scrip Eccles. ann 290. Gregorie Nyssen his eight Bookes De Philosophia are cited by Bellarmine for Free-will yet in his Catalogue aforesaid he confesseth they seeme not to be the bookes of Gregory Nyssen Lactantius Verses are cited by Bellarmine for Adoration of the Crosse and yet he confesseth elsewhere that it is doubted whether Lactantius were the Author Bell. li 1. de ver Dei ca. 14. Nec librum illum esse Augustini vt erudit fatentur Bell. de Mis lib. 2. c. 12. Ad locum Saint Austen is cited ad Orosium by Bellarmine to prooue Ecclesiasticus Canonicall Scripture but elsewhere when he is obiected in our behalfe in that Tract hee answeres it is not Saint Austens worke as learned men confesse Iustin Martyr Bell lib de Bap c. 25. Idem lib. de Confir c. 5. Idem lib. de Euch. c. 2. Idem lib. 1. de Sanct. 1. 4 § 3. his Questions are alleadged by Bellarmine for Vnction in baptisme for the Sacrament of Confirmation for Transubstantiation but elsewhere hee declareth them to be the work of some new Authour and not the workes of Iustin Martyr Origen in his Homilies on the Gospels Lib. 2. de Euch. c. 8. lib 3. de paenit ca 7. is cited by Bellarmine for the Reall presence and his Homilies on the Psalmes he cites for Auricular confession In lib. de Script Eccles yet the one he disclaimeth as none of Origens the other he freely confesseth it is doubted of who is the Author Cassianus is cited by Bellarmine for an ancient Author Bell de Iustif l. 1. c. 13 for the poynt of Iustification Idē de bon oper cap. 2. lib. 2. and set times of fasting yet elsewhere hee acknowledgeth the booke for Apocryphall and counterfet Bell li. 6. de lib. arb ca. 4 § accedat and condemned in a Roman Councell vnder Pope Gelasius Bell li. 2. de Pont. c. 14. Eusebius his third Epistle is cited by Bellarmine for the Supremacie yet he professeth elsewhere Idem de Confirm lib. 2. c. 7. it is not certaine who is the Author thereof Hee that shall reade these and many such like authorities of pretended Fathers in behalfe of the Roman Religion might at first sight happily bee induced to beleeue that all or most of the ancient Doctors of the Church belong to them when as in truth our aduersaries vse them but as Merchants vse their Counters sometimes they stand with them for pence sometimes for pounds as they bee next and readiest at hand to make vp their account Thus one while they muster vp their forces by multitudes of authorities as if they would make that good by number which they want in weight Sometimes they condemne them as counterfet sometimes they purge them as if they were full of corruptions according to seuerall occasions they haue their seuerall deuices to produce them or auoyd them at their pleasure Si conficta historia non est vllius authoritatis Bell. lib. 2. de Pont. cap. 9. whereas if they bee counterfeit as they are confessed to bee they are of no authoritie if Catholique and Orthodoxe they make nothing for the points in Controuersie as shall bee presented in the next place SECT XI The most substantiall poynts of Roman Faith and Doctrine as they are now taught and receiued in the Church of Rome were neuer taught by the Primitiue Church nor receiued by the ancient Fathers NEither are these men content to challenge a right to all the Fathers although they confesse they are not all orthodox and true Fathers but they likewise charge vs that Sebast Flash in profess Cath. we make no more account of them then wee doe of the Turkes Alcaron or Aesops Fables Nay saith Bristow it is well known to such as heare the Protestants Sermons Bristow Mot. 14. or bee in place to heare them talke boldly and familiarly among themselues are not afrayd to confesse plainely that the Fathers are all Papists A strange and senselesse fiction deuised by these men when not onely our learned Diuines but the vulgar people are all eye-witnesses that the Booke written by the Iewel of our age is published in all the Churches of our kingdom whose challenge for the principall points of our Religion is made good and will euer remaine vnanswerable out of the Writings and Authorities of the ancient Fathers But admit some Protestants were so ignorant or senselesse as to say priuately All the Fathers were Papists what stupiditie then may we think it in the chiefe Pastors of the Romane Church which by their publike writings and open confession acknowledge the principall poynts of Controuersie yea their chiefe Articles of Faith were vnknowne to the ancient Fathers We confesse it for a truth that the ancient Fathers St. Austen S. Ambrose St. Hierome and the rest were learned men they were Instruments of Grace and Mercy we read them we reuerence them we giue God thankes for them but withall wee learne this lesson frō them Wee weigh not the writings of men August ad Fortunat. Epist 111. bee they neuer so worthy and Catholique as wee weigh the Canonicall Scriptures but yeelding that reuerence that is due vnto them Wee may mislike and refuse something in their writings if we find they haue thought otherwise then the trueth may beare and such saith Austen am I in the writings of others and such I would wish others to be in mine Saint Austen thought it no preiudice to the Romane Church nor disparagement to his own learning to haue his writings examined by the rule of Scripture Nay more saith he that which in my bookes thou thinkest to bee vndoubtedly true Quod certū non habebis nisi certum intellexeris noli firmè retinere Aug in Proae lib 3. de Trinit vnlesse thou perceiue it to bee true indeed hold it not resolutely St. Ambrose was so farre from wishing Prince or people to rely vpon his doctrine that by way of preuention hee writes to Gratian the Emperour Nolo argumento eredas sancte Imperator nostrae disputationi Scripturas interrogemus c. Ambros de Fide ad Grat l 1 c. 4 Beleeue not O Emperour our Arguments and our Disputations let vs aske the Apostles let vs aske the Prophets let vs aske Christ. Now admit a doubtfull Recusant at this day repaire for instruction to a Romish Priest or Bishop will he answer him with Austen Examine my doctrine by the rule of Scripture and if you find it not agreeable to that Word hold it not resolutely or will he answer him with Ambrose Heare not my arguments beleeue not vs that are the professed Priests and Pastors of the Church but read the Scriptures consult with the Oracles of God let Christ the Head of the Church resolue the doubts and controuersies of Religion Surely nothing is more to bee wished for by vs nothing is lesse to be hoped for from them True it is that St.
the doctrine of the Scriptures by Fathers couÌ„cels and after publication of witnesses they receiued vvarranty froÌ„ the ancieÌ„t Bish of Rome and your owne famous Councell of Trent the one commending that doctrine to the Christians of their daies which we now profess the other commanding a reformation in the RomaÌ„ church of such errours in faith maners as we condemne I will giue you instances in both Your worship of Images which you receiue as an article of faith for feare of Idolatry we haue reformed if you require warranty from the Romane Church Gregory Bishop of Rome proclaimes it to the Christians of his time Greg lib. 9. Epist 9. Let the children of the Church bee called together taught by the testimonies of holy scriptures that nothing made with hands may bee worshipped Your doctrine of Transubstantiation which you haue decreed for an Article of Faith we haue reformed if you expect warrantie from the Roman church Gelasius Bish of Rome published and professed our doctrine flat coÌ„trary to the faith of Transubst In the Sacrament is celebrated an image Gelas cont Eutych Nestor or resemblance of the body bloud of Christ and there ceaseth not to be the substance and nature of bread and wine Your halfe CoÌ„munion we haue reformed if you require warranty from the Roman Church Iulius Bish of Rome speaking of the deliuering to the people a sop dipt in vvine for the vvhole Communion tels vs De Consecrat Dist cum omne In Christs institution there is recited the deliuering of the bread by it selfe the cup by it selfe lest inordinate and peruerse deuices weaken the soundnesse of our faith These are fundamental points agreeable to the tenets of our Church and are warraÌ„ted to vs by the ancient Bishops of Rome themselues and if the Popes doctrine be infallible in points of faith which you teach and professe without doubt they may bee sufficient warranties for you to allow this Reformation I wil come neerer vnto you descend from the ancient Bishops of Rome to your late CouÌ„cell of Trent which intended wished a Reformation in faith and manners euen of those things which we haue reformed your Prayer Seruice in an vnknowne tongue we haue restored to the vnderstanding of the hearer if you expect warrantie from your ovvne Church your Councell of Trent although they reformed not this doctrine yet for the better satisfactioÌ„ and instruction of the ignorant lest say they the sheepe of Christ should thirst Conc. Trid. Sess 22. c. 8. the children craue bread and none should bee ready to giue it them it was decreed that the Priests Pastors should frequently expound and declare the mysterie of that vnknowne Seruice to the people Your superstitious ceremonies of many lights and candles and your certaine number of Masses vve haue reformed If you expect warranty froÌ„ your own Church QuarundaÌ„ verò MissaruÌ„ et CandelaruÌ„ certuÌ„ numeruÌ„ qui magis à superstitioso cultu quaÌ„ à veraÌ„ Religione inueÌ„tus est omninò ab Ecclesia remoueant Idem cap. 9. your Councell of Trent confesseth They were first inuented rather out of superstitious deuotion then true religion and therfore say they let theÌ„ be altogether remooued froÌ„ the Church Your Indulgences which are made an article of Faith we haue reformed if you expect warranty from your ovvn Church you may answere with the Fathers of the Trent CouÌ„cell Quastorum abusus vt coruÌ„ emendationi spes nulla relicta videatur c. The Popes Officers in collecting money for Indulgences gaue a scandall to all faithfull Christians which might seeme to be without hope of Reformation and therfore we haue reformed theÌ„ Ab Ecclesiis verò Musicas eas vbi siue organo siue cantus lascivuÌ„ aut impurum aliquid miscetur Your lasciuious wanton songs which are mingled with your Church Musicke vve haue reformed if you expect warrantie from your own church your owne CouÌ„cel complained of it and wished it might be reformed and they giue the reason for it Vt Domus Dei verè domus orationis esse videatur Idem ibid. That the House of God may appeare to bee the house of prayer Your Superstition your Idolatrie your Couetousness which you confesse to haue crept into the Masse by the error of time and wickednesse of men vve haue reformed if you require warrantie from your own church Ordinarii locoruÌ„ Episcopi ea omnia prohibere atque è medio tollere sedulò curent ac teneantur quae vel auaritia idoloruÌ„ seruitus vel superstitio induxit IdeÌ„ Can. 9. your CouÌ„cell decreed That the Ordinary should bee very carefull to remoue all those things which either couetousnes or worship of idols or superstition had brought in Lastly your priuate Masse we haue reformed and restored to the Communion of Priest and people if you expect warrantie from your own Church Anacletus and Calixtus both Bishops of Rome decreed that after Consecration all present should coÌ„municate Dist 1. Episcopus 2. Peracta or else bee thrust out of the Church And your late Councell of Trent although they reformed not this doctrine yet Optaret quideÌ„ sacrosancta Synodus The CouÌ„cell could wish that the people might coÌ„municat with the Priest and there they giue the reason for it Because it would be more fruitful and more profitable Sess 22. c. 6. If therefore we haue changed your Sacrifice into a Sacrament your carnal and grosse eating of Christ into a spirituall receiuing by faith your half Communion into the whole Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ your priuate Masse into the publike communion of Priest and people your adoration of Images into the true worship of God in spirit and truth your prayer and seruice in an vnknown tongue into the vulgar laÌ„guage to be vnderstood of the coÌ„moÌ„ people your lasciuious wanton songs into Dauids Psalmes we haue don nothing herein but what the Apostles what the holy Fathers what the ancient Bish of Rome taught in the first best ages and what your grand CouÌ„cell of Trent intended and wished to be reformed in this latter age Nay more since your Councell hath made seuerall Decrees for Reformation The Councel of Trent began An 1545 and ended Ann. 1563. Bell. Chro. pa. 121. 123. since they can neither plead vvant of Authority nor vvant of time during the liues of â—ight Popes and eighteen yeres continuance why they did not proceed put in execution those Decrees I hope wee shal deserue the greater thaÌ„ks from your Popes and Cardinalls for rectifying those abuses which they themselues condemned and from their owne Decrees and faire preteÌ„ces may iustly arrogate to our selues that honorable Title of Reformed Churches Giue me leaue therefore by way of counter-challenge to your Iesuit to vse the words of sobernes truth Where was your Church Trent doctrine before Luther for I call God and
noÌ„ in Conciliis EpiscoporuÌ„ noÌ„ in literis quorum libet disputatorum non in signis prodigiis fallacibus quia etiam contra ista verbo Dom. praeparati et cautired diti sumus sed in praescripto Legis in Prophetarum praedictis in Psalmorum cantibus in ipsius Pastoris vocibus in EuangelistaruÌ„ praedicationibus et laboribus hoc est in omnibus Canonicis SanctoruÌ„ librorum authoritatibus Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 16. and vpon these they challenged that great Champion but heare what answere hee makes them Let the Donatists if they can shew their Church not in rumors and speeches of the men of Africa not in the Councels of their Bishops not in discourses of any Writers whatsoeuer not in signes and miracles that may bee forged for we are forewarned by Gods word and therefore fore-armed against those things but in the prescript of the Law in the prediction of the Prophets in the verses of the Psalmes in the voices of the Shepheard himselfe in the preaching and workes of the Euangelistes that is in all the Canonicall authorities of the sacred Scriptures If Saint Austen had been liuing in these dayes either he must haue retracted this Protestant doctrine or hee would haue beene reputed for an heretique for all these marks which were anciently maintained by the Donatists are proclaimed by our aduersaries to be visible characters of the true Church neither did this learned father require more of the Donatist then the Catholiques of those times were willing to performe on their parts and therfore hee bindes himselfe to the same conditions which hee required of his aduersaries and withall renders the reason of his demand Nec nos proptareà dicimus nobis credere oportere ad in Ecclesia Christi sumê° quia ipsam quaÌ„ tenemê° commendauit Mileuitanus Optatus vel Mediolanensis Ambrosius vel alii innumerabilis nostra communionis Episcopi aut quia nostrorum Collegarum Conciliis praedicata est aut quia per totum orbem in locis sanctis qua frequentat nostra communiâ—tantâ— mirabilia fiunt Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 16. Quia nec nos propterea dicimus c. Because wee our selues doe not say wee must therefore be beleeued for that wee are in the Church of Christ or else for that Optatus and Ambrose and infinite other Bishops of our Communion haue commended the Church which wee hold or because our Church hath bin published in the Councells of our Colleagues or because in all places of the world where our Communion is frequented there are so many miracles wrought This was the doctrine of Saint Austen and the ancient Fathers and this is ours they required no more of the Donatists but to lay apart all pretended titles and relie onely vpon the word of God we offer to the Romanists no lesse then to accept the same conditions vpon triall of that title and relie only vpon that word I must confesse I thinke a more speedy way might haue been found to haue giuen an answere to the Controuersies of that age for Saint Austen might haue poynted at the Church in the West which was then as conspicuous as the Sun at Noone day hee might haue answered them it was a Citie vpon a hill which was visible to all He might haue produced the Apostle for a witnesse that her faith was published throughout the whole world he might haue confuted them with sacred Councells and Doctrine of the ancient Fathers and confirmed his trueth with the death of constant Martyrs which sealed their doctrine with their blood in the testimonie of the true faith Certainely all these proofes were pregnant in his time and he might easily haue produced them in behalfe of his Church as our aduersaries in these dayes doe for theirs but hee left these brags to these latter times and sends them to the Law to the Testimonies to the word of Christ that speaketh better things then was possible for man to vtter Ne in Ecclesia errares ne quis tibi diceret Christus est qui non est Christê° aut Ecclesia est quae non est Ecclesia audi vocem Pastoris ostendit Ecclesiam ne quis te fallat in nomine Ecclesiae Aug. Psal 69. and to that end saith hee thou mightest not erre in the Church and lest any man should say this is Christ who is not Christ or this is the Church which is not the Church heare the voyce of the Shepheard hee hath shewed thee the Church that the name of the Church may not deceiue thee The summe and substance therefore of St. Austens doctrine was this that neither Bishops nor Councels nor Miracles nor rumors of the Catholique name doe demonstrate the Church of God to be Catholique for all these are common to heretiques as well as Catholiques but the holy Scriptures which beare the testimony of Iesus they onely carry the infallible markes of his trueth In Scripturis didicimê° Christum in Scripturis didicimus ecclesiam Aug. ep 166 and in them faith hee wee haue knowen Christ in them we haue knowen the Church Neither was this the opinion of Saint Austen only for Saint Hierom tels vs that in his dayes the Church was not gone out of her limits of the holy Scriptures Non est egressa de finibus suis id est de Scripturis sanctis Hier. lib. 1. c. 1. in Mich. and from thence the timber and materialls must bee taken with which the house of wisedome is to bee built And Saint Chrysostome as a wise Master-Builder in this house gaue this Caueat to the worke-men in after ages Chrys in opere imperfecto Hom. 49. It can no way be knowen which is the true Church nisi tantummodó per Scripturas but onely by the Scriptures Non enim per alios dispositionem salutis nostra cognouimê° quam per ees per quos euangelium peruenit ad nos quod quideÌ„ tuÌ„c praeconiauerunt posteà verò per Dei voluntateÌ„ in scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum et ColumnaÌ„ fidei nostrae futurum Iâ—en advers haeres l. 3. c. 1. otherwise if they had regard to other things they should bee offended and perish and not vnderstand which is the true Church And lastly the learned Father Irenaeus assures vs Non per alios c. by no other haue wee knowne the way of our saluation but by them by whom the Gospel came to vs which verily they then preached and afterwards by the will of God deliuered the same to vs in the Scriptures to bee the Foundation and Pillar of our Faith Tell me then in this latter age and time of Controuersie wherein it is commonly voyced in our eares Loe heere is Christ and there is Christ this is the true Church and that is the true Church how shall the religious man which loueth trueth and seeketh comfort resolue himselfe to which Church shal he safely ioine himselfe when perhaps he wants the learning perhaps the leasure to looke
as a necessary poynt of saluation I will beleeue it also or at leastwise will bee humblie silent not taking vpon mee to condemne the same I speake not this as if we should decline the practise of the ancient Church in expounding Scripture by Scripture Concil Trid. Sess 1. but to demonstrate to the world that our aduersaries in this poynt of their faith haue neither followed the ancient Church nor the Decree of their Trent Councell whereby it shall appeare that either this Article was newly created or the former Popes and Councels haue disagreed from the latter Cardinall Caietan was so farre from subscribing to the Popes Creed in this poynt that on the contrary hee giues this Praemonition to the Reader of the Scriptures Not to loathe the new sense of the holy Scriptures for this Nullus itaque detestetur nouuÌ„ sacra scripturae seÌ„sum ex hoc qd dissonat à priscis Doctoribus sed fcrutetur perspicacius textuÌ„ ac cótextuÌ„ Scripturae si quadrare inuenerit laudet DeuÌ„ qui noÌ„ alligauit expositionem ScripturaruÌ„ sacrarum priscoruÌ„ Doctorum sensibus Caiet in Genes 1. that it dissenteth from the ancient Doctors but to search more exactly the Text and coherence of the Scriptures and if hee finde it agree to praise God that hath not tyed the exposition of the Scriptures to the sense of the ancient Doctors This Protestant doctrine is farre different from the Tenet of the Roman Church insomuch that Bishop Canus his fellow Romanist was much troubled that a prime Cardinall should oppose an Article of the Romane Creed one while he chargeth him that acutiùs multò quam foelicius hee expounded the Scriptures in some places more wittily then happily an other while he would so seeme to excuse him that hee might be convinced by this or the like argument To follow the Fathers in all Canus ibid. were to condemne our owne witts and depriue our selues of the meanes to finde out the trueth What arguments might preuaile with the Cardinall I cannot tell but sure I am his doctrine disagreed from the Article of the Roman faith And Doctor Payna Andradius a principall Pillar of the Trent Councell rebuketh Canus for his rash reproouing of Caictan and defendeth his Tenet with the same doctrine Andra. def fid Tricen lib 2. Hee teacheth that when the Fathers seeke the literall sense of the Scriptures they doe not alwayes find them but giue diuers senses one vnlike to an other Hee professeth Wee may forsake their senses all and bring a new vnlike to theirs He addeth further that experience forceth vs to confesse vnlesse wee will bee vnthankefull to most excellent wits that very many things in Moses and the Prophets are in this our age expounded more exactly through the diligence of learned men then euer they were before And thereupon he concludeth that the holy Ghost the onely and faithfull Interpreter of the Scriptures would haue many things to bee knowne to vs which our Ancestors knewe not and hath wrought by meanes vnknowne to vs knowne to him that the Fathers noted good and godly mysteries out of very many places of the Scriptures whereof the right and naturall sense hath been found out by posteritie And thus Canus against Cajetan and Andradius against Canus and Cajetan and Andradius both against the Trent Article allowe the Exposition of Scripture by Scripture and somtimes against the streme of Fathers I proceed to the examination of more witnesses and I call Cardinall Bellarmine to testifie the same doctrine that neither hee nor his associates doe holde themselues tyed by their new Article of faith to the Exposition of the Fathers It is one thing saith hee to interpret the Law as a Doctor Aliud est interpretari legem more Doctoris a liud more Iudicis c. Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 3. cap. 10. an other thing as a Iudge of the one is required Learning of the other Authoritie the opinion of the Doctors is to be followed according to reason but the Iudges opinion is to bee followed of necessitie Saint Austen and the Fathers in their Expositions supplyed the places of Doctors Scripta PatruÌ„ noÌ„ sunt Regulae nec habent authoritatem obligandi Idem ibid. which we may follow as wee see cause the Pope and Councell supply the places of Iudges with a Commission from God and therefore they must be obserued and followed of necessitie Thus we haue seene three seuerall Iudges and Expositors of the Scriptures First the ancient Fathers made the Scriptures the onely Iudges and true Interpreters of themselues next the Trent Doctors decreed the ancient Fathers for Interpreters and now at length the later Schoolemen haue proclaimed their Popes and Councels for their chiefest Iudges and best Interpreters of the Scriptures and These say they must bee followed of necessitie Durum telum Necessitas Pardon them Necessitie is a deadly dart there is no necessitie by their doctrine to obey the expositions of Fathers which is the second Article of their Faith but there is a necessitie to obey the authoritie of their late Popes and Councels in their Exposition which is but matter of opinion and from hence it will follow that either the Articles of the Râ—man Creed were newly created by Pope Pius the fourth and that creation was not in his power or that those Doctors and Cardinals had not the oath administred vnto them or we may iustly suspect they haue forsworne themselues Neither was this the opinion of these particular men onely but the Roman Church notwithstanding their solemne protestation by which they are enioyned to interprete the Scriptures doth in many things by her owne confession waue the Interpretation of the Fathers Sanctissimos Patres quos Doctores Ecclesiae ob illoruÌ„ sublimem eruditionem meritò nominamus quantuÌ„libet spiritus sancti gratia prae aliis imbutos liqueat in interpretatione scripturaruÌ„ non semper ac in omnibus Catholica Ecclesia sequitur Baron Ann. Tom 1 ad ann 34 nu mar 213 It is the testimony of Cardinall Baronius Although the most holy Fathers whome for their great learning wee rightly terme the Doctors of the Church were indued aboue others with the grace of Gods holy Spirit yet the Catholique Roman Church doth not follow them alwayes and in all things expounding of the Scriptures Here is an other confession of a great Cardinall who was not ignorant of the Articles of his faith that notwithstanding the Trent Decree and the Popes Bull the Church did not alwayes follow the exposition of the Fathers Now if any shall require a reason why the Pope and Cardinalls of former ages dissent from others of these later times in expounding of the Scriptures Frier Stella who doth not condemne the Exposition giuen by the ancient Doctors Benè tameÌ„ scimus Pygmaeos gygaÌ„tum humeris impositos plusquaÌ„ ipsos gygantes videre Stel. enarrat in Luc. ca. 10. protesteth Hee knoweth full well
we haue the Councell of Laodicca in the Primitiue Church generally receiued and aftewards confirmed by a general Councel since wee haue the consent of the ancient Fathers and the ample testimonies of Bishops and Cardinals and learned Writers in the bosome of the Roman Church who witnesse with vs the Antiquity and Vniuersality of our Canon in all ages I hope wee may with good reason reiect the Apocryphall Scriptures as often as they are produced against vs for Freewill for Purgatory for Prayer for the dead for Invocation of Saints for Worshipping of Angells and the like these things I say rightly considered and patiently heard on both sides I shall appeale to their owne learned Cardinall Cajetans confession who concludes for the antiquitie of our doctrine and the Vniuersalitie of the Iewes Canon Duas maximas vtilitates ex IudaeoruÌ„ obstinacia percipimê° altera est fides libroruÌ„ sacrorum Si enim omnes conuersi essent ad ChristuÌ„ putaret iam mundus Iudaeorum ad inuentioneÌ„ fuisse quod fuerit promissâ—s Messiis sed vbi inimici Christi Iudai perseuerant et testantur nullos alios apud Patres fuisse libros canonicè sacroâ—nisi istos Cajet CoÌ„ment in Rom c 11. Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. with one and the same reason All Christians receiue a double benefit by the Apostacie and obstinacie of the Iewes one is to know which are the true bookes of the Olde Testament for if all the Iewes had beene converted to the faith of Christ then would the world haue suspected that the Iewes had invented those promises which are of Christ the Messias but now for as much as the Iewes are enemies vnto Christ they beare witnesse vnto vs that there are no bookes Canonicall but those onely which the Iewes themselues acknowledged to bee Canonicall To conclude therefore this first poynt since the Scripture is the most certaine and safest rule of Faith by our aduersaries owne confession since the Canonicall bookes of Scripture which are the onely rule of Faith are conteined in the Law in the Prophets and the Psalmes vnder all or any of which the Apocryphall bookes are not conteined I say to leaue this certaine and safe way and receiue Apocryphall additions to that Word Deut. 4.2 c. 12.32 Prou. 30.6 Reuel 22.18 when it is strictly forbidden by God himselfe Thou shalt not adde to this Word this is Via dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way this is Via Deuia a wandring and By-way But because our aduersaries insist vpon an other ground viz. NoÌ„ aliundè nos habere Scripturam esse diuinaÌ„ et qui sunt libri sacri quaÌ„ ex Traditioniê° noÌ„ scriptis Bel. de verb. Dei lib. 4. c. 4. That by no other meanes wee can know the Scriptures to be diuine nor the bookes to bee holy and Canonicall but onely from vnwritten Tradition I will leaue them to their Apocryphall Scriptures and pursue them in their vnwritten traditions in the next place SECT VII The Romanists in poynt of Traditions contradict the truth and themselues grounding most of their erronious Doctrine vpon vnwritten Traditions and yet frequently alledge the written Word for them IT is the first Article of the Romane Creed to which all Bishops and Priests are sworne Bulla Pij 4. Art 1. I admit and embrace the Apostolicall and Ecclesiasticall Traditions and the other obseruations and constitutions of the Church What are meant by those Obseruations and Constitutions of the Church and how the Priests are bound to imbrace them The Councell of Trent declareth in this manner Necnon Traditiones ipsas tum ad fidem tum ad mo res pertineÌ„tes pari pietutis affectu ac reuerentia suscipit veneratur Conc. Trid Sess 4. Decret 1. Traditions appertaining to faith and manners as if they were dictated by Christ himselfe with his owne mouth or by the holy spirit and preserued by a continuall succession in the Catholique Church the Councell receiueth with equall reuerence and religious affection as shee receiues the holy Striptures themselues Heere was the first alteration made touching the rule of Faith and from the Decree of this Councell Bellarmines doctrine began to take place Regula partialis noÌ„ totalis Bell. The Scripture is but a partiall not a totall rule of Faith for certainly till this time Traditions concerning faith and manners were neuer reputed of equall authoritie with the Scriptures nor a part of the Rule of Faith It was the Tenet of Aquinas and the later Schoolemen knew no other doctrine till the Councell of Trent Aquin. in 1. ad Tim. cap. 6. The doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is called Canonicall because it is the rule of our vnderstanding and therefore no man ought to teach otherwise But you shall obserue from and after this time the Romanists performed their oath Ex abundanti I may say more then enough Cardinall Baronius tells vs Tradition is the foundation of Scriptures Baron An. 58. n. 11. and excels them in this that the Scriptures cannot subsist vnlesse they bee strengthened by Traditions but Tradition hath strength enough without the Scriptures And that the world may know it is vsuall with our aduersaries not onely to equall their vnwritten Traditions but also to aduance them aboue the Scriptures let their sayings bee weighed by any indifferent man and it will appeare the Scriptures are of so little vse or esteeme with them as if they were not worthy to be named in poynts of controuersie betwixt vs. Lindan Panopl l. 1. c. 22. l. 5. c. 4. l. 1. c. 6. c. Traditions saith Lindan are the most certaine foundations of Faith the most sure ground of the sacred Scriptures the impenetrable buckler of Ajax the suppresser of all heresies On the other side the Scripture saith hee is a nose of waxe a dead and killing letter without life a meere shell without a kernell a leaden rule a wood of thieues a shop of heretiques and the like Costerus the Iesuite tels vs for certain It was neuer the minde of Christ either to commit his mysteries to parchment or that his Church should depend on paper writings but say the Rhemists Rhem. Test in 2. Thess 2. v. 19. Wee haue plaine Scriptures all the Fathers most euident reasons that wee must either beleeue Traditions or nothing at all nay more saith Costerus The excellencie of the vnwritten word doth far surpasse the Scriptures which the Apostles left vs in parchments Coster Euchrist cap. 1 pag. 44. the one is written by the finger of God the other by the penne of the Apostles the Scripture is a dead letter written in paper or parchment which may be razed or wrested at pleasure but Tradition is written in mens hearts which cannot be altered the Scripture is like a scabberd which will receiue any sword either leaden or woodden or brazen and suffereth it selfe to be drawen by any interpretation Tradition retaines the true
sword in the scabberd that is the true sense of the Scripture in the sheath of the letter The Scriptures doe not containe clearely all the mysteries of Religion for they were not giuen to that end to prescribe an absolute forme of faith but Tradition containes in it all truth it comprehends all the mysteries of faith and all the estate of Christian Religion and resolues all doubts which may arise concerning faith and from hence it will follow that Tradition is the Interpreter of all Scriptures the Iudge of all Controuersies the Remouer of all errors and from whose judgment we ought not to appeale to an other Iudge yea rather all Iudges are bound both to regard and follow her judgement Now if we looke backe and consider those blasphemous speeches vsed against the Scriptures and compare those passages with the reuerend regard they giue vnto Traditions wee cannot but conceiue there were some speciall reasons that induced the Pope Trent Councell to set Traditions in the first place Quam TraditionuÌ„ authoritateÌ„ si tollas nutare iam vacillare videbuntur Andrad de Orth. expli lib. 2. Andradius who well vnderstood the state of the Church of Rome being present at the making of that decree giues this generall lesson in their behalfe Many poynts of Romane doctrine would reele and totter if they were not supported by the helpe of Traditions But it may not bee forgotten Sutor de Translat Bibl. c. 22. their owne Monke Petrus de Sutor more particularly shewes one speciall cause why the Scriptures were denied vnto the lay people viz. Because many things being taught by the Romane Church and not contained in the Scriptures would more easily drawe the people from the traditions and obseruances of their Church And another reason why Traditions are in that speciall request aboue the Scriptures is rendred by their owne Bishop Canus Canus loc Theol lib. 3. cap. 3. Because Tradition is not onely of greater force against heretiques then the Scripture but almost all disputation with heretiques is to bee referred to Traditions Thus you see by the confessions of two learned Romanists there was great cause why traditions should haue the first place amongst the Articles of the Creed for the one saith they preuent the reading of the Scriptures which otherwise would discouer the doctrine of their Church the other saith they are more availeable then the Scriptures to confute the doctrine of heretiques These testimonies premised for the honour and authoritie of Papall Traditions let vs examine what are meant by Traditions and next which are those Traditions that are of that high esteeme in the Romane Church for if their Traditions bee of equall authoritie with the Scriptures and yet are not contained in the Scriptures there is great reason they should bee approoued by testimonies and witnesses aequiualent to the Scriptures Kellis Suruey l. 8. c. 3. Doctor Kellison tells vs that Tradition is nothing else but an opinion or custome of the Church not written in holy Scriptures but yet deliuered by the hands of the Church from time to time from Christians to Christians euen to the last age And Saint Austen declareth more properly VVhatsoeuer the Vniuersall Church doth hold Aug. lib 4. contra Donat c. 24. not being ordained by Councells but hath beene euer held that is beleeued most rightly to be an Apostolicall Tradition It appeares therefore that Papall Traditions which are of equall authority with the Scriptures must haue Vniuersalitie of Churches and consent of ages or to vse the wordes of their Trent Councell Such as are preserued by a continuall succession in the Catholike Church All doctrinall Traditions of this nature are receiued by the Reformed Churches for wee all professe with the same Father Conc. Trid. Sess 4. Whatsoeuer is vsed by the Church throughout all the world is to bee obserued and it would bee most insolent madnesse to dispute against the same Let vs heare therefore out of their owne mouthes what are those Traditions which are not written in any Apostolique Authour and yet haue those requisite conditions and speciall characters of the Roman Church viz. Antiquity Vniuersality and Succession Pet. à Soto in lib. cont Brentium Petrus à Soto giues vs to vnderstand that the sacrifice of the Altar the vnction of Chrysme Inuocation of Saints Prayers for the dead the Popes Supremacie Consecration of water in Baptisme the whole Sacrament of Confirmation Orders Matrimony Penance Extreame vnction Merit of workes Necessitie of satisfaction and confession to a Priest are all Traditions of the Romane Church Canis in Catech. c. 5. de precept Eccles Coster in refut script Wallesij antith 6. Canus loc Theol. li 3. ca. 3. Canisius and Costerus referre to Traditions the worship of Images set times of fasting all the Ceremonies of the Masse Melchior Canus tells vs the imploring helpe of holy Martyrs and celebrating their memories the worshipping of Images the consecrating and receiuing of the body and blood of Christ by the Priest the Sacraments of Confirmation and Orders not to bee reiterated are no where happily to bee found in Scriptures but amongst all the Romanists as it is obserued by reuerend Whitakers there is none doth so fully and punctually set downe the Traditions of the Romane Church as their Bishop Lindan who amongst other Traditions Whit. coÌ„tr 1. c. 5. quest 6. mentions the Reall presence the Communion vnder one kinde priuate Masse Indulgences Purgatory Peters liuing and dying at Rome All or most of these Traditions are substantiall and fundamentall poynts and the denyall of them makes a man an heretike in their Church Now it is very obseruable in the first place that no vnwritten Tradition hath any ground or foundation in the Scripture Peres de Tradit p 4. for Tradition is so taken saith Peresius that it is distinguished against the doctrine which is found in the Canonicall bookes of Scripture and consequently touching all or any of the Papall Traditions there is no vse at all of Scriptures Herein then stands the difference betwixt the Church of Rome and vs Multa pertinere ad Christianorum doctrinam et fideÌ„ quae nec apertè nec obscuâ—è in sacris literis coÌ„tinentur Canus loc Theol. ca. 3. fund 3. There are many things saith Canus belonging to the doctrine faith of Christians which are neyther contained in the sacred Scriptures manifestly or obscurely and this he vnderstands by the Traditions of his owne Church There is no point of Faith taught in our Church which is not expressely contained in the Scriptures or by necessarie consequence deduced from thence and if we receiue the witnesse of men yet the witnesse of God is greater 1. Ioh. 5.9 But that which is incongruous to common sense and altogether different from the Romish doctrine those men which generally professe that vnwritten Traditions are so called because they are distinguished from the word written as Bellarmine confesseth
writing was so true and perfect Non desunt aliqui Catholicorum qui negant nullū fuisse Traditionē non scriptā apud Iudaeos Bell. de verbo Dei non scrip l. 4. c. 8 that some Romanists confesse the Iewes had nothing pertaining to the knowledge and seruice of God that was not written And as in the creation of the world before the Sun was made the light was sustained and spread abroad by the incomprehensible power of God yet after the Sun was created God conueied the whole light of the world into the body of the Sun so that though the Moone and Starres should giue light yet they should shine with no other light but what they receiued from the Sunne Euen so in the constituti-of the Church howsoeuer God at first preserued and continued the knowledge of his truth by immediate reuelation from himselfe to some chosen men by whose ministerie hee would haue the same communicated to the rest yet when hee gaue his word in writing he conueyed into the bodie of the Scriptures the whole light of his Church so that albeit there should be Pastors Teachers therin to shine as starres to giue light to others yet they should giue no other light but what by the beames of the written Law was cast vpon them And that wee might haue good warranty for the written Word God himselfe shewed the first way by his owne example who with his owne finger wrote the Decalogue in tables of stone and saith Moses The Tables was the worke of God Exod. 32.16 and the writing was the writing of God vpon the Tables And as God was the first Author of writing in the old Law so our Sauiour Christ God and Man taught the same lesson by his owne example and direction in the New For when the Disciples wrote saith Austen what Christ shewed and said vnto them Cum illi scripserunt qua ille ostendit et dixit nequaquā dicendum est quod ipse nō scripserit c. Aug. de consens Euangel lib. 1. c. 35. it is not to be said that he did not write because the members wrought that which they learned by the inditing of the Head For whatsoeuer he would haue vs to reade of the things which he did and said he gaue in charge to them as his hands to write the same And thus one and the same Spirit that prescribed the old Law to Moses gaue also expresse charge to the Evangelist Saint Iohn Scribe Reuel 1.11.19 write these things And lastly the reason of this writing Saint Luke renders to Theophilus Luke 1.4 That thou mightst know the certaintie of those things wherein thou hast beene instructed Now as things written are of longer continuance and better assurance whereby we haue the certaintie of our faith and doctrine so likewise by that certainty we inioy the more safetie and for that cause the Apostle Saint Paul tells the Philippians that which hee deliuered by word of mouth being present Phil. 3.1 To write the same things saith he to me it is not grieuous but for you it is safe And this may be a good comfort for all beleeuing Protestants that wee haue these two benefits of the written Word by the doctrine of two Apostles Certaintie and Saftie Scriptura Regula credendi certissima tutissimaque est Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2 Euseb li. 2. cap. 14. This doctrine was rightly obserued and earnestly pursued by the true beleeuers in the Primitiue Church in so much as it is obserued by Eusebius that the faithfull who had heard the preaching of Saint Peter not thinking that sufficient nor contented with the doctrine of that diuine preaching vnwritten most earnestly intreated Marke that hee would leaue them in writing the Commentaries or records of the doctrine which they had deliuered vnto them br word and ceased not till they had perswaded him thereto Now it is reported saith hee when the Apostle vnderstood this to haue beene done by the reuelation of the holy Ghost he ioyed much in the desire of those men by his authority warranted this Gospel in writing to the reading of the Church Here was a memorable example both for the Certaintie and Safetie of the Christian Faith the faithfull heare the Word of God yet fearing the vncertaintie of that which might bee deliuered vpon report from hand to hand they intreat Marke the Scholler and follower of Peter that hee would commit the same to writing this was performed accordingly and Saint Peter ioyed in the performance of it and withall testified by his approbation that their good motion proceeded from the Holy Ghost In like manner you shall obserue as the Apostle St. Paul wrote those things which he deliuerd by word of mouth to the Philippians so likewise hee deliuers the same things to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15.3 which hee receiued according to the Scriptures And from hence wil arise a third benefit which is the grand point in question The Scriptures are alone sufficient without the helpe of Traditions for that which Saint Paul hath testified of the Church at Corinth and Philippi the same Nicephorus expresseth more particularly in these words Niceph. Eccles Hist lib. 2. ca. 34. What Saint Paul being present taught by word of mouth amongst the Corinthians Ephesians Galathians Colossians Philippians Thessalonians Iewes Romans and many other persons whereunto the holy Ghost sent him and whom hee begate in the faith of Christ the same things in his absence bee compendiously reuoketh into their memory by his Epistles written vnto them If therefore St. Paul set downe in his Epistles all that doctrine which hee deliuered by word of mouth to those seuerall Churches withall taught that doctrine which he receiued according to the Scriptures it will follow of necessitie that all things necessary to saluation are contained in the Scriptures for hee witnessed of himselfe I haue not shunned to declare all the Councell of God Acts 20.27 Let vs appeale to him touching the sufficiencie of the Scriptures First hee exhorts Timothy 2. Tim. 3.14 to continue in those things which hee had learned and had been assured of neither doth he tell him hee was assured of Traditions but plainly expresseth in that place his meaning of the Holy Scriptures and that it might appeare the Scriptures were not denyed by the Apostles to children and ignorant persons as it is now vsed in the Church of Rome hee testifieth in his behalfe that from a child hee had knowen the holy Scriptures Verse 15. and that it might yet further appeare the Scriptures were sufficient for his sauing knowledge without the helpe of Traditions he protesteth to him Ibidem that they were able to make him wise vnto saluation And lastly lest it might bee thought a particular instruction to Timothie alone and not to the rest of the faithfull he proclaimes the written Word as a generall rule and conclusion for all beleeuers
our aduersaries makes nothing for their purpose for if Cyprian say that Infidelitie cannot come to the Romans whose faith was praised by the Apostles mouth then can none of the people of Rome erre because the faith of them all was praised by the Apostles mouth but the trueth is this holy Father speakes not there of matters of faith nor of the stabilitie of the Romane Church although most Romanists so translate it and apply it but of the tumultuous and disorderly courses of certain lewd persons who being censured by the Bishops of Africa fled to the Bishop of Rome for protection of their cause and therupon vpbraideth them that they came to Rome with lyes and tales which could finde no admittance nor harbour there Nauigare audent et à schismaticis et profanis literas ferre nec cogitare eos esse Romanos quorum fides Apostolo praedicante laudata est adquos persidia non potest habere accessum Cypr. lib. 1. Epist 3. when as they might wel vnderstand that the Romans were men whose Faith was commended by the Apostle Et ad quos perfidia non potest habere accessum vnto whom perfidiousnesse could haue no accesse that is they would giue no eare to their perfidious and calumnious suggestioÌ„s This therefore I must needs say is vnfaithfulnesse and perfidiousnes in the Church of Rome wilfully to misapply those things which make nothing for them I proceed from the infallibilitie of the Church to the authoritie of it wherein you shall likewise obserue the Romanists doe insist especially vpon that knowne confession of St. Austen Ego vero Evangelio noÌ„ credereÌ„ nisi me Catholicae Ecclesiae coÌ„moueret authoritas Aug. contr Ep. Fund cap. 5. I should not haue beleeued the Gospell except the Authoritie of the Church had mooued mee thereunto But I pray what doe these words concerne the Roman Church why should they bee applied rather to the Roman then to his owne Church in Africa or our Chuch in England for hee speakes not of the Roman Church or any particular Church but of the Church indefinitly Moreouer their owne Canus professeth Canus loc Theol. lib. 2. cap. 8. that St. Austen had to doe with a Manichee who would haue a certaine Gospell of his owne admitted without further dispute In this case saith he St. Austen puts the question What if you finde one which doeth not beleeue the Gospell what motiue would you vse to such a one to bring him to your beliefe I for my part saith hee should not haue beene brought to imbrace the Gospell if the Churches authoritie had not swayed with me 〈…〉 reâ— Cyâ— Epiâ— And from hence also Bishop Canus drawes this sound conclusion The faith of the Gospel is not founded vpon the authority of the Church This Exposition of their Romanist is agreeable to our belielfe for wee professe that the first outward motiue to bring men to the knowledge of the Scriptures is the authoritie of Gods Church Hooker Eccles Polit. lib. 3. If I beleeue the Gospell saith Hooker yet is Reason of singular good vse for that it confirmeth me in this my beliefe the more If I doe beleeue as yet neuerthelesse to bring mee to the number of beleeuers except reason did somewhat helpe and were an instrument which God doeth vse to such purposes what should it boot to dispute with infidels and godlesse persons for their conversion and perswasion in that poynt Hee therefore that shall conclude from St. Austens doctrine which he professed in the name of an heretike let him receiue his answer from the same Father when he makes his confession as a true Catholike Ex veritatis ore agnosoo Ecclesiam participem veritatis Aug. in Psal 57. By the mouth of God which is the trueth I know the Church of God which is partaker of the trueth But as it happeneth sometimes that hee who hath fallen into the hands of an vnskilfull Physician is loath afterwards to commit himself euen to a good one Aug. lib. 6. Confess c. 4 So was it in the state of my soule saith Austen which could not bee healed by beleeuing and for feare of beleeuing false things it refused to be cured by true ones And in the Chapter following whilest hee was yet a Manichee hee makes this humble confession Thou Lord Idem Confess l. 6 c. 5. didst perswade mee thus I say not that they were blameable who beleeued thy Bookes which thou hast grounded by such authoritie throughout almost all the nations of the earth but that they indeed were blameable who beleeued them not and that no â—are was to bee giuen to any if peraduenture they should say to mee How dost thou know that these Bookes were imparted to mankind by the Spirit of that one God who is true in himselfe and most true when hee speaketh to vs for that is the very thing it selfe which is especially to bee beleeued Thus St. Austen the Catholique interprets Austen the Heretique After his conversion to the trueth the blessed Spirit did perswade him that there was no eare to bee giuen to those men which made such doubts and questions as are dayly made in the Church of Rome viz. How doe you know the Scriptures to bee the Word of God but as the Samaritans beleeued that Christ was the promised Sauiour vpon the report of a woman yet afterwards when they heard him themselues they professed they beleeued him for his owne sake and not for the womans report So likewise this holy Father first conferred with flesh and blood as the most knowne familiar meanes to introduce a sauing knowledge but after hee had receiued the Spirit and word of trueth he like the Samaritans beleeued the Gospel not for the Churches sake but for Christs own authoritie and his Gospels sake The Authoritie of the Church is rightly compared to a Key which openeth the dore of entrance into the knowledge of the Scripture now when a man hath entred viewed the house and by viewing it likes it and vpon liking resolues vnchangeably to dwell there hee doeth not set vp his resolution vpon the key that let him in but vpon the goodnesse and commodiousnes which he sees in the house I omit diuers Expositions of the learned Romanists touching this saying of Austen Durand l. 3 Dist 24 q. 1 Diedo de Eccl. Script dogm lib. 4. c. 4. Geâ—s de vita spir Animae lect 2. Coroll 7. Durand Driedo and Gerson tell vs That those words of Saint Austen had relation to the Primitiue Church which both saw Christs person and his miracles heard his doctrine Aquinas saith Augustinus de Ecclesia vt causa praeponente non vt fundamento fidei loquitur A quin. in 2 2. quaest 2. art 7. that St. Austen spake of the Church as an ouer-ruling cause but not as a foundation of Faith And for a conclusion of this poynt The minde of the faithfull beleeuer doth not rest in the
all Antiquitie from the Text it selfe if there bee brought no peruerse or preiudicate opinion against it to conclude whether thou wilt or no thou shalt beleeue it from the Popes owne Sentence and determination To this Church then lyeth an appeale from Scriptures from Councels from the Essentiall Church and for that cause Cardinall Bellarmine proclaimes it as the Popes Champion Bellar. de Concil author lib. 2. cap. 17. Nos defendimus Wee maintaine that the Pope is simply and absolutely aboue the vniuersall Church and aboue Generall Councells and as great men sometimes loue to bee soothed vp in their greatnesse and are led with opinion of their Parasites to beleeue that for a trueth which is but a suggestion of falsehood so it came to passe touching the Popes power in these latter dayes they did so much atatribute to his Authoritie and Infallibilitie deriued from Peter that Cardinall Zabarella rightly obserued and ingenuously confessed They haue made the Popes beleeue Persuaserunt Pontificibus quod omnia possunt sic qd facerent quicquid liberet etiam illicitet sint plusquaÌ„ Deus Zabarella that they might doe all things whatsoeuer they listed yea notwithstanding they were things vnlawfull and thus saith he they haue made him more then God Bishop Begnius in the last Councell of Lateran speaking to Pope Leo cryes out in admiration of his Holinesse Ecce venit Leo Behold heere commeth a Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda the Root of Dauid Te Leo beatissime saluatoreÌ„ expectauimus apprehende scutum c Concil Later 5. Sess 6. in orat Begn ad Leon. 10. behold hee hath raised vp a Sauiour which shall deliuer the people of God from the hand of the destroyer Thou art hee O most blessed Leo whom we haue expected as a Sauiour take vp thy sword and buckler and arise in our defence And thus by degrees first Vox populi the common people by admiring his greatnesse then Bishops Cardinals by their flattering suggestions haue at last ascribed infallibilitie of Iudgement to his Authoritie which I am verily perswaded neuer Pope did beleeue in himselfe and hereby they haue aduanced him aboue Fathers aboue CouÌ„cels aboue the Church and now at last made him the whole Church in so much that some of his own side are not ashamed to professe Beard Mot. 6. vide in Iewel p. 49. that the Pope may dispense against the Apostles yea against the new Testament vpon good cause and also against all the precepts of the Old Syluester Prierias Master of the Popes palace goeth further hee giues vs to vnderstand that the authoritie of the Roman Church QuicuÌ„que noÌ„ innititur doctrinae Romanae ecclesiae ac Romani Pontificis tanquaÌ„ Regulae Dei infallibili à quâ etiam sacra Scriptura robur trahit et authoritatem hereticê° est Sylu. Prier contra Luther and of the Bishop of Rome is greater then the authoritie of Gods Word and therupon he concludes Whosoeuer leaneth not to the doctrine of the Roman Church and of the Bishop of Rome as vnto the infallible Rule of God of which Doctrine the holy Scripture taketh force and authoritie he is an heretike And for a further confirmation of this beliefe Gretzerus the Iesuite makes this conclusion Id solum pro verbo Dei veneramur ac suscipimus qd nobis Pontifex ex Cathedra Petri c. Def c. 1. l. 1. de Verbo Dei p. 16. Wee doe receiue and reuerence that onely for the Word of God which the Pope as supreame Master of the Christians and Iudge of all controversies doth determine in the Chaire of Peter Now if it happen that some Proselyte of a tender conscience should make some scruple whether the Pope ought to be heard and obeyed when hee is a murderer a Sorcerer and a wilfull subuerter of the truth as some Popes haue been Hosius their Doctour wisheth them not to trouble theÌ„selues with such idle curiosities Iudas ne sit an Petrus au Paulus Deus atteÌ„di non vult sed soluÌ„ hoc qd sedet in Cathedrâ Petri de cuius ore legem requirere iussus est Hoc soluÌ„ spectari vult Hos in Confess Petricouien ca. 29. God will neuer haue thee consider saith he whether the Pope bee a Iudas or a Peter or a Paul it is sufficient onely that he sitteth in Peters chaire that hee is an Apostle that he is Christs Ambassadour that he is the Angell of the Lord of Hostes from whose mouth thou art commanded to require the Law This thing onely Christ would haue thee to consider Againe admit a Councel a whole congregation of men should make a doubt whether the Pope may erre and by reason of that scruple would not readily obey him Cardinall Bellarmine by way of preuention Si autem Papa erraret praecipiendo vitia vel prohibendo virtutes teneretur Ecclesia credere vitia esse bona et virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientiaÌ„ peccare Bell de Pont. li. 4. c. 5. giues them this lesson If the Pope should so farre foorth erre as to command vices and forbid vertues the Church were bound to beleeue that vices are good and vertues are euill vnlesse shee will sinne against her owne conscience Heere is an implicite faith commanded let the Popes doctrine bee true or false if the Romanists will resigne vp their senses and vnderstanding to this Vertuall Church which is the Pope they shall haue a Priest Cardinall for their Tutors but by their leaue they may make shipwracke of their faith by being their Disciples I proceed from an implicite faith to a blinâ— obedience and therein I will giue you a remarkeable example from another Schooleman who aboue all things doeth honour and commend a blinde obedience to the Church that is to the Pope Gregorie de Valentia tells vs of an Italian Merchant of Placentia who reasoned and resolued with himselfe in this manner I hold it is better to professe the Romane Religion Laurent disceptatio Theolog. pag. 5. then the Lutheran First because I can briefly learne the Roman faith for if I say what the Pope sayes and deny what the Pope denies and if he speake and I hearken vnto him this alone is sufficient for mee but if I should bee a Lutheran I must learne a Catechisme I must search the Scriptures which in trueth I cannot intend when I must look after the Ships of Italy and my Merchandise beyond the Seas You haue heard the reason why this Layman did dislike the Protestants Religion and what was the rule of his Roman faith now heare what iudgement this learned Schooleman giues concerning this Merchant DeuÌ„ nihil habiturum God saieth he will haue nothing to lay to the charge of this man at the dreadfull day of Iudgement To say nothing of this presumption I pray God that Pagans Infidels who knew not Christ arise not vp in Iudgment against them that teach such doctrine for whereas
redeeme those punishments by our owne labours Idem ibid. Resp lest we also should seeme to be our owne Redeemers But Pope Iulius the fourth and the Councell of Trent saith the Cardinall most plainly teach the contrary Gelasius Bishop of Rome in the yeere 492 professeth and declareth for an Article of his beliefe In the Sacrament is celebrated an Image Gelas cont Futych Nest or semblance of the body and blood of Christ and there ceaseth not to bee the substance or nature of bread and wine On the contrary Pope Innocentius the Third decreed it for an Article of faith in the Councell of Lateran with a Firmiter credimus Wee stedfastly beleeue Lib. 1. Decret cap. Firmitèr credimus that the body and blood of Christ are truely contained in the Sacrament of the Altar the bread being transubstantiated into his body and wine into his blood by the diuine power so that there must be really verily and substantially present the naturall body and blood of Christ which was conceiued of the Virgin Mary and which is ascended into Heauen Touching the Communion in both kind the same Gelasius proclaimed to the communicants of his time Aut integra Sacramenta percipiant aut ab integris arceantur Gelas de Consecr Dist 2 CoÌ„perimus §. Either let them receiue the whole Sacrament or let them be driuen from the whole for the diuiding of one and the same Sacrament cannot be done without great sacriledge On the contrary in this latter age Pope Martin the Fifth hath decreed it with the consent of a whole Councell Conc. Constant Sess 13. If any shall obstinately maintaine that it is vnlawfull or erronious to receiue in one kind hee ought to bee punished and driuen out as an Heretike Gregorie the Great Bishop of Rome about the yeere 600 publisheth his instruction for the people touching Images Epist ex Regist lib. 9. cap. 9. Let the children of the Church now dispersed be called togeather and taught by the Testimonies of the Scriptures that nothing made with hands may be worshipped And withall concludes If any will make Images forbid them not but by all meanes let him avoyd the adoration of them On the contrary in this later age Pope Pius the fourth declares it for an Article of Faith I most firmely auouch Bulla Pij 4. Art 9. that the Images of Christ and the Mother of God alwayes a Virgin and other Saints are to bee had and retained and that due honour and veneration is to bee giuen to their Images Againe touching the vse and sufficiencie of the Scripture Sect 13. touching the Reall presence Priuate Masse Communion in both kindes Merite of workes the Popes Supremacie and the like Gregory is flatly opposite to the Popes of these later times And that you may yet further heare that the Popes haue no Infallibility in their Determinations and Decrees you shall find likewise that the later Popes doe not onely vary from the Faith of the Ancients but also differ amongst themselues and contradict each other in many substantiall poynts of their owne doctrine Pope Caelestine the Third in the yeere 1191 published a Decree Alph. aduers haeres lib. 1. c. 4. that of maried persons if one fall into Heresie the Marriage is dissolued and the Catholike partie is free to marrie againe Neither saith Alphonsus was this errour of Calestine such as ought to bee imputed to negligence alone that wee may say hee erred as a priuate man not as Pope for this difinition of Caelestine was extant in the Decretals which I my selfe haue seene and read On the contrary Pope Innocentius the Third his immediate Successor decided the case and confessed that one of his Predecessors which saith the Glosse Decret li. 4. de diuortijs Quanto §. Praedecess was Caelestine had decreed otherwise whose resolution was in the olde Decretals and it was euill that Caelestine said Pope Gregorie the Ninth in the yeere 1227 proclaimeth it to the world Greg. Ep ad Germ. Archiep Constant apud M Paris in Henr. 3. The not knowing the Scriptures by the testimonie of trueth it selfe is the occasion of errours and therefore it is expedient for all men to reade or heare the same On the contrary Pope Clement the Eighth forbids all the common people yea â—id Regulars also to reade or retaine any vulgar Translation of the Scriptures without licence of their Bishop or Inquisitor and there hee giues the reason flatly opposite to the Teneâ— of his Predecessor Azor Inst Moral part 1. l. 8. c. 26. Because the common vse of Scripture is found by experience to bee rather hurtfull then profitable Pope Nicholas the fourth in the yeare 1288 declared in his Decretall Sixti Decr. lib. 5. tit 12. §. Exijt that To renounce the proprietie of all things not in speciall onely but in common also is meritorious and holy which Christ taught by Word and confirmed by Example and the first Founders of the Militant Church deriued to others by paterne of their Doctrine and Life On the contrarie his Successor Iohn the 22. published and declared Extrauag â—ohn 2 tit 14 § Cum inter nonnullos that It is Hereticall to affirme that Christ and his Apostles had nothing in speciall nor in common Pope Martin the fifth in the yeare 1431. in the grand Councell of Basil Conc. Basil Sess 33. decreed the Councell aboue the Pope Pope Eugenius the fourth Bell de Eccles CoÌ„cil l. 1. c. 7. his immediate Successor condemned that Session declared the Pope to bee aboue a Councell And that which is most remarkeable those Romanists which condemne the Translation of our Bible as if the latter Translation did contradict the former shall finde The first Bible was printed at Rome 1590 the second 1592. that Pope Sixtus Quintus published in the yeere 1590 and commanded to be read and followed vpon such pain 〈◊〉 as are mentioned in his Breue D. Iames his Apol. of Belluâ—n Papale p 27. within two yeere after was reiected by hiâ— Successor Pope Clement 〈◊〉 8. as a Translation erronious Acta prioruÌ„ Pontificum sequentes Pontifiâ—es aut infringunt iut omnino tollunt nihil enim aliud isli Pontificuli cogitabant quam vt nomeÌ„ et dignitatem maâ—oruÌ„ suorum extinguerent Plat in Stephan in Romano and opposite to thâ— Truth And thus saith â—â—tina The latter Popes eitheâ— viâ—lat or vtterly repeale thâ— Decrees of their Predecessors For the little pettie Popes haâ— no other study to busie themselues withall but onely to defuce the name and dignitie 〈◊〉 the former Popes First then wee may obserue that the ancient Bishops of Rome published and declared the same faith and doctrine which the Protestants teach in the fundamentall poynts at this day They commaunded Priests and people to communicate together contrary to the doctrine of Priuaâ— Masses they taught that the Sacrament was a semblance of Christs body
of the holy Ghost were wholly at the Popes command to breath onely where hee will haue him It is confessed on both sides that Christ is the Way and Trueth and by his word he hath prescribed a sure an infallible rule to find out the truth If the Scripture were but a partiall rule yet by Bellarmines owne confession it is the most certaine Scriptura â—egula credendi cerrissima tutissimaque est Bell. de Verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. and most safe rule of faith Now â—et vs see what is the most certaine rule of the Roman â—aith and on what assured meanes their proselytes may â—est satisfied and infallibly â—nstructed for the saluation â—f their soules Suarez the â—esuite tells vs It is the Catholike truth Veritas Catholica est Pontificem definientem ex Cathedrâ esse RegulaÌ„ Fidei quae errare non potest quaÌ„do aliquid authenticè proponit vniuersa Ecclesia tanquaÌ„ de fide c. Suarez de Tripl virt Theol. Sect. 8. disp 5. de reg pag. 214. Censeo esse rem de fide ceâ—taÌ„ Suar. ibid p. 214. that the Pope defining in his Chaire is the rule of Faith which cannot erre that is wheÌ„ he doth propose any thing authentically to the vniuersall Church to be beleeued 〈◊〉 a diuine faith and thus saith he all Catholike Doctors teach in these dayes and I thinke it 〈◊〉 be a thing certainly to be beleeued This Iesuit maintainâ—â— the Infallibility of the Pope yet speakes but as he thinks and withall tells vs It is thâ— Catholike doctrine of these times when as hee should haue prooued it by ancient Records that it was the Catholike doctrine of all ages For there is no man liuing let him be Papist oâ— Protestant if hee be a man of â—nderstanding but will holâ— it most requisite and absolutely necessary that the rule of faith should be declared by Christ and his Apostles by Catholike Traditions by Generall Councels by the consent of Fathers and the whole Christian world and certainly if the Popes Decrees conclusions be that rule of faith they ought to be confirmed by al those testimonies since on his judgment both Councels Bishops do depend but especially since the error of the Pope is adiudged to be the error of the Vniversall Church Againe he that deliuered what hee thought was the Catholike doctrine of these times touching the Popes Infallibility in generall tels vs of an other point at that time questionable viz. Whether it was to bee beleeued as an Article of faith Idem ibid. pag. 218. that the or that particular Pope were 〈◊〉 true Pope This doctrine saith he I taught at Rome affirmatiuely in the yeere 1585 but withall professeth that many at that time thought otherwise He that proclaimed it to the world that the Popes definitiue sentence in his chaire was the rule of Faith withall professeth that within these few yeeres it was not resolued whether this or that particular Pope might erre or no. And as it was obserued by a judicious and religious Gentleman M Noy of L. Inne for I shall gladly acknowledge any thing that I receiued froÌ„ any man this later question produced a new Quaere viz If the Pope were not a true Pope and Canonically elected then that person which worshipped a Saint canonized by that Pope commits flat Idolatry by reason the Saint wants his right Canonization for want of the Popes true and Canonicall election Many such doubts said he were mooued touching this Rule of Faith which neither the Iesuite was able to resolue nor the Church had as yet determined Hee that can but spell and put these things together would feare and tremble to think he hath no better assurance of his saluation then a doubtfull vncertaine questionable and vrresolued way to guide him into the paths of sauing knowledge And that the world may know the Rule of Faith which ought generally to bee receiued De Fide of all the faithfull is altogether doubtfull in the Roman church I haue summoned 12 of the Popes disciples to deliuer their seuerall opinions concerning the Popes Infallibilitie but how they concurre in witnessing the trueth of this Doctrine I leaue it to bee iudged Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 6. 1. Bellarmine It is probable that the Pope not onely as Pope cannot erre but as a priuate man cannot fall into Heresie or hold any obstinate opinion contrary to the Faith 2. Albertus Pigghius Piggh. de Eccle. Hier. lib. 6. c. 13. The Iudgement of the Pope is more certaine then the Iudgement of a Generall Councell or else the whole world 3. Hosius Hos lib. 2. cont Brent Bee the wickednesse of Popes neuer so great it can neuer hinder but that this promise of God shall euer be true The Popes shall shew thee the truth of Iudgement 4. Iohannes de Turrecremata Ioh. sum de Eccles lib. 2. cap. 112. It is better to rest vpon the sentence of the Pope which hee deliuers out of Iudgement then the opinions of whatsoeuer wise men in matters of Scripture for euen Caiphas was a High Priest and although hee was wicked yet hee prophecied truely 5. Siluester Prierias Whosoeuer leaneth not to the Doctrine of the Romane Church I'tier contr Lutherum and Bishop of Rome as vnto he Infallible rule of God of which doctrine the holy Scripture hath taken force and authoritie hee is an heretike Episc Bitont Conc. ex Rom. 1. cap 14. Romae habit 6. Cornelius Mus I must ingenuously confesse I would giue more credit to one Pope in matters of faith then to a thousand Augustines Hieromes or Gregories c. For I beleeue and know the chiefe Bishop in matters of faith cannot erre because the authoritie of the Church in determination of things belonging to faith is resident in that Bishop and so the errour of that Bishop should come to be the errour of the vniuersall Church Thus the great Mountaines were in labour and at last appeares Ridiculus Mus This man cares neither for Fathers nor Councells he knowes the Pope cannot erre and he is a man of experience You may beleeue him for hee was a Preacher at twelue yeeres old saith Sixtus Senensis but there are six more of the Popes sworne seruants they are Legales homines and craue audience hauing the said power and iurisdiction with the rest onely they say they cannot flatter they must and will speake the trueth in this howsoeuer the rest bee diuided from them and first concerning the first of the second ranke 7. Alphonsus de Castro We doubt not Non dubitamus an hareticum esse et Papam esse coire in vnuÌ„ possint Non enim credo esse aliquem adeò impudentem Papae assertatoreÌ„ vt ei tribuere hac velit vt nec errare nec interpretatione sacraruÌ„ literarum hallucinari possit cum constet plures Papas adeò illiteratos esse vt Grammaticam penitus ignorent qui fit vt
erred in Doctrine when they thought the Kingdome of Christ to be earthly and not heauenly Actes 1.6 for When they were come together they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdome to Israel They did Imagine his Kingdome to bee like the Kingdomes of this world presently to come not after to be looked for proper to Israel not common to all Nations by vertue of the Promises Nay more when they had receiued the Holy Ghost in a greater measure from heauen Peter saith the Text went not the right way to the Gospell Galat. 2 14. Iohn would haue worshiped an Angell once or twice Reu. 19.10 22.8 The Apostles and Brethren who were in Iudea thought that the Word of God was not to be Preached to the Gentiles Acts 11.2 These Examples doe sufficienty witnesse that the Elect and Chosen of God may take a fall but fall away they cannot and their errors in doctrine and manners foretell a possibilitie of failing and consequently an obscuritie in the true Church and heereupon their owne Panormitan concludes Possibile est quod vera fides remanerâ—t in vno solo atque ita veruÌ„ est dicere quod fides non deficit in Ecclesia Hoc patuit post passionem Christi nâ—m fides remaÌ„serat tantuÌ„ in beata virgine Extr. do Elect. Significast Alb. It is possible that the faith of Christ may remaine in one alone and so it is true to say Faith failed not in the Church this thing appeared in Christs passion for then Faith remained only in the blessed Virgin And with him consenteth Nicholaus Clemangis The Church saith he may by Gods gracâ— maine in a woman alone as it is reported to haue remained in the blessed Virgin at the time of Christs Passion In sâ—la potest muliercula per gratiaÌ„ manere Ecclesia sicut in sola Virgine teÌ„pore passionis mansiffe fertur Clemang super Mat. generalis Concil Thus in the Colledge of Christ there were but twelue and scarce twelue in the Councell among the Iewes there was but one Iosepth of Arimathea that stood for Christ there was but one Gamaliel in the Councell of the Pharises that stood for the Apostles So that the number of true beleeuers was but small which did visibly appeare euen at that time when the Church was most glorious and therefore Eminent and perpetuall visibility is no certaine Note of the true Church Ann. 100. to 200. In tâ—â— second Age Egesippus tels vs Quod ad ea usque tempora Ecclesia pura incorrupta permanserit Virgo in locis obsuris caliginosis c. Niceph. lib. 3. cap. 16. The Church remained a pure Virgine vnto Traians time which was 110 yeeres after Christ for saith he such as indeauored to corrupt the perfect Rule and sound Preaching of the Word if there were any such did hide themselues in secret and obscure places but after the sacred company of the Apostles was come to an end and that the generation was wholly spent which by speciall fauour had heard with their eares the heauenly wisedome of the Sonne of God then the conspiracie of detestable errour through the deceit of such as deliuered strange doctrine tooke rooting and because that none of the Apostles suruiued they published boldly with all might possible the doctrine of falsehood and impugned the manifest and knowne truth In the third Age Ann 200. to 300. there arose a great contention about the keeping of Easter when as Victor Bishop of Rome went about to Excommunicate all the Churches of Asia from their CoÌ„munion as not sauouring aright And at this time the heresie of Artemon who affirmed Christ to be a meere man daily increased Those heretikes saith Eusebius were many Euseb lib. 5 ca. 25. and they corrupted the holy and ancient Scriptures without any reuerence they reiected the Canon of the ancient Faith they were ignorant of Christ not searching what the holy Scriptures affirmed And St. Cyprian makes a grieuous complaint of the Apostacie in his time from the Christian Faith as appeares by diuers passages in his booke De Lapsis In the fourth Age Ann. 300. to 400. Eusebius testifies as an eye witnesse Wee saw the Church ouerwhelmed to the ground Sacras aedes precibus dicatas è sublimi in solum fundamentis ipsis conquassatis deiectas diuinas sanctas Scripturas medio foro in rogum impositas Ecclesiarum Pastores hos in latebras hic illic se cum ignominia abdentei illos non sine dedecore prehensos et ab hosti bus ludibrio expositos oculis nostris aspeximus c. Euseb lib. 8. cap. 2. yea the very foundations themselues digged vp the holy and sacred Scriptures burnt to ashes in the open Market place the Pastors of Churches some shamefully hid themselues here and there some others were ignominiously taken and derided of their enemies and thus it was commanded by Proclamation by the Emperour Dioclesian the Churches should be razed to the ground the holy Scriptures should bee abolished and the Pastors throughout all Parishes should bee imprisoned Heere we see the Church was driuen into straights and corners till the time of Constantine the Great the first Christian Emperour about 300 yeeres after Christ but you shall likewise obserue that no sooner did this good Emperour appeare as an eminent part of the visible Church but Arrius the grand Heretique sowed his wicked Heresies Ingemuit totus orbis et ArrianuÌ„ se esse miratus est Hier aduers Luciferium which Like a Canker so spread it selfe that the Shippe of the Church saith Hierom was almost suncke and the whole world groaned and wondred at it selfe that it was become Arrian And with this holy Father agreeth the complaint of Vincencius Lyrinensis Vincent Lyrin c 6. The poyson of the Arrians did not infect a little portion but in a manner the whole world insomuch that all the Latine Bishops partly by force and partly by cunning were intrapped and had a kind of myst cast before their eyes And when the Arrians did vaunt of the multitude of beleeuers as if Amplitude and Splendor had been certaine markes of the true Church Gregorie Nazianzene makes this Quaere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian in Orat 11. ad Arrianos Where are those men which define the Church by a multitude and despise the little flocke And as touching the perpetuall and eminent visibility of the church it was so farre from his knowledge that hee professeth by reason of the scarcitie of true beleeuers in his Church They were often termed the Arke of Noah Persaepe Arca Neê vocati sumus vt qui soli orbis vniuersi diluvium effugissemus Greg Nazian orat 12. as those who onely were escaped drowning in the flood In like manner when Constantius an Arrian Emperor had obiected the multitude of his Arrian side and the paucitie of Catholike Professors on the
where hee was fed with bread and water And hence we may obserue that if the Pope of Rome bee the Virtuall and totall Church if he be that Rule of Faith vpon whose infallibilitie the whole Christian world must relie in matters of beliefe as the Church of Rome teacheth then certainly the Church at this time was driuen into great straights when as the Head of the Church or rather the totall Church fell into dangerous heresie and consequently eminent and perpetuall Visibilitie can be no sure Note of the true Church But as it was rightly obserued by Isidorus Pleasitota the declination of the true Church from the Apostles time was caused through the distemperature of the Head and thereupon hee makes this ingenuous confession Isid lib. 3. Ep. 408. In the dayes of the Apostles and afterwards when the Church flourished and laboured of no disease the diuine Graces of God went as it were in a ring round about it but afterward it grew diseased and was troubled with faction then all those things fled away not through his carelesnesse and negligence that first inriched her but through their naughtinesse that gouerned not things as they should haue done Ann. 600. to 700. In the seuenth Age Iohannes de Molinis tells vs In Speculo Carmelit cap 6. from the time of Heraclius the Emperor after the yeere 600 the day inclined towards the euening and the Church hauing been in an ecclipse set in the West and became almost deficient And Gregorie himselfe complaines Greg. Ep. 4. l. 1. Iud. 9. that the Ship of the Church was in danger of shipwracke Nay more Diabolê° ita valdè in qui busdam necessaris Ecclesiae membris dentes figit vt omne quod absit citius ouile dilaniet Greg. lib. 4. Ep 36 The Devill saith he so strongly fastneth his teeth in the necessarie members of the Church that vnlesse by Gods grace the prouident company of Bishops ioyne together hee will soone destroy the whole flock of Christ Flens dico gemens denuntio I speake it with teares Quia cum Sacerdotis ordo intus cecidit foris diu stare non potuit I tell it with sighs of heart seeing the Order of Priesthood is fallen within it cannot now stand long without The chiefe reason of this complaint was caused by Iohn Bishop of Constantinople who at this time assumed the Title of Vniuersall Bishop and as new Lords are commonly said to make new Lawes so from and after this time many alterations succeeded in Faith and Manners both in Head and members of the same house Thus wee haue heard in the first age The mysterie of iniquitie began to worke In the second there was a conspiracie against the Trueth In the third Heretikes arose and assaulted her In the fourth the Church was darkened by the multitude of Heresies In the fift she was most flourishing in her members but knowne only by the Scriptures In the sixt the Head of the Church was diuided by heresie from the body In the seuenth there was a declination towards the West and consequently there followed a darkenesse and obscuritie more or lesse in succeeding ages Now as you haue heard complaints against heretikes and persecutors that inuaded the ancient Church in her first best ages so likewise you shall obserue there followed corruptions and errours in Doctrine and Discipline whereby Obscuritie became the proper mark of the true Church almost in all ages till the dayes of Luther In the eight Age Paulus Diaconus calls to the Christians of that time to awake and listen vnto him for saith he You haue buried in contempt and obliuion the word of God Wolph Tom. 1.203 you haue made the Temple a denne of theeues and instead of sweet melody you resound blasphemies against God himselfe and therefore verie shortly the vniuersall Catholike Cittie will fall to ground And Venerable Bede calles to them of his time Nec sine lachrymis rem lachrymis dignam coÌ„templeÌ„tur quantuÌ„ Ecclesiae flatus ad petora quotidiè vel vt mitius dicaÌ„ ad infirmiora gereÌ„da deuol uatur Bed ii 4 in Sâ—m cap. 2. p. 30â— to behold the lamentable estate of the Church Neither saith he let them behold it without teares which is worthy to bee lamented in that it is growne worse and worse or to speake more fauourably it is at least fallen into great infirmities And Charles the Great makes this generall complaint touching the doctrine and Doctors of the Church Carolus Magnus de Imag. in Praefat. The Priests laying aside all sound and wholesome doctrine and little regarding that of the Apostle If an Angell preach other doctrine let him be accursed they transgresse the commandements of the Fathers and bring into the Church such doctrine as was neuer knowne to Christ and his Apostles In the ninth Age Arnulphus Bishop of Orleance an eye witnesse of those times professed openly There is made a departure not onely of Nations but of Churches the Man of Sinne now begins to bee discouered Religion is ouerthrowen and the seruice of God is contemned by the chiefe Priests themselues and that which is more Rome it selfe now almost left alone is departed from her selfe Ann. 900. to 1000. In the tenth Age Christ saith Baronius lay asleepe in the Ship of the Church Bar. Tom 10. ann 912 num 8. ann 900. Sect 1. and which is worse there was not any found amongst his disciples who awaked our Lord all of them being in a snorting sleepe It was the age next to that wherein the Deuill was let loose Infaelix dicitur hoc saeculuÌ„ exhaustuÌ„ hominibus ingenio et doctrinâ claris siue etiam claris Princitibus et Pontificibus Geneb Chron. Vbr. 4. That vnhappy age saith Genebrard which was exhausted both of men for wit and learning and of worthy Princes and Bishops In this time saith Wernerus Christian faith began much to decline from her first virilitie when as in many Christian prouinces neither the Sacraments nor Ecclesiasticall Rites were obserued And Ioachim Abbot complaineth Est et alia sicus quae malidictione praeuarâ—cationis exarnit Latina Ecclesia siue nâ—â—icula Petri. Morn c. that the Latin Church was another Fig tree dryed vp which did beare nought else but temporall leaues and bid her selfe vnder the Title of the Church to the shame of the Pope and his Sea In the eleuenth Age Ann. 1000. to 1100. Who will let me see the Church before I dye saith Bernard as in the dayes of olde Bernar in Cant. Serm 33. when the Apostles did cast foorth their Netts not to take siluer and gold but to take soules There creepeth saith hee an ougly Rott at this present through the whole body of the Church yea the wound of the Church is inward and past recouery And a Canonized Saint of the Romish Church Morn de Eccl p â—â—2 Virgo â— Mathilda tells them of that Age The
that Pygmeis being put vpon Gyants shoulders doe see further then the Gyants themselues But Bishop Fisher doth more warily excuse it and with plausible reasons assure vs that Many things Nec cuiquaÌ„ obscuruÌ„ est quin posterioribê° inge niis multa sint tam ex Euangeliis quaÌ„ ex scripturis c. Roffeas Consur Assert Luther Art 18. as well in Gospells as in the rest of the Scriptures are now more exquisitely discussed by later wits and more clearely vnderstood then they haue been heretofore eyther by reason that the yee was not as then broken vnto the Ancients neither did their age suffice to weigh exactly that whole sea of Scriptures or because in this most large field of Scriptures euen after the most diligent reapers some eares will remaine to bee gathered as yet vntouched How forcible motiues these reasons may seeme to other men I will not heere dispute sure I am they are vaine excuses for Romane Bishops and Cardinals who are bound by their generall Councell and the Popes Bull to obey the Exposition of Fathers as an Article of their faith But admit these opinions should bee excused for the particular Tenets of some priuate men let vs see how faithfully the Popes Pastors of these latter times haue interpreted the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers Moses saith Whit. Durae â—s in Camp 9. Reason pag. 269. God made man after his Image Pope Adrian interpreteth therefore Images must bee set vp in Churches Saint Peter saith Behold De obed maior vnaÌ„ sanctaÌ„ c. here are two swoâ—ds Pope Boniface concludes Therefore the Pope hath power ouer the spirituall and the temporall Saint Matthew saith Giue not that which is holy vnto dogs Iewels Defence p â—2 Mr. Harding expounds it Fiet vnum ouile et vnê° Pastor quod quidem de Christo intelligi non potest sâ—d dâ—â—liquo alio Ministroqâ—â— bresâ—t loco eius Ioh de Par sâ—de pot Reg Papati c. 30. therfore it is not lawfull for the vulgar people to reade the Scriptures Saint Iohn saith There shall bee one Fold and one Sheepherd Iohannes de Parisijs tels vs This place cannot bee expounded of Christ but must bee taken for some Minister ruling in his stead The Prophet Dauid saith Thou hast put all things vnder his feet Antoninus expounds it Anton. in sum part 3. tit 22. c. 5. Haebr 2. Thou hast made all things subiect to the Pope the cattle of the field that is to say men liuing in the earth the fishes of the sea that is to say the soules in Purgatory the fowles of the ayre that is to say the soules of the blessed in heauen And lastly whereas our Sauiour Christ witnesseth of himselfe In Concil Later sub Leo 10. p. 671. All power is giuen to me both in heauen and earth Stephen Archbishop of Patraca applyed it to Pope Leo the tenth in the Councell of Lateran in the audience of the Pope himselfe who thankfully accepted it and suffered it to bee published and printed and as it is rightly obserued by learned Du Moulin Pope Innocent the third in his Booke of the Mysteries of the Masse Buckler of faith pa. 30. the booke of sacred Ceremonies Durants Rationalls Tolet and Titleman and others do most ridiculously wrest the Scriptures altogether different from their right meaning and the Expositions of the Fathers as for instance The Scripture saith The Rocke was Christ therefore say they the Altar must bee of stone It is written I am the light of the world therfore Tapers must be set vpon the Altar It is written Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth therefore the Priest must kisse the Altar It is written Thou shalt see my back parts Exod. 33.23 therefore the Priest must turne his backe to the people It is written Laua me ampliús Psal 51. Wash mee againe therefore the Priest must wash his hands twise It is written Exod. 3.5 Put off thy shooes for this place is holy therefore the Bishop at Masse changeth his hose and shooes And lastly the Pope himselfe at the time of his coronation casteth certain copper money amongst the people vsing the words of Peter Siluer and gold haue I none but that which I haue I giue thee These and the like Expositions doe much resemble the strict order of Monkes who reading the words in Matthew Districtissimi MonachoruÌ„ simplicitèr intelligentes fecerunt sibi cruces ligneas easque sibi iugiter humeru circuÌ„ferentes c Ioh. de Polemar orat in CoÌ„cil Basil pag. 385. Hee that taketh not vp his crosse and followeth me is not worthy of mee made themselues woodden crosses and so carried them on their backes continually causing all the world to laugh at them for howsoeuer they may seeme to bee the expositions of some priuate spirits yet hee that makes oath in verbo Sacerdotis to receiue expound the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers and shall render such Expositions of the Text can bee no true Catholique Hieron 24. q 3. cap. Haeresis For whosoeuer doeth otherwise vnderstand the Scripture saith Hierome then the sense of the holy Ghost who is the Penman of the Scripture requires although hee hath not departed from the Church yet hee may bee tearmed an heretique But as the Fryar said wittily in his Sermon the trueth which hee preached was like holy water which euery one called for apace yet when the Sexton cast it on them they let it fall on their backs in like manner the Romanists seemingly call for the Scriptures they commonly vaunt that they expound and receiue them according to the vniforme consent of Fathers but as Vincentius Lyrinensis said of the heretiques of his time When they shall begin not onely to vtter those sayings Vbi caeperuÌ„t illas voces noÌ„ iam proferre sedetiam exponere non ad c. VinceÌ„t Lyrin c. 36. but also to expound them then the bitternesse then the sowernesse and madnesse is perceiued then a new deuised poyson will be breathed out then are prophane Nouelties disclosed then may you see the bounds of the ancient Fathers to bee remooued the Catholique Faith to bee then butchered and the doctrine of the Church torne in pieces Pope Pius the fourth who first published the Articles of the Creed was not ignorant that the Scriptures must be farre fetched and hardly strayned to make them speake for the Trent doctrine hee well vnderstood that it was too generall and strict a tye vpon euery Masse Priest to receiue and interpret the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers knowing well that many Masse Priestes were vtterly ignorant of the Fathers and therefore to qualifie the rigour of that oath adioyned these words to the aforesaid Article Artic. 2. Also that sacred Scripture according to that sense which the Mother Church hath holden whose right is to iudge of the true sense and
EloquioruÌ„ Dei. Tolet. coment in Rom. 3.2 according to Saint Pauls testimonie Vnto the Iewes were committed the Oracles of God these Oracles as Gods pledges were preserued by them saith Cardinall Tolet and according to the number of the Hebrew letters they were diuided into two and twentie Bookes which is the Canon of Scripture now taught and receiued by the reformed Churches The other Bookes which wee terme Apocryphall were neuer receiued of the Iewes for Canonicall Bell de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 10. as Bellarmine himselfe doth testifie This Canon of the Iewes was so true and perfect at Christs comming that neither Christ nor any of his Apostles complained of it nay more they cited many things out of the Canonicall Bookes of Scripture for proofe of their doctrine with this speciall character As it is written when as in all the Gospell of Christ there is not so much as one authoritie cited by Christ or his Apostles out of the Bookes which we terme Apocryphall This Canon of the Iewes as it was intirely preserued by them and is now receiued by vs so it is likewise warranted by Christ himselfe for Saint Luke tells vs that our Sauiour after his Resurrection beginning at Moses and all the Prophets Luk. 24.27 expounded in all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe and what hee meant by all the Scriptures hee afterwards expounds in the 44. verse of the same chapter Ibid. ver 44. These are the words which I speake vnto you which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes concerning mee and hee giues the reason in Saint Luke Luk. 24.44 That all things must bee fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes concerning me Here then is the true Canon of Scripture deliuered and rightly diuided by Christ himselfe into three seuerall rankes into the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes vnder all or any of which rankes the Books which we terme Apocryphall neither are nor euer were conteined And this was the constant Tenet of the Primitiue Church touching the true Canon of the Scriptures in the first Age. In the second Age An. 100. to 200. Euseb hist Eccles. li. 4 c. 25. Melito Bishop of Sardis In an Epistle to Onesimus numbreth the Bookes of the Old Testament wherein hee maketh no mention of Iudith Tobit Ecclesiasticus nor the Maccabees and this is likewise confessed by Bellarmine Bell de verbo Dei li. 1. cap. 20. Many Ancients saith he as namely Melito did follow the Hebrew Canon of the Iewes Cum diligeÌ„ter de omnibus explorauerat omni inuestigatione comperit hos libros esse à veteris TestameÌ„ti Canone reticiendos Eus li. 4. ca. 26. And Eusebius more plainely tells vs that when hee had made diligent search of all the Bookes of Scripture hee accounted those bookes which wee terme Apocryphall to bee reiected from the Canon In the third Age. An. 200. to 300. Origen in his Exposition vpon the first Psalme saith We may not be ignorant there are two and twentie books of the Old Testament after the Hebrewes which is the number of the letters among them This is likewise witnessed by Eusebius that as Origen receiued the Canon of the Iewes Euseb lib. 6 cap. 18. so likewise he reiected those sixe bookes which wee terme Apocryphall with the Iewes In the fourth Age An. 300. to 400. Hilary Bishop of Poictiers tells vs The Law of the Olde Testament is contained in two and twentie bookes In viginti duos libros lex TestameÌ„ti veteris deputetur vt cum literaruÌ„ numero conuenirent qui ita secunduÌ„ Traditiones veteruÌ„ depâ—tantur vt Mosi sint libri quinque Iesu Naue sextus Iudicum Ruth septimus c. Hilar. in Prolog in Psal explanationem according to the number of the Hebrew letters And there he tells vs further how they are disposed and put in order according to the tradition of the Ancients in this manner There are fiue bookes of Moses Iosuah is the sixt the Iudges and Ruth the seuenth the first and second of Kings the eight the third and fourth of Kings the ninth the two bookes of Chronicles the tenth Esdras the eleuenth Psalmes the twelfth Solomons Prouerbes Ecclesiastes Canticles 13. 14. 15. the twelâ—e Prophets the sixteenth Esay Ieremy with the Lamentations Daniel Ezechiel Iob and Hester doe make vp the number of 22. bookes Cyril of Hierusalem giues the like lesson to the Reader Veteris Testamenti libros meditare duos et viginti Tu itaque cum sis filius Ecclesia non transgredi eris illius terminos Cyril Catech 4. Peruse the two and twentie bookes but meddle not with the Apocrypha meditate diligently vpon those Scriptures which the Church doth confidently reade and vse no other Athanasius tells vs Sunt itaque Canonici veteris Testamentilibri 22. literis Hebraicis numero pares praetèr istos autem sunt adhuc alii etusdem veteris instrumenti libri noÌ„ sunt Canonici qui Catechumenis tantum leguntur Sapientia Solomonis c. Athanas in Synops Nec ab hâc sententia alienus fuit Damascenê° et Athanasius quos Theologi multi secuti sunt Canus loc Theol. lib. 2. ca. 10. Euse Chro. li. 2. ex Hier. versione Eusebio atque reliquis licuit aliquando dubitare Can. lib. 2. ca. 10. The Christians had at that time a definite number of bookes comprehended in a Canon and of that Canon touching the Olde Testament they were twentie two bookes equall to the number of the Hebrew letters and as touching the Apocryphall books as namely the book of Wisedome Maccabees and the rest libri non sunt Canonici they are read onely to the Catechumens but are not Canonicall This testimony is so true that Canus confesseth hee was not onely of our opinion but also drew many Diuines after him to this opinion Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea saith The Hebrew Historie of the Maccabees reckons from thence the raigne of the Grecians but those bookes are not receiued among the diuine Scriptures This Authour is likewise acknowledged in this Tenet to be ours Haec suÌ„t quae Patres intra CanoneÌ„ concluseruÌ„t ex quibus fidei nostrae assertiones constare volueruut scienduÌ„ tamen est qd et alii libri suÌ„t qui noÌ„ sunt Canonici sed Ecclesiastici à maioribus appellati suÌ„t vt sapientia Solomonis et alia Sapientia quae dicitur filii Syrach eiusdem ordinis est liber Tobiae et Iudith et Machabaeorum libri qua omnia legi quideÌ„ in Ecclesiis voluerunt noÌ„ tameÌ„ proferri ad authoritatem ex his fidei confirmandam Ruff. siue Cypt. in explic Symb. Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 20. Quod verò Ruffinê° asserit ex patruÌ„ Traditione eos libros à canone reiiciendos pace Lectoris dictum sit patruÌ„ traditiones ignorauit Can. lib. 2. c. 11. Sicut
Bell de verbo Dei lib. 4. c 2. do signifie that doctrine which is not written by the first Author in any Apostolique Booke either for want of a continued succession in their Traditions or to make the ignorant beleeue the Scripture makes in all poynts for them I say for those very points which they terme Traditions vnwritten they produce the Word written See the Gag of the Gospell as for instance Purgatory is termed an vnwritten Tradition and therefore by Bellarmines testimony is not to bee found in any Apostolike Author yet the Cardinall Bel. de Purgatorio for this very poynt cites twentie seuerall places in the written Word to prooue it Invocation of Saints is a Tradition vnwritten and therefore not to bee found in Scripture yet the Cardinall prooues it out of the Word written Bell. de sancta Bâ—at l. 1. c. 20. Goe to my seruant Iob and he will pray for thee The Communion in one kind is a Tradition vnwritten and therefore not to be found in any Apostolique Author yet Fisher Bishop of Rochester proues it out of the Word written Roffen advers Luth. Aâ—t 16. Giue vs this day our daily bread Prayer and Seruice in an vnknowne tongue is a Tradition vnwritten and therefore not to bee found in Scripture Ledes de diuin scrip quauis linâ—uâ non legendâ c. 22. yet Ledesma the Iesuite prooues it strongly out of the Word written Our Sauiour opened the booke of the Prophet Esay and afterwards closed it How poore and weake are these and the like authorities deduced from the Scriptures I leaue to euery mans iudgement but sure I am the number of their Traditions is vncertaine and the nature of them is destroyed by their owne Tenets when they confound the written word with their vnwritten Doctrines It was the ancient rule of Vincentius Lyrinensis In ipsâ Catholicâ Ecclesia magnopere curandum est vt id teneamus qd vbique qd semper quod ab omnibê° credituÌ„ hóc est enim verè proprieque Catholicum qd ipsa vis nominis raticque declarat VinceÌ„t Lyrin c. 3. In the Catholique Church we ought to bee carefull to hold that which hath been beleeued in all places at all times and of all persons for that is truely and properly Catholique which the force and reason of the name doth declare Those men therefore which assume the name of Catholique and accurse all those who receiue not Traditions with equall reuerence and authoritie with the Scriptures let them proue that their doctrinall Traditions before named haue been euer held and beleeued at all times in all places and of all persons let them proue they were receiued with the vniforme consent of Fathers let them proue they were decreed in a constant succession from age to age from Christians to Christians throughout the whol vniuersal Church These are requisite conditions and ancient characters of Apostolique Traditions But that there are any such or euer were in the Chuch of Rome excepting those onely which are expressely or by necessary consequence deduced from the word of God although they are daily pretended by them yet to this day were neuer proued And hence it is that for want of sure footing and foundation in the Scriptures many Rituall Traditions and Obseruations of the ancient Church are changed and many doctrinall Traditions and Constitutions of the Roman Church are newly brought in which are pretended to be ancient Touching Rituall Traditions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bass de Spirit sanct ca. 27. Saint Basil tels vs It was not lawfull for any man to kneele in the Church vpon the Sunday and this Traditionn saith he was giuen vnto vs in secret charge by the Apostles of Christ Yet this Tradition is altered St. Austen saith Betweene Easter and Whitsuntide it was not lawfull for any man to fast Aug. ad Casulanum by the Tradition of the Apostles yet this Tradition is abrogated Sententiae haec infantibê° Eucharistiam esse necessariam cercitèr sexentos annos viguit in Ecclesia Mald. Com. in Iohn 6. The giuing of the Eucharist to Infants was an ancient Tradition continued in the Church six hundred yeeres after Christ saith Maldonat yet this Tradition is abolished And as touching the doctrinall Traditions and Constitutions of their Church which are made of equall authoritie with the Scripture you shall scarcely find any of them I say confidently you shall finde none of them to haue been receiued de Fide as Articles of faith with the Vniuersalitie of Churches the consent of Fathers and continued succession of the now receiued doctrine in all ages That this may the more plainely apeare I will examine the Tenets of the Papall Traditions ab Initio and see what the Romane Church in generall and the Greeke Church in particular which for many hundred yeeres communicated in the same Faith with the Romane hath taught and beleeued concerning their doctrine SECT VIII The most generall pretended Traditions of the Romane Church were vtterly vnknown to the Greeke Church and want Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession the proper markes of true Traditions in the Roman Church TO examin the foundation of the Greek Church let vs look vp to the time of the Apostles where wee shall finde S. Iohn writing to the seuen Churches in Asia Reuel 1 11 and Saint Paul sending his Epistles to the Corinthians to the Ephesians to the Thessalonians all principall members of the Greeke Church In these Churches according to the doctrine of the Apostles there is nothing that makes for the now Romane Faith and Doctrine but rather against it and that the Romanists may not vainely arrogate to themselues the title of Catholike and Vniuersall Church as if the whole Christian Faith were confined to the Bishop of Rome and his Diocesse it is plaine and euident that Saint Peter taught the word at Antioch Saint Andrew in Greece and Muscouie Saint Iames in Iudea Saint Iohn in Asia Saint Philip in Assyria Saint Thomas in India Saint Matthew in Aethiopia Saint Thaddeus in Armenia Saint Paul in all the countreyes from Arabia to Slauonia St. Bartholomew in Scythia Saint Simon in Persia Ioseph of Arimathea in Great Britaine and all these published the same Faith for substance which wee at this day professe in the Church of England Looke vpon the Greeke Church in generall Terra Graecorum vndique destinata est fides Aug. Ep. 178. Ep. 170. Saint Austen tells vs From the land of Grecia the faith into all places was spread abroad and in particular Saint Chrysostome tells vs The name of Christians beginning first from the citie of Antioch as from a spring hath flowed ouer the whole world And without doubt that famous Citie in Greece gaue the first name and title to the Christians and therefore was called Theopolis Antioch the Citie of God It cannot bee denyed that the Easterne Church is before Rome in time shee hath larger bounds and multitudes
whose eares are intirely affected towards Religion And in like manner Saint Austen made the like answere Quia etsi fortassè nomen ipsum non inueniret res tamē ipsa inveniretur quid est enim contentiosius quá vbi de re cōstat certare de nomine Aug. Epist 174. Albeit the word perhaps be not found there yet the thing it selfe is found and what more friuolous quarrell is it then to contend about the word when there is a certaintie of the thing I will not require of our aduersaries to shew mee in the Scriptures the word of Transubstantiation of Masse of Supremacie and the like because they receiue them as Traditions which are not conteined in the Scriptures but on the other side if any Romanist will deny that the Articles of the Apostles Creed are not contained in the Scriptures and yet will shew me in expresse words I beleeue in God the Father Almightie maker of heauen and earth or that the holy Catholike Church and Communion of Saints are the expresse wordes contained in the Scriptures I will subscribe to the Articles of the newe Romane Creed and allow all Papall Traditions for Apostolical For we doe not say that nothing is to bee beleeued de fide but what is written in the Scriptures in expresse termes but wee professe it must be directly or by necessary consequence deduced from the Scriptures It was the answere of Epiphanius to the disciples of Arius in the Primitiue Church Wee all of vs doe confesse the Father to be vnbegotten Epiphan haeres 69. nu 71. increate and it is surely an admirable saying but shew mee if you can where this saying is written for neither doeth the Law of Moses nor the Prophets nor yet the Apostles make any mention thereof If then we do piously acknowledge this saying though it were not written any where Idem haeres 75. who can find fault with vs though the word Coessentiall or Consubstantiall be not written As therefore we confesse the words Vnbegotten Increate Consubstantiall the word Trinitie and the like are not found in Scriptures so I thinke no Romanists will or can deny but that all those words are implyed in the Scripture or by necessary inference deduced from them To conclude therefore this second poynt and first Article of the Romane Creed since Papall Traditions haue no foundation in the Scripture nor are contained in any Apostolike author by our aduersaries confession since they want a continued succession from the Apostles time with vniuersalitie of Churches consent of Fathers since they are not resolued of a certaine and definite number of doctrinall Traditions which ought to be resolued in poynts of Faith Lastly since the Scriptures by the testimonies of both sides is the safest and furest rule for all beleeuers and since many Papall Traditions are different if not contrary to the Scriptures To follow vnknowne and vnwritten doctrines for knowne and written verities is Via dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way it is Via deuia a wandring and By-way I proceed in the next place to the examination of the ancient Fathers whereby it shall appeare the Romish faith and doctrine as it wants Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie of Churches so likewise it is vtterly destitute of the consent of ancient Fathers SECT X. Our Aduersaries make great boast of the testimonies of the ancient Fathers in generall yet when they come to sifting particular poynts either by secret evasion they decline them or openly reiect them Cant. 1.7 and 6.1 TEll mee then O thou whom my soule loueth where thou feedest whither is thy beloued turned side that wee may seeke him with thee Shall wee seeke him in the Fathers Oh saith Campian If wee once name the Fathers Camp Rat. 5. the field is fought the wager is won on our side for they are all ours Yea saith Bristow In most matters of Controuersie they are so plain on our side Brist Mot. 14. that it cannot with any colour bee denied or called in question Yea Duraeus the Iesuit claimes a peculiar interest in the behalfe of the Roman Church Nos Patrū veri filii sumus Dur. coutr Whitak p. 125. 140. Wee onely are the true sonnes of the Fathers wee doe not cite them by the halues sometimes allowing one part of their doctrine sometimes reiecting another but we embrace them all And for confirmation of this assertion the Romanists in their Apologie or Petition of Lay Catholikes make this generall acclamation Apolog. or Pet. of Lay Cath. 1604. cap. 4. For one place of a Father sometimes ill cited sometimes falsified sometimes mutilated and sometimes wholly corrupted by Protestants we can produce a thousand not by patches and mammockes as they doe but whole pages whole chapters whole bookes and the vniforme consent of all the ancient Fathers and Catholique Church Thus the wicked Iewes claimed Abraham for their Father and thus the frantike Grecian claimed all the ships in Athens to bee his Thrasilaus when the poore man had least interest in them If Campian and his fellow Iesuites had been liuing in the dayes of the ancient Fathers surely they had been branded with the markes of heretikes for their false alarums for Carosus the Eutychian heretike although his claime reach not to all the Fathers Ego secundum expositionem trecentū octodecem Patrum sic credo c. Concil Chalc. Act. 4 p. 877. yet saith he according to the Exposition of three hundred and eighteene Fathers so I beleeue and in this faith was I baptized what should ye say more to mee I cannot tell And Dioscorus the heretike much like the Iesuit makes an open outcry in the Councell of Chalcedon Ego cum Patribus eiicior ego defendo Patrum dogmata ego horum habeo testimonia non simpliciter aut transitoriè sed in ipsorum libris expressum Concil Chalc. Act. 1. I haue the testimonies of the holy Fathers Athanasius Gregorie Cyril I varie not from them in any poynt I am throwne foorth and banished with the Fathers I defend the Fathers doctrine I haue their iudgement vttered not by chance or vnaduisedly but remaining expressed in their books Thus Paynims heretikes Iewes and Iesuits claime Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie in Traditions and Fathers yea the heretikes did glory and vaunt of the Fathers in the two famous Councels of Nice and Chalcedon in the very presence of the Fathers themselues yea Pelagius the heretike when he disagreed from the doctrine of the Fathers like a true Romanist thought to aduance his owne heresie by magnifying the Faith of Ambrose an ancient Father Blessed St. Ambrose saith he that Bishop Pelag. lib. 3. de lib. Arbitrio q. in whose bookes the Roman faith especially appeareth who like a beautifull flower shined amongst the Latine Writers whose faith and most pure vnderstāding of the scriptures the enemy himselfe dares not reprehend This is the very practise of the Romane church in these daies They glory
the compasse of Demetrius assembly which wanted a right and a lawfull calling But let vs see with what esteeme and authoritie this Councel is receiued in the Romane Church Cardinall Bellarmine tels vs Si tollamus authoritateÌ„ praesentis Ecclesiae praesentis Concilii in dubiuÌ„ reuocari possunt omniuÌ„ aliorum Conciliorum decreta et totu fides Christiana Bell. de effect SacraÌ„ lib. 2. c 25. If we take away the authoritie and credit of the present Church and Councell of Trent the Decrees of other Councels and the whole Christian Faith may bee called in question This Iesuite who first assured vs That the Church might continue safe without Councels if occasion required at least two thousand yeres now without any regard to the sacred Gospel of Christ professeth That if the Roman Church and Trent Councell were remoued the Faith of all Christians would be indangered and Campian his fellow Iesuite as man rauished with the fame of that Synod proclaimes to after ages The elder that Councell waxeth the more it will flourish and as a true Romish Proselyte cries out to the astonishment of poore Protestants O good Lord with what diuersitie of people out of all Countreys with what choyce of Bishops throughout all Christendome with what excellencies of Kings and Common-weales with what profound Diuines with what deuotion with what lamentations with what abstinence and fasting with what flowers of Vniuersities with what knowledge of strange tongues with what sharpe wits with what studie with what endlesse reading with what store of vertues and exercises was that sacred place replenished This Councell is like the great Diana of the Ephesians that carries the vniuersall applause let vs looke herefore into the lawfulnesse and authoritie of this Councell for if it be of men Acts 5.39 it will come to nought but if it bee of God we cannot ouerthrow it lest happily we be found euen to fight against God himselfe First then as this Councel wanted a right calling of the Emperor so likewise it wanted a requisite condition to make it Generall for that Councell is truly Generall wherunto al christian States are summoned assembled in his name and shall this be held the great Councell of the Christian world the chiefe supporter of all other Councels and the whole Christian faith which was confined to a small number and some fewe Nations Looke vpon the three Patriarks of Constantinople Antioch and Alexandria were they all present Look vpon the Grecians Armenians Medes Persians Egyptians Moores Aethiopians were they summoned to this Councel do not these people beleeue in Christ haue they not Bishops did their Ambassadours come from all these Nations to the Councell Nay more were the Legats of the kingdome of England of Denmarke of the King of Swetia of Scotland and the Dukedome of Prussia there present Looke vpon the assemblie of their Bishops and it will appeare by their Historie of Trent Historie of Trent lib 2 p. 140. Engl that this Generall and great Councell consisted but of fortie three Bishops and some of those also were but Titular as namely Richard Pates Bishop of Worcester and blind Sr Robert Bishop of Armach these had the bare titles of Bishops were no Bishops at all and two of those Bishops saith Illiricus were taken in adultery Illyr in Protest contr Conc. Trid. the one strucken with a dart the other taken in a trap by the husband and hanged by the necke out of a window to bee seene by all that passed by in the street Binius the publisher of the Councels giues vs to vnderstand that the whole number of Patriarks Archbishops and Bishops vnder Pope Paul the Third who gathered the Councell by the greatest account came but to 62 from which if we take the Titular Bishops and those who through infirmitie could not meet at one the same time there could not be present aboue 43 both as Illiricus and as the Historie of Trent doe witnesse and must we say or can we think that the whole Christian Faith and decrees of all Councels must depend vpon the number of 62 if they were all allowed and agreed together And that which is most remarkable in the fourth Session vnder the same Pope the poynts of greatest moment were discussed and decreed by the number of fiftie three Bishops then I say the prime Articles touching the Canonical books of Scripture touching Traditions then equalled to the Scriptures touching the authentical Edition of scriptures touching the Iudge of all controuersies in poynts of Faith were handled and resolued for Articles of Faith by those few Bishops whereas sometimes it is caried by a single voyce or two and so the number of the whole at most is reduced to thirtie It is true I must confesse that there were many other learned Diuines present but it seemes they were chiefly gathered for the instruction of those Bishops and saith Stella If you will make answere Quod si responder is quod hi Episcopi secum ducant Theologos qui eos illuminent vt contigit in sacro Tridentino CoÌ„cilio in hâc re quidem non possum me a risu temperare Stell in Lucam 6. p. 184. the Bishops bring with them learned Diuines which may instruct them what to say what to answere as it was vsed in the Councell of Trent yet in this I cannot forbeare laughter Neither was the accesse vnto the Councell safe for all those that were inuited neither was it free for all men to dispute and argue the poynts of controuersie freely Pope Iulius the third after the death of his predecessour Pope Paul made a decree That none of the Princes and free Cities of Germanie should haue audience except they would first vow their obedience to the Councell and for that end and purpose hee published his Breue Erit Concilium vt qui temere locuti sunt dicta recantaturi veâ—i aut aut eoruÌ„ inaudita causa in executione ita ordinataruÌ„ ConstitutionuÌ„ haeretici declarentur Breue Iuliâ— 3. citat à Caluino There shall be a Councell that they which haue spoken rashly either may recant their sayings or else without further hearing or receiuing of the matter may bee denounced and condemned for heretikes according to the Constitutions already made Here was plaine dealing and short warning for euery man either to resolue to subscribe to the Trent Doctrine or else to be proscribed for an heretique The Bishops of Apulia did intimate no lesse in the name of all the Bishops PapaluÌ„ RomanuÌ„ adiutor ero ad defendenduÌ„ coÌ„tra omnes homines sic me Deê° adiuuet et saÌ„cta EuaÌ„gelia Ca. E N Extra delure iurand That they were nothing else but the Popes creatures and his bondslaues for there was an oath proposed seuerally to all to bee taken in this maner I will defend the Papacie against all men So helpe mee God and his holy Gospell And as there was an oath proposed in behalfe of the Papall
doctrine so likewise there was speciall care taken and caution giuen Ne quum aâ—atui quo â—llius Maiestati praeiudâ—â—ium vlluÌ„ fieret si quis in hoc peccat Concilio pellatur Valer. in vita Marcel 2 Canus loc Theol. li 12 c. 12. § Extat that whosoeuer should speake against the Maiestie of the Pope should be banished the Councell We haue examples of both in this kinde Cornelius Bishop of Bitonto professed openly in the Councell that Christ in his last Supper did not offer vp his reall body and blood but the Trent Fathers because it was contrary to the Roman Faith condemned and exploded him Paulus Vergerius was but suspected for a Lutheran Sleid. comment li. 21. yet thereupon the Pope comanded him to depart the Councell Guilielmus Venetus a Dominican would prooue the Councell of Constance was aboue the Pope Valer. in vita Marcel 2. because the Councell did depose him but hee was thought too lauish of his tongue and therefore was banished the Councell The Bishop of Chioza professed in the Councell Craken p. 158. that hee disliked the Decree which made Traditions equall with the Scriptures but he was expelled the Councell And as touching the Popes Holinesse when a zealous and good Bishop had declared Molin CoÌ„sil de Trid. Conc. nu 22 that God in the Scriptures was termed Holy and therefore it was honour sufficient for the Pope to bee called Holy and not most Holy the Bishop was sent from Trent to Rome there the Pope grieuously handled him for this capitall offence Neither doe I denie that there was safe conduct promised as well to the Lutherans as to those which were vowed creatures to the Pope and his doctrine but saith Fabritius the learned Princes of Germany were kept so farre from the Castle of Disputation that they could not bee suffered to approach to the entrie of it Fateor extensioneÌ„ c. I grant saith he there was libertie extended to other Nations but withall it is added that the same forme of liberty should appertaine to none others but only to them that would repent and returne to the bosome of the Church If we look vpon the Tenour of the conduct we shal find it was very doubtfull and in trueth it might well bee thought strange that a free and Generall Councell of all sorts of Christians which should meet for Gods glory and Christian peace should come in feare and danger of their owne safetie for say they History of Trent lib. 4 p. 341. 343. Engl. The holy Synod as much as it can grants publike faith and full securitie that is safe conduct but saith the Historie the Protestants thought the forme of the safe conduct very captious because as well in the Decree as in the Tenor there was this clause of reseruation As much as it can when as no man demandeth of an other that which is not in his power to grant To let passe the like Conduct giuen to Hierome of Prague and Iohn Husse at the Councel of Constance can they prooue that there was free libertie of speech granted as it is in all publike Consultations Was there open conference and dispute allowed about the controuersies of Religion was the Scripture appointed to be Iudge or the plea being against the Pope ought the Pope to be plaintife and Iudge in his owne cause I confesse the Electors and Princes of Germanie being assembled at Newburg in the Popes name and by the Popes Legats were summoned to the Councel but withall they returned this answere Mirari se c. Epist ReruÌ„ gest sub Ferd. ann 1561. apud Scard They wondred vpon what grouÌ„d or reason the Pope should bee so bold how he durst proclaime a Councell to them and call them to Trent And there they giue this reason for it Because it was neither lawfull Craken p. 156. nor agreeable to Diuine or Human equitie that the Pope should supply the place of a Iudge when as both the dissention and ruine of the Church proceeded from himselfe Thus if wee consider this Councels calling it was by vsurpation not of ancient right If we respect the nature of it as it was Generall many Kings and Princes were so farre from allowing it that they made protestation againâ—â— it if we obserue the number of Bishops in their aâ—semblie when the greateâ—â— points of controuersie weâ— handled and resolued there were but fiftie three If we looke vpon the free accesse it was doubtfull and limited to certaine conditions And lastly if wee respect a free conference Historie of Trent lib. 2 p. 126. The Pope made knowne by his Legats that the Iudges were tyed to him by oath whereas the plea being against the Pope and his doctrine he himselfe ought not to bee Iudge I conceiue it was but a harsh proceeding that how many or how great soeuer the differences were concerning Religion yet there could bee no dispute nor yet admittance to the Councell but by an inforced protestation vowed obedience to the Pope and his doctrine insomuch their owne Thuanus giues vs to vnderstand that the fault was not in the Protestants for notwithstanding they conceiued their Conduct was not safe yet they came to the Councell and desired the Popes Legat to haue libertie to dispute and being made knowne that the Protestants were ready to make good their confessions which at that time they exhibited to the Councell The Trent Fathers were greatly offended Thua hist Tom 1. li. 9. ann 1552. neither could the Protestants haue answer to their confessions and therefore they desired leaue to be gone which being easily granted them they commended their cause to the Emperours Oratour and so departed from the Councell I will giue you a short and generall view of the actions in this Councell Andraeas Dudithius an Ambassadour sent to this Councell from the State and Cleargie of Hungarie a man highly fauoured by Ferdinand and Maximilian the second and a knowne Actor in this assembly giues the substance of their proceedings in few words very remarkable and worthy of all mens reading What good saith he could be done in that Councell Andr. Dudith in Epist ad Maximil 2. CaesareÌ„ de Calice Sacerdotum Coniugio which onely numbred but neuer considered the weightinesse of any opinion if either the cause or reason might haue made the encounter or if a few assistants had but sided with vs the day had been ours albeit the enemy was very strong but when only number fought the field in which wee fell short of them though our cause was neuer so good we could not come off with victorie to euery one of vs the Pope was able to oppose one hundred of his owne and if a hundred seemed but a few hèe could suddenly raise a thousand and send them to helpe their fellow Labourers so that you might daily see seruile poore Bishops for the most part young men and almost beardlesse wasted with
performe an act meritorious The beliefe then of the Romish doctrine doeth not consist altogether in the trueth of it but in the faith of the beleeuer for let it be true or false if it bee receiued with an affected ignorance and a blinde obedience the partie shall be safe as it were by fire that is as they elegantly vnderstand it shall goe through the fire of Purgatory to heauen Cardinall Cusanus hath giuen his voice with Cardinal Tollet that it is the safest and surest way to relie vpon the Priest as Ruler of the people without further inquirie of the trueth and thereupon he cries out with admiration as if hee would astonish his Disciples with the name of the Church QuaÌ„ firma est aedificatio Ecclesiae quia nemo decipi potest etiam per maluÌ„ praesidentem Si dixeris Domine obediui tibi in praeposito hoc tibi sufficiet ad salutem tu enim per obedientiam quam facis praeposito queÌ„ Ecclesia â—olerat decipi nequis etiaÌ„si praeceperit alia quaÌ„ debuit praesumit enim ecclesia de illa sententia cui si tu obedieris magna erit meâ—ces tuâ— Obedeenâ—â—â—t â—tur irrâ—â—tionalis est coâ— suâ—mâ—ta obedientia et per fectissima scil quando obeditur sine inquisitione rationis sicut tumentuÌ„ obedit domino suo Cusan Exist lib. 2. lib. 6. O how strong is the building of the Church for no man can be deceiued no not by an euill Bishop if thou say vnto God O Lord I haue obeyed thee in my Bishop this shall suffice thee vnto saluation for thou canst not bee deceiued by thy obedience that thou yeeldest to the Bishop whom the Church suffereth although hee commaund thee other things then he ought to doe for the Church presumeth his sentence to bee good which sentence if thou obey thy reward shall bee great Obedience therefore without reason is a full and perfect obedience that is when thou obeyest without inquiring of reason as a horse is obedient to his Master The Bishop or Priest then is the man we must obey and beleeue for his lips preserue knowledge his tongue will tell no lies but what if hee faile in his doctrine what if hee erre in his opinion are we sure he doeth euer deliuer the constant Tenet of his Church Admit then Saint Bernard were aliue and if a poore ignorant soule should come vnto him and demand of him whether hee thinke it possible for a man to keepe the Commandements will he say that a man may keep them for the Church teacheth so Bernard in Can. Serm. 50. when as he himself confidently affirmeth Therin thou shalt yeeld vnto vs that the Commaundements neither haue been fulfilled by any man in this life nor indeed can bee Admit that Thomas Aquinas were aliue and one of his disciples should desire to be resolued what worship to giue an Image would he tell him it must be worshipped with Dulia an inferiour honour when as himselfe protesteth Quod eâdeÌ„ reuerentia exhibeatur Imagini Christi vt ipsi Christo Aquin. p. 3. q. 25. art 3. that the Image of Christ is to bee honoured with the same honour that Christ himselfe is Admit that Cardinal Caietan were aliue and one should desire to know whether the Bookes of Macabees were canonical Scriptures would hee teach they were Canonicall when his fellow Canus professeth Canus li. 2. loc Theol. cap. 11. hee was so farre from teaching it that hee maintained the contrary Looke vpon the grand fundamental point of Transubstantiation if a Romanist will consult with the Priests and Bishops of these late ages it will appeare there could be no certaintie for an ignorant lay man to build his faith vpon the resolution of his Priest or Prelate As for instance in this particular poynt If a lay Papist had required satisfaction of Bishop Fisher Whether the doctrine of Transubstantiation was grouÌ„ded vpon the authoritie of the Scripture it is presumed he would haue answered according to his owne writing Roffens contr Capt. BabylonicaÌ„ c. 10. N. 8. O. Non potest per vllam Scripturam probare It cannot bee proued by any place of Scripture If hee had appealed from the Bishop to a Court of Cardinals Cardinall de Aliaco would haue told him Patet quod ille modê° sit possibilis nec repugnat rationi nec authoritati Bibliae c. Pet. de Alliac in 4. Sent. q. 6. Art 1. Caier in 3. part q. 79. Art 1. The maner which supposeth the substance of bread to remaine is possible neither is it contrary to reason nor the authoritie of the Scriptures Card. Caietan would haue told him That part which the Gospell hath not expressed wee haue receiued expresly from the Church viz. the conuersion of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ Card. Bellarmine would haue told him It is not altogether improbable that there is no expresse place of Scripture to prooue it Bellar. de Euch. lib. 3. cap. 23. and it may iustly bee doubted whether the Text bee cleare enough to inforce it Againe admit an ignorant lay man would require the iudgement of particular Priests in former ages Bertram a Priest would haue told him Bertr of the body and blood of Christ ann 1623. In respect of the substance of the creatures looke whatsoeuer they were before Consecration they are euen the same after Bellar. de Euch. l. 5. c. 15. Peter Lombard and Aquinas would haue told him that the Sacrament of the Altar was a commemoratiue sacrifice because it communicated the effects of the real killing of Christ Ante Lateranense CoÌ„cilium non fuit dogma fidei Scot. in 4. Sent. dist 11. q. 3. Scotus would haue told him Transubstantiation was not beleeued as a point of faith before the Councel of Lateran about 400 yeeres agoe Durand would haue told him The materiall part of the consecrated bread was not conuerted Durand 4. d. 11. q. 1. Bell. de Euchar. lib. 3. cap. 13. All these were Priests and members of the Romane Church they were Defenders of the Roman Faith in their times they declared by their Writings and Instructions to the people that doctrine which was altogether different if not flatly opposite to the Tenet of the now Roman Church And from hence it will follow that either the Roman Church doth want that Vnitie in poynts of Faith which they so much magnifie amongst themselues or otherwise it is an vnstable and a doubtfull way to relie vpon the instructions of his Bishop or Priest for the assurance of his right beliefe Moreouer that the Cardinals Bishops maintained a different doctrine from their owne Church it will appeare by the seuerall confessions confutations of their own Church-men Touching Bertram Bellar. de Script Eccles Tom. 7 p 121. Bellarmine saith Paschasius Ratbertus liuing at that time wrote a booke against him and confuted his errour Touching Peter Lombard
Iudith et Tobiae MacabaeoruÌ„ libros legit Ecclesia sed eos inter Canonicas scripturas non recipit sic et haec duo volumina sapientia Solomonis et Syrach legit ad adificationeÌ„ plebis non authoritateÌ„ dogmatum coÌ„firmandum In Praefat. lib Solom Admitto HieronymuÌ„ ea fuisse opinione quia nonduÌ„ generale CoÌ„ciliuÌ„ de his libris aliquid statuerat c. Bell de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 10. Ipso ergo sacra Codicis 〈◊〉 pandam tibi Omnes libellos c. vltimuÌ„ nomen duplex cui est Angelum Malachiam Greg. Naz. Car. Iamb ad SeleucuÌ„ Iamb 3. De quibê° tamen nunc dubitare nefaâ— est antequam auteÌ„ ab Ecclesiâ coÌ„muni coÌ„sensu recepti essent nihil piaculi fuit eos in CanonicoruÌ„ numeruÌ„ ac sedeÌ„ minimè admittere Iacob Bill in Iam. 3. Nazian Non oportet libros qui sunt extrà Canonem legere nisi solos Canonicos Noui et Veteris Testamenti Concil Laod Can. 59. Ruffinus as some say Cyprian in reciting the Canon of the Scripture testifies the like in this age These be the bookes which our Fathers haue included within the Canon out of which they would haue the assertions of our faith to appeare but yet wee must know that there bee also other bookes which are not Canonicall but are called of our Ancestors Ecclesiasticall as is the Wisedome of Solomon Ecclesiasticus Tobias Iudith and the bookes of Maccabees all which they will indeed haue to bee read in the Church but not to bee alledged for confirmation of faith Bellarmine confesseth with vs that Ruffinus did follow the Hebrewe Canon but his fellow Canus is not contented with such a moderate confession but returnes this answere Although Ruffinus did affirme that the bookes of Maccabees were to bee rejected by the tradition of the Fathers yet by the Readers leaue hee was ignorant of that Tradition Saint Hierome is our witnesse As the Church readeth Iudith Tobias and the Maccabees but receiueth them not for Canonicall Scriptures so these two bookes namely the Wisedome of Solomon and Iesus the sonne of Syrach doth the Church reade for the edification of the people not to confirme thereby the authoritie of any doctrine in the Church This is likewise confessed by Bellarmine I admit saith hee that Hierome was of that opinion because as yet in those dayes a generall Councell had decreed nothing touching those bookes except the booke of Iudith which Hierom afterwards receiued Gregory Nazianzen writing to Seleucus promiseth him that he will shew him a catalogue of the Canonicall bookes and accordingly beginning from Genesis cites the bookes in order to Malachie the last of the Prophets This authoritie in our behalfe is likewise confessed by Iacobus Billius a Romanist in his Commentary vpon those verses but hee excuseth him in this manner That hee omitted other bookes as namely Iudith the Maccabees c. of which notwithstanding to make a doubt in these dayes would bee accounted a wicked thing but before they were generally receiued of the Church it was no sinne not to admit them amongst the number of Canonicall Scriptures The Councell of Laodicea Wee ought to reade onely the bookes of the Old and New Testament and in that 59. Canon the Councell recites onely those Canonicall Bookes of Scripture which we allowe and the Canons of this Councell are confirmed by the sixt Generall Councell in Trullo and Binius himselfe confesseth that the booke of Iudith by the authoritie of this Councell is rejected amongst the Apocrypha And this was the constant opinion of the Primitiue Church Can. 2. Liber Iudith authoritate huius Prouincialis Concilii inter Apocrhyphos reiicitur Binius in Concil Rom. sub Syluest Not. touching the intire rule of Scripture in the fourth Age. In the fifth Age An. 400. to 500. Epiphanius after he had reckoned vp the Canon of two and twentie Bookes Vtiles quidem sunt et coÌ„modi sed in numeruÌ„ receptorum non referuÌ„tur quare neque in Aaron neque in Testamenti Arcam repositi sunt Epiph. li. de Mens Ponder censureth the Bookes of Wisedome and Ecclesiasticus in these words They are fit and profitable but not reckoned amongst those bookes which are receiued by our Church and therefore were neither layd vp with Aaron nor in the Arke of the new Testament In MachabaeoruÌ„ libris etsi aliquid Mirabilium numero inserenduÌ„ conveniens fuisse ordini inueniatur de hâc tameÌ„ nullá curâ fatigabimur quiae tantuÌ„ agere proposuimus vt de Diuini Canonis Mirabilibus exiguaÌ„ expositionem taÌ„geremus Aug. de Mirab sacrae Scrip. l. 2. c. 34. Has supputatio non in Scripturis sanctis quae appellantur Canonica sed in aliis inuenitur in quibê° sunt et MachabaeoruÌ„ libri De civ Dei l. 18. c. 36. Saint Austen Although there may something bee found in the books of Maccabees meet for this order of writing and worthy to bee ioyned with the number of Miracles yet we will not weâ—ry our selues with any care thereof for that we haue intended onely to touch a short rehearsall of the miracles conteined in the diuine Canon And for a further explanation of the true Canon different from the Apocryphall Scriptures he tells vs This reckoning is not found in the holy Scriptures that are called Canonicall but in certaine other bookes amongst which are the bookes of the Maccabees And as concerning the authoritie of these bookes when it was obiected against him that Razis killed himselfe and therefore it was lawfull by the Scripture for a man to kill himselfe amongst other answeres hee returnes this for one The Iewes doe not esteeme this Scripture called the Maccabees in such sort Scriptura quae appellâ— tur Machabaorum recepta est ab Ecclesia non inâ—tilitè◠si sobrie legatur vel audiatur maximè propter illos Machabaeos qui pro Dei lege indigna perpess sunt Aug. contra SecunduÌ„ Ep. Gaud. li. 2. c. 23. as the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes to which Christ giueth testimony as to them that beare that witnesse of him saying It behoued that all these things should be fulfilled that are written of mee in the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes but it is receiued of the Church not vnprofitably so that it bee read and heard with sobrietie especially because of these Maccabees which indured grieuous persecutions for the Lawe of God In the sixth Age An. 500. to 600. Quarehi libri noÌ„ inter Canonicas Scripturas currunt M. Quoniam apud Haebreos quoque super hac differentia recipiebantur sicut Hier. caterique testaÌ„tur Iun. de part diuinae legis lib. 1. cap. 3. SuÌ„tpratereà alii quidem libri vt Sapientia Solo monis liber Iesu filii Syrach et lib. Iudith et Tobiae et libri Machabaeorqui leguÌ„tur quideÌ„ sed noÌ„ scribuÌ„tur in canone Isid Praenot Elucid de script Scripturis sac c. 6 7. Iunilius Bishop of
Africa excludeth from the Canonicall bookes Iudith the Maccabees and the booke of Wisedome and concerning them he puts this question and resolues it Why are not these books inserted amongst the Canonicall Scriptures Because saith he the Iewes did make a difference of them as S. Hierom and others doe testifie Isidore is a witnes that our doctrine was professed in the church in his daies there are other bookes as namely the Wisdom of Solomon the book of Iesus the son of Syrach the books of Iudith and Tobias and the Maccabees which are read but not written in the Canon In the seuenth Age An. 600. to 700. Gregory the Great did account the bookes of Maccabees Apocryphall De qua re non inordinate agimus si ex libris licet noÌ„ Canonicis sed tameÌ„ ad aedificationeÌ„ ecclesiae editis testimonium proferimus In Iob. lib. 19. cap. 13. B. Gregoriê° authoritate vt opinor Hier motuâ— videtur coÌ„cedere illos non esse Canonicos cum tamen de tis producat testimonia Cathat opusc de lib. Canonicis Secundum Greg. in Moralibus liber Iudith Tob. et MachabeoruÌ„ Ecclas atque lib. Sapientiae non suÌ„t recipieÌ„di ad coÌ„firmaÌ„duÌ„ aliquid de fide Occ. Dial. part 3 tract 1. l. 3. c. 16. Wee doe not amisse saith hee if wee produce a testimony out of the bookes of Maccabees though not Canonicall yet published for the instruction of the Church This is witnessed also by Catharinus their own Scholeman Gregory saith hee led as I conceiue by the authoritie of Saint Hierome did seeme to graunt that those bookes were not Canonicall although hee produced testimonies out of them But learned Occham more plainely declares his opinion touching Gregorie According to Gregories doctrine saith hee the booke of Iudith Tobias the Maccabees Ecclesiasticus and the booke of Wisedome are not to bee receiued for the confirmation of any doctrine of faith In the eighth Age An. 700. to 800. Damascene who was canonized a Saint for his seruice at the 2.d. Councell of Nice tells vs it is operae pretiâ—m c worth our paines to search and know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damasc Orth. fid l. 4. c. 18. that there are two and twentie bookes of Canonicall Scripture and as touching the Apocryphall hee termes them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are full of vertuous instructions but are not numbred amongst the Prophets neither were they layd vp in the Arke Nec ab hâc sententia alienus fuit Damascenê° quos Theologi multi secuti sunt Canus loc Theol. lib. 2. cap. 10. This Author is confessed to bee ours in this poynt insomuch as Canus professeth that Damascene and Athanasius were of his opinion and were followed in this by many Diuines In the ninth Age An. 800 to 900. Nicephorus Patriarch of Constantinople giues vs to vnderstand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Niceph. Patr C.P. Canon Script in operibus Pithei In libro Iesu filii Syrach hac praefata senteÌ„tia legitur queÌ„ libruÌ„ B. Hier. atque Isidorê° inter Apochry id est dubias scripturas deputatuÌ„ esse abque dubita tione testaÌ„tur Qui etiaÌ„ liber non teÌ„pore ProphetaruÌ„ sed sacerdotum sub Simone Pont. Max. regnaÌ„te Pto lemao Euergete coÌ„scriptus est Alâ— aduers Elip l. 1. col 941 that the bookes of the Old Testament were twenty and two And in treating of the Apocryphall bookes hee mentioneth in particular the books of Maccabees the Wisdome of Solomon Ester Iudith Susanna Tobit Alcuinus Abbot of Saint Martins at Tours in France writing against Elipantus Bishop of Tolledo tells him that hee vrged authorities out of the booke of Iesus the sonne of Syrach but saith hee Saint Hierome did testifie that without question it was to bee reputed amongst the Apocryphall and doubtfull bookes and withall addeth This booke was not written in the time of the Prophets but vnder the â—â—igne of Ptolomey and Simon the high Priest In the tenth Age An 900. to 1000. Aelfrick Abbâ—t of Malmsbury in his Saxon treatie of the old Testament Aelfrick of the old Testament pa. 17. 22. 23. tells vs There are two bookes more placed with Solomons workes as if he had made them which for likenesse of stile and profitable vse haue gone for his but Iesus the sonne of Syrach composed them one is called Liber Sapientiae the booke of Wisedome and the other Ecclesiasticus very large bookes and read in the Church of long custome for much good instruction amongst these bookes the Church hath accustomed to place two other tending to the glory of God and intituled Maccabeorum I haue turned them into English and so reade them you may if you please for your owne instruction In the eleuenth Age An. 1000. to 1100. Petrus Cluniacensis after the recitall of the Canonicall bookes saith There are besides the authenticall bookes sixe others not to be rejected as namely Iudith Tobias Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the two bookes of Maccabees which though they attaine not to the high dignitie of the former yet they are receiued of the Church De author veter Test Epist contr Petro Busâ—â—nos as containing necessary and profitable doctrine In the twelfth Age Omnes ergo fiunt numero 22 sunt praterea alit quideÌ„ libri vt Sapientia Soloâ—monis liber Iesu filis Syrach et liber Iudith et Tob. et libri Machab qui leguÌ„turqui dem sed non scribuntur in Canone Hugo de S. Vict. Praeno Elucid de scrip et scrip sacris ca. 6. cap 7. Omnes sunt numero 22 suÌ„t pratereà et alii libri vt sapientia c. Rich. Except li. 2. cap. 9. An. 1100. to 1200. Hugo de Sancto Victore All the Canonicall bookes of the Olde Testament are twentie two there are other bookes also as namely the Wisedome of Solomon the booke of Iesus the sonne of Syrach the bookes of Iudith Tobias and the Maccabees which are read but not written in the Canon Richardus de S. Victore was liuing at this time and hath the same words All the bookes are twenty two there are other bookes also as namely the booke of Wisedome and Maccabees and which are read in the Church but not written in the Canon In the thirteenth Age An. 1200. to 1300. Hugo Cardinalis speaking of the bookes reiected by vs Hugo in Prologum Galeatum saith These bookes are not receiued by the Church for proofe of doctrine but for information of manners And in his Preface to Tobias hee saith they are not accounted amongst the Canonicall Scriptures Prolog in Tobiam Bonauenture in his Preface before the Exposition of the Psalter sheweth which are the Canonicall bookes of Scripture and passing by the bookes of the New Testament hee reckoneth all those and those onely that Hierome doth sorting them into their seuerall rankes and orders as the Hebrewes doe In the fourteenth Age An. 1300. to 1400. Gul. Occham saith According to Hierome in his