inhering in the vnderstanding of the Professour but if since the Apostles daies there haue beene no Professours of ProtestaÌ„cy by reason of the Inuisibility of that Church for so many ages doth it not then follow that a least during all those ages Protestancy as wanting its proper Subiect to inhere in hath had no real Being but hath beene all those many series or Centuries of yeareâ— a meere Nothing That the confessed want of Personalâ— Succession and lawfull calling in the Protestant Church proueth their Church to be no reall thing but a meer fiction and consequently that Protestancy is but an Intentionality or bare Notion of the mynd CHAP. XIII PHilosophy teacheth vs that euery thing doth consist of somewhat which is essentiall to it and of other things which are but Accidentall and necessary The Accidents serue only ad bent esse and by meanes of Inherency to giue as it were their attendance for greater state and honour of the thing the which they do inuest and therefore may actually at least in thought be separated and disioyned from such their subiect without any destruction of it But it is otherwise with that which is essentiall to any thing for that necessarily conduceth ad simpliciter esse of the thing the which Essentiall poynt being by supposall taken away the thing wherof it was Essentiall instantly looseth its Being is become therby a nothing Now to apply this to the Protestant Church And to pretermit what Accidentally accompanyeth the Church we will insist onely in that which is by our aduersaries acknowledgemeÌ„t Essentiall to the Church to wit the Administration of the VVord and Sacraments Now if it can be proued that the ProtestaÌ„t Church wanteth this Administration of the word and Sacraments then may we infallibly conclude that the Protestant Church is no Church nor Protestancy any Reall thing in it selfe But seeing this Administration of the word and Sacraments cannot be performed but by the help of the true Pastors we wil first shew the necessity of Pastours secoÌ„dly that the administratioÌ„ of the word Sacraments are Essentiall to the Being of a Church And lastly we will proue that the Protestant Church like a mastlesse ship hath neuer enioyed any true Pastours consequently neuer enioyed the Administration of the word and Sacraments the very Essence or being of a true Church And first the holy Scriptures doe often inculcate that in the Church of God there euer must be Personall Succession and lawfull calling coÌ„sequently that that society of Christians which want these two poynts is no Church at all Touching the necessity of Personal Succession thus we read (a) Isa 59 My Spirit which is vpon thee and the words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from hence foorth for euer To which accord those wordes of the Apostle spoken of our Sauiour (b) Ephes 4. He hath placed Pastours to the consummation of Saints till we all meete in vnity of fayth That is as the Protestants do comment (c) So sayth Do-For Fulk agaynst the Rhemish Testament for euer and (d) D Fulk agaynst Heskins Sanders c. pag. 539. to the end of the world Now the reason why Pastours must be euer in the Church or els it is no Church but only a false vsurpation of the word Church is because in the Church there euer must be the Administration of the word and Sacraments but there can be no Administration of the word and Sacraments without Pastours euen according to the Apostles iudgmeÌ„t who sayth Rom. 10. How shall they belieue whome they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher which things to wit the Administration of the word and Sacrament as (e) D. VVhitaker contra Duâ—â—cum lib. 3. p. 249. D. VVhitakers teacheth being present do constitute a Church being absent do subuert it And D. VVillet in Sinops pag. 69. further in direct words affirmeth That the absence of the Administration of the word and Sacraments doth make a Nullity of the Church And sortably heerto other Protestants do write thus (f) Proposition and Principles disputed of in the Church of Geneua pag. 845. The ministery is an Essentiall marke of the true Church FroÌ„ which true acknowledgment of the learned Protestants we see that a Church without the due Administration of the word and Sacraments wanteth its Essence and is but a Nullity or Non Ens. Now as Personall Succession for the administration of the word and SacrameÌ„ts is deduced from the Scripture so also is the necessity of Lawfull vocation according to those wordes (g) Rom. 10. How shall they preach except they be sent And that (h) Heb. 5. No man taketh the honour of Priest-hood but he that is called of God as Aaron was which calling in the Apostles times was euer conferred by Imposition of hands But heer let vs see if the Protestants can make good the Personall Succession and ordinary calling of their Ministers for the preaching of the word and Administration of the SacrameÌ„ts But this is first denyed euen by the confessed Inuisibility of the Protestant Church for if the Protestant Church hath beene wholly inuisible or rather vtterly extinct for the space of thirteene or fourteene hundred yeares at the least as themselues haue aboue confessed theÌ„ during that long space of tyme the Protestant Church as not being then in Being wanted her Pastours the stalke which supports the vine and eonsequently wanted the Administration of the word and Sacraments and through such its want it wanted its owne Essâ—nce and was but a Nullity or Nothing during all that long Circuite of so many ages Furthermore whereas the Protestants seeing themselues thus plunged do flie for reliefe to Extraordinary calling for thus writeth Caluin (i) Lasciuius a Protestant in his booke ac RussoruÌ„ relig c. 23 alledgeth Caluin thus saying and see Caluin lib. Instit 4. c. 3. sest 4. Quia Papae Tyrannide c. Because through the Tyranny of the Pope the true Ordidinary Succession of Ordination was broken of therefore we stood in need of a new helpe and this was the extraordinary guift And D. Fulk thus writeth hereof (k) Fulke agaynst StapletoÌ„ and Martiall pag. 2. The Protestants that first preached in these last dayes had Extraordinary Caliing Therefore I will show that this poore refuge is impugned euen by the Protestants themselues so daÌ„gerous an incision their own pens haue made in the wounds of their owne Church for first D. Bilson thus teacheth (l) D. Bilson in his perpetual gouermeÌ„t of the Church c. 9. pag. 111. They can haue no part of Apostolicall Commission who haue no shew of Apostolicall succession Agayne Extraordinary Calling is euer warranted with working of Miracles as it was in the Apostles tymes euen by the doctrine of the Protestants for thus doth Luther
the soules of those old condemned men thus to consociate with certaine old branded anathematized Heretikes by borrowing their priuatiue and negatiue fayth and religion from them thereupon to dispart and diuide themselues from all communion in fayth with the Orthodoxall Fathers of those pure and primitiue tymes who euer in the former Articles set downe in this Chapter and in all others did hould the Affirmatiue part to the others Negatiue so foule a scarre herby resteth vpon the face of our Aduersaries reputation and honour Now that these former men were recorded for heretikes for their denyall of the aboue cyted Catholike Articles and their denyals taken for heresies and that the such recording of them was warranted with the full consent of the whole Church of God in those tymes appeareth from this one consideration to wit those Fathers writers which did record the former men for heretikes their negations for heresies were Epiphanius S. Ierome S. Austin Theodoret Eusebius and some such others diuers of which Fathers made certayne Bookes and styled them de Haeresibus And in these their books they registred the former men for Heretikes their Negatiue doctrines for Heresies Now all these Fathers and writers were learned godly men their learning then would assure them what opinions were Heresies in those tymes and what were not Their Piety and Holynes would not suffer them to wrong any man with the hateful brand of Heretike or his doctrine with the foule title of Heresy except both the men and their doctrines deserued such a seuere Censure And it cannot be answered in reply heerto that the Catholike Church of God in those Primitiue tymes did euer taxe or reprehend any of the former Fathers for ranging that man among Heretikes or his doctrines among Heresies which were not taken for such by the whole and vnanimous iudgement of the then Church of God Thus far to demonstrate that seeing Heresy in its owne nature is but a Priuation and euery Priuation is a Non Ens that therefore Protestancy as being ingendred of the ancient exploded Heresies is a Non-entity That there are diuers positions of Protestancy which besides that they are implicitely but negations of the Catholikes contrary Affirmatiue doctrines are in their owne nature meerly voyde of all reality of Being CHAP. XI IN this place we will take into our consideration diuers Articles of the Protestants Fayth in the true examining of which we shall finde that not only as being but meer negatiues to our affirmatiue Catholike Articles they haue no reall Existency or being but also as they are to be considered in their owne particuler natures And first may occurre their Tenet of the Priuate reuealing or interpreting Spirit which though in termes it beareth the show of an Affirmatiue position yet truly it is nothing els then the denyall negaiion of the infallibility of the whole Church of God in matters of fayth This Spirit comprehendeth in the amplitude largenes of its owne Orbe most of the seueral passages of Protestancy Now to examine the Essence and nature of this Spirit exercised chiefly in interpreting of Scripture if such an imaginary conceit could haue an Essence or nature as indeed it cannot we find that this Spirit is a meer Phantasy of ech particuler mans giddy head-peece For if it were certayne and infallible and so it must be if it proceed from the holy Ghost how then commeth it to passe that seuerall priuate spirits of the Protestants do interprete one and the same Text of Scripture in different and sometymes meere contrary senses and constructions This point is demonstrated to pretermit infinite other passages of Scripture in the exposition of those few words vttered by our Sauiour Math. 26. Luc 22. Marc. 14. Hoc est corpus meum Hic est sanguis meus As also in that Article of our Creed Descendit ad inferos We find both these passages to haue receaued seuerall constructions by the Protestants and from such their different constructions are sprung vp different sects of Protestancy as the Lutherans the Caluinists the more moderate Protestant c. Agayne to omit diuers other choaking reasons to prooue this Spirit to be a meer phantasy of the brayne ingendred of Pride and Ignorance and to haue no reality or true Being in it selfe how can this priuate Spirit be infallible to which euery Heretike with equall interest thereto coueteth chiefly to repaire as to his strongest Sanctuary as we see by the experience of ancient and moderne tymes they do For did not the (a) teste Epiphan haeres 69. Ioan â—â— 18. Ioan. 6. Arians (b) Ioan. 1. Ioan 2. Eutichians the (c) Philip. 2. Hebr. 7 Nestorians the rest euer labour by the help of their owne Spirits differerently interpreting the Scripture to maÌ„tayne their different blasphemyes and heresies And do not the Anti-Trinitarians the Brownists the Family of loue and diuers such others the like in these our tymes So little reason therefore had D. VVhitakers to beautify this erroneous Priuate Spirit with his gilded description in these words (d) In controuers 1. q. 5. cap. 3 11. An inward persuasion of the Holy Ghost wrought in the secret closet of the belieuers heart and repugnant is this his delineation to the words of sacred Scripture (e) 2. Pet. 1. No Prophecy of Scripture is made by priuate interpretation And agayne (f) 1. Iohn cap. 4. early beloued belieue not euery spirit but try the spirits if they be of God The second may be the (g) Luth. in art 10.11 12. Melancth in locis tit de fide Caluin in Antitdot Concil Trident. sess 6. Protestants doctrine of Imputatiue Iustice in vs being but a negation and denyall of the Catholike doctrine of Inherent Iustice vpon which doctrine the Protestant more easily relyes since his owne soule euen dead-aliue as being organized with a liuing body but a dead will is loth to practise any good workes Now this Imputatiue Iustice is in it selfe a meer Ens rationis as hauing contrary to the Nature of all diuine Vertues and to all reall and true qualities no true Existency or Inherency in our Soule as the Protestants do confesse it being only a naked application of Christs Iustice to vs wherby our sins are palliated and couered Againe if a man be iust wheÌ„ he beginneth to belieue that he is iust then is he not iustifyed by that by the which he belieueth he is iust seeing his fayth is later then his Iustice And if he be vniust at what tyme he belieueth he is iust then is his fayth false consequently no supernaturall or diuine fayth but a meer fiction of this supposed iust man so vnreall imaginary a conceite we see is this Imputatiue Iustice and indeed to mantaine it is as absurd as to mantaine that the sonne can precede in priority of being his Father or the effect the cause for thogh in all other things the truth
appeareth froÌ„ that which is aboue deliuered touching the Protestants reprehension both of the translations of Scripture made by forrayne Protestants as also of our English Translations But if the Protestants doe reiect their owne brethrens Translations theÌ„ much lesse will they staÌ„d vnappealably to our Catholike Translations of the Scripture 4. If the Catholike proceed further in insisting in the Originals of both the Testaments The Protestants deny that the originalls of them are the same in all passages as they were first penned by the Prophets the Euangelists and the Apostles Thus for example in the new Testament where in (d) Matth c. 10. S. Matthew it is sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Peter (e) Beza in his Annotat. vpon the new Testament set foorth anno 1556 Beza denyeth the Originall herin iustifiing though it be thus read in all Greeke copyes extant at this day that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 primus was added by some one enclining to the defence of the Popes Primacy In like sort (f) Beza vbi supra Beza denyeth that the Greeke Originall in Luke 22. is at this present the same as it was first penned by the Euangelist mantayning that it is corrupted in fauour of the Reall presence 5. If he insist in such passages of Scripture whose Originalls and Translations therin are on all parts accepted for true and tell his Aduersary that the whole Church of God in her Primitiue and purer tymes euer interpreted the said passages of Scripture in that sense in which they are at this present by the Catholikes alledged The ProtestaÌ„t absolutly (g) So doth D. Whitakers l de Eceles contra Bellarm. controuers 2. q. 4. p. 223. Perkins in his Exposition of the Creed p. 400. Iewell in his Apology of the Church of England part 4. cap. 4. and most other Protestants denyes that infallible authority of the Church of God in interpreting the holy Scripture but disclayming from it appeales to his owne Priuate spirit interpreting the same 6. If forbearing the written word of God he alledge in warranting of his fayth the vnwritten word of God I meane Apostolicall Traditions the Protestant denyes peremptorily the Authority of all such Traditions Thus for example where S. Chrysostome sayth (h) Chrysost in 2. Thessal hom 4. The Apostles did not deliuer all things by writinge but many thinges without and these be as worthy of credit as the other D. VVhitakers reiects this authority touching Traditions in these wordes (i) D. Whitak de sacra scriptura pag. 678. I answere That this is an inconsiderate speach and vnworthy so great a Father And Cartwright in depressing the weight of Traditions maintayned by S. Augustine thus writeth (k) See Cartwright in whitgifts defence p. 103. To allow S. Austins saying is to bring in Popery agayne 7. If leauing the word of God he descend to humane authorities yet so humane as that they haue the peculiar promise of (l) Matt. 18. Christs assistance therein I meane to the graue authority of Generall Councells the Protestants deny all authority of them For D. VVhitakers openly professeth that Generall Councels (m) L. de Concil contra Bellar. q. 6. may and haue erred But Peter Martyr more fully dismasketh himselfe in denying the authority of Generall Councells for he thus plainely writeth (n) Pet. Martyr lib. de votis pag. 476. As long as we insist in Generall Councells so long we shall continue in the Popish Errours 8. If he produce the Testimonies of particuler Fathers of the Primitiue Church Marke with what contempt and indignity the Protestant denyes them for Luther thus depresseth them (o) Luth. de seruo arbitrio printed 1551. pag. 434. The Fathers of so many ages haue beene plainely blind and most ignorant in the Scriptures they haue erred all their lyfe tyme vnles they were amended before their deaths they were neyther Saints nor pertayning to the Church And another though no Lutherane yet of Luthers descent in this his scurrilous Pasquill thus traduceth the Fathers (p) D. Wâ—itak conâ—r contra Duraeum l. 6. pag. 413. Ex Patrum erroribus ille Pontificiae Religionis cento consequutus est The Popish Religion is a patched cloath of the Fathers Errours sowed togeather see how impudent and petulant Nouelisme in fayth is in expecting precedency and taking the wall of Reuerend hoary Antiquity 9. If in such poynts which coÌ„cerne matter of fact as touching the supposed change of fayth in the visibility of the Church the vocation and mission of Pastours the vninterrupted Administration of the word and Sacraments all which are to receaue their proofe or els not to be proued at all froÌ„ the Authority of auncient most authenticall Histories If I say the Catholike do in proofe heerof produce the auncient Histories of those Primitiue tymes D. VVhitakers thus by denyall aleniateth and lesseneth the Authority of all Histories (q) D. D. Whitak contra Duraeum l. 7. pag. 478. Sufficit nobis c. To vs it is sufficient by comparing the Popish opinions with the Scripture to discouer the disparity of faith between them and vs And as for Historiographers we giue them liberty to write what they will And accordingly touching the Imaginary change of Rome in her fayth he thus coÌ„cludeth (r) Whitak vbi supra pag. 277. It is not needfull to vs to search out in Histories the beginning of this change 10. To conclude if in the last place for most demonstratiue and Affirmatiue Notes markes of the true Church the Catholike do rest as in nube Testium to vse the Apostles phrase in vniuersality Visibility vninterrupted continuance vnity Succession of Pastours Holynes of doctrine Conuersion of Kings and Nations of the Gentils c. The Protestants besides that they will not admit any Historyes in proofe of them deny and discarde the testimonies of all these Positiue Heads of proofes by erecting the Preaching of the word and Administration of the Sacraments for notes by this meanes they reduce to their owne iudgements which is the true Church seeing they will not acknowledge the word to be purely preached or the Sacramentâ— to be rightly administred but when and where their Priuate spirit out of its Pythagorean and controwling Chaire vouchsafes so to pronouÌ„ce By all this now we may see how wholy Negatiue the Protestant is indeed so Negatiue in al points as that it may be feared he in the end will deny his owne being for as heer aboue we haue shewed that his Religion consisteth in pure denyall of our Positiue and Affirmatiue Articles so in this Chapter we haue layd downe how he labours to othrow by his like denyalls the authority of all such Affirmatiue and Positiue Heads principles from whence the Catholikes for the fortifiyng of their owne faith and Religion do drawe their proofes In which kind of proceeding the Protestant deales no otherwise with the Catholike then if a man