Scripture as we haue said OF THE EFFICACIE WHICH THEY ascribe to this sacrament The Papists THis sacrament of Orders as they cal it giueth a double grace First it giueth error 49 those that are ordayned abilitie and power to execute their office which is to consecrate and offer vp the body and blood of Christ wherein chiefly the priesthood consisteth and not in preaching the worde for they may be priests though they preach not Concil Trident. sess 23. can 1. By holy orders then the holy Ghost is actually bestowed when those wordes are pronounced Accipâ— spiritum sanctum receiue yee the holy Ghost Canon 4. The Protestants FIrst the Gospell alloweth no externall sacrificing priesthood but a spirituall onely whereby euery Christian is made a king and priest to offer spirituall sacrifices of prayse and thankesgiuing vnto God Apocal. 1.6 And the onely essentiall parte of the office of Ministers vnder the Gospell is to be able dispensers of the mysteries of the word and sacraments 1. Corint 4.1 2. Corinth 3.6 So Augustine also sayth Quicunque aut Episcopus aut presbyter frequenter de Deo loquitur quomodo ad vitam aeternam perueniatur annuntiat meritò Angelus Dei dicitur Whosoeuer Bishop or presbyter doth speake freely of God and preacheth the way to eternall life is an Angel of God This then is the onely principall office of true Pastors to teaâ—h the way to the kingdome of God Secondly it is also a great vntrueth that the holy Ghost is straightway giuen to all those vpon whomsoeuer hands are layd and they admitted to Orders For what neede then that triall and examination which ought to bee had of those which are to be ordayned whereof Saint Paul speaketh 1. Timoth. 5.22 if the only laying on of hands can make able Ministers Nostri sacerdotes sayth one super multos quotidie nomen Domini verba benedictionis imponunt sed in paucis effectus est Our priests doe lay the word of blessing vpon many calling vpoÌ„ the name of God but in few followeth any effect of that blessing And he giueth the reason in another place Dei est effectum tribuere benedictionis It belongeth vnto God to giue effect to Priestly blessing Ergo it is not by onely act and vsing of the ceremony bestowed The Papists AN other effect of their sacrament of orders they say is to imprint a certaine error 50 indeleble marke character in him that is ordayned which can neither by sinne Apostasie or heresie bee blotted out Rhemist 2. Corinth 1. sect 7. And therefore a priest once ordayned can neuer lose his orders or become a lay man agayne Concil Trident. sess 24. can 4. Bellarmin cap. 10. The Protestants FIrst the practise of the popish Church is contrary to their owne rules for I would haue them tell me whether they tooke not the priesthood and anoynting from Iohn Husse when with a payre of sheares they clipped off the skin of his head most cruelly as they were busie in disgrading of him in the Councel of Constance Or when they had grosly abused that reuerend father Bishop Cranmer and vnmanerly behaued themselues in his degradation and clapt him in a poore beggerly thread-bare Lay mans gowne did they not thinke that they had dispoyled him of his priesthood What is now become masters of your indeleble character Or is it your meaning that it may bee clipped or scraped off onely but not washt off or lightly rubbed away Your owne cruell deedes doe ouerthrow your popish principles Augustine is agaynst you Constitutum est in ecclesia ne quisquam post criminis alicuius poenitentiam clericatum accipiat ad clericatum redeat aut in clericatu maneat It is a constitution of the Church that no man after publike penance done for some notorious crime should be either made a clerke or returne to his clerkship or priesthood or bee suffered to continue therein If his priesthood were neither restored to him nor hee suffered to remaine therein then surely he had lost his priesthood THE THIRD PART OF THE ceremonies The Papists error 51 THey doe anoynt the handes of such as are ordayned with oyle and doe enioyne them to shaue their crownes And the higher degree of priesthoode they haue so much broader must their shauen crowne bee Tileman Heshus loc 14. Err. 5. Bellarm. cap. 12. The Protestants WE haue the same opinion of these ceremonies as we haue of the popish orders themselues counting them worthy of no place in the Church of God As for the superstitious custome of anoynting it is a Iewish rite better beseeming Aarons order then the Ministers of Iesus Christ Looke howe hee was anoynted so are wee of him it is sayde The spirite of the Lord is vpon mee because hee hath anoynted mee Luk. 4.18 So the inward working of the spirite is our anoynting 1. Iohn 2.27 Agayne in diuers places of the scripture wee reade of ordayning by imposition of handes Act. 13.3 1. Timoth. 4.14 5.22 2. Timoth. 1.6 But there is no mention at all made of anoynting with oyle And as for the shauing of the crowne it it is worse then a Iewish ceremonie for it seemeth to haue taken beginning from the heathen and the Iewes were forbidden to cutte or make balde their heads Deuteronom 14.1 Leuit. 19.28 In so much as it was a signe of more holines amongst them not to suffer the rasor to come vpon their heads as it is to bee seene in the lawe of the Nazarites Numbers 6. The rest of the questions that concerne the calling of ministers wee haue entreated of more at large Controuers 5. of Ecclesiasticall persons THE THIRD QVESTION OF EXTREME VNCtion First whether it bee a sacrament Secondly of the efficacie Thirdly of the ceremonies THE FIRST PART WHETHER EXtreme Vnction be a sacrament The Papists THat extreme Vnction is rightly and properly a sacrament which is error 52 say they the anoynting of those that are extreme sicke to assure them of remission of their sinnes it was concluded in the Chapter of Trent sess 14. can 1. and is generally maintained by the Church of Rome Bellarmin cap. 2. Argum. Iam. 5.14 The sacrament of extreme Vnction in this place is playnely promulgated by the Apostle being instituted before by our Sauiour Christ Mark 6.13 For here is remission of sinnes promised to the outward element that is the anoynting of the sicke with oyle Ergo a sacrament Rhemist Ans. 1. This anoynting of oyle was a signe onely of the miraculous gift of healing that was then in the Church and therefore was no longer to continue then the gift it self But it is not like will they say that euery one of the Elders had this miraculous gift of healing Answer Though euery particular Elder perhaps had it not yet the whole company of the Eldership might haue it as Saint Paul speaketh of the gift of prophesie giuen to the Eldership 1. Timoth. 4.14 And it is not like that the Apostle
ground an ordinarie and perpetuall sacrament vpon an extraordinary example and that they were such visible graces of the spirite it appeareth because Simon Magu◠saw that the holy Ghost was giuen them by laying on of hands Secondly the holy Ghost was obtained by their praiers ver 15. and not by the very laying on of hands Thirdly to make a Sacrament it is not enough to haue a visible signe and to shew some spirituall grace therewith to be bestowed for then the spittle and clay that Christ vsed the napkins also and partlets which were carried to the sicke from the Apostles and they were healed presently all these should be sacraments for here are outward signes and some effect followed yet because there was no institution of a sacrament by Christ nor any commandement to vse them neither these nor the imposition of hands can be a Sacrament The Protestants WE graunt a ceremonie of imposition of hands vsed in the Apostles time and after so long as the miraculous gifts of the holy Ghost continued in the Church there is also another kinde of imposition of hands such as the Apostle speaketh of Heb. 6.2 which may haue perpetuall vse in the Church which is nothing else but a kinde of praier to be strengthened by the holy Ghost and for the encrease of grace But neither this nor the other doe we holde to be a sacrament Argum. 1. Euery sacrament must haue his appointment from Christ consisting both of an outward element and the word of institution but the popish sacrament of confirmation hath none of these the element they vse is oyle the word of consecration I signe thee with the signe of the Crosse and annoint thee with the Chrisme of health in the name of the Father the Sonne and holy Ghost but none of these haue their institution by Christ or his Apostles any where in the new testament Ergo it is no sacrament Augustine saith Manus impositio quid aliud est quà m oratio super hominem The imposition of the hands what els is it but praier ouer a man He saith not it is a Sacrament THE SECOND PART OF THE MATter and forme of Confirmation The Papists THe matter of this popish Sacrament they say is oyle mixed and tempered error 44 with balme Rhemist Act. 8. sect 6. First halowed and consecrated by the Minister thereof and striked in manner of a crosse vpon the forehead of him that is to be confirmed Bellarm. cap. 8. Argum. 2. Corinth 1.21 It is God which establisheth vs or confirmeth vs with you in Christ and hath annointed vs. Here the Apostle speaketh of confirmation and of the materiall part thereof which is holy vnction or anointing Bellarm. ibid. The Protestants Ans. FIrst the Apostle saith not Which hath confirmed but Which doth confirme which if it were meant of that external ceremony of confirmation see what iniury you offer to the Apostle that being a confirmer of others he had neede now to be catechized and confirmed himselfe Againe he speaketh not of confirmation wrought by the ministerie of men but God saith he confirmeth vs that is establisheth vs by his spirite 2. It is to too grosse to vnderstand by this anointing your greazie besmearing mens faces with your Chrisme seeing the Apostle expoundeth himselfe in the next verse He hath sealed vs and giuen the earnest of his spirite in our harts ver 22. Of this holy anointing of our harts by the spirite S. Iohn also maketh mention saying This Anointing teacheth you all things 1. epist. 2.27 But doth the anointing of the face I pray you giue men instruction Let vs heare Augustines exposition Christus sit in corde vnctio ipsius sit in corde inspiratio eius docet vnctio eius docet Let Christ be in your harts let his anointing be in your harts his inspiration is his anointing you may be ashamed therefore so grossely to abuse Scripture 3. As for your oyle therefore mixed with balme First the true balme you know is not to be had and therefore you abuse the people Secondly make the best of it you can it is but a Iewish ceremonie Thirdly your benediction of it is but a kinde of magicall inchantment seeing you haue no word of God to consecrate creatures in that sort for all things are sanctified by the word of God and praier Ergo without the warrant of God there is no such sanctifying of creatures The Papists 2. THe forme of Confirmation is in the words which are pronounced I signe thee with the signe of the crosse and confirme thee with the Chrisme of error 45 saluation or health in the name of the Father the Sonne and holy Ghost Bellarm cap. 10. The Protestants 1. THey must shew the institution of Christ out of the word for the forme of euery sacrament which they can not doe for this vnlesse they runne to their beggerly traditions which they blasphemously call the word of God vnwritten 2. Where haue they learned that men are confirmed and established with the externall anointing of oyle so said some amongst the Colossians Touch not taste not handle not to whom the Apostle answereth Which things perish with the vsing and are after the commandements of men Coloss. 2.21.22 So is this anointing with oyle a meere inuention of men and hath no longer vertue or force then in the naturall vse thereof THE THIRD PART OF THE EFFIcacie and vertue of confirmation The Papists THe holy Ghost is giuen in confirmation for force strength and corroboration against all our spirituall enemies and to stand constantly in the confession error 46 of our faith euen to death with great increase of grace Rhemist Act. 8. sect 7. And in this respect it giueth more abundant grace in strengthening of vs against the deuil then Baptisme doth Bellarm. cap. 11. The Protestants FIrst they doe offer great iniurie to the spirite of God tying him as it were to their beggerly elements which haue power as they say to conferre grace The Scripture saith The spirite bloweth where it listeth Ioh. 3. The spirite of God is free and is giuen without Sacraments as well as with them but this tradition of yours is no Sacrament if it were yet could it not conferre grace as we haue proued before Secondly they doe greatly deface the Sacrament of Baptisme making it imperfect without confirmation saying that he which is baptized shall neuer be a perfect Christian vnlesse he be confirmed with Chrisme Gerson And that it is to be reuerenced with greater reuerence then Baptisme See Fulk Act. 8. sect 7. Yea they depriue Baptisme of the proper effect and vse thereof which is a signe vnto vs of the assistance of Gods spirite to fight manfully against the Deuill for by baptisme we are buried into the death of Christ Rom. 6.3 But Christ by his death triumphed ouer the Deuill Coloss. 2.15 Ergo Baptisme is a signe of our victorie against the Deuil yet they rob Baptisme of this honor and giue it to
it hath nothing to do to iudge of Scripture being the seate of Antichrist neither is the authoritie of that Church to be credited but rather suspected and mistrusted 2 There are certaine writings of the Prophetes not canonicall and other writings of some that were no Prophetes made canonicall Ergo the Church hath authoritie to iudge of Scripture sic Stapleton For the first where he obiecteth that there are many writings of the Prophetes as of Solomon Nathan Ahiia Ieedo 2. Chronic. 9.29 that are lost and if they were extant should not be receiued We aunswere First it is not to be doubted of but some part of the canonicall Scripture is lost Secōdly how proueth he that if they were extant they were not to be acknowledged for Scripture To the second that bookes not made by Prophets are iudged canonicall as of Tobie Iudith We aunswere that these bookes ought not to be canonicall neither that euer they were so taken till of late it was decreed by Councels of no great antiquitie for in the Laodicene Councell and other auncient Councels they were deemed not to be canonicall 3 Certaine bookes of the new Testament before doubted of as the Epistle to the Hebrues the Apocalipse the 2. Epistle of Peter the second of Iohn are receiued into authoritie by the Church and other bookes as the Gospell of Thomas Mathias Andrew Peter were reiected by the authoritie of the Church We answere First we deny not but that the Church is to discerne betweene the true Scriptures forged bookes but this she doth not of her own authoritie but folowing the direction of Gods spirite speaking in those writings for the Church looking into the sacred and diuine matter of the Apostles writings was moued to acknowledge them for the word of God though of some they were doubted of finding the other to be fabulous bookes did by the direction of the same spirite reiect them Secondly Augustine and Hierome thinke that the Canon of Scripture might be confirmed in the Apostles time Iohn being the suruiuer of thē all who both acknowledged the true writings of the Apostles and condemned the contrarie If it be so the spirite of God in the Apostles hauing determined this question already concerning the canonicall Scripture the Church hath no authoritie to alter or chaunge that decree Plura apud Whitacher quaest 3. de Scriptur cap. 5. The Protestantes WE do not despise the sentence of the Church as our aduersaries doe falsely charge vs but we confesse that it is the duetie of the Church to geue testimony to the Scriptures as the Goldsmith doth trie the gold Fulk annot 2. Gal. 2. But the Church ought not to set the Lordes stampe vpon false coyne as the Papistes do in making Apocryphall bookes canonicall Neither doe we onely beleeue the Scripture because of the Churches testimonie nor chiefly but because the spirit of God doth so teach vs and the Scriptures them selues do testifie for them selues so that euerie man is bound to acknowledge the Scripture though there were no publike approbation of the Church Fulk 2. Galat. 6. Whitacher quaest 3. cap. 1. de Scripturis We do reason thus 1 The Iesuite doth reason strongly for vs he bringeth fiue arguments to proue the Scripture to be the word of God veritas vaticiniorum the constant and perpetuall truth of the Prophecies incredibilis scriptorum conspiratio the wonderfull harmonie and consent of holy writers of the Scripture testis est Deus ipse the spirite of God is a principall witnesse vnto vs testis est ipsa Scriptura the Scripture it selfe beareth witnesse as 2. Tim. 3. all Scripture is geuen by inspiration testis est diuinorum numerus infinitus miraculorum lastly the many and great miracles wrought by the Prophetes and Apostles do testifie for the truth thereof He maketh no mention at all of the testimonie of the Church but saith the same that we hold that the spirit of God inwardly working in our harts by the Scriptures them selues which we find to be most perfect consonant true of singular maiestie doth teach vs which is the word of God Bellarmin de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. 2 The Scripture geueth authoritie to the Church Ergo the Church geueth not authoritie to the Scripture the first we proue by our aduersaries own confession for being asked how they know that the Church erreth not they alledge such places of Scripture as Math. 28.20 I am with you to the end of the world and the like how then doth the Church geue authoritie to Scripture seeing it taketh her warrant and authoritie from thence the Iesuite him selfe saith that nihil est certius vel notius Scripturis nothing is more certaine or notoriously knowen then Scripture and againe sacra Scriptura est regula credendi certissima the holy Scripture is the most certaine rule of faith Bellarm. de verbo 1.2 If the authoritie of Scripture then be most certaine what reason is it that they should depend vpon the iudgement of the Church which is nothing so certaine the lesse certaine ought rather and so doth indeed depend of the more certaine the Church vpon the Scripture not contrariwise for the Scriptures are the foundation of the Church Ephe. 2.20 3 To beleeue the Scripture is a worke of faith the Church can not infuse faith into vs but the spirite of God Ergo the spirite of God not the Church teacheth vs to beleeue Scripture argum Whitach 18. 4 If the Scriptures depend vpon the approbation of the Church then the promises of saluation and eternall life conteined in the Scriptures do so likewise but it is absurde to thinke that the promises of God do stand vpō the allowance of men Ergo neither the Scriptures argum Caluini 5 The Scripture is the chief iudge and ought so to be in all cōtrouersies we may appeale from the Church to the Scripture not from the Scripture to the Church the Church is subiect to the Scriptures the rule of faith is in the scriptures not in the Church for the cōpanie of faithful which is the Church are ruled by faith they do not ouerrule faith neither are a rule thereof the Church is a point of beliefe as in the Creede not a rule or measure thereof Ergo the Church is not the chief iudge of Scripture but it selfe to be iudged by scripture Whitach argum 16. 6 We haue euident places of scripture Iohn 5.34 saith Christ I receiue no witnes of men but the scripture is the voyce of Christ and of the same authoritie Ergo. Ver. 36. I haue a greater testimonie thē of Iohn the scriptures do testifie of me Ver. 39. The testimony of the scriptures is greater thē the record of Iohn Ergo then of the Church 1. Iohn 5.6 the spirite beareth witnesse that the spirite that is the doctrine of the spirit is the truth And. ver 9. if we receiue the witnesse of man the witnesse of God is greater Ergo not the iudgement of the Church
the Prophets and Apostles to write S. Paule saith that what soeuer is writtē is written for our learning that through patience and cōsolation of the scriptures we might haue hope Rom. 15.4 The Lord saw in wisedome that his people could not be without the Scriptures which are necessarie for their learning for their comfort and to strengthen their hope how then dare our aduersaries say that the scriptures are not necessarie seeing these things wrought in vs by the scriptures knowledge consolation hope are most necessarie 4 Let Augustine now put in his verdict Illud credo quod etiā hinc diuinorū eloquiorum clarissima authoritas esset si homo illud sine dispendio salutis ignorare non posset de peccator merit remiss lib. 2.36 I thinke saith he that euen concerning this matter speaking of the originall or beginning of the soule the Scriptures would not haue bene silent if we might not safelie be ignoraunt of this matter without daunger of saluation Ergo whatsoeuer is necessarie to saluatiō is onely to be found in scripture for other matters there not expressed there in no daunger in not knowing them therfore the Scriptures by this Fathers iudgement are most necessary THE SECOND PART OF THE SEVENTH question of the sufficiencie of Scripture The Papistes THey do straungely affirme that the Scriptures conteine not all things necessarie error 12 to be knowen cōcerning faith and manners and that they are not sufficient without traditions Bellarm. cap. 3.4 Lindanus a Papist saith that the scriptures conteine not all things necessarie to saluation Andradius that their approued traditions are of equall authoritie with the Scripture Ex Tilman de verbo error 2. 1 First the Iesuite thus reasoneth against the sufficiencie of Scripture There are diuerse bookes of canonicall Scripture lost and perished Ergo that part of canonical scripture which remaineth is not sufficiēt that much is lost he thus proueth 1. Chron. cap. vlt. mention is made of the bookes of Nathan Gad. 2. Chron. 9. of the bookes of Ahiiah Ieedo in the new Testamēt Col. 4. of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Laodiceans all those bookes are lost We aunswere First we denie not but that some bookes are now wanting which were part of canonicall scripture yet that which remaineth is sufficiēt as some of Solomōs bookes are perished which he wrote of herbes plāts and many of his Prouerbes the Lord saw that they were not so greatly necessarie for vs to saluation Secondly there is not so much wanting as the Iesuite would beare vs in hād for the books of the Prophets which he nameth are the same with the bookes of the Chronicles of the Kings which no doubt were writtē by those Prophetes And as for the Epistle of S. Paule to the Laodiceās there was neuer any such the text is written from the Laodiceans it was the Epistle rather of the Laodiceans to S. Paule vnto the which he partly maketh aunswere in the Epistle to the Colossians and therefore he would haue it read also in their Church 2 If the Apostles had any such meaning to contriue in the scriptures the summe of faith and all necessarie knowledge it is very like Christ would haue geuen them some expresse commaundement so to do but we read not of any such strict commaundement Ergo they had no such purpose Bellarmine We aunswere First they them selues dare not denie but that the Apostles wrote by the instinct of the spirite what is that els but the commaundement of God Actes 16.6 Paule was forbidden of the holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia and ver 10. when he had seene a vision of a man of Macedonia appearing vnto him the Apostle concludeth that they were called of God wherefore what they did by the secret mouing of the spirite was done at the cōmaundement of God Secondly Apocal. 11.1.14.13 Iohn is biddē to write that which he saw no doubt the other Apostles had the like cōmaundement 3 There are many points which we ought in no wise to be ignoraunt of which the scriptures speake either obscurelie of or not at all First these things are obscurely and doubtfully set downe in Scripture the equalitie of the persons in Trinitie the proceeding of the holy Ghost from the Father and the Sonne the doctrine of originall sinne We aunswere First if these things be found at all in the Scriptures it is sufficient concerning the question we haue in hand Secondly the Scripture doth manifestly declare the truth in all those points the equalitie of the persons is directly proued 1. Iohn 5.7 the procession of the spirite Iohn 15.26 the spirit is there said to be sent frō the Father the Sonne And Ioh. 14.26 Original sinne is described plainly by the Apostle Rom. 5.12 though the name be not found in Scripture Secondly there are diuerse things necessarie to be knowen not at all declared in Scripture First as that Marie continued a perpetuall Virgine We answere the Scripture saith euery where she was a Virgine neither maketh mention of any children she had and therefore out of the Scripture we gather that she continued Secondly Basile saith that it is sufficient to know she was a Virgine before the birth of Christ. Secondly to know that the Pasch or Easter must be kept vpon the Lordes day is necessarie Aunswere there is no such necessiitie in it to saluation neither needed the Church so much to haue contended about it in times past these are the mightie weapons which our aduersaries vse The Protestantes WE do not affirme as our aduersaries charge vs that all things necessarie to saluation are expressely conteined in scripture that is in so many words but this we hold that all things which are necessarily to be knowen of vs are either expresly declared in Scripture or necessarily concluded out of Scripture and so conteined in them We also graunt that it was not Gospell onely which was written but all that Christ and his Apostles taught by liuely voyce the whole summe whereof and substaunce is conteined in the written word and so we conclude that nothing necessarie to saluation either concerning faith or manners is els where to be found but in the holy Scriptures 1 S. Paule saith if we or an Aungell preach vnto you otherwise then that which we haue preached let him be accursed Ergo the Scripture conteineth all things necessarie First the Iesuite aunswereth that S. Paule speaketh not onely of his writings but also of his preachings which were not written We aunswere that the summe of all S. Paules preachings is conteined in his Epistles and other holy writings for S. Paule confirmed his doctrine out of the scriptures as Act. 17.10 the Berrheans examined his doctrine by the scriptures and found it to be consonant and to agree in all things Secondly he condēneth those which preach any thing not besides or otherwise but contrarie and therefore not any other doctrine besides Scripture is forbidden but that
which is contrarie We aunswere whatsoeuer is imposed as necessarie to saluation beside the Scripture praeter Scripturas is also contra Scripturas contrarie to Scripture as are all Popish traditions which they lay a necessitie vpon both beside and contrarie to Scripture Neither did those false Apostles against whom S. Paule writeth so much bring in another or cōtrary Gospell as the Apostle saith ver 7. as they did labour to corrupt and peruert that Gospel which S. Paul taught Therfore all traditiōs whether praeter or cōtra beside or contrarie to Scripture are notablie by this place ouerthrowen 2 Iohn 20.31 these things are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God that in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name Ergo the Scriptures conteine all things necessarie to saluation for they suffise to worke in vs faith and faith bringeth vs to eternall life First Bellarmine aunswereth that Iohn speaketh onely of that which he had written Aunswere If this one Apostles writings were able to worke faith the whole body of Scripture much more but he rather speaketh of all other holy writings of the Apostles for he was the suruiuer of them all acknowledged their writings and approued them Secōdly saith he the Apostle saith not that those writings onely suffise but they are profitable and referred to this end to worke faith Aunswere The Scripture is not one of the meanes but the sole whole and onely meanes for if they perfectly worke faith what neede any other helpes but the first is true for they doe beget in vs a perfect faith which shall bring vs to eternall life Ergo they are the onely meanes of faith 3 The whole Scripture saith S. Paule is profitable to teach to improue to correct and instruct in righteousnesse 2. Tim. 3.16 Ergo it conteineth all things necessarie for what els is requisite besides these foure to teach the right faith improue error to instruct in righteousnes and vertue to correct vice First they aunswere the Apostle meaneth as well euery booke of Scripture as the whole euery part therfore hath this perfection as well as the whole But you will not say that euery booke conteineth all things necessarie to saluation therefore this perfection is not so to be taken We aunswere First S. Paule vnderstandeth the body of Scripture as ver 15. thou hast knowen the Scriptures he speaketh of them all Secondly if euery part had these vtilities you might as well conclude that euery word and sillable hath them for they are parts of Scripture Thirdly it appeareth by these foure great vtilities here set downe that the Apostle meaneth not any part or partes of Scripture but the whole for euery part of Scripture is not profitable for all these endes but the whole Secōdly they say it foloweth not the Scripture is profitable therfore sufficient they also graunt it is profitable Aunswere but we conclude out of S. Paule that the Scripture is not onely profitable but sufficient as it foloweth v. 17. that the man of God may be absolute perfectly instructed to euery good worke If then the scriptures are able perfectly to instruct vs then are they sufficient then neede we no other helpes 4 Lastly Augustine thus writeth in Psal. 66. Ne putetis saith he ex alijs Scripturis petendum quod forte hic deest Thinke not saith he that it is to be found in any other writings if it be not in Scripture And in another place In Euangelio quaeramus nam si ibi non inuenimus vbi inueniemus Let vs saith he seeke to be resolued in the Gospell if we finde not there where shall we find it Ergo by the iudgemēt of Augustine there is no truth necessary to be knowen which is not to be found in the Scripture THE THIRD PART OF THE SEVENTH question whether there be any traditions beside Scripture concerning faith and manners The Papistes error 13 THey vnderstand by this word tradition doctrine preceptes and ceremonies with other vsages of the Church which are not written in the scriptures They do not say that all their traditiōs are necessary but they make diuerse kindes of them some are vniuersall obserued in the whole Church some particular some are free some necessarie some are Apostolicall inuented by the Apostles some Ecclesiasticall by the Church so thus they conclude all traditions decreed in Councels and iudged Apostolicall whatsoeuer the Church of Rome receiueth as Apostolicall are not to be doubted but to be Apostolicall indeed Secondly all Apostolicall traditions are of equall authoritie with the writings of the Apostles Bellarm. lib. 4. cap. 2. 9. and they are that part of the word of God which is vnwritten as well as the scriptures are that part which is written Let vs see what arguments they bring for these traditions 1 They geue an instance of certaine traditiōs as the Baptisme of infants and the not rebaptising of those which were before Baptised by heretikes We aunswere these two customes of the Church are grounded vpon scripture for as childrē were in the time of the law Circūcised so are they now vnder the Gospell Baptised and that promise Gene. 17. I will be thy God and the God of thy seede as it belonged to them and their children so doth it appertaine to vs and our children Concerning the other point that they whom heretikes haue once Baptised ought not to be Baptised againe S. Augustine doth proue it out of the scripture Ephe. 4. there is one Faith one Baptisme Ergo not to be repeated But now they come in with other traditions as the Lenton fast which they vse most fondly and superstitiously the eight Ecclesiasticall orders Bishops Prists Deacōs Subdeacons Acolythistes Readers Exorcistes Doore-keepers the worshipping of Images with many other these they would face vs out to be Apostolical traditions and to haue bene vniuersally obserued which are but their vayne brags and Thrasonicall crakes they shall neuer proue them vniuersall much lesse Apostolicall And because they finde no scripture to establish these their superstitious fantasies by they flye vnto tradition which is their onely hauen where they hope to finde succour but all in vayne Bellarm. lib. 4. cap. 9. Consul Whitacher quaest 6. cap. 4. 2 They proceede and alledge scripture for their traditions as that place Iohn 16.12 I haue many things to say but you can not beare them now Ergo say they there are many traditions not written We aunswere First it foloweth not because Christ declared not all things at that time that therefore he kept them from his Apostles all together Nay whatsoeuer afterwardes the Apostles learned of the spirite of God they had heard before of Christ for it was the office of the spirite but to put them in remembrance of Christes sayings Iohn 14.26 which they had heard before but vnderstood them not and so forgat them Wherefore these things which Christ forbeareth to speake are the same things which are cōteined in
that faith was requisite to make a true member of the church here he saith that without faith a mēber cā not be knowen much lesse therfore made 3 The Rhemistes confesse in these very words that in the raigne of their imagined and supposed Antichrist the externall state of the Romane church and publike entercourse of the faithfull with the same shall cease and that there shal be onely a communion in hart with it and practise in secret Annot. in 2. Thess. 2. Sect. 10. Where then I pray you shal be your tabernaculum in sole ciuitas in monte candela splendens in domo your tabernacle in the sunne your Citie in a mountaine your candle shining in the house that is say you in the world Math. 5. Sect. 3. Ergo out of their owne wordes we conclude that the church shall not alwayes be visible and notoriously knowen in the world Lastly we will conclude with Augustine Aliquando in sola domo Noah Ecclesia erat in solo Abraham Ecclesia erat in solo Loth domo eius Ecclesia erat in solo Henoch Ecclesia erat Sometime the church was onely in Henochs house sometime onely in Noah some time in Abraham alone in Loth his house How then hath the church bene alwayes so visible and notoriously knowē to the world when it hath layen hidden some time in one house yea in one man THE SECOND QVESTION whether the Church may erre THis questiō is deuided into two parts First whether the catholike church may erre at all or not Secondly whether the visible church vpon earth may fall away from God into Idolatrie and apostasie THE FIRST PART WHETHER THE Catholike Church may erre in doctrine The Papistes THey do teach that the catholike church can not possiblie erre not onely in matters absolutely necessarie to saluation but not in any thing which error 16 it imposeth and commaundeth whether it be conteined in the word of God or not yea that it can not erre in these things which beside the word of God are commaunded And by the church here they do meane not onely the Pastors and Bishops but the whole companie of the faithfull so that neither that which all the pastors of the church do teach can be erronious nor what is receiued generally of the whole church Bellarm. de Eccles. lib. 3. cap. 14. Rhemist annot an Iohan. 14. ver 16. 1 The church say they is the pillar of truth 1. Tim. 3. Ergo it can not erre We answere First it is no otherwise the pillar of truth then a virgin without spot and wrincle Ephe. 5.27 As that place doth not priuiledge the church frō all sinne and imperfection of life so neither doth this place exempt her from all error in doctrine Secondly she is called the pillar of truth in respect of vs because the truth is preserued in the true church and is not els where to be found not because the truth dependeth vpon the church for S. Paule sendeth not Timothie in this place to learne of the church as though it could not possiblie be deceiued but saith he these things haue I written that thou mayst know how to behaue thy selfe in the house of God ver 14.15 Ergo the word of God is the rule of truth and the church hath no warrant to be kept from error but as she is lead and gouerned by the word of God Thirdly the argument foloweth not for Peter was a pillar and yet erred Gallat 2.9.11 2 They heape many arguments together The church hath the spirite of God to lead it into all truth the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Math. 16. God hath geuen it Apostles teachers Euangelistes to keepe it in the truth Ephe. 4. Christ hath prayed for the church that it may be sanctified in the veritie Iohn 17. Christ prayed that Peters faith should not faile Ergo the church can not erre Rhemens annot 1. Timoth. 3.15 We answere euery one of the elect hath the spirite of God neither shall the gates of hell preuaile against the faith of any one of the elect to ouerthrow it Christ prayeth for euery one of his Disciples that they may be sanctified in the truth Iohn 17.20 wherefore it foloweth as well by these arguments that no one faithfull man can fall into error The pastors and teachers so long as they folow the Apostles doctrine may keepe the church from error but it is not gathered out of that place Ephe. 4. that the pastors if they swarue from Gods word can not erre Concerning Peter Christ prayed for him that his faith should not faile in that greeuous tentation which he fell into Secondly he prayed not for him as gouernour of the church but as he prayeth for euery faithfull man Iohn 17.23 Thirdly for all this prayer Peter erred Gallat 2. 3 This argument was vsed in the Councell of Basill the Church is without spot and wrincle Ephe. 5.27 Ergo without error We aunswere First S. Paule speaketh there of a glorious church such as it shal be in the kingdome of heauen not of the church as it is vpon earth so Reuel 7.14 The elders which sat round about the throne which are the Saintes in heauen were seene in long white robes which they had washed white in the bloud of the Lambe 2 It foloweth out of this place that the church is as well without sinne as free from error which the diuines in the Councell did also graunt But seeing by their owne confession euery member of the church being clothed in this mortall flesh sinneth how can the church be without sinne If the church consist of men and all men are sinners how is the church free If all the partes and members be sinnefull how is not the whole also polluted with sinne If all the partes of the body be sicke and diseased how can the whole be sound The church also is not ashamed to confesse her selfe to be blacke Cant. 1.5 she shal be made bewtifull and glorious without all spot blemish in the kingdome of God and euen now also is made righteous and iust before God through Christ not because she hath no sinne but because it is remitted and although some errors and imperfections remaine yet shall they be no hinderaunce to her saluation The Protestantes WE doubt not to say that the church of God may erre in some points not necessarie to saluation but can not fall cleane away from God into any dānable error Fulk annot in Ephe. 5. ver 29. That the church may erre as we say we do shew it thus and by the Church we vnderstand the whole companie and congregation the pastors with the people 1 When our Sauiour Christ suffred the church erred in faith Ergo it may erre the proposition is thus proued The church was either in the Scribes and Pharisies or els in the Apostles but both of them erred they in putting Christ to death the other in their incredulitie not beleeuing rightlie in the
Notes we would desire no better arguments then those which our aduersaries alleadged against vs for first our notes are proper onely to the Church and cannot bee found in any place where the Church of God is not Secondly they are most notorious markes and a man by the Scriptures may more easely knowe what true doctrine is and which are the right Sacraments then which is the true Church Thirdly these markes can not be absent from the Church but doe alwayes accompanie it and it is no longer a true Church then it hath those markes 2 We are able out of the Scriptures to proue these marks which may stand in stead of many reasons Iohn 10. my sheepe heare my voyce Ephes. 5. clensing it by the washing of water through the word Ergo the Word and Sacraments are true notes of the Church Bellarmine answereth to the first place that the hearing of the word is not a visible note of the Church but a signe vnto euery man whereby he may knowe his election Wee replie agayne looke which way a man is knowne to bee a member of the Church by the same way the Church also it selfe is discerned if the hearing of the word doe make one a sheep of Christ then doth it also shew which is the flocke and fould of Christ As I knowe my hand or foote to bee a part of my bodie because it hath life and motion of the bodie euen so the bodie is discerned from a carkas because it moueth and liueth To the second place he answereth very simply that the Apostle there sheweth not which is the Church but what good Christ hath wrought for his Church We replie againe But the Church is best knowne by the benefites that Christ hath bestowed vpon it amongst the which the Word and the Sacraments are not the least Ergo by these the Church is knowne and in that place by the Apostle described And let the reader iudge whether that place of the Apostle where there is direct mention made of the word and sacraments be not fitly applied to our purpose concerning the description of the Church 3 Let Augustine speake In scripturis didicimus Christum in scripturis didicimus ecclesiam epistol 166. In the scripture we doe learne Christ in the scripture let vs likewise learne the Church His argument is this Looke how Christ is knowne so is his Church but Christ is onely knowne by his word Ergo so is his Church The fourth question of the authoritie of the Church THe Papists affirme that the authoritie of the Church consisteth in these fiue poynts First in authorising the scriptures and defining which are Canonicall Secondly in giuing the sense of the scripture Thirdly in determining matters besides scripture Fourthly in making lawes constitutions for the Church Fiftly in exercising of discipline Concerning the two last we doe not greatly stand with them We acknowledge the Church hath authoritie to make decrees and constitutions but so as the Apostles did Visum est nobis spiritui sancto It seemed good to vs and the holy Ghost the Church must be directed by the wisedome of the spirit speaking in the scriptures We also acknowledge the holesome power of the Church in exercising of holy discipline but it must be done in the name and power of Christ. 1. Cor. 5.4 not according to the will of men Concerning the two first we haue alreadie shewed that neither the Church doth giue authoritie to the word of God but doth take her authoritie from thē for the scriptures are of sufficient credite of themselues 1. controu quaest 4. Neither that the sense of scripture dependeth vpon the interpretation of the scripture but that the word expoundeth it selfe 1. controu quaest 6. There remaineth therefore onely one poynt to be discussed of the authoritie of the Church namely in deciding of matters beside the scriptures which are of two sorts either necessarie appertayning to faith or indifferent concerning ceremonies of both these in their order THE FIRST PART WHETHER THE CHVRCH hath authoritie in matters of faith beside the scriptures The Papists WE ought to take our faith and al necessarie things of saluation at the hands error 24 of our superiours Rhemist Act. 10. sect 8. In poynts not decided by scripture wee must aske counsaile of the Church Praefat. sect 25. The Church is the onely piller and stay to leane vnto in all doubts of doctrine without the which there can be no certaintie nor securitie we must therefore beleeue it and trust it in all things annot 1. Timoth. cap. 3. sect 9. Yea it hath authoritie say they to make newe Articles of faith as in the Councell of Constance it was decreed to be necessarie to saluation to beleeue the Pope to be head of the Church In the Councell of Basile it was made an Article of the faith to beleeue that the Councell was aboue the Pope and therfore Pope Eugenius in not obeying the Councell was adiudged to be an heretike 1 Vpon these words in the Gospel Iohn 15.27 the spirit shall testifie of me and you shall beare witnesse also they conclude thus Ergo the testimonie of the trueth ioyntly consisteth in the holy Ghost and Prelates of the Church Rhemist Iohn 15. sect 8. We answere The witnesse of the spirit and of the Apostles is all one witnesse for the spirit first testifieth the trueth to the Apostles inwardly and the Apostles inspired by the spirite did witnesse it outwardly so the Pastors of the Church witnessing with the spirit which is not now inspired by reuelation but onely found in the scriptures are to bee heard but if the spirit testifie one thing in the word and they testifie another there we must leaue them 2 The Church erreth not Ergo we must heare her in all things Rhem. 1. Timoth 3. sect 9. We answere First the Church may erre if she followe not the scriptures Proued before 2. controu quaest 2. Secondly so long as the Church heareth Christs voyce we are likewise to heare hers and so long as she is preserued from error she will not swarue from Christs precepts neither impose any thing vpon her children without the warrant of her spouse The Protestantes THat the Church hath no such power to ordaine articles of faith or impose matters to be beleeued necessarie to saluation not contayned or prescribed in the holy scriptures We prooue it thus and wee are sure that the true Church of Christ will neuer chalenge any such prerogatiue 1. All truthes and verities in the scriptures are not so necessary to saluation that the ignorance thereof should bring perill of damnation Ergo much lesse are any verities out of scripture of any such necessitie the first is manifest for to know the iust chronologie of time or space of yeares from the beginning of the world to Christ is a veritie in scripture yet not necessary so to beleeue that Marie continued a virgin euer after the birth of our Lord was thought by
the Iewish ceremonies this is great presumption to thinke it is lawfull for the Church to doe whatsoeuer Christ and his Apostles did Fulk 1. Tim. 4. sect 18. The Protestants ALthough there be great moderation to bee vsed in the ceremonies of the Church and there is also some limitation for them yet hath the Church greater libertie in the rites and ceremonies which are appoynted for order and comelinesse sake then in the doctrine of fayth and religion The doctrine of saluation is alwayes the same and cannot be changed and toucheth the conscience But rites and ceremonies are externall and commanded for order sake and neither are they vniuersall the same in euery Church nor perpetuall but are changed according to times and as there is occasion Againe the precepts of Christianitie are either directly expressed or necessarilie concluded out of the scriptures but externall rites and ceremonies are not particularlie declared in the word there are onely certaine generall rules set downe according to the which all ceremonies brought into the Church are to bee examined as for the Sacraments of the Church they cannot bee altered hauing a perpetuall commandement from Christ Therefore the Church cannot appoynt what how many ceremonies soeuer she shall thinke good but according to these foure rules and conditions which followe here in order 1 All things ought to bee done to the glorie of God euen in ciuill actions much more in things appertayning to the seruice of God 1. Cor. 10.31 Our aduersaries offend agaynst this rule applying and annexing remission of sinnes to their owne inuentions and superstitious ceremonies as vnto penance and extreame vnction which they also make Sacraments for this is greatly derogatorie to Christs institution who hath only appoynted the hearing of his word and vse of the Sacraments for the begetting and encreasing of faith and by this faith only is the death of Christ applied vnto vs for the remission of sinnes 2 All things ought to be done orderly and decently 1. Cor. 14.40 Wherefore al ridiculous light vnprofitable ceremonies are to be abolished such our aduersaries haue many as knocking kneeling creeping to the Crosse lighting candles at noone day turning ouer of beades and many phantasticall gestures they haue in their idolatrous Masse as turning returning looking to the East to the West crossing lifting quaffing and shewing the emptie cup with many such toyes 3 All things ought to bee done without offence 1. Corinth 10.32 But to whom that hath but a little feeling of religion is not the abhominable sacrifice of the Masse offensiue What good conscience doth it not grieue that the Priest should create his maker as they say should offer vp the bodie of Christ in sacrifice and be an intercessor as it were for his mediatour desiring God to accept the sacrifice of his sonnes bodie As also to make it a propitiatorie sacrifice for the quicke and the dead But of these matters we shall haue fitter occasion to entreate afterward when we come to the seuerall controuersies 4 All things ought to bee done to edifying 1. Corinth 14. vers 12. But the popish ceremonies are so farre from edifying that by reason of their infinite rabble and number they are a clogge vnto Christians and more burdensome then were the obseruations of the Iewes They haue hallowed fire water bread ashes oyle waxe flowers braunches clay spittle salt incense balme chalices paxes pixes altars corporals superaltars altarclothes rings swords and an infinite companie besides doe these tend thinke you to the edification of the minde Nay they doe cleane destroy and extinguish all spirituall and internall motions drawing the heart from the spiritual worship of God to externall beggerlie and ragged reliques and ceremonies Fulk 1. Timoth. 4. sect 1. Beza lib. confess de eccles articul 18.19.20 The fift question whether the Church of Rome be the true Church THis question hath two parts First whether the Romane Church be the Catholike Church or not Secondly whether the Church of Rome be a true visible Church THE FIRST PART WHETHER THE ROMANE Church be the Catholike Church The Papists BEllarmine defining the Church maketh this one part of the definition to be error 27 subiect vnto the Bishop of Romes iurisdiction Lib. 3. de eccles cap. 2. And therefore they conclude that they are out of the Church and no better then heretikes that doe not acknowledge the Pope to be their chiefe Pastor Canis de praecept eccles cap. 9. So they make the Romane faith and Catholike to bee all one Rhemist annot in 1. Rom. sect 5. Their reasons are none other then we haue seene before taken from vniuersalitie antiquitie vnitie vnto the which wee haue alreadie answered quaest 3. of this controuersie Not. 1 2 3. The Protestants WHile the Church of Rome continued in the doctrine of the Apostles it was a notable and famous visible Church and a principall part and member of the vniuersall Catholike but now since it is degenerate and fallen away from the Apostolike faith from being the house of God to be a synagogue for Antichrist we take it not to be so much as a true visible Church But neuer was it to be counted the Catholike Church as though all other Churches were parts and members of it but it selfe onely was a part as others and Catholike too while it continued in the right faith but not Catholike as hauing iurisdiction ouer the rest and all to receiue this name of her 1 The vniuersall Catholike Church is so called because it conteyneth the whole number of the elect and first borne of God Heb. 12.23 Whereof manie are now saints in heauen many liuing in the earth many yet vnborne But all these were not neither are of the Romane faith the holie men departed knewe not of these superstitious and prodigious vsages which now doe raigne in the Church of Rome nay many of them neuer heard in their life so much as of the name of Rome Ergo. 2 It is called Catholike and vniuersall because they that are to be saued must belong vnto this companie and be of this Church for without the Church there is no saluation for Christ onely gaue himselfe for his Church to sanctifie it and cleanse it Ephes. 5.25 But all that dye out of the faith of the Romane Church do not perish Nay verely we doubt not to say but that all which depart this life in the communion thereof without repentance are barred from saluation and dye out of grace We are in the right faith neither will we be our owne iudges the scriptures shall iudge vs Euery spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God 1. Iohn 4.2 We beleeue aright in both the natures and all the offices of Christ which you doe not which doe greatly deface his prophetical office in not reuerencing his word but making it imperfect his kingdom in appointing him a Vicar and Vicegerent vpon earth as though he of himselfe were not sufficient to gouerne
names of some other Apostles as Iames and Iohn were called Boanerges the sonnes of thunder Mark 3. Therefore this was no such preeminence to Peter neither is it true that Peter was almost called by no other name for he is oftē in the Gospel after this called by his old name Simon Mat. 16.17 17 25. Fulk Annot. in Ioh. 1. sec. 7. Secondly againe saith Bellarmine the text is aedificabo I will build my Church but if Christ be here taken for the rocke his Church was built alreadie for many beleeued in him But Peter was not made the foundation of his Church till afterward after his resurrection and therefore hee saith I will build Wee answere First it is a corrupt glosse to say the Church of Christ was not builded till after the resurrection for seeing that many beleeued before in Christ and made a Church either they must graunt that the Church was without a foundation or else that the foundation was changed from Christ to Peter Secondlie it is taken therefore for the enlarging and increasing of the Church of GOD. It followeth not because Christ saith I will build and his Church was begun to bee built alreadie that therefore another kinde of building must bee excogitate no more then because Christ gaue his spirite to the Apostles Matth. 10.1 and againe Iohn 20.22 and yet biddeth them stay at Ierusalem till they should receiue the holie Ghost Acts. 1.7 that therefore they should looke for another holy Ghost or as though they had not receiued the holy Ghost before But as the sending of the holy Ghost is meant for the increase and more plentifull measure thereof so is the building of the Church here taken for the increase of the building Wee yet further answere with Augustine super hanc petram quam confessus es aedificabo ecclesiam vppon this rocke which thou hast confessed will I build my Church so that in this place is meant not Peter to bee the rocke but either Christ whome he confessed or his saith whereby he confessed him which commeth all to one effect There is no great difference whether wee say the Church is builded vppon Christ or faith is the foundation of the Church for faith is an apprehension of Christ but of the person of Peter it can no more bee vnderstoode then of the rest of the Apostles who in some sence are called the foundation of the Church namely in respect of their holy Apostolick doctrine vpon the which the Church is built Ephes. 2.20 Bellarmine and the Iesuites denie not but here is relation also to the faith of Peter but faith considered in his person We answere if they meane Peters particular faith which was a proper adiunct to himselfe the vniuersall Church cannot be built vpon that faith seeing when Peter dyed his faith also as a proper accident to his person ceased if they vnderstand that generall faith whereby Peter in the name of all the rest made this confession then they all are as well made pillars and foundations of the Church as he because it was their generall confession Fulk annot in 16. Matth. sect 8. 3 Another place which our aduersaries mightely vrge are those words which follow verse 19. I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen whatsoeuer thou shalt binde in earth shal be bound in Heauen Ergo Peter had especiall iurisdiction giuen him more then any of the rest Bellarmine cap. 12. Wee answere First as Peter confessed in the name of all the rest so this power is geuen him not onelie for the rest as the Rhemists falslie charge vs that we make Peter a proctor for others but together with the rest Peters person must be excluded for immediately after he deserued for a certaine slip of his person to bee called Sathan it were an vnfit match the same person at the same time to be honoured with the glorious title of the rock of Christ and to sustaine so great a rebuke as to bee called Sathan Secondlie here is no more promised to Peter then vnto all the rest of the Apostles Matth. 18.18 They likewise haue authoritie giuen them to binde and loose and it is performed to them all alike Iohn 20.23 2 By the keyes here cannot be vnderstoode that large iurisdiction which the Papists dreame of as not onely the authoritie and chaire of doctrine iudgement knoweledge discretion betweene true and false doctrine all which we graunt together with Peter to haue been giuen to al the Apostles besides But say they hereby is signified the height of gouernement the power of making lawes of calling Councels and confirming them of ordeyning Bishops and Pastors finally to dispense the goods of the Church spirituall and temporall all this is added without ground neither had either Peter or any of the Apostles this ample authoritie no nor the Bishops of Rome for many hundred yeares after Christ. For this plenarie power of the keyes when they signifie a soueraigne and chiefe and surpassing power are so onely giuen vnto Christ and to no mortall creature He is saide to haue the keye of Dauid who openeth and no man shutteth who shutteth and no man openeth Apocalip 3.7 Fulk Annot. 16. Matth. sect 13. Lastly I will oppose the iudgement of the Fathers of the Church who alleadge out of Augustine that Peter receiued the keyes for the whole Church and out of Ambrose that when Christ said to Peter pasce oues the blessed Apostle toke not charge of them alone saith he but together with vs and we together with him Fax pag. 675. 4 Other arguments they alleadge for the primacie and preeminence of Peter as Matthew 10. Hee is named in the first place Bellarmine cap. 18. Wee answere this mought bee because Peter was the most auncient in yeeres or one of the first that was called But howsoeuer it was it is no great matter for this order is not alwaie kept as Galath 2. Paul nameth Iames first Iames Cephas Iohn saith hee verse 9. the Iesuits best shift is heere to denie the text saying it should bee read Cephas Iames Iohn vnlesse Iames bee named first because he was Bishop of Ierusalem Marke I pray you Ergo at Ierusalem Peter was not before Iames but next vnto him therfore not prince of the Apostles Bellarm. cap. 18. Againe say they Peter standeth vp in the election of Matthias Acts 1. preacheth the first Sermon Acts 2. Acts. 15. Peter speaketh first Wee answere to the first Wee denie not a primacie of order to haue been in Peter but it followeth not that hee which speaketh first or giueth the first voyce should bee the head and commaunder of the rest to the second wee also graunt that Peter in zeale promptnes and forwardnes was not behinde any of the Apostles but euen with the first for in him was that saying of Christ verified vppon the woman Shee loued much because much was forgiuen her Luk 7 So was it with Peter to whome Christ forgaue much
for not doing the things commaunded which he durst not say As when the Magistrate for some profitable and politike end commaundeth vpon some dayes abstinence from flesh it is not the eating or not eating of flesh that simplie displeaseth and offendeth God but the contempt of the lawe and wilfull and obstinate disobedience to the magistrate for otherwise the vse of the creature is free and indifferent 2 Wee will beate the Iesuite with his owne staffe hee saith not that all lawes doe binde the conscience but onely iust lawes in the which fower cōditions are required First that they be made for some profitable end so are not popish lawes which nourish superstition and haue no edifying and some of them doe commaund plaine idolatry open impietie as the worshipping of images the adoration of the Masse such like Secondly saith he they must not be contrarie to Gods law but such are many of their ordinances yea the most of them Thirdly they must be made by him that hath authoritie therefore none of the Popes lawes binde the vniuersall Church for it is not subiect to him Fourthly the forme and manner of imposing such lawes must be orderly but their lawes are most disordered imposed vpon the Church violently without their consent or any good proceeding Thus you see euen by their owne confession their lawes cannot binde One thing more I must needes tell them of If they would needes haue their lawes to binde men in conscience they should haue made fewer of them now they are so many that if the breach of them were an offence of conscience doe men what they could they should dailie make shipwrack of their conscience It is a true saying that is reported of one Thomas Arthur a good Christian it is an homely speech because the matter was somewhat homely yet hee did hit the marke Like as saith he crosses were set vp against the walles of London that no man should pisse there and while there were but a few men for reuerence of the crosses would not pisse against the wall but when in euery corner they set vp crosses men of necessitie were faine to pisse vpon the wall and crosses too So saith he if there had been fewer lawes of the Church they would haue been better kept but now they are so manie that men cannot chose but breake them 3 The Pope hath no power to correct the transgressors of his lawes ouer the whole Church Ergo hee cannot make lawes to binde the whole Church The argument followeth for hee that hath absolute power to make lawes hath also power to commaunde obedience to the lawes so made The first is thus proued the Pope indeede hath taken vppon him many times to thunder out his excommunication against other Churches but it was an vsurped and tyrannicall power and many times resisted and controuled Pope Victor Anno 200. would haue excommunicate the East Churches about the keeping of Easter but hee was stayed by Irenaeus The Councell of Constance did sende out excommunications against Pope Benedict sess 36. In the Councell of Basile Pope Eugenius cited Cardinall Iuliane with the rest of the fathers there assembled to come to Bononia vnder great penaltie they likewise cited Eugenius vnder the like penaltie either to come or send to Basile Fox pag. 668. Pope Leo the tenth in his fumish Antichristian Bull excommunicated and condemned Luther Luther with better right pronounceth sentence of excommunication against him being an aduersarie to Christ in these words according to the power and might that the spirit of Christ and efficacie of our faith can doe in these our writings if you shall persist still in your furie we condemne you together with this Bull and all the decretall and giue you to sathan to the destruction of the flesh that your spirit in the day of the Lord may be deliuered in the name which you persecute of Iesus Christ our Lorde Fox page 1286. Thus you see what small force there is of these popish leaden Bulls and presumptuous excommunications for it falleth out iustlie by them as the wise man saith As the Sparrow and the Swallowe by flying escape so the curse causelesse shall not come Now seeing therefore the Pope fayleth of power and strength to see his lawes executed in the vniuersall Church it cannot bee that his lawes should vniuersally binde Lastly let Augustine speake he thus defineth sinne peccatum est dictum factum vel concupitum contra legem aeternam Dei sinne is any thing done saide or coueted against the Lawe of GOD therefore the transgression simplie of the lawe of man is not sinne but as thereby also the Lawe of God is transgressed Ergo simplie it bindeth not the conscience for sinne onely bindeth and toucheth the conscience THE SECOND PART OF THIS QVEstion whether all Bishops doe receiue their Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction from the Pope The Papists THey denie not but that the power of order as they call it which consisteth error 50 in the administration of the Sacraments is equallie distributed to all Bishops and that they as well as the Pope doe receiue it immediatly by their consecration of God but the power both of externall iurisdiction which standeth vpon Ecclesiasticall censures constitutions and decrees and internall iurisdiction which is exercised in binding and loosing is deriued say they from the Pope to all other Bishops 1 God tooke of the spirite that was in Moses and distributed it among the seuentie Elders that were chosen to beare the burthen of gouernement with Moses and to bee his helpers the Lorde tooke of his spirite not by diminishing it but by deriuing of his vertue to the rest but the Pope is now in the roome and place of Moses in the Church Ergo from him to the rest is this an authoritie deriued Answer First Moses example was extraordinarie he was a figure of Christ not of the Pope Deuteron 18. vers 15. The Pope might with better right stand vpon Aarons example who was high Priest not lay claime to Moses office who was the Prince and Captaine of the people for the Pope I trow would be chiefe Bishop and not Emperor too Secondly the meaning is not that God deriued Moses spirit to the rest but bestowed the like gift of prophesying vpon them as Moses had surely neuer any mortall man had the spirite in such aboundance that it could bee deuided into seuentie portions and one Prophet to make many The like phrase is vsed 2. King 2.15 Where the Prophets saide that the spirit of Eliah did rest on Elisha that is God endued him with an excellent spirit of prophesying as Elias had If they will vnderstand this place also of deriuing of spirits how then shall that be taken in the 9. verse where Elisha praieth that this spirit might be doubled vpon him If his spirit were deriued from Eliah how could it be doubled vpon him How could it be multiplied and increased how could he haue
so well knowne in stories that I neede not come to particulars 6 Antichrist is called a wicked man and a man of sinne vers 3.8 And where shall you finde more wicked men then among the Popes Siluester the 2. gaue his soule to the diuell to obtayne the Papacie Fox pag. 167. Benno reporteth of Hildebrand that he poysoned sixe Popes to come to the Popedome Pope Stephen and Sergius tooke vp the bodie of Formosus and mangled it cutting off his head and fingers and so cast it into Tibris Fox pag. 120. We haue heard before what a holy Father Pope Iohn the 13. was he lay with his owne sister and with his fathers Concubines playing at dice called for the diuell was slayne in adulterie And was it not I pray you a common prouerbe in England He that goeth to Rome once seeth a wicked man he that goeth twise learneth to know him he that goeth the third time bringeth him home with him Fox pag. 841. argument Illyrici The third place we doe take out of the Apocalyps chap. 9. where is a playne storie set downe of the Pope 1 vers 1. He is a starre fallen from heauen he is departed from the ancient faith of Rome to superstition and idolatrie 2 He hath the key of the bottomlesse pit who giueth the crosse keyes in his armes but the Pope who sayth hee may euacuate all Purgatorie at once if hee will but he Who sayth he may Pleno iure currus animarum plenos secum ad tartara detrudere by full right carrie downe to hell with him charriots Ioden with soules cap. si Papa distinct 42. Is not this the Pope who then more fitly may be sayd to haue the key of the bottomlesse pit 3 There arise out of the bottomlesse pit a great flocke of Locusts that is the innumerable sort of begging Friers for they are in euery respect described First compared to Locusts for their number vers 3. There were an 100. diuers sorts of Friers Fox pag. 260. Secondly they had power giuen them for fiue moneths that is as Walter Brute expoundeth it taking a moneth for thirtie dayes a day for a yeere as it is prophetically taken an 150. yeeres for so long it was from the beginning of the Friers vnder Innocent the 3. anno 1212. to the time of Armachanus who preached disputed and wrote agaynst the Friers about anno 1360. Fox pag. 414. Thirdly they shall sting like Scorpions not slay all at once but venome and poyson the conscience with the sting of their pestilent doctrine Fourthly other parts also of the description agree as vers 7. They are as horses prepared to battaile that is stoute ambitious their haire as the haire of women that is they shall be effeminate and giuen to the lusts of the flesh their teeth as the teeth of Lions they by valiant begging shall deuoure the portions of the poore as it was well proued in King Henry the 8. dayes in the Supplication of beggars that the summe of the Friers almes came to a great summe in the yeere for the fiue orders of Friers had a penie a quarter for euery one of euery housholder throughout England that is for them all twentie pence by the yeere suppose that there be but ten housholds in euery towne and let there be twentie thousand parishes and townes in England it will not want much of twentie thousand pound Thus had they Lions teeth that is consuming and deuouring Lastly they haue a King vers 11. whose name is Abaddon a destroyer for the Pope their chiefe prince and patron hath by his Antichristian doctrine layd wast the Church of God Argument Chytraei The fourth place of scripture wee will take out of the 17. of the Apocalyps there the seate of Antichrist is described First vers 5. It is called Babylon the citie which raigneth ouer the Kings of the earth vers 18. This can be no other but Rome which then had the Empire of the whole world Secondly It is the citie built vpon seuen hils or mountaynes vers 9. that is no other but Rome Thirdly the whore which is Antichrist shall sit vpon the beast with seuen heads and ten hornes that is shall succeede in the Empire and haue the authoritie thereof so hath the Pope Fourthly the ten hornes that is the Kings of the earth shal giue their authoritie to the beast but afterward shall deuoure her flesh Euen so the Kings of the earth by their sword maintayned the authoritie of the Pope But now being taught by the Gospell they are made the Lords free men and begin to subdue their neckes from his yoke The fift place is 1. Iohn 2.22 Who is a lyar but he that denyeth that Iesus is Christ the same is Antichrist that denyeth the father and the sonne Euen so the Pope of Rome though not openly and apertly yet closely and subtilly is an enemie vnto the whole trinitie He exalteth himselfe aboue God the father because he taketh vpon him to dispense not onely agaynst the lawe of nature but agaynst the lawe of God the morall law and agaynst the precepts both of the old and new testament but a lawe cannot be dispensed withall but by the same authoritie or greater Agaynst Iesus Christ he exalteth himselfe and all his offices he denyeth him to be the onely Prophet saying the scriptures are vnperfect and that their traditions are also necessarie to saluation Agayne he maketh other bookes scripture then those which are Canonicall His kingly office he doth arrogate to himselfe in making lawes to binde the conscience in ordayning other Sacraments in granting Indulgences and Pardons saying that he is the head of the Church His Priesthood he is an enemie vnto constituting another priesthood after the order of Melchisedech then that of our Sauiour Christ which begun vpon the Crosse and remayneth still in his person being incommunicable to any other creature yet they make euery sacrificing Priest to bee of the order of Melchisedech He impugneth the office of the holy spirit counting that prophane which the holy Ghost hath sanctified as marriage and meates arrogateth in all things the spirit of truth not to erre applieth the merites of Christs passion after his owne pleasure by Pardons Indulgences by ceremonies and Sacraments of his owne inuention Fulk 2. Thess. 2. sect 10. Ergo we conclude out of S. Iohn that seeing he denieth Iesus to be Christ he is Antichrist Sixtly S. Paul sayth that Antichrist shal be an aduersarie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Thess. 2.4 An aduersarie in doctrine teaching cleane contrarie to the Gospell of Christ so doth the Pope 1 The scripture sayth wee ought to put our trust onely in God and not in man Ierem. 17.7 and to call vpon God onely in the day of trouble Psal. 50.15 and to worship him in spirit and truth Iohn 4.24 The Papists say cleane contrarie that we must call vpon Saints and beleeue they can helpe vs and they teach vs to fall downe before
the secret fire And so we denie not but that men ought by fasting and prayer to labour for that precious gift But if they feele the fire to burne within them still then are they to vse the remedie prescribed by Saint Paul that is to marrie Secondly sayth Bellarmine Saint Paul giueth libertie of mariage onely to those which were free and had not vowed continencie cap. 31. Answere First the Apostles words are generall Let euery man haue his wife I say the Rhemists he speaketh of those that were maried before their conuersion that they might still vse and keepe their wiues Yea but Saint Paul speaketh of all vnmaried in the verse next before It is good not to touch a woman I trow he meaneth not it is good for a man that is maried not to touch his wife Secondly it is a generall libertie which he granteth to all ver 9. If they cannot conteine let them marry but many votaries cannot contayne as it may appeare by the vnchast liues of your Monkish rabble therefore hauing the disease they may vse the remedie that is marrie Argum. 2. Virginitie and continent life is onely to be required of those which haue the gift of continencie But all haue not that gift Ergo the vow of Virginitie is not indifferently to be made by any That the gift of continencie cannot be had or obtayned of all neither resteth in our free wil it is plaine by scripture 1 Math. 19.12 He that is able to receiue this gift let him receiue it Ergo all are notable to receiue it Bellarmin First though they are not able to receiue it yet yet they may if they will and aske for it by prayer for the text is Some haue made themselues chaste for the kingdome of God whereby it appeareth that it is in the will of man cap. 31. Answer Hee speaketh cleane contrary to the text for Christ sayth None receiue it but to whom it is giuen and the wordes are qui capere potest not qui velit hee that can receiue not hee that will receiue And they are sayd to make themselues chaste not because it is in their owne choyce but being enabled of God and hauing receiued power ouer their will they are sayd to make themselues chaste hauing receiued power by the spirit of God So our Sauiour sayth Come vnto me all ye that are laden Math. 11. yet no man commeth to Christ but his father first draweth him Iohn 6.44 Wherefore it being a peculiar gift of God all cannot haue it neither are sure to obtaine it though they aske it by prayer because wee haue no promise to bee heard Rhemist When a man is bound to abstaine by vow or other necessarie occasion as imprisonment banishment sicknes no doubt if he labour for the gifte of continencie he may haue it Ans. They that binde themselues to a rash vowe haue no promise to be heard praying for continencie Secondly they that are driuen vnto any such necessitie as you speak of which they are not a cause of themselues neither can auoide as in long and perpetual sicknes it is certaine that God will giue the gift being sought by lawful meanes But as for banishment and imprisonment they are not of such necessitie but that the husband is bound to follow the wife and the wife her husband Fulk 1. Cor. 7.6 Neither are many of those meanes commendable which were vsed in Monkerie for some of them were superstitious and vnlawfull as they vsed Phisick and medicine to correct or slake and extinguish nature in them Francis was wont to couer his bodie with yce and snow others did whip themselues This was not to subdue and tame the bodie but to destroy and kill the bodie and make it vnfit for other dueties The scripture prescribeth no other meanes but prayer and fasting and labour in our vocation Some of them againe vsed externall exercise of their bodie as by fasting by lying harde by watching which in themselues were not amisse but they leaue the chiefe and principall which is the spirituall meanes for the outward exâ—rcise of the flesh without this is little worth Coloss. 2.23 Bellarmin To beleeue is no lesse the gift of God then to liue chaste yet we exhorte all men to beleeue and they doe vowe and promise it in baptisme why may they not as well vowe continencie although it be a peculiar gift cap. 31. Ans. They are both indeed the giftes of God but one is necessarie to saluation namely to beleeue and is promised to all that will seeke for it But the other gift is not necessary neither hath any such promise Secondly Saint Paul calleth this a proper gift But if all men were capable of it how could it be called a proper gift One after this manner another after that sayth the Apostle But if euery man might attaine to that one gift of continencie they should not all haue their proper gift but all one gifte and after the same manner And though Saint Paul should meane that to liue chastely in wedlock be also a proper gift of God as Bellarmine vrgeth and we denie not yet it remaineth still that the other is a more singular and proper gift and is not therefore commonly and indifferently bestowed vpon all Thirdly Saint Paul sayth that a man may marrie his Virgin if neede so require 1. Corinth 7.37 But if euery one labouring for the gift of continencie might obtayne it there should then be no necessitie of mariage which the Apostle here affirmeth Lastly the Rhemists say that the marriage of those that haue vowed is the worst sorte of incontinencie and fornication 1. Corinth 7. sect 8. Augustine saith cleane contrarie Non ipsae nuptiae talium damnandae iudicantur sed damnatur propositi fraus damnatur fracta votifides postremò damnantur tales non quia coniugalem fidem posterius inierunt sed quia continentiaa primam fideÌ„ irritam fecerunt de bono viduitat cap. 9. The mariages of such are not condemned but the violating of their vow is condemned not because they afterward entred into the league of mariage but because they did break the first fayth of continencie Augustine sayth not that such mariages are no mariages but plaine adultery fornication But maketh the mariage lawful reproueth their rashnes before in making and their vnstedfastnes nowe in breaking their vowes THE FIFT QVESTION CONCERNING Monasticall persons which do enter into that profession THere are foure sortes of people which the papists do offer great wrong vnto in drawing them to the profession of monkery First vnto the yonger sort which haue libertie to marrie Secondly to the children and sonnes whom they make Monks without consent of their parents Thirdly they say maried persons by mutual consent may betake themselues to a Monks habite Fourthly if mariage be contracted not consummate or finished they may one leaue another without consent first had THE FIRST PART WHETHER THE younger sorte are to bee admitted to professe
away by praier and fasting Mark 9.9 And therefore to coniure creatures to expell Sathan without the word of God is no better then a kind of Magicke enchantment THE SEVENTH QVESTION OF PILGRImages and Processions The Papists FIrst they hold that pilgrimages made to Ierusalem and the holy land as they call it to Rome and to the memories of Saints in other places to aske and obtaine error 55 their helpe are godly and religious and to bee much vsed of Christians Concil Trident. sess 25. Bellarm. cap. 8. The halt and lame went vp to Ierusalem to be healed in the poole of Bethesda Iohn 5. Certaine Greekes came vp to worship at the feast Iohn 12.20 The Eunuch went vp in pilgrimage to Ierusalem Act. 8. Ergo it is lawfull and requisite Rhemist Ans. First when you can proue that such miracles are wrought at the memories of Saints as the scripture testifieth of this poole men may be bold to goe vnto them for their bodily health as we see there is resort vnto Bathes but not for any religion Secondly the Grecians that visited Ierusalem were Iewes that dwelt amongst the Gentiles or Proselytes which were bound to visite the temple at Ierusalem Thirdly the Eunuch went not vp in pilgrimage to Ierusalem but to worship for there was yet no other knowne place of the world where God was worshipped Secondly their solemne processions especially vpon Palme Sunday with carrying the Sacrament about strawing of rushes bearing of palmes setting vp error 56 of boughes hanging vp rich clothes the quire and queristers singing they would warrant by that action of our Sauiour Christ Math. 21.8 when he came riding to Ierusalem and the people strawed their garments in the way Rhemist annot Math. 21. sect 1. Ans. First your processions are horrible abusings and prophanations of the Lords institution who ordained his Supper to be eaten and drunke not to be carried about in procession like an heathenish Idol Secondly that which the people and Christs disciples did they had warrant for out of the scripture but who required this theatrical pompe at your hands The riding of Christ vpon an asse was before prophecied of Zachar. 9. and the childrens crying out in the temple Psal. 8. The cutting downe of palme branches was a ceremonie belonging to the feast of Tabernacles truly accomplished by our deliuerance in Christ. But you haue turned the holy mysterie of Christs riding to Ierusalem to a May-game and Pageant play The Protestants FIrst that no places ought to be frequeÌ„ted or resorted vnto for religions sake or more holines or for the health of the soule we proue it out of the word of God Saint Peter sayth That in euery nation he that feareth God is accepted with him Act. 10.35 Ergo one nation is as holy as another And now our Sauiour saith That God will not be worshipped at Ierusalem or in Mount Garrizin but in spirit and truth Iohn 4. He therefore that seeketh places to worship God in as though he were rather to be found in one place then another hath left the spirituall worship Augustine thus writeth concerning pilgrimage He wisheth men to seeke them teachers and instructors by whom they might be taught De erat in ea terra quam incolebas quae causa vtilius cogeret peregrinari But is there no teacher in the countrey where thou dwellest what better cause canst thou haue to trauell and goe in pilgrimage to seeke one in other countries De vtilit credend cap. 7. Thus he would haue men to play the pilgrimes not to runne gadding to Relikes and Images but to seeke for teachers and instructors Secondly the popish pompous processions are both superstitious in reuiuing and renewing the Iewish ceremonies such as the feast of Tabernacles was which are all now abolished as shadowes by the comming of Christ. And they are plainly idolatrous for they carrie about their breaden god in procession and make an Idol of a piece of baked wheate but Paul sayth The Sacrament ought to be receiued with thankesgiuing in the Churches and congregations of Christians 1. Corinth 11.33 not to bee carried about to bee gazed vpon in the fields Seemely processions voyd of superstition which are vsed for ciuill purposes as to maintaine the limits and bounds of townships and withall by the sight of Gods blessing vpon the creatures to bee stirred vp to thankfulnes we neither mislike nor condemne AN APPENDIX CONCERNING THE HOLY LAND and holy warres for the same as they were called The Papists THey which are but a little acquainted with ancient stories shall finde that error 57 there were neuer in Christendome such bloodie warres and for so long a time as those which were at the instigation of the Popes taken in hand by christian Princes for the recouerie of the holy land in so much that they were made to beleeue that it was a meritorious workâ— Whereupon King Richard the first calling to minde his rebellion and disobedience to his father in part of satisfaction purposed a voyage into the Holy land as it was called to redeeme Christs patrimonie from the Infidels Fox pag. 235. Bellarm. de laicis lib. 3. cap. 16. First for why they say it is an Holy land for if the places of Gods apparition are counâ—â—â— holy Exod. 3.5 Iosua 5.15 much more the places of Christs natiuitie buriall passion and resurrection Saint Peter calleth the place where Christ was transfigured The holy mount Rhemist 1 Timoth. 4 sect 10. Ans. The places where God appeared in times past were holy for that time onely of Gods presence not for euer after and the mount is called holy in respect of the time wherein the transfiguration was not that the holines of the place doth alwaies continue for that place which Iacob called Bethel the house of God Genes 28. is by the Prophet called Bethauen the house of wickednesse Ose. 4.15 because of the idolatries there committed what was now become of the holines of the place The Protestants TO warre against the Turkes vpon iust cause as to seeke to defend our selues from their inuasions and to maintaine the confines and bounds of Christendome to deliuer Christians vniustly and cruelly kept in slauerie vnder him we hold it lawfull but to wage battaile with him onely for a superstitious deuotion to the land of Palestina to recouer it out of his hand we see no warrant at all for it Argum. 1. The euill successe that Christians haue had against them and the shamefull ouerthrowes that they haue sustained at their hands doe euidently shewe that God was not pleased with those superstitious warres While Princes had a good quarrell seeking onely to maintaine their owne and to deliuer Christian countries from the thraldome of the Turkes God prospered them as the famous victories of Scanderbeius and Iohannes Hunniades obtained against Amurathes the 8. Turkish Emperour do notably testifie but those superstitious and pope-holy warres though sometime they had good successe yet in the end all went to
spake and where else speaketh Christ but in the scriptures Ergo the forme of Baptisme is the word of Christ prescribed and commanded in the scriptures Away therefore with your vncertaine and deceitfull traditions Our Baptisme is builded vpon a surer foundation namely the word of God THE THIRD QVESTION OF THE necessitie of Baptisme The Papists THey affirme that Baptisme is simply necessarie to saluation by Gods appointment error 100 so that all which die vnbaptized vnlesse the want of Baptisme be recompensed either by Martyrdome or penance must needes perish and be depriued of eternall life Concil Trident. sess 7. can 7. Bellarm. lib. 1. de baptism cap. 4. Argum. Iohn 3.5 Our sauiour Christ saith Vnlesse a man bee borne of water and the spirite he cannot enter into the Kingdome of GOD Ergo it is necessarie to saluation to bee baptized Bellarm. ibid. Rhemist in hunc locum Ans. First it is not necessarie by water here to vnderstand materiall water but the purifying grace of Christ which is called the water of life Iohn 4.11 Water then is here added as an Epithete of the spirite because it clenseth and purgeth as water as Iohn 7.38 He that beleeueth out of his bellie shall flowe riuers of waters of life Quid aqua sit saith Augustine euangelium interroga Inquire of the Gospell what this water is Then it followeth vers 39. This spake hee of the spirite which they that beleeued in him should receiue By water then it is no rare thing to vnderstand the spirite Secondly Why may not water bee here figuratiuely taken to expresse the working of the spirite as fire is added to the spirite Matth. 3.11 He shall baptize with the holy Ghost and with fire What greater necessitie is there in this place to vnderstand water literally then fire in the other Thirdly as you expound these wordes of Baptisme so yee doe applie another place Iohn 6.53 to the other Sacrament Vnlesse you doe eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood you shall not haue life in you If this bee spoken of the Sacramentall eating and drinking of Christ as the Rhemists take it then belike there is as great necessitie of the Eucharist as of Baptisme and so indeede Augustine sometime thought that the one was as necessarie to saluation as the other Sine Christi carne sanguine nec paruuli vitam habere possunt in semetipsis Without the flesh and blood of Christ neither can infants haue life in themselues And therefore it was the custome of those times to giue of the Sacrament to children Paruulis adhuc infirmis stillantur quaedam de sacramentis some part of the Sacrament is instilled and powred into the mouthes of young and tender children But our aduersaries in no wise will admit that the Eucharist is as necessarie as Baptisme wherefore they doe thus comment vpon our Sauiours wordes that they also doe eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood which ioyne in heart and desire to be partakers of the Sacrament and so mystically and spiritually doe receiue it Rhemist Iohn 6. sect 8. And why I pray you may there not be as well a mysticall and spirituall receiuing of Baptisme without the Sacrament as of the Eucharist or Lords Supper seeing this place Iohn 6.53 doth as necessarily enforce the receiuing of this Sacrament as that place Iohn 3.5 doth lay a necessitie of Baptisme The Protestants WEe acknowledge no greater necessitie in Baptisme then in the other Sacrament both which wee grant to be necessarie as helpes and proppes and profitable meanes to increase our faith but not so simplie necessarie as that without them there being no neglect or contempt had of them it were impossible to be saued Argum. 1. The children of the faithfull are holy already euen before they are baptized for they are within the couenant and to them also belongeth the promise The Lord saith I will be thy God and the God of thy seede Genes 17.7 And Saint Paul saith that the children of the faithfull are holy 1. Corinth 7.14 If the Lord then be the God also of children if they be holy being borne of the righteous seede how can they possibly perish although they die vnbaptized Argum. 2. Circumcision was as necessarie to the Israelites as Baptisme is to vs but their children which died before the eight day when they were to bee circumcised perished not for Dauid doubteth not to say of his child that died the seuenth day I shall goe to him hee cannot returne to me 1. Sam 12.18.23 He pronounceth that the child was saued Ergo neither children dying without Baptisme now are condemned Argum. 3. The holy Ghost may be giuen without Baptisme so it bee not contemned and neglected when it may be had therefore life eternall may be had without Baptisme for the holy Ghost is able without the sacrament to regenerate vs and bring vs to eternall life The first is proued Act. 10.47 Who can forbid water that these should not be baptized which haue receiued the holy Ghost as well as wee They had the holy Ghost before and without Baptisme as Augustine saith Adhuc loquente Petro non dico nondum imponente manum sed nondum baptizante venit spiritus sanctus While Peter yet spake before he laid on his hand or Baptized them the holy Ghost came Ergo Baptisme not necessarie Argum. 4. You your selues make two exceptions of Martyres and them that doe penance which may be saued without Baptisme Ergo Baptisme is not simplie necessarie And if our Sauiour speake of Baptisme Iohn 3.5 as yee say he doth there is no priuiledge for any no not for Martyres for all must bee borne of water and the spirite that is say you baptized Neither are your two exceptions generall enough for the theefe vpon the crosse was saued and yet neither died a Martyr for he himselfe confesseth that he was righteously punished Luk. 23.41 neither did he any such penance or made any such satisfaction as you require AN APPENDIX WHETHER THE want of Baptisme may bee by any other meanes supplied The Papists OVr aduersaries make three kindes of Baptisme Baptismum fluminis baptismum sanguinis baptismum flaminis error 101 the Baptisme of water the Baptisme of blood which is Martyrdome and the Baptisme of the spirite which is contrition and penance by these two the first say they may be supplied They affirme that Martyrdome and penance or contrition doe by the very act or worke wrought remit sinnes and iustifie the workers and not in respect of the faith onely which is in Martyrs or penitent persons Bellar. cap. 6. lib. 1. de baptism Argum. The Innocents which were slaine by Herod were saued onely by their Martyrdome they had neither faith nor workes So the theefe vpon the Crosse was not onely iustified by his faith but by the act and worke of contrition Ans. First it is not necessarie to hold all those children to be
lauer of regeneration and word of Sanctification all the sinnes in men regenerate are healed yea euen those which by humane ignorance afterward are committed Non vt baptisma quoties peccatur toties repetatur sed quia ipso quod semel datur fit vt non solum anteà verùm etiam posteà quorumlibet peccatorum venia fidelibus impetretur Not that Baptisme so oft as a man sinneth is to bee repeated but by vertue of that which is once giuen it commeth to passe that the faithfull haue remission of their sinnes not onely before but also after Ergo Baptisme hath it force not onely for the present but it reacheth vnto the time following THE THIRD PART OF THE LIBERTIE and priuiledges obtained by Baptisme The Papists 1. THey haue defined that a man by Baptisme is not onely debitor fidei sed etiam vniuersae legis Christi implendae error 109 not onely a debter of the faith but is made a debter to performe the whole law of Christ Concil Trident. sess 8. can 7. that is Baptisme is not onely a signe of free iustification by faith neither doth he which is baptized professe himselfe onely by faith to bee iustified but partly also by his workes and the keeping of the commandements of Christ. The Protestants Ans. IN Baptisme wee make profession of our obedience to die vnto sinne and rise vp to newnes of life Rom. 6.2 yet not thereby to bee iustified but in being baptized wee shew our faith and hope onely to looke for remission of sinnes and saluation of our soules by the death of Christ. Argum. 1. Circumcision in place whereof Baptisme is giuen to vs is called by the Apostle a seale of the righteousnes of faith Rom. 4 11. not of the righteousnes of workes much more then is Baptisme which is a Sacrament of the Gospell a pledge vnto vs of the iustice of faith Argum. 2. By Baptisme we are freed from the curse of the lawe for it is a Sacrament of the death of Christ and of all the benefites thereof and Christ by his death hath borne for vs the curse of the lawe Galath 3.13 But if by Baptisme we binde our selues to the obseruance of the lawe to bee iustified and finde life thereby we must needes fall into the curse because we are not able to keepe the commandements Wherefore seeing Baptisme deliuereth vs from the curse it also exempteth vs from the workes of the lawe The Papists error 110 2. ALthough Christians are bound by solemne vow in Baptisme to walke in obedience before God and to keepe his commandements yet are they not therefore freed and exempted from the obseruance of the lawes and ordinances of men the which they are bound in conscience to keepe and vnder paine of damnation Bellarm. cap. 16. The Protestants BAptisme onely bindeth vs to keepe the commandements of God and so far forth also to obey men as they commaund things lawfull but wee must not be brought in bondage to mens traditions and obseruations seeing we are the Lords free men and by Baptisme consecrate to his seruice Argum. Math. 28.19 Goe and teach baptizing them c. and teaching them to obserue all that I haue commanded you Ergo Baptisme bindeth vs onely to the obseruation of Gods precepts 1. Corinth 7.23 Yee are bought with a price be not the seruants of men Baptisme is a signe of the death of Christ the price of our redemption Ergo wee are freed from all meere humane seruice in receiuing of Baptisme For this cause is it called the Baptisme of Christ Augustine saith Paulus dixisse legitur euangelium meum baptismum autem Christi nemo Apostolorum ita vnquam ministrauit vt auderet dicere suum Paul is read to haue said My Gospell but neuer any of the Apostles durst call the Baptisme of Christ their Baptisme Ergo seeing it is the Baptisme of Christ and we are onely baptized in his name not in our owne name or the name of men wee must onely hope to bee saued by faith in him and become his seruants wholly THE SEVENTH QVESTION OF THE difference betweene the Baptisme of our Sauiour Christ and the Baptisme of Iohn The Papists THe Baptisme of John they say was of another kinde then Christs Baptisme was neither was it sufficient without Christs Baptisme nor had the error 111 like force or efficacie as his Baptisme had and therefore such as had been baptized of Iohn were afterward admitted to Christs Baptisme Concil Trident. sess 8. canon 1. Bellarm. lib. 1. de baptis cap. 20.21 Argum. 1. Matth. 3.11 Iohn himselfe saith I baptize you with water but hee shall baptize you with the holy Ghost Ergo Iohns Baptisme and Christes not all one for Iohns Baptisme gaue not the holy Ghost Bellarm. ibid. Ans. Iohn speaketh not of diuerse Baptismes but of diuerse operations and ministeries in one and the same Baptisme for Iohn as all other ministers doe did but giue water and Christ working together with them giueth the holy Ghost But it will be answered that Iohn saith not he dooth baptize but hee shall baptize Ergo Christ did not baptize together with Iohn by his spirite Ans. The same Iohn in another place speaketh of Christ in the present tense Iohn 1.33 This is hee which baptizeth with the holy Ghost Ergo Christ did both then baptize with his spirite and afterwards also more manifestly when the giftes of the spirite began to bee shed forth more plentifully vpon men Argum. 2. Saint Paul baptized twelue men at Ephesus with Christs Baptisme that had receiued Iohns before Act. 19.4.5 Ergo Iohns Baptisme was not the same that Christs was Bellarm. Ans. There can be no such thing gathered out of that place for those words in the fifth verse When they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus are part of the narration which Paul maketh of Iohns manner of Baptisme so that the sense is this they that heard Iohns doctrine were baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus It is not so to be read as though they were baptized againe of Paul but he laieth onely his hands vpon them that had before receiued the Baptisme of Iohn The Protestants THat Iohns Baptisme was not diuerse from Christs Baptisme but was all one with it in propertie and effect and that they which were baptized by Iohn were baptized into the name of Christ and therefore needed not againe to bee baptized thus it is made manifest out of Scripture Argum. 1. Iohns Baptisme differed not in the matter of the Sacrament for he baptized with water as Christs Apostles did There was also the same forme of both the word of God for Iohn also taught the people to beleeue in Iesus Christ that was to come Act. 19.4 There was also the same scope and ende of Iohns Baptisme For hee preached the Baptisme of repentance for remission of sinnes Mark 1.4 Ergo it was the same with the Baptisme of Christ. Argum. 2. If
the Baptisme instituted by Christ were another Baptisme then Iohns was and yet hee himselfe was baptized of Iohn then it would followe that wee are baptized now with another Baptisme then Christ himselfe was for hee receiued Iohns Baptisme but this were very absurd to say that there is not the same Baptisme of the head and the members of Christ and his Church Ergo Iohns Baptisme all one with Christs Bellarmine denieth that the proper end and scope of Iohns Baptisme was for remission of sinnes yet Augustine granteth it who notwithstanding being carried away with the error of that time doth else where put some difference betweene the Baptisme of Iohn and Christ Si quis contendat in baptismo Iohannis dimissa esse peccata non ago pugnanter If any man will contend that remission of sinnes also was giuen in Iohns Baptisme I will not bee against it There being then the same proper end and scope of both these Baptismes how can they choose but be all one THE EIGHT QVESTION OF the ceremonies and rites of Baptisme The Papists error 112 THey haue brought into the Sacrament of Baptisme a multitude of superstitious ceremonies whereby they haue greatly polluted the holy Sacrament of Baptisme mixing therewith their owne inuentions First before Baptisme they haue deuised these toyes to bee vsed First they doe exorcise coniure and exufflate the euill spirite from the partie to bee baptized Secondly they touch the eares and nostrels with spittle that his eares may bee opened to heare the worde and his nostrels to discerne betweene the smell of good and euil Thirdly the Priest signeth his eyes eares mouth breast forehead nostrels with the signe of the crosse that all his sences thereby may be defended 4. Then halowed salt is put into his mouth that he may be seasoned with wisdome and be kept from putrifiyng in sinne 5. The partie is anoynted then with oyle in his breast that he may be safe from euill suggestions between the shoulders which signifieth the receiuing of spiritual strength Secondly these ceremonies doe accompany Baptisme it selfe 1. The Font and water therein is consecrated and halowed in the name of the Father the Sonne and holy Ghost 2. Hee is thrise dipped in the water to signifie the being of Christ 3. dayes in the graue Thirdly after Baptisme they haue this vse 1. He is anoynted with holie Chrisme in the top of the head thereby is become a Christian. 2. A white garment is put vpon him to betoken his regeneration 3. A vaile is put vpon his head in token that he is now crowned with a royal Diademe 4. A burning taper is put into his hand to fulfil that saying in the Gospel Let your light so shine before men c. Bellarm. lib. 1. de Baptism 25.26.27 Catechism Rom. p. 310. Gabr. Biel. lib. 4. distinct 6. qu. 3. The Protestants AGainst these Popish ceremonies which they vse in baptisme we doe reason thus 1 It is contrary to the rule of the Gospell that there should bee such types shadowes significations brought into the seruice of God as they make in Baptisme for seeing we haue the body which is Christ all such shadowes ought to be abolished Coloss. 2.17 2 In one sacrament they haue forged and found out many as their chrisme oyle salte spittle which they make not onely seales of holy things but giuers and conferrers of grace which is more then any sacrament can haue and it is contrary to the scripture for the spirit of GOD is as the winde that bloweth where it listeth Iohn 3. It is not tyed to creatures elements externall signes as they include the spirite as it were in these outward things which haue power as they affirme to giue wisedome strength power against the diuell and such like But Saynt Paul sayth that the weapons of our warfare are not carnall 2. Corinthian 10.4 The meanes whereby Christans both obtayne spirituall graces and shend them from euill are spirituall For if in Christ Circumcision auayle not any thing which was notwithstanding instituted of God but fayth is all in all Galath 5.6 Much more vaine and vnauaileable are the deuises and inuentions of men 3 This beggerly company of ceremonies doth also deface and impugne the sincere and pure institution of Christ None of all those ceremonies were vsed when Christ himselfe was baptized Math. 3. which notwithstanding had beene most fitte considering the worthynes of his person that was baptized Neither did Christ giue any such thing in charge to his Apostles but biddeth them onely preach and baptize in the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Math. 28.19 nor yet were any such ceremonies in vse in the Apostles time Saynt Peter sayth Act. 10.47 Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized He calleth not for oyle salt spittle or any such thing but onely for water Augustine vtterly misliketh this combersome rabble of needlesse ceremonies Ipsam religionem quam Deus paucissimis sacramentis liberam esse voluit onerib premunt vt tolerabilior sit conditio Iudaeorum qui etiamsi tempus libertatis non agnouerint legalibus tamen sarcinis non humanis praesumptionibus subijciuntur They doe cumber religion with their burdensome inuentions which Christ made free with a very few sacraments so that the Iewes case was more tolerable who though they knew not the libertie of the Gospell yet were subiect to the legall ceremonies not to the inuentions of men And is it not euen thus I pray you in the Popish Church for neuer was Iewish circumcisiō stuffed with the third part of ceremonies which their Baptisme is defiled withall THE THIRTEENTH GENERALL CONTROVERSIE OF THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SVPPER OR EVCHARIST THis Controuersie hath two parts First of the sacrament it self Secondly of the sacrifice which they say is offered vp in the sacrament which they call the sacrifice of the Masse THE FIRST PART OF THE SAcrament of the Eucharist THis part of the controuersie standeth vpon diuers questions First whether the body of Christ be really and substantially in the sacrament Secondly whether the elements of bread and wine be changed conuerted and transubstantiate into the very body and flesh of Christ. Thirdly whether the Eucharist remayne a sacrament after the vse and celebration Fourthly of the outward elements in this sacrament Fiftly of the words of consecration Sixtly of the proper effect of the Lords supper Seuenthly of the maner of celebrating it Eightly whether it ought to be ministred in one kinde Ninthly whether it is to be adored THE FIRST QVESTION CONCERNING the reall presence of Christ in the sacrament The Papists IN the sacrament of the Eucharist vnder the formes of bread and wine by error 113 the efficacie of the word of Christ spoken by the Priest is really verily and substantially present the naturall body and blood of Christ which was conceiued of the virgin Marie the same bodie that is now in heauen Rhemist Mat. 26. sect 4.
not onely of remission of sinnes but that Christ is become our righteousnes and sanctification 1. Cor. 1.30 that he will assist vs with his spirite and replenish our harts with grace Ioh. 4.14 yea the spirituall eating and drinking of the flesh and blood of Christ is a pledge vnto vs of the resurrection and of life eternall Ioh. 6.54 But that amongst the rest it also assureth vs of remission of sinnes thus it is proued Argum. Christ after S. Mathew saith This is the blood of the new testament that is shed for many for remission of sinnes Math. 26.28 But the new testament includeth a promise of remission of sinnes Iere. 31.34 Yea our Sauiour setteth it downe in plaine termes for why els should our Sauiour make expresse mention of forgiuenes of sinnes if this sacrament did not serue for that vse Secondly we doe holde that to haue a liuely faith in the promises of God with repentance for our sinnes and a full purpose to amend our liues is a sufficient preparation for the Communion and that this sacrament is a soueraigne remedy for a troubled conscience Neither ought men to refraine from the Communion till they haue fully satisfied for their sinnes as the Papists teach and are cleered in their conscience of all their sinnes for so few or none at all should be admitted to the Lords table but in whom faith hath alredy wrought repentance in some measure he may safely receiue the sacrament for his further comfort and assurance of remission of sinnes Argum. Iohn 6.35 He that beleeueth in me saith Christ shall neuer thirst S. Paul also exhorteth men to examine themselues 1. Corin. 11.28 which is nothing els as himselfe expondethu it then to proue whether they be in the faith 2. Cor. 13.5 Ergo the examination or triall of faith is a sufficient preparation for the Lords table Augustine saith Ad Deum acceditur fide sectando corde inhiando charitate currando We come or haue accesse vnto God in folowing him by faith seeking him in our heart and running to him with loue In Psalm 33. concion 2. Ergo by fayth we haue accesse vnto God Rom. 5.2 but a liuely fayth which worketh by loue Galath 5.6 THE SEVENTH QVESTION OF THE manner to be obserued in receiuing the communion The Papists 1 THey holde it in no wise lawfull for Christians otherwise then fasting to error 121 receiue the communion and that they ought to eate nothing before they doe communicate vnlesse it be in a case of great necessitie Concil Constantiens sess 13. Bellarm. lib. 3. de Eucharist cap. 22. ratione 4. The Protestants 1 WHat they here vnderstand by necessitie it may be doubted seeing they themselues will not graunt the like necessitie to be in the Eucharist as they say there is of Baptisme All sacraments we graunt are necessary that is profitable expedient requisite so often as they may bee had But none so necessary that the want thereof vnto a faythfull man that in heart doth wish and desire them can be any hindrance to his saluation 2 That it is lawfull for any man to eate before he come to the communion if his stomack be weake and not able to fast so long for otherwise if a man can abstaine we wish him so to do rather Saint Paul sheweth writing to the Corinthians 1. cap. 11.34 If any man be hungry let him eate at home Some of them he sayth came hungry some drunken vers 21. the Apostle commendeth neither but telleth them if they bee hungry they haue houses to eate in Againe in that our Sauiour Christ after supper instituted the sacrament it doth euidently declare vnto vs that it is no sinne to eate or drink before we receiue the sacrament Augustine sayth Neminem cogimus dominica illa coena prandere sed nulli etiam contradicere audemus We compell none to take the Lords Supper in dinner while or after dinner neither dare wee forbid any so to doe so hee maketh it a thing indifferent to communicate fasting or otherwise The Papists 2 THey binde the people onely once in the yeare to receiue the communion error 122 at Easter time and take it to be fully sufficient for them so to doe Concil Trident. sess 13. can 9. The Protestants 2 THis decree of theirs is contrary to the practise of the Apostles whom the Rhemists confesse to haue ministred the sacrament to the Christians daylie Annotat. Act. 2. sect 6. So expounding the wordes of the text They continued dayly in breaking of bread 2. It seemeth also to be contrary to Saint Pauls rule who speaketh of often communicating Doe this sayth he as oft as you drink it 1. Corinth 11.25 For seeing the eating of that bread and drinking of that cuppe is nothing els but a shewing foorth of the Lords death till he come who seeth not that it ought oftener then once or twice in the yere to be receiued seeing the death of Christ ought continually to be remembred and shewed foorth 3 Therefore Augustine doth boldely reprehend their custome that content themselues with once receiuing in the yeare Si panis quotidianus est cur post annum illum sumas accipe quotidie quod quotidie tibi prosit If it be thy daylie bread why doest thou take it but yearely take that daylie and continually which may profit thee daylie In Luk. serm 28. THE EIGHT QVESTION OF RECEIuing the Sacrament in one kinde The Papists error 123 CHristians say they are not bound by any commaundement of GOD to receiue the sacrament in both kinds Concil Trident. sess 21. can 1. And whosoeuer saith that the Church hath erred or done amisse in decreeing that lay men and the Clergie not saying Masse should receiue in the one kinde that is bread onely Or that it is lawfull for them to communicate in both contrary to the determination of the Church let him bee accursed Concil Trident sess 21. can 2. Rhemist Iohn 6. sect 11. Bellarmin lib. 4. de Eucharist cap. 20. Argum. 1. Christ is all and whole in euery parte of the sacrament his blood by a certaine concomitance is in the bread his flesh by the like concomitance is in the cup for otherwise Christ should be deuided But euery spirit sayth the Apostle that dissolueth Iesus is of God 1. Iohn 4.3 Wherefore hee that receiueth in one kinde is as well partaker of whole Christ and of the full grace and effect of the sacrament as if hee receiued in both Bellarmin cap. 21. Ans. 1. We denie any such concomitance of the blood and flesh of Christ in the sacrament for he is not in his carnall presence with his very flesh and blood there included as we haue shewed before the bread and wine are signes onely of his body and blood and therefore Christ is not diuided they being the signes onely and not the thing signified 2 The place alleadged out of Saint Iohn is greatly abused and corrupted by them while they choose rather to follow their
our mindes our willes are altogether passiue in respect of the generall power and naturall motion of willing thinking and vnderstanding they are also actiue The seuerall poynts then wherein we and our aduersaries dissent about free will are these 1. They say that man was neuer without free will but it is made more free by grace Rhemist Iohn 8. sect 2. that is our free will is not altogether corrupt but there remaineth some freedome therein euen before grace Ans. Cleane contrarie to S. Paul who denieth that in his flesh dwelleth any good thing Rom. 7.18 but sayth he by nature was wholly sold vnto sinne vers 14. How then can there remaine any goodnes in our will without grace Augustine consenteth Laborant homines inuenire in voluntate quid boni sit nostrum quod non sit ex Deo quod quomodo inueniri possit ignoro Men doe labour to finde some goodnes in the will that is of our selues and not of God but I am altogether ignorant how any such thing should be found 2. The beginning of our calling and the first motions and stirrings of the heart are of grace but to consent is wholly in our power so belike God beginneth the good worke and we continue it This is right the old Pelagian heresie Gratiam Dei non ad singulos actus dari That the grace of God need not be giuen at euery assay but it is enough if God giue a hint and shewe vs the beginning and we will performe the rest This heresie is confuted by Augustine Epistol 106. And in another place Nos eam gratiam volumus saith he qua non solum reuelatur sapientia sed amatur non suadetur bonum sed persuadetur We vnderstand that grace by the which wisedome is not only reuealed but loued we are not moued and stirred only to good things but throughly perswaded Wherefore it is not God that beginneth the good worke in vs onely but also continueth and finisheth it for all things are by Iesus Christ 1. Corinth 8.7 no good thing in vs but by him 3. They also renew another heresie of the Pelagians who taught That what men are commanded to doe by free will facilius impleri per gratiam is but more easily performed by grace What els doe the Rhemists say giuing this note that although the Gentiles do especially beleeue by Gods grace yet they doe beleeue by their free will Act. 13.2 So grace helpeth them only more especially fully or easely to beleeue Whereupon it followeth that they may beleeue without grace though not so especially Now then we are to proue against our aduersaries that our free will hath no power at all of it selfe to will or doe that which is good no further then it is guided and not onely in part assisted but wholly directed by the spirit of God Argum. 1. Philipp 2.13 God worketh in vs both the will and the deede yea and the thought to 2. Cor. 3.5 He sayth not God and we worke but he himselfe worketh he is all in all Argum. 2. Iohn 6.44 No man commeth to me vnlesse my father draw him But he is not drawne that giueth assent of his owne accord for so they say that God first toucheth the heart with his spirit and then it is in the power of man to giue consent But the scripture speaketh otherwise how that God draweth vs he draweth our will and maketh vs to giue assent vnto his grace He it is that taketh away the stonie heart and giueth an heart of flesh Ezech. 11.19 Ergo he prepareth and addresseth the will wholly For like as a stone hath no fleshy nature in it no more hath the naturall will of men any goodnesse dwelling therein Augustine Quicquid vult bonum quicquid potest à Domino est quia sine me ait Dominus nihil potestis facere Iohn 15. Whatsoeuer a man either willeth or is able to doe it is of God as the Lord sayth in the Gospell Without me you can doe nothing Ergo without grace the will is able to doe nothing it is then wholly corrupt in it selfe It followeth therefore that our will and Gods grace worke not together but God by his spirit worketh alone in vs. THE SECOND QVESTION of Faith THe parts of the question First what faith is Secondly of the diuers kindes of faith Thirdly of the forme of faith Fourthly how we are iustified by faith Fiftly whether faith be meritorious Sixtly whether it be in our owne power Seuenthly whether faith may be lost Eightly whether wicked men haue faith THE FIRST PART WHAT FAITH IS whereby we are iustified The Papists error 76 IVstifying faith or faith that iustifieth is not that assured beleefe and confidence of the heart whereby we are perswaded that our sinnes are forgiuen vs in Christ Concil Trident. sess 6. can 13. It is a generall or vniuersall beleeuing the articles of Christs death and resurrection not any fond speciall faith fiducia or confidence of each mans owne saluation Rhemist Rom. 4. sect 9. Argum. Abrahams faith was nothing els but his beleefe of a certaine article reuealed vnto him from God and credite giuen to Gods speeches Rhemist ibid. Ans. Abrahams faith was not onely a generall or historicall beleefe that Gods speeches were true but a sure confidence and trust in God that his promises pertained vnto him and that he himselfe should bee blessed in that promised seede as our Sauiour testifieth Iohn 8.56 Abraham desired to see my day and he sawe it and was glad For whereof sprang that exceeding ioy in Abraham but vpon that certaine hope and perswasion which he had of his owne saluation in Christ The Protestants A Iustifying faith is not onely a generall beleefe of the articles of faith that Christ was borne dyed rose againe for them that beleeue but it is an assured and stedfast confidence whereby euery faithfull man particularly doth applie to himselfe the generall promises of God for the hope of remission of his sinnes in Christ that Christ dyed rose againe and did all the rest euen for him Argum. 1. Saint Iames sayth The diuels also doe beleeue that God is and doe tremble yea no doubt but they beleeue the word of God is true and confesse all the articles of the faith for they acknowledge Christ to be the Sonne of the liuing God Mark 5.7 But the faith of diuels is no iustifying faith Ergo neither this historicall and generall faith Argum. 2. Saint Paul was saued by no other faith then the common iustifying faith of all Christians but this faith wrought a particular perswasion in him From henceforth is layd vp for me a crowne of righteousnes 2. Timoth. 8. Ergo such ought the faith of all Christians to be Augustine sayth Nos non simul omnes sed paulatim singulatim credentes congregamur in vnam quandam ciuitatem We sayth he not beleeuing all at once but euery man asunder and by himselfe are gathered into one
one place for it is as proper to the bodie of Christ to be seene and felt as to be in one place at once 4. Bellarmine granteth being vrged with that argument that Christs soule was in Paradise after his passion and therefore not in hell he confesseth that it was not impossible that Christs soule should be in two places at once Lib. 4. de Christi anima cap. 15. Yea he sayth that Christ may if he will turne al the world into bread and the bread so made conuert into his flesh and so his bodie may be as well in euery place of the world as now it is in the Eucharist Lib. 3. de incarnat cap. 11. What great oddes now I pray you is there between the opinion of the Vbiquitaries and of the Papists but that they say that the bodie of Christ is euery where ordinarily by the power of the Godhead the other say his flesh is in many places at once by a miracle The one sayth Christs bodie actually is in euery place the other that it may be if Christ will THE SECOND PART WHETHER OVR SAVIOVR Christ did verily encrease in knowledge and wisedome as he was man The Papists CHrist they say in the very first creation of his soule and from his conception error 98 was endued with the fulnes of al wisedome grace and knowledge neither can he be sayd properly to haue encreased in any of these gifts 1. Christ was anoynted from his mothers womb and then the spirit of God was vpon him for the Angels that appeared to the shepheards call him Christ Luk. 2.11 And Iohn sayth The word was made flesh full of grace and truth 1. vers 11. Therefore euen then he had receiued all abundance of grace and knowledge Bellarm. de Christi anima lib. 4.2 Ans. 1. We grant that our Sauiour was the Iesus the Christ euen from his natiuitie not that thē he actually straightwaies entred into those offices or receiued plenarie power of all the graces of the spirit but because he was euen from his mothers wombe consecrated and appoynted thereunto for it no more followeth because he is called Christ that he then had his actuall anoynting then that because he was called Iesus from his natiuitie that he had actually performed our redemption The full anoynting of the spirit was fulfilled in his baptisme when the holy Ghost came downe in the likenes of a Doue and then beginning to preach in his first sermon at Nazareth he sheweth the accomplishment of the prophecie of Esay The spirite of the Lord is vpon me c. Luk. 4.18 2. Neither doe the words of Iohn import so much as they gather The word was made flesh and dwelt amongst vs full of grace and truth which is not to be vnderstood of the very first assuming of the flesh but of the dwelling of the word in the flesh amongst vs and so appeared to be full of grace and truth Argum. 2. Christ was the Sonne of God in his very incarnation and euen then was the humanitie perfectly vnited to the Godhead therefore immediatly vpon this vnion and coniunction of both natures in one person must needes follow the fulnes of grace in the humane nature Againe Adam was created in perfect wisedome therefore much more the second Adam Bellar. cap. 4. Ans. 1. If presently vpon the vniting of the two natures together it had been necessarie that the humane nature of Christ should haue receiued whatsoeuer by the presence of the diuine nature was to be conferred vpon it then Christ straight waies must also both in bodie and soule haue been glorified for it can not be denied but that as the bodie of Christ after the resurrection receiued more glorie then before so also his soule being the other part of his humanitie was more glorified By this it is euident that the humanitie receiued not at once the fulnes of all grace and glorie in the first vniting of the Godhead 2. Adam was created perfect in bodie and soule and if Christ therefore ought to haue the fulnes of the gifts of the soule in his creation as Adam had why ought he not also to haue had a perfect bodie as Adam was created withall Wherefore as it was no dishonour to Christ to grow vp in stature of bodie so neither was it to encrease in the gifts of the mind The Protestants THat Christ was euen from his birth and first conception perfect God and perfect man we doe assuredly beleeue and that in the very incarnation the diuine and humane nature were vnited together Also we graunt that the Lord Christ might haue created to himselfe a soule full of all wisedome and knowledge as he might haue made himselfe a perfect bodie but seeing it pleased him to bee borne of a woman and first to dwell in the bodie of an infant wee doubt not to say as the scripture teacheth vs that he also Encreased in wisedome 1. He was in all things like to his brethren onely sinne excepted Heb. 2.17.4.15 Ergo he grew vp and encreased in knowledge according to the manner of men which may be done without sinne 2. The scripture sayth plainly which cannot lye that Iesus grew vp and encreased in wisedome and stature Luk. 2.52 And lest they should answere that this encreasing was onely in the opinion of men it followeth And in fauour with God and men he increased in wisedome stature and fauour not onely in shew before men but in truth before God and as verily and indeed he grew vp in stature so also in wisedome 3. Christ testifieth of himselfe That neither the Angels nor the Sonne of man as he is man knoweth of the day or houre of his comming to iudgement but the father onely Mark 13.31 Ergo Christ as hee was man had not at once all fulnes of knowledge Bellarmine thus expoundeth this place Filius dicitur nescire quia non sciebat ad dicendum alijs The Sonne is sayd not to knowe because he knewe it not to reueale it to others but to keepe it secret to himselfe Ans. First then by the same reason the Angels doe knowe it also but that they are charged not to declare it to men for the text sayth that neither the Angels nor the Sonne of man knoweth the time Secondly in this sense also the father might be sayd not to knowe it for neither hath he reuealed it to any Lastly although we doe affirme according to the scripture that the child Iesus did increase in the gifts of the mind as he did in the stature of his bodie yet we do put great difference between him and all other children that euer came into the world for as his conception birth were not after the cōmon manner for he was cōceiued by the holy Ghost brought forth without trauel and labour as August sayth Nec concipiendo libidinē nec pariendo perpessa est dolorē In conceauing she felt no carnal desire in bearing she suffered no payne So likewise
men nor Apostolike giftes wee are not to doubt but that this promise and prophesie of the vniuersall preaching of the Gospell is performed already Argum. 2. It appeareth in Ecclesiasticall histories that the Apostles dispersed themselues into all partes of the worlde euery where preaching the Gospell Thomas preached to the Parthians Medes Persians also to the Germanes Simon Zelotes in Mauritania Africa and in Britania Iudas called Thaddaeus in Mesopotamia Mark in Aegypt Bartholomaeus to the Indians Andrew preached to the Scythians Sogdians Aethopians So that there were fewe or no knowen countreyes in the world which heard not of the fame of the Gospell But here two things must be obserued First that the Gospel was to bee preached in the habitable or knowen world the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many countreyes are inhabited now that were not habitable then or at the least not inhabited wherefore it was sufficient that the people of the world heard of the Gospel howsoeuer afterward they were propagated into other vnknowen places Secondly as Augustine sayth Omnes gentes promissae sunt non omnes homines omnium gentium All nations were promised to heare of the Gospel not all the men and inhabitants of euery nation And so we doubt not but the Apostles did lay the foundation of fayth through the whole worlde and were first planters of the Churches in euery nation But their plantings were watered and encreased and continued by others Wherefore seeing the world hath once already beene generally lightened with the truth of the Gospell we are not to looke any more for a solemne legacie and ambassage to be sent from the Lord vnto all nations But those countreyes rather which somtime had the trueth and now haue lost it ought now to seeke vnto those places that haue it as the Queene of Saba went a long iourney to heare Salomons wisdome They therefore that yet doe expect an vniuersall preaching may sooner see Christ comming in the cloudes then haue their expectation satisfied THE SECOND QVESTION OF THE comming of Henoch and Elias before the day of iudgement The Papists error 107 THeir common and receiued opinion is that Henoch and Elias doe yet liue in their bodies in Paradise and shall come in person to oppose themselues against Antichrist and by their preaching to conuert the Iewes Rhemist Apocal. 11. sect 4. Argum. Malachie 4.5 I will send you Eliah the Prophet before the great and fearefull day of the Lorde These are also the two witnesses spoken of Apocal. 11.3 Which shall be slaine and rise vp againe the third day Ergo Eliah and Henoch shall come before the day of the Lorde Bellarm. de Roman pontif 3.6 Ans. First the prophesie of Malachie was fulfilled in Iohn Baptist who came in the spirite of Elias as it is thrise in the Gospell applied once by the Angel Luk. 1.16 twise by our Sauiour Christ Matth. 11.14 17.13 Bellarmine saith it is not properly vnderstoode of Iohn Baptist but onely in an allegorie First the Prophet speaketh of the great and fearefull day of the Lord but the comming of Christ was the acceptable time Ans. Here the Iesuite bewrayeth great ignorance As though the comming of Christ in the flesh as it brought comfort to the Elect to as many as were ordeined to saluation was not also hastening of the iudgement of God against the wicked and therefore Iohn saith The axe was laide to the roote of the tree Matth. 3.10 and that Christ came with his fanne in his hand verse 12. The Apostle Heb. 12.26 applieth that saying of the Prophet Once againe wil I shake not onely the heauens but the earth to the preaching of the Gospell wee see then in what sence the first comming of Christ is called a fearefull and terrible day Ans. Secondly by the two witnesses is vnderstood the small yet sufficient number of the true seruants of God which shall witnesse the truth euen in the whottest persecution of Antichrist there is no mention made of Henoch or Elias And if you will needs vnderstand that literally of their rising againe why not the rest also how fire shall proceede out of their mouthes to consume the wicked and they shall turne water into blood The meaning is nothing else but that God will alwaies haue faithfull witnesses in his Church which shall alwaies stand vp in the stead of the Prophets and holy men gone before The Protestants LIke as the Pharisies deceiued the Iewes with vaine expectation of Elias and so hindred their beliefe in Christ so the Papists would not haue men to acknowledge the manifestation of Antichrist vnder this false pretence that Henoch and Elias must first come before Antichrist bee reuealed which wee doe hold as a Iewish fable and popish dreame Argum. 1. The Prophesie of Elias comming is properly fulfilled in Iohn Baptist and therefore wee are not to looke for any other accomplishment thereof neither now is there any Paradise remaining but Heauen 2. Corinth 12.4 And to affirme that Henoch and Elias went vp to Heauen in their bodies before the ascension of Christ out of Scripture it cannot be proued it is euident that they were taken vp aliue into heauen but not that they continued aliue Argum. 2. The varietie of opinions concerning the personall appearance of Henoch and Elias declare that it is an vncertaine thing and but deuised of men Hilarye saith they shal be Moses and Elias Chrysostome granteth that Elias shall come but not Henoch Iustine thinketh that not onely Henoch and Elias are aliue but all those whose bodies rose at the resurrection of Christ Hippolytus is of opinion that Iohn the Diuine shall come with them and some say Ieremie also whose death is not read of Fulk Apocal. 11. sect 4. And thus it is no meruaile if men run mad as it were in their foolish conceites hauing no warrant for their opinions out of Scriptures The nation of the Iewes wee grant according to the manifest prophesie of Saint Paul shall in the end be conuerted but not in such sort by the personall preaching of Moses and Elias for the Apostle setting downe at large the mysterie of their calling would not haue left out so necessarie a thing Augustine by the two witnesses vnderstandeth the two testaments the Old and the new But hee denieth vtterly that any shall rise before the comming of Christ as the Apostle saith 1. Corinth 15.23 The first fruites is Christ Then they that are Christs at his comming but not before Vnde saith he excluditur omnis suspicio quorundam qui putant hos duos testes duos viros esse ante aduentum Christi coelum in nubibus ascendisse Their suspition therefore or opinion is vtterly excluded which thinke these two witnesses to bee two men which should ascend into heauen before the comming of Christ. Augustine we see is flat against them THE THIRD PART WHETHER THE most grieuous persecutions that euer were shall be toward the end