tyme and consequently imbraced another religion lesse auncient These words contayne a stampe or Character impressed vpon Innouation to distinguish it from Antiquity Wherunto wel accordeth that sentence of Optatus (n) Cont. Donat. l. 1. Videndum est quis in radice cum toto orbe manserit quis foras exiérit and more literally that of (o) Tract 3. in epist Ioan. Augustin Omnes Haeretici omnes Scismatici ex nobis exierunt idest ex Ecclesia exeunt intending heerby that whosoeuer maketh choyce of any new sect or doctryne the same Man either in himselfe or in his predecessours in doctryne did depart from a more generall society of men houlding a more auncient fayth then that which by him is chosen From which ground the two wordes Haeresis Apostata tooke their Ecclesiasticall signification the one signyfying a separation or choyce the other a Man going out or reuolting from Heer now I prouoke my own Brethren how learned soeuer to make good two things The one to show from what coÌ„pany or Church more ancient they catholiks departed The other to nominate any one Sect-mayster of Protestancy who was not originally a Catholyke retayning other points of the said Religion departed from this more ancient CoÌ„munity of fayth by forging som one heresy or other Concerning the first it is not sufficient for our Brethren vnder their reducing of the matter to the scripture interpreted by the priuate Spirit being but an idle circulation and maze of dispute to affirme that the Catholykes haue departed from the auncient fayth first instituted by Christ except withall they show some certaine Community of Christians more auncient then the Catholyks from whome they departed the Catholiques by by this meanes taking vpon them a certaine name of the first stampers of their doctryne as the Manichies the Donatists the Iouinians and all others haue done or from the doctryne it selfe But hic labor hoc opus est Our Brethren can neuer do it Neither in my reading haue I found any one Protestant how conuersant soeuer in Ecclesiasticall historyes either to attempt to proue this poynt though most materiall or but once to vrge it against the Catholyks so dangerously he forsaw it might be retorted vpon himselfe and his Religion Concerning the second Our Brethren cannot name any one Protestant euen from the first fiue hundred yeares or afore to the dayes of Luther a compasse of tyme contayning at least a thousand yeares which was not originally a Catholyke himselfe being afore a member of the Catholike Church and going out of it by dogmatizing some few new doctrynes still beleeuing the rest of the articles of Catholike Religion The Precedents of the Hussies Wicleffists and Waldenses may cleare this poynt all which supposing them for the tyme to be ProtestaÌ„ts are reduced as the streame to the fountayne and the branch to the tree to a knowne Catholyke beginning to wit to Husse Wicleffe and Waldo who by our owne acknowledgment were borne and baptized in the Roman Church themselues after leaping out of it by mantayning and broaching some one new doctryne or other not allowed by the Church of Rome according to that of (p) Adue MarcioneÌ„ Tertull. Haereses prodierunt ex nobis non nostrae If then the matter standeth thus that our Brethren notwithstanding their most diligent perusing of all Ecclesiasticall wryters whose proiected labour is to relate al occurents of the Church cannot shew any visible society of Men professing the crue Christian fayth from which as more auncient the present Roman Religion euer departed or went out And that on the contrary part out Aduersaryes are able to proue that euen from the first fiue hundred yeares till Luthers dayes not any one Man can be suggested or put forth for a Protestant who was not originally a Catholyke and no Protestant departing from the Catholyks by his after making choyce of some Innouation in doctryne If then I say this be so what inference more irrefragable can be made or what mathematicall demonstration more counincing then that the Catholyke fayth was more auncient then Protetestancy that being the (q) Matt. 13. good seed which was first sowne though hindred by an after casting into the ground of some tares of Nouelliâ—me and Heresy And thus farre of this poynt the which once more I commend to the diligent perusall of a cleare Iudgment The force of which Argument more easely inuadeth a vulgar Vnderstanding by forging this supposall Imagine then two great familyes or Houses the one in the first tymes of all comming out of the other but whether not confessed both standing in this competency of Antiquity If heere the heyre of the one should not only prouoke and will the other to show by good euidence when any of this heyres ancestours desceded out of the others family he not being able by sufficient wrytings to proue any such descent but withall would engage himselfe to manifest by most auncient and vndoubted Records that all the other parents in their first Ancestours were primitiuely descended from out his owne House And vpon such their descent and other circumstantiall occasions had their names first changed Now this heyre thus vndertaking and thus performing followeth it not most euidently that his house is the more auncient it being indeed the stem and the other but the branch Our Case heerein is the same both in respect of the poynt questioned being cast in one Mould THE VI. MOTIVE That true Miracles haue been wrought for proofe of the Catholyke Religion but not any for Protestancy SVCH is the benigne and mercifull proceeding of God with Man humbling himselfe in a certaine maÌ„ner to the weaknes of our Nature as that he expecteth not true fayth and doctrine at it first promulgation should vnder any penalty of punishment be beleiued except the truth of it were then fortifyed and warranted with some strange and great Miracles Thus he thought good in the vnsearcheable and abysmall depth of his wisdome to ordayne a necessity of Miracles to the confirmation of euery true new doctryne and extraordinary mission for the preaching thereof Both the Testaments afford plentifull proofe herein In the old we reade that when Moyses was sent by God to the People and said to God They (a) Exod. 4. People will not beleiue me nor heare my voyce God thereupon instantly gaue him power to worke miracles to the end as God said that the People may beleiue that the Lord appeared vnto thee a poynt so euident that in our English Bibles our owne marginall Note to this place is thus (b) Printed anno 1â—76 This power to worke miracles was to confirme his doctryne and to assure him of his Vocation In the New the words of our Sauiour to his Apostles proclayme the lyke truth saying As (c) Mate 10. you go preach heale the sicke clense the leprous raise vp the dead cast out the deuills c. And heereupon our Lord Iesus in another place thus
see D. Bancrofts suruey pag. 219. verbum Deiprouoco But to resume my former heads Since then this reuealing spirit is not afraid to expunge out of the sacred Canon of Scripture such bookes as Apocriphall wherin it owne Religion is euidently impugned since it alloweth only such expositions of confessed Scripture as best sort to the supporting of it owne errours since it betrampleth all authorityes of Councells and Fathers who expound Gods word differently from it Since it hath beene the custome of all Heretikes to withdraw themselues to the weake retyre of only Scripture and their owne spirit interpreting the Scripture thus making a circular motion where from point to point there is a true progression but from the first point no progression at all since this Spirit engēdreth contrarieties in doctrine in the enioyers of it through ech mans misconstruction of Scripture Since the Scripture it selfe is of that abstruse sublimity as that Man without Gods directing grace cannot lay any true leuell thereto To conclude since the exorbitancy pride and petulancy of this Spirit is such as it expecteth in the end that all men should receaue from it as from a second Moyses the tables of our Euangelicall Law Non * Tert. de Orat. agnosei poterit à Spiritu sancto spiritus inquinatus What then remaineth but that my selfe carefull of my saluation should for euer after become iealous of the truth of that Religion which I find to be seated vpon those groundes and only those grounds which euery heresy promiscuously challengeth to it selfe And that relying on Gods holy visible Church vpon which he hath (p) Matt. 18. ◠Tim. 3. entayled his spirit of Truth I may interpose her infallible authority as an Isthmos or firmeland to stop the entercourse of the two mayne Oceans I meane the Scriptures abysmall profoundity and this Priuate spirits floating and boundles vncertainty But inough of this subiect of which as potentially inuoluing all other Controuersyes within it selfe I haue drawne I confesse for my fuller satisfaction certaine notes in some few scattered Papers THE II. MOTIVE That the Prophesyes of Scripture confirme the Catholike Religion and refute Protestancy PROPHESYES are diuine and infallible Predictions of thinges future future in respect of vs who measure all actions with the yard of Tyme but present in the eyes of God with whome there is neither tyme past nor tyme to come both being confounded in the depth of his owne Eternity Infallible as proceeding only from him who by his power disposeth all thinges as shall best please him by his Prescience forseeth distinctly all things so disposed as things present in the cleare glasse of his own essence And by his Will vouchsafeth that men shall warrant the certainty of his foreknowledge Prescientia Dei (a) Tert. l. 2 contr Marcion tot habet testes quot fecit Prophetas Now of the Prophesyes recorded in the old Testament I will take into my consideratiō only two The inditers of which according to the iudgment of (b) In Psal 3◠conc 2. S. Augustine as foreseeing Controuersyes and doubts in fayth to come spake more clearely of the Church then of Christ himselfe The first shall concerne the propagation of the Church of Christ and the conuerting of Kinges heathen and kingdomes to it faith touching which I will insist in those places of Scripture whose true sense and interpretation is acknowledged for such both by the Catholikes and by our Protestants Priuate spirit the alleadging of which texts is the more forcible since the confessed sense of Scripture is the soule as it were which informeth the body of the Letter Of this first point the Prophet I say thus speaketh The (c) 60. Iles shall waite for thee meaning the Church their Kinges shall minister vnto thee and thy gates shal be continually open neither day nor night shall they be shut that men may bring to thee the riches of the Gentils c. And againe speaking of and to the Church he further thus sayth Thou (d) Ibid. shalt sucke the milke of the Gentils and the breasts of Kinges Kings shal be thy noursing Fathers and Queenes thy Mothers And further Enlarge (e) 54. the place of thy tents spread out the curtaines of thy habitation for thou shalt increase on the right hand and on the left thy seed shall possesse the Gentils and inhabite the desolate Cittyes To the truth of which conuersions of Heathen Kinges and Countreyes to the fayth of Christ the Kingly Prophet speaking in the person of God to the Church thus accordeth I (f) Psalm 2. will giue thee the Heathens for thy inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy pessession That these places besides diuers others are vnderstood of the enlargment of Christs Church and the conuersions of Kingdomes and Nations vnto it is warranted by the marginall annotations of our own English (g) Frinted in the yeare 1576. Bibles no lesse agreeable to the particuler iudgments of (h) Vpon Ieremy Oecolampadius that learned Protestant D. Whitguift (i) In his defence p. 466. late Archbishop of Canterbury D. (k) In his answere M. VVilliam Reynolds Whitaker and all other graue Writers The next point which heere presenteth it selfe to be wayghed is to consider whether the foresayd predictions of the dilatation of the fayth of Christ and conuerting to it Kinges and kingdomes haue beene accomplished in the Protestants Church or in the Catholike and Roman Church for the clearing of which point we will begin with the tymes from Luthers first change of Religion and so ascend by degrees to the age of the Apostles in the discouery whereof we are to recurre to Ecclesiasticall Writers And thus the ground of beliefe touching this point is heere remoued from Scripture to man yet man is heere belieued to wit in relating whether the true or false fayth was then taught and brought in by reason of the Scripture And first that these Conuersions propagation of the Church any tyme for the space of these last thousand yeares euen vp to the dayes of Boniface the third and Gregory Bishops of Rome were not performed in the Protestant Church is ouer euident from all Ecclesiasticall historyes and records and from the voluntary confessions of learned Protestants so as to find the cōtrary in any approued Authors we may wel make the subiect of our desire but not of our expectation And first for Historyes we Protestants cannot produce any one authenticall history or narration notwithstāding some late effectles attempts of our own Nation in that nature being still in labour of that which I feare will neuer be borne intimating so much And which is more the Protestant Ecclesiasticall Writers do euen particulerly set downe and relate the conuersion of many Countryes made by catholiks euen to their own mayn preiudice heerin But the better to enleuen our discourse with examples where I will omit the subiecting of many vast Countryes to
ministred Touching the doctrine of the inuisiblity of the Protestant Church for many ages we do find our Brother D. Parkins (l) In his exposition of the Creed And Lut. ep ad Argentin sayth Christum à nobis primò vulgatum audemus gloriari thus to write During the space of nine hundred yeares the Popish heresy hath spred it selfe ouer the whole earth And further For many hundred yeares our Church was not visible to the world an vniuersall apostasy ouerspreading the whole face of the earth With whome accordeth D. (m) In his answere to a counterfeit Catholik pag. 16. Fulke saying From the tyme of Boniface the third which was Anno Domini 607. the Church became inuisible and fled into the wildernes there to remaine a long season But M. Napper (n) In his treatise vpon the ReuelatioÌ„ pag. â—8 ryseth higher teaching That between the years of Christ 300. and 316. the Antichristian and Papisticall raigue began raigning â—niuersally without any debatable contradiction one thousand two hundred sixty yeares M. Brocard (o) Vpon the Reuelation p. 110. affirmeth that during the second and third age after Christ the true temple of God and light of the Ghospell was obscured by the Roman Antichrist himselfe But Sebastianus (p) In epistola de abrogandis in vniuersuÌ„ on nibus statutis Ecclesiasticis Francus otherwise a learned Protestant stretcheth farre further saying For certaine through this worke of Antichrist the externall Church togeather with the fayth and Sacraments vanished away presently after the Apostles departure and that for these fourteene hundred yeares the Church hath not beene external and visible with whom conspireth D. (q) In his answere to a counterfeit Catholike p. â—5 Fulke in these wordes The true Church decayed immediatly after the Apostles tyme. A strange and inconsiderate assertion thus to insimulate and charge the tymes next to the Apostles since besides the Scripture (r) Isa 2 Miche as 4 Psalm 19. Matth. 5. witnessing in many places a continuall visibility of the Church and true fayth at all tymes it was Gods good pleasure that his Church concerning true fayth and doctrine should contrary to the course of other things enioy her greatest strength and force in her greatest infancy But to the point From all these testimonyes may be inferred that if the Protestants Church was for so many ages inuisible and that the true fayth and Sacraments thereof were vanished away for so long a tyme then during the length of so many ages there were no Doctours to preach the Protestants fayth nor Pastours to minister their Sacramentes though the same euer to haue beene in the Catholik Church the Protestants forsayd testimonyes do necessarily and implicitely witnes and consequently that the aboue alleadged Prophesy touching the continuance of Pastours Doctours in the Church of Christ at all tymes till the end of the world is not accomplished in the Protestant Church Thus farre heerof only for greater perspicuity I will wind vp the two different parts of all the foresayd Prophesyes in this ensuing argument Then thus It is prophesyed of the true Church of Christ that she must conuert heathen Kinges Kingdomes and Nations vnto her fayth and Religion Aâ— also that she must in all tymes and ages without interruption entoy aflours and Doctours and an administration of the word and Sacraments But by the confessions of our learned Brethren the Protestants the Protestant Church hath neuer as yet conuerted to it any one Heathen King kingdome Nation for many ages togeather by the ProtestaÌ„ts like acknowledgments it hath wanted Doctours and Pastours â—â—preach the Protestants fayth and to minisâ—er the word and Sacraments Therefore the Protestant Church is not that true Church of Christ which is figured out in those foresayd Prophesyes The inference I vrge this I presse in this I make my station It is drawne from acknowledged Scripture on all sides and from the acknowledged sense of the sayd Scripture on all sides Let any learned Protestant or all the learned Protestants liuing sincerely and plainely without subtile euading and declyning the point vrged giue any satisfactory answere heereto and I will indisputably become recreant in my fayth The demonstration is vnauoydable such as that seueral markable ProtestaÌ„ts one way not coÌ„fessing out of their implacable hatred the former Prophesies to be fullfilled in the Catholike Church another seeing by al proofe of historyes whatsoeuer that they haue not beene performed in the ProtestaÌ„t Church 1. s Dauid George Professour at Basil did from hence conclude a thought horrible to be entertained that the Christian Religion as wanting the accomplishments of the foresaid Prophesyes was a false Religion 2. Beruardin Ochine a man highly commeÌ„ded by caliâ—â—n l. de scandalis pag. 111. ouâ— Sauiour a seducer and themselues thereupon sinally became s Iewes I execrate a Iew therefore seeing there is no other Medium I will dye heerein a Roman Catholike 3. Neuserus chiefe Pastour of â—eideâ—hergc 4. Almanus a Zuinglion all which throught the reasons aboue touched forsooke the Christian fayth See of these some others Conradus Schluffelburg in his Theolog. Calu. and Osiander Cent. THE III. MOTIVE That generall Councells confirming Catholike Religion are reiected by Protestants IT is certaine that the spirituall Enemy of mans soule though hating Order yet in impugning the Truth obserueth order For after his reiecting of Canonicall Scripture and expounding falsly by his Ministers confessed scripture he next maketh violent incursions vpon sacred Oecumenicall Councels they being in matters of fayth the highest Iudgements vpon earth whose semences are aboue all appeale and whose testimonyes I hould as so many sealing arguments Therefore I much grieued to find the first and chiefest of our Religion peremptorily to sindicate and censure next to that of the Apostles the first and chiefest generall Councell I meane Luther the Nicen styling it (a) â—uth l. de Concil decrees fâ—enum stramen ligna stipula c. But no meruaile since so long as we continue in condemning the articles of Catholike religion so long are we forced to breake with those Primitiue generall Synods To exemplify in some few for the truths sake though it be more hard to erect a truth by proofes then to confute an errour Who is so Alphabeticall yong a Controuersist but he knoweth that the doctrine of Peters Primacy and his successours is confirmed in the Canons of the second generall (b) Epist ad Damal quae exstat apud Theodor Councell of Constantinople and the third of (c) Apud Eugagrium lib. hist c. 4. Ephesus In the one by plainely acknowledging the doctrine in the other by deposing Nestorius by the authority of the Sea of Rome That Apostolicall traditions are warranted by the first second Nicen Councel the first condeÌ„ning the (d) In actis eiusdem Concii heresy of Arius besydes by Scripture euen by force of Traditions the other (e) Epst.
gaue me a Being by my Redemption a Well-being who suffered Deatiâ— to preuent death and whose wound care our wouds 〈◊〉 (m) Isa câ— â— â—â—us sanatcsimiâ—â—â— voucâ—saâ—e to sanctify me with thy soule â—o meâ—â—â—ate my intellectuall powers with thy bloud and to wash away all their ordure filth with the water of thy pierced side that so I poore despicable and miserable man seeing all my sinnes afore drowned in the gulfe of thy inexhausted Mercy may in the end enter into thy promised and my hoped for Canaan Ioan. Londinens THE CONTENTES OF THE SEVERALL MOTIVES OF THIS TREATISE THE 1. MOTIVE THAT the priuate spirit is the chiefe supporter of Protestancy Page 1. Motiue 2. That the Prophesyes of Scripture confirme the Catholike Religion and refute Protestancy pag 10. Motiue 3. That generall Councells confirming Catholike Religion are reiected by Protetestants pag. 33. Motiue 4. That the Fathers of the Primitiue Church as Patrons of Papistry are reiected by the Protestants pag 39. Motiue 5. That the articles of Protestancy are particulerly condemned for benesâ—es by the ancient Fathers And that all Protestants originally came out of the Catholike Church pag. 53. Motiue 6. That true Miracles haue beene wrought for proofe of the Catholike Religion but not any for Protestancy pag. 64. Motiue 7. Absurdityes in the Protestants Religion pag. 77. Motiue 8 Deceites and sleightes practised by Protestant VVryters pag. 93. Motiue 9. That the doctrine of Catholike Religion tendes directly to Vertue of Protestancy to Vice and Liberty pag 118. Motiue 10. That Luther and Caluin are chiefe Patrones of Arianisme and therefore in other points of faith are not to be followed p 131 Motiue 11. That there is vnity in Fayth in Catholike Religion disagreements in faith in Protestancy pag. 139. Motiue 12. That Saluation may be had in Catholike Religion by the confession of Protestants pag. 154. The Conclusion to my Dears and Reverend Brethren the Lords Arch bishops and Bishops of England pag. 168 THE BISHOP OF LONDON HIS LEGACY THE 1. MOTIVE That the priuate Spirit is the chiefe supporter of Protestancy THE affected strange and exorbitant course we Protestants hould I yet range my selfe with my former Brethren according to my accustomed dialect in determining of doubts in ReligioÌ„ is able to cause the learnedest of vs to fluctuate and wauer in our already ietled iudgmentes We all know it is our own head Theoreme that the Scripture alone but such as our selues admit for Canonicall is to iudge of all arising Controuersyes in fayth and the priuate spirit to iudge of the sense of the Scripture Which priuate spirit being but a meere intentionall and vnreall name our owne D. (a) In CoÌ„trou 1. q. â— c. 3. 11. Whitaker thus speciously entitles An inward perswasion of the truth from the Holy Ghost in the secret closes of the belieuers hart Thus by recurring to Scripture alone we reiect all Apostolicall Traditions all definitions of the Church and the most ancient practise thereof by erecting the priuat spirit we make our selues sole Lords of the Scripture A poore refuge God knowes discouering in a cleare and impartiall eye the feeblenes of our owne cause since in so doing we being but parties constitute our selues as Iudges daring in the closure of all to iudge euen our owne Iudges Thus for example if our Aduersaryes the Catholikes in iustifying the articles of their fayth doe vrge any passage of the Machabees Ecclesiasticus Toby c. acknowledged for Canonicall Scripture by S. Augustin (b) De doctrin Christian l. 2. c. â— the third Councell (c) Can. 47. of Carthage this Priuate spirit in lieu of further answere peremptorily discanoneth all these Bookes vnder the tecture that they were (d) Doctor VVhitak in his answer to M. Reynoldâ—â—efutation p. 22. 23. Calu. lib. 1. Instiâ— c. 7. §. 1. 2. not first written in Hebrew and that the Maiesty and voyce of God appeareth not in them Strangely inferred as though the Spirit of God ought seruily to be tyed to any one tongue or because in the silly weenings of this spirit the Maiesty voyce of God speaketh not in the sayd Books therefore they are indeed wholy depriued thereof If our Aduersaryes proceeding further do insist for proofe of any dogmaticall point in the plaine wordes of confessed Scripture as for proofe of Apostolicall Traditions whereby this phantasy of the Scripture being sole iudge is impugned in that passage (e) 2. Thes 2. of the Apostle Hold fast the traditions which you haue receaued siue per sermonem siue per Epistolâ—m nostram either by word or by our Epistle the Priuate spirit as it were with it Mercuryes rod heere chaseth away the most obuious and familiar construction obtruding this Scholia vpon the text That (f) Kemâ—â— in 〈◊〉 Conc. â—â—dent the Apostle first deliuered those things by speach which after he left written in his Epistle Absured since the disâ—unctiue particle siue implyeth an Antithesis or opposition of the things deliuered by speach and the thinges written If they fortify the plaine and literall sense of the forsayd Text with the answerable ConstitutioÌ„s and Canons of most ancient generall Councels as of that of the second of Nice Si (g) Act. â— â—om 4. quis traditioneÌ„ Ecclesiae siue scripto fiue consuetudine valentem non curauerit Anathema sit the Spirit spurneth heere at auerring that (h) So D. VVhâ—â—ak l. de Coâ—â—â—il conâ—â—a Bellarâ—â— q. â— generall Councells may erre And that as (i) So Peter Martyr l. de votis p. 476. longe as we insist in generall Councels so long we shall continue in the Papists errours Thus hoping that the splendour of the whole Church of Christ being once obscured it selfe may shyne forth with more lustre so the least starre discouereth it light through absence of a greater light If our Aduersaryes produce the testimonyes but of priuate Fathers in warrant of Traditions as of (k) Lib. contra Donat Quae vnâ—uersa tenet â—cclesia ab Apostâ—lis praecepta benè creduntur quanquà m scriptanon reperiantur Augustine (l) Lib. 2. epist â— Cypriâ—n and the like O what indignity is it to this all-controuling Spirit which euen dronke with a selfe coÌ„placency can with one puff of his breath blow away the force of all their authorityes by saying Gods (m) Luth. tom 2. cont Reg Angl fol. 344. word is aboue all the diuine Maiesty maketh for me in so much as I regard not if a thousand Augustines a thousand Cyprians stood against me vanting further of it selfe Non sinam ipsos Angelos de mea doctrina iudicare Lastly if they put vs in mind how it hath been euer the proper Scene of heretiks to enamel varnish the deformed face of their Heresyes with the misapplyed texts of Gods sacred Word Haereses (n) Aug iâ— hom 9. tract 18. in Ioan. sumunt originem quando Scripturae bonae intelliguntur non bene Thus
did the (o) Ioan. 14. 18. 17. 1. Cor. 18. 1 Tim 2. Act. 2. Arians the (p) Ioan. 1. 2. Eutichians the (q) Philip. 2. Haebr 7 Matth. 27. Ioan. 12. Nestorians all which for number were able to vye text for text in defence of their blasphemyes against Gods Church a course anciently so much vsed as that S. Augustine (r) Contra Maximin Arian l. 1. introduceth the Heretikes of his dayes prouoking their aduersaryes only to the Scripture The Spirit replyes that indeed those Heretikes and such others pressed Scripture but wroÌ„gfully since they vsed not prayer nor conference of places nor had knowledge in the tongues all which the true Spirit as conducing meanes doth enioy Spectatum admissi risum teneatis For besides s D. Reynolds in his Câ—nfer p. 83. 84. that these interuenient meanes euen in the censure of D. Whitaker (t) VVhitak Media interpretandi loca obscura sunt incerta dubia ambigua ergo fierinon potest quin ipsa etiam interpretatio fit incerta si iâ—certa tum potest esse falsa lib. 2. de Eccies contr Bellarm. controu i. quest 4. include a doubtfulles of Iudgment in the interpretation of Scripture vnder what show of Reason can we perswade others that our selus do practise in a higher measure these meanes then the forsayd acknowledged Heretikes did Or why should any man giue a more certaine and indubious assent to our spirits then to the Spirits of those other or of our Aduersaryes But to draw to a more inward and particuler fight heerein Luther and Caluin enioyed this Priuate spirit as theÌ„selues do vaunt Furthermore this Spirit supposing it to be the gift of the holy Ghost is infallible This graunted what vnlucky constellation then reigned when of these few wordes Hoc est corp is meum the Spirits of Luther Caluin their Schollers haue deliuered more different constructions then there are wordes in this short sentence and such constructions as one is incompatible with another so as if not all at least some of necessity must be false In like sort in these two wordes of the Creed Descendit ad inferos what contrary senses of them are giuen by the Protestants all enioying in their owne iudgments the infallibility of this Apocalypticall and reuealing spirit It is needles to particularize their seuerall and contrary interpretations giuen of the two former sentences Their own Booke-warrs (u) The differeÌ„t doctrines among Protestants concerning these two points and others and all warranted by the interpretation of the Priuate spirit haue occasioned aboue three hundred bookes to haue beene written by the Protestants one against another of which Hospinian a ProtestaÌ„t the yearly Catalogue of FraÌ„ckford make mention waged by Protestants against the Protestants and vndertaken with sharpned pens in great hostility of style originally for the maintenance of the different doctrines rysing through their misinterpretation of the former Text proclaimes the truth of this to the world Thus suppose a man to be once possest or if you will obsest with this lying Spirit how easily can he ventilate strange and irreconciliable doctrines Heere then I vrge Is this spirit of God How can it then broach contrary and repugnant doctrines Since his Church is one (x) Rom. 12. Cant. 6. Ioan. 10. body one spouse one sheepfould Is it not Why then should I longer perseuere in that Religion which sucketh it venome from so false a spirit Non (y) Tertu l. de Baptis idem Deus est nobis illis nec vnus Christus But what Do our owne writings really stand thus chargeable in defence of this all iudging Spirit or is it but my vniust aspersion cast vpon my Brethrens wronged Pennes Read and then censure One of vs comes forth vpon the stage for the eye of the World is the stage of mans actioÌ„s thus saying The (z) D. Bilson in his true difereÌ„ce between Christian subiection vnch istian rebellion people must be discerners and iudges of what is taught Another That (a) Luth. tom 2. VVittem fol. 375. the sleep is to iudge whether the Pastours propound to them the voyce of Christ or of strangers A third to passe ouer the Brethren (b) In their Appology to the vniuersityes of Amsterdam the branches and descendents of the Church of Geneua acteth his part more liuely thus pronouncing of the priuiledge heerin euen of any left-handed vnlearned and mechanicall fellow The (c) VVhitak de sacra Scriptura p. 519. vnlearned in the exposition of the Scripture is to demaund the opinion of the learned and to read the Commentaryes of Interpreters Sed videndum interim est ne nimis illis tribuant c. sed cautè semper belike for feare of sinning in humblenes of mind atque it a vt câ—rum interim libertatem retincant Where is Humility Where is the (d) 2. Cor. 10. Apostles precept of captiuating our iudgements But it is exiled and in it roome are stept in this Spirits assuming Pryde and blushles Ignorance The irreconciliable doctrines it broacheth bewray it Ignorance it controule of all authority it Pride The difficulty of the Scriptures I will heere passe ouer with a gentle touch for I affect breuity though the consideration of their abstrusnes more fully displayeth the vanity of this Priuate spirit euer venditating the facility of theÌ„ For what can be fouÌ„d in any writinges to occasion misconstruction which heere is not found The sense Where humane writings haue commonly but one sense the Scripture in many places besides the literall is inuested with (e) To wit sensuâ— Alegorious Tropologiâ—us Anogogious three The Style It is heere most plaine yet most profound familiar yet perswading vnaffected yet vnimitable for the most part literall yet sparsedly fraught with Schems Figures Allegoryes The Subiect It is heere supernaturall transcending all reach of mans Reason Since heere we learne to omit all other misteryes of fayth recorded in Gods sacred Writ that Omnipotency was once (f) Luc. 2. she wraped him in swadling cloaths weake Eternity (g) Luke ibid. when eight dayes were accoÌ„plished that they should circumcise the child yong Omnipresency (h) Matt 28. He is not heere for he is risen confined Infinitenes (i) Luc. 2. And Iesus increased in wisedom age and grace increasing Wisedome (k) Marc 13. of that day and houre knoweth no man c. neither the sonne himselfe ignorant the Word (l) Iohn 19. But Iesus gaue him no answere silent and finally the Lord of heauen and earth poore (m) Luc. 9. The birds haue nests c. but the sonne of Man hath not whereon to lay his head and despicable so iust reason had S. Ambrose to say Mare (n) Epist 44. ad Constantium est Scriptura diuina hahens inse sensus profundos and so little reason our Brethren to vse for their Mot Ad (o) Beza
Cyrill ad Nestor by teaching in expresse wordes the doctrine of Traditions That Baptisme wherein man is borne but not borne the sonne of Adam euen by force and vertue of the Sacrament it selfe taketh away sinne is euident out of the first of (f) Cap. de Baptism Nice and the first of (g) In symbol Constantinople That vowed Virgins Monks are to be in the Church of Christ and that such cannot marry is decreed by the Councell of (h) Can. 16. Caâ—â—edon Lastly that appeales to Rome which implicitly inuolues the Primacy of that Sea were ratifyed by the Councell of (i) Can. 7. Sardis Thus much for instance though the same might be iustifyed in many other Catholike articles where I haue restrained my proofes only to generall Councels and such as were celebrated within the first fiue hundred yeares after the diuine Maiesty vouchsafed for our good to embase himselfe by putting vpon the poore ragges of our humanity But heere I must needs take leaue to cast a more fixed eye vpon the dignity of generall Councels abstracting them from all priority and laternes of time since then our owne Brethren absolutly reiecting all such Councells as subiect to errour will needes ascribe that respect to their owne Priuate spirit which by all reasons both diuine and humane hath beene euer due to generall Councells vnto which perhaps they haue beene sooner moued partly through the infelicity (k) Many synods of ProtestaÌ„ts haue been but without any good euent not any one yet succeeding we as that at Maspurge anno 1529. at Smalâ—ald at Mull ruÌ„ at Montbelgard at Heidelberg at Aldeburge at Herizburg at Hamburge at Tubinge and finally besydes deuers others this last at Dort of their owne so many Prouinciall at most but Nationall Conuenticles in Germany and els where as yet neuer hauing good successe I hould it therefore not impertinent to display in some particulers the aduantages betweene a generall Councell and any Sectaryes priuate iudgment where no doubt we shall find that as easily may the lowest shrubs compare in height with the Cedars of Libanus as the sentence of any Priuate man who lyke a mastles ship is tossed with euery wind of InnouatioÌ„ contend in authority with a generall Councel Thus then If an Oecumenicall Councell indicted confirmed by lawfull authority representing the Maiesty of Gods Church as being the supreme Tribunall (l) So doth Augustin tearme a generall Councell ep 162. thereof assured by promise (m) where tow or three are gathered togeather in my name c. Matt. 18. of Christ his assisting presence warranted with the first example of that kind by the blessed (n) Act 15 Apostle highly reuerenced and magnifyed by the ancient (o) Aug. vbisupraâ— l. de Bapt. 6.18 Athan ep ad Epictet Basil ep 78. Ambr. ep 32. Leo epist 53. Hieron l. contra Luciferian c. Fathers acknowledged for the only meanes of determining Controuersy by some of our learnedest Protestants (p) Doct. Bilson in his perpetuali gouernement pag. 174. D. Couell in his modest examinat pag. 110. and ethers consisting of seueral of hundreds of most venerable Prelates conspicuous for vertue readynes in the Scripture variety of tongues and infinitenes of reading gathered from the most remote opposite regions of Christendome and therefore the lesse probable vpon their such sudden meeting ioyntly to imbrace any one point of Innouation battering dayly vpon their knees at the eares of Almighty God with most humble and feruerous prayer seconded with austere fasting and all this to the end that it would vouchsafe his diuine Goodnes so to guide and sterne this reuerend Assembly with his holy spirit as what expositions it giues of the Scripture or what otherwise it determines for vndoubted fayth may be agreable to his sacred Word and Truth Now notwithstanding all this if such a celebrious concourse and confluence of Pastours being the Mart or Rendeuous for the tyme of Vertue and Learning shall so fayle therein as that they may and haue sundry tymes most fowly erred as our supercilious contumacious Sectaryes (q) D. VVhitak l. de Conc. contr Bellarm q. 6. D. Fulke in his answere to a counterfait Catholike pag. 35. D. VVilet in his syaopfis p. 29â— auouch in their constructions of Scripture and resolutions of fayth though all such their decrees be otherwise warranted with a iudiciall conference of Scripture the generall practise of the Church and the conspiring testimonyes of all Antiquity If this I say may happen the best meanes thus producing the worst effects what shall we then conceaue of an obscure Syr Iohn a man engendred in the slyme of pride and ignorance who in some pointes euer subdiuideth himselfe from the rest of his brethren thus being resolued from whome to flye but not whome to follow so as he is truely condemned of heresy euen by the lying mouth of Heresy A man but competent in learning sometymes of a disedifying life not hauing any warrant from God for his proceeding nor president from his holy church yea one to whome God flatly denyeth r No prophesy of sâ—riptur is of any priuate interpretatioÌ„ 2. Pet. c. 1. this presumed certainty of his expounding his word and determining which is true fayth and further of whose spirit we are commanded to (s) Dearly beloued belieue not euery spirit but try the spirits 1. Ioan. c. 4. to doubt which is more of whose seducing we are most cautelously (t) These thinges I haue written vnto you concerning those which deceaue you Ioan. 1. c. 2. premonished Now if this man being in his Pulpit vpon the Lordes day in the presence of his ignorant yet censuring and psalming Auditory a fit Pathmos for his ensuing Reuelations there opening the Bible for thus falshood is forced to begge countenance from truth and vndertaking to expound some text or other for the establishing of his late appearing fayth though contrary to the iudgment of all ancient Councells affirming him selfe to be secured by special Euthysiasmes and illuminations from God for the better iudging the point controuerted rysing from his owne explication of Scripture Which being done what assurance may we haue of the truth of this his al-defyning spirit and is there not reason to expect more errours then sentences to drop from this mans mouth And what stupor then and dulnes is it to allow to such an one that infalibility of spirit which himselfe denyeth to a generall Councell Yet such is the forward blindnes of our enchanted Nouellists heerin who mantaine (u) So teach D. VVhitik lib. de Concil contra Bellar q 6. Peter Mar tyr lib. de votis D. Fulke in his answere to a counterfaite Catholike pag. 80. 90. D. VVillet in his synops pag. â—â—0 And Beza in his Preface of the new Testament anno 1587. thus saith Euen in the best tymes the ambition ignorance and lewdnes of Bishops was such as that the blind may easily
the sayd Centurists (o) Cent. 2. c. 10. col 107. elswheresty le to be periculosa quasi errorum semina And thus farre for truth of the sacrifice of the Masse from the end of the first foure hundred years euen vp to the dayes of the Apostles though all such testimonyes be reiected by vs Protestants A truth so euident that Caluin (q) Lib. 4. instit c. 18. sect 〈…〉 thus confesseth Veteres illos video c. I doe see that the ancient Fathers did wrest the memory of the Lords supper otherwyse then was agreeing to the institution of the Lord. Since the Fathers supper did beare the show and face of a renewed oblation c. they imitating more neerely the Iewes manner of sacrifycing then either Christ did ordaine or the nature of the Ghospell would suffer Caluin (q) In omnes Pauli epist in Heb. c. 7. pag. â—2â— further charging them That they adulterated the supper of the Lord by adding sacrifice vnto it And Hospinian (r) Histor sacram l. 1. c. 6 p. 20. thus further acknowledgeth I am tum primo illo saculovi uentibus adhuc Apostolis c. Euen in the very first age the Apostles being aliue the Diuell endeauoured to deceaue more about this Sacrament then about Baptisme withdrawing men from the first forme therof To whom Sebastianus (s) Iu epist de abrogaÌ„dis in vniuers omnibus statut Ecclesiast Francus thus accordeth Statim post Apostolos omniae inuersa sunt c. Coena Domini in sacrificium transformatu est Thus farre of the Masse But if we proceed further in a more large ample manner touching the whole body of Catholike Religion taught by the Fathers in generall we shall rest amazed to see what a corrent and inundation of our Brethrens sharp censures do ouerflow the writings of all the Ancient Fathers Sortably heerto to omit the depressing speaches of Luther touching particuler Fathers saying Cyprian (a) Iâ— colloquijs mensal c. de Patribus Eccles lib. de serâ—o arbitrio is a weake Denine I hould Origen long since accursed Basil is of no Worth he is wholy a Monke In the Writinges of Hierome there is not one Word of true sayth in Christ and perfect Religion Tertullian is but superstitious other such base refuse of Inuectiues do we not find Luther (b) Luth. 〈…〉 supra to conclude thus against al the Fathers without exception The Apology of Philip Melancthon doth farre excell all the Doctours of the Church and exceed euen Augustine himselfe And yet further with greater acerbity in these wordes The Fathers (c) Luth. lib. de seruo at bitrio printed an 1â—â—1 pag. 434. of so many ages haue beene plainely blind and most iâ—norant in the Scriptures they haue erred alâ— their life tyme vnles they were amended before their deaths they were neither Saints nor pertayning to the Church See how Apostasy is the Daughter and Mother of Pryde But to proceed further the Archbishop of Canterbary though more mild yet most boldly thus censureth (d) In his defence of the answer to the admonition p 472. 473. the Fathers The doctrine taught and professed by our Bishops at this day is more perfect and sounder then it commonly was in any age after the Aposties c. With which sharp censure Bâ—â—â— (e) In ep theolog ep 1. thus iumpeth If we compa a our â—yâ—es with the tymes next to the Apostles my iudgment is that those tymes had plus conscientiae scientiae minus and we scientiae plus conscientiae minâ—â— Melancthon as loath to be flow in so charitable an act thus (f) In 1. Cor. c. 3. wryteth Presently from the beginning of the Church the ancient Fathers obscured the doctrine concerning Iustification of sayth increased Ceremonyes and deuised peculiar worships D. Humfrey chargeth D. Iewell with great inconsideration in appealing to the Fathers saying He (g) In vita lewel printed at LaÌ„don pag. 212. gaue the Papists too large a scope was iniurious to himselfe and in a manner spoyled himselfe and his Church I will conclude this Scene full of scurility and vn worthy criminations with Doctour Whitakers (h) Contra Durâ—â—um l. 6. pag. 413. saying Ex Patrum erroribus ille Pontificiae religionis cento consequutus est The religion of the Papists is a patched cloath of the Fathers errours sowed togeather Add for the close of all our owne doctryne of the inuisibility of the Church for many ages together euen in those Primitiue tymes for if the Protestant Church during those tymes by our owne frequent Confessions was latent and inuisible as aboue is showed then followeth it that the Fathers of those ages in their wrytings and Commentaryes mantayned not the Protestant but the Catholyke and Roman Religion But heere notwithstanding our absolute disclayming from the Fathers in generall I will annexe as an Appendix one obseruation concerning particulerly Origen Tertullian and Cyprian Fathers of great Antiquity learning and Iudgment It is this These three Fathers erred in certaine points Origen in teaching that the Deuills should in the end be saued Cyprian in Rebaptization Tetullian in denying second Mariages All these three were written against for these their errours by (i) See August against Origen in baeres 43. against Tertul. in haeres â—6 against Cyprian in tom 3. de Baptism l. 2. c. 7. Vide Hier. in l. contr IounianuÌ„ Vigil Vide Epiphan l. de haeresibus Augustine Ierome and other acknowledge mantayners of the Roman Religion Now heer Ivrge Augustine Ierome as is aboue showed are charged by our Brethren as Patrones of Papistry if then Origen Tertullian and Cyprian had dissented from Augustin Ierome and other Fathers in those Catholyke poynts wherewith wee truely charge them no doubt but Augustine and Ierome in their Catalogues of Heresyes would as well haue registed other their opinions for heresyes in which Origen Tertullian Cyprian dissented from them as they did register their three former Heresyes But no such censure or condemnation do we fynd in their wrytings from which we may infallibly conclude that what Articles of the present Roman and Catholike Religion were mantayned by Augustine Ierome and others of those ages wryting of the heresyes of their tymes the same were also taught by the foresaid Origen Tertullia Cyprian Thus much of these three Fathers in whom by the way we may glosse how dangerous it is to shut our sight against the radiant beames of the Churches authority so the eye suddenly comming out from a great light presently seeth worse And heere I am to certify the Reader that some few testimonyes among many others of our owne Brethren alleadged in this treatise I did fynd produced in certaine Catholyke Books but at the first reading of them I rested much doubtfull of the ingenuous playne and true alledging of them till by my owne perusall of our said Brethrens bookes I found them most sincerely vrged
translate the sayd wordes truely that is to be worthy and to be worthy indeed But alas is Gods holy word so little fauourable to our Protestant fayth that we must be forced thus to adulterate and corrupt it for the better sustayning of our cause The next sort of Collusions may be extended to our deceitfull setting downe the doctrine supposedly maintayned by Catholikes indeed obtruding vpon them certaine absurd Positions from which they vtterly disclaime And thus doe we no lesse charge them with belieuing of errours then with not belieuing of our presumed truth To instance this Touching the merit of works Do we not vsually affirme in our Sermons Books that the Papists doe so belieue to be saued by their owne workes without the passion of Christ as that we hould their doctrine therein to be dishonourable to his Passion We do And yet the Councell (i) Sess 6. of Trent wherein is contayned a summary of their fayth teacheth that al good workes which a Christian can do receaue their force valew and price from the Passion of our Sauiour for otherwise it houlds them as no good workes to which workes as proceeding only from the grace of God the Catholikes teach our Sauiour (k) Matt. 3 16. 10 hath promised his reward So confidently they affirme that it is of the grace of God that we concurre with the grace of God and worthily since as the soule informes the body so Grace informes the Soule Touching the Catholikes praying to Saints We charge them in great estuation and heate of wordes that thereby they dishonour Christ his Passion making the Saints in praying to them their Redeemers and Sauiours When God knoweth all that the Catholikes do is but to pray to them that so the Saints as being more gracious in the sight of God would intercede for them with no other intention then S. Paul requested the (l) Rom. â—s I befeech you c. striue with me by prayers to God for me Romans (m) 1. Thess 5. Brethren pray for me The like wordes he vseth to the Hebrews c â—5 Thessalonians and Hebrews in his Epistles that they would remember him in their prayers to God And from hence doth grow that most warrantable distinction of Mediatours to wit of Reaemption of which kind the Catholikes no lesse then we acknowledge no other then Christ alone and of Intercession of which sort euery vertuous and good man much more the Saints and Angells may be without any indignity to our Sauiour one for another since no prayers euen by the Catholiks owne doctrine are auailable but such as are founded in the beliefe in Christ and in the vertue and force of his most deare and precious Passion So willfully we mistake the doctrine of the Church of Rome heerein Concerning Indulgences How frequent are these and the like bold reproaches with vs That the Paprsts teach the Pope can giue aforehand pardon for any subiect to murther his King that he can absolue one from the sinne which heere after he is to comnit What fooleryes are these And how idly do we diuer berate the ayre in deliuering in our SermoÌ„s such improbable or rather senseles assertions they being indeed incompatible with common Reason Do not the Catholikes owne bookes show first that the Pope can no more forgiue aforhand any one sinne which heerafter is to be perpetrated then he can create a new world since the obiect of the Sacrament of Pennance is a sinne already committed Secondly that the Pope cannot remit the guilt of sinne I meane the punishment of damnation due to sinne by meanes of any Indulgences for it is their owne generall doctrine that no man can be partaker of any Indulgence but at the tyme of his receauing thereof he must be in state of grace to which state he is first brought by vertue of a sacramentall Confession or when that cannot be obtained by force of a true and perfect Contrition Thirdly and lastly that the guilt of eternall damnation being afore remitted as is sayd by the sacrament of Confession or in want thereof by perfect Contrition there remaines a temporal punishment for the sayd sinnes afore remitted for the satisfying of Gods iustice which temporall punishment as being the only obiect of Indulgences the Catholikes hould the Pope as Christs Vicar heere vpon earth and dispenser of his spirituall Treasure can either-lessen or wholy take away if so the party be capable thereof in being at that instant in state of Grace and performing the pennances enioyned vpon him by applying vnto him vpon iust occasions the superbundaÌ„cy of Christs passion In whose passioÌ„ for the more fully satisfying of all eternall much more temporall punishment the sheeding of one drop of bloud was sufficient to redeeme thousands of Worlds since then his Humanity being accompanyed with the Diuinity Innocency did suffer for sinne Iustice for offence Health for infirmity and finally God for Man Thus and no otherwise doe the Catholikes teach heerein as is euident out of their chiestest (n) Set heereof S. Thomas Aquinas 4. sent d. 10. art 5. Sotus 4. sent d. â—â— Caietan tom 1. Bellar lib. de indulg possim wryters Who notwithstanding their defence of the doctrine of Indulgences may I feare iustly charge vs Protestants with relying too much vpon a I lenary Indulgence as I may tearme it of a solifidian fayth The next point of this nature shal be concerning Images touching which our Eiconomachi or impugners of the lawfull vse of them do run into strange exhorbitancy of speaches accusing Catholikes that they place a kind of diuinity or deity in Images and that they pray to them so wonderfully doth preiudice of opinion transport mens mindes tongues When the Catholikes are charged heerewith yea the most silly and ignorant women on their side they answere that for the images themselues they know they are made of stone wood or such other matter and that in regard of their substances they account them no better then stone wood or the like They vse them they say not to pray to them since this were no better then a godles religion or a deuout impiety but only besides a peculiar respect giuen vnto them aboue other things made of like substances to supply the wants of their â—emory that so their corporall eye being fixed vpon them the eye of their vnderstanding during the tyme of their deuotions may be more intent vpon our Sauiours Passion or the Saints represented in them See heereof the second Councell of (o) Act. 7. Nice (p) Epist 119. S. Augustine (q) Lib. 7. epist 107. S. Gregory S. Thomas Suarez others Finally do we not diuulge that the Pope and his Church aduance themselus aboue the Scripture allowing for Scripture that which is not and altering at their pleasure the true sense of the scripture by obtruding vpon it any sense of their owne Good God! that men otherwise learned and witty should thus idly in their speaches
and writinges rarell out the tyme working with such improbity of libour and toyle theâ—pyders webb which is so easily swept away Laborâ—ose nihil agunt to say with Seneca The Pope and the Church thus far proceed They declare only what bookes be Scripture or not Scripture among many Apochriphal writings and which construction of true Scripture among many suggested senses thereof is the intended meaning of the Holy Ghost Thus they neither make nor vnmake Scripture nor impose any sense vpon it which afore it had not but only declare which afore it had And thus by this meanes they assume no more to themselues then any priuate Protestant practiseth by the help of his reuealing spirit But what Must it needes be inferred that the Pope and the Church for such their proceeding seeke to be aboue the Scripture Then may it be alike concluded that the Iudge is aboue the Law since he expresseth what is Law and which is the true meaning of the Law-giuer therein All that hence may be truely deduced is this viz. That the Pope and the Church is not aboue Scripture which with all reuerence they affect but aboue the Iudgments of priuate men expounding the Scripture But heere to make an end of the Catholiks mistaken doctrines I cannot but call to mind how I was seueral tyms accustomed to charge the Priests and others of their Religion appearing before me with the defence of the former absurdityes though I confesse I did then well know what their learned men did hold therein And I do assure the Reader that the Priestes being expostulated heereof did seeme halfe amazed at these my strange demandes Yea one of the Priestes a bold and resolute man thus answered me My Lord if you demand of me and others in earnest whether these senseles positions be our do Irines it seemes you know not what the Catholik Church teacheth heerein and then it is strang his Maiesty should place you in seate of iudgment against vs to punish vs for that ReligioÌ„ your selfe not knowing the doctrine which the sayd religion teacheth An answere blunt and without respect yet not much to be disliked since it is a wronge to truth to be outfaced and depressed with calumnyes Towards the Auncient Fathers we haue seuerall peculiar deportments first we stryue to breake through their authorityes with sleighty euasions this fayling next to breake downe their authorityes by open disclayminges Thus in the former manner we proceed diuers wayes First when any place of a Father is obiected against vs we endeauour so loath we are to make an absolut departure from them if possibly it could be auoyded to interprete the Fathers words in some other sense then they are vrged by our Aduersaryes or intended by the Fathers Thus where (r) Lib. 4. de Trinit cap. 〈◊〉 4. Augustin (s) Lib. 6. desacerd Chrysostome (t) In psal 38. Ambrose (u) Lib. 6. contra Parmenianum others do teach that the Sacrament of the Excharist contayneth in it selfe a true and proper sacrifice Our Brethren in answere heereto say these Fathers meaning only to be that the prayer powred out by the faythfull at the tyme of the Communion are Spirituall Sacrifices But this is but a shadow of an answeare since the Fathers affirme literally that the body and bloud of Christ without the least intimation of any prayers being offered vp in the celebration of the Eucharist is a proper and true sacrifice Quid gratiùs offervi saith (x) V bi supra Augustine aut suscipi possit quà m carâ— sacrificij nostri corpus effectum sacerdotis nostri Next if the place of the obiected Father be so perspicuous as that it will receaue no other tincture of Interpretation then what the naturall colour of the sentence will properly beare we then labour to oppose another Father against him in the said poynt or if possibly we can the said Father aginst himselfe by vrgiâ—g some seeming contrary sentence our of him all this to disualew in the Readers eye the authority of the said Father Thus where Basill is produced in defence of TraditioÌ„s D. (y) Lib. de sacra scriptura p. 670 Whitaker answereth thereto pretending some other contrary place out of Basill saying Basilius secumpugnat After the same manner D. Whitaker (z) V bi supra pag. 6.6 auoydeth S. Augustins authority touching Traditions saying Although Augustine in this place may seeme to fauour Traditions yet in other places he defendeth earnestly the â—erfection of the Scriptures An vnworthy aspersion vpon the Fathers as if they were of that wauering irresolution in their fayth as to mantayne meere contrary doctrynes at one and the same tyme. Another sleight vsed by vs is that if the Father vrged in defence of any Catholyke poynt can be deprehended to haue maintayned any one acknoledged errour then we vsually reiect the said Fathers authority in all poynts of Catholyke Religion This chiefly taketh place in the produced testimonyes of Cyprian Tertullian and Origen euery one of them mantayning their peculiar errour This euasion is most weake except we could proue that these Fathers are condemned by the ioynt consent of other Fathers for their houlding of Catholyke doctrynes which is impossible to proue as well as they were written against by other Fathers touching their acknowledged Errours Another of our Sleights or Subtiltyes toucheth Mission and Vocation of Ministers which the Scripture teacheth to be visible according to those words of the Apostle No (a) Hebr â— 5. man taketh to him the honour of Pryesthood but he that is called of God as Aaron was which calling in the Apostles tymes was only by Imposition (b) 2. Timâ— 1. of Bishops hands Now then when we are charged by our Aduersaries in the first planting of Protestancy to want this lawfull Vocation and Mission since no man did either send vs nor from any did we receaue this Imposition of hands we to extricate and free our selues out of this Labyrinth haue excogitated out of the delicacy of our wit or rather extreme Necessity a new kynd of calling honouring it with the title of an Extraordinary and immediate calling from God Without any authority of man therein And so our first broachers of Protestancy do challeng this to themselues besydes that our doctrine of the Inuisibility of the Church potentially implyeth the same Answerably heerto Caluin thus saith Quia (c) So alleadged to say by Lasciuius a protestaÌ„t in his book de Russarâ—â—Ì„ c. religiâ—nâ— p. 2â— Papa tyrannide c. Because through the tyranny of the Pope the true order of ordination was interrupted therefore in these dayes we haue neede of a new helpe and this guyft is altogeather extraordinary Likewyse D. Fulke (d) Againest Stapleton Martiall p. 2. The Protestants that first preached these last dayes had likewyse extraordinary calling A sleight inuented to free our selues from the authority of the visible Church of God examining this our
4. to keep the vnity of spirit in the band of peace continuing (c) Philip. 1. 1. Petr. 3. in one spirit and one mind Which sacred and indeleble stampe of vnity is so proper to God euen in this secondary acceptance that therefore the (d) 1. â—or 14. Apostle styleth him the God not of dissention but of vnity Heere then it commeth to be examined to which Church this venerable title of Vnity may best seeme to be appropriated Touching the Catholik Church we find our own BrethreÌ„ though loath to ascribe to her greater perfections then she truly enioyeth for willingly Nolunt (e) Tert. coutra Gentes audire quod auditum damnare non possunt to confesse thus much Contentiones (f) D. VVhitak de Eccles cont Bellarm cont 2. q. 5. pag. 327. Papistarum sunt friuolae futiles de figmentis commentis sui cerebri meaning heereby that the Catholikes contentions strike not at the hart of their Religion but concerne thinges only of small moment so graunting their differences to be only about Indifferencyes But D. Fulke (g) Against Hesâ—ms Sanders c p. 295. acknowledgeth of this point more fully saying As for the consent and peace of the Popish Church it proueth nothing but that the Diuell had then all thinges at his will and therefore might sleep thus graunting an vnity of fayth in the Roman Church but falsly obtruding it vpon the enemy of Vnity But if now we looke backe vpon our selues it is cleare that D. Whitaker (h) Vbi supra had good reason to say Nostrae contentiones sunt propter fidem they shaking indeed the whole Systema and frame of Protestancy For we do nothing els but by our reciprocall writings one against another labour to reedify the tower of Babylon Such a tumultuous and confused heape and masse of dissentions in doctrine we haue raysed vp by our pennes and now raised cannot laye them we resembling heerin the Moone which is able to stir and moue the humours in mans body but not of force to dissipate and dispell them And first we disagree euen in the approuall or dispronall of Scripture since there are whole Churches (i) These bookes are denyeâ— by most Lutherans in Germany both beertofore particulerly by KeÌ„nitius in â—nchiâ—id p. 63. end in exam Conci Tri. part 1. p. 55. and at this day they not suffering these books to be printed in the same volume with other acknowledged Scripture in Germany and all professing Protestancy which at this day do reiect the Epistles of Iameâ— of Iude the second of Peter the second and third of Iohn the epistle to the Hebrewes and the Apocalips Secondly we disagree in our translating of confessed Scripture as heereafter shal be demonstrated Thirdly we disagree in the construction of that Scripture which we acknowledge to be Canonicall and truly translated as will more fully appeare heereafter in our mutuall accusations But to approach more neerely to this point the Reader is to conceaue that our interchangeable dissentions and condemnatious in matters of Religion are in seuerall sorts First the Lutherans with the Sacramentaryes I meane with the Zuingliaus and Calninists Secondly the Sacramentaryes condemning the Lutherans Thirdly the Lutherans among themselues Fourthly the Sacramentaryes among themselues vnder whome are comprehended the Protestants and Puritans heere in England And first to begin with the iudgment of the Lutherans passed vpon the Sacramentaryes Luther himselfe thus sayth We (k) Thes 21. contra Louaniens seriously iudge the Zuinglians Sacramentaryes to be heretiks and aliens from the Church of God And againe he sayth The (l) Epist ad IoanneÌ„ Heruag Typograp Argent Sacramentaryes began their opinion of the Sacrament with lyes and with lyes they end it And yet further We will (m) Tom. 7. in defâ—ns verbo Coenae Domini fol. 386. reproue and condemne them to wit the Sacramentaryes for Idolaters corrupters of Gods word blasâ—emers and deceauers and of them as of the enemyes of the Ghospell we will sustaine persecution and spoyle of our goods c. Thus much Luther himselfe Neither are Luthers Posthumi I meane the Lutherans whome by testimony of D (n) In his answere to F. Camp his 8. reason Whitaker the English Protestants imbrace as their deare brethren in Christ more mild in censuring the Sacramentaryes then their Father was For Luke (o) Enchi cont Calu. cap 7. Osiander a Lutheran speaking of certaine wicked assertions touching Christ sayth thus But heere gentle Reader beyond aboue those blasphemous things which in the discourse afore we haue heard against the Son of God out of the opinion of our Aduersaryes the â—aluinists there openeth it selfe a gulfe of hell of Caluinian doctrine in which God is sayd to be the Authour of sinne c. And hence of necessity must arise in the hartes of men manifest blasphemyes against God West halus a Lutheran auerreth (p) Apol. cont Calu. p. 430. c. 19. that all the Caluinian workes are stuffed with taunts curses and lyes And he further affirmeth That there are certaine pages of Caluins works of which euery one contayneth aboue twenty lyes tauÌ„ts (q) In his epist dedicatory to the coâ—â—utations of Caluins deprauatioÌ„s Hunnius a most remarkable Lutheran chargeth Caluin that he wresteth the Scriptures horribly from their true sense to the ouerthrow of himselfe and others Brentius (r) In recognit Prophetar sayth All the Zuinglians workes are full of deprauations cunnings deceits and slaunders Conradus (s) In praesat Theo. Caâ—uiâ— Schlusselourâ—e confidently auerreth That the Caluinists do nourish Arian and Turkish impietyes in their harts which doth not seldome at sit tymes openly disclose it selfe And thus passing ouer the censures which the Bookes Caluinus Iudaizans and Caluino-papismus both written by Lutherans do giue besides many other bookes written against him and the Sacramentaryes by the Lutherans this already set downe shall suffice concerning the Lutherans çondemnation of Caluin and other Sacramentaryes Next let vs obserue how the Sacramentaryes carry themselues towardes Luther And first Zuingliùs (t) Zuing. tom 2. in resp ad Luth. Confess fol. 4â—8 469. calleth Luther Marcion the old heretike further sayth that Luther is guilty of high blasphemy against the nature and essence of God in that he taught that Christ dyed according to his Diuinity He Further speaketh of Luther touching the same poynt saying This can be by no reason explayned or excused for Luther clearely and manifestly confesseth that he will not acknowledge Christ to be his Sauiour if only his Humanity had suffered Zuinglius also wryting in another place against (u) In resp ad Luther I. desacrament fol. 401. Luthers doctryne thus prouoketh Thou Luther shalt be forced either to denye the whole Scripturs of the new Testament or to acknowledg Marcions Heresy And in the same place fol. 478. Zuinglius saith of Luther thus En vt totum
istum hominem Satan occupare conetur Caluin speaking of Luthers Heresyes (x) Instit l. 4. c 317. §. 〈◊〉 17. saith By the Lutherans Marcion is raised out of Hell and in one (y) Admonit 3. ad VVestphalum place Caluin thus further wryteth The Lutherans are forgers and Lyars Ioannes z Campanus a Sacramentary thus anathematizeth Luther (y) In colloq lat Luth. tom 2. cap. de Aduers As certaine as God is God so certaine it is that Luther was a diuellish lyar Finally for greater breuity occasioned rather throgh leauing much out of this subiect then contracting of all which can be said OecolaÌ„padius that (a) â—ial contra Melancth glittering Caluinist affirmes that the Lutherans bring forth only a colour and shadow of the word of God as Heretyks commonly are accustomed to do They bring not the Word of God and yet they will seeme to build vpon the Word of God of Luther in particular he thus saith Let (*) Oecol in resp ad confess Luther Luther take heed least being puffed vp with pride he be deceaued by Satan See with what full and intemperate tearmes the Caluinists do charge Luther from whom they first receaued the supposed splendour of their Gospell bearing their selues heerin as vngratefully as the Moone doth to the Sun which in enioying her greatest borrowed light showeth her greatest Opposition He taking that name as supposed to be according to the Etymology LaÌ„spas domus Dei Now as we haue seene the Lutherans condemning the Sacramentaryes and the Sacramentaryes them againe So neither of these two sâ—rtes doth absolutely approue such as are of their owne faction And first we fynd that Conradus Schlusselburg (b) In Catalog haeretic â—ostritemporis l. â— the foresaid Lutheran placeth six sorts of his owne Lutherans in the Catalogue of Heretyks And so through the disallowing of one anothers doctryne did first ryse the distinction of Molles and Rigidi Lutherani so as it is manifest euen out of their owne books and Inuectyues that they hould one another for Heretykes Touching the differences betweene the Caluinists amongst themselues they are these which follow to wit Concerning the Churches Visibility Christs suffering in soule the paynes of Hell his descending into Hell after death Baptisme of lay Persons in tyme of Necessity reprobation and Vniuersality of Grace whether in case of adultery the innocent party may marry againe whether Vsury be lawfull Whether Christs body be really and substantially present in the Sacrament to the mouth of fayth as D. Whitaker M. Hooker c. do hould or but Sacramentally only present as the Puritans maintayne whether Bishops be lawfull or Antichristian whether the signe of the Crosse in baptisme and the vse of the surplisse be lawfull whether the Ciuil Magistrate may be head of the Church and finally to omit many other doctrines controuerted among the Protestants whether God doth decree and will Sinne or but only decree to permit sinne All which pointes besides many more are seuerally mantayned by seuerall Protestants yea most of the points by those Protestants not being Lutherans which are aduerse to the Puritans To exemplify in one or two of the former Doth not (c) Lib. de Coena Domini l. 4. Instis c 15. § 1. Caluin condemne Zuinglius for teaching that the Sacraments are bare external signes And is not Caluin reciprocally condemned by Zuinglius (d) Epist ad quandaÌ„ Germaniae ciuitat fol 190. againe because he attributed more to the Sacramentes then externall signes Castalio a Sacramentary charging Caluin to be the authour of Sinne maketh a distinction of the true God and of Caluins God and among other thinges he thus sayth By (e) Lib. ad Caluâ— de praedestin this meanes not the Diuell but the God of Caluin is the Father of lyes but that God which the holy Scriptur teacheth is altogeather contrary to this God of Caluin And then after The true God came to destroy the works of the Caluinian God And these two Gods as they are by nature contrary one to another so they beget and bring jorth children of contrary disposition to wit that God of Caluin children without mercy proud c. Thus farre Castalio D. (f) In his Meditat. vpon 122. Psalm Willet a formall Protestant speaking of certaine doctrines mantayned by M Hooker D. Couell and others and thinking them to be erroneous thus wryteth From this fountaine haue sprung forth these and such other whirlepoints and bubles of new doctrine As for example that Christ is not originally God c. That Sacraments doe giue and confirme grace c. And reiecting diuers other points thus concludeth Thus haue some beene bould to teach and write who as some Schismatikes meaning the Puritans haue disturbed the peace of the Church one way in externall matters concerning discipline they haue troubled the Church another way by opposing themselues by new quirkes and deuises to the soundnes of doctrine amongst Protestants Thus D. Willet But now in this last place to come to the mutuall accusations of English Protestants only English Puritans only as most neerely concerning vs we find that the booke entituled Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiasticall printed anno 1604. by the appointement of the Bishops doth ipso facto excommunicate the Puritans for their mantayning of these positions following besides others as they are in that booke set downe The worshippe in the Church of England is corrupt superstitious vnlawfull repugnant to the Scriptures The articles of the Bishops Religion are erroneous their rites Antichristian c. The gouernement of the Church of England vnder his Maiesty by Archbishops Bishops and Deanes is Antichristian and repugnant to the word of God The Puritans in another (g) The mild defence of the silenced Ministers supplicatioÌ„ to the high Court of ParlameÌ„t of their bookes thus write Dowe vary from the sincere doctrine of the Scriptures Nay rather many of them meaning the Bishops their adherents do much swarue from the same touching generall grace and the death of Christ for euery particuler person c. Touching the manner of Christs presence in the Eucharist that the Pepe is not Antichrist concerning the necessity of Baptisme c. In another (h) Intituled A Christian and modest Offer p. 1â— of the Puritans bookes we thus find them to say If we be in errour and the Prelates on the contrary haue the truth we protest to all the world that the Pope and the Church of Rome and in them God and Christ Iesus haue great wrong and in dignity offered vnto them in that they are reiected c. But we will insist more particulerly in relating the Puritans dislike in two things the one concernes the Common prayer-booke the other our English Translations of the Bible Touching the first the Puritans in one (i) Iâ—titâ—led The petition of twenty two preachers in London of their bookes thus write Many things in the Communion booke are repugnant
to the word of God And again In the Communion-booke there be things of which there is nâ— reasonable sense there is contradiction in it euen in necessary and essentiall points of Religion the holy Scripture is disgraced in it c Others of them (k) In the Suruey p. 20. 24. say thus The Communion booke of England is not agreable to the word of God in many thinges A third (l) Certain confiderations printed anno 1605. fol. 10.11.12 thus censureth of it The Protestants Communion-booke and seruice iâ— naught it hath grosse and palpable repugnancy in it This dislike of the Puritans of the Communion-booke is so euident that D. Couell (m) In his exam pag. 179. their aduersary and allowing the Communion book thus setteth down their iudgement heerein The Communion-booke is boldly despised grosse errâ—urs and manifeâ—t impietyes meaning in their opinion are in the Communion-booke Thus much of the Communion-booke Touching our English translations of the Scripture we find the Puritans most violent headlong in condemning of them Answerably heerto diuers of (n) In the abridgmeÌ„t of a booke deliuered by certaine Ministers to the King pag 11. and 12. the Ministers with one consent thus write of the english Translation A translation that taketh away from the Text that addeth to the text and this somtymes to the changing or obscuring of the meaning of the Holy Ghost And againe A translation which is absurd and senseles peruerting in many places the meaning of the holy Ghost M. Burges (o) In his Apology sect 6. speakes in this sort of the English Translation How shall I approue vnder my hand a Translation which hath many omissions many additions which sometimes obscureth sometymes peruerteth the sense being sometymes senseles sometyms contrary M. (p) In his aduertisment to the Bishops Broughton the great Hebrician thus sayth The publike translation of the Scripture in English is such as it peruerteth the Text of the old Testament in eight hundred fourty and eight places and it causeth millions of millions to reiect the new Testament and to runne into eternall flames Thus he D. (q) In his answere to M. VVillam Reynolds pag. â—25 Whitaker though fauouring the English Translation of the Bible as much as possibly he may thus confesseth I haue not sayd otherwise but that somethings in the English translation might be amended To conclude this point we find that at the Conference at Hampton Court before the Kinges Maiesty D. Reynolds the foreman for the Puritans openly refused to subscribe to the Communion-book because sayd he it warranted a corrupt false translation of the Bible Thus far of this second point Now in the last place let vs take a short view how we that are moderate and Parlamentary Protestants doe censure of the Puritans M. (r) Powell in his considerations Powell censureth the Puritans to be notorious and minifest Schismatiks out off from the Church of God M. (s) In his enist dedic pag. 3. Parks auerreth thus The Puritans seeke to vndermine the fouÌ„dation of fayth And further he thus sayth The Creed it (t) Vbi supra selfe which alwayes hath beene the badge and cognizance whereby to discerne and know the faythfull from vnbelieuers c. is the maine point in question betweene vs and the Puritans D. Couell (u) Exam pag 71. speaking of certain hot and fyrebrand Ministers thus wryteth The first english Ministers so far dissented that some bookes and the greatest part of Christendome was filled with irreuerent vnholy and vnnaturall Contentions c. I will close this poynt with the testimony of a great (x) In the Suruey of the pretended discipime c. 5. c. 24. cap. 3â— Pillar of our church who thus chargeth the Puritans They peruert the true meaning of certaine places both of Scriptures and Fathers to serue their owne turnes And againe the said Authour saith of them The word of God is troubled with such choppers changers of it finally to leaue out diuers other such passages he further thus complayneth The Caterbrawls pittisull distractions and Confusions among the Puritans proceed of such intollerab e presumption as is vsed by peruerting and false interpretation of holy Scripture And thus far for some tast not setting downe thereof the hundred part of our recriminations vsed against the Puritans But before I come to the Catastrophe and end of this Scene I am to put the Reader in mynd that as auoyding prolixity vnwilling to launce deeper into our owne wounds I passe ouer first How the very names of Lutherans Caluinists Protestants and Puritans are not inuented by the Papists or out of malice by ech others Aduersaryes but euen of Necessity to distinguish the different doctrine of euery Professour as D. Whitakew (y) In his answere to to M. Reynalds prafat p. 44. and x Conradus Schlusselburge do acknowledge (z) In his catalog hâ—retic p. 866. Secondly I passe ouer the infinite bookes written by forraine Protestants one against another amounting to the number of foure hundred and aboue as is euident to any one who will peruse Iudocus Coccius his Thesaurus tom 2. Hospinan his historia Sacramentaria part altera and the yearly Catalogues of Bookes returned from Franekford Thirdly I pretermit to show how the Contentions of forraine Protestants only for matter of Religion haue beene so violent as that they haue prohibited (a) Vide Hospinan in historta Sacram. part altera fol. 393. sale of each others Bookes haue appointed (b) Hosp vbi supra Articles of Visitation concerning the apprehending of ech ones Aduersaryes and which is more not forbearing to (c) Hosp vbi supra fol. 395. Ofiander epitom cent 16. p. 7â—5 enter into open armes and hostility Lastly I passe ouer to mention the Books made by English Protestants one against another touching these questions following 1. Of Christs descending into Hell 2 Of Bishops and Ceremonyes 3. Concerning the sufficiency of our Redemption by our Sauiours bodily death vpoÌ„ the Crosse or whether that his further suffering in Soule the paynes of Hell was also needfull 4. Concerning Vniuersality of Grace 5 Concerning the lawfulnes or vnlawfulnes of Vsury 6. Touching the Innocent partyes marying againe in case of diuorce vpon Adultery besydes some others the number of all which will amount to seuerall scores All this I say I passe ouer but I cannot passe ouer but obserue and therat smyle the subtle deportments of vs Protestants in this matter of our Dissentions Since when we wryte one against another we with great intemperance of words do deepely charge our Aduersaryes other Protestants with obscuring the Gospell of Christ and laboring to maintayne their owne darknes of Ignorance eue in the fundamentall poynts of Christian fayth as is showed But when we Protestants are vpbrayded by our Aduersaryes the Catholyks for such our diuisions in matters of fayth then the Case is altered and we beare it out