of Religion as being onely a morall matter can not be vnderstood with so much metaphisicall rigor as in naturall things it vseth to be taken yet for the verification of such generall sentences as we finde both in scripture 〈◊〉 Fathers it must of necessitie be accepted with as great latitude as morally can be imagined For example if ther be anie doctrine in the world which for the space of almost 16. hundreth yeares neither is nor hath ben preached taught or professed in either all or at the least in most places of the world then doubtlesse can that vniuersall proposition of the Apostleâ— into all the earth hath the souÌ„de of them gone forth that of S. Augustin She the Church is like vnto a vine diffused or spred in euerâ—â— place neuer be truely verified of it consequently such a doctrine can not be truely said 〈◊〉 haue such vniuersalitie in it as scripture â—athers require to the onely true Religion â—hich in reason can not be iudged lesse then â—at in all the for said great number of yeares â—either is at thâ—s present or hath ben in times â—ast preached professed generally at the least 〈◊〉 the greater parte of the world if not in euerie â—arte therof And touching the vniuersalitie of persons â—hich as I declared before is either included or â—ecessarily connected to the vniuersalitie of â—ace it is a matter so cleare apparent that 〈◊〉 is not to be founde in the English Religion â—ther for the time paste or present that euen â—â—e cheefe of the professors of it dare not auerâ—e it to be vniuersal in that nature as is maniâ—est by the authoritie of King Iames himselfe â—he Salomon of their sect Whoe althou ' he laâ—oreth much in his booke to Christian Princes 〈◊〉 persuade them he defendes no other then â—he Catholike faith yet in the end of the same â—e is forced to confesse that notobstanding he â—â—cludes in the number all the professors of the â—retended reformation euen in other countries â—â—gge ragge yet they doe nor by much aâ—ounte to so manie as professe the contrarie â—hat is the Catholike Roman doctrine Reâ—gion preached practised in so manie seueâ—all nations places of the of the vniuersal orbe In so much that if anie of our aduersariâ—â— were so impudent as to conteste or repugnâ— to so plaine a trueth Regina Austri I meane euen the Infidels Iewes will be readie to rise proteste against him in the day of Iudgement By which and the rest I haue deliuered it is clearely consequent that the English Religion especially if it be intended as it is singular different in diuers points from the rest of the pretensiue reformed congregations cannot possible with anie coulor of trueth be named Catholike or vniuersal in number of persons supposing that according to the doctrine of Fathers the common acception of the worde among Christians this appellation or sacred surname agrees onely to that Christian Religion which hath generalitie of persons as well as of tyme place obiect or matter which generalitie caÌ„not possibly be conceiued but in order or with relation to the greater nuÌ„ber of beleeuing professing ChristiaÌ„s as being quite repugnant to reason that the lesser parte of a anie multitude or total number should be named either general or common much lesse reason ther is it should obtaine the most ample and vaste denomination of vniuersal especially where both parties are extant remaine in the same present time But perhaps our aduersaries will say that to â—he verifying of those the like generall senâ—ences of scripture Fathers it is not necessarie â—hat the true Religion either is or hath ben alreadie diffused ouer all or most partes of the world but it is sufficient that it will be preached in all or most places before the end of the world so altho' this hath not ben verified in the English Religion as yet neuer the lesse it will be so extended in the tyme to come To this I replie that altho' ther is some varietie among diuines aboutâ— the sense of the place cited some other places of scripture to the same purpose to wit whether they be vnderstood of the Apostles onely or of them their successors In omnem terram exiuit sonus corum c. Rom. 10. as also whether they signifie the tyme present or future finally whether they be verified in all rigor or onely in a common morall manner neuerthelesse I finde they all agree in that the Church of Christ hath ben alreadie so farre extended either by the Apostles them selues or at least by them their successors that it may be truely affirmed to haue ben loÌ„g since diuulged planted in the whole world defacto not in power or virtually onely euen according to the sense of the foresaid wordes other places of scripture which speake in the future tense as appeareth plainely by the wordes of S. Paule in his first chapter to the Colossians wher he affirmes that euen in his tyme the Gospell was come vnto hem also it is saith he in the vniuersall world doth fructifie increasens it doth in them Which words I say are so cleare that ther is no place of tergiuersation or replie in this particular but that according to them it must of necessitie be graunted by our aduersaries except they will plainely contradict S. Paul the scriptures that the foresaid extention of the faith of Christ doth not expect the time to come but is alreadie made as much as serueth for explicating verifying of the same S. Paul to the Romans before related whose words in my iudgment are manifestly couÌ„â—nced at the least in a cheefe parte to be vnderstood in the present tense by those otherwords of himselfe in the epistle to the Collossenses eueÌ„ now by me related which doubtlesse coÌ„taine a plaine expositioÌ„ of the former as appeares by the comentarie of S. Chrysostome vpon them saying of the Church of Christ Adest vbique suporat obâ—inet vbique praestat vbique And altho' I am not ignoraÌ„t that both ancient Fathers moderne diuines teach that as S. Hierome speakes vpon those wordes Prâ—â—â—â— dicabitur Euangelium hoc in vniuerso mundo the complement or conclusion of the preaching of the Gospell in euerie place shall not be performed before the consummation of the world as being a precedent signe therof neuerthelesse as this is true in it selfe so it in no respect speaking absolutely contrarie to the vniuersalitie of the Church which at this present is in times past hath euer ben as is euidently conuinced by the writings of the same ancient Fathers moderne diuines who most frequently teach that the true Church of Christ was sufficiently spred in the world to make it vniuersall eueÌ„ in their owne primatiue ages as their wordes by me rehearsed in diuers places of this treatise clearely testifie who also if they had liued in these present
is certaine for that if it were the same it would be founde conformable subordinate to the spirit of the greater parte of the Christian Churches the Religion of England would be agreable to the Religion of the same Churches both in doctrine practice gouernement which neuer thelesse we see to be contrarie repugnant vnto them Thirdly the spirit of the maintainers of the present Religion of England is not conformable to the spirit of their antecessors for aboue nine huÌ„dreth yeares together at the least therfore it is not vniuersall That the spirit of the maintainers of the present Religion of England is not conformable to the spirit of thir ancestors I proue by the authoritie of all historiographers wirters euen the pretended reformers them selues who haue either expressely testified or at the least not denyed but that in all this space of tyme euen vntill the dayes of King Edward the Sixt which is not yet a hundreth yeares the Masse reall presence was generally approued the communion vnder one Kynde practiced Altars pictures vsed in Churches with honor reuerence Purgatorie prayer to saints taught allowed finally all the points of doctrine manners betweene the Romanists Anglicans now controuersed were publikly professed all which neuerthelesse is at this time condemned quite renounced abandoned by the professors of the present English faith Of which both they we are eye witnesses at this day Which two things can not possible be done by one the same spirit of God in regarde they ar quite apposite coÌ„tradictorie in them selues consequently the spirit of those who professe to tepugne to that same doctrine which they know acknowled their predecessors to haue imbraced as sound pious conformable to the worlde of God so manie former ages successiuely cannot be conceiued to be an vniuersall spirit but priuate proper to them selues Fourtly the spirit of the preachers teachers of the English Religion is quite different from the spirit of the doctors writers that haue adhered abeyed the Roman Church in euerie seuerall age as is manifest to those who read them compare their workes with the writings of the pretensiue reforming doctors of our tymes the doctrine of those that haue writ euen from the first Centurie of yeares imediately following the Apostles being sprinckled with pietie deuotion towardes the saints in heauen especially the virgin Marie as their sermons Homilies vpon their feasts other their workes doe testifie of which matter good store is to be founde especially in S. Basil Cyprian Chrysostome Hierome Ambrose Augustin Gregorie Damacene Bernard the rest of the RomaÌ„ diuines which haue writ euer since euen till this present tyme in whome also ther is frequent mention comendation of miracles operated by the saints their reliques none of which particulars appeare in anie of the Writings of the professors of the English Religion but rather in their bookes ordinarie sermons they indeuore most ernestly to persuade the people that they ought not to hearken after anie such matters but hould them either for false superstitious or at the least for idle superfluous impertinent so we clearely see by this that the spirit of the English professors is contrarie to the spirit of the whole torrent of the most learned renowned men of all ages past euen to this present day consequently it can not be generall common or vniuersall nor a true spirit except the owners of it will condemne the contrarie spirit of the most learned iudicious pious men of all ages since the tyme of Christ his Apostles to haue ben false erroneous theirs onely the reight spirit of God Which is the highest degree of temeritie that can be imagined Lastely In practice of virtue exercise of good life the spirit of the preachers teachers of the English Religion now professed is disagreeable to the practice exercise of virtue of the doctors pastors of the Roman Church in all succeding tymes since the first foundation of the same a great parte of whose writings ar replenished with rules driections for prayer contemplation mortification of the bodie inordinate passions of the soule by fasting vse of hereclothes disciplines prostrations acts of obedience resignation of their willes to the commaunde of superiors vowes of obedience chastitie pouertie monasticall institutions solitarie life of monkes Anachorites Ermites other Religious conuentuall men women finally with all other meames which possible could be imagined as either necessarie or conuenient for the exercise of a religious virtuous course of life None of all which or at the least verie little is to be founde in the bookes of the teachers of the English Religion or heard in their publike sermons or priuate exhortations And altho' it is true that some of them as it seemes moued with emulation of the Romanists who euen in this present age labore much in that kinde as our aduersaries cannot denie haue published some thing in the nature of prayer or deuotion yet is it in such a manner as they reduce the exercise of a Christian life either to the exercise of faith onely or cheefly excluding or at the least not inducing to externall workes of Pennance and mortification of the bodie Or els they proceed in such a newe fashion as being onely sutable to their owne newe Principles of faith manners as neuer was heard in anie age of the world before the dayes of Luther That which doth particularly appeare in a certaine newe worke lately published intitled The handmaid of pietie which neuerthelesse hath not one dramme of true pietie or one sparke of that spirit which hath reigned in the visible Church since the the first plantation of Christian Religion which booke not obstansting it hath the name of a Mannuall yet is it not conforme either to the Mannuall of S. Augustin or anie other euer vsed hitherto among Christian people but forged in the anthors owne proper braine consisting of such froathie spitle as fell beside the pulpit when he made his preachâ—ngs full of pedantik termes affectation as the worde supparte others as the verie first words of the title plainely testifie which are in Latin to make it more admired dedicated to a falsely supposed Patronesse of his religion whome altho' the world did winne for a smale time yet it neuer peruerted her noble constant iudgement whoe now hath returned to her ancient home with farre greater glorie vnto it then it lost by her absence And that which is more vntolerable the profane minister with his feruor deuotion he now then mingleth a lye or a paradox As page 617. where speaking of the fast of lent he affirmes That those of his profession place not Religion or the substance of Gods worship in fasting or feasting as saith she the Papist doe And
onelie that the particular obiects or matters which a Catholike or vniuersall beleeuer imbraceth by faith are one the same doctrine in euerie point which God hath reueiled the most vniuersal Church proposeth to be beleeued by all persons in the vniuersal orbe And this appeares most true especiallie if we consider that the doctrine or obiect or anie Religion cannot be conceiued to be vniuersal except it be taken in this forme manner in regard that in this sorte not otherwise it attracteth or draweth vnitie froÌ„ the founder so hath the propertie of being one without which vnitie it cannot possible be one and the same in manie in which neuerthelesse the total nature or essence of vniuersalitie consists Now touching the minor or second proposition of the same Sylogisme I proue it in this manner first because the Religion which our Saulour his Apostles preached was vniformerlie indistinctlie one the same both in matter forme I meane both in obiect or matter of faith in the assent of faith itselfe therefore the Apostle Ephes 4. as he affirmes there is one onelie Lord or God soe doth he in the same tenor affirme there is one faith Vnus Dominus vnafides meaning that faith is one as well obiect as in acte And yet this is otherwise according to the doctrine of the English Church whose professors distinguish the obiect of their faith in to fundamentals not fundamentals which diuision of theirs cannot possible stand with vnitie as both natural reason and common sense most plainelie teach And consequentlie the matter or obtect of the English faith cannot be one the same with the obiect or matter of that religion which Christ his Apostles deliuered to the vniuersal world in which true Religion there is no parte nor partial which is not truelie and propethe fundamental to be vniformelie vniuersallie beleeued vpon for feture of eternal Saluation according to that formidable commination of the supreme Iudge himselfe who without anie diuision or distinction pronounceth sentence of condemnation against all such who obstinatelie erre in their assent of faith to anie matter by him Qui vere non â—rediderit condemnabitur Marc. Vâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—ntes 〈…〉 omniâ— quaâ—unque mandaui vobis Math. 28. his Apostles reueiled to his Church by here for such proposed to the people how smale soeuer it may seeme to bee in it owne nature or condition how necessarie or vncessarie it is in it selfe to saluation in regard that it being once deliuered for true by God who cannot lye or deceiue it is reallie inuested with the same formal reason and motiue of credibilitie which the most noble sublime obiect or matter either humane or diuine can haue that is with the infallibilitie of the prime reueiling veritie to which all faith credit is due necessarilie to be truelie intirelie adhibited vnder paine of eternal punishment Secondlie I proue the same Minor proposition because the obiect or matter of the Religion published by our Sauiour his Apostles hath annexed vnto it a certaine relation or reference of vniuersalitie to all those particular persons to which it is to be preached that is to all people which were are or will be in the world till the consummation or day of iudgement which relation is grounded in the ordinance commaunde of Christ himselfe to his Apostles sayeing Marc. vlt. Euntes in mundum vniuersum praedicate Euangelium omni creaturae Where by the wordes all creatures is vnderstanded all nations or people as sainct Mathew more plainelie declares in the same passage of his Gospel where thus he relates our Sauiours speech Euntes docere omnes gentes And likewise S. Gregorie commenting the same text giues an ingenious exposition of it to the same purpose teaching that by those wordes omni creaturae is ment all men for saith he Sed omnis creaturae nomine signatur homo And in the same place he addes an other explication of the same wordes yet more plaine cleare for this our purpose saying that by the name of euerie creature all nations also may be signified Potest etiam creaturae nomine omnis natio gentium designari So that it is voyde of controuersie that the Religion which Christ his Apostles preached hath this relatiue or respectiue vniuersalitie of obiect or matter of which contrarily the English Religion is quite destitute in regarde that at the least for the space of 9. centenarie of yeares togither partely by some of the pretended reformers partely by euidence of fact it is conuinced not to haue ben preached in anie parte or partial of the vniuersal world in all points as it is now professed in our English nation A matter so cleare manifest by the testimonie of all histories both of those former times ours that I neuer heard of anic of the professors of it who either in writing or priuate discourses or publike sermons hath absolutelie auerred it to haue ben preached without interruption euer since the time of Christ his Apostles And thence it proceeds that for the auoiding the force of this or the like probation I conceiue not what other refuge they can haue then to say that notobstanding the obiect or matter of their Religion neyther is at this present nor hath ben in all precedent ages taught or preached yet that in respect their Religion is the same which was preached by the Apostles their successors in the first fiue hundreth yeares after the lawe of Christ it may be tearmed vniuersal in obiect or matter euen at this present especiallie supposing it is not the multitude of beleeuers which makes the obiect or matter of Religion vniuersal but the totalitie or latitude of the doctrine it selfe as being in all points the same which Christ deleuered to his Apostles to be preached to all nations But to this I replye it is no solution but a miere cuasion of the former argument Yet I confesse that if it were true and solid the pretended reformers had reason to applaude it as a most compendious and easie course for the maintaining of their new Religion But the trueth is that this can not stand in vnitie with the doctrine faith which our Sauior deliuered to his Apostles they to the rest of the world which was not to continue onelie for some dâ—iâ— monethes or yeares but vntil the verie â—nd or consumation of the world And therefore Christ our Sauior to those wordes of the text of sainct Mathewe Euntes docete omâ—es geutes going teach yee all nationes presentlie for conclusion of his speech he added â—â—centes eos seruare omnia quaeeumque mandaui â—obis ecce ego vobiscum sum omnibus dieâ—us vsque ad consummationem seculi teaching them to obserue althings which I haue commaunded you behold I am with you all dayes to the consumation of the world In which wordes is included not onelie
Doctors c. To the consummation of the Saints till we meet all into the vnitie of faith into aperfect man That is vntill the day of iudgement Vpon which place sainct Augustin in his 12 booke of the Citie hath large discourses to this purpose in the 16.17 18. chapters And the trueth is that Christ himselfe hauing in this speciall manner designed such persons for gouernors teachers in his Church till the end of the world doubtlesse his meaning was not that they should be such dumme dogs as the establishers of the inuisibilitie doe affirme them to haue ben in their imaginarie Church for a long time together But his diuine will pleasure was they should be custodes Ierusalem qui tota die tota nocte non tacebunt in perpetuum That is Christ would haue them such watchmen or keepers of Ierusalem that is to say the Church as shall not be silent till the end of the world in no time nor vpon anie occasion Which perpetuitie of the visible gouernement of the Church is grounded in the perfection of Christs diuine prouidence mercie towardes the members thereof for whome of his infinitie goodnes he pleased to haue the way to saluation continuallie open Which otherwise if the true Church had ben at anie time hidden or inuisible as at the least some of those against whome I nowe dispute will haue it then it could not possible haue ben so Yea manie thousands or rather millions of men had liued dyed out of the state of saluation as being impossible for them to finde enter into the true Church all that space of time in which it is feigned by them to haue remained inuisible or out of knowledge And thus much for the impugnation of that parte of our aduersaries which defeds that the true Church is not perpetuallie or in all differences of times visible the absurditie of which doctrine diuers of the defenders of the English Church of later standing aduertiseing also because they find it not so plausible to their auditors as they could wish they haue ventured vpon another course indeuoring to shewo that the same Church Religion which is now established in England hath ben alwayes visible in the world from the time of Christ his Apostles euen till this present Which manner of proceeding of theirs altho' it is much more difficult hard to be defended then the other now confuted that by this meanes the maintainers of it doe but incidere in syllam that is by auoyding of one incouenience they fall in to a greater Yet because they persuade themselues they come nearer to the marke of prouing their Church to be Catholike in this respect as well as the Roman Church hath euer ben which indeed they might performe if they were able truelie to proue their visibilitie therfore I will breefelie demonstrate that they haue no such visibilitie as is necessarie to the constirution of the true Catholike Church as they pretend Wherefore to come to the purpose the more clearelie to conuince my intent I frame this Sylogisme against the visibilitie of their Church That Church wantes perpetuall visibilitie which cannot produce some visible professors of their doctrine in all points in all ages since the time of the Apostles till this present But the Church of England cannot produce some visible professors of their doctrine in all points ages since the tyme of the Apostles to this present Therfore the Church of England wantes perpetuall visibilitie The maior is not denyed by our aduersaries the minor hath all the difficultie that I proue And inprimis that the defenders of the English faith can produce no scripture for this point is most certaine and euident for that this is onelie a matter of fact which succeeded since the scriptures were published By occasion of which the reader may note that those professors of the English religion who in this manner defende the visibilitie of their Church doe not proceed consequenter to that other negatiue principle of theirs to wit that nothing is to be beleeued by faith but which is either expressely or by necessarie illation contained in the scriptures which generall rule of theirs in this case is manifestlie defectiue for that in it neither scripture nor deduction or consequence of scripture can seruo their turne in this particular And if they replie that they can proue their visibilitie a priori by scriptures by those places which teach perpetuallâ— visibilitie in the Church then I say that this is not the matter now in question but a subtiltie to delude the reader for the controuersie is whether they can proue their visibilitie a posteriori that is whether they can yealde vs anie authenticall profe or testimonie whenby it may certainelie appeare that the Religion now professed in England hath ben in deed perpetually visible in in all ages as the scripture Fathers aboue alledged affirme the true Church ought to bee otherwise they doe onely suppose their Church is the same which is described in the scripture but proue it not Neither doe we aske them to she we vs that such a Church in generall ther is in the world as the scriptures doe mention but we vrge them to demonstrate that their Church in particular hath the propertie or attribute of perpetuall visibilitie as the scriptures requires to be founde in the onely indiuiduall true Church of Christ till they can performe this they neither speake according to the sense of scriptures nor satisfie vs in our demaunde Wherfore I proue the minor proposition of of the argument aboue framed because no authenticall historie can beproduced in which it is related that this Religion of England now commonly ther professed beleeuing maintaining that ther ar but 22. bookes of Canonicall scripture onely That they ar to be expounded by the spirit of euerie priuat person That man is iustified by faith onely That ther ar onely two sacraments instituted by Christ That the bodie of Christ is giuen receiued eaten in the Sacrament in a spirituall manner that is by faith onely finally I say that for testimonie of that these diuers others of the 39. articles of the English Religion haue ben taught or preached in all ages since the tyme of Christ his Apostles in anie Kingdome prouince towne or yet in anie one corner of the whole world tho' neuer so abscure ther is not extant anie kinde of recorde And therfore it is incredible in the highest degree that anie professors of it can be produced in euerie seuerall age since the foundation of the true Church of Christ for that if anie such had ben in anie tyme or place for so long a space together it is as certaine as it is certaine ther hath ben in all that successe of tyme sunne moone starres in the firmament or fishes in the sea that some writer or other would haue made mention of the same And if Historiographers
be so curious exact in this nature that ther was neuer anie conuenticle of sectaries so smale or obscure but it hath ben noted related by some of them much lesse could such a Church as our English Nouellists pretend theirs to be haue lurked so closse as that no mention of it should be founde in histories or recordes of former ages before the daies of Luther It is not absolutely impossible to coÌ„ceiue that Christ might haue established an inuisible Church in this world at the least for a tyme but that he should haue ordained his church with pertetuitie of visible pastors yet that neither their names seates parishes or any other monument of them either dead or aliue can be produced to make it visibly appeare that they were professors in all points of the same Religion which now is professed in England this I say is aboue all admiration neither can it possible seeme credible to anie sounde vndestanding on mature iudgment Secondly I proue the same minor for that diuers of our English aluersaries hauing of late vsed the vttermost of their power industrie in this particular yet haue they not come neare the performance of their purposes but in lieu of produceing professors of their Religion in the seuerall ages of the Church they cast in to their Catalogue either such as haue ben flatly against them in diuers points in which they differ from the Roman Church or such as haue ben condemned for heretikes in tymes past that partely euen for doctrine coÌ„trarie to some of the articles of the English faith as appeares for example in wiclef Hus Maledicta ergo doctrina Wiclef quo considere iubet c. Wald. p 3. c. sep seq of which the first defended that more confidence is to be placed in mans owne proper merites then in humble prayer that a preist in mortall sinne caÌ„not validly baptize that for Ecclesiasticall persons to haue possessiones is contrarie to scripture The second neueâ—idenyed the reall presence nor merit Or els those whom the defeÌ„ders of the English faith dusigne for members of the same were such as because they speake some thing doubtfully in onely some one point of the Roman doctrine of which rake is Presbiter Bertrame they putiâ—hem in their list as if they were wholely intyrely theirs Notobstanding they are knowne to be quite apposite vnto them in all the rest of their faith profession The which how pore inconsiderate a shifte it is the iudicious reader will presently perceiue condeme their weake false proceeding Lastely for confirmation of the impossibiâ—itie of euer prouing the perpetuall visibilitie of â—he Church of England it may be added that King Iames who was the greatest most â—amous defender of the newe Religion that â—uer writ as it seemes considering better this â—oint then others that follow him was so warie 〈◊〉 circumspect that he would neuer cast himâ—elfe into this most dangerous gulfe as apâ—eares by his Monitorie in which altho' his whole drift was to proue his owne Church to â—e the true Church of Christ yet did he make â—o expresse mentioÌ„ of the visible Church more â—hen of the inuisible but onely proceedes 〈◊〉 generall termes without distinction as â—oulding it impossible to maintaine the visibiâ—â—tie of it in all former tymes ages for which â—â—ason he prudently declined that controâ—ersie And in deed the trueth is that who soeuer he 〈◊〉 that shall vndertake the taske of prouing â—erpetuall visibilitie in anie of the pretensiue â—â—formed Churches will be no more able to â—rforme it then an infant were able to rowle â—siphus stone or accomplish the labors of Hercules whence it is consequent that 〈◊〉 aduersaries what soeuer they pretend trueâ— want vniuersalitie of tyme in their Church whether they defend it to be visible or inâ—â—sible which is that same which the maior minor of my second sylogisme aboue proposed doe affirme which may suffice for thiâ— parte of the discourse I here prosecute Now touching the other twoe Kyndes oâ— vniuersallitie to wit of place persons they ar so annexed one to the other that they aâ— morally speaking either all one or at the lease out of the negation of the one is necessarity inferred the nagation of the other For example if it be true that the religion of England neither is nor was in euerie place of the world it thence infallibly falloweth that it neither iâ— nor was in all persons of the world as in like manner it also followes that if it was not for manie ages together in anie place of the world it is also manifest it was not for the same spacâ— of tyme in anie person in the world by reason of this connexion betwixt the vniuersallitie of place persons I will treate of theâ— both vnder the name of place supposing for certaine that whatsoeuer defect of vniuersallitie of place shall be discouered in the English Religion the same defect is found to be iâ— they muersallitie of persons professors of it And here also I giue the reader notice by thâ— way that when the Romanists exact of their â—duersaries onely to produce some professors â—f their Religion in euerie seuerall age they â—se no smale fauor towardes them in that manâ—er of proceeding in regarde that to conuince â—heir Church to haue ben perpetually visible â—roperly speaking they ought not onely to â—nde out some few persons of anie sorte of â—eople what soeuer but they ar obledged in â—eason to shew a perfect order or Ierarchie of â—cclesiasticall persons to haue ben continually 〈◊〉 their Church for that both the visible Church of Christ was so planted in the world â—y him selfe also progated by his Apostles 〈◊〉 more ouer because the Romanists defacto â—an shewe the same to haue ben perpetually in â—â—e Church Religion which they professe â—hat is in that Church of which haue euer ben â—eades or Cheefe Pastors the Popes of Rome â—y continuall ininterrupted succession from 〈◊〉 Peter who was the first Bishop Pope of â—hat most famous seat Now this being supposed I proue ther is no â—niuersallitie of place in the Church of Enâ—land by this silogisme following Ther wants vniuersallitie of place in that Religion which in all points of it doctrine neiâ—her is nor euer hath ben preached or profesâ—ed in all or most places of the world But the Religion of England in all points of it doctrine neither is nor euer hath beâ— preached or professed in all or most places 〈◊〉 the world Ergo the Religion of England hath no vâ—uersallitie of place I proue the Maior first by the etymologâ— or prime signification of the word vniuersaâ— which as I haue alreadie aboue declared importeth one in manie or rather one in all aâ— appeareth in humane nature abstracted which is not onely one the same in manie bâ—â— also participated in euerie particular or indiuiduall person And altho' it is true that vniuersallitie
apparent that the English Religion hath no such attribute consequentlie that it is defectiue in that nature Wherefore hence I passe to the last gender or kynde of vniuersallitie which is that of the generall rule of faith of which there be two sortes the one is nothing els but the word of God as it is contained in the scriptures or diuine Apostolicall traditions The other rule is the visible Church by whose authoritie we come to knowe certainely infallibly the true sense of the worde of God all those things which his diuine maiestie hath reuailed as matter of faith to be beleeued by all sortes of people or otherwise necessarie to saluation Tract 1. Suarez de fide disp ◠sec 2. fine And of these two rules which some diuide in to three or more thou ' in my opinion not so properlie conuenientlie the second which is the authoritie of the Church is commonlie called in the schooles regula proponens that is a rule or way by which the prime reuailing veritie or diuine authoritie which is the formall obiect foundation of supernaturall faith is immediatelie applied vnto beleeuers And altho' if indeed the worde of God were so cleare that euerie one by reading the wordes of scripture or Apostolicall traditions as they are sett downe in the Councels or other recordes of the Church could not but vnderstand them in a true vniforme sense the first of those two rules might suffice alone yet because the scriptures are obscure difficult in their vnderstanding as both themselues experience testifie also because out of the imperfection of nature mens iudgements often times disagree in matters of doctrine practice therefore besides that speachlesse rule I meane in decision of matters of controuersie there was necessarie another liuing vocall rule by which the true meaning of the first prime rule which is the worde of God might so infallibly be declared vnto thē as all doubts scruples excluded their mindes consciences might safely rest in euerie point of faith by it proposed without anie further question or tergiuersation Now to come to the purpose in that first foundation of faith which is the authoritie of God as he reuaileth matters to his Church without which true faith cannot stand the defenders of the English Religion agree with the Romanists as also they agree with them in the first of the two rules at the least so farre as concernes this controuersie that is they hould Gods worde to be a rule of faith as the Roman Catholikes hould But the difference is in that our aduersaries will needs haue the worde of God to be the scripture onelie that interpreted by the spirit of euerie priuate person who reades it consequenter they hould this onelie for their rule proponent by which the diuine authoritie is applied to euerie point of faith in the beleeuers Whereas on the contrarie we Romanists beleeue vse the authority of the most vniuersall Church as the infallible applyer of Gods reuailing veritie vnto vs in all matters of faith manners And in this rule vpon which all certaintie of faith dependes quoad nos that is for as much as toucheth the beleeuers or credents I here proue that the English Religion wanteth this vniuersallitie as well as the rest of the obiect circumstances aboue discussed the which I demonstrate in this forme of argument That onelie proponent rule of faith his vniuersall which is one the same in all or at the least in the greater parte of beleeuers But that which the professors of the English Religion hould for their proponent rule of faith is not one the same in all or the greater parte of beleeuers Ergo that which the professors of the English Religion hould for their proponent rule of faith is not vniuersall The maior of this Sylogisme is euident by the definition of vniuersall which according to the doctrine of Philosophers is one in all if it be taken in rigor of Logike or as the Metaphisitians vse the worde Or at the least it signifies the greater parte if it be accepted onely in a morall sense as here I take it From which declaration of the word vniuersall is collected no lesse cleare conuincent proofe of the minor proposition which affirmeth that the proponent rule of faith in the professors of the Church of England is not one the same in all or yet in the greater parte of beleeuers That which I she we first because the priuate spirit of euerie professor of the English Religion which is the onelie immediate rule of saith they professe to follow in matters of faith as the verie sounde of the worde doth declare is peculiar to those that haue it not common to all therefore it cannot possible be generall or vniuersall That the spirit by which the professors of the English Religion interpret the worde of God is peculiar to some onelie not common to all such as exteriorly professe the faith of Christ it is manifest in that it neither passeth into other countries with cōformitie in all points of beleefe to all the rest of the pretended reformed Churches as appeareth in the controuersie of the real presence with the lutherans the inamissibilitie of grace In his booke directed to Christian Princes the point of Predestination free will with the Arminians nay nor yet doth it agree with the spirit of all the inhabitants of England it selfe as both King Iames doth plainely suppose wher he graunteth ther ar manie Puritans in his Realme besides Papists Protestants also experinental knowledge doth manifest the same it being certainely knowne generally confessed on all sides that those three sortes of people be not gouerned by one vniforme spirit but euerie one by their owne rule of faith the rule of the Romanists being one common among them selues in all places of the world but on the contrarie the rule of the Protestants Puritans being diuided seuerall both in their owne countrie out of it both among themselues also from the Catholikes wheresoeuer they be which diuision both from themselues others is an infallible argument that they haue no vniuersallitie in their propounding rule of saith That which yet more plainely appeares is confirmed by a worke lately published by a Protestant Doctor his name I doe not remembers who describes seueral sectes of Puritans or pure Caluinists all different both among themselues from the English Protestants Which diuersitie of sectes cannot stand without a different spirit or rule of faith Secondlie I proue the spirit of the professors of the English religion is not one the same in all or the greater parte of credents because it is not that spirit by which the visible Church hath ben in all times places persons successiuely gouerned without interruption ergo it is not an vniuersall spirit but onelie particular priuate The antecedent of this argument
appeare to omit other authorities by the wordes of sainct Ambrose vpon the 13. chapter of the Acts of the Apostles Where expounding those words Ieiunantes imponentesque â—is manies He saith that imposition of handes is mysticall wordes where with the person elected is confirmed to this worke receiuing authoritie his conscience bearing him witnesse that he may be bould in our Lordes name to offer sacrifice to God By which wordes the reader may plainelie perceiue that in sainct Ambroses time there was more required in the matter forme of consecration of Bishops then imposition of handes onelie with those wordes receiue the holie Ghost to wit some other wordes by which the person ordained receiueth power to offer Sacrifice which wordes neuerthelesse were neuer vsed in the consecration either of Master Parker or anie other of the Bishops or ministers of the English Church as by them themselues is confessed who by necessarie sequele must also needs confesse the same Bishops ministers to be essentiallie defectiue voy de of true ordination Thirdlie according to the storie of the Nagge 's head tauerne as it was related by Master Neale some time professor of languages in Oxford who was a man that both by reason of his ancient yeares as also for the meanes he had to know the trueth as being imployed about this same busines by Bishop Boner then deposed prisoner ought in all reason to be credited Master Parker was not ordained at all by Master Barlowe but by Master Scorie who by reason he had she name of Bishop during the Reigne of King Enwarde because Master Kitching being a true Bishop tho' then deposed with the rest of the Catholike Bishops of Queenes Maries time partelie out of scruple of conscience partelie for feare of Excommunication menaced towardes him by Bishop Bonner refused to consecrate the newe superintendents vndertooke the worke in the foresaid Tauerne where a meeting was made to that purpose Scorie causing them all to kneele he tooke the Bible laid it vpon them bidding them take authoritie to preach the worde of God sincerelie who without anie more wordes or deedes all escaped Bishops of the new fashion And Master Parker hauing either better fortune or better fauor then the rest for his parce he got the Archbishoprie of Canterburie and the primacie of England The others being seased according to their seuerall lots and election of the Queene Whence it clearelie appeareth that by which soeuer of these formes Master Parker his fellowes were consecrated yet they haue no true Canonicall ordination neither according to the scriptures nor according to the ancient practice of the Church by vnauoidable consequence they haue no true succession deriued from the Apostles but as an ancient Father saith of other heretikes of his time so we may say of them that succeeding to none they are prodigiouslie borne of themselues Cypr. 〈◊〉 de simpl Prael And sainct Cyprian of others saith in like manner that without anie lawe of ordination they preferre themselues assume the name of Bishops not hauing the Episcopate coferred vpon them by anie Both which sentences may verie aptelie be applyed to our nominall Bishops of England who as I haue declared receiue their Bishopries without law full authoritie Yet notobstanding all this which hath ben said perhaps some of them will insiste further in their owne defence say that althou ' they haue no personall succession yet they haue doctrinall succession from the Apostles in respect they maintaine the same doctrine which the Apostles their successors in the primatiue Church preached tought To which I anser that this is the common euasion of those onelie who defend the inuisibilitie of the Church but it doth nothing auaile those who pretende to defend the continuall visibilitie of the same as they doe against whome I now dispute Secondlie whosoeuer maintaines this It is but a miere shif or cloake wherewith to couer the nakednes of their new borne Religion which if it had not falselie disguised itselfe with the Apostolicall robes it could not for shame haue appeared in publike by reason of the great deformitie it hath in doctrine Thirdly If the English Religion hath succession of doctrine not of persons wher was it from the fift or sixt hundreth yeare till the dayes of Luther Was it in men or in beasts In beastes they will not say for the auoyding of their owne shame And if it was in men then showe vs wher when those men liued otherwise we will giue no more credit vnto our aduersaries wordes then we doe wheÌ„ they crye out say it is Apostolicall doctrine but proues it not as ordinarily they do both in their bookes preachings PeradueÌ„ture they will say their Religion was neither in men nor beasts but in bookes they meane in the bookes of the old newe Testament But this is yet more false absurde then the rest for that doctrine inuolued in bookes can not make succession succession being and order or series of things imediately following one other which order doctrine meluded in papers or partchement can not possible haue as being one the same obiect of faith quite indistinguible in it selfe can be onely intentionally or obiectiuely distinguished or deuided by the persons in which as an accident it is subiected receiued Besides All the tyme that those fantastikes imagin their doctrine to haue ben continually successiue in the Bible if they them selues or at least other their companions in sect were not as ther confesse howe can they knowe at this present that anie such bookes or doctrine was then in the world when themselues were not If they say they haue that knowledge from the Romanists then say I why doe they not also giue credit vnto the same Romanists in other matters of faith as particularly in that point of the number of Canonicall scriptures of the true sense of them as they ar applyed to euerie Controuersie betwixt vs them during that long space in which ther were none of their Religion extant among all which points of difference ther is none more important then that of the infallible knowledge of those diuine bookes which the Romanists had in their custodie all the tyme of their aduersaries non existence to be the onely true authenticall worde of God So that for these men to affirme they haue all wayes had a doctrinall succession from the Apostles without a personall is a miere Puritanicall dreame a Chymericall conceite paradox of their owne forgeing an Idea of Plato abstracted onely by distracted myndes Finally for proofe that the English Religion hath no true Preists Bishops I adde that our Sauior ordained his Apostles not onely to preach his worde but also to remit sinnes offer sacrifice according to those two texts of scripture 〈…〉 22. whose sinnes you shall remit they shall be remitted And doe this in my remembrance Wherfore
THE CONVICTION OF NOVELTIE AND DEfense of antiquitie OR DEMONSTRATIVE ARGVMENTS of the falsitie of the newe Religion of England And trueth of the Catholike Roman faith DELIVERED IN TWELVE PRINCIPAL Sylogismes and directed to the more scholasticall wits of the Realme of great Britanie especially to the ingenious students of the two most renowned vniuersities of Oxford Cambrige AVTHOR R. B. Roman Catholike and one of the English Clergie and Mission GRATIAS AGO 〈◊〉 MEO PERIESVM CHRIstum pro omnibus 〈…〉 vestra annuntiatur in vniuersa 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.6 QVISQVIS ES ASSERTOR NOVORVM Dogmatum quaeso te vt parcas Romanis auribus parcas fidei quae ab Apostolico ore laudata est S. Hier. op ad â—amachium Oceanum CATVAPOLI Apud viduam MARCI WYONIS Anno M.DC.XXXII THE PREFACE AND DEDICATION of the worke ONe none of the smalest differences betwixt trueth falsitie is that trueth is able to defend it selfe onely by trueth neither doth it euer appeare so decent either in publique or priuate as in it owne naturall habit wheras on the contrarie falsitie as being of an imperfect base qualitie can not possible subsiste maintaine it selfe except it be apparelled with the furtiue robes of trueth And therfore our diuine Sauiour knowing preuiding how easilie his seruants might be deceiued by taking the one for the other that is false doctrine for true as a most prudent circumspect louing master he giues vs a speciall warning to beware of those who come vnto vs in the garments of sheepe insinuating herby that it is the common practice of teachers preachers of false doctrine to vse false colors Attendite à falsis Prophetis qui 〈◊〉 ad â—â—s in ve sâ—ementis â—uium intriniecus autem sant lupâ— rapaces Matth. 7.15 to carie the badge of trueth tho' they haue no trueth in them or at the least none but such as is mingled with much falsitie deceipt for the same cause he addeth of such false Prophets that inwardly they ar rauenous wolues that is what soeuer out warde shew they make how soeuer they colore the matter they are not true Pastors Perdere volebant mactare ocâ—idere Videamus illos si forâ—e ipsi intrant per ostium in ouile qui ipsius Christi nomine gloriantur Innumerabiles enim sunt qui se videntes non solum iactant sed à Christo illuminator videri voluÌ„t Sunt aute haretici tract 45. in IoaÌ„ they come not truely to feed the flock of Christs but as S. Augustin saith of the gentilicall Philosophers heretiks they come to kill destroye Iuste in this manner doth it passe with the teachers establishers of the new Religion in England They veste themselues with sheeps skins in that they make profession of reformers of the Church but vnder the specious pleasant color of reformation they deforme all true Religion faith virtue King Henry the 8. altho' he was not of this Religion which is at this present professed practiced in England yet was hee the first that opened the way vnto it this vnder the color of reformation an yet what monster was euer more deformed then hee he was vniformiter deformiter deformis deformed I meane both with in without both in bodie soule What a rauenous wolfe was hee Howe manie religious conuents monsteries did he deforme deface destroye What a number of religious persons did he turne to the wyde world to lead an irreligious life exposing them to the breach of their solemne vowes to God Finally what a generall libertye did he introduce both in faith manners in all sortes of people he him selfe being the master of misrule ringleader to all licentiousnes And according to this begining his sonne successor did continue who altho' his tender yeares weaknes of bodie did not permit him to imitate the vices of his Father yet had he tutors protectors that were not farre behynde their old master neither in corruption of faith nor manners Whoe seeking for new Euangelists in forraine countries fouÌ„de Bucer Martir others whoe 's fingers tickled to be working in the newe haruest who coming in to the countrye finding the people generally inclined to libertie easily made their entrance into change of Religion so in a shorte tyme vnder the plausible title of reforming abuses in the Church they introduced a forme of Religion neuer heard of in England as neither in the rest of the Christian world in all particulars thus promissing Christian libertie they intruded an vnchristian corruption both in doctrine lyfe making by that meanes of an ill begining in the Father a worse continuation in the sonne Which ill begining continuatioÌ„ excepting that religious interruption of Queene Maries tyme had a yet more vnchristian progresse in the Reigne of Queene Elisabeth who not content with the proceedings eithers of her Father or brother in that nature but adding euill to euill for politique ends as not houlding her selfe Crowne safe except she did first extinguish the ancient Religion of the Realme by reason of the knowne flawe of her title she inacted those seuere lawes against both Catholike Clergie laytie which haue ben still executed by her successors iltho ' throu ' the naturall clemencie of our present soueraine not in that sanguinarie manner that then they were put in practice execution And thus I haue signified in breefe the origine continuation progresse of the new professed faith in England which notobstanding it carieth with it neuer so glorious a resemblance of reformation yet is it but a new fashion framed mierly for the profit conueniencie of the inuentors to please phantasticall curious itching wits myndes inclined to libertie And so daylie altering as newe fashions in apparell vse to alter by diuine prouidence it will at leingth vanish away turne to the old fashion againe I meane to the ancient Religion most vniuersally euer professed both ther in the rest of the Christian world For the furtherance adnauncement of which that which here I intende to proue is that the Religion whose begining successe I haue nowe compendiously declared as publiquely commonly professed at this day in England is no true ReligioÌ„ but a false erroneous doctrine practice deceitfully masked disquised with the apparell of trueth on the contrarie that the present Roman faith is the onely true Religion as with Gods assistance by my arguments against the one in fauor of the other it will appeare to the learned louers of trueth to whome cheefely I consecrate these my labors as to the most ingenious ingenuous myndes A breefe prelocution to the readers PEraduenture at the first sight of this treatise you will expect an other Campian coming to chalenge you to disputation It is true I professe I am a Campion in Religion but not a Champion to prouoke
you neither doe I intend to persuade you in a Rhetoricall manner but onely to propose vnto your ingenuous myndes mature iudgements pure trueth pure falsitie in their owne seuerall natiue habits colors as good an euill to the end that by your free election you may stretch your handes to the one leaue the other according as you shall finde your selues moued by diuineinspiration force of reason Yet not so remissely but that if anie one should require further satisfaction let him but obtaine me a safe conduct graunted by competent authoritie I will not refuse to decipher the Gyrogliffe of my name as euer most readie according to Apostolicall aduise to render reason of the faith I professe And althou ' perhaps it will be iudged more sutable to my manner of proceeding deliuerie of my doctrine to haue put it in the latin tongue yet because I coÌ„sidered ther are in our countrye manie pregnant actiue wits which neuerthelesse haue smale knowledge in that language I resolued rather to publish it in the vulgar tongue to the end that all those who ar studious of trueth may be free from impediments in their search of reason Neither is it intended for euerie pedanticall bibleist but for such as in some sorte are instructed in scholastical discipline qui potest caperecapiat And if by the grace assistance of God my arguments shall but make so much impression in the readers as onely to reduce some passionate partiall myndes in matters of Religion to such a point of temper as they shall come to iudge it a thing repugnant to reason conscience that those who haue so much reason so forcible arguments for their cause should be esteemed worthy of contumelie persecution for their profession defence of the same I shall neuer accounte my paines tyme ill employed And thus I comit commende you to the grace protection of Christ our Sauior THE FIRST PARTE OF THE CONVICTION CONTAINING THE IMPVGNATIVE ARGVMENTS THE FIRST PRINCIPAL ARGVMENT AND for confutation of the English Religion which I assume for the firste parte of my disputation beginning with the name Catholike I argue in this manner All Religions which are not Catholike are false Religions But the Religion now publiklie professed in England is not Catholike Ergo the religion nowe publiklie professed in England is a false Religion In the Maior conclusion of this Sylogisme there is no difficultie neither can the aduersaâ—ies denie them The minor onelie is in controuersie it I proue with another Sylogisme in the manner following All Religions which are not vniuersall geâ—erall or common are not Catholike But the Religion now professed in England is not vniuersall generall or common Ergo the Religion now professed in England is not Catholike That the Religion is not Catholike which â—s not vniuersall generall or common is cleaâ—elie demonstrated by the signification of the worde Catholike which importeth vniuersallitie or generallitie according to the vse which euen our aduersaries themselues make of it Who in their Bibles for the Latin wordes â—pistola Catholica translate put in English the generall epistle of Iames Iude c. Not to stand vpon the ancient authoritie of sainct Augustin other Fathers Councels who when they speake of the true Church or faith â—se the name Catholike in that same seÌ„se as after shall appeare And by this the maior propoâ—ition of the second Sylogisme is sufficientlie â—roued to be true Now touching the minor â—o wit that the Religion publiklie professed in England is not generall vniuersall or common 〈◊〉 likewise proue by distinguishing all the diuers kindes of vniuersallitie which according either to Philosophie or moral doctrine can be imagined by conuincing that none of them agree to the Religion of England which I prosecute in this manner All vniuersallitie in Religion is either in the matter or material obiect of faith or in the time place persons that professe it or els in the rule or reason which directs them in the faith profession of it For proofe declaration of all which particulars that none of them be founde in the Religion of England it is to be supposed as certaine that the worde vniuersall signifieth not onelie generallitie but also vnitie so that the thing which is vniuersall must be one in itselfe as well as common to others that which not onelie the vsuall acception of the worde doth shewe which by Aristotle the rest of the Philosophers both ancient moderne is commonly taken for vnum in multis that is one thing in manie or one common to manie but also the verie etymologie sounde of the same word doth plainely declare Yea the ancient Fathers also affirme the same in those places where speaking of the vniuersallitie of the Church in place they say the Church is one and yet dispersed ouer the whole world Lib. 2. c 2. As doth Sâ— Augustin against the epistle of Gaudentius Where vsing the testimonie of sainct Cyprian among â—other words of his he relates these Vnum caâ—ut est origo vna vnamater foecundis successibus copiosa She meaning the Church â—s one head one origen Maieres nâ—stri Catholicam nominarnus vt ex ipso nomine â—stenderent quia per tâ—tum est De vnit Eccl. cap. 2. one mother replemished with frutefull successes And in the second chapter of his booke of the vnitie of the Church he saith that our ancetors called the Church Catholike to the end they might shewe by the name it selfe that she is in whole In like manner Vincentius Lyrinensis in the third ch of his booke to the vniuersallity of the Church ioyneth consent or vnion And Venerable Bede vpon the 6. chap. of the Canticles affirmes that the Church is called Catholike quia per omnes mundi partes in vnapace in vno Domini timore aedificatur That is because it is planted or built in all partes of the world in one peace one feare of God And thus it plainely appeares that the worde Catholike or vniuersall whatsoeuer els it includes yet it must of necessitie haue vnitie in that generallitie which it signifies This being supposed as a trueth which euen our aduersaries cannot resist I proue against them first that there is no vniuersallitie in the matter or obiect of their Religion with this argumentation following All religions which are not one the same in matter or obiect which Christ his Apostles preached waÌ„te vniuersallity in obiect or matter But the Religion professed in England at this present is not one the same in obiect or matter which Christ his Apostles preached Ergo the Religion professed in England at this present wantes vniuersalitie in obiect or matter The maior of this Sylogisme is iucluded in the supposition before declared at the least in parte graunted euen by our aduersaries as I suppose it being nothing else in sense but
dayes might with farre greater reason haue affirmed the same of the RomaÌ„ church in which then owne bookes manifeste them to haue liued as partes members being nowe much more extended then at that time it was And certainely for the defenders of the Church of England to imagin that althoâ— their Religion hiâ—herto hath not ben vniuersall in the world yet that hereafter it will be vniuersall before the end of the world is both voyde of probabilitie ridiculous First because it is the nature of true Religion to bring zeale feruor with it especially in the begining as appeareth in the Apostles their successors in the first ages who not obstanding all the impediments that the deuill by humane wit malice could contriue yet dâ—d they extend propagate the faith of Christ in diuers nations kingdomes both remote barbarous Wherefore if the Religion of England had ben the true faith of Christ doubtlesse it would by the professors of it haue ben long since so extended dilated that it should not need to be brought to those streits as to fetch their vniuersalitie from the verie end of the world Secondly because the nature of the Religion of England is such that it hath no conuenient meanes for propagation of itselfe in the whole world inregard that those to whome the charge of preaching teach the same is committed are meÌ„ that are all either actually tyed to wiues children posteritie or els liue in expection desire of those temporall or transitorie commodities scarce euer dreame of extending their Religion farther then their owne seuerall Parishes yea their doctrine it selfe teaches them that either they must all marie of necessitie as some of them maintaine or at the least that it is more expedient secure for them to marie then to lead a single life supposing which particulars it is morally vnpossible for them euer to preach their faith to all nations as Christ commaundeth with such clogges at their heeles as are wife children posteritie Thirdlie it is certainelie knowne that since the Religion of England was established in the forme manner that now it is in the professors of it neuer went to ante foren nation purposely to preach their faith much lesse haue they euer taken anie generall course for the conuersion of infidels by anie mission of Ministers or by other meanes Or if anie of them haue trauelled into strange countries which are knowne to be verie fewe in number it hath ben onelie or cheefely for temporall respects as for that they haue ben silenced in their owne countrie for preaching some extrauagant errours or els for some other crime or publike offence committed or perhaps some pore vnbenificed ignorant threedbare fellowes who for want of meanes to maintaine themselues resolue desperatelie to trye their fortune in an other place onelie for that respect not for charitie or zeale of reduceing people to Christian Religion And if perhaps they finde anie pore blackamore or other barbarian that heareing the name of Christians desires to be of their Religion yet these false Apostles proceed so superficiallie with them giue them so smale ill instruction that it is to be feared that after they haue baptized them on their fashion they still remaine as black as they were before both in bodie soule Nay their deuotion is so could in this nature that they themselues are ashamed either to write or to brag of it as experience doth teach for that there is not anie booke extant that eâ—er I could heare of in which it may appeare that they haue performed anie notable matter in this particular The discalced Carmelits at this present hane obtained Bishops for their mission in Persia euen by the Kings permission as I am informed Whereas yet on the contrarie histories are full of the infinit number of Infidels which the professors of the Roman Church haue conuerted dayly conuert to the Christian faith both in the Oriental Occidental Indies other places that with losse of their liues whatsoeuer other comodities they haue in this world as is manifest especiallie in the foure Orders of Mendicants the Iesuits who not obstanding innumerable difficulties still continue their annuall Missions ordained to that same end purpose of propagating Catholike Religion in all countries nations Lastelie I say that for the professors of the English faith to say that their Religion will be extended thro' the whole world before the day of Iudgement is mierlie their owne prediction to which no man of mature iudgement ought to giue credit except they first proue themselues to be true Prophets which in my opinion they can no more performe then they can proue the descent of their pedegree from sainct Michael the Archangell And thus wesee plainelie that the English Religion as now it is professed being destitute of all meanes to propagate it self as hitherto it neither is nor euer was vniuersall in the world so neither can it be imagined with anie probable coulour of reason that euer it can possible in future times come to be spred ouer all the nations of the whole world as according to scriptures Fathers the true Church ought to be the mator of my former Sylogisme doth affirme And not to insiste anie longer in this matter I in like manner proue the minor proposition of the same argument by the same reasons which I haue vsed for the proofe of the foresaid mator which if they be duelie applied to the English Religion they will plainelie demonstrate that the Religion of England neither hath ben is nor euer will be preached published in all partes of the world consequentlie that it hath not vniuersallitie of place which is that which the conclusion of the argument doth containe It is true I further conceiue that the professors of the English faith as men disposed to cauille may yet once againe replie say that in regarde their Religion is the same with the Religion of the Apostles therefore it hath the same vniuersallitie which the Apostolicall Religion hath But to this I reioyne anser firste that I haue shewed before that the Religion now prosessed in England doth differ in diuers points from the faith of the Apostles the particulars of which difference I haue before specified as is that of iustification by faith onelie the deny all of the reall presence the rest Secondlie I say that this replie is that kinde of absurditie in disputation which the LogitiaÌ„s call petitio Principij that is when that is assumed by the disputant for a true certaine Principle which ought to be proued as being the verie matter in question so this is onelie an euasion of the aduersarie which hath no more force them his owne authoritie giues it which is none at all And now by this that more which hath ben sayd touching the vniuersallitie of place persons it is most
in the page following he saith in his owne name in the name of his brother Puritās We hold not fasting to be a worke pleasing to God And yet in his page 609. he grautes that to fast religiously at some time is Gods cōmaundemēt And pag. 611. that lent fast is partely religious ordered by the Church for religious endes bindeth the cōscience mediately which larring positions of this grand Doctor I am not able to recōcile And yet for a parte of twelfe dayes deuotiō he putteth the paymēt of tithes which indeed is a deuotiō far more profitable to himself then pleasing to others All which particulars doe manifestly declare that whatsoeuer apish imitation these fellowes vse in writing some fewe bookes of deuotion prayer yet is their spirit quite contrarie to the common spirit of the vniuersall Church wholely vertigenous extrauagant peculiar to themselues And to this the like may be added of their Church seruice forme of administration of Sacraments as may be seeme in their booke of common prayer which as it manifest to them that read it doth notably differ from all the Lyturgies publike formes of prayers pastorals that euer were vsed in the Church before the preachings of Luther not onely in the manner of administrating the Sacraments and seruice but also in some substantiall points of them both Their being not anie mentiō in the booke of common prayer of either annointing with Chrisme in Baptisme or of extreme vnctiō of the sicke nor of consecrariō of the Eucharist or absolute commaunde to receiue it but onely with condition or rather with expresse order or precept that ther be a whole congregation that is some persons more disposed to communicate with the infirme partie besides himselfe that otherwise he must haue patiēce take his iourney to an other world without his Viaticum Neither is it ther ordained directly that that the Communicants shall vse the homologesis or Sacramēt of Pennance cōsisting of contrition confession satisfaction as a necessarie preparation to the communion except onely in in case they finde their cōsciences troubled with anie weightie matter that when they are at the point of death contenting themselues at all other times of their receiuing the Lords supper with a generall confession onely made either by one of the communicants or by the ministerin the name of the rest The contrarie of all which particulars are neuerthelesse found in all Lythurgies Missals Directories of former times in all places of the Christian world as may be seene in the Ierarchie of Sainct Denis the Roman Order of which euen the newer of the twoe was practiced in the Church at the least 80◠yeares agoe But now to conclude hauing passed throu all the seuerall kindes of vniuersalitie that can be imagined with an exact discussion of the nature properties of the same finding none of them in the Religion now publikely professed in England besides this it being certaine both according to the doctrine of the ancient Doctors of the Church moderne diuines that the worde Catholike is the same that vniuersall Lib. 2. c. 38. generall or cōmon as is apparent by S. Augustins responsion to Petilianus wher he saith that the name Caetholicū signifies secundū totum Lib. 2. c. 2. as also against the epistle of Gaudentius Teacing that the Church therfore is called Catholike of the Greeke worde because it is extēded throu ' the whole world This I say being infallibly true it doth by necessarie conclusion follow of the premisses that the English Relilion is not Catholike but a priuate conuenticle or Congregation in which true faith is not founde in which by consequence no saluation can be hoped or expected for such as obstinately seperating themselues from the vnitie and vniuersalitie of the most vniuersally receiued Religion liue and die in it And this may suffice for the declaration confirmation of my first ptincipall argument or demonstration THE SECOND PRINCIPAL ARGVMENT MY second principal argument which proueth the falsitie of the English Religion is this That Religion is false which hath a false or at the least an vncertaine Canon of scripture But the Religion of England hath a false or at the least an vncertaine Canon of scripture Ergo the Religion of England is a false Religion The Maior doubtlesse is graunted by our aduersaries The minor which they denie I proue And for the proofe of it I suppose that the true Canon of scripture can not be knowne but by some externall authoritie or meanes distinct from it selfe whether it be the iudgement of euerie faithfull person assisted by the diuine spirit as manie of our aduersaries affirme or whether it be the declaration of the Church assisted by diuine inspiration of which it shall be disputed in an other place More ouer these meanes or this authoritie must be infallible otherwise it can ingender no such certainetie in the myndes of the beleeuers touching the matter in question but they would remaine still doubtfull of the same And the reasō for which this externall authoritie is thus required to the knowledge of the iuste quantitie of the written worde of God for the distinguishing of the true partes of the same from the Apochrypha doubtfull is because that as the scriptures doe in no places affirme declare them selues either in totallitie 〈◊〉 parte reflectiuely to be the true worde of God deliuered by Christ his Apostles so they much lesse auerre these determinate bookes or partes of the Bible no other to be the onely true authenticall scriptures This being now supposed as certaine on both sides I proue the foresaie minor to wit that the Church of England hath a false or at least an vncertaine Canon of scripture by an other silogisme in this manner That Canon of scripture is false or at the least vncertaine which disagreeth from all other Canons that euer were in anie Christian Church before the dayes of Luther But the Canon of scripture vsed nowe in England is disagreeable to all other Canons that euer were in anie Christian Church before the dayes of Luther Ergo the Canon of scripture vsed nowe in the Church of England is a false or at the least an vncertaine Canon In the Maior of this silogisme ther is no doubt The minor I proue by comparing the Canon of England with those seuerall Canons which according to the diuersitie of opinions in that point among some of the ancient Fathers in former tymes ar founde to be three in number howbeit of those three ther was one which was euer more commonly receiued then the rest to wit that Canon which in the Councels of Florence Trent was defined to be infallible is that same which at this present the Roman Church vseth reiecting all other for Apochryphall inauthenticall Now the first of those three Canons or Orders of diuine volumes consisteth of those bookes of which
wisedome is alledged by ancient S. Denis the same doe Melito in his epistle to Ones sainct Cyprian Lib. cont Iulian. in his booke of the habit of Virgens sainct Cyrill calles it diuine scripture sainct Augustin also calles it Canonicall in his first booke of Predest the 14. chap. Ecclesiasticus is cited by Clement Alexandrine sainct Cyprian Epiphanius Ambrose as diuine Oracles sainct Augustin calles it diuine scripture produceing those wordes Altiorate ne quaesieris In lib. ad Oros contra Priscil The same Fathers with Gregory Nazianzene cite the Machabies as appeareth by sainct Cyprian in his exhortation to Martyrdome the 11. chapter Nazianzene in his oration of the Machabies sainct Ambrose in his second booke of Iob the 10.11 12. chapters sainct Isidore in his sixt booke First cap. sainct Augustin in two seuerall places alowes of these bookes often times citeth them As in his 18. booke of the cittie of God Chapter 36. in his second booke against the epistles of Gaudentius chapter 2.3 All which is a conuincent argument that those bookes out of which the foresaid places are cited in this manner by these ancient graue renowned Doctors are Canonicall of as great authoritie as the rest how beit they might otherwise haue ben vnknowe for such to the Iewes both in regard that as the lawe of Christ is more perfect then the old lawe was so it ought in reason to haue more perfect knowledge of the worde of God as likewise it hath of diuers other misteries of faith then the professors of that lawe had as also for that as in the lawe of Christ there are other matters of faith manners gouernement then were in the time of the old testament so might it be necessary for the greater confirmation of Christs doctrine discipline that some of those bookes which were not knowne to the Iewes should be declared to Christians for Canonicall scripture Thirdly from tradition of the Church the English Canon could not possible receiue authoritie first because the maintainers of it denie the authoritie of the visible Church to be infallible consequentlie it is cleare the Canon of scripture cannot haue sufficient warrant from it Secondlie It is most apparent that the Primatiue Church was not certaine in some of the first ages whether all the bookes of the old Testament which the English Church houldes for Canonicall were in the Canon of the Iewes which vncertaintie still remained vntill the Councell of Carthage celebrated in S. Austins time determined the matter Against which English Canon are also authenticall witnesses Mileto Cham. lib. 〈◊〉 Camone cap. 14. â— 1. S. Athanasius Nazianzene of which at the least the two latter authors to wit Athanasius Nazianzene euen according to the graunt of Daniell Chamier one of our most peremptorie aduersaries doe omit the booke of Hester in the computation of their Canon of the old testament whome altho' Chamier doth reprehend for the same Cham. lib. 5. de Can. c. 14 n. 1. yet is he so impudent vnâ—nindefull that in another place of the same booke he numbreth both the same Athanasius Nazianzene as defenders of his owne Canon which neuerthelesse includeth Hester as the English CanoÌ„doth Cap. 11. n. 4. So that it remaineth most euident there was no such certaine traditioÌ„ in the Primatiue Church as could make the English Canon as they now vse it infallible the whole Church at that time hauing determined nothing iudicially aboute that particular consequentlie it is manifestlie false for the professors of the English Religion to affirme that they haue the tradition of the Church for proofe of their Canon To which may be added that our aduersaries in maintaining their Canon by tradition they should proceed preposterouslie in respect that whereas in all other points of doctrine they relect the authoritie of traditions as insufficient contratie to the worde of God or at the least as vncertaine yet in this particular of the Canonicall scripture which is one of the most important points of all other vpon which all the rest of Christian faith dependes they would offer to relie vpon the same And altho' our aduersaries particularly Daniell Chamier doe labor eueÌ„ till they sweate in prouing their Canon to be the same with the Canon of the ancient Iewes yet doth not one of the â—â—thors that haue writ since the matter was determined by the Councell of Carthage exclude from the Christian Canon those bookes which the Roman Church did receiue for Canonicall euer since that Councell And how beit S. Hierome is he that of all antiquitie doth fauore our aduersaries in this particular point yet besides that he writ before the matter was determined by Pope InnoceÌ„tius the first the Councell of Carthage neuerthelesse as he doth not soe defend the Canon of the Iewes but that he admitteth of the authoritie of the first Councell of Nyce in receiuing the booke of Hester in to the Canon of the Christian Church so doubtlesse if he had liued in succeeding tymes he would haue done the same touching the rest of the bookes of the old Testament which were afterwardes added by the foresaid Councell of Carthage other since that tyme. To omit that the professors of the pretended reformation neither proceed consequenter to their owne Principles if in establishing of their Canon they follow the authoritie of Fathers whome they make account to be subiect to error deceipt neither doe they deale securely in casting the maine foundation of their faith vpon the authority of one onely man especially considering that S. Hierome out of an inordinate opinion affection he had to Ioseph the Iew not onely in this but also in some other points of doctrinesuffered himselfe to be caried somat ' beyond the limits of reason tho' neuer beyond the limits of the true Catholike faith And yet I here desire the reader to be aduertised that this which I haue vttered touching the agreement of the English Canon of S. Hierome is onely by way of concessiue supposition in fauor of my antagonists with whome I dispute euen vpon termes of this liberall graunt persuading my selfe neuerthelesse that the Canon of the old Testament which S. Hierome rehearseth in his Prologue is not taken by him for the onely true authenticall Canon of the Christian Church but onely his meaning is to relate the number of those bookes of the ancient scripture according to the most common opinion of the Iewes of his tyme. That which is manifestely coÌ„uinced by the authoritie of the same S. Hierome in the like case touching certaine chapters of the Prophet Daniel of which altho' in his preface to that booke he once affirmed them not to be of authenticall authoritie yet afterwardes in his second Apologie against Rufinus he declareth his meaning in the foresaid Prologue was not to signifie his opinion in that particular but onely to relate the
and not according to the common acception of them which yet is the common practice of the Nouelists of these our dayes as is most apparent euen by that particular passage which I haue in hād that is the place aboue cited in the second chapter of the Acts thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell Lib. 5. de descen Christ c. ◠n. Aboute which Daniel Chamier hauing turned himselfe euerie way tossed all the dictionaries he could finde for his purpose yet could he not finde one author more ancient then Iohn Caluin his great master and first founder of his Religion whoe teacheth that either in this place or in anie other place of scripture according to the proper ordinarie vse the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie the bodie carcasse or life the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the graue as he his fellow partners will needs haue thē to signifie as they vsually translate them in their Bibles excepting onely Arias Montanus if he be truely cited by Chamier In Idiotismis He◠braeis how be it himselfe grauntes that in the cited place of the 16. psalme the Hebrewe wordes in steed of which the Septuagint putteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe signifie the soule hell which is all that we can desire For if the Hebrewe text be the foūtaine of all true translations as all the Nouelists will haue it neither can their translation of this place be true nor ours false for that theirs according to our aduersarie Chamiers dissents from the Hebrewe ours agrees Diuers other places of the English Nouelists corrupted translations might be produced as that of the 26. of S. Mathewe wher for Hymno dicto in the Latin hymnizantes in the Greeke they translate when they had sung a psalme In the 28. of the Acts ouerseers for Bishops And in the ninte chapter of the first to the Corinthians Haue we not power to lead about a wife where they put a wife for a woman as if all woman were wiues And in the first chapter of the second epistle of S. Peter they leaue out the wordes by good workes which neuerthelesse are founde in diuers Greeke copies yea Caluin himselfe grauntes that if they be not expressed in the text yet they are subintellected or vnderstood And to this may be added by the way that altho' it is not ill of it selfe to translate the Bible into vulgar languages if it be done truely sincerely by the authoritie of the Church or her cheefe Pastor yet by these few examples we may learne how greately the word of God is abused by false translations how farre the trueth is preiudicated by such partiall proceeding supposing that all the foresaid places as they are by them turned in to the English tongue doe fauore diuers points of their new doctrine wheras on the contrarie they expressely make against it if they be truely trāflated And particularly those wordes of their sixtineth psalme thou wilt not leaue my soule in graue are so absurdely contrarie to sense so extrauagāt in the phrase manner of speech as the like is not to be found in anie translation that euer was extant euer since the scriptures were first published in vulgar tongues euen among the pretended reformers themselues But now this may suffice for examples of false translation of the scriptures vsed by our aduersaries for the first proofe of the Minor of my silogisme aboue framed Which I further proue secondly for as much as concerneth the exposition of the scriptures because the manner of interpretation which both our English professors also the rest of the pretensiue reformers vse is scarce in anie thing coformable to the expositiō of the anciēt Fathers Doctors of the precedent ages as it ought to be according to the rule of S. Augustin in his second booke against Iulian where in the begining he faith the Christian people ought rather to adhere to the Fathers then vnto those which teach the contrarie towards the end of the same booke he addeth thus that which they to wit the Fathers found in the church they hold that which they had frō their Fathers they deliuered to their sonnes But our newe interpreters as they are in their positions so are they in their expositions of the worde of God singular full of affected apish imitation of the Iewish glosses neither doe they scarce euer alledge anie other expositions or constructions then those of Rabbi Salomon Rabbi Kimchi Aben Ezra the rest of that rabble Notobstanding they cannot be ignorant but that some of them were either Scribes Phariseis or Saduceis if not all of whome it may be presumed with reason that they frame their expositions more commonly according to their owne false traditions thē according to the true sense meaning of the lawe By which proceeding the reader may consider how impossible it is for our aduersaries to satisfie their consciences in the deliuerie of such doctrine as dependes vpon so vncertaine fayleable groūdes in how miserable a case that flock is which hath his instruction in matters of saluatiō from such Pastors as partely out of the writings of those profane Iewes enimies of Christ partely also by their owne industrie coine new sense out of the old obstruse decayed significations of wordes which they find in pedantik humanists Lexicōs Dictonaries neglecting the commō current acceptions Ecclesiasticall vse of the same By all which the conclusion of my proposed argument doth appeare true sound which is that the Professors of the English faith haue no certaine and infallible interpretation sense of the diuine scriptures consequently their Religion must needs be voyde of trueth THE FOVRTH PRINCIPAL ARGVMENT MY fourth principall argument I propoūd in the forme following That Religion is false which hath a false rule of faith But the English Religion hath a false rule of faith Ergo the English Religiō is a false Religion The maior is not denyed by our aduersaries therefore it needs no proofe And it they should be so refractorie as to denie it It is cōuinced by the verie leight of naturall reason which teacheth that the ruled followes the nature of the rule so that it cannot possible be streighter then the rule it selfe no more then a boton can be round if the moulde be square Now that the English Religion hath a false rule of faith which is the Minor of my silogisme I demonstrate thus by an other silogisme The Religion of England hath for the rule of faith scriptures interpreted expounded by euerie particular member of their Church But the scriptures interpreted expounded by euerie particular member of their Church is a false rule of faith Therefore the Religion of England hath a false rule of faith That the scriptures expounded by euerie particular member of the Church is a false rule of faith I euidently proue because the
ordained consecrated with the same matter forme of Order with Vnction Miter Crosier other such ornaments ceremonies as the Church of Rome actuallie vseth at this day Nay nor yet in the time of Wiclif or since is there anie mention in anie historie writer or recorde either Catholike or Protestant of anie kinde of eyther Bishops Preists or ordination of the same vsed in England before the Reigne of Edwarde the sixt Wherefore altho' we should graunt the Patrons of the English faith that their Religion was professed in England in more ancient times as they pretend the contrarie of which neuerthelesse is as certaine as it is certaine there is no mention of it in anie more ancienthistorie or recorde then the dayes of Edward the sixt yet is it manifest that it hath had a notable interruption in the succession of Bishops Preists to wit for the space of 800. yeares at the least euen according to the confession of our aduersaries And consequentlie it is euident that it hath not a continuall disinterrupted succession of Bishops Preists deriued from the Apostles Secondlie I proue there is no coutinuall disinterrupted succession of Bishops Preists in the English Religion deriued from the Apostles Because altho' we should admit that in the time of King Edward by reason of the immediate succession of his newe Religion to the Religion of his Father Henry the 8. at whose death we doe not denie but there were true Bishops Preists lefte who might perhaps for as much as concerneth the essence of the Order thou ' not lawfullie either haue consecrated others or they themselues haue serued in the Church according to the newe forme of the same which fact I need not here dispute but omit as vngranted Neuerthelesse it is certaine graunted by both parties that euen in this there was another plaine interruption that within a verie shorte time vpon the succession of Queene Marie to the Crowne in here brothers place who exauthorizing all that newe brood of Bishops Preists reestablished the Roman Religion in the same forme with such Prelates Preists as had ben in the Realme in all former times as not onelie all written histories recordes but also some eye witnesses who then did see the change being yet aliue can at this daye testifie the same So that euen in this particular manner the newe Religion of England hath suffered an interruption in the succession of Bishops Preists Thirdlie I proue the same minor proposition because at the time of the last change of Religion at the death of Queene Marie all the Roman Bishops were deposed depriued of their dignities excepting onelie the Archbishop of Canterburie whose seat was vacant by his death others were put in their places by the authoritie of Queene Elizabeth here parleament who neuerthelesse were such as did not agree either in vocation mission or Ordination with their predecessors as appeareth particularly in Master Parker who not obstanding he was the cheefe of theÌ„ as being Archbishop of Caterburie primate yet is he confessed by Master Mason a minister professed defender of the newe clargie of England to haue ben the first of 70. Archbishops since fainct Augustin that receiued Orders consecration without the Popes Bulles the rest of the ceremomes vsed in the ordination of all those 70. that preceded him And the same he might haue said of the newe Bishops of these dayes comparing them with all that longe space of time The which difference in the manner of consecration altho' it were alone sufficient according to the doctrine of the Roman Church to exclude the ordained from true succession as being at the least schismaticall in itselfe contrarie to the practice of ancient times euen before the dayes of sainct Augustin the Apostle of our countrie as both the writings of the ancient Fathers which I will produce in an other place also some ancient authenticall histories or recordes of the Realme doe testifie Yet euen according to the Principles of the English Religion there is an essentiall defect founde in the same in regarde that Master Barlowe whoâ—s by the foresaid defender of the English ministerie reported to haue ben the consecrator of Parker had neuer anie consecration himselfe Or if he had anie he was made Bishop if not Preist also onelie according to the forme diuised in the time of Edward the Sixt confirmed by Queene Elizabeth the eight yeare of her Reigne That which I suppose Master Mason himselfe doth not deny Which forme as it is set in their Rituall or manner of making Bishops Preists Deacons printed at London 1607. as being neither founde in scripture nor conformable to anie other forme of consecratioÌ„ euer vsed in any Christian Church since the Christian Religion was founded the persons coÌ„secrated or ordained according to the tenor of it caÌ„not possible betrue Bishops preists or Deacons by necessarie consequence neither Master Parker nor anie other of his fellowe Bishops could receiue true Order or consecration as being ordained both by one that had no power of Order himself nor yet did cousecrate them with the same essentiall matter forme which hath ben commonlie vsed in the Christian world in ancient ages But onelie according to that new forme which as Master Mason confesseth being deuised authorized onelie by King Edwarde Queene Elizabeth who had no power to alter the forme of Ordination practiced generallie in the Christian Church before their times could not possible giue theÌ„ Apostolicall power of ordination consequentlie they had no continuall disinterrupted succession in that nature deriued from the Apostles which is that by the minor of my argument I intend to conuince Peraduenture our aduersaries will replie say First that the whole essentiall matter forme of Order consisting of imposition of handes the wordes receiue the holie Ghost were applyed to Master Parker the rest of the ministrie in their ordination the Roman rites or Ceremonies onelie omitted which neither make nor marre the substance of the Order But to this I reioine first that this doth not cleare Master Barlowes consecration of which there being no authenticall register or recorde extant he cannot be esteemed to haue ben a true Bishop consequenthe he had no power to consecrate others so Master Parker supposing he had the true matter forme of Episcopall Order applied vnto him yet could he not be true Bishop for want of authoritie in his ordainer who could not possible giue that he had not himselfe Secondlie It is false that those wordes receiue the holie Ghost with imposition of handes onelie are the whole matter forme of consecration of Bishops for that neither scripture Councels nor Fathers nor the ancient practice of the Church doe teach the same but rather on the contrarie it is manifest that another forme of Ordination was vsed in the primatiue Church as doth
our aduersaries the professâ—rs of the newe Religion of England whoe haue not all this specified in the forme of their ordination canot possible according to diuine institution trueth of the scriptures be iudged to receiue either of the twoe powers when they are created Ministers so they cannot in â—â—is other respect truely be called Preists Bishop but onely by force virtue of that sophisticall ridiculous conseâ—â—ence they haue benefices Bishoprikes therfore they are Preists Bishops And yet besides this I haue one other argument So vrgent forcible against our aduersaries that it alone is sufficient to conuince euen the most obstinate iudgemeÌ„ts that the preâ—â—â—iuereformed clergie of England bath no authoritie power or â—udâ—â—sdiction to preach or reache the Gospell consequently that they ar not true Prâ—â—sts nor Bishops I lay the fouÌ„datioÌ„ of my argument vpon the whole streinth of â—at diuine Principle of S. Paule Quomodopraeâ—â—abum nisi mittantur how shall they preach â—â—cept they be sent which as being an expresse â—â—xt of scripture is receiued by both parties for â—infallible trueth I contriue my silogisme in â—is manner Those who haue no mission want authoritie â—ower or Iurisdiction to preach teach the Gospell But the newe English clergie hath no mission Ergo the newe English clergie wantes â—uthoritie power or Iurisdiction to preach â—ne â—otpell The maior proposition is so plainely conâ—ained in scripture that I am persuaded euen the most pure Caluinist or Caluinian Puritan dares not absolutely denie it For proofe of the minor I suppose agree with my aduersaries that ther are two onely genders or kyndes of mission Viz. Either ordinarie or exterordinarie This agreement so supposed I argue thus If the professors of the English Religion haue mission it is either ordinarie or exterordinarie But the professors of the English Religion haue neither ordinarie nor extraordinarie mission Ergo the professors of the English Religion haue no mission That the professors of the English Religioâ— haue no extraordinarie missioÌ„ I need not laborâ— to proue in regarde I knowe excepting thosâ— of the Puritan faction extraordinarie missioâ— is not maintained by our aduersaries And iâ— anie either Puritan Anabaptist or other sectarie will auerre is mission to beexterordinariâ— theÌ„ for the same reason that he defendes it to bâ— extraordinarie he is bounde to proue it by extraordinarie meanes he must shoue his patenâ— or letters of ordination brought from heaueâ— firmed with the broade seale of miracles prophecie or other manifestly diuine testimonie or else it is to be reiected as counterfeit euidence forged to deceiue cousen simple ignorant people with euident preiudice to their eternal saluation And so leauing this as a fictitions of the founders or inuenters of it voyde of both diuine humanane authoritie neither giueing anie satisfaction to mature solid iudgements I passe to the ordinarie mission which our aduersaties most commoÌ„ly pretend will manifestly proue they ardestitute of it because as exterordinarie mission can not be obtained but by exterordinarie means so neither can ordinarie mission be had but by ordinarie meanes Now this supposed I proceed thus in forme of argument Ordinaâ—â—e nussion can be receiued of those onely who 〈◊〉 by contiâ—â—all succession of Bishops Preists from the Apostles But the professors of the English Religion â—ue not receiued their mission from those â—ho haue continuall succession of Bishops Preists from the Apostles Ergo the professors of the English Religion â—aue no ordinarie mission The minor propositioÌ„ in which alone the difference controuersie may seeme to stand if â—nie ther be I proue because those who succed from the Apostles in the foresaid manner of whome the professors of the English faith against whome I now dispute confesse they receiued their mission if anie they haue ar â—either from the Popes of Rome or such others as deriued their authoritie from that seat But now it is a fact clearer them the cleare light of the clearest day that neither the Pope himselfe nor anie other who deriued his authoritie from him did euer conferre anie mission power inrisdiction or authoritie to preach teache or minister sacraments vpon anie of the professors of the English Religion that which â—demonstrate by this dilemma For all those who can be imagined to haue giuen anie mission to the professors of the English faith at the tyme of change of Religion either they were Roman Catholiks at that present or not if they still remained Roman Catholike then is it infallibly certaine they would neuer haue offered to giue mission are power to them whom they held for heretiks an enimies to their own faith profession yea if they had attempted anie such matter their attempte had be voyde in regarde the Roman Church by virtuâ— of her Ecclesiastical canons anulles all such collation of iurisdictionarie power to heretikes And according to this it is herby apparently concluded that the professors of the English Religion neither one way nor other could possible receiue anie mission power or authoritie to preach the Gospell or minister sacrament after their manner at their first admittance to the ministrie It is true Doctor Cranmer from whome the Bishops and ministers of the English Religion alledge they immediatly had their mission is supposed to haue had the caracter of Episcopall Presbyterall Order yet supposing by reason of his seperation from the faith obedience of the Roman Church from which he receiued all the power of order iurisdiction they pretend he was depriued of iurisdictioÌ„ I ingenuously coÌ„fesse my iudgemeÌ„t is conuinced by force of argument that they cannot possible haue anie ordinarie mission of Episcopal or Preistlie function for the preaching of the worde of God administration of the Sacraments either according to diuine or Ecclesiasticall institution And I know indeed sonne of our aduersaries â—ot manie monethes paste after a long time of deliberation hoping to satisfie their owne restesse mindes an others in this their most important busines produced certaine new founde registers for testimonie of their predecessors ordination But in my iudgement the authoritie of theÌ„ is so suspicious that they ought not to moue anie prudeÌ„t vnderstanding And if they were authenticall why did they conceile them till this present time in which no man vrged them in anie speciall manner to bring them to leight Whereas yet they haue so often since the change of religion demaunded ben to shewe their letters of ordination in other occasions Moreouer suppose their registers were neuer so true authenticall yet since they doe not testifie that their ordination was in matter forme authoritie of the ordinators perpetually vsed in the Catholike Church they neither satisfie vs in our demaunde nor yet are they sufficient warrant either to the conscieÌ„ces of those that vse them or those who relie vpon the effect of them in their reception of the Sacraments Neither surely are those registers of anie
greater force for iustification of the ordination of our English pretensiue reformed clergie then the writings of an vsurarie contract iustifie an vsurer in his recept of money in that vnlawfull manner which they declare And so I conclude both for this the reasons aboue alledged particularly for their most apparent defect of vocation mission that their case is verie considerable yea lamentable both in respect of themselues in regarde of those whose soules are by their owne misfortune cōmitted to their charge gouernement And this may now suffice for the declaration confirmation of this my fift cheefe generall argument which concludeth the faith of England to be an erroneous false Religion THE SIXT PRINCIPAL ARGVMENT MY sixt principall argument is this That Religion is false which hath no true adoration or worship of God proper to him onely But the English Religion hath no adoratiō nor worship of God proper to him onely Ergo the Religiō of Englād is a false religiō The Maior must of necessitie be graunted by the professors of the English Reignō least otherwise they destroye amhilate the verie life of all Religion which is the worship or adoration of one onely God with such honor as is proper due vnto him as both diuine faith leight of nature doe teach yea doutlesse the trueth of this proposition is contained in the first commaundement which doth not onely exclude the pluralitie of Gods their adoration but also includeth that worship which is due proper to one onely God not to anie creature or oother entitie whatsoeuer And for this cause God himself in other places cōmaundes Dominum Deum tuum adorabis illi soli seruies Thou shalt adore thy Lord thy God serue him onely And honorē meū alteri non dabo I will not giue my honor to another wher God calles it his owne honor because ther is a kinde of honor due proper vnto him onely not common to others And now this precept being grounded in the lawe of nature the naturall instinct of reason doth likewise suggest the same so that no rationall creature can denie it Nowe the Minor of my silogisme in which all or the greatest parte of the difficultie consists I proue it by an other silogisme in this manner That Religion hath no true adoration or worship of God which hath no exercise of a true proper sacrifice or oblation But the Religion of England hath no exercise of a true proper sacrifice or oblation Ergo the Religion of England hath no true adoration or worship of God The Maior of the latter silogisme in case it should be denied by our aduersaries proue first by scripture then by testimonies of ancient Fathers to wit that true Religion cannot stand without true proper worship of God by frequent vse or exercise of a true proper sacrifice And altho' this might be sufficiently proued by a generall induction drawne not onely from the practice of the vniuersall world in all ages as well in the professors of the true God of which the old Testament giueth euidence as also from the false religion of all sortes of Idolaters Gentils Paganes Yet because I knowe the Nouelists out of their presumption impudencie will not stick to denie the consequence I will omit to persecute this manner of argumēt onely insist in those authorities of Scripture doctors of the Church which immediatly conuince the same to be true also in our Christian Religion of the new Testament My first proofe of scripture I take out of some certaine places of the Prophets which notobstanding they seeme to belong to the old testament yet in realitie they appertaine to the newe as being predictions of the state of Religion in the same To which purpose the Prophesie of Malachie is most plaine for the future practice of a proper generall sacrifice in the new Testament affirming That the Lord of Hostes saith this I haue no will in you meaning the Preists of the old Testament nor will I receiue an offering at your handes for from therising of the sunne to the setting my name is great among the Gentils in euerieplace is ther Sacrificed offered vnto my name a cleane oblation because my name is great among nations Thus farre the Prophet Now the wordes circumstāces of this place so plainely demonstrate that the Prophet Malachie speakes of some kinde of sacrifice which was not thē or euer before vsed in anie time or place but was to be vsed in the new testament that our aduersaries least they should be conuinced of error in their Religion for that it hath no externall oblation to God at all they finde no other refuge then to feigne that the Prophet speaketh onely of the metaphoricall sacrifice of prayer good workes Which interpretation of theirs altho' it were neuer so true as it is most clearely false yet is it little sutable to other positions practice at least of Caluinists Vid. Dan. Cham. as that good works are sinnes in themselues yea damnable if God did not mercifully perdon them that they are not pleasing to God Nay prayer good workes are so litle couldly practiced among them all that if ther were no other sacrifice in the world doubtlesse God almightie should by them especially be verie couldly serued How be it that cleare it is out of the related text that Malachie treates not of anie vnpropersacrifice First because it is euident that he prophesied of such a future sacrifice as should be more proper pleasing to God then thesacrifices offered in the time of the old lawe which neuerthelesse being properly and truely sacrifices altho' in other respects defectiue that which should succeed vnto them could not in comparison of them be esteemed more proper pleasing sacrifice to God then they were if truely and properly it had not ben a sacrifice Secondly The Hebrewe text with the cleane oblation ioyneth incense which coniunction of both those rites togither doth manifestly shewe the Prophesie to be of an externall rite oblation to God consequently a proper sacrifice Thirdly It is plaine by the wordes of the text that the Prophet speaketh of such an externall ritie as mayntaines the greatnes of Gods name euen among Gentiles infidels which prayer good workes onely cannot effecte by reason they ar neither so apparent knowne among thē nor so publike a testimonie of the maiestie of God as sacrifice is without which his diuine renowne magnificence soueraintie would be extinguished in people in processe of time Fourthly true proper sacrifice is an essentiall parte of a true proper Religion a maine distinctiue signe from vn proper false Religions of such a one the Prophet treates as is both different from the sacrifice of the Gentiles yea of the Iewes them selues now prayer workes ar common to euerie
they being so plaine pregnant that a cheefe aduersarie was forced to confesse that ther is frequent mention in the ancient writers treaking of the Eucharist of the wordes sacrifice oblation hoaste victim to which may be added that the same Fathers in like manner vse the wordes altar Preist verie commonly all which ar so fit for the purpose of signifiing a true proper sacrifice that no writer either diuine or profane could euer inuent other more significant apte as it vndoubtedly appeares for that their writings manifest that they neuer vsed anie other wordes or phrases when they treated of the nature vse of a proper sacrifice since this I say is so apparently true I ernestly request of my reader to consider how voyde not onely of reason but also of common sense the sectaries of this our present age may iustely be iudged how shamelesly obstinate they be who denie that to be a true proper sacrifice which is as plainely affirmed to be such both by scripture it selfe the true Interpreters ther of as in wordes phrases they possible could declare to humane sense vnderstanding And with this I conclude the proofe of the maior of my sixt last argument framed directly against the English Relion hence I passe to the second parte of my treatise in which I will positiuely demonstrate by six other affirmatiue arguments the truth of the Roman faith nowe professed in the greater parte of the Christian world framing compounding my silogismes of the contradictorie propositions to those which I haue vsed before for the confutation of the English faith in this insuing manner THE SECOND PARTE OF THE CONVICTION CONtaining the defensiue arguments Adhuc excellentiorem viam vobis demonstro 1. Cor. 12.31 ALTHO ' in realitie rigor of truth especially for the more learned sorte of people ther is no necessitie of other proofe of the truth of the Roman Catholike faith then the disproofe which I haue alreadie made of the English Religion in regarde that ther being onely their Religion ours here in question theirs being false as I haue plainely demonstrated ours must by vnauoy dable consequence be true supposing two contradictories cannot be both true in one and the same matter or subiect neuerthelesse for greater satisfaction of the reader more cleare conuincement of the truth I will breefely proceed by positiue affirmatiue arguments in defence of the Roman faith Religion THE HRST PRINCIPAL ARGVMENT I Propounde my first sylogisme in this forme manner That onely Religion is true which is truely Catholike But the Roman Religion onely is truly Catholike Therefore the Roman Religion is the onely true Religion The Maior needs no proofe as being graunted by our aduersaries being once admitted with the Minor the other doth thence necessarily follow according to the rules of Logike which teaches that the premisses being true truely disposed the consequence cannot faile The Minor which our Antagonists denye I prone because the Roman Religion onely hath all the conditions required to true Cathoâ—â—â—â—â—â—e that is it hath vniuersalitie of matter or obiect of faith it hath vniuersallitie of time place persons that professe it also it hath vniuersallitie of the rule or reason which directs the professors in the confession exercise of their faith with all it hath vnitie in the same And first that the Roman Religion hath vniuersallitie in matter it is most manifest for that the aduersaries them selues can not denye but that it conprehendeth by faith beleeueth not onely all that is contained in the scriptures but also what soeuer els is proposed by their Church as matter of faith comprehended either in the written worde of God or diuine traditions which are the vnwritten worde of God which is the most large compleit vniuersallitie of faith that can be imagined to the latitude of which the obiect or matter of the English faith comes not neare as being by them limited to the bare scriptures onely As likewise because they denie points which the Roman Church maintaines for matters of faith As ar Purgatorie prayer to saincts c. Secondly That the Roman Religion hath vniuersallitie in the rule or reason which guideth the professors of it in their true beleefe it is also euident in regarde they neither beleeue nor refuse â—o beleeue anie thing as matter of faith for anie other immediate motiue or cause then for that it is proposed vnto them by the infallible authoritie of their Church to be beleeued or not to be beleeued as the worde of God which is the prime formall obiect of their faith which generallitie or vniuersalitie of rule is so great solid that it is inpossible to imagin anie more ample perfect in that nature Thirdly This most constant vnuariable vniuersallitie of the totall rule of faith as it is but one onely in it selfe so doth one onely agreeable vniforme consent of faith necessarily flowe issue out of it as frome a most cleare fountaine which is vnitie in the same faith among all euerie one of the professors of it supposing that according to true Philosophie where the formall obiect is one the actions tho' neuerso manie must of necessitie be of one the same species or nature that which in supernaturall faith is yet more certaine apparent by reason the obiect of it is exceedingly more vniforme vnuariable then anie naturall obiect is Fourthly Vniuersallitie of tyme place persons is so manifestly founde in the Roman Religion that the aduersaries them selues confesse that ther hath ben euer a visible Roman Religion in the world from the tyme of the Apostles euen to this present day which yet if they were so impudent as to denie all histories all writings all acts monuncents euen the verie stones them selues in manie places would quite conuince confounde them Onely one exception or euasion they haue to wit by alledgeing that altho' the Roman Church for the space of the fiue hundreth first yeares was a true Church yea the mother Church of all the rest of the particular Christian Churches Praesatmon as great King Iames doth ingenuously confesse yet say they hath it since fayled in faith of the Church of Christ is turned in to the seat of Antichrist viz when Phocas the Emperour gaue vnto Boniface the third Pope of that name the title of vniuersall Bishop This therefore is our aduersaries common allegation for proofe of the supposed defection of the Roman Church in matters of faith but so feeble friuolous false that both they themselues if they were not verie bleareyed all others might as it were in a miroir or perspectiue glasse clearely discouer this by the viewe of the successe of times to be but false colors painting whereby to limme their owne inexcusable defection from that faith which they founde vniuersallie established in the Christian world when their first
founders began to broach their owne pretended reformation For first I say that if for either Phocas to giue or Bonifacius to take the title of vniuersall Bishop were to reuolt or make a defection from the true faith or Church then should the whole Generall Councell of Calcedon haue reuolted from the true faith by offering to attribute it to Pope Leo Lib. 47. Epist 32. as sainct Gregorie doth testifie if this had ben so hainous a busines as our aduersaries contend it is temeritie to affirme or imagine that so famous a Councell consisting of so manie graue learned Bishops both Grecians Latin which our aduersaries themselues admit for legitimate would euer haue as much as mentioned such a matter Secondlie This being a matter of fact which can not be decided by either scriptures or ancient Fathers or the Primatiue ages in regarde it is knowne to haue happened after them both our onelie iudges must be those historians who haue made relation of this passage Now those relators which are Anastasius Bibliothecarius Pulus Diaconus Ado venerable Beda none of them affirme either that Phocas did giue Boniface anie authoritie of Primacie which he had not afore nor yet doe they or laye anie censure vpon the one or the other for that action whatsouer it was Thirdlie Certaine it is that neither Boniface nor anie of his successors euer either claimed or vsed in their publike acts or writings thetitle of vniuersall Bishop but rather all of them humble themselues so farre as they ordinarilie stile themselues no other then seruants of the seruants of God howsoeuer that title stile might be offered them or vsed by others for their greater honor authoritie Fourthly Suppose Pope Boniface others his successors had accepted vsed the title of vniuersall Bishop I meane in a true sense that is so as vniuersall Bishop signifies onelie Bishop or pastor of the vniuersall Church what great odious crime had this ben therefore to deserue the name of Antichrist or vsurper of the supremicie in the vniuersall Church since that both the title of head of the vniuersall Church the authoritie also of the head was attributed vnto precedent Popes long before the time of Phocas Iustinianus senior in epist ad Io. 2. Valentinianus epist ad Theod. of Prima sedes a nemine iudicatur Vid. Concil chal in Epist ad Leonem Papam Vid. Act. 1. 3. as doth appeare not onelie by the testimonies of two famous Emperours Iustinian valentinian but also by the acts of the Chalcedon Councels that title is acknowledged in plaine termes In so much that euen in those prime ages it was turned in to a common prouerbe that the first seat that is the Roman seat was to beiudged by noman Fiftlie If Pope Boniface is to be accounted Antichrist by the professors of the English Religion because they feigne him to haue vsurped the title power of vniuersall Bishop how I pray will their Kings escape the same censure who haue receiued the title power of the head of the English Church from their predecessor King Henrie the 8. who neuerthelesse had no more power nay much lesse to conferre it vpon them then the Emperour Phocas had to declare the same or the like to be due to the Pope Lastelie The truth is that it is not founde in anie of the foresaid historiographers or anie others of the Roman Religion that Phocas gaue to the Pope eyther the power or yet the title of vniuersall Bishop but they relate onelie that Phocas by his imperial edict did declare against the presumption of Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople that this title of head or Bishop of the vniuersall Church was proper to the Bishop of Rome but not to him or anie other moreouer that it was no way due to the Bishops of the Constantinopolitan seat or Church And this onelie the cited authors relate without anie mention of the wordes vniuersall Bishop but onelie they mention the wordes primate prime seat head of the Churches or the like phrases as may be seene in their bookes So that this is a grosse imposture of the Nouellists of our time in vsing the testimonies of these graue authors against the Popes of Rome by miere cheating cousinage by this meanes in steed of prouing their intent they proue nothing els but themselues to be miere Sycophants deceiuers to whome supposing they publish to the world the forsaid supposititious change of Religion made by Pope Boniface in the RomaÌ„ Church without either diuine or humane testimonie more then their owne presumed presumptious authoritie no prudent Christian ought to giue anie more credit then he giues to the incredulous impious Iewes who calumniate Christ as a peruerter of the lawe of God because he established his owne most perfect Church Religion in lieu of their Ceremoniall Synogog And by this it is cleare that the minor proposition of this my first argument standes still firme vnanserable to wit that the Roman Religion onelie is euer was truelie Catholike which is that I here intend to demonstrate THE SECOND PRINCIPAL ARGVMENT THIS my second argument I reduce to this forme of Sylogisme That onelie Religion is true which hath the true Canon of scripture But the Roman Religion onelie hath the true Canon of scripture Therefore the Roman Religion onelie is the true Religion The maior doubtlesse is graunted as certaine by our aduersaries wherefore it needes no further proofe The minor which I knowe they denie I proue because the Roman Church onelie hath that same Canon of scripture which hath ben generallie receiued in the Church both before since the time of sainct Augustin who in his second booke of Christian doctrine hath the verie same number names of diuineâ— volumes which at this present the Roman Church vseth in formor ages vsed since the time of the Apostles Cap. 8. which Canonical bookes sainct Augustin receiued from the Councell of Carthage this Councell from Pope Innocentâ—us the first of that name who also had them as descending by tradition of all or at the least of the cheefe greater parte of the Church since they were deliuered to it by the Apostles as I haue more largelie declared in the confutation of the English Canon in which point I need not insiste anie longer because the same arguments which I vsed for disproofe of it abundantelie serue for the proofe of the minor proposition of this my positiue argument to wit that the Roman Church onelie hath that same Canon of scripture completly intirely which hath ben euer most generallie receiued in the Christian world THE THIRD PRINCIPAL ARGVMENT MY third reason for demonstration of the trueth of the Roman Religion is this That Religion onely is true which hath the true interpretation sense of scripture But the Roman Religion onely hath the true interpretation sense of scripture Therfore the Roman Religion
We ought not still to seeke for the trueth 〈◊〉 others which may easily befounde in the Church since the Apostles haue most abundantly deposited in it as in a rich storchouse all things appertaining to truth Potum vitae that all those that will may receiue liquore of life for it is the entrance into life all others are theâ—ues robbers Lib. 4. c. 43. Qui succ ssionem â—â—â—ent ab Apoâ—â—oâ—â—s cum Episcopatus successione charisma veritâ— t is certum so cund â—m plaâ—â—tum Patriâ— accepeâ—unt In which wordes it is plaine that by the Church S. Irenaeus vnderstandes no other then the Bishops cheefe Pastors from whome as he teaches the rest of the people must receiue their doctrine And therefore he addes in another place that those meaning Bishops who haue succession from the Apostles ioyntly with the succession of their Episcopate or Bishoprie receiued a certaine grace or gifte of trueth according to the pleasure of God the Father And in this same matter in like forte S. Augustin speaketh in his first tenth chapter of his secoÌ„d Booke against Iulian saying in the first place I am now to perfurme that which is put in the third place of my disposition which is to subutrter destroye by the sentenees of Bishops whoe haue handled the scriptures with great commendation or glorie by the assistance of God thy machinations ô Iuâ—â—an And a little after he addes of the same Bishps Doctors Cal. Instit saying whom Christian people ought to antepose or prefer before your profane nouelties adhere to them rather then to you By which wordes S. Augustin whoe euen in our aduersaries iudgement is a faithfull witnes of antiquitie plainely testifies what the practise of the ancieÌ„t Church was in this particular of the peoples receiuing the scriptures expositioÌ„ sense from their superiors not from anie other priuate person or euerie one by his owne reading industrie how soeuer he may seeme to haue the spirit of God for interpretation of his worde And now by this to omit of her testimonies of Fathers to this purpose which cannot be included in so smale a compasse I conclude the whole confirmation force of my silogisme assuring my selfe that none of solid iudgement can firmely persuade themselues how beit for temporall respects to accommodate themselues to the current of the time they may exteriorly professe the contrarie to be credible that Christ our Sauiour whose wisdome was diuine infinit should haue taught the professors of his faith to playe euerie man in his humor with the sacred scripture to haue coÌ„mitted the true authenticall exposition of it to euerie Iack Gill rather them to his Preists Bishops cheefe commaunders of his Church in a linial succession from the Apostles as being publike visible ministers to whom it should obey especially in matters of faith saluation THE FOVRTH PRINCIPALL ARGVMENT MY fourth argument for positiue proofe of the Roman Religion is as followeth That Religion onely is true which hath a publike knowne rule of faith But the Roman Religion onely hath a publike knowne rule of faith 〈◊〉 to Roman Religion onely is the true Religion Touching the filogisme ther may seeme to be controuersie betwixt vs the Nouelists both in the Maior the Minor wherefore I will proue them both seuerall tho' breefely as the nature of my disputation requires The Maior proposition I proue aduertising the reader by the way that by a publike rule of faith I meane such a rule as is cognoscible or as may be knowne to all sortes of people as well those which are alreadie members of the true Church faith as also to others who as yet being out of it desire by their conuersion to be receiued into it This supposed I argue in this manner It is a necessarie propertie of the true ReligioÌ„ to haue a publike knowne rule of faith Therefore the true Religion necessarily hath a Publike knowne rule of faith The antecendent of the argument in which onely the difficultie of it coÌ„sists I proue because if the true religion hath not a publike knowne rule of faith it is impossible for such as want it to finde it in regarde that finding cannot be had but by seeking quarite inuenietis to seeke or inquire for that which is not so publike that it can possible be found is to seeke not to finde consequently to labore in vaine Now true Religion is of it owne nature such as may befound by those who endeuore to knowe it as day lie experience doth teach And therfore our Sauior saith quaerite inuenietis seeke you shall finde which sentence being generall it cannot be more comodiouslie vnderstanded then of true Religion as being the most important businesse which people can inquire for or seeke in this world as being the onelie way to saluation Concerning the minor of both my Sylogismes which in substance are one the same proposition to wit that the Roman Religion onelie hath the necessarie propertie of a true Religion and not the English faith that is a publike knowne rule of faith it is most euident for that the rule of faith which the Roman Church proposeth to be followed is the worde of God expounded by the publike visible knowne authoritie of the Bishops Pastors of the most vniuersall Church in the manner forme aboue declared in my precedent demonstration And not as the professors of the English Religion teach to wit by euerie priuate person in a sense secret onelie knowne to him who hath it which cannot possible be anie more vnderstanded or perceiued by others then the most secret cogitations of an others mynde All which as it plainelie appeareth is quite repugnant as it were doth directly intercept the meanes ordained by God for the saluation of soules who out of his infinit bountie mercie hath prouided a way to Paradise so plaine perspicious that euen children may be able to finde walkein And now by this the force of my fift argument remaines confirmed established the trueth of the Roman Religion conuinced THE FIFT PRINCIPAL ARGVMENT MY fift positiue argument I propose in this manner That Religion onelie is true which hath a perpetuall disinterrupted succession of true Bishops Preists deriued from the Apostles But the Roman Religion onelie hath a perpetuall disinterupted succession of true Bishops Preists deriued from the Apostles Ergo the Roman Religion onelie is the true Religion The maior I knowe not certainelie whether the aduersaries will grant or no but in case they denie it I haue sufficientlie proued it before in my demonstration of their want of succession The minor in which the controuersie either intirely or cheesely consistes I proue first by the same reasons arguments I conuinced in the fifte principall Sylogisme of the first parte of this treatise that the
English Religion hath no such succession from whence vpon the suppositâ—on in which we both agree that there is no other true Religion but theirs or ours it infalliblie followes that the Roman Religion onlie hath perpetuall succession of Prelates Pastors Secondly I proue this succession in the Roman Church by graunt of all or the greater parte of the aduersaries who most ordinarilie vse to distinguish betwixt succession of persons succession of doctrine leauing the first for vs claiming the second to themselues altho' most falselie as I haue sufficiently demonstrated in my negatiue argument vpon this point Yet if anie be so obstinate as to denie the continuall succession of Pastors in the Roman Church let him onelie read sainct Augustin's epistle to Generosus he will finde by him related the names of all the Bishops of Rome from sainct Peter to Pope Anastasius who theÌ„ did sit as cheefe Pastor in the Church of Rome And the rest of the Roman Bishops names he may finde in diuers moderne histories or Chronologies particularlie in Platina Onuphrius Yea in the Centurists or Centuâ—â—ators who notobstanding they be aduersaries yet we are content to admit them for our Iudges in this particular of the personall succession of Pastors in the Church of Rome And now by this that which I haue treated touching this same matter in my negatiue argument framed against the English Religion in the first parte of my disputation this argument also is sufficientlie declared to be sounde of approued force efficacie THE SIXT PRINCIPAL ARGVMENT I frame my sixt last principall argument in this manner That onelie Religion is true which hath practiseth a true proper externall sacrifice But the Roman Religion onelie hath practiseth a true proper externall sacrifice Ergo the Roman Religion onelie is the true Religion The Maior which onelie is in question I haue largelie proued alreadie in the declaration confirmation of my negatiue argument propounded against the English Religion in this point To which I adde that externall sacrifice is the essentiall parte of the externall seruice of God the verie quintessence of Religion ordained for a speciall acknowledgement of his supreme power dominion maiestie And althou ' it is true that Christ our Sauior offered himselfe in sacrifice vpon the Crosse for the reconciliation of humane nature which sacrifice was of farre greater estimation value in the sight of God then all the oblations sacrifices of the old Testament therefore had no necessitie to be offered more then once Neuerthelesse because this sacrifice was onelie or cheefelie for the redemption of man kynde was not offered by vs but by him alone for vs therefore it was further conuenient necessarie that besides that singular diuine oblation there should be a quotidian daylie sacrifice in the Church on our partes both for a perpetuall memorie of the former â—â—ge Sacrifâ—ium also for an externall protestation of our owne infirmitie the soueraine power maiestie of him who created vs conserueth vs by his continuall prouidence manutention for a signe testimonie of our gratitude towardes him from whome we receiue essence life motion Sacrifice onelie is an honor peculiar to God alone of which he himselfe saith honorem meum alteri non dabo All other sortes of honor as prayers prayse of their owne qualitie nature ar common to creatures for we may lawfullie both praye prayse mortall men euen in this world but sacrifice vnto them we can not no not to the greatest Angell or saint in heauen And in this cheefelie consistes the error of Gentils Pagan people which had not ben so grosse if they had not sacrificed to creatures but onelie giuen them supreme honor of laude prayer It seemes the verie instinct of nature tought men to sacrifice to God that God sacrifice in some sorte ar correlatiues according to the sayeing of God himselfe of himselfe Si Dominus sum vbi est honor meus that worde meus significes propertie in other things much more in this of sacrifice Hence it is that no natioÌ„ was euer so barbarous which if it did acknowledge anie kynde of God thou neuer so false absurde did not honore him with sacrifice And surely they commit no lesse crime them heigh treason against the diuine supremacie who depriue God of the honor of sacrifice yea doublesse they take a course to extinguish by degrees the memorie of that attribute open the way to Athisme who extinguish the exercise of an externall sacrifice If in the tyme of the old Testament sacrifices were so frequent when God almightie conferred his giftes with a scarce sparing â—and much more frequeÌ„tly with farre more deuotion perfection ought a sacrifice to be offered in the lawe of Christ which is by excellencie named the lawe of grace because of the infinit abundance of graces fauors benefits which God powereth vpon those who embrace the true faith Religion supposing that by how much the gifts be greater by so much the acknowledgment ought to be more exact accurate Now for conclusion of my whole treatise I aduertice the reader that I haue put all my arguments in such a forme of Sylogisme as is most cleare obuious of that nature that if the premisses be once graunted for true the consequence most vndoubtedlie followes They be also in a mode figure most knowne common For these termes that Religion are to be accepted for a kynde of vniuersal or indefinit subiect as signifying one among manie indeterminately so euery Sylogisme is in Darij which both in mode figure is one of the plaineth formes Which forme of argument I iudged most fit for my purpose in respect my cheefe designe in this matter is to conuince the vnderstanding of the more intelligent scholasticall sorte of people in the truth of the Roman Religion falsitie of the contrarie who if they haue so much ingenuitie in them as to yeald to the truth when by iudicious meditation pondering of the premisses they shall finde it discouered set in their seight I doubt not but they will perceiue themselues by force of the consequences concluded captiuated in obedience of faith which is that onelie honor or profit I hope desire to reape of my labors FINIS APPROBATIO VIso testimonio cuiusdam viri docti mihi de fide doctrina probê noti quotestatur tractatum hunc Anglicanum qui inscribitur Conuictio nouitatis antiquitatis defensio nihil contra fidem aut bonosmores continere dignum eundem iudicaui qui praelo committeretur Datum Duaci 28. Nouembris Anno Domini 1632. GEORGIVS COLVENERIVS c. THE PRINTERS ERRORS Page 3. line 5. for Campion reade Campian And p. 40. in the marginal note for quo reade quÄ™ The I rest remitte to the readers discretion