corruptions as may partly appeare by the Abridgement of the Ministers of Lincolne Dyocesse The Protestant Authour of the Aduertisement testifieth h Aduertisemēt an 1604 The Bible is peruerted in 848. places in the old Testament The English Protestant Bible is inferior to the Turkes Alcaron And so Christianity is denyed in England by publike authority Therefore most justly might his Majesty say in the publike conference i Conference pag. 46. That he could neuer yet see a Bible well translated into English but the worst of all he thought the Geneua to be Chapter 6. The true lawfull and juridicall exposition of Scriptures is in the Roman Church and not with Protestants THE true and vvarranted exposition of Scriptures is absolutely proued before to belong to the true Church of Christ and the Roman Church For this place D. Field vvriteth thus a Field lib. 4. c. 19. pa. 134. We confesse that neither conference of places nor consideration of the Antecedentia and Consequentia nor looking into the originals are of any force vnlesse we finde the thinges which we conceiue to be vnderstood and meant in the places interpreted to be consonant to the rule of faith And this rule of faith as he further teacheth b page 242. must be tryed either by the generall practise of the Church the renowmed of all ages or the Pastors of an Apostolike Church vvhich as the vvorld can vvitnesse no Protestant can make clayme vnto Therefore as D. Couell vvriteth c Couell def of Hooker pag. 85. Doctrines deriued exhortations deducted interpretations agreeable are not the word of God And yet these be the groundes of Protestant religion and those vvhereupon their pretended faith and justification it selfe vvith them dependeth Although D. Field thus againe condemneth it d Field p. 226 Priuate interpretation is not so proposed and vrged as if they would binde all others to receiue it Therefore he assigneth e page 228. three kindes of interpretation and judgement One of discretion common to all the other of direction in the Pastours of the Church and a third of jurisdiction proper to them that haue supreame power in the Church And this third hee only acknowledgeth in the Bishops assembled in a generall Councell which as he teacheth may interpret the Scripture and by their authority suppresse all them that gaine-say such interpretation and subject euery man that shall disobey such determinations as they consent vpon to excommunication and censures of like nature Hitherto his vvordes Nowe that there neither hath beene nor possibly can bee any generall Councell among Protestants none clayming further jurisdiction then their owne temporall Terrytories it is both apparant to all and acknovvledged f Relation of relig cap. 47. in expresse vvordes by the Protestant Relator of religion And yet besides D. Field recited before D. Sutcliffe g Sutcl subuers pa. 119. D. Morton h Morton epist dedicat 2. part Apol. lib. 4. 2. part Apol. pa. 340 cap. 18. M. Willet i Willet Antilog and the rest acknowledge ordinarily that a generall Councell hath the highest and binding judgement And although M. Willet doth say k Willet prefat Engl. Antilog pag. 71. 120. That in England the temporall Prince is Gouernour ruler chiefe ouerseer and steward of the Church to whose judgement and redresse the reformation of religion belongeth Yet he addeth l Pag. 150. 43. supr Neither he nor their Church hath any priuiledge from errour But plainely protesteth m Willet prefa to the reader in Antilo They must take out a newe lesson and learne to reforme their erroneous conceits And more then this is generally taught and confessed among them of which hereafter For this time and place I will only make exemplification of D. Doue his graunt and confession vvhich followeth in these vvordes n D. Doue perswas pag. 31. When the Masse was first put downe King Henry had his English Lyturgie and that was judged absolute without exception but when King Edward came to the Crowne that was condemned and an other in the place which Peter Martir and Bucer did approue as very consonant to Gods word When Queene Elizabeth beganne her raigne the former was judged to be full of imperfections and a newe was deuised and allowed by the consent of the Clergie but about the middle of her raigne we grewe weary of that booke and great meanes haue beene wrought to abandon that and establish an other which although it was not obtayned yet we doe at the least at euery change of Prince change our booke of common prayers we be so wanton that we knowe not what we would haue Hitherto his wordes and he freely confesseth errours in all these states and changes Yet this flitting from errour to errour finding no center hath beene so grieuous euen to some Protestants that the Suruey of the booke of common prayer vseth these wordes o Suruey of the commun booke pag. 159. 160. The late Archbishop of Canterbury as is credibly reported tooke such a griefe when the communion booke should haue beene altered discouered by these or like wordes good Lord when shall we knowe what to trust vnto that he presently fell into his palsey was carryed from the Court and dyed shortly after But let any man enter into a serious consideration of Protestant doctrine in this point that vnder paine of damnation vve are bound to finde and followe the truth That generall Councels as before may subject euery man disobeying their determinations to excommunication and censures of like nature the most terrible and fearefull punishment of this world And Protestants in England so seuerely punish all Catholikes for not consenting to their religion which themselues thus loade with errours and all judgements Ecclesiasticall euen generall Councels p Articul 21. anno 1562. may erre and haue erred euen in thinges pertayning vnto God as is defined in their Articles and is commonly taught and beleeued with them to excuse their errours This consideration is able to putmen not regardlesse of saluation into more then a quaking palsey Chapter 7. Traditions are of equall authority with Scripture yet proue Catholike religion THE dignity and authority of vnwritten and Apostolicall Traditions being lawfully proued was euer esteemed such that M. Wotton affirmeth a Wotton def of Perkins pag. 405. Out of all question we are bound to keepe them And telleth b page 436. That M. Perkins was of the same opinion c Field p. 134 D. Field speaketh of such Traditions in these vvordes There is no reason but these should be equall with the Scriptures For it is not the writing that giueth these thinges their authority but the worth and credit of him that deliuereth them though by word and liuely voice only He addeth also d Field p. 240 that the perpetuall Virginity of our Lady was a Tradition and only receiued by such authority and so doe other Protestants And both they
Church is still the true Church of Christ it contayneth and continueth all thinges necessary to saluation they which liue and die therein may be saued and being the true Church by the z Articul 19. 1562. Couell defen of Hooker pag. 67. ninetenth Article of Protestant religion it must needes be as before is cited a congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly ministred according to Christes ordinance in all those thinges that of necessity are requisite to the same Then seing according to his Majesties sentence a King-speach in Parliam I acknowledge the Roman Church to be our mother Church And in the publike conference his regall resolution being this b Conference at Hampton pag. 75. That no Church ought further to seperate it selfe from the Church of Rome either in doctrine or ceremony then shee hath departed from her selfe when shee was in her flourishing and best estate and from Christ her Lord and head vvhich by the testimonies before is nothing at al in any necessary question but stil it joyneth vs to Christ both by doctrine and Sacraments in this life and with glory in heauen therefore we may not forsake it in earth Chapter 3. Wherein these Protestants teach the necessity of one supreame spirituall head and commander in the Church of Christ howe S. Peter was this chiefe among the Apostles and after him his successors the Popes of Rome IF vve examine a little further the testimonies of these men whereas some vnchristian sermons and bookes haue heretofore tearmed the Bishop of Rome to be the great Antichrist and seducer of the vvorld vve shall nowe receiue a better doctrine and more religious answere That there euer was and must be one chiefe and supreame spirituall head and commander of the Church of Christ in earth That in the time of the Apostles and among them it vvas S. Peter the first Bishop of Rome And after him the Bishops and Popes of that same Apostolike See therein succeeding in that supreame binding and commanding authority D. Field citeth and approueth this a Field pag. 138. as a generall and infallible rule Ecclesiae salus in summi Sacerdotis dignitate pendet c. The health of the Church dependeth on the dignity of the high Priest whose eminent authority if it be denyed then will be so many Schismes in the Church as there be Priests then of necessity one chief supreame high Priest must be assigned in his judgement And D. Couell entreating of this spirituall and highest Monarchicall regiment and necessity thereof writeth thus b Couell against the plea of the Innocent pag. 106. We easily see that equality doth breede factions and therefore wisemen to suppresse the seedes of dissentions haue made one aboue the rest And that no man should esteeme this as an humane ordinance either prouided by Councels as some Protestants vvould perswade or giuen or graunted by Phocas the Emperor about the yeare of our Lord 607. for Boniface then Pope his successors to vse D. Downames wordes c Downame lib. 1. pag. 4. to be head of the Catholike or vniuersall Church This Protestant authour both testifieth and proueth it to be the institution of Christ himselfe and first among his Apostles of whome he speaketh thus d Couell supr pag. 106. Because in the execution of holy thinges where the persons put in trust are but men discord and disorder vsually doe breake in the wisdome of God thought it necessary that amongst them who for their ministery were equall an inequality for order and superiority to command should be graunted that by this meanes order and vnion should both be preserued in Christes Church Which if it concerne all persons and ages in the Church of Christ as surely it doth the gouernement must not cease with the Apostles And againe hee proueth this spirituall supreamacy to bee perpetuall because novve there is more neede in these times of sinne and dissentions And yet saith he e Couell supr pag. 107. It was the principall meanes to preuent Schismes and dissentions in the primatiue Church when the graces of God were farre more aboundant and eminent then nowe they are nay if the twelue were not like to agree except there had beene one chiefe amongst them for saith Saint Hierome amongst the twelue one was therefore chosen that a chiefe being appointed occasion of dissention might be preuented c. And he disputeth thus against the Puritans f Supr pag. 107. Howe can they thinke that equality would keepe all the Pastors of the world in vnity And adjudgeth this supreame spirituall power so necessary in the Church of God that he addeth Seing that all men may easily erre and that no errours are so dangerous as those which concerne religion the Church should be in a farre worse case then the meanest common-wealth nay almost then a denne of Theeues if it were destitute of meanes either to conuince heresies or to suppresse them Novve it is no great labour to define vvho vvas this chiefe and commander among the Apostles and vvho after that time vvas novve is and must continue Among the twelue Apostles I doe not remember that any Protestant preferreth any other before Saint Peter then Saint Hierome and D. Couell assuring vs that among them one was chiefe vve may conclude it of Saint Peter And this the rather because D. Sutcliffe vvriteth thus g Sutcl subuers pag. 40. Tertullian giueth the keyes only to Peter saying that the Church is built vpon him And thus D. Sutcliffe testifieth for himselfe h Supr pag. 3. Peter preached in no place but he there ordayned Bishoppes and teachers and founded Churches vvhich in his booke against D. Kellison he i Sutcliffe against Kellison pag. 105. maketh an argument of supreamacy D. Field telleth vs from Scripture k Field p. 196 That Christ promised to build his Church vpon Saint Peter Then no Christian vvill doubt except hee vvill doubt of Christes truth and promises but it vvas so performed Concerning the supreamacie of the Church of Rome his Majesty before acknowledgeth it to be our mother Church and it was a rule Kings speach confer sup to all both in doctrine and ceremonies when it was in her flourishing and best estate D. Couell writeth thus l Couell def of Hooker The Church of Rome was the chiefe and only Church M. Ormerod m Ormer pict pap pag. 184. calleth it the eye of the West in vvhich diuision England is and the anker of piety M. Downame graunteth n Downame l. 2. Antich pag. 105. it was a note of a good Christian to cleane vnto the Roman Apostolicall Church And thus both they D. Sutcliffe o Sutcl epist dedicat of subuers and pag. 89. D. Field p Field of the Church c. and the rest doe ordinarily yeeld that it continued vntill the yeare of Christ six hundred and
conference vvhereby the ground of Protestants denying these bookes by S. Hieromes opinion as D. Doue hath witnessed is vtterly ouerthrowne D. Couell answereth p Couell against Burges pag. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. the objections against Burges the Puritan in particuler as Catholikes doe and sheweth that these bookes haue vvithout cause beene accused of faults by Protestants only to denie them to be Canonicall as Catholikes hold He addeth further thus They are most true and might haue there concilement of other Scriptures And againe in these vvordes q Couell supr pag. 87. If Ruffinus be not deceiued they were approued as parts of the old Testament by the Apostles For when S. Hierome write so scornefully of the history of Susanna and the song of the three children he chargeth him therein to haue robbed the treasure of the holy Ghost and diuine instrument which the Apostles deliuered to the Churches And S. Hierome who is not vsually slowe to defend himselfe leaueth that point vnanswered pretending that what he had spoken was not as his owne opinion but what the Iewes objected And for his paines in translating the booke of Iudith vvhich the Protestants denie he giueth this reason because we reade that the Councell of Nice did reckon it in the number of holy Scriptures Hitherto D. Couels vvordes And much like vnto this of Ruffinus he citeth r pag. 76. 77. from S. Augustine S. Cyprian and others temporibus Apostolorum proximis in the next age to the Apostles Objection And if any man shall object against me that ſ Art 6. Syn. Lond. 1562. the sixt Article of the English Protestant religion excepteth against these bookes and leaueth them forth of the Canon of Scriptures t Answere I answere this proueth nothing but to proue their religion to be contradictory and vnpossible to be true For the bookes of Communion and Homilies as before authorized aswell by those Articles as the statute of Queene Elizabeth and the late Protestant Canons receiue cite and practise them for Canonicall Againe that sixt Article is contradictory to it selfe in this point and so of no authority by Protestants themselues for it only approueth for Canonicall Scriptures to vse the wordes of the Article u Articul 6. supr Those Canonicall bookes of the old and newe Testament of whose authority was neuer any doubt in the Church in the name of holy Scriptures these we vnderstand And yet these Protestants doe tell vs x Willet Synops q. 1. of Script pag. 2. 3. edit anno 1594. that all Scriptures haue beene doubted off by one Church or other But to contaynemy selfe vvithin my time of limitation I vvill only cite the Bishop of Winchester he writeth thus y B. Bilson suruey of Christs sufferings pag. 664. The Scriptures themselues were not fully receiued in all places no not in Eusebius time He saith the Epistle of Iames of Iude the second of Peter the second and third of Iohn are contradicted Thè Epistle to the Hebrewes was contradicted the Churches of Syria did not receiue the second Epistle of Peter nor the second and third of Iohn nor the Epistle of Iude nor the Apocalipse the like might be said for the Churches of Arabia Will you hence conclude that these parts of Scripture were not Apostolike or that we neede not receiue them nowe because they were formerly doubted off Hitherto B. Bilsons vvordes By which it both appeareth by Protestants howe their Article doth contradict it selfe And I may conclude vvith the Protestants before that all bookes which the Roman Church receiueth for Scripture be Canonicall and most holy Whereby it is too manifest what a grounded religion that Protestancy is which hath excluded so long time so many bookes of Scripture and so many Articles of faith prayer for the dead patronage of Saints and Angels prayers vnto them and the like And yet would pretend that their religion is only founded vpon the word of God in Scripture Chapter 5. The vulgar Latin translation of Scriptures vsed by the Roman Church is best the English Protestant translations are erroneous NEXT to the Canon and Text of Scriptures let vs entreate of their translations both as they are vsed in the Roman Church and the English Protestants And first concerning the vulgar Latin allowed among Catholikes D. Doue writeth thus a Doue perswasion p. 16 We Protestants graunt it fit that for vniformity in quotations of places in schooles and pulpits one Latin text should be vsed and we can be contented for the antiquity thereof to preferre the old vulgar translation before all other Latin bookes so much we doe yeeld to the Councell of Trent And D. Couell entreating of translations of Scripture against Burges the Puritan answereth in these wordes b Couell against Burges pag. 94. We are ready to confesse whether you vnderstand the Italian or that which goeth vnder the name of S. Hierome that they were vsed anciently in the Church a thousand and three hundred yeares agoe one of them by S. Augustine preferred before all the rest the other highly commended by Beza and that of the vulgar though with Pagnin and Driëdo we thinke it was not S. Hieromes but mixt yet we can be content to say as Isodore doth of it interpretatio eius this translation is to be preferred before others Hitherto his owne wordes And if M. Couell Doue and other Protestants well consider the judgement of the Councell of Trent in this question and the preface to the Bible of Xistus quintus they shall perceiue the intent of the holy Councell being only to approue that Latin translation vsed a thousand and three hundred yeares since in the Church as D. Couell telleth vs when it was in the flourishing and best estate and so to be reuerenced by Protestants judgement before and not to reject either the Greeke in the newe or Hebrewe Text of the old Testament Touching other translations D. Couell writeth c Couel supr pag. 94. No translation whatsoeuer is authenticall Scripture And D. Doue addeth d Doue persw pag. 16. All translations haue many faultes M. Burges in his Apologie writeth thus of the approued English Protestant translation e Burges Apolog pa. 93. in D. Couels answere It is a translation which hath many omissions many additions which some-times obscureth some-times peruerteth the sence being some-time senselesse some-times contrary And D. Couell in his answere acknowledgeth so farre faults in their translation that he requireth a better to be established The 22. Preachers of London write of the translation only in the communion booke in this manner f Petit. of 22. preachers except 11. against the com booke It contayneth in it diuers corrupt translations of Scriptures by leauing out of wordes putting too of wordes peruerting the meaning of the holy Ghost The Suruey of the booke of common prayer addeth g Suruey of the booke of com prayer pag. 160. There be many grosse
Synopsis and Antilogie he reproueth d Parkes sup pag. 7. 10. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. def of the 3. test sect 16. c. and disalloweth telling vs that in them he deceiueth the world belyeth Bellarmine and Catholike writers And he is as bold with his Majesty calling his sentence e Parkes sup pag. 28. that the Roman Church is our mother Church a foolish conceite and imagination And no meruaile vvhen he is as familiar vvith the holy Scriptures themselues as this Protestant writeth thus f Parkes sup defence of the 1. 2. 3. test He strangely peruerteth belyeth depraueth abuseth much abuseth falsifyeth holy Scriptures M. Ormerod hath vvritten a booke expresly against the Puritans intituling the same the picture of a Puritan condemning them of Idolatry Heresies Schisme And yet to shewe vvhat credit there is in these men and vvhat trust to their doctrine himselfe is so farre a Puritan in judgement and in the maine article vvhich cost the Bishoppe of Winchester such paines that he is not only at defiance with all Fathers g Ormero paganopapist pag. 44. but compareth the Article and beleefe of Christes descending into hell to the fable of Hercules fayned to goe thither and featch from thence Theseus Pyrithous and Cerberus the great Dogge of hell with three heades Next let vs come to M. Middleton in this manner he vvriteth h Middleton Papistomast pag. 40. The credit of men is but a sandy foundation to build vpon And hauing told S. Epiphanius i page 27. that he lost the booke of the Apostles constitutions out of his bosome which he cited haeres 45. He addeth k page 45. I must craue leaue to say of Epiphanius many assertions he counted for heresies which were not heresies many assertions he counted not heresies which are heresies And al this because he condemneth diuers Protestant points of heresie and justifieth the contrary for Catholike doctrine Againe thus of Dionisius the Arëopagite l page 49. Denis his answere is short-heeld ready to fall backe because he teacheth prayer for the dead And where S. Ambrose teacheth the doctrine of transubstantiation M. Middleton telleth vs m page 61. He is guilty of presumptuous and desporate blasphemy He scoffeth n page 64. at S. Chrysostome and teacheth him howe to speake for teaching the doctrine of prayer for the dead And againe he vseth this mocke against him for calling it an Apostolicall Tradition o page 66. Well might Chrysostome say the Apostles knewe what profite redounded to the dead by prayer for them for himselfe knewe not And thus in generall p page 133. The Fathers sometime went beyond the bondes of sobriety in the doctrine of chastity q page 134. The Fathers are not fit judges to determine either of Priests marriage or vowes of chastity And for this doctrine thus he writeth of S. Ambrose r page 135. That man hath the Apostaticall Dragon the Diuell dwelling in him And so he will send Ambrose away with his Quietus est Å¿ page 137 Chrysostome is so hotte in his amplifications that he forgets himselfe t page 138. Chrysostome in his vehemency goeth beyond measure in reprehending and the Christians of his time in their lightnesse went beyond measure in vowing u page 141. The Canons which Epiphanius citeth against Priests marriage are Apocryphall x page 143. He was to partiall affected in this matter y page 144. The ancient Fathers did erre and we dissent from them in some points of doctrine z page 156. Augustine was a most subtile disputer yet a quicke wit soonest falleth into contradiction a page 161. Neither is Hilary howesoeuer the Romish Church hath made him a Saint ouer hastily to be receiued b p. 179. 180. Ireneus Hilary and Epiphanius for defending free will are Pelagian Heretikes It is written against the Bishop of Winchester who in the beginning of this Chapter gaue such reuerence to the Fathers in these wordes by his Puritan opposite c B. Bilsons Suruey p. 84. Al this great shewe of cleauing to the Fathers judgement is but coloured in you For in other points againe we see when they speake not to your liking the case is altered You forsake the ancient and learned Fathers you contemne and dispise them d page 85. You affirme against all the Fathers e 98. You little regard the second doctrine of the Fathers Hitherto the Puritant against the Protestants nowe let vs heare the Protestants against the Puritans This Protestant Bishoppe intituleth one Treatise thus f pa. 98. supr The defendors disdaine of the Fathers Others g p. 274. 275. wrested and leudly falsifyed And againe h Prefa to the King supr They condemns all the Fathers Greeke and Latin 〈◊〉 conspiring against the truth and peruerting the Scriptures This is too much of this distasting matter they vvhich would see more particulers may finde them applyed in my particuler questions hereafter The 10. Chapter or Conclusion of the generall questions or rules in religion WHEREFORE seing vve Catholikes of England are only or principally vrged moued and sollicited by the present Protestant Doctors Diuines and Teachers of this Kingdome to forsake that religion and Church wherein we liue a thing not to be desired by them or effected by vs without instruction of the truth if we were in errour as the Bishop of Durham sufficiently preached a Serm. of the B. of Durbam 19. Mart. 1603. cit K. speach in parl before his Majesty the first day of his first Parliament we earnestly and humbly desire that those miseries vvhich we haue so long hitherto suffered as they be forgiuen by vs so they may be sufficient vnto them which nowe doe teach direct and instruct vs rather to continue our faith and religion as the most certaine secure and ready way of saluation For they haue instructed vs in their latest vvritings that the Church of Rome is the true Church of Christ where saluation is to be had wherein so many Princes Prelates Doctors and of all degrees haue beene glorious Saints The greatest agents for the Pope The crownes and fore-tops of all Popery as M. Middleton b Middleton Papistomass pag. 127. pleaseth to name S. Thomas Aquinas were most renowmed their doctrine excellent and secure That the Catholikes opinion generally receiued of the Popes spirituall preeminence was euer claymed euen from Scripture â—nd practised by the Apostolike Roman See ouer the whole Christian world from the time of S. Peter to these our dayes That all bookes vvhich that Church receiueth for Canonicall Scriptures are most true deliuered for such by the Apostles reuerenced for such in the Church and Protestants objections against them be friuoulous and confuted That the true and best translation of these holy Scriptures with the lawfull supreame and binding exposition of them together vvith Apostolicall Traditions equall in authority to those holy writings the generall Councels and Ancient Holy Learned primatiue Fathers giue absolute testimony that the present Roman Church is that company of holy ones that house-hold of faith that spouse of Christ and Church of the liuing God which is the piller and ground of truth which is so diligently take searched for whose communion we must embrace followe her directions and rest in her judgement And thus much of the first part of Protestants proofes for Catholike religion A PARIS Chez François Gueffier demeurant deuanâ— la College de Cambray M. D. C. VII THE TABLE OF THE FIRST PART OF PROTESTANT PROOFES FOR CATHOlike religion The first part entreating of the generall groundes and authorities for true religion CHAP. 1. The first Chapter teacheth by Protestants the necessity of seeking finding and following the true Church Page 7. Chap. 2. The Roman Church euer was and nowe is this true Church page 8. Chap. 3. The Bishoppe of Rome by Protestants euer was and is supreame head of the true Church page 13. Chap. 4. All those bookes which the Roman Church receiueth for Scripture and Protestants heretofore denyed for such are proued by them to be Canonicall Scriptures page 17. Chap. 5. The vulgar Latin translation of Scriptures vsed of the Roman Church is the best the English Protestant translations are erroneous page 21. Chap. 6. The truest highest authorised interpretation of Scriptures is in the Roman Church and not with Protestants page 23. Chap. 7. Traditions are of equall authority with the Scriptures and proue Catholike religion page 25. Chap. 8. The authority of generall Councels aboue all Protestant rules make for the Catholike Church page 28. Chap. 9. Likewise of the authority of Fathers page 31. Chap. 10. The conclusion of the first part page 37. THE TABLE OR ARGVMENT OF THE second part of Protestant proofes for Catholikes religion and recusancy THE particuler articles of Predestination Iustification Inherent grace Merit and reward of good deedes of keeping the Commandements Free will distinction of Precepts and Counsailes of Veniall and Mortall sinnes of Indulgences reuerence to holy Images reuerence to holy Reliques prayer to Saints and Angels publike Seruice not in the vulgar tongues Church Ceremonies Christes reall presence in the blessed Sacrament Transubstantiation Sacrifice of the Masse single life of Priests vowes of Chastity Purgatory and prayer for the Dead The number of seauen Sacraments their grace ex opere operato and an indâ—lible Character in some Sacraments All which Catholike articles are proued by the testimonies of such English Protestant Doctors and Diuines as haue written since the beginning of his Majesties raigne in England
is a Sacrament by Tradition With the ancient Father S. Basil M. Wotton d Wotton def of Perkins p. 465. 466. so assuring vs of his opinion that the very profession of our faith by which we beleeue in the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost is a Tradition With D. Ceuell e Cou. against the plea of the Innoc. p. 104. That it was an Apostolicall Tradition or Ordination to ordayne Archbishops in their Prouinces as Bishops also in their Diocesse to rule the Church With the Bishop of Winchester f B. Bilsons Suruey of Christs sufferings p. 664. against the Puritans that the Article of Christes discent to hell and the Creede wherein it is contayned is an Apostolicall Tradition deliuered to the Church by the direction and agreement of the Apostles And to conclude briefly why may not we say with the Councell of Florence cited by M. Willet g Willet Synop controuers 1. q. 7. for generall and the Patriarkes of the Apostolike Sees there present with the Councell of Constance not of vnequal authority and the Councel of Trent to passe others with six Cardinals foure Legates three Patriarkes two and thirty Archbishops two hundred twenty eight Bishops and fiue Abbots there assembled as D. Doue telleth vs that Protestancy in all points is false and Catholike religion true when no Protestant Church can shewe any one such like authority for their cause And this of necessity D. Field with his Protestants must acknowledge or freely by their recited doctrine confesse that there neither is nor can be hereafter by his rules true and certayne Scripture Tradition or Religion in the world For if we neither haue Scripture exposition of the difficulties in it or Tradition but by Tradition as he hath graunted and those only three rules to knowe them if those rules may propose vnto vs false Scriptures false expositions of their obscurities and false Traditions in matters of faith faith cannot be certayne and religion grounded vpon it is ouerthrowne Chapter 8. Of the authority and commanding highest power of generall Councels prouing the doctrine of the Roman Church IT may sufficiently be gathered by that which hath beene entreated before both that generall Councels are of highest authority in the Church of Christ and their testimony for Catholike religion Therefore to be briefe in this question concerning their chiefest judgement and preeminence first the Bishop of Winchester writeth thus a B. Bils Suruey of Christs suffer pa. 83. The authority of generall Councels is most holsome in the Church and citeth S. Augustine to that purpose D. Morton writeth b Mortō part 2. Apol. pag. 340. l. 4. c. 18 That concilium publicum est summus judex a generall Councell is highest judge The Protestant Relator of religion is of the same opinion c Relation of the state of relig cap. 47. and calleth it the only remedie in such times of controuersies about religion D. Sutcliffe hath these wordes d Sutcl subu pag. 119. Generall Councels haue souer aigne authority in externall gouernement And againe e Sutc. against D. Kellison p. 41. 42. 102. False it is that we will admit no judge but Scriptures for we appeale still to a lawfull generall Councell f Sutcl subu epist dedicat We hold all the Christian faith explaned in the six generall Councels D. Field is so cleare in this question that he telleth vs first g Field pag. 226. cap. 16. Priuate interpretations doe not binde vs nor are proposed to that purpose secondly he teacheth h Field p. 228 that only Bishops assembled in a generall Councell haue authority to interpret Scriptures and by their authority to suppresse all them that gaine-say such interpretation and subject euery man that shall disobey such determinations as they consent vpon to excommunication and censures of like nature Hitherto of the highest dignity of generall Councels Nowe let vs examine by these Protestants whether they be for them or Catholikes That they be not nor can be for Protestants thus I demonstrate from themselues The wordes of the Protestant Relator of religion are these i Relation of religion c. 47 The Protestants are seuered bandes or rather scattered troopes each drawing a diuers way without any meanes to pacifie their quarrels to take vp their controuersies No Prince with any preeminence of jurisdiction aboue the rest no Patriarke one or more to haue a common superintendance or care of their Churches for correspondency and vnity no ordinary way to assemble a generall Councell of their part the only hope remayning euer to asswage their contentions Hitherto the Relator Where vve see that first the Protestants are diuided secondly they are without any meanes of vnion in controuersies there is no jurisdiction among them no way for that which is the only hope to end contentions in religion therefore this only and highest remedie by generall Councels cannot possibly be for them except they will haue an Vnion Church Faith Truth and Religion vnpossible The same is sufficiently also proued before from D. Couell in my Chapter k Cap. 3. supr Couell against the plea of the Innoc. pag. 103. 104 105. 106 107 108. 109. of the Popes authority where he alloweth of necessity one highest chiefe spirituall commander in the Church to such purposes And shewing how before the time of Constantine there could be no pretence of any Councell to be assembled but by the spiritual authority he addeth thus l Couell supr pag. 110. The Synode of Rome in the yeare 225 called by Cornelius Pope of Rome against Nouatus consisted of threescore Bishops many others of the Clergie And further in these wordes m page 109. And after when Princes came to embrace the faith the best meanes they could deuise to procure peace and aduance religion was by their lawes to referre Ecclesiasticall causes to Ecclesiasticall judges Nowe concerning the Roman Church first the Protestant Relator of religion which hath excluded Protestants from al hope of any generall Councell writeth of the Roman Church in the same place and in these wordes n Relation of relig supr cap. 47. The other Catholikes haue the Pope as a common father aduiser and conductor to them al to reconcile their jarres to appease their displeasures to decide their difference aboue all thinges to drawe their religion by consent of Councels to vnity And this is so cleare in the judgement of al these Protestants that when they denie the authority of generall Councels they haue no pretence of excuse but because they were called by the Popes authority so D. Field o Field booke of the church D. Sutcliffe p Sutcl subu against Kellison c. M. Willet q Will. Antil and the rest And yet D. Fields argument or rule of the Pastour of an Apostolike Church the primatiue Church and holy Fathers consenting doth warrant vs that priuiledge euer belonged to the See of Rome that without