9.10 Isaiah 8. ver 10.11.13.16 Isaiah 26. ver 10.11 Isaiah 28. ver 9.12.13 Isaiah 30. ver 9.15 Isaiah 42. ver 19.20 Isaiah 48. ver 4. Isaiah 65. ver 11. Ieremiah 2. Ieremi ver 24.29 vnto the 33. ver Ieremiah 5. ver 3. vnto the 8. ver and ver 20. of the same chap. vnto ver 25. Ieremiah 6. ver 10. in euerie verse almost vnto the ende of the Chapter Ieremiah 7. ver 24. vnto the 28. ver Ieremiah 8. ver 4. vnto ver 8. Ieremiah 17. ver 1.23 Ieremiah 10. ver 11.15 Ieremiah 25. ver 4.8 Ieremiah 29. ver 17.20 Ieremiah 35. ver 13.16 Ieremiah 43. ver 2. Ieremiah 44. ver 7.10.11.16.20 Ezechiel 2. Ezechi ver 3. vnto the end of the chapter Ezechiel 3. ver 5.10.26.27 Ezechiel 4. ver 3. Hosea Ezechiel 12. ver 2. Hosea 4. througout the whole Chapter Hosea 5. ver 4. Amos 4. Amos. Zephaniah Zachariah Prouerbs Matthew ver 6. vnto the end of the Chapter Zephaniah 3. ver 5. Zechariah 7. ver 11. vnto the end Prouerbs 1. ve 24. vnto the end Matth 11. ver 16.17.21 and so vnto the 25. ver Matth. 12. ver 41.42 Mat. 23. ver 37. Touching the Pastors specially and particularly see Isaiah 56. ver 10.11 Ieremiah 6. ver 13. Ieremiah 14. ver 14. Ieremiah 23. ver 1.2 c. Ezechiel 22. ver 25.26.28 Ezechiel 34. ver 23.4 c. Hosea 9. ver 8. 1. Kings 22. ver 6. Iohn 7. ver 47. CHAP. XIII Whether the Church bee aboue the holy scripture that is to say whether the holy scripture depend of the iudgement and authority of the Church THE Church indeede hath a very great authoritie among men in so much as it behoueth vs to heare the same if we will not be accounted rebels against God Yet notwithstanding seeing she is the wife and scholler of Iesus Christe she ought alwaies to be subiect vnto him as vnto her husbād head and teacher And therefore this is an article which wee must hold inuiolable and without breach to wit that the church ought to depend and hang on Christe and his worde and to haue her authoritie from the same worde and not on the other side that the worde of Christe shoulde depende and haue the credite and authoritie thereof from the Church Notwithstanding many are founde whiche holde altogether the contrarie setting as we say the cart before the horses and plowe or waine before the oxen and vtterly ouerthrowing all order For they suppose that the holy scripture hath no more certaintie authoritie than it pleaseth the Church that by her allowāce and consent it shall haue And these bee the Romishe Catholikes who speake of the Church after this manner giuing it authoritie ouer and aboue the worde of God to make men to beleeue that whatsoeur it decreeth determineth and concludeth wee must hold her iudgement sentence and resolution as a certaine oracle comming frō heauen and to be short as an article of our beliefe And behold their reasons for this The first reason The Churche by her iudgement hath brought to passe that the holy Scripture hath beene acknowledged for the true worde of God and hath distinguished separated and sundered it from all other writinges what so euer whiche men haue published brought into the world For who is it that in the beginning hath assured vs that the holy scripture is the word of God but the Church alone And who is it that euen to this day can certifie and assure vs that the same word of God is come safe sound and whole euen vnto our age but onely the same Church Wherefore it followeth that the authoritie and certaintie of the holie scripture dependeth vpon the authoritie and iudgemente of the Church I aunswere two things or two manner of wayes First that this is a most wicked opinion to say that without the Churche the worde of God could not haue a sufficient witnesse to commend and set forth the authoritie and credite thereof vnto vs. Let vs heare what Saint Augustine saith hereof The authoritie of the truth saith hee is fruitefull and plentifull Augu. de assumpt Virg. Mart. cap. 1. and if she be diligently examined men shall finde that of her selfe shee maketh her selfe to bee sufficiently knowne Wherefore Alfonsus de Castro hath sometimes saide Alfonsus de Cast li. 1. ca. 8. cont haereses seeing that the holie scripture is come foorth from GOD it hath of it selfe alreadie deserued that wee shoulde giue trust vnto it and beleeue it And when the Church publisheth this that it is giuen by God shee doth wholie euen as a witnesse which beareth witnesse to some thing So that the truth of the scriptures is certaine not because of the witnes but by reason of it selfe and the credite it hath and not because the Church receiueth it and publisheth it but because that God hath giuen it and made the same manifest vnto vs. Besides is this a small matter that wee haue the testimonie of the holye spirite dwelling in our heartes It is said that it is his peculiar office to guide and lead vs into all truth Iohn 16.13 1. Ioh. 2.27 and to teach vs all things Wherevpon it followeth that he teacheth vs this truth that the holy scripture is of God and from him It is saide moreouer that we haue receiued the spirite of God 1. Cor. 2.12 that we might knowe the thinges that are giuen to vs of God Also 1. Cor. 2.14 that the thinges of the spirite of God are spirituallie discerned that is to say by the efficacie mouing and woorking of the holy spirite Wherefore it followeth that the holy spirite teacheth vs and maketh vs to discerne betweene these bookes which wee ought to receiue without gainesaying and the other which we ought to reiect and refuse Some perhaps will say that this article or point is daungerous because that heretikes oftentimes bragge that they haue the spirit of God which they haue not indeed and wee knowe howe they haue alwayes indeuoured to make their doctrines of authoritie and credite through their inwarde reuelations whiche they haue imagined to proceede from the holy Ghost But we can easily aunswere this to wit that in this matter wee can easily auoide all danger if wee vse and followe the remedies whiche S. Iohn doth furnish vs withall when he saith that we ought not to beleeue euery spirite 1 Ioh. 4. 1. but to trie and proue the spirites whether they are of God or no. And what shall be the meane and way of this triall and examination euen the worde of God as wee see that therby the men of Berea Act. 17.11 did proue S. Paule his spirit and doctrine And to this meane doth Chrysostome send vs when hee saith thus Many boast of the spirite Chrysost de sanct adorand spirit but they which bring any thing of their owne doe falsly pretende the same As Christ witnessed that he spake not of him selfe because that his doctrine
was taken out of the lawe and prophetes in like manner if any vnder the title and name of the spirite shall bring vnto vs any thing which is not contained in the Gospell let vs not beleue it For as Christ is the accomplishmente and fulfilling of the lawe and Prophetes so is the holie Ghost of the gospell But how can wee by this way or meane discerne and know the spirites that is to say whether the doctrine which they shall propound and set foorth vnto vs bee from the holy Ghoste or no After two sortes or by two meanes you shall knowe this First if it tend to this end to exalt establish and set vp the glorie of God For as Iesus Christe saith Ioh. 7.18 Hee that seeketh the glorie of God is true and no vnrighteousnesse is in him Secondly if it bee conformable and agreeable Rom. 12.6 to the proportion of faith that is to say if it agree and accorde well with the heads foundations of Christian religion wherof we haue spokē more largely heretofore in the fourth Chapter The second thing that I aunswere touching the foresaide reason of the Romishe Catholikes is that the consequence thereof is not necessarie neither well grounded when they saye that the Churche yeeldeth testimonie to the worde of God and doth commend the same vnto vs that therefore the certaintie and authoritie of the worde of God dependeth vpon the authority and iudgement of the Church For as wee haue but a little while agoe alleadged out of Alfonsus de Castro The word of God is certaine not by reason of the Church whiche beareth witnesse thereof but because of it selfe and his owne credite The Apostles yelded testimonie and bare witnesse of Iesus Christe Iohn 15.17 Acts. 1.8 And who is hee that will therefore say that Iesus Christe his authoritie doth depende of the authoritie and iudgement of the Apostles The Goldsmith trieth the golde and putteth a difference betweene that which is good and pure and that which is naughtie mettall But doth hee therefore by his tryall and proofe make that the golde is either good or euill A Parliament receiueth some edict or lawe which commeth from the King that it may bee published and proclaimed Inquirie is diligently made whether it come from the King or no Afterwardes all knowe that it commeth from the King what doth the Parliament then It is true that it alloweth the edict that it acknowledgeth the same that it beareth witnesse to it and commendeth and setteth out the same yea and if neede bee interpreteth it according to the Kings intent and meaning But doth the parliament for all this cause it or make it to bee the kings lawe Doth it giue authoritie to it Hath it any authoritie to chaunge any thing in it or to adde any thing to it or to clippe or take any thing what so euer away from it It is certaine no. Euen so standeth the case with the Church For although it be an excellent testimonie to the worde of God yet it cannot at any hande giue it authoritie as to say that the certaintie of the worde of God hangeth vpon the authoritie and iudgement of the Churche For when the Church acknowledgeth and alloweth the worde of God and doth put a difference betweene it the doctrines and inuētions of men she doth no other thing but heare the voyce of her pastor discerneth knoweth it frō the voice of a strāger Ioh. 10.5 Now there is great difference betwene discerning the Pastors voice from a strangers and adding authoritie and credite thereto bringing to passe and that according to truth that it should be such or such that is either true or false The second reason is The Church is more auncient than the Scriptures For in the time of Adam Abell Seth Noah Abraham Isaac Iaacob there was no scripture For Moses was the first penman or writer of matters concerning religion and yet notwithstāding there was a church Wherfore it followeth that the authoritie of the Church is aboue the authoritie of the holy scripture First and formost I aunswere that the consequence of this argument is none at al. For graunt it that one thing be more ancient and old than another yet it followeth not for all that that it should be of greater authoritie and credite otherwise we must inferre that Moses hath more authoritie than Iesus Christe and the lawe more than the Gospel Secondly as touching the antecedent or former proposition I say that it is sophisticall captious and full of deceit For albeit that in these first times of the worlde there was no scripture which the father 's vsed yet for all that the worde of God ceased not to bee because it was written and ingrauen in the fathers heartes and moreouer founded verie cleerly in the Churche whiche worde was in good time brought and committed to writing first by Moses and afterwards by others and thereupon called the holie scripture wherefore seeing that the holy scripture and Gods worde is nothing but one and the selfe same thing it followeth very well that if our first fathers haue had the word of God they haue had also in substance the holy scriptures Aug. cont epist fundamen cap. 5. The third reason S. Augustine hath said I woulde not beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie of the Catholike Church did not mooue mee thereto Wherefore it is certaine that the Gospell taketh his authoritie from the Church I answere that the consequence is starke naught for that which S. Augustin speaketh to one purpose or in one respect is applied to another end This holy doctor speaketh so as hauing regarde to that hee was then when he tooke the part of the Manichees and as it were disputing against them Now the Manichees would that the Epistles of Manicheus their authour which they called Fundamental containing in it all their false opinions should be of like and equall authoritie with the Apostles epistles Beside they allowed one part of the Gospel disallowed an other that not by the aduise and iudgement of the Church but of their owne proper and particular authoritie S. Augustine hauing taken in hand to confute the saide Epistle in the beginning speaketh thus The Epistle beginneth after this manner Manicheus the Apostle of Iesus Christe by the prouidence and appointment of God the Father I aske who is this Manicheus you wil answere the Apostle of Iesus christs I beleeue it not What wilt thou say thereto Perhaps thou wilt bring foorth the Gospel and thereby thou wilt lift vp and establish the person of Manicheus But what if thou haddest to doe and deale with a man who doth not yet beleeue the Gospel what wouldest thou do whē hee should say vnto thee I beleeue not the Gospell For as touching my selfe I would not beleeue the Gospel if the authoritie of the Catholike Church did not moue me thereto Beholde Saint Augustines wordes by which it is altogether
manifest that he mindeth not to infer that the Gospell hangeth vppon the allowance and authoritie of the church but only that the Church hath great weight to induce and moue the miscreants and vnbeleeuers to beleeue the Gospel This holy Doctor then speaketh not of the foundatioÌ„ of his faith but of the beginning thereof that is to say of the occasion and outward meanes by which he was prouoked stirred vp to beleeue the Gospell when hee was a Manichean heretike and not as yet a Christian to wit because he sawe the good accorde consent and agreement of the Church in receiuing the Gospell In the fourth Chapter he confessed that in former time he maintained the Maniches part and that hee was very eger and sharpe therein and blinded in the doctrine of their sect Now hee speaketh thus Howe wilte thou proue that Manicheus is an Apostle of Christ shall this bee by the Gospell But if some one that beleeueth not the Gospel woulde say vnto thee I beleeue not the Gospel what hast thou to replie As if hee shoulde say wouldest thou not purpose put downe and shewe vnto him the authoritie and testimonie of the Church For as touching my selfe in the time that I was a Manichean I had not beleeued the Gospel if the authoritie and testimonie of the Catholike Churche had not driuen mee thereto As if againe he should say For as concerning my selfe when I was of your faction and sect I was so setled staied in your opinions and had hard them so attentiuely and diligently yea I beleeued them so stedfastly and did maintaine them with such courage and stomack this is that which hee speaketh in the fourth Chapter that very hardly I had euer forsaken and renounced them to beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie and testimonie of the Church had not induced mooued and prouoked mee thereto The fourth reason Hee that hath authoritie and power to take away or to change some thing in the worde of God hath also authoritie ouer it But so it is that the church hath authoritie and power to take away or to change something in the word of God It followeth therfore that the Church hath authoritie ouer and aboue it They thus proue the assumption whiche is the second proposition or sentence of the reason Saint Peter had authoritie and power to take away and to chaunge some thing in the worde of God for he changed the forme of baptisme prescribed by Iesus Christe as appeareth by this that Iesus Christe hauing commaunded to baptise in the name of the father and of the sonne Mat. 28.19 and of the holy Ghost Saint Peter changing this forme hath enioyned and commaunded men to bee baptized in the name of Iesus Christe onely Act. 2.38 As it is written in the second of the Actes verse 38. Nowe if Saint Peter haue had this authoritie and this power why also should not the whole church haue it as well as hee I answere first for the consequence that it is not necessarie and good For who is he that will yeelde to this that all that whiche was in former time permitted to the Apostles should nowe bee permitted to the Pastors and ministers of the Church who are their successors Secondly I say that that which is taken from Saint Peter as true and right is false For Saint Peter did in no case chaunge the forme of Baptisme and in the place of the Actes before alleadged it is not saide that they must be baptized in the name of Iesus Christ onely Act. 2.38 Pâ—â—â—us Lombâ—â—â— lob 4. dâ—â— 3 sect B. 〈◊〉 de Cosecrat dâ—â—t 4 â—â—â—in Sinod c. Act. 8.12 Act. 10.48 Ambr. lib. 1. de 〈◊〉 sanct cap. 3. but simplie saide thus and bee baptised euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christ But let vs see how Peter Lombard the master of the sentences expouÌ„deth this place If any saith he be baptised without inuocation of the trinitie he is not a perfect christian vnlesse he be baptised in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy ghost yet we reade in the Acts of the Apostles that the Apostles baptized in the name of Christe but vnder this name as S. Ambrose expoundeth it is vnderstoode the whole Trinitie for when a man nameth Christ these are vnderstood to wit the father of whom the sonne was annointed and the sonne which was annoynted and the holy Ghost by whom or with whom hee was annointed Beholde the aduise and iudgement of the master of the sentences who doth not altogether satisfie vs though he speake much for vs. For whether wee regard the substance of the sacraments or els the forme thereof we holde that the Lords ordinance ought to be retained and followed in the whole and through the whole and that it doth not belong to any particular person no not to the church it self to alter or change any thing therein And in deede as I haue alreadie saide Saint Peter did not chaunge the forme of Baptismeâ— But marke this His intent purpose was to teach that the foundation accomplishment and fulfilling of baptisme is in Iesus Christe alone For to bee baptised in the name of Christe is taken and vsed by S. Peter for to bee receiued to grace and fauour in baptisme by the name of Iesus Christe So that this manner of speeche which Saint Peter vseth is not in any sort to bee referred to the forme of Baptisme but onely declareth that all the vertue power and efficacie of baptisme consisteth onely in Iesus Christe alone because that all that whiche baptisme doth represent and figure vnto vs 1. Ioh. 1.7 Rom. 6.4 is comprehended in him alone For by the blood of Iesus Christe wee are washed and purged from all our sinnes and by baptisme buried with him to the end that as he is raised vp from the dead by the glory of the father so wee also should walke in newnesse of life The fift reason The Church hath changed the Sabboth to the Lordes day or that which we call Sunday although that God by expresse writing commaunded the obseruation and keeping of the said Sabboth Wherfore theÌ„ it followeth that the church hath power and authoritie ouer the holy scripture I aunswere in the first place That the Church hath changed nothing at all of the commaundement touching the obseruation of the Sabaoth in or coÌ„cerning the substance thereof but onely in or concerning the circumstance For the thing or matter abideth alwaies that is to say the substance of the commaundement seeing that one day of the weeke is reserued to be imploied and bestowed vpon the holy rest whiche thing is enioyned by the commandement as being indeede the veritie and truth therof So that the obseruation and keeping thereof is only chaunged in respect of the time which change doth not derogate any thing from the commandement neither altereth nor changeth any thing therein of that which God minded to commend
and commaund to vs. Next the commaundement of the Sabaoth in respect of the figure was temporall and indured but a season and therfore it ought to haue an ende as the other ceremonies of the lawe had Wherefore the figure was taken away and changed not by the authoritie of the Church properly or as you would say of it owne authoritie but by the trueth it selfe which declared and shewed it selfe in Iesus Christe whereupon also the Apostle saith Col. 2. 16.17 Let no man therefore condemne you in meat and drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the newe moone or of the Sabaoth day which are but a shadowe of things to come The sixt reason The Apostles decreed in the first Councell which they held in Ierusalem Act. 15. 29. that the Christians shoulde abstaine from blood and from that that is strangled which decree yea brought and put into writing the Church hath taken away and chaunged after the time of the Apostles giuing leaue to christiās to vse both blood and that that is strangled It foloweth then that it is lawefull for the Church to change som thing in the word of God and by consequent that the Church is aboue the same worde I aunswere that the place of the Actes touching that which the Apostles determined in the Councell whiche they helde in Ierusalem is ill vnderstood and yet more ill applied to fetch and drawe from it such a consequence For the Church after the Apostles hath not established any thing against the decree of the Apostles in that they haue suffered Christians to vse and eate blood and that that is strangled For the decree of the Apostles was made set vp and published for a time onely and therefore it ought to ende The Church in the time of the Apostles was builded as well of the Gentiles as of the Iewes Some weake ones amongest the Iewes thought that they were yet bounde in their consciences to the obseruation of the lawe of Moses that is to say to the ceremonies thereof The Gentiles on the other side strengthening themselues with that Christian libertie which Iesus Christe hath brought vnto vs woulde without any difference vse all manner of meates and so amongst the rest blood and that that was strangled Wherevpon the Apostles least that so free a vse of blood and of that that was strangled might breede and bring some offence to the weake Iewes determined and decreed in their Councell that euerie one shoulde abstaine from such meate for a time til that they might see a good agreement peace betweene these two peoples Now afterwardes the feare of such an offence beeing taken away the Church iudged that the obseruation and keeping of the said decree was not any more necessarie or any longer needefull and therefore respecting the intent and purpose of the Apostles gaue libertie to the faithfull to vse all kinde of meates or els to speake better did by the word of God declare vnto them the libertie that they had to vse all maner of meates without in any thing altering changing the intent purpose of the Apostles when they made and established the foresaide decree not being appointed and set vp by thē but for a time onely And thus much touching the reasons of the Romish CatholikS who affirme that the certaintie truth of the word of God doth depend of the iudgement and authoritie of the Church Beholde nowe our reasons to the contrary The first is this The certaintie of the church dependeth vppon the authoritie of Gods word It followeth then that the contrary cannot bee true to wit that the certaintie of the worde of God shoulde depende vpon the authoritie of the Churche Nowe wee proue the antecedent or former proposition by that which the holie Ghost saith Ephe. 2.20 that the Churche is builded vppon the foundation and doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles Whereupon it followeth that the Church dependeth vpon the authoritie of the same doctrine And heereunto belong the sentences of the ancient doctors which wee haue cited and quoted before in the third Chapter by which this is shewed and proued that the Church is marked declared and knowne by the holy scriptures The second reason The holy scripture being giuen by inspiration of God 2. Tim. 3.16 as S. Paule saith hath the authoritie from it selfe as we haue declared in the beginning of this Chapter in answering the first reason of the Romish Catholikes wherein we haue followed the iudgement of Alfonsus de Castro It followeth then that it taketh not credite or authority from the Church neither more not lesse than the edict and lawe of the King which hath the authoritie it hath from it selfe that is to say frō the king from whom it proceedeth and commeth and not from the Parliament to which it is sent although that the same bee allowed praysed yea and expounded sometimes by the saide parliament The thirde reason If the word of God ought to be heard aboue the Church then certainly it doth not hang of the authority of the Church but that the worde of God ought to be heard aboue the Church it appeareth by this which S. Paule saith that it ought to be heard aboue the Apostles Gal. 1.8 yea the Angels them selues Wherefore it followeth that the word of God doth not hang of the authoritie of the Church The fourth reason Aug. cont Max. lib. 3. cap. 14. Saint Augustine openly declareth that the holy scripture is aboue the Councels and so by consequent aboue the churche represented by Councels For writing to Maximinus the Arrian touching the worde Homousios that is to say consubstantiall or of the selfe same substance together with the father whiche word was confirmed by the coūcel of Nice and on the other side disallowed by the councel of Ariminum in the time of the Emperour Constantine he saith thus Now I haue not to vse or alleadge the Councel of Nice neither thou the Councel of Ariminum to preuaile thereby one of vs against another For as I am not bound to the Councel of Ariminum so art not thou bound to the Councel of Nice We haue the authority of the scriptures which are not partiall or particular witnesses for the one or for the other but are commō witnesses to both of vs. Let vs therefore by them dispute and reason of the matter in controuersie betweene vs. CHAP. XIIII Of the discipline of the Church NOW wee must speake of the Ecclesiasticall discipline in which notwithstanding wee wil be briefe short because there is of this matter a verie large sufficient treatie extant alredie which may satisfie and content all good mindes and is intituled The confirmation of the ecclesiastical Discipline The confirmation of the Ecclesiasticall discipline obserued in the reformed Churches of the kingdome of France And also hee that will reade the Institution of M. Caluin Caluin li. 4. inst Beza in cōfes fidei specially in his
a moment and twinckling of an eye make them to fall backwarde to the earth yea and cast them headlong to the depth or bottome of hell O that tyrants persecutors would thinke well of these matters But what What should a man do to hard hartes and to blinde eies The wicked become more proude through the prosperitie which they haue in this world as though that no punishmente for their cruelties were perpared for them It fareth with them as with Dionisius the tyraunt who after hee had spoyled and robbed a Temple went to the Sea and seeing hee had a good winde beganne to say that the Gods fauoured Churche robbers or spoylers of Temples So likewise these men when they behode that their offences remaine vnpunished and that their villanies and wickednesses are not corrected immediately they giue themselues ouer to worke wickednesse outragiously and to conclude in their carnall and fleshly vndestanding that there is no iudgemente of GOD at all and that hee hath no punishmentes readie and prepared for their iniquities But as the holye Scripture determineth and pronounceth the quite and cleane contrarie so ordinary and common experience of the examples of Gods wrath doeth sufficientlye shewe vnto vs that when God spareth the wicked persecutors of his people for a time and maketh as though hee seemed not to looke vpon their extortions outrages and violences it is not because hee is fauourable vnto them neither because hee reacheth them his hande and helpeth them for it cannot otherwise bee but that one day as hee is a iuste iudge hee will giue vnto the enemies of his glorie and the good and saluation of his Children suche recompence and hyre as they shall haue deserued first in this life if it bee expedient that they may shamefully and wickedly ende their dayes and afterwardes in the other worlde that they may vtterly perishe if they repent and amend not in this life and may bee tormented eternally in Hell fire where there is nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth FINIS ¶ A Table conteining the principall matters handeled in this present booke A AFflictions and the causes thereof Pag. 333. c. Afflictions of the Church Pag. 274. Afflictions of the Church and the ends which God respecteth therein Pag. 340. c. Afflictions of the Church increase when the deliuerance thereof is high Pag. 325. Afflictions of the Churche is alwaies ordered and gouerned by Gods hande Pag. 321. Afflictions come not without the prouidence of God Pag. 318. Afflictions their issue in respect of the faithfull Pag. 345. Afflictions and their issue in respect of the persecutors Pag. 357. Auncients Pag. 133. Antiochus Pag. 359. Apostles Pag. 128. Archbishops Pag. 69 144. Aurelian Pag. 304. 372. Augustine and in what sense hee saide that hee woulde not beleeue the Gospell without the authoritie of the church Pag. 222. Auncient fathers did not acknowledge the Bishop of Rome for Pope Pag. 92. c. B BAptisme of the Romane Church Pag. 115. Bishop Pag. 69. 133. 143. Bishop vniuersal is a title of Antichrist when it is giuen to men Pag. 94. C CAlling see vocation Cardinals Pag. 146. Censures Pag. 247. Censures three ends thereof Pag. 252. Censures of the Churche must bee applied with out respect of persons Pag. 255. Chaplines Pag. 140. Councels Pag. 202. Consistorie Pag. 241. Corrections and censures Pag. 257. Curates Pag. 142. Church whence it commeth Pag. 2. Church how many waies taken Pag. 2. Churche whiche is true hath two susbstantiall markes Pag. 15. Church and her continuance Pag. 55. Church and her head is Iesus Christ alone Pag. 68. Churche and her holinesse Pag. 184. Churche compared to a palme tree roses lilies and to a vine Pag. 332. Olde Churche of Rome what a one it was according to Ter tullian his iudgement Pag. 106. Church Catholike is one alone Pag. 11. Church catholike and inuisible what it is Pag. 7 Church distinguished into three sortes Pag. 4. Churche in what sense called the piller and grounde of truth Pag. 200. Church in what sense saide to bee without spot or wrinckle Pag. 189. Church whether aboue the Scripture Pag. 213. Church whether more olde then the scripture Pag. 220. Church must not be iudged by the great number Pag. 58. Church whether it may erre Pag. 197. Church why called catholike Pag. 9. Church why saide to bee inuisible Pag. 12. Churche represented by a bright lampe or fire brand in the middest of a burning or smoking furnace Pag. 330. Church represented by the burning bush Pag. 330. Church of Rome hath not the markes of the true church Pag. 19. Church of Rome is not the true churche Pag. 102. Church of Rome hath not true vnitie Pag. 113. Church increaseth in the middest of persecutions Pag. 330. Church visible what it is Pag. 14. D DEcius Pag. 299. 370. Deacons Pag. 136. Diaconisses Pag. 244. Dioclesian Pag. 305. 373. Discipline necessarie in the Church Pag. 235. Discipline incrocheth nothing vpon the magistrate Pag. 237. Doctors Pag. 132. Domitian Pag. 283. 365. Donation of Constantine to Siluester Pag. 87. E EVangelistes Pag. 130. ExcoÌ„munication 3 endes thereof Pag. 235. Exposition of Scriptures and two principles necessarie therein Pag. 20. Elders Pag. 135. G GAlerius Pag. 376. Galien Pag. 30â— God deliuereth his Church out of afflictions when it is time Pag. 327. God why hee afflicteth rather his church then other people Pag. 319. God why he sendeth not succour to his church so soone as it is afflicted Pag. 323. H HEad of the Church is Iesus Christe alone Pag. 68. Herode Agrippa Pag. 362. Herode Antipas Pag. 392. Herode the great Pag. 360. High or chiefe Bishop Pag. 97. Holinesse of the church vnperfect Pag. 187. I IGnorance excuseth not Pag. 125. Iulian the apostata Pag. 313. 377. K Keyes in the Church and the vse thereof Pag. 79. L Lawes Ecclesiasticall Pag. 258. M MArcus Aurelius Pag. 293. 35â— Maximianus Herculien Pag. 305. 373. Maximinus Pag. 297 369. Metropolitanes Pag. 69. 144. 149. Ministerie and howe much shoulde bee giuen thereto Pag. 179. Ministerie of the worde ordeined by God for our weakenesse sake Pag. 177. Ministerie necessarie in the Churche Pag. 160. Ministers considered after two sortes Pag. 180. Ministers of the Churche and their degrees or orders Pag. 128. Myracles are not sufficient to proue a calling Pag. 53. Multitude maketh nothing at al for the church Pag. 58. N Nero. Pag. 184. 364. O Orders of the Pope his Cleargie Pag. 139. P POpe Pag. 79. 152. Pope and his blasphemies Pag. 75. Popes two at Rome at one time Pag. 91. Pastors Pag. 131. Patriarkes Pag. 69. 149. Paule shoulde rather bee taken for Pope then Saint Peter Pag. 100. Persecutions of the Church Pag. 274. Persecutions of the Church tenne greate and generall and a discourse thereof Pag. 279. Persecutions come not without Gods prouidence Pag. 318. Persecution the first vnder Nero. Pag. 283. Persecution the second vnder Domitian Pag. 283. Persecution the third vnder Traian Pag. 284. Persecution the fourth vnder Marcus Aurelius Pag. 293. Persecution the fift vnder Seuerus Pag. 296. Persecution the sixt vnder Iulian Maximinus Pag. 298. Persecution the seuenth vnder Decius Pag. 299. Persecution the eight vnder Valerian and Galien Pag. 302. Persecution the nienth vnder Aurelian Pag. 304. Persecution the tenth vnder Dioclesian and Maximianus Pag. 305 Pharao Pag. 358. Peter whether hee were Bishop of Rome is vncertaine Pag. 98. Peter was not the head of the Church Pag. 71. Pilate Pag. 363. Pontifex or high Bishop Pag. 97. Predecessours of ours who died in the faith of the Romane church whether saued or condemned Pag. 126. Priâ—stes Pag. 140. Prophetes Pag. 129. Parsons Pag. 158. S SAbaoth changed to the Sunday Pag. 228. Sanctitie or holinesse of the Churche is vnperfect Pag. 18â— Sanctification howe wrought in vs. Pag. 186. Sanctification and three degrees of it Pag. 169. Saincts in what sense wee are called Pag. 185. Sennacherib Pag. 358. Seuerus Pag. 296. 269. Succession and three sortes thereof Pag. 26. Succession to what ende and in what sense the auncient Doctors vsed an argument taken therefrom Pag. 28. Succession personall hath some times had a breache in the seate of Rome Pag. 35. Succession and calling of persons Pag. 24. T TRaian 284 356. Teachers Pag. 132. V VAlens the Emperor Pag. 314. 378 Valerian Pag. 362. 371. Vicars Pag. 140. Vnitie in verity is not in the Romish church Pag. 113 Vocation of Pastors three things necessarie therein Pag. 39. Vocation ordinarie and extraordinarie Pag. 47. FINIS ☜ Imprinted at London at the three Cranes in the Vintree by Thomas Dawson for Thomas â—â—an 1582.
Wherefore whatsoeuer we shall finde in them conformable and agreeable to the proportion of faith and agreeing with the authoritie of the holy scriptures wee ought to receiue the same without any scruple or doubt But if they propound vnto vs and set out thinges contrarie to that we ought and we may without any difficultie or danger reiect and refuse them as suspected and dangerous doctrines For as Saint Ierome hath sometimes saide HieroÌ„ in 9. cap. Ierem. Wee ought not to followe the errors of our fathers and predecessors but the authoritie of the scriptures and the commandement of God Who teacheth vs. Gerson par 1. de exam doctrin Abbas Panormita Epist de electia one elect potest cap. 5. Whereupon also Gerson and Panormitan haue concluded that in matters which concerne faith the Pope and his Bishops may not determine and decree anye thing against the worde of God and that if a generall councell shoulde come so far as to decline and goe aside either through malice or through ignorance of the Gospell a simple man alleadging in that councell the worde of God ought rather to bee heard and yeelded vnto then all they Let vs enter or come nowe to our aduise and let vs bring foorth and alledge our reasons to prooue that the Churche may erre The first reason is this That great companie of the people of Israel which was in the wildernesse with whome GOD had made a couenant and had made them bounde vnto him by an infinite number of benefites and good turnes had giuen vnto them Sacraments and Ceremonies which were as it were visible signes of his grace that great companie I say was a very goodly and a very excellent Churche But they were vilely deceaued and erred fowly when forsaking the commaundement they made vnto themselues a golden calfe offering and giuing vnto it that honor which was due to God alone yea and Aaron himselfe the high priest did not so constantly and boldly withstande them as he ought but rather consented thereto indeede wherefore it followeth that the church may erre and be deceiued The second reason The Church in olde time did offer and giue the holy Supper to little infants staying and grounding themselues vpon the place of Saint Iohn Except yee eate the fleshe of the sonne of Man Iohn 9.15 drinke his blood yee haue no life in you And this custome was in vse in the time of pope Innocent Saint Cyprian and Saint Augustine as it appeareth by their writinges But nowe this is not any more vsed for children whiche can not prooue and examine them selues are not at this day receiued to the partaking of the Sacrament Wherefore the Churche in olde time hath erred or els it erreth now But if we would answere that the Churche hath power and authoritie to chaunge suche customes and manners I replie to the contrarie for now the question is not heere of a thing indifferent in the vse but of the worde of God which is alwayes constant and not subiect to any change as to say that to day it hath one sense and vnderstanding to morrow another wherefore if the place of S. Iohn commaunde to giue the supper to little infants of necessitie as the forenamed ancient fathers haue vnderstood and expounded the same the Church hath â—one well in time heretofore to follow that commandement and at this time it erreth in not following it any longer Or els if the said place be not to be referred properly vnto the holy Supper neither commaundeth to distribute and giue the sacrament to infants but it is of necessitie required that he to whom wee must administer the saide sacrament haue knowledge to trie and examine himselfe according to Saint Paules doctrine 1. Cor. 1.2 as indeede this is the pure and only truth it followeth then that the Churche hath in former time erred to admit little infants to the holy supper and that at this day it doth well to practise the contrary The third reason If the Churche coulde not erre Saint Paule had without cause feared 1. Cor. 11.28 least the Corinthians whome he calleth a Church shoulde through the subtiltie of the serpent bee corrupted 2. Cor. 11.3 and turned away from the simplicitie that is in Christ And indeede in vaine shoulde hee haue called the assemblies of the Corinthians and Galathians Gala. 1.2 Churches which yet notwithstanding erred in doctrine in faith in manners and in life But Saint Paule did nothing of all this without cause or in vaine otherwise Saint Paule himselfe should haue beene deceiued wherefore it followeth that the Churche may erre The fourth reason Those that cannot erre haue no neede of the forgiuenesse of sinnes but the Churche hath neede of the forgiuenes of sinnes for Iesus Christ giuing it a forme of praier hath commanded it to demaund and aske of God Mat. 6.12 forgiuenesse of their sinnes Wherefore it followeth that the Church may erre The fift reason The Church which was in olde time in Ierusalem was oftentimes reproued of error by the Prophetes which thing declareth that the Church is not in this worlde without will and deed to erre But to the end I may not be ouerlong in recyting by peecemeale and as it were one by one all the sentences which make mention of the falles of the Churche let men reade that whiche is written thereof in these places Touching the corruption of the church see Isaiah 1. verse 21. to the 24. verse Isaiah Isaiah 3. ver 8.9 Isaiah 5.13 Isaiah 30. verse 9. to the 13. ver Isaiah 59. ver 2. vnto the 17. ver Isai 64. ver 6.7 Iere. 2 ver 5. Ieremiah to the end of the Chap. Iere. 3. ver 2.3.20 Iere. 4. ver 22. Ieremiah 5. ver 1. vnto the 15. ver and afterwards from the 19. ver to the end of the Chapter Iere. 6. ver 7. vnto the 11. ver Ieremiah 8. ver 4. vnto the 11. ver Ieremiah 9. ver 3. vnto the 17. ver Ieremiah 13. verse 10. vnto the 15. verse Ieremiah 22. euen vnto the end Ieremiah 16. ver 11.12 Ieremiah 18. ver 13. vnto the 18. ver Ezechiel 5. ver 6. vnto the 12. Ezechiel ver Ezechiel 22. ver 3. vnto the end of the Chapter Ezechiel 33. ver 24. vnto the 30. Deutro ver Deuteronomie 32. ver 5.6.32.33 Touching the ingratitude and vnthankfulnesse of the Church see Isaiah 1. ver 2.5 Isaiah Isaiah 5.47 Isaiah 43. ver 21. vnto the end of the chapter Isaiah 17. ver 10.11 Ieremiah Ezechiel Zachariah Deuteron Hosea Isaiah 63. ver 9.10 Ierem. 2. ver 6.9.21.22 Ieremiah 12. ver â— Ezechiel 16. ver 15. vnto the 24. ver Zachariah 11. ver 8. vnto the ende of the Chapter Deuteronomie 32. ver 15.18.23 Hosea 12. ver 1.9 Hosea 13. ver 6. Malachie 1. ver 2.8 Touching the obstinacie and rebellion of the Church Isaiah see Isaiah 1. ver 5. vnto the 7. ver Isaiah â— ver