the touchstone of the true Pastours of the Catholique Church who may say with S. Paul non ignoramus cogitationes Sathanae we are not ignorant of the cogitations of Sathan and who may also say with S. Iohn Nos ex Deo sumus qui nouit Deum audit nos qui non est ex Deo non audit nos In hoc cognoscimus spiritum veritatis spiritum erroris We are of God he that knoweth God heareth vs he that is not of God doth not heare vs. In this wee know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of errour Now if any will not admitte this manner of trying and discerning the spirit of truth from the spirit of errour but will trust their owne iudgement alone in this matter feare they may iustly nay rather they may be sure as Cassian saith that they shal worship in their thoughts the angell of darkenes for the Angell of light to their exceeding great harme And at least howsoeuer their priuate affection and selfe-loue encline them to thinke well of themselues of that spirite which they permitte to teach them those singuler points of new and strange doctrine yet sure it is that this their perswasion of the goodnes of their spirit is not infallible as the rule of faith must be sith diuers now adaies perswade themselues in the same maner to be taught by the holy Spirit yet one of them teaching against another it is not possible that all that thus perswade themselues should bee taught by this spirit sith this Spirit doth neuer teach coÌ„trary to it selfe And therefore some in this their perswasion must needes be deceaued And therfore who hauing no testimony of euideÌ„t miracle or some other vndoubted proof dare arrogantly affirme that he onely is not deceaued especially in such sorte as to condemne all other and to propose himselfe to himselfe others as the only sufficient rule of faith considering that others who presume perswade themselues altogither in like manner are in this their perswasion deceaued But suppose one could assure himselfe that he were taught by Gods Spirite immediately what is the true faith in all pointes in such sort that he could erre in none as it is not the manner of almighty God to teach men immediately by himselfe alone or by an Angell but rather as the Scripture telleth vs fides ex auditu Faith is bredde in vs by hearing and is to bee required ex ore Sacerdotis out of the mouth of the Priest and is to be learned of Pastors and Doctors whom God hath appointed in his Church of purpose to instruct vs and continue vs in the ancieÌ„t faith but suppose I say that one could assuredly perswade himselfe to be immediately taught of God what is the truth in all pointes How should hee without testimony of miracle glue assurance to others that hee is thus taught especiallie when hee teacheth quite contrary to the Catholike Church which by plaine promises and testimonies of Scripture vvee know to be taught of God Perhaps he will alledge that generall promise of Scripture Omnis qui petit accipit assuring them therby that euery one that prayeth for any thing receiueth it and that he hath earnestly prayed for the spirit therefore he must needes haue it But to this argument we may easily answere that this promise of our Sauiour is not so vniuersally to be vnderstood as though euery one that prayeth for a thing shall infallibly obtaine it without any condition at least in the manner of praying required of our part For we reade euen in Scripture petitis non accipitis eo quod male petatis You aske or pray and receiue not the thing requested because you aske amisse By which place wee learne that to obtaine any thing by prayer requireth a condition of praying wel or in such sorte as is fit the which condition doth as learned men obserue include many circumstances for fault of the due obseruance whereof it may and doth often happen that our prayer is not well made nor in such sort as is fit and is consequently frustrate of the efficacy which otherwise by the promise of our Sauiour it should haue had Now these circumstances being many and diuers of them very inward it is not very easie For any man to be absolutely sure that hee hath obserued them in such sort as is fit and therefore he cannot bee absolutely sure that his praier hath taken effect therefore it is no sufficient proofe whereby one may perswade others that hee hath the Spirit of God to say hee hath prayed for it especially coÌ„sidering that we may finde very many most contray in religion one to another who notwithstanding will say that they daily pray for the spirit and I doubt not but many of them in some sort yea earnestly after their manner doe pray for it yet sure it is that all these being thus contrary haue it not How shal we then be assured that this or that man who presuming vpon the assistance of this spiritt which he thinketh he hath obtained by prayer setteth a broache a singular and new inueÌ„ted doctrine how shall we be sure I say that such a maÌ„ hath the spiritt of God indeed Some will perchance saye that we may safely beleeue them because they preach nothing but pure Scripture while as for euery pointe of their doctrine they cite still sentences of Scripture But this answere will not serue First because for in the name of scripture they bring forth their false corrupt translations which do differ in some places euen in wordes from true scripture Secondly supposing that they did alwaies cite the true wordes of scripture yet they may easily applye them to a wronge sense or meaninge to witt to that which they falsely imagine being seduced by their own appetite or by their own former error to be the true sense For as S. Austen saieth Ad Imagines phantasmatum suorum carnalis anima conuertit omniâ— sacramenta verba librorum sanctorum a carnall and sensâ—all minde such as heretiques are not without sith heresie it selfe is accounted by S. Paule a worke of the flesh doth conuert or turne all the misteries and words of holy bookes vnto his owne imaginations phantasies Whereupon it commeth to passe that as the same S. Austen saith Omnes haeretici qui in authoritate Scripturas recipiunt ipsas sibi videntur sectari cumsuos sectentur errores All heretickes that receiue and admitte the authority of the Scriptures seeme to theÌ„selues to follow the only Scriptures wheÌ„ they follow their owne errours And as they may seeme to themselues to follow onely the Scriptures when they follow their owne errours so they may seeme especially to the simple people or to those who being seduced by them wholy build their beliefe vpon theÌ„ to preach nothing but pure Scripture wheÌ„ indeed they preach their owne erronious opinions coloured and painted with words of
to do according to the doctrine of the Prelates of the Catholike Church yea although it should happen that their liues were not laudable but bad For although our Sauiour in this place doth only in expresse wordes make mention of the chaire of Moses in which the Priests of the old Law did sit yet he is to be vnderstood to speake also of the chaire of S. Peter his owne Vicegerent in which the Priestes of the new Law doe succeed And this à fâ—rtiori because we haue greater reason to thinke that our Sauiour inteÌ„ded in his doctrine to giue rules to the Priests and people of his new Law which was presently to begin and to continue till the worldes end then only to giue documents to those of the old Law considering he knew that it should so shortly cease Wherefore the ancient fathers do vnderstand that place to bee meant of the Priestes of the new Law and namely S. Augustine who saith thus In illum ordinem Episcoporum qui ducitur ab ipso petro ad Anastasium qui nunc in eadem Cathedra sedet etiamsi quisquam traditor per illatempora subrepsâ—sset nihil praeiudicaret Ecclesie innocentibus Christianis quibus prouidens Dominus ait de praepositis malis quae dicunt facite quae faciunt facere nolite Into that order of Bishoppes which is deriued from S. Peter himself vnto Anastasius who now sitteth vpoÌ„ the same chair although some traytor had crept in in those times he should nothing hurt the Church and the innocent Christians for whome our Lord prouiding saith of euill Prelates what they say do what they do do not The threates we may gather First out of S. Luke when our Sauiour faith Qui vos spernit me spernit Hee that despiseth you despiseth me Signifying that look what sinne it were not to heare but to despise our Sauiour Christ himselfe that wee should account it the same to despise not to giue eare and credit to the Catholike Church Insinuating therby that the like punishment is to be expected for the saide contempte Secondly in S. Mathew the same our Sauiour expressely saith Si Ecclesiam non audierit sit tibi sicut Ethnicus publicanus If he wil not heare the Church let him be to thee like an Ethnicke and a Publican Finally in S. Marke after hee had giuen charge coÌ„mission to preach the Gospell to euery creature hee pronounceth this threate to those that will not beleeue saying Qui non crediderit condemnabitur hee that will not beleeue shall be condemned Thus you see our Sauiour Christ hath promised to his Church the continuall presence of himselfe and of his holy Spirit to teach that coÌ„pany all truth Wherof followeth that it is infallibly taught al truth Moreouer hee hath giuen charge and commission to that Church to teach vs and hath warranted and commanded vs in all pointes to heare and do according to the saying of this Church which proueth that it appertaineth to this Church to instruct vs in all pointes of faith and that we ought to learne of it in all matters of religion what is the fallible truth consequently that the doctrine of this Church is the rule of faith Worthily therefore doth S. Paule call this Church columnam firmamentum veritatis The pillar and ground of truth Worthily also saith S Austen Scripturarum à nobis tenetur veritas cum id facimus quod vniuersae placet Ecclesiae quam earundem scripturarum commendat authoritas vt quoniam scriptura sancta fallere non potest quisquis falli â—etuit huius obscuritate questionis ecclesiam de illa consulat quam sine vlla ambiguitate scriptura sancta demonstrat The truth of the Scriptures is holden of vs when wee doe that which pleaseth the vniuersall or whole Church the which is commended by the authority of the Scriptures themselues that because the holy Scripture cannot deceiue whosoeuer feareth to bee deceiued with the obscurity of this question let him require the iudgement of the church which without any ambiguity the holy Scripture doth demonstrate by which wordes hee sheweth plainely that the sentence of the Church is of infallible and vndoubted truth that the way not to bee deceiued in an obscure question is to aske and follow the iudgement of the Church Wherefore worthily also do we all say Credo Ecclesiam CatholicaÌ„ I beleeue the Catholike Church worthily also may I conclude that neither Scripture alone nor naturall witte and learning nor priuate spirit nor any other thing but onely the teaching of the true Church of Christ is that ordinarie meanes which Almighty God hath prouided whereby all men may learne that one infallible entire faith which I proued to be necessary to saluation CHAP. XI That the Church whose doctrine must bee to vs the rule of faith must alwaies continue without interruption from Christ his time till the worldes end COnsidering what had bene proued in the former Chapter about the infallible authorite of the doctrine of the true Church I hope no Christian will denie but that so longe as this Church doth continew we haue of it a sure pillar and a firme foundation whereupon we may safely build our beleefe For either a maÌ„ must denie that euer our Sauior did make any such promise gaue such charge and commission left any such warrant sett forth such a commaundement or thundred out any such threates as before is rehearsed which were to denie the scriptures which scriptures are generally receiued by all Christians no otherwise theÌ„ as they are the vndoubted worde of God or els he must wrest the interpretation thereof both from that which the wordes of themselues naturally yeeld also from the common sense and vnderstanding either of al or the most learned and almost of the vnlearned also of the whole Christian world or els he shal be forced to confesse that which not I but S. Paule hath saied ecclesia est columna firmamentum veritatis the Church is the pillar and ground of trueth Onely it may perchaunce seeme to some of those that doe at this day oppose themselues against the authoritie of the Church that this was true for S. Paules time and perhaps for some 3.4.5 or 6. hundred yeares after but not to be presumed vpon in latter times and namely when Luther began his reformation as they tearme it or now a dayes Against these men I set downe this assertion The true Church of Christ which the forenamed testimonies of Scripture do commend was and is to continew without interruption till the worldes end This I proue First out of the very wordes of those promises which I cited out of S. Mathew S. Iohn For how can Christ our Sauiour or his holy Spirit be with his Church in such sort as there is promised to witt till the worldes end and for euer and especially as is saied in S. Matthew omnibus diebus
not only not humble himselfe like a litle one submitting himselfe to euery humane creature for Gods sake but doth proudly oppose himselfe against the vniuersall Church it self whom God hath willed and commanded vs to heare no otherwise then himselfe For wanting this humility consequently the grace of God which is denied to the proud giuen to the humble there is no doubt but that howsoeuer such a man seemeth in his outward behauiour hee can haue no true sanctity within him the which true sanctity failing inwardly it is hard for him to beare himselfe so but that sometime or other by one occasion or other he shall euen outwardly manifest this his inward waÌ„t as in these our daies heretiques commonly do in such apparant manner that it is no hard matter to discerne that they be not as some of theÌ„ would haue the Church defined a company of Saints The true Church is proued also to be Catholique that is to say vniuersall first in time by most plaine prophesies promises of scripture as I haue already shewed in the eleauenth chapter vnto which here I will only adde those words of Isaias Hoc faedus meum cum eis dicit Dominus spiritus meus qui est in te verba mea quae posui in ore tuo non recedent de ore tuo de ore seminis tui de ore seminis seminis tui dicit Dominus amodo vsque in sempiternum This is my couenant with them saith our Lord my Spirit which is in thee and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart from thy mouth and from the mouth of thy seede and from the mouth of the seede of thy seede saith our Lord from hence forth for euer It may also be easily proued to be vniuersal in respect of place by these plaine testimonies of holy Scripture Conuertenâ—â—r ad Dominum vniuersi fines terrae all the â—ounds of the earth shall be conuerted to 〈◊〉 Lord. Dominabitur à mari vsque admare 〈◊〉 à flumine vsque ad terminos orbis terrarum He to wit Christ shall rule and haue dominion from sea to sea from the flood â—ntill the furthermost limits of the earth Omnes gentes seruient ei All nations shall serue him Vpon all which places and some other see S. Austen in his exposition of the Psalmes and among other things which he speaketh to the purpose note his interpretation of those words à slumiâ—â— vsque ad terminos orbis terrarum VVhich words saith he doth signifie that the dominion of Christ began à slumine Iordano from the flood of Iordan where he being baptized was made manifest by the descending of the holy Ghost and the sound of his Fathers voice from whence hee began to choose his Disciples and from hence saith he Doctrina oius incipiâ—â—s dilatatur vsque ad terminos orbis terrae cum praedicatur Euangelium regni in vniuerso orbe in testimonium omnibus gentibus tunc veniâ—â— finis His doctrine beginning is dilated or spread abroad vnto the furthest parts of the earth when the Gospell of the kingdome is preached ouer the whole world for a testimony to all nations after which done the end of the world shall come See also the same S. Austen in his booke de vnitate Ecclesiae especially in the ninth and tenth chapter where he citeth and vrgeth that place of Saint Luke where our Sauiour saith Necesse est impleri omnia quae scripta sunt in lege Prophetis Psalmis de me c. quoniam sic scriptum est sic oportebit Christum pati resurgere à mortuis predicari in nomine eius poenitentiam remissionem peccatorum in omnes gentes incipientibus ab Ierosolima It is needfull that all things should be fulfilled which are writen of me in the Law the Prophets and Psalmes c. for so it is written and so it was needfull that Christ should suffer rise againe from the dead the third day and that penance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name throughout all nations beginning from Hierusalem By which place and diuers others he sheweth plainely that the true Church of Christ cannot be contained in a corner of the world but must be vniuersall that is diffused and spread throughout the whole world as the same S. Austen beside his other proofes gathered out of the very name Catholica the which name saith he was imposed on the Church by our forefathers vt ex ipso nomine ostenderent â—â—ia per totum est secunduÌ„ totum enim Catholon â—race dicitur That by the very name â—hey might shew that the Church is throughout the whole world For saith he the word Catholon in Greeke wherevpon Catholique is deriued signifyeth a thing which is generall or agreeing to the whole But we must note here that when we â—aye the true Church is Catholique or â—â—ffused throughout the whole world it is ment that at least by succession of time it hath beene or shal be dilated more and more in euery natioÌ„ till it haue gone throughout the whole world Moreouer it is tearmed Catholique not onely because it shal be spred ouer the whol world in processe of time but also because euen in euery age it hath beene and shal be alwaies in very many nations and indeede in euery nation where any Christian religion is which is in a sort to be spred ouer the whole world This doth S. Austen in his booke de vnitate Ecclesiae most diligently proue out of the Scriptures themselues The effect of his argument is this The Church must be such as it is described in Scripture But in Scripture it is described to beginne at Ierusalem and to procede into al Iewrie to goe forward into Samaria and to streatch it selfe further further vsque ad vltimum terrae euen vnto the vttermost of the earth And saieth hee the seede of the Gospell once sowen in the fielde of the world fructificat crescit doth not vniuersally or for the most part perish but fructifie and grow or encrease in omni mundo in the whole world doth coÌ„tinue to grow or encrease vsque ad messem vntill the haruest of the consummation of the world as our Sauiour signifieth the which consummation wil be when this seede is come to the full grouth praedicabitur Euangelium in vniuerso mundo in testimonium omnibus gentibus saieth our Sauiour tunc veniet consummatio the Gospell shal be preached in the whole world for a testimonie to all nations and then the consummation shall come This is Saint Austens discourse by which he proueth that the true Church of Christ is not contained in a corner of 〈◊〉 world but must be dilated and spred 〈◊〉 a sort ouer the whole world On the contrary side the congregatioÌ„ 〈◊〉 Heretiques is not Catholique neither in
Churches afterward did borrow and do daily borrow the ofspring of faith and the seeds of doctrine that they may be made Churches and by this meanes these also shall be accouÌ„ted Apostolique as being the issue of the Apostolicall Churches Contrariwise no conuenticle of heretiques can be Apostolique by reason that heresie being an vpstart nouelty contrary to the former receiued faith of the Church cannot haue any Apostle or Apostolique man for auctor and founder but is forced to acknowledge some other of whom as it receaued the first being so most comonly either the doctrine or the men that follow it or both receiue also their name as of Arrians came Arrianisme and the Arrians of Montanus came the Montanists and Montanisme and there was neuer yet heretique which could deriue the pedegree of his congregation by vninterrupted succession from the Apostles which maketh Tertullian to vrge them so earnestly saying Edant haeretici origines ecclesiarum suarum euoluant ordinem Episcoporum ita per successiones decurrentes vt primus ille Episcopus aliquem ex Apostolicis viâ—is qui tamen cum Apostolis perseuerauerit authorem habuerit antecessorem Let the hetikes shew the beginning of their Churches or as they had rather say of their Congregations let them vnfold the order of their Bishops or superintendents so running downe by successions that the first of them shall haue for his auctor in doctrine and predecessors in place any Apostolique man who did perseuer and did not forsake the Apostles Thus did Tertullian vrge them because he knew well that they could neuer make this proper note of the true Church to agree to their company It appeareth therefore plaine enough that these foure properties One Holy Catholique and Apostolique agree only to the true Church and sith it is no hard matter for any to see or know which company of Christians hath these properties as in the next chapter I shall declare It is also plaine that these foure One Holie Catholique Apostolique being proper to the true Church and apparant enough are good notes or markes by which meÌ„ may discerne which company of those which haue the name of Christians and which professe as euery company professeth themselues to teach the true doctrine of Christ is indeed the true Church which doubtlesse teacheth in all points the true doctrine of Christ. CHAP. XVI That the Romane Church is One Holy Catholique Apostolique and therefore the true Church THVS farre my discourse hath gone along all in generalities in shewing the necessity of true faith and that this faith is to be learned of the true Church and that this Church continueth alwaies and is visible as being a visible company of men professing the true faith of Christ partaking his Sacraments and liuing vnder the gouernement of lawfull Pastors his substitutes that whereas diuers companies of men take vpon them the title of this Church whereby some do stand in doubt which company is the true Church there bee certain marks by which the true Church may be certainely knowen discerned from all other companies or congregations and finally that these markes bee those foure One Holy Catholique Apostolique which are certainely knowne to bee the properties of the true Church both by the Nicene Creed and also by plaine testimonies of Scriptures and Fathers Now it wil be good to see if we can by these generall grounds conclude which particuler company of men is the true Church of Christ. A conclusion of exceeding great consequence as touching all matters in controuersie concerning the doctrine of faith as may appeare by the drifte of all my former discourse For the framing of which conclusion we shal not need to bring in comparison all the companies or sectes of diuers religions that haue bin and are in the world because euery one can easily discerne of themselues and especially by the helpe of that which hath beene saide that neither Turkes nor Iewes nor whatsoeuer other Infidels can be the true Church of Christ because these neither haue the name of Christians neither do they professe to haue the name of Christ. Neither am I now to meddle with heretiques and schismatiques of former ages the which as they haue bin condemned by the generall consent of the Church so in continuance of time they haue beene worne out by the same Church in so much that euen the memory of them God be thanked seemeth to be perished with them My chiefe question and comparison therfore shal be betwixt the Romain Church that is to say that company which comâ—unicateth and agreeth in profession of faith with the Church of Rome liueth vnder the obedience as touching spirituall matters of the Bishop of Rome other Bishops and pastours vnder him and the Protestantes that is to say that companie which from Luther his time hitherward haue opposed themselues against the Romaine Church either all or any one sect of them my question I say or comparison shal bee to which of those two the foure forenamed markes agree and consequentely which of them is the true Church § SECT I. That the Romaine Church onely is one FIrst I finde that the Protestants Church is not perfitely One or vniforme in dogmaticall points of faith but variable according to the varietie of times persons now holding one thing then an other and that the learned men thereof are so much at Iarre among themselues in matters of faith that it is hard to finde three in all pointes of one opinion and which is chiefly to bee pondered as principally appertaining to the marke of Vnitie they haue no meanes to end their controuersies so to returne to vnitie and to continue therein For while as they admitt no rule of faith but onely Scripture which scriptures diuers men expound diuersely according to the diuers humours and affections opinions and phantasies of euery one neuer one admitting any one head or cheef ruler infallibly guided by the holy Ghost in his doctrine to whose censure in matters of faith euery one should of necessitie submit theÌ„selues vt capite constituto schismatis tollatur occasio that as S. Hierome speaketh a head or chiefe ruler being ordained occasion of schisme or diuision may bee taken away Whilst they do thus as they all doe thus al proclaiming to be ruled by only Scripture and yet almost in euery one in one point or other expounding Scripture diuersely and one contrarie to an other according to the diuers seeming of euery ones sense and neuer one admitting any one superiour infallibly guided by the â—oly Ghost to whose definitiue sentence â—e and the rest wil be bound to submitte â—â—eir doctrine expositioÌ„s whilst I say â—hey doe thus it is vnpossible that they â—hould in fidei occurrere vnitatem meete as S. Hierome consaileth in the vnity of faith The which vnitie in profession of faith notwithstanding is one principall thing â—ertaining to the vnitie of the Church and Vnitie of the Church is one
if it should please God to send any one in extraordinary maner it appertaineth to his prouidence to furnish him with the gift of miracles as he did his Sonne our Sauiour Christ or with a miraculous conception with strange extraordinary sanctity of life as was seene in S. Iohn Baptist or finally with some euidēt token that it may be plainely knowen that he is assuredly sent of God Otherwise the people should not be bound to belieue him but might without sin reiect his doctrin according as our Sauiour said of himself Si non facio opera patris mei nolite credere mihi If I do not the workes of my Father do not beleeue me And againe Si opera nō fecissem in eis quae nemo alius fecit peccatū non haberent If I had not done works among thē that no other hath done they should not haue sinned to witte in not beleeuing Nay the people should now an ordinary course being by our Sauiour set downe to continue till the worldes end as before hath bene proued the people I say should now sinne in beleeuing any one that shall come and tell them that he is extraordinarily sent of God if he teach contrary to that doctrine which by ordinary Doctours and pastours of the Catholique Church is vniuersally taught for although it should happen that the liues of these Pastours should not be so commendable or be somtimes euidently bad yet their doctrine must alwaies be regarded and obserued according to that saying of our Sauiour Super cathedrā Moysi sedorunt Scribae Pharisaei omnia ergo quaecunque dixerint vobis seruate facite secundum vero operae eorum nolite facere Vpon the chaire of Moyses the Scribes and Pharisees haue sitten all things therfore whatsoeuer they say to you obserue ye and doe but according to their workes do ye not By which saying we are assured that notwithstanding the Pastours of the Catholique Church should at any time in their liues bee like Scribes Pharisies yet we may alwaies safely yea wee must necessarily follow their doctrine and must not in any wise admit any that shall offer to teach vs to a contrary doctrine according as wee are willed by S. Paule who saith Si quis vobis euangelizauerit praeter id quod accepistis anathema sit If any shall euangelize or preach vnto you beside or contrary to that which you haue alreadie receiued be hee anathema So that sith the people did once receiue from the ordinary pastours that doctrine which hath descended from hand to hand from Christ and his Apostles themselues according to that of S. Austen Quod inuenerunt in Ecclesia tenuerunt quod didicerunt docuerunt quod à patribus acceperunt hoc filijs tradiderunt That which they found in the Church they held that which they learned they taught that which they receiued from their fathers that they deliuered to their children whosoeuer hee be that shall euangelize any thing opposite to this receiued doctrin whether he seeme to be an Apostle or an Angell and much more if he be an other to witte one of these new maisters who faile very much to say no more from Apostolicall perfection and Angelicall puritie of life according to S. Paule anathema sit be he anathema Yea such a one that doth not onely not bring this Catholique or generally receiued doctrine but bringeth in a new and contrary doctrine we should not according to S. Iohn salute him vnles vpon some need or for some good respect or say aue vnto him and much lesse should we giue credit to his words or vse him as a rule of our faith or preferre his teaching before the teaching of the Catholique Church And surely me thinkes though there were none of these euidēt proofes which I haue brought out of Scripture yet euen reason it selfe would teach that we ought to giue more credit to the vniuersal companie of Catholiques which haue beene at all times and are now spred ouer all the Christian world then to any particular priuate man or some few his fellowes followers It is a prouerb cōmon amongest all men Vox populi vox Dei the voice of the people or whole multitude is the voice of God that which all men say must needes be true And on the cōtrary part to that particular man or his priuate companie which will oppose themselues against this generall voice of all like Ismael of whome it is written manus eius contra omnes manus omnium cōtra eum his hands are against all men and the hands of all are against him it may well be obiected that which Luther who was the first in this our age which did so confesseth was obiected to himselfe by his owne conscience or rather principally by the mercy and grace of the almightie God seeking to reclaime him from his errour while there was any hope Num tu solum sapis Art thou onely wise Luthers words be these Quoties mihi palpitauit tremulum cor reprehendens obiecit fortissimum illud argumentum Tu solus sapis Totne errant vniuersi Tanta secula ignorauerunt Quid si tu erres tot tecum in errorem trahas damnandos aeternaliter How often did my trembling hart pant and reprehending me did obiect mee that most strong and forcible argumēt Art thou alone wise haue there so many vniuersally erred haue so many ages beene blinde and liued in ignorance What rather if thou thy selfe erre and drawest so many after thee into errour who therefore shal bee damned eternally This did almighty God obiect to Luther the which might doubtles haue done him good but that he presuming vpon his owne vnderstanding of Scripture and preferring his owne iudgement before the iudgment of the Church hardened his hart against such heauenly inspirations which he tearmed Papisticall arguments And this same may well bee obiected to any priuate man or any few who leauing the Kings broade street or beaten hye way of the Catholique Church will seeke out a by-path as being in their conceipt a better easier and more direct way to heauen To them I say well may be said Are you onely wise are all the rest in former ages fooles haue you only after so many hundred yeares after Christ found out the true faith the right way to heauen haue al the rest liued in blindnes darkenes and errour consequently are you onely they that please God and shall be saued for as I haue proued before without true and entire faith none can be saued and were then al the rest so many millions your owne forefathers auncestors many of which were most innocent men and vertuous liuers and some of which shedde their blood for Christ his sake were I say all these hated of God did al these perish were they all damned shall all these endure vnspeakeable paines in hell for euer O impious cruell and incredible assertion Nay surely I am rather to
any reason The which briefe compendious resolutioÌ„ of faith whosoeuer will as euery one may securely and as in the discourse following shall bee declared must necessarily embrace beside the ease he shall also reape this commoditie that cutting of all occasions of needlesse and fruitelesse doubtes questions and disputes concerning matters of faith wherein vnsettled mindes spend their time and spirit hee shall haue good leisure and better likinge then ordinarily such vnquiet mindes can haue to emploie his endeuoures more fruitfully otherwaies to witte in building vpon the firme foundation of stedfast faith the gould pretious stones of Gods loue and other vertues in practise whereof consisteth that good life which maketh a man become the liuing temple of almightie God the which temple Gods spirit will not only visitte with holy inspirations blessings oftentimes in this life but he will also inhabite and dwell continually in it both by grace here and by glory in the other most happy and euerlasting life A TREATISE OF FAITH CHAP. I. That true faith is absolutely necessarie to saluation WHosoeuer hath a true desire to please God an earnest care to saue his owne soule the which should bee the chiefest desire and care of euery Christian man must first resolue and settle himselfe in a sound beliefe of matters of faith holding it for a most assured ground That there is a faith which whosoeuer wanteth cannot possibly please God nor consequently be saued sith none are saued that do not please God This ground is set downe by S. Paul himselfe who saith Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo without faith it is vnpossible to please God The same is confirmed by S. Augustine who saith Constat neminem ad veram posse peruenire beatitudinem nisi Dâ—o placeat Deo neminem placere posse nisi per fidem Fides namque est bonorum omnium fundamentum Fides est humanae salutis initium Sine hac nemo ad siliorum Dei consortium peruenire potest quia sine ipsa nec in hoc seculo quisquam iustificationis consequitur gratiam nec in futuro vitam possidebit aeternam It is certaine that none can come to true happines vnlesse he please God and that none can please God but by faith For faith is the foundation of all good things Faith is the beginning of mans saluation Without this none can come to the fellowship of the children of God because without this neither doth any in this world obtaine the grace of iustification neither shall he in the next possesse eternall life Thus faith S. Austen And the same might bee confirmed out of other Scriptures and Fathers but that the matter is cleare enough onely this I will adde that when the Scriptures do require faith as a thing absolutely necessary to saluatioÌ„ the common tradition of councells and Fathers do interpret not only that there is a positiue precept of faith for if it were but a positiue precept ignorance might excuse in some case but that at least some kinde of faith is necessaria necessitate medij that is to say is ordained as a necessary meanes without which no man can attaine saluation in any case and that in this matter Si quis ignorat ignorabitur If any man by ignorance doe not know he shall not be knowne as S. Paule speaketh CHAP. II. That this faith necessary to saluation is but one THis faith which I haue shewed to be so absolutely necessary to saluation is but One only This is plainly proued out of S. Paule who saith Vnus Dominus vna fides vnum baptisma signifying that like as there is but one Lord one Baptisme so there is but One faith The same is confirmed with the auctoritie of the ancient Fathers Nisi vna est saith S. Leo. Fides non est dicente apostolo vnus Dominus vna fides vnum baptisma Vnlesse it be one it is not faith sith the Apostle saith one Lord one faith one Baptisme Omni studio saith S. Hierome Laborandum est primùm occurrere in fidei vnitatem We must labour with all diligence first to meete in the vnity of faith Hanc fidem saith Irenaeus ecclesia in vniuersum mundum disseminata diligenter custodit quasi vnam domum inhabitans similiter credit ijs quasi vnam animam habens vnum cor consonanter haec praedicat docet tradit quasi vnum possidens os Nâ— quamuis in mundo dissimiles sint loquelae tames virtus traditionis vna eadem est This faith the Church spreade ouer the vvhole world doth diligently keep as dwelling in one house and doth belieue in one like manner those things to witt which are proposed for pointes of faith as hauing one soule and one heart and doth preach and teach and deliuer by tradition those things after one vniforme manner as possessing one mouth For although there be diuers and different languages in the world yet the vertue of tradition is One and the same Thus saith this Father By whose words we may vnderstand not onely that there is but one faith but also how it is saide to bee one which might seeme not to be one considering there are so many points or articles which we beleeue by our faith and so many seuerall men who haue in them this faith yet One saith this Father it is because the whole Church doth beleeue those pointes in one like manner That is to say because the beliefe of one man is in all pointes like and nothing different from the beliefe of another or because euery faithful maÌ„ beleeueth euery point or article for one and the like cause or formall reason to witt because God hath reuealed it and deliuered it to vs by his Catholike Church to be beleeued For which reason euery one should beleeue whatsoeuer hee belieueth as a point of Christian faith CHAP. III. That this one faith necessary to saluation is infallible THIS one faith without which we cannot be saued must be infallible most certaine This is cleare because faith is that credite or inward assent of minde which we giue to that which God who is the prime or first veritie which neither can deceiue nor be deceiued hath reuealed vnto vs by meanes of the preachinge or teachinge of the true church as we may gather out of S. Paule when he saieth Quomodo credent ei quem non audierunt quomodo andient sine praedicante quomodo praedicabunt nisimittantur c. ergo fides ex auditu auditus autem per verbum Christi The sense of which wordes is that sith we can not beleeue vnles we heare nor heare vnles some lawfully sent do preach vnto vs faith is bredde in vs by hearing and yeelding assent or credite to the worde of Christ made knowen vnto vs by the preachinge of the true Church which onely is lawfully sent of God wherefore like as the worde of Christ being God
without exception or respect of persons he beareth to al maÌ„kind hath ordained some marks or notes by which all sortes and consequently euen simple men may sufficieÌ„tly discerne which company among many which challenge to themselues the title of the true Church is indeede the true Church For sith hee would haue euery one to heare and learne thinges necessary to saluation only of the true Church we must needes thinke his wisedome and goodnes to haue marked this his Church with such manifest signes properties that all men may easily know it and discerne it from others whome he knew would take vpoÌ„ them though falsly the title and profession of the true Church This seemeth to haue beene expressely foretold by the Prophete Isaias when he saieth Scietur in gentibus semen eorum germen eorum in medio populorum Omnes qui viderint â—os cognoscent illos quia isti sunt semen cui benedixit Dominus Their seed shall be knowen in the nations their ofspring in the middest of people all that shall see them shall know them because these are that seed which our Lord hath blessed Which is as much as if he should say that the Church shall haue such manifest markes that it shal be easy for euery one to know them to be the true Church Some of these markes are set downe by S. Austen who calleth them bandes or chaines which doe hold a faithfull man in the Catholique Church although for the slownes of his wit or for some other cause he doth not euidently see the truth of the doctrine in it selfe Of these markes diuers authours haue written at large I for breuitie sake haue chosen out onely these foure Vna Sancta Catholica Apostolica One Holy Catholique Apostolique because I hope these will be sufficient and because I finde these eâ—pecially set forth in Scriptures commeÌ„â—ed by Councels and generally admitâ—ed of all sortes both Catholiques and Protestantes as now I am to declare First for the generall admittance of these properties of the true Church I need no other proofe but that both Catholiques and Protestantes allow of the Nicene Constantinopolitane Creed whereâ—n we profes to beleeue the true Church â—he which Church is there described with these onely foure properties which before I named as though by those onely euery man might sufficiently know that Church which in euery pointe they are bound to beleeue Now if besides this proofe out of the generally receiued Councels some precise man would haue â—eproue these properties to agree to the true Church out of the Scripture it selfe this also I may easily doe The true Church is signified to be One by those wordes of the Canticle Vna est 〈◊〉 mea if we will beleeue the exposition of S. Cyprian and S. Austen Also we may gather the same out of those wordes of our Sauiour in which he calleth his Church vnum ouile one sheepfold Also by those places of S. Paul where he tearmeth the Church vnum corpus one body Moreouer Christ our Sauiour praying for his Church did specially intreate without doubt obtained vt omnes vnum sint that all the membres therof should be one thing to wit that at the least they should al professe one and the same faith all partake of one and the same baptisme and other Sacramentes all liue vnder one and the same Lord in due subordination subiection to that vniforme and orderly gouernement of lawfull pastours ordained appointed in the Church by him The true Church of Christ therefore is one Contrary the conuenticles of Heretiques are destitute of this marke of vnitie according as Tertullian affirmeth saying Denique penitus inspectae Haereses omnes in multis deprehenduntur cum auctoribus suis dissentientes Finally all Heresies if they be well looked into are found to differ in many thinges from their first founders And the reason of this disagreemeÌ„t amoÌ„g Heretiques the same Tertullian assigneth very well in the same place saying Variant inter se Haeretici dum vnusquisque pro suâ— arbitrio modulatur quod accepit quemadmodum 〈◊〉 pro arbitrio composuit ille qui tradidit Heretiques do differ in pointes of doctrine â—mong themselues while as euery one taâ—eth vpon him to fashion the faith which he receiued according to his owne liking 〈◊〉 fancie like as he that first deliuered it â—nto them did inuent it according to his owne will and pleasure The true Church is also proued to bee â—â—ly by that of S. Paule Templum Dei sanctum est quod estis vos The temple of God is holy which temple you are By which place notwithstanding S. Paule did not â—eane to signifie that euery one of this companie was holy For a litle after in the same Epistle hee saith to the same coÌ„panie Omnino auditur inter vos fornicatio â—â—lis fornicatio qualis nec inter gentes There is plainely heard fornication among you and such fornication as the like is not among the heathen He doth not therfore I say meane that euery one of the Church is holy but that the whole company is to be tearmed holy because the profession thereof doth of it selfe wholy tend to holines the doctrine being such as withdraweth from all vice and instructeth and moueth men to vertue the Sacraments also do not only signifie but in the vertue which they haue from Christ his Passion they also worke in vs as instrumentall causes true inward sanctitie Wherfore although euery one that is in the Church be not holy yet no doubt alwaies some are the which their holines it pleaseth almighty God to testifie and make knowne sometime by miracle and ordinarily he vseth to make it apparant enough by the light of their vertuous actions which at all times in many members of the true Church doe so shine before men that by it men are moued to glorify God and sometimes to imitate in their owne life that which in others they admire And whatsoeuer member of the Church faileth from this holines of life it is euident that the faulte is only in himselfe who liueth not according to the prescript of his profession nor vseth in due sort those meanes which it hath of the holy Sacraments which as I said before are effectual instruments of sanctification Contrariwise no sect of Heretiques is truely holy neither was there euer any person that did inuent or obstinately adhere vnto any sect of heresie which â—ad in him true saÌ„ctity And no merueile Because the very profession and doctrine it selfe of euery heresie is opposite to the very rootes of true sanctity the which rootes be true Christian faith and humilitie For how can he be truely holy and iust who being possessed with the spirit of heresy must needs be depriued of true faith without which the iust man cannot liue according to that saying of S. Paule Iustus ex fide viuit Or how can he be holy that doth