CHVRCH MILITANT THE CONTENTS God hath giuen to his Church on earth the keeping of all truth that we may not be as children wauering carryed about with euery wind of doctrine by diuine institution pastorall functiōs are of necessary and perpetuall vse in the Church vnto teaching christian faith and deciding controuersies pertaining thereto without being liable to errour God hath inuested Church-Gouernours with autority to make laws and ordinances and exacte obediēce vnto them the Church cannot lie hid priuat spirits haue nothing of power to interprete scriptures or to judge matters in debate concerning faith and religion the outward testimony of the Church is the ordinary expedient necessary to the receiuing of christian faith answeres to sundry obiections vrged by sectaries in fauour of a priuat reuealing spirit holy scriptures were neither primarily intended nor primaryly deliuered as supream Judges of controuersies in order to christian faith and religion profoundnes ' of mysteries plenteousnes and shortnes of sentences render the scriptures obscure and intricate to infer the Churches infallibility from the autority of scriptures and scriptutes infallible autority from the infallible testimony of the Church implies no circle of errour faith as to the assent thereof is resolued into the Church and not into the scriptures the four principall marks of the true Church taken joyntly agree with the Roman Church onely which is the one holy catholick and Apostolick Church that neuer deuiated from truth THe Church militant is the grownd and piller of truth 1. Tim. 3. as the foundation of an house supporteth and hindereth it from falling So the Church of God sustaineth and preserueth truth that is the doctrine of christian faith from perishing wherefore whosoeuer desireth to find out truth vnto saluation must seek it in the Church which is the certaine keeper and faithfull Guardian thereof the supream prouidence hauing put therein Some Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastours and Teachers for the consummation of the Saints for the worke of the ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ vntill we all meet together in the vnity of faith and the knowledg of the son of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ that we henceforth be no more children wauering and carryed about with euery wind of doctrine by the wickednesse of men and crastines of Satan whereby they lie in waite to bring vs into errour Ephes 4. where the Apostle plainly asserteth pastorall function together with the office of teaching christian faith to be of necessary and perpetuall vse in the Church for the administring of Sacraments auoiding of errours and the confirming of such as shall wauer in religion and truly it cannot be conceiued as to reason probable that Christ coming into the world to be Gouernour of souls and to make vnto himselfe a glorious Church without spot or wrinckle Ephes 5. should not departing out of the world leaue necessary helps to preserue it in holynes (a) god instituted in the old law Deut. 17. à supream Tribunall consisting of Priests for the deciding of matters in debate in order to his people to the end that if inferiour Iudges should differ in iudgment or deuiate from the truth they might recur to the Council of Priests where one chief Iudge that is the high Priest was appointed to prouounce sentence and all others bound to giue obedience therto the law condemning those of pride which resisted or refused the high Priests decision in matters of controuersie again God so specially assisted the said Council with his spirit of truth that the high Priests sentence was infallible though himselfe might erre as a priuat person Wherefore Christ Mat. 23. commanded the people to doe what the Scribs and Pharisies said in regard they sate in the Chair of Moyses And S. Iohn cap. 11. ascribes not the truth of Caiphas prophesing that Christ ought to die for the safety of that nation vnto his speaking as of himselfe but to his speaking as high Priest of that same yeare which rendered him infallible in speaking in consequence of which seeing that God so directed the high Priest in the old law that he could not speake an vntruth from the Chair of Moyses it follows of necessity that Christ in his own new law of grace so specially assistes the high Priest his grand Vicar and supream head of the Church which he built on his beloued Apostle S. Peter that he cannot tell a lye from the Chair of the same S. Peter the first high Priest of the new law after Christ Wherefore the Churches supream Gouernour that succeds in that Chair cannot erre in his decrees that concerne matters of faith or generall manners notwithstanding that he were as wicked as Caiphas From hence plainly appear's the manifest weaknes of sundry sectaries which will haue the supream Priests sentence no longer to bind then hee pronounces sentence in conformity to the word of God for there is no warrantable authority saue that of the supream Pastours Tribunall which can assure vs of the diuine word for the scripture would not be belieued if it were not warranted from the infallible Chair of S. Peter Moreouer sundry sectaries say vnaduisedly that in the old law the sentence of the high Priests concerned only ciuill matters in debate and not controuersies pertaning to faith and religion for as to this point both the second book of paralipomenon and the 24. Chapter of Exodus giue clear euidence against them Besides God hath not vsed lese care in instituting the christrian Church established in a law of grace then in forming the Synagogue of the Iewes established in a law of bondage wherefore * Deus cum primum instituit Cathedrā Moysis in Deutro promisit omnes singulas eius definitiones fore veritatis infallibilis ideo Aug. l. 4. de doct chris ait Pharisaeos scribas id est Pōtisices Mosaicos iudicantes ex Cathedra Moysis non pot uisse malè definire quamuis mali essent quia ad bene definiendum cogebantur à Deo since this had diuine authority and assistance to interpret and teach the old law of Moyses as likewise to decide all controuersies concerning the Iewish religion Deut. 17. doubtless he hath not prouided in a lesser measure for the Church of Christ in order to teaching and interpreting the new law and determining all matters that might be in debate about christian religion Again Christ being about to leaue this Church in order to his visible presence for as many ages as the world shall endure was as prouident and carefull to preserue it pure from schism and heresy as was Moyses to preserue his when he was to absent himselfe from it for a shorter time but Moyses being to goe vp vnto Mount Sinai and there to abide forty dayes and forty nights onely constituted * Exod. 24. exspectate hic inquit Moyses donec reuertamur ad vos
inquit haereses obortae sunt aut nata sūt schismata quam quod Sacerdoti Dei non obtemperatur nec vnus in Ecclesia ad tē pus Sacerdos Iudex vice Christi cogitatur teaching peruerse things to draw disciples after them wherby is euidenced that no priuat man is an infallible interpreter of holy scriptures neither can know certainly that scriptures are the word of God laying aside the Churches authority For example credence is not giuen to the canon or caralogue of scriptures because of scripture testimony which no where attestes that catalogue in so much that Luther and Caluin down from the begining of their defection to the departure out of the world contended about the number of canonicall scriptures and their adherents of these dayes respectiuely continue in the pursuance of the same dispute Moreouer there is greater reason that the christian faith should rely rather on the Church which * S. Cypri in trac de vnitate Ecclesiae adulterari inquit nō potest sponsae Christi incorrupta est pudicae is an infallible ground and piller of truth then of sole scriptures which are liable to mutations corruptions and false interpretations howeuer scriptures cōsidered in themselues precisely do chaleng equall authority with the Church the same diuine spirit that directeth the tongues of the supream pastours in speaking (o) God by his absolute and extrrordinary power can himselfe alone or by an Angel instruct men and reueale matters of faith and christian religion without the ministery of the Church And doubtless the Apostles had noe other master but God himselfe as to sundry mysteries of christian faith and Christ himselfe confesseth that S. Peter came to the knowledge of his diuine nature by reuelation from God the Father Caro Sanguic non reuelauit tibi sed Pater meus guided the pennes of the Apostles and Euangelists in writing and as the Church beareth witnesse of the scriptures infallible doctrine so the scriptures do witness the Churches infalible authority yet so as that faith in order to its acte of assent is resolued into the Church and not into the scriptures for noe man can prudently belieue any scripture to be the word of God if the Church that is the ground and piller of truth should not declare it for such howeuer Catholicks who doe infer the Churches infallibility from the testimony of scripture and the authority of scripture from the testimony of the Church are noe more guilty of committing (p) According to Euclide a mathematicall circle taken in the proper sense is the passing of one and the same line from and the repassing vnto the same point and by the same way a circle of errour then are Philosophers that assert mutuall causalities or doe argue from a cause its proper effect and from an effect its proper cause for example from the rising of the sun is proued the existence of the day and againe the existence of the day proueth the risiing of the sun wherin there is noe circle of errour which properly consisteth in the coming again of the same thing vnto the same thing from whence it came and by the same way it came but the way of one cause is not the way of an other cause nor the way of an effect is the way of the cause wherof it is the effect in like manner the way of the Church which is a cleare speaking Iudge is not the way of the scriptures which consiste in mute elements of characters and although we belieue that the Church is an infallible proposer of all matters pertaining to faith because of the scripture testimony neuertheless if the scriptures had borne noe witness therof there is euidence of credibility enough to induce vs prudently to belieue the Churches infallibility which euen before the writing of scriptures was beliued neither do we recur to scriptures to proue it (q) In disputs or conferences with such as deny holy scriptures motiues of credibility haue weight with them and that one which S. Austin vseth l. con Epis Faus cap. 4. seems of greattest moment Many things saith he keepe me fast in the bosom of the Catholick Church for example the vnanimous accord of people and nations authority confirmed by miracles .... by antiquity strengthned and the succession of Bishops dovvn from S. Peter the Apostle to vvhom our lord committed the feeding of his sheepe vnto the present Episcopacy but when we haue to doe with such as admit them and euen then we doe not alledge scriptures as the formall cause the Churches infallibility is known by for that is diuine reuelation but as witness of it only for we doe not belieue precisely that the Church is infallible because the scripturs do say it but in regard of many other motiues which do moue vs to giue our assent thereto neither was the church intended for the vse of the scriptures but scriptures for the vse of the Church besides no man without manifesting extream weakness can except against the mutuall testimony that Christ and S. Iohn Baptist gaue of one another or against the disciples of both who belieued their masters to be such as their masters reciprocally had declared theselues to bee The principall marks or tokens of the true Church * Quatuor illa signa dilucide constant ex sacra scriptura ex symbolis Apostolorum Nicae S. Athanasij expressè habentur in sym Constātinop cuius Patres voce apostolicam diuinitus addiderunt are foure set douwn in that Article of christian faith viz I belieue one holy catholick and apostolick Church Albeit that the true Church consisteth of many members yet it is but one body 1. Cor. 12. of Christ in vnity of faith and baptism One lord one faith one baptism Ep. 4. nor can Christ be an author of diuision that is a God of vnion Likwise it is holy for as much as it is the body of Christ that is the fountain of all holyness and enioyes a sacrifice and Sacraments which confer sanctity neither matters it that sundry members of his body are guilty of mortall transgressions For as such as profess any art are counted artificers though they doe not act according to the principalls or rules there-of so the said members in regard they put on Christ (r) According to S. Austin in psal 85. if all christians and true belieuers are baptized in Christ they haue put on Christ as the Apostle reacheth Gal. 3. and if they be made members of his body and say they are not holy they do an iniury to the head whose members are holy by Baptism and become the chosen people of God by faith are called holy although they doe not obserue the ordinances and lawes of either For example 1. Cor. 1. the Corinthians are said to be sanctified in Christ IESVS and holy neuertheless there were among them both the naturall and carnall men The true Church militant is (ſ) According to the Euangelist
scripturae and comfort of the scripturs may haue hope Rom. 15. although they doe not define and iudge all matters of faith and religion yet they (l) The Apostle 2. Timot. 3. Saith that all scripture is giuen by inspiration from God and is profitable to teach argue correct and instruct in iustice That is according to the ancient Fathers to resiste conuince and condemne false doctrines Wherfore according to the same Apostle ad Tit. l. a Bishop must be vnreproueable embracing the faithfull word and sound doctrine that he may be able to exhort and conuince those which say against it conduce mainly therunto tending specially to christian instruction and erudition besides they stir vs vp to ioyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledg and with knowledg temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godliness and with godliness loue 2. Epis 2. Pet. which is the consistency and plenitude of the law Scripturs are liud * S. Ambros Epis 19. vocat sacras scripturas fontes viuos qui saliunt in vitam aeternam fountains springing vp vnto euerlasting life but the keeping and dressing of them is cōmitted only to the Church of Christ that was the rock whence they sprāg it is the christian catholick Church taught of the holy Ghost that cōprehēdeth the bredth lenght depth and hight of these heauenly fountaines which is to say it is a speciall prerogatiue giuen to the Church of Christ to interpret infallibly and iuridically the holy scripturs (m) According to S. Hierom Epis ad Paulum S Chrys hom 40. in Ioa. S. Austin l. 4. de doct christ cap. 3. the hardness of holy scrpitures proceeds from the profoundnes copiousnes compendiousnes therof in consequence of which a right vnderstanding of sundry passages of necessary depends of tradition as well obserues S. Austiu l. de fide oper and S. Hierom in his scripture prologue ingeniously confesseth that he could not vnderstandand the holy Prophets Isaias Ieremy and Daniel again S. Irenaeus l. 3. cap. 7. Orig. in explic Epis ad Rom. and S. Austin l. de fide oper cap. 14. confess with one accorde that S. Paul is hard to be vnderstood and especially in regard he vseth frequent hyperboles which proceeded from the vehemency of the spirit that guided his pen. which profoundness of misteries plenteousness of senses shortness of sentences haue rendred obscure hard and intricate as plainly appeareth by the holy writers of the old law namely Isay Ieremy Ezechiel Daniel and of the new law Saint Paul especially according to the testimony of Saint Peter 2. Pet. 3. wherein he speaketh of his writings thus * S. Irenaue l. 3. cap. 7. scribens de Haereticis testatur Paulū hyperbolis vti frequenter propter impetu spiritus qui in ipso fuit Idē sentiūt Origines explicat Epistolae ad Rō Aug. de fide operibus cap. 14. 15. our Brother Paul in all his Epis mentioneth things in which Epistles some things are hard to be vnderstood which they that are vnlearned and vnstable wrest as they doe also others scripturs vnto their own perdition for further proofe of this catholick assertion may be alledged the perpetuall contention between one sectary and an other concerning the interpretation of scripture Texts in reference to controuersies of faith for example from the words This is my body Luc. 22. Lutherans doe argue the true and real presence of Christs body in the Sacrament together with the substance of bread contrariwise Caluinists infer a meer figure of Christs body Anabaptists deduce out of the commission Christ gaue vnto his Apostles Math. 18. goe and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father c. That baptism ought not to be administrated but to such as are de facto apt to receiue instruction And the Arians misinterpreting that saying of Christ Io. * Apud S. Joan. dicit Christus Pater maior me est alibi ego Pater vnum sumus Posterior textus explicatur ab Arianis de vnitate consensus conformitate voluntatū My Father is greater then I denied his Godhead the holy scriptures are a great light of christian doctrine for they are the dictates of the holy Ghost yet not sufficient enough to let vs see the way to euerlasting life vnless they be set on the cādlestick of the * Vt luceat omnibus qui in domo sūt Mat. 5. Church it is not the same thing to be a light and to enlighten a light vnder a bushell is a light and shineth there howeuer it doth not giue light to all that are in the house but when it is put on the candlestick Math. 5. euen so the scripturs light put vnder a bushell that is vnder the interpretation of priuate wits continueth a shining light in it selfe neuertheless doth not enlighten vnto euerlasting life but when it is put on the candlestick of infallible authority proper to the Church of Christ Again the scripture is a booke written within and on the backside Apoc. 5. the outward writing is the letter that killeth the inward the spirit that giueth life 2. Cor. 3. as the soul quickneth the body (n) S. Austin ser 70. de tempore expounding the sacred Text Epis ad Cor. the letter killeth the spirit quikneth If saith he thou follow the true sense of scripture which is the spirit that giues life to the soule it will bring thee vnto saluation but if thou shalt neglect the true sense adhering to the outward letter presuming the true sense to be therein it will often tymes lead thee into errour And according to Tertul. l. de resur carnis Heresies spring vp in regard the scriptures are misinterpreted And he speaking of S. Pauls Epistles affirms that it ought not to seem a hard thing or any way strang that from thence errours should arise since heresies must be 1. Cor. 11. which notwithstanding would not be if the scriptures were interpreted aright Heresies must be not becaus God hath appointed that they should be but because he permitted that they might be and mans free will together with pride and malice makes them to be against Gods positiue will howeuer the supream prouidence from euil heresies draws good things soe the spirit or sense of the scriptures quickneth the letter but to come vnto the spirit of necessity there is required the opening of the booke which the Church onely can doe trusted with the key of authority that openeth it wherfore in as much as many men down from the begining of christianity to these times haue adhered rather to the letter then to the sense of scripture and thence cut out vnauthorized interpretations of their own many heresies haue sprung vp to the distruction of infinit souls wherof Christ prophesying said heresies must be He fore saw that euen of such as were incorporated into his Church would men rise * S. Cypri Epis 55. ad Cornelium Nec aliunde
the Idolatry of the Synagogue and the people her children After the like manner the Digbean Theology which is the product of Mr. Whites 40. yeares study to proue that outward sin doth not necessarily exclude charity from the souls nor that the soul is excluded from the kingdom of Heauen by outward sin make scripture giue an example therof Gen. 19. that is of the sweet agreement between the loue of God and outward sin in Lot and his daughters yet indeed no one place of holy scripture attestes that Lot and his daughters retained charity with their outward sin As touching Lot the holy writer seemes rather to excuse then accuse him in order to outward sin taken in the proper sense For t is expresly set down that his daughters made him drinke wine and lay with him but he perceiued not neither when they lay down neither when they rose so that lot might want knowledg of and thereby voluntary condescention to the fact and in consequence of which might not sin because sin properly taken importes of necessity (d) Sin of necessity includes a voluntary assent of the will which supposeth an act of the vnderstanding for as S Austin often inculcateth no man sinneth by doing a thing which he cannot auoid a voluntary act of the will for S. Austin teacheth that no man sinneth in a thing that he cannot * Hac propositio homo peccat damnabiliter in â—o quod necessario facit est damnata à Pio 5. Gregor 13. secundum Aug. eam asserere summae est iniquitatis ac demeÌ„tiae ait S. Hiero. vbi est necessitas ibi neque meritum neque demeritum neque laus neque vituperium neque vita aeterna neque damnatio auoid or eschew in regard wherof some of the ancient Fathers endeauour to absolue lot from all guilt albeit that the maior part and current of Catholick Doctors of these dayes doe ascribe vnto him the sin of drunkennes at least in the second bout and to his daughters the guilt of both for as much as they voluntarily procured the one and committed the other sin But as to Mr. whites assertion Author of the Digbean Theologie to witt If one should commit an outward deadly sin retaining a loue to God notwithstanding he might goe to Heauen which importes communion fellowship and a Iouing agreement between charity and outward sin a doctrine truly which hath been hid in darknes since the first age of christianity for 1660. yeares till the supream prouidence sent Mr. white to teach Christian schools that charity and deadly sin are not inconsistent together which he proues from the text set down thus God did bless the progeny that proceeded from Lot and his daughters therfore Lot and his daughters retained charity that is continued in holy society and freindshipp with God notwithstanding their externall sin of * Jn filiabus Lot propriè fuit peccatum incestus vt fusè probat Aug. l. 22. contrae faustum cuÌ„ ab illis fuerit causatum voluntariè incest but good God what a poore demonstratiue argument is this where the antecedent proposition is euidently false and the consequence suppose the antecedent were true very inconsequently deduced Falsity as to the antecedent plainly appeares for as that issue was born in horrible incest so was it and the posterity therof namely the Amonites and the Moabites vile and wicked * Aug. l. quaes in Deutro qu. 35. notat ab Abrahamo cuius frater erat Lot vsque ad Ruth quae prima ex Moabitis intrauit in Ecclesiam decem generationes inueniri in so much that euen to their tenth generation they did not enter into the Church of our Lord according to scripture testimony and the deduction is very inconsequent if the antecedent proposition were granted because the supream prouidence many times blesseth the children of wicked parents so that the diuine blessing bestowed vppon children is no infallible argument to demonstrate that their parents did adhere to God in charity and holy society at the time they got them For example God blessed the issue of Iudas and Thamar in a great measure Christ as man descending from it albeit that both were grieuous sinners in order to the bringing forth of the said issue for Iudas the Father voluntarily committed simple fornication and Thamar the mother the sin of incest But perhaps the student of 40. yeares standing will alledge that the antecedent afore mentioned That God did bless the progeny c. is meant of temporall blessings only and indeed it cannot be denyed but that the said progeny for example Moab the son of Lots elder daughter and Ammon son of the younger were heads of great nations the Moabites descending from the one and the Ammonites from the other yet this answer will auail him nothing at all as to the point of the present difficulty being it implieth manifest weaknes to infer from the worldly aduantages of Moab and Ammon that Lot and his daughters retained charity that is holy society with God in the outward sin of incest For God prospered the kings of Egypt many hundred yeares though they did not adhere vnto him in communion and holy society And S. Austin attesteth that God did extend the territories of the Roman Empire for the morall vertues practiced by the ancient Romans which notwithstanding were not endued with diuine charity Hereby plainly appeares that the holy scripture will not receiue into their sanctuary Mr. Whites Theology truly noe wonder for t is a doctrine destructiue of all morality and christian Religion in regard the excellent agreement that it setles between charity and externall sin must as it were of necessity induce fraile nature to commit outward sins of the flesh presuming that notwithstanding all outward vncleanes namely of drunkennes simple fornication adultery the loue retained to God shall bring a man so sinning outwardly to Heauen Besides it doth preiudice the Apostles Theology Neither drunkards nor fornicatours nor adulterers shall inherit the kingdom of Heauen Heb. 13 But perhaps it will be replyed that the Apostle excludes only such drunkards fornicatours and adulterers c. from the kingdom of Heauen as haue nothing of charity together with the sinns of drunkennes fornication and adultery so that though drunkards c. without charity cannot inherit the kingdom of God neuertheless charitable drunkards charitable fornicatours charitable adulterers charitable murderers shall not be excluded is this the Theology that 40. Yeares study hath brought forth But to returne vnto the matter in debate t is an article of Christian faith Trident. sess 6. can 15. can 27. that charity and deadly sin are incompatible and S. Iames the Apostle giueth euidence therof in the 2. Chapter of his canonicall Epistle saying Whosoeuer shall keep the whole law and yet offendeth in one he is guilty of all Because whosoeuer transgresseth one sole precept of the law is liable to eternall malediction enioyn'd by God to the
in the water Wherfore the new Teachers of these dayes impiously assert that outward works as are the Sacraments exercise no efficiency in the production of sanctifying grace But this their hereticall assertion Luther tought l. de captiuit Babilon effectuall instruments therof by diuine dispensation As God did enable the earth in it's creation to bring forth corporall fruit's to the nourishment of the body so he did enable the Sacraments in their institution to bring forth spirituall fruits to the refection of the soul and indeed t' is mad ignorance or extream madness to thinke that God is sufficient to giue effectuall vertue * Chrys hom 24. in illud Jo. 3. nisi quis renatus fuerit Docet quod quemadmodum terra accepit à Deâ— virtutem producendi fructus ita aqua in institutione baptismi accepit virtutem faciendi regenerationem spiritualâ—â—â— to vnliu'd seed vnto producing liuing bodyes in corporall generation and vnsufficient to infuse effectuall force into Sacraments vnto sanctifying soules in spirituall regeneration that is to say to exercise efficiency in the production of iustifying grace and truly when Christ instructed Nicodemus of the necessity of the Sacrament of Baptisme Io. 3. saying That except a man be borne again of water and the holy ghost he cannot enter into the kingdom of Heauen vndoubtedly he did attribute the same kinde of causality vnto water as vnto the holy Ghost which the particle and sheweth clearly since it joynes both causes together and though an instrument in working be subordinat to the principall cause in vertue wherof it worketh neuertheless there is but one kinde of causality in both Wherfore since reall causality or efficiency is of necessity due to the holy ghost the same with subordination is belonging to the outward element of water in Baptism wherby is conuincingly prou'd that Baptism is not and consequently * Si Sacramenta à Christo instituta essent 7. duntaxat symbola quaedam externa quibus salus per ChristuÌ„ accepta velut sigillis obsignetur coÌ„firmetur noÌ„ dixisset Christus Io. 3 â—isi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua Spiritâ— sancto Nâ—c Apostolus dixisset muÌ„dans cum lauacro aquae in verbo vita Eph. 5. naÌ„ istae particulae non nudâ—m sonaÌ„t obsignationem salutis acceptae sed causalitatem vnde S. Grego Niss Ora. Catech. c. 33. extremae inquit dementiae est ignorantiae animi tribuentis Deo tantam vim semini in generatione hominis existimare eum esse imbecillem vt hoc idem tribuatur aqua ad iustificandum suscipientem Baptismum other Sacraments neither a naked sign only to stir vp or excite to an act of faith or a meer signet to seale the diuine promises for the outward element of water is an effectuall instrumentall cause of inward sanctity Ex opere operato that is doth with it's own outward visible action enabled by diuine institution produce inward grace vnto sanctification of life in such as receiue the Sacrament of Baptism aright Besides if sacramentall water were but a meer sign of justifying grace Christ Io. 3. had spoken as improperly saying except that a man be born again of water c. as if a man should say to his freind that is a thirst except that you drinke of the Iuy bush you cannot quench your thirst for as sacramentall water according to the contrary opinion is a naked sign of grace onely so an Iuy bush is a naked or a sign only of wine or other drink ready for sale wherby is plainly euident that Sacraments euen as outward works do exercise efficiency in the production of sanctifying grace Yet as the water of the pool named in the holy scripture Probatica Piscina did not cure corporall diseases by an innate quality proper to the water it self but through the motion of an Angell that went down at a certaine season and stir'd it so the Sacraments doe not heale spirituall infirmities that is sins but by a speciall extraordinary vertue which they receiue from the holy ghost or Christ who to that purpose did institute all of them Christ the son of God is our great Physician and Apothecary also the catholick Church his shop the Sacraments placed therein the pots boxes vesells that containe and preserue the heauenly medicines which Christ brought with him into the world and the sundry sacramentall graces diuinely prepared vnto effectuall healing of all spirituall wounds are the said heauenly remedies wherfore it is a most extream advantage to be log'd in the bosom of the catholick Curch wherin be present soueraign remedies against all manner of spirituall discases no man how sick or wounded soeuer can despaire of his health while he continueth in the shop of the diuine Apothecary that is furnisht with medicines which cannot miss in the cure of any infirmity if applied aright thervnto As a tree planted by the water's side want's not corporall nourishment to preserue it aliue so such as abide in the catholick Church want not spirituall help 's wherby to nourish them vnto eternall life which be the Sacraments that Christ hath left to his Church as certaine preseruatiues against the poyson of sin CHAR. V. OF CHVRCH-CEREMONIES THE CONTENTS Publick Church-seruice requireth outward acts of Religion namely ceremonies holy ceremonies set forth the majesty of God stirr vp attention moue reuerence beget deuotion Ceremonies pertaining to the sacrifices of Mass Answer to an objection against Church-ceremonies drawn from Christs conference with the Samaritan womaÌ„ Ioan. 4. The beginning of Schisms Hereticks and Schismaticks adore not in spirit and truth holy ceremonies warrantable without expresse authority of scripture CHurch-ceremonies are outward sensible Rites of christian religion yet are but the (a) An Ecclesiasticall ceremony is an outward secundary act of Religion that answer 's to the inward first act thereof which is to will or desire due exhibition of honour and worship vnto Gods and it comprehendes Sacraments sacrifice which is supream outward worship vnto professing Gods omnipotency Sacramental's namely Churches Altars Chalices Priestly ornaments bowing kneeling holy water the sign of the Cross c. secundary acts therof for the first is an insensible desire to aduance the worship due vnto God which Church ceremonies do execute only As ciuill ceremonies vsed in the consecration of temporall Princes they be inoyld inuested with royall robes presented with Scepters crowned with Diadems and beset round with armed guards doe demonstrate their eminent charge and dignity aboue the people which they rule ouer so Religious ceremonies employed in the exhibition of diuine worship doe set forth the majesty of God and his supreme dominion ouer all creatures besides they stir vp attention moue reuerence beget denotion and conduce vnto the vnderstanding of supernaturall mysteries which they imprint also in the memory of the faithfull As pictures so Church-ceremonies are the books of the vnlearned All the visible Rites employed in and about the sacrifice of the Mass tend
and the holy Ghost and this was done with intent to render the name of Christ more honourable but S. Cyprian denyes expresly that remission of sinnes can be procured without naming of the three diuine persons which is the opinion of S. Austin l. 1. de baptismo con donat the Holy Trinity As there is fecundiâ—y in carnall parents to beget carnall children so by diuine dispensation fecundity is giuen to elementary water in baptism to bring forth spirituall children and as no man comes into the world that is not born of carnall parents So no man enters into the kingdom of Heauen that is not born again by sacramentall washing of water vnto iustification whosoeuer will put himselfe in a capacity to obtaine celestiall enjoyments must put of the old and terrene man and put on the new and spirituall creature he must purge out the old leauen of originall sin and by christian circumcision cast of the sinfull body of the flesh Col. 2. which is inconsistent with heauenly endowments that is to say he must be buried with Christ by baptism Rom. 6. christian circumcision vnto remission of sms and newness of life consisting therin Wherefore since that all men by the law * Apostolus dicit omnes peccasse in Adamo primo nostro Parente esse conceptos in peccato of their conception or birth are liable to the guilt of sin that only baptism de facto in deed or in desire receiued can wash away it is most euident that baptism is a requisite absolutely necessary vnto saluation And so i is defined 10. 3. Except that a man be born again of water and of the holy Ghost he canot enter into the kingdom of God Where the definition extend's euen to (c) Ancient Councils namely Carthag and Mileuit conuince those of foolishness which teach that euen young children can haue full enjoyment of Heauenly blessednes without baptism and so it is defined in the Council of Trent sess 5. decret de pecta originali and this catholick assertion was counted so certain in S Austins dayes that he l. con Iulia. c. 10. and 12. writeth that Pelagius out of feare of his own damnation damned such as exclude vnbaptis'd children from eternall life Yet though the Pelagians denyed that children contracted originall sin and in consequence thereof that Baptism as to them was no requisit necessary vnto the washing away of originall guilt neuertheless they taught that children without baptism could not be made Heires of the kingdom of Heauen infants that dye in their infancy vnbaptized according to the Church-interpretation expressing the want therof to import the loss of Heauens blessedness so that it is extream blindnes to assert the reception of children into Heauen vnless baptism be applyed vnto them indeed or by some extraordinary means employed aboue the common and ordinary law of Christ who hath instituted no other ordinary remedy then * Ambro. l. 2. de Abra. cap. 11. post citata verba Domini 10. 3. it a subiungit vtique nullum excipit non infantem non aliqua praeuentum necessitate IteÌ„ Aug. Epis ad Optatum mortis inquit transmissae ab Adamo chyrographo nullus omnino antequaÌ„ per baptismum liberetur non tenetur obnoxius sacramentall washing of water for the remission of originall sin as plainly shews the scripture-Testimony set down and the constant tradition and vniuersall practice of the catholick Church since the first age for 1662. years and truly children ought not to be exempted from a diuine law generally giuen with reference to all men joynt and seperat without warrantable authority of scripture (d) According to the ancient Fathers Orig. l. 5. in c. 6. ad Rom. S. Chrysostom hom ad Theoph. S. Austin l. 1. de Baptismo con dona the baptising of young children is an Apostolicall tradition in consequence of which it is no humane inuention introduced by Pope Higinus or Pope Syrisius as some sectaries vnaduisedly write and indeed it can lay claime to the best antiquity as plainly appeares by the Testimonies set down Besides Act. 16. Paul and Silas baptised the keeper of the prison and all his House and 1. Cor. 1. the family of Stephanus was baptised and euen young children are members of a family Church-tradition or speciall reuelation wherof not one example can be produced in all antiquity that euen such as are born of faithfull and godly parents can be made of Adams children Gods children and bee cleansed and purged of originall sin without the washing of water in the word (e) S. Paul Eph. 5. saith that Christ sanctifyed his Church cleansing it by the washing of water in the vvord of life Which sacred Text S. Chrys interpreting hom 20. ad Ephes asketh in what word and answeres to the question saying in the name of the Father the son and holy Ghost and S. Austin l. 6. con donat c. 25. affirmes that God is present with the Euangelicall words without which baptism has nothing of efficacy and l. 3. de baptismo explaining his meaning vnderstand's by Euangelicall words Christs own words set down in the Euangile of S. Mat. cap. 28. In the name of the Father the son and holy Ghost Whereby t' is euident that by the word required to the administring of baptism is not meant preaching vnto or instructing of those which receiue that Sacrament as some sectaries vnaduisedly expound that scripture-Text in opposition to the baptism of children that are not capable of instruction of life that is to say through the euangelicall inuocation of the most blessed Trinity Father son and holy Ghost and though Christ by his absolute power could haue instituted other remedies then the Sacrament of baptism to purge out the leauen of originall sin yet it is euident that his will was only to apply that and none other as the ordinary cure thereof Wherfore the faith and sanctity of faithfull and holy parents is not enough to sanctify their children vnto saluation without baptism hereunto being necessarily required iustifying grace through diuine faith the collation wherof is the prerogatiue of Christs merit 's The grace that does sanctify parents souls does not sanctify their childrens souls euery soul is sanctifyed by its own inherent sanctity and not by the sanctity of an other in the formall sense Parents can only through their sanctity dispose and prepare vnto spirituall sanctity for as much as they can procure for their children christian baptism wherof they be neither the formall nor efficient causes so the holy prayers of S. Steuen did dispose vnto the marueilous grace that sanctifyed S. Paul Act. but did not effect it notwithstanding in regard of this holy preparation practised by faithfull Parents the same S. Paul nameth their children holy 10. ad Cor. that is to say * Tertull. l. de monologia vocat liberos parentum fidelium sanctitati destinatos Et Hierom. Epis 153. ad Paulinum Christianae fidei candidatos as to
(c) S. Austin l. de bono coningij cap. 6. names mortall sin deadly crime and Epis 89. and in sundry other places he calleth offences which are not deadly and therfore commonly nam'd veniall sinnes litle fault 's of which the Apostle S. Iames cap. 2. in many things vve sinne all And S. Mathew cap. 6. foregiue us our treipasses c. and of veniall sinnes the Mileuitan synode interpretes these scriptures so that the iustest man that liues is liable to veniall sinnes and veniall defects and therefore counted imperfect they continue depriued of blessedness till all imperfection be purged away As a Iudg doth not punish all offences with death and as one man after that he is reconciled to another that hath iniured him demandeth some satisfaction for the iniury done for Dauid though he pardoned Absolon his offence Yet he did not suffer him * Reg. 14. Dauid condonauit filio suo Absoloni peccatum sic tamen ci placatus addit reuertatur in domum suam faciem meam non videat to abide in his sight or in his house so God though he doth not punish all sinnes with eternall death some hauing nothin g of mortall malice and though he receiueth a grieuous sinner into grace that casteth away all his mortall transgressions and turneth vnto him with a new heart neuertheless he doth not admit him to his glorious presence till he hath made full satisfaction as to the reparation of he injury done him wherby it is clear that God neither in this life nor in the next * Prouerb 23. Tu virga percuties eum animam eius de inferno liberabis Item Tob. 13. Tu flagellas saluas deducis ad inferos reducis chasteneth sinners that haue turned away from their iniquity as his enemies to destroy them but as his children to make them fit and proper for the enjoyment of their heauenly inheritance This catholick truth all antiquity acknowledgeth Councils define the approued vniuersall practice of christian Churches teacheth and authority of scriptures warranteth The second booke of the Machabees prayseth the noble Iudas (d) Judas Machabae us piously conceiu'd all or at least many of his souldiers to haue dyed godly that is in the state of grace and though they might haue coueted and detain'd some part of the siluer and gold that was on the Idols contrary to the commandement of God Deut. 7. Neuertheless we ought not to infer from thence that the same souldiers did not repent of that sin before their death or that by doing so they committed a deadly sin being they might want sufficient instruction and recogni zance in order to that law Howeuer t' is certain that Iudas Machabaeus appointed a sacrifice to be offer'd for those only which dyed godly As to the books of the Machabies S. Austin l. 18. de ciuit cap. 3. attests that though they be not contained in the Iew 's Canon or Catalogue neuertheless the catholick Church counteth them for canonicall Besides the third Council of Carthage whereof S. Austin was a member placeth he Machabies in the number of diuine scriptures who iudged that it was a holy and good thought to pray for the dead that they might be deliuered from sin and therfore sent three thousand drachmes to Iesusalem for the offering of a sin-sacrifice in regard of his souldiers that were ssaine in the holy warr belieuing that there was great fauour laid vp for those that died godly that is in the state of grace and since this action of religious piety cannot be meant in order to blessed soul's these hauing ful enioyment of blessedness nor in order to damned souls these being sentenced to eternall fire it is plainly euident that the meaning thereof is in reference to good souls which are neither in Heauen nor in Hell but in a third place suffering vnto heauenly blessedness this doctrine the Apostle teacheth * Ex scriptura 1. Cor. 3. Patres Latini in Conlio Florent PurgatariuÌ„ dari definiunt Et quod ibi Apostolus intelligat igneÌ„ PurgatoriuÌ„ testantur Orig hom 25. in Exod. Jtem Aug. in Enchyrd c. 68. l. 21. de ciuit c. 2. 26. 1. Cor. 3. where he affirmeth that after this life some souls are saued by fire saying If any man's work 's burne be shall suffer preiudice but he shall be saued himselfe yet so as it were by fire In which scripture he distinguisheth two kind's of work 's that a catholick christian constituted in the state of grace exerciseth whereof some are meritorious and in as much as they containe nothing of vncleaness or imperfection the Apostle compareth them vnto gold siluer and precious stones which can receiue no detriment through fire therby signifying that such souls as build on the foundation that is Christ and his grace works of gold siluer and pretious stones which is to say pure and holy actions without mixture of vncleaness (e) According to holy scripture fire shall trye all works yet not so as that all works and all the workers shall haue their tryall in burning flam's but because fire that is ordain'd to purge out of our works the dregs of corruption is said to trye works which haue nothing of vncleanes because the fire does not touch them in regard of their purenes Which is s. Ambroses explication in Psal 118. and after the same manner wild beasts are said to haue tryed many martyrs though they touch'd not their sacred bodyes will suffer no preiudice by fire in the day of particular or vniuersall Iudgment but there be other workes built vpon Christ as the foundation which include small defects and imperfections to wit veniall sinnes only which the Apostle nameth Wood bay or stubble that do consume in the fire wherfore such soul 's as be charged with this kinde of vncleane works doe suffer detriment in the day of particular Iudgment remaining afflicted by fire till all vncleaness be purged away and this to be the true meaning of the Apostle his own words explicated aright do clearly euidence For first that by gold siluer and pretious stones be vnderstood good work 's pure without thout staine orthodox writers vnanimously grant Secondly that by wood hay or stuble are meant veniall sinnes it is manifest enough because the Apostle expresly doth assert that the works signified by those word 's are to be burnt by the fire and neuertheless such as haue exercised them are to be saued which cannot be vnderstood of mortall offences the guilt wherof vndoubtedly damneth euery one that dyeth charged with it neither can the said word 's carry the sense of works that haue nothing of vncleaness because fire cannot preiudice those they being as gold siluer and pretious stones vncâ—mbustible wherefore of necessity wood hay or stuble doe signifie small faults which being once purged out by fire the soul that committed them is saued that is to say translated to eternall life and indeed since the Apostle
re shall hind vppon earth shall be bound in Heauen which is meant of ecclesiasticall Censures the greatest of which is excommunication Again Act. 15. when the new christians referred their controuersie concerning circumcision and other ceremonies of the law of Moyses to the Apostles at Ierusalem sentence of iudgment was declared by one accord thus It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs to lay no more burthen vpon you then these necessary things c. Wherby it is cleare that the Apostles then the representatiue Church were inuested with authority to make ordinances (c) It appeares plainly by the sacred text Act. Jt seems good to the holy Ghost and to vs to lay no more burden vpon you then these that the Apostles had authority to commande and exact obedience to their ordinances For the particles it seems good to vs to lay no more burden Shew euidently that they were superiours inuested with authority to commande and exact obedience from the people who were bound to obey them But here is obseruable that as to the matter in debate mentioned in the Chapter set down viz. whether the conuerted Gentils were obliged to obserue the law of Moyses S. Peter in that Council cald to determine it was supream Iudge for t' is written that after much dispute Peter rose vp and as head of all spoke first and decided the controuersy in fauour of the said conuerted Gentils deliuering them from the bondage of the old law and all the multitude saith S. Hierom Tom. 2. Epis 89. Augus cap. 2. kept silence and into Peters sentence or definition the Apostles S. Iames and all the Priests past with one accorde and euer since the Popes of Rome as S. Peters lawfull successors haue had precedence and the deciding suffrage in all Councils which are of credit and authoritie in the Church of God and to oblige the faithfull in the obseruation of them for the words It seemed good to vs to lay no more burden vpon you doe signify the authority of superiours to commande inferiours and the obligation of inferiours to obey their superiours Thirdly that the Church is liuing visible and speaking which is the third propriety of this Iudg is clearly expressed Act. 20. take heed to your selues and the flock wherof the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops to rule the Church of god which he hath purchased with his own blood and Again Math. 5. (d) According to S. Aug. trac in 1. epis Ioan. those are blind which cannot fee so great a mountaine and shut their eyes against the clear light put on a candlestick which is the Church of God the Church is stiled a Citty that is set on a mountaine which cannot be bid but no man can conceiue how Bishops can gouerne a Church which they see not or how a Citty set on a high mountaine can lie hid Besids all the Church offices ioynt and seperate do declare it visible liuing ad speaking neither matters it that the Church is known by faith which is of things not seen for the Apostles when they conuersed with Christ vpon earth they both saw and belieued him to be Christ As the Apostles saw Christ to be aman and belieued him to be God soe wee doe see the Church to be a congregation of men outwardly professing the faith of Christ and doe belieue that it is directed by the infallible assistance of the holy Ghost and as it cannot be euinced that a man is inuisible because an inuisible soul gouerneth him soe neither can it be euinced that the Church is inuisible because the supernaturall gifts of the holy Ghost namly faith hope and charitie wherby the Church is gouerned and men made children therof be inuisible From the premises is euidently deducible (e) S. Austin li. 10. de doct christ disputing against such as pretended to the knowledge of holy scriptures by speciall reuelations dissuades euery man from so proud and dangerous a tentation as to presume that he is taught of God and not of men and this caueat he vrgeth by many examples that the priuate spirit which is to say the particular reuealing spirit wherby as many sectaries conceiue euery priuate belieuer is enabled to interpret scriptures and iudge all matters concerning faith and religion hath no good claime to the office of this suprem Iudge beeing neither seen nor heard to speak clearly nor known certainly to be infallible in what it reuealeth to each particular belieuer in priuat for it may prudently be doubted whether it be a good spirit or not since false ministers can transforme themselues into Apostles of Christ and Satan himselfe into an Angel of light 2. Cor. 11. in consequence of which no wise and iudicious man can rely his eternity on such a priuat reuealing spirit Again God according to his ordinary way doth not immediatly himselfe reueale verities of faith to euery one in particular or iudge himselfe between party and party from the begining of the creation down to these times his prouidence hath ordained men to declare his ordinances vnto men appointed men to teach men and constituted men suprem Iudges of men for the determining of all hard matters in debate concerning faith and religion In the law of nature Abraham was made Teacher of men I know speaking of Abraham that he will command his son and family after him that they keepe the way of our lord Gen. 18. In the written law Moyses was constituted to teach the people of God the diuine ordinances and to shew vnto them the way wherein they were to walke and the worke they were to doe Exod. 18. and Deut. 17. the Priests of the Leuits were deputed supreme Iudges of controuersies which might rise about religion also Malac. 2. it is written the Priests lips shall preserue knowledg and they shall seek the law from his mouth In our new law of grace the Apostles were sent into diuers parts of the world to preach christian religion Mar. vltime Act. 8. God appointed Saint Philip to teach the Eunuch of Ethiopia Act. 9. Christ sent Saul to be instructed of Ananias and Act. 10. Cornelius the Centurion was admonished by an Angel to repaire vnto Saint Peter that he might learn of him matters of câ—ristian faith wherfore Saint Paul says Rom. 10. Faith is by heating and hearing by the word of God and how shall they heare without a preacher because ordinarily God teacheth men by men the verities of faith and Gal. 1. the same Apostle doubted not to prefer the doctrine he preached before the doctrine of an Angel from Heauen that should preach otherwise and truly if it were lawfull for euery man to follow and adhere to his own priuate spirit there would rise almost as many contrary religions as there are men liuing vpon the earth and consequently in room of that peace that Christ hath promised to the Church nothing but disorder and confusion would happen wherfore both in the old and new law this
he saith thus And I would not speake vnto you Brethren as vnto spirituall mem but as vnto carnall men euen as to Babes in Christ I giue you milke to drinke and not meat for you were not yet able to beare it where he layeth the spirituall man against the carnall man that in regard of carnall affection perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God wherfore it seemeth a strang thing that Sectaries should infer from this text of scripture that euery belieuer hath a priuat (b) S. Irenaeus l. 3. cap. 2. con haer sharpely rebuks Valentinus for leauing tradition and following the priuat spirit thereby constituting himselfe sole iudge and rule of faith reuealing spirit of truth wherby he is enabled with authority to discern matters of faith and iudge all controuersies and to be iudged of no man himselfe vnto the excluding of all outward Teachers As to the second Text the true meaning of it is not that his vnction only doth teach but that the doctrines of christian religion which men teach outwardly by speaking * Aug. trac 3. in Epis Joan. magisteria inquit forensecus adiutoria quaedam sunt admonitiones cathedram autem in caelo habet qui corda dotet his vnction teacheth inwardly by inspiring grace wherby men are made apt to harken to what the Church ministers teach and indeed this docility or aptness to harken to the word of God is a speciall prerogatiue giuen by the spirit of grace vnto the children of the new law and prophesied of in the old law by Ieremy and Isaias As concerning the third Text set down the true sense is this that whosoeuer beliueth in the son of God aright hath in himselfe inward faith which is a diuine gift and therfore called the testimony of God in as much as it witnesseth that no man can * Mat. tues Christus Filius Dei viui caro sanguis non reuelauit tibi sed pater meus come vnto the son Iesus-Christ except it be giuen vnto him by the Father and albeit that the inward testimony of God hath been the Iole cause to draw some men vnto the maruelous light of faith for example Saint Peter beliued the mistery of the incarnation in vertue of an inward inspiration proceeding from God immediatly neuertheless the outward testimony of the Church is the ordinary necessary requisit to the conceiuing of christian faith according to the ordinance of Christ that hath constituted outward Teachers to be of necessary and perpetuall vse in his Church to the worlds end that we be not carryed about with euery wind of doctrine which hath been extreme needlesse if he had thought it expedient to supply euery particular belieuer with a priuat reuealing spirit Furthermore from the premises is clearly deducible that the holy scripture cannot lay clame to the dignitie of a supream Iudge because the office therof which is a primary end intended of necessity * Plato in libris quos de repub scripsit Aristoteles in policicis docent in constitutione formatione alicuius reipub vnum ex ijs quae debent 1. per se intentendi esse ipsum IudiceÌ„ pro dirimendis litibus ciuium ad pacem in rep seruandam in the forming of euery common wealth is to declare laws punish peruerse offenders and pronounce sentence of iudgment for the determining all matter in debate that therby vnity and peace may be preserued but the scripturs can chaleng nothing of iuridicall power in order to iudging defining and deciding controuersies of faith these actions importing life hearing and speaking which the scripturs cannot exercise being vnliud things that neither heare nor speak clearly and consequently vnfit to Iudg matters in debate between one and another besids these were not intended in â—he forming of the Church as requisits absolutly necessary to the Gouerment of it for Christ during the time he conuersed on earth writ nothing himselfe nor commaunded his Apostles or disciples to writ and indeed of themselues they were not much (i) According to Eusebius l. 3. hist Eccles cap. 18. the Apoles and disciples of Christ were not greatly solicitous to put down in writing the misteries of christian faith being the employment inioyned them was to preach the Gospel in so much that according to the same Eusebius it was a tradition of those days that they were after a manner necessitated to write and according to S. Hierom de viris illus S. Iohn writ his Gospel in regard of Cherintus and Ebion which denyed the diuinity of Christ And indeed t is euident that the Apostles did not write down the principles of christian religion hauing receiued command ad commission from Christ to preach without any commission to write set vpon writing because of their ingagement in an higher imployment namely preaching of the Gospell and it seems that those few which haue written were vrged or necessitated therunto as was Saint Iohn that writ his Gospell to confute the hereticks Cherintus and Ebion who denied the diuinity of Christ Again among the twelue Apostles Saint Matthew and Saint Iohn only and among the 62. Disciples Saint Luke only only writ the Gospell euen diuers years after Christs Ascention into Heauen insomuch that the christiaÌ„ Church had institutioÌ„ exercised iuridicall authority made lawes exacted obedience vnto them along while before the new scripturs were in being and contrary to the old scripture pronounced sentence of iudgment to the anulling of Circumcision which was a controuersy of faith Wherfore doubtless scripturs were neither primarly intended nor primarly giuen as suprem iudges of all matters in debate concerning faith and religion moreouer Saint Irenaeus who florished in the yeare of our lord 160. expresly (k) Irenaeus l. 3. con haer cap. 4. denyes expresly that christian faith had perished if the Apostles had not left vs the scriptures asserteth that the people of sundry countries without the help of paper or inck had preserued christian faith down from the Apostles to his time the vnwritten supplying the room of the written word for this ancient Father writeth and ascribeth that preseruation vnto apostolicall tradition obserued by the ancient Churches together with the help of inward grace proceeding from the holy Ghost Wherfore as those primatiue Churches did perseruer in the profession of the christian faith for the space of many years without scripturs so the present Church assisted with the like meanes might continue pure without spot or wrinckle although it had nothing of written doctrine and consequently the primary end for which scripturs were intended was not to doe the office of suprem Iudg howeuer all things which were written were written for our learning that wee through patience * L. 1. Machabae cap. 11 Ionathas summus Sacerdos scribens spartiatis dicit se suos in rebus aduersis pro solatio habere libros sacros quod ostendit vsum in quem datae sunt nobis
can sacro-sancta the Apostolicall sea did not receiue supremacy and preeminence from the Apostles but from our Sauiour himselfe and indeed Christ founded and built his Church vpon S. Peter Mat. 16. Thou art Peter and on this rock I vvill build my Church .... and J vvill giue vnto the the keys of the kingdome of heauen Again Christ praid especially for S. Peter and after his resurrection appointed him to feed all his sheepe and lambs Moreouer S. Peter as head and Prince of the other Apostles called the first Councill which was celebrated between the Ascention and Pentecost And in the second Council mentioned act 15. spoke first and decided the matter in debate Bishop of Rome as lawfull successour of S. Peter in suprem authority and there is not any except the Roman Church that hath published and planted the one holy apostolicall faith from the rising of the sun to the goeing down therof which denoteth its vniuersality an order to place there is not any except the Roman Church that can rockon pastours and Teachers in a continuall line of succession down from S. Peter to the present times which sheweth its vniuersality in order to time there is not any Church-Gouernour saue the Bishop of Rome to whose definitiue sentence of iudgment (x) S. Anaclete Epis 1. commanded that euery hard question should be referd to the sea Apostolick because saith he the Apostles so appointed by speciall command from Christ Wherefore Tertullian calleth the Pope king of the world and stiles Rome the Chief and Apostolicall seat whether saith he wee ought to recur in all doubtfull matters relating to faith Besids S. Austin that was a member of the African Church Epis 9. addressing himselfe to Pope Innocent in order to the Pelagians whom he impugned writeth thus ... that errour and impiety of the Pelagians the authority of the sea apostolick must anathematize Again the Council of Alexandria cals Pope Felix prophanarum haresium depositor the deposer of prophan heresies hard controuersies of faith haue been referred in all ages Furthermore it is essentiall to the true Church to begett children in Iesus-Christ through the Gospell 1. Cor. 4 that is to say to bring whole countries out of darkness of infidelity into the maruelous light of Christian faith which not any except the Roman Church hath performed Sectaries like partriges haue gathered children * Ieremiae cap. 17. perdix fouet seu congregat quae non peperit Vnde S. Aug. assimilat haereticos perdici which they haue not brought forth but the Roman Church hath begotten vnto Christ a world of children both in the primatiue times for the first 500. yeares and since For Germans Bauarians Vandals Polans Sweds Danes Noruegians Hungarians Normans English and sundry other Countryes since the yeare 600. were begotten in Iesus-Christ through the Gospell by Priests and Bishops of the Roman Church as plainly appears by the ancient and modern histories written of each people respectiuely And as touching our country of Englād that embraced the catholick faith through the preaching of S. Austin a Priest and Bishop of the Roman Church after its conuersion which happened in the reign of S. Ethelbert for near a thousand yeares continued obedient to the Bishop of Rome and constant in the profession of the catholick religion as do euidence our ancient Cronicles laws common laws ordinances Records foundations of Bishopricks Cathedrall Churches vniuersities colleges and hospitalls which remain monuments of these dayes to beare clear witnes of catholick religion wherfore it is a wonder how English Magistrats come to look with so enuious an eye vpon their catholick subiects as to persecute them for conforming their conscience to the full and constant profession of all their christian progenitours CHAR. XX. OF TRADITIONS THE CONTENTS Down from the Apostles to these times the true Church of God hath been directed and gouernd by the written and vnwritten word as by laws and customs doctrines necessary to saluation which the Apostles receiued either from the mouth of Christ or from the holy Ghost by inspiration were deliuered to the faithfull of those dayes partly in written and partly in vnritten traditions if the Churches authority and vnwritten traditions were laid a side scriptures would haue nothing of waight with them vnto euincing christian religion Answeres vnto seuerall obiections propounded against the Churches traditions TRaditions are vnwrtten doctrines deliuered by the mouth of Christ or his Apostles and committed vnto the keeping of the Church (a) 1. Cor. 11. as I haue deliuered vnto you saith S. Paul keep my precepts From this sacred Text Theophilact infers that both S. Paul and the other Apostles deliuered many things which they did not set down in writing called traditions not because they are not at all written but in regard there is no express mention thereof in the holy scriptures for t is certaine that the traditions receiued from the Apostles and deliuered as it were from hand to hand for sundry ages are now written as precepts of faith and generall manners necessary vnto saluation Though the whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct and to instruct in iustice 2. Tim. 3. Yet it is not the same thing to be a profitable guide in the way of iustce and saluation and to be the sole expedient necessary therunto for a head is both profitable and necessary to preserue a man aliue neuertheless it alone without the society and ministery of the body is not sufficient enough to continue him aliue likewise the Sacrament of Eucharist conduceth to the purchase of eternall blessedness yet cannot effect it without the help of baptism and faith and the Chapter set down expresly asserteth that euen the old scriptures instruct to saluation and notwithstanding the Apostle requireth of Timothy perseuerance in the doctrines which he had heard of him besides what he had learned from them wherin he had been versed from (b) By the particles from his infancy euidently appeares that the Apostle spoke of these scriptures which Timothy had learned in his youth that is he meant the old testament being the new scriptures were not written when Timothy was a youth Wherefore when the Apostle writ vnto him that all scripture is profitable c. he could not vnderstand the whole body thereof as some sectaries vnaduisedly interprete him translating whole for all And indeed when the Apostle writ that Epistle to Timothy the whole body of scripture was not composed S. Iohn had not then put forth his Gosple and his Apocallps he writ after the death of S. Paul him infancy again albeit the scriptures be a great light neuertheless they doe not giue light to all a en within the house of God whose written doctrines they are vnless they be put vpon the candlestick of the Churches definitions and vnwritten traditions for setting these aside scriptures are but a light shining in a dark place 2.
controuersies in debate for as much as they relate to faith Furthermore God who is not an accepter of persons Rom. 15. who is not God of men only but of women also and who desireth to saue all of each sex doubtless instituted a remedy against originall sin in fauour of men and women for as much as the expiation thereof is absolutely necessary vnto saluation wherfore in regard circumcision was the remedy proper to men and could not be applied to women some other expedient was ordained for their cure and although no express mention thereof be made in any part of the old Testament neuertheless that God instituted a remedy for the deliuerance of women * Quod qualeue fuerit illud remedium à Deo institutum ad subueniēdum faeminis quae nascebantur in peccato originali nullibi explicatur in sacris litteris nec porest deduci ex illis from the guilt of originall sin the Iews belieued as an article of faith necessary to saluation and indeed so it was as appeareth from the necessity of it and from the prouidence God hath ouer both men and women and truly to auerre that God was defectiue then in necessary requisits to the saluation of women is a manifest blasphemy wherby it is clear that euen the Iews in the old law held vnwritten besides written tradition as necessary vnto saluation neither is the said unwritten tradition preiudiced by the reply of some sectaries saying that the oblation of women in the Temple according to the law of Moyses did free them of originall sin For that legall offring was common alike to women and men and Christ was both circumcised and offered in the Temple nor by recurring for this deliuerance vnto the circumcision of Parents there being not any passage in the whole Testament of the old law that carrieth the least sound that way or that hath relation to the deliuerance of women from originall sin in vertu of their parents circumcision besides S. Austin and other ancient Fathers expresly teach that baptism is to Christians as circumcision was to the Iewes but no Christian sectary will say that women are sanctified and consecrated to God through their parents baptism for if it were enough for the purging out of originall sin to baptise the male there would be no need at all to baptise the female sex hereby it is clear again that the Iews of the old law allowed and professed vnwritten besides written traditions as necessary to saluation From the premises appeareth that the word of God taken precisely comprehendeth both vnwritten and written traditions in consequence of which vnwritten traditions are not additions to the word of God they being a part therof Wherfore neither Moyses Deut. 4. saying to the people of Israel Ye shall adde nothing to the word which I speake to you neither shall ye take ought from it Nor S. Paul Gal. 1. saying to the Galatians though that we or an Angel from Heauen preach vnto you (h) According to S. Austin tom 7. con liter petiliani l. 3. cap. 6. and tom 9. trac 98. in Io. the particle praeterquam besids in the cited Text imports the particle contra against or contrary so that the meaning is that nothing must be preached against or contrary to the holy scripture And truly this explication appears euidently by the Apostles arguing against those that asserted Iudaism to be consistent with christianism which assertion because it was contrary to the law of Christ the Apostle added the curse set down in the same sentence of the Text. Moreouer the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Latin Interpreter translateth praeterquam is vsed by the Apostle for contra not only in the Epistle alledged ad Gal. but also Rom. 4. besids what we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed condemne vnwritten traditions as sectaries do calumniate the Catholick Church besides sectaries very vnhandsomly and weakly do infer from these two scripture testimonies that no doctrines of faith ought to be receiued saue such as be contained expresly in or by euident consequence deduced from the written word of God for neither of both doe mention the written word of God The word says Moyses which I speake vnto you and that we haue preached vnto you says the Apostle but if it were granted vnto them what they cannot proue viz that Moyses then spoke what he had written afore notwithstanding they could not ouerthrow therby vnwritten traditions vnless they could proue which they can neuer doe that they be additions destructiue of or contrary to the written word of God for such additions only he meant and excluded by the cited scriptures and indeed if S. Paul had meant otherwise he should haue cursed S. Iohn the Euangelist that many yeares after his martyrdome writ reuelations which S. Paul had not preached to the Galatians likwise the Anathema had touched S. Paul himselfe that deliuered sundry passages in the acts of the Apostles which happened after his preaching to the Galatians Howeuer catholicks doe not deny but that traditions which are the vnwritten word be contained implicitly in the written word of God that is to say as in a generall principle from whence they are deducible and the whole word of God is contained in scriptutes yea in this sole Article of the Apostles Creed I belieue in the holy Catholick Church in as much as all the matters pertaining to faith and generall manners and not clearly expressed in holy scriptures are contained expresly in the doctrine of the Church which the scriptures commend vnto vs as infallible and indeed the whole word of God is expounded vnto vs in Christs command Math. 18. If he refuse to heare the Church let him be vnto thee as an heathen man and publican in regard wherof ancient Fathers do auerre all doctrines of faith to be contained in scriptures that is as in a generall principle from whence they can be deduced CHAR. XXJ. OF THE CHVRCH TRIVMPHANT THE CONTENTS Souls that remoue out of their earthly habitations cleansd from all vncleanes are instantly translated into Heauen the clear sight of God wherein consisteth heauenly beatitude is not deferd till the generall Resurrection though the office of mediation aduocation and intercession is proper to Christ alone as to the noblest manner therof neuertheless according to the Catholick Church all the Saints mediate and intercede in the sight of God for the faithfull on earth in subordination to Christ the Church of god does not nor neuer did teach that the faithfull on earth ought to mediate and intercede for the blessed in Heauen S. Paul did not mediate or intercede for Onesiphorus that he might obtaine mercy after his soule was beatifyed the ancient Liturgies of the Church approue not of prayers vnto helping of the blessed THe Church triumphant is a holy Congregation of blessed Saints reigning with Iesus-Christ innocēt souls not liable to any guilt of sin as soon (a) 2. Cor. 5. we know
deadly schism caused by themselues that departed from and not by Catholicks that abided in her In euery ciuill state such as dissobey not such as obey authority such as abrogate not such as conserue the ancient lawes and ordinances such as reject not such as keep the setled customes therof bear the infimous brand to all posterity of being the men that rent and diuided the common wealth but Protestants haue dissobeyed not obeyed abrogated not preserued reiected not obserued the authority lawes and Customes of the Roman Church hauing by their own power only vnder a specious colour of reformation introduced nouell doctrines lawes and rites contrary to the vsage and practice therof wherfore they of necessity bear the guilt of deadly schism and not Catholicks that haue altered nothing Besides Protestants went out of the Roman Church without cause for at the time of their departure the Roman Church retained all requisits necessary vnto saluation for then was there no Christian Church vpon earth Seperated from her so that when the Protestants reformation begun the Roman Church or none was the true Church of God in consequence of which their departure was without cause * Aug. l. 3. de baptis con Donat. c. 2. in fine ait si Ecclesia Romanae sit verae Dei Ecclesia in qua salus haberi potest non habent Donatista sua pracisionis aliquam defonsionem sed exeundo communionem Ecclesiae relinquâ—â—do in quae poteraÌ„t saluari irrucrunt in sacrilegium schismatis For whosoeuer goeth out from a Church wherin he might attaine to saluation goes out without cause and commits sacriledge of damnable schism as the great Doctour S. Austin teacheth in his third book of baptism against the Donatists Moreouer this asserted truth appeares euidently by the foundamentall doctrines of Protestant Religion which are as opposite to the faith of the Roman Church as the ends of a Diameter are ouerwhart and cross For example Protestants commonly teach that good works proceeding from diuine grace can neither iustify nor merit saluation these being prerogatiues of faith only in regard wherof it beares the name of iustifying faith but all ancient and modern Pastors and Doctours of the Roman Church assert that good workes exercised in and by diuine grace doe bring vnto iustification of life and that they are in order to merit causes of euerlasting saluation as wicked workes in order to demerit are causes of perpetuall damnation Protestants commonly teach that the sacrifice of Mass wherin Catholick Priests offer the body and blood of Christ for the liuing and dead is a blasphemous tale and a daÌ„gerous deuise Protestants coÌ„monly teach that confirmation Penance Order Extream-vnction and Matrimony want requisits necessary to an Euangelicall Sacrament Protestants commonly teach that the doctrines of Purgatory Indulgences religious veneration of holy Reliks pertaining vnto and inuocation of Saints are idle fancies and trifles crept into the Church without warrantable authority of scripture testimony Protestants commonly teach sundry other doctrines as foundamentall requisits to their religion clean contrary to the faith of the Roman Church as is manifestly demonstrated in the Characters concerning the outward Sacrifice of Masse Confirmation Penance Order Extrem-vnction Matrimony Purgatory Indulgences and Adoration From the premises is inferred that the Protestant Reformation cannot borrow of the Roman Church visible existence together with continuall succession of Pastors vnto perpetuating that Church in foundamentall Articles of faith vnto excusing from schism Howeuer it cannot be denyed but that Protestants can shew clearly that the whole body of doctrines foundamentall to Protestanism hath been asserted by sundry learned men that liu'd in sundry ages respectiuely long before their reformation began namly Simon Magus taught that faith alone was an expedient sufficient vnto saluation as witnesseth S. Irenaeus and rejected good works as vnnecessary therto as doth attest Clemens Romanus Manichaeus despised the Sacrifice of Masse spoiling Christs Church of all outward sacrifice as witnesses S. Austin Nouatus impugned the Sacraments of Confirmation Eucharist Extrem-vnction and Matrimony as S. Cyprian affirmeth Vigilantius detested the inuocation of Saints and the veneration of their Reliques and likewise single life of Priests as S. Hierom relateth Iulian the Apostat had in detestation the cross of Christ and demolished his statue as Eusebius writeth Aerius condemned prayers and sacrifices offered for the souls departed as S. Austin and S. Epiphanius auerre But that which is exacted of the Protestants is to shew from the first age for 1500. yeares a setled company of Christians and the place country town or village where they liued that taught and preached the whole body of their foundamentall doctrines it is not enough to produce the example of such as at different tymes and in different places agreed with them in two or three of their Articles for that is not sufficient vnto constituting a society of true belieuers because so Turkes and Iewes might be lifted for Protestants these agreeing with them as to sundry Articles namely they deny the Popes supremacy transubstantiation inuocation of Saints and the sacrifice of the Masse Again the fore named sectaries themselues were destitute of visible existence and perpetuall succession and consequently could not deriue either of both vnto the Protestant Church Besides Simon Magus Manichaeus Nouatus Vigilantius c. bear the infamous brand of being condemned Hereticks before the ProtestaÌ„ts reformation begun Howeuer some Protestants there be that endeuour to proue their visible existeÌ„ce in a long line of succession from the Albigenses but vnaduisedly first because this seed of sectaries knowes not to deriue the Genealogy of their own Religion down from the Apostles which is the question in debate wherin satisfaction is expected secondly the Albigenses are condemned Hereticks that taught doctrine impious and blasphemous for example they asserted a good and an euill God denyed originall sin reiected baptism and impugned the resurrection of bodyes By the premises plainly appeareth that Mark Antony de Dominis Bishop of Spalatto his distinction between foundamentall and not foundamentall Articles of faith carrieth nothing of weight with it t' is like a specious building that wantes a good foundation to support it And truly it is as impossible an enterprise to proue the visible existence and perpetuall succession of Protestant Pastours from the Roman Church as it is for Caluinists to shew that the true Church of God laid hid for sundry ages inuisible without perishing which is impossible also for the markes of a liu'd Church are professing of faith preaching of the diuine word instructing of the illiterate and administring of the Sacraments which functions can noe more be executed in a Church that is inuisible then in a Church that is perished FINIS Laus Deo eiusque Matri Sanctissimae omnibus Sanctis Omnia Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae subiecta sunt