Church either they meane true doctrine in some pointes onely or in all True doctrine in some pointes onely is no good marke because the Haeretiques teache the trueth in some pointes This therfore being not proper to the Church but agreeing rather to Haeretiques can bee no good marke of the true Church because it wanteth the first condition of a marke which is to be proper agreeing onely to the thing whereof it is a marke True doctrine also in all pointes although it be proper if we ioyne to it the right vse of Sacramentes with obedience to lawfull pastours agree onely to the true Church yet it is no good marke because it faileth in the second condition which is required in a good marke that is to say it is not apparant or easy to be knoweÌ„ of al those who should seeke out the true Church As I may easily proue because to know which coÌ„panie teacheth the trueth in all pointes requireth first learning wherby one may vnderstand the tearmes and state of the question or controuersie besides iudgement to discusse and weigh prudeÌ„tly the worth and sufficiency of the authorities and reasons of both partes that vpoÌ„ this pondering of reasons he may prudently conclude which is the better part Moreouer one had neede to haue a supernaturall light of Gods grace and the assistaÌ„ce of his Spirit whereby he may discerne see those thinges which be aboue all naturall rules and reasons Ad haec quis idoneus Who can saye that himselfe is sufficiently furnished with these helpes who can bee infallibly sure that he hath all these in such sorte as is requisite for obtaineing by his own industrie true vnfallible faith in all points surely at least the vnlearned must needes confesse that in diuers mysteries they doe not so much as vnderstand the tearmes and state of the question and much lesse are they able to examine sufficiently the worth of euery reason neither are all such as can perswade themselues that they are singularly inlightened and immediately taught of Gods Spirite neither if they did thus perswade themselues could they be vnfallibly sure that in this their perswasion they were not deceiued sith it is certaine that some of them that most strongely perswade themselues to be thus taught are in this their perswasion deceiued neither can the vnlearned sufficiently know the truth in euery particuler point by giuing credit to some one or other learned man or any companie of the learned vnles that company bee first knowen to be of the true Church coÌ„sequently to be guided in their teaching by the holy Ghost as I proued before So that it is most hard or rather vnpossible for a maÌ„ and especially for an vnlearned man in all pointes liquidam à tot erroribus discernere veritatem to discerne the plaine truth from so many errours as S. Austen saith It is also most hard for a man of himself to iudge which vse of SacrameÌ„ts is right if he be not first taught by the Church sith this is a principall point of the true doctrine of faith which is as I sayde very hard or rather vnpossible to be perfitely knowen by a mans owne selfe But to know first which company is the true Church and then by giuing credit to it to learne which is the true faith which vse of Sacraments is right there are not so many things required nor any great difficultie as shal be declared For the Church is that direct way which Isaias speaketh of when hee saith Haec erit vobis directa vta ita vt stulti non errent per eam This shal be to you a direct waye so that euen fooles to wit simple vnlearned men may not erre in it Secondly I proue the same because when we seeke for the true Church we seeke it principally for this end that by it as by a necessary infallible meanes we may heare and learne of it the true faith in all pointes which otherwise in it selfe is hidden obscure and vnknowen to vs according to that of S. Paule Animalis homo non percipit â—a quae sunt Spiritus Dei the sensuall man doth not perceiue those thinges which are of the Spirit of God For sith none by the onely power of naturall wit which in vnderstaÌ„ding vseth the help of outward senses can obtaine the supernaturall knowledge of diuine mysteries which we belieue by our faith neither doth the Spirit of God who as the principall cause infuseth this guift of faith into our soules ordinarily instruct any man in the knowledge of true faith immediately by himselfe alone or by an Angell sent from heaueÌ„ we must needes if we will haue true faith seeke first for that which it pleaseth almighty God to vse as the ordinary instrument and as a necessary meanes by which men may learne true faith the which is no other but the preaching and teaching of the true Church according to that saying of S. Paule Quomodo credent ei quem non audierint quomodo audient sine praedicante quomodo
〈◊〉 nor place And first for time it is eâ—â—dent because true doctrine was first â—â—eached and beleeued as the good seede â—as first sowen in the fielde afterward 〈◊〉 cockle that is false doctrine was ouer â—â—wed S. Paule did for three yeares space â—â—ith the Ephesians the true doctrine of â—â—ith and had coÌ„uersed among them like 〈◊〉 lambe seruiens Domino cum omni humilitaâ—â— seruing our Lord with all humility but â—fter his departure he saide he knew that â—â—â—enous wolues would enter in among â—â—em not sparing the flocke and that eueÌ„ 〈◊〉 of their owne companie there would 〈◊〉 viri loquentes peruersa vt abducant disciâ—â—is post se men speaking peruerse things â—â—at they may leade away disciples after â—â—emselues And as this happened at â—â—â—esus so doubtles in all other places â—here there hath beene any alteration of Christian doctrine first the true faith was â—anted by some Apostle or Apostolique â—an and afterward the contrarie was â—â—ought in by some speaking peruerse things therby leading away disciples after theÌ„selues So that it is certaine that no Heresie is so ancient as the true faith neither is any one of them of so long continuance for the time to come as S. Paule signifieth when hauing described Heretiques of the latter daies he addeth Sed vltra non proficient insipientia enim eorum manifesta erit omnibus but they shall prosper no further for their follie shal be manifest to all The same doth S. Austen aptly expresse expounding those wordes of the Psalme Ad nihilum deuenient tanquam aqua decurrens Non vos terreant sratres saieth he quidam fluuij qui dicuntur torrentes hyemalibus aquis implentur nolite timere post paululum transit decurrit aqua ad tempus perstrepit moâ— cessabit diu stare non possunt Multae Haerese iam emortuae sunt c. My brethren let not certaine floodes called landebrookes terrifie you they are filled with winter waters feare them not after a while the water doth passe runne downe for a time it maketh a noise but it will cease by and by those floodes can not stand long Many Heresies are now alreadie dead c. Now if we will haue respect of place it is certaine that no Heresie is by processe of time to spread it selfe absolutely ouer the whole world as I haue proued that the true Church shall doe and the reason hereof may bee assigned because as Saint Austen saieth diu stare non possunt they can not continue so long as were needefull to gett them so vniuersally spred ouer the whole world especially considering that as S. Paule saieth when they haue continued a while Insipientia earum manifesta fit omnibus their folishenes is made manifest to all and so no meruaile si vltra non proficiant if they prosper not nor make no further progresse Neither ordinarily in any one age is Heresie so vniuersall in place as the true Catholique religioÌ„ but for the most part it is contained in one or two couÌ„tries as it were in a corner of the world So that of heretiques we may well say as S. Austen doth that they are those which say Ecce hic est Christus ecce illic Beholde Christ is here beholde he is there that is to say the true doctrine of Christ is only truely preached in this countrie or that country of which kind of people our Sauiour giueth vs warning and biddeth vs saying nolite credere beleeue them not We may well say also of these as the same S. Austen doth Quaecunque congregatio cuiuslibet Haeresis in angulis sedet concubina est non matrona Whatsoeuer congregation of what Heresie soeuer sitteth in corners that is to say is but in few prouinces in the rest of the Christian world either is not at all or at least is not manifestly knowen to be is a concubine not a matrone to wit it is not the spouse of Christ nor the lawfull mother of the children of God Wherefore sith there is this difference betwixt heresie and true Christian religion that as the same S. Austen saith Singulae Haereses in multis geÌ„tibus vbi Ecclesia est non inueniuntur Ecclesia autem quae vbique est etiam vbi illae sunt inuenitur Heresies are not found in many nations where the Church is but the Church which is euery where is found in those natioÌ„s where Heresies are This difference I say being betwixt Heresie and the true religion we need not doubt but that to be Catholique or vniuersally receiued in the Christian world especially at all times is a note of the truth And that therefore the companie which professeth the faith which at all times and in a sort in all places hath bin receiued of Christians is vndoubtedly the true Church of Christ. Lastly the true Church is also Apostolique that is to say such as hath her foundation from the Apostles according to â—hat saying of the Apostle S. Paule Non estis hospites aduenae sed estis ciues sanctorum domestici Dei superaedificati supra fundameÌ„tâ—m Apostolorum Prophetarum ipso summo â—â—gulari lapide Christo Iesu. You are not straungers and forreiners but you are citizens of the saincts and the domesticals of God built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes Iesus Christ himselfe being the highest corner stone This we may gather out of that which is alreadie saide For if the apostles were they which were appointed by our Sauior to be vnder him the fouÌ„ders of his Church which by their preaching beganne at Ierusalem and from thence by them and those that receiued auctority from them tanquam viâ—is crescendo vbique diffusa est as Saint Austen speaketh like a vine by growing was spred abroad euery where being thus first planted and spred abroad was afterwards by the ministerie of lawfully succeeding pastours and doctors continued without interruption till now and shal be also so continued till the worldes end there is no doubt but that this companie descending thus lineally from the Apostles depending of them as their lawfull progenitours and being built vpon them as after Christ himselfe vpoÌ„ principall foundations may well bee called Apostolique that is to saye such as deriue their pedegree from no other authour or founder latter then the Apostles themselues All this doth Tertullian briefely but pithely comprehend in this short senteÌ„ce Apostoli apud vnam-quamque ciuitatem ecclesias condiderunt ab his autem ciuitatibus seu ecclesijs ab Apostolis constitutis traducem fidei semina doctrinae caeterae exinde ecclesiae mutuatae sunt quotidie mutuantur vt ecclesiae fiant ac per hoc ipsae Apostolicae deputabuntur vt soboles Apostolicarum ecclesiarum The Apostles to wit either immediately by themselues or by meanes of others founded Churches at euery Citty from which cities or Churches being thus founded by the Apostles other
burthen light The which moueth a man to conceiue great hope of eschewing euill and liuing wel which hope consequently hart to do well a man cannot haue who perswadeth himself that Gods commandements be vnpossible to be obserued as I shewed before Againe it teacheth that as a man may by grace auoid sinne and easily keepe Gods commandements by doing good workes liue well so this good life is pleasing acceptable vnto God and these good workes as proceeding from grace and receiuing vertue froÌ„ the merits of Christ of which this grace doth depend are meritorious and such for reward whereof God will giue to them that perseuerantly do them euerlasting blisse in the kingdome of heauen The which doctrine will doubtlesse if it be duely considered breed in a mans mind great loue and delight to doe well as the contrary must needs breed at least a coldnes in deuotion if not a contempt loathing of good deeds and specially of those good deeds which haue any difficulty annexed to them It teacheth also that for sinners are prepared exceeding great punishments in the next life and that though there be meanes in the Church to get remission of sin pardon of the paine yet it teacheth that a man caÌ„not ordinarily be absolutely certaine that hee hath so vsed those meanes as that hee hath thereby gotten that remissioÌ„ or pardon which is a great motiue to make men wary not to fall into sinne and to moue them Cum metu tremore operari salutem with feare and trembling to worke their saluation whereas Protestants vpon supposed certainety of saluation cast away this holesome feare and so may easily become carelesse of auoiding any sinne Furthermore it prescribeth holesome lawes and customes of fasting and prayer and of other exercises of vertue piety wherby the flesh may be subiect to the spirit and the spirit to God It maintaineth also secret confession of sinnes to a Priest as being a thing necessary and commanded by our Sauiour himselfe the which both is a great bridle to hold men backe from sinne as experience teacheth and is a speciall meanes whereby the Pastours of the Church knowing the inward coÌ„science of their flocke may better apply fitte remedies to their spirituall diseases prescribe to euery one fit exercises for their practise and progresse in vertue Finally the profession of this Church is such that euen simple Protestants when they see any Catholique do a thing amisse will ordinarily say You should not thus or a man of your profession should doe otherwise So that those which be sinful in the Roman Church cannot in any sort ascribe their sinnes to any defect or peruersity of the doctrine of the Church but must needes acknowledge theÌ„ to proceed froÌ„ their own frailty or malice coÌ„trary to the teaching of the Church sometimes eueÌ„ coÌ„trary to their owne conscience actuall knowledge Wherefore I may conclude that although there be some sinfull men in the Romane Church yet it may well be called Holy because the doctrine which it beleeueth and professeth of it owne nature enclineth and directeth a man to the true holines and consequently is of it selfe holy and also because there be many holy persons in it some of which are certainely knowne in particuler to be such by proofe of miracle others are onely knowne by this probable reason to wit that they hold the same faith which was holden by those who haue bin certainely knowen holy men and houlding the same faith which must needs be the true faith sith none are truly holy or can possibly please God without the right faith which is but one they haue in them a root out of which true holines is apte to spring and therefore when wee see no apparant euill fruite whereby wee may discouer some euill roote but only good which is apt to spring of this good root and especially when we see the fruite of their good workes to be conformable like to the workes of those which are knowne Saints wee haue great cause to iudge that they also are iust men and in some sorte holy if not perfectly Saintes Sith therfore many men which haue bin and are members of the Romane Church haue beene and are knowne either by absolute proofe of miracle or at least in this other manner to be holy Of these as of the better more worthy and principall part the whole may be as I said before tearmed holy as a tree that hauing a roote apte to giue life to the braunches some of which being deade others haue life is absolutely said to be aliue which if wee should see to haue a corrupted roote and could not perceiue it to haue any liuing braunches wee should haue cause to affirme absolutely that it were dead and not aliue §. III. That the Romane Church onelie is Catholique THIRDLY I finde that the Protestants company is not Catholique that is to say vniuersall neither in time nor in place for it came vp of late and is but in few places of Christendome neither in points of doctrine for their doctrine consisteth chiefely of negatiues that is to say in denying diuers pointes which haue beene generally held in former ages as appeareth by the Chronicles of the Magdâ—burgenses their owne doctors who confesse that the ancient Fathers held this and that which they now deny And there is no learned Protestant vnles he be too too impudent but he will confesse that there cannot bee assigned a visible company of men professing the same faith which they doe euer since Christ his time continuing without interruption till now And therefore will he nill he he must confesse that the Protestants Church is not vniuersall and therefore not Catholique as out of Scripture I shewed Christs true Church must be But the Romaine Church is Catholique For first it hath bene continually without ceasing since Christ and his Apostles time stil visibly though sometimes in persecution professing the same faith which is receiued from the Apostles without change tilâ— this day It is therefore Catholique or vniuersall in time It hath also had and hath at this day some in euery countrey where there are any Christians which is almost if not absolutely euery where that communicateth and agreeth with it in profession of faith Therefore it is also Catholique or vniuersall in place It teacheth also an vniuersall and most ample vniforme doctrine of God of angels of all other creatures specially of man of mans first framing of his finall end of things pertaining to his nature of his fall by sinne of his reparation by grace of lawes prescribed vnto him of vertues which hee ought to embrace of vices which hee ought to eschew of Christ our Redeemer his Incarnation life death resurrection ascension and comming again to IudgemeÌ„t of Sacraments and all other things that any way pertaine to Christian religion Neither doth it at this day denie any one point of doctrine of faith which in former times
continued against it as in all heresies that haue spronge vp of new we can doe If there could not a little ceremonie be added to the Masse but that it was set downe in history when and by whom how could the whole substance of the Masse which consisteth in consecration oblation and consumption of the sacred Hoast be newly inuented and no mention made when or by whom or that euer there was any such new inuention at all If also historiographers were not afraide to note personall and priuate vices of the Popes themselues which they might well think Popes would not willingly haue made open to the world why should they haue feared to haue recorded any alteration in religion Which if it had beene had beene a thing done publikely in the view of the whole world or if there were any feare or flattery which might tye the tongues and pennes of those that liued neare hand that they durst not or would not mention such a matter yet doubtlesse others which liued in places further off should not haue had those causes and consequently would not haue kept secret such an open and important a thing as this If lastly the histories which make mention of these priuate vices of Popes and other Christian Princes could not onely first come out but also continue without touch till these latter times what reason can any haue to doubte or dreame but that the like would haue beene set out about the alteration of religion if it had happened and that if any such history reporting any true accident of alteration or change of religion had come out it should partly by Gods prouidence partly by humane diligence haue bin preserued till these our daies especially cōsidering that such records had beene so requisite for discerning the ancient vnchanged true Christian religion from vpstart nouelty which must needes bee false So that we may well conclude that if Christian religion had since the Apostles time altered in Rome it would haue bin recorded in histories as other things and especially such notable alterations are recorded and those histories would haue beene preserued till this day as other Christian monuments haue beene preserued euen in time of persecution yea euen then when the persecutors made particuler enquiry for Christian bookes to burne or consume them But in those auncient histories there is no mention made of any such alteration of religion in Rome Wherefore it followeth that there was no such alteration or change at all No such alteration being made it is euident that the same faith and religion which was in Saint Paules time hath alwaies continued is there now That which was there then was the true faith and religion as appeareth by that high commendation which Saint Paule hath left written of it Therefore that which is there now must needes bee the onely true holy and Catholique faith and that company which professeth it must needes bee the Onely true Holy and Catholique Church Neither can I see what answere can with any probability be forged against this reason For to say that the errours of the Church of Rome crept in by little and little and so for the littlenes of the thing or for the negligence of the Pastors were not espied is an Idle fiction already refuted For first those matters which the Protestantes call errours in the Romane Church be not so little matters but that lesse euen in the like kinde are ordinarily recorded in stories Nay some of them are in the Protestants conceipts consequently if men of olde time had beene Protestants they would haue beene also in their conceipts as grosse superstition as Paganisme it selfe namely to adore Christ our Sauiour as being really and substantially present in the Blessed Sacrament the which Sacrament Protestants hold to be really and substantially but a bare peece of bread Also the Protestants account the vse of the Images to be Idolatry and say very ignorantly or maliciously that wee adore stockes and stones as the Panims did The which thinges could not so haue crept in by little and little but they must needes be espied Neither could the Pastours of the Church at any time be so simple and ignorant so sleepy and negligent but they must needes haue seene and seeing must needes in some sort haue resisted as before I haue said For to imagine all the Pastours of any one age to haue beene in such a deepe Lethargicall and deadlie sleepe that they could not onely not perceiue when the enemy should ouer sow Cockle in the harts of some but also when this Cockle of false beliefe should grow to outward action and especially to publike practise the which could not be but most apparant to imagine I say all the Pastors to be so simple and sleepy not then to marke or not to resist is rather the dreame of a proud man in his sleepe who is apte to thinke all men fooles beside himselfe then a iudiciall conceipte of a waking man of any vnderstanding who ought to thinke of things past either according to the verity recorded in stories or when this faileth by comparing the likelihood of that which hee thinketh was done by men of that time with that which most men of their quality would do in like case Finally if these were so and that the Church did by this meanes for so long space in such important matters vniuersally erre neglexerit Officium Spiritus Sanctus as Tertullian speaketh refuting the like cauill of heretiques the holy Ghost should haue neglected his office which is as I haue proued before out of Scripture not to permit the vniuersall Church to fall into errour but to suggest vnto it all things that Christ said vnto it and to teach it all truth §. IIII. That the Romane Church onely is Apostolique FOurthly I finde that the Protestants Church is not Apostolique Because they can not deriue the Pedegree of their preachers lineally without interruption from the Apostles but are forced to acknowledge some other as Luther or Caluin or some such for their first founders in this their new faith from whome they may perhaps shew some succession of the preachers of their faith but they can neuer shew that Luther or Caluin themselues wsto liued within this hundred yeares did either lawfully succeede or was lawfully sent to teach this new faith by any Apostolique Bishop or Pastour Nay Luther himselfe doth not onely confesse but also bragge that he was the first preacher of this new found faith Christum à nobis primo vulgatum audemns gloriari saieth hee we darre boast that Christ was first published by vs. For which his glorious boasting me thinkes hee deserueth well that title which Optatus giueth vnto Victor the first Bishop of the Donatists to wit to be called filius sine patre Discipulus sine magistro a sonne without a father a disciple without a maister On the cōtrary side the Romane Church can shew a lineall succession of their Bishops
any reason The which briefe compendious resolutioÌ„ of faith whosoeuer will as euery one may securely and as in the discourse following shall bee declared must necessarily embrace beside the ease he shall also reape this commoditie that cutting of all occasions of needlesse and fruitelesse doubtes questions and disputes concerning matters of faith wherein vnsettled mindes spend their time and spirit hee shall haue good leisure and better likinge then ordinarily such vnquiet mindes can haue to emploie his endeuoures more fruitfully otherwaies to witte in building vpon the firme foundation of stedfast faith the gould pretious stones of Gods loue and other vertues in practise whereof consisteth that good life which maketh a man become the liuing temple of almightie God the which temple Gods spirit will not only visitte with holy inspirations blessings oftentimes in this life but he will also inhabite and dwell continually in it both by grace here and by glory in the other most happy and euerlasting life A TREATISE OF FAITH CHAP. I. That true faith is absolutely necessarie to saluation WHosoeuer hath a true desire to please God an earnest care to saue his owne soule the which should bee the chiefest desire and care of euery Christian man must first resolue and settle himselfe in a sound beliefe of matters of faith holding it for a most assured ground That there is a faith which whosoeuer wanteth cannot possibly please God nor consequently be saued sith none are saued that do not please God This ground is set downe by S. Paul himselfe who saith Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo without faith it is vnpossible to please God The same is confirmed by S. Augustine who saith Constat neminem ad veram posse peruenire beatitudinem nisi Dâ—o placeat Deo neminem placere posse nisi per fidem Fides namque est bonorum omnium fundamentum Fides est humanae salutis initium Sine hac nemo ad siliorum Dei consortium peruenire potest quia sine ipsa nec in hoc seculo quisquam iustificationis consequitur gratiam nec in futuro vitam possidebit aeternam It is certaine that none can come to true happines vnlesse he please God and that none can please God but by faith For faith is the foundation of all good things Faith is the beginning of mans saluation Without this none can come to the fellowship of the children of God because without this neither doth any in this world obtaine the grace of iustification neither shall he in the next possesse eternall life Thus faith S. Austen And the same might bee confirmed out of other Scriptures and Fathers but that the matter is cleare enough onely this I will adde that when the Scriptures do require faith as a thing absolutely necessary to saluatioÌ„ the common tradition of councells and Fathers do interpret not only that there is a positiue precept of faith for if it were but a positiue precept ignorance might excuse in some case but that at least some kinde of faith is necessaria necessitate medij that is to say is ordained as a necessary meanes without which no man can attaine saluation in any case and that in this matter Si quis ignorat ignorabitur If any man by ignorance doe not know he shall not be knowne as S. Paule speaketh CHAP. II. That this faith necessary to saluation is but one THis faith which I haue shewed to be so absolutely necessary to saluation is but One only This is plainly proued out of S. Paule who saith Vnus Dominus vna fides vnum baptisma signifying that like as there is but one Lord one Baptisme so there is but One faith The same is confirmed with the auctoritie of the ancient Fathers Nisi vna est saith S. Leo. Fides non est dicente apostolo vnus Dominus vna fides vnum baptisma Vnlesse it be one it is not faith sith the Apostle saith one Lord one faith one Baptisme Omni studio saith S. Hierome Laborandum est primùm occurrere in fidei vnitatem We must labour with all diligence first to meete in the vnity of faith Hanc fidem saith Irenaeus ecclesia in vniuersum mundum disseminata diligenter custodit quasi vnam domum inhabitans similiter credit ijs quasi vnam animam habens vnum cor consonanter haec praedicat docet tradit quasi vnum possidens os Nâ— quamuis in mundo dissimiles sint loquelae tames virtus traditionis vna eadem est This faith the Church spreade ouer the vvhole world doth diligently keep as dwelling in one house and doth belieue in one like manner those things to witt which are proposed for pointes of faith as hauing one soule and one heart and doth preach and teach and deliuer by tradition those things after one vniforme manner as possessing one mouth For although there be diuers and different languages in the world yet the vertue of tradition is One and the same Thus saith this Father By whose words we may vnderstand not onely that there is but one faith but also how it is saide to bee one which might seeme not to be one considering there are so many points or articles which we beleeue by our faith and so many seuerall men who haue in them this faith yet One saith this Father it is because the whole Church doth beleeue those pointes in one like manner That is to say because the beliefe of one man is in all pointes like and nothing different from the beliefe of another or because euery faithful maÌ„ beleeueth euery point or article for one and the like cause or formall reason to witt because God hath reuealed it and deliuered it to vs by his Catholike Church to be beleeued For which reason euery one should beleeue whatsoeuer hee belieueth as a point of Christian faith CHAP. III. That this one faith necessary to saluation is infallible THIS one faith without which we cannot be saued must be infallible most certaine This is cleare because faith is that credite or inward assent of minde which we giue to that which God who is the prime or first veritie which neither can deceiue nor be deceiued hath reuealed vnto vs by meanes of the preachinge or teachinge of the true church as we may gather out of S. Paule when he saieth Quomodo credent ei quem non audierunt quomodo andient sine praedicante quomodo praedicabunt nisimittantur c. ergo fides ex auditu auditus autem per verbum Christi The sense of which wordes is that sith we can not beleeue vnles we heare nor heare vnles some lawfully sent do preach vnto vs faith is bredde in vs by hearing and yeelding assent or credite to the worde of Christ made knowen vnto vs by the preachinge of the true Church which onely is lawfully sent of God wherefore like as the worde of Christ being God
is absolutely infallible so also the creditt giueÌ„ to this worde which is our faith must needes be also most certaine and infallible Fides saieth S. Basille est eorum quae dicta sunt assentiens approbatio sine vlla haesitatione cum animi persuasione de eorum veritate quae Dei munere praedicata sunt Faith is a consenting approbation of those thinges which are saide an vndoubted perswasion of minde of the trueth of those thinges which are preached by the guift of God Fides saieth S. Chrysostome dici non potest nisi circa â—a quae non videntur amplius quam circa ea quae videtur certitudinem quis habeat It can not be called faith vnles one be more certaine of those things which are not seen then of those thinges which are seene The reason whereof the same S. Chrysostome declareth in an other place saying Superet sensum rationem nostram sermo ipsius Dei nam verbis eius fraudari non possumus sensus vero noster deceptu facillimus est Let Gods worde saieth he surmount our sense and reason for wee can not be deceiued by his wordes but our sense is most easely deceiued Sith therefore our faith is grounded on the word of God reuealed to vs by Iesus Christ our Lord speaking by the mouth of the Church as he saieth himselfe Qui vos audit me audit he that heareth you heareth me we ought to receaue the word of faith preached by the true Church not as the worde of maÌ„ but as it is truely the worde of God and consequently we must account it a thing most certaine and absolutely infallible CHAP. IIII. That this one infallible faith necessary to saluation must also bee entire THis one infallible faith without which we can not please God must also be entire whole souÌ„d in al points it is not sufficient to beleeue stedfastly some points misbeleeuing or not beleeued obstinately other some or any one The reasoÌ„ of this is because euery point of doctrin yea euery word that almighty God hath reuealed and by his Church propounded vnâ—o vs to be belieued must vnder paine of damnation be belieued as we may gather out of S. Marke where when our Sauiour had giuen chardge to his Disciples to preache the gospell to euery creature the which chardge he also gaue in S. Mathew sayinge docete omnes gentes c. docentes eos seruare omnia quâ—cumque mandaui vobis teach all nations c. teachinge theÌ„ to obserue all thinges whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you he pronounceth indefinitely Qui non crediderit condemnabitur he that shall not beleeue shall be coÌ„demned not excepting or distinguishing any one pointe of doctrine as needles to be belieued or which a man might at his pleasure misbelieue or doubt of without danger and this not without reason for not to belieue any one pointe whatsoeuer which God by reuealing it doth restifie to bee true and which by his Church he hath commanded vs to belieue must needes be damnable as being a notable iniurie to Gods veritie a great disobedieÌ„ce to his will But all pointes of faith are thus testified by God commaunded to be belieued otherwise they be not pointes of faith but of opinion or some other kinde of knowledge Therefore all pointes of faith must vnder paine of damnation be belieued beleiued I say either expresly and actually as learned men may doe or implicite and virtually as vnlearned Catholikes commonly doe who beleeuing expresly those articles which euery one is bound particulerly to know doe not in the rest obstinately doubt or hold some errour against the Church but haue a minde prepared to submitte themselues in all thinges to the authority of the Church which they are sure is taught directed by the spirit of God and doe in general hold for vndoubted truth whatsoeuer the Catholike or vniuersall Church doth beleeue Secondly that man which beleeuing some points should deny others cannot while he doth thus haue one the same faith which other Christians haue Sith hee doth not as Erenaeus requireth to thâ— vnity of faith belieue the points of faith in a like but in a different manner from other Christians That iâ— to say Neither doth hee beleeue all the pointes which they doe neither doth hee beleeue those points wherin he doth agree with them for the same reason that they doe that is to say He doth not beleeue those pointâ— which hee seemeth to beleeue precisely for that God hath reuealed them and by his Church propounded them for if heâ— did sith this reason is coÌ„mon to al point of faith he should assoone beleeue all 〈◊〉 any one He hath not therfore I say one and the same faith which other Christians haue who notwithstaÌ„ding haue the true faith And sith as S. Leo said nisi 〈◊〉 est fides non est If it bee not one faith it iâ— no faith at all It followeth that he thaâ— beleeueth not entirely al points of faith hath no faith at all and consequentlie sith one that hath no faith can no way be saued It is euident that he that beleeuing some articles doth obstinately deny others cannot be saued Thirdly to beleeue some pointes oâ— faith and to deny others or any one is heresie as to deny all is absolute Infidelitie But it is sure euen out of Scripture that Heretiques shall not bee saued no more then Infidels For as it is saide Qui non credit iam iudicatus est he that beleeueth not is already iudged so the Apostle Saint Paule reckoneth heresies among the works of the flesh of all which hee doth pronounce Qui talia agunt regnum Dei non consequentur Those which doe such like thinges shall not attaine the kingdome of God Fourthly I may confirme the same with the testimony of the auncient Fathers First of S. Athanasius in his creede which is commonly knowne and approued of all Quicunque saith he vult salvus esse ante omnia opus est vt teneat Catholicam fidem quam nisi quisque integram inuiolatamque Seruauerit absque dubio in aeternum peribit VVhosoeuer will bee saued before all things it is needfull that he hold the Catholike faith which vnlesse euery one doe keepe entire and vnuiolate without doubt hee shall perish euerlastingly Qui sunt in Sacris Litteris eruditi saith S. Basill ne â—nam quidem sillabam diuinorum dogmatuÌ„ prodi sinunt sed pro istius defensione si opus est nullâ—â— non mortis genus libenter amplectuntur Those that are well instructed in holy Writte doe not suffer one sillable of diuine doctrine to be betrayed or yeelded vp but for the defence thereof if neede bee doe willingly embrace any kinde of death Nihil periculosius saith Nazianzen his haereticis esse potest qui cum integrè per omnia decurrant vno tamen verbo quasi venem guttâ— veram illam ac simplicem fidem
Churches afterward did borrow and do daily borrow the ofspring of faith and the seeds of doctrine that they may be made Churches and by this meanes these also shall be accouÌ„ted Apostolique as being the issue of the Apostolicall Churches Contrariwise no conuenticle of heretiques can be Apostolique by reason that heresie being an vpstart nouelty contrary to the former receiued faith of the Church cannot haue any Apostle or Apostolique man for auctor and founder but is forced to acknowledge some other of whom as it receaued the first being so most comonly either the doctrine or the men that follow it or both receiue also their name as of Arrians came Arrianisme and the Arrians of Montanus came the Montanists and Montanisme and there was neuer yet heretique which could deriue the pedegree of his congregation by vninterrupted succession from the Apostles which maketh Tertullian to vrge them so earnestly saying Edant haeretici origines ecclesiarum suarum euoluant ordinem Episcoporum ita per successiones decurrentes vt primus ille Episcopus aliquem ex Apostolicis viâ—is qui tamen cum Apostolis perseuerauerit authorem habuerit antecessorem Let the hetikes shew the beginning of their Churches or as they had rather say of their Congregations let them vnfold the order of their Bishops or superintendents so running downe by successions that the first of them shall haue for his auctor in doctrine and predecessors in place any Apostolique man who did perseuer and did not forsake the Apostles Thus did Tertullian vrge them because he knew well that they could neuer make this proper note of the true Church to agree to their company It appeareth therefore plaine enough that these foure properties One Holy Catholique and Apostolique agree only to the true Church and sith it is no hard matter for any to see or know which company of Christians hath these properties as in the next chapter I shall declare It is also plaine that these foure One Holie Catholique Apostolique being proper to the true Church and apparant enough are good notes or markes by which meÌ„ may discerne which company of those which haue the name of Christians and which professe as euery company professeth themselues to teach the true doctrine of Christ is indeed the true Church which doubtlesse teacheth in all points the true doctrine of Christ. CHAP. XVI That the Romane Church is One Holy Catholique Apostolique and therefore the true Church THVS farre my discourse hath gone along all in generalities in shewing the necessity of true faith and that this faith is to be learned of the true Church and that this Church continueth alwaies and is visible as being a visible company of men professing the true faith of Christ partaking his Sacraments and liuing vnder the gouernement of lawfull Pastors his substitutes that whereas diuers companies of men take vpon them the title of this Church whereby some do stand in doubt which company is the true Church there bee certain marks by which the true Church may be certainely knowen discerned from all other companies or congregations and finally that these markes bee those foure One Holy Catholique Apostolique which are certainely knowne to bee the properties of the true Church both by the Nicene Creed and also by plaine testimonies of Scriptures and Fathers Now it wil be good to see if we can by these generall grounds conclude which particuler company of men is the true Church of Christ. A conclusion of exceeding great consequence as touching all matters in controuersie concerning the doctrine of faith as may appeare by the drifte of all my former discourse For the framing of which conclusion we shal not need to bring in comparison all the companies or sectes of diuers religions that haue bin and are in the world because euery one can easily discerne of themselues and especially by the helpe of that which hath beene saide that neither Turkes nor Iewes nor whatsoeuer other Infidels can be the true Church of Christ because these neither haue the name of Christians neither do they professe to haue the name of Christ. Neither am I now to meddle with heretiques and schismatiques of former ages the which as they haue bin condemned by the generall consent of the Church so in continuance of time they haue beene worne out by the same Church in so much that euen the memory of them God be thanked seemeth to be perished with them My chiefe question and comparison therfore shal be betwixt the Romain Church that is to say that company which comâ—unicateth and agreeth in profession of faith with the Church of Rome liueth vnder the obedience as touching spirituall matters of the Bishop of Rome other Bishops and pastours vnder him and the Protestantes that is to say that companie which from Luther his time hitherward haue opposed themselues against the Romaine Church either all or any one sect of them my question I say or comparison shal bee to which of those two the foure forenamed markes agree and consequentely which of them is the true Church § SECT I. That the Romaine Church onely is one FIrst I finde that the Protestants Church is not perfitely One or vniforme in dogmaticall points of faith but variable according to the varietie of times persons now holding one thing then an other and that the learned men thereof are so much at Iarre among themselues in matters of faith that it is hard to finde three in all pointes of one opinion and which is chiefly to bee pondered as principally appertaining to the marke of Vnitie they haue no meanes to end their controuersies so to returne to vnitie and to continue therein For while as they admitt no rule of faith but onely Scripture which scriptures diuers men expound diuersely according to the diuers humours and affections opinions and phantasies of euery one neuer one admitting any one head or cheef ruler infallibly guided by the holy Ghost in his doctrine to whose censure in matters of faith euery one should of necessitie submit theÌ„selues vt capite constituto schismatis tollatur occasio that as S. Hierome speaketh a head or chiefe ruler being ordained occasion of schisme or diuision may bee taken away Whilst they do thus as they all doe thus al proclaiming to be ruled by only Scripture and yet almost in euery one in one point or other expounding Scripture diuersely and one contrarie to an other according to the diuers seeming of euery ones sense and neuer one admitting any one superiour infallibly guided by the â—oly Ghost to whose definitiue sentence â—e and the rest wil be bound to submitte â—â—eir doctrine expositioÌ„s whilst I say â—hey doe thus it is vnpossible that they â—hould in fidei occurrere vnitatem meete as S. Hierome consaileth in the vnity of faith The which vnitie in profession of faith notwithstanding is one principall thing â—ertaining to the vnitie of the Church and Vnitie of the Church is one
chiefe mark by which we must discerne which is the true Church Contrary wise the Romane Church is alwaies one and vniforme in faith neuer vaâ—ying or holding any dogmaticall point contrarie to that which in former times from the beginning it did hold The learâ—ed men thereof though sometimes differing in opinion in matters not defined by the Church yet in matters of faith all coÌ„spire in one And no meruaile because they haue a most conuenient meanes to keepe vnity in professioÌ„ of faith sith they do acknowledge one chief pastor apointed ouer them to wit the successour of S. â—eter to whose definitiue censure in matters coÌ„cerning religion they wholy submitte themselues knowing that to Saint Peter and his successours Christ our Sauior promised the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and that hee would vpon him and his successours as vpon a sure rocke build his Church Knowing also that the same our Sauiour did specially pray for S. Peter and euery one his lawfull successour that this faith should not faile at least so farr as to teach the Church a false faith to the intent that he might bee alwaies able to confirme his brethren if at any time they should faile in the doctrine of faith Knowing lastly that to S. Peter and his successours which word I adde not without sufficient authority and reason Christ our Lord gaue most ample power ouer his vniuersall Church saying pasce ouâ—s mâ—as feede my sheepe that is to say Rule or gouerne as chief pastor vnder me my sheep that is all those that pertaine to the sheepefolde which is the Church giuing him and his successours charge to feed them with the food of true doctrine of faith and consequently binding these his sheep to receiue obediently this foode of true doctrine of faith at their hands consequently tying himselfe so to assiste him and his successours â—ith the guiding of the holy Ghost that â—â—ey should alwaies propose vnto the â—ocke of Christ which is his vniuersall Church the foode of true faith and that â—hey should neuer teach ex Cathedra any â—â—ing contrary to true faith sith if hee â—â—ould not thus assist but should pemitte â—â—em to teach the Church errors in faith â—â—eÌ„ the Church which he hath bound 〈◊〉 heare this Pastor in all points might â—ontrary to his purpose erre nay should 〈◊〉 him be bound to erre which without â—lasphemy cannot be said All Catholike â—earned men therefore knowing this do â—cknowledge that the definitiue senteÌ„ce 〈◊〉 this chiefe Pastor either alone or at â—â—ast with a generall councell must needs â—ee alwaies an vnfallible vndoubted 〈◊〉 and that therefore they may safeâ—y yea they must necessarily submitte all â—â—eir iudgements and opinions either in â—â—terpreting Scripture or otherwise in â—â—tters concerning religion to the cenâ—â—re of this Apostolike seate The which â—hile they doe as they must alwaies do 〈◊〉 they wil be accounted Catholike men 〈◊〉 will not cast out themselues or bee cast out of the company of Catholiques how is it possible that one should dissenâ— from another in matters of faith or aâ— least obstinately as heretiques doe erre in any point of faith So that this difference may be assigned betwixt any sect of heretiques and the Romane Church that heretiques are a company not vnited among themselues by any like which is able to containe continue them in vnity of faith whereas the Romane Church is Plebs Sacerdoti adunata grex Pastori suo adhaerens as S. Cyprian saith a Church should bee a people ioyned to their Priest and a flocke cleauing to their Pastor whom whilst it heareth as it is alwaies bound to do it is vnpossible but that it should retaine the vnitie of faith like as on the contrary side according to the saying of S. Cyprian non aliunde haereses obortae sunt aut nata schismatâ— quà m inde quod Sacerdoti Dei non obtemperatur nec vnus in Ecclesia ad tempus Sacerdos nec vnus iudex vice Christi cogitatur Not froÌ„ any other root haue heresies schismes sproung vp but from this that men doe not obey the Priest of God neither doe they consider how that in the Church there is one Priest and one Iudge for the time in steed of Christ. § II. That the Romane Church only is Holy SECONDLY I finde that the Protestants Congregation is not Holy Beâ—ause not only most of their men be euiâ—ently more wicked then men which â—oth in olde time and in latter yeares liâ—ed in the Roman Church as those can tell which haue seene both and is confessed 〈◊〉 Luther himselfe who saith thus Sunt 〈◊〉 homines magis vindict cupidi magis 〈◊〉 magis ab omni misericordia remoti magis â—â—â—desti indisciplinati multoque deteriores 〈◊〉 fuerunt in Papatu Men are now more â—euengfull more couetous more vnmerâ—â—full more vnmodest and vnruly and â—uch worse then when they were Paâ—ists The like testimony you may find â—â—uen by another of their Doctors called â—â—idelinus which for breuity sake I omit â—ut chiefely their company is not holy because there was neuer yet Saint or holy â—an of it neither is their doctrine such 〈◊〉 may of it selfe leade the most precise obseruers of it to holines but doth by â—â—uers points which haue bin taught rather encline men to liberty and loosene of life As for example it enclineth them to breake fasting daies and to cast away secret confession of sins to a Priest both which are knowne to bee soueraigne remedies against sin Also it enclineth them to neglect good workes for they hould them either not to be necessary or noâ— meritorious of life euerlasting which must needs make men lesse esteeme the practise of them Also it maketh men carelesse in keeping Gods commandements because diuers Protestants if not all hold them vnpossible to be obserued and as it is said impossibilium non est electio No man chooseth or laboureth to atchiue that which he thinketh to be altogether vnpossible It maketh men also not to feare or to bee carefull to auoide sinne because it is held among them that whatsoeuer we do is sinne and that wee cannot chuse but continually sinne and that all sinnes are of themselues mortall which whosoeuer thinketh how can hee be afraid to sin sith stultum est timere quod vit ari noÌ„ potest it is foolishnes to feare that which no way can bee auoided Finallie their doctrine of predestination is able to make men carelesse or desperate in all actions and consultations sith some of them hould all things so to proceede of Gods eternall predestination that man in matters of religion at least hath no free-will to doe well or to auoid ill but that God himselfe is author and moueth them effectually and forcibly not onely to good workes but in the same sort vnto the acte of sinne Loe whither this doctrine leadeth a man vvhich giueth grounds which of themselues encline a man to
if it should please God to send any one in extraordinary maner it appertaineth to his prouidence to furnish him with the gift of miracles as he did his Sonne our Sauiour Christ or with a miraculous conception with strange extraordinary sanctity of life as was seene in S. Iohn Baptist or finally with some euidēt token that it may be plainely knowen that he is assuredly sent of God Otherwise the people should not be bound to belieue him but might without sin reiect his doctrin according as our Sauiour said of himself Si non facio opera patris mei nolite credere mihi If I do not the workes of my Father do not beleeue me And againe Si opera nō fecissem in eis quae nemo alius fecit peccatū non haberent If I had not done works among thē that no other hath done they should not haue sinned to witte in not beleeuing Nay the people should now an ordinary course being by our Sauiour set downe to continue till the worldes end as before hath bene proued the people I say should now sinne in beleeuing any one that shall come and tell them that he is extraordinarily sent of God if he teach contrary to that doctrine which by ordinary Doctours and pastours of the Catholique Church is vniuersally taught for although it should happen that the liues of these Pastours should not be so commendable or be somtimes euidently bad yet their doctrine must alwaies be regarded and obserued according to that saying of our Sauiour Super cathedrā Moysi sedorunt Scribae Pharisaei omnia ergo quaecunque dixerint vobis seruate facite secundum vero operae eorum nolite facere Vpon the chaire of Moyses the Scribes and Pharisees haue sitten all things therfore whatsoeuer they say to you obserue ye and doe but according to their workes do ye not By which saying we are assured that notwithstanding the Pastours of the Catholique Church should at any time in their liues bee like Scribes Pharisies yet we may alwaies safely yea wee must necessarily follow their doctrine and must not in any wise admit any that shall offer to teach vs to a contrary doctrine according as wee are willed by S. Paule who saith Si quis vobis euangelizauerit praeter id quod accepistis anathema sit If any shall euangelize or preach vnto you beside or contrary to that which you haue alreadie receiued be hee anathema So that sith the people did once receiue from the ordinary pastours that doctrine which hath descended from hand to hand from Christ and his Apostles themselues according to that of S. Austen Quod inuenerunt in Ecclesia tenuerunt quod didicerunt docuerunt quod à patribus acceperunt hoc filijs tradiderunt That which they found in the Church they held that which they learned they taught that which they receiued from their fathers that they deliuered to their children whosoeuer hee be that shall euangelize any thing opposite to this receiued doctrin whether he seeme to be an Apostle or an Angell and much more if he be an other to witte one of these new maisters who faile very much to say no more from Apostolicall perfection and Angelicall puritie of life according to S. Paule anathema sit be he anathema Yea such a one that doth not onely not bring this Catholique or generally receiued doctrine but bringeth in a new and contrary doctrine we should not according to S. Iohn salute him vnles vpon some need or for some good respect or say aue vnto him and much lesse should we giue credit to his words or vse him as a rule of our faith or preferre his teaching before the teaching of the Catholique Church And surely me thinkes though there were none of these euidēt proofes which I haue brought out of Scripture yet euen reason it selfe would teach that we ought to giue more credit to the vniuersal companie of Catholiques which haue beene at all times and are now spred ouer all the Christian world then to any particular priuate man or some few his fellowes followers It is a prouerb cōmon amongest all men Vox populi vox Dei the voice of the people or whole multitude is the voice of God that which all men say must needes be true And on the cōtrary part to that particular man or his priuate companie which will oppose themselues against this generall voice of all like Ismael of whome it is written manus eius contra omnes manus omnium cōtra eum his hands are against all men and the hands of all are against him it may well be obiected that which Luther who was the first in this our age which did so confesseth was obiected to himselfe by his owne conscience or rather principally by the mercy and grace of the almightie God seeking to reclaime him from his errour while there was any hope Num tu solum sapis Art thou onely wise Luthers words be these Quoties mihi palpitauit tremulum cor reprehendens obiecit fortissimum illud argumentum Tu solus sapis Totne errant vniuersi Tanta secula ignorauerunt Quid si tu erres tot tecum in errorem trahas damnandos aeternaliter How often did my trembling hart pant and reprehending me did obiect mee that most strong and forcible argumēt Art thou alone wise haue there so many vniuersally erred haue so many ages beene blinde and liued in ignorance What rather if thou thy selfe erre and drawest so many after thee into errour who therefore shal bee damned eternally This did almighty God obiect to Luther the which might doubtles haue done him good but that he presuming vpon his owne vnderstanding of Scripture and preferring his owne iudgement before the iudgment of the Church hardened his hart against such heauenly inspirations which he tearmed Papisticall arguments And this same may well bee obiected to any priuate man or any few who leauing the Kings broade street or beaten hye way of the Catholique Church will seeke out a by-path as being in their conceipt a better easier and more direct way to heauen To them I say well may be said Are you onely wise are all the rest in former ages fooles haue you only after so many hundred yeares after Christ found out the true faith the right way to heauen haue al the rest liued in blindnes darkenes and errour consequently are you onely they that please God and shall be saued for as I haue proued before without true and entire faith none can be saued and were then al the rest so many millions your owne forefathers auncestors many of which were most innocent men and vertuous liuers and some of which shedde their blood for Christ his sake were I say all these hated of God did al these perish were they all damned shall all these endure vnspeakeable paines in hell for euer O impious cruell and incredible assertion Nay surely I am rather to