hidden What shall I say more sayth S. Augustine vpon these words of our Sauiour but that they are blynd who cannot see so great a mountayne From hence also it doth necessarily follow that the doctrine of the Church is infallible and priuiledged from errour For according to the Protestants themselus that only is the true Church wherein the word of God is truly preached and the Sacraments truely administred And therefore if the Church should erre it should cease to be the true Church and should not contynue but the Gates of hell should haue preuayled against it Matt. 16.18 which is directly against the Scriptures And in particuler this priuiledge from errour is expresly promised in the old Testament Esa 59.21 in many places as where the Prophet Esay speaketh therof in these wordes This is my couenant with them sayth our Lord My spirit which is in thee and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart from thy mouth nor from the mouth of thy seed Oze 2.19.20 nor from the mouth of thy seeds seed from this tyme forth for euermore And where in Oze God sayth of his Church I will espouse thee for euer and I will espouse thee to me in iustice and iudgment in mercy and commiseration and I will espouse thee vnto me in sayth for euer Ephes 4.11 Epipha in Aâ—corato circa princ Matt. 16.18 Matt. 17.18 1. Tim. 3.5 IoaÌ„ 14.26 according whereunto it is also sayd in the new Testament That there should be Pastours and Doctours in the Church for euer that we be not carryed about nor deceiued with new doctrine that the Gates of hell by which is meant Heresy shall not preuayle against it that he who did not beleeue the Church should be compted as a Heathen or Publican that it is the Piller and foundation of truth that the holy Ghost should teach all things and suggest all things to the Pastours therof that God would giue them the spirit of truth IoaÌ„ 14.16 to remayne with them for euer In conclusion if you list to see more of the largenesse of these induments and of the flourishing greatnes of the Church of Christ you may read 4. whole Chapters of the Prophesyes therof in Esay 60.61 and 62. and Micheas the 4. which I thinke no man can read without the acknowledgement and admiration of them SECTION XXIII The force of the former Motiue is further declared out of the authorityes of S. Augustine and out of the effects of the contrary Doctrine AMONG all the ancient Fathers as there is none more opposite to the Protestant Ministers then S. Augustine so there is none more respected in outward shew and more esteemed by them which is vnto vs on the other side a notable argument of the excellency of the one and of the impudency of the other Now therfore if the word of S. Augustine be of force with you whome in regard of his antiquity learning wit vertue his aduersaryes themselues do so much respect read but the 6. Chapter of the first booke of that worke which is called Confessio Augustiniana for it cannot be that relying vpon the sayth of S. Augustine which could be no other then the sayth of the whole Church but that your vnderstanding should be wholy conuinced by it In regard wherof considering that it would be to long to alleadge the testimonyes of the rest of the Fathers and that men now a dayes are loath to seeke after that which they are affrayd to find with some temporall preiudice although it be the means of their saluation I thinke good to shew vnto you before I go any further the weight and force of this motiue out of the iudgment sayth and perswasion of S. Augustine For this was that which oueruled him so much as that he spared not to say I (a) Aug. cont epist Fundam c. 5. would not beliue the Ghospell vnles the authority of the Catholike Church did mooue me thereunto I (b) cont Faustum lib. 15. c. 3. must needs beleeue the acts of the Apostles if I beleeue the Ghospell because both those Scriptures the Catholike authority doth equally commend vnto me It being of necessity that one of those bookes must be fals speaking of the acts of the Apostles and of some other Apocriphy booke to which do you thinke we should rather giue credit either vnto it which the Church began by Christ himselfe continued by the Apostles with a constant course of succession euen vnto those tymes dilated ouer all the world doth acknowledge approue to haue beene deliuered and conserued or vnto that which the same Church doth reiect as vnknowne Those whom I beleeued saying vnto me Beleeue the Ghospell why should I not obey saying vnto me beleeue not Manichaeus Choose which thou wilt If thou sayst Beleeue the Catholikes they admonish me not to beleeue you Wherfore beleeuing them it is of necessity that I beleeue not you If thou say Beleeue not the Catholiks thou canst not with any reason compell me to beleeue Manichaeus because I beleeued the Ghospel it selfe by the preaching of the Catholikes If thou say thou didst well to beleeue them preaching the Ghospell but thou didest not well to beleeue them discommending Manichaeus dost thou thinke me such a foole as without any reason giuen to beleeue what thou wilt haue me and what thou wilt not not to beleeue Be not deceiued with the name of truth speaking as to the person of the Catholike Church the truth thou only hast in thy milke and in thy bread but in this Church of the Manichies or any other which is not Catholike there is the name of truth but the truth it selfe is not And of thy great ones thou art secure I frame my speach to thy little ones I call to thy tender issue that with garrulous curiosity they be not seduced from thee but rather let him be accursed of them who shall preach otherwise then that which they haue receiued in thee Know (c) Conc. ad Cathecum cap. 20. beloued that true sayth true peace and eternall saluation is only in the Catholike Faith For it is not in a Corner but it is euery where if any man depart from it and deliuer himselfe ouer to the errour of Heretikes he shall be iudged 〈◊〉 fugitiue seruant and no adopted sonne neither shall he rise to eternall life but rather to eternall damnation By (d) cort Faust l. 13. cap. 13. what manifest signe therefore I being yet a little one or a yong scholler and not able to discerne the pure truth from so many errours by what manifest token shall I know the Church of Christ in whome with so great manifestation of things fortold I am compelled to belieue the Prophet followeth on and hauing as it were orderly heard the difficulty or doubt of mynd of this new beginner Hier. 17. he sheweth him the Church of Christ fortold to be the same which is more apparant and
lesse pouerty of meanes and matter in buylding without a foundation as much want of proofe to persuade in giuing you nothing but wordes insteed of other substance But you will reply whatsoeuer he sayth here he promiseth to proue and pursue hereafter in his Booke of Ecclesiasticall Common Wealth I pray you were it fit that when a souldier cometh into the feild to fight he should come without weapons and should thinke either to ouercome his aduersary or to satisfy the beholders of his prowesse by saying that he hath an excellent sword a making Were it not absurd that a Scholler comming to dispute of any Probleme should thinke to satisfy the arguments of his aduersary or to perswade his auditours that the truth were of his side by affirming that he would or that he had composed a great volume of that matter This booke being made by the Bishop to proue his spirit to disproue his aduersaryes and to approue his change of Religion to all those that should here thereof now was the tyme to vse his Weapons to shew his Wisedome and to bring forth his euidence And therefore if he sayle of his proofes it is an euident signe that he is altogeather destitute and vnprouided of them Neither is it true which he sayth That when his worke cometh forth whatsoeuer he hath heere affirmed shal be there proued For how will he proue that Rome hath coyned not a 100. or a 1000. new articles of Fayth in one day but as he sayth innumerable and that euery day How will he proue that the Church of Rome suppresseth the Councells Doth it not make them a rule of Fayth hath it not alwayes preserued them doth it not mayntayne and defend them from the calumniations and contradictions which the Heretikes of these dayes oppose against them How will he proue that we belieue the whole spirit of Christ to remayne in the Pope alone and that all which hath been sayd heretofore in the honour of the vniuersall Church must be applyed to the Court and Pallace of the Pope alone Do we belieue that to be Catholike one holy visible to haue conuerted Nations and Kingdomes which are some of the supernaturall prayses and excellencyes of the Catholike Church whereby she shyneth like the sunne in the Firmament aboue all other Congregations or assemblyes Do we belieue I say as an article of our Fayth that these things agree to the Pope and his Pallace alone That the Pope or his Court is extended ouer al the world That the Vnity Holynes Visibility and Miracles of the Church and of the Pastors and Saints thereof are only to be found in the Pope and his Pallace and that all other Catholike Nations and Kingdomes are excluded from the participation of these graces can this be proued thinke you And can it stand with the grauity and reuerent authority of a Bishop to affirme these things with promise to confirme them making them also the ground of his conuersion Could any ignorant shamelesse Minister whose learning were nothing els but lying Could any Zani or Counterfait that had been hyred to rayle against the Pope haue spoken more fondly more intemperatly or more absurdly The innumerable new articles whereof he speaketh and the whole doctrine of so many Churches impugned by the Church of Rome which he vndertaketh to defend can surely contayne no lesse then all the points in Controuersy betwene you and vs which are so farre from being decided in his Ecclesiasticall cōmon Wealth that for the greater part of them they cannot be so much as mentioned therin For as it appeareth by his owne description therof the 4. first bookes proue only in effect that all Bishops and their Churches by the Law of God are equall And that neither S. Peter nor the Pope nor the Roman Clergy should haue any Primacy or Papacy or Prehemynence aboue the rest In his 5. and 6. Booke he taketh away all kind of iurisdiction from the whole Church not only in temporall but also in Ecclesiasticall matters In his 7. booke he disputeth of the rule of Fayth In the rest that follow he speaketh of nothing els but only of the temporalityes and immunityes of the Church In the 8. he considereth the external gouernemēt of the Church by Lawes and Canons which if he affirme to be lawfull it is directly contrary to his 5. and 6. booke wherein he reiecteth all kind of Iurisdiction from the Church of Christ So that this great booke wherof he braggeth so much contayneth in effect but one Controuersy alone And he that should proue the Popes Primacy and Supreme Iurisdiction ouer the Church of God should ouerthrow the substance of this whole Volume For thereof it would follow directly that the gouernement of Christs church vpon earth is Monarchicall against his first and second booke that the gouernours of the Church are not equall in authority by the Law of God against his third booke That the Pope and Church of Rome hath preheminence ouer other Churches against his fourth booke That the Church of God hath Iurisdiction both Ecclesiasticall directly and temporall indirectly the latter being necessary for the maintaynance of the former against his 5. and 6. booke That the decree of the Pope as Head of the Church in a generall Councell is a sufficient rule of Fayth against his 7. booke The resolution also of the matters contayned in his 3. other bookes is of no great importance and may easily be deduced from the former conclusion Wherefore if he thinke to discharge himselfe of all other poynts in Controuesy by handling the titles of these bookes alone he shall behaue himselfe like a Banquerupt who insteed of the whole debt should scarce make payment of one in the hundred SECTION VI. Concerning the Popes Supremacy The state of the question is proposed and S. Peters Supremacy is proued by Scripture BVT now as oftentymes it falleth out that vnder the fayre shewes of Banquerupt Merchants vnder their goodly inscriptions of many rich commodityes and dissembling text letters vpon pots packs and boxes there is nothing to be found except perhaps some poore refused brockage that is not salable so to make it manifest that vnder these glorious titles of the ten Bookes which the Bishop promiseth there is nothing contayned but false wares and idle tryfles lapt vp in so many bundles of wast paper And to giue you withall some satisfaction in this one point of Controuersy of the Popes Supremacy the occasion being so fit the labour not great the way so well beaten by others I will briefly set you downe some of those euident proofes wherewith the Catholikes are wont to demonstrate the Popes Supremacy in spiritual matters Whereby also it will appeare how well the Bishop hath spent his 10. yeares in reading of the Fathers whether he haue more attended to his study or to his belly For the greater breuity and more perspicuity in handling this ample and copious matter I will reduce all that I
according to that I haue prayed for thee c. Agatho likewise in his Epistle to the Emperour Constantine which was read and and approued in the 6 generall Councell sayth This is the rule of the true Faith which the Apostolike Church of Christ both in prosperity and aduersity hath liuely held c. because it was sayd to Peter I haue prayed c. here our Lord promised that the Faith of Peter should not fayle and admonished him to confirme his brethren which the Apostolike Bishops the predecessours of my littlenesse as all men know haue alwayes fulfilled Simplicius Epist 1. in his Epistle to Zeno the Emperour calling him sonne and exhorting him to defend the Faith he sayth for the same rule of Apostolicall doctrine doth abyde fast in his successours speaking of Pope Leo to whome our Lord inloyned the care of his whole flock where you see he acknowledgeth tho doctrine of the Pope to be a rule of Faith which was to remayne according to the institution of our Sauiour And els where he saith notably as followeth The doctrine of the holy memory of our Predecessors being extant against the which it is not lawfull to dispute whosoeuer doth seeme to be rightly wise hath no need of new instructions Eusebius in his Epistle to the Bishops of Tuscany and Campania sayth Epist 3. that the sentence of our Lord Iesus Christ cannot be pretermitted which sayth thou art Peter c. And those words which were then spoken are proued true by the effects of things because in the Apostolike sea the Catholike religion hath alwayes byn kept without spot Gelasius likewise sayth That the Apostolicall sea is very carefull not to be stained with any contagion of prauity or false doctrine because the glorious confession of the Apostle Peter is the roote For sayth he If any such thing should happen Epist ad Anastas August which we assure our selues can neuer be how should we presume to resist any errour c. Where you see he proueth that the Apostolike seat is priuiledged from errour being grounded vpon the confession of S. Peter whereunto our Sauiour promised that stability which is fit for the roote and rocke of truth Felix the 2. in his answere to Athanasius and to the Aegyptian Bishops vnderstandeth likewise the words of Christ Matthew 16.23 to be meant of the Roman Sea Lib. 4. ep 32. cont Ioan. Ep. Constant Gregory the Great sayth That it is manifest to all that know the Ghospell that vnto S. Peter the prince of the Apostles the care of the whole Church was committed to whome it was sayd Feed my sheep Lib. 6. indict 15. c. 37. alias 201. I haue prayed for thee c. thou art Peter c. And els where he relate than epistle of Enlogius the Patriarch of Alexandria acknowledging the Chayre of Peter to be the sea of Rome and then he addeth Who is it Lib. 7. ep 125. that knoweth not the holy Church to be founded on the solidity of the prince of the Apostles For the which cause he teacheth also that those things Lib. 3. ep 41. which haue beene once decreed by the authority of the Apostolike sea do need no other confirmation And he admonisheth Bonifacius in one of his epistles to take heed that his soule be not found deuyded from the Church 〈◊〉 Blessed Peter least he being despised heere in this worth should shut the gate of life against him in the next And to adde one or two more of some what latter tymes Nicolaus 1. in his epistle to Michael the Emperour sayth The priuiledges of that 〈◊〉 the Roman are perpetually rooted and planned by God they may be thrust at they cannot be transferred they may be pulled they cannot be placked vp The same which were before your raigne remaine God be thanked hither to vntouched and shall remaine after you and as long as the name of Christ is preached they shall not leaue to subsist To conclude Leo the 9. auoucheth That by the sea of the Prince of the Apostles the Roman Church and as well by S. Peter himselfe as by his successours the deuices of all Heretikes haue beene reproued conuicted beaten downe and the harts of the brethren haue beene confirmed in the fayth of Peter which hitherto hath not fayled nor shall euer sayle hereafter SECTION XIII The Popes supremacy in Iudiciall authority is proued out of the testimonies of the Popes themselues THVS far we haue alleadged the authority of the Popes themselues for their supremacy in matters of Fayth and for the infallibility of their doctrine It followeth now to produce the like restimonyes of Popes for their Supremacy in some speciall poynts of Iurisdiction and gouernement ouer the Church of God â—â—rst therfore concerning their authority in calling and confirming of Councells besides that which hath beene sayd already out of the first foure generall Councells Marcel Marcellus who dyed about the yeare of Christ 310. in his epistle to the Bishops of the prouince of Antioch affirmeth that â—o Synod or Councell can be lawfully made without authority of the Roman sea Iulius Iulius the first in his epistle ad Orientales calling the Roman sea the first sayth That vnto it belongeth the right of assembling Synodes of iudging Bishops and of reseruing the greater causes vnto it selfe because it is preferred before the rest not only by the decrees of Canons and holy Fathers but also by the voice of our Lord and Saniour Leo. Epist 47. Leo the first in his epistle to the Calcedon Councell signifyed that it was the will of the Emperour that the Councell should be assembled sauing the right and honour of the most blessed Peter the Apostle And further he sayth That by his vicar he was the President therof And in his epistle to Putcheria the Empresse speaking of the decrees of that Synod concerning the honour of the second seat to be giuen to the Church of Constantinople he sayth that by the authority of Blessed Peter the Apostle with a generall definition he did vtterly disanull them and make them voyd Gelasius likewise Gelasius in his epistle ad Dardanos doth auouch that the Apostolicall seat confirmed all Synods and that no Bishop can auoyd his iudgment More in particuler concerning the Iurisdiction of the Roman sea ouer Bishops and in greater causes Anicetus in his Epistle doth say Anicetus That it belongeth to him to determine the iudgments of all Bishops The like hath Elcutherius in his epist cap. 2. Eleutherius Victor And Victor in his epistle to Theophilus sayth that to do the contrary is nothing els but to transgresse the bounds of the Apostles and their successours to violate their decrees Felix likewise sayd Felix ep 1. that the greater causes of the whole Church were reserued vnto him Melchiades in his epistle to the Bishops of Spaine saying that it appertayned vnto him to iudg of Bishops addeth these wordes
of vnderstanding could not be ignorant of it that no fornicator or vncleane or couetous person hath inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God And theÌ„ followeth Let no man seduce you with vaine wordes speaking directly of the seducers of these tymes for from these thinges come the anger of God vpon the children of diffidence become not therefore partakers with them c. In which place he goeth further on speaking much more to the same purpose And els wher The works of the flesh are manifest which are fornicatioÌ„ vncleanes Gal. 5.19 dissensions sects c. which I fortell you as I haue fortold you that they who do such things shall not obtayne the kingdome of God All which most expresse places being written to saythfull and meant of the saythfull euen in the most pure and sincere tymes of the Apostolike Church it is manifest that no faith could excuse them but did rather augment their sinne in such cases and increase their damnation according to the sentence of our Sauiour The child that knoweth the will of his Father Luc. 12.47 Hebr. 10.26.27.28.29 doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Which is also confirmed by S. Paul where he sayth If we sinne willingly after the knowledge of the truth receiued now is there not left an host for sinnes Where his meaning is that albeit in Baptisme all sinnes are easily forgiuen yet such as belieue offending after Baptisme haue no such easy means to be forgiuen but must redeeme their sinnes by pennance and such other hard remedies Cyril l. in 10. cap. 17. as the Church prescribeth after Baptisme For if they do not nothing remayneth but a certayne terrible expectation of iudgment and rage of fire which shall consume the aduersaries as it followeth in the same place And he addeth immediatly If a man making frustrate the law of Moyses without mercy dyeth how much more thinke you doth he deserue worse punishments who hath troaden the Sonne of God vnder foot and esteemed the bloud of the testament polluted wherein he is sanctified and hath done contumely to the spirit of grace Which words although they be principally spoken of Heresy and Apostasy from the Catholike Church yet must they needs be also vnderstood of all other Mortall sinnes which S. Paul placeth in the same ranke with Idolatry and sects and diuisions as you haue heard and do equally exclude the doers of them from the kingdome of Heauen Wherefore to draw to an end I say with the holy Ghost whome I beseech to open the harts of all those that with indifferent mind shall read this SectioÌ„ Rom. 1.2 to see the truth of this cleare doctrine that as all those are inexcusable before God who do not giue him thanks nor glorify him by obeying his Commaundments Rom. 1.25 Rom. 1. â—2 Rom. 2.1.2 but dishonour him preferring the loue of the creature before the loue of God doing those thinges which they know to be worthy of death which they condemne in others and for the which they beleeue Rom. 5. that God himselfe doth lastly condemne them whome they confesse to be no excepter of persons but to giue euery one according to his wokes 1. Ioan. 5.3 Matt. 11.30 Rom. 8.3 So there can be no other true ground of our iustification but only the loue of God â—owred not aboundâ—â—tly into out harts by the holy Ghost who is giuen vnto vs which maketh his Commaundments not to be heauy his yoake sweet his burden easy For that which was impossible to our weake flesh the Sonne of God taking flesh aid conquer sinne in the flesh Rom. 8.4 Gal. 5.17 Rom. 8.6 Rom. 8.5 that the iustification or obseruation of Gods Commaundment might be fullfilled is vs. Not walking according to the flesh but according to the spirit for the spirit and the flesh are contrary lusting and couetting one against the other The wisedome loue and pleasure of the flesh is death but the wisedome of the spirit is life and peace Gal. 5.14 Rom. 8.7 they that liue according to the flesh sauour those thinges that are pleasing to the flesh but they that liue according to the spirit delight in that which is pleasing to the spirit and haue crucified their flesh with her vices and concupiscences Rom. 8.13.14 Rom. 6.11.16 They that are in the flesh or giue way to the desires thereof cannot please God for the wisedome of the flesh is an enemy to God for it is not subiect to his law nor can be subiect and therfore they that liue according to the flesh shall dye but such as are led by the spirit of God RoÌ„ 7.20 are the sonnes of God and because by the spirit they mortify the deeds of the flesh Apoc. 2.16 Tit. 4.7 therefore they shall liue If we consent to the motions of the flesh to obey the concupiscence therof sin raigneth in vs For we are the seruants of him whome we obey either in sinne vnto death or of obedience to iustice and life euerlasting But if we consent not and oppose our wills against it it is the outward man that doth it but the inward man will not do it And therfore because it is not his worke he shall not be punished for it but rather shall be rewarded for his fight against it And this is the greatest assurance which the state of faith can affoard vs that our consciences do not reprehend vs 1. Ioan. 3.21 but rather giue testimony vnto vs that we resist and oppose our selues constantly against our spirituall enemyes not yeilding at any tyme vnto them but euermore obseruing faithfully the will of God in keeping his Commaundements because this conquest being impossible by nature we may be sure that we are assisted therin by the holy grace of God without the which we could not obtayne it But he that sayth he is the sonne of God 1 Ioan 2.4 and doth not loue him or who sayth that he knoweth God and doth not keep his Commaundements is a lyer and the truth of God is not in him Ioan. 14.23.24 Who keepeth his Commaundements he it is that loueth God and he that loueth him not keepeth not his word And this is the mayne and the great argument wherin S. Paul seemeth to glory and was not ashamed to preach Christ Crucified to the mighty men both of the Iewes and of the Gentils because saith he the doctrine thereof is the vertue and power of God to saluation Rom. 1. For it reuealeth vnto vs how we should obtayne the grace of inward goodnes of true inherent iustice at the hand of God by vniting our selues vnto Christ the sonne of God which we cannot do but by making our selues the members of his body which is the Church of God Out of the which as all are concluded vnder sinne so all remayne in their sinnes which they may change but cannot put of and the more they striue against
confesseth That he also was a long tyme very much troubled with these cogitations Melancthon also spared not say Melāclhon Cōc theol part 1. p. 249. Mirror for Martinists pag. 24. The same hath And. Duditius vbi supra Castal in his preface to his Latin Bible Geor. Ma. orat de cōfusio dog Bull. Firmam part 1. cap. 1. Powell grounds of the new religiō part 2. cap. 1. Perks ep dedic before bis Apology That nothing did so much terrify others from the Ghospell as their own discord was wont to complaine with others that they knew whome they should auoyd meaning the Papists but whome they might follow they did not vnderstand This that learned Sebastianus Castalio tooke for a signe that the Protestants being thus deuided were stil drowned inextreme darknes and most grosse ignorance This sayth Georgius Maior a principall Lutheran did so much tempt and trouble the minds of the simple as they altogeather doubted where to find the truth and whether any true Church of God were remayning in the world This vehement and implacable dissention sayth Bullinger maketh many as it were in despayre to giue out that from hence forward they will beleeue nothing exclayming What credit should we giue to that fayth which is distracted into so many factions Many thereby sayth M. Powell do not call vpon God but fly from God many fall into an Epicurean contention of Religion and are oppressed with despaire These contentions sayth M. Perks are no small preparatiues to Atheisme c. in so much as many are brought to their wits end not knowing what to do Amidst all which miseryes and mischiefs the Papists insult and triumph to see those that professe themselues brethren Relatiō of Rel sect 45.6 Whitaker defensio tract 3. c. 6. p. 278. to be at such deadly iarres amongst themselues Syr Edwyn Sands affirmeth that the contentiōs of Protestants tend maynly to the increase of Atheisme within Mahometisme abroad And D. Whitaker complayneth that the Church of England is replenished with Atheists whome no doubt since his tyme are much increased This therfore is a vehement perswasion to draw any man from the Protestant Religion and on the contrary side men of iudgment that behold so many sundry Nations and people so different or rather so opposite in many other respects of clymate language complexion lawes and customs vnder so many seuerall Kings and Gouernours alwayes in warres more or lesse one against the other to conspyre in the vnity of one Fayth for so many ages togeather subiecting thēselues voluntarily to one head who hath no temporall force to cōpell them and beleeuing so many things aboue the reach of human vnderstanding so contrary to flesh and bloud and to the vehement motions of mans peruerted Nature must needs confesse acknowledge that it is a supernaturall worke and a most miraculous effect of the Spirit of God who is the God of peace and not of contention SECTION XXV Of the authority of the Catholike Church in generall THE last generall argument which I intend to propound for the euidence and truth of the Christian and which is al one of our Catholike religion shall be the great authority of the Catholike Church to the end it may serue as well for a further explication and confirmation as also for a full conclusion of all the former motiues For the capacity of the best vnderstandings amongst vs miserable men being but small and shallow and there being a greater difference betweene man and man in the parts of the mynd then in the sharpnes of sense or strength of body and the mynd of man being of it owne nature but like a fayre table or a lease of white paper which at the first contayneth nothing and by little and little receiueth the pictures or the writings for the which it was ordayned more or lesse better or worse according to the skill and industry of the Paynter or Writer and the aptnes of the matter and the goodnes of the instruments wherewith they worke Hence it is that as Nature inclineth the poore to depend of the rich and the weake to defend thēselues by those that are strong and the blind or bad sighted to be guided and directed in discerning by those that are endued with more perfect sense so by the same law and voyce of Nature all men are taught and obliged to rest their minds and to rely their vnderstandings vpon the authority of those that are generally most approued for their vertue and wisdome aboue the rest and alwayse ceteris paribus other circumstances being equall the fewer in number to yeild submit themselues to the iudgment and opinion of the greater party And so in all speculatiue sciences where our end is nothing els but the delightfull aspect fayr sight of truth the authority of Maisters and skillfull men in those facultyes is necessarily required for our direction to teach vs which way we ought to bend and whereupon to sixe the eye of our vnderstanding to shew how to proceed from poynt to poynt and to giue vs the print of those markes whereby we may best discouer the forme of that truth which we seeke to find or labour to conceiue or comprehend And if the sight of our wit be so short as that we cānot perfectly discerne the same yet it is better to see with another mans eye or as it were by the candle of another then altogeather either to be ignorant of it or els which is far worse to be deceiued therein And as this is true in science so in those arts and facultyes where our end is the doing or the attayning of something which is necessary or profitable for mans life the benefit of authority is much more apparent For in extremity of sicknes or in law matters of great importance or in deliberations about the preseruation or gouernement of Commonwealths to contemne the direction of Phisitians the aduice of Lawyers and the counsell of men experienced in matter of State or not to admit therof in some cases nor to suffer our selues to be oueruled thereby albeit it seeme neuer so much contrary to the sense or imagination of our owne priuate iudgment were to be esteemed rather obstinate madnes then any other errour within the degree of human weaknes But especially the necessity and vtility of the approbation of other mens assertions either of all or of such as are wise and honest appeareth in those things which we can neuer know or make vse of but from the report of others As for example historyes of former ages Relations of the present state and condition of forrayne Countreys or constant reports of such things as were sayd or done in our absence or as S. Augustine noteth that we are the sonnes of such Parents borne in this Countrey or that which is the beginning and foundation of all permanent societyes and the like In which respect this kind of knowledge is properly called beliefe
weeke they haue disputations of the matter giuen them in that weeke And euery moneth as the 3. Maisters of Logicke Phisicke and Metaphisicke can agree they meete togeather in the same Schoole withall their Schollers and dispute one against another in the matters of that moneth wherunto as being more publique other Maisters and Doctors are inuited And besides all this they haue other priuate exercises and helps of learning in their particuler Colledges At the end of the yeare such as haue studyed best are preferred to defend Conclusions publique of the whole yeare and they that haue heard their course of three years and are the most worthy of all their fellows defend conclusions of all Philosophy with great solemnity and concourse of people Which course of study breedeth such emulation among them and draweth them on with such delight of their owne profit that their Superiours haue more ado to keep them from studying too much then els where Maisters are wont to haue in keeping their schollers from doing nothing Their course of Diuinity lasteth foure years The manner of their Lectures disputations is almost the same with the former of the Philosophers sauing that they haue three seuerall Maisters who read euery day in seuerall matters and explicate the most difficult places of the Scripture and Fathers as their former Maister did expound Aristotle and other Philosophers And insteed of Mathematikes morall Philosophy they haue other Lectures of Tongues of the Text of Scripture Besides Philosophy and Diuinity for such as haue lesse tyme or lesse strength of mynd or body there are two other Lectures euery day of Positiue Diuinity which cōmonly is called Cases of Conscience a study as litle knowne to Protestants as there is little care or vse of Conscience amongst them Their course of Philosophy and Diuinity being thus ended such amongst the Iesuits themselues as are thought to be most fit for Schooles are permitted for two yeares to go ouer the whole body of their studyes agayne by their owne priuate industry conferring the same with the doctrine and opinions of other writers afterward they are appoynted and made Maisters to read Philosophy and with tyme Diuinity if their strength and talents do so deserue By this meanes you see that almost of necessity they must haue excellent Maisters and excellent schollers the one is a great help and a great encouragment to perfect the other Besides all this that hath beene sayd of their course of study it is of great moment to consider that all the Maisters and the greatest part of their schollers are Religious men or liue religiously in Seminaryes and Colledges where being freed frō all kind of worldly care and occasion of passion disorder or temptation hauing their set tymes for prayer and honest recreation and such as be Priests offering dayly sacrifice to Almighty God and such as are none confessing and communicating once a weeke at the least they enioy that quietnes of mind sweet peace of conscience which togeather with Gods benediction is most fit for science And thus they cōtinue not only for a while as elswher schollers are wont to do vntill they marry or get preferment but al their lines long without any secular distraction or deniation whatsoeuer And that which I haue sayd of the Iesuites may be also affirmed either wholy or in great part of many other secular Doctours and almost of all Religious Orders the Dominicans Franciscant Augustines Carmelits Benedictins Bernardines and the rest who for euery houre which your schollers or Ministers do commonly spend in study or prayer they that study pray least spend 2. at the least one with the other especially considering the constancy continuance of ours in these exercisus for all their liues and the great inconstancy and discontinuance of yours which is notorious And therfore if the grounds of all kind of learning being soundly layd constant prayer and good life and the study of Scripture be the fittest meanes to find out the truth of Religion and to obtaine true wisedome at the hands of God It cannot be denyed but that the possession and perfection therof must rather be found in the Catholike Clergy then among the Ministord of any other sect of Religion in the world Whereof our Catholike Deuynes in this present age haue also made euident demonstration by their workes and wrytings For whether you respact their erudition in the sacred Tongnes their explications of all arts and scyences and especially their readings vpon all questions of Diuinity their commentaryes vpon all the parts of Scripture their treatises as well of deuntion piety and perfection of Christian life with the meanes to attayne thereunto as also of prayer both vocall and mentall which is againe deuided into meditation and supernaturall contemplation of which later parts the Protestants haue neither the practise nor scarce vnderstand the meaning the number and the excellency of those bookes which the Catholikes haue published in this age of ours is so great and so emiment that no former ages of the world for aboundance and perfection of Scyence put togeather may be compared with it Wheras if you will reflect a little and iudge indifferently you shall scarce find three bookes published by the Protestants vnlesse you will except those of Poetry printed in vulgar languages and in respect of the matter are not worthy to be excepted which are not already contemned by the Protestants themselues and are therfore no way likely to remayne vnto posterity Thus we haue shewed the authority of the Catholike professours for the truth of their Religion whether you respect their number or wisedome or learning or perfection of life to be such as doth most euidently and notoriously exceed the testimony of any other Church or Congregation whatsoeuer Vnto which authority of the secular Clergy and Layty and of all the seuerall Orders and Religious bodyes of the Catholike Church at this tyme if you ioyne the authorityes of all the holy and ancient Fathers whose naturall tallents and supernaturall gifts of learning sanctity wisedome are aboue all comparison And if vnto these againe you ioyne the authorityes of so many general Councells as haue been receaued by the vniuersal Church wherein so many tymes all the learning and wisedome of the whole world haue met togeather And lastly vnto all this if you adde the testimonyes of all Christians for a 1000. yeares togeather as the Protestants themselues confesse and of all the former ages euen from the tyme of Christ as we haue proued by the Fathers of those times vtterly cōdemning the opinions of the Protestants and being mutually condemued by them they come to be so many worlds of witnesses as there hath been ages since the tyme of Christ and visibly make vp that great Mountayne of authority which filleth the world and which all those that will not ascend to know the truth must needs be crushed by it if they resist it and eternally perish
vnder it if they contemne it This is that great benefit which S. Augustine in his booke de vtilitate Credends acknowledgeth that the world in these latter tymes hath receiued of Almighty God who of his infinit goodnes hath prouided that the Catholike Faith being so austere to the eye of flesh and bloud so much aboue reason and so contrary as it is to our corrupted nature should be recommended vnto vs as it were by the generall consent and common beliefe of all people This saith S. Augustine the diuine prouydence hath brought to passe by the predictions of the Prophets by the humanity and doctrine of Christ by the trauells of the Apostles Aug. de vtil Cred. cap. 7. by the contumelyes crosses bloud and death of Martyrs by the laudable life of Saints and in all these things by such myracles as were fit for matters and vertues so great as these according as the oportunity of times required Wherefore seing the assistance of God to be so great and so great the fruite and benefit thereof shall we doubt to cast our selues into the lap of his Church Considering that now euen by the confession of mankind it selfe she hath receaued the prohemynence of all authority from the Apostolike seat by succession of Bishops the Heretikes in the meane tyme hauing barked about her all in vayne partly by the iudgment of the people themselues partly by the grauity of Councells and partly by the Maiesty of miracles hauing been all condemned To which Church not to grant the highest degree of authority is either extreme impiety or precipitate arrogancy For if our soules haue no certayne way to attayne true wisedome and saluation but where fayth beliefe prepareth and adorneth our reason what is it els to resist authority indued or est abbshed with so great labour but to be vngratefull to this help and assistance of Almighty God Thus far S. Augustine of the notable benefit that our faith hath receiued from the Common consent of so many Nations therein which he calleth the confession of mankind and of the wonderfull meanes which God hath vsed for the procurement of this vniuersall testimony vnto the truth thereof For albeit when the Apostles began first to preach all rules and principles of humayne wisedome were inforced to giue place vnto that diuine authority wherewith they were sent to their gifts of Tongues to the myracles they wrought to the power of that spirit which spake by them and to the splendour of those celestiall vertues which proceded from them yet since that time the sweetnes of Gods prouidence hath so ordayned that both these authorityes Humayne and Diuine the wisedome of God and the wisedome that naturally directeth worldly men should be ioyned togeather to the end that all mens wills might be drawne more easily gently and connaturally to imbrace the doctrine of Christ And that all vnderstandings great or small might either be conuinced or conuicted by it The voice of the most the testimony of those that are true and honest and the iudgment example and practise of the wisest being the best part of that light of nature which God hath lent vs for the direction of our liues his infinit goodnes and perfect iustice could neuer haue permitted this authority of the Catholike Church to haue grownâ— to this vnmeasurable greatnes nor could haue made it so inuincibly victorious against all those that haue opposed themselues vnto it confirming the same with so many Prophesies of Scripture and promises of his owne and not only with the ostension of miracles and heroycall constancy of innumerable Martyrs but also with the glory and splendour of so many other benedictions of excellent learning diuine wisedome admirable vnity piety and perfection of vertue as hath been shewed vnlesse it had been so ordayned by him for the recommendation and preseruation of that Truth which himselfe descended from heauen to teach the world and to dye the death of the Crosse for the eternall memory and fructification of it For if in any thing we should be deceiued by the power and greatnes of his authority we might well say it was no fault of ours but rather as S. Augustine affirmeth it were either extreme impiety or precipitate arrogancy Not to be so deceiued what need there any other reuelations or miracles as S. Augustine also obserueth in a case so cleere as this If so many Nations haue been conuerted to the obedience of this supernaturall faith and for so many ages haue been preserued in vnity therby without signes and miracles this it selfe is a most sufficient apparent and perpetuall miracle for the testimony of the truth thereof SECTION XXVI The same Authority and the grounds of Christian Fayth are further declared AS the obiect of reason doth farre exceed the knowledge of our senses so the truth of things supernaturall and diuine do no lesse surmount the light of reason And therfore the end of man and the meanes to attaine vnto it being both of them supernaturall diuine as it was necessary that God should reueale and deliuer the knowledge thereof to his Prophets and Apostles obliging all men to beleeue them so it was also expedient that there should be some certayne meanes ordained and established by Almighty God wherby we might infallibly know what it was that was so reuealed vnto them For otherwise if there be not such supernaturall and certaine help to attaine the knowledge of those Diuine Misteryes which do so much exceed the power and faculty of human vnderstanding to perswade our selues that we shall be able to arriue to any certaine knowledge of them by any human diligence or naturall endeauour alone were as wise a matter as for a man to go about to read in the darke or for him that hath no eyes to iudge of colours Nay it were much more ridiculous For such a kind of darke reading or blind iudgment might be practised or aduentured for some little wager or to make men pastyme but Christians that make their beliefe the rule of their life and death laying not only their fortunes but also their soules vpon it vnles they haue some Diuine help and infallible assistance of the spirit of God to know those things which they beleeue to haue beene reuealed to the Apostles and can no way be discerned by human reason they can neuer be excused from meer madnes and ridiculous folly Vpon what grounds the Catholiks beleeue the doctrine and preaching of the Apostles which is the Ghospell and the obiect of their fayth to haue beene reuealed from the mouth of God and that the Church is perpetually infallibly assisted by God himself in the preseruation of the foresayd doctrine from all stayne or touch of errours hath beene shewed already Almighty God hauing so magnified and fortifyed the authority of his Church as if the will of man be not too much peruerted it is impossible for his vnderstanding to resist it And therefore as S. Augustine sayd