Proueth Inuocation of Saints to be lawfull against D. Reynolds D. Field and D. Fulke pag. 255. The 14. Controuersy Establisheth the lawfull worship of Images against D. Bilson and D. Reynoldes pag. 276. The 15. Controuersy Maintaineth Purgatory and Prayer for the dead against D. Field and D. Fulke pag. 296. The 2. Chapter VVherin Prayer for the dead is defended against the foresayd Doctours M. Feild and M. Fulke pag. 316. THE FIRST BOOKE THE FIRST CONTROVERSY DECLARETH That neither the Holy Scripture by it selfe nor by any meanes the Protestants do assigne can be Iudge of Controuersyes AGAINST Doctour VVhitaker Doctour Reynolds and all other Protestants CHAP. I. THe extreme miserable refuge of al guilty persons who either mistrust the equity of their cause or feare the weaknes of their owne defence hath euer been to decline the barre of indifferent tryall and cleaue to the succour of some such Tribunall as will not or cannot giue sentence against them This was the wonted fraud of all ancient Heretikes this was the retraite of the Iran l. 3. cont haer Tertul l. 8. depraescrip Basil l. de Spir. sanct cap. 27. Aug. l. 1. cont Max. VVbitak coÌ„t 1. q. 5. c. 8. Reyn. in bis coÌ„f c. 2. diuis 2. p. 45. c. 8. diuis 1. p. 396. c. Bezainan noui Test 1556. in c. 10. Matth. in c. 22. Luc. Iran l. 1. c. 10. 20. 29. Aug. l. 32. con Faust c. 19. 21. Philast c. 36. Euseb l. 4. hist c. 29. Epiph. haer 30. Valentinians Eunomians Marcionists and the like This was the voice of Maximinus the Arian Bishop as S. Augustin reporteth writing against him And this is now the common cry of M. Whitaker M. Reynolds and their fellow-Sectaryes who will not stand to the generall arbitrement of Fathers Doctours Councells Historyes or former Churches not to the prescription of tymes presidents or approued customes not to any roll record or monument of antiquity They only appeale in all matters of Controuersy to the sole and silent maiesty of Gods sacred Stile and that for two chiefe and principall causes The one is to cloke couer their new deuises vnder the mysteryes of holy Writ The other with a cunning and guilefull sleight to auoyd indeed all manner of triall not to admit any Iudge at all For as long as they reserue in themselues this singular power to construe and expound Gods word as they list to receaue or reiect what Scriptures they please let vs produce any euidence against theÌ„ neuer so cleare they wil either cloud it with some colourable answere or wrest it to another sense or charge it with corruption as Beza doth in the Greeke text in many places or vtterly discard it as no Canonicall write as Heretikes vsually do such Oracles of God as condemnâ— their errours 2. Alleadge for example the old Testament against the Marcionists against the Manichees the new the Acts of the Apostles against Tatian Cerinthus against the Ebionites the Epistles of S. Paul they peremptorily deny these books of Scripture Pose Faustus the Manichee with these Ad Rom. 1. v. 3. Aug. l. â—0 con Paust c. 2. 2. Iac. 24. Cent. 2. c. 4. col 17. words of the Apostle to the Romans The sonne of God was borne of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh his reply saith S. Augustine is the booke is forged it is not Paules Proue against the Centurists out of S. Iames That by workes a man is iustisyed not by fayth alone they discredit the authority of his Epistle saying It is an adulterous and bastard Epistle Alleadge in like manner against M. Whitaker Intercession of Saints out of the vision of Iudas Machabeus concerning Onias he answereth His dreame of Onias I let passe as VVhitak in resp ad Ration c. Camp VVhitak ibidem Cyp. l. 3. ep 9. Ambr. l. 4. de side cap. 4. Aug. l. ad Oros Clem. Alex c. 7. strom VVhitak de sa Scrip. cont 1. q. 1. cap. 14. Orig. l. 2. de princ c. 1. Dionys Areop do Cal. hier â— 2. Cyp. ep â— 55. Aug. de doct Christ l. 2. c. 8. de ciut Dei l. 18. c. 36. a dreame As though God had not often reuealed to Ioseph diuers of his Prophets many thinges in their sleep Vrge him out of Ecclesiasticus with the liberty of Free-will he answereth That place of Ecclesiasticus I little regard neither will I belieue the liberty of Free-will albeit he affirme it an hundred tymes Then S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Augustine Clemens Alexandrinus were of light beliefe who credited this worke as the reuealed write Presse him at length with prayer for the dead out of the bookes of the Machabees he still replyeth I discouer in them a human Spirit a human wit a human confession all thinges human Then Origen Dionysius S. Cyprian S. Augustine were much deceaued who descryed in them the character stile and spirit of the Holy Ghost 3. But graunt our Aduersaryes admitted all those bookes of holy Writ the Church approueth or that they would be tryed by them we both imbrace yet I say the Scripture alone cannot be Iụdge or Vmpire between vs. Which that I may more strongly euince proceed more smoothly without rubb or incombrance in so waighty a question before I come to the period or full point of our variance I will briefly premise some certaine positions of our consent and agreement We accord then with Protestants 1. That the Scriptures are a diuine and infallible rule of faith yet not the sole and only rule as they affirme 2. We graunt with them that nothing is to be belieued The state of the question explained Deutr. 17. v. 9. contrary and repugnant to those oracles of God no traditions reuelations or interpretations whatsoeuer 3. We teach that the vniuersall iudgment and generall definitions of the Church are alwayes leueled and directed according to the inerrable prescript of holy Writ Therefore at her Oecumenicall Consistoryes she placeth They shal teach theâ— according to the law the Bible in some high eminent and honourable seat as the chiefe and speciall guide of her counsayles decrees 4. We yield that the letter of Scripture or to vse their phrase of speach that God speaking by that letter may improperly be tearmed the voice of our supreme Iudge in such manner as I shall explicate heereafter But our maine difference and dispute is whether it be such a voice and sentence of his as when any doubt or CoÌ„trouersy ariseth about the meaning of his word it may without any further externall and open declaration for of inward Inspirations in the Chapter ensuing giue a finall euident certaine and irresistable decision of all such doubts controuersyes to euery humble diligent skillfull and pious Reader and conferrer of places Our Aduersaryes say it is we say it is not proposing our arguments in this manner 4. The Scripture is the written word or outward rule by which
senteÌ„ce is or ought to be guided therfore not the Iudge himselfe that pronounceth sentence For in all Courts Common-wealths or publique Tribunals besides the written Law or outward euidence by which verdict is giuen some speaking-Iudge or other Magistrate is requisite who as the liuely rule or square of Iustice to vse Aristotles words ought to expound and deliuer the true meaning of the law so much more in the Church of God which is a Kingdom a Citty a Campe well ordred Arist l. 5. Etb. l. 4. Polit. Plat. l. de repub de lege Read Philo Iud. l. de legat ad CaiuÌ„ prope finem the like must needs be graunted especially seeing Plato writeth That good Gouernours are more to be regarded accounted of then good lawes because a good law without a good Iudge which may execute it is a dead law but a good Iudge without a written law is both to himselfe and others a liuely law The reason heereof is manifest because it belongeth to the Iudge who may decide and end debates 1. To heare vnderstand and compare togeather the arguments of the parties in strife 2. By explayning the true sense and meaning of the law to deliuer a definitiue sentence agreable therunto 3. To compell and inforce the contentious to accept and obey his censure But this neyther Scripture nor any written law can performe Therefore some other intelligent authenticall publike Arbiter is likewise necessary 5. M. Whitaker our Protestant-writer and Hunnius a Lutheran Doctor both agree That the holy Ghost as speaking VVhitak cont 1. q. 5. cap. 8. Hunnius in act Col. Ratis sâ—sâ— 9. in Scripture or the voice of God as vttered therin is this publike and soueraygne Iudge Very vainely very idly The voyce of God as speaking in Scripture is no way distinguished from the Scripture no more then the commaundement of the King promulgated in his law is any way different from the law Therfore as besides the King speaking in his law eyther himselfe speaking in a more liuely manner or some other Iudge is requisite to satisfy the doubts which arise of the law so besids the holy Ghost speaking precisely by Scripture eyther himselfe speaking in a more distinct and publicke fashion or some other infallible Iudge is necessary to end the controuersies which arise Hunnius ibidem Reyn. c. 2. diuis 2. p. 63. 64. out of Scripture Hunnius addeth That the Scripture it selfe or the voyce of God deliuered by learned Ministers and expounders of the word By them sayth Reynoldes who haue in vnder Christ committed vnto them is at least a sufficient and competent Iudge As vainely as idly as before 6. For who are they to whom Christ hath giuen this commissioÌ„ of Iudgmet They are as M Reynolds subnecteth Reyn. loâ—o citato of two sorts The one priuate the other publike Priuate all the faythfull and Spirituall Publike the assemblies of Pastours and Elders Of these I reason thus Eyther he alloweth both or one of these sortes supreme soueraigne infallible authority to decide debates and expound the word without further appeale and so admitteth another Iudge besids Scripture or he assigneth them not the Soueraignty of Iudgment as himselfe and all other Protestants define but the ministery of interpreting the written will and sentence of the Iudge And so maketh the Church a maymed wauoring imperfect Common-wealth without any iudiciall visible and publike Tribunall without any profitable meanes of setling peace in tyme of discord For seeing these Ministers neyther in priuate nor publike are as they confesse so assisted alwayes by the holy Ghost but that they may being men subiect to errour sometymes propound their owne dreames insteed of Gods vndoubted truthes who shall determine whether the voyce of Christ or sentence of our Iudge be truly deliuered by them or no a Rein. c. 2. diuis â— pag. 64. The written will or letter of Scripture It cannot speake or declare her Iudgment b VVhitaker cont 5. q. 5. c. 9. 13. The diligent Reader and conferrer of places He may both read conferre amisse c Hunn in act Col. Ratis ses 9 The pious Magistrate and executioner of Iustice May not he both execute and commaund an errour d Sutclif in his answere to the sixth c. of his Suruey A Generall Councell proceding according to Gods word And who shall iudge when it proceedeth according to his word The parties who contend and stand in debate Then they must be plaintiffs and Iudges both And whilest ech of them swayeth on his owne side what end of strife What decision of truth Such as Lawyers such as Attournyes make in behalf of their clients who would neuer end their Plea vnlesse some vmpire were appointed to arbitrate the cause Now to go forward 7. The Iudge of Controuersyes ought to be infallible because it must breed a certaine and infallible assurance as M. Whitaker agreeth with vs in doubts of VVhitak cont 1 q. 5. cap. 8. â— 3. c. 11. fayth but albeit the Scriptures be so in themselues yet in respect of vs they are fallible they may be erroneously printed corruptly translated falsly suborned not well expounded not rightly vnderstood And although the voice and doctrine of the Church may be somety me fallible in respect of vs as one obiected against this argument An obiectioÌ„ made against the Church solued because a particular pastour may deliuer vnto the people his own phantasies for the Churches decrees he may perswade them and they may giue credit vnto him that his priuat assertions are the generall and Catholike doctrines that they were taught by the auncient church and that many miracles haue bin wrought in confirmatioÌ„ of them yet here is a notable disparity between this and that fallibility for this proceedeth not from the repaire to our iudge either true or so taken but from a falsifier and wrong relatour of the iudges sentence that immediatly commeth from appealing to their true reputed iudge This happeneth to the ignorant only or Catecumens who begin to belieue to others the Catholike tenent in necessary poynts is so generally known as they cannot be deluded That to the learned also and most expect in matters of religion for such they are who often misconster wrongfully expound the holy scriptures This may easily be discouered and auoided by conference with other pastours by perusing the Churches decrees or hearing the oracle of her voice which can manifestly explaine herself and disproue those forged relations That can hardly be espied more hardly be auoyded because priuat interpreters by conferring reasoning and disputing the case without submission to the Church are often tymes more confirmed strengthned in their erroneous expositions neither can the Scripture open her own meaning and condemne their false constructions Our danger therfore of being deceaned is litle or nothing to be feared their 's very pernicious and irremediable 8. The Iudge of Controuersies
vtter Haeb. 5. 22. Ioan. 16. v. 12. And heerein they traced the footsteps of their Lord and Maister Iesus Christ who sayd to his Disciples Many thinges I haue to say to you but you cannot beare them now Whereupon S. Gregory Nazianzen affirmeth the Diuinity of the holy Ghost to be one of the misteryes Christ reuealed Greg. de theol orat â— not to his Disciples at that tyme. Which moued the Eunomians to tearme him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The vnwritten God Yea S. Paul himselfe referreth exhorteth recommendeth vnto vs besides his written word many vnwritten 1. ad Tim. c. vltimo 1. Cor. 11. 2. 2 Thes c. 2. 14. Bâ—sil de Spir. Sancto c. 29. Basil ibid. cap. 27. verityes To Timothy O Timothy keep the Depositum To the Corinthians I praise you brethren that in all thinges you be mindfull of me and as I haue deliuered vnto you keep my precepts or Traditions according to the Greeke To the Tessalonians Hold the Traditions which you haue learned whether it be by word or epistle Vpon which wordes S. Basil accounteth it Apostolike to perseuere firmely euen in vnwritten Traditions And a little before Of such articles of Religion as are kept and preached in the Church some were taught by the written word other some we haue receaued by the tradition of the Apostles deliuered vnto vs as it were from hand to hand in misteryes both which be of one force to godlines and these things no man wil deny S. Epiphanius cyting the forenamed place of S. Epiphan har 61. Chrysost in 2. ad Thess â—om 4. Hieron aduers Lucifer Orig. in proem l. â— de Prin. Aug ep 86. ad Casulan Paul sayth We must vse traditions for the Scripture conteyneth not all thinges and therefore the Apostles deliuered certaine things by writing certaine by Tradition S. Chrysostome vpon the same text The Apostles did not deliuer all thinges by writing but many thinges without and these be as worthy of credit as the other S. Hierome Although there were no authority oâ— proofe out of Scripture the consent of the whole world in this behalfe should stand in lieu of a precept For many other thinges also which by tradition are obserued in the Church haue gotten the force and strength of a written law Origen That truth is only to be belieued which in nothing swarueth from Ecclesiasticall tradition S. Augustine Concerning those thinges of which the Scripture maketh no mention the custome of Gods people or the constitutions of our Ancestours are to be held in place of a law 6. Some of these Fathers M. Reynoldes faythfully Reyn. conclus 1. p. 689. Reyn. ibid. pag. 620. cyteth yet for that they vtterly exclude his fond and fayned glosse of the Apostles wordes aboue mentioned he one while answereth I tooke not vpon me to controle them but let the Church iudge if they considered with aduice inough c. And some few leaues before of S. Basil and S. Epiphanins he malepartly protesteth They were deceaued But if they were deceaued S. Cyprian Tertullian S. Chrysostome S. Fulke against purgatory p. 362. 303. c. Vvhâ—tak de sacra Scriptura p. 678. 68â— 683. 685. Tertul. l. de cor mil. Chrys ho. 1. in Acta Hier l. coÌ„â— Lucif c. 4. ep 28. ad Licâ— Aug. de Ge ad lit l 20. cap. 23 â— Cor. 3. 20 lere 31. 33. Euseb l. r. de demâ—n cap. 8. Tull. l. de lâ—g Isocra ep ad Philip. Maced Hierome S. Augustine S. Leo whome M. Fulke and Whitaker reproue for affirming the like were likewise deceaued S. Paul himselfe was deceaued who for this cause tearmeth the Corinthians the Epistleof Christ written not with inke but with the Spirit of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in the tables carnall of the hart The holy Ghost also was deceaued who prophesing of the new Testament by the mouth of Ieremy sayth I will put my law into their bowels and in their harts will I write it The reasons are manifest because our harts are farre surer Registers of Gods word farre lesse subiect to destruction then leaues of paper Because it is not meet that the perfect documents of the new law of the law of spirit life and truth should be wholy figured in dead and senseles Characters Because the infinite knowledge of the holy Ghost daily teaching instructing his Church was not to be restrained to any limited volumes Because as new doubtes new cloudes of diffiâ—â—ltyes arise amongst vs so new beames of light new instructions or explications are needfull to cleare those mists Because precepts of manners as Tully obserueth are more sweetly sowed and engrafted in a Commonwealth by obseruation and custome then by restraint of Iawes Because as Isocrates teacheth the liuely voice oracles of the mind are more forcible to perswade of greater account and estimation then the records of writing 7. And therfore as the Romans locked vp in the Capitoll the Oracles of the Sybils and permitted them not Fenestella l. 1. cap 13. de magist Clemens Alex. strom 5. Dion Bas Eus vs infra 1. Cor. cap. 2. 6. Bils 2. part pag. 265. Reyn. conclus 1. Dyon Eccles hier cap. 1. Basil locis citatis Leo. ep 8. ad Flauia Euseb l. 1. de demonst euang c. 8. 1. Cor. 11. v. 2. 2. Thess 2. 14. 1. Tim. vlt. v. 20. 1. Cor. 2. 6. 1. Cor. 11. v. 34. Ad Tit. 1. v. 5. Haeb. 5. v. 11. Aug. l. â—onâ— epist Fund c. 4 5. to the view of any but only their Priests as the Aegyptians according to Clemens Alexandrinus report did not publish the knowledge of their diuine secretes but only to them as were to be aduanced either to Royall or Priestly dignity so S. Dionyse S. Basil and Eusebius witnesse that the Apostles thought meete to couer some hidden misteryes of our fayth from the contempt of the vulgar and by secret Tradition to deliuer them onely to such as were more fit and capable Of whome S. Paul sayd We speake wisedome among the perfect Notwithstanding M. Bilson cauelleth That albeit the Church had some Rites and Ceremonyes yet no matter of fayth sayth he Nothing necessary to saluation sayth M. Reynolds vnwritten Meere cauils For S. Dionyse calleth the concealed misteryes Chiefe and supersubstantiall S. Basil Principall parts of our Faith S. Leo Constitutions which appertaine to the pith and substance of fayth Eusebius All the precepts which Christ gaue as it were to the wiser and most spirituall sort of men which the testimonyes themselues seeme to pronounce For can we thinke the Traditions which S. Paul equally ballanced with his own Epistle the Depositum he so earnestly recommended to Timothy the wisedome he vttered among the perfect only and among such as were fit to teach others can we thinke the thinges he had to prescribe concerning the vse and administration of the Blessed Sacrament the forme he appointed about the ordering of Priests the speach
touching Christ so high so inexplicable so farre aboue the reach of the Iews were not necessary if not for euery particuler member yet for the saluation of the body of the Church 8. Moreouer to draw to some particuler issue First to belieue the Scriptures themselues the Ghospell of S. Iohn the Epstls of S. Paul al the books of holy Writ is necessary to saluation which notwithstanding we only know as S. Augustine teacheth by the Tradition of the Church Secondly to belieue imbrace the true sense of Scripture is necessarie to saluation which as S. Ambrose S. Ambser 25. 34. Iero Epist ad Mar. Cyp. lib. 1. Epist 12. Ierome S. Cyprian accord we are vndoubtedly taught by the Traditions of the Church Thirdly to beleeue the baptisme of Infants Fourthly the pepetuall virginity of our Blessed Lady Fistly the procession of the holy Ghost from the Father and the Son Sixtly The celebration of the Feast of Easter vpon a Sunday Seauenthly the Father to be vnbegotten Eightly the Sonne to be consubstantiall is necessary to saluation and yet where do we learne them but from the Traditions of the Church For although the substance of some of these points be Rein. c. 2. diuis 2. p. 51. 52. darkly insinuated in Holy Writ as M. Reynolds answereth to the latter instances and others reply to the former yet the precise termes and cleare explication the Aug. Ep. 174 â—â—n Max. Ari subuersion of errour and light of our profession we read not expressed as S. Augustine argueth in the diuine Scriptures 9. Lastly to be able to conuince heretikes is necessary to the saluation of the Church yet Tertullian and Vincentius Field l. citato Euseb l. 5. histor Lirinensis with whom D. Field also closeth herein shew that they cannot be refuted but by Tradition By which the same Tertullian repressed the Marcionists Irenaeus the Valentinians S. Cyprian the Nouatians Epiphanius the Apostolikes S. Hierome the Heluidians S. Augustine the Donatists and S. Athanasius which other Doctours of his Epiphani haer â—1 Beza con Trinitar Vvhitgift cont Cart. Barlow in the conference p. 10 13. p. 68. Beza epist Theol 8â— p. 334. 335. tyme the Arians Yea the Sectaries themselues at this day to refell their Aduersaries runne to the supply of vnwritten Traditions Beza against the Trinitaries Whitgift against Cartwight our Protestant ministers in the conference before the Kings Maiesty against the Puritans where by Tradition they proue Confirmation Absolution the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme and the like Beza addeth that without the tearmes of Essence Person Nature Property c. borrowed from men the blasphemous Arian Nestorian and Eutichian heresies cannot sufficiently be reproued In fine all you who professe the exact following of the written word against the same written word imbrace the Tradition and practise of the Church The word of God commaundeth vs to abstaine from bloud and strangled meates which all Christians obserued fot some hundred yeares togeather you contrary to the word of God contrary to the primitiue Church Act. 15. v. 20. Exod. 31. v. 17. Iere. 17. v. 24. Field l. 4. cap. 20. presume to feed on these forbidden meates only warranted by our Tradition The word of God commaundeth Saturday to be the Saboath-day of our Lord and to be kept holy as an euerlasting couenant you without any precept of Scripture to vse D. Fields owne words chaunge it into Sunday only authorized by our Tradition 10. Diuers English Puritans oppose against this point that the obseruation of Sunday is proued out of Scripture Act. â—0 vers 7. Out of the acts of the Apostles where it is said In the first of the Saboath when we were assembled to breake bread out of the first to the Corinthians In the Saboath let euery one of you put apart with himselfe out the Apocalips I was in spirit â— Cor. 16. v. 2. in the Dominicall day Haue they not spon a faire thrid in quoting these places If we should produce no better for Purgatory prayer for the dead inuocation of Saints the like they might haue good cause indeed to laugh Apoc. cap. â— v. 10. vs to scorne for where is it written that these were festiuall dayes in which those meetings were kept Or where is it ordayned they should be alwayes hereafter obserued Or which is the summe of all where is it decreed that the obseruation of our Lords day or of the first of the Saboath should abrogate abolish the sanctifying of the Saboath which God coÌ„manded euerlastingly to be kept Not one of these is expressed in the written word Notwithstanding such stuffe as this others bring to proue the Baptisme of infants also out of Scripture to wit Circumcision was ministred to infants but Baptisme succedeth in the place of Circumcision therefore Baptisme ought to be ministred vnto them Sure a subtile kind of reasoning Calu. l. 4. instis c. 16. §. 16. §. 6. 7. by which it followeth that women ought not to be baptized nor children neyther before nor after the eight day But women sayth Caluin are of the sanctified seed of Israel they are comprehended in the couenant made to Abraham They are so And are now in the new law conteyned therein as much as they were in the old How chaunceth it then they may not in these dayes be made heires of Gods promise without the Sacrament of Baptisme as well as in those without the seale of Circumcision if you haue no better auctority for baptizing female infants then the abrogated precept of Circumcision which neuer could oblige their sexe at all 11. M. Field wisely coÌ„sidering the force of these replyes Field l. 4. cap. 20. weake oppositions of his fellow-Ghospellers leauing them coÌ„plyeth with vs so far in this point as if the dregs of their foule ingredients had not filled his Pen he might haue beene graced with the name of a Catholike writer We admit sayth he first the bookes of Scripture Canonicall as deliuered by Tradition secondly the chiefe heads of Christian doctrine contained in the Creed thirdly the forme of Christian dostrine and distinct explication of many thinges somewhat obscurely contained in Scripture c. fourthly the continued practise of such thinges as are not expressed in Scripture fifthly such obseruations as are not particulerly commanded in Scripture Among these and the former he reckoneth the fast of Lent the Baptisme of Infants and Obseruation of our Lords day he addeth also some few leaues after That many other thinges there are which the Apostles doubtles deliuered by Tradition Such is the force of truth as is often breaketh forth out of the mouths of her enemyes 12. Well then if the sense and explication of many obscure places of Scripture if these chiefe heads and articles of our beliefe if diuers practices obseruations and sundry other things not decreed in Scripture are to be learned by Tradition euen by the testimony of
Traditions Both false depositions both wrongfully imposed crimes A wrongfull crime it is that we traduce the Scriptures as vnperfect We graunt with Vincentius Lyrinensis Vincen. Lyâ—â—nen cap. 2. that the Canon of Scripture is perfect a perfect light and lanterne to our feet a perfect rule and direction of sayth if as he noteth the line of Propheticall and Apostolical interpretation be leuelled according to the square of the Ecclesiastical and Catholike sense As great a wrong that we cleaue to humane and vncertaine Traditions We anker on such as are diuine certaine and infallible authentically warranted by the rules himselfe approueth to descend from Christ or the Church his holy and vndoubted Spouse 17. A like wrongfull crime M. Sparkes fastneth vpon Sparks p. 82. 83. vs when he sayth That we preferre the authority of the Church the wife before Christ the husband that we make the written word of God inferiour in authority to the Church and to haue his Canonicall credit from thence Sure you are as Salomon censureth a guilfull witnesse who furnish your cause Prouerb cap. 14. Testis fidelis non mentitur Profert mendaciâ—â— dolosus testis Io. 4 3. Reg. 3. with such shamefull lyes When many belieued in Christ induced by the speach of the Samaritan woman was her authority prefeâ—â—ed before Christ When King Salomon decreed the infant for which the two harlots contended to belong to her whose bowells were moued at the sentence of his death did he make her therby the mother of the child or declare her to be the mother who was the mother indeed So when we imbrace Gods written word by the externall approbation and testimony of the Church answerable to that of S. Augustine Ego Euangelio non crederem c. I would not belieue the Ghospell vnles the authority of the Church moued me thereunto we extoll not the Aug con ep Fund cap. 5. voice of the Spouse before the voyce of Christ. Nor the Church when it defyneth any booke to be Canonicall Scripture doth giue it thereby diuine and Canonicall credit Bils part 4. pag â—81 Rem cont 1. pag. 619 6â—9 Field l. 4 Stapleton cont 5. de poâ— Eccles quaest â— but commaundeth that to be receaued by others as Canonicall which hath in itselfe Canonicall authority 18. Lastly our Aduersaryes arme themselues with the weapons of the Fathers and M. Bilson marshalleth six togeather in a rancke S. Athanasius S. Chrysostome S. Cyrill S. Ambrose S. Augustine and Vincentius who conformably mantaine the sufficiency of Scripture in all necessary points of fayth Many other to the like purpose are alleadged by M. Reynolds and M. Field To all which I answere First that the Scripture is taught to containe all things necessary to saluation as the vniuersal ground Cyril l. 12. c. vltimo Chrys ho. 3. in 2. Thes 2. Vincent aduersus prophan hae nouit c. 2. Bafil ep 80 Cyril de rect fide ad Regi Hieron in Psal 86. Aug. l 3. con lit Petil Tert. lib. cont haer Athan. l. cont Gent. Aug. l. 2. cap. 9. Rein in his conf c. 2. diuis 2. Aug. l. 10. de Gen. ad lit c. 23. Bils 4. par p. 582. 583. Field in appen 2. p. §. 8. Aug. l. 4. c. 24. Dio. l. Eâ—c bier c. vlt. Orig. in 12. Leuit. bom 8. in cap. 6. epist ad Rom. seed or roote from which whatsoeuer we belieue may either mediately or immediatly be gatheted as S. Cyril and S. Chrysostome auouch Secondly as it teacheth and directeth vs to the authority of the Church and doctrine of her Pastours by which euery point is of may be particulerly and clearely explained Thus Vincentius and others are to be interpreted Thirdly it is affirmed to containe all thinges and that nothing besides the Scripture is to be admitted to wit no priuate customes or particuler Traditions not agreeable or repugnant to the writen word as S. Basil S. Cyrill S. Hierome S. Augustines meaning is in his booke against Petilian Fourthly the Fathers often acknowledge the sufficiency of Scripture to conclude euen in plaine and expresse wordes certaine maine principles of our fayth as that God created all thinges of nothing of which Tertullian against Hermogenes That Christ is the true God That Idolls are not God of which Athanasius writeth Or they teach it clearely comprehends the chiefe articles of our Creed and ten Commandments of which S. Augustine only speaketh in his booke of Christian doctrine so often quoted by M. Reynolds 19. Besides which many other things are necessary to be imbraced as by Fathers Reason and Scripture I haue already conuinced and therfore will close vp my whole discourse with one or two sentences of S. Augustine and Origen S. Augustine sayth The custome of the Church in baptizing Infants is not at all to be belieued vnles it were an Apostolicall Tradition M. Bilson and M. Field haue no other shift to trauerse the euidence of this place then by accusing it of some secret corruption But what was he corrupted also in his booke of Baptisme against the Donatists where he repeateth it againe Was Dionysius was Origen corrupted too who sayth The Church receaued a Tradition from the Apostles to minister Baptisme also to Infants Was this other passage of S. Augustine corrupted likewise Aug. de Bap. con Donat. l. 5â— c. 23. It is an article of faith to belieue this Baptisme to be valide Orig. in c. 3. ad Tit. teste Pamphilo in Apol. prâ— Orig. of the validity of Baptisme ministred by Heretikes The Apostles commanded nothing hereof yet the custome which was opposed herein against Cyprian is to bebelieued to proceed from their Tradition euen as many things be which the whole Church holdeth and are therfore well belieued to be commanded of the Apostles although they be not written I may then conclude with Origen He is an Heretike who professeth himself to beleiue in Christ yet belieueth otherwise of the truth of Christian fayth then the definition of Ecclesiastic all Tradition containeth 20. Notwithstanding to reproue our Aduersaries and satisfy all indifferent Readers that we fly not to the succour of Traditions for want of proofes out of holy writ I will vphold the right of our cause in euery ensuing Controuersy as I promised in my Preface by the irreprouable testimonies of Gods written word THE THIRD CONTROVERSY WHEREIN The Reall Presence is maintayned against D. Bilson and D. Sparkes CHAP. I. AS the vnspeakable riches of Gods infinite loue in no mystery of our fayth appeareth more bountâ—full then in the true and reall Fresence of Christs sacred Body conteyned in the holy Eucharist so the vnsatiable malice of our deadly enemy no where more hatefully bewrayeth it selfe then in seeking to abolish this most blessed dreadfull and admirable Sacrament For besids the Armenians Messalians Grecians and Aquarians Althons de Cast l. 9. adu haer v Eucharist Aug. de haer Epiph haer 26. whose errours
par pag. 63. Reyn. in his conf c. 2. diuis 1. 1. Cor. 3. among the Apostles deserued to heare Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church worthy truly who to the people which were to be builded in the house of God might be a stone for their foundation a pillar for their stay a keye to open the gates of the kingdome of heauen M. Bilson may say as some Protestants are wont that S. Augustin reuersed these things in his booke of Retractations how beit he is so far from retracting that exposition as he there confirmeth it rather by the authority of S. Ambrose and at the length leaueth it to the Readers choise whether he will haue Peter or Christ the Rocke on which he builded his Church 9. But D. Bilson and D. Reynoldes with him alleadge out of S. Paul Another foundation can no man lay then that which is already layed which is Christ Iesus I answere another chiefe principall and independent foundation besides Christ no man can lay but an inferiour secondary or subordinate may be layed without danger of disgrace Basil in concione de paeniten to his vnmatchable priuiledge Because as S. Basil excellently teacheth God imparteth his dignityes not depriuing himself of them but enioying he bestoweth them He is the light and yet he sayth you are the light of the world he is a Priest Basil ibid. and he annoynteth Priests he is the Lambe and he sayth Behould I send you like lambes amongst the middest of woules he is a Rock and he maketh a Rocke and immediatly before resuting this Ephes 2. Apoc. 21. former obiection he sayth Though Peter be a Rocke yet he is not a Rocke as Christ is For Christ is the Rocke vnmoueable of himselfe Peter vnmoueable by Christ the Rocke 10. If you inferre that all the Apostles were thus tearmed Rockes and foundations of the Church I answer they were indeed in a certaine manner foundations all because they were all chosen to preach the Ghospell and plant the fayth in euery part of the world they were all immediatly instructed by Christ they had all most ample and vniuersal iurisdiction throughout the whole empyre of the Church In which respects Origen S. Ambrose S. Hilary S. Hierome and rest whome M. Bilson and Bils par 1. pag. 63. Reyn. c. 2. diuis 2. p. 37. Iohn 20. v. 23. Matth. 16. v. 19. Iohn 17. v. 9. Luc. 22. v. 3â— Iohn 16. v. â—3 Luc. 22. v. 32. Ephes 2. v. 20. Matt. 16. v. 18. Mar. vle v. 15. Ioan. 11. v. 17. Bern l. 2. de CoÌ„sider Pascere apud Haebreos idem nonnumquam est quod regere Psal 22. Dominus regit me in Hebraeo est Dominus pascit me M. Reynolds obiect confesse the keyes to be giuen to all the Apostles they acknowledge them al Rockes and Foundations of the Church yet as their authority was delegate S. Peterâ— ordinary as they had absolute power ouer others S. Peter ouer them so they had all the keyes but with dependency of Peter they were all foundations but Peter the first after Christ and maine foundation both to them to the whole Church with them Whereby he excelled the rest of his fellow Apostles in prehemineÌ„ce of power in preheminence of Fayth in preheminence of dignity And therfore whatsoeuer priuiledge in any of these kinds is attributed in holy Write to all the Apostles togeather with Peter the same is imparted againe to Peter alone in a more peculiar and speciall manner To them all power was graunted to remit sinnes Whose sins yee forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose yee retaine they are retained To Peter alone in more ample sort Whatsoeuer thou shalt bind on earth shal be bound in the heauens and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose in earth shal be loosed also in the heauens For them all Christ prayed that they might be constant in fayth Not for the world do I pray but for them whome thou hast giuen me for Peter alone I haue prayed for thee that thy fayth fayle not To them all our Sauiour sayd When the spirit of truth commeth he shall teach you all truth to Peter alone Confirme strengthen thy brethren in the truth the holy Ghost shall teach Of them all it is written That we are planted vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets of Peter alone Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church To them all it was sayd Going into the whole world preach the Ghospell to euery Creature To Peter alone Feed my sheep What sheep sayth S. Bernard the people of this or that Citty Of this or that Kingdome My sheep quoth he To whome is it not manifest that he designed not some but assigned all Nothing is excepted where nothing is distinguished 11. Feede my sheep that is feed all that are within the compasse of my fold all that may be intituled myne whether they be Apostles Bishops people or Princes vnlesse Matt. 16. v. 18. â—â— Psal 2. Mich. â— Matth. 2. Apoc. 2. perchance their Apostolicall Episcopall or Imperiall soueraignty any way exclude them from the number of my sheep By these wordes that great reward which was promised to S. Peter in the 16. of S. Matthew is heer exhibited to him and his successors by these he is installed in his Pastorall dignity by these he is created head of the Apostles and chiefe Gouernor of the militant church as the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth declare which importeth not only feed but feed by gouerning and ruling as may be seene in diuers other places of Scripture Likewise Euseb Emiss serm in Naâ—iuit S. Ioan. Euang our Blessed Redeemer gaue heere vnto S. Peter commission both to feed his Lambes to feed his sheep whereupon Eusebius Emissenus aboue a thousand yeares ago proposeth this conuincing argument He committed sayth he to S. Peter his Lambes and then his sheep because he made him not only a Pastour but the Pastour of Pastours Peter therfore feedeth the lambes and also the sheep He feedeth children and their Mothers he ruleth the people and their Prelates He is therefore Ioan. â—1 v. 15. the pastour of all because besides lambes and sheep there is nothing in the Church Hitherto Eusebius Also before this power was giuen to Peter Christ demanded of him Simon of Iohn â—ouest thou me more then these What caused the Sonne of God to exact more loue of Peter then of his fellow-Disciples Had not equall loue beene sufficient to equal care Why then doth he exact more But only because Chrys l. 2. de Sacerd. Ecclesiae praefectura he bequeathed vnto him a farre higher Dignity a more perfect charge ouer his floke the headship or primacy of the Church as S. Iohn Chrysostome by the force of this argument inuincibly proueth 12. Moreouer when our Sauiour repressed the in ordinate Luc. 22. v. 26. lust and desire of raigning in his Disciples a
Iohn the Patriarch of Constantinople vsurped it to himselfe to wit to be such an absolute and vniuersall Patriarch as to derogate from all others their Patriarchall dignity as diuers Catholike writers haue often demonstrated out of S. Gregoryes owne Epistles Greg. l. 4. Ep. 34. 36. Andreas Frisius de Eccles l. 2. 6. 10. p. 170. Yet if it may carry more credit with Protestants deliuered by Protestants themselues let them read what Andreas Frisius a famous Zuinglian Secretary to the King of Polonia wryteth Some there be who agaynst this office of vniuersall Superintendent obiect the authority of Gregory who sayth that such a tytle belongeth to the Precursour of Antichrist But the reason of Gregory is to be knowne and it may be gathered out of the words he repeateth in many Epistles That the tytle of vniuersall Bishop is contrary and doth withstand the grace which is commonly powred vpon all Bishops He therfore that should surname himselfe vniuersall Bishop nameth himselfe the only Bishop and taketh Bishoplike power from the rest Therefore this tytle he would haue to be reiected which is vsurped with the iniury of other Bishops And immediatly after Notwithstanding by other places it is euident that Gregory thought the charge principality of the whole Church was committed to Peter by the voyce of our Lord. And thus much he wrote plainly and almost word for word to the Emperour Maurice and strenghtned it by testimony of Scripture Thus he Plainly declaring that although S. Greg. l. 4. Ep. â—2 Gregory disliked the arrogant vsurpation of that name with iniury to the other Bishops yet he allowed the vniuersall dignity of one supreme Gouernour of the Church without wrong or derogation to any 22. To that which M. Bilson vrgeth of Councells Bils part â— p. 84. 85 86. 87. 88. c. deposing Popes I answere First they were vnlawfull assemblyes as the Councell of Brixia the Councell of Pisa according to Antoninus And the Councell of Basil although lawfully begun was then vnlawful when it deposed Eugenius Secondly I answere that lawfull Councells may in tyme of Schisme iudge and declare who is true Pope depose the vsurpers or perswade also the true Pope for quietnes sake to resigne his right which was all that the Councell of Constance defined practised in deposing Iohn the 23. Gregory the 12. and Benedict the 13. And therefore M. Bilson might haue well spared his paynes from tyring the learned and amazing the simple Reader with the vayne recitall of so many wild and vagrant hystories To proceed 23. This second point being proued that Peters Successour enioyeth his dignity it resteth I discusse why the Pope of Rome should rather inherite it then the Bishop of Antioch where Peter first sate or the Bishop of Ierusalem where Christ our Sauiour dyed For declaration whereof you must vnderstand that Christ neuer fixed his seat eyther at Ierusalem or at any other determinate place Agayne he hath none to succeed him he still continueth Haeb. 7. v. 24 his Euerlasting Priest-hood And that the Primacy should not remayne at Ierusalem the testimonyes of Scripture are most perspicuous S. Paul giueth a reason hereof The Priesthood being translated it is necessary that a translation of the law Haeb. 7. v. 12. Matt. 21. v. 41. Act. 13. v. 46. also be made Christ fortoâ—d it to the Iewes The Kingdome of God shall be taken from you and giuen to a Nation yielding the fruits thereof S. Paul and Barnabas testify the performance To you it behooued vs first to speake the word of God but because you repell it and iudge your selues vnworthy of eternall life behold we turne to the Gentils 24. If Caluin had weyghed these places well they might haue instructed him why the seat of Christs Lieutenant was not placed at Ierusalem the chiefe Citty of the Iewes but in the chiefe and principall Citty of the Gentils It might haue also informed M. Bilson why at Rome rather then at Antioch because it was meete as Saint Leo doth often insinuate That the Citty of Superstition Leo 1. de naâ—a Apost Pet. Paul Marcel Ep. ad presbyt Antioch Anaclet ad omnes Presbyt Hieron de viris illust in vit Pet. Damas in vit eiusdoÌ„ Euseb in Chron. an 44. Hieron de viris Illusta in Petro. might be made the Chiefe Seate of Religion For this cause albeit he first sate at Antioch for the space of seauen yeares yet after as Saint Marcellus Anacletus Saint Hierome and Damasus auouch he translated his throne to the Citty of Rome and there continued Bishop as Eusebus Saint Hierome and other Hystoriographers testify 25. yeares There he ended his life with a glorious Martyrdome There he resigned or rather surceased his Pastorall charge Wherefore seing he only is inuested in the state of his Predecessour who succeedeth him yielding vp eyther by natural death or voluntary resignation his whole former dignity and not he who succeedeth only in his place or partaketh some part of his charge the reason is cleare why Linus the Pope of Rome and not Euodius Bishop of Antioch is Peters Successour because in Rome he sate last in Rome he sate longest in Rome he resigned his Episcopall dignity 25. We see when the King changeth and remoueth his Court from one Citty to another the Magistrate he placeth in his former residence he appointeth no heyre or Successour to the right of his Kingdome When the throne of the Empire was translated from Milan from Treuers from Antioch and other places the Gouernours of those Cittyes did not thereby vsurpe the Imperiall crowne no more can the Bishop of Antioch challenge the scepter of Peters supremacy after that Peter translated his seate from thence after that he aduanced it to the Citty of Rome and there continued it vntill the houre of his death Neuertheles he often departed thence during this tyme into diuers other countreyes about the affayres of the Church 26. And it hath pleased God so to confirme the continuall succession of his chiefe Vicars in the Blessed Sea that notwithstanding many cruell and mighty Tyrants haue bent their whole endeauours to disturbe them from thence notwithstanding they haue beene often banished into remote and barbarous Countreys as Clemens by Traian in Chersonesum the North part of Asia Cornelius Thomas Bozius de signis Eccl. Tomo 2. l. 17. signo 78. Baronius in Auna anno chri 200. 255. by Decius to Centumcellas Liberius by Constantius into Thrace Martin by the same into Pontus and forty such like notwithstanding 33. one after another haue beene put to the sword notwithstanding their remoue for a tyme to Viterbo Auenion Rauenna Yet the Pope haue still returned and the Sea continued at Rome All other Patriarchall seates haue beene shaken in pieces but that of Rome no deaths no banishments no Tyrannies of men or malice of Sathan could euer ouerthrow That hath perseuered for the space of 1620. yeares and
hier cap. 4. Concil Agâ—â—hens can 14. Aug. ser 19. de Sanctis Optatus lib. cont Parm. Peter Mart. in his com places in English pag. 227. Cartwrig in his 2. reply p. 264. Centurist Centur. 4. col 409. Centur. 3. cap. 4. colum 83. Greg. Nazi in ep 8. ad Simplician Fulke in his reioynder to Bristowes reply p. 28. Calu. in Haeb. c. 7. v. 9. pag. 9. 4. in tract theolog pag. 389. Neither M. Higgons nor any Catholike writer euer maintained any such intention of helping all The Patriarches Prophets and Martyrs are remembred and not desired to be holpen the damned who dye in mortall sin are neither holpen nor remeÌ„bred as you may often read in S. Augustine and generally in all the rest howbeit you guilfully misconstrue some of their sayings to be meant of the mitigation of their paines But there are some of a middle sort who depart this life neither deadlywounded nor perfectly recouered of the infirmityes of sinne these only they intended to relieue as M. Higgons proueth and you without iugling should haue laboured to disproue 15. Your answeres to his former two differences are as full fraught with vntruth as this with fraudulency and deceit For you reply to the first We haue Altars in the same sort the Fathers had c. To the second We admit the Eucharist to be rightly named a Sacrifice Both cunning escheats You haue spirituall Altars only they had corporall and externall By nature common stones by blessing Holy and immaculate S. Gregory Nissen On which we Sacrifice vnto one God which were consecrated with Chrisme and the signe of the Crosse S. Augustine S. Dionyse and the Councell of Agatho Which were seats and receptacles of the body bloud of Christ Optatus Sayings disliked by Peter Martyr M. Cartwright and the Centurists who also affirme That the Altars erected within the first 400. yeares after Christ from Iewish obseruation crept into the Church 16. Secondly they had true and proper Sacrifices vnbloudy victimes propitiatory Hosts as I haue largely demonstrated in the Controuersy of the Masse They had A Sacrifice offered to God the Father wherin the Priest supplyeth as S. Cyprian according to the Centurists superstitiously writeth the roome of Christ. They had a Sacrifice The name whereof as M. Fulke affirmeth they tooke of Iewes and Gentils and not from Scripture They as Caluin sayth forged a Sacrifice in the Lords supper without his Commandment and so adulterated the supper with adding of Sacrifice And in another treatise The ancients quoth he are not to be excused for it is apparent they haue heerein swarued from the pure and proper institution of Christ. 17. Now M. Field haue you I pray such Altars such Sacrifices as these Such Altars as Crept into your Church from the Iewish custome Such Sacrifices as were forged without our Lords Commandment Such as adulterated his supper Such as swarued from the pure and proper institution of Christ If you haue let your hart abhorre these villanous inuectlues pronounced against them by the principal Captaines of your sect If not let your Pen retract your former asseueratioÌ„ Let it disclaime from the Altars and Sacrifices of the Fathers and be content to haue no society with them in these as your men account Superstitious abuses 18. In fine the chiefe Ring-leaders of the Protestants Centu. loc citat profession do not only reiect the Altars condemne the Sacrifices but they controle also the very manner of prayer the Fathers vsed for the Dead Therefore they practised some other kind then those foure which M. Calu. l. 3. Inst c. 5. §. 10. Bulling Decad. 4. serm 10. Field his consortes allow Caluin sayth About one thousand three hundred years ago it was receaued as a coÌ„mon custom to vse Prayers for the dead c. But they were all I confesse beguiled with errour Bullinger writeth I know â—he Ancients prayed for the dead I know the excellent Doctour S. Augustine the eloquent S. Chrysostome and many other old and renowned men what they haue left written of this matter I know the Fathers affirme prayer for the dead to be a TraditioÌ„ of the Apostls And S. Augustine Aug. ser 32. de verb. Aposto Centu. 3. c. 5. col 138. Osiand Cent. 3. l. 1. c. 5. p. 10 Hosp in hist Sacr. pag. 167. Spark p. 371. 372. Fulke in c. 10. 1. ep ad Cor. sect 8. prope finem Fulke in his Confutation of Purgatory pag. 262. writeth It is obserued in the vniuersal Church that Sacrifice be offered for the dead I know Aerius was condemned because he disauowed these Prayers But I aske whether the Fathers did well heerin or no The Centurists and Osiander blame Tertullian because he approued Oblations for the Dead and Anniuersary-prayers in their Obite-dayes Hospinian affirmeth of S. Cyril He sayd indeed according to the preuailing custome of his tyme that the Sacrifice of the Altar is a great help to soules Of S. Augustine D. Sparkes He was both greatly carryed by the sway and opinions of the multitude in determining the auaylablenes of prayers for the dead Whereupon in the very next page he sayth I may lawfully discent from him in that case M. Fulke auerreth Prayer for the dead was the drosse of Augustine and Chrysostome Tertullian sayth he S. Cyprian S. Augustine S. Hierome and a great many more do witnesse That Sacrifice for the dead is the Tradition of the Apostles 19. Another where he sayth But of memories of the Dead and prayers for the dead also we will not striue but that they were vsed before the tyme of Bede Ephrem Ambrose but without warrant of Gods word or authorityes of Scripture Indeed Is this the cause you reproue a custome so general supported by the greatest Pillers both of the Greeke Latine Church because they want the testimonyes of holy Writ for such is your common excuse repeated in another place We must not belieue Chrysostome without Scripture affirming that mention of the dead in the celebration of the Lords supper was ordained by the Apostles Would not a man thinke this Ghospeller meant to imbrace S. Chrysostome and admit those ancient Writers if they countenanced their assertions with the authority of the Ghospell Would not a man thinke he would then submit his iudgement vnto theirs No other sense I wis can be picked from his wordes notwithstanding farre other is his meaning this is a veile to couer his shame a disguised glosse of speach to pretend the awe and reuerence of Gods word when as neither God nor man neither humane writing nor heauenly Oracles doth he regard vnles they sound very tuneable to his straine Which that you may not condemne as a forgery deuised by me read the sayings of these Fathers and confront with them his answeres 20. S. Augustine first proueth that prayer for the dead disagreeth not from Scripture Not from that of S. Paul We ought all to be summoned before the tribunall
supreme and generall of which we now speake should be able to compose all questionable matters The Scripture cannot determine this important point on our beliefe Whether the Ghospell of S. Iohn the Epistles of S. Paul or any other volume of holy Writ be the Canon of Scripture or no. If in these weightiest causes it is needfull to recurre to another Tribunall in matters of lesse moment wholy as needfull 9. The Iudge of Controuersyes ought to be so cleare and facile as all both learned and vnlearned might haue accesse vnto it easily vnderstand it the Scriptures are hard darke hidden Hidden not only to the illiterate Aug l 12. Confess c 14. Ambroseepist 44. and vulgar sort but to the great and deepest Clarkes Hidden to S. August who crieth out O the wonderfull depth of thy speaches c. O the wonderfull depth HiddeÌ„ to S. Ambrose calling it A sea contayning most profound senses the depth of Propheticall riddles Hidden to Clemens Alexandrinus to which Clemens Alex l. 6. strom Psal 13. Orig. hom 11. in Exo. Iraen l. 2. cap 47. Russiaus l. 11. List c. 9. Apoc. 5. v. â—â— Ezeeh. 2. v. 9. 2. Petâ—â—â—â—t v. 16. he elegantly applieth those words of the psaâ—me Darke is the water in the clouds of the ayre Hidden to Origen to Irenaus to S. Basill to S. Gregory Nazianzen who being both rarely accomplished in al humane literature after 13. yeares study heerin would not aduenture as Russinus testiâ—yeth to interpret the same but according to the rule and vniforme consent of their forefathers They knew it was that hidden and concealed booke which S. Iohn describeth to be clasped with seauen seales which Ezechiel tearmeth the enrolled volume written within and without They knew S. Peter auouched certayne thinges hard to vnderstand in the Epistles of S. Paul which the vnlearned deprane as other Scriptures to their owne perdition If certayne things in his Epistles how many in other bookes How many in the whole Scripture Notwithstanding our illuminated Adâ—ersaries VVhitak cont l. q. 3. cap. 3. Aug. l. 2. de doctrin Christ c. 6. epist â—â—9 de side oper c. 15. 16. Ambrâ—s epist 44. Hier. ep Vincent Liriâ—â— c. 2. to whome the holy Ghost hath disclosed all his heauenly secrets find no such difficulty no prouerbe in it Yet to smooth the Fathers speaches they answere That the mysteries therein treated are darke and obscure the discourse easy the text cleare the sentence plaine But S. Augustine as deeply enlightned as any of them affirmeth The stile manner of enduing to be hard the discourse places hard The sentences saith S. Ambrose hard The text sayth S. Hierome hath a shell to be broken before we can tast the sweetnes of the kernell The Hebrew phrase hard the Tropes and figures hard Hard and difficult by reason of sundry and manisold senses it begetteth For which cause alone Vincentius Lirinensis necessarily requireth some other Iudge demaunding in his Golden Treatise against the prophane nouelties of Heresies why to the Canon of Scripture which is perfect and of it selfe sufficient inough for all thinges it behoueth to adde the authority and explication of the Church Because sayth he all take not holy Scripture by reason of her depth in one and the self same sense but her speaches some interprete one way some another In so much as there may seeme to be puked out as many senses as men For Nonatus doth expound one way and Sabellius another way otherwise Donatus otherwise Arâ—â—s Eunomius Macedonius otherwise Photinus Apollinaris c. Therefore very necessary it is for Tertul. in praescript the manifold turnings and by-wayes of errours that the line of Propheticall and Apostolicall interpretation be leuelled according to the square of Ecclesiastic all and Catholike sense or vnderstanding Because Tertullian sayth The sense adulterated is a like perilous as the stile corrupted Yea much more perilous in that it may be more easily wrested more variously turned more hardly espyed But to proceed 10. The Iudge of Controuersyes ought so to determine and deliuer his mind in all ambiguous cases as the partyes in strife may euidently know when they heare his censure whether they be cast or quit condemned or assoyled in respect of his verdict But neither Scripture or the holy Ghost as he speaketh by Scripture is euer able to pronounce such sentence Or if it can as Gretser a famous Grets act colloq Ratisbon sess 2. fol. 110. writer of the Society of Iesus pithily vrged in the coÌ„ference at Ratisbone let it now speake and pronounce vs guilty Heere sayth he we Catholikes and Protestants both appeale to the high Tribunall of Scripture heere we stand in the sight of the sacred Bible in the presence of the holy Ghost If he be Iudge as he precisely speaketh by Scripture alone let it giue sentence let it say Thou Iames Gretser are cast in thy cause Thou * This was the name of the Heretike Respondent Hailbronner hast gotten the victory And I will presently yield vnto you But if it cannot execute this iudiciall act if by reading hearing or perusing his sentence we cannot perceaue whome he condemneth how can it challenge the high prerogaâ—iue and doome of Iudgment Which argument he confirmed with another a like inuincible as the former For wheras Grets in Act colloq Ratisbon sâ—ss to sol 120. Protestants mantaine that the voice of God as vttered in Scripture giueth plaine sentence of condemnation against heresyes and errours thus he disputeth on the contrary side No guilty persons repaire to that Iudge by whome they are euidently sufficiently condemned But all Heretikes are guilty persons yet boldly appeale to the sentence of holy Scripture Therefore the Scripture 〈◊〉 that Iudge by whom they are euidently sufficiently 〈◊〉 What reply could Hunnine the Aug. l. 2. cont Max. Aug. orat in ps 10. Mat. 15. v. 11. Responâ—â—â—â— make to this Not any Vnlesse which S. Augustine obiected against Maximinus the Arian By talking much and nothing to the purpose he might be counted able to answere who was not able to hold his 〈◊〉 11. In sine the Scripture though in it selfe most holy yetby reason of her sublimity depth and variety of senses hath bin partly through the weaknes partly through the malice pride and presumption of men the roote of strifes the spring of debates the occasion of many detestable and blasphemous errours rather then the stay attonement or subuersion of them Wherupon S. Augustine compareth Scripture to a cloud which often tymes out of the same words raineth showres of snares to the wicked showres of fortillty fruitfulites in the Lust. As he exemplifieth in that sentence of S. Mattheu which our ProtestaÌ„ts abuse to the liberty of their diet and breach of Ecclesiasticall fast Not that which entreth the mouth defileth a man but that which proceedeth out of the mouth The Sinneâ— sayth he heareth this and he
stirreth vp his appâ—â—â—â— to rauenous gluttony the Iust man heareth this and he is sensed from * Note that Catbolikes abstaine not from meat of any superstition as the Iewes Manichees but for the chastisment of concupisâ—â—ce or exercise of vertue Aug. hom 8. tract 18. in Ioan. the superstition of discerning 〈◊〉 And in another place S. Augustine writeth Neither haue heresies or certaine doctrines 〈◊〉 the mind strong from other hâ—â—d then from good Scriptures not well vnderstood To specifie some particulers 12. a Aug. contra aduers lig et Prophet l. 1. 2. c. 4. Ioan 10. Marcian despised Moyses the Prophets their liues and writings what pretended he Scripture How many soeuer haue come before me are theeues and robbers The b Guido dâ— error ib a Armen Ephes 4. ver 11. Armenians taught we should all rise in the day of Iudgment in the state of mankind and that the femal sexe of women should be wholy extinct What ground had they Scripture Vntill we all meete in a perfect man What was cited by the c Iraen l. 2. cap. 14. Tertul. lib. de anima cap 35. Matth. 5. Carpocratians contending the soule of man to be vnited to the body to perpetrate sinne and not to be diuorced from it vntill it achieue all kind of wickednes Scripture Thou shalt not depart from thence vntill thou defray the last farthing The d Aug. tract 34. in Ioan. Ioan. 8. Manichees affirmed our Sauiour Christ to be this materiall sinne which compasseth the earth and affoardeth light to our corporall eyes What colour had they Scripture I am the light of the world By Scripture the e Alphonsus de Castr. 110 aduer haer verbo Occidere Exod. 20. Waldenses taught that no maÌ„ could be put to death no not by the lawfull authoritie of a Iudge Thou shall not kill By Scripture the f August tract 53. in Ioan. Ioan. 12. v. 25. Mat. 16. v. 25 Luth. con Art Louanien Thes 27. l. de Caena dom To. 2 Ger. fol. 17. 4. VVhitak in his answere to Campians 8. reason pag. 259. Vincent Lyr. c. 35. Genna in catalogo Eccl. Scri. Circumcellians held that euery Christian might not only murther his fellow but lay violent hands also on himself He that hateth his soule in this life preserueth it to euerlasting life And not to be ouer tedions in a matter perspicuous by Scripture Luther excommunicateth all Sacramentaries as arrant Heretikes and already damned to the pit of hell By the same Scripture our Protestants make both Lutherans and Sacramentaries faithfull Christians and if they once beleeue sure of saluation What hath Scripture bene in this sort the origine of these foule Contradictions horrible Blasphemies and a thousand more and yet must it be the soueraigne and only meanes to end and suppresse them When they who are silenced by it make greatest shew and ostentation of it When you shall see sayth Vincentius Heretikes so abound with Scripture as they fly through all the volumes of the holy Law through Moyses the bookes of the Kings the Psalmes and Prophets c. Read the workes of Paulus Samosatenus Priscillian Eunomius c. You shall not find a page which is not coloured painted with the sentences of old and new Testament Nestorius to support his priuat heresy gloried as Gennadius reporteth in the euideÌ„ce of threescore testimonies which he produced 13. Arius likewise boasted of the patronage of Scripture yea of the collation of places our Sectaries chiesest refuge And when the Prelates of the first Councell of Nice proued the Essentiall Equality of the Sonne of God with his Father which he denied out of those words of S. Iohn I and my Father am all one he answered They were all one in the vnity of wlll and affection not in the vnity Io. ca. 10 vers 30. of nature and essence which by Conference of places he bolstered in this manner Christ prayed for his disciples Ioh. 17. v. 21. that they might be one with him as he and his Father were one But he demaunded not neither was it possible for them to be one in substance with God the Father Therfore the Sonne himself was not the same in substance but only in will loue and obedience as he desired his Disciples to be In so much as the Fathers could neuer haue vanquished that wicked heresie if they had not beaten it downe by the authority of the Church more then by testimony of Scripture as appeareth by S. Athanasius a chiefe Atha ep decres con Arian haer impugner of that impious heresy 14. Yet because our new Ghospellers build the tower of their Babell will climbe to the knowledge of all heauenly truth by this collation of places and diligent recourse to the originall fountaines let them tell me when the Reader doubteth of any particular passage of Scripture how the Collatour knoweth by what other sentence that ought to be interpreted The darke and obscure places as Whitaker and Reynolds instruct vs are to VVhitak contro 1. q. 5. ca. 23. Rein. c. 1. diuis 2. p. 60. be lightned by the plaine and perspicuous Graunt it be so How shall I be certaine whether the hard place I doubt of ought to be explained by the cleare and euident text I choose to that purpose or by some other What certaine rule set you downe I may not erre in my choyce Eutiches doubted of the meaning of those words Verbum caro factum The word was made flesh which you suppose I Ioan. 1. v. 14. See Suarez in 3 p. d. 7. ses 2. fol. 132. Ioan 2. v. 9. 1. 10. 3. v. 9. Aug l. de haer ad Quoduult haer 82. doubt not a point requisite to be beleeued And by reason of the propinquity and alliance of speach he expounded them by those of S. Iohn Aquam vinum factum The water was made wine and fell into his detestable blasphemie that the Deity of God was changed into the flesh of man as the water was turned and conuerted into wine Iouinian doubted of the intelligence of an hard saying he read in the first epistle of S. Iohn to wit He that is borne of God doth not sinne Where by the connexion of the text by the conference of other places he framed this desperate and hatefull exposition That a Christian once regenerated and purified by the water of Baptisme cannot after receaue any tainture of sin or offend God any more althogh he would neuer so faine A thousand such errours in matters of importance necessary to saluation haue enemies sucked out of the cleare brooks of holy writ by the deceauable search weighing of places 15. I might vrge That the sentences which are plaine and open to some seeme darke and obscure to others What text more cleare then that of S. Matthew Mat. 26 Mark 14. Luc. â—2 1. Cor. 11. This is my Body repeated againe by S. Marke recorded by
S. Luke confirmed by S. Paul And yet our Sacramentaries reiecting the agrement approbation of them al endeauour to interpret it by far more hard hidden passages Others do not only misconster but vtterly deny most apparent places vndeniable testimonyes For is there any thing more often inculcated or more largly amplifyed by the Prophets then the glory of the Messias and benefites we were to receaue by the comming of Christ Is there any thing more euidently expressed by the EuaÌ„gelists then his genealogy his natiuity his humane pedegree from the line of Dauid Yet Faustus the Manichee had his eyes darkned as S. Augustine testifyeth with presumptuous arrogancy that he sayd Searching the Scrippures Aug. lib. 16. con Paust cap. 2. 14. lib. 12. c. 2. lib. 2. cap. 2. I find there no Prophesyes of Christ The Prophets fortel nothing of him the Ghospell mentioneth not his temporall birth or procreation from man Howbeit sayth S. Augustine he euery where auoucheth himselfe the sonne of man But as Faustus was thus blinded and would not see a mistery so cleare what if Protestants be blinded in an article of Faith no lesse cleare and perspicuous We found not in Scripture the predictions of Christ neither do they discerne the Aug. ep 165. ad Donat Church of Christ as plainely described as Christ himself For in the Scriptures sayth S. Augustine we learne Christ in the Scriptures we learne the Church And then How doe we belieue we haue receaued out of the diuin writings Christ manifest Aug. epist 48 ad vinâ—eÌ„t Rogat â— vnles we haae also receaued from thence the Church manifest Truly we haue receaued it so manifest as all Nations see it all nations flocke vnto it all reuerence and obey it by the direction of Scripture only they see it not who would be ignoraÌ„t of nothing by their search of Scripture They see not I say the Catholike vniuersall Church visibly dispersed thoughout all the world lineally descended from the Apostles infallibly assisted by the spirit of God c. often recommended in holy Write vnto vs. 16. Secondly I might alleadge the copiousnes of Gods sacred word how some one 〈…〉 is often tymes so fruitfully impregned that as it is deliuered by the diuine Math. 7. v. 18. Interpreters of many true litterall senses so it is brought forth by priuate expositors with the vntimely birth of sundry heresyes Let that sole text of S. Matthew serue for an example A good â—ee cannot yeild euill fruits c. For by this a Hier. l. 2. aduers Iouin Iouinian vnderpropped his fornamed fancy That a good and iust man could not produce the fruits of sinne The Pelagians b Aug. l. 2. de nup. concup cap. 26. from thence concluded That the good sacred tree of Marriage that the pure and faithfull married couple cannot â—ngender euill Children infected with the contagiou of originall sin Others c Aug. l. 1. de grat Christ c. 18 of that crew by the force of the same wordes and those that follow Nor an euill tree yeild good fruits peruersly inferred That the good tree of Free-will might of it selfe without Gods grace procreate the fruits of goods works as the euill tree blossometh the fruits of euill Others d Aug. l. 3. cont lit Petil. capâ—â— 44. either Pelagians or Donatists picked from thence That a good Priest could not minister wrongfully the Sacrament of Baptisme nor an euill Priest rightly Out of the same clause e Hier. â—â— coÌ„ment ad hunc loc Aug. in disp 2. cont Fortunat the Manichees strained their impious dotage That some men were good by nature could not be euill some euill by nature and could not be good From whence also the Caluinists gathered two pernicious heresyes The * See both these obiections proposed answered in the 21. 27. Controuersy one That man being an euill tree hath no freewill to be conuerted to God ayded by his grace nor to cooperate thereunto before he be iustifyed The other That as the fruits do only declare the goodnes of the tree and do not make it good or bad so the vertuous and pious workes of the iust are meere signes and remonstrances but no true causes of their inherent iustice If this short heauenly saying through the rashnes of willfulmen hath bred so many false constructiours alâ— which notwithstanding were bolstened with other the like misapplyed passages how can Protestants presume to ayme aright at the marke of Truth in all questions controuerâ—ed by this vncertaine rule of expounding Scripture by Scripture alone 17. Thirdly I might produce the diuersity not only of the literall but of the literall and figuratiue speaches and demand of our Aduersaryes how the Collatours should discerne the one from the other when the words should be literally when figuratiuely vnderstood Origen was more skillfull in tongues more diligent in reading more wise in obseruing the course and connexion Basil hom 3. in Hex stâ—â— in Gonesim of Scripture then euer any Protestantâ— and yet S. Basil noteth him of grosse ouersight in imagining figures and Allegoryes in the first of Genesis in lieu of the letter â—estorius on the contrary side was dazelled with the letter instead of the figure in that speach of S. Iohn Dissolue Ioan. 2. v. 19. yee this Temple and after three dayes I will rayse it againe Whereby he contended that the Sonne of God only dwelled in Christ as in his Temple Marcions stroue for Rom. 5. v. 20. Ioan. 1. v. 14. Philip. 2. v. 7. Haeb. 4. v. 15. Rom. 8. v. 3. Matth. 3. v. â—â— the pure letter where S. Paul writeth The law hath entred that sinne may abound Munichaeus dreamed of a figure where S. Iohn sayd The word is made flesh that is as he proued by conference of sundry places in the habit likenes and similitude of flesh The Iacobits were illuded with the grossnes of the letter when they baptized or rather seared with burning yrons their sect-mates in their foreheads because it is written in the 3. of S. Matthew He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire Eutychius the Patriarcke of Constantinople was beguiled with the inanity of a figure when impugning the corporall resurrection of our flesh he expounded of a subtile spirituall and ethereall body that which S. Paul spake of a true naturall 18. And the matter is the harder not to be mistaken heerein because some tyme in the selfe same sentence one and the selfe same word ought here properly there metaphorically be expounded as learned Maldonate wisely obserueth Mald. in eum loc Matth. 8. v. 22. Ioan. 3. v. 13. in that saying of Christ Let the dead bury their dead or not to depart from the chiefest articles of fayth of which I haue hitherto spokeÌ„ The like is shewed in S. Iohn No man hath ascended into heauen but he that descended from heauen the Sonne of man who is
in heauen Which words Valentine and Apollinaris misconstruing gainsayd the misteâ—ry See Medina introduct in â— p. q. 3. Thâ—op in hunc loc of Christs Incarnation and would needs haue his flesh to haue descended from heauen as his manhood after ascended thither Neyther did they want semblance of places the card of Protestancy to direct them for matching this text with another of S. Paul to the Ephesians they found coherence He that descended the same is also he Ephes c. 4. v. 10. that is ascended And least the obscurity of either might darken their vnderstanding they opened them both by this plaine obuious and euident sentence Primus homo de â— Cor. 15. v. 47. terra terrenus Secundus homo de caelo caelestis The first man of earth earthly the second man of heauen heauenly 19. Let our Ghospellers vaunt as long as they list of the perspicuity and patronage of Scripture neuer can they bring in any controuersy whatsoeuer so many in their behalfe or one so cleare a place as this Or if they could might they not be blinded might they not be inueigled as these impes of Satan were M. Fields opinion is they might We confesse sayth he that neyther conference Field l. 4. c. 19. pag. â—â—4 of places nor consideration of the things precedent and subsequent nor looking into the originalls are of any force vnlesse we find the things which we conceaue to be vaderstood and meant in the places interpreted to be consonant to the rule of fayth And this rule of fayth as he further teacheth must be tryed Field l. 4. ibid. pag. 242. eyther by the Generall practise of the Church the renowned of all ages or the Pastours of an Apostolicall Church Which to omit all other examples is clearly seene in the Translatours of our English Protestants Bible Who although they had skill in tongues studied Scriptures ransacked Originalls examined places yet rouing from the marke M. Field prescribeth most pitiously erred in their vulgar Translation Witnesse hereof 20. D. Reinolds who disputed against it in his Maiesties Rein. in the Conference at Hampt Court p. 45. 46 c. Burges in his Apol. sect 6. Carleile in his booke that Christ went not downe to Hellp 116. 144. Broughton in his epistle to the Counsel presence at Hampton Court M. Burges a man of the same sect who affirmeâ—h That the approued English Protestant translation hath many omissions many additions which sometyme obscureth sometyme peruerteth the sense M. Carleile another brother of this disordred crew hauing discouered many faults in the English Bible of them inferreth That the English Protestants in many places detort the Scriptures from their right sense and shew themselues to loue darknesse more then light and falshood more then truth They haue corrupted and depraued the sense obscured the truth deceaued the ignorant and supplanted the simple Likewise M. Broughton one of the chiefest Linguists amongst our late Precisians who not many yeares ago wrote an Epistle to the Lords of the Counsell which is yet extant desireth them to procure speedily a new translation Because that quoth he which is now in England is full of errours And in his aduertisment of Corruptions he denounceth to the Protestant Bishops Broughtoâ— in his Aduert to the Bishops That their publike translation of Scripturs into English is such as it peruerteth the text of the old Testament in 848. places And that it causeth millions of millions to reiect the new Testament and to runne to eternall flames 21. So that if these rare men furnished with so manifold helpes endued with the knowledge of sundry tongues guided by their owne rules to attaine the right sense and meaning of holy write and allowed by publike authority to translate the same swaâ—ued notwithstaÌ„ding sunke into the gulfe of such detestable errours what shall we thinke of others of meaner talents What hope can any one haue not to stray in this vast wildernes of conferring places And if the English Bible which now is commonly read in Churches and expounded in pulpits be euery where stayned with the spots of pestilent and pernicious falshood in what wofull case are they who credit it as the Oracle of God They who repayre vnto it as to the treasure of life the touchstone of truth They who neither vnderstanding the Greeke Latin or Hebrew ought to appeale in all doubts of fayth to the high Tribunall of this corrupted Iudge Whose sentence as their owne Ghospellers testify is depraued obscured detorted from the right sense deceaueth the ignorant supplanteth the simple peruerteth the text in so many places as it carrieth millions of millions to eternall flames Open therfore your eyes my beloued Countrymen and see in what daunger you liue daunger of receauing the doome of falshood the sentence of death in lieu of the soueraigne verdict of Gods sacred truth 22. Since the first edition of this worke was published I haue seene a certaine abrupt and broken answer secretly spread abroad to many of my former arguments the summe whereof is this That there is a great difference beweene the word of God and man for the later filleth the eare with the sound and the hearers mind with a like conceit cleare or obscure conformable to the signification it beareth but the word of God worketh not only in the eare immediatly but also in the Certaine shifts of the aduersaries refuted hart in such sort that although the exteriour word be darke and ambiguous yet by interiour inspiration it may produce a cleare conceit of the thing signifyed in the hearers mind By which means sayth this Respondent the spirit of God speaking in his diuine word and working interiourly in the hart is the supreme rule or Iudge of all Controuersyes By which meanes it heareth vnderstandeth explaineth and compelleth the Appellants to receaue thâ— sentence giuen By which meanes it causeth infallible certainty vttereth it selfe clearely manifestly condemneth the guilty persons and performeth such thinges as are necessary to the office of a Iudge So he Yet all in couert not deeming his reply polished inough for open view because our question is not what God may do or what his inspiration may produce but what he ordinarily doth and whome he hath established his ordinary Iudge in determining debates what publicke and vniuersal rule what infallible ground or foundation we haue of our beliefe which we ought to follow to which others are bound to submit themselues and by which we are alwayes directed the right way of Truth This is not as I haue shewed the outward word or the inward working of the holy Ghost in the harts of euery particuler man 1. Because the faythfull cannot without some other particuler help be infallibly assured of that inspiration or working of the holy Ghost whether it be naturall or supernaturall from God or not they cannot be infallibly assured that they truly conceaue the sense reuealed and belieue it a right
as they ought to do which ignorance of theirs partly proceedeth from the weaknes of our Vnderstanding partly from the depth and sublimity of the misteryes proposed partly also from the vnsearchablenes of Gods wayes and secrecy of his vnacquainted motions of which Iob sayd If God come vnto me I shall not see him and if he depart away from me I shall not vnderstand it Wherfore Iob. 9. â—â— Field lib. 4. cap. 7. seeing No man as M. Field doth witnes proueth a thing doubtfull by that which is as much doubted of as it selfe No man can be assured of the true sense and signification of Scripture by the internal working of God in his hart which is as much to be doubted of and alike hard to be discerned as the very sense it selfe and meaning of the Scripture 23. Secondly we are counsailed Not to belieue euery 2â— Ioâ— 4. â— spirit but to proue the spirits if they be of God But if the spirits must be brought to the touch-stone of triall if they must be approued and iudged by some other well knowne vndoubted authority they are not themselues the triall and Iudge of our differences Nay suppose we were assured of the inspiration assured of the holy Ghost speaking in our harts yet that speach is inuisible that motion inuisible that iudgement inuisible it cannot heare the causes examine the arguments or pronounce any desinitiue VVhitaâ—â—â— adu Stâ—pl l. 2. â— 6. sentence at all by which the contentious may be silenced the innocent acquited the guilty condemned The testimony of the spirit sayth Whitaker being priuate and secret is vnfit to teach or refell others if vnfit to teach vnfit to refell then wholy vnfit wholy vnable to cleare doubts decide Controuersyes or end the quarrells of the paâ—tyes in strife 24. Thirdly The rule and guide of our beliefe ought to haue some neere affinity and connexion with that which it guideth The measure as the Philosophers teach must be alwayes proportionable to the thing measured But the inward inspiration hath no such affinity and proportion with our Catholike fayth because that is secret this publique that particuler this vniuersall that meerly interiour and working only in the hart this exteriour Hooker of Ecclesi Policy lib. 1. sect 14. lib. 2. sect 8. lib. 3. sect 8. pag. 149. 147. lib. 2. sect 7 pag. 116. VVhitak aduers Staplet lib. 2. c. 4. pag. 330. p. 29â— ZaÌ„cb in his confess cap. 1. Brent in prolegom Kemnit in exam Conc. Tri. Aug. l. con ep FuxdaÌ„ c. 5 de vtil cre â—en c. 14. also and professed by the word of mouth In so much as that cannot possibly be a competent rule or proportionable measure to mete or square out the misteryes of our sayth Fourthly M. Hooker a Protestant of no smal account constaÌ„tly auoucheth with whoÌ„ M. Whitak other sectaryes heerin agree that the outward letter sealed with the inward witnesse of the spirit is not a sufficient warrant for euery particuler man to iudg and approue the Scripture to be Canonicall the ghospel itself to be the ghospell of Christ but the authority of gods Church as he acknowledgeth is necessarily required therunto Therefore neither are they sufficient to iudge of the sense or meaning of the Scripture for that saith S. Augustin which we obey and belieue testifying this book to be the Ghospell the same must we belieue witnessing this to be the sense of the Ghospel because it were no lesse then madnes to repaire to the Catholike Church for the approbation of Gods word run to her rebells for the sense of his word to her publick censure for that their priuat iudgment for this yea a meer madnes to thinke that euery Sectary should be indued with a diuine spirit to interpret holy writ and that the whole Church of Christ all her pastours and doctors ioyntly vnited should be depriued of the same 25. Fyfthly The ordinary way by which God instructeth vs in matters of belief is by publik preaching Fayth saith S. Paul is by hearing it is to be receaued from the lipps of the preists from the mouth of Saints Ad Rom. 10. vers 17. Malae 2 Luc. 1. Ad Ephes 4. from the pastors and teachers whome Christ hath appoynted in his Church and not from priuate reading of Scripture ioyned with the secret inspiration For that noble man of Aethiopia the Eunuch disigeÌ„tly perused the oracles of God and wanted not without doubt the inward operation of the holy Ghost being so religious as he had bin on pilgrimage at Hierusalem to adore and Act. 8. v. 30. 3â— so deuout as he read the Scriptures riding in his chariot yet when S. Philip asked him Trowest thou that thou vnderstandest the things that thou readest he said And how can I vnlesse some man shew me Therfore besides the outward reading inward working a publike interpreter and expoundeâ— is necessary for the true vnderstanding of holy writ 26. Sixthly The standing to the Iudgment of the hidden Spirit is the very roote of dissention and fountaine of discord in the vain chalengers and boasters therof it affoardeth euery sectary his priuate weights his particuler forge to coyne and allow what doctrine he pleaseth it licenseth the members to controle their heads the schollers to contradict and chang their masters Tertul. de praescript cap. 420 principles which Tertullian reproueth in the Heretiks of his dayes saying That hath bin lawfull to the Valentinians which was lawfull for Valentinus that to the Marcionites which to Marcion of their own accord to alter and innouate their belief Of their owne accord he sayth because the teaching of the holy Ghost is vniforme and the same he could not be author of such chops and changes of such schismes diuisions And yet they al pretended as our Ghospellers August tract 4â— in Ioanâ— Laâ—â—h ep ad Antwerp tom 2. Germ. Ieâ— fol. 10â— do his heauenly illumination There are innumerable sayth S. Augustine who do not only boast that they are Videntes or Prophets but will seeme to be illuminated or enlightned by Christ but are Heretikes And Luther the ring-leader of Protestants conformably writeth There is no Asse in this tyme so soâ—rish and blockish but will haue the dreames of his owne head and his opinion accepted for the instinct of the Holy Ghost and himselfe esteemed as a Prophet Whence it commeth as he immediatly before complayneth That there be as many sects Osiand in confut Script Melancth contra ipsum edit l. cont Nicticor Aug. ep 222. ad CoÌ„sent and Religions among vs as there be men That such variances arise betweene the professours of the same Religion as Osiander a Protestant telleth vs That among the Confessionists only there were twenty different opinions concerning the formall cause of iustification and that euery one is affirmed to be deduced and proued out of the word of God by the holy Ghost surely as they imagined secretly
speaking to their harts By which All Heretikes according to S. Augustine who receaue the authority of the Scriptures perswade themselues they follow them whereas they rather follow their owne errours 27. Hence it also proceedeth that if no other ground or foundation be assigned no heretike could be noted or condemned of heresy nay as Suarez that great Suarez l. 1. defens fid cap. 11. Deuine heereupon inferreth No heretike should be or heresy at all no man ought to be compelled to the vnity of sayth and fellowship of one Religion to which the Scripture so often exhorteth and God requireth as necessary to saluation For if it be inough for euery one to appeale to the tribunall of his owne as he deemeth inspired conscience who can decline from the rule of Fayth Who can swarue from his owne particuler iudgment forsake that guide foundation of beliefe which himselfe broacheth and boldly vaunteth to come from God Who then can be an heretike or what heresy be vented If that be the square of fayth who ought to be compelled by forsaking that rule to conforme himselfe to another profession Euery one may safely remaine in his owne religion as long as they verily thinke which all men easily do that they haue receaued the riches of the spirit in as great measure as any other For this reason D. Whitguift alleadged why the Church of England need VVhitg in his defens against Cartâ—r not submit it selfe to the Church of Geneua The same reason may the Brownist alleadge why he should not yield to the Puritan the Puritan for not conforming himselfe to the Protestant and one Protestant why he should not subscribe to the iudgment of another Therefore besides the inward inspiration there must be some other outward vndeceauable and ouer-ruling Iudge or els God hath not sufficiently prouided for the necessityes of his Church not for her peace concord and stability not for her vnity in fayth certainty of beliefe not for the obedience and submission of her children not for the ending of quarrells decision of doubts and rooting out of errours But of this againe in the next chapter where my Aduersary might haue read this very obiection answered if he had not heere importunly vrged it out of due order time and place 28. The shew of reason which this Respondent Obiections The first bringeth to proue the iudgment of the secret spirit is to this effect First sayth he the Church receaueth from God inspiring her the right sense of Scripture he must first decide the coÌ„trouersy in her mind before she can exteriourly decide what they are bound to belieue therefore the spirit of God speaking in her hart is the supreme Iudge of Controuersyes euen in the opinion of vs Catholikes Secondly he proueth that the same spirit speaking The second in the diuine word to euery particuler man was likewise iudge in the law of Nature because at that tyme there were no other ordinations then such as did necessarily follow out of the eleuating of mankind to a supernaturall end but out of that it no way followes that al the faythfull were to obey one supreme Pastour Thirdly The third in the law written there was not one Gouernour the faythfull among the Iewes being without any subordination to any one among the Gentills And the Gentils had no subordination to the high Priest of the Iewes The fourth Fourthly it must be acknowledged sayth he by the aduerse part that the spirit of God as speaking in particular to euery man decideth which company of the professors of Christianity is the true Church and by consequence Answers To the first the same spirit determineth in the same manner all other controuersies Thus he To the first I answere that the motions inwardly inspired to the pastours of the church are no iudiciall sentences nor finall decisions of matters controuerted they are not any infallible rules neither to others to whom they are vnknowen nor to themselues to whome they are vncertaine vntill they be outwardly decreed and iointly subscribed vnto by the suffrages of all both head and members For vntill then they be not made one common voice one publik law one generall consent or definitiue sentence pronounced by them all they are not the last and highest Tribunal of the Church to which euery one is bound to submit himselfe without further appeale To the second I reply with D. Sanders other learned Deuines It is false that To the second Sander de visib Monar l. 4. c. 3. 4. there was no other ordinary Iudge in the law of Nature then Gods priuate instruction for Adam during his life was the chiefe head supreme directour of Gods people in points of fayth Then Seth after Enos c. And so in succeeding ages the first borne or eldest among the faithfull by the prerogatiue of his primogeniture or some other by Gods speciall election discharged that office which did also necessarily follow out of the eleuation of mankind to a supernaturall end supposing the sweetnes of diuine prouidence after mans fall and want of fayth To the third I answere that God himmselfe in the written To the third Deut. 17. vers 12. law appointed one high Priest and supreme Iudge among the Iewes He that shall be proude refusing to obey the Commandment of the Priest which at that tyme ministreth to our Lord thy God and the decree of the Iudge that man shall dye To whome notwithstanding the faithfull amongst the Gentils were not subiect because they had no such positiue precept imposed vpon them they were then separated and diuided from that chosen company by which the lineall and visible succession of the Church was propagated and continued Yet if they liued according to the prescript of reason and light of nature the necessary mysteryes of fayth were reuealed vnto them either by God himselfe or by an Angell or by some other inuiolable tradition Which being an extraordinary course can neither be a warrant for particular men to challeng the like nor preiudice the ordinary way which the diuine wisdome vseth in instructing his seruants especially now in the law of grace in which he hath subiected both Iew and Gentile to the obedience of one head supreme pastour according to that which our sauiour said Other sheepe I haue which are not of this fold them also must I bring and they shall heare my voice and there Ioan. 10. 16. shall be made one fold and one pastour Which cannot be vnderstood of Christ as he inuisibly feedeth and gouerneth his flocke for so there was alwayes one fold Cyprian l. 1. ep 6. ad Magnum and one pastour but of his visible headship and of his secondary also and visible pastour who now succeedeth him of whome S. Cyprian interpreteth those words 27. To the fourth I deny the Antecedent for that which first decideth what society of Christians is the To the Fourth true
and made for his purpose Or if they already belieued as others mantain then nothing doubting of the truth he preached they searched only for their confort and confirmation to nourish and strengthen their beliefe to arme themselues the better against the assaults of the enemy Both which are allowable vpon these supposal neither are warrantable for the faithfull to iudge and censure their Pastours doctrine 18. To the second and third instance I answere S. Iohn wrote to those that had receaued the fayth and needed not another maister to teach them a new doctrine contrary thereunto Isay prophesied of them that were to receaue it and both as S. Augustine commenteth speak of the inward vnction of Gods grace and inspiration of Aug. tract 3. in ep 1. Ioan. l. de gra Christi c. 13 14. the Holy Ghost which togeather with the outward preaching sweetly moueth strengtheneth and confirmeth the faythfull not to examine iudge or try but humbly to belieue and ioyfully to imbrace the message of truth deliuered vnto them Shall I repeate S. Augustines wordes Shall I propound the question he maketh to S. Iohn vpon occasion of this speach wherein he excellently refuâ—eth this obiection of Protestants Thou saâ—est Tract 3. vbi supra quoth he his vnction teacheth you of all thinges why then didst thou write that Epistle Why didst thou teach them Why didst thou instruct See heere my Brethren a great mistery the noâ—se of our words passe vnto the eares the Maister is within c. Outward instructions are helps and admonitions he hath his chaire in heauen who teacheth the hart Christ teacheth his inspiration teacheth where his inspiration and vnction is not in vaine is the sound of words without 19. Besides if we read that place of Isay All shall be taught of God as our Aduersaryes presse the Greeke I answere Cyril in 〈◊〉 loâ—â—â— againe with S. Cyril That it is a Prophesy of Christs comming to teach Christians in his owne person who before taught the Iewes by the mouth of his Prophets If we read All shal be docible of God as Maldonate more faithfully Maldonat in cap. 6. Ioan. gathered out of the Hebrew and Chaldean word it was spoken as he notably proueth by the testimony of Leontius Ammonius and S. Iohn Chrysostome for that God of himselfe is most ready to instruct and the Euangelical Law more fit to be infused into the hart by the vnction of the holy Ghost then to be vttered by wordes or imprinted in bookes 20. Lastly M. Whitaker M. Reynolds and their adherents VVhitaker 1. cont q. 5. Cap. 8. Reyn. c. 8. diuis 1. Basil Epist 80. Tul. l. 3 de leg Aug de nup. coÌ„ cup. â— 2. c. 33. Opt. l. 5. cont Parmen Aug. coÌ„c 2. in Psal 35. obiect sundry Fathers allowing the sufficiency of Scripture to end disputes to whose authorities I shall answere in my next discourse Now I reply to the testimonyes of S. Basil S. Augustine and Optatus S. Basil summoneth his Aduersaryes to the arbitrement of holy Writ in a thing most clearely reuealed concerning the Trinity in which case he may call the Scripture arbiter or Iudge as the Lawyers sometimes tearme the ciuil law or Iustinian the compiler of them Vmpier and Iudge And as Tully calleth The Law a dumbe Magistrate and the Magistrate a liuely Law After which sort S. Augustine sayth Let Christ iudge let the Apostles iudge c. Optatus likewise in the question of Rebaptization prouoked the Donatists to the Iudgement of Gods written word because there were most euident testimonyes thereof and because the Donatists would admit no indifferent tryall by any lawfull sentence but still appealed as S. Augustine witnesseth froÌ„ one another from Melchiades the Pope to the assembly of Bishops from the Bishops to the Emperour from the Emperour to others disclayming from all by whome they were vanquished Secondly I answere That these and many other Fathers ofteÌ„ referre themselues to the vmpiershippe of Scripture for that it is the silent and outward law by which the voyce of our speaking Iudge ought and alwayes is vttered and pronounced and for that it directeth vs to the Church the true soueraigne and liuely Iudge of all debats 21. Thus we are so farre from derogating from the prerogatiue of holy writ as we graunt it is A perfect light and lanterne to our feete The entire rule and square of fayth The supreme and absolute Iudge of Controuersies Thus we graunt it is the Mine of truth the fountain of life the sea of wisdom the Armary of the holy Ghost It is the promptuary of God fully stored with all spirituall treasures yet such as are to be dispensed by the Opta l. 5. con Parm. Stewards of his house It is as Optatus noteth The will and Testament of Christ yet to be interpreted by those his executours whom he appointed to expound his mind and dispose of his legacy It is the booke of heauen signed with seauen seales as Origen sayth but not to be opened Orig. hom 12. in Exo. by any but by the Lion of the Tribe of Iuda or them to whoÌ„ he giueth commission It is as another auerreth The light of the world not to be hidden vnder the bushell of any priuate or phantasticall braine but to be placed on the candlesticke of Gods Church to giue light vnto all her obedient children Esay 35. vers â— 22. After this manner the repaire to Scripture is a plaine easy generall and certaine high-way In which fooles cannot erre or step awry whereas the search our Sectaries applaud is as you see hidden darke variable vnconstant not publike not vniuersall It hath byn the path of Heretiks to damnable errours It is a field to theÌ„selues of interminable strifes and it may be to all that follow it as well a trayne to drawe them vnto the wiles of perdition as a line to guid them to the port of blisse to the true knowledg of God as shall more amply appeare by the Chapter ensuing THE SECOND CONTROVERSY THAT All things necessary to Saluation are not contained in Scripture AGAINST D. Reynolds D. Bilson D. Field CHAP. I. ARIGHT wise and laudable endeauour it hath beene amongst the learned of all ages rather to imprint their chiefest points of doctrin in the minds Casar l. 6. de Bello Gallico â—lut in vita Numae And in his first oratioÌ„ of the fort or vertues of Alexan. and memories of well disposed auditours then engraue them in curious tables or blaze them with the pennes of industrious writers So we read that our ancient Druides renowned for learning throughout all the world neuer coÌ„mitted anything to the casualty of writing but entrusted all the riches of their knowledg to the treasurie of their disciples harts Pithagoras Socrates and many other famous philosophers are deseruedly praysed and commended for the like What doe I speake of men God himself long taught and instructed
his seruants from Adam euen vntyll Moyses for the space of 2000. yeares without recording any one precept or instruction he gaue And when Iesus Christ his only Sonne came into this world he called his Apostles planted his Church Mar. 16. v. 15. Luc. 10. 16. Math. 18 v. 7. Matth. 23. v. 3. see S. Aug. ep 165. preached his heauenly doctrine yet neuer penned or so much as commaunded any one mystery to be written He gaue his Apostles commisson to preach the Ghospell to euery creature He charged vs to heare them as himself to giue eare to whatsoeuer they should teach or say But to giue credit only to what they should write he neuer gaue charge And therfore they preached many yeares conuerted thousands and deliuered vnto them the food of life before they compiled the bookes of Scripture as all our Aduersaries will confesse Yet sayth D. Reynolds after these bookes were once penned and published abroad all Reyn in his first Conclusion p. 616. things requisite to saluation are there conteyned which thus he laboureth to proue The Prophets taught the old Church the way of Saluation the Apostles with the Prophets togeather teach the new more plenteously fully The Doctrine of the Prophets Apostles is comprized in the holy Scripture the Scripture therfore teacheth the Church whatsoeuer is behoofull to Saluation Oh deceiptfull disputant who in so weighty a matter vseth such Sophistry How creepeth the Pronoune whatsoeuer into your conclusion not auouched in the premisses But if you will haue it vnderstood I denie your Minor I denie that the whole doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is comprized in holy Scripture 2. To begin with the doctrine of the Prophets Moyses the first Scribe and chiefe Secretary of the holy Ghost was so farre from setting downe all thinges he receaued Orig ho. 5. in Num. Hilar. in Ps 2. from the mouth of God that whereas he was taught by him the law and true sense which is the life soule of the law the law he engrossed in writing but the sense and exposition thereof as Origen and S. Hilary affirme he secretly deliuered by inuiolable tradition to his Successours euen by the expresse will commandment of God as he seemed by Esdras whose testimony Esd â— 4. c. 14. v. 5. 6. as a most holy and learned man must needes beare sway in these plaine tearms to declare I haue disclosed vnto Moyses many meruailous things c. And I haue charged him saying These words shalt thou lay open and these shalt thou conceale Among which he concealed what meanes God prouided for the sauing and purging of women from originall infection what for children before the eight day of circumcision thinges not mentioned in Scripture as D. Field with Andradius willingly confesseth and proueth by Field l. 4. pag. 236. Andrad defen l. 2. the authority of S. Gregory That children then were saued by the faith of their parents Yet when Andradius inferreth that this at least could not be knowne but by Tradition D. Field reiecteth his inference as friuolous and sayth most fondly and contrary to himselfe That it was knowne and concluded out of the generall and common rules of reason and equity Field pag. 237. Most fondly For what necessary sequele haue the incomprehensible secrets of Gods hidden election in things supernatural with the common rules of naturall reason Are his wayes and meanes of saluation any way tyed to the discourse of man S. Paul who was rapt into the third heauen amiddest all his reuelations thought them farre aboue the reach of humane wit when he cryed out O alt tudo c. O the depth of the riches of Gods wisedome and knowledge how inscrutable are his iudgments and his wayes vnsearchable And were they made plaine before to Rom. 11. v. 33. the Iewes by the common rules of reason and equity Most contrary to himselfe because if the soueraigne and necessary meanes of sauing the aforesaid partyes not specifyed in holy writ be deduced from these general grouÌ„ds some behoofull thing necessary to saluation against Bilson against Reynoldes against himselfe is not conteined in Scripture 3. To these and such like close and hidden Traditions Eccles 8. v. 11. 12. King Salomon referred the Children of Israël when he sayd Let not passe the narration of thy elders for they haue beene taught by their fathers and of them thou shalt learne vnderstanding Of these King Dauid spake How many things hath Psal 77. â— he commanded our Fathers to make knowne to their children Of these the whole Scripture is so full as M. Reynolds and M. Bilson languishing in this Controuersy for want of proofs are faine to alleadge such texts to warrant their assertion as their aduersaryes might produce to diswarrant Rein. Con. â— p. 616. Bils 2. p. pag. 267. the same M. Reynolds obiecteth that saying of Moyses Giue eare O Israël to the ordinances which I teach Bilson that of Deutronomy Whatsoeuer I command that shall yee do Do not these places make for me What Rein pag. 616. 617. I teach what I command sayth God not what I write Reynoldes vrgeth out of Ieremy How Idolators are condemned for doing in their Sacrifices things which our Lord commanded Bils 2. paâ—â— pag. 206. Mala. 2. Bils 2. par p. 289. peruâ—â—ts this place translating the Priests lips should preserue wheras it is expresly in Hâ—brew jjâ—hmeru in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine custodieÌ„t shall preserue Ioan. ep 2. v 12. 1. Cor. cap. 11. â—4 not Which he commanded not I grant neither by word nor writing D. Bilson alleadgeth King Dauid How the word of God is a lanterne to our feete Reynolds cyteth Malachy Willing the people to remember the law of Moyses The word the law I confesse as well recorded in harts as printed in bookes which Malachy himselfe witnesseth The lipes of the Priests not the leaues of paper only shall keep or preserue knowledge and thou shalt require the law from his mouth Could they haue chosen better weapons for my aduantage then these they bring forth in their owne defence Perchance they reserue their forces to mantaine at least that after the Apostles and Euangelists penned their preaching nothing auailable to saluation is left vnwritten But their weaknes also heerein shall openly appeare as soon as I haue proued that the Apostles thought it not expedient to set downe all things in writing that they often referre vs to vnwritten Traditions that reason conuinceth the necessity of them and the Fathers mention many which we must needs imbrace 5. S. Iohn sayth Hauing more things to write vnto you I would not impart them by paper and inke S. Paul left some holy decrees and ordinances vnpenned of which he spake to the Corinthians The rest I will dispose when I come some deep points of Christs Priesthood insinuated to the Hebrewes Of whome I haue great speach and inexplicable to
and approaching receiue it with pure lips S. Augustine That Christ carried his owne body in his owne hands when he said This is my body and that secundum literam according to the letter and so as King Dauid could not carrie himselfe Which two points are worthilie noted because the Apostles eat with their corporall mouthes what Christ held in his corporall hands In fine S. Cyril saith We doe not deny our selues with assured faith and sincere charity to be spiritually conioyned to Christ but that we haue no manner of coniunction with him according vnto the flesh this truely we deny 15. Is it not strange M. Sparkes should vaunt of all these learned Writers within eight hundred years when all disclaime his false imputation when all confesse the Reall Presence not only to fayth but also to the mouth Bils 4. par pag. 754. 755. c. to the tongue to the lips to the hands to the flesh to the bowells of all Communicants Is it not as strange M. Bilson should goe about to defeate these and the former authotityes with his accustomed sleight of Seales Sacraments bearing the names of the things themselues For if the outward seales onely were receaued into the mouth the outward seales only were eaten by fayth bare figures and seales nourish the soule seeing the same flesh the same bloud the same body the same Mediatour of God and Man Christ Iesus which is belieued by fayth is auouched as you see to be receaued into the hands mouths harts bowels of the faythfull Deny then M. Bilson the true reall flesh to the mouth of the body deny it also to the mouth of the soule and so become a Manichee a Marcionist a denyer of Christ Or giue leaue at least to them and other Heretikes to subuert by like sophistry the chief principles of our beliefe LiceÌ„ce them to expound by sound of names without sense of wordes whatsoeuer is written of the true flesh bloud and body of our Lord of his Incarnation Passion and glorious Resurrection 16. What pretense then can any Protestant make vnlesse he open the gate to a floud of blasphemyes why he should delude such ineuitable proofes Why he should discredit so many lights Lampes and Ornaments of the Church and preferre the hard wrested construction of some new fangled teachers before such vndeniable texts of Fathers and testimonyes of Scripture Perchance he may pretend with D. Bilson and D. Sparkes the impossibilty inconueniency and contradictions our doctrine Bils 4. par pag. 790. 794. 795. 796. Sparks p. 180. sequentibus implyeth To which I might answere Philosophers Infidells obiected such stuffe against the true IncarnatioÌ„ and Passion of our Lord I might say that he yieldeth assent to diuers articles of our fayth more contrary and repugnant to the reach of our naturall reason as to the mistery of the holy Trinity to the fecundity of our B. Lady remayning a Virgin to the Resurrection of putrifyed and decaied flesh c. I might also reply that we should not measure the works of the Almighty by the weakenes of our feeble vnderstanding as S. Basil singulerly teacheth against Eunomius by the example of the Emmet Basil Epist â—68 But what if I demonstrate the Reall Presence to be possible conuenient and without any repugnance or contradiction at all 17. To begin with the possibility of our conuersion or Transubstantiation We do not as M. Bilson iniuriously fathereth vpon vs make the creature the Creatour or the dead Bils 4. par pag. 729. element of bread the Sonne of God We only teach the bread and wine to be changed into the flesh bloud of Christ And that one substance may be turned into another yea and bread into flesh experience it selfe aboundantly teacheth For the bread which we eate and wine which we drinke by the naturall heat and concoction of our stomacke is conuerted into the flesh and bloud of man the same effect had the food which Christ receaued Likewise the graine of seed sowed in the ground altereth in nature buddeth vp into a faire eare of Corne. Wax cast Niss orat cate ca. 37. Damas l. 4 defi c. 14. Irenaus l. 5. cap. 2. Chryshom de Euâ—h Centurywrit c. 4. col 4â—6 Ambro de init myst cap. 9. Cyr. Iero. cate 4. mystag into fire is melted consumed and turned into fire Which similitudes the Fathers of former ages haue vsed to illustrate this mistery S. Gregory Nissen and S. Iohn Damascen the first S. Irenaeus the second S. Chrysostome the third who annexeth thereunto that as Nothing of the substance of Wax remaineth so heere the Misteryes are consumed by the substance of the body By which passage if the Century-writers may be credited S. Chrysostome doth seeme to confirm TransubstaÌ„tiation S. Ambrose whome they likewise reproue for not writing well of the same matter sometime coÌ„pareth the substantiall mutatioÌ„ of bread in the Eucharist to the creation of heauen and earth of nothing Otherwhile to the conuersion of the Rod of Moyses into a serpent of bloud into water water into bloud and the like S. Cyrill of Hierusalem conuinceth it by the miraculous change our Sauiour made of water into wine disputing thus Christ confirming and saying this is my bloud who Gauden tract 2. de Exo. will euer doubt and say it is not his bloud He once conuerted water into wine in Cana of Galily and is he not worthy to be belieued that he hath changed wine into bloud S. Gaudentius hath the like who flourished within the 400 yeares after Christ He that produceth bread out of the earth of bread againe maketh Greg. Nyssen oracate cap. 37. his owne body for he is both able and promised it and he that made of water wine maketh of wine his owne bloud S. Gregory Nissen We rightly belieue the sanctifyed bread to be changed by the word of God into the body of the Sonne of God S. Ambrose Thou sayest perhaps to me I see another manner of thing How Ambro. lib. de â—js qui iniâ— myst cap. â— then tellest thou me that I receaue Christs body Then this is yet to be established by vs. And how many exampls may we vse to proue 〈…〉 is not that which nature framed but that which the blessing consecrated and that the power of blessing ouer commeth nature because by blessing euen the very nature it selfe is changed Behould that is not sayth S. Ambrose which nature made but what did nature make The substance of bread what becommeth of it It is changed quoth he how by blessing into what Into that which the blessing consecrateth What it that The body of Christ for he tooke Ciryl ep ad Colas bread blessed and sayd This is my body S. Cyrill of Alexandria who succeeded them in the next age God condescending to our frailtyes instilleth into the thinges offered the power of life Conuertens ea in veritatem propriae carnis onuerting
S. Iohn in the desert with habit with meate with voyce with deeds cryed Yield fruits worthy of Penance S. Paul saith If we did iudge our selues we should not be iudged which S. Chrysostome and Venerable Bede expound of seuere iudiciall affliction of our selues that we may not be punished of God Finally Christ himselfe began his preaching with this precept Doe Penance for the Kingdome of heauen is at hand 7. Diuers euasions M. Fulke and the rest of his faction heer seeke They answere that the penaltyes inflicted by Fulke in c. 2. â— Cor. sect 2. in c. 3. Matth. sect 4. c. Caluin l. 3. Inst ca. 4. the ancient Canons by the Apostles or by the hand of God were 1. For the publike discipline of the Church 2. For the exercise of vertue 3. As the fruits of true repentance 4. As cautions to beware of future sinnes Tet no way to saâ—isfy the Iustice of God for precedent faults But the Scripture flatly declareth the affliction I mentioned to haue beene imposed for offences past The Prophet Nathan sayd to K. Dauid Because thou hast made thy enemyes blaspheme the name of our Lord for 2. Reg. 12. v. 14. Exod. 32. v. 34. Hier. epist 12. ad Gaud. this word the Son that is borne to thee shal dye And God himself sayd I in the day of reuenge will visit this their sinne Therfore he meant to punish their offence which notwithstanding was pardoned if we belieue S. Hierome 8. Likewise many innocent babes after the spot of Originall infection is cleansed by Baptisme are daily afflicted with the panges of sicknes with the agony of death not for the exercise of vertue nor for Penitentiall correction or future amendment of which they are vncapable but for the reuenge and chastisement of our first Fathers sinne Neither can we say that the death of King Dauids child was principally sent vnto him as a fruitefull caution or token of sorrow because he with teares with fasting with lying on the ground sought to shun it as much as he could which so vertuous a Prince would neuer haue done if it had beene any profitable caution or fruit of repentance much lesse could it be any Penitentiall correction for the publike satisfaction and discipline of the Church because he was so vnwilling to haue it Psa â— v. 7. Psa 34. v. 1â— Psal 101. ver 10. 3. Reg. 21. ver 27. Ionae 3. v. â— 7. 8. Hiero. in his comm vpon the 3. of Ionas Ionae 3. v. 9. 10. Vid. Fran Riberum in cap. 3. Ionae in cap. 1. Naâ—um Aug. hom 5. ex 50. homilijâ—â— 5 Non sufficit moresin melius c. nisi etiam de his quae facta sunt fatisâ—ias Deo c. Aug. in Enâ—hyr ad Laurent â— 70. Cyp. ser de Lapfis Cyp. tract de oper Eleâ—mosyn Châ—ys hom 41. ad Popul Antio Lact. l. 5. diâ— iâ—sti ca. 13. Orig. ho. 3. in l. ludic Amb. l. 2. de Poenitâ—n cap. 5. come to passe vsing so many meanes to pacify God another way neither is it likely that the Church would haue inflicted such a punishment vpon him the teares likewise he shed in so great aboundance as he washed with them euery night his Couch the humbling of his soule in fasting the minglâ—ng of his bread with ashes the wearing of sackcloth and meruailous humility which King Achab shewed the afflictions and voluntary fastings which the Niniuites their King their children their cattell endured were neither vsed for example to others or for amendment of their liues heereafter or for any other cause to asswage the wrath of God recompence the wrong their sinnes had done already pardoned by the secret Contrition sorrow of their harts as togeather with the interpretation of S. Hierome vpon this place the very wordes of the Niniuites Gods answere vnto them do both make manifest The Niniuiâ—es intention was to satisfy God saying Who knoweth whether God will turue and pardon and returne from the fury of his indignation The Prophet replyeth in his person And God saw their works not the repentance only of their inward harts but the Pennance and Satisfaction of their outward workes and Herepented him of the euill he spake against them Howbeit they after slyding back into their former wickednes the subuersion of their Citty ensued which the Prophet foretold 9. Besides the authorityes of the Fathers are also pregnant that the punishments of which they speake were not only inflicted for exercise of present vertue or preuenting of future euills but also to satisfy God and redeeme offences past as nothing can be more euidently recorded S. Augustine pronounceth It is not inough to chang our manners to the better and decline from euills vnles God be also satisfyed for those things which be past by the griâ—â— of Pennance by the mourning of humility by the sacâ—ifice of a contrite hart almesdees cooperating thereunâ—o And in another place By almesdeeds for offences past God is to be made propitious and fauourable S. Cyprian God is to be implored our Lord is to be pacifyed with our Satisfaction Againe By good-workes God ought to be satisfyed by merits of mercy sinnes should be purged S. Chrysostome Let vs take reueng of our selues so we shall appease our Iudge Lactantius It is lawfull to satisfy God Origen As much tyme as thou hast spent in sinning so long humble thy selfe to God and satisfy him in Confession of Pennance S. Ambrose He that doth Pennance should not only wash away his offence with teares but with perfecter workes ought to couer and hide former faults that sinne may not be imputed vnto him â—asil interro 12. in eg breuioribus Psal 100. 10. S. Basil sheweth the reason heereof saying Albeit God in his only begotten Sonne as much as lyeth in him hath granted remission of sinnes to all yet because mercy and iudgement are ioyned togeather by the holy Prophet and he witnesseth God to be both mercifull and iust it is necessary that those thinges which are spoken of Pennance by the Prophets and Apostles be performed by vs that the iudgments of Gods iustice may appeare and his mercy Greg. Na zian orat insancta luâ—ina be consumated to the condonation of sinners For as S. Gregory Nazianzen sayth It is a like euill remission without chastisment and chastisement without pardon because the one letteth go the raines too far the other restraineth them too much Wherefore that God may carry ouer vs an euen hand that his clemency may be mingled with some seuerity his iustice and mercy may meete togeather although he alwayes of mercy pardoneth the iniquity of repentant sinners yet he often bindeth them ouer to some temporall chastisement to satisfy thereby the rigour of his iustice as in the partiall iudgment of our professed enemyes all antiquity heerein Caluin l. 3. Inst c. 4. §. 8. Calu. 4 c. 12. §. 8. Kemnitius 2. par exam p. 181.
place with which our Aduersaryes vrge vs and we easily retorte vpon them turning the points of their weapons against their owne breasts two thinges he obserued he reprehended the imperious haughty manner of ruling ordinarily practised by worldly Princes he instructed them in another course of gouerning which he purposed to plant among them In the former he vseth generall Qui maior est invobis Reyn. in his Confer c. 2. diuis 2. pag. 105. Reyn. ibid. Vos autem non sic or non ita erit inter vos as S. Matthew readeth Matth. â—0 v. 26. Luc. 22. v. 26. tearmes and speaketh to them in common Vos au em c. but you in the latter particuler wordes directing his speach to one he that is greater In the former he teacheth them all to humble themselues and not to thirst after earthly preferments in the latter he doth not only teach humility to all as Reynolds would likewise slip away but he also deliuereth an instruction to one how to behaue himselfe in gouernment In the former I accord with him that he debarreth them all from being such Lords from such proud dominion as he there rebuketh and therefore purposely sayth But you not so in the latter he approueth a distinct manner but directly establisheth a superiority amongst them saying He that is the greater among you let him become as the younger He doth not say he that would be as in S. Mathews Ghospell but he that is nor he that is the greaterouer others but he that is the greater among you Among you my Apostles among you in the midst of whome I the Leader haue bin like him that wayteth so he whom I shall leaue as chiefe among you let him follow my example and be as the waiter 13. Shall I heere pose M. Bilson shall I pose M. Reynolds what this instruction meant was it addressed to some one amongst the Apostles designed to be head or not if they answer it was as maugre all violent constructions or coloured glosses the Text it selfe doth speake Then there was one to be a Greater a Leader a Captaine or Prince amongst them as the Greeke * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word †Dirosh that is Princeps a Prince in Syriack in which language our Sauiour spak Luc. 22. 31. 32. Syriacke openeth if not if it appertayned to none how will they free the wisdome of God from letting fall those superflouous words from teaching a lesson proposing an example giuing an instruction which no way belonged to any of his audience how followeth that sudden digression immediatly hereupon Simon behold Sathan hath required to haue you for to sift as Wheat but I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not and thou once conuerted confirme thy brethren How is this saying connected with the former discourse this conuersion of our Sauiours speach at the same time to Peter this redoubling of his name this mention of the praier he made for him of the authority of strengthning his brethren giuen to him vnlesse he he were the man appointed to be head and Amb. lib. 10. in c. 22. Luc. posteaquam inquit fleuisti erectus es vt alios regeres qui te ipse non rexeras Arnobius in Psal 138. Rein. c. 5. diuis 3. Mat. 10. 2. Beza in Annot. Noui Test Anâ—o Domini 1556. Mat. 16. Act. 2. Act. 10. Act. 3. Act. 4. Act. 21 Act. 1. chiefe of them all Which S. Ambrose flatly auoucheth speaking thus vnto Peter After thou hast wept thou art raised vp that thou maiest rule and gouerne others who didest not gouerne thy selfe And Arnobius Help it affoarded to the Apostle penitent who is the Bishop of Bishops and a greater degree is restored to him weeping then was taken from him denying c. that he might not only be assured to haue recouered that which he had lost but also to haue gotteÌ„ more by repeÌ„ting then euer he lost by denying 14. Further whensoeuer the Euangelists rehearse the Catalogue of the Apostles S. Peter is named first which M. Reynolds basely conceiting surmiseth to be for that he was like the fore-man of the quest in Iuries But S. Matthew expresseth it to be because he was indeed in the number of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Primus that is The first a word so significant in Latin and Greeke as Beza suspecteth it to haue beene foisted into the text by some fauourer of Peters Primacie Not only in naming in sundry others extraordinary graces he is priuiledged as the first or chief of the Apostles He was the first who acknowledged and openly confessed the Diuinity of Christ the first who preached vnto the Iewes the first who conuerted the Gentiles the first who confirmed his doctrine with a famous miracle the first who resisted the Synagogue the first who increased the Church with three thousand at one time the first who riseth the first who propoundeth the first who concludeth in the middest of his brethren 15. Finally the Scripture teacheth that only Peter Mat. 17. Mat. 14. Luc. 5. was matched with Christ in the paiment of tribute Only Peter walketh with him vpon the waters Only Peter recei ueth Christ into his barge Only out of Peters boat doth our Sauiour teach and instruct the people Only Ioa. 21. Act. 12. Luc. 22. Leo serm 3. de assump sua ad Pontif. Luc. 5. v. 4. Amb. l. 5. in c. 5. Luc. Gal. 1. 18. Oecum in eum loc Chrysost hom 87. in IoaÌ„ Amb. in huÌ„c loc Peters death and Passion was foretold by Christ For Peter alone praier is made by the Church without intermission To Peter alone infallible assurance was giuen to strengthen others in faith To Peter alone our Sauiour said Duc in altum Launch forth into the deepe that is as S. Ambrose interpreteth In profundum disputationum Into the maine depth of all disputations of all hidden mysteries of our beliefe To see Peter alone S. Paul came to Hierusalem He came as to his greater saith Oecumenius As to the mouth and chiefe of the Apostles S. Iohn Chrysostome As to the first amongst the Apostles to whome our Sauiour committed the charge of the Church S. Ambrose Few Iuries I ween will performe the like office or yield such dignity to the Foreman of their Quest 16. But if you will see the Primacy of Peter more liuely expressed consider the actions he accomplished after the ascension of Christ and you shall euery where behold him practising his soueraigne authority To publish the deposition of one Bishop and election of another in the Colledge of the Apostles is proper to the chiefe Act. 2. and highest Apostle S. Peter pronounced Iudas to haue lost his Bishopricke and proposed another to be chosen in his roome To condemne vnto death without checke or controlment belongeth to the chiefe and highest Iudge S. Peter condemned Ananias and Saphira for their sacriledge Act. 5. Act. 8. Aug. l. de
to the rule of many It was a Monarchy when Christ alone planted and founded it a Monarchy when Peter ruled it and is it now fallen to a more vnperfect forme of gouernment The Common-wealth of the Romans which flourished aboue all others was at last vtterly ruined by her manifold alterations by altering the sterne of regiment from Kings to ten Gouernours from them to Consuls from Consuls to Tribunes of souldiours from Tribunes to Dictatours from Dictatours to Trium-viri and could not our heauenly Law-maker preuent in his spirituall Common-wealth these great inconueniences Would he subiect his Church to such chops and changes to be gouerned first by one then by many after by more now by the Cleargy then by the Laity one while by Bishops then by Kings and Princes heere by Women there by Children whome you make heads and Gouernours of your Church Daniel prophesied that the God of Heauen would raise a kingdome which should neuer be dissolued and the Angell Gabriel foretould it should neuer haue end But neither the wordes of the Prophet nor voice of the Angell do you regard who rent and deuide the kingdome of Christs Church into as many seuerall Common-wealthes as there be seuerall Kinges seuerall Courts of Parlament seueral estates and manners of gouernement absolute and independant in the whole Christian World 6. The Synagogue of the lewes long triumphed in the lineall succession of her High Priests First in Aaron next in Eleazarus then in Phinees and in others after him vntill the end and abrogation of the Law and is it not meete the Church of Christ should glory in the like Being Heb. 8. v. 6 established in better promises and hauing greater necessity theÌ„ euer the Synagogue had For we find by experience many strifes contentions daily happen among the people of God who shal appease quiet theÌ„ The Bishops But how often do they arise among the Bishops themselues The Primates and Patriarches And what if they be also at variance as Flauianus and Dioscorus Cyrillus and Nestorius Euphemius and Petrus Mogus were The temporall Prince or Ciuill Magistrate But they ought not to intermedle with Ecclesiasticall affaires their factions may be more dangerous then any of the former To whome shall we then repaire To a Generall Councell But who shall sommon who shall order who shall direct and guide this Assembly What if they decline from the truth as the Councell of Ariminum the Councell of Milan the second Councell of Ephesus did who shall iudge their cause Who shall compose their dissentions vnles some one be appointed by the prouidence of God whose decree is iÌ„nuiolable and whose infallible censure all ought to obey Couell in his exam against the Plea of Innocents pag. 107. Cartwright in his second Reply part 1. pag. 582. 7. Otherwise as D. Couell our English Protestant affirmeth The Church of Christ should be in a farre worse case then the meanest Common-wealth nay almost then a denne of theeues if it were left destitute of meanes either to conuince heresyes or suppresse them A little before he sayth Authority which cannot be where all are equall must procure vnity and obedience And Cartwright This point of keeping peace in the Church is one of those which requireth as well a Pope ouer all Arch-bishops as one Arch-bishop ouer all Bishops in a Realme Melancthon pursueth the same reason The Bishop sayth Melanct. in Centu. Ep. Theol. Ep. 74. iuxta edit Bipont an Domini 1597. Luâ—h in lo. com Clas 1. cap. 37. p. 107. he of Rome is president ouer all Bishops and this Canonicall policy no wise man as I thinke doth or ought to disallow c. For the Monarchy of the Bishop of Rome is in my opinion profitable to this end that consens of Doctrine may be retained Which Luther his maister taught before him Whereas God would haue one Catholike Church throughout the whole world it is necessary to haue one people Yea and of this one people one Father ought to be chosen 8. Thus these Protestants depose against their own confederates and no maruell though some in so cleare light of Scripture in such a general consent of Councels 1. Cor. c. 12. vers 21. Io. 10. v. 16. Fathers and all antiquity should voluntarily approue a truth so manifest maruell no more approue it great maruell they remember not all the comparisons of S. Paul resembling the Church to a body in which the head Concil Nicen. can 6. Concil Brach. can 28. 23. Concil Constant apud Theod l. 5. Hist c. 9 Concil Lateran c. 5. Florent in Declarat fidei Conc. Chal. Act. 3. in relatione Sanctae Synodi ad B. PapaÌ„ Leonem 6. Synodus general cannot say to the feete as Christ might you are not necessary for me The prophesy recorded by S. Iohn There shal be one fold and one pastour Which as it was not verifyed in Christ his tyme so it cannot be now vnderstood only of him our inuisible Pastour but the flocke and fold being visible the Pastour whose office is ordinary and charge perpetuall must likewise be visible 9. What shall I adde the approbation of generall Councells Of the first Councell of Nice in Bithynia of the Councell of Brachara in Spaine of the Councell of Constantinople in Thracia of the Councells of Lateran and Florence in Italy especially of the Councell of Chalcedon in Asia one of the foure which our English Protestants allow where Pope Leo is called The vniuersall Arch-bishop The vniuersall Patriarch The Bishop of the vniuersall Church The Pope of the vniuersall Church Where the whole Councell tearmeth Leo The Interpreter of S. Peters voyce to all the world Where they acknowledge him their head and themselues his members Where they all confesse That the custody or keeping of the vineyard that is of the whole Church is committed by our Sauiour to Leo. Likewise the sixth Generall Synod confesseth that S. Peter was with them by his Successour Agatho and that S. Peter spake by Agatho his mouth 10. From the Councels I passe to the Fathers to S. Chrys l. 2. de Sacer. Hiero. Ep. ad Dam Hiero. ibid. Aug. in Psal cont part Donati de Vtilitate Cred. c. 17. Aug. in Epist. 162. Aug. lib. 1. con 2. Ep. Pela c. 1. ad Bonifa Prosper li. de ingrat Victor l. 2. de persecu Vandal Vincen in suo CoÌ„mo â—ustinian Ep. ad Io. quae habetur in Codice Iraen l. 3. cap. 3. Chrysostome Why did our Lord shed his bloud Truely to redeeme those sheep the care of which he committed both to Peter also to his Successours To S. Hierome writing to Damasus the Pope of Rome With the Successour of the Fisher-man and with the Disciple of the Crosse I speake I following none chiefe but Christ hold the fellow-ship of Communion with your Holynesse that is with Peters Chaire Vpon that Rocke I know the Church to be built Whosoeuer shall eate the Paschall Lambe out
of Christ that euery Ibid. pag. 304. 2. ad Cor. cap. 5. Fulke in c. 5. 2. ad Cor sect 1. Matth. 12. S. Chrys in c. 15. 1. ad Cor. ho. 14. Fulke â—-Purg pag. 251. Iob. cap. 1. 4. Reg. 19. Chrys in Ep. ad Philip hom 3. Fulke ibid. p. 236. 237. one may receaue the proper thinges of his body c. M. Fulke answereth Augustine holding that errour without authority of Scripture that prayers were profitable to the dead is driuen to inuent a distinction how they may seeme to stand with this text not be contrary to the Scriptures S. Gregory and Venerable Bede conuinceth prayers for the Dead out of the place of S. Matthew cited aboue M. Fulke Gregory and Bede sought not the true meaning of Christ in this Scripture but the confirmation of their plausible errours S. Chrysostome produceth two seuerall places in confirmation thereof one out of Iob the other out of the booke of Kings M. Fulke to the former replyeth I deny not but that Chrysostome doth alleadge this example of Iob sacrificing for his children for prayers to profit the dead c. Those good men in that declyning state of the Church to superstition c. are driuen to such simple shifts to vphould their plausible errours as it is great pitty to see To the later Chrysostome alleadgeth Scripture but he applyeth it madly and yet he often applyeth it to the same purpose Then cyting the text out of the booke of Kings which S. Chrysostome bringeth he bemoaneth him in this sort Alas good man what manner of reason is this So he O Chrysostome ô Augustine ô Gregorie haue your prayers watchings trauels industry al your naturall tallents and supernaturall guifts in searching the true sense of Scripture beene so meanly imployed as they deserue to be controlled pittyed bemoaned now by the new Ghospellers new Apostles new Peters new Pauls of this our vnhappy age 21. But to pursue this matter against my Aduersaryes could a more shrewd Inditement be drawne to conuict M. Fulke of desperate audacity then this which is Idem in his confut of Purg. pag. 362. c. 303. 393. taken out of his owne wordes In challenging to himselfe the supreme Censour-ship of iudging reiecting and condemning Fathers Scriptures Traditions or whatsoeuer els doth distast his humour Or could a more indifferent Iury be impanelled to giue verdict of M. Fields hypocrisy then these his owne fellow-sectaryes who would neuer haue darkened the foresayd lights of the Church had they taught the same kind of Commemorating the dead which M. Field mentioneth and all Protestants defend For that would Sparkes haue renounced S. Augustine Spark p. 371. 372. Fulke in his confut of Purg. p. 349. in cap. 5. 1. ad Cor. sect 1. Calu. l. 3. Inst cap. 5. §. 10. Zuing. tom 1. Epicheresis de Can. Missae fol. 185. Field in oppend 1. par pag. 13. and deliuer of him He was greatly carryed by the sway and opinions of the multitude He went further then either he had warrant for out of the Canonicall Scriptures or out of any vnforged and vncounterfeited president Of that would M. Fulke haue sayd Augustine blindly defended it Augustine held it without authority of Scripture Of that would M. Caluin write The old Fathers wanted both commandment of God and authenticall example They were carryed away into errour euen as vnaduised lightnes of beliefe is wont to rob mens wits of Iudgement Of that would Zuinglius affirme If it be so as Augustine and Chrysostome say I do not thinke the Apostles for any other cause then to yield to their infirmity permitted some to pray for the Dead Would the fornamed and many other Protestants reprehend the Fathers disgrace the Apostles resist the current of all Antiquity for countenancing a point of Protestants profession No M. Field no man of sense can thinke your men so senslesse as to condemne in their Predecessours which themselues vphold 22. Neither can it be defended that this Prayer for the Dead reproued by your Ghospellers in the ancient Fathers was made by them as you seeke another way to escape Either for the mititagion of the paines of men in hell or for the admittance of the Iust into the Heauenly Pallace and presence of God out of some wrong conceit that no iudgment passed on them vntill the generall day of Resurrection For both these were particuler fancies of priuate men as you M. Field your selfe seem to auoch and it is euident to all that are Field in appen 1. part fol. 4. 12. 13. 16. Bulling Decad. 4. serm â—0 Fulke in his confut of Purg. p. 78. 310. acquainted with antiquity But the ancient Commemoration of the Dead reprehended by our new Reformers was generally receaued by all the Fathers It was as Bullinger writeth obserued in the vniuersall Church It was as M. Fulke sayth the common errour in S. Augustines and S. Ambroses dayes The preuailing custome as * Hospin in hist Sacra p. 167. Vrbanus Regius in 1. par operum in loc Commun c. 18. de Missae negotio f. 7â— Fulke in his answer to a counterfeit Cathol p. 44 Aug. l. 21. de ciu Dei c. 23. 24. de cura pro mort c. 1. another testifyeth in the tyme of S. Cyril The vniuersall obseruation as Vrbanus Rhegius reporteth and ancient custome of the whole Catholike Church Againe this is affirmed by the Fathers to be a Tradition of the Apostles which those errours neuer were 23. For gainesaying this as vnprofitable for the Dead Aerius was condemned as M. Fulke witnesseth yet neuer any was censured by the Church for deniall of those To mantaine this S. Augustine and others distinguish three sorts of men departed and make the middle only as I specifyed aboue partakers of benefit To allow those no such distinction is necessary for none are so euill whose paines may not be mitigated none so good whose ioyes may not be increased or felicity hastned Lastly this is confessed by our * Fulke in his confut of Purgat in the places before cited Kemnitius 3. p. exam pag. 93. 107. Vrbanus Regius part 1. operum in loc Commun cap. Casaubon in the answere to the epist of Card. Peron to the 3. instance fol. 33. in English Aduersaryes to haue beene defended by S. Dionyse S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Basil S. Athanasius S. Cyril S. Gregory Nissen S. Epiphanius S. Chrysostome S. Hierome S. Ambrose S. Augustine and many more who neuer dreamed but some of them stoutly impugned the former errours of which M. Field could not be ignorant 24. Therefore as I cannot but iudge him both a deep dissembler and deceitfull iugler in seeking these grosse and palpable euasions so I truely honour his Maiestyes plaine and sincere dealing who freely protesteth That it was a very ancient custome in the publike prayers of the Church to make commemoration of the deceased to desire of God rest for their soules
who dyed in the peace of the Church few Field in the places cited aboue Casaubon in the page fornamed are ignorant c. This custome although the Church of England condemneth not in the first ages yet she thinketh not good to retaine it now c. Marke this opposition betwixt the Prince and his subiects writing M. Field denyeth that The Church generally intended to relieue soules c. King Iames auoucheth The Church did desire of God rest for the departed M. Field with his Sinagogue imbraceth all the common and lawful kinds of commemorating the dead the Ancients obserued excepting only two priuate and particuler errours K. Iames with his English Congregation Retaineth not an ancient custome the Church vsed in her publike prayers a custome which spronge from a vehement affect of Charity c. whereby she gaue testimony of the Resurrection to come a custome which he reserreth to the head of thinges profitable or lawfull c. So cleerely is M. Field condemned by the sentence of his Soueraigne who Bucer in his Script a Auglican pag. 450. Vrba Regius in par 1. operum in formula cauâ—â— loquendi f. 8. Ibidem in loc commu c. 8. de Purgat Idem part 1. de missae negotio f. 71. Idem in 1. par oper in loc commun c. 19. vbi supra Aug. ep 1â— Field in ap pend 1. p. pag. 2. was cast before by the iudgment of his Peeres 25. Next after K. Iames I must needes giue praise to some other of his sect who flatly coÌ„fesse with vs the same manner of Prayer for the dead which we require As Bucer once a Cambrigian Professour and Vrbanus Regius Luthers scholler who affirmeth the like of his Maister and proueth it by the testimony of al the most learned Fathers of credit and authority in the Church of God whose names I rehearsed aboue Who appointed also in his reformed Churches of Sueuia a prescript Prayer for the departed brother To the end that God of his mercy would pardon the faults and infirmity of his flesh Who concludeth at length To be sollicitous and carefull for the dead is both a worke of Charity fruit of fayth testifying our beliefe of the glorious Resurrection which no man contemneth but Epicureans and Sadduceans They because they deny the immortality of the soule these because they belieue not the resurrection of the flesh Wherefore if our English Protestants had any regard I will not say to the plaine texts of Scripture whose squire they preteÌ„d in all thinges to follow nor to the prescription of the Church whose vniuersall practise S. Augustine counteth Most insolent madnesse to call in question nor to the ancient Fathers whose generall doctrine M. Field iudgeth no lesse theÌ„ Barbarisme to attach of errour but if they had respect to their owne illuminated Ghospellers to the Scriptures they interprete to the reasons they alleadge they would neuer reiect as superstitious trumpery that which Bucer A man by the censure of the * See this in the letter of the Vniuersity extant in Bucers scipt Ang. p. 944. Fox in his Act. c. pag. 416. English Apolog par 4. c. 4. 2. Cor. 2. Fulke vpoÌ„ that chap. sect 1. 1. Cor. 3. Gal. 6. Rom. â— Apoc. 14. Fulke in enÌ„ loc ser 5 Eccl. 9. 5. 6 Eccl. c. 9. 10 Hier. in c. 6 ad Galat. Fulke obiecteth this place against prayer for the Dead in his confut of Parg. and prayer for soules departed pag 44â— Vniuersity of Cambridge most holy and plainly diuine which Luther Their Elias sent from God to lighten the world which Vrbanus Regius his faythfull and royall scholler constantly maintaine for Euangelical doctrine Nay which King Iames their supreme head and chiefest gouernour in causes Ecclesiasticall placeth in the ranke of thinges lawfull and profitable 26. Now let vs see what coulour they haue to contradict so cleare and manifest a truth M. Fulke and his confederates assemble many sentences out of Scripture which seeme to carry against it som shew of repugnance Out of S. Paul We must all be conuented before the tribunall seat of Christ that euery one may receaue the proper thinges of his body according as he hath done good or euill Then Euery one of vs shall giue an account for himselfe to God The thinges which euery one hath sowed those shall he reape Thou restorest to euery one according to his workes And not according to the works of others Againe Their workes follow them And not the workes of their friends who remaine behind Therefore they cannot be relieued by them Which is confirmed by King Salomon The dead know no more nor haue any further reward they haue no part in this world nor in the worke that is achieued vnder the heauens For which cause he counselleth vs heere Diligently to performe whatsoeuer our hand can worke Likewise by the authority of S. Hierome saying In this present world we know we may help one another either by our prayers or counsells but when we shall come before the tribunall of Christ neither Iob nor Daniel nor Noë can make suite for any but euery one must beare his owne burden These be the skarcrowes which terrify our Reformers from exercising their charity towardes the dead which notwithstanding we easily auoid three seuerall wayes 27. First I say most of the former places may be expounded of the Iudgment in which no help can be expected either from the workes or suffrages of others of this S. Hierome expresly meaneth But King Salomon in the first place seemeth to speake only of the temporall goods left behind them in this world of the benefits of this life in which the Dead haue no society with vs and not of the spirituall workes of Charity of Prayer Almes-deeds c. whereby their soules are benefitted Secondly they may be all interpreted as S. Augustine doth the first testimony cited out of the Apostle which he obiecteth 2. Cor. 5. vers 10. to himselfe That euery one may receaue according to his deserts in the body c. that is according as he merited heere he shall truly enioy in the next life both comfort to himselfe and profit by the charity of others For as S. Augustin profouÌ„dly Aug. in Enchir. c. 110. answereth heerunto In this life and before death he deserued this that these workes after his death might be profitable vnto him Thus his workes are sayd to follow him Or the workes of the liuing may be tearmed his that is dead because he deserued in this life the benefite of them and because they are applyed vnto him eyther by the intention of the worker or by the mercifull dispensation of the Treasurer of Gods Church Thirdly all these places may be vnderstood of the workes of merit not of satisfaction that is euery one shall giue an account for himselfe in the way of merit not in the way of satisfaction The works of one cannot auaile another in the way
his spirit which secretly he powreth into Infants also as they then so likewise we are iustifyed not by actuall and imputatiue but by habituall and inhabtant Iustice inwardly cleansing and adorning our soules 8. Sixtly as no man can be truly accounted the obiect of Gods hatred and worthy of damnation by the meere imputation of fault vnles he be faulty indeed and guilty of crime so as Gabriel Vasquez solidly disputeth none can be reputed the obiect of his loue and worthy Gab. Vasquez in 1. 2. disp 206. cap. 3. of heauen by the extrinsecall will of God not imputing sinne or imputing Iustice vnles he be truely free from sin and endowed with Iustice Againe as no man can be made truly and formally wise by the wisdom which is in another or liue by the life which another enioyeth so neither formally iust by the iustice which is in another Abbot in his defence c. 4. fol. 423. 424. and so not by the Iustice which is in Christ M. Abbot in his defence answereth That a man may be formally iust two manner of wayes A man is one way formally iust in quality another way formally iust in law And then he graunteth That it were absurd indeed that a man should be formally iust in quality by the iustice of another But he may be sayth he formally iust in law For in the course of Law and iudgment the forme of Iustice is not to be subiect to crime or accusation he is formally iust against whome no action or accusation is lyable by law c. And this is the state of our Iustice and righteousnes in the sight of God Hath not he shaped a fine answere very sutable to Scriptures and much to the credit of Christ his Maister For did he giue Tit. 2. v. 24. himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all antiquity and might cleanse to himselfe a people acceptable Did he shed his pretious bloud to take away our sinnes purging vs by the lauer of water in the word And hath he only performed it by immunity from punishment not by cancelling and purging Ioan. 1. v. 29. z. loan 3. v. 5. ad Ephes 5. v. 26. Ioan. 17. v. 19. Rom. 8. v. 15 2. Petr. 1. v. 3. ad Ephes 4. v. 14. Feild l. 3. c. 44. of the Church fol. 178. our faults The Scriptures manifestly teach That he sanctifyed himselfe that we might also be sanctifyed in truth giueth vs his spirit of adoption most great and pretious promises that by these we may be made partakers of the diuine nature created a new in iustice and holynes of truth And is all this done in the externall proceeding and course of law remaining in our selues still tainted with the inherence of sinne 9. All Philosophers accord that the denomination of a subiect is more truly and properly taken from the inherent quality which abydeth in it then from the outward forme which is referred vnto it as a Black Moore although he be apparelled in a white liuery is properly notwithstanding tearmed blacke of his innate blacknes not white of his outward habit Therefore if vve be truly sinners by invvard infection If the inherence of sin as Field confesseth be acknowledged in euery iustifyed person notwithstanding his iustification howsoeuer the iustice of Christ be Feild ibid. imputed vnto vs to free vs from the processe of the Law yet we cannot be truly tearmed iust holy innocent and imâ—aculate the children of God and heires of heauen as we are often called in holy Write Being as I say in very deed impure defiled channels of sinne by the inherence therof and consequently in our selues slaues to Sathan worthy hell worthy damnation Neither is it inough to say we may be accounted innocent because no inditement can be drawne no accusation heard no attachement take place against vs for as the guilt of sinne and heynousnes of treason goeth before the desert of punishment much more before the action or accusation which is layd to our charge so the exemption or immunity from the executioÌ„ of the law is no acquittance or freedome from the desert much lesse from the guiltynes or treachery of our harts Therefore the holy Ghost who iudgeth of vs as we are indeed should falsly tearme vs holy iust c. once darknes now light in our Lord if we be still darckned with the mists of sinne and are only freed from the punishment thereof 10. Moreouer what if M. Feild the polisher of the rough and crabbed speaches of other Protestants the refiner of their impure doctrine what if himselfe auow that sinne still lurketh in the faythfull not wholy exempted from all action in law but only from dominion and Feild 3. l. c. 44. f. 178. guilt of condemnation Read his wordes once againe and returne your verdict of him The inherence of sinne the iustifyed man acknowledgeth in himselfe notwithstanding his iustification which still subiecteth him to Gods displeasure and punishments Feild ibid accompanying the same Againe in the same page continuing his discourse of the iustifyed he sayth They are not already freed actually from the inherence of sinne and the displeasure of God disliking it But how can he be formally iust by course of law free from all crime action and accusation in whose spotted soule sinne still inhereth lyable to punishments and which is worse obnoxious to the disfauour of God hating and disliking it Shall I not thinke these iarring Ministers like the ancient Southsayers of whome Tully reporteth laugh the people to scorne and make merry among themselues in their secret meetinges when they remember with what contrary tales and lying fables they beguile their Readers For shall not I thinke this a cosening deuise a most exorbitant course that the Father of heauen should not absolutly extinguish but wincke at our faults cloake our iniquityes fauour whome he hateth wrong his Iustice and falsify his word in not punishing sinners according to the rate of their misdeserts for the loue of his Sonne vvho either vvould not or could not offer an equiualent ransome for Cal. 4. v. 6. the cleansing of our soules heere vpon earth 11. The seauenth is that we all participate of the same spirit with Christ our Sauiour Because you are sonnes Ioan. 1. v. 16. God hath sent the spirit of his Sonne into your harts We liue with his spiritual life of his fullnes we all haue receaued We receaue of the same fullnes life of grace in substance although not in perfection that in substance which the Angels enioyed in their state of merit for all the members of one mysticall body partake of one life the members enioy the same property of life with the head the branches are nourished with the sapp or iuyce which springeth from the vyne but the spirituall life and Iustice of Christ both is and was heere vpon earth inherent the Iustice of Angells inherent and pleasing to God therefore ours must of necessity
once maliciously abandoneth Christ by willfull heresy or Apostacy can neither be admitted heer by true repentance into the bosom of the church nor which is worse euer heereafter to the mercy of God contrary to these expresse sentences of holy Scripture If the impious shal do pennance for all his sin which he hath wrought c. liuing he shall liue shal not dye Euery one that shall inuocate the name of the Lord shal be saued Let the impious forsake his way the vniust man his cogitations returne to our Lord and he will haue mercy on him Which I might strengthen with the authorityes of S. Ambrose S. Hierome S. Augustine but I am to prosecute the matter in hand And touching these Apostata's of whom S. Paul mentioneth I aske our Reformers whether they were euer implanted into Christ by iustifying fayth or by the beames of sactification and renouation only which they impiously distinguish from the beautifull rayes of Iustice graunt they were once vnited vnto him by a liuely fayth as euery member euery verse of the sentence seemeth to demonstrate saying They were once illuminated with the light of Fayth haue tasted the heauenly Chrys in cum lois gift that is as S. Chrysostome interpreteth the remission of sinnes which if Protestants also allow where then is the security they promised to the iustifyed of neuer falling Where is their certainty of saluation when these iust persons after the aboundance of heauenly sweetnes haue tumbled backe into such irremediable Apostacy as they can neuer as long as Protestants may sit in iudgment recouer Gods fauour againe neuer haue any possible means to obtayne mercy or purchase saluation But if Fulke and his fellows cauill and say that they were only sanctifyed and renewed by the grace of the holy Ghost through the merits of Christs passioÌ„ yet not truly iustifyed which is impossible at least to proppe vp one they vndermine many ruinous castles of their owne defence to wit that some not predestinate but plainly reprobate may be inwardly regenerated and new borne in Christ that internall renouation is no infallible seale of Gods election that the grace of iustification which Christ purchased by his death is common other while to the reprobate as well as to the elect all repugnant to the principles which they themselues defend 3. Lastly if they answere with Caluin for their replyes are as various and different as their fancyes that Câ—lu in c. 6. ad Hebr. â— 4. l. 3. Inflit. those Apostata's were neuer truly sanctifyed but only sprinkled withsome smacke or relish of grace shined on with some sparks of light lightly ouerwashed not throughly soaked in the waters of heauenly blessing So he wantonly dallyeth with the oracles of God labouring to peruert them with his simpering speaches let him open his mouth and tell me plainly whether those sparkes of light or relishes of grace were any the least drams or particles of true renouation and inward iustice or not If they were they expelled sinne and iustifyed them for the tyme if not how fell they from that which they neuer enioyed How doth the Apostle teach it impossible for them to be renewed againe who neuer receaued any renouation at all How were they illuminated how tasted they the heauenly * Grecè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est supercaeleste donum guift the powers of the world to come how were they made partakers of the Holy Ghost who lay still oppressed with the darknes of vice I am ashamed to see these new Euangelists boasting of Scripture and yet oppose themselues so obstinatly against it and against the Venerable Consistory of all expositors both ancient and moderne heretiks only excepted who albeit they vary in the manner yet all agree in interpreting S. Paul of these Apostata's loosing and recouering iustice their only difficulty variance is in explicating what he meaneth by the word impossible For S. Anselme Hugo Dionysius and Lyranus with many late writers expounding him of true renouation to their former grace through the vertue of pennance by the word impossible vnderstand very hard and difficile for those vngratefull and malicious Apostata's after such lights Chrys in eum locum Hier. l. 3. cont Iou. Ambros l â— de poen August in inâ—hoatione ep ad Rom. Sedulius Primafius Theod. in eum loc 1. Cor 9. v. 27. Chrys ho. 1. in c. 3. ad â—hilip hom 23. â— ad Cor. August apud Peâ—rum Lumâ—â—â—â— in hunc locuÌ„ Paulin. ep 58. ad August 2. Pet. 2. v. â—1 Aug. defide oper c. 14. 15. graces and benefits receaued willfully reuolting to recouer Gods fauour againe by vnfaigned sorrow and perfect repentance But S. Chrysostome S. Hierome S. Ambrose S. Augustine Sedulius Primasius Theodoret and others interpreting S. Paul of renouation by the penitentiall water of Baptisme take the word impossible properly as though the Apostle should extend his speach to all such as fall after they haue beene purifyed by the lauer of regeneration should affirme it impossible for them to be repaired againe in that full and plenteous manner to receaue a new remission and perfect indulgence from all both fault and punishment due to their sinnes by the benefit of that pretious and all-sauing liquour which is most true although the former exposition seemeth more literall and both maintaine the right of our cause 4. Further more the Apostle sayth I chastize my body bring it into seruitude least perhaps wheÌ„ I haue preached to others my selfe become a reprobate Which reprobation from God vtter extirpation of grace if S. Paul feared how much more we sayth S. Chrysostom Heer may we lambes tremble quoth another when the ramme the guide of the flocke must so labour punish himselfe For in lieu of chastize the Greeke hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Paulinus and Erasmus translate liuidum facio I make blacke and blew S. Peter witnesseth the same with S. Paul It was better for theÌ„ not to know the way of iustice then after the knowledge to turne backe from that holy coÌ„mandment which was deliuered to them Where according to S. Augustine he writeth of them who once enioyed and were after depriued of iustifying grace And S. Peter explicating himselfe straight way after affirmeth That of the true prouerbe is chaunced to them the Dog returned to his vomit and the 2. Petr. 2. v. 22. Ezech. 10. v. 24. Sow washed into her wallowing in the mire Likewise the Prophet Ezechiel If the iust man turne away himself from his iustice do iniquity according to all the abhominations which the impious vseth to worke shall he liue Yet least Fulke should reply that he may returne away for a tyme but shall be sure to returne before he dye it followeth in the same place All his iustice which he had done shall not be remembred in the preuarication which he hath preuaricated and in his sinnes which he hath
to be vnderstood as if God did it or commaunded it to be done but that he hath permitted it only yet iustly So Tertullian calleth God not the doer but the permitter or sufferer of euill And Fulgentius No man iustly sinneth although God iustly permitteth him to sinne Epiphaniuâ—s Rupertus vse the same distinctioÌ„ whome I ioyne to the rest that you may abhorre the impudency of Caluin who so often carpeth at this auncient and long approued solution wherein I bewray both his and other heretikes hatred towards God For where they read in holy writ any mystery which redoundeth to the honour of his name they cloud or extenuate it with metaphoricall constructions as the Reall Presence in the SacrameÌ„t the remission of sinnes and inward iustice of our soules Where they discouer any sentences which may seeme to darken the beames of his glory they sticke fast to the letter and eagerly presse the rigour of the words as heere when he is sayd to â—arden to blind to giue men ouer to a reprobate sense Far otherwise all deuout and faythfull Interpreters of Gods word Otherwise S. Chrysostome who teacheth that God susteyned Pharao with much patience willing to reduce him vnto pennance For if he had not desired this he would not haue shewed so much lenity Otherwise Rupertus who commenting vpon this very allegation of Pharao to this purpose I haue raysed or set thee vp expoundeth it not with our Sectaries of his creation but of his aduancement to his Kingdome permittendo videlicet non agendo as much to say by permitting not by doing Otherwise Theodoret reciting diuers mutations of Pharaos will how sometimes he would dismisse Israel other tymes he would Theod. 9. 17 in Exodum not all these saith he Moyses recorded to teach vs that neyther Pharao was of peruerse nature neither did our Lord God make his mind hard and rebellious for he that now inclineth to this part now to that plainly sheweth freewill of the mind 11. Concerning the latter wounds obiected against vs that God made al things for himselfe euen the wicked man to the euill day To this purpose haue I raysed thee c. they are spoken not of the chief and principall purpose for mostly intended as the cause of his creation but of the euent or after-end Fulgent l. 1. ad Mon. to which he was consequently appoynted foreseeing his iniquity For although God be not the author as S. Fulgentius saith yet he is the ordeyner and disposer of euill wills so far forth as he ceaseth not to worke good of euill Which he receaued of his maister S. Augustine Of so great wisdome and power is God that al things which seeme coÌ„trary to his wil make towards those issues Aug. li. 22. de ciu Dei cap. 1. or ends which he himselfe both good and iust foreknew After this manner God inclineth the harts of all obstinate sinners either to exercise his seruants or make known his patieÌ„ce or to giue a greater lustre to vertue by her contrary vice After this manner not vnlike to the prouident skillfull work man who turneth that to some base which he cannot fashion to a more noble vse so God conuerteth the peruersenes of the impious to manifest his iustice whome without preiudice to their liberty he cannot winne to partake of his mercy Lastly after this manner he worketh all things according to the counsaile of his will because whatsoeuer is done good by himselfe or bad by others he directeth to the scope of his holy designs or rather because all things which he doth for sinnes which he doth not are no thinges but meere defects and priuations are Hierom. in â—om super hunc â—oâ—â—m full of wisdome counsaile freedome and prouidence So S. Hierome interpreteth this place saying God worketh all thinges according to the counsaile of his will not that all thinges which be done are accomplished by the will counsaile of God els sinnes might be imputed to God but because al thinges which he doth by counsaile and will he doth because for both they are full of the wisdome and power of him that doth them Where now was Caluin l. 3 Iâ—stit cap. â—3 §. 4. 7. lib. de aeterna Dei praedest fol. 916. Chrysost hom de interdict arb ad AdaÌ„ quae habetur post hom in Genes Caluin sup 8. Pros lib. 2. de vo cat genâ— cap. 1. 12. Caluin lib. Instit c. 17 18. lib. 2. c. 4. l. 3. c. 23. Augu. tract 53. in Ioan. Fulk in cap. 6. Mat. sect 6 Aug. ep 8â— q. 2. Fulk in cap. 12. Ioan. sect â— Aug. tract 3â— in Ioan. Con. ValeÌ„t cap. 2. Caluins iudgement or Fulkes witts whiles perusing the Fathers they discouered not these expositions But what maruell though they marked not their Comments who so ouerth wartly crosse their very words and meaning For compare a little the sayings of these men with those of the Fathers 12. Caluin By gods predestination Adam fell he both knowing and so ordeyning S. Chrysostome It is manifest that God would not haue Adam sinne who before his fall did fense and arme him Caluin Man falleth the prouidence of God so appoynting S. Prosper The ruine of no man is disposed by diuine ordination Caluin God willeth commandeth and inforceth to sinne S. Augustine God neither forceth commaundeth nor willeth sinne Fulk The text is plaine Lead vs not into temptation wherby is proued not only a permission but an action of Gods in them that are lead into temptation S. Augustine Lead vs not into temptation that is Suffer vs not by forsaking to be lead into temptation Fulke Gods election and reprobation is most free of his owne will not vpon the foresight of the merits of either of them S. Fulgentius Because God by foreknowledge saw the sinnes of men he dictated the sentence of predestination Fulke speaking of some incredulous The neither would nor could be willing to beleeue because they were reprobate S. Augustine If any man aske why they could not beleeue I answere roundly because they would not And the Valentine Councell defineth that the reprobate are not punished because they could not but because they would not be good By these and diuers other oppositions you may see how contrary the new inuentions of Protestants are to the doctrine of the Church You haue reade how repugnaÌ„t to the Scriptures how reproachfull and derogatory from the passion of Christ You haue reade what atheismes what execrations what sacriledges they conteyne against God himselfe against his infinite loue 13. Let me therfore intreate euery sober Christian who is touched with the zeale of his creators honour to abandon those bookes farced with such impieties to infernall flames to detest those Ghospellers who make Caluin l. â— Instit. c. 4. §. 2. Idem ergo facinus Deo sathanae homini assignari videmus noÌ„ esse absurduÌ„ Deus clauuÌ„ tenet Caluin l. 1. c. 18. 6. 1. Caluin lib.
cut his garments with the rest of his company which he likewise did for Abner 4. Yea this praier for the Dead hath beene a thing so generally receaued so inuiolaby practised amongst the Iewes euen then when they were Gods chosen people as when Iudas Machabaeus appointed publique Sacrifices 1. Reg. 3. 2. Reg. 1. 2. Reg. 1. 2. Machab. cap. 12. Ioseph de Bello Iudaic c. 19. Baruch c. 3. vers 5. Vrbanus Regius baec verba Baruch to be offered for them not one was found amongst the huge number of souldiers not one amongst the Priests and Leuits of Hierusalem not one amongst the Patriarches and Prophets of God most vigilant alwaies in checking Superstuion who euer reprehended that charitable deed But Iosephus the Historiographer plainly alloweth it And Baruch the Prophet as Vrbanus Regius a Protestant of no small account beareth witnesse made supplication himselfe for his Predecessours soules saying O Lord omnipotent remember not the iniquities of our forefathers And now at this present time the Iewes aboue all other Nations peculiarly wedded to the Traditions of their ancestours obserue by prescription a solemne praier for the Dead called * Paulus Fagius in c. 14. Deut. Genebrard in fine Chronol VVbitak cont Duraeum p. 85. See Caluino-turcis l. 4. c. 8. and Hilalar deca 4. feria 5. post dominicam 4. Quadrag Luc. 16. Haskaba pronounced by their Hazan or publike Minister of which M. Wnitaker auerreth I know the Iewes haue Rituall books which they read in their Synagogues and I am not ignorant that euen now they are wont to vse certaine praiers for the Dead 5. Neither was it any Ceremoniall Rite proper to the Iewes but a generall law or print of nature stamped in the hearts of all both sauage ciuill Nations In Grecians Indians Moscouites Aethiopians Turkes Persians Mores Arabians c. Who with a dissonant and disagreeing manner yet with one and the same hope of relieuing the departed offered their Praiers and Sacrifices vnto God To leaue Iewes and Gentiles and come to Christians 6. Our blessed Sauiour seemeth to exhort hereuÌ„to saying Make your selues friends of the Mammon of iniquity that when you faile they may receiue you into the eternall tabernacles Where by friendes S. Augustine and S. Gregory vnderstand the Saints in heauen whose necessities we once succoured heer vpon earth and who when we faile that is depart this life not so pure from the reliques of sinne as we may by our good deeds presently enter the kindgdome of heauen then they supplying our wants as we once relieued theirs receaue vs by their praiers and merits into the Mansions of euerlasting rest By their merit saith S. Austen charitable men obtaine mercy and pardon and Aug. ser 35. de verb. Domini l. 21. de ciuit Dei cap. 27. Greg. l. 21. moral c. 14. 1. Cor. 15 S. Gregory If by their friendship we gaine eternall Tabernacles we ought to consider when we bestow vpon them that we rather offer presents to Patrons then giue almes to the Poore 7. Secondly S. Paul sayth What shall they do that are Baptized for the dead if the Dead rise not againe at all Heere the Apostle argueth not from the erroneous practise which long after his tyme was broached by the Montanists Marcionists and Cerinthians who ministred true Baptisme to the liuing as profiting the departed for whose sake it was receaued but he taketh Baptisme heere Metaphorically for punishment and affliction as Christ vseth Luc. 12. Marc. 10. the word I haue a Baptisme to be baptized withall And Can you drinke the Chalice which I drinke or be baptized with the Baptisme wherewith I am baptized After which manner S. Nazian orat in SS lumina Cypr. ser de Coena Domini Gregory Nazianzen acknowledgeth a Baptisme of teares and Pennance And S. Cyprian sayth He baptizeth himselfe in tears Therefore the force of S. Pauls argument is to this effect What doth it auaile the faythfull people to punnish fast pray and afflict themselues for the soules departed if the Dead rise not againe and receaue the fruit and benefite of their prayers 8. Thirdly S. Iohn writeth There is a sinne to death 1. Ioan. 5. for that I say not that any man aske This sinne to death is not euery mortall sinne which killeth the soule but that Aug. v infra Aug. l. 21. de ciu Dei cap. 24. 1. Ioan. c. 5. v. 16. only as S. Augustine teacheth In which a man dyeth without repentance because the Apostle dehorteth not to pray for remission of any mans sin during life And the customâ— of the Church is to pray for Heretikes Schismatikes Apostataes or whosoeuer while they liue But If there be any sayth S. Augustine that persist till death in impenitency of hart doth the Church now pray for them that is for the soules of them that are so departed For these the Apostle exhorteth vs not to pray but if we know our Brother to sinne a sinne not to death that is in which he dyeth not with finall impenitence for him he perswadeth and willeth vs after his departure To aske with confidence to obtaine pardon saying And life shall be giuen him sinning not to death Which Burchar l. 19. de poenit decret Vas c. 2. 4. Carth. vide Burchard Cabilon cap. 39. Florâ—â— in initio Dionys Areo. de Eccl. hier cap. 7. Cypr. l. 1. epist 9. Tertul. l. de Corona militis Greg. Nazian orat in CaesariuÌ„ reliq Field in append x. part p. 13 Ibid. p. 4. Chrys hom 69. ad Populâ—um Fulke against Purg. pag. 303. Fulke in c. 21. â— ad Cor sect 22. is a most forcible argument and a great encouragement vnto vs to pray for such as depart not this life in state of deadly sinne Agreeable heereunto it was defined in the Councell of Brachara as the learned Bishop Burchardus who liued about 600. yeares ago recordeth that for such as should cast violent hands vpon themselues no mention should be made in the oblation for them yet for others oblations and prayers were offered as the Councel of Vase of Carthage of Cabilo of Florence and many more haue decreed 9. All our forefathers with vniforme consent absolutly teach and confirme this doctrine their wordes I need not rehearse because the Protestants freely graunt they taught defended and commonly vsed Prayer for the dead Only D. Field to file their sayings to his purpose affirmeth first That the ancients commemorated the departed by rehearsing their names Secondly They offered the Sacrifice of the Eucharist that is of prayse and thankesgiuing for them Thirdly They prayed for men in their passage hence entrance into the other world Fourthly They prayed for the ResurrectioÌ„ publike acquitall in the day of Iudgment and perfect consumation of the departed All which customes obseruations I allow sayth M. Field and approue But he vtterly denyeth That the ancient Catholike Church did generally intend in her prayers and
oblations for the dead to relieue soules temporally afflicted in penall estate And this is it which I haue established by the former places of Scripture now I fortify by the testimonyes of many renowned witnesses both of the Greeke and Latin Church 10. S. Chrysostome writeth It was not without good cause enacted by the Apostls that in the Celebration of the reuerent Mysteries a Commemoration of the dead be made for they knew that great profit and much commodity redounded therby vnto them M. Fulke confesseth these wordes of S. Chrysostome in two distinct places and malepartly replyeth in both first he sayth Chrysostome must pardon vs for crediting him Secondly he answereth Without any good ground he affirmeth this memory Tertul. l. de coron miâ—it Cyp. lib. ep 9. Ioan Dam. orat de defunct Athattas Nys a. pud eundeÌ„ Aug. de verb. Apost ser 32. Idem in Enchiridio câ— 109. to be of the Apostles decree Without ground then Terullian S. Cyprian S. Iohn Damascen S. Athanasius and S. Gregory Nissen testifyed the same Without ground S. Augustine sayd It is not to be doubted but the dead are holpen by the Prayers of the holy Church and by the holesome sacrifice Againe without ground he wrote Neither is it to be denyed but that the soules departed are relieued by the piety of their friendes when for them the Sacrifice of our mediatour is offered or almes is giuen Without ground did a Euseb in vita Constant. Constantine the Great Desire to be buryed in a famous Church that he might partake the benefit of many deuout prayers after his decease Without ground b Theod. hist Eccles l. 5. cap. 25. Hier. epist ad obitu vxoris Aug. l. 21. de ciu Dei c. 23. de cura pro mort c. 1. 50. ho. hom 16. Dionys Ec. Hier. c. 7. Tertul. de monoga Chrys ho. 32. in Mat. ho. 41. in cap. 15. 1. ad Cor. Paulinus ep ad Delph Epis Aug. de verb. Apost serm 32. in Ench. c. 110. Idem lib. 50. hom hom 16. Theodosius the younger Prostrated himselfe at the Reliques of S. Chrysostome and made supplication for the soules of his Parents Arcadius and Eudoxia Without ground S. Hierom Commended the piety of Pammachius who not with lillies or purple roses but with the odours oyntments and balme of Almesdeeds refreshed the venerable bones and ashes of his deceased wise knowing that it is written As water quencheth sire so almesdeedes extinguisheth sinne But if the soules departed be thus ayded and comforted by our workes of charity they are in some state of need to vse S. Augustines wordes in someplace of distresse or penall affliction for their former defaults 11. Therfore S. Dionyse teacheth our prayers auaile them to this end That God may remit the sinnes which heereby frailty they committed That the dead may obtaine some ease or refreshment sayth Tertullian That they may purchase some rest or repose sayth S. Chrysostome That their soules may be sprinkled with some droppe of refreshment sayth Paulinus That our Lord may deale more mercifully with them That they may haue sayth S. Augustine more full remission or more tollerable damnation to wit more tolerable punishment in the place of affliction in which they are banished for a while the sight of God vntil as the same Doctour discourseth The due correction of fire hath burned out what the guiltynes of the fault deserued 12. Moreouer the foure sorts of commem orating the Dead which M. Field specifyeth the Church equally made for all who reposed in our Lord for Patriarches Prophets and Martyrs She assisted them in their passage prayed for their consumation gaue thankes for their victoryes and for imitation recounted their names and tryumphes But besides these S. Augustine mentioÌ„eth another Aug. tract 84. in lo. kind of Commemoration behoofull for them for whom it was offered saying Therefore at the table we do not so remeÌ„ber Martyrs as others departed who rest in peace that we may also pray for them but that they may pray for vs. 13. S. Cyril Archbishop of Hierusalem recordeth it Cyr. Ieros in Catech. Mislag 5. his words in Latin are these Maximum â—redentes esse animaruâ— iuuamen pro quibus offâ—rtur obsecratio sancti illius tremâ—ndi quod in altari posituÌ„ est Sacrificij Epiphan bar 75. Extat in 5 â—â—m Chrys Aug. in â—nchyr c. â—â—0 more plainely saying Ouer the Host it selfe of propitiation we inuocate God for the common peace of the Churches c. for Kings for souldiers c. for the sicke and for the afflicted and in summe for all that need help c. After we make mention of them that are departed first of Patriarches Prophets Apostles Martyrs that God by their prayers and intercessions would vouchsafe to accept of ours Then for the deceased Fathers and Bishops In fine we pray for all who haue departed this life amongst vs thinking it a most great help or ease of their soules for whome the obsecration is offered of that holy and dreadfull sacrifice which is placed on the Altar The same appeareth out of Epiphanius and out of the Greeke Liturgy extant amongst the workes of S. Iohn Chrysostom where there is an expresse distinction made betwixt the Sacrifice of praise offered for the Patriarches Apostles Prophets Martyrs and the supplications made for others which S. Augustine also excellently describeth When the Sacrifices sayth he of the Altar or whatsoeuer other almesdeeds are offered for all the baptized departed for those that be perfectly good they be thanksgiuings for such as be not very euill they be propitiations for them that be passing naught although they be not any helpes or refreshments of the dead they be some comforts and consolations of the liuing 14. Behould M. Field the Sacrifices and Prayers of the Church are not only thanksgiuings and grateful remembrances but Propitiations also for dead for them that are not of the worser sort Which you could not find in your hart to gainesay in your answere to M. Higgons who espying a triple difference betweene the Comendation of the dead vsed by the Protestants from that which was practised by the ancient Fathers As 1. Higgons booke 1. part 1. c. 2. §. 6. p. 38. That theirs was at the Altar which ProtestaÌ„ts haue not 2. Theirs in the holy Sacrifice which Protestants admit not 3. Theirs with intention to relieue the dead wheras ProtestaÌ„ts haue no such intention You M. Field to this latter difference deceitfully reply The Fathers did not intend to releeue all them they remembred at the Altar no more do we And who auerreth that they did Field in ap pen. x. part fol. 20. Aug. l. 21. de Ciuit. Dei c. 24. 27 item l. de cura pro mort cap. 1. de verb. Apo. serm 32. Field loe citato fol. 20. 21. Nyss in orat de Baptismo Aug l. 22. de ciu Dei c. 10. Dionys Areopa de Eccles