perceaue how Satan was president in their assemblyes or Councels Thus Beza of the Councells euen of the Primitiue Church that many vertuous and learned men gathered togeather for the disquisition of Truth must necessarily erre one sole one lateborne obscure illiterate irreligious Scripturist cannot erre O (x) Galat. c. 3â— insensati Galatae quis vos fascinauit c. THE IIII. MOTIVE That the Fathers of the Primitiue Church as Patrons of Papistry are reiected by the Protestants INTERROGA generationem pristinam diligenter inuestiga patrum memoriam hesterni quippe sumus saith the Mirrour (a) Ioc. 〈◊〉 8. of Patience To which words old Vincentius Lyrinensis (b) Aduer baeres twelue hundred yeares since thus subscribeth If any new question do arise we are to recurre to the iudgments of the holy Fathers Which rule if it were strong in those Primitiue tymes how much more forcible should it be though the accession of so many hundreds of yeares since passed with vs who are but Hodierni The ancient Fathers we know haue diuersly trauelled in the subiect of Christian Religion some of them in their Commentaryes others in their Homilyes Sermons and Catechismes Others againe in their Catalogue of condemned Heresyes and their Epistles and some in all these making the intended sense of the holy Ghost in the Scripture the doctrine thence deduced the Center or quiescent Poynt in all their Motions or Labours Their Laborious Industry herein our Brethren at the first seeme to prize granting that in the mynes of the Fathers wrytings there is to be found much golden Ore yet such as must after be purged and refyned in the fyar of their owne priuate iudgments from all drosse of supposed Errours before it can receaue the print and stampe they say of true Euangedical doctryne yea of Innouation and Nouellisme Thus do we teach that their wrytings may be profitably tasted of if so they be taken with the true Correctiue of our owne contronling liberty But if our Brethren be further vrged whether they will humbly imbrace such peculiar doctryns as the Fathers did ioyntly teach then they more openly dismaske themselues disclayming from them as from mantayners of Papistry To manifest this in all Articles controuerted at this present Breuitye preuents foure of the cheifest shall serue for instance And those foure fathers of the Church which haue obtayned by a priuiledge and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that title I meane Ambrose Ierome â—ugustin Gregory shall be therein cheifly produced teaching the said doctrynes euen by the acknowledgment of vs Protestants And first to begin with the doctryne of Prayer for the dead to retaile heer some particular coÌ„fessions of our own do I not find D. Fulke (c) In his confutaâ—ioÌ„ of purgatory p. 78. to vse his owne words thus speaking Ambrose allowed prayer for the dead and further (d) Ibidem p. 104. Ierome allowed prayer for the dead And yet further (e) Vbi supra pag. â—49 Augustin blyndly defended it And which is more our said Doctour Fulke thus further verbally saith (f) Ibidem pag. 362. Augustin Ierome and agreat many more do witnes that Sacrifice for the dead is a Tradition of the Apostles To be short (g) in exam part 3. pag. 9â— 107. Kemnitius accordeth with D. Fulk heerin affirming that prayer for the dead was taught besydes by others by Ambrose Ierome and Augustin Touching the reall Presence in the which Vocatur (h) Aug. tract 26. in Iom caro quod non capit caro and it being a true Sacrifice Antony de Adamo no obscure Protestant thus (i) In his Anatomy of the Maâ— fol. 221. writeth The booke of Sacraments ascrybed to Ambrose affirmes the opinion of Christs bodily presence in the Sacrament The like we find auerred of Ambrose by our Brethren the (k) Câ—nt 4. c. 4. col 205. Centurists Kemnitius speaking of certaine sentences of Ambrose Augustine and other contayning the adoration of the Sacrament which necessarily includeth the Reall Presence thus sayth In (l) Exam. part 2. p. 91. my iudgement they containe the adoration of the Sacrament Againe Ierome with many other Fathers is repreheÌ„ded for teaching the reseruation of the Sacrament by (m) Ibid. pag. 102. Kemnitius and by (n) Lib. against Heskins Sanders c. p. 458. D. Fulke to vse the Doctours wordes for giuing admonition to marryed persons before the tyme of Communion to abstaine from company of their wyues who tearmeth it popish diuinity both which points in regard of the reuerence therein exhibited probably imply the doctrine of the Reall presence Caluin (o) Lib. de vera Eccle. reformat Extat in tract theolog Calu. giueth this Theta or marke of condemnation vpon the writings of Augustin Ambrose and others in these wordes They forged a sacrifice in the Lords supper without his commandment and so adulterated the supper by adding of Sacrifice They also expounded the sacrifice of Malachy (p) Lib. de abrogand in vniuers statut Ecclestast and the oblation of Melchisedech to be a figure of the sacrifice of the Masse Finally the doctrine of the Real presence was so coÌ„mon to al the Fathers of the Primitiue Church that Sebastianus Francus thus writeth Presently after the Apostles dayes all thinges were strangely turned the supper of the Lord being transformed into a sacrifice And Adamus Francisci another of our censuring Lynx-eyed brethren thus plainely confesseth (q) In Margarita Theolog. pag. 236. Papistarum Commentum c. The Papists inuention touching Transubstantiation crept earely into the Church Concerning Prayer â—o Saints D Fulke with an irreparable preiudice to his cause thus sayth l (r) In his Reioynder to Brâ—flow pag. 5. confesse that Ambrose Augustine and Hierome held inuocation of Saints to be lawfull And the same doth (s) Exam. part 3. p. 200. Kemnitius acknowledge of these three forsayd Fathers a point so euident that D. Whiâ—guift thus writeth Almost (t) In his defence against the reply of Cartwright all the Bishops and Writers of the Greeke Church and Latin also were spotted with the doctrines of inuocation of Saints merit of workes c and such like and the like sentence doth D. Couel giue both of the Greeke and Latin Fathers touching the innocation of Saints and the other foresayd doctrines so agreeing heereto is another such confession of D. Fulke saying Many (u) Against the Rhemist Testament in 2. 1. of the ancient Fathers held that Saints departed pray for vs. Lastly touching the doctrine or Vowes inuâ—suing within it selfe the doctrine of â—uangelicall Councells Kemnitius (x) Exam. part 3. p. 41. allead geth the seuerall sentences of Augustin â—mbrose and Hierome iustifying the sayd doctrine and then he after reiecteth them all thus concluding of the Fathers in generall Non ignoramus c. We wel know that the Fathers allowed the vowes of perpetuall Chastity and that they acknowledged them to be oblegatory
the sweet yoake of Christ made in our owne dayes by the Iesuits whose very name to vs is vngrateful but Quis (l) Tertul. aduerjus gentes nominis reatus Quae vocabulerum accusatio Osiander a learned Protestant in his booke of Ecclesiasticall history faythfully relateth the Conuersions of many Countreyes Of which Of the (m) Cent. 9.10.11.12.13 14.15 Danes the Morauians the Polonians the Sclauonians the Bulgares the Hunnes the Normans the Bohemians the Swecians the Noruegians the Liuonians the Saxons the Rugy Tusanes By whome sayth he were they conuerted By the Bishops of Rome liuing in those seuerall ages To what fayth To the now Catholike or as he tearmes it papisticall fayth In like sort our Century writers (n) Cent. 8.9.10.11 discoursing vpon the same subiect affirm that the Countryes of Germany of the Vandals the Bulgarians Sclauonians Danes Morauians Hungarians Noruegians were first reduced to Christianity by the Church of Rome professing then by their owne acknowledgments the same religion which at this present it doth Thus hath Rome Christian subiected to it more Nations and Kingdome by a peaceable and sweet force of Religion then euer Rome Heathen did by warre And heere we are to note a consideration not to be neglected that as these and other Protestants do confesse that all the Conuersions of the foresayd Countryes were made by Papists D. (o) Lib. de Eccles contra Bellarm. §. 336 Whitaker therefore styling them impure and corrupt conuersions so not one of the sayd Protestants or any other though writing elaboratly of this subiect would euer ascribe the conuerting of any of these or any other one Heathen King or Nation to the Protestants labours But leauing these last thousands yeares let vs ascend higher to the next three hundred yeares ariuing from the tyme of Boniface the third vp vnto the dayes of Constantin the first Christian Emperour During the space of which three hundred years no Countryes or Kingdomes were conuerted at all to Christian religion either by Catholikes or by any others most Nations in respect of Religion lying then wholy wast and incultiuated The truth of which point is euen demonstrable seeing in these ages there were no Kinges who professed Christian religion the Emperours of the East West only excepted Among whome some were bastard Christians as being braÌ„ded with (p) ValeÌ„s Constantius Constans Arianisme others (q) Iulian. Apostata's so enioying but an abortiue fayth since it wombe became it graue Now concerning the tyme it selfe of Constantin it is so irrefragably true that neither himselfe nor any Countrey by his meanes was conuerted to our Protestant religion (r) Cent. 4 as that our Magdeburgenses recording the state of the Church in his tyme doe charge Constantine with all the Catholike pointes of religioÌ„ at this day professed by the Church of Rome styling them The errours of Constantine of hâ— age Lastly to rise higher in tymes to wit from the tymes of Constantine to that of Christ our Sauiour â—it is aboundantly testifyed by all Historiographers that the Church of God was so straitned and shut vp on all sides and in such violent persecutions though otherwise glad to sweat vnder such a burdeÌ„ as that it had no meanes to enlarge it selfe by conuerting to it Kinges and kingdomes and if it had at that tyme conuerted any yet the question would then follow whether such a Conuersion had beene made to the Protestant or to the Roman Church But the luculency of this former point appeareth both from the writings of the ProtestaÌ„t (Å¿) In the booke flyied Disputationes c. Deuines of Wittemberge from the testimony of our home-brother D. Barlow (t) In his defence of the articles of the Protestant religion p. 24 thus discoursing heereof In the primitiue nonage of the Church this promise of Kings allegiance thereunto was not so fully accomplished because in those dayes that Prophesy of our Sauiour was rather verifyed You shall be brought before Kinges for my names sake by them to be persecuted euen vnto death c. But now to reflect vpon this our Argument or Motiue Is the Protestant Church the true Church of Christ Then hath it conuerted many Kinges Kingdomes vnto the fayth of Christ Let any particularize if he can the Countreyes and Tymes which and when Hath not the Protestant Church conuerted any Kingdomes and Nations to the fayth of Christ Then it selfe is not the true Church of Christ since the Prophesyes of Gods sacred Write are infallible Non (u) Tert. aduers Gnost licuisset aliter euenire quà m edixit nec ipse aliter edixisset quà m euenire voluisset Which Prophesyes as being already actually accoÌ„plished by the Catholike Church in subiecting to it diuers true Kinges indeed so the full consideration of them hath much preuayled for his intended incorporating into the Church with one poore King in name To reply heere and say that these Prophesyes are to be full filled not before but after the preaching of Luthers Ghospell is controlled by the iudgment of all learned men and by experience it selfe since it is certaine I must confesse to the preiudice of our Ghospell that neither Luther nor his schollers nor his party haue as yet first conuerted any one Kingdome Nation Citty Village or House from heathnish insidelity to the fayth of Christ Therefore we must conclude with D. Whitaker (x) Lib. 7. contra Duraeum pag. 472. ingenuously thus confessing Whatsoeuer the ancient Prophets haue foretould of the enlargment amplitude and glory of the Church the same to haue beene already performed is most euident out of historyes so true is that Lex est Enangelium praedictum â—uangelium lex completa The other branch of Prophesyes wherein I heere will insist forâ—el that in the Church of Christ there shal alwayes be found Pastours and Doctours and a continuall administration of the Word and Sacraments the spirituall conduits whereby Gods grace is deriued into mans soule or the subordinate wheeles of his diuine Maiesty by which the soule is moued and directed to gaine it owne saluation To this effect are alleadged those wordes out of the (a) Ephes 4. Apostle a text which for it clearenes is able to coÌ„ment it Comment to wit that Christ hath placed in his Church Pastours and Doctours to the consumation of Saints till we all meet in the vnity of Fayth that is as our D. (b) In his answere to a counterfeit Catholike Fulke truely expoundeth for euer Caluin (c) Instit. 4. c 3.64 himselfe concluding from hence in these words The Church cannot at any tyme want Pastours and Doctours Now that these Pastours and Doctours must not in their offices and dutyes be silent is not only witnessed by the Holy (d) Isa 62. Ghost but also besides the nature of their function requiring it acknowledged by vs Protestants And therfore D. Fulke well sayth Truth (e) Vbi supra cannot be
the second Amussis Regula or the Propounder of the articles of fayth Now from hence it proceedeth that whosoeuer denyeth any one Truth propounded by the Church to whom God reuealeth it doth not beleiue any other Article with a true fayth Since the authority of the Church doth indifferently and alyke propound all Articles to be beleiued Therefore who beleiueth the Article of the Trinity or the Resurrection of the body through the Authority of the Church propounding them to be beleiued will also beleiue Freewill Prayer to Saints c. and any other poynt seeing these are no lesse propounded by the Church to be beleiued as reuealed by God then the former are Thus it is euident that who beleiueth one article of true Christian fayth and beleiueth not another this Man beleiueth not any one article by reason of the authority of Gods Church and consequently hath no true supernaturall fayth at all which is auaileable to Saluation but beleiueth it in regard only of the probability of the point in his Iudgment and thus it is not Beleife but Opinion only in such a Man For seeing the same credit and affiance is euer to be giuen in all things to the same authority whosoeuer doth not beleiue the said authority in any one poynt doth not as is said beleiue it in any other from whence it followeth that the authority of God his Church is equally contemned in the denyall of the smallest articles as of praying to Saints Purgatory c. as in the greatest articles of the Trinity Incarnation or any other sublime and high mystery The second Reason It is peculiar to Vertues Theologicall and Infused to be obliterated and extinguished by one only contrary Act. Thus for example one mortall Sinne wholy taketh away Charity and Grace One act of desperation the vertue of Hope the same may be exemplifyed in the vertues of PeÌ„nance Religion and others Now heere by the same reason I inferre that one Heresy I meane an obstinate maÌ„tayning of any one errour in fayth how small soeuer against the authority of Gods Church depriueth a man of true fayth which as other Vertues aboue are is supernaturall theologicall and infused In this next place we will see how the iudgments of auncient Fathers do approue the former doctryne Two or three for instance shall serue And first that light of the Latin Church I meane S. Augustine (y) Lib. 18. de ciuil Dei c. 91. doth thus pensill forth an Heretyke Qui in Ecclesia Christi aliquid prauuns sapiunt si correpti vt sanum rectumque sapiant resistant contu naciter Haeretici fiunt foras exeuntes habentur in exercentibus Haereticis That is Who beleiueth any wronge or false thing in the Church of God and being admonished to beleiue the truth do resist contumaciously they become Heretyks and departing out of the Church they are reputed for open and willfull Heretyks S. Ambrose thus answerably wryteth (z0 Lib. â— in Luc. 〈◊〉 9. Negat ChristuÌ„ qui non omnia quae Christi sunt coÌ„fitetur he denyeth Christ who beleiueth not all poynts or articles concerning Christ. Thus who denyeth Lymbus Patrum denieth that Christ descended therinto and consequenly he denyeth Christ Finally S. Gregory (a) Orat. â—7 Nazianzene thus elegantly conspireth heerto Vnum vnicohaeret ex ijs quaedam verè aurea salutaris fit catena ideo si vel vnum dogma auferatur aut reddatur incertum tota catena disrumpetur That is One Article of fayth is so cohering with another that of them all there is made a goalden and healthfull chayne of fayth so as if but one article be taken away or made but doubtfull the whole chayne becommeth broken See the lyke agreeing testimonyes in (b) Apud Theod. l. 4. hist. c. 19. Basil (c) Lib. â— Apolog. contr Ruf. Ierome (d) Lib. 1. epist 6. ad Magnum Cyprian and (e) In Sym. Athanasius The auncient Fathers mynd in this poynt is manifested besydes by their particular Sentences from the practize of the Primitiue Church against Heretikes I meane from the perusall of the Catalogues of heeresyes written by them as is euident out of the Catalogues of heresyes and other such wrytings composed by Irenaeus Hierome Epiphanius Augustine Theodoret Philastrius and others in all which we shall find diuers condemned and branded for expresse Heretickes for their willfull maintayning in our iudgments but small errours though otherwise they belieued al the chiefe points of Christian fayth as the Trinity the Incarnation and the like For proofe wherof I will heere alleadg the wordes of S. Austine against the Pelagians whom he absolutly resolutly condemneth for Heretikes for their belieuing that man could keep the law of God only by force of nature without the force of Gods grace His words are these Nec (f) Epist 120. c. 37. tales sunt Pelagiani c. Neither are the Pelagians such men as thou shouldest easily contemne them for they liue continently are laudable in good works they beleiue not in a false Christ as the Manichees do c. yet because they are ignorant of the iustice of God endeauouring to make it their owne they are Heretyks and cast out of the Church And thus far for a touch of the practize of the ancient Church and the Fathers lyke conspyring testimonyes heerein where I may remit the Reader to what hath beene aboue alleadged touching the condeminatioÌ„ by the Primitiue Fathers of our Protestant doctrynes Which auncient Fathers as being learned and vertuous neither would nor durst register any for Heretyks but those who by the whole Church of God were reputed for Heretyks as afore I haue â—â—ted which point is made more euident in that we do not fynd any one of the said Fathers among so many to be contradicted by any other orthodoxall Father for such his proceeding But to leaue humane authority and to come to diuyne if we looke into Gods sacred Word it is cleare that who maintayneth any one Heresy the same hath no more true hope of his saluation then a Heathen or a Publican for we fynd our Sauiour to vse this commination Qui (g) Matt. 18. Ecclesiam non audiâ—â—it c. He that will not heare the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen or Publican Where we may obserue that Christ said not Who will not heare the Church in all things but absolutely pronounced Who will not heare the Church If then a Sectary or Heretyke will not heare the authority of the Church proposing such and such poynts for example of Freewill Indulgences Prayer for the dead c. to be beleiued how shall he escape the Anathema heere threatned And though these wordes immediatly be intended of fraternall correction yet à fortiori they are to be vnderstood of him who reiects the authority of the Church in matters of fayth Since this mans conteÌ„pt towards the Church is farre greater lesse pardonable For who refusetâ— to
as though the Sunne equally and indifferently shyned vpon vs all auerring with (d) D. â—e well in his Apology of the Church of England p. 101. sayth thus The ZuingliaÌ„s and Lutherans are good friends they vary not betweâ—ne themselves vpon the principles and foundatioÌ„s of our Religion but vpon only one questioÌ„ which is neither waighty nor great The like sayth D. VVhitakâ— in resp ad rationes Camp rat 8. p. 155. monstrous boldnes that the ProtestaÌ„t differ among themselues not in any mayne poynts of fayth but only in Ceremonyes and some few matters of Indifferency so making our pens and Controuersyes for our owne aduantage to partake of the nature of diaphanous and transparent bodyes which are equally capable of light darknes In lyke sort I cannot but obserue in the thronge of so many great differences among our selues the detriment we suffer particularly by our dissensions touching our Communion-Booke of Prayer and our English Translation of Scripture Since by the first we are not resolued how we ought to pray to God whether our prayers made for the remitting of our Sinnes be not an increase of our sinnes since wrongfully and with a false fayth to pray is but to offend God And thus do we depriue our selues of the cheife means of pacifying Gods wrath and indignation Seing Prayer is a secondary Mediatour betweene God and man by meanes of it God as I may say knoweth not that to wit our Sinnes which from all Etermity he did know nor remembers that which before the perpetrating thereof was firmely registed in the Booke of his Prescience Prayer indeed being the spirituall ayre which refrigerates the heat of our Passions Os (e) Psalm 1â—8 meum aperui attraxi spiritum In lyke sort we being at wars which is the true Word of God in our translations of Scripture we are in the meane tyme depriued euen by our owne grounds of the true Iudge for the appeasing determining of Controuersyes in Religion since granting the Scripture to be this Iudge yet this is to be vnderstoode of the Scripture as it is pure in it self and incontaminated not as it is abastarded with false Translations Besydes being vnresolued which is the true Word of God we know not which is that heauenly Kings true â—â—mbassadour bringing to mankynd the comfortable message of Saluation or rather which is the Great Seale of that most great God whereunto he hath set his hand obliging himself by promise to giue Pardon to all truly Penitent euery sentence thereof being indeed the Lyse of our Soule and Soule of our Life (f) Ioan. cap. 6. Verba quae ego locutus sum vobis spir tus vita sâ—nt But to conclude this Chapter since the Catholyks in respect of fayth enioy a perfect Vnity since the Protestants maintayne strange diuersityes of doctrine attended on with intestine simultyes and vnchristian Anathematizings And since I haue but one poore indiuisible soule not capable of seuerall wayes therefore I am resolued that this one soule of myne shall in her fayth according to her owne being and essence tread the path of Vnity not of multiplicious Contrariety and repugnancy in Religion THE XII MOTIVE That Saluation may be had in Catholyke Religion by the confession of Protestants PERVERSITAS fidei est probata non credere non probata prasumere saith the ancient and learned (a) Aduer Gâ—osticos Tertullian By which words we are taught that an indubious and and fully warranted Truth ought to ouerballance in matter of fayth all vncertaine iniustifiable fluctuations of a contrary iudgment Heere then the Question being in what fa th and Religion a man dying may be saued a primary and Cardinall poynt I fynd that the learneder sort of Protestants do conspiringly seach that a Catholyke or in our own phrase a Papist dying a Papist may be saued but I do not fynd the lyke fauorable censure of our learned Aduersaryes so vnanimously to passe vpon vs dying Protestants Thus the first poynt as being on all sydes approued I may securely beleiue the second as not granted I must apprehend at least as doubtfull The consideration of our owne Brethrens iudgments heere in the behalfe of our Aduersaryes I grant hath much swayed me For as some of vs do teach (b) Peter Martyr in his Comm. places parâ— 2 p. 319. Among all testimonyes that testimony is of greatest respect which is witnessed by the Enemy since such an authour by disprouing the truth most strongly approues it and by impugning propugnes it This poynt then to wit that the hope of Saluation belongeth to Papists dying Papists shall be demonstrated foure seuerall wayes euen from the ingenuous and plaine acknowledgment of those Protestants whose pennes and wrytings haue most stroÌ„gly inuaded the iudgment of their Readers First by showing that diuers of vs doe hould that the cheifest Articles of Catholyke Religion are but poynts of Iudifferency and compatible with Saluation and which is more by prouing that sundry learned Protestants haue actually and really beleiued the said Catholike Articles as true Secondly by manifesting euen from our owne wrytings that the Church of Rome is the true Church of Christ and that in that Church Saluation is to be obtayned Thirdly from our doctryne practize in baptizing the children of Catholyks Fourthly by insisting in diuers examples of particuler men which haue dyed in the Roman and Catholike Church and yet by vs Protestants are reputed for glorious Saints in heauen As touching the first I will rest for greater expedition in some few of the chiefest articls of the Roman fayth the which being accounted by vs as matters of indifferencyes may stand by our owne censures with saluation from whence we may inferre that then much more many other articles of the sayd Religion be reputed by vs to be of the like indifferency And first concerning the primacy of the Church Luther (c) In assert art 36. himselfe thus sayth The Popes supremacy is among those vnnecessary trifles wherin the Popes leuity and foolery is to be borne withall Melancthon (d) In his epist extant in the booke styled Centuria epist Theolog. epist 74. proceedeth more plainely saying An agreement may easily be established in the Article of the Popes Primacy if other articles could be agreed vpon The doctrine of the Primacy to wit that one must be chiefe in the Church of God is taught by (e) Vbi supra MelanctoÌ„ (f) So related by Hospinian hist p. 389. Iacobus Andreas (g) Luth. in loc com class c. 37 Luther and D. (h) D. Couell in his exam fol. 106. Couell who giueth this reason thereof saying If there were not one supreme head in the Church of God the Church should be worse then the meanest Commonwealth yea then any den of theeues Touching the reall presence D. Reynolds (i) In his conclus annexed to his conference pag. 722. so depresseth the weight thereof that he sayth
The Reall presence is but as the grudging of a little ague if otherwise the party hould the Christian fayth Iacobus Acontius a (k) In lib. stratagem Satan pag. 135. learned Protestant accordeth with D. Reynolds saying It is euident concerning as well those who hould the reall presence of Christs body in the bread as those others which deny it that although of necessity the one part do erre yet both are in way of saluation if in other thinges they be obedient vnto God The like iudgment giueth (l) As he is cyted by Amandus Polanus in his Syllog Thes Theolog. pag. 464. Luther of Transubstantiation Now the doctrine touching Communion vnder one or both kindes is of that indifferency with Luther (m) Ineâ— ad Bohem. that thus he sayth therof Quamuis pulchrum c. Though it were very good to vse both kinds in the Eucharist and that Christ commanded heerein nothing as necessary yet it were better heerin to seeke after peace then to contend touching the shecies or kindes Now that the doctrine of the Reall presence is true besides that it is defended by Luther and all the Lutherans that Christs body is really giuen in the Sacrament to the bodily mouth it is further raught that not only the efficacy of Christs body as the Sacramentaryes do hould but that the body it selfe after a wonderfull and incomprehensible manner is giuen to the mouth of the faythful And this is acknowledged for true though with great dislike of other Sacramentaryes by (n) In script Anglican pag 548. Bucer (o) Contra Duraeum pag 119. D. Whitaker (p) Eccles policy l. 5. sect 67. M Hooker In like manner the indifferency of one or both kinds is defended by Luther saying Si ineris c If thou shalt go to a place where they vse to communicate in one kind communicate thou also in one kind in like sort by (r) In cent epist theo pag. 2â—1 Melancthon q De va traque specie Sacram. and by others alleadged by D. (s) In his reply pag. 110. Iewell who were as I may say but of halfe-bloud to Luther in the doctrine of the Sacrament Concerning Prayer for the dead the indifferency of it as not being necessary to saluation is taught by M. Cartwright thus writing The doctrins of prayer for the dead freewill t So cyted by M. VVhitgift in his defence p. 82 and a number of other as necessary doctrines are such wherin men being nuzzeled haue notwithstanding beene saued The same is likewise taught by D. (u) In his confut of Purgatory pag. 3.6 Fulke and M. (x) In his answere to Iohn d'Albins pag. 382. Sparkes Now the doctrine of prayer for the dead is taught and belieued by (y) As witnâ—sseth Vrbanus Regius in prima parte operum in formula cautè loquendi c. desanctoruÌ„ cultu Luther (z) Vrbanus Regius vbi supra Vrbanus Regius (a) In script Anglic. p. 450. Bucer and the (b) Printed anno 1649. Communion-booke in King Edwards tyme. The doctrine of Free-will is taught as a point not necessary by M. (c) In M. VVhitgif defence vbi supra Cartwright in these words If you meane by matters of fayth those without which a man cannot be saued then the doctrine which teacheth there is no freewill or prayer for the dead is not within your compasse By M. (d) In his â—â—osition of the â—reed pag. 402. Parkins who thus wryteth A weakning errour is that the houlding whereof doth not ouerturne any point in the foundation of saluation as the errour of free-will and sundry such like The doctrine of Free-will is taught for true by the two Protestants Secanus and Hemingius as witnesseth D. (e) In his sinops printed 1600. pag. 808. Willet and by diuers other Protestants mentioned by M. (f) Act. mon. pag. 1533. Fox Of the doctrine of satisfaction merit of works D. Whitak thus discourseth The (g) Contra Camp pag. 73. and the like in his answere to Maister Reynoldes p. 135. Fathers thought by their externall discipline of life to pay the paines due for sinne c. which though it be an errour yet were they notwithstanding good men and holy Fathers Happy soules with whome to feare wisely was to free theÌ„ from fire they being indeed more truely confident of their saluation then we Protestants can be through our vncertaine certainty Now the doctrine of the necessity of workes to saluation is affirmed by D. (h) Against the Rhemish Testament in 2. Pet. 2. Fulke and D. (i) In his 〈…〉 pag 90â— Willet though contradicted by (k) In praefat ad Roman Illirycus for new papistry to vse his owne wordes as pernicious as the old In like sort voluntary Pouerty Chastity and Obedience are taught by M. (l) In his Eccles â—ist l. 2. p. 102. Hooker and D. (m) In his defence of M. Hook art 8 pag. â—2 Couell Concerning Inuocation of Saints D. (n) In the tower disp with â—a Camp the 2. dayes conference argum 8. R. 11 R. 111. Fulke and D. Goad affirme that this article doth not exclud men from being members of the Church of Christ In like manner for honouring of Saints Reliques M. (o) In his answere to Ichn d'Albins pag. 382. Sparkes thus sayth We are not so hasty to pronounce sentence of condemnation of any for such errours as that either we thinke all must be saued that hould one way or all condemned that hould another way The doctrine of Inuocation of Saints is taught and belieued by (p) â—n purgat quorumdam articul as also in epist ad Georgium Spalatinum Luther who thus writeth De intercessione Diuorum c. Touching the intercession of Saints I belieue and iudge with the whole Christian Church that is That Saints are to be honoured and inuoked by (q) In orat 1. Chrysost de Iuuentio Maximo Oecolampadius by (r) Act. mon. pag. 462. Bilney a Protestant and by (s) Act. mon. pag. 1312. Latimer Finally the worshipping of Images is held a point indifferent by M. (t) In his treatise tending to pacification pag. 104. Bunny who thus sayth of this article of the Conception of our Blessed Lady and some others In these or such like articles whosoeuer will condemne all those to be none of the Church that are not fully perswaded as we are therein c. committeth an vncharitable part towardes those his Brethren The doctrine it selfe of worshipping Images is defended as true by Thomas (u) Act. mon. pag. 462. Bilney aboue alleadged and by certaine Protestants of Germany as Bezi (x) In his â—isp ad acta â—loq montisbolgar parte altera pag. 23. relates In lyke sort reuerence and bowing downe at the name of Iesus is affirmed and commanded by Q Elizabeths (y) Act. 92.3 IniunctioÌ„s by D. (z) In his defence p. 742. Whitguyft (a) In loc com p.
59. Muscuâ—uâ— and (b) in ep Paul ad Philipens Coless c. fol. 223. Zanchius But if bowing to the Name of Iesus being heard or read be lawfull then followeth it irrefragably that the honoring of Christs Image is lawfull since the name of Iesus is to the eare as his Image is to the eye And thus far of certaine mayne points of the Catholike ReligioÌ„ acknowledged but as matters of IndiffereÌ„cy by certaine Protestants and therefore not excluding in their Iudgments the beleiuers of them from Saluation and taught and beleiued for most true by other learned Protestants In this second place we will show that our learned Brethren do teach the Church of Rome notwithstanding her certaine supposed Errours to be the true Church of Christ and consequently her Professours to be not Analogical and half ChristiaÌ„s but true and perfect Christians and therefore not excluded euen by our owne mens iudgments from the hope of Saluation First then we do fynd our Brother (c) In his treatise of the kingdome of Israel and of the Church p. 24. D. Morton now Bishop of Couentry and Lichfyeld thus to wryte Papists are to be accounted the Church of God because they do hould the foundation of the Gospell which is fayth in Christ Iesus the Sonne of God and Sauiour of the World If then the Papists by the Church of God it followeth they are the true Church of God since to speake with S. Cyprian Adulterari (d) Lib de vnit Eccl. non potest sponsa Christi incorrupta est pudica In like sort M. (e) In his fift booke of Eccles policy pag. 188. Hooker giueth this honourable and worthy respect to the Church of Rome saying The Church of Rome is to be reputed a part of the house of God a limme of the visible Church of Christ we gladly acknowledge them to be of the family of Iesus Christ M. Bunny (f) In his treat tending to pacific p. 109 111. speaking of the Catholikes and I rotestants thus writeth Neither of vs may iustly account the other to be none of the Church of God we are no seuerall Church from them nor they from vs. D. Field thus writeth We (g) Of the Church l. 3. cap. 46. doubt not but that the Church in which the Bishop of Rome with more then Luciferlike pride exalted himselfe was notwithstanding the true Church of God that it held a sauing profession of the truth in Christ therefore in his iudgment those which dyed in this Church might be saued D. Some If (h) In his defence against Penry p. â—76 you thinke that all the popish sort which dyed in the Popish Church are damned you thinke absurdly and do dissent from the iudgment of all learned Protestants D. Barow I (i) In his 4. sermoÌ„s 2. questions disputed ad Clerum p. 448. dare not deny the name of Christians to the Romanists sith the learneder writers do acknowledge the Church of Rome to be the Church of God To be short leauing out the authorityes of many others D. (k) in his defence of M. Hook c. p. 77. Couell thus auerreth We affirme them of the Church of Rome to be paries of the Church of Christ and that those that liue and dye in that Church may notwithstanding be saued This Doctour further charging those that thinke the contrary with l ignorant zeale Thus we see how the Sphere of Catholike Religion euen according to the Theoryes of our best Euangelicall Mathematicians turneth vpon the Poles of Mans saluation A third way of prouing the former verity may be taken from the Protestants doctrine and practize touching the baptizing of Catholike children which baptisme we Protestants teach to be good and auaylable whether it be ministred by Catholike Priests or by Protestant Ministers and this as we (m) So teach the Deumes of Geneua in the propositions and principles disputed at Geneua p. 178. The same is taught by D. VVhigist in his defence p. 623. by M. Hooker in his Eccles policy l. 3. pag. 131. affirme because they are coÌ„prehended within the couenant of eternall life by meanes of the fayth of their parents Now when we Protestants baptize the children of Catholiks it is not sayth M. (n) Vbisupra Hooker very learnedly in regard of Gods promise which reacheth vnto a thousand generations since if it were so then saith he all the world might be baptized meaning the children of Iewes Turkes c. in so much as no man is a thousand descents remoued from Adam but it is by reason of the fayth of their Catholike parents And hence it is that D Some (o) In his defence against Penry cap. 22. affirmes That Infants children of West Indian Christians whose former Ancestours in regard of their late conuersion to Christianity neuer knew the Christian fayth being baptized by their Catholike Priests receaue true baptisme to vse his wordes are engrafted into Christ. But heere I vrge If the fayth of Catholyke Parents be auaylable for their Childrens Saluation much more then is it auaylable for their owne Saluation except we will imagine their fayth to participate of the nature of the Ayre which is a principall Cause why all other things may be seene and yet it selfe depriued of the benefit of being seene The fourth and last Medium which I will heere vse for the warranting of the foresaid Verity of Catholyks Saluation shall be to apply the former vniuersall Truth of Schooles learned Protestants to particuler Persons that is to set downe the iudgments of vs Protestants articulately and punctually passed vpon certaine men who by our owne Confessions dyed Catholyks whom neuerthelesse we affirme to be saued And first touching the Fathers in generall whom to haue lyued and dyed Papists as being reiected for their doctryne by vs is euident out of our former passages Now of them (p) In his reply in â—octor VVhirgif defence p. 82. M Cartwright thus charitably wryteth I doubt not but diuers Fathers of the Greek Church who were Patrones of Free will are saued The lyke iudgment D. Whitaker (q) Contra rat Camp pag. 78. vs supra giueth of the Fathers notwithstanding their doctryne touching Satisfaction and Merit of works And the same iudgment of vs is proued euen from the word and title of Saint which almost all the sober learned ProtestaÌ„ts commonly giue in their wrytings speaches to Augustin Ierome Ignatius and the rest of the Primitiue Church Now if we entitle them Saints then do we acknowledg they are saued except we would say there are some Saints which are not saued But to descend to more particuler examples Beda as Osiander (r) In epitom cent 8. l. 2. c. 3. witnesseth was wrapped in all popish errours wherein we at this day dissent from the Pope and yet he is acknowledged by D. (s) In â—esuâ—â—sme par 2. rat 3. Humfrey to be in the nuÌ„ber
of godly men to vse his words raysed vp by the Holy Ghost Againe Gregory the Great and Augustin who first planted in England Christian Religion are confessed by vs to haue beene Papists as aboue is showed and yet they are thus styled by vs That (t) M. Godwin in his Catal. of Bishops pag. 3. See the like coÌ„mendation giuen to them by D. Fulke against Heskins Sanders c p. 561. blessed and holy Fathers S. Gregory and S. Augustine our Apostle S. Bernard by our acknowledgment was so confessed a Papist as that he was an Abbot and (u) Osiand in epitom Cent. 12. p. 309. Authour of many Monasteryes in France and Flaunders and yet D. (x) Lib. de E cles p. 369. Whitaker thus writeth of him Ego quidem BernarduÌ„ verè suisse Sanctum existimo And Osiander (y) Cent. 12. p. 309. tearmeth him A very good man Of Bernard Francis others Tindall (z) Act. mon. pag. 1338. thus acknowledgeth I doubt not but S. Bernard Francis and many others like holy men erred as concerning Masse thus he confessing them to be men of Sanctity and holynes and consequently in state of saluation And touching the same point Luther (a) In col loq Germ. cap. de Missa thus saith Priuate Massse hath deceaued many Saints and carryed them away into errour from the tyme of Gregory for 800. yeares Of S. Dominicke who was the Authour of the Order of the Dominican Fryars (b) In Chronic. p. 200. Pantaleon a Protestant relateth much and speaking greatly of his piety and vertue concludeth thus Dominicus erat vir doctus bonus Praedicatorum Ordinem instituit His like confessed Holines is celebrated much at large by the (c) Cent. â—â— col 1179. Centurists To conclude of these three former Saints Luther thus confesseth Fateor c. I gâ—aunt that the guifts of God were not want ng to Francis Dominicke and Bernard and to others who were the first Authours of Colledges for Monks but these guifts are but personall But such guifts cannot stand without true vertue nor true vertue without hope of saluation And thus farre of this most certaine and vndeleble truth that Catholikes dying as Catholikâ— may be saved confessed in the cleare words of the most learned Protestants from whence we may be assured of their iudgments especially deliuered in the behalfe of their Aduersaryes answerable heerein to their writinges since wordes are the naturall shadow of the mind cast by the light of the Vnderstanding But heere do present vnto vs two Porismata or Resultancyes out of the Premisses of this Passage The first That all true Reason perswadeth me to implant and ingraft my self in that Church which I fynd to be acknowledged for the true church promising Saluation to her members euen by her Aduersaryes For if I dye Catholyke my lyfe being agreable thereto both Catholyks and Protestants warrant my Saluation But dying in the fayth of Protestancy the Protestant alone and this in honour of their owne Religion assure me of it For there is neuer a learned Catholyke wryter in the world an obseruation much to be weighed who granteth that a Protestant dying with a positiue setled and contumacious neglect of the Catholyke Church and fayth can be saued This then being thus shall I in so great a busines leaue a certainty for vncertainty God forbid We Protestants expect to be beleiued in other our Positions and doctrynes Why not then in this Since then the Protestants do teach that Catholyks so dying are in state of Saluation I am resolued my Brethrens wrytings shall haue that powerfull influence ouer me as what theÌ„selues doe heerin teach I will through Gods grace put in execution And so my Will shall become in this poynt a ready and seruiceable Handmayd to their Iudgments The second The Wronge which we Protestants commit in afflicting the Catholyks and in vnnaturally betrampling vpon their deiected estats only for matters of Religion Alas by our owne doctryne they are neither Babylonians nor Aegyptians both they and we being as we teach Isralits why then should Israel thus persecute Israel Are we not become the gaze of Christendome thus to fight without an enemy Thus for kynred to wound it owne kyndred yea often the Father the Sonne so turning our owne swords into our owne childrens breasts we still inciting his Maiesty to greater seuerity a Prince of his owne disposition of the most benigne mercifull and commiserating nature that the World at this day enioyes and all this for the Catholyks liuing in that fayth and Religion in which our selues teach they may be saued thus do we make the confessed hope of their saluation to be the sole cause of their pressures and calamityes Good God! who would thinke that Christians the cheifest articles of whose fayth are either reputed but as Indifferencyes or which is more beleiued for true doctrine by their Oppressours whose Church is acknowledged to be the d Dâ— Morton vbi supra Church of God houlding the foundation of the Gospell the (e) M. Hooker vbi supra family of Iesus Christ it being no seuerall (f) M. Bunny vbi supra Church from theirs nor theirs from it houlding (g) D. Field vbi supra a sauing Profession of the truth in Christ in which many (h) D. Couell with the other Doctours vbi supra dying are by their Aduersaries registred for most glorious Saints shold neuertheles be persecuted by other Christians of their owne Country yea their owne flesh for their only perseuering in the foresaid Church with confiscation of goods restraint of body and sometymes with sheeding of most innobloud suffering a cruel death Obstupescite (i) Hierem cap. 2. Cali super hoc portaecius desâ—lamini vehementer Heere now I will stay my penne making this last Motiue as a fitting Catastrophe for all Since that Closure and End is warrantable inough which euicteth from the ingenuous Confessions of the most learned Protestants that I may be saued in that Religion wherein I am resolued to dye THE CONCLVSION TO MY DEARE AND REVEREND BRETHREN THE LORDES ARCH-BISHOPS AND BISHOPS OF ENGLAND REVEREND and Learned Brethren the ouerlooking eyes of our Nation my Pen heere salutes your Lordships before it taketh it last pawse This smal Legacy I haue determined to leaue behind me primitiuely for the iustifying of my vnrepented reuolt from you in matter of Fayth for Non (a) Tert. suffundar errore quo caruisse delector Secondarily for the benefit of those whose weake Iudgments haue beene abused through their ouer-hasty swearing Fealty to their Protestant Maysters To your selues it is needles as already enioying the same other forcible demonstrations in the like behalf Diuers of you haue spent I know many yeares in seriously perusing the holy Scriptures the voluminous Commentaryes of the Lights of Gods Church the Ecclesiasticall Historyes of all ages the Oecumenicall Councells of the Primitiue Church