of heretiks This in summe I will say heretikes are not otherwise to be dealt with all then Infidells 〈◊〉 Iewes Caluin also in his 2. booke of Institution cap. 15. number 1. Rightly Augustin denyeth Heretikes haue the same foundation with the godly albeit they preach tâ—â— name of Christ And in his instruction against the Libertines That we may speake properly Heretikes are not oâ—ly like to wolues or theeues but much worse Beza in his booâ— of punishing Heretiks If one terme Heretikes saithleâ— apostatas he shall giue them their due title And againe Heretikes affirme Christ in word and deny him indeed Danaeus in his 5. Controuersy and 691. pag. An heretike condemned by lawfull iudgement and actually cast out of the Church is not of the visible Church nor of the inuisible neither actually or apparently so long as he remaineth in that state Polanus in his 7. booke which he termeth Syntagma cap. 5. Heretikes whiles they remayne such are not members of the Catholique Church And Vorstius in his Anti-bellarmin pag. 79. The Ghospellers do esteem Antichrist in common to be euery heretike who opposeth himselfe eyther openly and plainly or closely and indirectly to Christ and his doctrine And in the 121. pag. There is no controuersy betweene vs and our aduersaries touching heretikes Schismatikes and Apostatas properly and truly so called that they are altogeather out of the Church of Christ Thus forraine Protestants In England English Protestants his Maiesty in his epistle to Cardinal Peron written by Casaubon The King damneth and detesteth those who either haue departed from the sayth of the Catholike Church and are become heretikes or from the Communion and are become Schismatikes The Apology of the Church of England part 3. diuis 3. VVe condemne all sortes of the old heretiks as the Arians the Eutichians c. and shortly all them that haue a wicked opinion either of God the Father or of Christ or of the holy Ghost or of any other point of Christian Religion for so much as they be confuted by the Ghospell of Christ we plainly pronounce them for damnable and detestable persons and defy them euen to the diuell D. Whitaker in the preface of his Controuersies If we be heretikes it is reason they should warne all theirs to fly from vs. And Controuer 2. question 1. cap. 4. That he proueth heretikes and Apostatas and Schismatikes not to be members of the true Church maketh nothing against vs. None of our men euer taught that The like he hath question 5. cap. 1. and 18. D. Sutliue in his first booke of the Church cap. 1. Heretikes are not of the Church D. Morton in his Apology 1. part 1. booke cap. 3 affirmeth that Heretikes are not to be accounted of the â—hurch in truth but in name not indeed but equiuocally Finally D. White in his way to the Church pag 110. All hereticks teach the truth in some things and yet we deny them to be the Church of God And in the defence of the same way cap. 8. sect 1. There is little or no difference betweene the Diuell and an Apostata or Heretike 4. The same censure they sometymes giue of Schismatikes They exclude Schismatiks as appeareth by the words of his Maiesty D. Whitaker and Vorstius already rehearsed Besides Luther in his great Catechisme tom 5. pag. 628. affirmeth the sense of that article The Communion of Saints to be this I belieue that there is on earth a litle Congregation of Saints agreeing in all things without sectes or Schismes And Melancthon in his book against Swenfeild tom 2. LutheraÌ„s pag. 201. Neither is there more then one Church the Spouse of Christ neither doth this company consist of diuers Sectes Salomon Gesnerus in his Common places the 24. place of the Church Catholiks are opposite to Schismatikes heretiks The same teacheth Schusselburg in his 8. tome of the Catalogue of heretikes pag. 726. 727. Amongst the Sacramentaries the Switzers in their Confession SacrameÌ„taries article 17. do thus professe VVe so much esteeme the Communion with the true Church of Christ as that we teach that those cannot liue before God who communicate not with his true Church And the French Protestants in theirs article 26. VVe belieue that none can lawfully withdraw themselues from the assemblies Bullinger in his Epitome or Compendium of fayth 6. booke 11. cap They be out of this Church whâ— vpon enuy or contention separate themselues from her withouâ— cause will haue some thing peculiar to themselues Musculus also in his common places in the title of the church The vnity of Heretiks and Schismatikes is bastard and diuided True entier and Catholike vnity is not among Schismatikes And in the title of Schismatikes A Schismatike putteth himselfe in daunger of losse of his saluation in departing from the Communion of the flock of the Lord. For by that departure he is not only separated and diuided from that Ecclesiasticall and externall society of the faythfull but also from participation of the bloud and spirit of Christ Caluin likewise in his treatise of the necessity of reforming the Church VVe do professe the vnity of the Church such as is described by S. Paul to be most deare vnto vs and we accurse all them that shall any way violate it And in his fourth booke of Institutions chap. 1. numb 2 Vnlesse vnder Christ our head we be vnited to all the rest of his members there is no hope for vs of the euerlasting inheritance For we cannot haue two or three Churches vnlesse Christ be torne in pieces And num 4. Out of the lap the Church there is no saluation departure from thence is alwayes pernicious Againe num 10 God maketh so great account of the Communion with his Church as he holdeth him for a renagate and fugitiue whosoeuer obstinatly separateth himselfe from any Christian society which retaineth the true vse of the word and Sacraments And he addeth that the forsaking of the Church Is the deniall of God and Christ The like doctrine he deliuereth in his Catechisme vpon the 1. Cor. cap. 1. and other where Polanus in his Theses part 2. sayth Schismaticall Churches are to be forsaken And Bucanus in his places loc 41. of the Church quest 33. auoucheth Schismatiks to be out of the Church and quest 5. that they are not vniuocally a Church that is they haue not the true nature of a Church The same sayth Danaeus in his treatise of Antichrist cap. 17. And in his 3. booke of the Church cap. 5. writeth thus Schismaâ—ikes actually excommunicated and cast out of the Church by lawfull sentence are no more of the visible Church For sayth he the marke that you be of the visible Church is this that you outwardly professe the fayth and communicate in Sacraments with the rest of the Church And he addeth that such are neither actually of the inuisible Church but only in possibility and that the holy Fathers liken sucâ— to
enemies to the world to all others besides themselues could not be discerned from others lurcked in desertes in darknesses like sparkles vnder much ashes professed not their fayth before the world or their aduersaries but at most before themselues and were known only to those that had eyes that is to themselues 3. The same also they meane They teach that the church may be inuisible to the world when they teach that the church of God may be inuisible to the world and all that are out of it Iunius in his 2. book of the church cap. 13 VVe conclude that the outward forme and visible shape of the Church may so in common vanish that it cannot be pointed at or perceiued of the world And againe The Church is oftentymes couered and inuisible to the world Often inuisible to the world And cap. 16 The visible fashion of the Church may be hid and faile from the vngratefull world And in his Theologicall Theses cap. 43 Sometymes the church appeareth to the faithfull alone sometymes it is knowne to some godly persons not to euery one Besnage in his booke of the state of the visible and inuisible Church cap. 4 The Church is not alwayes knowne to the world Sonis in his answere to Spondé cap. 2. pag. 32 God sometymes taketh away the face of the Church from men Lubbertus in his 3. booke of the Church cap. 4 VVe affirme that the Church may be driuen to those straights that it may lye hid from the world and persecutors And cap. 6 VVe deny that she is alwayes visible to the world which he repeateth againe cap. 7. Riuet in his Epirome of Controuersies treatise 1. sect 37 It happeneth sometymes that the Church hath byn inuisible or rather hidden sometymes from the eyes of persecutors sometymes from the eyes of the faythfull themselues to wit of some and the most of them D. Whitaker Controuers 2. quest 3. cap. 3. pag. 474 VVe say that the Church may be conserued in so few that it appeare not to the world And quaest 5. cap. 6. pag. 508 It is most false that the Church shall alwayes be knowne and manifest to the world D. Fulke to Stapletons Cauillat Bullinger Alphonse Chytreus Marlorate and all the rest do acknowledge that the Church by the defence of Christ shal be protected in the desert that is in places remote from the sight and accesse of the wicked Againe The Church is not alwayes apparent to the multitude of the wicked And in his booke of Succession pag. 19 It is not doubted whether the Ecclesiasticall succession of persons and places ought sometymes to be visible to the world but whether at all tymes And pag. 21 Sometyms the Church is vnknowne to the world Pag. 42 God would sometymes prouide for the Church in this sort in striking her enemies with blindnes that they could not find her And pag. 129. The externall policy of the Church is vnknowne to the world that is to the enemies of the Church And pag. 366 I affirme that the Church is sometymes vnknowne to the world D. White in his way to the Church pag 86 The question is only of the outward state of the Church whether it be alway visible to the world or not that in euery age those congregations may be discerned and pointed to which are the true Church For we say not Pag. 87 This number may be very small and their profession so secret amongst themselues that the world and such as loue not the truth shall not see them they remayning so hidden as if they were not at all And pag. 97. The Church may be hid or become inuisible sometyme so that the world cannot see it D. Morton in the 1. part of his Apology lib. 1. cap. 16 ProtestaÌ„ts proper defence Protestants say the Church is not alwayes knowne to all the faythfull nor to her enemies And this he termeth the proper defence of Protestants And cap. 13 VVhen Protestant say the Church is sometymes ecclipsed like the moone they meane that she is brought sometymes to so sew that it is not seene but of those which are in her but not openly knowne by her visibility rites or visible Succession or to all the faythfull D. Willet in his Synopsis Cont. 2 quest 1. pag. 67 A number of faythfull people hath byn alwayes in the world but not alwayes visible to the world Againe If by visible they vnderstand that which is actually visible we say it is not so alwayes visible to the world Thus we see that for to maintaine the inuisibility of their Church they teach that the visible forme of the Church of God may vanish mayly hid may faile from the world is often taken away from men by God is vnknowne to the world That the Church sometymes is vnknowne or appeares not visible to the world sometyme knowne only to the faythfull yet not to all them neither but to some and the fewer of them and that neither by any visible rites nor by visible succession and that this kind of doctrine they terme the proper defence of Protestants to wit for to defend the inuisibility of their Church before Luther Which kind of defence hath neither truth nor probability and though it had yet would it not suffice to defend the inuisibility of their Church before Luthers tyme when it was inuisible not only to the world to enemies to straungers to some or most of the faythfull but to all and euery one as shall manifestly appeare hereafter 4. If any say that it is no meruayle if Protestants teach that their Church was inuisible to the world because the true Church cannot be seene but by fayth I answeare first that this supposeth their Church to be the true Church which ought not to be supposed but proued Secondly that they teach that the Church may be vnknowne not only to the world but also to some or most of the faythfull Lastly that the true Church may be knowne two wayes one way to be the true Church of God an other to be knowne distinctly from all other Churches The true Church discerned from all other Churches euen by Infidels as Christ was knowne to be the Messias only by his disciples but yet he was knowne distinctly from all other men by the Iewes And the scripture is knowne to be the word of God only by Christiâ—ns but is knowne distinctly from other writings by Infidels And in Christs tyme his company was known to be the true Church of God only by the faythfull but knowne distinctly from all other companies or Churches euen by Infidels And the same we say of his Church from his tyme vnto our dayes that it is and euer was knowne to be the true Church of God only of the faythfull but known and seene distinctly from all other Churches euen by the world Infidels And of his kind of knowledge and visibility wherewith the true Church is knowne and visible not only to the faythfull
no where but in the sight of God Hyperius in his Methode of diuinity lib. 3. pag. 349 VVas not the true Church at that tyme of Elias altogeather inuisible to men and knowne to God alone The Switzers Confession cap. 17 The Church hidden from our eyes and knowne to God only Knowne to God alone doth often fly the iudgement of men Besnage in his booke of the state of the visible and inuisible church cap. 4 The Church is eftsones knowne to God alone Son is in his answere to Sponde cap. 2. pag. 32 VVe say the state of the Church is such as is sometymes known to God alone And D. Whitaker Cont. 2. quest 3. cap. 3. pag. 478 VVe say that the externall state of the Church doth cease and that the faythfull and godly may be so scattered that they worship God only in heart and mind Worship God in heart only But who seeth not that it implieth manifest contradiction that a Church which is no where but in the sight God which is knowne to God alone which flyeth mans iudgement and which worshippeth God only in heart and mind should be visible or seene of man How long the Protestāts Church was inuisible 13. If any aske them how many ages their Church was thus inuisible Luther vpon the 1. cap. to the Galat. tom 5. fol. 214. sayth that she lay hid aboue 300. years To whome commeth neere Danaeus in his 3. book de Roman Pontif. cap. 8. saying the Church was in banishment 350. years But Luther better thinking on the matter in his booke of the Popery tom 7. maketh her to haue lurked 600. years And with him agreeth Hospinian in his epistle dedicatory of the 1. part of his History Melancthon in his oration for Luther tom 2. will haue this lurking to haue byn 400. yeares But Caluin his booke of Scandals Perkins and Bale in the places before cited will haue it to haue continued 900. years Parcus aboue cited will haue it to haue begon in Constantines tyme and Napper from the yeare of our Lord 316 With whome consenteth Brocard vpon the 11. Chap. Apocal. pag. 110. Fuccius in his Cronology fetcheth the beginning of this lurking a litle higher from the yeare 261. and finally Curio of the largenesse of Gods Kingdome pag. 33 Almost from the Apostles ages euen to our tym Which they also intimate who say that Popery began in the Apostles tyme. O Christ most patient Lord that I may cry out with Tertullian who so many years yea so many ages diddest suffer thy doctrine to be turned vpside downe till Luther came to helpe thee 14. Luther Author of the visible Protestāt Church Of all things which haue byn related in this Chapter it is most cleare that Luther was at least author of the Protestants visible Church and if not the first which founded it yet the first which after it was fallen in substance perished did rayse and restore it againe For when Luther began first to preach there was no visible Protestant Church at all and by his preaching there became such a visible Church Therefore vndoubtedly he was the author thereof And if any Protestant against so many and so open Confessions of his Fathers and brethren will say that there was a visible Protestant Church before Luther he shall first gainesay so many witnesses without all exception in this matter who hauing searched all corners and enquired of all men haue neuerthelesse confessed that at that tyme no such visible Church appeared Besides he shall say that without all either diuine or humane testimony which to do of tymes before his age is to play the Prophet or rather the mad man For it is not the part of a man in his wittes to affirme without all kind of testimony especially such a thing and so manifestly false as that so many and such kind of men as had most need to affirme it were neuerthelesse forced to deny it That it wanteth all sufficient humane testimony is euident because neither the foresayd Protestants nor any yet to this day could bring forth any sufficient witnesse who would depose that he had seene such a Church before Luthers reuolt That also it is destitute of diuine testimony is manifest by what hath byn before rehearsed For Protestants at we haue heard teach that the promises of perpetuity which in the scripture are made to the church Sup. num 7. are made only to the inuisible church that is to a society of men in election and Iustification out of which Church they exclude the reprobate and wicked and not to the visible Church that is to the society in Profession of true doctrine and lawfull vse of Sacraments And in truth they most needs say so sith they commonly teach that the inuisible Church whereof the elect and iust alone are members is the true Church before God and that the visible Church whereof the wicked reprobate may be members is but a Church in sight of men that is a shadow and outward shew of the Church And it is cleare that God promised perpetuity to that Church only which in his sight is the true Church and not to her which is no Church but only in sight of men When as I say they teach that God promised perpetuity and continuance only to the inuisible Church out of his promises they cannot inferre Lib. 2. cōt Maxim c. 3. l 3 c 176 that the visible Church hath or shall euer continue Of whome therefore that I may vse S. Augustins words hast thou heard this whence diddest thou learne it where hast thou read it for to belieue it whereupon hast thou presumed for to affirme it where there is neither any authority nor reason If Protestants cry out Whitak cont 2. q. 3 c. ◠that it is most absurd to say in Elias his tyme there was any Church visible amongst the Gentiles beside the Synagogue which now after so many thousands of years we cannot name how much more absurd ought they think it to say that before Luther arose there was a visible Protestant Church which yet none neither of that Church nor out of it neither at this tyme nor at that could euer name 15. It being thus manifest that Luther was the Author of the visible Protestant Church it followeth likewise that he was the author of all and Euery Protestant Church For as shall be shewed hereafter there can be no such inuisible Church as Protestants meane that is such as belieueth and worshippeth God only in hart and mind and no way professeth outwardly her fayth and religion Yet before we come to that we will first refute those who when they consider how absurd a thing it is to affirme such an inuisible Church especially for so many ages they begin to shufle and either send vs to others or themselues name vs such as only in part or in some sort held Protestantisme but imbraced not all the substantiall points thereof and
continuall descent thereof from Christ cannot by such record be shewed Moreouer at sometyms they not only confesse that the Church is alwayes visible but also graunt that the scripture teacheth the same in those parables of the barne and the net For out of them Caluin 4. Protestāts confesse that the Scripture affirmeth that the Church is alwayes visible Institut cap. 1. § 13. inferreth that the Lord pronounceth that the church shall be vexed with this euill till the day of iudgemēt to be burdened with the mixture of the wicked Of the same opinion is D. Whitaker Cont. 2. quest 3. cap. 2. pag. 471. and others But that church which contayneth the wicked is the visible Church for the inuisible they will haue to hold only the good The Scripture therefore testifieth that the visible Church shall euer be Yea Protestants now and then take it so ill that it should be sayd that they teach that the visible Church perished for many ages that D. Sutliue in his answere to Exceptions cap. 7. sayth that Bellarmine lyeth in saying so And D. Whitaker loc cit pag 472. sayth we slaunder them when we affirme they put such a Church as at sometymes can be seene of none And sayth that in this matter there is no controuersy about the thing but about the manner to wit no question whither the Church be alwayes visible or no but in what manner it is visible because forsooth we will haue the Church to be at all tymes visible clearly and of all men and they will haue it to be at sometymes visible but obscurely and of few The like sayth Kemnice in his Common places title of the Church cap. 3. Reineccius in the 4. tome of his Armour cap. 8. and D. Morton in the 1. part of his Apology lib. 1. cap. 13. But yet that in this matter we neither bely nor sclaunder them is manifest by what we haue rehearsed in the 4. chapter before going in the 5. number and those that follow To which I add that Caluin in the Preface of his institutions setteth the state of this question betwixt vs Protestants in these words Vpon this hinge hangeth our controuersy that they Papists will haue the forme of the church to appeare and be visible at all tymes On the contrary we say that the church may consist of no apparent forme And I would to God that Protestants would constantly agree which vs in this matter of doctrine that the church of God is alwayes visible to some either of those that are in it or out of it that the debate might remaine only about the matter of fact VVhy Protestāts contradict thēselues about the inuisibility of the Church whither the Protestāt Church before Luther appeared were seene of any either Protestant or other But Protestants standing betwixt truth and lyes whiles they consider the nature of the Church of God especially as it is described in scripture confesse that it must needs be visible not only to her children but to others also But when they look back vpon the state and condition of their owne church before Luther began are compelled to deny the same as before we most euidently shewed which thing alone if it were well considered would discouer sufficiently that in their own consciences they acknowledge their Church not to be the true Church of God Inuisibility cōtrary to the ends of the Church 7. Fiftly I proue that the Church cannot be inuisible because that were contrary to the ends for which the Church was instituted of God whereof one was that men should worship him after that entier manner of worship which man is to giue which is to honour God not only with heart and mind but also with tongue and deed as it is euident and Caluin in his Confutation of a Hollander many wayes proueth that the Church must render to God not only inward but also outward worship But an inuisible Church worshippeth God only in heart and mind as Whitakers words are Another end of the Church is to feed her children with the word and Sacraments to correct and gouerne them by discipline and to defend them from enemies as also is manifest and scripture teacheth Which offices a Church which neither seeth her children nor is seene of them cannot performe Likewise another end is to conuert the world and those who are out of her to the fayth and worship of God which she can no way do if neither her doctrine nor example be seene of them And yet as Luther sayth vpon the sixt chapter of Isaias tom 4. fol. 234 The Church is in perpetuall practise of conuerting others to the fayth Inuisibility against the nature of human societies 8. Sixtly it is against the nature of a society of men amongst themselues for to be inuisible For as men consist of a body which is visible by the colours and of a soule which is seene by the actions thereof so it is necessary that the society in which they ioyne be visible either by it selfe or by some other thing Whereupon well sayd S. Augustin Li. 19. cōt Faust c. 11. Men cannot ioyne in any religion true or false vnlesse they be bound togeather by some fellowship of visible signes or Sacraments And the same confesseth Gerlachius in his 23. disput of the Church pag. 995. saying VVe willingly confesse graunt that the church cannot be except there be some outward and visible signes by common communion and participation whereof society amongst men may consist And seauently it is contrary to the example of all other societies amongst men whither religious or prophane whereof none consisteth in a thing which is altogeather inuisible and whereby the members of that society cannot be knowne the one to the other 9. Seauenthly Against the perpetuity of the Church it is contrary to the continuance and conseruation of the Church on earth to be visible For if the Church which was in the former age had not byn seene of that which is in this age how could the Church of this age haue receiued the fayth We aske therefore how the Protestant Church of our age learned the fayth of the Church of an other age if in the ages before Luther she were so inuisible as you haue heard them confesse Protestants scared with this question like men with a thunder clap leape a sunder and euery one answeareth not what he knoweth or can proue but what seemeth to him least absurd that hereby we may perceiue that all their talke of their Churches being before Luthers tyme is but as the scripture sayth fables and vaine speaches or fancies and fictions of men speaking without either testimony or reason Some of them say that before Luther their Church receiued the fayth immediatly from God alone During Popery sayth Boysseul in his Confutation of Spondé pag. 75 the holy Ghost taught fayth without a preacher Protestant Church taught miraculously The same also intimate Iunius Cont. 4. lib.
yea not so much as the outward face of a Church and that they exhort the Court of Parlament with perfect (d) Pag. 32. hatred to detest the present state of the Church that no (e) Pag 33 Iew no Turke no Papist could possibly haue spoken more spitefully of their Church and state and that they seeke to shake nay to ouerthrow the (f) Pag. 6. foundations grounds and pillars of their Church Finally that the Puritans will not account the Protestants their (g) Resp ad schedas Bancrofts suruey c. 33 brethren and yet the Protestants neuerthelesse acknowledge Puritans for their (h) Resp ad schedas Oxon. resp ad Miâ—len Lonfer ad Hampton Court p. 44. brethren and fellow-labourers in the Lords haruest In Scotland likewise as his Maiesty witnesseth That which was Catechisticall doctrine in one assembly was hardly admitted for sound and orthodoxe in another and yet these assemblies excluded not one another from the Church What can be therefore more cleare and euident then that both the Lutherans and Sacramentaries acknowledge when they list those to be members of their Church who deny fundamentall articles of their fayth 6. A third proofe may be drawne from the Protestants demeanour and carriage towards the Fathers ProtestaÌ„ts say the fathers dissent fundameÌ„â—ally from theÌ„ whome they claime and challenge for their fellow-cittizens and yet confesse plainly to omit what they acknowledge concerning other points that they were of a contrary beliefe in the article of Iustification by sole fayth wherein as shall be here after shewed they say the soule the summe and definition of Protestantisme consisteth Luther tom 1. In the art of iustification by only faith colloq German apud Coccium tom 1. pag. 131 In which errour that works ioyned with fayth do iustify were many of the Fathers And tom 5. in cap. 3 Galat. fol. 358. he sayth that of the difference which he espied between the law and the Ghospell as that the law taught iustification by works the Ghospell by sole beliefe There is nothing to be found in the works of the old Fathers Augustin held it in part Hierome and the rest knew it no Melancthon tom 1. in Dominicam Trinitaris pag. 89 It is meruaile that the cheife Doctours had no knowledge of the iustice of fayth Tom. 2. lib. de Eccles pag. 134 Chrysostome reckons vp many wayes and meanes to obtaine remission of sinnes as almes deeds teares and other works The Centuriatours of Magdeburg cent 3. cap. 4. col 79. seqq say that the Doctours of the third age Make workes the cause of our iustice in Gods sight Cent. 4. c. 4. col 293 In this article of iustification this age reuolted wholy from the doctrine of the Apostles And Cent. 5. in Prefat they say of the Fathers of that age Chrysostome and the residue attribute iustice vnto works they make works the meanes of saluation and ascribe iustification either in part or formally or wholly vnto works Gerlacinus tom 2. dispat 13 The ancient Fathers would haue the iustice life and saluation of a Christian man consist in obseruing Gods commaundements as Hilary Origen Tertullian Eusebius Chrysostomâ— Augustine c. Kemnitius in locis part 1. cit de Iustificat pag. 242. sayth that the Fathers Intermingled sometymes and entwyned the doctrine of good workes with the article of iustification sometymes plied and bended the article of iustification to good works And part 2. tit de lege pag. 106 If the Fathers disputes be all layd together the summe of them is this in effect that sinne and infirmity of nature is manifested by the law to the end we may search out a Phisitian by whose grace it may be so healed as it be able to satisfy and fullfill the law and so we be saued And ibidem in orat de lectione Patrum pag. 3. The suÌ„me of the fathers doctrine is iustification by works he sayth of S. Cyprian He had a fundamentall errour And pag. 4. of S. Hilary He held an erroneous opinion touching the foundation Caluin also lib. cont Ver si pellem pag. 353 Three maine points of our sayth to wit the corruption of our nature free and vndeserued iustification and Christs Priesthood are so darkly and obscurely touched in the ancientest writers that no certainly can be drawne thence Againe VVe shall neuer learne by the Fathers how we may be reconciled to God how the obedience of Christ is freely and vndeseruedly reputed ours Martyr in locis cit de scriptura col 1432 Other Fathers think good works much auaileable to iustification Hospin in epist dedicat part 1. Histor All the Fathers well nigh do now and then sprinkle and cast on with all the leauen of good works and attribute iustification to them either in part or formally or wholy Parcus lib. 4 de Iustificat c. 12 The Fathers both Greek and Latin especially those that wrote before the Pelagian bickerings fancied ouer much and tooke too great a liking to the Philosophers doctrine concerning the iustification of worcks Finally M. Perkins in Problem cap. de Iustificat sayth that the old writers consound the law with the Ghospell and do not distinguish the iustice of the law from the iustice of the Ghospell 7. To them who in this manner ioyne friendship and Communion as well with such as renounce fundamentall articles of fayth as with those whose beliefe is contrary in articles not fundamental whâ—â— meruaile is it if all heretiks and Schismatiks seeme fit companions and worthy to be accounted their brethren and fellow-cittizens But let vs heare their owne words wherein they acquaint vs what ranke heretiks Schismatiks hold amongst them Luther tom 7. serm de Dominica 20. post Trinit fol. 262. sayth They are frantique and beside themselues who go about to seuer the Church corporally from heretikes Hemingius in Syntag. Institut pag. 192 In the outward society of the Church are many heretiks and Schismatiks Salomon Gesner in locis loc 24 Are heretiks then in the Church By any meanes Brentius in Praefat. Recognit Christ giues not ouer the conseruation of his sheep in the middest of heresies but they must be such as do not quite take away the foundation and Ministery Reineccius tom 4 Armatur cap. 6. pag. 35 VVe affirme there are heretiques euen in the true Church Hutteâ—us in Analysi Confest August pag. 435 Neither were heresies without the territory and limits of the true Church Plessy in his booke of the Church cap. 2. affirmeth plainly that all hereticall and Schismaticall congregations are truly the Church And ibid. pag. 25. he sayth Although particuler Churches be insected with heresies from top to toe neuerthelesse they are parts of the vniuersall Church as long as they professe the name of Christ Moulins in his Bukler of fayth part 1. sect 89 An hereticall Church may be sayd to be a true Church euen as man blemished with a canker or infected with the plague is notwithstanding a true
he addeth In our tyme God raiseth Apostles or at least Euangelists For there was need of such to reduce the Church from the reuolt of Antichrist The FreÌ„ch Confession art 31 In our dayes the state of the Curch being interrupted State of the church interrupted God raised vp some extraordinarily which might restore the decayed ruines of the Church Or as it is in the French copy In our dayes when the state of the Church was interrupted God raised vp some after an extraordinary manner that they might set vp the church a new Church to be set vp a new which was in ruine and desolation But surely that church which was in ruine and desolation so as it needed to be set vp a new was substantially fallen Danaeus in lib. Augustini de haeresibus cap. 95. About the yeare after Christs passion 574 This slaughter plague and tyranny of the whole Church began Slaughter of the whole Church which afterward vtterly destroyed the Kingdome of Christ Kingdom of Christ vtterly destroyed And lib. 3. de Eccles cap. 8 The Church was in banishment 350. yeares Aretius in locis part 3. fol. 25. hauing sayd that Luther was immediatly sent of God addeth God then vseth immediat vocation when there is no Church founded or hauing byn founded is so degenerated No church or only shadow therof that the only shadow of her remayneth Chassan in locis lib. 2. de Eccles pag. 151 It is false that the Church shall neuer be broken of Sadcel lib. de vocat oftentyms sayth that the Church was corrupted decayed ouerthrowne and her foundation shaken and ouerturned And p. 555 that to restore her we must do as men vse to do in renewing that building which is quite fallen And in Refutat Thes Posnan cap. 8 VVhen Popish errours had possessed almost the whole world nor there appeared openly true fruits of the Church nay nor true leaues we say the Church was in one or two The Church was in one or two Boysseul in Confurat Spondaeâ— pag. 742 It is true that all the Church was corrupted all adulteresse all Idolatresse Soninus in Methodo Theol. pag. 212 about the tyme of Gregory the great the Church degenerated more and more vntill at last it lost all purity and plainly fell to dotage yea to madnes and in the VVest ended in Popery and in the East in Mahometisme D. Whitaker Controuers 2. quest 5. cap. 6. pag. 512 As men do in a building fallen that who will renew it buildeth not in the old fouÌ„dation because it is loosed and not sound but layeth some new fouÌ„dation so it was done in the renewing of the Church by Luther Behold the old foundation of the Church put away and a new layd A new foundatioÌ„ of the Church layd And pag. 510. he sayth that before Luther the state of the Church was fallen and quite ouerthrowne and the church decayed ouerturned And quaest 5. cit pag. 528 Luther tooke vpon him to restore religion corrupted And Controuers 4. quest 5. cap. 12. pag 683 So at last the Curch was oppressed extinguished D. Fulke in his answere to a false Catholike pag. 35. The true Church sailed immediatly after the Apostles tyme. D. Morton Apol. part 1. lib. 2. cap. 25. Protestant ministers were raised to set vp againe the Church being pitifully fallen Nothing in the Church but pitiful ruines The Apoâ—â—gy of the English Church part 4. cap. 9. diuis 3 For these men new after they haue left nothing remayning in the church of God that hath any liknesse of his church yet will c. Ibidem cap. 14. diuis 1. 2 Long agoe hath the Bishop of Rome willed to haue the whole church depend vpon himselfe alone wherefore it is no meruaile though it be cleaâ—â— fallen downe long agoe And part 6. cap. 17. diuis 1. 2. VVhen we likewise saw that all things were quite trodden vnder foot by these men The only name of the Apostolike Church rooted out from the grouÌ„d and that nothing remayned in the temple of God but pitifull spoiles and decayes we reckoned it c. M. Fox loc cit The Church being degenerated from the Apostolike institution aboue all measure reseruing only the name of the Apostolike Church but farre from the truth thereof in very deed did fal into al kind of extreme tyranny c. And M. Cartwright in D. Whitgifts defens pag. 217 VVhen Antichrist had rooted out the Church euen from the ground Lastly Orhinus one of the foure false Apostles of England hath these words Considering how Christ by his wisedome power Coccius to 1. pag. 983. Quite ouerthrowne goodnes had sounded builded setled his Church with his bloud washed it with his holy spirit enriched it and at last seing it quite ouerthrowne I could not but meruaile 8. To these their plaine Confessions of the entire destruction of their Church we may add that commonly they say ProtestaÌ„ts say that Elias thought the church was perished that Elias the Prophet did think that the Church had fayled in his tyme and that besides himselfe there was no faythfull man or member of the Church Luther lib. de Missa tom 7. fol. 237 Elias thought the whole church of God to haue byn extinct that himselfe was left alone and the only Christian Beurlin in Refurat Soti cap 53 Elias complaineth before God that besides himselfe there was neuer a Godly man remayning Lobechius disput Theol. 10 Elias thought the Church had holy perished Zuinglius lib. de vera falsa relig cap. de Euchar Elias thought that he was alone Peter Martyr in Rom. 11 Elias thought that piety was perished and that all Saincts were cut of in Israel Caluin in Antid art 18. Paris Elias thought himselfe alone to remaine of the Church And in Rom. cap. 11. v. 2 He thought that in his nation religion and worship of God had perished He condemned the whole nation besides himselfe of impiety He imagined that he had byn left alone Keckerman lib. 3. System Theol. pag. 389 Elias belieued that he alone remayned of the people of Israel who could be sayd to be actually a member of the true Church Lubbert lib. 6. cap. 3. Elias thought that besides himselfe there remayned none who was truly turned to God Riuet in Epitome Controuers tract 1. sect 37 Elias thought that he had remayned alone Vorstius in Antibellarm pag. 134 Elias thought that of the true worshippers of God he alone remayned Boysseul in Confutat Spondaei pag. 247 Elias thought that he was the whole Church of God Nay Polanus part 3. Thes de Eccles sayth plainly in his owne person that the church failed in Elias his tyme. The Apology of the English Church part 4. cap. 12. diuis 1. 2. sayth VVher was that Church then when Ely the Prophet so lamentably and bitterly made his mone that only himselfe was left of all the whole world who did duely and truly
is not at all tymes subiect to the eyes of men as the experience of many ages witnesseth Againe Elias thought himselfe only left of the Church falsly indeed but that is a proofe that she may lye so hidden And in his 4. booke of Institutions cap. 1 § 3. he affirmeth that it is not needfull to see or to feele the Church and that she may passe our knowledge Beza in his Confession cap. 5. § 9 Diuers tymes the Church seemeth to haue perished vtterly Iunius in his 3 book of the church cap. 16 The Church shall neuer end but shall lye hidden according to her visible forme Chassanio in his common pâ—aces loc 2. of the Church pag. 148 The Church is not alwayes visible Danaeus in his 3. booke of the Church cap. 2. Bellarmine will haue that only to be the Church which is visible which is most false Cap. 12 God oftentymes will haue some visible Church on earth and often tymes none VVhen there is no visible Church OfteÌ„tyms no visible Church on earth then this precept of adioyning himself to the Church ceaseth And cap. 13 Bellarmine laboureth to proue the true Church of God on earth to be alwayes visible That being most false c. And cap 16 VVe say we affirme we auouch that the Church may so faile on earth not that there is none at all but that there is none in respect of vs that is of men that there be none visible to vs on earth Againe S. Paul inferreth generally that the whole Church may leaue to be visible And lib. 4. cap. 8 The true Church may sometymes faile to be visible Son is in his answere to Sponde cap. 2 pag. 33 The whole Church may haue to be visible God maketh that the Church is not alwayes visible Plessy Mornay in his booke of the Church cap. 1 Oftentymes the good corne is hidden vnder the chaffe without any appearance of the Church Polanus in his Antibellarm Colledge disput 14 The visible Church may faile Bucanus in his common places loc 41. sect 9 It oftentymes happeneth that there is no company of men extant which publikely and visibly worshippeth God purely The visible church may faile And sect 12 There is alwayes on earth some number which worshippeth Christ piously but this number is not alwayes visible Trelcatius in his 2. booke of Theologicall Institutions maketh rhis title of one Chapter That the visible church may fayle against Bellarmine Hyperius in his Methode of diuinity lib. 3. pag. 548 VVhiles Elias wandred here and there there appeared no face of the Church Sadeel in his refutation of the 61 â—rticle pag. 531 They are deceiued who think there is no Catholike Church vnlesse they measure it with their eyes And pag. 535 The true church maybe conserned without any visible state And in his repetition of Sophismes pag. 610 It is plaine Wanteth outward forme that the Church is not so to be tyed to any outward forme whatsoeuer that it ought to be denyed to be a Church as often as that forme shall not be extant And of vocation of Ministers pag. 543 The Church sometyme wanteth the externall forme Againe It is cleare that the Church hath sometymes byn without visible and personall succession Pag. 550 Mens wickednes doth sometymes take from vs the visible face of the Church And againe It is sometymes so darkned that it appeareth not to our eyes The whole visible Church may perish Scharpe of Iustification Cont. 5 The visible Church as such may perish The members of the visible Church may perish yea the whole visible Church as such Bastingius vpon the Catechisme title of the Church pag. 227 VVithout doubt in euery age things haue byn so troubled as like a graine couered with straw there appeared no face of the Church Vorstius in his Antibellarm pag 133 A litle before the calling of Abraham no where appeared any visible Church And pag. 136 Hereupon it followeth that the visible church of Christ not only in a great part The whole visible Church may faile but also taken whole in her vttermost extent may for some tyme faile from the true sayth and be wholy darkned The outward church of Christ may perish And pag. 424 Neither did Christ promise that he would absolutely and perpetually hinder the perishing and corruption of the outward Church The Flemmings Confession article 27 The Church in the eyes of men for sometyme seemeth as extinguished And Napper vpon the 11. chap. of the Apoc. pag. 186 They erre who think that the true Church is alwayes visible And vpon 12. cap. pag. 195 The visible Church wholy imbraced the errors of merits of indulgences c. And Proposit 20. pag. 41 The true Church was inuisible and the true knowledge of God so couered with darknesse that none could visibly enter Thus foraine Protestants Of our couÌ„trymen D. Whitaker Contr. 2. quest 3. cap. 2. pag. 470 Sometymes obscurity most of all helpeth the church For at some tyme she could not be safe vnlesse she lay hid And cap. 3. pag. 474 VVe say that sometyme the Church may auoyd the sight of men hide it selfe in corners Cap. 1. pag. 466 VVe confesse that euer more there is on earth some number of them who piously worship Christ hold the true fayth and religion but we say that this number is not alwayes visible Their Papists opinion is that there is euer more on earth a visible church Not alwayes visible It may fall out that there cannot be fouÌ„d out and knowne any true and certaine visible church And cap. 2. cit pag. 468 Our aduersary would proue that there was alwayes in the world some visible church And pag. 469 Hence inferreth Denis the Carthusian not as our aduersaries do that the visible church can neuer perish The visible church may perish or that there is euer more in the world some visible church but that sayth shall neuer perish wholy but that Christian religion shall still perseuer in some to the end of the world This sayth Whitaker is plainly that which we say and defend Marke how plainly he professeth that they do not teach that the visible Church cannot perish Note or that there is alwayes some visible Church on earth but only that some shall alwayes belieue the Christian religion The same doctrine he teacheth pag. 470. 473. 475. 476. and 479. And q. 6. cap. 2. pag. 559. And in his third booke against Duraeus sect 5. 6. 7. 11. M. Perkins in his problem title of the church The ancients do acknowledge that the church on earth is not alwayes visible D. Willet in his Synopsis Cont. 2. q 1. pag. 67 VVe say the church is not always actually visible to the world nay it may sometyms be so hid and secret that the members know not one another Againe In Elias tyme not visible In the dayes of Elias the church was not visible And quest 2. pag. 74 A visible
pretended discipline cap 2. auoucheth that the Geneuian discipline began of Caluin because before him it was neuer seene or heard of And if they think that a discipline or an hereticall company could be and not be seene or heard of in the world how much more ought they to think the same of the Church of God 17. Lastly I proue that the Church of God could not be inuisible Absurdities follow of the inuisibility of the Church because thereupon would ensue many and great absurdities For first if the visible Church should faile it is manifest that it is not the Church of Christ against which he hath promised that the very gates of hell shall not preuaile And if it be graunted that the visible Church is not the Church instituted by Christ it must needs be but a humane society instituted by man How then shold it come to passe that one cannot be saued vnlesse he be in the visible Church if so he can be as commonly all Protestants do teach Who contemne all ordinances of men as vnnecessary to saluation why mak they such account of this humane institution At the last the Protestants haue felt this mischeife as ye may see in Caluin in his 3. homily in his Opuscles pag. 548. and Danaeus in his booke of the visible church where they bring many reasons to proue that it is necessary to be of the visible church But seing themselues do teach that the visible church is not the true Church in the sight of God and consequently a humane institution how can they proue that God hath commaunded or men can appoint so strictly to obserue this one humane Institution vnder paine of damnation Another inconuenience is that Christs promises touching the continuance of his church are exposed to the laughter and mockery of Iewes and Infidels For sith as the Law sayth and Protestants acknowledge among men there is no other account made of things that appeare not then of things that are not what man will reasonably perswade himselfe that Christs Church hath euer continued in the world if she for many ages appeared in no one corner of the world Surely this seemeth so incredible that I think not that any man well in his wittes belieueth it howsoeuer for to defend the Protestants Church he may say it But farewell rather such a Church which cannot be defended but by such improbable paradoxes 18. The 3. inconuenience is that the church of God should haue byn much more miserable then hath byn the Synagogue of the Iewes euen since it hath byn forsaken of God For the Synagogue hath euer since Christs tyme byn visible vnto the world and professed her fayth both before her owne and others Lib. 12. cōt Faust c. 11. The Iewish nation sayth S. Augustin whether vnder Pagan or Christian Kings hath not lost the signe of her law wherwith it is distinguished from other nations and people The same testifieth S. Hierome epist 129. ad Dardan And Peter Martyr in his Common places title of the Iewes § 47 The Hebrews albeit subdued of the Romans yet neuer tooke their lawes rites and customes they keep their own yet as well as they can And Sadeel in his Answere to Theses Posnan cap. 8. graunteth the same And the Magdeburgians in euery Century make speciall mention of the Iewes To this some Protestants say that it is no meruaile that the externall condition of the Church was more miserable thē of the Synagogue Iunius Daneus l. 4. de Eccl. c. 5. But whosoeuer shall read the Prophesies of the glory and amplitude of the Church will think this strange But besides not only the externall but also the internall state of the Church was more miserable then the Synagogue if the Synagogue durst in all ages euen before her enemies professe her faith and the Church of Christ for long tyme durst mutter nothing euen before her owne children yea as we shall hereafter heare the Protestants teach adored Antichrist and obserued Antichristian and idolatricall rites worships The 4. inconuenience is that if we say that the Church may be and yet not be seene of any we giue occasion to euery new start vp heretik to say that his church hath euer byn neither can we refute this his dotage vnlesse we do maintaine that the church must be euermore visible professe her faith which as we haue seene Protestants themselues do suppose when they proue that any Church or company hath not byn in former tymes 19. Out of all which hath byn sayd in this chapter it appeareth euidently that whither we put the forme of the Church in some visible thing or inuisible whether we say that the only elect and iust be of the church or not they alone of what kind soeuer I say the forme of the Church be and whosoeuer be of the Church of which matter I disput not now it is euident I say that the Church of God neuer is at any tyme but she professeth her sayth before her children and before the world and consequently that the Church her profession of fayth or which comes all to one that the Church according to her profession of fayth is euermore visible or sensible which sufficeth to my purpose because before Luther arose there was no Church visible in profession of Protestant fayth Wherefore I frame my 3. demonstration for to proue Luther to haue byn the Author of the Protestant Church in this sort VVhensoeuer the Church is she is visible in profession of her sayth whether this profession be an essentiall forme or a property or accident inseparable But the Protestant Church immediatly before Luther arose was not visible in profession of her sayth Therefore immediatly before Luther she was not at all And by his preaching became to be Therefore he was the Author thereof The Maior or first proposition of the Syllogisme is euident by all that hath byn layd in this chapter And the Minor or second proposition by all the verball Confessions which we haue reheased in the former chapter by reall confessions of all Protestants whatsoeuer who neither in Luthers tyme nor since could bring forth any man worthy of credit who had seene any company professing Protestancy before Luther began to preach it Then the which yet nothing had byn more easy to do especially in Luthers tyme if any such company had byn extant That Protestants confesse that before Luther their Church had no Protestant Pastors CHAP. VII 1. THE 4. demonstration for to proue that Luther was the Author of the Protestāt church and Religion we will take out of that Protestants acknowledge their Church before his tyme to haue wholy wanted Pastors First therefore they confesse that their Pastors in former tymes were vnknowne to the world Protestāts Pastors vnknown to the world and to Protestants themselues D. Fulk in his booke of Succession pag. 26 God hath raised vp Pastors in all ages howsoeuer they were vnknowne to the world And pag.
22 I deny sayth be this Succession of Pastors to be alwayes notorious to the world And in his answere to Stapletons Cauillat who will acknowledge that she alone it the true Church who can shew her Pastors in a continuall succession D. Humfrey to 3. Reason of F. Campian p. 288. confesseth that not so much as the names of the Pastors who taught their Church were extant D. Whitaker Cont. 2 quest 5. cap. 6. page 508. thus writeth VVhat then was the succession of our Pastors alwayes visible No. For this is not needfull Though therefore our Pastors were not in tymes past manifest neither can we name then yet c. D. Morton in the first part of his Apology lib. 1. cap. 21. sayth that the Catholike church cannot alwayes shew the ordination of Pastors D. White in his way to the church pag. 410 I haue shewed the teachers of our fayth do lawfully succeed and so alway haue done though not outwardly and visibly to the world The like he hath pag. 411. and 436. Sadel wrote his book de vocatione MinistroruÌ„ against such Protestants as thought that their ministers wanted all lawfull calling because sayd they they haue no perpetuall visible succession from the Apostles vnto these tymes And himselfe there pag. 560. confesseth that visible succession hath byn broken of for many years in the church Thou seest good reader how they plainly confesse that before Luther start vp their Pastors were vnknowne to the world not manifest their succession not always visible their names not extant nor they can be named of Protestants And indeed and effect they all confesse the same when as none of them can produce any one man worthy of credit who heard any Protestant preacher who before Luther arose preached iustification by only fayth and the other fundamentall points of Protestancy 2. Secondly Luther eyther complaineth or boasteth for sometyme he alone preached Protestancy In his Preface vpon his 1. tome At first I was alone Luther alone And in his booke of the captiuity of Babylon tom 2. fol. 63 At that tyme I alone did role this stone And against the King of England fol. 497 I alone stood in the battell I alone was compelled to cast my selfe vpon the weapons of the Emperour and the Pope I stood alone in danger forsaken of all helped of none And vpon the graduall psalmes tom 3. fol. 5â—5 In the beginning of my quarrell I took all the matter vpon my selfe and did think that by Gods help I alone should sustaine it And otherwhere as before is reported he sayth that without him others should not haue knowne one iot of the Ghospell Melancthon in the Preface of the Acts of Ratisbon tom 4. pag. 730 sayth Luther alone durst medle with the errors of the Popes schooles Zuinglius in his Exegesis to 2. termeth Luther Ionathas who alone durst set vpon the campe of the Philistians And Caluin in his Admonition to Westphalus pag. 787. saith Luther alone doubted not to set vpon all Popery Besides Luther as before we haue rehearsed writeth that the only scripture was left whereby men might recouer the fayth But if at that tyme there had byn other Protestant Pastors the scripture had not byn alone and without Luther men might haue learnt the gospell Neither had Luther byn left alone and forsaken of all The Protestant Ministery wholy perished but some of them would haue stept out and seconded him especially after they saw that the preached without all danger 3. Thirdly Protestants do sometyme plainly say that their ministery was wholy perished before Luther arose Taken away Luther in his booke of priuate Masse tom 2. fol. 249 Papists haue taken out of the Church the true Ministery of the word And of the Institution of Ministers fol. 372. Aboloshed he writeth that Protestant ordination was by Papists abolished and extinguished And vpon the graduall psalm tom 3. fol. 568 The Church had no true Ministry vnder Antichrist No true Ministery Vpon the 25. of Genesis tom 6. fol. 319 In our tyme after those Popish monsters the true knowledge of the word and of diuine ordination was extinguished And vpon the 49. chap. fol. 655 Extinguished VVe are not the church for any ordinary succession Caluin epist 290 Because the true ranck of ordination was broken of by the tyranny of the Pope now we need haue new help to raise againe the Church BrokeÌ„ of And in Answere to Sadolet pag. 132. he writeth that when the supremacy of the Pope was set vp the true order of the Church perished Perished And of true reformation p. 322 Not without cause do we auouch the Church of God for some ages to haue byn so ioâ—ne and scattered that is it was destitute of true Pastors Beza in his Catechisme Destitute of Pastors title of the Church cap. 5 sect 18 In our tyme it came to passe thinges being so fallen downe that there was left no place for ordinary vocation And epist 5. pag. 39 In our tyme ordinary vocation Ordinary vocation no where which no where was neither could nor ought to be expected And Epist 24 Ye know being taught by fresh examples how the publike ministry being as it were ouerwhelmed for a tyme yet the church of God remaineth And epist 81 The matter came to that passe Ouerthrown to the grouÌ„d that the Ecclesiasticall order was wholy ouerthrowne euen to the foundation the vaine names therof only remayning And lib. de Notis Eccles pag. 82 They who in our memory haue freed the church from the tyranny of Antichrist had none of whome they might lawfully aske or receiue imposition of hands And epist 86 It is maniâ—est that for some ages lawfull order was quite abolished in the Church Quite abolished none not so much as the slenderest shadow of the cheifest part of ecclesiasticall calling remayning The French Confession art 31 Sometymes as in our age the state of the Church being interrupted it was needfull that some Pastors should be extraordinarily raysed of God Sadeel also de Vocat Ministrorum p. 556. sayth that true Order of Pastors was interrupted D. Whitaker Cont. 2. quest 5. cap. 6. pag. 510 VVe say that our mens calling was not ordinary but extraordinary Wholy corrupted because ordinary calling was wholy corrupted Againe The state of the Church was fallen and wholy ouerturned And pag. 612 VVhen ordinary succession was corrupted God found an extraordinary way by which the Church might be restored For God would that this restauration should be made not in the old foundation that is in succession of Bishops but after a certaine new extraordinary manner And D. White in defence of his way cap 49. pag. 421 Finding no other kind of Pastors sayth that the Protestant Pastors were euen those who liued in communion of the Roman Greek Armenian and such like Churches and addeth that his aduersary doth deceiue the reader when he intimateth that Protestants goe
about to shew any other kind of Pastors Finally all those who affirme that the vocation or Mission of Luther and their first Ministers was extraordinary must needs say that there were no former Protestant Pastours of whome they could haue byn sent or approued ProtestaÌ„ts say the Church may be without Pastors 4. The same also they insinuate when they teach that the Church may be without Pastors which they affirme that thereby they may defend the being of their own Church before Luther when it had no Pastors Luther in cap. 4. Oseae tom 4. fol 295 As if the Church were tyed to any certaine order of Ministery The Confession of Saxony cap. 12 God estsoones restoreth the Ministery Caluin of true Reform pag. 332 I graunt indeed that it can neuer fall out that the Church perish but when they referre that to Pastors which is promised of the perpetuall continuance of the church in that they are much deceiued For the Church doth not perish streight if Pastors he wanting Beza of the notes of the Church pag. 55 Ordinary succession and vocation of Pastors was not always needfull or perpetuall Sadeel in Answere to the abiured articles pag. 533 It is false that the outward Ministery must be perpetuall The same he hath in Repetit Sophism Turriani pag. 763. Iunius and Danaeus lib. 4. de Eccles cap. 8. Bucan in his 41. place de Eccles quest 19 Sometyme the outward and vsuall ministry of the church being interrupted the Church is extraordinarily nourished of God as it were in the desert Keckerman in his Theologicall Systeme lib. 3. pag. 397 The Church is often pressed so that the order of succession of Pastors must be somewhat interrupted And Vorstius in his Antibellarm pag. 158 The ordinary succession vseth oftentymes to be interrupted for some tyme. Luâ—bert in his 5. booke of the church cap. 5 VVe say that the church may for a short space be depriued of Pastors D. Whitaker c. 6. before cited pag. 510 I gather that true and lawfull succession may be broken of and that it is not a true but only an accidentall note of the Church because it pertaineth not to the essence of the Church but only to her externall state And pag. 512 VVe say that ordinary succession hath oftentymes byn interrupted and cut of in the true Church D. Morton lib. cit cap. 17. writeth thus The matter of the proposition to wit where there is no succession there is no Church ye know to be weake And cap. 18. he affirmeth this saying to be false Succession of doctrine cannot be deuided from succession of persons And cap. 23. sayth Succession of fayth may be without succession of doctrine and succession of doctrine without succession of persons D. Fulke lib. de Succes pag. 319 Yea euen the very publike preaching of the word may be silent for a tyme and the Church being depriued for a tyme of this ordinary meanes of her saluation may be preserued so long of God And D. VVhite in his way to the Church pag. 87 All the externall gouernment of the Church may come to decay in that the locall and personall Succession of the Pastors may be interrupted And pag. 403 For the externall Succession we care not it is sufficient that in doctrine they succeded the Apostles and primitiue Churches and those faythfull witnesses which in all ages since imbraced the same 5. By the foresayd Confessions of Protestants it is most cleare that when Luther began to play the Pastor there was no Protestant preacher at all For they acknowledge that they are no Church for any ordinary succession that the true order of the church perished that the true Ministery was taken out of the Church true knowledge of diuine ordination was extinguished and ordination abolished and decayed That the Church had no true Ministery and that she was destitute of true Pastors And that they meane these words both of a substantiall vniuersall destruction of true Ministry is manifest both by the selfe same words and others also For they adde withall that the state of the church was quite ouerthrowne ordinary vocation wholy corrupted that ordinary vocation was no where no place left for ordinary vocation and there were none of whome those who freed their Church from Popery might receiue imposition of hands that the state of the Church was so interrupted that God must raise vp Pastors extraordinarily that the true ranck of ordination was so cut of as that their needed a new succour and a new foundation lastly that the Ecclesiastical order the vaine names therof only remayning was ouerthrowne from the foundation and lawfull order quit abolished that there was not left so much as the slenderest shadow of the cheifest parts of ecclesiasticall vocation In which words either they say that there was neuer a Protestant Pastor at all or that can be sayd by no words whatsoeuer And such was the state and condition of the Protestant church not for a small tyme but as themselues say for some ages And for this cause vsually they call Luther his first partners their (a) Plessie l. 1. de Eccl. c. 11. Napp in 14. Apocal. first ministers first (b) Sadeel de Vocat pag. 556. teachers first (c) Gâ—alt Praefat. in ep ad Rom restorers of the ghospell first (d) Perk. in â— Galat. cap. 11. preachers of the ghospell first restorers of the house of God Apostles and Euangelists 6. Finally I proue that there was no true Protestant preacher before Luther out of the reall coÌ„fession of all Protestants For none of them all can by any sufficient testimony or argument proue that there was any such Pastor Wherefore this is rashly affirmed and fondly belieued 〈◊〉 Marc. â— Either proue sayth Tertullian that which thou belieuest or if thou prouest it not how doest thou belieue it And that common argument of theirs wherewith they vse to proue that they had a Church and Pastors at all tymes because they bring the Scripture to proue their doctrine to be true we shall hereafter shew to be a most vaine Sophisme And besides themselues do ouerthrow it in teaching as we haue seene that the Church may be without Pastors wherby it would not follow that they had Pastors albeit they could by the Scripture proue that before Luther they had a Church Moreouer then those who endeauour to name some Protestant preachers or Pastors before Luthers tyme do plainly shew that there was no true and absolute Protestant Pastor to wit such as taught iustification by only faith and the rest of the fundamentall opinions of Protestancy For the Apology of the Church of England pag. 103. sayth That they gaue not so cleare a light but lightned as it were some sparck The Confession of Saxony cap. 12 That they ioyned stable vnto the foundation Cruciger and Rorarius in Luther tom 1. fol. 202 That they had some litle light D. Fulke of Success pag. 131 That perhaps in all points
of Christ for thus he writeth Popery as Iudaisme heretofore signifieth that company which at least in her tyme had the true Church with it Such were the Iewes before the comming of Christ and the Papists before the comming of Luther His meaning as I suppose is that as the Christian Church is in state another church from the Synagogue because it hath other Sacraments other Sacrifyce and more points of fayth and Christ another founder of the Church distinct from Moyses so the Protestant Church is a distinct Church from the ancient Christian Church and Luther not only another Elias as they call him but also another Messias a founder and beginner of another Church distinct from that of Christ at least as far as his church differed from the Synagogue Behold Christian Reader wherto all their winding turning and doubling about the being of their Church in Popery is come Surely as S. Augustin sayd L 20. cont Faust c. 12. against the Manichees their imaginations haue lost all wayes For they are nothing bâ—â— the visions of frantike men For their remayneth no probable way to defend that their Church was heretofore in Popery It is mere frenzy to think that it waâ— in Popery virtually and implicitly like as a plant iâ— in the seed or a man in a child at the Christiaâ— Church once was in the Synagogue or that it waâ— openly distinct in Communion and Profession froâ— Papists or that it consisteth of such which either iâ— hart or at least in Profession were Papists or finally that the Church of God such as they will haâ—â— the Protestant to be was for many ages in a differeÌ„t yea a most opposite church where neither by diuine nor humane testimony it can be proued to haue byn neither can there any way be imagined by which it may with any appearance or probability be sayd to haue byn there Thus sayth S. Augustine do they dote lib. 20. coÌ„t Faust c. vl who not abiding true doctrine turne to fables 12 And out of these wherewith we haue shewed that the Protestant Church heretofore was not in Popery is refuted also Zanchius Praefat. lib. de Natura Dei where he sayth that their brethren in tymes past liued in some obscure vallies and Mountaines and met at night And D. Fulke lib. de Succes pag. 324. saying that in Europe the Church was by Antichrist thrust into obscure places but least they should be tript in their lying they name neither those mountaines nor vallyes nor places nor their night-owle-brethren nor finally proue any thing L. 14. cont Faust c. 9. But as S. Augustin sayd of Faustus They say it away they neuer seeke to proue it Or as Christ sayd of the aduersary man they sow cockle and depart It sufficeth for these new Pythagorians to powre out lyes like oracles for they assure themselues that with retchlesse men they will find credit of themselues like weeds grow without tilling Hence also is refuted the same Fulke in cap. 10. Apocal. Where he affirmeth his brethren hertofore haue liued in the Alpes in the Appenine Mountaines and in the Hereinian Forest He might better haue sayd they liued in the Wildernes of Vtopia for he proueth nothing L. 16. cont Faust c. 26 O man that I may cry out which S. Augustine thincking only of his owne talke and not thinking of any gainesayer Againe Doest thou not know lib. 4. cont Cres c. 54. or doest thou not feele with the heart of what man soeuer that in dispute where truth is sought where proofe followeth not the talke is vaine and foolish Wherefore now let vs heare their arguments or rather Sophismes wherwith sometymes they endeauour to proue that their Church was in tymes past in Popery The Sophismes wherwith some Protestant make shew to proue that their Church was heretofore in Popery refuted CHAP. X. 1. THE first argument wherewith Protestants would seeme to proue that their Church in former tymes was in Popery is grounded vpon that saying Apocal. 18 Goe out of her Babylon my people Therefore Gods people were in Babylon that is say theâ— in Popery Thus argueth Luther in cap. 12. Genes tom 6. fol. 144. And in cap. 19. fol. 234. The Magdeburgians in Praefat. Centur. 8. Plessy lib. de Eccles cap. 10. and others commonly Yea M. Perkins in his reformed Catholike tract 22. writeth that by this commandement it may be gathered that the true Church is and was long tyme in the Roman Church Wherein he speakes more truly then he meant For the true Church is and was alwayes in the Romane but the Protestant neither is nor was there To the argument I answere that this place can be no sufficient ground of fayth among the Protestans because their Angel their Apostle and Euangelist Martyn Luther denyeth the Apocalipse to be Canonicall Scripture Againe though indeed it be canonicall Scripture yet for the most part it is so obscure as but very few places therof are fit to grouÌ„d any point of fayth as is euident both by the booke it selfe which is well nigh all Mysticall and allegoricall and by the iudgement of the Fathers and confession of Protestants Euseb l. 7. cap. 20. For thus sayth S. Denis Patriarch of Alexandria of the Apocalipse I verily think that almost in euery sentence there lyeth some mysticall and merueilous sense Likewise S. Hierome Epist ad Paulin. The Apocalipse hath as many mysteries as words And S. Augustin In the booke of the Apocalipse many obscure things are told and there are few things therein lib 20. de Ciuit. c. 17. by light whereof the rest may be sought ought with labour And with Protestants D. Andrewes in his answere to Bellarmines Apology cap. 9 Is he ignorant that concerning the Apocalipse nothing certaine or of fayth is yet prescribed by the Church that it may be lawfull to vse one only kind of interpretation and no other as if it were so cleare and euident that it were a hainous offence to leaue it or to dissent any way from it Yea as any may with greatest probability shew the prophesies there to be fulfilled so is it free for any to vse his iudgement to follow his own opinion in explicating them And D. Whitaker Cont. 4. quest 5. cap. 3 pag. 677 It is well inough knowne that Iohn in the Apocalipse speaketh not of cleare and open matters but of obscurt and hidden M. Brightman in his Preface of the Apocalipse In so great abundance of ancient and new expositions the Apocalipse yet as all agree needeth an Apocalipse And M. Sheldon in his booke of the miracles of Antichrist cap. 4. pag. 54 calleth it a darck Mysticall prophecy in which sayth he quot verba tot latent Mysteria And pag. 226 The Apocalipse is a booke wholy mysticall which doth excepting some few doctrinall rules and exhortations to vertue in types figures formes and resemblances describe and foretell the future euents of the
the Pope is that Antichrist wherof S. Paul speaketh 5. The third argument they wring out of the 12. Apocal. where it is sayd that the dragon shall cause the woman that is the Church to fly into the wildernesse This also is a fallacy not vnlike to the former First because it is more vnknowne that the Protestant church is the woman or the true church or the Pope that Dragon or the Popery the desert heÌ„ that Protestants were heretofor amongst Papists Againe there is no speach at all that the Church shold be so long tyme and so secret as Protestants say their church was in Popery Yea the tyme which this woman was to abide in the wildernesse is set downe to be 1260 dayes or as it is sayd cap. 20. a small tyme. And as Luther vpon Daniel tom 4. fol 265. and Bullinger conc 46. in Apocal. write Almost all Doctours attribute but 3. yeares and halfe to the persecution of Antichrist Wherefore these kind of testimonies by which Protestants make shew to proue that their Church was heretofore in Popery are but as S. Augustin speaketh of the like testimonies vsed by Donatists De vnit c. 19.23 Slender snares of delayes wherewith you vnderprop an euill cause by delaying But we demaund some manifest testimony Therefore bring out some manifest produce some thing that needeth no interpreter or if you cannot performe that which so iustly we demaund of you belieue truth hold your peace sleep a nap and after waken to saluation 6. Their 4. Sophisme they draw out of reason in this sort As soone as Protestancy was publikly preached many came out of Popery and followed it Therefore there were who in Popery did belieue it This fallacy is nothing better then the former For if it be reduced to a Syllogisme it will be found to rely vpon this principle If any in a company do follow the preaching of a new doctrine there were some therin that before tym belieued it which principle is manifestly false For neuer any heretiks preached whome some vnsetled Christians did not follow and yet who will say that there was neuer any heresy preached which before had not byn belieued of some Christians Epist Monitor pag. 107. Whitak cont 2. q. 5. c. 6. Pless de Eccles c. 11. Sadeel Refutat Posnan c. 10. Besides Protestants account it for a wonderfull miracle that at the beginning so many Papists came out of Popery vnto them but it had byn no shadow of miracle if before they had byn ProtestaÌ„ts Morouer the number of Papists forsaking Popery argueth not that before tymes they had byn Protestants but that they were vnsetled Papists who as the Scripture speaketh were carryed about with euery wind of doctrine Ephes 4. and that protestancy is a voluptuous and licentius doctrine because as Caluin sayth deceitfull doctrines do soone bewray themselues whiles they are admitted of all men with gentle cares Praef. Inst and are heard of the world applauding thereto 7. Of all which hath byn sayd in this and the former chapter I frame my fift demonstration in this manner If the Protestant Church and Religion were no where before Luther arose it was not all But before him it was no wher Therfore not at all And by him it got to be some where Therefore by him it got to be The minor is manifest by all that hath byn sayd in the former chapter The case of the protestant Church before Luther And the maior is euident by it selfe For no company of men much lesse a Catholike or vniuersall Church can be and be no where And these 5. demonstrations which hitherto we haue made haue byn taken out of the state wherein the Protestants confesse their Church to haue byn before Luther arose For by them hath beene shewed that before him according to the most free most frequent and most euident confessions of the famousest Protestants it had no (a) Cap. 8. Pastours to gouerne no (b) Cap. 3. sheep to be gouerned no (c) Cap. 5. appearance to be seene no (d) Cap. 9. place to abide no (e) Cap. 1. being to be What then could it be but a fiction of lying men or an imagination of phrantike men vainely deuised vntruly auouched and foundly belieued That all the Protestants first heard of had beene in former tymes Papists CHAP. XI THE 6. demoÌ„stratioÌ„ for to proue Luther to haue bin the Author of ProtestaÌ„cie shall be grounded vpon that all ProtestaÌ„ts who were first heard of had bin al Papists before Luther began to teach Luther before a Papist Of himselfe thus writeth Luther Prefat in tom 1. Before all things I request the godly reader that he read all with iudgement and consider that I was once a monck and a most madde Papist when I began this cause so druncken and drowned in Papistry that I was most ready to kill all if I had bin able c. And in psalm 45 tom 3. fol. 441 I was baptised in the Popes house I was catechised c And in psalm 51. fol 476 I wholy liued so in trust of my iustices as if any had then â—aught that which I now teach I thinck I should haue torne him with my teeth And in cap. 1 Galat. tom 5. fol. 291 If any at anytime surely I before the light of the gospell did thinck piously and was zealous for Popish lawes and traditions of Fathers and did in great earnestnes vrge and defend them as holy and the obseruation of them as necessary to saluation I purely adored the Pope and what soeuer I did I did of a simple heart a good zeale and to the glory of God The authority of the Pope was so great with me that I iudged it a crime worthy of eternall damnation to dissent from him and would haue subministred with fire and sword for the defence of the Popes authority 2. Melancthon who as Caluin writeth was a principall Minister of God in doing great matters and was indeed Luthers chiefest instrument in his dispute of Matrimony tom 2. Luther fol. vlt. giueth God thaÌ„ckes Melancthon first a Papist that he was deliuered out of the kingdome of Antichrist and Poposh errors and sayth as reporteth Scusselburg tom 13. Catal. Haer. pag. 625. of himselfe I moued not these controuersies but fell into them after they were moued which being many and not explicated I began to consider them with a desire of truth And the Saxonicall Ministers in the CoÌ„ference of Alburg Scrip. 7. pag. 349. write that Melancthon of his owne accord acknowledged himselfe a scholler of Luther yea the whole Vniuersity of Witterberg The Vniuersity of Witterberg first Papist out of which almost al Luthers first champions came was in former times Popish as appeareth by their epistle ad Milititium tom 1. Lutheri fol. 205. where thus they write VVe are so affected both to all the Christian Religion and the sea Apostolike and holy Church of Rome that if we
common both to good and bad touching his ascending vp to heauen and his sitting at the right hand of his Father of all these points they contend and that with such exceeding heat of disputation as that old heresies not a few long since abolished and condemned begin againe to lift vp their head as if they were recalled from hell The like they haue ibidem in Prolegomenis Of the controuersy which is betweene the Lutherans Sacramentaries about the â—eall presence of Christs body in the Eucharist Martyr in locis tom 2. p. 156. giues this iudgement The contention and difference therein concernes the cheife heads of Religion Caluin epist 292. sayth that the opinion of the Lutherans doth By mischeiuous iuglings and legierdemains ouerturne the principles of fayth Beza in his 5. epist that it destroyeth the verity of Christs body And epist 81. that it recalleth from hell the folly and doting errours of Marcion and Eutiches Bucer cited by Hospin part 2. Hist fol. 84 It followeth thereupon that Christ is not true man Paraeus in cap. 3. Galat. lection 37 There is nothing more directly opposite to Christian Religion then to think that the body of Christ doth indeed lye hid really vnder the bread and that the same is truly eaten with the mouth Sadeel in tract de Coniunctione c. pag. 369. that it ouerthroweth the true nature of the true body and bloud of Christ VVhich thing sayth he we still lay to their charge And tract de Sacramentali manducatione pag. 26. that it is a word of euils pag. 267 That it traines after it idolatry And pag. 268 that it â—annot stand with the verity of Christs body Hospin part 2. citat fol. 2. that it is the foundation of Papistry And fol. 181 The base and pillar which sustaineth all the whole blended and disordered heape of abuses and all the bread-worship whicâ— hath vnder the Popedome byn deuised and brought in Lauaterus lib. de dissid Euchar. fol. 7. that it is the Foundation of the Popedome Cureus in Spongia that it is the foundation the strength the throne of the God Maozim and of the Popish state Caluin de Coena p. 8. in CoÌ„s pag. 754. Beza in fo 6. v. 23.62 ad 4. Demonstr Illyrici Zanâ—hius in Confess c. 16. sect 12. And Vrsinus in Catechism quest 78. cap. 3. sayth As long as the opinion of the corporall presence is maintained Popish adoration and oblation and the whole Popish masse is kept on foot And there is not one Sacramentary but thinks the verity of Christs body and his ascention sitting at the right hand of the Father cleane taken away if he should say he were substantially in the Eucharist Whereupon Zanchius tom 1. Miscell in iudicio de dissidio Coenae pag. 553. sayth There are two maine reasons why the one party to wit the Sacramentaries renounce the presence of the body The one that the article of Christs ascension into heauen may be kept entire the other that the nature and verity of his humane body be not destroyed Nay some of the Sacramentaries in their Confessions of faith condemne the opinion of the Lutherans as mad and blasphemous For Confess Crengerina cap. de coena Domini sayth VVe condemne their madnes who auouch and maintaine flesh-eating that is who hold that Christs naturall and very body raw and bloudy without any change or transubstantiation at all is receiued with the very mouth And the Scots in their Confess pag. 159. say they Detest that blasphemous opinion which auoucheth Christs reall presence in the bread wine and that he is receiued by the wicked or taken into the belly This and much more of the like is sometymes the Sacramentaries plea against the reall presence of Christs body in the Eucharist and yet at other tymes they professe that this controuersy is not of so great weight and moment as that it should dissolue Ecclesiasticall Communion and fellowship For so teacheth Martir apud Simlerum in vita eius the author of the orthodoxe Consent Prefat Apologet. Hospinian part 2. Histor fol. 78. Caluin de scandalis pag. 95. In Consens p. 764. Beza lib. de coena cont Westphalum pag. 258. M. Perkins in his exposition of the Creed col 792. and others Nay as we sayd before these men besought the Lutherans who stedfastly maintaine the reall presence to hold them for brethren and members of their Church They can then find in their conscience to haue fellowship and Communion with those men whose doctrine they condemne As Frantike blasphemous whose doctrine they say destroyeth Christs ascension What kind of men Sacramentaries challenge for brethren and the verity of his humane nature subuerteth the principles of fayth and cheifest points of religion recalleth the doting follies of Marcion and Eutyches establisheth the Kingdome of Antichrist traines after it idolatry and a world of euills Fy on these meÌ„ beliefe who think the maintenance of an opinion which as themselues professe ouerthroweth the principall articles of Christian fayth drawes after it idolatry and most foule heresies layeth the foundâ—tion whereon Antichristianity is raised of so sleight consequence as it ought not to dissolue fraternity and Communion What regard of fayth or saluation may we think these men haue There is yet another point oâ— Luteranisme touching the vbiquity or presence of Christs body euery where reproued of the Sacramentaries and held in extreme dislike of which they likewise exclaime that it is (a) Beza respons ad acta montisb l. pag. 252. forged and composed of Eutychianisme and Nestorianisme that the heresies of (b) Caluin 4 Instit c. 17. p. 17. Marcion and Eutyches yea well nigh (c) Hosp pref par 2. all old heresies are by it raised againe from hell that it subuerteth the whole (d) Perkins expos Symb. coll 792. Creed that it takes away the (e) Sadeel de verit hum nat cheife heads of Christian Religion that there is scant any one article of Christian beliefe which it doth not vtterly abolish And yet these selfe same Sacramentaries stile them who defend this opinion (f) Sadeel sup Most flourishing Churches and made earnest sure to be held for (g) Beza in colloq moÌ„tisbel pag. 462. brethren of those very men who vpheld this doctrine against them and maintayned it to their face Nay the particuler Churches of Sacramentaries themselues consist of parts mainly disioyned in matters of beliefe SacrameÌ„taries say there is fundameÌ„tall differeÌ„ce amoÌ„g them Examples hereof we need not seeke a broad Our owne Protestants tell vs how the Puritans their brethren allow not of the booke of common prayer but hold it to be full of (a) Whitgift resp ad Admonit p. 145. 157. corruptions and all abominations and teach that Protestants (b) Ib. resp ad schedas wickedly mangle and wrest the Scriptures that they haue no (c) Resp cit pag. 6. Pastours that they haue not a true Church
a new doctrine brought in And lib. 13. â—ol 304 It cannot be denyed that there was no word taught of receiuing grace by Christ of remission of sinnes Luther in Catechismo Maiori tom 5. fol. 627 No maÌ„ belieued iustification without works Popery raigning fayth wholy neglected and obscured was in pitifull plight No man belieued Christ to be a Lord who had reconciled vs to the Father without our worcks Tom. 7. in c. 5. Matthaeâ— fol. 23 The Popish company saying nothing of the cheifest article of iustification by fayth in Christ c. And in 3. Symbol fol. 140. I haue obserued that all errours heresies and all impiety came into the church principally because this article or this part of Christian sayth in Iesus Christ was despised and neglected or vtterly lost And in the Epitaphe grâ—uen vpon Luthers tombe is this verse He restored to the world the difference lost before which is meant of the difference which Luther taught to be between the law and the ghospell that the law teacheth iustification by good works the ghospell by only fayth without which difference Luther professeth that Christianity cannot stand And in his table talkes cap. de morte he thus speaketh Shew me one place of iustification of fayth in the decrees in the decretals in the Clementines in all the summes and sentences Coccius to 1. pag. 1217 in all the sermons of Monks in the statutes of Synods in all the Postilles in all Hierome Gregorie c. Thus assured Luther was that before he preached of this principall article of iustification by only fayth there was no news in the whole world 5. The same confesseth his Copemate Melancthon who tom 2. Respons ad Clerum Colon. pag. 96. hath these words The doctrine of pennance was ouerwhelmed there was no word of fayth by which remission of sinnes is to be receiued and pag. 97 The doctrine of true inuocation and of the exercises of fayth lay dead If any sayth he denie that such was the state of the Church be may be disproued not only by testimonies of honest men but also by the bookes of Monkes And pag. 99 There was no speach of the hope of free mercy And lib. de vsu integri Sacramenti pag. 188 The Popes haue destroyed the true doctrine of fayth And the same Melancthon or Carion in Chronico lib. 4. pag. 418. seq These errours being setled and established by publike authority drew after them a great ruine wherewith they wholy destroyed the doctrine of iustice before God and free remission of sinnes And pag. 439 Schoole diuinity qu te trampled and extinguished the least sparkles of pure doctrine The least sparkles extinguished touching the law the ghospell fayth and iustification before God And pag 4â—3 They haue quite taken away the difference betweene the law and the ghospell Vigand lib. de bonis malâ—s Germaniae The difference betwixt the law and the ghospell was quite blotted out after the Apostles tym Quite blotted out The Magdeburgiâ—ns Preâ— Câ—â—tur 13. The doctrine of sayth without works was extinct The matter it selfe shewed that pure doctrine was vtterly supprest Kemnice in lâ—cis part 2. â—â—t de Iustificat pag. 246 In all ages the light of holesome doctrine touching iustification first decayed after more and more obscured and last was plainly lost and extinguished And pag. 244 Plainly lost In our tyme God hath restored the doctrine of iustification out of most thick darknesse And Humius Praesat lib. de libero arbit The article of â—ustification was by Luther brought into light of out of the more then Chymerian darknesse of former ages Thus the Lutherans 6. The like Confession make the Sacramentaries For thus writeth Caluin Respons ad Sadolet pag. 125 VVe say that doctrine of Iustification by only fayth was by you blotted out of the memory Blotted out of memory of men Lib de Necess Reform pag. 46 The vertue of fayth was vtterly extinct the benefit of Christ destroyed mans saluation ouerthrown And lib. de vera Reform pag. 322 By these the Apostolicall doctrine was corrupted nay destroyed and abolished Corrupted nay destroyed Iezlerus de bello Euchar. fol. 24 The doctrine of iustification was most sowly darkned corrupted Pareus lib. 5. de Iustificat cap 3 The doctrine of grace began to be obscured and at last to be vtterly oppressed in Popery Only nam of Christ remained Finally M. Fox in his Acts printed 1610. pag. 391. sayth In these later dayes the only name of Christ remayned among Christians As touching fayth the end and the vse of the law of grace and iustification by sayth of liberty of a Christian man there was no mention nor any word almost spoken of Thus both Lutheran and Sacramentary Protestants confesse their doctrine of iustification in which as we haue seene they affirme the definition life soule and all points of a Protestant to consist to haue perished byn extinguished horribly ouerwhelmed vanished out of the church no spark thereof to be found the light therof cleane put out and vtterly extinct before Luther start vp And consequently they must needs also confesse that the substance of their Church and religion was perished which could not be without the soule life definition and summe thereof 7. Neither do they lesse openly confesse that their Church was perished ProtestaÌ„ts confesse that their church perished For thus sayth Luther lib. de Captiu Babylon tom 2. fol 76 But now fayth being not spoken of the Church is extinguished by infinite laws of works and ceremonies Respons ad Catharin fol. 140. after he had sayd that the Church is conceiued formed borne nourished and conserned only by the vocall word he addeth Extinguished By the Pope and Papists the vocall ghospell being choaked and extinct was silent through all the world Tom. 3. in psal 17. fol. 285 And now that common sort of preachers reprobate what proposeth it to vs in the Church of the deeds of Saints but some small works vntill faith being extinguished there become nothing but heathenish superstition where once the Church of God was the name only of the Church left Name only of the Church left the substance quite lost In psalm 22. fol. 332 This day vnder the Popes dominion there is not lest one trace of the Church which appeares And 10. 6. in cap. 49. Genes fol. 666 The order of the Church perished The Pope hath extinguished swallowed vp the Church Caluin Respons ad Sadolet pag. 132 The matter came to that passe that it was manifest and euident to the learned and vnlearned that the true order of the Church then perished the Kingdome of Christ was throwne downe Christs Kingdome throwne downe when this dominion of the Pope was erected 4. Institut cap. 3. § 4. after he sayd that Apostles Euangelists Prophets were instituted only for that tyme when Churches were to be set vp or to be drawne from Moyses to Christ
be seene by corporall eyes that the externall knowledge therof may be taken from men that it may consist of no apparent forme be without any visible condition without visible succession and destitute of outward forme That the visible face thereof may be taken from vs that it may seeme to haue vtterly perished that the visible Church may perish the outward Church perish that it may wholy leaue to be visible and the whole visible Church perish and finally that there be no true visible Church in the world 10. Besides it is cleare that they teach that not only some part of the visible Church but also as they speake the whole and all the visible Church may perish and that it may fall out that there be none De grat lib. arb c. 8. none at all no visible Church in the world Certainly as S. Austin speaketh these words need no witty interpreter but only an attent hearer 11. Whereby also it is euident Protestāts vntrue shifts refuted that D. White in the defence of his way cap. 38. and 40. sayd vntruly that Protestants imagine not the Church to haue byn at any tyme simply inuisible For as we haue heard they oftentymes professe openly the contrary Vntruly also D. Whitaker auoucheth Cont. 2. quest 3. cap. 2. pag. 472. that we slaunder them when we say they make such a Church as sometymes can be seene of none For as hath byn seene many Num. 5.6 and he amongst the rest haue taught so But D. Whitaker by the name of a visible Church vnderstandeth not a company visibly professing their fayth but one or two or some few visible men who keep their fayth secretly in their harts But this is not the church to haue byn visible but the men to haue byn visible Besides that it is inough for vs that the Protestant Religion and manner of worshipping God was before Luthers tyme altogeather inuisible and only secret in the hearts of some few For thence it will follow as shall appeare hereafter that it is not the religion of God which can neuer be kept so secret and inuisible Vntruly also sayth Iunius Cont. 4. lib. 3. cap. 16. when he writeth This only we say the visible manner of the Church may ly hid or faile to the vngratefull world not that it can become inuisible in it selfe For that which is so inuisible as the Protestants haue sayd the Church may be is in it selfe inuisible Lastly some do vntruly expound the foresayd words of Protestants as if they had only sayd that their Church had byn inuisible in some sort not simply and absolutely because their words were most absolute and it is sophisticall to expound so many absolute speeches only in some sort Besides hereafter we shall see that sometymes they confesse that their church was so inuisible as it implyed contradiction to haue it seene and those who limitate the former speaches agree not togeather in their expositions For D. Whitaker loc cit sayth they only meane that the Church is not alwayes to be seene glorious and of euery one D. White lib. cit cap. 37. that they meane that the Church is not alwayes to be seene a part and free from all errour D. Morton Apol. part 1. lib. 1. cap. 13. that they only meant that the church is not alwayes to be seene publikely of all men by her visible rites and visible succession which shift he calleth the Bulwarck of Protestants But this Bulwarck is built of him without all foundation and is manifestly ouerthrowne by the former Confessions D. Feild sayth they meane not that the Church is wholy inuisible at any tyme but that it is not alwayes to be esteemed by outward appearance But what more manifest then that they teach that the Church may be wholy inuisible as appeareth by their words already rehearsed The Protestāt Church impossible to haue byn seene and shall yet more appeare by and by 12. For they not only confesse that their Church was altogeather inuisible before Luther arose but also they affirme that it is a most vniust and impudent demaund to request them to shew it before that tyme. Hutter in his Analysis of the Confession of Auspurg pag. 448 Impudent demaund It is an impudent demaund of the Romanists to request to haue shewed vnto them such a church in former ages which touching the publike ministery and visible forme agreed in all things with Luther For we haue demonstrated that the true Church then lay hid D. Fulke in his booke of Succession pag. 19 But you bid me bring forth those elect Protestants which lay hid through all the world Good God how vniust a thing do you demaund Vniust that I should bring forth them whome I say lay hid And Sadeel to the Repetition of Turrians Sophismes pag. 766 But I promised not as you say that I would answeare to this your question where those inuisible remnants lay hid as if I had not sufficiētly answeared when I sayd that they lay hid by the vnsearcheable counsaile of God And in his answere to Theses Posnan cap. 8. He will haue them to haue layne so closely that it cannot be knowne what they did And in his booke of Vocation of Ministers pag. 551 At last came that generall Apostasy which the Apostle foretold For then the outward light of the Church being quite extinct Only shadow and name of visible Church there remayned the only shadow and name of the visible Church The same also intimateth Plessy Mornay in the Preface of his Mystery of iniquity when he sayth VVe are not bound to shew the Church it sufficeth that God knew his owne And Iohn Regius in his Apology pag 176 You deny that Luther sound a company of his sect I say there was an ecclesiasticall company of true religion and which agreed with Luther in all points But when the Iesuits vrge to shew a follower of religion they would that Luther shew that which implieth Implied to be visible and proue the inuisible to be visible Napper vpon 12. cap. Apocal pag. 294 From the yeare 316. God with drew his visible Church from the open assemblies of men to the hearts of particuler men and from that tyme the Church lay hid and was inuisible The same he sayth pag. 188 But if so it be an impudent and vniust demaund to haue their Church shewed before Luther if it were withdrawne from open assemblies to the hearts of some if her outward light were quite extinct and the only shadow and name of the visible Church remayned and lastly if it implyed contradiction that she should be shewed it is most euident that she was altogeather inuisible The same also they intimate when they say that the Church either hath byn at any tyme or may be thus inuisible Luther vpon the 90. psalme tom 3. fol. 495 Church no where but in the sight of God The Church was then in Elias tyme but so hidden as it was