liberty freeth not frō the duety of doing the things which the Law requireth but frō doing them so as to haue them examined tryed strictly according to the Law rule of Iustice God in mercy accepting our works though imperfect if they proceed frō a good conscience faith vnfained But saith Kellison the Protestants teach that Christ came to bee a Redeemer only not a Law-giuer therefore it seemeth they thinke men free from the duety of following the prescription of any Law This surely is a very bad weake inference Christian men haue nothing to doe with Moses his Law and may at their pleasure either breake it or keep it because Christ came to be a Redeemer not a Law-giuer For though it be true that Christ came not to giue a new or more perfect Law of morall duties or to vrge it more strictly then Moses did as some imagine in which sense our Diuines rightly deny him to haue come as a Law-giuer yet hee came to fulfill the Law formerly giuen by the Ministery of Moses which thing hee performed first by clearing the meaning of it and making it to be rightly vnderstood where it was mistaken Secondly by meriting remission of the precedent breaches and transgressions of it And thirdly by giuing grace that men may in some sort doe the things it requireth Wherefore if any man aske of vs whether it may be truly said that Christ was a Law-giuer to his Church we answer that our Diuines did neuer simply deny Christ to be a Law-giuer but onely in sort before expressed For they confesse that he may truely be so named first because he writeth those Lawes in our hearts which Moses deliuered written in Tables of stone and secondly because hee gaue certaine positiue Lawes to Christian men touching Sacraments Ministery and outward meanes of saluation that were not of force before Wherefore to conclude this point we do not think as Kellison slaunderously against his own conscience reporteth of vs that no sins can hurt vs that no Hell nor Iudgement remaineth for vs whatsoeuer we doe but wee constantly teach that they who commit sinne with full consent and persist therein shall vndoubtedly perish euerlastingly So that this is all that we say that no sins how grieuous soeuer resisted disliked repented of forsaken can hurt vs that no Hell nor Iudgement remaineth for them whom the working of diuine grace freeth from the dominion of sin and the satisfaction of Christ from the condemnation of it Against which doctrine or any part of it neither Kellison nor any Papist in the world is able to take any just exception CHAP. 22. Of the Ministery of them to whom Christ committed the publishing of the reconciliation betweene God and Men procured by him THus haue wee seene first the excellency of Christ our Sauiour whom God sent into the world in the fulnesse of time to bee the great Sheepheard of his Sheepe the guide of his people the light of the Gentiles the glory of Israel and a King to fit vpon the throne of Dauid for euer hauing all power both in Heauen and in Earth Secondly what great thinges hee did and suffered for vs to reconcile vs vnto God Thirdly what the benefits are which hee procured for vs and bestowed on vs. Now it remaineth that wee see to whom he committed the publishing of the joyfull reconciliation betweene God and Man the conversion of the world vnto himselfe and the gouernment of such as should by beleeuing become his people when hauing finished the great worke he came to performe he was to returne backe to that God his Father that sent him The Apostle Saint Paul telleth vs that Christ hauing triumphed ouer principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly vpon his Crosse led captiuitie captiue and gaue gifts vnto men that hee gaue some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints the worke of the Ministery and the edifying of the body of Christ vntill wee all meete in the vnitie of Faith and knowledge of the Son of God into a perfect Man euen into the measure of the Age of the fulnesse of Christ. Amongstall those Messengers of glad tidings and Ministers of Christ appointed by him for the gathering together of the Saints the Apostles were chiefe and principall Evangelists were assistants which they vsed for the better settling perfecting of thinges happily begunne by them and the writing of the Euangelicall histories concerning Christ The Prophets were such as foretold future thinges that knew all secrets and opened the hidden mysteries of God speaking to the consciences of Men in a strange and admirable manner so that as the Apostle telleth vs They that heard them prostrated themselues at their feete acknowledging that God was in them These were temporary and to continue but for a time In the Apostles two sorts of thinges are to bee considered and distinguished by vs first such as were proper to them as fitting to those first beginnings of Christianity and secondly such as are of perpetuall vse and necessity and so to bee passed ouer to other and continued to the end of the world The Diuines do note that there were foure things proper peculiar to the Apostles not communicable to any other of the Ministers of Christ appointed by him for the gathering together of his Saints The first was Immediate vocation the second Infallibility of Iudgment the 3d generality of Commission to do all things pertaining to the ministery of Saluation in all places towards all Persons the fourth the speaking in all the tongues and languages of the world the knowledge of all secrets and power to confirme their Doctrine by signes and miracles and by the imposition of their hands to giue the like miraculous gifts of the Spirite to others These joyntly were not communicable to any other in those times neither Evangelists nor Prophets as either not being called immediatly but appointed by the Apostles or not infallibly led into all truth Generall commission they had not but were taken into the fellowship of the Apostles labours to assist their presence supply their absence to build vpon their foundation and to perfect that they beganne Lastly though the hauing of miraculous gifts and the power of working miracles simply were not proper to the Apostles yet the hauing of them in such sort as by the imposition of their hands to giue the Spirit enabling to worke miracles to doe miraculous things was peculiar and proper to them and therefore we reade that Philip baptized but that the Apostles went to confirme them by imposition of hands that were baptized by him that so they might receiue the miraculous gifts of the holy Ghost And as these things were reserued as proper and peculiar vnto the Apostles and not communicated to any other in their time soe are they not passed ouer
not onely a condition but a cause of that perswasion of fayth which they haue yea the authority of the Church is the formall cause of all that faith seduced Papists haue And therefore the distinction of a cause and condition helpeth them not It is true indeed that the Ministerie of the Church proposing to men thinges to bee beleeued is onely a condition requisite to the producing of a supernaturall act of fayth in respect of them that haue some other thing to perswade them that that is true which the Church proposeth besides the authority of the Church but in respect of such as haue no other proofe of the trueth thereof it is a formall cause Now this is the condition of all Papists For let them tell Mee whether they beleeue the Scripture to be the Word of God without any motiue at all or not and if they doe not as it is most certaine they doe not whether besides such as are humane they haue any other then the authority of the Church if they haue not as doubtlesse they haue not they make the authority of the Church the formall cause of their faith and fall into that sophisticall circulation they are charged with For they beleeue the articles of religion because reuealed and that they were reuealed because it is so contayned in the Scripture and the Scripture because it is the Word of God that it is the Word of God because the Church telleth them it is and the Church because it is guided by the spirit and that it is so guided because it is so contayned in the Scripture this is such a maze as no wise man will willingly enter into and yet the Treatiser commendeth the treading of these intricate pathes and telleth vs that two causes may bee causes one of another That the cause may bee proued by the effect and the effect by the cause and that such a kinde of argumentation is not a circulation but a demonstratiue regresse that two causes may be causes either of other in diuerse respects we make no question For the end of each thing as it is desired setteth the efficient cause a worke and the efficient causeth the same to bee actually enjoyed Likewise we doubt not but that the cause may be proued by the effect and the effect by the cause in a demonstratiue regresse For the effect as better known vnto vs then the cause may make vs know the cause and the cause being found out by vs may make vs more perfitly and in a better sort to knowe the effect then before not onely that and what it is but why it is also So the death of little infants proueth them sinners and their being sinners proueth them mortall The bignesse of the footstep in the dust or sand sheweth the bignesse of his foote that made that impression And the bignesse of his foote will shew how bigge the impression is that he maketh but this maketh nothing for the justifying of the Romish circulations For heere the effect being knowne in a sort in itselfe maketh vs know the cause and the cause being found out and knowne maketh vs more perfectly to knowe the effect then at first wee did but the case is otherwise with the Papists for with them the Scripture which in it selfe hath no credit with them but such onely as it is to receiue from the Church giueth the Church credit and the Church which hath no credit but such as it is to receiue from the Scripture giueth the Scripture credit by her testimony And they endeauour to proue the infallibility of the Churches judgment out of the Scripture and the trueth of the Scripture out of the determination and judgement of the Church Much like as if when question is made touching the quality condition of two men vtterly vnknowne a man to commend them to such as doubt of them should bring no other testimony of their good and honest disposition but the testimony of each of them of the other It is true then which I haue said that to a man admitting the Old Testament and doubting of the New a man may vrge the authority of the Old and to a man doubting of the Old and admitting the New the authority of the New but to him that doubteth of both a man must alledge neither of them but must bring some other authority or proofe so likewise to him that admitteth the Scripture and doubteth of the Church a man may vrge the authority of the Scripture but to him that doubteth of both as all doe when they begin to beleeue a man must alledge some other proofe or else hee shall cause him to runne round in a Circle for euer and neuer to finde any way out Wherefore to conclude this poynt let our Aduersaries know that wee admitte and require humane motiues and inducements and amongst them a good opinion of them that teach vs as preparing fitting vs to fayth Secondly that wee require a supernaturall ayde light and habit for the producing of an act of faith Thirdly that we require some diuine motiue inducement Fourthly that this cannot be the authority of the Church seeing the authority of the Church is one of the things wee are to bee induced to beleeue Fiftly that wee require the ministery of the Church as a propounder of all heauenly trueth though her authority can be no proofe in generall of all such truth Sixtly that the Church though not as it includeth onely the beleeuers that are in the world at one time yet as it comprehendeth all that are or haue beene is an infallible propounder of heauenly truth and so acknowledged to bee by such as are assured of the trueth of the doctrine of Christianity in generall Seauenthly that the authority of this Church is a sufficient proofe of the trueth of particular things proposed by her to such as already are by other diuine motiues assured of her infallibility §. 7. FRom the authority of the Scripture which he would faine make to bee wholy dependant on the Church the Treatiser passeth to the fulnesse and sufficiency of it seeking amongst other his discourses to weaken those proofes which are brought by Mee for confirmation thereof Affirming that though I make shew as if it were a plaine matter that the Euangelists in their Gospels Saint Luke in the Actes of the Apostles and Saint Iohn in the Apocalyps meant to deliuer a perfect summe of Christian doctrine and direction of faith yet I bring no reason of any moment to proue it Whereas yet in the place cited by him I haue these wordes contayning in them as I suppose a strong proofe of the thing questioned Who seeth not that the Evangelists writing the history of CHRISTS life and death St Luke in the booke of the Acts of the Apostles describing the comming of the Holy Ghost the admirable gifts and graces powred vpon the Apostles and the churches founded and ordered by them and Saint Iohn writing the Revelations
which he had concerning the future state of things to the end of the world meant to deliuer a perfect summe of Christian doctrine if the proof contained in these words be not sufficiēt for my part I know not what may be for what can be necessary to bee knowne of Christians ouer and aboue that which is found in the olde Testament besides the Incarnation of Christ his words actions sufferings the manner of the establishment of churches in the faith of Christ and the ordaining and appointing of fit guides to take care of the government of the same and the future state of things to the end of the world But he saith no one of the Evangelists intended to set downe all that Christ did and suffered as it appeareth in that no one of them hath so done that it cannot be said that all jointly haue so done seeing that could not proceed but from some common deliberation or the disposition and inspiration of the holy Ghost mouing them to write neither of which can be said For that there was no such deliberation he saith it is evident in that no man mentioneth any such thing in that it is knowne they wrote in diuers countries at diuers times vpon diuers occasions that the inspiration of the holy spirit did not direct them to the writing of all things necessary hee saith it is likewise most cleare in that I confesse there are some things wanting in their bookes which the church beleeueth which could not be if the spirit had moued them to write all This obiection will soone be answered For first it is certain that some one of the Evangelists intended to write all things which Christ did and spake S. Luke professing that he had so done Which yet is not to be vnderstood of all things simply but such onely as he did spake in that time within the compasse whereof he confined his narration Neither doth this prejudice the fulnesse of the Evangelicall history For as Baronius noteth the later Evangelists taking a view of that the former had written for the most part added what things they found omitted by them So Marke Luke write of the ascension of Christ not mentioned by S. Mathew because he ended his story before he came to it And Iohn finding as Hierome saith that the other three had written onely the history of one yeare after Iohn the Baptist was cast into prison wherein Christ suffered approued that which they had written as true omitting that yeare because the things that fell out in it were reported by thē recorded such things as fell out before the imprisonment of the Baptist which they had not written as not fetching the beginning of their narration so farre off If it be said by this Treatiser that many things that Christ did are so omitted that they are found in none of the Evangelists for that Iohn who wrote last of all knew well what the rest had written hath these words Many other signes also Iesus wrought in the sight of his Disciples which are not written in this booke but these things are written that you may beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the son of God and that beleeuing you may haue euerlasting life through his Name And againe there are also many other things which Iesus did which if they should be written euery one I suppose the world would not be able to containe the Bookes which should be written Baronius will tell him that the Evangelists when they tooke in hand the writing of the sacred stories intended not to write all the things generally that Christ did but such so many only as might serue to confirme the Faith and to demonstrate that IESVS is the Son of GOD that the things which they haue written are sufficient to saluation that men beleeuing may haue eternall life So that though there were no commō deliberation or consultation amongst the Evangelists though they wrote at diuers times in diuers places yet by the sweet disposition of the holy Spirit that moued them to write it might and did so fall out in that one saw what another had written that the later added such things as they foūd omitted by the former so left vnto vs a perfect full narration concerning Christ his incarnation life death resurrectiō ascension as also the things he did and spake during the time of his conversing amōgst men So that the Treatiser is not able to proue that the Evangelicall historie is imperfect but there is one thing wherein hee gloryeth as if hee had gotten some great aduantage which is that I confesse that there are somethings found in the Epistles of the Apostles occasionally writtē beleeued by the Church that are not found in the history of the Euangelists the book of all the Acts of the Apostles nor the Reuelation of Saint Iohn whence hee thinketh hee may inferre that eyther the Authors of th◅se books meant not to deliuer a perfect summe directiō of Christian faith as I affirme or that they missed of their purpose which may not bee graunted But lette him know that there is no consequence of any such absurdity as hee imagineth from any thing I haue written For the things beleeued by the Church and not found in the former bookes but in the Epistles of the Apostles are nothing else but distinct and cleare determinations of doubts arising touching matters of faith or manners out of and according to the summe of Christian Doctrine found in the former bookes or historicall narrations of such thinges as passed betweene the Apostles themselues or between them and the Churches founded by them or some particular persons in them not mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles or lastly Apostolicall prescriptions of things pertaining to decencie order and comelinesse in the performance of the acts of Gods worship and seruice Now I thinke it will not follow that if there be found in the Apostolicall Epistles some more distinct cleere resolutiōs determinations of doubtes out of the forme and direction of Christian Doctrine found in the former bookes then are there found or a prescription of some outward obseruations that the former bookes containe not a perfect summe and direction of Christian faith much lesse will it be consequent that these bookes containe not a perfect direction of Christian faith because some historicall narrations not found in them are beleeued in the Church as that Paul left his cloake at Troas that hee mediated for Onesimus and sought to reconcile him to his Maister and the like The Treatiser therefore passeth from this exception and asketh how I will proue that all thinges beleeued by the Church not contained in the former books are found in the Epistles of the Apostles to whom I answere that when hee shall giue any instance of things beleeued by the Church not foūd in the former books either it shal be proued
require inward qualities in a man before hee can be at all of the Church but before hee can bee fully of the mysticall bodie of Christ. We say therefore that all they are of the Church that outwardly hold the faith of Christ and that that society wherein the sincere outward professiâ—… of the truth of God is preserued is that true Church of God whose commâ—…on we must imbrace that happy mother in whose wombe we are conceiuâ—… with whose milke we are nourished to whose censures we must submit our selues And so it is vntrue that the same Bellarmine imputeth vnto vs charging vs that we affirme that none of the priviledges which Christ hath bestowed on his Church do pertaine to the Church generally considered but only to that more speciall nuÌ„ber of the elect of God who coÌ„municate in the benefits of effectual sauing grace which who they are is known to none but God only For though we know they were all granted for their sakes do benefit them only yet we say not that they pertaine only vnto them For whereas there are 4 sorts of things pertaining and belonging to the Church to wit First the promises of euerlasting loue mercie secondly the knowledge of God and meanes of saluation thirdly the ministery and dispensation of the word and sacraments and fourthly the performance of such duties as God requireth The first sort of things pertaine onely to the more speciall number of the elect of God the second to the whole multitude of Christians in generall the third to such as are lawfully called thereunto the fourth if they be generall duties pertaine to all if speciall to speciall degrees and sorts of men in the Church according to their severall differences Thus then wee see the divers considerations of the Church and the different condition of them that doe pertaine to it of whom it doth consist notwithstanding all which differences for that they all concurre in the same holy profession and vse of the same happy meanes of saluation they make one holy Catholicke Church in which onely the light of heauenly trueth is to be sought where only grace mercie remission of sinnes and hope of eternall happinesse are found Sola Catholica Ecclesia est quae verum Dei cultum retinet hic autem est fons veritatis hoc est domicilium fidei hoc templum Dei quod si quis non intrauerit vel à quo si quis exierit à spe vitae ac salutis aeternae alienus est It is only the Catholicke Church that hath the true worship and seruice of God this is the welspring of trueth the dwelling place of faith the temple of God into which whoso entreth not and from which whoso departeth is without all hope of life and eternall saluation CHAP. 12. Of the diuers sorts of them that haue not yet entred into the Church THey that haue not entred into this societie are of two sorts Infidels and Catechumens that is infidels and such as though they be beleeuers are not yet baptized The former are without of whom the Apostle speaketh when hee pronounceth that hee hath nothing to doe to iudge them that are without The latter for that they make profession of the trueth of God and with longing desires thirst after the full enjoying of the blessed communion of the Saints of God wishing for nothing more then by baptisme to be admitted into the family of Christ and houshold of faith are in vestibulo pietatis as Nazianzen noteth and are like children formed and fashioned in the wombe and come to the birth though not yet brought foorth And therefore the constant resolution almost of all Diuines is and hath beene that if without contempt and neglect by any vnauoidable impediment they bee hindered from enjoying the benefite of this sacramentall assurance of their adoption they doe notwithstanding the want thereof liue and die in the state of saluation These therefore are within as the Apostle speaketh though not by that solemne outward and sacramentâ—… admission which they doe desire yet in desire purpose and preparation fitting them vnto it which is so farre forth necessarie to saluation that no man euer was or shall be saued that either wilfully neglected or contemned the same And therefore it is not without great cause that Nazianzen in the place aboue mentioned taxeth the folly of some in his time who for that they knew the greatnesse of the benefit of grace which is receiued in baptisme which by no other meanes in so full and ample sort is bestowed on the scâ—…nes of men lest by the euils they might through humane frailtie easily runne into they should fall from it which could not in the same degree and measure be recouered againe deferred and put off their baptisme as long as they could so that some were lifted vp to Bishops chaires before by baptisme they had set one foote within the doores of the house of God not considering as he wisely obserueth that while they sought so providently to auoide the danger of loosing the benefits once receiued in Baptisme they did runne into as great or greater danger neuer to receiue the same And that if the feare of loosing the benefite of the grace of Baptisme once receiued may cause vs iustly to deferre the seeking and obtaining of it we may with as good reason deferre and put off to be Christians at all lest happily in time of persecution and triall we might fall away This was the fault of sundry in the Primitiue Church and which was yet more to be condemned many did therefore differre and put off their Baptisme that so whatsoeuer evill things they did in the meane time might in that Lauer of new birth be washed away thereby taking greater liberty to offend for that they had so present meanes of full remission and perfect reconciliation so making that which was ordained against sinne and for the weakening and ouerthrow of it to be an encouragement thereunto and to giue life and strength vnto it Seeing therefore wee are but in vestibulo pietatis while we remaine vnbaptized and our feete stand but in the outward courts of the Lord of hostes wee must not rest till we enter into his holy habitation till wee may looke into the holiest of all and behold his glorious presence in the middest of his Saints CHAP 13. Of the first sort of them that after their admission into the Church of God doe voluntarily depart and goe out from the same THey which after their entrance and admission into the house of God depart and goe out againe are of two sorts For either they depart of themselues leauing the fellowship and forsaking the faith as Schismatikes and Heretikes or else they are cast out by the censures of the guides of the Church for their wicked vngodly and scandalous conuersation as excommunicate persons and such as are enjoyned publike penance Concerning the first sort
which the Romanists now teach nor power of nature to doe the workes of the Lawe according to the substance of the things commanded though not according to the intention of the Law-giuer to loue God aboue all and to do actions morally good or not sinfull without concurrence of speciall grace nor election and reprobation depending on the foresight of some thing in vs positiue or priuatiue nor merit of congruence and condignity nor workes of supererogation nor counsels of perfection as they now teach nor iustification by perfection of inherent qualities nor vncertainty of grace nor seaven Sacraments properly so named nor locall presence nor Transubstantiation nor orall manducation of the body of Christ nor reall sacrificing of it for the quick the dead nor remission of sinnes after this life nor tormenting of the soules of men dying in the state of saluation in a part of hell hundred of yeares by divels in corporall fire out of which prayer should deliver them nor that the Saints heare our prayers know or are acquainted with our particular wants nor the grosse Idolatry in those times committed and intollerable abuses found in the number fashion and worship of their images nor their absolution as now they define it nor treasure of the Church growing out of the superfluitie of Saints merits not rewardable in themselues to be disposed by the Pope for supplie of other mens wants to release them out of Purgatorie by way of indulgence nor the infallibility of the Popes iudgment and plenitude of his power such and so great that he may depose Princes and dispose of their crownes and dignities and that whatsoeuer he doth he may not be brought into order or deposed by authority of the whole Christian world in a generall Councell These are the errours which wee condemne and our adversaries maintaine and defend these wee are well assured were not the doctrines of that Church wherein our Fathers liued and dyed though wee do not deny but they were taught by some in that Church All these we offer to proue to be errour in matter of our Christian faith and that seeing wee could no longer haue peace with our adversaries but by approuing these impieties wee had iust cause to divide our selues from them or to speake more properly to suffer our selues to be accursed anathematized and rejected by them rather than to subscribe to so many errours and heresies contrary to the Christian and Catholike verity CHAP. 8. Of the true Church which and where it was before Luthers time THus then it appeareth which wee thinke to haue beene the true Church of God before Luther or others of that sort were heard of in the world namely that wherein all our Fathers liued and died wherein none of the errours reproued by Luther ever found generall vniforme and full approbation in which all the abuses remoued by him were long before by all good men complained off and a reformation desired And therefore though wee accknowledge Wickliffe Husse Hierome of Prague and the like who with great magnanimity opposed them selues against the Tyranny of the See of Rome and the impiety of those who withheld the trueth of God in vnrighteousnesse who being named Christians serued Antichrist as Bernard complained of some in his time to haue beene the worthy servants of God and holy martyrs and confessours suffering in the cause of Christ against Antichrist yet doe wee not thinke that the Church of God was found onely in them or that there was no other appearance of succession of Church and ministerie as Stapleton and other of that faction falsely impute vnto vs. For wee most firmely beleeue all the Churches in the world wherein our Fathers liued and died to haue beene the true Churches of God in which vndoubtedly salvation was to be found and that they which taught embraced and beleeued those damnable errors which the Romanists now defend against vs were a faction only in the Churches as were they that denied the resurrection vrged circumcision and despised the Apostles of Christ in the Churches of Corinth and Galatia If any of our men deny these Churches to haue beene the true Churches of of God their meaning is limitted in respect of the prevailing faction that was in the Church and including them and all the wicked impieties by any of them defended in which sense their negatiue is to bee vnderstood For howsoever the Church which is not to be charged with the errours and faults of all that in the midst of her did amisse held a sauing profession of the trueth of God yet there were many and they carrying the greatest shew of the Church that erred damnably and held not a sauing profession of diuine trueth wherevpon Gerson sayth that before the councell of Constance the false opinions touching the power of the Pope did fret like a Canker preuailed so far that he would hardly haue escaped the note of heresie that had said but halfe so much as was defined in the Councell of Constance by the vniuersall consent of the whole Christian world Gregorius Ariminensis sheweth that touching the power of nature to doe things morrally good and to fulfill the law without concurrence of speciall grace touching the workes of infidels predestination reprobation and punishments of originall sinne the heresies of Pelagius were taught in the Church and that not by a few or contemptible men but so manie and of soe great place that he almost feared to follow the doctrine of the Fathers and oppose himselfe against them therein The same doth Gerson report concerning sundry lewd assertions preiudiciall to the states of Kings and Princes which the Councell of Constance could not bee induced to condemne by reason of a mighty faction that preuailed in it though many great ones much urged it and though they made no stay to condemne the positions of Wicklife and Hus seeming to derogate from the state of the Clergie though many of them might carry a good and Catholike sense if they might haue found a fauourable construction Whereupon he breaketh into a bitter complaint of the partialities and vnequall courses holden in the Church and protesteth that he hath no hope of a reformation by a councell things standing as they then did The like complaint did Contarenus make in our time that if any man did debase the nature of man deiect the pride of sinnefull flesh magnifie the riches of the grace of God and vrge the necessity of it hee was iudged a Lutheran and pronounced an Hereticke though they that gloried in the name of Catholikes were themselues Pelagian heretickes if not worse then Pelagians Alas saith Occam the time is come the blessed Apostle Saint Paule 2. Timoth. 4 prophecied of When men will not suffer wholesome doctrine but hauing their eares itching after their owne lustes get them a heape of Teachers turning their eares from the trueth and being giuen vnto fables This Prophecie is altogether fullfilled in our
of him in these senselesse fooleries CHAP. 18. Of the Fathers strictnes in admitting men into the ministerie of single life and of their seuerity in the discipline of repentance THat which followeth is altogether of the same kinde Calvin saith the Fathers were too seuere in that they required more in them that were to be ordained to serue in the holy ministery of the Church than the blessed Apostle Saint Paule doth require Therefore saith Bellarmine hee dissenteth from all Antiquity and confesseth the Romish doctrine and practice to bee most auncient This consequence is very weake For the Romanists retaine nothing of that auncient seuerity but breake all the Canons of discipline that the Fathers obserued by their ordinary dispensations or rather dissipations of all order and neglect of all rules of orderly government For where is that Canon obserued that no man attaine to the order and degree of a Presbiter till he be thirty yeares of age that no man bee ordained loosely or at randome but to bee imployed in some certaine charge of ministery that one man haue no title interest and liuing in two Churches whereas in the Church of Rome one man hath two hundred or three hundred ecclesiasticall liuings that men ambitiously and couetously goe not from one Church because it is meaner to another because it is greater Caluin therefore was not so ignorant as to thinke the Romanists to bee too seuere in the obseruation of discipline and therein to be like the primitiue Fathers hee saith therefore the cleane contrary to that which Bellarmine imputeth vnto him that in the choise of such as were to be admitted into the holy Ministery the Fathers of the Primitiue Church followed the prescription of Saint Paule and the examples of the blessed Apostles that they proceeded therein with very great and religious reuerence and inuocation of the name of God that they had a set forme of triall and examination according to which they made inquirie both into the life and doctrine of them that were to be chosen but that contrariwise in the Church of Rome there haue beene very few found to bee chosen for the space of an hundred yeares last past that the old Canons reiect not as wholly vnworthy of ecclesiasticall honour imployment as Drunkardes Adulterers Sodomites and the like Monsters to passe by lesse matters as that boyes of tenne yeares of age by the Popes dispensations haue beene admitted to Bishoprickes The Church of Rome then by her pactise condemneth the whole course of proceeding in former times which Caluin reuerenceth as most religious and wisheth that things were brought backe to that auncient order againe Onely he saith that the Fathers of those times may seeme a little to haue exceeded in too much seuerity in that they required more things in them that were to bee elected then the blessed Apostle Saint Paul doth This censure neede not seeme so strange vnto vs if wee remember that such as had beene baptized by heretickes or when they were in feare and danger of death which were named Clinici in those times might not vnlesse their conuersation learning and deserts afterwards were very highly approoued be admitted into the ministery that he which had married a widow though he were now free she being dead might not enter into the degree and order of Ministery that hee which had one wife yea though it were before hee became a Christian or were baptized and after his being a Christian his first wife beeing dead married another was iudged vncapable of Ministeriall order against which Ierome declaimeth in his Epistle to Oceanus Behold sayth he Men suppose Adulteries whoredomes Incests Sodomitries Paricides impieties against God and whatsoeuer things are so wicked that they are not to be named are washed away in Baptisme and that after all these horrible crimes a man may bee admitted to the Ministery as being washed from them in the lauer of new birth but if a man had a wife before which was no crime and after his Baptisme shee being dead marry another he may not Thus saith he these hypocrites for so in the heate of his passion he calles them doe straine at a gnat and swallow a Camell For this Ruffinus challengeth him as a contemner of the constitutions and decrees of the Fathers though he shew that innumerable not onely Presbyters but Bishops were in all the parts of the world admitted contrary to the prescript of these pretended Canons That which Calvine addeth that in processe of time they forbade marriage and forced all them that would enter into the holy Ministery to liue single was neuer generall nor in one sort In the Councell of Nice Paphnutius disswaded the Bishops from putting those of the Clergie from the matrimoniall societie of their wiues affirming that marriage is honourable among all men and the bed vndefiled and that the forcing of single life would bring many euils into the Church This Counsell and perswasion of Paphnutius was not onely yeelded vnto by the Fathers of that Councell but in the sixt generall Councell the Fathers there assembled condemned the practice of the Romane Church in forbidding marriage not onely as hard iniurious and being an occasion of many euils but as contrary to the Canons of the Apostles of Christ from whence it is that all the Churches of the world the Church of Rome onely excepted admit married men continuing in the state of marriage into the holy ministery as the Churches of Armenia Graecia Syria Aethiopia Russia and whatsoeuer Christians there are in any part of the world How long it was before this decree of forced single life prevailed in the Latine Church and what resistance there was made against Pope Hildebrand for the same by the whole Cleargie of Christendome calling him heretike monster and enemie of mankinde author of all mischiefe impurity and confusion the histories of those times report affirming that vpon the publishing of that his decree there followed such disturbance of the peace of the Church such confusions indignities contempts and profanations of all holy things as that the Church was neuer so grievously and daungerously afflicted in any of her most bloody persecutions vnder the Heathen Emperours nor in her greatest conflicts with heretickes What good successe this decree had after it prevailed and what a pure and holy Clergie it represented to the world let Gerson report who acknowledgeth that the places of holy Ministery were possessed by adulterers wantons Sodomites and such like monsters that the number of the offenders in this kinde was so great as that there was no proceeding against them that the canons against Concubinaries notorioussie so knowne requiring all men to refraine from communicating with them could not now bee continued that it were best to permit them to keepe harlots fot the avoyding of greater euils and to tolerate their wickednesse in that kinde as the stewes are permitted Thus then I hope it
Christian Churches throughout the world as well those of the East as of the West doe euer did though they doe not so certainely resolue what their state is that are departed hence what is yet wanting vnto them or wherein or how far forth they may bee benefitted by our prayers but the Romish conceipt of Purgatorie and their praying to deliuer thence none of the Easterne Churches admit neither doe wee This is that which our Aduersaries must finde in the Canon of the Masse if they will say any thing against vs for the proofe of the Romish religion out of the canon Let vs heare therefore what the forme of the prayer for the dead is which is found in the canon of the Masse The words of it are Remember Lord thy servants and thine handmaides N. or N. which are gone before vs with the badge of faith and doe sleepe in the sleepe of peace O Lord wee pray thee to graunt to them and to all that are at rest in Christ a place of refreshing of light and peace That this prayer hath no respect to Purgatorie or to the deliuerance thence it is evident For how doe they sleepe in peace that are tormented in Purgatorie and whose paines are no lesse than those of hell though they bee not eternall Or who is so voyde of sense as to thinke that all that are at rest in Christ are tormented in Purgatorie and that to all these God is entreated in this prayer to graunt a place of refreshing of light peace So that first it is euident that a place of refreshing light and peace is wished to such as are not in Purgatorie For it is wished to all that are at rest in the Lord. But all that are at rest in the Lord are not in Purgatorie whence it will further follow that the Church prayeth for them that shee doth not thinke to bee in Purgatorie and consequently that prayer for the dead proueth not Purgatorie as they would make the world beleeue that it doth And secondly that the Church at that time when this forme of prayer was first composed did not beleeue or thinke that there is any Purgatory For if shee had had any such perswasion shee would not haue forgotten to recommend to God the wofull estate of men so afflicted as they are supposed to bee that are there That this prayer can haue no reference to the state of men in Purgatorie paines it is so cleere that Iohn the 22 who supposed as many of the auncient also did long before him and the Easterne Christians still doe that the soules of the iust are so at rest in Christ that yet they remaine vnder the altar that is vnder the protection and comfort of the humanity of Christ in a state place of happines foretasted but not fully enioyed and that they shall not bee lifted vp aboue to the view of the deitie of Christ as it is in it selfe the vision of God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost till the judgement produceth this prayer for confirmation of his opinion supposing that seeing a place of refreshing peace is here wished to them that are at rest in Christ which cannot in any sense be vnderstood of such as are in purgatory therefore there is some state of men free from paine punishment wherein they are expect the accomplishment of happines To which though Ockam so answere that hee would haue this prayer to haue reference to the estate of distressed soules in Purgatory yet in the end hee sayth it may bee vnderstood of the soules of holy men that are in heaven the meaning of it is that the soules of such men as sleepe in the sleepe of peace hauing resumed their bodies may enter into that place of refreshing light peace that includeth the highest essentiall accidentall degree of eternall peace which they cannot haue till the resurrection And Florus that liued in the time of Carolus Calvus in his exposition of the Masse saith it is most cleare that the soules of perfect iust men so soone as they are loosed from the body are receiued into heauen but this is to bee vnderstood of the soules of Apostles Martyrs and confessours and men of great perfection of life For the soules of certaine just men are not presently admitted into the heavenly kingdome but though they bee in blessed rest yet are stayed in certaine mansions by which their stay and not enjoying presently what they most desire it appeareth they come short of perfect righteousnesse Besides these he thinketh there is a third sort of such as are in Purgatorie Bernard as it appeareth in the place of Ockams dialogues aboue cited maketh three estates of the soule the first in corpore corruptibili the second in requie the third in beatitudine consummatâ the first in the body subject to death corruption the second in rest the third in consummate happinesse The second excludeth all punishment affliction the third all desire of having any higher perfection or attayning any farther good A man of great place worth that hath written not long since feareth not to deliuer his opinion that the soules of the iust are so in rest peace and in heauenly mansions immediatly after their departure hence that yet they come not into the highest heaven place of greatest felicity till the resurrection Which of these opinions the authour of this forme of prayer followed it doth not certainely appeare But sure it is hee thought those who are there commended to God to bee in a state of rest farre from paine torment and so desired the perfecting of whatsoeuer is yet wanting vnto them without any reference to purgatory or the deliuering of any thence From this of prayer for the dead let vs come to the other objection touching the commemoration of the blessed Apostles other Saints holy Martyrs by through whose intercession for whose merits the priest people desireth God to graunt that they may in all things be kept safe strongly defended by the help of diuine protection That the Saints doe pray for vs in genere desiring God to bee mercifull to vs and to doe vnto vs whatsoeuer in any kind he knoweth needfull for our good there is no question made by vs and therefore this prayer wherein the Church desireth God to bee gracious to her to graunt the things shee desireth the rather for that the Saints in heauen also are suppliants for her will not be found to containe any poynt of Romish doctrine disliked by vs. But they will say there is mention made in this prayer of the merits of those holy Apostles Martyrs and the Church desireth God to graunt her petitions for those merits which is contrary to the doctrine of Protestants that deny all merit properly so named and therefore cannot but condemne the opinion of one mans meriting for another For answere herevnto wee must obserue as Cassander
the virgin in the councell of Lateran But Cardinall Caietan writeth a learned discourse touching the same matter and offereth it to Leo praying him to be well aduised and in this tract for proofe of her conception in sin he produceth the testimonies of 15 canonized Saints For first S. Augustine writing vppon the 34 Psalme sayth that Adam died for sin that Mary who came out of the loynes of Adam died for sinne but that the flesh of the Lord which hee tooke of the virgin Mary died for to take away sin And in his 2d booke de baptismo parvulorum Hee only who ceasing not to be God became man neuer had sinne neither did he take the flesh of sin or sinfull flesh though hee tooke of the flesh of his mother that was sinfull And in his tenth booke de Genesi ad litteram he sayth Though the body of Christ were taken of the flesh of a woman that was conceiued out of the propagation of sinnefull flesh yet because hee was not soe conceiued of her as shee was conceiued therefore it was not sinnefull flesh but the similitude of sinnefull flesh And Saint Ambrose vppon those words Blessed are the vndefiled hath these words The Lord Iesus came and that flesh that was subiect to sinne in his mother performed the warrefare of vertue And Crhysostome vpon Mathew sayth Though Christ was no sinner yet hee tooke the nature of man of a woman that was a sinner And Eusebius Emissenus in his second sermon vpon the natiuity which beginneth Yee know beloued c. hath these words There is none free from the tie and bond of originall sinne no not the mother of the redeemer Saint Remigius vppon those words of the Psalme O God my God looke vpon mee sayth The blessed virgin Mary was made cleane from all staine of sinne that the man Christ Iesus might bee conceiued of her without sinne Saint Maximus in his sermon of the assumption of the blessed virgin sayth The blessed and glorious virgin was sanctified in her mothers wombe from all contagion of originall sinne before shee came to the birth and was made pure and vndefiled by the holy Ghost Saint Beda in his sermon vppon missus est and the same is in the ordinary glosse sayth that The holy spirit comming vpon the virgin freed her minde from all defiling of sinnefull vice and made it chast and purified her from the heate of carnall concupiscence tempering and cleansing her hart Saint Bernard in his epistle to them of Lyons sayth It is beleeued that the blessed virgin after her conception receiued sanctification while shee was yet in the wombe which excluding sinne made her birth holy but not her conception Saint Erardus a Bishoppe and a martyr in his sermon vpon the natiuity of the virgin crieth out O happie damsell which being conceiued in sinne is purged from all sinne and conceiueth a sonne without sinne Saint Anthony of Padua in his sermon of the natiuity of the blessed virgin sayth The blessed virgin was sanctified from sinne by grace in her mothers wombe and borne without sinne Saint Thomas Aquinas for he also was a canonized Saint in the third part of his summe quaest 27. art 2. sayth that the blessed virgin because shee was conceaued out of the commixtion of her parents contracted originall sinne Saint Bonauenture vppon the third of the sentences distinct 3. p. 1. artic 1. quaest 1. sayth Wee must say the blessed virgin was conceiued in originall sinne and that her sanctification followed her contracting of originall sinne this opinion is the more common the more reasonable and more secure More common for almost all hold it The more reasonable because the being of nature precedeth the being of grace The more secure because it better agreeth with the piety of faith and the authority of the Saints then the other Saint Bernardine in sermonum suorum opere tertio in his tract of the blessed virgin sermon the fourth sayth There was a third sanctification which was that of the mother of God and this taketh away originall sinne conferreth grace and remoueth the pronenesse to sinne mortally or venially Saint Vincentius the Confessor in sermone de conceptione virginis sayth The blessed virgin was conceaued in originall sinne but that the same day and houre she was purged by sanctification from sinne contracted so soone as euer shee had receiued the spirit of life And besides all these holden to bee Saints in the Church of Rome hee sayth there were a great multitude of auncient doctors who speaking particularly and distinctly of the virgin say shee was conceiued in originall sinne whose sayings who pleaseth may find in the originalls or may find them in the bookes of Iohannes de Turrecremata and Vincentius de Castro Nouo writing vpon the conception of the virgin whence they are taken Thus farre Caietan Bonauentura professeth that the opinion of the blessed virgins spotlesse conception was so new in his time that he had neuer read it in any author neither did he finde it to be holden by any one that he had euer seene or heard speak And Adam Angelicus sayth If the sayings of the Saints be to be beleeued wee must hold that the blessed virgin was conceiued in originall sin and none of the Saints is found to haue sayd the contrary Yet in time some beganne to bring in this opinion and to make it publike as Scotus and Franciscus de Maironis but very doubtfully and fearefully for Scotus hauing spoken of both opinions touching the conception of the virgin sayth in the conclusion that God onely knoweth which of them is the truer but if it be not contrary to the authority of the Church or of holy Scripture it seemeth probable to attribute that to the virgin that is more excellent And that indeede hee had reason to feare least hee should contrary the Fathers and holy men that went before it will easily appeare by that of the master of Sentences It may truely bee said and wee must beleeue according to the consenting testimonies of the Saints that the flesh which CHRIST tooke was formerly subiect to sinne as the rest of the flesh of the virgin but that it was soe sanctified and made pure and undefiled by the operation of the holy Ghost that free from all contagion of sinne it was vnited to the word But see how strangely things were carried this opinion which was vnknowne to the Church for more then a thousand yeares and at the first broaching of it had fewe patrons yet in time grewe to be so generally approued that almost all they of the Latine Church thought they did God good seruice in following this opinionâ—… many visions reuelations and miracles were pretended in fauour of it and the Councell of Basil decreed for it Bridget canonized for a Saint professed it had beene particularly revealed to her but Catharina Senensis a Prophetesse also and more authentically canonized then the former professed that the contrary
was revealed to her as the Arch-bishop of Florence reporteth in his summe And Caietan saith if miracles be pretended for proofe great caution is to bee vsed both in respect of the strange workes and in respect of the illusions that may fall out in things of this kinde In respect of the strange workes that are done because the Angell of Satan transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light and can doe many great and strange things which wee would thinke to bee true miracles and such things as God onely can doe as the workes of healing strange mutations in the Elements and the like Whence it is that it is said Antichrist shall doe so many miracles in the sight of men that if it were possible the very elect should bee deceiued Moreouer as the Apostle testifieth 1 Cor. 14 and blessed Gregory in his tenth Homilie miracles were giuen to Infidels not to beleeuers but to the Church as faithfull and not faithlesse the propheticall and Apostolicall revelation was giuen for her direction So that though that course of proofe that is by miracles was appointed by Christ Marke the last in respect of Infidels and though it bee allowed by the Church to make good the personall condition of some man as when one pretendeth to bee sent extraordinarily of God yet vnlesse most clearely a true and vndoubted not wonder but miracle were done in the sight of the Gouernours of the Romane Church expressely to testifie that this particular is true the Roman Bishops ought not to determine any doubtfull thing in matter of faith vpon the doing of a miracle And the reason is because God hath appointed an ordinary course for the resoluing of points of faith so that if an Angell from Heauen should say vnto vs any thing contrary to this way wee were not to beleeue him as the Apostle saith in the first to the Galathians Adde hereunto that the miracles which the Church admitteth in the canonization of Saints which yet are most authenticall are not altogether certaine seeing the credite of them dependeth vpon the testimonie of men and euery man is a lyar And hee concludeth that these things being so wise men thinke that pretended miracles and revelations in this kinde contrary to so many Saints and auncient Doctours argue rather that the Angell of Satan is transformed into an Angell of light and that whatsoeuer things are alleadged in this kinde are meere fancies and counterfeite stuffe then that they prooue the trueth of this conceipt and that proofes in this kinde are fitter for silly women then councels to take notice of It appeareth by Saint Bernard that in his time they of Lyons in France out of a superstitious conceipt as he rightly censureth it beganne to celebrate the Feast of the Conception of the blessed Virgin supposing that she was conceiued without sinne but he opposeth himselfe against this innovation and saith the observation of the Church hath no such thing reason inferreth it not nor ancient tradition commendeth it that wee are not more learned devout then our Fathers that in like sort others may bring in the Feast of her parents Conception that patriae non exilii frequentia haec gaudiorum numerositas festivitatum cives non exules decet That whereas some brought out a certaine pretended writing of divine revelation it was not to be regarded and that another might bring forth the like writing wherein the holy Virgin might bee found to commaund the same thing to be done in honour of her parents according to the commaund of the Lord Honour thy father and thy mother so did hee shew his dislike Yet after this many Churches receiued the same obseruation and in processe of time all were brought to keepe the same day holy yet so that many of them professed that they would keepe it holy not in respect of her preseruation but of her sanctification from sinne So that wee see that this poynt of Romish superstition was neuer admitted by the Church but protested against by all the most worthy members of it which thing besides that which hath already beene alleadged the reader may finde farther confirmed by Ariminensis who not only contradicteth this fancie himself but produceth many authorities for the reproof of it So that herein also the Church wherein our Fathers liued and died is found to haue beene a Protestant Church as in the former But some man will say many of those that we produce for witnesses that she was conceiued in sinne yet thinke that shee was sanctified in the wombe and borne without sinne For answere herevnto we must obserue that which Gregorius Ariminensis hath that many thought shee was sanctified in the wombe and borne without originall sinne as sinne and making guilty of condemnation but not without concupiscence inclining to euill which was wholly taken away or so restrained by the superabundance of grace when the holy spirit overshadowed her that shee might be the mother of God that it should neuer be an occasion of sinne this opinion the master of sentences followeth and this opinion the Schoolemen followe for the most part But August sayth Ista sanctificatio quâ efficimur singuli templa Dei in vnum omnes templum Dei non est nisi renatorum quod nisi nati homines esse non possunt Si homo regenerari per gratiam spiritus in vtero potest quoniam restat illi adhuc nasci renascitur ergo antequam nascitur quod fieri nullo modo potest Seeing therefore none can be sanctified before hee bee borne neither canne any man be cleansed from originall sinne before his birth in asmuch as that is not taken away but by the infusion of grace And the glosse vpon the eigth to the Romans saith Christ was the first that was borne without sinne And Anselme in his second booke cur Deus homo hath these wordes Though Christs conception were pure and without the sinne of carnall delight yet the virgine her selfe of whom he tooke flesh was conceiued in iniquity and her mother conceiued her in sinne and shee was borne with originall sin because shee also sinned in Adam in whom all sinned And diverse of the Fathers feared not to make her subject to actuall sin Origen writing vpon Luke insisting vpon those wordes of Simeon to Mary a sword shall pierce thorough thy soule hath these wordes What is this sword that pierced the heart not only of others but of Mary also It is plainly written that in the time of his passion all the Apostles were scandalized as the Lord himselfe had sayd you shall all be scandalized this night they were all therefore so scandalized that even Peter the prince of the Apostles denyed him thrice What shall we thinke that when the Apostles were scandalized the mother of our Lord was free from being scandalized Surely if shee suffered no scandall in the time of the Lords passion Christ dyed not for her sins but
of the Auncient euer did weighing the circumstances of places the nature and force of words in the Originall and hauing other helpes necessary Neither is this to contemne the vniforme and maine consent of the Fathers but rather more exactly to illustrate and explaine those things which they did allegorically vnderstand or not so diligently trauaile in as is fit for them that come after to doe It is not then so strange a thing to say that there are many places of Scripture the true literall and natural sense whereof we cannot finde in any of the Ancient Neither is this to charge them with error in faith seeing the sense they giue tendeth to the furtherance of the true faith and the better forming of mens manners to godlinesse Wherefore wee feare not to pronounce with Andradius that whosoeuer denyeth that the true and literall sense of sundry texts of Scripture hath beene found out in this last age wherein as Guido Fabritius rightly noteth all things seeme to bee renewed and all learning to be newly borne into the world that so Christ might bee newly fashioned in vs and wee new borne in him is most vnthankefull vnto God that hath so richly shed out his benefites vpon the children of this generation vngratefull towards those men who with so great paines so happy successe and so much benefit to Gods Church haue travailed therein Neither is Andradius only of this opinion but Iansenius Maldonatus also who both of them do in sundry places professe they rest not satisfied in any interpretation giuen by the Fathers but preferre other found out in this age For example in the explication of that place of Iohn Of his fulnesse we haue all receiued grace for grace Maldonatus refuseth all the interpretations of the Fathers and giueth this of his owne We haue receiued of Christs fulnesse most excellent gifts of grace yet no man hath receiued al but euery one is defectiue yea euery one lacketh something that another hath But he may acknowledge the goodnesse of God towards him in that hee hath some other in stead of it which the other hath not and so may rightly bee saide to haue receiued grace for grace because in stead of that grace he wanteth and another hath hee hath receiued some other which the other wanteth Many other instances might bee giuen out of Caietane Andradius Iansenius Maldonatus and other worthy Divines of the Church of Rome but this may suffice CHAP 18. Of the diuers senses of Scripture THus hauing set downe to whom the interpretation of the Scripture pertaineth it remaineth that wee speake of the rules directions and helpes that men haue to leade thē to the finding out of the right meaning of it But because some suppose the Scripture hath many vncertain senses before we enter into the discourse of the rules which must direct vs in interpreting wee must speake something of the multiplicity of senses supposed to be in the words of Scripture which may seeme to contrary all certainety of interpretation There is therefore a double sense of the sacred words and sentences of Scripture for there is a literall sense and a spirituall or mysticall sense The literall sense is either proper or natiue when the words are to be taken as originally in their proper signification they import or figuratiue when the words are translated from their naturall and proper signification to signifie something resembled by those things they do primarily import As when Christ sayth hee hath other sheepe which are not of this fould The spirituall or mysticall sense of the Scripture is when the words either properly or figuratiuely signifie somethings which are figures and significations of other things This is Threefoold Allegoricall Tropologicall Anagogicall The first is when things spoken of in the old Testament are figures of somethings in the Newe So it was literally true that Abraham had two sons the one by a bond-woman the other by a free but these two sonnes of Abraham imported some other thing in the state of the newe Testament to wit two different sorts of men And here wee may obserue the difference betweene an Allegory and a Type A Type is when some perticular person or fact in the old Testament demonstrateth and shadoweth out vnto vs some particular person or fact in the newe An allegory when something in the old Testament in a spirituall and mysticall sort shadoweth out vnto vs in a generality things in some proportion answering in the newe So Dauid ouercomming Goliah was a Type of Christ and allegorically did shadow out that victory which wee obtaine in the state of the newe Testament ouer those ghostly enemies that rise vp against vs. The Tropologicall sense of Scripture is when one thing deliuered and reported in the Scripture signifieth some other thing pertaining to the behauiour and conuersation of men as when God forbade to muzzle the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne This prohibition did literally signifie that God would not haue labouring oxen restrained from feeding while they were treading out the corne But this respect which God had vnto these his creatures of inferiour cōdition did signifie that much lesse they which labour for our soules good are to be denied the things of this life Anagogicall when the things literally expressed vnto vs do signifie something in the state of heauen happinesse God sware in his wrath to the Israelites that they should not enter into his rest meaning the land of Canaan but the Apostle from thence concludeth that vnbeleeuers shall not enter into that eternall rest of the Saints in heauen because the rest of the Israelites in the land of Canaan after their manyfold dangers vexations and trauels was a figure of the eternall rest in heauen This diuision of the manifold senses of Scripture is taken out of Eucherius Hierom maketh three kinds of exposition of Scripture Historicall Tropologicall and Spirituall that which he nameth spiritual comprehendeth both those before expressed by Eucherius to wit Allegoricall Anagogicall Augustine maketh the expositiō of the Scripture to be twofold Historical Allegorical The former he maketh to be twofold to wit Analogicall Aetiologicall and the later he maketh to comprehend that which properly is called Allegoricall and the other two to wit Tropologicall and Anagogicall The reason of this diuersity of mysticall senses is because the old Testament was a figure of the new and the new of future glory This multiplicity of senses breedeth no vncertainety in the Scripture nor Aequivocation because the words of the Scripture do not doubtfully signifie so diuers and different things but the things certainly signified by the words are signes significations of diuers things All these are founded vpon one literall certain sense from which onely in matter of question and doubt an argument may be drawen The thing wherein Origen offended was not that hee found out spirituall and mysticall senses of
pollution of originall sin and if perhaps any did sometimes vse any forme or rite it was rather a matter of priuate voluntary deuotion than of necessitie For whereas parents stand bound by the generall law of God and nature with all thankefull acknowledgment to receiue their children as a great and speciall benefit from God this their faith pietie and thankefullnesse joyned with desire of and prayer for their Good prosperous and happy estate was accepted and found fauour with God on the behalfe of their children Whereupon Gregory pronounceth that the faith of the parents was of the same force with them of the old time that the Baptisme of water is with vs. And whereas Augustine sayth it is not likely that the people of God before the institution of Circumcision had noe Sacrament wherewith to present their children to GOD though the Scripture haue not expressed it it is not to bee vnderstood sayth Andradius of any outward ceremonies necessary for the sanctification of those Infants but of any rite offering them to GOD whether mentall onely or outwardly object to the eye and sense That which Andradius addeth that it could not be knowne but by tradition onely that the faith of the parents was in stead of circumcision before circumcision was instituted and after the institution of it to them that might not lawfully or could not possibly be circumcised is frivolous for men knew it concluded it out of the generall and common rules of reason and equity Touching the state of the people of God since the comming of Christ our adversaries make no doubt but they can easily proue that the writings which the Church that now is hath are defectiue and imperfect This they endeauour to proue First because the Scriptures of the New Testament were written vpon particular occasions offered and not of purpose to containe a perfect rule of faith Secondly because they were written by the Apostles and other Apostolique men out of their owne motions and not by commandement from Christ the Sonne of GOD. But vnto both these Arguments alleadged by our Adversaries we answere that they containe matter of very grosse errour For first who seeth not plainly that the Evangelistes writing the historie of Christs life and death Saint Luke in the booke of the Acts of the Apostles describing the comming of the Holy Ghost the admirable gifts of grace powred vpon the Apostles and the Churches established and ordered by them and the blessed Apostle Saint Iohn writing the Revelations which hee saw concerning the future state of things to the end of the world meant to deliuer a perfect summe of Christian doctrine and direction of Christian faith It is true indeed that the Epistles of the Apostles directed to the Christian Churches that then were were occasionally written yet so as by the providence of God all such things as the Church beleeueth not being found in the other parts of Scripture purposely writtē are most clearely at large deliuered in these Epistles Secondly touching the other part of their Argument which they bring to convince the Scripture of imperfection because they that wrote it had no commaundement to write wee thinke it needeth no refutation for the absurditie of it is evident and cleare of it selfe For who knoweth not that the Scriptures are not of any priuate motion but that the holy men of God were moued impelled and carried by the spirit of truth to the performance of this worke doing nothing without the instinct of the Spirit which was vnto them a Commandement The imperfection defect supposed to be foundin the Scripture our adversaries endeavour to supply by addition of traditions The name of Tradition sometimes signifieth euery Christian doctrine deliuered frō one to another either by liuely voyce only or by writing as Exod. 17. Scribe hoc ob monumentum in libro trade in auribus Iosuae Write this for a remembrance in a Booke and deliuer it in the eares of Iosuah Act. 6. 14. The written Law of Moses is called a Tradition Audivimus eum dicentem quoniam Iesus destruet locum istum mutabit traditiones quas tradidit nobis Moses We heard him say that Iesus shall destroy this place and change the traditions which Moses deliuered vnto vs. Sometimes the name of tradition signifieth that which is deliuered by liuely voyce onely and not written That which I receiued of the Lord saith the Apostle that I deliuered vnto you In this question by tradition we vnderstand such parts of Christian doctrine or discipline as were not written by them by whom they were first deliuered For thus our Adversaries vnderstand Traditions which they diuide into divers kindes First in respect of the Authors so making them of three sorts Divine Apostolicall Ecclesiasticall Secondly in respect of the matter they concerne in which respect they make them to be of tvvo sorts for either they cōcerne matters of faith or matters of manners and these latter againe either temporall or perpetuall vniuersall or particular All these in their seuerall kindes they make equall with the wordes precepts and doctrines of Christ the Apostles Pastors of the Church left vnto vs in writing Neither is there any reason why they should not so doe if they could proue any such vnwritten verities For it is not the writing that giueth things their authoritie but the worth credite of him that deliuereth them though but by word and liuely voyce onely The only doubt is whether there be any such vnwritten traditions or not Much contention there hath beene about Traditions some vrging the necessity of them and other rejecting them For the clearing whereof we must obserue that though we reiect the vncertaine and vaine traditions of the Papists yet wee reiect not all For first wee receiue the number and names of the authors of bookes Diuine Canonicall as deliuered by tradition This tradition we admitte for that though the bookes of Scripture haue not their authority from the Approbation of the Church but winne credite of themselues and yeeld sufficient satisfaction to all men of their Diuine truth whence wee judge the Church that receiueth them to bee led by the spirit of God yet the number Authors and integrity of the parts of these bookes wee receiue as deliuered by tradition The second kinde of tradition which wee admitte is that summarie comprehension of the cheefe heads of Christian doctrine contayned in the Creed of the Apostles which was deliuered to the Church as a rule of her faith For though euery part thereof be contayned in the Scripture yet the orderly connexion distinct explication of these principall articles gathered into an Epitome wherein are implyed and whence are inferred all conclusions theologicall is rightly named a tradition The 3d is that forme of Christian doctrine and explication of the seuerall parts thereof which the first Christians receiuing of the same Apostles that deliuered to them the Scriptures commended
to their after-commers by succession but in steed of immediate calling wee haue now succession in steed of infallibility of judgment the direction of their writings guiding vs to the finding out of the truth in steede of Generall commission particular Assignation of seuerall Churches to rule and parts of Christs flocke to feed in steed of miraculous gifts and the Apostles power to conferre them a setled course of Schooles and Vniuersities fitting men for the worke of the Ministery insteed of their Miracles wherewith they confirmed their doctrine the Faith already receiued and by so many generations recommended vnto vs as confirmed by the Apostles Miracles at the first Neither was it fit as Saint Augustine noteth that these miraculous courses should still haue continued For euen as a man that neuer had seene the seede cast into the earth and there rotting and the trees dead in Winter after reuiuing and flourishing againe in their appointed time would wonder no lesse at it then if he should see a blind man receiue sight or a dead man life but now that these things are ordinary wee little esteeme them so if those miraculous things appearing in the Apostles and first Ministers of Christ which with their newnesse and strangenesse moued much at the first should haue beene continued still they would haue grown into contempt and not haue beene regarded at all All that which hath beene sayd touching the dignity Apostolicall and the things properly pertaining to it is so cleare and euident that wise and judicious men make no question of any part thereof Yet are there some that seeme to doubt whether the Apostles generally had immediate calling or vniuersality of commission supposing that Peter onely was immediately designed by Christ and the rest by him that he onely had an illimited commission without all restraint and the rest an inferiour commission to that of Peter bounded and stinted Touching the first of these doubts Bellarmine whose manner it is not to conceale the diuisions and differences that are or haue beene amongst the Friends and Louers of the Church of Rome but to write them in the forehead of euery controuersie sheweth that there are three opinions amongst the Diuines of the Romish Church touching this point The first that as well the Apostles as succeeding Bishops receiued their power and and jurisdiction from Peter and his supposed successour the Bishop of Rome The second that both Apostles and Bishops receiued their Ecclesiasticall power and jurisdiction immediately from Christ and not from Peter nor his Successours The third that Bishops receiue their jurisdiction from the Pope but that the Apostles receiued all their power and jurisdiction immediately from CHRIST and not from Peter The Second of these opinions is wholly true and I will in due place confirme the same The third in part true and in part false which Bellarmine followeth and the first wholly false which hee largely and substantially confuteth prouing first that the Apostles receiued all their jurisdiction and power immediately from Christ and not from Peter as well out of the words of our Sauiour when hee sayth As my Father sent mee soe send I you as out of the election of Matthias who was not chosen by Peter or the other Apostles but designed immediatly by God himselfe shewing by direction of the Lot falling on Matthias that it was hee whom hee would haue to succede into the void roome of Iudas the Traytour adding that the Apostles gaue him no authority and that Paul professeth the same touching himselfe protesting that hee receiued all his power and Iurisdiction immediately from Christ and thereby prouing himselfe to be an Apostle Secondly he proueth that the fullnesse of all Ecclesiasticall power was committed to all the Apostles in as large and ample sort as to Peter by the testimonies of Chrysostome and Theophylact and that Christ by those words As my Father sent mee so send I you made all the Apostles his Vicars or Vicegerents yea gaue them his owne office and authority and out of Cyrill that by these words he made them Apostles and Doctours of the whole world and that to let them know that in Apostolique power hee gaue them all Ecclesiasticall power he sayd vnto them As my Father sent me so send I you it being certaine that the Father sent the Sonne with all fulnesse of power Farther he addeth out of Cyprian that the same fulnesse of power was giuen vnto the rest of the Apostles by those words As my Father sent me so send I you that was promised to Peter by those I will giue thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen performed by those other Feed my Sheep feed my Lambes Now saith he it is certain that by those words I will giue thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and by those other Feed my sheep c. is vnderstood all fulnesse of Iurisdiction both inward and outward therefore the fulnesse of Ecclesiasticall power and Iurisdiction was giuen to euery one of the Apostles Thus then the Cardinall confesseth first that all the Apostles were immediately taught of God without learning any thing of Peter or needing in any thing to be confirmed by him Secondly that their commission was generall so that there was not any act of Ecclesiasticall Ministery to which their commission did not extend nor any places in which nor persons towardes whom they might not performe the acts of their Ministery Thirdly that they receiued all this authority and power immediatly from Christ and not from Peter and that therefore they could neither be limited nor wholly restrained by him in the vse and exercise of the same Thus doth hee ouerthrow the whole frame and fabrique of their building who ground the pretended supremacy of the Pope vpon Christs words spoken to Peter For to what purpose doe they vrge that to Peter onely Christ said Feede my Sheepe c that to him onely he gaue the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and vpon him onely promised to build his Church seeing they are forced to confesse that the commission of feeding Christs sheepe was giuen in as ample sort to the rest as to Peter that they all receiued the whole power of the keyes that the Church was builded vpon the rest as well as vpon Peter and equally founded vpon them all If the Cardinall shall shrinke from this his confession we can easily force him to it againe and make him acknowledge that whatsoeuer Christ promised intended or performed by any of his speeches directed vnto Peter he performed to all Christ said specially to Peter Feede my sheepe yet had the rest our Adversaries being Iudges the same commission Hee promised to him the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen so that what hee should binde on Earth should bee bound in Heauen hee named him Peter and promised vpon that Rocke to build his Church yet all receiued the same keyes as well as he the same power of binding and
sunder These being the things required in a foundation simply and absolutely in respect of all times persons and things Christ onely is that foundation vpon which the spirituall building of the Church is raised because he onely is that beginning whence all spirituall good originally floweth and commeth vpon whom all the perswasion of the truth of things revealed staieth it selfe as being the Angell of the great Couenant and that eternall Word that was with God in the beginning vpon whom all our hope confidence and expectation of any good groundeth it selfe all the promises of God being in him yea and Amen And in this sense the Apostle Saint Paul saith Other Foundation canne no man lay then that which is layd which is Iesus Christ. And S. Augustine and other of the Fathers vnderstand by that rocke vpon which our Sauiour promised Peter to build his Church the rocke that Peter confessed which rocke was Christ vpon which foundation euen Peter himselfe was builded for that other Foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Iesus Christ. But in respect of some particular times persons and things and in some particular and speciall considerations there are other things that may rightly bee named foundations also in respect of the spirituall building of the Church So in respect of the frame fabrique of vertue and weldoing raised in this building the first vertue namely Faith vpon which all other vertues doe stay themselues and from which they take the first direction that any vertue can giue is rightly named a foundation In respect of the forme of Christian doctrine the first principles of heauenly knowledge are rightly named a foundation Not laying againe saith the Apostle the foundation of faith and of repentance from dead workes of the doctrine of Baptismes of the imposition of hands of the resurrection of the dead and ofeternall iudgement let vs be led forward vnto perfection These first principles of heauenly knowledge are named a foundation because they are the first things that are knowen before which nothing can be knowen and because vpon the knowledge of these things all other parts of heavenly knowledge doe depend In respect of the confession of the true faith concerning Christ the first cleare expresse and perfect forme of confession that euer was made concerning the same may rightly be named a foundation and in this sense Peters faith and confession is by diuerse of the Fathers named the Churches foundation But they vnderstand not by the faith and confession of Peter either the vertue and quality of faith abiding in his heart and mind or the outward act of confessing but the forme of confession made by him when he said Thou art the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God vpon which forme as being the rule of all right beleeuing the Church of God is builded In respect of the supernaturall knowledge of God in Christ the first immediate reuelation made to the Apostles from whom all other were to learne and by whose Ministerie accompanied with all things that might winne credit they were to be gained vnto God may very rightly and justly be named a foundation vpon which the faith of all after-commers is to stay it selfe and from which in all doubts they must seeke resolution And in this sort Bellarmine saith truely that the Apostles may be named Foundations of the Church according to that description in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn of the wall of the citie of God that had 12. foundation-stones vpon which it was raised and in them written the names of the Lambes twelue Apostles and that of S. Paul that wee are builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Christ Iesus being the Head corner-stone And this in three respects First because the Apostles were the first that founded Churches and conuerted vnbeleeuers to the faith Secondly because their doctrine which they receiued immediatly from God by most vndoubted revelation without mixture of errour or danger of being deceiued is the rule of the faith of all aftercommers and that sure immoueable and rockie foundation vpon which the perswasion of all succeeding generations and posterities may and doth most securely stay and ground it selfe Thirdly because they were Heads Guides and Pastors of the whole vniuersall Church hauing not onely supreme but prime and originall gouernment of the same out of whose most large and ample commission all Ecclesiasticall power and authoritie of after-commers was in an inferiour degree and sort to bee deriued and taken In all these respects all the Apostles were that strong rocke and those strong rockie foundation-stones on which the Church is builded though in a peculiar sense Christ alone bee the Rocke and in all these respects as S. Hierome saith Super omnes ex aequo Ecclesiae fortitudo solidatur that is the strength and firmenesse of the Church doth equally indifferently stay it selfe vpon them all and consequently no more vpon Peter then any of the rest Hitherto we finde nothing peculiar to Peter and not common to all the Apostles so that all the allegations of our Adversaries touching the feeding of the Sheep of Christ committed to Peter the power of the keyes of binding and loosing of remitting and retaining sinnes and the promise that on him as on a rockie foundation-stone elect and precious Christ would build his Church are to no purpose seeing they are forced to confesse that all these things were likewise either by direct words or by intendment bestowed on all the rest Wherefore let vs see how notwithstanding this their confession they can make good that there was a primacie of power in Peter and how they goe about to confirme the same CHAP. 23. Of the primacie of power imagined by our Adversaries to haue beene in Peter and their defence of the same FOr the avoyding of the cleare evidence of the truth of all that which hath beene said touching the equalitie of the Apostles of Christ amongst thēselues which our Adversaries cannot but see acknowledge they haue two shifts The first that the Apostles were equall towards the people but not amongst themselues The second that they were equall in the Apostolique power but that Peter had that amplitude of power which the rest had as Apostles by speciall fauour and onely in for their own persons as an ordinary Pastour and in such sort that he might leaue the same to his Successors These their silly shifts evasions we will examine that so the truth of that which hath bin said be more fully cleared that all men may see perceiue that nothing can be substātially objected against it nor no evasiō foūd to avoid it Touching the first thing that they say it is an Axiome as I thinke that may not bee doubted of that whatsoeuer things are equall in respect of a third thing are in the same sort fo farre for equall amongst themselues So
vttered many things in your leters concerning Peters chaire saying that he yet sitteth in it in his successours I truely doe acknowledge my selfe to be vnworthy not onely to be in the number of those that sit as rulers but of them that stand to bee ruled But I therefore willingly accept whatsoeuer you say because he hath spoken to me of Peters chaire that sitteth in Peters chaire and although it no way pleaseth or delighteth me to be specially honoured yet I greatly reioyced because what you attributed to me you gaue to your selues For who knoweth not that the holy Church is firmely established in the soundnesse of the Prince of the Apostles whose firmenesse his name doth shew for he is named Peter of Petra a Rocke to whom the voyce of Verity saith I will giue to thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and thou being converted confirme thy brethren and againe Simon Ioanna Louest thou mee feede my sheepe Wherefore though there were many Apostles yet in respect of the chiefty he had the chaire of Peter chiefe of the Apostles grew to be in greater authority then the rest which is the chaire of one Apostle in three places For he exalted the See in which he was pleased to rest and to end this present life he beautified that See wherein he left the Evangelist his Disciple and he firmely established that See in which he sate seuen yeares though with purpose in the end to leaue it and to depart from it Whereas therefore there is the See of one and that but one wherein three Bishops by Gods appointment doe sit to rule whatsoeuer good I heare of you I account it mine owne and what you perswade your selues of mee thinke that you also are worthy of the same If this Epistle proue that the Pope cannot erre it proueth likewise that the Bishoppes of Alexandria and Antioche are free from errour For all these succeede that great Apostle Saint Peter to whom Christ saide To thee will I giue the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and thou being turned confirme thy brethren And againe Louest thou me feede my sheepe as well as the Pope All these sit in Peters chaire Peters chaire is in Alexandria and at Antioche as well as at Rome and whatsoeuer they that are Bishops of Alexandria and Antioche attribute to the Bishop of Rome they may lawfully assume to themselues seeing they are worthy of the same as Gregory in this place telleth vs. Wherefore seeing not onely Fathers and Councels but euen Popes also in whose defence he writeth faile him the Cardinall flieth for helpe to the Priests of Aarons order and goeth about to proue that the Pope cannot erre because the high Priest had in his brest-plate Vrim and Thummim light and perfection or doctrine and trueth as hee will haue the Hebrew word translated importing as hee supposeth that he could not erre in the vnderstanding of the Law of God Whereupon as he thinketh God commaunded all those that any way doubted of the meaning of his Law to goe vp to the high Priest and to seeke to bee satisfied by him saying They shall iudge true iudgment vnto thee Lyra in his Annotations vpon this place reporteth that there was a certaine Glosse of the Hebrewes that if the High Priest should tell them that their right hand were their left or their left their right they were to hold it good and right The like opinion it seemeth the Romanists haue of the Pope But Lyra in that place condemneth the folly of those Iewes that so thought because the sentence of no man of what authoritie soeuer hee bee is to bee admitted if it containe a manifest vntruth and errour which hee saith is euident out of the very text it selfe in that it is said They shall iudge vnto thee true iudgement and thou shalt doe whatsoeuer they shall say vnto thee that are ouer the place that the Lord hath chosen and whatsoeuer they shall teach thee according to his lawes Whereby it appeareth that if they speake that which is vntrue or manifestly depart from the law they are not to be heard The Author of the ordinary Glosse agreeth with Lyra saying Note that the Lord requireth thee to doe whatsoeuer the Priests doe teach thee according to the Law because otherwise thou art not to obey them vnlesse they teach thee according to the Law Whereupon Christ saith the Scribes and Pharisees sit vpon Moses chaire who yet as the Author of the Interlineall Glosse noteth are not generally without exception to be hearkned vnto but then onely when they vtter and deliuer pertinentia ad Cathedram that is such things as beseeme him to vtter that sitteth in Moses chaire So that to conclude this point neither the Vrim and Thummim in Aarons breast-plate nor the Mandate of Almighty God to goe vp to the sonnes of Aaron to secke iudgement iustice proue that they could not erre and therefore the Pope is still in as bad case as euer he was Wherefore finding no helpe in the Tribe of Leui nor in the house of Aaron they betake themselues to experience and are in good hope to proue out of the experience of former times that the Pope cannot erre First because as they say whatsoever the Pope condemned at any time as hereticall was euer holden to bee so by the whole Church and many heresies were neuer condemned any otherwise but by his iudgement onely Secondly because neuer any Pope was an Heretique whereas all other principall Sees and Churches haue had Bishoppes not onely erring but teaching and professing heresie The instances that Bellarmine giueth of heresies and heretiques condemned by the Pope and reiected for such by the Church onely because hee condemned them are the Pelagians Priscillianists Iouinian and Vigilantius and their heresies It is hard I see for a Blackamoore to change his skinne for a Leopard to put away his spots or for a man that hath long acquainted himselfe with false and vnfaithfull dealing to learne to deale sincerely and truely For touching the heretickes mentioned by the Cardinall all the world knoweth they were condemned in Synodes by many Bishops and not by the priuate censure of the Bishoppe of Rome alone Nay it is most certaine that others shewed more care diligence in suppressing some of these heretickes and their errours then euer the Romane Bishop did which I will make to appeare in the particulars beginning with the Pelagians Pelagius the founder of these hereticks was borne in great Britaine and becomming a Monke in the East parts of the world after hee had sparsed his errours in other places abroad returned home into his owne countrey and infected it almost wholly with his heresie Heereupon the Britaines sought helpe and direction of the French Bishoppes because learning at that time flourished more among them then it did among the Britaines who willing to reach forth their helping hands to their neighbours and brethren in this time of their
Ambrose vpon Luke that the words of Almighty God which we read in Hieremie are to be vnderstood of a temporall kingdome and the words of the Angell of a spirituall and eternall kingdome That Christ was not a temporall King by right of election hee proueth by that of Christ himselfe when he saith O man who hath made me a judge or a diuider among you And by that of S. Iohn where he saith that When Christ knew they meant to come take him make him a King he fled againe himselfe alone into a mountaine So that he neither was chosen nor would haue accepted of any such choise That by right of conquest and victory hee was not a temporall King it appeareth in that his warre was not with mortall Kings to depriue them of their kingdomes but with the prince of darkenesse according to that of the Apostle To this purpose did the Sonne of God appeare that he might dissolue the workes of the Diuell And that againe Now is the Prince of this world cast out And that of Saint Paule who speaking of Christ sayth That spoyling principalities and powers hee made a shew of them openly triumphing ouer them in himselfe So that his warrefare was not by carnall weapons to get himselfe an earthly kingdome but by spirituall weapons mightie through God to get a spirituall kingdome that hee might reigne in the hearts of men by faith and grace where Sathan reigned before by infidelity disobedience and sinne Lastly that he was no temporall king by any speciall gift of God his Father it is euident out of his owne words when he saith My kingdome is not hence For as the Fathers note vpon these words Christ meant by so saying to put Pilate out of doubt that he affected no temporall kingdome And therefore the sence of his words must needes be this I am a King but not in such sort as Caesar and Herod My kingdome is not of this world that is The supports of it are not things of this world it doth not consist in honour riches and power of this world This thing the Cardinall farther proueth to be true because he came to minister and not to be ministred vnto to be judged and not to judge and by his whole course of conuersation shewed the same neuer taking vpon him to do any kingly act For whereas hee cast out the buyers and sellers out of the Temple it rather pertained to the Priestes office then the kings according to that which wee read in the old Testament that the Priest draue the king himselfe out of the Temple when disorderly he presumed to do things not pertaining to him and yet he did it not by any Priestly or kingly authority but after the manner of Prophets by a kind of diuine zeale like that wherewith Phinchees was moued to kill the adulterer and adulteresse and Elias to slay the Prophets of Baal This most true opinion of the Cardinall that Christ was no temporall king is farther confirmed in that such a kind of kingdome had not beene necessary Nay it had beene an hinderance to the worke he had in hand which was to perswade to the contempt of glorie honour riches pleasures and all such other earthly things wherewith the Kings of the earth abound and by suffering death to ouercome him that had the power of death and to reconcile the world vnto God And besides in that all the places where any mention is made of the kingdome of Christ are necessarily vnderstood of a spirituall and eternall kingdome So in the Psalme I am apointed of him a King to preach his commandement And againe in the booke of Daniel In their dayes shall God raise vp a kingdome which shall not be destroyed for euer And of his kingdome there shall be no end Whereas the kingdomes of men continue but for a time and therefore if Christ had beene a King in such sort while he was vpon the earth as men are he had ceased to be so when hee left the earth And then it could not haue beene true that of his kingdome there should be none end Nay seeing the kingdome of the Iewes was possessed by the Romanes at or immediately after the time of the departure of Christ out of the world and afterwards by the Saracens and Turkes how could that of Daniel haue beene fulfilled that his kingdome shall not be giuen to another people if his kingdome had beene like the kingdomes of men So it is true that Christ came into the world to be a king and that GOD gaue him the seate of Dauid his father But this kingdome was diuine spirituall eternall and proper vnto him in that hee was the Sonne of God and in that he was God and Man But a temporall kingdome such as the sonnes of men haue he had not And heereupon Saint Augustine bringeth in Christ speaking in this sort Audite Iudaej Gentes audi circumcisio audi praeputium audite omnia regnae terrena non impedio dominationem vestram in hoc mundo c. that is Heare O Iewes and Gentiles heare circumcision and vncircumcision heare all ye kingdomes of the earth I hinder not your dominion and rule in this world because my kingdome is not of this world Feare not therefore with that most vaine and causelesse feare wherewith Herod feared and slew so many innocent babes being cruell rather out of feare then anger and so forward shewing that the Kingdome of Christ is meerely spirituall and such as no way prejudiceth the kingdomes of men Which the Glosse confirmeth noting that Christ while hee was yet to liue longer in this world when the multitudes came to make him a King refused it but that when hee was ready to suffer he no way reproued but willingly accepted the hymnes of them that receiued him in triumphant manner and welcommed him to Hierusalem honouring him as a King because hee was a King not hauing a temporall and earthly kingdome but an heauenly Whereunto Leo agreeth shewing that Herod when hee heard a Prince was borne to the Iewes feared a successour but that his feare was vaine and causelesse saying O caeca stultae aemulationis impietas quae perturbandum putas divinum tuo furore consilium Dominus mundi temporale non quaerit regnumqui praestat aeternum that is Oblinde impietie of foolish emulation which thinkest to trouble and hinder the Counsels of God by thy furie The Lord of the World who giueth an eternall Kingdome came not into the World to seeke a temporall kingdome And Fulgentius accordeth with him saying The golde which the Sages offered to Christ shewed him to bee a King but not such a King as will haue his Image and superscription in the coyne but such an one as seeketh his image in the sonnes of men Whence it followeth he was no temporall or mundane King seeing they haue their images and superscriptions in their
this immunity And Sixtus Senensis saith that Hierome speaketh not of that tribute which subiects pay to their Princes here in this world but of that which we all owe to CHRIST so that this is that he saith why doe not we wretched men professing our selues to be the servants of Christ yeeld vnto his Maiesty the due tribute of our seruice seeing Christ so great and excellent payde tribute for our sakes S. Austine in his first book of Questions vpon the Gospels saith that Kings sons in this world are free that therefore much more the sonnes of that Kingdome vnder which all kingdomes of the World are should bee free in each earthly Kingdome which words Thomas and Sixtus Senensis vnderstand of a freedome from the bondage of sin but Iansenius rejecteth that interpretation because Austine saith the children of Kings are free from tribute and thinketh that Austines meaning is that if God the King of Heauen Earth had many naturall sonnes as hee hath but one only begotten they should all be free in all the Kingdomes of the world and other apply these words to cleargy-men though there bee nothing in the place leading to any such interpretation But whatsoeuer we thinke of the meaning of Austine Bellarmine saith it cannot bee inferred from these his wordes that cleargy-men by Gods Law are free from the duty of paying tribute because as Chrysostome noteth Christ speaketh only of naturall children and besides prescribeth nothing but onely sheweth that vsually among men Kings sonnes are free from tribute and therefore whereas the authority of Bonifacius the Eighth who affirmeth that the goods persons of Cleargy-men are free from exactions both by the law of God and man is brought to proue the contrary Hee answereth first that haply the Pope meant not that they are absolutely freed by any speciall graunt frō God but only that there is an example of Pharaoh an Heathen Prince freeing the Priests of his Gods mentioned in Scripture which may induce Christian Kings to free the Pastours of Christs Church Secondly that it was but the priuate opinion of the Pope inclining to the iudgment of the Canonistes and that he did not define any such thing So that men may lawfully dissent from him in this point So that we see by the testimonies of Scripture and Fathers and the confession of the best learned among our aduersaries themselues that Almighty God did not by any special exemption free either the goods or persons of Cleargy-men from the command of Princes and that in the beginning they were subiect to all seruices iudgements payments burdens that any other are subiect to and required by Christ the Sonne of God and his blessed Apostles to be so But some man happily will say that though Christ did not specially free eyther the goods or persons of Cleargy-men from the subiection to Princes yet there are inducements in reason and in the very light of nature such and so great to moue Princes to set them free that they should not do well if they did not so Whereunto wee answere that there is no question to be made but that the Pastors of the Church that watch ouer the soules of men are to bee respected and tendered more then men of any other calling and so they are and euer were where any sence of religion is or was The Apostle Saint Paul testifieth of the Galathians that they receiued him as an Angell of God yea as Christ Iesus himselfe that they would haue euen plucked out their eyes to haue done him good The Emperour Constantine honoured the Christian Bishops with the name and title of Gods acknowledged himselfe subject to their iudgment though he swayed the scepter of the World and refused to see what the complaintes were that they preferred one against another or to read their bils but professed that to couer their faults he would euen cast frō him his purple Robe Whence it came that many priuiledges were anciently graunted vnto them both in respect of their persons goods For first Constantine the Great not onely gaue ample gifts to the Pastors of the Churches but exempted them also from those seruices ministeries and imployments that other men are subiect to His Epistle to Anelinus the Proconsul of Africa wherein this graunt was made to them of Affrica is found in Eusebius Neyther is it to be doubted but that he extended his fauours to the Bishops of other Churches also aswell as to them The words of the Grant are these Considering that the due obseruation of things pertaining to true religion and the worshippe of God bringeth great happinesse to the whole state of the Common-wealth and Empire of Rome For the incouragement of such as attend the holy Ministery and are named Cleargy-men my pleasure is that all such in the Church wherein Caecilianus is Bishop be at once and altogether absolutely freed and exempted from all publicke Ministeries and Seruices Neither did the Emperors only exempt them from these seruices but they freed them also frō secular iudgements vnles it were in certaine kindes of criminall causes Wherein yet a Bishop was not to be cōuēted against his wil before any secular Magistrate without the Emperors cōmand Neyther might the temporall Magistrates condemne any Cleargy-man till hee were degraded by his Bishoppe howsoeuer they might imprison and restraine such vpon complaints made And answerably hereunto the Councell of Matiscon prouideth that no Cleargy-man for any cause without the discussion of his Bishop shall bee wronged imprisoned by any Secular Magistrate that if any Iudge shal presume to doe soe to the Cleargy-men of any Bishoppe vnlesse it be in a criminall cause hee shall bee excommunicated as long as the Bishoppe shall thinke fitte This was all the immunity that Cleargy-men anciently had by any grant of Princes and as much as euer the Church desired to enjoy but that which in latter times was challenged by some and in defence of the claime whereof Thomas Becket resisted the King till his bloud was shedde was of another kinde For whereas it was not thought fitte by the King and State of the Realme at that time that Church-men found in enormous crimes by the kings Iustices should be deliuered ouer to their Bishoppes and so escape ciuill punishment but that confessing such crimes or being clearely conuinced of them before the Bishoppe the Bishoppe should in presence of the Kings Iustices degrade them and put them from all Ecclesiasticall honour and deliuer them to the Kings Court to be punished Becket was of a contrary minde and thought that such as Bishoppes degraded or putte out of their Ministery of the Church should not bee punished by the ciuill Magistrates because as hee sayd one offence was not to be punished twice The occasion of this controuersie betweene the King and the Arch-bishoppe was giuen by one Philip Brocke a Canon of Bedford Who beeing brought before
wife which hee marryed while hee was yet a Lay-man hee should bee put out of the Ministery of the Church Whereas all the most famous Presbyters and Bishoppes also in the East might if they pleased but were no way by any Law constrained to refraine from the company of their wiues So that many of them euen when they were Bishoppes did beget children of their lawfull wiues A particular and most approued example whereof wee haue in the Father of Gregory Nazianzene who beeing a Bishoppe not onely liued with his wife till death divided them but became the Father also of Gregory Nazianzen as worthy and renowned a man as any the Greeke Church euer had after he was entered into the priestly Office as appeareth by his owne wordes reported by Gregory Nazianzen For after many motiues vsed by him to Gregory Nazianzen his sonne to perswade him to assist him in the worke of his Bishoply Ministery the last that hee most insisteth on is taken from the consideration of his olde age dis-inabling him to beare that burden and performe that worke any longer that hitherto hee had done And therefore intreating him to put to his helping hand he breaketh out into thesewords Thou hast not liued so long a time as I haue spent in the priestly office therefore yeeld thus much vnto mee and helpe mee in that little time of my life that is yet behinde or else thou shalt not haue the honour to bury mee but I will giue charge to another to doe it Heere we see Gregory Nazianzens father was employed in the priestly function before hee was borne and that therefore hee became the father of so worthy a sonne after hee was a Bishoppe or at least after hee was a Presbyter Neither was the father of Gregory Nazianzene singular in this behalfe For Athanasius writing to Dracontius who beeing greatly in loue with a retyred and monasticall kinde of life refused the Bishoply Office when hee was chosen vnto it for that hee feared hee might not in that state liue so strictly as formerly hee had done controuleth this his conceit and telleth him that hee may in the Bishoppes office hunger and thirst as Paul did drinke no wine as Timothy and fast often as did the Apostle So that the Bishoppes Office is no cause of doing ill or doing lesse good then may bee done in other states of life and there-upon assureth him that hee hath knowne Bishoppes to fast and Monkes to eate Bishoppes to drinke no wine and Monkes to drinke it Bishoppes to worke miracles and Monkes to doe none lastly many Bishoppes neuer to haue married and Monkes to haue become fathers of children and on the contrary side Bishoppes to haue become fathers of children and Monkes to haue liued altogether as Monkes without desire of posterity Neither can this authority of Athanasius bee avoyded as Bellarmine seeketh to avoyde it namely that those Bishoppes did ill which hee sayth became fathers of children For Clemens Alexandrinus an auncient Greeke Father sayth expressely The Apostle admitteth the husband of one wife to bee a Bispoppe and that though hee bee a Presbyter Deacon or Lay-man if hee vse marriage aright and so as not to incurre iust reprehension hee shall be saued by the procreation of children Chrysostome accordeth with Athanasius and Clemens Alexandrinus and sayth that mariage is in so high a degree honourable that men with it may ascend into the Episcopall chayres euen such as yet liue with their wiues For though it be an hard thing yet it is possible so to performe the duties of marriage as not to be wanting in the performance of the duties of a Bishoppe wherevnto Zozomen agreeth saying of Spiridion that though hee had wife and children yet he was not therefore any whitte the more negligent in performing the duties of his calling and of Gregory Nyssene it is reported that though he were marryed yet he was no way inferiour to his worthy brother that liued single But some haply will obiect that Epiphanius is of another minde and that hee sayth where the strictnesse of the canon is obserued none but such as are vnmarried or resolued to refraine from matrimoniall society with their wiues are admitted into the ministery of the Church Wee deny not but that he sayth so But hee confesseth in the same place that many in the Church did liue with their wiues in his time and beget Children euen after their admission into the ministery Soe that the strictnesse of the Canon hee speaketh of was not generall but in some certaine places onely as I noted before out of Socrates Nay it is euident by Socrates that howsoeuer in Thessalia Thessalonica Macedonia and Hellas this strictnesse preuailed yet all the Bishoppes of the East besides were left to their owne liberty and howsoeuer some in diuerse places went about to take away this liberty yet the worthyest men the Church had stood in defence of it protesting they would not suffer themselues to bee inthralled in this behalfe to which purpose that of the famous and renowned Synesius is most excellent who when they of Ptolemais would needes haue him to be their Bishoppe which thing hee little desired hee made them acquainted with his present condition and resolued purpose for the time to come God sayth hee the Law and the sacred hand of Theophilus hath giuen vnto mee a wife I therefore tell all men afore-hand and testifie vnto all that I will neither suffer my selfe to be altogether estranged and seperated from her neyther will I liue with her secretly as an adulterer For the one of these is no way pious and godly and the other no way lawfull but I will desire and pray vnto God that exceeding many and most good and happy children may be borne vnto mee Neyther will I haue him that is to be chiefe in ordayning of mee to be ignorant hereof This liberty the councel in Trullo impeached in respect of Bishops but in respect of Presbyters it continueth in all the East Churches of the world euen till this day Greeke Armenian and Ethiopian warranted vnto them by the Canons of the Apostles Iudgment of Bishops Decrees of Councels and the consent of all other partes of the World For first the Apostle Saint Paule telleth the Corinthians hee had power to lead about a wife a sister as well as the brethen of the Lord and Cephas Which words Clemens Alexandrinus interpreteth in this sort Paul feareth not in a certaine Epistle to speake to his yoake-fellow which hee did not lead about with him because he had no neede of any great seruice Therefore hee sayth in a certaine Epistle Haue wee not power to lead about a sister a wife as the rest of the Apostles but they truely as it was meete because they could not spare their Ministery attending without distraction to preaching lead their wiues about not as wiues but as sisters which should minister together with them
that it is cleare and not denyed by vs that these widdowes made a kinde of promise and profession of continuing in widdow-hood when they were admitted to the Almes and seruice of the Church and that it was a fault not to be excused to shew themselues inconstant in this respect yet such was the tendernesse of the Church in auncient times knowing the weakenesse of the sexe as not to cast any snares vpon them or to tye them by the bond of any solemne benediction or consecration to a necessity of continuing in such an estate but shee thought good to leaue them to their owne diliberations and resolutions so that though they were wont to putte a kinde of sacred vaile on such virgins as voluntarily deuoted themselues to God yet Gelasius forbiddeth any Bishoppe to attempt any such thing as the vailing of a widdow If widdowes sayth hee out of the mutability of their mindes hauing made a kinde of profession of not marrying againe shall returne to marriage it shall be at their perill in what sort they will seeke to pacifie God seeing according to the saying of the Apostle they haue broken their first faith For as if haply they could not containe according to the Apostle they were no way forbidden to marry so hauing deliberated with themselues so to do they ought to keepe their promise of continent liuing made to God but wee ought not to cast any snare vpon such but onely to exhort them to do that which is fit by the consideration of the eternall rewards and punishments that God hath prepared for men according to their workes that soe wee may cleare our selues and make knowne what wee thinke and they may bee left to giue an accompt of that they doe knowing best their owne intention This was the Decree of this Pope and some other were of the same iudgment who admitted widdowes to no benediction but that of Penitencie nor suffered no other vayle but the vayle of penitents to bee put vpon them But it seemeth this course was not holden afterwards succeeding Bishops degenerating from the wise and discreet moderation of their Godly predecessors and laying heauier burthens on mens shoulders then was fit CHAP. 59. Of the maintainance of Ministers HAuing briefely run through all those things that concerne the different degrees orders and callings of them Almighty God employeth in the Ministery of holy things it remaineth that in the last place I come to speake of the maintainance of them That an honourable intertainement is due to the Ministers of God and disposers of his heauenly Treasures there neithes is nor can bee any doubt The light of Nature the sence of Piety and the Presidents of the Iewes and Gentiles before Christ and all Christian Kingdomes Nations and People since most clearely conuincing it Who goeth a warre-fare at any time sayth the Apostle at his owne charge who dresseth a Vineyeard and tasteth not of the fruite of it Who attendeth and feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of it It is an Axiome most cleare and euident in the light of Nature that The labourer is worthy of his hire and the detaining of his wages is one of the sinnes that crye so loud that he that sitteth in heauen heareth them If this bee true in them that are imployed in any seruice businesse or worke in the world for the good of men how much more in respect of them that labour to procure their Spirituall and eternall good It is a small thing sayth the Apostle that we should reape your carnall things that haue sowne vnto you spirituall things therefore let him that is instructed in the word make him that instructed him partaker of all his goods The Galathians thought them-selues so much bound to the blessed Apostle Saint PAVLE by whose ministerie they were conuerted from Idolatry to serue the true and liuing GOD that they would haue plucked out their eyes to haue done him good perswading themselues they were noe way able to make recompence vnto him for all the good hee had done vnto them And the Apostle is bold to tell Philemon â— that he oweth himselfe vnto him This thing is so cleare and evident that I suppose no man will contradict any Part of that which hath been said yet notwithstanding it is not to bee dissembled that Wickliffe and some others let fall some inconsiderate speeches out of an immoderate dislike of the abuse of things in the Romane Church wherein all piety care of Religion and performance of pastorall duties being neglected by the most part of men nothing was sought after but riches honour and greatnesse accompanyed with excessiue and riotous expences to the great scandall of the World For the opinion of Wickliffe was that the Ministers of the Church ought to make no such claime to tithes possessions or lands or any other reward of their labours as may be pleadable in any temporall court of Iustice as each man doth to the things that are come to him by inheritance from his Fathers or by his owne purchase but that they should content themselues with the title of originall Iustice by vertue whereof that is due to euery good man that is fitting to him answerableto his condition merite and worthinesse This opinion of Wickliffe proceeded from a dislike of some-thing he conceiued to be amisse but knew not how to reforme And the censure of Gerson vpon this and the like Articles was right and good that they who proposed them had cause of offence at many abuses by them reprehended but that to goe about to reforme things out of order by such a course as those Articles imported was to east out one Deuill by another where-vpon hee sheweth that a golden meane is to bee followed betweene that immoderate flattery that gaue too much to the Pope and his Cleargy and caused them to forget that they were men and to encroach vpon the right and possession of all other men and that vile detraction that diminisheth the honour and reputation and taketh away the reward of worth and learning to the ruine of the Church and bringing in of all Barbarisme and confusion Wee say therefore that this position is to be rejected as contrary to the cleare evidence of Heauenly Trueth the light of Nature and the practise and Iudgement of all the world whether wee respect Iewes Pagans or Christians For is it so the Apostle himselfe disputing and determining the case that the Ministers of God by the rules of the Law of Nature that giuen by Moyses haue more right to a maintenance fitting to their worth and callings than the labourer hath to his hyre And are not all Christian Princes and Magistrates bound to force by their Lawes such as with-holde that which is thus due Nay may not the Church by her censures make them that are instructed to minister out of their temporall goods to such as instruct them Surely there is no doubt but they
Canons prouided that Bishops and other Cleargy-men might make their last Will and Testament and giue to whom they pleased that which came to them by inheritance the gift of their friendes or which they gained vppon the same But that which they gayned vpon their Church-liuings they should leaue to their Churches But the Church of England had a different custome neither were these Canons euer of force in our Church And therefore her Bishops and Ministers might euer at their pleasure bequeath to whom they would whatsoeuer they had gained either vpon their Church liuings or otherwise And surely there was great reason it should be so for seeing The labourer is worthy of his hire why should not they haue power to giue that which was yeelded vnto them as due recompence and reward of their labours to whom they please And how can it bee excused from iniustice and wrong that men spending a great part of their owne Patrimonie in fitting themselues for the Ministery of the Church which conuerted to the best aduantage and benefitte might greatly haue enriched them should not haue right and power to dispose of such thinges as they haue lawfully gayned out of those liuings which are assigned to thē as the due reward of their worthy paines Yet are there some that are much more iniurious to the holy Ministery For Waldensis out of a Monkish humour thinketh that Cleargy-men are bound to giue away whatsoeuer commeth to thē by inheritan ce or by any other meanes that they ought not to possesse any thing in priuate and as their owne And alleageth to this purpose the saying of Origen Hierome and Bernard that the Cleargy-man that hath any part or portion on earth cannot haue the Lord for his portion nor any part in heauen But Cardinall Bellarmine answereth to these authorities That these Fathers speake of such as content not themselues with that which is sufficient but immoderately seeke the things of this world and proueth that Cleargy-men may haue and keepe lands and possessions as their owne First because the Apostle prescribeth that such a one should be chosena Bishop As gouerneth his owne house well and hath children in Obedience which presupposeth that he hath something in priuate and that is his owne Secondly hee cofirmeth the same by the Canons of the Apostles the Councell of Agatha Martinus Bracharensis in his Decrees and the first Councell of Hispalis and further addeth that a man hauing Lands Possessions and Inheritance of his owne may spare his owne liuing and receiue maintenance from the Church for proofe whereof he alleageth the Glosse and Iohn de Turrecremata a Cardinall in his time of great esteeme and confirmeth the same by that saying of Christ The Labourer is worthy of his hyre and that of the Apostle Saint Paul Who goeth to warfare at any time at his owne charge FINIS AN APPENDIX CONTAYNING A DEFENSE OF SVCH PARTES AND PASSAGES OF THE FORMER foure bookes as haue bin either excepted against or wrested to the maintenance of Romish errours Diuided into three partes THE EPISTLE TO THE READER SINCE the time I presumed good Christian Reader to offer to thy view what I had long before for my priuate satisfaction obserued touching certaine points concerning the nature definition notes visibility and authority of the Church much questioned in our times first there came forth a Pamphlet intituled The first part of Protestant proofes for Catholique Religion and recusancie After that a larger discourse bearing the name of A Treatise of the grounds of the old and new religion thirdly the first motiue of one Theophilus Higgons lately minister to suspect the integrity of his Religion The Author of the first of these worthy workes vndertaketh to proue out of the writings of Protestant Diuines published since the beginning of his Maiesties raigne ouer this Kingdome that his Romish faith and profession is Catholique The second endeauoureth to make the world belieue that Protestants haue no sure grounds of Religion And the third hauing made shipwracke of the faith and forsaken his calling laboureth to iustifie and make good that he hath done Euery of these hath beene pleased for the aduantage of the Romish cause amonst the Workes of many worthy men to make vse of that which I haue written the first seeking to draw mee into the defence of that hee knoweth I impugne and the other two taking exceptions to certaine parts and passages scattered here and there Such is the insufficiencie and weakenesse of the idle and emptie discourses of these men that I almost resolued to take no notice of them But finding that the last of these good Authors fronteth his booke with an odious title of Detection of falshood in Doctor Humfrey Doctor Field and other learned Protestants and addeth an Appendix wherein hee vndertaketh to discouer some notable vntruethes of Doctor Field and D. Morton pretending that the consideration thereof moued him to be come a Papist I thought it not amisse to take a little paynes in shewing the folly of these vaine men who care not what they write so they write something and are in hope that no man wil trouble himselfe so much as once to examine what they say yet not intending to answere all that euery of these hath said for who would mispend his time and weary himselfe in so fruitlesse a labour but that which concerneth my selfe against whom they bend themselues in more speciall sort then any other as it seemeth because I haue treatised as Maister Higgons speaketh of that subiect which is the center and circumference in all religious disputes And b◅cause Mr Higgons is pleased to let vs know his name whereas the other cōceale theirs it being no small comfort for a man to know his Aduersary I will do him all the kindnesse I can first begin with him though he shewed himselfe last and from him proceed to the rest What it is that maketh him so much offended with me I cannot tell but sure it is he hath a good vvill to offend me for hee chargeth mee vvith trifeling egregious falshood collusion vnfaithfull dealing abusing the holy Fathers and I knowe not what else But such is the shamelesse and apparant vntrueth of these horrible imputations that it is altogether needelesse to spend time bestow labour in the refutation of them Yet because in the suspicion of heresie falsehood and vfaithfull dealing in matters of faith religion no man ought to be patient I will briefely take a view of his whole booke And though his beginning bee abrupt and absurd his whole discourse confused and perplexed and all that he doth without order or method yet to giue satisfaction to all I will follow him the same way hee goeth I was vnwilling good Christian Reader to trouble thee with such discourses but the restlesse importunity of our aduersaries setting euery one a worke to say something against vs forceth mee thereunto Read
what is yet wanting to the faithfull departed or to such as are aliue at the suite supplication of the holy Patriarches Prophets Apostles c. For seeing it is confessed by vs that the Saints in heauen doe pray for vs in a generality we may desire of God the graunting of such things as we or others need not only vpon our own suite but much more for that there are so many supplyants to him for vs not in earth alone but in heauen also though without sence or knowledge of our particular wantes So that there is nothing found in Chrysostome either touching prayer for the dead or invocation of Saints that maketh any thing for the confirmation of popish errours For neither doth Chrysostome in that Liturgie pray for the ease of men in Purgatorie neither doth he inuocate any Saint but calleth vpon God onely though not without hope of being heard the rather for that not onely the faithfull on earth but the Saints in heauen also make petition for him But Master Higgons asketh why I concealed these things To whom I answere that I did not conceale any of them For howsoeuer citing some other parts of Chrysostomes Liturgie to another purpose I had no reason to bring in these passages being altogether impertinent to my purpose and the matter in hand yet in other places I haue shewed at large the ancient practise in all these things and therefore this seduced runnagate whom Sathan the tempter hath beguiled had no reason to compare me to the Tempter leauing out certaine wordes in the text he alleadged vnto Christ. §. 5. IN the next place he obiecteth to vs the heresie of Aerius condemned by Augustine amongst many other impious heresies and Augustines conclusion that whosoeuer maintaineth any of the hereticall opinions condemned by him is no Catholicke Christian and telleth vs that this censure toucheth vs very neere but that I demeane my selfe plausibly and artificially to avoid the pressure of that difficultie which is too heauy for me to beare Whereunto I briefly answer that I demeane not my self artificially to avoid the force of any trueth which I esteeme value aboue all treasures in the world but in all sincerity vnfold those thinges which Papists seeke to wrap vp in perplexed and intricate disputes to the entangling of the Readers For I shew that the naming of the names of the departed the offering of the sacrifice of praise for them the praying for their resurrection publike acquitall perfect consummation and blisse in the day of Christ yea the praying for their deliuerance from the hand of hel the mouth of the Lyon the vtter deletion remissioÌ„ of their sins respectiuely to their passage hence first entrance into the other world are not disliked by vs and that thus far the general intention of the Church extended but that to pray for the deliuerance of meÌ„ out of hel or for the mitigation or suspension of the punishments that are in hel was but the priuat deuotioÌ„ of some particular men doubtfully eroneously extending the publicke prayers of the Church farther then they were meant and intended by her and that in this particular they fell from the trueth which if M. Theophilus Higgons shall deny justifie such kind of prayers for the dead we will be bold to call him by his new name Theomisus But he is desirous to know of me or any other without lies obscurities and circuitions whether Cyrill of Hierusalem concurring absolutely with the Papists in this point of prayer for the dead and Augustine agreeing with him fell away from the truth or not That he professeth himselfe an enemy to lies obscurities and circuitions the best sanctuaries of their euill cause I greatly maruell feare that if he giue ouer the aduantage which he and his companions are wont to make thereof this his first booke will be his last But in that he saith Cyrill of Hierusalem concurreth absolutely with the Papists in the matter of prayer for the dead and Augustine with him hee doth as beseemeth him for he vttereth lies and vntruthes which before vnaduisedly he condemned For first it is most certaine that Cyrill maketh but two sortes of men departing out of this life sinners righteous and that he thinketh as Chrysostome also doth and after them Damascene many other that wicked and sinfull men in hell may find some ease be relieued by the prayers of the liuing but of Purgatory he speaketh not Touching Augustine he dissenteth altogether from this opinion of Chrysostome Cyrill and Damascene thinketh that the prayers of the Church for such as excelled in goodnes are thanksgiuings to God for such as died impenitently in grieuous sins comforts of the liuing but no helpes of the dead for those that were neithâ—… exceeding good nor exceeding euill propitiations and meanes to obtaine fauour and remission But whether they of this middle sort be in any penall estate after death or whether by the mercy of God and working of his grace the prayers of the liuing accompanying them they bee freed from sinne and the punishment of it in the first entrance into the other world he resolueth nothing and therfore there was no cause why this good man reflecting as he saith vpon my assertion should bee amazed to behold such a repugnancie betweene these things to wit Augustine ran doubtingly into the opinion of Purgatorie and yet he affirmeth there is no doubt but that some sinnes are remitted in the other world and tâ—…at some soules may be relieued by prayer For in the iudgement of wiser men then Mastâ—…r Higgons these thinges imply no contradiction and therefore the Grecians admit the latter of them and yet deny Purgatory Yea in their Apologie touching Purgatory they say if there be remission of sinnes after this life there is no enduring of the punishments due to sin it being one thing to haue remission of a sin or fault and another to suffer the extremity of punishment it deserueth That there is therefore remission of sinnes of a middle sort of men after this life in the entrance into the other world Augustine made no doubt and to that purpose he alleadged the saying of Christ concerning the sinne that is neither remitted in this world nor the other from thence to inferre that some sinnes are remitted after this life But whether there be any Purgatory-punishments after this life or not hee was euer doubtfull as appeareth by sundry places in his workes where he saith Perhaps there is some such thing it is not incredible that there is some such thing and whether there be or not it may be found out or it may be hid neither will it follow that because he maketh three estates of men dying whereof some are so good that wee haue rather cause to giue God thankes for them then to pray others so ill that they cannot be relieued and a third sort that need our
touching the condition of such as dyed in an imperfect state of grace contrary to any thing holden by vs at this day These premisses considered and euery of these things being confessed by Master Higgons or proued abundantly by Mee it seemeth the poore man is beside himselfe and that his discontentments haue made him madde For otherwise what should moue him like a madde man to crye out in such sort as hee doth That I haue disabled my booke and ouerthrowne the Protestanticall Church that Papistes may triumph in the victory which their chiefest enemies haue wrought in their behalfe and ioyfully applaud the excellencie of their cause which enforceth her greatest aduersaries to prostitute themselues to such base and dishonest courses Let the base Runnagate looke to himselfe and his conscience will tell him that his courses haue beene base dishonest perfidious vnnaturall that I say not monstrous but our cause is such as shall euer be able to vpholde it selfe against all opposers without any such shifting devices as they of the adverse faction are forced to vse for the staying of that from falling for a little while that must fall and come to nothing in despight of all that Diuels or diuellish men by lying slaundering murdering and all hellish practises can doe to sustaine it §. 8. THus haue I breefely runne thorough his two bookes answered whatsoeuer concerneth my selfe in the same and so might passe presently to his Appendix but that towards the end of the 2d part ofhis second booke he once againe wrongeth that renowned Diuine Dr Humphrey in such sort as is not to be endured For he chargeth him with vnfaithfulnesse in his relations digressions from the matter a generall imbecillity of his whole discourse obscuritie vncertainty notorious deprauing of Saint Augustine and other vnfaithfull practises against the same Father and sayth the detection of his falshood ministred the first occasion of his chaunge If Master Higgons were not better knowne then trusted some man happily would bee mooued to thinke that some very grosse and vnexcusable ouer-sights are found in Doctour Humphrey against whom hee so clamorously inveigheth but seeing all the world taketh notice what manner of man hee is by that description of him which is found in a letter of a worthy Knight lately written to him another of his own father written to the same Knight I think there is no man of any sence that will regard his words any more then the braying of an Asse or the bellowing of an Oxe when he lacketh fodder yet to make it appeare that he hath calumniated and wronged a worthy person without all cause or shew of cause I will breefely set downe the summe of D. Humphrey his discourse Whereas Campian obiecteth to vs that we haue begged certaine fragments of opinions from Aerius and others condemned as heretickes first hee answereth that we haue not receiued our faith from Heretickes but from the Apostles and their successours Secondly he sayth that we condemne all the hereticall positions of Aerius yet admit whatsoeuer he held rightly and agreably to the holy Scripture in which saying Maister Higgons telleth vs the Papists will concurre with him Thirdly he alloweth a commemoration of the Saints and holy ones departed and consequently disliketh Aerius for condemning the same Fourthly hee condemneth that abuse in praying for the dead which Aerius condemned Fifthly he sayth the commemoration of the departed is not commanded in Scripture but holden by custome of the Church Sixtly that if wee dye not in a true and liuely faith all the prayers in the world cannot helpe vs contrary to the error of those men who thought that not onely a suspension or mitigation but a totall release of the punishments of men dying in mortall sinnes may be procured which error Augustine refuteth by the euidence of the words of the Apostle that vnlesse we here sowe vnto the spirit we cannot reape immortality And againe that we must all stand before the Tribunall seate of Christ that euery one may receiue according to the thinges hee did in this body whether good or ill Whence hee sayth is inferred that vnlesse men depart hence in state of grace all the world cannot releeue them afterwardes These being the principall and most materiall partes and circumstances of D. Humphrey his discourse touching Aerius let vs see what are the exceptions that Maister Higgons take against him The first is that he sayth there is no Scripture for that prayer for the dead that was ancienily vsed in the Church and that Augustine seemeth to confesse as much which hee goeth about to improue because Augustine alleageth the booke of Machabees for the practise of praying for the dead But for answere here-vnto 1. wee say that D. Humphrey denyeth that there is any precept requiring vs to pray for the dead found in Scripture speaketh nothing of exāples And therefore the allegation of the book of Machabees is impertinent 2. that the praier of Iudas Machabaeus mentioned in that booke was not for the reliefe of the dead but for the remission or not imputing of their sins to the liuing least God should haue smitten them for the trespasse committed by those wicked ones that displeased God and perished in their sin though the author of that book make another construction of it 3. that the booke of Machabees is not Canonical and though Augustine seeme to incline to an opinion that it is yet hee is not resolued that it is so yea some are of opinion that he thought it Canonicall only in respect of the Canon of manners and not of faith but Mr Higgons will proue that in the iudgement of Augustine prayer for the dead is plainely expressed or sufficiently deduced from the Scriptures of the new Testament in that S. Augustine hauing alleadged the bookes of Machabees to proue that prayer was made for the dead sayth if this were no where read in the old Scriptures the authority of the Church were greatly to be regarded which shineth in this custome which is a very silly inferēce For neither doth it follow that if it be not in the old it must be in the new neither would Augustine haue presently vrged the authority of the Church vpon the supposition of not finding it in the old Scriptures but the bookes of the new Testament if hee had thought it to be found in the new seeing he seeketh first and principally to proue it by Scripture His second exception is that Augustine vrgeth the custome of the Vniuersall Church for the commendation of the dead and pronounceth that without intollerable insolency and madnesse this authority cannot be reiected whence he inferreth that both these must ineuitably fall vppon D. Humphrey and his Church but the poore fellow that chargeth other men with madnesse if hee were in his right wittes might easily haue found that Doctor Humphrey doth not condemne the commemoration and commendation of the dead for he saith
the whole composition and forme of the sacred prayer called the Canon agreeth onely to a publike ministration there being often mention made in it of the people standing round about offering and communicating so that some ancient expositors of the Roman order thinke the Canon ought not to bee vsed but in a publike ministration To which purpose Micrologus obserueth that the prayers vsed after the communion are appliable onely to such as haue communicated and therefore willeth them not to neglect to communicate that desire to enioy the blessing of these praiers Clichthoueus vppon the Canon of the Masse sayth that which some note that the Priest soe often as hee celebrateth should giue the Sacrament to all that stand by is Auncient and agreeable to the custome of the Primitiue Church when the faithfull did euery day receiue the Sacrament according to that Sanction of Calixtus the Pope After the consecration let all communicate and that of Anacletus who willeth them to bee excommunicated that beeing present at the consecration communicate not which Andradius will not haue to be restrained to the Ministers assisting but extended to all the people and that by the authority of Dionysius and Iustine Martyr Cochlaeus against Musculus de sacrificio missae hath these wordes In olde time both Priest and people as many as were present at the sacrifice of the Masse after the oblation was ended communicated with the Priest as it is evident by the Canons of the Apostles and the Epistles of the most ancient Doctors c. Afterwards the devotion of the people decayed yet the Cleargy and Ministers communicated still when all they did not communicate yet at least the Deacons and Subdeacons communicated as the Authour of the Romane Breviary testifieth Whereupon saith Cassander some godly and learned men doe wish that this ancient custome were restored that at least the Ministers might communicate with him that celebrateth as agreeable to the practise of the Primitiue Church and making much for the dignity and gravitie of this Mystery In the Churches of Aethiopia all communicate in both kindes twise euery weeke to this day Iohn Hofmeister expounding certaine prayers of the Masse hath these wordes the thing it selfe proclaimeth it that as well in the Greeke as Latine Church not the Priest that celebrateth onely but the rest of the Presbyters and Deacons the whole people or at least some part of the people was wont to communicate which custome how it ceased and grew out of vse may seeme strange but it were greatly to be wished that it were restored againe which thing might easily be effected if the Pastors of the Churches would do their duty for the Priests themselues are in fault that few or none of the people are found to communicate in that they doe not invite stirre them vp to communicate more often as appeareth by the writing of a certaine Diuine not vnlearned in the former age in which he reprehendeth certaine Pastours of that age wherein hee liued who tooke it ill that some of their Parishioners though liuing very laudably desired to communicate euery Sunday That the Sacrament was ministred in former times in loafe bread as we minister it at this day it is evident by the booke called Ordo Romanus by Durandus sundry other authorities In auncient times the manner was to giue the holy Sacrament into the hands of the communicants as wee doe and not to put it into their mouthes as the Papists doe What shall I speak saith Andradius of the vse of the holy Eucharist which now no man may lawfully touch but the Priests whereas it was wont to be carryed by the Deacons to such as were absent and to be giuen to Laymen into their hands whence proceeded that exhortation of Cyrill of Hierusalem full of piety and religion that each communicant should fasten his eyes vpon those hands that receiued the holy Eucharist and kisse them with the kisses of his mouth that so he might communicate to the rest of the members the holynesse of the Eucharist The custome of circumgestation saith Cassander is contrary to the manner of the Auncient and would neuer haue beene liked of them who held this mysterie in so great respect that they admitted none to the sight of it but such as they thought worthy to be partakers of it whereupon all such as might not communicate were ejected before the consecration and therefore it seemeth that this circumgestation might be omitted Crantzius praiseth Cusanus who being the Popes Legate in Germany tooke it away vnlesse it were within the Octaues of the feast of Corpus Christi the Sacrament being instituted for vse and not for ostentation Touching the honour of Saints Gerson Contarenus and others reprehend sundry superstitious obseruations wish they were wisely abolished Whether the Saints particularly know our estate and heare our cryes groanes not onely Augustine the Author of the Interlineall Glosse but Hugo de sancto Victore also will tell vs it is altogether vncertaine cannot be knowne whence it followeth that howsoeuer being assured they pray for vs in a generality wee may safely desire to bee respected of God the rather for their sakes yet it is not safe to pray to them Neither is this a new conceipt of ours but Guilielmus Altisiodorensis saith it was a common opinion in his time that neither we doe properly pray to Saints nor they in particular pray for vs but that improperly we are said to pray to thē in that we pray vnto God that the rather for their sakes at their suite we may finde fauour and acceptation with him Touching the abuse of Images and how much it was disliked in former time let the Reader see Cassander How great complaints were made long since against the forced single life of the Cleargy and how many and great men desired the abrogation of the law that forced men so to liue I haue shewed at large else-where That in the Primitiue Church they had their prayers in the vulgar tongue Lyra confesseth and Caietane professeth that he thinketh it would be more for edification if they were so now and confirmeth his opinion out of the Apostle Saint Paul Thus haue I giuen the Reader a taste of the iudgement of those that liued in former times both concerning matters of doctrine now controuersed the Popes incroachments now by vs restrained and also such abuses as we haue remoued by which I thinke it will appeare to be most true that amongst many good proofes of the equitie of our cause there can no better be desired then that what wee haue done in the reformation of thinges amisse the worthiest men in the Church wished to be done before wee were borne And therefore Master Higgons hath little cause to say Our cause is bad and the Patrons worse That which hee addeth that
parts of this Church and Catholiques that thinke the Pope may iudicially erre vnlesse a generall Councell concurre with him which in their opinion is an error and neare to heresie Yea the same Bellarmine sayth that the particular Romane Church that is the cleargy and people of Rome subiect to the Pope cannot erre because though some of them may yet all cannot It is true therefore which I haue deliuered not withstanding any thinge the Treatiser can say to the contrary that the Church including all the faithfull that are and haue beene since the Apostles may be sayd to bee free from error because in respect of her totall vniuersality she is so it being impossible that any errour should bee found in all her parts at all times though in respect of her seuerall parts shee be not For sometimes and in some parts she hath erred and in this sense can no more be sayd to be free from error then a man may be sayd to bee free from sicknesse that in some parts is ill affected But as a man that hath not beene alwaies nor in all parts ill may bee said to be free from perpetuall and vniuersall sicknesse so the Church is free from perpetuall and vniuersall error This the Treatiser saith is a weake priuiledge and not answerable to the great and ample promises made by Christ whereas the Fathers knew no other whatsoeuer this good man imagineth For Vincentius Lyrinensis confesseth that error may infect some parts of the Church yea that it may sometimes infect almost the whole Church so that he freeth it only from vniuersall perpetuall error But sayth the Treatiser what are poore Christians the nearer for this priuiledge how shall such a Church be the director of their faith and how shall they know what faith was preached by the Apostles what parts taught true doctrine and when and which erred in subsequent ages Surely this question is easily answered For they may know what the Apostles taught by their writings and they may know what parts of the Church teach true doctrine by comparing the doctrine each part teacheth with the written word of God and by obseruing who they are that bring in priuate and strange opinions contrary to the resolution of the rest But if happily some new contagion endeauour to commaculate the whole Church together they must looke vp into Antiquity and if in Antiquity they finde that some followed priuate and strange opinions they must carefully obserue what all not noted for singularity or heresie in diuerse places and times constantly deliuered as vndoubtedly true and receiued from such as went before them This course Vincentius Lyrinensis prescribeth But the Treatiser disclaimeth it not liking that all should be brought to the letter of holy Scripture and the workes of Antiquity which setting aside the authority of the present Church he thinketh yeeld no certaine and diuine argument So that according to his conceipt wee must rest on the bare censure and iudgement of the Pope for he is the present Church Antiquity is to be contēued as little or nothing worth Hauing iustified the distinctiō of the diuerse cōsiderations of the Church impugned by the Treatiser that which he hath touching the two assertions annexed to it will easily bee answered For the one of them is most true his addition of not erring being taken away and the other is but his idle imagination for wee neuer deliuered any such thing §. 3. IN the third place he excepteth against Mee because I say the words of the Apostle in the Epistle to Timothy touching the house and Church of God are originally vnderstood of the Church of Ephesus wherein Paul directeth Tymothy how to demeane and behaue himselfe but because I haue cleared this exception in my answere to Higgons I will say nothing to him in this place but referre him thither §. 4. FRom the Apostle the Treatiser passeth to Saint Augustine and chargeth Me th I wrest his words when he sayth he would not beleeue the Gospell if the authority of the Church did not moue him to a sense neuer meant by him These words of S. Augustin are vsually alleadged by the Papists to proue that the authority of the Church is the ground of our faith reason of beleeuing in answere whereunto I shew that the Diuines giue two explications of them For Ockam and some other vnderstand them not of the multitude of beleeuers that now are in the world but of the whole number of them that are and haue beene since Christ appeared in the flesh so including the Apostles and in this sense they confesse that the Church because it includeth the writers of the bookes of the new Testament is of greater authority then the books themselues Other vnderstand by the name of the Church onely the multitude of beleeuers liuing in the world at one time and thinke the meaning of Augustine is that the authority of this Church was an introduction vnto him but not the ground of his faith and principall or sole reason of beleeuing The former of these explications this graue censurer pronounceth to be friuolous First because if wee may beleeue him Saint Augustine neuer vsed these words Catholique Church after this sort in that sense Secondly because he speaketh of that Church which commanded him not to beleeue Manicheus which vndoubtedly was the present Church Thirdly because as he supposeth I can alleadge no Diuine that so interpreted the words of Augustine that which I cite out of Ockam being impertinent To euery of these reasons I will briefly answere And first that Augustine doth vse the words Catholique Church in the sense specified by Me it is euident For writing against Manicheus he hath these words Palám est quantū in re dubia ad fidem certitudinem valent Catholicae Ecclesiae authoritas quae ab ipsis fundatissimis sedibus Apostolorū vsque ad hodiernū diem succedētibus sibimet Episcopis tot populorū cōsensione firmatur that is it is apparant what great force the authority of that Church hath to settle the perswasion of faith cause certainty in things doubtfull that from the most surely established seats of the Apostles by succession of Bishops euen till this present cōsent of people is most firmely setled To the second reason wee answere that the Church including the Apostles and all faithfull ones that haue beene since comprehendeth in it the present Church and so might commaund Augustine not to listen to Manicheus So that this commaunding proueth not that he speaketh precisely of the present Church To the third I say that the Treatiser is either strangely ignorant or strangely impudent when hee affirmeth that I can alledge no Diuine that vnderstandeth the words of Augustine of the Church including in it the Apostles such as liued in their times For first Durandus vnderstandeth them of the Primitiue Church including the Apostles Secondly Gerson will tell him that when
heart that they may discerne see the light of heauenly truth it is evident that in Augustines judgment the authority of the Church serueth but as an introduction that the thing which right beleeuers rest vpon is of a higher nature to wit the discerning of heauenly truth Wherefore finding himselfe too weak to giue any substantiall answer he betaketh himselfe to a most silly exception pretending that I haue not truly translated these words of Augustin praesto est authoritas quā partim miraculis partim multitudine valere nemo ambigit authoritie is ready at handwhich standeth vpō 2 things the one the greatnes of miracles done the other multitude Is this a false translatiō hath the authority of the church that force which it hath to moue mē to beleeue partly by reasō of miracles partly by reasō of multitude may it not be truly said that it standeth partly vpon the greatnes of miracles wrought partly vpō multitudes but valere doth not signifie to stād vpō it is true it doth not yet what boy in the Grāmer School will not laugh at him for thus childishly demeaning himself for what man of vnderstāding would cal men to cōster euery word precisely as it importeth by it selfe without consideration of the coherence it hath with other in the same sentence Besides this place of Aug. there is another cited by Me out of Hugo where he maketh 3 sorts of beleeuers whereof the first are such as are moued out of piety to beleeue which yet discerne not by reason whether the things they beleeue are to bee beleeued or not The second such who by reason approue that which by faith they beleeue The third sort are such as by reason of the purity of their heart conscience begin inwardly to taste what by faith they beleeue This place maketh strongly for the confirmation of that I say that the evidence of sundry things in the light of faith and grace is that formall reason which assureth vs of the truth of them For heere Hugo affirmeth that the best sort of beleeuers doe approue by reason or by taste invvardly discerne the things they beleeue to be true So that such approbation or spiritual taste is the reason of their perswasion of the truth of these things To this authoritie the Treatiser hath nothing to say but that it maketh nothing to the purpose and that if I meant to translate the vvords of Hugo I haue not exactly translated thē Whether the saying of Hugo be to the purpose or not I vvill leaue it to the iudgment of the Reader but as for his other exception I vvould haue him knovv and any sensible Reader vvill very easilie discerne that I meant not exactlie to translate his vvordes but at large to set downe the intent driftes of them which I haue most truely performed and therefore hee doth Me wrong when hee saith I deale corruptly vntruly In the third place hee endeauoureth to make his Reader beleeue there is a contrariety betweene Me and Luther Brentius in that Luther with whom Brentius seemeth to agree maketh the Scripture to be of it self a most certaine most easie and most manifest interpreter of it selfe prouing judging and enlightning all things I acknowledge many difficulties in it But if the Treatiser had beene pleased to haue taken thinges aright he could not but haue seene that Luther also acknowledgeth manifold difficulties in the Scripture yea hee doth see it and acknowledge it and yet will not see it and therefore that he bee not contrary to himselfe when he affirmeth that the Scriptures are easie interpret themselues and judge and enlighten all thinges he must bee vnderstood to meane that notwithstanding some difficulties they are not so obscure and hard as that Heretiques may wrest and abuse them at their pleasure and noe man bee able to conuince them out of the euidence of those sacred writings as the Romanistes imagine but that wee may bee so assured out of the Scripture it selfe and the nature of the thinges therein contained that wee haue the true meaning of it that wee neede not altogether to rest in the authority of Church which explication of Luthers words the Treatiser might haue found in the place cited by him if hee had beene pleased and so haue omitted the vrging of this imagined contradiction §. 3. The 4. thing that he proposeth which cōcerneth me is that I mentiō a rule of faith according to which the Scriptures are to be interpreted which if we neglect al other considerations are insufficient the like he alleageth out of the Harmony of confessions whence he inferreth that we admit another guide in interpreting the Scripture besides the letter of the Scripture But hee should knowe that the rule of faith mentioned by me deliuered to vs from hand to hand by the guides of Gods Church containeth nothing in it but that which is found in Scripture either expressely or by necessary implication so that though wee admitte another guide in the interpretation of of Scripture besides the bare letter yet wee admitte noe other but that forme of Christian doctrine which all right beleeuing Christians taught by the Apostles and Apostolique men haue euer receiued as contained in the Scripture and thence collected To this hee addeth an excellent obseruation which is that I seeme to confesse that Saint Paul sometimes by the workes of the Law vnderstandeth the workes of the Law of Moses in that I say that that Apostle pronounceth that the Galathians were bewitched and that if they still persisted to joyne circumcision and the workes of the Law with Christ they were fallen from grace and Christ could profit them nothing But hee needed not thus to mince the matter for I willingly confesse that Paul not sometimes onely but euer vnderstandeth by the workes of the Lawe the workes of Moses Law Neither can there any thing be inferred thence for the Papists or against vs. For whereas by the workes of the Lawe some vnderstand those workes which the ceremoniall Lawe prescribed other such as the morall Lawe requireth and and a third sort such as by terror it worketh in men or causeth them to worke without any chaunge of the heart which cannot be wrought but only by grace the Papists think that whē the Apostle sayth we are iustified by faith without workes he excludeth not such works as the Morall Law requireth but such as the ceremoniall Law prescribeth and the morall Law worketh in men we teach that he excludeth all these So that a man repenting and beleeuing may bee saued though hauing neuer done any good worke he be taken out of this world before he can do any It is true indeede that good workes do necessarily follow iustification if time do serue and opportunity bee offered yet are they no meritorious causes of saluation But the Treatiser will proue out of that which I haue written that they are meritorious that
quos symbolum Apostolicum complectitur Illos autem in scriptura multis manifestis testimonijs tradi nullum est dubium Quartum genus traditionum est de expositione vero sensu seu natiuâ sententiâ scripturae Quintum genus traditionum constituimus illud quod Patres aliquando ita vocant illa dogmata quae non totidem literis syllabis in scripturâ ponuntur sed bonâ certâ firmâ manifestâ Ratiocinatione ex perspicuis scripturae testimoniis colliguntur Sextum genus traditionum constituimus illud quod de Catholico Patrum consensu dicitur Septimum genus traditionum est quod vbi Veteres mentionē faciunt traditionū non scriptarum propriè non intelligunt dogmata fidei extra praeter Scripturam recipienda etiamsi nullo Scripturae testimonio probare possunt sed de ritibus consuetudinibus quibusdam vetustis loquuntur quos propter antiquitatem ad Apostolos retulerunt Verisimile est quosdam etiam alios externos ritus qui in scripturâ annotati non sunt ab Apostolis traditos esse nullis quidem certis firmis documentis probari potest qui sunt ritus certò ab Apostolis traditi qui ex Scriptura ostendi non possunt These are the words of Chemnitius wherby it appeareth that he admitteth all those kinds of tradition which I doe and yet reiecteth the imagined traditions of Papists D. Whitakers likewise acknowledgeth that the Apostles of Christ ordained appointed in the Churches certaine rites and obseruations for order comelinesse which they did not commit to writing because they were not of necessity to bee perpetually obserued in one and the same sort but dispenseable according to the circumstance of times and places This hee proueth out of the first to the Corinthians the 11 and 14 chapters Secondly if hee thinke their erronious opinion touching traditions may be inferred from any thing that I acknowledge he seemeth to bee too weake in vnderstanding and not to know what the state of the question is betweene them and vs for the question is not whether there be any traditions or not but whether it being first supposed that the Prophets Apostles and other holy men of God left vnto posterities diuine and sacred bookes and it being agreed vpon which they ate they containe all things necessary to be knowne and practised by Christian men for the attaining of euer lasting life and saluation We say they doe Neither can he proue the contrary out of any thing written by me For I acknowledge nothing to haue beene deliuered by tradition but the bookes of Scripture things therein in some sort contained and certaine dispenseable obseruations not at all or hardly to be discerned from Ecclesiasticall constitutions Let vs see therefore what hee can conclude out of any thing that I haue written for the confirmation of the Romish errour To make saith hee a short reflexion vpon his doctrine by his first rule of traditions he must graunt vnto vs which I haue proued before at large that all those bookes which the Romane church approueth for Scripture together with the speciall doctrines of prayer for the dead to Angels c. are traditions For Doctour Field and his rules doe so assure vs. It seemeth my case is harder then I was ware of my danger greater then I supposed it had beene But what are those rules assigned by mee which assure vs that all the bookes approued by the Romane church are canonicall Haue they beene euer holden to bee so Haue the most famous in all ages or at the least in diverse ages constantly deliuered them vnto vs as receiued by them from those that went before thē no man doubting of them Did the Pastors of any Apostolicall church in the world successiuely deliuer them as canonicall to their after-commers He knoweth they did not For as I haue else-where proued Melito Bishop of Sardis Origen Athanasius Hilary Nazianzene Cyrill Epiphanius the Councell of Laodicea Ruffinus Hierome Gregory Damascene Hugo de sancto Victore Richardus de Sancto Victore Petrus Cluniacensis Lyranus Dionysius Carthusianus Hugo Cardinalis Thomas Aquinas Occham Picus Mirandula Waldensis Armachanus Driedo Caietane and all the most famous Diuines in all ages reiect them saue onely Augustine the third Councell of Carthage some few other who yet as Caietane thinketh receiued them not as absolutely canonicall but in a sort onely in that they containe a convenient good direction of manners The Reader I doubt not will easily see his folly in this point But it may bee the speciall doctrines of prayer for the dead and to Angels whereof hee speaketh will bee found Apostolicall traditions by those rules that I allow of Surely no for howsoeuer it was a most auncient and laudable custome of the church to remember the names of the dead at the holy Altar and Table of the Lord with desire of their and our finall consummation and publique acquitall in the day of CHRIST and some particular men doubtfuly extended the same practise and custome farther to the mitigating suspending or totall remouing and taking away of the punishments of Christian men dying in the state of mortall sinne yet the Popish opinion of Purgatory and prayer to deliuer men from thence were not once heard of in the Primitiue Church nor are yet receiued by the greatest part of the Christian world Touching prayer to Angels it was condemned by the Apostle Saint Paul the councell of Laodicea Augustine Theodoret but that the church did invocate Angels from the beginning that the most famous in all ages did teach men so to doe or the Pastors of any Apostolicall church successiuely one after another which are my rules he speaketh of neither hee nor any Papist liuing can euer proue The second thing he would inferre out of my words is that wee must of necessitie resort to the Romish church to know and learne the forme of Christian doctrine the explication of the seuerall parts thereof and the obscurities of Scripture for that I say the Apostles deliuered the forme of Christian doctrine as a tradition to posterities no posterity of Protestants can be of this posterity because both their priorities posterities deny traditions Thus then the good Author reasoneth The Protestants are none of those posterities to which the forme of Christian doctrine hath been deriued frō the Apostles by the line of succession therefore we must resort to the Roman church to know it The antecedent of this argument he proueth because as hee saith both priorities posterities of Protestants deny all traditions Surely the man cōmitteth so many faults in this one silly argument that I know not well what first to except against For neither is it consequent that if Protestants be not of that posterity to which the forme of Christian doctrine was commended and deliuered from the Apostles that we must of necessitie seeke to the Romane church to learne it Neither doe Protestants deny
smart or griefe These being the different mansions of that place wherein the soules of men are sequestered from the presence of God comprehended all in a sort vnder the name of Hell as our Adversaries fancie the ordinary opinion of the Schoole-men heretofore was that Christs Soule went locally onely into Limbus Patrum not into any of the other manâ—…ons of Hell neither Limbus puerorum Purgatory nor the lowest Hell but that hee descended into these places vertually onely in that he made it appeare to all that were in them that the worke of Redemption was now wrought by force whereof they in Purgatory after full satisfaction should be receiued into Heauen the rest as well in Limbus puerorum as in the lowest Héll being excluded from all hope of bettering their estate and left in endlesse misery with the Diuell and his Angels But Bellarmine thinketh he went personally and locally into the place of the damned euen into the lowest Hell These being the diuerse and different opinions of men touching the meaning of the Article of Christs descending into Hell let vs see what is to be resolued touching the same It is true according to the first and second opinion imputed by Bellarmine vnto the Protestants that Christ dying after a sort suffered the paines of Hell and being dead was vnder the dominion of death three dayes yet neither of these interpretations seemeth fitly to agree to the Article of our Faith for that the hellish bitter sufferings of Christ are sufficieÌ„tly expressed in that he is said to haue suffered vnder Pontius Pilate to haue beene crucified and to haue dyed and his being vnder the dominion of death in that he is said to haue beene buried Wherefore the third opinion which is that he descended into the places of soules sequestred shut out from the presence of God seemeth more truely to expresse the meaning of this Article not vnderstanding that he went into Purgatory Limbus puerorum or Limbus patrum but that hee descended into the lowest Hell For the three former imagined places are no where and so no part of Hell into which Christ descended Of Purgatory we finde nothing in the Scriptures or in the writings of the most ancient Fathers as I haue elsewhere shewed Of Limbus puerorum wee reade in Augustine but confuted and rejected by him as an erroneous conceipt of the Pelagians who imagined a third place betweene Heauen and Hell and a third or middle estate betweene heauen happinesse and the miseries of the lowest Hell wherein men dying in the state of Nature onely shall continue for euer depriued of the happinesse of seeing God but no way subjected to sensible smart and griefe Of this it is that S. Augustine saith he hath heard of the right hand and the left of Come yee blessed and Goe yee cursed of Sheepe Goates of the Kingdome of Heauen Hell where the Diuell and his Angels are euerlastingly punished But of a third estate of a third sort of men or of a third place hee hath neuer heard or read and therefore is verily perswaded there is no such Touching Limbus patrum it is true that some amongst the Ancient seeme to speake of some such thing but we cannot perswade our selues that there is any such place nor that Christ is to bee vnderstood to haue descended thither when in the Article of the Creede hee is sayd to haue descended into hell First because as S. Augustine fitly noteth we do not find in the Scripture that the word Hell is euer vsed to expresse any other place but a place of woe and misery and therefore so direfull a word vsed onely to note vnto vs the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone cannot signifie that place where the soules of the just did rest till the comming of Christ named in the parable or history of the rich man and Lazarus Abrahams bosome Neither did Augustine euer learne any other lesson afterwards as some vntruly report that he did Secondly because wee cannot conceiue what Christ did benefit the spirits of the just Abiding in Abrahams bosome when hee went downe into hell A quibus as Saint Augustine rightly noteth secundum beatificam Diuinitatis praesentiam nunquaâ—…ecessit sed quemadmodum apud Tartara semper fuit judicante potentiâ ita in paradiso sinu Abrahae beatificante sapientiâ that is from whom according to that presence of his Deity that maketh all them happy that enjoy it he neuer departed but as hee was euer present in hell by his power judging fastning condemnation to the woful inhabitants of that place of vtter darkenes so he was allwaies in paradise in the bosome of AbrahaÌ„ as that wisdom of God that filleth al with blessednes where it vouchsafeth to manifest it self Christ therefore desceÌ„ded into Hell according to the Article of the Creed into the place of soules sequestred froÌ„ the presence of God into the place of daÌ„ ned soules euen into the lowest hell for there are no soules or spirits of men sequestred from the presence of God after the separation froÌ„ the body but the soules of wicked Cast-awayes nor other place of soules so sequestred but the prisoÌ„ of the lowest hel The end of Christs going descending into the hell of the damned was not as Clemens Alexandrinus and â—…ome other did thinke to preach vnto the damned spirits and to deliuer from thence such as should there beleeue in him either all or any For wee must constantly resolue that none were deliuered out of hell by Christs descending nor none there conuerted by his preaching but that his descending was onely to fasten condemnation to the Diuell and his Angels to triumph ouer the principalities of darkenesse to secure vs from being surprized by them and to preuent our comming thither not to fetch backe any that were there already The places that are brought to proue that Christ preached in Hell and sought the deliuerance either of all or at the least of some of them he found there are specially two The first is that of the Apostle S. Peter where he sayth The Gospell was preached to the dead that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but liue according to God in the Spirit Here we see the Apostle speaketh of preaching vnto the dead but he is to be vnderstood to speake of preaching to the dead that is to such as were dead when he wrote but not when the Gospell was preached vnto them as wee say Christ shall judge the quicke and dead not as if any should be iudged being dead but because many of them that shall be judged are then deade when wee speake of them though they shall not be when they shall come into judgment Or otherwise that he speaketh of such as were dead in sinne as some enterpret his words The second place is that of the same Apostle where he sayth that Christ in spirit went and
preached to the spirits in prison sometimes disobedient in the dayes of Noe. But as Saint Augustine fitly noteth this preaching of Christ in spirit mentioned by the Apostle was not after his death in his humane Soule but in the dayes of Noe in his eternall Spirit Deity And as Andradius rightly obserueth they that he preached vnto are named spirits in prison because they were spirits in prison when Peter wrote of them not when Christ preached to them though if they should be vnderstood to be named Spirits in prison as being such when Christ preached vnto them yet we might rightly conceiue as Saint Augustine doth that he preached to the Soules and Spirits of Men shut vp in the prison house of their sinfull bodies and the darke dungeons of ignorance and sin and not in the prison of hell Thus then our Diuines deny the descending of Christ into Purgatory Limbus puerorum and Limbus patrum perswading themselues that there are no such places But his descending into the Hell of the damned they all acknowledge though not to deliuer men thence yet to fasten condemnation to them that are there to bind Sathan the Prince of darkenesse that hee may not prevaile against them that beleeue in Christ and to keepe them from sinking downe into that deuouring piâ—… into which he went and out of which hee soe triumphantly returned Onely this difference may seeme to be amongst them that some of them thinke he went personally and locally others onely vertually in power and operation Which diuersity of opinions is likewise amongst the Papists Bellarmine and some other in our time teaching that hee went locally into the lowest Hell and the Schoole-men that he went not locally into the lowest Hell but vertually onely in the manifestation of his vertue and power and into Limbus Patrum locally and personally soe that all the controuersie betweene them and vs standeth in two points The descending of Christ into Limbus Patrum and the suffering of Hellish paines For whereas Cardinall Bellarmine laboureth to proue a locall Hell he busieth himselfe in vaine no man denying it But sayth he Beza and others do say the words vsed in the Hebrew and Greeke Sheol and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe alwaies signifie the Graue in holy Scripture and not Hell whence it may seeme to follow that there is no other Hell then the Graue and soe consequently noe locall Hell for damned soules Surely this is a most vnjust and vntrue imputation For Beza and the other learned Diuines he speaketh of do not affirme that Sheol and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe precisely and alwayes in holy Scripture signifie the graue but as Arias Montanus Andradius and sundry other excellently learned amongst our aduersaries do that Sheol which the Septuagint translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not precisely and immediatly signifie the place of damned soules but in an indifferencie and generality of signification noteth out vnto vs the receptacles of the dead And that seeing there are two parts that are sundered one from another in them that are dead there are likewise two kinds of receptacles of death or dwelling places for them on whom death hath her full force the one prouided for their bodies putrifying and rotting and the other for their soules tormented euerlastingly Soe that when these words thus indifferently signifying either of these receptacles of death do note out vnto vs the one or the other of these two places either the graue for the body or hell for the soule cannot be gathered out of the words themselues but the circumstances of those places of Scripture where they are vsed In like sort they say that the word Nephesh translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and anima doth not alwaies signifie the spirituall substance of man that is immortall but the whole person the life yea and some times that which hath beene aliue though now dead euen a dead carcasse according as wee reade in Leuiticus where God pronounceth that whosoever toucheth Nephesh that is a deade corpes shall be vncleane And in this sense it is that Arias Montanus translateth not that place in the Psalme Non derelinques animam meam in inferno that is Thou shalt not leaue my soule in Hell but Non derelinques animam meam in sepulchro that is Thou shalt not leaue my Soule Life or Person or that Body that sometimes was aliue in the Graue For it it cannot be vnderstood that the reasonable soule or immortall Spirit of Christ was euer in the graue either to be deliuered thence or left there If it be sayd that the Greeke and Latine words vsed by the Translators signifie more precisely hell and the reasonable Soule or Spirit then those Hebrew words Sheol and Nephesh doe we answere that whatsoeuer their vse and signification be in prophane Authors yet they must be enlarged in the Scriptures to signifie all that which the Hebrew words doe that so the translation may be true and full Bellarmine to confute this explication and construction of the Hebrew words made by Beza and the rest vrgeth that the Septuagint neuer translateth Sheol by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies the graue but by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that therefore Sheol doth not properly signifie the Graue Hereunto we answere that the word of it selfe being indifferent to signifie any receptacles of the dead whether of their bodies or soules must not be translated by a word precisely noting the graue as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth and that therefore it is not to be marvailed at that the Septuagint neuer translate the Hebrew word by this Greeke word of a narrower compasse straiter significatioÌ„ Secondly we say that seeing Sheol when by the circumstances of the places where it is vsed it is restrained to signifie onely the place of dead bodies yet doth not precisely note that fitting receptacle provided for them to be laide in as in their beds of rest by the liuing as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth but any other receptacle whatâ—…er euen of such as want that honourable kind of buriall whether they be devoured by wilde beasts swallowed vp of the Sea or receiued into any other place of stay and abode till the time of the generall resurrection the Translators vsed not the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of too narrow compasse straight signification but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enlarged by them to expresse all that the Hebrew word importeth in this sense Iacob said he would go down mourning into Sheol or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his son not into a place of soules sequestred from God or into hell sor he neuer thought his sonne to bee gone thither nor into the graue properly so named for he thought his son had bin devoured of a wilde beast but into the receptacles of the dead and into the chambers of death wherein there are many very different