therof iustifieth not à Christian Catholiques haue expresly worke out your salvation with feare and trembling Phillp 2. Protestants haue noewher eyther that à man can worke nothing towards his owne salvation beinge helped by the grace of God or that à man should make it is beleiffe to be saved without feare or doubt Catholiques haue expresly Vow yee and render your vowes psal. 75. Protestants haue noewher vow yee not or break your vowes as beinge vnlawfull to vow Catholiques haue expressly Doe ye the worthie fruits of pennance Luke 3. Protestants haue noewhere that fayth onely is sufficient without all satisfaction and other works of pēnance on our partes Catholiques haue expresly That every man shal be saved accordinge to his works Revela 20. Protestants haue noewhere that men shal be Iudged accordinge to their fayth Catho haue expresly That the Angell of our Lorde sayd Oh Lorde of host how longe wilt thou not haue mercy on Ierusalem and on the Citiyes of Iuda with which thou hast been angrie Za. 1. 10. Protestants haue noewhere that Angells or Saints Make not intercession for men in this miserable life and therfore that it is idle to craue their prayers Catho haue alsoe expresly that Another Angell came and stood by the Alter of gould which is before the throne of God and the smoke of the incenses of the prayers of Saints ascended from the hand of the Angell before God Revel. 8. Protestants haue noewher that Angells and heavenly Saints doe not offer the prayers of the Saints of the Militant Church on earth and that they cannot know them to present thē vnto God Catholiques haue expresly Grace to yow and peace from him that is and that was and that shall come and from the seaven spiritts which are in the sight of his Throne and from Iesus Christ Revel. 1. 4. Protestants haue noewhere that S. Iohn the Evangelist did not invocate the seaven Spiritts or Angells wherof in the first Chap he maketh mention for the obtayninge of grace and peace for the Churches of Asia and that only wee must pray to God alone and not to Christ as man and the Angelicall Spiritts and heavenly Saints Liuing with Christ Catholiques haue expresly that God is wonderfull in his Saints psalm 67. Protestants haue noe where that he is dishonnored in them Catholiques haue expresly without any limite of time And these signes shall follow them that beleive In my name shall they cast out Divells they shall speake with new tongues they shall take vp Serpents and if they drinke any deadly thinge it shall not hurt them they shall laye handes on the sick and they shall recover Mar. 16. And againe verily verily I saye vnto yow he that beleiveth in me the works that I doe he shall doe allsoe and greater workes then these shall he doe Io. 14. Protest haue noe where that none which are of Christ Church or fayth and Congregation shall doe any Miracles lyke vnto his and that it is à signe of an Antichristian Church to worke such profitable Miracles Catholiques haue expresly that From Pauls bodie were brought vnto the sick handkircheeffes or napkins and the diseases departed from them and evill Spiritts went out of them Act. 19. 12. Protestants haue noewhere that by the Reliques of Saints Miracles may not be wrought and that they are not to be esteemed or regarded Catholiques haue expresly Concerninge Virgins I haue not à Commaundement from our Lorde but Counsell I give 1. Cor. 7. And againe the vnmarried shal be more blessed if she remaine soe accordinge to my Counsell Ioan. 40. Protestants haue noe where that it is not lawfull to doe anie thinge except it can be warranted by an expresse Commaund from God Catholiques haue expresly And the Apostles Elders came together for to consider of this matter Act. 15. 6. Allsoe wee haue sent therfore Iudas and Silas who shall allsoe tell yow the same things by mouth for it seemeth good to the holy Ghost and to vs c. Ibide ve 27. 28. Protestāts haue noewhere that when important Controversies of Religion doe arise men must be sent onely to Scriptures and to every ones private Spiritt or that it is needles to assemble Counsells of the Pastors of the Church for the determination of them and that their decrees be not infallible and proceeds not from the holy Ghost Catholiques haue expresly that He that hath determined in his hart beinge settled not havinge necessity but havinge power in his owne will and hath iudged this in his hart to keep his virgine doth well therfore he that ioyneth his virgine in Matrimony doth well but he that ioyneth it not doth better 1. Cor. 7. 37. Againe tho Lust therof shal be vnder thee and thou shalt haue dominion ouer it Gen. 4. 7. Protestants haue noewhere that mā hath not free will or power to choose good and to eschw that which is badd througe the assistance of Gods grace Catholiques haue expresly This is my body this is my blood Mat. 26. Alsoe the bread which I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world Alsoe my flesh is meat indeed and my bloud is drinke indeed Io. 6. Protestants haue noewhere that vnder the externall accidents of bread and wyne that really the body and blood of Iesus Christ is not there and that it is not in substance flesh and blood indeed but only à figure or signe of it Catholiques haue From the risinge of the Sonne even to the goeinge downe great is my name amongst the Gentiles and in every place ther is sacrificinge and there is offered to my name à Cleane oblation because my name is great amonge the Gentils sayth the Lord of hoste Mall 1. 11. Protestants haue noe wher that ther is noe sacrificeing or publique oblation since Christ offerred himselfe at Ierusalem vpon the Crosse Catholiques haue expresly Hould the traditions which yee haue learned whether it be by worde or by our Epistle 2. Thess. 2. Allsoe my words which I haue put in thy mouth Shall not depart out of thy mouth and out of the mouth of thy seed and out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed sayth our Lorde from this present and forever Esay 59. and 21. Protestants haue noewhere that Apostolicall vnwritten conditions are not to be observed and that none of Gods word by divine assistance shall be cōtinnallie deliuered by word of mouth and not openly be still professed nor that there is noe infallible deliverie of true doctrine by word of mouth Catholiques haue expresly I will giue yow another Paraclet that he may abyde whith yow forever the Spiritt of truth he shall teach yow all truth 10. 14. 16. and 16. 13. Protest haue noewhere that the Church is not ever assisted by the holie Ghost and that at some tymes she may teach some errors Catholiques haue expresly Thou art Peter and vpon this rock will I build my Church Mat. 16. 18. and that I haue prayed
Controversies of Religion are on the Catholiques side for which reason they Censure them For example to begin with S. Peters primatie M. Fulk when the consent of auncient Fathers were alleeged against them to that purpose vpon the words of Christ Then art Peter and vpon thee will I build my Church Answereth it Cannot be denyed but divers of the auncient Fater otherwise goodly and learned were deceived in opinion of Peters prerogatiue And Zantius another great Protestant sayth the Fathers exposition vpon this Rock that is vpon Peter is not admitted And Luther the great Apostle of Protestancie sayth Heare all eyther Fathers or Doctors as manie as hitherto haue interpreted Scriptures haue stumbled as when that of Math 16. Then art Peter c. they interpret of the Pope Kemtius CoÌ„c Tr. p. 3 sayth hat most of the Fathers as NazianzeÌ„ NisseÌ„ Basill Theodorett Ambroi Ierome Augustine did not dispute but avouch the soules of Saints and Martyrs to heare the petitions of those that prayed vnto them they went often to the monuments of Martyrs and invocated Martyrs by name Whitgifte defen. p. 473. All the Bishopps and learned wrighters of the Greek Church and Latins allsoe for the most part wree spotted with doctrines of frewil of merit of invocation of Saints and such lyke Doctor Whitakers de Sac Script p. 655. 678. 68. besyde that he sayth of Dionisius S. Paules disciple that he was a great patron of traditions and of S. Basill that he beleived Limbus Patrum and vnwritten traditions he confesseth generallie of all the auncient Fathers that they held Limbus Patrum free will merrits of good workes invocation of Saints Single life of Bishopps c. And that the Popish Religion is patched out of the Fathers errors D. Homph in his Iesuitis part 2. p. 930. teacheth that it may not bé denyed but that Ireneus Clement and others called Apostolicall haue in their wrightings the opinions of free will and merrite of workes Lascitius à Protestant of noe meane ranke would haue vs to beleive in his defen. pa. 146. that the Fathers devised Purgatorie that they were of opinion that prayers and Sacrifice of the Masse was to be offered vp for the dead that they bereaved the lay people of the Cupp called vpon dead Saints and brought in such lyke errors Calvin allsoe sayth it was à custome one thowsand three himdred yeares agoe to pray for the dead but all of that tyme I confesse were carried away into errors Those things which occurre here and ther abont satisfaction in the writings of all those in ould tyme moved me little I see indeed some of them I will speake playenly allmost all whose bookes are extant haue eyther slipped in this point or spoken too rigorouslie and too harshly But will yow see how Luther betramples the Fathers in his Colloq. Mensal Cap. de Patribus Eccles. Note In the wrightings of Ierome ther is not à worde of true fayth in Christ and sounde Religion Tertullian is veri superstitious Of Chrysostome I make noe accoumpt Basill is of noe worth he is wholie à Monke I weigh him not à hayre Ciprian is but à weake divine c. Thus your grande Apostle Luther who therfore readeth this lesson to all his followers Lay aside all such weapons as the auncient Orthodoxall Fathers Schooles and Divines authorities of Councells and Popes the consent of soe many ages and of all Christian people doth afforde Note Wee receive nothinge but Scriptures but soe that wee alone may haue the approued authoritie of interpretinge them Note as wee expownd them soe was the meaninge of the holie Ghost what others bringe be they never soe great be they never soe maine it proceedeth from the spiritt of Satan and from à madd and alienated mynde Peter Marter one of the principall of the reformed Church li de votis sayth soe longe as wee doe insist vpon Councâ—lls and Fathers wee shale allwayes be conversant in the same Errors Duditius sayth If that be the truth that the Fathers haue professed with mutuall consent it is altogether on the Papists side Alas what ment M. Iewell then with such deep dissimulation to the preiudice of his owne and others soules by solemne acclamation in à publique Sermon at Paules Crosse to vtter these words Oh Gregoire Oh Augustin Oh Hierome Oh Chrisostome o Leo o Dionisius o Anacletus o Calixtus o Paule o Christ If we be deceived ye haue deceived this yow taught vs had not M. D. Humphrey in the life of Iewell good reason to reprehend his bould appeale affirmeing therin that he granted over much and yelded more then of right vnto the Papists and iniured himselfe over much c. And in à manner spoyled himselfe and the Church c. what haue wee to doe whith the Fathers with fleshe or blood had not D. Steephens his intimate freind better reason to abandon the Protestant Religion when vpon M. Iewells intreatie he had revewed his booke and admonished M. Iewell of his Manifould falsifications of the Fathers he obtained nothinge at his handes but diabolicallie persistinge tould him they would disgrace soe the Papists that they should not be beleived against him though they discovered never soe many of his falsifications Had not allsoe M. Wallsingham iust reason to leaue the Church of England when he fownd soe many corruptions and falsehoods in this their greatest ChaÌ„pion of their Church Soe heighly honored by Protestants as that he hath been kept in diverse Churches as à pullpitt booke Alas what ment M. Doctor Whitaker allsoe with the lyke damnable hipocrisie soe confidently to saie The speech of M. Iewell was most true and Constant when provokinge yow to the Antiquity of the first sixe hundred yeares he offerred That if yow could shew but any one cleare and playne sayinge out of any Father or Councell he would graunt yow the victorie T is the offer of vs all the same doe wee all promise and wee will performe it what ment he I saye seinge he himselfe contrary to himselfe in another place de S. Scrip avoucheth that the Popishe Religion is à patcht coverlett of the Fathers Erros Note For I will demaund of him whether the Popishe Religion be à patcht coverlett of the Fathers Errors in these points of Religion where both Catholiques and Protestats agree or in the other controverted points If he saye the first then is his Religion lykewise the Errors of the Fathers If the second then accordinge to himselfe the Fathers be of the Catholiques syde in the points of Controversie What ment likewise M. Willett in his Antol. pa. 263. diabollicallie against his owne Conscience with such impudence to protest in this manner I take God to witnes before whom I must render an accoumpt that the same fayth and Religion which I defend is taught and Confirmed in the most substantiall points by those histories Councells and Fathers that lived within five or sixe hundred yeares after Christ When as he himselfe in his
A MANIFEST TOVCHING M. W. F. Aversion from the Protestant Congregation AND HIS Conversion to the Catholique Church Presented to the Right Wor. ll Sir A. P. his much honoured Father and his other best Friends for their better satisfaction and his owne Iustification Viam iniquitatis amoue à me de lege tua miserere mei Viam veritatis elegi iudicia tua non oblitus Psal. 118. PERMISSV SVPERIORVM Anno 1650. TO HIS HONORABLE DEARE VNCLE S. ir H. W. BARONETTE c. Dominus det vobis suam Pacem SIR Hauing obtained à copy of my deare deceased Brother Williams Manifest which in his life was presēted vnto my Father I make bold to addresse it vnto you in print as more legible and vsefull to fulfill and execute the will of my Brother who was in his life most entirely deuoted to you and most singularly Zealous of your souls salvation which according as my bounden duty requires I equally tender and affect I can not tell what acceptance it may relish with you in respect of your olde age yet sure I am were you trauelling vnto Hierusalem and should be informed by him or me though inferiour in years of the great dangers assuredly you would fall into if you held on in the new way you had commenced your iourney in doubtlesse you would take it maruelous kindly of vs and as an argument of our true respectfull loue towards you that by our notice you were prevented from falling in to the hands of bloodsucking enimies or being swalowed vp in some vnknowne gulfe in your new passage This is now you case you are traueling in your Resolution to the beauenly Hierusalem but vnder fauour and without offence giue me leaue to tell you that if you proceede in this new way and new Religion you are in the perills are unspeakably great for that all going and holding this new way ar robbed not of their temporall wealth nor of their temporall life depriued by drowning but by à Diabolicall crew and an Infernall gulfe spoiled of their sowles to their owne irreparable dammage and the opprobrious disgrace of Christ most pretious blood spilt in vaine for them And howbeit this new way you walke in may peradnenture seeme to you to be right and secure Yet vndoutedly except you turne out of it in the end it will leade you to endlesse perdition You can not be ignorant that the Origine of this new way and occasion of putting our poore distressed country-men out of the old approued path and good way in which our auncestours walking securely arriued to heaven was the sacrilegious auarice and insatiable lust of King Henry the eight in whom alone not I but Sir Walter Raulie affirmes all the markes of à Tyrāt might be found in case they were lost who as all know that are versant in the hictory and tradition of our Nation withdrew himsefe and the Realme from the obeyssanee of the Catholique Church the old and only assured way to Saluation Deus vnus est Christus vnus vna Ecclesia Cathedravna super Petram Domini voce fundata Saith S. Cyprian l. 1. Epist. 8. This Henry the eight because the Bishop of Rome S. Peters successour and Christs Viccar on earth would not dispensc with him to put à way his lawfull wife Queene Catherine of Spaine of blessed memory he vsurped and tooke vpon him to be head of the English Church and put à way most iniuriously his Queene Which vnheard of arrogancy of his vsurped spirituall supremacy how God hath punished in his Successours is too too sad and too too fresh to rehearse Patres nostri peccauerunt nos portauimus iniquitates eorum If God hath not his due in his vicegerent of his Church it is no wonder that Caesar wbo by the grace and fauour of God temporaly gouerneth hath not his due obedience from his subiects and that they vsurpe à power ouer him In quo quis peccat in hoc punietur And seeing so much innocent blood of Catholiques haue beene spilt and so many Priests slaine as Prophets sent to reclaime her I doe not wonder that God after so long à patient frustrated expectation of our Countrys penance and retourne doth now bring forth the yron rod of the sword and chastise the Kingdome with so much effusion of blood to auenge the contempt of his house the Catholique Church the innocent members and Pastors put to death and that the Bishops and others Who so much striued to put down Catholique Religion should now by the iust iudgments of God be pulled downe and haue their Church and Religion destroyed by themselues I will set the Aegyptians against the Aegyptians and the brethren shall fight against the brethren Esay 19. Vaegenti peccatrici woe woe to à sinfull nation which by its hainous schisme and heresy hath forsaken God teaching and speaking in his Catholique Church which hath blasphemed holy Israel and followed its owne giddy priuate spirit which seeth nothing aright where euery one at his pleasure carues cut to himselfe à Religion out of the Scriptures interpreted according to their owne priuate and vnwarranted spirits as if all were Apostles all Prophets all Doctours all Pastours contrary to the Ecclesiasticall order and Hierarchy instituted by Christ our Sauiour as witnesses the Apostle S. Paul 1. ad Cor 12. But alas will our poore distressed country neuer rise and retourne againe to her Mother the Catholique Church that shee may haue accesse to God as à Father Nunquid qui cadit non resurget qui auersus est non reuertetur quare ergo auersus est populus iste in Hierusalem auersione contentiosa apprehenderunt mendacium noluerunt reuerti c. nullus est qui agat poenitentiam super peccato suo dicens quid feci c. The turtle Doue the Swalow the Storke haue obserued the time of their comeing but my people saith God by his Prophet haue not knowne the iudgment of the Lord Hier. 8. And for as much as our poore Countrymen will not reflect vpon the manifest iudgments of God vpon the Kingdome for its reuolt by Schisme and Heresy from the Catholique Church therfore is shee become desolate Desolatione desolata est omnis terra quia non est qui recogitet corde Hieri 12. Wherfore Deare Sir to preuent the maine misery of miseries since God of his immense Clemency hath lent you space to returne whilest thousands and thousands in these calamities of our Nation are ingulfed in the bottomlesse pitt of hell promptly obey the voice of God by the prementioned Prophet Heremie Aske of the old paths which is the Good way and walke in it and you shall finde refreshing for your soules Cap. 6. v. 16. But aske timely with all possible diligence breaking with all worldly considerations of honour riches or pleasures for the loue of sweet Iesus who not only endured for your sake all contradictions and opprobrious disgraces but layd out all he
then generall defection of all ProtestaÌ„t Pastors was immediate and extraordinary and againe sayth the same Author had Luther had any Orthodox predecessor ther had needed noe reformation Doctor Whitackres Con. 4. qu. 5. C. 3. In tymes past noe Religion sayth he had place in Churches but Papisticall And therfore in another place he thus write h wee acknowledg Luther to be our father Brocarde in the 2. C. Apocal. sayth thus when the preachinge of the Gospell was allowed in Luther and his first onsett against the Papasie the knowledg of Christ was fownd missinge in all and every of his members D. Bancrofte in his Survay c. 4 hath these words both the Preists of all sorts and lykewise the people began in tyme to be drowned in the puddles of Poperie all of them together from the topp to the toe Calvin who in his Epistles affirmes that they weere inforced to departe from the whole world in his booke of the necessity of reformation thus writeth It is manifest that the whole world was bewitched with these wicked opinions before Luther appeared Morgastren in his Treatise of the Church avouâ—heth that it is ridiculous to thimke that in the tyme before Luther any had the puritie of doctrine and that Luther should receive it from them and not they from Luther Consideringe it is manifest to the whole Christian world that before Luthers tyme all Churches weere overwhelmed with more then Chimerian darknes and that Luther was divinely raysed vp to discover the some and to restore the light of true doctrine And Luther himselfe in the preface of his 1. Tom. Here see even by my case how hard it is to get out of errors which are confirmed by the example of the whole world and by longe custome as it were changed into nature And To 2. This is written his Epitaph Oh Christ he shewed thee when all the world was overwhelmed with darknes And li. 1. de captiu Babil beinge to wright against the Masse he sayth neyther lett it move thee that the whole world hath the Contrary opinion and custome And fo. 68. Ther is allmost this day nothinge more received or more settled in the Church then that Masse is à sacrifice Againe I sett vpon à thinge which beinge approud by the custome of soe many ages and consent of all is soo ingrafted as it is needfull to change almost the whole face of the Church But by the way will yow knowe by whose instigation and what spiritt moved him ther vnto Let Hospinian à learned Protestant speake Hist. Sacram. part ult. Luther Confesseth sayth he that he was taught by the Divell that Masse and cheifly private Masse is nought and that beinge overcome by the Divells reasons he abolished it And therfore noe marvaill if Luther li de Abrog Miss. fo. 244. thus writeth How often did my tremblinge hart quake and reprehendinge me obiected that their strongest and onely Argument Art thou onely wise what did all erre were soe many ages ignorant Behould how Luthers hart and conscience did tell him that he aloue knew Protestancie and was the first Pastor and Preacher therof Hence in his Epist. ad Argent Anno 1525. he maintaynes this point against Zwinglius sayeinge wee dare boast that Christ was first published by vs Soe playnlie doe the Protestants and Luther himselfe frely confesse an vtter defection and want of their Churches Pastors and preaches for administration of the word and Sacraments before Luther And indeed this manifestly appeareth out of the name of reformed Church For it is impossible the Church should be reformed except it first had perished and been deformed soe that Protestants teach and professe à Fayth formerly decaied and deformed afterward restored and reformed But the Catholique fayth of Christ Church foe firmely built on à rock that Hell gates shall never prevayle against it is an incorruptible Fayth of all tymes and consequently cannot be deformed or decay at any tyme and especialy in such essentiall matters which the reformers pretend the Catholique Church to haue been deformed Note Wherfore Protestants that doe teach à fayth which heretofore was deformed and decayed doe not professe nor teach Catholique fayth but à novitiall innovated Religion Seeinge then Luther was the first Pastor and teacher which reformed it it is evident that imediately before Luther they had noe Pastors nor Doctors of their Church But peradventure yow will saye that the Apostles Evangelists and all the auÌ„cyent Fathers pillars and lights of Gods Church of the first sixe hundred yeares were all Protestant Pastors and teachers of the reformed doctrine but afterward for the space of nine hundred yeares ther were none extant till Luther But this answere satisfieth not my argument but rather Confirmeth it to witt that the Protestant Church hath not in all ages ever enioyed Pastors and Doctors for the administration of the word and Sacraments Which is an insepable Marke of Christ true Church for were Protestants Christ true Church then should they haue had in all ages Pastors and Doctors to haue taught their fayth and not decline the Iudgment of the Pastors and Doctors of the Church which lived in the nyne hundred yeares before Luther and coÌ„municated realy with those of the 600. Secondly the answere is false if they will either be tryed by expresse Scripture or Fathers as it will appeare by the revnnige through of the principall points which are now controverted betwixt Catholiques and Protestants First then by Scripture Catholiques doctrine is there playnly confirmed and the reformers condemned for example Catholiques haue expresly If thou wilt enter into life keep the CoÌ„maundements Mathew 19 17. And that his Commaundements are not heavie 1 10. 5. 31. And againe In this wee know that wee haue knowne him if wee observe his Commaundements He that sayth he knoweth him and keepeth not his Commaundements is a lyer and the truth is not in him But he that Keepeth his word in him in very deed the Charity of God is perfected in this wee know that wee be in him 1. 10. 2. v. 3 4. 5. and 10. 17. 6. Protestants who brage they know God better and that they are Dearer to the spiritt then other men haue noewher any playne Scripture that they are either intollerable or impossible to be kept or that they may haue life everlastinge without keepinge of them Catholiques haue expresly whose sinns ye forgiue are forgiven whose sinnes ye retaine they are retayned Iohn 20. Protestants haue noewhere that Preists on earth caÌ„not forgiue sinns or retayne sinnes Catholiques haue expresly That à man is Iustified by workes and not by fayth only I am 2. and that the doers of the lawe shal be Iustified Ro. 2. Protestants haue noewher that man is Iustified by fayth alone noe nor that he is Iustified by fayth without works speakinge of workes that followe and presupposeih fayth of which the Controversie only is nor that the Law required at Christians handes is impossible and that the performance
wee must be vnited if wee will be saued she onely beinge infallable and secure in her doctrine For if she onely beareth the cognissance and inseperable marke of Christ his Church as hath bin demōstrated then necessarily to her only are agreable those prerogatiues which by holy writt are conferred and confirmed on Christ his Church to witt that she is the foundation and pillar of Truth 2. ad Tim. 3. That she hath the spirit of truth ever to abyde with her Pastors to teach her all truth Io. 14. c. and 16. c. That she is the spowse of Christ without wrinkle or blemish which he hath espoused to himselfe by à continuall assistance vnto the consummation of the world Eph. 5. And finally that she is the Church to whose Iugment in Controversies of Religion wee are to referre our selues and to whose determination without further appeale wee ought to obey vnder the penalty of beinge reputed Heathers and publicans Math. 28. Math. 18. Wherfore I thus resolue that seeinge the Romane Church is Christ his true Church if he hath any on earth as most certainly he hath and that in no age or season Christ his true Church can erre in matters of fayth I ame resolued I saye to receive for à verity of fayth that which the Romane Church hath or shall declare to be such and on the contrary reiect and disclayme from whatsoever doctrine she hath or shall disapproue or condemne as repugnant to Gods worde written or vnwritten Let then her Athistical aduersaries presse never soe much to receive nothinge but that which by their naturall reason they can be convinced of I ame prepared accordinge to the advice of the Apostle to Captiuite my vnderstandinge obsequiously to the mysteries of fayth as beinge supernaturall and transeendinge naturall reason And therfore will I rest in the Iudgment of the Church which is ever directed by à supernaturall Agent that teacheth her all Truth Hee that seeketh fayth seeketh not reasō Sayth Tertullian and Chrisologus Athens hath nothing to intermeddle with Hierusalem nor the Academy with the Church our schoole is the porch of Solomon which teacheth vs that wee must search for God with simplicity of Hart and not with frivolous curiositie of naturall reason what wronge doth the Creator to vs if he would haue vs beleiue more then wee are able to comprehend It is not for the iron to aske of the Adamant from whence those charmes and secret influences come wherwith he attracteth and captiuats him It is enough that he followe when God proposeth à verity to vs by the voyce and generall consent of the Church wee are not to appeale to humaine reason and to sence which haue winges tooshort to vndertake such à flight while one proceedeth in this Manner fayth wil be noe true fayth but à fantesy or opinion If S. Peter would not haue beleiued Christ to haue bin the sonne of God except naturall reason and carnall sence had convinced him therof Our Saviour had not pronounced Blessed art thou Simon Bariona for that fleshe and blood hath not revealed it vnto yow c. vpon this Rock will I build my Church For in the comprehension of the verities and the misteries of fayth It is the spirit that quickeneth and the fleshe profitteth nothinge as our blessed Saviour avoucheth against those which were incredulous that the bread which he would giue to eate was his fleshe for the liffe of the world For according to S. Gregoire Fides non habet meritum vbi ratio praebet experimentum and therefore blessed ore those who beleeue and doe not see viz by the evidence of natural reason or sense Lett also Heretickes obiect against any Article of our fayth any Texte of Scriptures perversly or malitiously interpretted and to theire owne perdition misvnderstood according to the dictamen of their owne private vnwarranted spiritt Lett them I saye with noe lesse pryde then madmes proclayme the Churches authority lyable to Error in declaringe what is truly Cōformable or repugnant to the worde I value not their erronious Iudgments knowinge full well that she is ever assisted by the spirit of all teachinge truth accordinge to the infallible promise of Christ and cānot teach any thinge repugnant to the worde of God noe more then God can teach contrary to himselfe who is her director And therfore whosoever harkenneth vnto her voyce that is to the generall Iudgment of the Pastors and teachers heareth the voyce and word of Christ soe that the worde of the Church is the worde of Christ Whence S. Augustin who dilligently observed this rule sayeth The truth of Scripture is holden by vs when wee doe that which know hath pleased the vniversall Church which the authority of the same Scripture doth commend that seeinge the Holy Scripture cannot deceive whosoever feareth to be deceived by the obscurity of this question lett him take Counsell therof from the Church which without any ambiguitie the Scriptures doth demonstrate And in another place he sayth it is most insolent madnes what she professes and practices to call in question Epist. 118. ad Ianuarium cap. 5. And why I pray is this most insolent madnesse to question what the Church professes and practiseth but because this in effect is to denie or dispute against the Canonicall Scriptures aknowledged on both sides For if in the aknowledged worde of God by most cleare testimonies the authority of Christ his Church is soe highly magnified as that she is styled the pillar and foundation of Truth the vnspotted Spouse without wrinkle his body his Lott his Inheritance and kingdome given him in this world in which he hath placed Apostles Doctors and Pastors to the Consummation of the Electe which Doctors are ever assisted by the spirit that teacheth them all truth and accompanied by our Saviour to the Consummation of the world who Comaunds vs to harken to his Spouse the Church Sub poena of beinge reputed Heathens or Publicans Tell me then is not this most insolent madnesse to call her profession and practice in question Note To be soe Antichristianly proud as to preferr our owne Iudgments and expositions of the worde before the Church which is directed by the Spirit of Truth Is not this in words to boast much of Scriptures and indeed not to follow them for if yow search the Scriptures that is profoundly and not superficiasly or malitiously consider them yow shall finde that the same are they that give testimony of her and how she is to be obeyed and as eagerly followed Wherfore to draw to à Conclusion seeinge the true Church of Christ which is but one cannot Erre in matters of Fayth and onely the Romane Church beareth the vnseperable marke of it To vse the Apostle S. Paules words From hence foward lett noe man trouble me for I beare the markes of my Lorde Iesus in my bodie ad Gal. 5. from hence forth let noe man goe about to molest my conscience for being incorporated in the bodie of