Aug. l. 18. de civ. Dei c. 20. Roma est altera Babylon prioris filia Babylon was the first Rome and Rome is as it were the second Babylon Apoc. 18. 7. Babylon the great is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foule spirit and a cage of every uncleane and hatefull bird Roma Ruens Romes Ruine Being A SVCCINCT ANSWER To A POPISH CHALLENGE Concerning The antiquity unity universality succession and perpetuall visibility of the true Church even in the most obscure times when it seemed to be totally eclipsed in the immediate ages before LUTHER By DANIEL FEATLEY D. D. MIC 7. 8. Rejoyce not against me O mine enemie when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me Leo Seâ—m. in natal Petri Pauli Non â—inuitur persecutionibus ecclesia dei sed augetur magis Ager dominicus segete ditiore vestitur dum grana quae singula cadunt multiplicata nascuntur Theod. comment in epist ad Philippen {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} LONDON Printed by Thomas Purslow for Nicholas Bourne at the South entrance of the Royall Exchange 1644. PErlegi hunc polemicum tractatum cui titulus est Romes Ruine atque ut valde doctum nervosum dignum censeo qui prelo mandetur Iohannes Downame A Table of the speciall contents I. THe Popish Challenge II. The preface to the Reader wherin the main and principall question concerning the visibility of the Church is stated and determined according to scriptures III. The answer to the Challenge Paragraph I. Concerning the name catholike p. 1 Para. II. Concerning the attributes of our christian saith one true divine and infallible p. 3 III. That divine faith is confined to the written word of God and is unchangeable p. 5 IV. Touching the propagation of the christian Faith to all ages by pastors and teachers lawfully sent p. 8 V. Concerning the perpetuity of the true Church p. 7 VI That the true church was never simply invisible nor so obscure but that it had true professors known to the members therof though often invisible to the adversaries p. 12 VII That the Roman Church that is a Church holding the present Romish Trent-faith hath not bin alwayes visible p. 13 VIII That the Roman Church neither hath bin nor is at this day catholike viz. universall p. 16 IX That the Roman Church hath not had an uninterrupted succession of true bishops and pastors derived from the Apostles p. 17 X. That the Roman Church hath not the pretended mark of unity and that Papists differ among themselves in many substantiall points of faith particularly mentioned p. â—â— XI That the Roman Church is not truly an Apostolicall church much lesse the only Apostolicall church out of which there is no salvation p. 26 XII That amplitude and eminent visibility are no markes of the true Church and obiter of the large bounds of the greek church pa. 27 XIII Where the true Church was when the Roman fell from her first faith p. 30 XIV Where and who were the true professors of the reformed Religion in the immediate age before Luther p. 32 XV That Questions de fide cannot be determined by meer humane stories p. 37 XVI That all who make not open profession of faith in time of persecution are not to be condemned for hypocrites p. 39 XVII Of the first conversion of the english nation to the Christian faith p. 40 XVIII Of the faith of Gregory the great and that for substance it was the same that we professe at this day is proved by instance in 12 main points of difference between the reformed and the present Roman Church p. 43 XIX Of the faith of Constantine the great and that the church in his dayes maintained the same doctrine with us is proved by the testimonies of the doctors of the Church who flourished in that age p. 50 Indiculus authorum A. G. Abbot Abulensis Adrianus AEneas Sylvius Alfonsus a Castro Almaine Alvarez Ambrosius Med. Anastasius Andradius T. Aquinas Athanasius Augustinus B. Barclayus C. Baronius Basilius mag. Beda Bellarminus Benno Card. Berengarius Bertram Bilson Birbeck Bonaventura M. Bucerus C. Cajetanus Canus Capito Catharinus Chrysostomus I. Cocleus Constantinus Contarenus Curopalata Cyprianus Cyrillus Hieros D. Damasus Dicetus Dionysius Arâ—op Driedo E. Elfricus S. Ephrem Epiphanius Erasmus Eusebius F. Fabritius Ferus Field Fisherus Fox Fulgosus G R. Gallus Genebrardus Gerardus Gerson Gildas Glaber Rodolphus Gratianus Gregorius M. Gretserus Ies. H. M. Hart. Helvicus Hieronymus Hilarius P. Homerus Hugo de sanct. vict. L. Humphredus I. Huz I. Iacobus Christop. T. Iamesius Ignatius Illyricus Fl. Innocentiâ—s Ioachimus Ab. Ioachimus Ca. Ionas Aurel. Irenaus Invenalis L. Lactantius Lambertus Geasomb P. Lombardus Luitprandus Lucius Tudensis I. Lidius M. Macarius Aegy Mantuanus Marselius P. Martialis Martinus Luther Ph. Melancthon Minutius felix Metrophnes Crit. P. Molineus N. Nazianzenus G. Neâ—â—rionsis Nioephorus Nicetas Abbas O. G. Occaâ— Orthwinus Osiander P. Pacianus Parsonus Ies. Pellicanus Petrus de Alliacâ— Photius Al. Pighius Plichdorâ—ius M. Polonus Pontanus H. Pragensis S. Prosper Q. Quirâ—ga Card. R. Rainerius I. Raiâ—oldus Rhemist Roffenfis S. Salviaâ—â—s Scotus Dans Erigâ—â— Sigebertus Sigonius Sisselius Socrates hist. D. Seto Stella Suarez Sulpitius Severus T. R. Tapperus Tertullianus Theodoretus Theophilus Alex. C. Turrecremata V. Vasquez Vbertinus a Casaâ—s Vignierus Virgilius Vortleg Vsherus W. Wesselus Groning G. Whitakerus F. White Wiâ—â—lius Widdrinâ—â—nus Wimpina I. Wâ—lâ—ius THE CHALLENGE WE catholikes say that there is always one and but one true divine and infallible faith professed by the church of Christ without which none can please God nor attain to salvation this one true faith generally preached through the world was not to cease with the Apostles and their immediate hearers but was by Christs promise to continue unchanged to the worlds end For so 't is said Mat. ult. behold I am with you all dayes even to the consummation of the world and John 14. The holy Ghost whom my Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things This divine truth once established to the end it might continue was to be derived to posterity not by angels sent to teach particular persons nor by illuminated brethren of Amsterdam still pretending new light but by a continued succession of known visible pastours and bishops lawfully ordained and sent to preach it perpetually in despight of all new sectaries and novellers whatsoever Whence we say it followeth that not for six hundred years only as many protestants grant there was a true church free from spot of error but likewise in all ages following there ever was and must be such a church in the union wherof all sorts might be saved For to say as some protestants doe the church was long invisible besides that it is contrary to many clear prophesies and predictions of the old Testament it
of the canon law flat repugnant one to the other but others have done it to my hand and saved me this labour PAR III. Concerning the immutability of divine faith CHALLINGE This one true faith generally preached through the world was not to cease with the Apostles and their immediate hearers but was by Christs promise to continue unchanged to the worlds end For so it is said Mat. 28. 20. I am with you alway unto the end of the world Joh. 14. 26. the comforter whom the father will send in my name he shall teach you all things Answer Neither of these places commeth home to prove that which you intend viz. that the christian faith is to continue unchanged and may not by any addition or detraction be altered Why did you not produce to that purpose Rev. 22. 18 19. I testifie to every man that heareth the words of the prophesic of this book if any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book and Gal. 1. 8 9. but though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you then that which you have received let him be accursed Upon which words S. Austin thus paraphraseth whether it be saith he concerning Christor the Church or any thing else which belongeth to faith and our life I will not say if wâ— who are not to be compared to him that said it but if an angel from heaven preach unto you any thing besides that which you have received in the scriptures of the law and the gospel let him be accursed With whom accord St. Hilary St. Cyrill St. Theophilus of Alexandria St. Basil and S. Athanasius St. Hilary I admire thee in this my lord Constantine that thou requirest of us that our faith be restrained to scriptures only S. Cyril of Jerusalem we may not determin or appoint any thing no not the least without the authority of scriptures St. Theophilus of Alexandria it comes from a diâ—ellish instinct to follow the sophisms of meâ—s wits and to conceive any thing to be divine without the authority of scriptures St. Basil the great it is a manifest falling away from faith to bring in to our christian beleef any thing that it not written And S. Athanasius what exceeding folly is it in you to speak things that are not written It is the manner of Marcion and other hereticks not to walk within the bounds of the gospel but to speak out of their private fancies and you Sabellians walking in their steps go about to pervert the unstable by speaking things that are not written But you thought fit to balk those texts of scripture with the fathers glosses upon them and deductions from them though very pertinent to prove the immutability of our christian faith because they have no good meaning to your unwritten traditions As for the two texts you here alledge of Saint Matthew and Saint Iohn they are to singular purpose but not to yours they are two deep wells of salvation out of which we may draw abundance of water of comfort for if Christ be always with us we are always sure of protection if his spirit will reach us all things we shall be sure of instruction But what is this to the imimmutability of our faith or unvariablenesse of the doctrine and sacraments of the church God was always with the chosen of Israel under the law and his spirit taught them all things needfull to salvation yet was the priesthood thereof changed and the law also and a new covenant made upon new conditions and with new promises so it might be also under the gospel if God in his word revealed in scripture had not declared the contrary namely Psal. 1104. the Lord sware and will not repent thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck whence the apostle inferreth Heb. 7. 24. this man because he continueth over bath an unchangeable priesthood and 1 Cor. 11. 26. as oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye shall shew the death of the lord till he come that is the second time to wit to judge the quick the dead the lords supper therefore shall continue till we are bid to the marriage supper of the lamb in heaven and Apoc. 14. 6. I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people if the gospel preached unto us be everlasting no new gospel shall succeed it and if no new gospel no new faith The celestiall lights often turn their shadows and give to the inhabitants of the earth divers denominations of perâ—scii amphiscii and heteroscii but with the father of lightâ— there is no shadow of change Jam. 1. 17. It was true before all time and shall be after all time when heaven and earth shall passe away when the whole world shall be changed into a second chaos and that chaos shall be re-changed into a new world ego Deus non mutor Mal. 3. 6. I am the Lord I change not As God is so it his essence and as his essence is so are his attributes and as his attributes are so is his word and as his word so is our faith grounded upon it immutable Nothing is more unsteady than the needle in a dyall or compasse shaking and quivering continually yet if it be touched with a loadstone and set to the north it resteth unmoveable in like manner though nothing be more variable and unsteady than our assent to mysteries above reason and nature yet if it be touched by the spirit and fixed to the word of God it remaineth unmoveable and the church of Christ ever holding and embracing this faith may truly use the motto of the Phoenix of her age Queen Elizabeth semper eadem always the same PARAG. IV. Concerning the propagation of the christian faith to all ages by pastors and teachers lawfully sent CHALLENGE This divine truth once established to the cud it might continne was to be derived to posteritie not by angels sent to teach particular persons nor by illuminated brethren of Amsterdam still pretending new light but by a continued succession of known visible pastours and bishops lawfully ordained and sent to preach it perpetually in despâ—ght of all new sectaries and novellers whatsoever Answer Of angels sent to particular persons since the time of the apostles and the fathers of the primitive church I read no where but in your golden Legend and for fanatick and phantastick spirits at Amsterdam if any of that mad brood still remain you well know that we build our faith no more upon these illuminated brethren of Amsterdam pretending speciall revelation than upon your inspired fathers of Rome pretending infallible direction and a kind of appropriation of the holy Ghost The differences of the two oâ—â—â—les both bragging of infallible assistance is this they are
the emperour though it were against his heart and conscience 6. For the canon of scriptures S. Gregory holds the book of Maccabees in the same rank as we do profitable to he read for the edification of the church but not to be produced as inspired by God and of infallible authority for the confirmation of any poynt of faith for being to alledge a testimony out of those books he makes way for it by this preface de qua re non inordinatè agimus si ex libris licet non canonicis sed tamen ad adificationem ecclesia editis testimonium proferamus touching which matter we do not amisse if we bring forth a testimony out of those books viz. the book of Maccabees there cited which though they are not canonicall yet they are set forth for the edification and instruction of the church 7. For adoration of images he detests it as much as we see his epistles upon record si quis imaginem facere voluerit minimè prohibe adorare vero imagines omnibus modis devita If any man will make an image forbid him not but by all means avoyd the worshipping of images Who will now be a papist when we see the Pope is become a zealous Calvinist 8. Touching merit of works S. Gregory teacheth as we do that we ought not to repose any confidence in our own merits non in fletibus non in actis nostris sed in advocati nostri allegatione confidamus let us not trust in our own weeping and bewayling of our sins nor in our own acts but in the intercession of our advocate and upon Iob si ad virtutis opus excrevero ad vitam non ex meritis sed ex venia convalesco If I grow to any work of vertue I am restored to life not by merits but by pardon I forbear to alledgemore testimonies out of S. Gregory touching this poynt because those many clear passages which I have produced out of him before against the perfection of inherent righteousnesse by a necessary consequence overthrow all merit of works also 9. Touching certainty of salvation S. Gregory conspireth with the doctrin of the reformed church for having alledged certain promises of Christ in the gospel to found it upon thus he concludes hac it aque fulti certitudine de redemptoris nostri misericordia nihil ambigere sed spe debemus indubit at a praesumere non enim muneris sui largitate frustrabitur Deus sed vires obtinendi prorsus indulget qui velle concessit nam jam ipsum desiderant oppetere donum est that is therefore being supported with this certainty we ought not to doubt c. Gregories doctrin like ours at this day is a doctrin of faith and confidence whereas the doctrin of the church of Rome at this day is a doctrin of distrâ—… of diffidence 10. Touching the power of calling synods or ecclesiasticall assemblies which you now arrogate to the Pope in S. Gregory his time as aâ—â—ay before it was in the emperours and christian princes agreeable to the tâ—â—et of the present church of England S. Gregory taketh notice of the emperour his masters command for the assembling of a synod in Rome it self juxta Christianissimi serenissiâ—i rerum domini jussionem ad beati Petri apostoli limina cum tuis sequacibus venire to volumus ut Authore Deo aggregata synodo de eaqua inter not vertitur dubâ—etate quod justum fuerit judicetur According to the command of our most christian and â—raâ—ions Lord we require thee to appear at S. Peters c. 11. Touching the definition of the church you scoff at us for â—efining the true and most proper church of Christ which we beleeve in the creed to be the whole number of Gods elect You term it an Idea Platonica or an aeÌ„reall and invisible body a Chymaera or Phantasme and yet S. Gregory describes the church as we do Christus secundum praescientiae suae gratiam sanctam ecclesiam de sanctis in aeternum permansuris extruxit Christ according to the grace of his fore-knowledge hath built on holy church of saints eternally persevering in grace and upon Ezck una ecclesia est electorum praecedentium atque sequentium There is one church of the elect going before and following after 12. Touching the blessed sacrament of the Lords Supper to be administred in both kinds it is evident that in * S. Gregories time the whole congregation consisting of the laity as well as the clergie participated of the holy cup his words are pretiost sanguinis effusione genus humanum Chrisâ—us redemit sacro-sancti vivifici corporis sui sanguinis mysterium membris suis tribuit cujus perceptione corpus suum quod est ecclesia pascitur potatur abluitur sanctificatur Christ by the effusion of his most precious blood redeemed all mankind and giveth to his members the mystory of his most holy quickning body and blood by the participation whereof his body which is the church is nourished with meat and drink and is washed and sanctified Mark I beseech you that S. Gregoryâ—ith not lib. 4. Dial. cap. 58. he giveth to his members in the participation of the sacrament his body and blood for meat and drink but the mystery of his body and blood as elsewhere he speaketh in Evang. Hom. 14. Realiter passus Christus iâ—cruce in mysterio patitur quoties ecclesia milâ—â—ns sacrâ—◠〈◊〉 celebrat hoc facit in servatoris sui comâ—â—morationem Christ having suffered really upon the crosse suffereth in a mystery as 〈◊〉 as the church celebrateth his holy supper and this she doth in remembrance of her Saviour By comparing of which places any man may perceive what S. Gregory meaneth by a mystery when he opposeth it to that which was done really I leave it to you to make the inference And now to poynt these weapons drawn out of S. Gregories armory and rub them over with the oyl of your eloquence the saith of S. Gregory was never noted to differ from the common received faith of christendom in those days as appeareth by the severall epistles of the said S. Gregory to the bishops of Europe Asia and Africa with all whom he had communion of faith so as if Christ had a catholike church on earth as needs he must S. Gregory was of it and being then a true church 〈◊〉 say holding still the same tenots it must needs be so now Gods truth being like unto him without change and therefore if an angel should câ—me from heaven to teach us any other doctrin then that which we have received from S. Gregory we are not to hear him If an angell therefore from heaven teach that the books of Maccabees are canonicall or that the Pope or any other bishop may have the stile of oecumenicall bishop or supream head over all bishops or that our best works are not imperfect or defective
if God strictly examin them or that true holinesse and sanctifying grace may be lost or that masses may be celebrated without communicants or that princes have not authority over ecclesiasticall persons or that images are to be adored or that men may merit by their works eternall life or that a child of God ought to doubt of Gods mercy and may not be assured of his salvation or that it belongeth not to princes to call ecclesiasticall assemblies or that the church in the most strict sense consisteth not of the elect only or that the whole church consisting of laity as well as clergy may not participate the mysteries of the body and blood of Christ entirely drinking of the holy cup as well as eating of the bread Let him be accursed Methinks I hear you already cry out with her in the Poet Heu patior telis vulnera facta meâ—s Oâ— with the eagle in Iulians mâ—tto feeling her self deadly wounded with an arrow feathered out of her own wing Nostris configimur alis PARAG. XIX Concerning the faith of Constantine CHALLENGE Or lastly if you desire to go neerer to the times of the apostles we will joyn with you to prove our faith in the days of Constantine the great who first built and opened christian churches and gave freedom for christians to come together and to know and publish to the world what was held by them which before could not so well be done by reason of the perfecâ—tions in which the church had been 〈◊〉 then generally eclipsed Answer From S. Gregory you step up immediately to Constantine the great and at once stride over 300 years in which time the prime and flower of the Greek and Latin fathers lived and dyed would none of them father your Church You take an oath if you be magistri in theologia to expound scripture non â—isi juxta unaâ—… câ—â—sensum patrum according to the unanimous consent of the fathers this joynt consent can very hardly be found in the interpretation of the â—…ures before Constantiâ—â—s time because few before that time commented upon the holy scripture at least whose works are come to our hands and therefore you should have especially instanced in the fathers from Constantines time to S. Gregoâ—â—s but as Festus answered Paul so think I fit to answer you Caâ—…em appellâ—…â—d Câ—sarem ibis you have appealed to Constantine and to Constantine you shall go of whom I may say truely that which the Fre 〈…〉 sometimes spake before him gloâ—ingly tu no 〈…〉 illâ—◠〈◊〉 faciâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Britains by â—â—y 〈◊〉 for though Liâ—… heâ—… not Iustus goeth about to rob us of this brouch and brightest lustre of our nation denying us the honour of his birth as you do of his faith yet I doubt not but to make good against him and you that Constantine is ours body and soul and to resolve you in point of his birth and native soyle which was this our Iland I refer you to Baronius for his faith to Eusebius Socrates Sozomen Arnobius Lactantius Minutius Foelix Athanasius Epiphanius and Greg. Nazianzen and divers others who lived in the same time or not long after him Let the faith generally beleeved and received in the age wherein this blessed Emperour lived serve as a touchstone to examine our pure and precious and your drossie and counterfeit faith and first let us begin with the ground of all faith the holy scriptures 1. We teach that the canon of the old testament consisteth of 22. books only excluding the apocryphall which your councell of Trent confoundeth with the canonicall Let the first quaere then be whether did the church in Constantines time hold with your canon or ours To this let the councell of Laodicea speak qua autem oporteat legi in authoritatem recipi haec sunt Genesis Exodus c. These books which ought to be read and received as authenticall and canonicall are these following Gen. Exod c. In which catalogue none of the apocryphall books are mentioned Let Athanasius inform us who reckons but 22. books of the old testament as we do and after him Greg. Nazian. most expresly brandeth the apocrypha with a note of bastardy {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Which Greek verses a wel-willer to your church hath translated into Latin At tua ne libris fallatur mens alienis Hunc habeas certum numerum a me lector â—â—ice Tot nempe Hebrâ—â— quot sunt elementa loquelae Quicquid pratorea est hand inter certa loc anduâ— The Greek word for word is thus to be Englished I have sâ—â— down 22. books of the old testament agreeable to the number of the Hebrew letters â—â—d 〈◊〉 â—e found any besides these â—… to be counted among the true and genuine books of the old Testament 2. We with Tertullian adore the pleâ—â—tude of scriptures aâ—â—ibing to them this perfection that they contain in them all things necessary to salvation You maintain on the contrary that the written word alone is not a sufficient and perfect rule and therefore you add unto it the unwritten word which you call cradâ—ion Which part did Constantine take and the church in his time let Athanasius be heard in this case Sufficiunt per se sacroe divinâ— us inspiratae luâ—rae ad veritatis indicationem The holy inspired scriptures are sufficient of themselvs for the declaration of the truth let â—aâ—tantiâ—â— be heard Cyprian was so ravished with the excellent knowledge of the holy scriptures that he was content with them alone upon which faith is built Let us hear Constantine himself who sitting in a golden chair as president and moderator in the first and most famous councell of Nice recommendeth the books of the old and new testament to the fathers assembled in that councell in these words the books of the evangelists and apostles and the oracles of the ancient prophets do plainly instruct us what to conceive of divine matters therefore setting aside all enmity and discord let us from the words inspired by God take the resolution of those things that are in question which most christian direction of this most noble Emperour swayed much with the fathers in that synod yet cardinall Bellarmin makes light of it and gives the Emperour a slurr for it lib. 4. de verbe Dei non scripto cap. 11. Respondeo hoc testimonium non esse tanti faciendum erat enim Constantinus magnus Imperator non magnus ecclesiae Doctor I answer that this testimony is not of so great moment for Constantine was indeed a great Emperour but not a great Doctor of the church 3. We teach that the wood of Christs crosse is not to be worshipped at all much lesse with divine worship you teach on the contrary that the crosse of Christ is to be adored cultu latria that is with the highest kind of