I would holde my self to those by whose commaundement I beleeued the gospell c. VVhose authority being infringed weakned I could not now There is no raâ—son we should beleeue the authority of the Roman Church in deliuering scripture and Protestants in expounding it contrary to her authority beleeue euen the gospell itself Imediatly before If thou say Beleeue not the Catholiques it is not the right way by the ghospell to driue me to the faith of Manichaens of Protestants because I beleeued the ghospell it self by the preaching of Catholiques 8. Yet if against all sense and reason if against both God and man you should perswade vs to beleeue your new constructions of Sâ—riptuee against theÌ„ who taught you both Christ and Scripture do we not belieue the authority of men the voyce as you account your selues of the faythfull so submit our iudgments to the exposition of the Church 9. Further more the Church is the treasury or store-house of God to which he committeth all his heauenly ministeryes All thinges which I haue heard of my Father I haue made knowne to you It is his mouth or oracle which openeth the same to others his trumpet or cryer which promulgateth The Church is the store-house of truth Ioan. 15. v. â—â— them to the world Go and teach all Nations c. teaching all thinges which I haue commaunded you It is the messenger which reuealeth his will The witnes which giueth testimony of his wordes and sayings The VicegereÌ„t which supplyeth the roome of his beloued You shal be witnesses to me in Hierusalem and in all lury c. As my Father hath sent me so I also do send you But Christ was sente from Matt. vlt. v. 19. Act. 1. v. 8. Ioan. 20. v. â—2 the throne of his Father with most ample power to decide all doubtes in matters of faith Therefore the Church succedeth him in this soueraigne authority she baptizeth now in his person sacrificeth in his person teacheth in his person gouerneth in his person excoÌ„municateth in his person so she determineth with infallible assistance and iudgeth all Controuersies in his person If we be commanded to heare her obey her belieue her be ruled by her If we must open our owne faults complayne of our brethren to her be bound or loosed The Church iudgeth of the writings of the Apostles she coÌ„poseth the Canon of Scripture she iudgeth of the true sense and interpretation of scripture of our sinns by her if she must cleare out doubts examine our causes redresse our scandals quiet our contentions she no doubt is the supreme iudge of all our spiritual affayres When any doubt is made of the writings of the Apostles whether they be theirs or no as whether the Epistle of S. Paul to the Laodiceans be his or not it belongeth to the Church to decide the matter to receaue or reiect it Therfore she iudgeth of the Apostolicall doctrin of the sacred Canon she iudgeth what is consonant to the diuine spirit of God and what is dissonant thereunto When any heresy springeth from the false interpreration of scripture she also censureth she condemneth it Therefore she is the iudge not only of the scriptures but also of the true sense and exposition of them And thus in all tymes and places whensoeuer occasion hath beene offered the Church hath exercised her iudiciall power CHAP. VII Wherein is manifested the conformable practise of the Church other authorityes alleadged the imagined circle obiected against vs auoyded IN the Apostles dayes a controuersy arose concerning the obseruation of the legall Ceremonyes it was diligently argued discussed and iudged by the Church with this diuine and Act. 15. v. 28. infallible resolutioÌ„ It hath seemed good to the holy Ghost and vs c. Some few yeares after a great debate fell out about the celebratioÌ„ of the feast of Easter whether it should be kept alwayes on the Sunday or on the 14. day of the first moneth the matter was referred examined iudged by the Church with such an vncontrolable sentence as they who resisted were absolutely censured and condemned for heretikes called Quartadecimani Witnes S. Augustine Epiphanius Tertullian others In all succeeding ages some such doubts questions or heresyes haue sprung vp and haue beene Aug. haer â—6 Epiphan haer 50. Tertul. in Praescrip alwayes sifted determined and iudged by the Church From her the Nouatians Arians Nestorians Eutichians Pelagians Monothelites and the rest haue still receaued their finall doome and irreuocable damnation in such iudiciall manner as no appeale no dispute no further examinations of their opinions hath beene after Hooker in the preface to his book of Eccles poli pag. 24. 25. 26. 27. Couel in his defence of M. Hooker permitted as not only M. Hooker and M. Doctour Couell two moderne Protestants but S. Athanasius also testifyeth of the Churches decrees in the Nicen Councell against the Arians Let no man thinke a matter discussed by so many Bishops confirmed with most cleare testimonyes may be called againe in question least if a thing so often iudged be reuised and knowne againe the curiosity of knowing vtterly want all end of knowing And Martian the Emperour He doth wronge to the iudgement of the most reuerend Synod who contendeth to rippe vp or publiquely argue and dispute of such thinges as be once iudged and rightly ordered Theodosius Athan. in decr Nice Syno Martian in rescript ad Pallad Praefect Preto C. desum Trin. l. 5. Cod. l. 1. tit leg damnat also and Valentinian those two Catholike Emperous who held the Imperiall Scepter in the yeare of our Lord 428. haue most catholikely enacted a law allowing the Churches definitiue sentence in sundry CouÌ„cels VVhosoeuer in this holy Citty or other where do follow the prophane peruersity of Eutiches condeÌ„ned in the late Councell gathered at ChalcedoÌ„ do not so beleeue in all points of fayth as the 318. holy Fathers of the Nicene Councell as the 150. venerable Bishops assembled togeather in the Councell of Constantinople or the other two CouÌ„cells following of Ephesus and Chalcedon let them know that they are heretiks But as thâ— Churches tribunall in condemning heresyes so in establishing true doctrine in all doubtfull cases hath beene esteemed infallible Hence that common saying of S. Augustine VVhosoeuer feareth to be ensnared Aug. l. 1. cont Cres c. 33. by the obscurity or hardnes of this question let him consult the Church thereof which the holy Scripture without all ambiguity doth demonstrate 2. Hence S. Paul immediatly instructed from the mouth of God when false seducers sought to caluminate Gal. 2. v. 2. Tertul. l. 4. contra Marc. c. 2. his heauenly doctrine had recourse vnto the Church for approbation of his Ghospell Least perhaps in vaine I should runne or had runne Whereupon Tertullian If he from whom S. Luke receaued his light desired to haue his fayth and preaching authorized by his predecessours how
much more reason haue I to desire the like for the Ghospell of S. Luke seeing the same was so necessary for the Ghospell of his Maister And S. Augustine The Apostle S. Paul Aug. tom 6. cont Faust Manic l. 28. c. 4. Hier. ep 11. called from heauen if he had not found the Apostles with whome by conferring his Ghospell he might appeare to be of the same society the Church would not beleeue him at all S. Hierome hath the like whose authorityes togeather with the president of S. Paul so pinch our aduersaryes as they haue nothing to answere which deserueth confutation Notwithstanding A cauil of the aduersary reproued against the former recited examples of the Church they cauill that she pronounced iudgment in the beginning out of the written word and so made the scripture iudge rather then her selfe of all doubtfull occurrences We grant that the Scriptures were the outward law the The scripture is the outward law and needeth a liuely iudge or interpreter compasse or square which the Church followed in giuing her sentence both then and euer since yet as the law is dumbe and needeth an interpreter the compasse square not able to direct without the guide of the Architect to leuell it aright so the Scriptures can neuer giue a diffinitiue sentence to compose debates vnles they be managed guided and interpreted by the Church The scriptures are the dead and silent the Church the liuely speaking intelligible Iudge more easy then the scriptures more ancient then the scriptures more necessary Iren. l. 3. c. 4. Hilar. de Syno aduer Arian then the scriptures more necessary because many sucking babes who dye after baptisme many ignorāt people as Ireneus and S. Hilary note are saued without scriptures but not without the Church more ancient because the scriptures were penned by the holy Prophets and Apostles The last resolution of fayth is diuersly made by which we auoyd the circle obiected against vs by many Protestāts members of the Church more easy and perspicuous because that which the scriptures in sundry darke hard and general tearmes obscurely contayne the church in open plaine and particuler declarations applyable to the sundry exigentes of speciall occurrents cleerly expresseth Therefore although the scriptures haue a kind of iudgment as the inanimate law can iudge togeather with the Church yet the Church hath the principall primary supreme and most irreprouable voyce in this spirituall consistory or court of religion 3. Howbeit the last resolution of our beliefe is not so referred either to scriptures or to the Church but that the prime verity and other prudent motiues haue also their speciall concurrence whereby we easily auoyd that idle and impertinent circle with which VVhitaker and First it is resolued into the authority of God his fellowes would seeme to disgrace vs of prouing the scriptures by the Church and Church againe by scriptures For when it is demanded why we belieue the scriptures the infallible authority of the Church the mystery of the Trinity or any other article of our beliefe we reply that if you aske the formall reason which winneth the assent of our vnderstanding to belieue we beleeue Secondly into the proposition of the Church them for the diuine authority which is the formall obiect of fayth and of infinit force and ability to perswade immediatly by it selfe without the help of any other formall inducement whatsoeuer if you demand what warranteth or proposeth vnto vs this or that article to be credited by the testimony of God We answere it is the Catholike Church guided by the holy Ghost which cannot propose or deliuer any falshood If you demaund what moueth our will to accept this Church for an infallible witnes in sealing those articles We answere they are arguments of credibility which prudently induce Thirdly into certaine motiues of credibility and stir vs vp to credit her report the argumentes are these glory of miracles consent of Nations perpetuall succession interrupted continuance admirable propagation and increase of the Church force of doctrin conuersion of soules change of manners fortitude of Martyrs vnity sanctity antiquity the like which preuailed so much with our most learned S. Augustine as he recounting those thinges which iustly detayned him in Aug. con◠epist Manich 4. the Catholike Church sayth There holdeth me in her bosome the consent of people and nations there holdeth an authority begotten with miracles nourished with hope increased by charity Aug. de vtil cred c. 14. Populorū atque gentiū confirmatae opinioni ac famae admodum celeberrimae strengthned by antiquity there holdeth from the seate of Peter the Apostle to whome our Lord after his resurrection recommended the feeding of his sheep euen to this present Bishopricke the succession of Priests Lastly there holdeth me the name Catholike c. And in another place he sayth that by no other reasons was he induced to belieue in Christ then by giuing credit to the approued opinion of people Nations and to a most renowned and famous report These then were the motiues of credibility which first perswaded him to imbrace both Christ and his Ghospell 4. Then the mouth which vttered oracle which proposed them was the Church it self I for my part quoth Aug. con ep Fund c. 5. he would not beleeue the gospell vnles the authority of the Catholike Church moued me But the formall ground or chief reason which wonne his assent was the veracity prime verity or testimonye of God who could not with such prudent motiues euident argumentes of credibility testifye any thing either by himselfe or others which was not sealed with infallible truth Thus no round or circulation is made because the same thing is not proued but after a diuers seueral manner Secondly we escap another way The second way of escaping the circle the daunger of circulation if against them who deny the one graunt the other we borrow argumentes from the scriptures for exāple which they graunt to establish the Church which they denie or from the true Church if that be admitted to authorize the scriptures which are wrongfully impugned Thirdly that idle circle is declined The third way auoiding the same when we canonize the scriptures by the testimony of the present Church proue the Church by the interpretation of scriptures not made by the same Church which now is or lately was in the Councell of Trent but so expounded by the ancient Church in former dayes in the Councell of Carthage in the time of S. Augustin S. Ambrose and the rest of those Doctours or so expounded by the primitiue Church so expounded by the Apostles who receaued it from Christ he from his Father What round is heer or circle committed 5. Lastly it is no absurdity or begging of the question in hand if the Church approue the scripture by her owne testimony and by the same also her infallible authority
vnto death in this deadly schisme and vnreconciliable hatred the one agaynst the other To leaue forraine contentions and speake of domesticall VVhitak contro 2. quaest 6. c. 3. Fulke in cap. 11. Matt. sect 5. Hooker it s in his Eccl. poli lib. 2. pa 101. Co. in his def c. art 7. pag. 54. Perkins in his refor Catholikp 55. Abbot in his def c. c. 3. se 8. 9. 10 Sparke in his answer to M. Iohn d'Albins f. 281. 28â— 283. VVhitak vbi supra Field l. 3. cap. 22. fo 118. 119. Ouerall in the confer pa 41. 42. Fulke in c. 3. IoaÌ„ sect 2. in 2â— Actorum sect 10. VVhitakâ—r contro 1. quaest 6. c. 3. VVhit ibid. 57. Bils in his true difference c. p. 4. p. 586. 587 Casaub in his answere to Card. Per. p. 20. in eng M. Iacob in his def p. 88. Harm p. 80. 81. 82. VVhite in his way to the true Church §. 33. fol. 138. of our gospellers amongst themselues in such pointes of sayth as they confesse to be substantiall 4. Whitaker and Folke peremptorily define the coÌ„maundements of God impossible to be kept and the former of â—hem â—egâ—â—â—eth this as a fundamentall point M. Hooker and Doctour Concil eagerly gayne lay it and sincerely hold they may be kept Mayâ—â—er Perkins Doctour Abbot and Doctour Sparke maynteine that the faythfull once instifyed cannot fallout of the state of grace with whome Mayster Whitaker agreeth and setteth it downe as a fundamentall point And Sparke sayth the contrary is a most dangerous errour Doctour Field notwithstanding Doctour Oueral now Bishop of Couentry and Lichfield defend they may by grieuous sinns fall from grace into the present state of wrath and damnation whose opinion his Maiesty approued with his royall assent in the conference at Hampton Court Fulke sucketh from Caluin and Whitaker engrosseth it as a point fundamentall That the Sacramentes are not necessary to saluation That they signify only but they cause no grace And of Baptisme by name Whitaker sayth Our safety dependeth not of the outward lotion but on the meritts of Christ on the meere election and promise of God Mayster Hooker and Mayster Bilson contrary wise affirme the Sacraments necessary to saluation and that they do cause grace and that our safety so much dependeth on the outward lotion as infants quoth Bilson cannot enter the Kingdome of heauen nor be heyres with Christ before they be engrassed into Christ by Baptisme A little after The Church absolutely and slatly may not assure saluation to children vnbaptized Which Casaubon also in his Maiesties name alloweth as most true Mayster Iacob with the harmony of confessions which Mayster white honoureth as the touchstone of his beleefe approueth a disparity of sinns â—ome to be veniall not all to deserue eternall death Fuâ—â—â— â—ulke 〈…〉 Matth. sect 6. 〈…〉 in c. Rom. sect 11. VVhitak vbi su fol. 58. 58â— VVillet in his Synop. printed anno Domini 1600. contro 20. VVhitak in his ans to M. CaÌ„pians 8. reason l. 8. aduer Duraeum â— Bilson in his serm Of the full redemptioÌ„ c. Hugh Sanford l. 3. de desc Domini nostri ad inferoâ— sâ—â— 91. 92. 93. 94. c. Reynolds in his secoÌ„d conclusion annexed to his confer VVhitak cont 2. qu. â— cap. 3. f. 274. VVhite §. 14. fol. 79. Bancroft in his sermon preea had the 8. of â—â—br 1588. VVillet in finop p. 48 Field in his first book of the Church c. 20. Hook l. â— sect 8. p. 141. l. 2. p. 103. 12â— Couell in his defence art 8. p. 49. 50. 51. 52. Reyn. in his fift conclu VVill. in his medit vpon the 122. psalm Hook l. 5. p. 140. VVill. in sinop anno Domino 160. p. 789. 788. Bils in his suruey of Christ sufferings and of his des to hell Perkins in his treatise of that mattter San. l. 3. de des Domini nos â—nd Whitaker so bitterly inâ—eigh agaynst that Popish assertiâ—â— as Whitaker protesteth it doth not only ouerthrowe the true â—â—t establish a false foundation Willet and Whitaker blasphemously deny the full sufficâ—ency of our Redemption by Christs corâ—â—rall death without his feeling of eternall damnaation M. Bilson confuteth that diuâ—◠〈◊〉 errour and truly teacheth as we do out of the Scriptures Fathers That he fully redeemed vs with his death on the Crosse and neuer felt noâ—â—o much as dreaded any death of foule or â—orrour of damnation how beit Master Sanford laboureth to answere all his arguments raking the former heresy out of hell defendeth it with such impiety as I wonder so detestable a work is permitted in a Christian common wealth 5. It were an infinit labour to recount all their infinit differences For touching the Church Reynoldes Whitaker and White affirme the whole militant Church vpon earth may erre in manners in doctrine in points of fayth Mayster Bancroft holdeth it cannot erre in matters of fayth Willet sayth it is sometymes inuisible Field it is alwayes visible Touching Euangelicall Councells That a man may doe more then he is bound vnder precept is auouched by Mayster Hooker and Doctour Couell reiected by Doctour Reynolds and Mayster Willet as impious and presumptuous Concerning Christ Hooker defendeth he died for all Willet he died not for al but only for the elect Bilson sayth he descended into hell M. Perkins and Mayster Sanford he descended not into the locall place of hell but only into his graue or scpulcher Touching their Mission some wil haue it ordinary some â—xtraordinary one from the people another from the Prince or house of Parlament A third from the Catholike Clergy which they account false and Antichristian Field l. 3. c. 3â— fo 156. 158. c. Barlow in his Sermon preached September 21. 1606. In which kind Field auerreth endeauoureth to proue That Presbiters to wit Priests and not Bishops may in case of necessity ordeyne Presbiters and Deacons and he graunteth many of the reformed Churches namely those of France and others to haue had no other ordination But William Barlow late Bishop of Rochester in his Sermon concerning the antiquity and superiority of Bishops preached before the King at Hampton Court affirmeth and proueth That Neyther the Apostles nor Church of Christ succeeding would admit any other but Bishops to that busines as not iustifiable for Presbiters eyther by reason example or Scriptur Againe he addeth If any of the inferiour rancks vnder Bishops presumed to do it his act was reuersed by the Church for vnlawfull Lastly concerning the Regiment of their Church the consistory of Geneua in the confession of their fayth approued by Caluin and Beza detest the Papisticall hierarchy of the Church of England as vsurped and diabolicall All English Puritans abhorre the same accounting the Protestant Doctour VVhitgift against Cart. Hooker in his book of â—â—polâ—â—y Mason in his 4. bookes 1. King Iam. in his premonitioÌ„ pag. 44. The Auth. of the 12. Arguments
be celebrated in no other then places consecrated by the Bishop And they affirme that Platina writeth in Siluesters life of golden and siluer challices giuen by Constantine Cent. 4. c. 6. col 410. ibid. That it is be read in Eusebius his decrees how the sacrifice of the Altar was to be celebrated not in silke or hempe but only in fine linnen consecrated by the Bishop In the fifth age or Century they make mention out of Platina Sabellicus Casâ—â—na and Sigebert of the Antiphones Introites gradualls tractes c. of the psalme Iudica me Deus to be sayd at the beginning of the sacrifice All which they ascribe to Celestine the first who Cent. 5. c. 6. col 725. 729 727. Sabellicus Tom. 8. l. 1. Sigebert in chronico liued about 426 yeares after Christ whome Vrspergensis according to them maketh authour of the hymne holy holy holy to be sunge They alleage out of Sigibert Hirmanus Gigas and Flores temporum how at the end of Masse he that saydit was by the ordinance of Gelasius to blesse the people and to say the hymne trium pueroum 17. In the same age they write of Leo how he decreed that in the action of our Lords supper these wordes should be pronounced Ibidem col 729. Hancigitur oblationem c. Bergomensis say they Platina mention it Sigebert deliuereth this clause also to haue beene added by him and that in the Canon of the Masse Sanctum sacrificium BergomeÌ„sis in Theo. immaculatam hostiam which Sabellicus also reporteth Nauclerus likewise auoucheth that by his ordinance Orate sratres is sayd in Masse and Deo gratias in the end Sigebert relateth of him how he was wont Sabellicus Enead 8. l. 1. to say Massesouer the bodies or monuments of Martyrs when he would communicate their relikes vnto others All these be the wordes of the Centuristes Neyther doe they only specify these ceremonyes belonging to our sacrifice but they finde Naucler l. 2. gene 15. Ibidem col 729. fault with many of the auncients for writing vnbeseemingly in their conceite of the sacrifice it selfe as with Ignatius the Apostles scholler because he sayd ambiguously Cent. 5. c. 6. col 730. incommodiously I repeat their words it is not lawfull without a Bishop neyther to offer nor immolate the sacrifice Then Cyprian say they superstitiously fayneth c. the Priest to supply the roome of Cent. 2. ca. 4. col 63. Christ and sacrifice to be offered to God the Father c. which prase to offer sacrifice Tertullian also vseth speaking of the supper And Martiall the supper of our Lord that is a sacrifice is offered on the Altar Ignat. ep ad Smirn. to God the Creatour After There is a new phrase also in Nazianzen he defileth his handes with the oblation of the vnbloudy sacrifice Ambrose vseth speaches of the supper which before him none Cent. 3. c. 4. col 83. Centur. 3. c. 4. col 83. Tertullian de cultu faem Hartialis ep ad Burdeg Cent. 4. c. 4. col 294. Nazian in inuect 1. in Iulian. Cent. 4. c. 4. col 295. Ambros l 5. ep 33. of the Fathers was wont to vse as to say Masse to offer sacrifice Hither to the Protestants of Magdeburge By the which we manifestly gather first that our present Roman Church that now is hath no way declined from the purity of the auncient Church which flourished in the first fiue hundred yeares after Christ not in this diuine worship and publike sacrifice of the Masse Secondly that this our sacrifice was not inueÌ„ted by man but instituted by Christ and practised by the Apostles which I proue by three vncontrolable rules in the Iudgement of all prudent men Aug. l. 4. de bap ca. 24. Aug. l. de baept cont Donat. ca. â— Caluin l. 4. instit c. 18. §. 1. 18. The First is S. Augustines rule saying That which the vniuersall Church doth hold and was not instituted by Councells but hath beene still reteyned in the Church this we may most iustly belieue to haue come from no other anthority then the Apostles By which he proueth the bâ—ptising of infants not expressed in Scripture to be an Apostolicall tradition writing thus That custome which men before vs looking vpward to antiquity did not find to haue beene ordeyned by them that came after the first ages is rightly belieued to haue beene deliuered by the Apostles But the sacrifice of the Masse hath beene offered in the vniuersall Church For Caluin going about to impugne it sayth I heere match in fight with that opinion wherewith the Romish Antichrist Cen. 6. c. 6. col 33. Vtintelligas inquiunt missarum nunc solemnia passim oÌ„nia loca coÌ„pleuisse and his prophets haue infected the whole world namely that the Masse is a worke whereby the sacrificing Priest c. The Centurists his companions acknowledge the like generall practise aboue a thousand yeares agoe affirming in the 6. age Now the solemnityes of Masse to haue euery where filled all places Yet they looking into all historyes ransacking all auncient monuments from that tyme vpward cannot find by whome it was first instituted or where it began Therefore it was deriued from the Apostles as the institution of Christ otherwise these cunning Masons who discouered the placing of so many little rafters would haue espied without doubt the laying of this great beam in their eyes of superstitious idolatry And M. Mason himselfe who disauoweth this sacrifice and the only Priesthood ordeyned by Christ to offer it to his Father dismantleth his sectmates of the true spirituall power of â—â—iesthood or iurisdiction of Bishops 19. The second Rule is grounded vpon experience â—f the difficulty which ariseth in bringing in of any new â—ustome chaunge or innouation in a common wealth â—or as that can neuer be done in any temporall state touâ—hing temporal affayres without some strife opposition or dispute so much lesse in the Kingdome of the Church about matters of religion concerning which her watchmen Isay 62. v. 6. and Pastours shall neuer be silent but alwayes resist as M. M. Fulke witnesseth with vs all false opinions euen with open reprehension This argument M. Bilson vseth to proue Fulk in his answere to a counterfeit Catholike pag. 11. and 62. Bilson in his suruey of Christs sufferings pag. 660. Christ descending to Hades to haue beene aunciently and openly professed in the primitiue Church because Eusebius who expounded it so had beene otherwise resisted resuted by the Religious of those ages who liued with and after him So if our sacrifice of the Masse Inuocation of Saints worship of Images Merit of workes vowes of chastity and the rest often inculcated by the auncient Fathers of the first fiue hundred yeares had varyed from the analogy of Apostolicall fayth some other guides Doctours of the Church would haue checked and resisted which neuer any did those nouelties in them Was Triphylius an
neuer forgiue We â—â—leeue ours to be so powerful good as there is no sinne â—ot that against the holy ghost but he is ready to pardon iâ— if we truly repent They beleeue a cruell God who commaundeth eternally punisheth vs for incurring sinnes which of necessity we incurre or not fulfilling lawes which we cannot fulfill They beleeue an vniust God an â—ccepter of persons who detesteth all other mens defiled workes but accepteth theirs as if they were faire imputeth to other not to them the heynousnes of their â—biding faultes captiueth others to sinfull seruitude but indeweth them with the freedome of will to shun iniquity The true beliefe of Catholiks quite opposite to that of the Protestants giueth to them efficacious to others not sufficient meanes to salue their soules In all which pointes we beleeue the contrary We beleeue that our true mercifull God neither commaundeth nor punisheth but only such thinges as are in our power to performe or auoyde equally abhorreth the euill workes of his elect as of the reprobate Imputeth to each as long as they remaine in sinne defaultes alike Imparteth to euery one the liberty of free will sufficient meanes to purchase heauen Wherefore if that saying of S. Augustine be worthily approued in the iudgment of the learned Whosoeuer imagineth God such Augu. q. 29. super Iousue â—â— God is not he carrieth euery where another God a false God in his â—ind seeing Protestantes we frame diuers imaginations oâ— God one of vs beleeueth in a strâ—ung God or hatâ— a false beleefe of the true God and wheras false beleefe auayleth no more to saluation then no beleefe at all we cannot haue both that one faith of God which is requisitâ— for our eternall safety 6. The like argument may be made of Christ For Our ghospellers belieue not in the same Christ in which the Catholike Church belieueth our Reformers acknowledge a Christ who died not for all but for his elect alone We one who quoad sufficientiam died for all They a Sauiour who made mediation according to his diuinity wee one who performed that office according to his humanity only They a Sauiour who enriched himself but left his seruantes in beggery naked deuoyde of merites We one who aboundeth himself deriueth also vnto vs the riches of his treasures They at least the Caluinists their followers imbraceâ— Christ who died not only in body but also in soule A ProtestaÌ„ts belieue not the Articls of the Creed in that sole true sense which is necessary to saluation Not his descensioÌ„ into hell Christ subiect to ignorance ouersight desperation and the lamentable fits of the very damned wretches We â— Sauiour who dyed only in flesh and not in soule whose death is sinne a Sauiour alwayes perfect in knowledge forsight peace tranquility and who from the first moment of his conception was euer blessed with the sight of God So that they beleeue not in the same Christ with vs nor yet do they receaue the articles of the Creed in that sole single and constant sense which is only true For touching Christs descension into hell some deny it vtterly others interprete it of his descending in power vertue efficacy not of his true presence neither in the lowest hell of the damned which many Catholikes nor Not his comming to iudge the quike and the dead in limbo patrum which all Catholiques approue 7. Concerning Christes iudging the quick and the dead We holde that he will iudge vprightly euery one according to the merite of his workes you exclayme against it as iniurious to his death passion Concerning the Catholike Church we belieue it to be the visible society of such only as professe the Roman fayth dispersed Not the Catholike Church throughout the world you belieue it to be the whole company of Gods elect comprehending all the faithfull which â—ither be hath beene or shall be Touching the â—â—mmunion of Saints we graunt a mutuall intercourse Not the communion of Saints â—â—d participation of benefits from one member to another not only in the militant but also in the triumphant â—nd purgant Church you impugne these later two as â—mpious and sacrilegious Lastly touching remission of sinnes we belieue a true remission of all sinnes by inherent Not the remission of sinnes iustice euen in this life you deny it to be possible as long as we are clogged with humane infirmityes you only confesse an imputatiue pardon and imputatiue righteousnes most blasphemous to the merits of Christ and verity of holy Scriptures By all which I may conclude how impossible it is we should both be saued by the same beliefe of the Creed sith our beliefe is so repugnant and true beliefe but one 8. Further to passe from the Creed to any other conâ—rouerted question of Priestes absolution and penitentes â—onfession If that as we interprete it with the ancient Church be the second table after shipwracke and necesary to all such as haue mortally offended after baptism â—ecause it is written VVhose sinnes you remit they are remitted Ioan. 20. v. 23. â—nto them and whose sinnes you detayne they are detayned Then euery Protestant who neglecteth to submit himselfe to this iudgment seate hath his sinnes detayned his sinnes fast bound which enchaine his soule to the fetters of hel If it ought to be other wise expounded of preaching the word and denouncing only remission to the faythfull detention to the vnbeleeuers then we are guilty of sacriledge guilty of imposing a pharisaicall yoake on the consciences of our subiects which eternally casteth vs out of the fauour of God The same argument I might frame of Confirmation of extreme Vnction c. but I will only instance in the holy Eucharist wherein suppose as needs you must that solemne oath and protestation of Christ â—nles you eats the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you Ioan. 6. v. 54. â—â—all haue no life you to be properly vnderstood of the corâ—orall eating of his true flesh and all Protestants are estranged from the fountaine of life they cannot haue life in thâ—â— who disdaine to approach to this heauenly foâ— but take a shaddow or signe in lieu thereof Suppose aâ— God forbid it should not be so interpreted and all Câ—tholikes togeather with Lutherans make shipwracke of saluation who with horrible idolatry worship a creaturâ— insteed of the Creatour a morsell of bread as the body of their Lord. For this only variance concerning the reall presence Luther whose memory according to Whitaker VVhitak in his answere to M. Campians third reason Luth. lib. contr Sacramenta Confess Tiguri tract 3. fol 108. Luth tom 2. 263. shall euer be sacred among all good men accurseth all Caluinistes as arrant Heretikes saying VVe do seriously censure all Zuinglians and Sacramentaryes for heretikes and out of the Church of God Which censure of his and detestation of their opinion he gloryed to
the building of their discorded Babell because the most of them liued at diuers tymes in diuers Countryes without any mutuall Society or lineall descent and with the interruption of many yeares one from the other For VVickliffe was furnished with no authority instruction or consecration to preach or administer Sacraments from the VValdenses nor the VValdenses from Berengarius nor Berengarius from Iouinian nor he from Aerius They all started vp of themselues maynteyned their seueuerall sects in seuerall ages without knowledge or agreements without deriuation of fayth and ecclesiasticall power from those their Predecessours which is necessary to vphould and continue the perpetuall and mediate succession of the Church Nay they were so farre froÌ„ composing an hereditary pedigrece or line of descent amongst themselues as they were all for the most part or Epiphan Prat. l. 1. Elenchi v. AeriaÌ„ Aug. haer â—2 Prat. in Eieae verbo Berengar Fox in his act monuments fol. 628. Stow in his Annalls pag. 464. M. Iacob in his defeÌ„ce of the Churches and Ministery of EnglaÌ„d pag. 13. Georg. Milius in explicatione Conf. August Art 7. pag. 137. 138. their chiefe beginners prime founders of our religion before they brake forth into schisme and heresy So Aerius was a Priest and disciple to Eustachius Bishop of Sebasta in Pontus Iouinian a Monke of the Citty of Rome in Italy Berengarius Archdeacon of Angiers in France VValdo a rich and Catholike Marchant of Lions VVickliffe a sacrifying Priest the Parson of Lutterworth in Leicester shire who sayd Masse if Maister Iacob an earnest Protestant may be credited eâ—eÌ„ to his dying day Therefore they had no Church in which they were borne none froÌ„ whence they were propagated but only ours the Protestants Church had no being wheÌ„ they beganne no being in England when wickliffe in Lyons when VValdo in any other Countrey when the former sectaryes peeped vp neyther of late had it any being in Scotland when Knox in France when Caluin in Suitzerland when Zuinglius in Germany when Luther first preached his ghospell For as Georgius Milius wisely obserueth graunt that Luther had any predecessours and Lutherans reformation wil be altogeather needles 6. Finally if Protestants had any complices or vpholders of their sect in Morauia Bohemia Calabria 〈◊〉 the largest tractes M. Fulke nameth for the openly Fulke in cap. 12. Apoc sect 2. â—nowne continuance of his Church they should haue gone and deriued from them the pedigree of their Pastors their power and commission to preach the gospell They as all other preachers in former tymes haue beene accustomed when their authority hath beene called in question should haue asked of them Litteras formatas dimissory or testimoniall letters to giue testimony of their calling which Our ghospellers had no testimoniall letters froÌ„ any church or Pastour before their dayes Iero. ep 89. we haue so often conuinced to be surreptitions and vsurped For if Saint Paul had not had as Saint Hierome sayth security of preaching the gospell if it had not beene approued by Peters sentence and the rest that were with him who were vndoubtedly imbraced as true Apostles how durst you without â—ny allowance and approbation of your auncestours â—eginne to preach your Ptotestant fayth Was it inough â—ou gathered it by your owne diligent yet deccauable interpretation out of the holy Scriptures And was â—t not inough for him to haue his Gospel by infallible reâ—elation immediatly from God Had he lost his labour runne in vaine without the attestation of the Pastours of the Church And do you thinke to reape any fruite by preaching without any euidence or approbation from Christes vicegerentes vpon earth Yf he who had his doctrine from heauen at least as Reynoldes graunteth to ad Galat. 2. v. 2. Reynoldes in his conference c. 4 diuis 2. fol. 134. Theophil l. 2. de paschat stop the mouthes of false seducers who disgraced him â—s lately crept into the Apostleship did conferre with â—â—ter and the rest of his predecessours why did not you â—â—stly accused by vs as wrongefull intruders as wolfes vsurpers put your doctrine to the like triall conference â—â—d examination of your forerunners Theophilus Bishop oâ— Alexandria anoucheth of Origen that he was possessed with the spirit of pride because he conferred not his faith with his auncestours as Saint Paul did and were you hinâ—ered with the like spirit from putting your doctrine to the approbation of the Church Or was it because you had not indeed any Church in the world any Bishop to impose handes vpon you any Temple Oratory Iudge or Tribunall to haue recourse vnto not any man liuing to approue your fayth or giue testimony of your calling but such as you had first seduced and bewitched with your follyes CHAP. XIII Wherein is ouerthrowne the like Clayme which Protestants make to the Professours of the Roman Church agaynst Doctour Fielde and Mayster White MAISTER Doctour Field and Maister White not finding sufficient stones amongst the forenamed heretikes to rayse the Temple of their Sectaryes not finding any publike assemblies in Morauia Bohemia Calabria c. nor any latent and hidden resortes in the Hyrcinian woods other parts of Europe proper to themselues they lay hold on the chiefest Rocks and pillers of our Church to stay vp thier ruinous sheep-cote And as the harlot before Salomon hauing killed her â— Reg. 3. owne pretended right to anothers child So they in behalfe of their barren and harlotry Conuenticles depriued of true parents and maynteyners of their beliefe entitle themselues to the noble issue of our fruitfull Mother to the right of her ordinary succession and lawfull â—aâ—ours For Field auerres of the Protestant Church that Before Luthers dayes it was the knowne and apparent Church in the Field in 3. booke of of the Church ca. 6. pag. 72. VVhitein his defence of the way to the true Church ca. 44. fol. 424. Fulke in c. 20. Apoc. sect 6 Field ibid. pag. 73. VVhite in his way to the true Church §. 45. fol 338. and. § 50. fol. 372. in his defence of the same way c. 44. fol. 420. VVhitak cont 2 pa. 165. world wherein allour Fathers liued and dyed wherin Luther and the rest were baptized receaued their Christianity ordination power of mynistery Which White acknowledgeth saying For the first 600. hundred we assigne the Church wherein the Fathers liued and for the rest to this day we will assigne no other catalogue then the Church of Rome it selfe Thus the Protestants Church which in the opinion of their greatest Clarkes was latent and inuisible or which continued in desert corners before Luthers appearing is now by their followers made at the same tyme famous and apparent euen the glorious renowned Church of Rome it selfe so ill do the schollers agree with their Maysters the children with their Fathers But when we oppose against theÌ„ that the Church of Rome is that superstitious and Antichristian Church
vayne to be ready to obey him who reiect his Mynisters Therefore he commaundeth the word and doctrine to be required from the mouth of Prophets and Doctours who teach in his name and by his warrant least we foolishly hunt after new reuelations Yf this be so how durst your M. Caluin How durst our sectaryes deliuer a Gospell they neuer tooke from the mouth of any Prophet or Doctour Caluinus contra errores Serueti With what face doe they vaunt of obeying God when they disobey his Mynisters the interpreters of his will How shall we know that they who follow not the setled course prescribed by him doe not foolishly hunt after new reuelations Michael Seruetus forsooke that ordinary way he vsed the like pretense as M. Mason doth of reuelation froÌ„ Scripture the same Caluin inueighed agaynst him That like another Mahomet he rose a restorer of a new world with a new and vnknowne reuelation Is not this sayth he to make voyd the whole glory which Christ hath gotteÌ„ By thy own saying I coÌ„demne thee and thy fellowes o vngracious seruant For by the same argument thou o Caluin art like another Mahomet Caluin his followers come like Mahomet with new reuelations the English sectaryes progenitours like so many Mahomets who contrary to the publike truth receaued in the Church challenged another reuealed to them out of holy Scripture With whome I reason thus When Cranmer in England or any other beganne to vent their reformed Gospell eyther the same Gospell was preached by some lawfull Pastours in some partes of the world or not Yf it were not The Church of Protestants was no where extant the glory of Christs Church in their conceit was wholy extinguished If it were FroÌ„ those Pastours our sectaryes should haue deriued their succession To theÌ„ they ought to haue gone for their holy Orders 29. Or if the shell of ordinution from the Priestes of Tertullian in praes ca. 20. Antichrist was good inough for their Antichristian synagogue at least from them they ought to haue taken rraducem fidei semina doctrinae their letters patents and commission to preach From them they should haue gleaned the kernell of doctrine they should haue drawne from those pure Churches the line of fayth and seeds of doctrine as Tertullian anoucheth Aug. l. 5. de baps contra donatist cap. 26. which aduise S. Cyprian also giueth and S. Augustine much commendeth it saying That which he Cyprian admonisheth that we repayre to the conduite head that is to Apostolicall tradition and from thence direct the pipe to our tymes is an excellent The succession propagation of truth which heer we seeke cannot be learned out of Scripture 2. Pet. â— v. 16. thinge and without doubt to be obserued especially seeing in this mark of succession it is not the bare truth for which we inquire but the propagation traditioÌ„ reception coÌ„tinuance lineall descent of the truth how it hath been coÌ„ueyed by Pastour to Pastour in al succeeding ages how taught how belieued from the Apostles dayes euen vnto ours This cannot be learned out of Scripture because it followeth after the Scripture The succession of doctrine came after the Scriptures were written how shall it then be proued by the precedeÌ„t Scriptures which were in the Apostles time who endited them depraued and Athanasius ora 2. contra Arian peruerted by some to their owne perdition as S. Peter witnesseth and why may not such deprauatours much more be now How can the Scriptures beare witnes of the publication progresse true perseuerance of that Eos qui aliunde quaÌ„ a tota successione Cathedrae ecclesiastica originem fidei suae deducunt haereticos esse which fell out many yeares after their authours compilers were dead So that for the true doctrinal you must needs haue recourse to the true Pastoral succession which are inseparably chayned and linked togeather To leaue this way and endeauour eyther by Scriptures or by any other meanes to vphould the continuall descent propagation of fayth is an euident brand or note of heresy as S. Athanasius anoweth saying They are heretikes who de riue the origen of their fayth any where els then from the whole succession of the Ecclesiasticall chayre which he accounteth Aug tract 37. in Ioan there an excellent and an admirable way to fiâ—d out an hereticall sect And S. Augustine affirmeth That to be the Catholike fayth which comming from the doctrine of the Apostles is planted in vs by the line of succession S. Irenaeus also more auncient Irenaeus l. 4. cap. 45. then he sayth VVith whome the succession of Bishops from the Apostles tyme downeward remayned these are they who conserue our sayth doe expound the Scriptures vnto vs without danger 30. By this tyme thou perceauest courteous Reader the peruerse vnto ward course of Protestants who departed from the Pastours of the Church to the written word wheras they should haue repayred to her Pastours to haue learned without daunger the meaning of that word Thou perceauest the beggary or nullity rather of their prophane secular ministery which vndertaketh the care of sonles without any true election ordination succession or mission Thou perceauest how vainly they confide in their reuelations from Scripture who haue no certayne rule or publike warrant as Catholikes haue to knowe whether their reuelations proceed from God or no. Thou seest how they beare about them the earemarke of heretiks in deriuing their fayth from another Origene then the line of Apostolicall succession Thou seest how dangerously they vsurpe the functioÌ„ of Pastours who are wolfs robbers and soule-killers of the sheep so deadly bought with the bloud of Christ CHAP. XXI In which the Beginning Propagation Continuance of the true Fayth is proued to be a Note of the true Church and only to appertayne to the Roman Church which neuer altered the Faith it first receaued from the Apostles I SAY prophecying of the true Church and of the very place from whence Isay 2. v. 3. the preaching of the euangelical gospell should begin sayd The law shall come from Sion and the word of our Lord froÌ„ Act. 1. v. 8. IerusaleÌ„ Our Sauiour doth not only assigne the same beginning but foretelleth Luc. 24. v. 46. 47. the growth increase and continuance therof in these wordes You shal be witnesses vnto me in Ierusalem and in all Iury and Samaria and euen to the vtmost of the earth And Matth. 13. v. 37. 39. item 24. v. 14. It behooued pennance to be preached in his name and remission of sinns vnto all nations beginning at Ierusalem Then he auerreth that the seede of his word thus sowed in the field of the world shold increase and grow vntill the haruest That is vntill the last day vntill the consummation of all thinges Hence S Augustine Aug. de vnit Eccl. cap. 10. maketh this illation Let vs therefore holde the Church
designed by the mouth of our Lord from whence it is to beginne and how farre it is to be dilated it is to beginne at Ierusalem and to be dilated into all nations Where he often sayth it shal perseuere Ibidem c. 5. vntill the end of the world This marke is distinct from those which I haue explaned heretofore because I speake not here of the vniuersall being of the Church but of the manner how it came to be in all nations 〈◊〉 of the successiue line of pastorall doctrine but of the order how it also continued for euer 2. After which sort it is to be reduced to the precedent note of Apostolicall succession and such Churches as are thus deriued from those which the Apostles planted Tertull. in praes cont haer may be truly called as Tertullian affirmeth Apostolicall Churches But the Church of Rome only can shew how it beganne at Ierusalem how it grew and spread it selfe into all nations how it still perseuereth whole and entire in all the pointes of fayth she first sucked from the Apostles The Apostolicall fayth is to be knoweÌ„ not by the priuat expositions which now are deuised but by the generall interpretations of Scripture which haue been deliuered froÌ„ tyme to tyme. breastes Therefore she alone is the vndoubted spouse of Iesus Christ For we doe not here intrude our selues to the Apostles tymes and lay clayme as Protestants and other heretikes falsly doe to the Apostolicall faith but to the preaching propagatioÌ„ continuance of that fayth not to the new interpretatioÌ„s which now are made of the written word but to the receaued expositions which from tyme to tyme from country to country from Iury to Rome from Rome to all nations haue beene infallibly gathered and faythfully deliuered out of that sacred word Of this our sectaryes are so destitute as they had not any Priest or Bishop Clark of layman woman or childe in the whole world who preached vnto Luther their first beginner and deliuered vnto him or any other of his consorts their Protestant doctrin Therfore Mayster Mason retire to as you haue heard to the reuelation of Scripture made in England to Cranmer Latimer Ridley and their fellowes others to the like reuelations made to Luther at wittemberge to Caluin at Geneua Mason l. 1. chap. 2. fol. 11. to Oecolampadius at Basil from thence they deriue the propagation or reuiuall of their Gospell which lay dead before for many ages And that which Saint Augustine Aug. l. de vnit Eccl. cap. 17. condemned in the Donatists of no lesse then blasphemy to wit that the good seede of heauenly truth which was sowed by the Apostles and Apostolicall men in all the world and which was there to grow vntill the haruest should haue perished out of those places and be sowed a new out of Africa This I say which he accounted in them a most detestable blasphemy is reuiued again by our late Sectaries who as wretchedly dreame that the same seede was decayed in their dayes or couered at least froÌ„ the view of the world that it had not any publike Pastours to preserue it Doctours to water it preachers to sow it but it must be sowed a new by Cranmer out of England by Luther out of Wittemberge out of Geneua by Caluin whose folly I impugne with Saint Augustines wordes For as his enemyes furnish our Sectaryes with obiections so he armeth vs with irresistable answeres Let them sayth he search the Scriptures and agaynst so many testimonyes which proclayme the Church of Christ to be spread ouer all the world let them Aug. de vnit eccl c. 4. bring but one as certayne and manifest as those by which they demonstrate the Church of Christ to haue perished out of other nations and only to haue remayned in Africa as though it should haue another beginning not from Ierusaelem but from Carthage where first they set vp a Bishop agaynst a Bishop Or as we may apply it to our purpose VVhitak cont 2. q. 5. cap. 1. The Apology of the English Church pa. 4. chap. 4. Caluin libro 4. instit 1. c. 7. §. 24. Fox acts and mon. pag. 400. and pag. 402. Oecolampadius vpon his tomb at Basill is called Euangelicae doctrinae Author primus Buâ—er â—â— An. 36. ad Episco Hereford calleth Luther primum Apostolum purioris â—uangelij Ioachim Camera fratrum orthodoxae Eccles pag. 161. calleth â—uther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from England from Wittemberge from Geneua where by Bishops of Priestes lately sprunge vp are scattered abroad new seedes of beliefe contrary to the sowinges of all other Bishops and Priestes In so much as their owne followers attribute vnto them The Restauration The Bringing to light The first Beginning or Rebudding of the Gospell The Reedification of the desolate ruines of Religion The Opening of a veyne longe hid before The Rising of aebeame of truth then vnknowne and vnheard They call them the first Authours first Maysters first restorers first Apostles of their euangelicall strange â—â—d new reformed doctrine For themselues also entitle it new â—â—d strange And another of their fauourites auerreth that â—uther receaued not his fayth eyther froÌ„ Husse or Wickâ—iffe but was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instructed of himselfe by the help no doubt aâ— he imâ—gâ—â—ed of holy Scripture A playne demonstration that the Protestant fayth is not that which beginning first at Ierusalem was diffused ouer the world and from Pastour to Pastour descended by the Apostles prescribed way of preaching vnto them Now let vs see whether this property belonge not to the Roman Church 3. Our aduersaries cannot deny but that the ChristiaÌ„ faith first preached at Rome came from Ierusalem eyther by Saint Peter as the whole clowd of Fathers and greatest torrent of Protestants beare witnes or at least by S. Paul who continued the same preaching and was there vnder Nero crowned with martyrdome Likewise that the same fayth was propagated into all Nations the Apostle also testifieth saying to the Romans Your fayth is renowned Rom. 1. v. 8. in the whole world and Saint Irenaeus calling it the greatest and most auncient Church of Rome knowne to all the world as founded by the two most glorious Apostles Peter and Paul addeth Irenaeus l. 3. c. 3. adu haeres immediatly after that vnto this Church in respect of her more mighty principality it is necessary that all Churches agree and haue accesse that is to say all faythfull people wheresoeuer they liue In which Church the tradition that hath descended from the Apostles VVhitak in his ans to Doctor Sanders 2. demonst Fulke in c. 22. Thessa sect 7. Reynolds in his 5. conclus hath euer beene kept by those that liue in any place of the world Fot this cause our aduersaryes confesse that it was our mother Church a most pure excellent and flourishing Church And so continued for some few ages But since say they it is degenerated into a