of knowledge the Saincts do know our prayers Or lastly because we offer iniury to God and Christ if we pray to any other then to him alone But this is the least of all true seing by the same reason it should not be lawfull for vs to pray to the liuing that they would pray for vs And then consequently Saint Paul should haue beene most iniurious to God and Christ in praying to the Romans the Ephesians the Thessalonians the Colossians and the Hebrews to pray for him to God Therefore as it is no iniury but an honour to Kings when their friends are honored and Embassadours are sent to them Euen so heere there is no iniury done to God but honour when the Saincts of God are honored by praying vnto them not as to Gods but as to the friends of God since otherwise it would follow that he should commit an iniury to God as is aboue sayd who should desire entreate the prayers of the liuing This argument is vnanswerable and the rather since the Saincts in Heauen are members of the same Church of which the liuing are they also wholy relye vpon the same intercession of Christ with the liuing for what they desire for vs that they desyre of God through the merits of our Sauiour Christ This doctrine of Inuocation of Saincts is further prooued from seuerall auncient Councells whose places for greater breuity I referre the Reader to As to the Epistle of the Bishops of Europe written to Leo the Emperour which epistle is adioyned to the Councell of Calcedon the Councell of Chalcedon it selfe the sixt generall councell the seauenth generall couÌ„cell besides diuers others That the auncient Fathers of the Primatiue Church beleiued practized this doctrine of praying to Saincts is euident from the references herein the margent See then hereof Dionisius Areopagita Ireneus Eusebius Athanasius h Basill Chrysostome Gregory Nyssene Hilary Ambrose Ierome Austin and others This point of the Fathers iudgment and practize herein is so manifest as that we fynd it to be thus confessed of them by the learned Protestants M. Fulke thus sayth I confesse that Ambrose Austin and Ierome did hould Inuocation of Saincts to be lawfull The sayd D. Fulke doth further thus write In Nazianzen Basill and Chrysostome is mention of Inuocation of Saincts And yet more fully the same D. thus confesseth Many of the auncient Fathers did hould that the Saincts departed do pray for vs. In which generall condemnation of the Fathers herein D. Whitguift the Archbishop of Canterbury thus coÌ„spireth with the foresayd D. Fulke Almost all the Bishopps and Wryters of the Greeke Church and Latin also for the most part were spotted with the doctrine of Inuocation of Saincts and such like points To conclude D. Couell thus 〈…〉 peth with the former Protestants saying Diuers both of the Greeke and Latin Church were spotted with the errour about the Inuocation of Saincts Now that the Protestants do not only confesse the auncient Fathers iudgment hearein but that also diuers of them do beleiue the doctrine 〈◊〉 selfe to be true is no lesse cleare For we find Luther hymselfe thus to wryte De intercessione diuorum cum tota Ecclesia Christiana sentio Sanctos a nobis honâ—randos esse inuocandoâ— With whom agree Oâ—colampadius Latimer and diuers Protestants in Polonia Now I will end this poynt in setting the iudgment of learned Fathers and Catholicks touching the manner how Saincts do heare out prayers Which is that Saincts as being in Heauen euen from their first beginning of their beatitude and happines do see all things in God as in a cleare glasse which belong vnto them any way according to that Quid est quod ibi nâ—sciunt qui scie tem omâ—â—a sciunt And therefore they see and heare our prayers directed vnto them And hence it is that the holy Soules before our Sauiours Incarnation and Ascention being in Lyâ—bus Patrum were not prayed vnto because they then not being in Heauen could not heare the prayer of the liuing made to them And therefore no maruayle if neither in the old Testament nor in the new we find no expresse examples of prayer made to Saincts To the former maner how saincts do see the actions of the liuing and do heare their prayers I may adioyne an other manner of hearing theÌ„ allowed taught by S. Austin other Fathers Which is that God out of his speciall fauour and loue to his Saincts doth open and reueale to them the particular states and prayer of their friends yet liuing in the World Now how agreable it is to all force of Reason that Saincts in Heauen should know the affayres of their liuing friends is seuerall wayes proued First because the Angells in Heauen reioyce at the conuertion of a sinneâ— Therefore the Angells know the particular states of liuing Men. But if the Angells do then by the same Reason the Saincts doe seeing so far as concerne this poynt theare is no difference betweene the Angells and the Saincts Secondly the Nature of their beatitude requireth such knowledge of the affayres of their liuing friends For seeing their Happynes is a mayne Ocean of all ioyes no kind of happines being to them wanting which is requisite for them to haue therefore it followeth that for their greature measure of their felicity they are to haue notice of the miseryes wants prayers of their liuing friends And this the rather seing Nature is not abolished but betered and perfected by grace from whence we may gather that the Saincts in heauen do not abandon reiect the cares states of their liuing friends but do still retayne though with greater perfection their former naturall desire to know releiue the state of their said friends Thirdly This priuiledge of Saincts knowing the state and hearning the prayers of the liuing best sorteth to the nobility and worth of their beatificall and happy Vision of God For if God hath honored diuers of his friends whyles they liued in this world with the guyft of Prophecy as he did Daniell Ezechiel Esay Dauid and many others wheareby diuers of them reuealed many things to come meerely depending of Mans freewill and therefore not forseene in their causes as also did tell at the very tyme they were donne things donne in places far distant and remote from them How can it then otherwyse be but that his diuine Maiesty is most willing to communicate vnto his Saincts the state and prayers of the liuing To the force of which Reason S. Austin subscribeth in theese words Yf the Prophet Elizaeus absent in body did see the brybe his seruant Geizi did take of Nâ—man syrus c. How much more in that spirituall bodye shall Saincts see all things c. When God shal be All in all vnto vs Lastly the damned spirits and
the Church of Rome since the Apostles dayes Which Position is indeed the iuncture without which the whole frame almost of all other Controuersies hang loose Doctour Whitakers vndertaks to proue the Contrary In whom rather then in any other Protestant I haue peculiarly and ex professo made choyce to personate all the speeches and arguments vsed to proue this supposed change in the Church of Rome principally because there is no Protestant wryter that I know who hath so much prosecuted this presumed change as Doctour Whitakers hath done as appeareth in his Bookes agaynst the Cardinall himselfe agaynst Father Campion that blessed Saint and cheifly against Duraeus where the Doctour vndertaketh to instance diuers examples of this imaginary Reuolt Yet here you are to conceaue that I haue not so dwelled in the only wrytings of Doctour Whitakers as that I neglect what other Protestants haue also written in maintenance of this change for I assure you I haue omitted nothing of Moment which I could fynd in their Bookes to be obiected in proofe thereof though Doctour Whitakers is introduced to deliuer or speake it And withall I haue made speciall references to their Books where such their sentences or authorities are to be found And yet learned Men notwithstanding all that which can be vrged by any of them in this behalfe sooner shall they prooue that the fixed starrs haue changed their postures situations in their Orbe then that Rome hath changed it fayth So true are those words of an auncient Father Vetus Roma ab antiquis temporibus habere rectam fidem semper eam retinet What sentences authorities or instances of change Doctour Whitakers hath vsed in any of his Bookes by me alledged the same I haue set downe with citation of the Books and in a seuerall Character from that which he speaketh at large in the person of a Protestant and this to the end that the Reader may seuer the Doctours owne words from the words of a Protestant in generall In like sort what intemperate speeches euen loaded with malice and rancour the Doctourâ—seth â—seth against the Church of Rome are not by me forged and fathered vpon him But are especially those which are most virulent his owne words yet extant in his Bookes and accordingly they are printed in a different letter with the Latin words set in the margent So carefull I am not to wrong the Doctour by vniustly obtruding vpon him any scurrilous and vndecent Inuectiues or Pasquills The Conclusion consisteth in retorting that vpon our Aduersartes where with they here charge the Church of Rome I meane in demonstrating that it is the Protestant who hath made in fayth this change and innouation from the auncient fayth of the Apostles And thus by comparing these two contrary fayths doctrines together and the antiquity of the one and innouation of the other you shall find that errour is best knowne by truth as death is knowne bylife Now here your ingenuities are to suppose for the tyme that Cardinall Bellarmine and Doctour Whitakers are at this present liuing In like sort that the Cardinall hath read all bookes written either in Latin or English which are in this Dialogue alleadged Which like supposalls you are also to make in the other subsequent Dialogues touching the Persons in them produced as that they are now liuing and that they all liued at one tyme c. All which imaginations are fully iustifiable in the true methode of Dialogues since in this kind of writing the Persons you know are forged for the matter and not the matter for the Persons And thus much touching the first Dialogue Now to descend to the second Dialogue The subiect wherof is to demonstrate that the visibility of the Protestant Church cannot be iustifyed from the Primitiue Church much lesse from the Apostles dayes till Luthers reuolt And which is more that not any one Man during all that long Period of tyme nor Luther himselfe can be truly insisted vpon for a perfect absolute Protestant and such as the present Church of England can or will acknowledge to be a member of it Which point being once euicted How deadly it woundeth the Protestants may easily appeare in regard of the euer necessary and vndeniable visibility of Christs true Church whose expansion enlargment and vneclypsed radiancy at all tymes is much celebrated in Holy writ Her sunne shall not be set nor her Moone hid as will more fully appeare bereafter in it due place The interlocutours are the foresayd Michaeas the Iew Ochinus who first in King Edward the sixt his dayes did diseminate Protestancy at least seuer all points of Protestancy here lâ— England Doctour Reynolds of Oxford and Neuserus chiefe Pastour of Heidelberg in the Palatinate Why Ochinus Neuserus are brought in as speakers in this Dialogue the Argument prefixed therto will show I haue presumed to incorporate most of what can be vrged for the visibility of the Protestant Church in Doctour Reynolds as a Man who was best able in his dayes to support his owne Church from ruyne And sutably herto the supposed place of this disputation is Oxford I haue in no sort wronged the Doctour whom I well know to haue bene a blazing Comet in your Euang elicall spheare to whom as being of good temperance in his writings in respect of his brother Doctour Whitakers I am vnwtlling to ascrybe too litle only I wish his fauorits had not ascrybed to him too much If any of you shall muse why in these Dialogues all the Protestants being otherwise presumed to be most learned do reply so sparingly eyther to Cardinall Bellarmyne or to Michaeas their answeres and arguments as here you shall find them to do you are to conceaue that it is agreed in the begining of the two first Dialogues among all the Interlocutours to stand indisputably to the freqrent Confessions of the learned Protestants vrged in behalfe of any poynt controuerted Now both the Cardinall and Michaeâ—s for the most part do auoyd the other Interlocutours reasons and instances by the contrary acknowledgments of diuers eminent Protestants as also do produce their owne arguments in defence of their Catholicke articles from the like acknowledgments of the learned Protestants speaking in those points agaynst themselues and in behalfe of the Catholickes Which method being chiefly houlden throughout these Dialogues how then can the Protestant Interlocutours continue any new reply agaynst the Caidinall or agaynst Michaeas But to reflect vpon the subiect of this second Dialogue And here I do auouch that to maintayne that Protestancy was euer before the breaking out of Luther though euen then it was not in it perfection is no lesse absurd in reason then to maintayne that the byrth of any thing can precede it conception and the effect the cause True it is that in diuers former ages there haue bene some secret and indeed blind Moules who working vnder the foundation of the Roman Church haue labored
Work A matter so euident and confessed by our aduersaryes as that D. Fulke thus exprobrateth the Catholicks in these words You can name the notable personages in all ages obserue these words in all ages and their gouerment and ministery and especially the succession of the Popes you can rehearse in order and vpon your fingars Thus D. Fulke 3. Thirdly We prooue the former assertion of our Catholicke Church its Visibility during the first six hundred years after Christ and consequently during the whole period of the Primatiue Church by taking a view in generall how the cheife auncient Fathers of those tymes are pryzed and entertayned by the Protestants who indeed dispensing with all Ceremonyes herein do absoluâ—ly reiect them as inexcusable and grosse Papists For as for these last thousand yeares It is acknowledged by all Protestant whosoeuer that our Church hath bene most visible tyrannyzing they say ouer the true Church for so many ages And according hereto M Powell sayth From the yeare of Christ six hundred and fyue the professed company of Popery hath been very visible and conspicuous But to proceede If the most auncient most reuerend Fathers of the Primatiue Church I meane Ignatius Dionysius Areopagita Iustinus Ireneus Tertulâ—an Origen Cyprian Athanasius Hilarius the Cyrills the Gregoryes Ambrose Basill Optatus Gaudentius Chrysostome Ierome Austin and diuers others be accounted by our aduersaryes most earnest Professours of our Catholicke and Roman fayth then followeth it ineuitably that our Catholicke Church was most conspicuous in those dayes since those Fathers were then the visible Pastours of the Church and then consequently the Church whereof they were Pastours must needs be visible That these primatiue Fathers were Papists as our Aduersaryes tearme vs appeareth euidently out of these few confessions here following which for breuity I haue discerped out of the great store of like acknowledgments of this point occurring in our aduersaryes bookes And first Peter Martyr thus confesseth of this point As long as we insist in the Fathers so long we shal be conuersant in their errours Beza thus insulteth ouer the Fathers Euen in the best tymes meaning the tymes of the Primatiue Church the ambition ignorance and lewdnes of the Bishopps was such as the very blind may easily perceaue that Satan was president in their Assemblyes or Conncells D. Whitguift thus conspireth with his former Brethren How greatly were almost all the Bishops and learned wryters of the Greeke Church Latin also for the most part spotted with doctrines of freewill of merit of Innocation of Saints and such like meaning such like Catholicke doctrines Melancthon is no lesse sparing in taxing the Fathers who thus confesseth Presently from the beginning of the Church that is presently after Christ his Ascension the auncient Fathers obscured the doctrine concerning the Iustice of Fayth increased ceremonyes and deuised peculiar Worshipps But Luther himselfe shall end this Scene who most securiously traduceth the Fathers in these words The Fathers for so many ages meaning after the Apostles haue bene blind and most ignorant in the Scriptures They haue erred all their lifetyme and vnlesse they were amended before their deaths they were neither Saincts nor pertayning to the Church Thus Luther And thus much touching the Fathers of the Primatiue Church being professours of our present Catholicke Fayth and Church and consequently that our Catholicke Church was most uisible and florishing in those primatiue tymes 4. Fourthly The former inexpug 〈…〉 verity is proued from that the Church of Rome neuer suffered change in fayth since it first plantation by the Apostles Now if the Church of Rome neuer suffered chauge in Religion if it hath euer continued a Church since the Apostles dayes and lastly if at this day it professeth our present Catholicke fayth then followeth it demonstratiuely that there were visible Professours of our Catholicke fayth in the Church of Rome euer since the Apostles and consequently that our Catholicke Church hath euer bene uisible since those tymes To proue that the Church of Rome neuer brooked change of fayth since the Apostles dayes I referre you to the first former Dialogue of the Conuerted Iew. 5. Fiftly and lastly our foresaid Assertion is acknowledged for true vndoubred euen from the penns of our learned Aduersary who most frequently in their wrytings do intimate so much And here I am to craue pardon if I iterate some few testimonies and acknowledgments of Protestants aboue produced in this Dialogue Which as they there did prooue an inuisibility of the Protestant Church in those former Ages so here also diuers of them prooue so neerely do these two points interueyue the one the other a continuall visibility of our Catholicke Church during the said tymes To come then to these confessions of the Protestants in this point touching the euer visibility of the Catholicke Church I will ascend vp by degrees euen to and within the Apostles dayes And this because some Protestants as lesse ingenuous and vpright in their writings do affoard to our Catholicke Church a shorter tyme or Period of visibility then others of their more learned and well-meaning Brethren are content to allow First then M Parkins thus sayth During the space of nyne hundred yeares the Popish Heresy hath spreed it selfe ouer the whole earth This point is further made cleere from the Penns of the Centurists and Osiander all which do in euery of the Centuryes from S. Gregories tyme to Luther name and record all the Popes 〈◊〉 cheyfe Catholicke Bishops and diuers others professing our Catholicke fayth according to the Century or age wherin eich of them liued But to ascende higher M. Nappier confesseth of a longer tyme thus saying The Popes Kingdome hath had power ouer all Christians from the tymes of Pope Sâ—luester and the Emperour Constantyn for these thousand two hundred and sixtie yeares And also againe from the tyme of Constantyn vntill theese our dayes euen one thousand two hundred and sixty yeres the Pope and the Cleargy hath possessed the outward visible Church of Christians But M. Napper in an other place dealeth more bountifully with vs herein for thus he witnesseth During euen the second and third ages the true temple of God and light of the Gospell was obscured by the Roman Antichrist Sebastianus Francus alloweth the Visibility of our Church from the tyme immediatly after the Apostles thus wrytinge Presently after the Apostles tymes all things were turned vpsyde downe c. And for certaine through the worke of Antichrist the external Church together with their fayth and Sacraments vanished away presently after the Apostles departure With this Protestant D Fulke conspireth thus saying The true Church decayed immediatly after the Apostles tymes Which being spoken by him of the Protestant Church then may we infer that the Church of Rome and it fayth as presumed to be by the iudgment of this Doctour the false Church was visible immediatly
Churches is taught as true and warrantable doctrine by diuers learned Protestants as by Cempnitius by Luther and Brentius Iacobus Andreas c. But now I will conclude this discourse touching Images with a most authenticall and strange miracle wrought by the Image of Christ and recorded by Eusebius Theophilact and Zozemene all auncient graue Wryters whose authorityes herein if we reiect we reiect by the same reason the proofe of all other things recorded by auntient Historiographers It was this The woman whom our Sauiour cured of the bloody flux caused to be made a brazen Image of Christ at the foote whereof did spring a strange hearb the which hearbe after it did ascend so high as to touch the scirt of the Image it had vertue to cure all diseases Which vertue no doubt God would not haue imparted to the Hearbe but only in manifestation that due respect might lawfully be giuen to the Image of Christ And thus far touching the Catholicke doctrine of Images Touching Prayer to Saincts TOuchinge Prayer to Saincts I will deliuer the Catholicke doctryne thereof in certaine Propositions which Propositions may searue as certaine graduall stips or degrees of this Controuersye The first Proposition may be this It is not lawfull to pray to Saincts as authours or principall dispensours of diuine benefitts to obtaine from them either grace or glorye or the meanes of obtaining our Eternall felicitie much lesse the Crawne of glory or heauen it selfe Since in this sense to pray to them were according to the iudgment of S. Austin and all Catholicks to make Saincts Gods And therefore if at any time the words directed to Saincts should sound otherwyse as when we say Our Lady healpe me c. We are heare to insist in the sense not in the naked words That is Our Lady healpe me by her intercession and prayers to her sonne and no otherwyse Euen as we fynd that S. Paule saith of hymselfe If I may saue some of them meaning of the Gentills And againe the sayd Apostle saith of hymselfe To all Men I am become all things that I might saue all meaning to saue all not as God but only healping them and furthering their Saluation by his preaching to them and by his prayers for them Which words of the Apostle being truly vnderstoode may searâ—e well to stop the Mouths of the Protestant Ministers for their often mistaking and misinterpreting of the Catholicke Doctrine touching prayer to Saincts The second Proposition Saincts are not our immediate Mediatours by way of intercession with God But whatsoeuer they demande or obtayne of God for vs they demaund and obtayne it through Christ and his Merits And according hearto we find that all the Prayers of the Church which are made to Saincts end with this clause Per Christum Dominum nostrum For we willingly acknowledge that no Man coÌ„meth to the Father by the Sonne And that their is but one Mediatour of Redemption though all the Saincts may be tearmed our Mediatours by way of Intercession The third Proposition The Saincts which reigue with Christ do pray for vs and this not only in generall but in particular That is for particular Men and for the particular Necessityes of the same Men. This is proued first from those words in Ieremy If Moyses and Samuel shall stand before me my Soule is not towards this People From whence it is inferred that Moyses and Samuel then being dead might and were accustomed to pray for the People of Israel Secondly the same is proued from the Example of Angells who do pray for vs and haue a care of vs in particular as appeareth out of seuerall passages of Scripture But if the Angells do pray for vs then much more Saincts seing so far forth as appertayneth to this function nothing is wanting to the Saincts in Heauen which Angells haue for they are endued with Intelligence or Vnderstanding and with Will they are euer in the presence of God they loue vs vehemently and finally they are equall euen with Angells Besids some priuiledges they haue in this point which are wanting in Angells to wit that Saincts are more conioyned and vnited members of the body of the Church and that they haue tryed our dangers and Miseries which Angells haue not Thirdly the former Proposition is proued from the many apparitions of Saincts which haue euidently testified that they do pray for vs euen in particular Of diuers such particular Apparitions See Eusebius Austin Basill Gregory Nazianzene Gregory Nyslene and Theodoret all which testimonyes of so auncient and reuerend Fathers to reiect touching matter of fact by answearing that all such relations are fabulous is in effect and by necessarie inference to take away all authority of Ecclesiasticall and humane Historyes The fourth and last Proposition Saincts and Angells are religiously and profitably inuoked and prayed vnto by liuing Men. This is proued First Wee reade that Iacob blessing the sonns of Ioseph thus saith The Angell which hath deliured me from all Euill blesse these Children wheare we see that Iacob expressly inuoketh these Angell Againe we reade thus in Iob. Call if any will answeare thee and turne to some of the Saincts Wheare by the word Saincts he meaneth Angells according to the exposition of Sainct Austin Secondly this last Proposition is proued from that that in both the Testaments the Liuing were inuoked and prayed vnto by liuing as in the first Booke of the Kings and in the last of Iob. In lyke sort in the Epistle to the Romans S. Pauli thus saith Brethren I beseach you that you all healpe me in your prayers for me to God Which Kynd of prayer the Apostle vseth in the Epistle to the Ephesians in the first to the Thessalonians in the second to the Thessalonians in his epistle to the Colossians to the Hebrewes So familiar and vsuall was this to S. Paull Therefore from hence I conclude that now it is lawfull to inuoke and pray to the said Men being now Saincts and raigning with Christ This Inference is most necessarye demonstratiue For if it be not now lawfull to pray to them It is either because the Saincts now in Heauen will not healpe vs with their intercession to God But this is not so seing the Saincts in Heauen enioye greater Charity then they had heare vpon earth Or els in that the Saincts cannot healpe vs with their prayers And this lesse true for if they could afore healpe vs with their prayers they being then but Pilgrims much more now they being arryued into their Country Or els because they do not know what we pray or demaund of them But this is false for looke from whence the Angells do know the Conuersion of sinners for which they so much reioyce in Heauen as we reade in S. Luke from the same source or wellspring
liued before the fourth Age and consequently before the aboue mentioned 160. yeares were Professours of your Protestant or our Roman Faith D. WHITAKERS I make no doubt but all of them professed with a generall consent our Protestant Fayth knew not the present Doctrine and Faith of Rome CARD BELLARM. See how fowly you are mistaken M. Doctour And therefore seeing the discouery of errours is an establishment of the Truth for the fuller manifesting of your ouer sight herein I will insist for greater breuity only in six chiefe Articles of the Catholicke Faith for a tast of the rest which euen by your owne Brethrens Confessions were mantained by the Fathers liuing in the fourth age froÌ„ whence we may necessarily inferre that not any change touching those points was brought into the Church of Rome within the compasse of the said 160. years And first I will beginne with the doctrine of the Sacrifice of the Masse where as also in other Articles following I will discerpe here there out of the great abundance thereof some few acknowledgments of the Protestants Now here you cannot deny M. Doctour but that touching Cyprian who liued Anno 240. your Centurists thus affirme SacerdoteÌ„ Cyprianus in quit vice Christi furgi et Deo Patri Sacrificium offerre for this very point they condemne him of Superstition In like sort they thus reprehend Ambrose who liued anno 370. Ambrose did vse certaine speaches c. as to say Masse to offer vp Sacrifice Yea D. Fulke conspireth openly with the former Protestants thus speaking of these Fathers following Tertullian Cyprian Augustine Hierome of which some liued within the said 160. yeares others long afore them do witnesse that Sacrifice for ilâ—e dead is a Tradition of the Apostles To be short Sebastianus Francus no obscure Protestant among you thus writeth statim post Apostolo omnia inuersa surt c. Caena Domini in Sacrificium transformata est Touching the Primacy of the Bisâ—op of Rome your Centurists do reprehend Nazianzen Cyprian Origen and Tertullian for their teaching of Peters Primacy In like sort Pope Victor who liued in the yeare 160. after Christ did actually challenge and practise this kind of Supremacy as D. Fulke acknowledgeth Concerning praier for the dead D. Fulke thus writeth Praier for the dead preuailed within three hundred years after Christ And another of your owne Brâ—â—hren thus confesseth Praier for the dead was in the Church long before Augustins daies as appeareth in Cyprian Tertullian But D. Fulke and Kempnitius do confesse that Prayer for the dead is taught in the writings of Dionysius Areopagita who is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles whose writing in which Praier for the dead is taught are acknowledged by D. Fulke supposing them not to be written by the said Dionysius as some Protestants are not ashamed to auerre to be writen about thirteen hundred yeares since Touching Inuocation of Saints D. Fulke confesseth that in Bâ—â—sill Naziaâ—zen and Chrysosâ—ome is â—nuocatioâ— of Saints The Centurists thus write of CypriaÌ„ CypriaÌ„ doth not obscurely signify that Martyrs dead Saints did may for the liuing Yea they further charge Origen Who liued in no 2â—0 with praying himselfe to holy Iob saying O beate Iob ora prouobis in seris They further charge him with inuocation of Angels They further thus concluding of that third age after Christ videas in Doctorum huius seculi scriptis non obscura vestigta inuocationis Sanctorum Touching Free-will The foresaid Centurists do reprehend Irenaeus who liued in the second age in that he admitteth as they say Free-well in spirituall actions And Osiander the Protestant thus saith of iustine who liued in the age of Irenaeus Iustine extolled too much the liberty of mans will in obseruing the Commandements of God To be short another of your brethren doth thus couple the ancient Fathers of those ages saying Cyprian Tertullian Origen Clemens Alexandrinus Iustine Irenaeus c. erred in the doctrine of Free-will Lastly touching the doctrine of Merit of workes Luther stileth Hierome Ambrose Augustine Iusticiarios Iustice-workers In like sort the Centurists thus charge Origen saying Origen made workes the Cause of our Iustification To conclude D. Humfrey thus confesseth of Irenaeus Clemens the one liuing in the first age the other in the second age after Christ It may not be denyed but that Irenaeus Clemens and others called Apostolicall haue in their writings the opinion of Merit of workes Aud thus farre M. Doctour of some chiefe points of the present Roman Religion taught by the Fathers of whoÌ„ some liued in the fourth age and so within the compasse of the afore mentioned 160. yeares though most of them liued in the first second third age of Christ from whence we necessarily euict that no change of the Faith of Rome in the said poynts was made within the compasse of the sayd 120. yeares which time was aboue set downe betweene the confessed period of the Churches Purity and the acknowledged generally 〈…〉 ceiued doctrine of the now Church of Rome And here but that I am willing to auoid all prolixity I do assure you I could auerre iustify the like touching all other Catholicke doctrines taught by the Fathers of the former ages and accordingly beleeued at this day by the Church of Rome Yet before I end this point I will adioyne to the former proofs this ensuing consideration touching the fore said â—60 yeares It is this if we consider either the plurallity of our Catholiche Articles or the incompatibility which diuers of them beare partly to the outward sense partly to mans naturall propension or the diuersity of Countries Nations in Christendome most remote one from another all which cur said Catholicke Religion is acknowledged wholy to possesse at the later end of the sixt Age or Century I say if we consider all these different Circumstances the time of the said â—60 yeares within which most Protestants do teach this supposed change did happen is infinitely too litle and wholy disproportionable as that within the coÌ„passe thereof so great 〈◊〉 change and alteration should be wrought especially in such an admirable manner that whereas in the beginning of the said 160. yeares it is auerred by the Protestants that not any one point of our Catholicke Religion was then taught yet at the end of the said 160. yeares it should so ouerflow all Christendome with such a violent streame as that no sparke of Protestancy supposing afore it were professed or any other Religion did remaine in any one Country or other but that all was wholy extinct and as I may say annihilated Such an imaginary change and alteration I say as this is more then stupendious and wonderfull and such as since the creation of the world neuer afore hapned But M. Doctour giue me leaue by the way to aske
proceedeth out of his owne partiality Now this disparity M. Doctour you may well apply in my conceipt to the afore alleadged consessions and testimonies of your owne Protestants But if I haue not here answeared directly I submit my selfe to both your censures and will leaue it to my L. Cardinall to giue fuller satisfaction and answere thereto CARD BELLARM. Learned Rabby Your answere is most sufficient and warrantable and indeed a solid iudgment would easily dispell this smoake of wit and if you had not preuented me I should but haue giuen the same answere though perhaps not haue instanced it in your example of the Iewish Law But enough of this argument by which we are instructed that the present Fayth of Rome was neuer changed since the Apostles daies for it is S. Augustines rule That that Fayth which hath bin beleiued by the whole visible Church of God and whereof no first beginning can be knowne since the Apostles is presumed to haue bin first taught by Christ and his Apostles But M. Doctour if it please you we will insist in another Medium from whence we will deduce our former affertion to wit that during the first six huudred yeares after Christ and indeed during all the tyme since the Apostles the Church of Rome neuer made any change or alteration in any one materiall poynt at all And therefore I do here aske your iudgment whether there must be at all tymes in Christs Church Pastours and Doctours which must teach the People and be ready to withstand all innouations and false doctrines at theire first appearance D. WHITTAKERS Yes we all do teach that there must euer be and without interruption true Pastours in the church who shall be ready to impugne all emergent and late arrising Errours Heresyes So true it is that the church is the sâ—and from whence we strike an Hereticke And this we prooue from the predictioÌ„ of the Apostle who foretelleth vs that Pastours Doctours are to be in the Church to the consummation of Saynts till we all meete in the vnity of Fayth that is as our owne Doctour Fulke interpreteth for euer Which Doctours as our sayde D. Fulke further auerreth shall alwayes resist all false Opinions with open reprehension Which poynt is so true and euident as that I haue already taught in my bookes that the preaching of the worde of God within which is necessarely included the impugning of all false doctrines first their arrising is among the Essetiall Notes of the Church As also that the preaching of the Word doth constitute a Church the want of it doth subuerte it From whence it necessarely followeth that these Doctours and Preachers are not to be silent at the rising of any false Opinion but are obliged with all sedulity and diligence what soeuer openly to resist and beate downe all innouations new arrising doctrines in Fayth and Religion And these Doctours Pastours thus defending the Church of Christ by impugning of false doctrines are those Watchmen and Sentinels of whom Esay so loÌ„g since prophesied Vpon thy Walles ô Hierusalem I haue appoynted watchmen all the day and all the night for euer they shall not hould their peace And indeed to speake sincerely the Nature of the Church requireth no lesse for how can it continue the true Church if her Pasâ—outs do suffer false erroneous doctrine to inuade her children without any coÌ„troule or resistance And are not such negligent Pastouâ—s to be reputed as Paralyticke and dead Members of the Church since they performe not that office and function for which they were ordayned CARD BELLARM. Your Iudgment is to be emdraced herein But now M. Doctour I take your sword out of your owne hand and do turne the poynt of it into your owne breast For whereas their are many weighty doctrines as touching the Premacy of Peter the number of the Sacraments and their efficacy Free-will Merit of workes Praying for the dead Praying to Saincts Worshipping of Images Vnmaried liues of Priests the Reall Presence the Sacrifice of the Masse and to omit diuers others the adoration of Christin the Sacrament which are beleiued by the present Church of Rome and which as you Protestants do teach were introduced into the Church as Nouelties and Innouations since the Faith of Christ was first planted in the Church of Rome by the Apostles Now here M. Doctour I prouoke you and all the Protestants liuing according to your owne former doctrine of Pastours euer resisting new and false doctrines to name any one Pastour Doctour or Father of the Church who euer resisted any of the former Catholicke doctrines as new doctrines or did once charge the Church of Rome with chang and innouation in any one poynt from their former receaued Fayth by the Apostles Reade ouer all the ancient Fathers and Doctours of the Primatiue Church and later times Peruse the first approoued Generall Councells Go ouer all the ancient Catalogues of Condemned Heresies and euen study all Ecclesiasticall Historyes of those former times and finde in all these but only any one of the former Catholicke and now Romane doctrines or any other poynt coÌ„trouerted at this day betweene you and vs to be condemned for a Nouelty and as dissenting from the generall receaued Fayth of those tymes and I promise you I will cast off my Cardinalls Hat and turne Protestant Can any reasonable Man then thinke that whereas you teach the Papists Religion came in by degrees and at seuerall tymes that all the Pastours and Fathers of those seuerall tymes were a sleepe when the sayd doctrines were first braoched or that they obseruing their entrance yet not any of them would vouchsafe to make resistance or at least some mention of any such innouation in doctrine doth not this mainly crosse the fore-alleadged Prophesy of the Apostle Or can this stand with any possibility especially if we consider the nature of our former Catholicke doctrines auerred by you to be introduced as Nouelisms since they are as aboue is intimated many in number diuers of them of the greatest consequence that may be as the vertue of the Sacraments the Manner of our Iustification to wit whether by workes or by Fayth only others of them most repugnant to mans sence and common reason as the Reall Presence Some aduerse to Mans naturall Propension as the doctrine of Virginity Pouerty and Obedience most of them consisting not only in an internall beleife but euen in an externall action and operation And therfore the first OrigeÌ„ and entrance of theÌ„ are therby become most discernable Such are our doctrines of Praying to Saints Praying for the deade Pilgrimages Single life in the Cleargy to omitt diuers others all Monachisme And lastly some supposing theire doctrine to be false subiect to externall Idolatry as the worshiping of Christ with supreame honour in the Eucharist Therfore if any of our graue and learned Aduersaries should affirme for there are some curious witts
Apostles times Therefore I will end with the Instance of the fast of Quatuor Temporum which was first ordained by Pope Calixtus CARD BELLARM. The Vessell M. Doctour from whence you draw these Instances seemes to runne very low and nere the dreggs Seeing for want of examples for change in dogmaticall points of faith you are forced at the last to descend to the Institution of set times of fasts For what is this to the alteration of Faith and Religion in the Church of Rome in any dogmaticall Article which is the point only to be insisted vpon by you Hath not the Church of Christ authority to appoint fasting dayes The Apostles you know did lawfully command all men to forbeare from eating of bloud and of things strangled and may not the Church succeeding them as lawfully command that at certaine times of the yeare and for some few dayes the Christians shall for beare from eating of fleash and vse a more moderate dyet But it seemes you loue not to feede vpon superstitious Popish fish since many of you accoumpt it so Now as touching the antiquity of this fast of Quatuor TemporuÌ„ Where you say it was first ordained by Calixius you grant hereby that it is aboue fourteene hundred yeares since it first institution for Calixtus was the next successour but one to Pope Victor which Victor liued in the yeare of our Lord and Sauiour one hundred and sixty Thus you are more preiudized then aduantaged by prostituting this your sily supposed Innouation I will annex hereto that whereas M. Doctour you do not produce any ancient authour charging Calixtus with the first beginning of this Fast we on the contrary side can alleadge S. Leo ascribing it to proceede from the Doctrine of the Holy Ghost his words are these following Ecclesiastica ieiunia ex doctrina Sancti Spiritus ita per totius anni circulum distribura sunt And thus much touching the Antiquity and lawfulnes of the Past of Quatuor Temporum whereof you see M. Doctour your owne bare assertion excepted no certaine beginning can be knowne since the Apostles dayes But Sir proceede further in other instances if so you can D. WHITAKERS Touching further multiplicity of examples I will not much labour The time is already spent And I hope my former examples notwithstanding your subtill euading of them are able to sway with all such who are truly illuminated with the spirit of the Lord. CARD BELLARM. I beleeue you well You will not labour further therin the true reason being because you cannot For I haue perused your bookes written against Duraeus wherein you cheifly instaÌ„ce touching the chaÌ„ge of the faith of Rome and your other Bookes against Father Campian that blessed Martyr as also your writings against my selfe and I can finde no other instances of this imaginary change insisted by you then these alleadged Yea when the said Father Campian as most confident of no change of Faith in the Church of Rome did most earnestly prouoke you Protestants to name the time and other circumstances accompanying this supposed change in those his vehement and inforcing Interrogations QuaÌ„do hanc fideâ—tant opore celebratum Roma perdidit quardo esse desiâ—t quod antefuit quo tempore quo Pontifice qua via qua vi quibus incrementis Vrbem et Orbem Relgio peruasit aliena quas voces quas turbes quae lamenta progenuit Omnes orbe reliquo sopiti sunt dum Roma Roma inquaÌ„ noua Sacramenta nonum Sacrificium nouum Religionis dogma procuderet You though thus a wakened yet in your answere hereto only dwells in your former example of Pope Siricius aboue refuted touching the single life of Priests in place of further satisfaction you thus reply to the said Father Campian Tuverò si dubitas an desierit meaning whether Rome had changed it Religion potes etiam si vis dubitare ansul meridie splendeat Can any man not blinded with preiudice thinke that if you had any materiall proofes for it change being a point of the greatest consequence that is betweene you and vs but that you being thus extremely importâ—ned would haue particularly iusisted in them and would haue enlarged such your reply with all reading wit learning possible And as for your former Instances they are most impertinent and in themselues most false as is aboue demonstrated they being wâ—res I presume wholy wrought in the shop of your owne braine like the spiders web which is spinned out of her owne Bowels MICHEAS M. Doctonr you must giue me leaue to tell you that your Instances aboue vrged do not much sway my iudgment first because they are not in number past some nine or ten in all of which foure do concerne only the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome and two the doctrine of the Reall Presence so as it may be iustly coniectured that you Produced seuerall instances for one doctrine purposely therby to make shew in this your so great a scarcity of greater number of Examples The rest concerne Priests nor marying Purgatory auricular Confession and the fast of Quauor Temporum Which doctrines are few in respect of the many controuerted points as I am enformed betweene the Church of Rome and the Protestants Therfore I must presume that no instances can be but suggested or imagined to be giuen of the change of the Church of Rome touching the doctrines of the Visibility of the Church of Praying to Saints of Free-will Merit of workes Workes of supererogation Indulgences Monachisme Lymbus patruÌ„ Images the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Communion only vnder one kind Vninersallity of Grace the Necessuy and vertue of the Sacraments Inherent iustice the knowledge of Christ a man His being God of God and diuers others Secondly in that touching your former Instances some of the sayd doctrines are so agreeable to the practise of our Iewish Synagogue and the iudgments of our learned Rabbyes as I haue shewed as that I can hardly repute them as Innouations D. WHITAKERS The vnanimous agreement of the Church of Rome with you Iewes in some of the former doctrines is of smale force seeing you well know Micheas that the Law was to be abrogated at the comming of the Messias MICHEAS It is granted that our Law at the comming of the Sauiour of the world was to be disanulled so far forth as concerne either sacrifices or other Ceremonies which did prefigure the comming of the Messias yet seeing many dogmaticall points of faith beleeued by the Iewes haue no reference to his comming as the foresaid doctrines of Purgatory Confession of sinns c. therfore there can be no reason alleadged why the beleife of them in the time of the Lawe should not be a strong argument for their like beleife now in the time of Grace Wee may add hereto that if euery thing which was taught and commanded by the Law should now be abrogated then the tenne Commandements should in no sort belong to
and Samaria And agayne there They were receaued of the Church and the Apostles Act. 18. Paule went vp and saluted the Church Now how can these texts be possibly applyed to any Inuisible congregation or company of men Furthermore S. Paul speaketh of himselfe that he persecuted the Church of God as in 1. Cor. 15. Galat. 1. Philipp 3. In all which places the word Church is vsed But it is well knowne whom S. Paul did persecute And in 1. Timoth. 3. It is sayd how to conuerse indomo Dei quae est Ecclesia Dei in the house of the liuing God which is the Church of God But how could Timothee know how to conuerse in the house of God except he did know which was this house To all which former texts of Scripture I annex this one note a point much to be considered that not any one place of Scripture can be produced wherein the word Church is named but that a Visible and externall coÌ„pany of men is necessarily vnderstood thereby To the former Scriptures may be added certayne descriptions of the Church in other passages thereof as in Esay 2. Daniel 3. Michaeas 4. the Church is compared to a conspicuous mountayne which cannot be vnseene according to the expositions of Ierom Austin and the Protestants In like sort in Psalm 18. those words He placed his tabernacle in the Sunne are thus paraphrazed by S. Austin In manifesto posuit Ecclesiam suam c. He placed his tabernacle in an open place his tabernacle is his Church which is placed in the Sunne not in the night but in the day Thus Austin Another most illustrious conuincing passag of the Scripture for the Churches Visibility is that in the Epistle to the Ephesians c. 4. where it is sayd of Christ He gaue Pastours Doctours to the consummation of Saints vnto the worke of the Ministery till we all meete in the Vnity of Fayth that is as D. Fulke interpreteth for euer These words necessarily import that the Church of Christ must at all tymes and seasons and this without any interruption haue Pastours to administer the Sacraments and preach the word Which exposition being granted implyeth necessarily an euer Visibility of the Church For how can those Doctours and Pastours preach at all tymes and vpon all occasions the word of God administer the Sacraments if they be concealed and lye in secret Or how can the persons to whom the Word is preached the Sacraments dispensed become vnknowne or Inuisible That this is the true interpretation of the former text of the Ephesians is generally taught by our owne learned men For according hereto D. Whitakers teacheth the preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments to be so necessary to the Church that he thus saith Si adsunt Ecclesiam constituunt tollunt si aufer antur With whom conspireth D. Willet thus saying of the administratioÌ„ of the Word Sacraments These marks cannot be absent from the Church and it is no longer a true Church then it hath these Markes And heÌ„ce it is that D. Whitakers further sayth that the preaching of the word and the administration of the SacrameÌ„ts are Ecclesiae proprietates essentiales essentiall proprâ—etyes of the Church And that D. Fulke thus affirmeth Christ will suffer no particuler Church to continue without a seruaÌ„t to ouersee it And that Pastours Doctours must be in the Church till the end of the World euen froÌ„ Christs time to Luthers age yea our sayd D. Fulke further affirmeth that these b Pastours Doctours must resist all false opinions with open reprehension Vnto our former brethren accord other Protestant Deuines thus wryting The ministery is an ossentiall Marke of the true Church Finally Caluin comparteth with vs all herein saying the Church can neuer want Pastours and Doctours So truly do we Protestants interpret the words of Esay Vpon thy walls ô Ierusalem I haue set watchmen all the day and all the night for euer they shall not be silent Now from these premisses we demonstraciuely proue the euer and vninterrupted visibility of the Church a point so euident that our owne learned Protestants do according to the former doctrine defyne a visible Church in these words A visible Church is a congregation of the faithfull people where the word is preached and the Sacraments ministred Which definition is also allowed by Doctour Willet and which euen in reason it selfe is warrantable since the Church as enioying the administration of the Word and Sacraments must euen in that respect become visible as we said aboue And thus farre of this prophecy of the Apostle in the explication whereof I haue stayed the longer in that it irrefragably conuinceth the poynt now handled And here I end touching the necessary Visibility of Gods Church prooued out of the sacred Scriptures NEVSERVS You might haue added Ochinus to the former Propheeyes that it is in another place foretould of the Church of the new Testament that it Pastours shal be daily multiplyed to minister vnto God And this not with any interruption herein but euen from month to month and from Sabaoth to Sabaoth That all this is to be vnderstood of the Church of the Messias appeareth from the Annotations of the English Bibles vpon the Chapters here cited printed 1576. You also might further haue insisted in that other Prophecy that the Kingdome of Christ shall not be giuen ouer to an other People but shall stand for euer And that it shal be an eternall glory and ioy from generation to generation All which passages to be meant of the Church is acknowledged by all learned Protestants Now how vntowardly and vnaptâ—y these passages with the former by you alledged sort to a company of Professours shut vp in so secret a manner as that no man can take notice of them I referre to any mans iudgement not wholy blinded with partiality and preiudice But I feare Ochinus I haue wronged you in vndertaking part of your assumed taske therefore I will cease and descend as afore I promised to answere such chiefe places of the Scripture as are by some vrged in their sily wrytings the impostumous swelling of their froathy penne for the supporting of the Churches imaginary Inuisibility D. REYNOLDS I pray you Neuserus proceed therein since obscure passages in any kind of learning not explayned do often suggest tacit obiections perplexing and intricating the iudgments of the weake and ignorant NEVSERVS I will And first for example are vsually obiected those of Elias when he sayd relictus sum solus I am left alone As also that sentence of the Prophet deficiet hostia sacrificium the Oast and sacrifice spall cease And agayne that of the Apostle Nisi venerit discessio primum c. Except there come first a departure c. And finally that of the Apocalyps The woman must flye
into the wildernesse c. All which places are strangely deâ—orted by some few iniudicious men to the defence of the Churches Inuisibility And to the first against these Inuisibilists I say touching those former words of Elias first admitting the Iewish Synagogue to haue bene then inuisible yet is this exaÌ„ple defectiuely alleadged as applyed to the Church of Christ since the predictions and promises made to Christ his Church whose Testament is established in better promises are farre greater and more worthy then those of the Iewish Synagogue Agayne the foresaid example doth not extend to the whole Church of God before Christ but only to the Iewish Synagogue being only but a part or member thereof For besides the Iewes there were diuers others faythfull as Melchisadech Cornelius the Eunuch to the Queene of Caudace c. Secondly I say this example maketh wholy agaynst the alleadgers of it since the words of Elias were spoken not generally of all the Iewish People but only in regard of the Countrey of Israel and accordingly God answered the complaint of Elias with restraint to that only Countrey the texts saying I haue left to me in Israel seauen thousands which haue not bowed vnto Baâ—l Adde hereto that in those very tymes the Church did greatly florish in the adioyning Countrey of Iuda and was to Elias then knowne and Visible vnder the raigne of Asa and Iosaphat And thus is this obiection answered euen by Melancthon and Enoch Clapham Lastly admitting these seauen thousands were vnknowne to Elias yet followeth it not that they were vnknowne to all others of the same tyme Much lesse then is this Example of force to prooue that the Church of God may be Latent and Inuisible for many hundred yeares together as some of our ignorant brethren do teach not to one Elias only but to the whole World And thus farre of this so much vrged example of Elias To the second Those words of the Prophet The Oast sacrifice shall cease c. Are to be referred to the ouerthrow of Ierusalem and the ceasing of the Iewish sacrifices euen by the exposition of Chrysostome Ierome Austin others Neyther can the words be properly extended to the tymes of Antichrist since we teach that Antichrist is already comne and yet we see that sacrifices do still remayne To the third By the word departure mentioned by the Apostle is vnderstood eyther Antichrist himselfe by the figure Metonymia because he shal be the cause why many shall depart from Christ as Chrysostome and Theodoret vpon this place do expound as also Austin Or rather is vnderstood a departure and defection from the Roman Empyre as Ambrose Sedulius Primasius and diuers Protestants do expound this Text. To the fourth I answere that by the Woman flying into Wildernes S. Iohn meaneth not any locall or corporall flight out of the knowledge and notice of the world but only a spirituall retiring in hart from the allurements and pleasures of the World to pennance mortification and contemplation of celestiall matters And in this very sense Bullenger interpreteth the Churches flight from Babilon To the former texts I may adde though not aboue mentioned that passage in S Iohn Venit hora nunc est c. The hower cometh and now is when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and truth To this I answere that our Lord here teacheth that the chiefe worship of God which shal be exhibited in his Church consisteth in an internall worship of him but from hence therefore it followeth not that the Church is Inuisible or that all externall worship is prohibited for our Lord here speaketh not of the place where God shal be worshiped but of the manner and rite of worshiping Chrysostome Cyrill and Euthimius vpon this place do oppose those words in spirit to the ceremonies of the Iewes as they are corporall and those other words in truth to the sayd Ceremonies as they are figures of things to come Now because diuers of the former passages of Scripture are obiected to proue that the Church of Christ shal be Inuisible at the least in the time of Antichrist I do reply further hereto saying first That the former place of the Apostle to the Ephesians alledged by Ochinus touching an incessant vndiscontinued being of Pastours Doctours in the Church to remaine euen to the end of the world omitting other texts aboue cited by him as also the Protestants confessions of the Churches euer Visibility hereafter to be deliuered by Michaeas do fully answere and satisfy the supposed doubts suggested in the former texts touching the Churches Inuisibility in the time of Antichrist Secondly I reply that diuers learned brethren of ours punctually and purposely with reference to that time do teach that the Church shall remayne then Visible And to giue some tast hereof D. Pulke thus writeth In the time of Antichrist the Church was not driuen into any corner of the world but was is shal be dispersed in many Nations And againe he thus writeth The true Church though obscured and driuen into wildernes by Antichrist yet shall continue dispersed ouer the world Bullenger sayth the Church in the time of Antichrist shal be right famous But if it shal be then right famous it must of necessity be then Visible To be short Szegedine a learned Protestant thus writeth The ministers of Gods word shall preach all the time in which Antichrist shall tread vnderfoote the holy Citty Thus farre in solution of all such chiefe passages of Scripture vsually obiected against the perpetuall Visibility of the Church But now M. Doctour I thinke it is your turne to warraÌ„t the former truth from the wrytings of the auncient fathers and from arguments of Credibility which the force of reason it selfe doth minister DOCTOVR REYNOLDS I am prepared thereto And I will not presse your memoryes with a needles ouercharge of their sentences Some few and those pertinent shall serue though otherwise they are most luxuriant and plentifull herein And first thus Origin writeth Ecclesia est plaena fulgore ab oriente vsque ad Occidentem the Church is full of fulgour or brightnes from the East euen to the West Cyprian discourseth thus Ecclesia Dom. c. The Church of our Lord being replenished with light casteth forth it beames throughout the whole earth Chrysostome saith facilius est solem extingui quam Ecclesiam obscurari It is more easy for the Sunne to be extinguished then the Church to be obscured or darkened Finally for greater conpendiousnesse S. Austin is so full in this point as that he maketh the Visibility of the Church a Marke for the ignorant to discerne the true Church of Christ from all false Conuenticles thus writing Propter hoc enim motus c. By reason of the teÌ„ptations of those who are weake and may be seduced by some from acknowledging the Churches
thereof Lastly this Inference drawne from the state of the old Testament and applyed to the New is most inconsequent Both because the New Testament is better established then the old seing to it is promised that the gates of Hell shall not preuayle against Christs Church And also it is styled The pillar and foundation of truth And finally in that the Peoples of the Iewes were not the Vniuersal Church of God as the People of the Christians are And therefore out of the Iewish Synagogue there were diuers others of the faythfull and Iust as Melchisedech Iob Cornelius the Centurion the Eueuch of Queen of Candice c. This ended this Triffler in pag. 6. seuerall other places meÌ„tioneth the vsuall Obiection taken from the words of Elias saying relictu sum solus But this is fully satisfyed in the first part or begining of the former Dialogue In the next place to wit pag. 10. he commeth to depres the glory of the Church of Christ during his aboade here vpon earth and tyme of his Passion but all this most impertinently seing the radiant splendour and Visibility of Christ his Church was cheiffly to beginne and then for euer after to continue till the worlds end after the descending of the Holy Ghost and not before This done the Authour commeth to the tymes of the Tenn Persecutions by the Heathen Emperours prouing from thence the obscurity of Christs Church in pag. 25. To which I answere that these Persecutions according to the nature of persecution were so far from making the Church of Christ in those dayes inuisible as that it became thereby most visible seeing none are persecuted but visible Men And the very names of the cheiffe Martyrs of those dayes are yet most fresh and honorable in the memoryes of all good Christians euen to this very hower they remayning yet registred in the Ecclesiasticall Historyes both of Catholicks and Protestants In pag. 26. he instanceth in the tymes of the Arians and produceth Saint Ieromes testimony and words to wit The whole World did sâ—ght and wounder that it was Arian from which authority he would proue the Inuisibility of Christs Church in those dayes But here the Authour discouereth his ignorance For here First Ierome calleth that by the figâ—â—e Synecdoche the whole World which is but a part of the World S Ierome meaning only of certaine parts of Christen 〈◊〉 Secondly S. Ierome here taketh the word Arian in a secundarye signification For here he calleth them improperly and Abusiue Arians who through Ignorance did subscrybe to the Arian Heresy For he speaketh of that great number of Bishops which came out of all parts of Christendum to Arimine and were deceaued by the Arians through their mistaking of the greeke Word Omosios and there vpon Materially only they subscrybed to the Heresy of the Arians But the same Bishopps being after admonished of their errour did instantly correct the same and bewayled their mistaking with teares and penance Thus we se the true relation of this poynt really proueth an actuall Visibility of the Orthodoxall Christians at that very tyme. Pag. 27. He insisteth in Athanasius and Liberius as the only defendours in those dayes of Christs Diuinitie and consequently that the Church of Christ did only rest in them two For thus he wryteth The Church for any externall show was brought low for if any body held it vp it was Athanasius who then played least in sight and durst not appeare Heere is strang and wilfull mistaking for though it be granted that Athanasius in regard of his feruour and learning was more persecuted by the Arians then any other Bishop yet to â—auer that himselfe alone or Liberius did only impugne the Heresy of Arius and that there were no other Orthodoxall Beleiuers at that tyme is most improbable or rather most absurd This is proued first from the Councell which was assembled cheifly for the suppressing of the Arian Heresy at which Councell Athanasius hymselfe was present This Councell consisted of three hundred Bishopps and more the greatest part whereof by their voyces did absolutly condemne the Arian Heresy Now how can it be conceaued that all the said Bishopps speaking nothing of the Orthodoxall Laity of that tyme excepting only Athanasius should instantly either a fore or after apostatate or through feare of Persecution externally profes the Arian Heresy Againe the truth of this poynt is further confirmed from the Epistle which Athanasius and the Bishops of Thebes and Lybia gathered together in the Councell of Alexandria did wryte to Pope Paelix the Second of that name wherein they vnanimously protest to defend with all Christian resolution their Orthodoxall fayth against their Enemyes the Arians Thirdly the falshood of the former Assertion is euicted from that that many Fathers and Doctours liuing in the very age of Aâ—hanasius and Libertus and diuers of them euen in the dayes of Athanasius and well knowne to hym did refute and contradict ex professo the Arian Heresy in their learned wrytings As for example Basil Gregory Nazianzene Gregory Nyssene Cyrill of Ierusalem Hilarius Ambrose Epiphanius and some others Now in respect of the Premisses can it be but dreamed that there should be no Professours of the Diuinity of Christ in those dayes but only Athanasius or Liberius Pag. 25. The Pamphleter leauing examples authorityes descendeth to Reason thus arguing Faith doth much consist of things which are not seene Therefore seing we beleiue the Holy Church as an article of our fayth it followeth that it needs not to be euer eminently visible or apparently sensible vnto vs. Learnedly concluded Therefore for the better instruction of this Pamphleter he is to vnderstand that in the Church of God there is something to be seene and something to be beleiued We do see that company of men which is the Church and therein the Church is euer visible But that that Company or Society is the true visible Church of God that we see not but only beleiue Euen as the Apostles did see that very Man which is Christ the Sonne of God but that he was the Sonne of God this the Apostles did not see but only beleiue In pag. 28. and 29. as also in some other pages afore he much insisteth in the words spoken of the Woman in the Reuelations cap. 12. of whom it was prophecyed that she should flye into the Wildernes affirming that by the Woman is vnderstood the Church which is not to be seene in tyme of persecution To this I answere first this passage being taken from out of the Reuelations cannot as euidently to vs men proue any thing seing the Reuelations being deliuered in visions prophecyes many of them being yet vnaccomplished and figuratiue speeches we cannot so easily apprehend the true sense meaning of them Secondly What diuers learned Catholicks and some Protestants do vnderstand by the Woman in the reuelations differently from the vrging of
with Waldo so descending to Luthers dayes seing by this playne method the Reader might at the first sight and sensibly obserue that he hath omitted contrary to the title of his Booke eleuen hundred yeres without giuing any one instance of Protestancy for all those seuerall ages Therefore he craftily beginneth to instance in the tymes before Luther and so ryseth vpward some foure hundred yeres from this day in his pretended Examples Thus hoping that the vulgar Reader would either through not perusing the booke to the End or through want of Iudgment not so easely and instantly espye how far and no further he had proceeded in these Examples Now touching his Examples he first instanceth in Hus and Ierome of Prage who liued anno Domini 1400. that is some hundred and twenty yeres or thereabouts before Luthers Apostasy To this Example of Hus in which the Pamphleter cheifly insisteth for as for Ierome of Prage he but embraced some of Hus his errours as learning them from him I First answere that supposing Hus had broached all poynts of Protestancy yet followeth it not that Luther had receaued the said Doctryne from Hus by an vninterrupted descent of Beleife as this Authour pretendeth for it may well be that Hus his Errours were extinct in respect of any beleiuers before Luthers dayes Euen as Aerius denyed prayer for the deade and the Hereticke Manichaeus freewill as S. Austin witnesseth yet were those Heresyes vtterly extinguished for many ages till Luther reuiued them Secondly the articles which Hus mantayned different from the Roman Church were but foure as they are recorded by Fox himselfe Of which the doctrine of Communion vnder both kinds was the cheifest though according to the iudgement of Luther it is a point but of In differency In all other points Hus was Catholicke which this Authour calumniously concealeth Thirdly Hus mantayned that acknowledged Heresy on all sydes that Bishopps Princes being in mortall sinne were not to be obayed but thereby did loose all their authority Which Heresy is in like sort wholy concealed by this Pamphleter Concerning the particular prouffes of all which points euen from the Protestants Confessions I referre the Reader to the former Dialogue where Michaeas discouereth them at large as the like he doth of Wicklefe Waldo and others hereafter alledged by this Treatiser Fourthly if the Visibility of the Protestant Church may be iustifyed in Hus or in Waldo Wicklefe or in any other hereafter obtruded for a Protestant by this Pamphleter because eich of them taught two or three at the most of Protestant points then by the same reason may the Protestant Church de sayd to haue beene visible in the Arians for reiecting of Traditions for perpetrating many sacrileges agaynst the Sacraments Altars and Priests in Pelagius for teaching euery sinne to be mortall in Vigilantius for condemning all religious virginity and affirming the relicks of Saincts are not to be worshipped In the Manichees for denying of freewill And in diuers such others All branded Hereticks and registred for such by the orthodoxal Fathers of the Primatiue Church Now this Inference I would entreate the Reader to obserue with peculiar application to all the pretended examples of Protestancy alledged in this Pamphlet Fiftly if we should grant heere all that which is spoken of Hus yet it but warranteth the visibility of the Protestant Church only for the age in which Hus did liue His doctrine not being taught in ages before Now here in this discourse touching Hus I am to put the Reader in mind how this Authour spendeth many idle leaues in showing how the Nobles of Bohemia mantayned the errours of Hus And that they came into the field in great forces agaynst the Emperour in defence of the same so much sayth he was the doctrine of Hus dilated He also introduceth some one or other inueighing against the Popes manners and Cleargy of those tymes and for such their proceedings he tearmeth them Protestants And this method he mightely obserueth throughout his whole Pamphlet Idly inferring as if fayth which resids in the vnderstanding were not different from manners and conuersation which rest in the Will Or that abuses in manners will not euer be in some members of the Church Or finally that a Protestant for charging of some Ministers of his part with disorders of life or Puritans for their bitter inuerghing against the Bishops here in England were therefore to be reputed Roman Catholicks so loosly and weakly he disputeth herein But all these his Digressions in respect of the vndertaken subiect of his discourse are meerly extrauagant And in my iudgment his intention in these and other such dilations and declamatory inuectiues wherewith his Treatise is in many places hereafter fraught is cheifly but to fill vp leaues of paper that so his booke might grow to some reasonable quantity For seeing all his supposed examples of Protestancy in his Treatise might well be contayned omitting all froathy ambages and circumstances in two sheets of paper and seeing such a poore thing could not come forth alone with any credit to the cause or reputation to the writer He therefore thought it more fit to interweaue in his Pamphlet diuers long and tedious discourses how improfitable soeuer This to thinke I am the rather induced in that we may further obserue in how great and large a letter his Booke is printed and how spacious the margent of his leaues are being almost as much paper in quantity as that which is printed And all this as probably may be coniectured to the end that this his learned Tome forsooth might contayne some indifferent number of leaues See how suttle Heresy is in triffles and things of no moment The Authour hauing finished his discours of Hus his adherents followers in the next place riseth to the Waldenses who as is here alledged denyed Purgatory Transubstantiatiō blessing of Creatures First touching Transubstantion what the Pamphleter here deliuereth is a vast Vntruth as appeareth from the testimony euen of Calu 〈…〉 thus wryting Formula Confessionis c. The forme of Cōfession of the Waldenses doctrine doth inuolue all those in eternall damnation who do not confese that the Bread is become truly the body of Christ In lyke sort touching the doctrine of Purgatorie Benedictus Montargensis a Lutheran chargeth the Waldenses therewith from which two Examples we may take a scantling what credit is to be giuen to the Pamphleter in his other Assertions hereafter But grant that the Waldenses did teach some one or other poynt of Protestancy yet in regard of their far greater Number of Catholicke Articles euer beleiued by them and their many execrable Heresies condemned for such both by Catholicks and Protestants both which poynts this Pamphleter pretermitted in silence The Waldenses cannot iustly be exemplified for Protestants Now of the Catholicke Articles as also of the Heresies beleiued by the Waldenses see the Dialogue aboue in the
passage touching Waldo and the Waldenses and their followers After this Authour hath finished his speech of the Waldenses he further thus proceedeth The Authour of the sixtenth Century nameth about the yere 1500. Baptista Mantuanus and Franciscus Picus Earle of Mirandula both which inueighed against the Cleargy and their whole practize Also one D. Keisers pergius an other called Iohn Hilton a third named Doctour Andreas Proles and Sauanorola all grawning vnder the burden of those tymes Againe the Pamphleter thus saith Aud the same is written of Trimetheus an other learned Man who liued at that tyme. Thus this our Authour Now how exorbitantly and wildly are these vrged for Protestants For First they are auerred to be such only by Protestant Wryters to wit Oâ—â—ander and Pantaleon who heerein may well be presumed for the vphoulding of their owne Protestant Church to be partial in their Relations Secondly this Treatizer doth not instance any poynts of Protestancy beleiued by any of them which if he could no doubt he would not haue omitted but only vrgeth their wrytings against some pretended abuses of the Church of Rome in those dayes And therfore such his proceeding is but calumnye and impertinency Lastly touching Sauanorola and Picus of Mirandula for as for the others they are so obscure that hardly any particular information can be had of them It is certaine that they were both Roman Catholicks and dyed in that Religion For as concerning Sauanorola he beleiued all the Articles of the Roman fayth as euidently appeareth out of his owne writings styled Vigiliae excepting the doctrine of the Popes power to excommunicate This one point he contumaciously denyed and for this he was burnt Touching Picus of Mirandula Syr Thomas More of blessed memory wryting his life showeth that he was so fully a Roman Catholicke that in his life tyme he sould a great part of his lands to giue to the poore that he often vsed to scourge discipline his owne flesh that if he had liued longer he intended to haue entred into the Religious Order of the Dominican Pryars That in tyme of his sicknes he receaued according to the Catholicke custome the most blessed and reuerend Sacrament of Christs body and bloud for his Viaticum Finally that hearing the Priest in his sicknes to repeate vnto him the articles of the Roman fayth and being demanded whether he beleiued them Answered He did not only beleiue them but did know them also to be true So fowly we see this Pamphleter is ouerseene in alledging Sauanorola and Picus of Mirandula for Protestants But to proceede further This idle waster of penne inke paper for I can tearme him no better next descendeth in a retrograte and disorderly method to Laurentius Valla the Gramaâ—iaÌ„ who touching the Articles of the Roman Catholicke fayth only denyed freewill as appeareth euen froÌ„ the ProtestaÌ„t Writers And who after g submitted himselfe to the Pope and finally dyed in all poynts Catholicke all which this Authour affectedly concealeth He saith of Valla in this sort Valla wrote a Treatise of purpose against the forged donation of Constantine He pronounceth of his owne experience that the Pope maketh war against peaceable People and soweth discord betweene Cittyes and prouinces c. With much more refuse of base matter concerning the supposed coueteousnes of the Pope yet notwithstanding all this he nameth not any one Article of Protestancy defended by Valla. But the Pamphleter thus further proceedeth to others saying About the same tyme liued Nicolaus Clemingius who rebuked many things in the Ecclesiasticall State and spake excellently in the matter of Generall Councells c. Petrus de Aliaco Cardinal of Cambray gaue atract to the Councell of Constance touching reformation of the Church There he doth reproue many notable abuses against the Romanists c. About the same tyme liued Leonardus Aretinus whose litle Booke against Hypocrates is worth the reading So is the Oration of Antontus Cornelius Linnicanus laying open the lend lubricity of Priests in his dayes So doth he detect many abuses and errours who wrote the ten agreiuances of Germany But those who compiled the hundred agreuances of the German Nation do discouer many more And then the Pamphleter most ambitiously or rather ridiculously thus concludeth By this tyme I trust it is manifest how false a slaunder of the Papistsis that before the dayes of Martin Luther there was neuer any of our Religion Egregiam verè laudem spolia ampla refectis Tu calamusque tâ—â—s For who obserueth not how absurdly you Pamphleter do apologize For the Visibility of your Church Thus good Reader thou seest that this Authour instanceth in Valla and others aboue mencioned for Protestants and yet setteth not downe any one Article of Protestancy beleiued by them for not any of them denyed the Reall presence Purgatory prayer to saincts the Seauen Sacraments Iustification by Works the Popes Supremacy c. All that this Authour can produce theÌ„ for is because they did wryte Satyrically and bitterly against the abuses of the Church in those dayes But to this we replye That it is granted on all sydes that both in the Catholicke and the Protestant Church there haue bene and still are diuers of irregular and disedifying lyues Must now those who in their wrytings or Sermons reprehend such be necessarily supposed to be of a different fayth from those whom they so reprehend Who seeth not the weaknes of this inconsequent and absurd kynd of reasoning From the former Iustances the Pamphleter ascendeth to Iohn l Wiclef prostituring him for a Protestant And heere also he spendeth many leaues in wandring excursions of speeches and indeede to no other end but as I intimated a fore to dawbe inke vpon paper For he pretendeth to show the Aussits had receaued their doctrine out of the Books of Wiclef how the Councell of Constance condemned Wiclef for an Heretiycke as also how the doctryne of Wiclef was much dilated heare in England But to manifest how impertinent the alledging of Wiclef for a Protestant is I refer the Reader to the Dialogue where are showed out of Wiclefs one Wrytings the many Catholicke articles of the Roman Religion to wit the doctrine of the seauen Sacraments Rites and Ceremonies of the Masse praying to our Blessed Lady worship of Images merit of Works and works of Supererogation c. still beleiued by him euen after his leaping out of our Church As also there are showed the many condemned Heresies in like sort mantayned by him after his departure from the Roman Church and this from the penns of the Protestants But here before I end with Wiclefe I must put the Reader in mind of one notorious Collusion or deceate much practized by this Pamphleter touching diuers of the former men alledged for Protestants but most particularly touching Wiclefe It is this He here particularizeth no Protestant articles but only the denying of Transubstantiation yet where
this Authours fraud and imposturous cariadge who tearmeth all such Articles wherein S. Bernard did agree with vs as the Sacrifice of the Masse Purgatory merit of Works free will praying to saincts and indeed all other Catholicke Articles whatsoeuer only his boldnes of wryting to Pope Eugenius excepted to whom afore he had bene Mayster and therevpon presumed to wryte more freely Slips Lapses as they were beleiued by him which in vs Catholicks he exagerateth by the name of Superstition Idolatry c. And thus we may see how one and the same Cause being exemplified in different Persons is by this Pamphleters deceate diuersly censured Leaning S. Bernard the Authour generally but with out any prouf at all wisheth his Reader to thinke that the Protestant Church was in all Countries in Christendome and did lie hid as those Iewes did in the tyme of Elias for feare of Persecution But this he only saith but proueth not and it is therefore reiected with the same facilitie with which it was spoken Now touching those Men who conceales their fayth for feare of persecution I refer the Reader to the former dialogue wherein the weaknes of this pretext of Persecution is particularly displayed That done the Pamphleter sayth that India Armenia Asia the lâ—ssar and Egypt had in former tymes Christians in them for he giueth them no other name then Christians And then he inferrs without any proofe at all or instances in the points of their Religion that they were Protestants Poore man that thus most insensibly reasoneth Seing we find the Christians of all those Countreyes to agree in all the cheife points with the present Roman Churrch Only some of them do not acknowledge the primacy of the Bishop of Rome aboue all other Bishopps In the last place of all he much insisteth in the Greeke Church within which are included the Russes and Muscouits he thus saying thereof The Greeke Church was neuer so much as in show extinguished And from whome the Russians and Muscouâ—ts had their fayth And then a little after he thus enlargeth himselfe We should do wrong to Almighty God c. to pull from him so many ample Churches meaning the Greeke Church the others aboue specifyed inferring from thence that the Protestant Church did in former ages rest visible euen in the Greeke Church Now this his shamelesse alleadging of the Greeke Church for Protestants shal be confronted with the testimony of Syr Edwin Sands a man of his owne Religion who plainly affirmeth that the Greeke Church doth concurre with Rome in opinion of Transubstantiation generally in the sacrifice and whole Body of the Masse in praying to Saints in auâ—â—cular Confession in offering Sacrifice and prayer for the dead Purgatory worshipping of pictures Yea the Protestant Deuines of Magdeburg do record that the Greeke Church doth not only beleiue all the former Articles recited by Syr Edwin Sands but also that it beleiueth and teacheth the signifying Ceremonyes of the Masse Confirmation with Crisme Extreme Vâ—ction all the seauen Sacraments Almes for the dead freewill Monachisme vowes of Chastity the fast of Lent and other prescribed fasts that Priests may not mary after Orders taken and finally that the tradition doctrine of the Fathers is to be kept Now heere I refeâ—re to any one not blinded with preiudice whether the professours of the Greeke Church are to be accounted for Catholicks or Protestants And from hence we may discâ—uer the idle and ridiculous vaunting of this Pamphleter who in the close of this point touching the Greeke Churches being protestant and a continuall Visâ—â—iliâ—y of Protestancy in the said Churches thus insulteth Looke to these places you Papists and Imagine that if there had beene none but these yet the words of the Scripture which in generality speake of a spouse had beene true And Christ had there had his Body vpon earth and the Church had not beene vtterly extinguished if neither We nor the Synagoâ—ue of Rome had beene extant Thus he His former examples being ended he entertayneth his Reader with great store of frothy and needlesse matter touching former differences betweene the Popes and Emperours the Kings of England and France And then all such persons as did bandy themselues either by wryting or otherwise with the said Emperour or Kings agaynst the Popes of those tymes the Pamphleter vrgeth for Protestants though the cheife cause of such differences betweene the Popes and the sayd Princes was touching Distribution of Ecclesiasticall Liuings within their owne Realmes That done the Treatiser extraâ—agantly discourseth in his deâ—lamatory rayling veyne that the Pope is Antichrist But how rouing and wandring all this is to the title of his Pamphlet and prouing of his owne Churches visibility the which he obliged himselfe to performe may appeare by what is already set downe After all this for a Close of all he obiecteth for forme-sake as if his taking notize of what we can truly obiect against his wryting were a sufficient answere to it certaine exceptions vrged by the Catholicks agaynst his former Instances of protestancy Which Obiections of ours being set downe he shapeth no true Answere vnto them And first he thus obiecteth in our behalfe l The Papists will beginne and say that we rake together as the Auncestours and forerunners of our fayth such as were notorious Hereticks as Wicklefe Hus or the Waldenses c. To which after much securtility of words he finally thus answereth We do not beleiue that all those are Hereticks whom you Papists will so call or account But we reply hereto and say That not only the Catholicks but the Protestants themselues do particularly charge Wicklefe Hus the Waldenses as also Almaricus Peter Bruus c. with many grosse and absurd Heresyes acknowledged for such euen by our Aduersaryes as may abundantly appeare by recurring to the seuerall passages of this former Dialogue The defence of which heresyes doth necessarily make their defendours absolute Heroticks seing they were mantayned by Waldo Wicklefe Hus c. with a froward and open contempt of the authority of Gods Church publikly teaching the contrary far differently from S. Austin S. Cyprtan and Lactantius their beleiuing certayne errours the which this Pamphleter for the more lesning of the Heresyes of Waldo Wicklefe Hus c. in p. 112. suttely repeateth seing these Fathers taught them only as their owne probable opinions euer submitting with all Obedience their Iudgments therein to the supreme Iudgments of Christ his Church Ad hereto that seing those Books written by Catholicks of those tymes do indifferently charge Wicklefe Hus Waldo and their followers with mantayning of some one point or other of protestancy and with diuers absurd Heresyes The authority therefore of those Writers are eyther equally to be beleiued in all their accusations or equally to be reiected in them all And the rather seing they could not foretell a consideration much to be obserued or presage what
c. as also touching the Contentions betweene the Popes and the Emperours the Kings of England and France and finally spendeth diuers leaues in rayling against the Pope as Antichrist All which werisome prolixityes he vseth thereby to spine out his booke to some resonable lenght or quantity seing otherwise to the title of his booke they are mearly impertinent 8. Eightly his Monstrous Impudency is to be obserued in making S. Bernard and the Greeke Church in former tymes as also the Churches in India Armenia Asiae Minor Egipt c. to be protestants without showing any one Protestant Article that they did hould excepting the Greeke Church denying the Popes Supremacy 9. Nynthly The title of his Booke being to proue the continual Visibility of his owne Church in all ages he produceth his Examples of protestancy supposing them for the tyme to be true Examples only for the first three or foure hundred yeres before Luthers dayes and so mearly crose to the title of his booke he omitteth eleuen hundred yeres without geuing instance of any one protestant during all those Ages 10. Tenthly Touching the Compas of those few ages for which he produceth some supposed Examples his fraud and calumny is to begine from Luther vpward and not downward towards Luther thereby the better as is aboue said to conceale from a vulgar Eye the small number of those ages or Centuryes for which he endeuoreth to proue the imaginary Visibility of the protestant Church 11. Eleuently and lastly his stilling the Catholicke Articles to wit of the Reall Presence Purgatorye free will praying to Saincts and all the rest beleiued by S. Bernard and other Catholicks only Lapses and Slipps the beleife of which Articles in vs Catholicks at this present he commonly calls Idolatry Superstition c. But this alleuiation of words and speech he vseth most subtelly of S. Bernard that so notwithstanding S. Bernards different beleife yet by this Pamphleter he neuertheles may be reputed a good protestant Thus far Good Reader of his cheife affected sleightes And with this I end referring this one Consideration vnto thee That is Yf the question of the Visibility of the protestant Church through the Conference had thereof at London immediatly before the comming out of this Pamphlet and occasion of that other Toy intituled The Fisher catched in his owne Mâ—t was at that tyme much discoursed and talked of by many Men through out the land and therefore the Mantayners of this Visibility did stand more obliged by all Reading and learning possible to iustify the same being then and at all tymes so much prouoked vnto it by vs Catholickes and if neuertheles the Authour heare refuted being stiled in the Epistle of this Treatise A most reuerend and learned Man and one who hath more particularly and perspicuously traualled in this Argument then any in our English tongue And therefore he may be presumed in all lyklyhood to haue spoken in defence thereof as much as can be spoken therein Yf I say this Man cannot but for three or foure ages only and these nearest to Luthers dayes seeke to iustify the same and this by meanes of some few false defectiue and misapplyed examples and Instances accompanied with diuers frauds impostures and Collusions What other thing then from hence may be concluded but that it is impossible to make good or proue the Visibility of the Protestants Church during all the ages since Christ to Luthers dayes or indeed duâ—ing but any one â—ge thereof And consequently that the Protestant Church for want of such a necessary Visibility euer attending oâ—â— the true Church of Christ is not nor can be the true Church of Christ FINIS THE ARRAIGNMENT OF THE CONVERTED IEW OR THE THIRD DIALOGVE OF MICHAEAS THE IEVV Betweene The right honorable the Lord Cheife Iustice of England Michaeas the former Conuerted Iew. M. Vice Chancelour of Oxford The Contents hereof the Argument following will show Vide mulierem ebriam de sanguine Sanctorum Apocalips 17. THE ARGVMENT OF THE THIRD DIALOGVE OF MICHAEAS STILED THE ARRAIGNMENT OF THE CONVERTED IEW. MICHAEAS after his disputation ended in Oxford with D. Reynolds Ochinus and Neuserus touching the Inuisibility of the Protestant Church and giuing it out that he would instantly depart from thence Neuerthelesse lyeth secretly in Oxford and hath peculiar acquaintance with some of the choyest witts there whome he persuadeth to the Catholicke and Roman fayth The Vice-Chancelour of Oxford hearing thereof apprehendeth Michaeas conuenteth him before the right Honourable the Lord Cheife-Iustice of England before whome he stands arraigned of three Crymes The first that according to the falsely supposed Principles of the Roman Religion he laboreth to plant disloyalty in the Schollars mindes The which Michaeas absolutly denyeth and thereupon retorteth by way of recrimination the cryme of Disloyalty vpon the Protestants both for their doctrine thereof and for their practise The second offence vrged by the Vice-Chancelour is that Michaeas did write certayne short Discourses of diuers points of Catholicke Religion and diuulged them to the Schollars of his acquaintance Of which discourses the Vice-Chancelour getting a copie of Michaeas his owne hand wryting deliuereth it in the presence of Michaeas to the Lord Cheife-Iustice This Action Michaeas acknowledgeth it as true and warranteth it by force of Reason and strong example The third Cryme That Michaeas being a Roman Priest vndertaketh to reconcile some Schollars to the Church of Rome and daily celebrateth Masse All this Michaeas granteth vnto iustifying such his proceeding by deducing the antiquity of Priesthood of the power of remitting sinnes in the Sacrament of Pennance and of the Masse euen from the times of the Apostles and the Primatiue Church By reason of which occasion the present state of Priests and Catholicks in England is impart discoursed of To conclude omitting diuers other short insertions passages in the Dialogue incidently occurring the Lord Cheife-Iustice as inclining to clemency and commiseration proceedeth to an honorable and myld Censure or iudgment against Michaeas at which censure the Vice-Chancelour mightely stormeth And so Michaeas earnestly praying for the Kings health and true happynes the Dialogue endeth THE ARRAIGNMENT OF THE CONVERTED IEW BEING A DIALOGVE BETWEENE THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORD CHEIFE-IVSTICE OF ENGLAND MICHAEAS THE CONVERTED IEW AND M. VICE-CHANCELOVR OF OXFORD Wherein is prooued besides diuers other short insertions that the Protestants stands more chargeable with disloyalty to their Lawfull Princes then Catholicks do THE VICE-CHANCELOVR MY Lord. All duty to your Lordship I haue here brought before your Lordship a Man most turbulent in his proceedings and who of late hath much ruffled and disordered the fiâ—e and quiet state of our Vniuersity by seeking to infect the Schollars thereof with his Popish and superstitious doctrines One whom kinde and curteous entertaynment for such he hath found at our hands cannot mollify and whose demerits are of that nature as that Compassion shewed to him would prooue Cruelty to others And we
shaughtered so many thousand Christians and all this warranted vnder the pretext of introducing the Protestant fayth and Religion And for the more iustifying of theese so wicked perpetrations we find diuers most eminent Protestants euen with greate laudes and applauses to celebrate these their attempts To forbeare the Encomion aboue recited giuen by Beza to the Protestant Nobility of Franâ—e who were slayne at the batayle of Dreuz do we not find when euen an inundation of bloud shed through the insurrection and Rebellion of Protestants had ouerflowed most parts of Germany that Luther thus honoreth in words the same Vide or mihi videre Germaniam in sanguine natare c. Christus meus viuit regnat ego vino regnabo It sermes that Germany euen swims with bloud But Christ liueth and reigneth and I will lyue and reigne As also he thus further triumphet heareof Thou complainest that by the Gospell the world is become tumultuous I a sweare God he thanked These things I would haue to bee and woe me miserable Man if such things were not In lyke sort doth not Caluin magnify the former seditions attempts of knox in this maner Knox valiantly bestoweth his labour vpon Christ and his Church O poore weake blast of wynd since iniust praise is no better thus idly spent in commending that which deserueth all discommendation and reproach for I much feare that these Men thus extolled for such their rebellions combustions and assacinacyes are interested in that sentence of Sainct Austin La 〈…〉 vbi non sunt torquentur vbi sunt VICE-CHANCELOVR Michaeas You haue heare entred into a wyde and wyld excursion of Discourses But I hould them not altogether pertinenm since all your former Instances were vndertaken for depression of superstition and aduancement of the Gospell of Christ The weight whereof is to ouerballance all humane respects And how far a Man may proceede hearein I will not determyne Only I hope I may without offence say that in matters so meâ—rely touching the endangering of our Gospell and for the better beating downe of Antichrist it is a kynd of Passion to be insensible and voyde of Passion But you should Michaeas haue brought some examples of Protestants disloyalty and want of duty against their Protestant Prince if so you had thought to haue wounded our cause indeed But since you haue not nor cannot insist in any such your former Instances wee repute supposing them to be true for lesse materiall and conuincing MICHAEAS M. Vice-Chancelour If it did comport with my present afflicted state or with my due reuerence to this Seate of Iustice I could well smyle to see how you still giue ground more and more in euery of your answeares against our former authorities and examples for whereas the mayne Question heare is Whether the Protestant Religion doth teach any disloyalty to the Prince of what Christian Religion so euer he be And whether the Professours of Protestancy do truly stand chargeable with such their Disloyalty for matter of Religion you now haue heare vsed diuers inflexions and turnings to wynd your selfe out of this Labyrinth For first when Luther and Swinglins were produced out of their owne wrytings to that end You answeare that indeede they were iustly charged thearewith but neuertheles the tymes after them being more refined and purged from all errours were most free from all such imputations When to impugne this reply I did vrge that Caluin Beza Knox Bucanan and diuers others of these dayes did in their book wrytings most confidently defend the same doctrine of Rebellion and disloyalty for defence of Religion Your next sleight was crossing your former answeared to say that though theese later Men did teach the sayd doctryne Yet seing this was but only the speculation of some Protestant Schollars but neuer put in practize by any of them or their followers that therefore their errour was herein the lesse dangerous and more pardonable When to confront this your silly euasion some of the said particuler Protestant wryters and many thousands of other Protestants are vrged by their open rebellions and insurrections actually to haue practized the said speculatiue doctryne of disloyalty You then lastly replyed that all this was vndertaken by them for the defence of the Ghospell and depressing of superstition and Idolatry Which you say may perhaps desearue hearein a myld censure And further you affirme that you hould the Protestants lesse chargeable with any iust fault hearein because they are euer loyall to their Protestant Princes for any attempts touching religion though not euer loyall to their Princes of a different religion from them But how rouing and wandring are all these Replyes from the Question heare ventilated Which was Whether Protestants did teach or put in practize Rebellion and insurrection against their lawfull Princes of what Christian Religion soeuer they were But M. Vice-Chancelour I do heare pardon you For either you must haue openly confessed in the first entrance of this passage that the Protestants do stand obnoxious for teaching and practizing of disloyalty c. Against their true Kings and soueraigns which perhaps you were loath to doe Or otherwyse as being depriued of all better Yf any learned Protestant thinke I do wrong his party by feigningly imposing these euasions vpon the Vice-Chancelour then let that Man set downe such his other owne replyes as he may thinke more satisfying to all the former obiected authorityes and examples and he shal be answeared For I cannot presage what heare could by sayd by any ProtestaÌ„t but either to vse these sleights or otherwyse plainly at the first acknowledge the Protestants doctrine hearein Answeares you must haue bene forced thereby to wine a little tyme to haue vsed your former declynings and subterfugious tergiaersations But belyke you did at the first call to mind that the least degree of weaknes in a Cause wheare nothing but weaknes is is to be reputed as a kynd of strenght and that little sconces are fore the present good fortresses when Castells Rompyers and such other strong forts are Wanting But M. Vice-Ch To trace you in the steps of your last refuge I do heare auonch that Protestants euen to their ProtestaÌ„t Princes only for matter of Religion contrary to this your last assertion haue manifested great disloyalty Thus is your Gospel set against your Gospell I will not say with Esay the Aegiptians against the Aegiptians And here I passe ouer for greater breuity the examples of this Kynd acted in Scotland and Germany euen by Protestants against their Protestant Princes and will a whyle rest in the ouertures and intendments at least heare in England And according heareto we fynd D. Bancroft thus to wryte of the proceeding of the PuritaÌ„s against their Protestant Bishops The Puritans meete and co ferre concerning the proceedings of the Ministers without assistance or staying for the Magistrate And further talking of Penry and other Puritans he thus accuseth
of Dauid Who though the eternall punishment due to the guilt of his sinns was for giuen yet was punished temporally by the death of his Sonne For these are the words in Scripture after his sinne was forgiuen Because thou hast caused the name of God to be blasphemed the Child that is borne to thâ—e shall dye In lyke sort Dauids sinne in numberring his People being remitted him yet was he put to chuse for his temporall punishmeÌ„t and satisfaction either Warre Famine or Pestilence Now the guilt of eternall damnation for sinne being remitted there remaineth a temporall punishment And this teÌ„porall punishment thus reserued is the sole subiect of Indulgences Therefore an Indulgence as heare the word is taken is a mercifull relaxation or remission of temporall punishment due for sinne by applying the super abundant satisfaction of Christ after the sinne it selfe and guilt of eternall damnation due to mortall sinne is remitted by the Sacrament of Confession or for want thereof by perfect Contrition The ground and foundation of Indulgencs is cheifly the treasury and satisfaction of Christs death which is of that infinity greate valew an pryce seeing euery drop of his bloud was able to redeeme a thousands Worlds in regard of his Diuinity being vnited to his Humanity as that it can ueuer be exhausted For we reade that Christ dyed for all Also that Christ is apropitiation for our sinns and not for our sinns only but for the Sinns of the whole World But it is certaine that the pryce of Christs death was not actually applyed to all Men hitherto liuing since then it would follow that all Men which hitherto haue liued should haue bene saued Therefore it followeth that theare yet remayneth a greate abundance of the pryce of Christ passion if it were not in finite as indeede it is to be applyed and still will remaine The dispenser of this treasury of the Church is the Heade of Christs Church who hath power to apply this treasury for the absoluing of Men from their temporall punishment due to their Sinns allready remitted by Sacramentall Confession according to the authority geuen him in those words Whatsoeuer thou losest vpon earth shal be losed in Heauen with which place accord other places of the Euangelists Now these words being generall they do extend as well to the punishment due for sinne as to the sinne itselfe seing the punishment is as remissible as the Sinne And as to the one are applyed Christs Meritts so to the other Christs â—atisfactions The Cause why any Indulgence is granted to any Man ought to be iust and reasonable or otherwyse the Indulgence granted is of no valew for seing the Pope is not Lord of this spirituall treasure of the Church but only the distributer thereof therefore this distribution he cannot make without a iust reasonable and lawfull Cause The Partie receauing the benefit of an Indulgence ought at the tyme of receauing it to be in state of grace since otherwise he can reape no benefit by any Indulgence to which state he is brought by true Contrition of his former Sinns although not perhaps forgeuen in respect of eternall damnation in the Sacrament of Confession And heare is discouered the trissling vanity falshood of our Aduersaries in affirming that the Catholicks teach that the Pope can giue a fore hand an Indulgence to any Man for any sinne which hereafter is to be committed Since wee see that the obiect of an Indulgence is the temporall punishment only and not the punishment of damnation and this for a sinne allready committed and not hereafter to be committed of which a Man being in state of grace and consequently not one who beareth a present resolution to commit any sinne hereafter is remitted by his Indulgence applyed to hym vpon iust and reasonable Causes We are further heare to admonish that the Partie receauing an Indulgence ought to performe entyrely and precisly all things enioyned hym by his Indulgence Whether it be prayer Alms fasting c. According to that vsuall saying Indulgentia tantum valent quantum sonant Wheare it is taught that the Merits and suffrings of some greate Saincts as of our Blessed Lady S Iohn Baptiste and some others do concurre to the encrease of this spirituall Treasure of the Church which is the foundation of Indulgences this is to be vnderstood in this sense to wit that because their Meritts works and sufferings haue their vertue and valew only from the Meritts of our Sauiours Passion And that they onely concurre to the increase of the treasure as they depend vpon the meritts of Christ therefore it may be truly said that primatiuely and Originally only the Meritts and Passion of Christ do make this spirituall treasure from whence Indulgences do flowe Ad hearto that if S. Paule might truly say in a researued sense Ad imple ea quae desunt passionum Christi in earne mea pro corporâ—â—ius quod est Ecclesia I do fullfill those things that do want of the passion of Christ in my flesh for his body which is the Church words which if any Catholicke should haue auerred of any one Sainct without the warrant of the Apostle he should haue bene mighrely calumnâ—ated and wronged by the Protestants then followeth it that the afflictions and sufferings of S. Paule as receauing their force from Christs PassioÌ„ may be said without any indignitie to Christ to encreasse this spirituall treasure of the Church For these former words do not import that there was any defect in the Passion of Christ but that the sufferings of S. Paule did fulfill the plenitude of Christ his Passion and his members for the benefit of those to whom they are to be communicated For as Christ being the inuisible and supreme heade of his Church doth with his Church make but one mysticall body so his sufferings with the sufferings of his members receauing all their force and efficacy from the Passion of Christ do make as S. Austin affirmeth one common and publâ—ke Weâ—le or one publike treasure And according hereto it is that we fynd offered S. Paules afflictions sometymes for the Colossians at other times for the Corinthians he desiring at one tyme to dye for the Romans at an other tyme to become an Aâ—athemâ— for them To proceede further The Old Testament it selfe warranteth this mutuall communication of one suffering for an other And in this sense it is said of Gods Church there entituled Ierusalem that it is as a Citty whose participationes in it selfe That is As in a publicke Citty there is a generall trafficke for the publicke benefit of euery particular Citizen So in the Citty of God which is his Church there is a communion or participation of all the spirituall works thereof to the generall benefit and behooâ—e of eich particular Man And vpon this ground it is that Dauid said in respect of the communication of one Mans sufferings for an other
impudent assertion And first touching Dante 's He thus wryteth of S. Peter in his Italian verses O luce eternâ— del gran viro A cui nostro Signor lascio le chiaui Ch' ei portò giùda questo gaudio mirâ— In lyke sort touching Rome it selfe he thus discourseth Non pare indeg no al huomo d'intelletto Che ei su de l'alma Roma de suo impero Nel ' empirco ciel ' per padre eletto La quale el quale à voler direilvero Fur stabilite per lo loco sancto r ' fiede il successor del maggior Piero. In which verses Rome is called a reuerend Citty a holy place fortified and strenghtned euen from Heauen and finally the seate of Peter Againe Dante 's was much aduers against Pope Nicolas the third whom being dead Dante 's notwithstanding thus honored with his Verse Et se non fusse ch' aucor le me vieta I ariuerentia delle summe chiani Cheiutenesti vella vita lieta Iover ei parcle ancor più graut In which words Dante 's confesseth plainly that the reuerence which he did beare to this Pope in regard that he receaued the keyes of the Church meaning supreme authority in Christs Church was the cause why he did forbeare to wryte more sharply against hym Finally to omit many other lyke passages Dante 's saith that Boniface the eight Ne summo offitio ne Ordini sacri Guardò in se In which verse he acknowledeth that supreme authority and holy Orders did resyde in Boniface whose manners were otherwise displesing to Dante 's In this next place I will come to Petrarch who thus wryteth in acknowledging the power of the Bishop of Rome Quis quaeso non stupeat simulque non gaudeat si amicus sit Vicario IESV CHRISTI And further Romano Pontifici omnes qui Christiano nomine glortamur non modo consilium sed obsâ—quium insuper obedientiam debemus All we who glory in the name of Christians do owe not only counsell but duty and obedience to the Bishop of Rome Now for greater euidency of this poynt I will descend to the particular prayses geuen by Petrarch to particular Popes in his Italian booke written of the liues of Popes We there then find that of Pope Vrbanus 5. he thus writeth Fu nelle sacre Scripture dottissimo santamente visse Vrbanus was most learned in the holy Scriptures and liuod most Sanctly Of Clemens 6. he thus recordeth Fu per nome per fatti di molte virtù pieno Clement was both for his name and for his deeds replenished with much vertue Of Benedict 12. these are his words Beneditto fatto Papa reformò l'Ordine di S. Benedetto c. era feruido nella fide nelle buone operezelatore Benedict being created Pope did reforme the Order of S. Benedict c. He was feruerous in the fayth and zelous in good works c. To be short of Iohn 22. he thus saith Costuifu ottimo glorioso Pastore fece molti bein Hereticiper zelo della fide condamno This man was a very good and glorious Pastour He did many good deeds and condemned Hereticks out of his zeale to the fayth And now I refâ—r to any in different iudgment whether these two Italian Poëtes Dante 's and Petrarch did thinke the Pope of Rome to be Antichrist or no as our Pamphleter semeth to vrge â—hey did and whether the former prayses can be truly applyed to Anthichrist the whoare of Babilon â—o euident it is that what the foresaide PoeÌ„ts did Saâ—yrically wryce was written only against some disorders in the Church of Rome and against the presumed faults of some particular Popes but neuer against their supreme dignity in the Church of Christ And as touching the former Popes by Petrarch so commended We are to remember that his prayses deliuered of them where written after the deaths of the said Popes and therefore his words could not be censured to proceede from adulation and flattery but according to his owne true and secret iudgment passed vpon those Popes In the same manner for their lyke inueâ—ghing against the fulnes of the Popes power and iurisdiction he alledgeth certaine obscure men to wit Dulemus Hayabalus Ioannes Biraensis Ioannes de Rupe scissa three religious Men who liued and dyed in respect of all other poynts in the Roman Church And yet touching Ioannes de Rupe scissa both this Authour and the authour of Catalogus testium veritatis From whom this man taketh it are deceaued if we may beleiue Fox who thus wrytes of hym Ioannes de Rupe scissa liued in the yere 1340. who for his rebuking of the spiritually for their great enormittes and neclecting their office was cast into prison Our Pamphleter after produceth Gerson for a Protestant of whom he thus saith Gerson saw in his ages many horrible abuses of the Church of Rome and in his wrytings spake liberally of it Is not this a learned prouf for Gersons being Protestant in all poynts of Protestancy After all the former â—nstances the Pamphleter euen for want of other matter returneth back againe to the Waldenses or Albigenses iterating with a tedious prolixity his former discouâ—s concerning them and this in many leaues Whereby he sheweth the extreme mendicity of his Cause and that he laboreth with all Art possible to draw out this his Treatise as is aboue said into some reasonable number of sheets But touching the Waldenses I refer the Readeâ— as afore I willed to the pâ—rticular passage of Waldo in the former Dialogue His former Extrauagancyes of discours being ended he is not ashamed to challenge S. Bernard for a Protestant of whom he thus wryteth Before our ascending thus high we might tell you of S. Bernard whom all though it is lykely at the first dash you will challenge as your owne yet when you haue well aduized of hym you may let hym go againe O perfrictam frontâ—m and wonderfull Impudency For who is so ignorant or so bould that wil not confesse S. Bernard to haue bene a Roman Catholicke in all points He was a religious Man and Abbot of Claireuaux and Authour of many Monasteryes in Flanders and France as O siander the Protestant confesseth he also was Pryest and said Masse to his dying day as all Writers of him do testify A poynt so euident that for his being a great and eminent member of our Catholicke Church the Centurists al Protestants thus censure him Bernardâ—â—s coluit Deum Maozim ad nouissimum vitae suae articulum And further they say of him Bernardus fuit acerrimus propugnator sedis Antichristi Bernard was an earnest defendour of the seaâ—e of Antichrist Here now I refer to the candid and vpright Reader what impudency it was in this Man to challenge Bernard for a member of the Protestant Church But heere touching S. Bernard I cannot but abserue
deuills being far absent from their Witches southsayers and coniurers do neuerthelesse heare their inuocations and coniurations As is warranted by all Experience Shall any Man then thinke that the blessed Saincts of Heauen are depryued of hearing the prayers and intercessions which the faythfull heare vpon Earth do make vnto them since otherwyse it would follow that spirituall substances by their losing of Heauen I meane the deuills by their fall did obtayne greater prerogatiues and excellencye then the soules of the Saincts do by gayning and ascending vp to Heauen an absurdity incompatible with the goodnes wisdome and Charity of God And thus much touching the doctryne of Prayer to Saincts The Catholicke doctrine touching Iustification by works Merit of works and Works of Supererogation TOuching Iustification by Works the Catholicks teach as followeth Iustification wheareby a Man being afore wicked and the Sonne of Wrath is become the Sonne of God is wrought by the healpe of Gods grace without any meritte of works on our syde and by the spirit of fayth and Charity infused by God in vs in the very Act of our Iustification Thus our Aduersaries may see that we do not ascribe our first Iustification to any of our works at all though they most wrongfully traduce vs to the contrary For we willingly acknowledge those words of the Apostle It is not of the willer or of the runner but of God who sheweth Mercy Secondly the Catholicks teach that after a Man iustifyed being of wicked become good he may encrease his first iustification by works That is he being already made iust by Gods grace and mercy may by his works become more Iust Which works are not those which are performed by the force of Nature as the Pelagians did teach and the Protestants do falsly charge the Catholicks but as they are performed by the spirit and grace of God and as they receaue their force vertue from our Sauiours Passion Concerning the merit of Works more particularly the Catholicks teach as followeth whose doctrine herein for greater perspicuity I will set downe in certaine propositions Which propositions do contayne certaine condicions necessarily requyred that Works may merit The first proposition is this That works may merit it is requyred that the partye who worketh be in state of grace and an adopted Child of God Thus we exclude all works from meriting which are performed by one who is not in state of grace that is who wanteth true fayth true hope true charity for such Works are performed by force of Nature only not by force of Gods grace The second proposition That works do merit a free liber all promise or Couenant of God is necessary by which his promise of reward made vnto good Works God in a manner obligeth himselfe to reward good works according to his promises Heere our Aduersary may see that we willingly confesse that no works of ours of themselues can merit as we abstract from them the promisse of God for without this promisse and Couenant of God made out oâ— his most mercifull bounty to remunerate good works we do willingly say with the Apostle The passions of this life are not condigne to the glory to come that shal be reuealed vnto vs. The third proposition That Works do merit it is according to the most probable opinion necessarily requyred that they cheifly preceede from actually or virtually Charity loue towards God That is that they be vndertaken cheifly and primatiuely for the honour and loue we beare to God From whence it followeth that no works which are not seasoned with this condicâ—on of Charity in God but haue to themselues only peculiar and lesse principall ends c 〈…〉 merit The fourth and last proposition which is implicitly included in the former Propositions That Works do merit they must take their worth and dignity from the 〈…〉 ritis of our Sauiours Passion and from thence receaue as it were a new tincture and dye Thus we see that originally and principally it is Christs meriâ—ts which do merit for vs and that our works are but once of the meanes whereby we apply Christs meritâ—s vnto vs. That the doctrine here set downe touching merit of works is sutable to the doctrine of the Catholicke Roman Church is euident euen from the authority of the Councell of Trent where we thus reade To them who worke well to the end of their life and do hope in God eternall life is giuen both as a grace and fauour mercifully promised to the Sonns of God through the meritts of Christ Iesus as also as a reward proceeding from the promisse of the same God faythfully to be giuen to their good Works and Meritts c. Thus the Councell The certainty of this doctrine of merit of works receaueth it cheife proofe from the holy Scripture and this from the testimonyes of Scripture of seuerall kinds First then from those places where eternall life is called Merces a wage or reward As Mathew Reioyce for your reward is great in Heauen Againe Call the workemen and pay them their hyre besides diuers others of like nature Secondly from those places wherein a heauenly reward is promised to men according to the measure proportion of their Works as where it is said The Sonne of Man shall come in the glory of his Father and shall render to eueryone secundum opera sua according to his works In like sort it is said God will render to euery one according to his works besides many other like places here omitted Thirdly from those testimonyes of Scripture which expresse the reason that works are the cause why eternall life is giuen thus we read Come you blessed of my Father possesse the Kingdome prepared for you es 〈…〉 iui enim dedisti mihi manducare for I was hungry and you gaue me to eate Againe in the same place Quia in pauca fuisti c. Because thou hast been faithfull ouer few things I will place thee ouer many things enter into the ioy of thy â—ord And in the Apocalyps These are they which are come out of great tribulation c. ideo sunt ante throâ—um Dei therefore they are before the throne of God In all which places the particles Enim Quiâ— Ideo are causases that is implying our shewing the reason and cause of a thing Fourthly from those texts in which a reward is promised to good Works euen by force of Iustice According hereto we reade God is not vniust that he should forget your worke As also that be thou faythfull euen vnto death and I will giue thee the Crowne of life See of this nature other texts quoted in the margent Fiftly and lastly from those passages wherein there is mention made of dignity or worth As where we reade The workeman is worthy his wage Agayne vt digni habeamini regno Dei c. That you may be had worthy the Kingdome of