see D. Bancrofts suruey pag. 219. verbum Deiprouoco But to resume my former heads Since then this reuealing spirit is not afraid to expunge out of the sacred Canon of Scripture such bookes as Apocriphall wherin it owne Religion is euidently impugned since it alloweth only such expositions of confessed Scripture as best sort to the supporting of it owne errours since it betrampleth all authorityes of Councells and Fathers who expound Gods word differently from it Since it hath beene the custome of all Heretikes to withdraw themselues to the weake retyre of only Scripture and their owne spirit interpreting the Scripture thus making a circular motion where from point to point there is a true progression but from the first point no progression at all since this Spirit engēdreth contrarieties in doctrine in the enioyers of it through ech mans misconstruction of Scripture Since the Scripture it selfe is of that abstruse sublimity as that Man without Gods directing grace cannot lay any true leuell thereto To conclude since the exorbitancy pride and petulancy of this Spirit is such as it expecteth in the end that all men should receaue from it as from a second Moyses the tables of our Euangelicall Law Non * Tert. de Orat. agnosei poterit à Spiritu sancto spiritus inquinatus What then remaineth but that my selfe carefull of my saluation should for euer after become iealous of the truth of that Religion which I find to be seated vpon those groundes and only those grounds which euery heresy promiscuously challengeth to it selfe And that relying on Gods holy visible Church vpon which he hath (p) Matt. 18. ◠Tim. 3. entayled his spirit of Truth I may interpose her infallible authority as an Isthmos or firmeland to stop the entercourse of the two mayne Oceans I meane the Scriptures abysmall profoundity and this Priuate spirits floating and boundles vncertainty But inough of this subiect of which as potentially inuoluing all other Controuersyes within it selfe I haue drawne I confesse for my fuller satisfaction certaine notes in some few scattered Papers THE II. MOTIVE That the Prophesyes of Scripture confirme the Catholike Religion and refute Protestancy PROPHESYES are diuine and infallible Predictions of thinges future future in respect of vs who measure all actions with the yard of Tyme but present in the eyes of God with whome there is neither tyme past nor tyme to come both being confounded in the depth of his owne Eternity Infallible as proceeding only from him who by his power disposeth all thinges as shall best please him by his Prescience forseeth distinctly all things so disposed as things present in the cleare glasse of his own essence And by his Will vouchsafeth that men shall warrant the certainty of his foreknowledge Prescientia Dei (a) Tert. l. 2 contr Marcion tot habet testes quot fecit Prophetas Now of the Prophesyes recorded in the old Testament I will take into my consideratiō only two The inditers of which according to the iudgment of (b) In Psal 3◠conc 2. S. Augustine as foreseeing Controuersyes and doubts in fayth to come spake more clearely of the Church then of Christ himselfe The first shall concerne the propagation of the Church of Christ and the conuerting of Kinges heathen and kingdomes to it faith touching which I will insist in those places of Scripture whose true sense and interpretation is acknowledged for such both by the Catholikes and by our Protestants Priuate spirit the alleadging of which texts is the more forcible since the confessed sense of Scripture is the soule as it were which informeth the body of the Letter Of this first point the Prophet I say thus speaketh The (c) 60. Iles shall waite for thee meaning the Church their Kinges shall minister vnto thee and thy gates shal be continually open neither day nor night shall they be shut that men may bring to thee the riches of the Gentils c. And againe speaking of and to the Church he further thus sayth Thou (d) Ibid. shalt sucke the milke of the Gentils and the breasts of Kinges Kings shal be thy noursing Fathers and Queenes thy Mothers And further Enlarge (e) 54. the place of thy tents spread out the curtaines of thy habitation for thou shalt increase on the right hand and on the left thy seed shall possesse the Gentils and inhabite the desolate Cittyes To the truth of which conuersions of Heathen Kinges and Countreyes to the fayth of Christ the Kingly Prophet speaking in the person of God to the Church thus accordeth I (f) Psalm 2. will giue thee the Heathens for thy inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy pessession That these places besides diuers others are vnderstood of the enlargment of Christs Church and the conuersions of Kingdomes and Nations vnto it is warranted by the marginall annotations of our own English (g) Frinted in the yeare 1576. Bibles no lesse agreeable to the particuler iudgments of (h) Vpon Ieremy Oecolampadius that learned Protestant D. Whitguift (i) In his defence p. 466. late Archbishop of Canterbury D. (k) In his answere M. VVilliam Reynolds Whitaker and all other graue Writers The next point which heere presenteth it selfe to be wayghed is to consider whether the foresayd predictions of the dilatation of the fayth of Christ and conuerting to it Kinges and kingdomes haue beene accomplished in the Protestants Church or in the Catholike and Roman Church for the clearing of which point we will begin with the tymes from Luthers first change of Religion and so ascend by degrees to the age of the Apostles in the discouery whereof we are to recurre to Ecclesiasticall Writers And thus the ground of beliefe touching this point is heere remoued from Scripture to man yet man is heere belieued to wit in relating whether the true or false fayth was then taught and brought in by reason of the Scripture And first that these Conuersions propagation of the Church any tyme for the space of these last thousand yeares euen vp to the dayes of Boniface the third and Gregory Bishops of Rome were not performed in the Protestant Church is ouer euident from all Ecclesiasticall historyes and records and from the voluntary confessions of learned Protestants so as to find the cōtrary in any approued Authors we may wel make the subiect of our desire but not of our expectation And first for Historyes we Protestants cannot produce any one authenticall history or narration notwithstāding some late effectles attempts of our own Nation in that nature being still in labour of that which I feare will neuer be borne intimating so much And which is more the Protestant Ecclesiasticall Writers do euen particulerly set downe and relate the conuersion of many Countryes made by catholiks euen to their own mayn preiudice heerin But the better to enleuen our discourse with examples where I will omit the subiecting of many vast Countryes to
gaue me a Being by my Redemption a Well-being who suffered Deatiâ— to preuent death and whose wound care our wouds 〈◊〉 (m) Isa câ— â— â—â—us sanatcsimiâ—â—â— voucâ—saâ—e to sanctify me with thy soule â—o meâ—â—â—ate my intellectuall powers with thy bloud and to wash away all their ordure filth with the water of thy pierced side that so I poore despicable and miserable man seeing all my sinnes afore drowned in the gulfe of thy inexhausted Mercy may in the end enter into thy promised and my hoped for Canaan Ioan. Londinens THE CONTENTES OF THE SEVERALL MOTIVES OF THIS TREATISE THE 1. MOTIVE THAT the priuate spirit is the chiefe supporter of Protestancy Page 1. Motiue 2. That the Prophesyes of Scripture confirme the Catholike Religion and refute Protestancy pag 10. Motiue 3. That generall Councells confirming Catholike Religion are reiected by Protetestants pag. 33. Motiue 4. That the Fathers of the Primitiue Church as Patrons of Papistry are reiected by the Protestants pag 39. Motiue 5. That the articles of Protestancy are particulerly condemned for benesâ—es by the ancient Fathers And that all Protestants originally came out of the Catholike Church pag. 53. Motiue 6. That true Miracles haue beene wrought for proofe of the Catholike Religion but not any for Protestancy pag. 64. Motiue 7. Absurdityes in the Protestants Religion pag. 77. Motiue 8 Deceites and sleightes practised by Protestant VVryters pag. 93. Motiue 9. That the doctrine of Catholike Religion tendes directly to Vertue of Protestancy to Vice and Liberty pag 118. Motiue 10. That Luther and Caluin are chiefe Patrones of Arianisme and therefore in other points of faith are not to be followed p 131 Motiue 11. That there is vnity in Fayth in Catholike Religion disagreements in faith in Protestancy pag. 139. Motiue 12. That Saluation may be had in Catholike Religion by the confession of Protestants pag. 154. The Conclusion to my Dears and Reverend Brethren the Lords Arch bishops and Bishops of England pag. 168 THE BISHOP OF LONDON HIS LEGACY THE 1. MOTIVE That the priuate Spirit is the chiefe supporter of Protestancy THE affected strange and exorbitant course we Protestants hould I yet range my selfe with my former Brethren according to my accustomed dialect in determining of doubts in ReligioÌ„ is able to cause the learnedest of vs to fluctuate and wauer in our already ietled iudgmentes We all know it is our own head Theoreme that the Scripture alone but such as our selues admit for Canonicall is to iudge of all arising Controuersyes in fayth and the priuate spirit to iudge of the sense of the Scripture Which priuate spirit being but a meere intentionall and vnreall name our owne D. (a) In CoÌ„trou 1. q. â— c. 3. 11. Whitaker thus speciously entitles An inward perswasion of the truth from the Holy Ghost in the secret closes of the belieuers hart Thus by recurring to Scripture alone we reiect all Apostolicall Traditions all definitions of the Church and the most ancient practise thereof by erecting the priuat spirit we make our selues sole Lords of the Scripture A poore refuge God knowes discouering in a cleare and impartiall eye the feeblenes of our owne cause since in so doing we being but parties constitute our selues as Iudges daring in the closure of all to iudge euen our owne Iudges Thus for example if our Aduersaryes the Catholikes in iustifying the articles of their fayth doe vrge any passage of the Machabees Ecclesiasticus Toby c. acknowledged for Canonicall Scripture by S. Augustin (b) De doctrin Christian l. 2. c. â— the third Councell (c) Can. 47. of Carthage this Priuate spirit in lieu of further answere peremptorily discanoneth all these Bookes vnder the tecture that they were (d) Doctor VVhitak in his answer to M. Reynoldâ—â—efutation p. 22. 23. Calu. lib. 1. Instiâ— c. 7. §. 1. 2. not first written in Hebrew and that the Maiesty and voyce of God appeareth not in them Strangely inferred as though the Spirit of God ought seruily to be tyed to any one tongue or because in the silly weenings of this spirit the Maiesty voyce of God speaketh not in the sayd Books therefore they are indeed wholy depriued thereof If our Aduersaryes proceeding further do insist for proofe of any dogmaticall point in the plaine wordes of confessed Scripture as for proofe of Apostolicall Traditions whereby this phantasy of the Scripture being sole iudge is impugned in that passage (e) 2. Thes 2. of the Apostle Hold fast the traditions which you haue receaued siue per sermonem siue per Epistolâ—m nostram either by word or by our Epistle the Priuate spirit as it were with it Mercuryes rod heere chaseth away the most obuious and familiar construction obtruding this Scholia vpon the text That (f) Kemâ—â— in 〈◊〉 Conc. â—â—dent the Apostle first deliuered those things by speach which after he left written in his Epistle Absured since the disâ—unctiue particle siue implyeth an Antithesis or opposition of the things deliuered by speach and the thinges written If they fortify the plaine and literall sense of the forsayd Text with the answerable ConstitutioÌ„s and Canons of most ancient generall Councels as of that of the second of Nice Si (g) Act. â— â—om 4. quis traditioneÌ„ Ecclesiae siue scripto fiue consuetudine valentem non curauerit Anathema sit the Spirit spurneth heere at auerring that (h) So D. VVhâ—â—ak l. de Coâ—â—â—il conâ—â—a Bellarâ—â— q. â— generall Councells may erre And that as (i) So Peter Martyr l. de votis p. 476. longe as we insist in generall Councels so long we shall continue in the Papists errours Thus hoping that the splendour of the whole Church of Christ being once obscured it selfe may shyne forth with more lustre so the least starre discouereth it light through absence of a greater light If our Aduersaryes produce the testimonyes but of priuate Fathers in warrant of Traditions as of (k) Lib. contra Donat Quae vnâ—uersa tenet â—cclesia ab Apostâ—lis praecepta benè creduntur quanquà m scriptanon reperiantur Augustine (l) Lib. 2. epist â— Cypriâ—n and the like O what indignity is it to this all-controuling Spirit which euen dronke with a selfe coÌ„placency can with one puff of his breath blow away the force of all their authorityes by saying Gods (m) Luth. tom 2. cont Reg Angl fol. 344. word is aboue all the diuine Maiesty maketh for me in so much as I regard not if a thousand Augustines a thousand Cyprians stood against me vanting further of it selfe Non sinam ipsos Angelos de mea doctrina iudicare Lastly if they put vs in mind how it hath been euer the proper Scene of heretiks to enamel varnish the deformed face of their Heresyes with the misapplyed texts of Gods sacred Word Haereses (n) Aug iâ— hom 9. tract 18. in Ioan. sumunt originem quando Scripturae bonae intelliguntur non bene Thus
Cyrill ad Nestor by teaching in expresse wordes the doctrine of Traditions That Baptisme wherein man is borne but not borne the sonne of Adam euen by force and vertue of the Sacrament it selfe taketh away sinne is euident out of the first of (f) Cap. de Baptism Nice and the first of (g) In symbol Constantinople That vowed Virgins Monks are to be in the Church of Christ and that such cannot marry is decreed by the Councell of (h) Can. 16. Caâ—â—edon Lastly that appeales to Rome which implicitly inuolues the Primacy of that Sea were ratifyed by the Councell of (i) Can. 7. Sardis Thus much for instance though the same might be iustifyed in many other Catholike articles where I haue restrained my proofes only to generall Councels and such as were celebrated within the first fiue hundred yeares after the diuine Maiesty vouchsafed for our good to embase himselfe by putting vpon the poore ragges of our humanity But heere I must needs take leaue to cast a more fixed eye vpon the dignity of generall Councels abstracting them from all priority and laternes of time since then our owne Brethren absolutly reiecting all such Councells as subiect to errour will needes ascribe that respect to their owne Priuate spirit which by all reasons both diuine and humane hath beene euer due to generall Councells vnto which perhaps they haue beene sooner moued partly through the infelicity (k) Many synods of ProtestaÌ„ts haue been but without any good euent not any one yet succeeding we as that at Maspurge anno 1529. at Smalâ—ald at Mull ruÌ„ at Montbelgard at Heidelberg at Aldeburge at Herizburg at Hamburge at Tubinge and finally besydes deuers others this last at Dort of their owne so many Prouinciall at most but Nationall Conuenticles in Germany and els where as yet neuer hauing good successe I hould it therefore not impertinent to display in some particulers the aduantages betweene a generall Councell and any Sectaryes priuate iudgment where no doubt we shall find that as easily may the lowest shrubs compare in height with the Cedars of Libanus as the sentence of any Priuate man who lyke a mastles ship is tossed with euery wind of InnouatioÌ„ contend in authority with a generall Councel Thus then If an Oecumenicall Councell indicted confirmed by lawfull authority representing the Maiesty of Gods Church as being the supreme Tribunall (l) So doth Augustin tearme a generall Councell ep 162. thereof assured by promise (m) where tow or three are gathered togeather in my name c. Matt. 18. of Christ his assisting presence warranted with the first example of that kind by the blessed (n) Act 15 Apostle highly reuerenced and magnifyed by the ancient (o) Aug. vbisupraâ— l. de Bapt. 6.18 Athan ep ad Epictet Basil ep 78. Ambr. ep 32. Leo epist 53. Hieron l. contra Luciferian c. Fathers acknowledged for the only meanes of determining Controuersy by some of our learnedest Protestants (p) Doct. Bilson in his perpetuali gouernement pag. 174. D. Couell in his modest examinat pag. 110. and ethers consisting of seueral of hundreds of most venerable Prelates conspicuous for vertue readynes in the Scripture variety of tongues and infinitenes of reading gathered from the most remote opposite regions of Christendome and therefore the lesse probable vpon their such sudden meeting ioyntly to imbrace any one point of Innouation battering dayly vpon their knees at the eares of Almighty God with most humble and feruerous prayer seconded with austere fasting and all this to the end that it would vouchsafe his diuine Goodnes so to guide and sterne this reuerend Assembly with his holy spirit as what expositions it giues of the Scripture or what otherwise it determines for vndoubted fayth may be agreable to his sacred Word and Truth Now notwithstanding all this if such a celebrious concourse and confluence of Pastours being the Mart or Rendeuous for the tyme of Vertue and Learning shall so fayle therein as that they may and haue sundry tymes most fowly erred as our supercilious contumacious Sectaryes (q) D. VVhitak l. de Conc. contr Bellarm q. 6. D. Fulke in his answere to a counterfait Catholike pag. 35. D. VVilet in his syaopfis p. 29â— auouch in their constructions of Scripture and resolutions of fayth though all such their decrees be otherwise warranted with a iudiciall conference of Scripture the generall practise of the Church and the conspiring testimonyes of all Antiquity If this I say may happen the best meanes thus producing the worst effects what shall we then conceaue of an obscure Syr Iohn a man engendred in the slyme of pride and ignorance who in some pointes euer subdiuideth himselfe from the rest of his brethren thus being resolued from whome to flye but not whome to follow so as he is truely condemned of heresy euen by the lying mouth of Heresy A man but competent in learning sometymes of a disedifying life not hauing any warrant from God for his proceeding nor president from his holy church yea one to whome God flatly denyeth r No prophesy of sâ—riptur is of any priuate interpretatioÌ„ 2. Pet. c. 1. this presumed certainty of his expounding his word and determining which is true fayth and further of whose spirit we are commanded to (s) Dearly beloued belieue not euery spirit but try the spirits 1. Ioan. c. 4. to doubt which is more of whose seducing we are most cautelously (t) These thinges I haue written vnto you concerning those which deceaue you Ioan. 1. c. 2. premonished Now if this man being in his Pulpit vpon the Lordes day in the presence of his ignorant yet censuring and psalming Auditory a fit Pathmos for his ensuing Reuelations there opening the Bible for thus falshood is forced to begge countenance from truth and vndertaking to expound some text or other for the establishing of his late appearing fayth though contrary to the iudgment of all ancient Councells affirming him selfe to be secured by special Euthysiasmes and illuminations from God for the better iudging the point controuerted rysing from his owne explication of Scripture Which being done what assurance may we haue of the truth of this his al-defyning spirit and is there not reason to expect more errours then sentences to drop from this mans mouth And what stupor then and dulnes is it to allow to such an one that infalibility of spirit which himselfe denyeth to a generall Councell Yet such is the forward blindnes of our enchanted Nouellists heerin who mantaine (u) So teach D. VVhitik lib. de Concil contra Bellar q 6. Peter Mar tyr lib. de votis D. Fulke in his answere to a counterfaite Catholike pag. 80. 90. D. VVillet in his synops pag. â—â—0 And Beza in his Preface of the new Testament anno 1587. thus saith Euen in the best tymes the ambition ignorance and lewdnes of Bishops was such as that the blind may easily
Vocation and Mission and yet withall most vncertaine in it selfe since euery Heretyke stamping any new blasphemyes whatsoeuer may with the lyke indifferency and freedome assume to himself this extraordinary Calling or Mission to preach his said blasphemyes And thus far heerof where we see that without any example since the Apostles tymes till the dayes of Luther we reduce the warraÌ„tablenes of our owne Callinge to the Ministery to our owne bate and naked iustifying of it as at other tymes we presume to recall the authority of the Scripture the exposition of confessed Scripture the testimonyes of the Fathers and the continuall practise of the whole Church to the ballance and examination of our owne priuate Spirit Such a Fastus Magistrality we do take to our selues in laying the first fundamentall stones of Protestancy But in the last place when all other shews of answers are wanting rhen we flatly peremptorily reiect their authorityes pronouncing them to be absolute maÌ„tayners of Papistry Touching our sharp seuere condemnations passed vpon them both in particular and in generall I referre the Reader to the former chapter concerning our reiecting of the Fathers But euen heer we show our selues not impoliticke and thus we varnish ouer our bad cause with this borrowed colour When our Aduersaryes charge vs for reiecting the Fathers testimonyes in proofe of the present Roman Religion our accustomed shift is to turne the question controuerted from the authority of the Father alleadged to the authority of the Scripture saying in such and such a doctrine the Papists relye vpon the Fathers men subiect to errour whereas we (a) Answerabey heereto Beza thus sayth If any shal oppose against me the authority of the encient Fathers I do appeale to the word of God So related by D. Bancroft in his Suruey p. 219. Protestants in the same poynts rest vpon Scripture thus subtilly making an Antithesis opposition between the Scripture and the Fathers And we appeale to all learned men say they whether the Scripture is not to be preferred before the Fathers This reason in a cleare eye is transparent for the Question heere is not whether the Scripture is to be preferred before the Fathers since the Catholyks grant that the Scripture as being most diuyne certaine and infallible is to ouerballance by infinite degrees all other wrytings whatsoeuer but the touch of the point heere controuerted is whether the auncient Fathers vrging the Scripture are to be preferred before the Protestants vrging the Scripture that is whether the expositions of the Fathers giuen vpon places of scripture in proofe of the Papists religion as we call them are to ouersway the contrary expositions of the same texts giuen by our nouellizing Brethren And heere the question resteth But I will close this poynt touching the Fathers with a cautelous and pregnant obseruation of our Brethren Whereas we reiect the Fathers for maintayning the Papists religion the articles of the same religion as they are beleiued by our Aduersaryes we (b) This different apâ—ellation is precisely obserued by Illyriâ—us and the other Century wryters by D. VVhitak and by diuers other ProtestaÌ„ts vsually tearme Heresyes Idolatry blasphemyes c. therby to show that the Papists are no members of Christs Church the which very articles being taught by the Fathers we gently style them in the Fathers naeuos naeniae and at the most eâ—rores sears blemishes and errours to the end to intimate that we do not separate our selues from that Church in which the Fathers are Deceitfully and withall vnlearnedly either Heresyes in all or but blemishes and errours in all since it is the doctryne which denominates and giues appellation to the Man not the Man to the doctryne Hitherto we haue taken in part a view of the seuerall sleights practized in our answeres to the Catholyks authorityes Next we will call to mynde our lyke carriage houlden by vs in impugning our Aduersaryes and their doctryne And first touching Councells or Definitions of the Pope When we make show to produce either of these authorityes against the Catholykes we commonly vrge some Prouinciall or Nationall Councell vnder the name of a generall Councell the difference wherein an ignorant Reader doth not easily discouer Or els we produce some one or other Councell which for number of Bishops assembled may be tearmed Generall yet Schismaticall that is a Councell not celebrated and allowed by the cheife Pastours of Gods Church and thus we vrge the Councell of Constantinople assembled against the doctrine touching Images Anno Dom. 730. it being very numerous but celebrated without the authority of the Pope or any Patriarch the Patriarch of Constantinople only excepted who for assenting to the Councell was depriued of his Patriarchship Sometymes againe we insist in the authority of a lawfull generall Councell to proue the beginning of som poynt of our Aduersaryes doctrin but then our vrging of it is commonly attended on with a wilfull mistaking for the Councell doth but only first impose the name of the article the doctryne it self being beleiued many ages before Thus doth D. (c) Lib 7. contra Duraeum pag 480. Whitaker besyds diuers others of vs alleadg the Councell of Lateran for bringing first in the doctrine of Transubstantion Whereas this Councell only imposed the name of Transubtantiation as the Councell of Nice did the name of Trâ—nity the doctryne being receaued longe afore the doctryne of Transubstantiation being generally many ages afore beleiued and taught by Cyrill (d) Peter Martyr contra Gardiner part 4. p. 724. Cyprian (e) The treatise attributed to Vrsinus called Commonefactio cuiâ—sdaÌ„ Theologi de sancta Coena p. 2.1 Eusebius (f) Centurists Ceut 4. col 10. pag. 980. Emissenus (g) Centurists Cent. 5. col 517. Chrysostome (h) D. Humfrey Iesuit sm part 2 â—at 5. Gregory the great euen by our owne Confessions When we obiect the Decree of any Pope thereby to shew the first Institution of such a Catholyke poynt we often make choyce of some Catholyke articles where the Decree of the Pope toucheth only the execution or practise of the doctrine afore partly intermitted through negligence and not the doctryne it self In this sort we fynd D Whitaker who hath much dishonored his good parts by these vnworthy proceedings to alledge Innocentius the third Pope of that name saying (i) Contrâ— Duraeum l. 7. p. 490. Innocentius the third was the first that instituted anâ—icular Confession for necessary Whereunto our Aduersaryes doe answere that this Innocentius commanded that the practise of Confession should be better and more often obserued they further prouing euen by the confession of our owne Centurists that Tertullian and Cyprian who liued longe before Innocentius the third did teach to vse the Centurists (k) Cent. 3. c. 6. c. 27. words Confession euen of thoughts and lesser Sinnes With the same fraud doth e D. Whitaker charge Pope Calixius (l) Lib 7. centra
did the (o) Ioan. 14. 18. 17. 1. Cor. 18. 1 Tim 2. Act. 2. Arians the (p) Ioan. 1. 2. Eutichians the (q) Philip. 2. Haebr 7 Matth. 27. Ioan. 12. Nestorians all which for number were able to vye text for text in defence of their blasphemyes against Gods Church a course anciently so much vsed as that S. Augustine (r) Contra Maximin Arian l. 1. introduceth the Heretikes of his dayes prouoking their aduersaryes only to the Scripture The Spirit replyes that indeed those Heretikes and such others pressed Scripture but wroÌ„gfully since they vsed not prayer nor conference of places nor had knowledge in the tongues all which the true Spirit as conducing meanes doth enioy Spectatum admissi risum teneatis For besides s D. Reynolds in his Câ—nfer p. 83. 84. that these interuenient meanes euen in the censure of D. Whitaker (t) VVhitak Media interpretandi loca obscura sunt incerta dubia ambigua ergo fierinon potest quin ipsa etiam interpretatio fit incerta si iâ—certa tum potest esse falsa lib. 2. de Eccies contr Bellarm. controu i. quest 4. include a doubtfulles of Iudgment in the interpretation of Scripture vnder what show of Reason can we perswade others that our selus do practise in a higher measure these meanes then the forsayd acknowledged Heretikes did Or why should any man giue a more certaine and indubious assent to our spirits then to the Spirits of those other or of our Aduersaryes But to draw to a more inward and particuler fight heerein Luther and Caluin enioyed this Priuate spirit as theÌ„selues do vaunt Furthermore this Spirit supposing it to be the gift of the holy Ghost is infallible This graunted what vnlucky constellation then reigned when of these few wordes Hoc est corp is meum the Spirits of Luther Caluin their Schollers haue deliuered more different constructions then there are wordes in this short sentence and such constructions as one is incompatible with another so as if not all at least some of necessity must be false In like sort in these two wordes of the Creed Descendit ad inferos what contrary senses of them are giuen by the Protestants all enioying in their owne iudgments the infallibility of this Apocalypticall and reuealing spirit It is needles to particularize their seuerall and contrary interpretations giuen of the two former sentences Their own Booke-warrs (u) The differeÌ„t doctrines among Protestants concerning these two points and others and all warranted by the interpretation of the Priuate spirit haue occasioned aboue three hundred bookes to haue beene written by the Protestants one against another of which Hospinian a ProtestaÌ„t the yearly Catalogue of FraÌ„ckford make mention waged by Protestants against the Protestants and vndertaken with sharpned pens in great hostility of style originally for the maintenance of the different doctrines rysing through their misinterpretation of the former Text proclaimes the truth of this to the world Thus suppose a man to be once possest or if you will obsest with this lying Spirit how easily can he ventilate strange and irreconciliable doctrines Heere then I vrge Is this spirit of God How can it then broach contrary and repugnant doctrines Since his Church is one (x) Rom. 12. Cant. 6. Ioan. 10. body one spouse one sheepfould Is it not Why then should I longer perseuere in that Religion which sucketh it venome from so false a spirit Non (y) Tertu l. de Baptis idem Deus est nobis illis nec vnus Christus But what Do our owne writings really stand thus chargeable in defence of this all iudging Spirit or is it but my vniust aspersion cast vpon my Brethrens wronged Pennes Read and then censure One of vs comes forth vpon the stage for the eye of the World is the stage of mans actioÌ„s thus saying The (z) D. Bilson in his true difereÌ„ce between Christian subiection vnch istian rebellion people must be discerners and iudges of what is taught Another That (a) Luth. tom 2. VVittem fol. 375. the sleep is to iudge whether the Pastours propound to them the voyce of Christ or of strangers A third to passe ouer the Brethren (b) In their Appology to the vniuersityes of Amsterdam the branches and descendents of the Church of Geneua acteth his part more liuely thus pronouncing of the priuiledge heerin euen of any left-handed vnlearned and mechanicall fellow The (c) VVhitak de sacra Scriptura p. 519. vnlearned in the exposition of the Scripture is to demaund the opinion of the learned and to read the Commentaryes of Interpreters Sed videndum interim est ne nimis illis tribuant c. sed cautè semper belike for feare of sinning in humblenes of mind atque it a vt câ—rum interim libertatem retincant Where is Humility Where is the (d) 2. Cor. 10. Apostles precept of captiuating our iudgements But it is exiled and in it roome are stept in this Spirits assuming Pryde and blushles Ignorance The irreconciliable doctrines it broacheth bewray it Ignorance it controule of all authority it Pride The difficulty of the Scriptures I will heere passe ouer with a gentle touch for I affect breuity though the consideration of their abstrusnes more fully displayeth the vanity of this Priuate spirit euer venditating the facility of theÌ„ For what can be fouÌ„d in any writinges to occasion misconstruction which heere is not found The sense Where humane writings haue commonly but one sense the Scripture in many places besides the literall is inuested with (e) To wit sensuâ— Alegorious Tropologiâ—us Anogogious three The Style It is heere most plaine yet most profound familiar yet perswading vnaffected yet vnimitable for the most part literall yet sparsedly fraught with Schems Figures Allegoryes The Subiect It is heere supernaturall transcending all reach of mans Reason Since heere we learne to omit all other misteryes of fayth recorded in Gods sacred Writ that Omnipotency was once (f) Luc. 2. she wraped him in swadling cloaths weake Eternity (g) Luke ibid. when eight dayes were accoÌ„plished that they should circumcise the child yong Omnipresency (h) Matt 28. He is not heere for he is risen confined Infinitenes (i) Luc. 2. And Iesus increased in wisedom age and grace increasing Wisedome (k) Marc 13. of that day and houre knoweth no man c. neither the sonne himselfe ignorant the Word (l) Iohn 19. But Iesus gaue him no answere silent and finally the Lord of heauen and earth poore (m) Luc. 9. The birds haue nests c. but the sonne of Man hath not whereon to lay his head and despicable so iust reason had S. Ambrose to say Mare (n) Epist 44. ad Constantium est Scriptura diuina hahens inse sensus profundos and so little reason our Brethren to vse for their Mot Ad (o) Beza
altogeather vnknowne and latent so as further we acknowledge that for the space of many hundred years the Papacy (l) D. Field in his book of the Church l. â— c. 6. sayth The Church when Luther began was that apparent Church wherein Luther the rest wer baptized â—eceaued their Christianity ordination and power of Ministry osiander â—pâ—som â—ent 16. p. 1073. Ecclesia quae sub Papaâ—u fuit â—obuit ministerium Euangelij sacra biblia Baptismum Coenam Domini c. And Luther in loc comm class 1. sayth In medijs furoribus c. Euen in the middest of the furours of the Dragon and the Lyon there did remaine Baptisme the Eucharist the power of the Keyes holy Scripture c. Thus Luther alone enioyed the safe keeping of the Scriptures and an auaylable administration of the Sacraments Now heere I would demand of our Inuisibilists how these two assertions can stand togeather to wit the Pope is Antichrist the Pope so being preserued for so many ages the Scripturer incorrupted and administrated the Sacraments profitably Which if they can then can Israell be found in Babylon and participation be betweene Christ Belial then must Antichrist only preserue the means for the descryall of Antichrist and he who is falshood it selfe be by our owne inference columna firmamentum veritatis Then can heauenly musickâ— for at least in part the Pope expounded the Scriptures truly proceed from the Dragons voyce and medicinable phisicke be drunke out of that cup which shall inebriate the Kings of earth then must our soules saluation for without the vse of the Sacraments it cannot be obtayned be wrought by our soules chiefest enemy and Heauen be purchased by the mediation of the Man (m) 2. Thess vbi supra of sinne and sonne of pocalyps thus is Antichrist become Christs setuantes best supporter keep safe those records wherby those many hundred thousandes (n) Apocalyp 14. of Christs Virgins make their clayme to the inestimable reward allotted for their vowed chastity As easily may we belieue that the Arke and the Idol Dagon could be placed togeather or dreame with Copernicus that the heauens stand still and the earth moues Neither wil that extrauagant answere giuen by some of (o) Doctor VVhitak lide Eccles p 165. so sayth And Beza epist Theo. ep 1. Voluiâ— Deus in papatu seruare Ecclesiam et fi papatus noÌ„ est Ecciesia vs when we are demanded to reconeyle these points auayle vs at all The Church was in the Papacy the Papacy was in the Church and yet the Papacy was not the Church O Delphick and Aenigmatical or other childish idle and false since if we belieue S. Augustine Nihil prodest esse in Ecclesia nisi sis cum Ecclesia Lastly diuers of vs Protestants I do not say all do implye in our writings that a man may haue â—â—luation in any religion so he hould the fundamentall points of the Trinity the Incarnation that Christ suffered for vs c. This is euident from the testimonyes of such of our Protestant Brethren as acknowledge the Lutherans who dissent from them in the doctrine of the Reall presence and the Puriâ—â—ns differing also from them in seuerall articles of fayth for members of the Church Yea our Brother M. D. (p) In his treatise of the kingdoÌ„ of Israel and the Church p. 94. Morton I infinitly meruaile he would euer suffer such wordes to fall from his pen teacheth that the very Arians may be saued for â—â—us he writeth The Churches of the AriaÌ„s are to be accounted the Church of God because they hould the foundation of the Ghospell which is fayth in Iesus Christ the son of God Sauiour of the world where by the way I note that it is strange he should be so seuere towardes Catholiks if reports be true being so indulgent to the very Arians To this sentence D. (q) In his answere to a counterfeite Catholikâ— p â—9 Fulk seemeth well to agree saying The true Church vnder the Emperours Constantine Constans and Valens was greatly infected with the heresyes of Arius Thus in his iudgements an Arian is a member of the true Church and consequently in state of saluation But our foresayd D. (r) Vbisupra p. 91. Morton comprehendeth al sects and heresyes whatsoeuer within the compasse of Gods Church and consequently of saluation if so they belieue in Christ for thus he writeth Wheresoeuer a company of men do ioyntly and publikely by worshipping the true God in Christ professe the substance of Christian Religion which is fayth in Iesus Christ the son of God and Sauiour of the world there is a true Church notwithstanding any corruption whatsoeuer Where we are to note the last wordes notwithstanding any corruption whatsoeuer Good God! how different is this man as heereafter I will show from the iudgment of the ancient Fathers and practise of the Primitiue Church But to proceed this most pernicious yet plausible doctrine being the Prodromus and forerunner of Libertinisme originally springeth from the Priuate Spirit since this spirit giueth reynes to euery Man to beleiue what it selfe best suggesteth But since the Canker heereof is secretly spred into the harts of many men at this day I will therfore rest the longer in discouering the absurdity and falshood thereof by stirring a litle the earth about the roote of it it being indeed a fayth coÌ„sisting in a wast of fayth and a Religion resting in the denyall of the necessity of any one Religion And first it is certaine that without fayth a Man caÌ„not be saued sine (s) Hebr. 11. fide impossibile est placere Deo And again qui (t) Marc. 16. non crediderit condemnabitur Withall it is as certaine that this fayth according to that (u) Ephes 4. vna fides vnum baptisma ought to be One True and Supernatural for if it be not One and True it saueth not Man but seduceth him since Truth is One and Errour various and multiplicious Now heere I vrge that one fayth cannot be in seuerall Sects seeing these Sectes teach poynts not only in themselues disparate and different but contradictory and meerly repugnant Furthermore that that fayth which saueth man must be entyre and true in all poynts is confirmed by other two irrefragable Reasons The first altogether insisted vpon by S. Thomas (x) â—n â— distinct 23. 22 q. 5. art 5. and all cheife Schoolemen is this True Christian fayth as being a supernaturall and infused Vertue hath a necessary reference to two thinges the first is that which Deuynes heere call Prima Veritas reuelans which is God reuealing all truths of fayth to the Church the second the authority of the Church which God heere vseth as a meanes by the which he propouÌ„deth the said truths to be beleiued So as no true supernaturall fayth can be produced but where these two concurre The first of these is called by the Deuines Obiectum formale of fayth